text:
Genetic redundancy in endoderm specification within the genus Caenorhabditis.
Title Genetic redundancy in endoderm specification within the genus Caenorhabditis.
Authors Maduro MF, Hill RJ, Heid PJ, Newman-Smith ED, Zhu J, Priess JR, Rothman JH
Date Published 2005 Aug 15
Keywords Alleles, Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Caenorhabditis, Caenorhabditis elegans, Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins, Cell Lineage, Conserved Sequence, Embryo, Nonmammalian, Endoderm, Evolution, Molecular, GATA Transcription Factors, Gene Duplication, Genes, Helminth, Helminth Proteins, In Situ Hybridization, Microscopy, Video, Models, Biological, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Missense, Protein Structure, Tertiary, RNA Interference, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid, Transcription Factors, Transgenes
Specification of the endoderm precursor, the E cell, in Caenorhabditis elegans requires a genomic region called the Endoderm Determining Region (EDR). We showed previously that end-1, a gene within the EDR encoding a GATA-type transcription factor, restores endoderm specification to embryos deleted for the EDR and obtained evidence for genetic redundancy in this process. Here, we report molecular identification of end-3, a nearby paralog of end-1 in the EDR, and show that end-1 and end-3 together define the endoderm-specifying properties of the EDR. Both genes are expressed in the early E lineage and each is individually sufficient to specify endodermal fate in the E cell and in non-endodermal precursors when ectopically expressed. The loss of function of both end genes, but not either one alone, eliminates endoderm in nearly all embryos and results in conversion of E into a C-like mesectodermal precursor, similar to deletions of the EDR. While two putative end-1 null mutants display no overt phenotype, a missense mutation that alters a residue in the zinc finger domain of END-3 results in misspecification of E in approximately 9% of mutant embryos. We report that the EDR in C. briggsae, which is estimated to have diverged from C. elegans approximately 50--120 myr ago, contains three end-like genes, resulting from both the ancient duplication that produced end-1 and end-3 in C. elegans, and a more recent duplication of end-3 in the lineage specific to C. briggsae. Transgenes containing the C. briggsae end homologs show E lineage-specific expression and function in C. elegans, demonstrating their functional conservation. Moreover, RNAi experiments indicate that the C. briggsae end genes also function redundantly to specify endoderm. We propose that duplicated end genes have been maintained over long periods of evolution, owing in part to their synergistic function.


Information technology is one of the fastest growing industries in the world today. It is essential in all industries, not just high-tech. As the business world becomes increasingly dependent on computers, the demand for IT professionals continues to grow so rapidly that it far exceeds the number of university graduates who have the necessary education and skills.
The AIU Online Information Technology program was created in response to that need. Our team-based degree programs are some of the few in North America solely dedicated to providing graduates with cutting edge IT skills required in today's competitive market. Our dynamic, flexible curriculum is based on market demand and is designed to keep pace with changing technologies. The MIT degree program with a concentration in IT Project Management includes the following concentration courses: Principles of Project Management; Technical Project Leadership, Management, and Communication; and Quality Management for IT Projects.


The latest version (labeled "1.24wmf7") of MediaWiki, the software that powers Wikipedia and its sister sites, is being deployed to all Wikimedia sites in stages, starting on Thursday, 29 May 2014 (see the roadmap).
git #8931a650 - Revert "Use square bounding boxes for default-sized thumbnails"
git #b5c2d91d - Revert "Revert "Use precise ApiMain/ApiQuery type hints in all API modules""
git #ca2bb3b5 - Revert "Use precise ApiMain/ApiQuery type hints in all API modules"
git #4394c5b3 - Fix some issues for "sort by last activity"
git #dd23dd13 - Hygiene: Some CSS clean-up. Removing old cruft and consolidating.
git #963e1338 - Remove media item styling moved to MW-core in I400336c12d.
This page was last edited on 22 May 2014, at 15:08.


The Delkatla Sanctuary Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in Masset, the Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary is a migratory bird sanctuary and home to 140 species of birds at various times throughout the year. The mandate of the Delkatla Sanctuary Society is to protect these birds by preserving their natural habitat here on Haida Gwaii, ensuring that each species will thrive and continue to return to Haida Gwaii each new season. The Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary attracts hundreds of visitors from all over Canada and around the world, including photographers, painters and avid bird watchers. Guests can walk the Sanctuary's tranquil nature trails and enjoy the views from one of its many viewing platforms and shoreline access points.
The Delkatla Sanctuary Society and the Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary are members of the BC Federation of Nature and Bird Studies Canada.
Mention you saw us on Love Haida Gwaii and receive free entry to the Nature Centre and a small map of Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary.
Margo Hearne & Peter Hamel are nature lovers and bird watchers who traded city life for the peace and tranquility of Haida Gwaii. Peter is an Anglican minister by profession, but he and Margo's passion for nature and the migratory birds of Haida Gwaii led them to take on the role of caretakers for the Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary. They now spend their days working to preserve and protect the natural environment of Haida Gwaii through education and public awareness.
Margo and Peter's reputation on Haida Gwaii is widespread. "People know who to call when they have injured birds or need help identifying birds they see," says Margo. Living in a small town on a sparsely-populated island chain means that "we get to know people in a more in-depth way," according to Margo. Plus, life here is more informal with little traffic to contend with, easy access to stores and essentials, fresh air and the kind of safety that you don't have in a big city.
The land on which the Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary rests has a rich and colourful history which Margo and Peter love to share with guests who come to visit. Visitors range from the curious to the committed bird-lover to artists who come to paint or photograph the pristine natural scenery and birds that inhabit the area at various times during the year. "I believe in protecting and preserving the natural world and am prepared to work towards keeping wild things wild," Margo states. "I also to try and educate people to look at the world in a different way. It hasn't been created just for humanity, but every living being has rights and needs to be protected."
The other hard-working board members are Janetta Pirt, artist; Martin Williams, artist in argillite; and John Burrill, wildlife photographer.


JOY AS STYLE: FEATURE INTERVIEW ON FASHION SCHOOL DAILY!
I am so humbled by this lovely feature by Academy of Art University where I received my fashion design degree. Check out this interview about my design work and why searching for joy matters in any creative endeavor!


For anyone looking to develop their creative, artistic and professional acting skills further, this BTEC Extended Diploma at Level 3 is an ideal course to deepen your knowledge and push your practical performance abilities to the best they can be. You'll learn all about a variety of performance skills and styles, focusing on those that are current and relevant to the industry. This could cover everything from Contemporary Performance and Acting for TV & Film, to the techniques taught by influential practitioners like Strasberg and Brecht. You will also take a closer look at playwrights or a key time in history that had an impact upon the development of performing arts. All the movement, vocal, and theoretical skills you learn are geared towards preparing you for drama school, a higher level degree or a professional audition.


Update: January 29th, 2016… national debt hits $19,000,000,000,000 – yay us!
On January 29th, 2009 when President Obama took office the national debt was $10,600,000,000,000. Since then he has added $8,400,000,000,000+ all by his lonesome – a 44% increase in just 7 years. While a huge chunk has gone to pay for the Global War on Terror (and we can argue about that in the comments section) the vast majority of that increase has gone to pay for increases in social welfare programs. Gotta pay for all of the unemployed and underemployed, and of course all those new illegal aliens!
During the Presidential election cycle of 2007-2008 you may recall then Senator Obama calling then President Bush "unpatriotic" for racking up $10T in debt. Predictions are that our national debt will hit $20,000,000,000,000 before Obama leaves office, nearly doubling what it was under Bush. In the minds of American Liberals I'm sure that will somehow be Bush's fault.
That's all. Just thought I'd mention that this morning to start your week off right. You can go back to doing whatever it was you were doing.
America's Poorest Cities Run by Dems, But Poorest States Run by GOP?


text:
Court Finds Hartford Violated ERISA When Wrongfully Denying Benefits to a California Woman Suffering from Stage Three Ovarian Ca
Court Finds Hartford Violated ERISA When Wrongfully Denying Benefits to a California Woman Suffering from Stage Three Ovarian Cancer
A California District Court finds Hartford violated ERISA when it wrongfully denied benefits to a California woman suffering from Stage three ovarian cancer. Lisa Schwarz suffered from recurring stage three ovarian cancer and related complications for eight years before receiving long-term disability benefits from Hartford. When Hartford terminated her benefits and rejected her appeal, Ms. Schwarz filed a lawsuit in federal court. After determining Hartford violated ERISA, the Court sent Ms. Schwarz's long-term disability claim back to Hartford for reconsideration.
The Claim and Appeal
Ms. Schwarz submitted a claim for long-term disability benefits in January 2017 due to symptoms of her cancer and chemotherapy treatment, which Hartford approved and began paying. The same month, Ms. Schwarz underwent surgical intervention to remove an enlarged lymph node. Although the main node and others removed did not show signs of cancer, her surgeon noted in the medical records that the cancerous node was too deep to see during surgery. In March, Ms. Schwarz began seeing a therapist regularly due to major depression and chronic pain from her medical condition.
A year and a half later, Hartford's in-house physician reviewed Ms. Schwarz's records and determined that she was able to return to work from an oncology standpoint. The reviewing doctor deferred Ms. Schwarz's mental health issues to a psychiatry reviewer, which Hartford never followed through with. Instead, Hartford terminated benefits in August 2018 and Ms. Schwarz timely appealed that decision.
During its review of Ms. Schwarz's appeal, Hartford had two consulting physicians -- a psychiatrist and an oncologist -- review Ms. Schwarz records. The records reviewed by Hartford's consulting psychiatrist were incomplete missing notes from multiple treating behavioral health providers. Hartford's consulting oncologist cherry-picked the records and took several parts of Ms. Schwarz's medical notes out of context. Both consulting doctors concluded Ms. Schwarz could return to work without restrictions. Hartford sent its consulting physicians' reports to Ms. Schwarz's treating doctors, but refused to provide the reports to her attorney prior to making a final decision despite multiple requests. When Ms. Schwarz's doctors did not respond to the reports, Hartford rejected her appeal for benefits.
As a result, Ms. Schwarz filed suit against Hartford asking the court to either (1) review the missing medical information not considered by the insurance company, or (2) send the claim back so that the full medical records can be considered in a benefits determination.
Hartford's Procedural Violations
Under ERISA, a claims administrator shall afford a reasonable opportunity to a claimant whose benefits have been denied for a "full and fair review". This includes, in part:
Providing any new or additional evidence considered, relied upon, or generated by the plan when reviewing the claim;
Providing the information to the claimant, free of charge;
Providing the information as soon as possible;
Providing the information in advance of when a decision is to be made;
Giving the claimant a reasonable opportunity to to respond to the information prior to when a decision must be made;
Asking for additional information, if the plan believes it is needed to make a decision;
These are just some of the obligations a disability insurance company has under ERISA when reviewing a claim or appeal for benefits.
The Court's Decision
Upon consideration of Ms. Schwarz's case and the record, the Court found that Hartford failed to adequately investigate the claim. Hartford failed to engage in a meaningful dialogue with Ms. Schwarz, which it was required to do as a fiduciary under the plan if it believed more information was needed to make a reasoned decision. In fact, Hartford must ask for the additional information before making a decision. When Hartford's first physician reviewer deferred to a psychiatry review of Ms. Schwarz's mental health, it should have engaged with a consulting physician.
The court also found that Hartford violated ERISA when it failed and refused to provide its consulting physicians' reports to Ms. Schwarz's counsel because the regulation explicitly states plan administrators must send relied-upon evidence to the claimant.
As a result, the Court sent Ms. Schwarz's claim back to Hartford so she could benefit from a "full and fair review" as required by law and a proper benefits determination could be made based upon a complete record.
Attorneys That Specialize in Handling Your Disability Insurance Claims
As a law firm that specializes in helping people get disability benefits from insurance companies, our lawyers are experts in disability insurance. Our disability lawyers have vast experience handling ERISA disability claims and can help you understand which standard of review will apply to your claim.
Every lawyer focuses on disability insurance claims, appeals, and lawsuits;
We have a proven track record of success – we have won major federal court disability lawsuits;
We have recovered millions of dollars in disability benefits for clients across the country;
Our disability lawyers have challenged every major insurance company and know their tactics
With so much at stake, shouldn't you have experienced disability lawyers on your side?
Because federal law applies to most disability insurance claims, your disability lawyer does not have to be located in your state to help.
Call to speak with a disability insurance lawyer.
Aug 29 Hartford Approves Disability Benefits After Successful Appeal
Due to spinal pain, our client from Jackson, Mississippi , experiences severe chronic pain that interferes with his daily life and ...
Aug 11 Can I Be Paid Disability Insurance Benefits for Cancer in Remission?
Did you know that you can be paid disability benefits when your cancer is in remission? Insurance companies are often quick to ...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Julien Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut win doubles as France beat Spain to reach Davis Cup final
By PA Sport
15/09/2018 at 17:48Updated 15/09/2018 at 20:50
Julien Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut booked France's place in the Davis Cup final.
The veteran duo, both 36, won the doubles in straight sets against Marcel Granollers and Feliciano Lopez to give the defending champions an unassailable 3-0 lead against Spain in the semi-final.
An ultimately comfortable 6-0 6-4 7-6 (9/7) victory wrapped up the tie before Sunday's reverse singles.
The final will be the last to be played in the current traditional Davis Cup format, with the tournament being revamped into a World Cup-style competition from next year.
Julien Benneteau Nicolas MahutImago
There could be a repeat of this summer's football World Cup final as Croatia lead the United States 2-1 in the other semi-final.
However, the Croats missed the chance to seal their place on Saturday when Ivan Dodig and Mate Pavic lost a fifth-set tie-break to Mike Bryan and Ryan Harrison.
Elsewhere, Australia captain Lleyton Hewitt's decision to pick himself in the doubles paid off.
The 37-year-old former Wimbledon champion and partner John Peers claimed a 6-1 6-4 3-6 7-5 victory against Austria's Oliver Marach and Jurgen Melzer to pull their play-off tie back to 2-1.
0Read and react


Helpful 0 Not Helpful 2 Comments Flag. Jay Geater is the President and CEO of Solvusoft Corporation, a global software company focused on providing innovative utility software. However, if you want to download all drivers automatically – install a free driver updater software, e. Lately during the filling cycle water hammer is occurring. Good luck, let me know if you have any questions. Click "Add" to insert your video.
Marvin Level 3 Expert Answers. You can try the link provided below. Asus did not release any drivers for the M2V for any version of Windows 7. Ask a Question Usually answered in minutes!
Ive found something on ASUS website,i hope it will be out of eyhernet for you. Best thing about this new service is that you are never placed on hold and get to talk to real repairmen in the US. Even if you have to visit the website you can use the Vista drivers for Windows 7.
If you need anymore help or advice please post back. Do you have the bit or bit version of Windows 7 Ultimate etheret I don't need sound drivers, i need support If you try them and they work OK but if not just uninstall and use the old Windows or go to the site for the hardware and get the windows7 drivers from the original Hardware.
Windows 7 will install all the drivers for you so you shouldn't f5r have to download any drivers from the Asus support website. Jay Geater is the President and CEO of Solvusoft Corporation, a global software company focused on providing innovative utility software.
Not finding what you are looking for? All of the available BIOS and driver updates are here: You are downloading trial software. Subscription auto-renews at the end of the term Learn more.
Posted on Jan 02, This website is using cookies. Helpful 13 Not Helpful Comment Flag. Please assign your manual to a product: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 Downloads: If this helped you to solve the problem or at least brought some clarification – rate this solution with 4 thumbs up!
Please unzip the file before you install.
Your answer needs to include more details to help people. There have been issues with some sites adding using your system's resources to gain revenue from crypto-currency mining Bitcoin and eethernet advertising. Here's a link to this great service Good luck! Answer questions, earn points and help others Answer questions. There are updates for Windows XP and Vista.
That should have all of the original drivers and software needed. Good luck, let me know if you have any questions.
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 2 Comments Flag. Posted on Dec 12, He ethrnet a lifelong computer geek and loves everything related to computers, software, and new technology. The max point reward for answering a question is Click "Add" to insert your video.


text:
Anchor predicts more will come forward with Weinstein stories
By Joe Concha - 10/09/17 02:11 PM EDT
Former Fox News anchor Lauren Sivan predicted more women will come forward with stories about movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who she said exposed himself to masturbate in front of her at a New York restaurant a decade ago.
"It was kind of a horrible kept secret in Hollywood that he had this type of behavior," Sivan, now an anchor at KTTV, a Fox affiliate in Los Angeles, told NBC's Megyn Kelly during an interview on Monday. "But you have to understand, he was a titan in Hollywood. He could ruin people's careers if he didn't like you."
Sivan joined "Megyn Kelly Today" on Monday to share her account of the 2007 meeting with Weinstein, who resigned from his studio after The New York Times published a story that included numerous claims of sexual harassment by the Hollywood titan.
"I'm positive that more women will come forward," Sivan told Kelly, a former coworker of hers when the two were at Fox News in New York.
She said Weinstein exposed himself after suggesting the two go on a tour of the restaurant he owned. After making an advance on her, which was rejected, Sivan said Weinstein told her she could just "stand there and shut up."
"More than the disgusting act itself, which of course was gross, the demeaning part of it all, that just 20 minutes earlier he was having this great conversation with me and I felt so great and flattered by it," she told Kelly. "And then, 'stand there and be quiet,' just a few minutes later just negated any warm feelings I had and I realized 'oh, that is what this is all about.' "
Kelly made headlines last year after telling an outside law firm conducting an internal investigation at Fox News looking into sexual harassment allegations against Roger Ailes that she had been subjected to unwanted sexual advances by the former chairman and CEO of the network.
Ailes was ousted by the network quickly after Kelly's account was shared with the law firm Paul, Weiss in July 2016. Kelly would jump to NBC a few months later.
The Weinstein Company's board of directors announced it was dumping Weinstein on Sunday.
"In light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company — Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg and Tarak Ben Ammar — have determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately," the statement from the board said.
Weinstein said on Thursday that he plans to sue The New York Times for up to a reported $50 million over its story. Weinstein's new attorney Charles J. Harder called the story "false and defamatory" and promised to donate all proceeds of the lawsuit, if successful, to women's organizations.
The Times reported on Thursday that Weinstein paid off at least eight women after they alleged sexual harassment. In order to guarantee their silence following the undisclosed payments, he reportedly required each to sign a confidentiality agreement.
Tags Harvey Weinstein Sexual harassment


Direct Sales and Virtual Facebook Parties are a partnership made in heaven!
The EBook will help you host your own event, find hosts for future events, contains pre event engagement posts, scripted party with suggested graphics, comments, games and giveaways.
I have also included sample graphics, calls to host, shop, and purchase the starter kit. This is your go to manual to create Virtual Facebook parties that will drive your business and become a critical tool in reaching your goals.
A 57 minute Webinar that walks you thru the EBook, the Virtual Facebook Party Event and answers ALL your questions is included. This training allows me to go over in detail the how and why of each action item. I want you FULLY equipped to rock this new tool ASAP!


text:
Sign In to Financial Professional Site
Collective Investment Trusts (CITs)
Institutional Mutual Funds
Variable Insurance Products
Defined Contribution (401k)
Other Business Retirement Plans
Workplace 529 Program
Portfolio Construction Services
Portfolio Matrix Review
Portfolio Consulting
Fund Commentary
Sales Charges & Breakpoints
What Happened Last Week
Social Security Optimizer
Developing Your Practice
RIA Resources
Estate Planning Insights
Volatility Resources for Your Clients
Here's a helpful set of tools you can use to talk with clients now.
Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund - A
Dec 31 2019 Year-end Supplemental Distribution Scheduled for 12/31/19 - Read More
This fund paid a supplemental income distribution of $0.0268 per share on 12/31/19, in addition to its regular monthly distribution. This supplemental distribution was paid to meet the distribution requirements for regulated investment companies and is anticipated to be considered a dividend for tax purposes. Fund distributions will vary depending upon current market conditions, and past distributions are not indicative of future trends. If you have any questions, please contact your financial professional or Shareholder Services.
Sep 10 2018 Class A and A1 Changes to Sales Charges and Dealer Commissions - Read More
Effective 9/10/18, certain sales charges and commissions paid to dealers on Class A and A1 shares of our mutual funds changed. Please see the prospectus supplement for more information. If you have additional questions, please contact your financial professional or call Franklin Templeton.
FLDAX
Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund
Share Class R
Distributions & Pricing
Risk Measures
Bloomberg Barclays US Government & Credit (1-3 Year) Index (%)
3.03 4.48 0.59 1.22 2.67 -0.59 1.01 1.22 4.08 0.60
0.73 2.12 -1.62 -1.09 0.40 -2.82 -1.23 -1.10 1.76 -1.69
1.96 3.03 3.03 8.28 12.53 19.75 55.31
-0.34 0.73 0.73 5.90 10.04 17.04 51.82
MODERN PORTFOLIO THEORY (MPT) STATISTICSAs of 12/31/2020 (updated monthly)
Standard Deviation (Fund)
Standard Deviation (Bloomberg Barclays US Government & Credit (1-3 Year) Index)
Tracking Error
ADDITIONAL RISK STATISTICSAs of 12/31/2020 (updated monthly)
Beta Bull
Beta Bear
Bull Bear Capture Ratio
-11.07 -4.58 1.15
Gains/Losses
Bloomberg Barclays US Government & Credit (1-3 Year) Index
CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are trademarks owned by CFA Institute.
Indexes are unmanaged, and one cannot invest directly in an index. Index returns do not reflect any fees, expenses or sales charges.
Your clients should carefully consider a fund's investment goals, risks, charges and expenses before investing. Download a prospectus, which contains this and other information. Your clients should read the prospectus carefully before they invest or send money.
All investments involve risks, including possible loss of principal. Interest rate movements and mortgage prepayments will affect the fund's share price and yield. Bond prices generally move in the opposite direction of interest rates. Thus, as the prices of bonds in the fund adjust to a rise in interest rates, the fund's share price may decline. Changes in the financial strength of a bond issuer or in a bond's credit rating may affect its value. The risks associated with higher-yielding, lower-rated securities include higher risk of default and loss of principal. Investment in foreign securities also involves special risks, including currency fluctuations, and political and economic uncertainty. Derivatives, including currency management strategies, involve costs and can create economic leverage in the portfolio which may result in significant volatility and cause the fund to participate in losses (as well as gains) on an amount that exceeds the fund's initial investment. The fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits, and may realize losses when a counterparty fails to perform. These and other risk considerations are discussed in the fund's prospectus.
U.S. government-sponsored entities, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, may be chartered by acts of Congress; their securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. government. Although the U.S. government has recently provided financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will always do so.
Duration shown is the option-adjusted duration. Duration is an indication of a fund's sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The option-adjusted duration formula takes into account embedded call options and redemption features that impact a bond's expected cash flows, and thus its interest rate sensitivity.
Percentage of the fund's returns explained by movements in the Barclays US Government & Credit (1-3 Year) Index. 100 equals perfect correlation to the index. Based on the 3-year period ended as of the date of the calculation.
A measure of the fund's volatility relative to the market, as represented by the Barclays US Government & Credit (1-3 Year) Index. A beta greater than 1.00 indicates volatility greater than the market. Based on the 3-year period ended as of the date of the calculation.
Source: Morningstar®. The style box reveals a fund's investment style. For credit quality of the bonds owned, Morningstar combines credit rating information provided by the fund companies (only using ratings assigned by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization - "NRSRO") with an average default rate calculation to come up with a weighted-average credit quality. The weighted-average credit quality is currently a letter that roughly corresponds to the scale used by a leading NRSRO. Funds with a low credit quality style box placement are those whose weighted-average credit quality is less than BBB-; medium are those less than AA- but greater or equal to BBB-; and high are those of AA- or higher. When classifying a bond portfolio, Morningstar first maps the NRSRO credit ratings of the underlying holdings to their respective default rates (as determined by Morningstar's analysis of actual historical default rates). Morningstar then averages these default rates to determine the average default rate for the entire bond fund. Finally, Morningstar maps this average default rate to its corresponding credit rating along a convex curve. For interest-rate sensitivity, Morningstar obtains from fund companies the average effective duration. Generally, Morningstar classifies a fixed-income fund's interest-rate sensitivity based on effective duration of the Morningstar Core Bond Index (MCBI), which is currently three years. The classification of Limited will be assigned to those funds whose average effective duration is between 25% to 75% of MCBI's average effective duration; average effective duration between 75% to 125% of the MCBI will be classified as Moderate; and those at 125% or greater of the MCBI will be classified as Extensive. Shaded areas show the past 3 years of quarterly data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Ratings shown are assigned by one or more Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations ('NRSRO'), such as Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch. The ratings are an indication of an issuer's creditworthiness and typically range from AAA or Aaa (highest) to D (lowest). When ratings from all three agencies are available, the middle rating is used; when two are available, the lowest rating is used; and when only one is available, that rating is used. Foreign government bonds without a specific rating are assigned the country rating provided by an NRSRO, if available. The NR category consists of ratable securities that have not been rated by an NRSRO. The Not Applicable category consists of nonratable securities (e.g., equities). Cash includes equivalents, which may be rated.
Information ratio is a way to evaluate a manager's ability to outperform a benchmark in relation to the risk that manager is assuming, with risk defined as deviation from the benchmark. This measure is calculated by dividing the portfolio's excess return (portfolio return less the benchmark return) by the tracking error (derived by taking the standard deviation of the monthly differences between the portfolio return and the benchmark return over time).
A statistical measurement of a fund's historical risk-adjusted performance. It is calculated by taking a fund's excess return over that of the three-month Treasury bill divided by its standard deviation. Higher values generally indicate better historical risk-adjusted performance.
The annualized percentage difference between a fund's actual returns and its expected performance given its level of market risk, as measured by beta.
The Gross Expense Ratio does not include an expense reduction and fee waiver related to the Fund's investment in a Franklin Templeton money fund and/or other Franklin Templeton fund, contractually guaranteed through 2/28/21. Fund investment results reflect the fee reduction; without this reduction, the results would have been lower. Please see the prospectus for additional information.
Ratings shown are assigned by one or more Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations ('NRSRO'), such as Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch. The ratings are an indication of an issuer's creditworthiness and typically range from AAA or Aaa (highest) to D (lowest). When ratings from all three agencies are available, the middle rating is used; when two are available, the lowest rating is used; and when only one is available, that rating is used. Foreign government bonds without a specific rating are assigned the country rating provided by an NRSRO, if available. The NR category consists of ratable securities that have not been rated by an NRSRO. The N/A category consists of nonratable securities (e.g., equities). Cash includes equivalents, which may be rated.
Interest Rate Derivatives sector consists of Treasury, interest rate and other derivatives that are primarily used for duration management; a negative number indicates that we are seeking to hedge interest rate risk.
Tool Access Acknowledgement
By clicking "Yes" below, you acknowledge and agree as follows:
Access to the Advantage Hypotheticals Tool is provided on your understanding that Franklin Templeton is not acting as an "investment adviser" (as defined under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940) or as a "fiduciary" (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), nor is engaged in rendering impartial investment advice, legal, accounting, fiduciary, tax or other professional services to you or your customers.
You are a representative of a broker-dealer or investment adviser (together, "your firm") registered with the SEC, FINRA and/or the applicable states in which you or your firm conduct business. You, your firm, and your firm's personnel (i) are capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to all transactions and investment strategies involving a security or securities; and (ii) will exercise independent judgment in evaluating any information provided by the Tool.
While certain holdings identified in the Tool's output report may be managed by Franklin Templeton, Franklin Templeton is not providing individualized investment advice or investment recommendations to your clients. Only you can determine what to recommend to your client based on your client's particular investment needs. The output report is intended for informational and educational purposes only.


Basicly everything is otherwise similar than before, only now there is proper place set for the badges, and the address typed to the rigth corner. It isen't a hotlink, as making such would make things overally complicated. But mere visual reminder to where the true bucket exists.
one minor nitpick: the 'never change the drawing size of...' has the wrong size, or is this because of the badges added to the side?
and one question: if we have ships that fit on the template, but take over part of the badge space, should it go over the badge space (if none is there) or should we take a larger template then?
also, an suggestion: maybe now's the time to add an smaller template (say 50 meters scale bar) for the extremely small ships I and some others drew and will draw.
The template sizes has not been changed. Only some stuff added in. If there is errors, they were there in the orginal templates.
Can you specify in what templates the given numbers are incorrect?
The idea is that the ship is in leading role. If the ship and badge doesen't fit into the template, then the badge must stand aside ...or use the larger templates. In the large (XL and XXL ) sizes there is the option to adjust the length to fit for the ship.
We've done quite well sofar with these sizes, and small boats have been drawn allready in these basic sheets without any proplems. Also, all sort of RIBHs, dingies and ship's boats belongs to the part sheets, not among the true ships. This scale has its minium limits after all.
If the guidelines for ship's badge were like this instead of this then badges of different sizes would end up on the same distance from the top of the image. I think it would make drawings look neater.
I need to test which one would look more aesthitical, but part of the tigth selection is to urge people to drawn smaller crests that wouldnt take 1/3 of the image size.
You may use one of my drawing to test it out!
I've changed my drawings of Fort Austin, Argus, Albion, Bulwark and Iver Huitfeldt to the new template And the next expression of Diligence will be in that template too.


If you are an independent artist, starting out in the industry, the likelihood is that you'll be travelling various locations, displaying your art.
Of course, as a start-up artist, you may not have the big budget for hiring art display panels or owning your own professionally made display panels.
And while an easel and tables serve the purpose of showing off your art, they're not always the ideal way of showing off each individual piece. And they're not easy to transport.
Once you are established as an artist, temporary walling providers like Conex can provide you with practical and professional art display panels.
However, until you've grown your artistry business, it may be more practical to make your own.
Three lightweight wood screen doors.
Carpet (an off-cut will do) or another material to cover the doors.
Staple gun and heavy staples.
Heavy duty scissors for cutting carpet/surface material.
Lay out the doors on the floors.
Measure out the carpet, or other material you are using, to make sure it will fit the door surface.
Staple the material in place.
Connect the doors using the door hinges.
Your art display panels are complete!
Should you opt for homemade art display panels or pay for temporary walling solutions?
Professional finish. Temporary walling offers a professional finish for your exhibition walls. While homemade art display stands offer a budget alternative for your exhibition walls, it will be difficult to beat the professional look of a temporary wall from Conex.
You can be sure with professional temporary walling that it will not fall over or wobble during the exhibition. After all, there would be nothing more embarrassing than have a potential customer look at your art, only to find that the stand falls over or is insecure.
Pop-up shops are fast and convenient. When you have to set up an exhibition stand quickly and are moving from place to place, our daily hire exhibitions are a practical solution. What's more, professional temporary walling hire locations, like Conex, can help you set up your stand quickly.
Choose from a variety of art display stands and exhibition walls. If you are making your own art exhibition stands, then you are limited to your imagination and materials. However, with Conex, we can offer you a variety of temporary walling solutions for your art exhibition.
Browse our range of exhibition walling and art display stands to find the type of temporary exhibition walling to suit your requirements.


Twitter, Inc. is counted among the top social media sites used around the world and nowadays, everybody uses Twitter to tweet about that is going on…on their mind. What about doing a job in Twitter Company? Did you ever wish so in your life? Speaking of Twitter Recruitment 2018, we've known that job-hunters have been facing the difficulties or they had difficult times because they could not find the finest job chance i.e. Twitter Recruitment 2018. This all-in-one article includes all upcoming and current job openings in Twitter and one who is interested in making career with Twitter should not think farther; rather Apply for Latest Career Openings in Twitter right away with the help of this page. Contenders seem so fed up looking for Twitter Jobs in India 2018 as there was no one to guide them and now we have decided to help such aspirants.
Twitter, Inc. was founded on 21st March 2016 and is currently headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States. As of 2016, more than 3,898 people are working in this company and this time, you have to become their colleague by applying online for jobs in Twitter in India or any other country where you live. The website of the company i.e. www.twitter.com has been ranked at 13th Number. This ranking keeps on changes according to the traffic that website receives and it is all measured by the tool/website called Alexa.
Talking about the Location Wise Jobs/ Careers in Twitter, there are around 37 locations where Job Opportunities are provided across the Globe. But, when it comes to India, Twitter majorly focuses on locations that are Bengaluru, Delhi, Gurugram, and Mumbai.
So, how do you apply for a job in Twitter? Well, let's talk about it in detail below.
The eligibility criteria are the conditions that must be satisfied by the job-seekers before they apply for any job. The Criteria are different for each post that you apply for. It is therefore important to view the terms and conditions for a particular job before you proceed to apply for the one.
How to Apply for Twitter Latest Jobs Openings 2018?
Step 1: This requires filling an online application form in which you have to fill out your personal information and upload your résumé, cover letter, etc. Once you do this, the recruiters verify that you are the right person having all of the qualifications.
Step 2: If your background is the perfect match that company is looking for, then one or maybe two interview (s) is/are conducted and you are given another opportunity to provide a work sample as per the role.
Step 3: On the success in the phone interviews and if the work sample is strong, the final step consists of the interview with around 5-6 people.
At first, log on to the officially maintained website called www.twitter.com.
Navigate to "Careers" to be part of the company.
If you don't find it, you can directly jump to the "Careers Link" at the bottom of this page.
Now, there are 3 options for you to narrow your search and they are 'Search by Keywords', 'Teams' and 'Locations'.
If you are looking for Twitter Jobs in India, then either type "India" in the search box or find location wise.
The rest of the procedure to apply for Twitter Recruitment 2018 has been mentioned above. If you have got any question, feel free to discuss it using the comment area beneath.


Posts contained within this category are related or talk about chess sets in some context. Chess sets is a generic term used to describe a combination of both chess boards and pieces. Whether they are manufactured from wood, plastic or other materials.


text:
Amanemu
SUITE MASTERS/ JAPAN / COUNTRYSIDE
Amanemu, the harmony of the hot springs of Ago Bay
On top of the heights overlooking Ago Bay, in the southern region of Mie Prefecture, about 120 miles from Tokyo, stands the Amanemu hotel and resort. With twenty-four suites and four villas designed to provide luxurious and tranquil accommodations, Amanemu is one of the largest bespoken travel hotels in the country. A visit to this resort will allow travelers to embraces one of the most peaceful experiences that Japan has to offer: the onsen hot spring bath, an immersion in the naturally heated waters of the region. Located near Ise-Shima National Park, Amanemu will provide travelers with and incredible array of bespoke explorations, from religious exploration of local shrines, to a close look at the traditions of the pearl fishing industry in Ago Bay, to the classic relaxations of spa and golf.
Leaving Care Behind in Mineral Baths
Like many luxury resorts in Japan, where volcanic activity makes thermal springs a commonplace feature, Amanemu is able to channel the local hot springs into their spa facilities. Amanemu is not content to offer simple heated pools, however, but goes on to create a classic Japanese experience of tranquility and serene relaxation: the onsen bath. Onsen baths are designed to the prescriptions of the amazing Japanese sense of harmony and simplicity. Indoors, the black stone work of the baths align with the beautiful views of the Ago Bay provided by enormous windows, and the outdoor facilities feature a watsu pool, which combines hot water with massage treatment. The spa treatments of Amanemu are classic in their comprehensive and very Japanese attention to detail.
Bespoke Sailing on a Famous Bay
Bespoke travelers are always ready to explore the regions around them. In Mie Prefecture, the pearl farmers of Ago Bay have earned international renown for decades. Almost every suite and villa at the elegant resort offers an extensive view of the bay, where the pearl baskets spread out over the blue waters. Every year, the pearl divers of Ago Bay add millions to the local economy, and the oyster racks are clearly visible for miles around, beneath the windows of the luxurious villas of Amanemu. The resort will gladly charter fishing vessels into the bay, where you can watch divers, or perhaps use rod and reel to bring in your own catches for the chef at Amanemu to prepare for dinner. To the west of the resort, the mountain trails of the local forest are known collectively as the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes, and they serve as the gateways to the venerated Ise Jima shrines.
A Classic Sport for the Japanese Countryside
The elegance of Amanemu extends to the more modern relaxations of Nemu Golf course, located within walking distance of the resort and ringed about with forest and beautiful vistas of Ago Bay. Bespoke adventurers may wish to pair the tour of the links with a dinner that features the gourmet Wagyu beef of Japan, at Amanemu's dining establishment, The Restaurant.
When paired with a visit to the Aman Tokyo, travellers can enjoy a complete urban and rural exploration of modern Japanese culture. There is no better way to experience the bespoken luxuries of the Japanese countryside than Amanemu.
www.aman.com/resorts/amanemu
Planning an escape to this awesome destination?
Make sure to consider these Destination Masters to design a truly memorable journey or contact one of our Preferred Travel Designers to assist you with their magic.
JapanQuest Journeys
DESTINATION MASTERS/ JAPAN
JapanQuest Journeys is a boutique destination firm specializing in tailor-made luxury journeys to Japan with an extraordinary platinum service model. The company represents high-end travellers worldwide; discerning individuals who desire to go beyond the surface and immerse themselves in Japan. Starting with world-class stays in some of the most exciting places in Japan, and supported by a local concierge staff,
Lujo Asiatico
DESTINATION MASTERS/ JAPAN / TOKYO
Originally launched in 2017 and aided by a tremendous demand for high-end individual discovery journeys throughout this fascinating country, Lujo Asiatico has rapidly developed into a trusted name within the Japanese inbound market. As a young and dynamic brand, Lujo Asiatico specializes in private, bespoke experiences for discerning travellers visiting Japan. The company has earned its enviable reputation by responding
Windows to Japan
In Japan there is a title given to those who dedicate their lives to honing and perfecting a single craft. Keeping their focus wide, paying attention to the smallest details coming from all sides, noting all elements and components involved from start to finish, these 'shokunin' make original, solid and singular pieces of beauty, flavour, and design. Windows to Japan
Earth Lodge


text:
Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2004 (Autumn Edition)(HKTDC Electronic Components & Parts, Vol 04,2004)
Vol 4, 2004
Fair Preview
Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2004 (Autumn Edition)
October 13-15 9:30am - 6:30pm
October 16 9:30am - 5:00pm
Buyer Registration Counter
October 12 2:00pm - 7:00pm
Total Exhibitors
2003: 1,950
2003: 48,291
Major Exhibit Categories
Audio and Visual Products
Multimedia/Electronic Gaming
Office Automation and Equipment
Personal Electronics/Multi-product
Telecommunication Products
1. Hall of Fame
Dedicated to showcasing top-of-the-range brand names and stylish products in an exclusive and magnificent setting.
2. The Frontiers of Brainpower
A display of innovations, ideas and prototypes for tomorrow's applications and production.
3. Electronics Conference
Key industry experts sharing views on market trends, business opportunities and challenges of electronic products.
4. Exhibitors' Forum
A custom-made platform for individual exhibitors, in which they introduce visitors to state-of-the-art products and
5. electronicAsia 2004
A professional trade fair for components, assemblies and electronic production and display technologies. The fair is jointly organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council and MMI-Munich International Trade Fairs Pte Ltd.
54,740 square metres
Halls 1, 2, 3, 5, Atrium 2, Grand Hall, Convention Hall, Mezzanine 1, 2
Rooms 201-212, 301-312, 601-610
1 Harbour Rd, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Federation of Hong Kong Industries
The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce
The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association
The Hong Kong Exporters' Association
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
The Indian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong
Trade and Industry Department, HKSAR Government
(In alphabetical order)
Trade only. Visitors under 18 will not be admitted. (Admission fee is HK$100 per person)
The Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Autumn Edition) is set to consolidate its reputation as Asia's biggest electronics show with an even wider selection of advanced electronic products. The 24-year-old event that is staged by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC) runs from October 13-16, 2004 and has long been one of the highlights of the industry's calendar.
"We conduct continuous dialogue with the electronics industry to ensure our events remain relevant, innovative and useful to buyers and sellers," comments Anne Chick, TDC senior exhibitions manager. "We look forward to once again offering a first-class opportunity for local and regional manufacturers to participate in a major trade fair and give buyers the prospect of replenishing stocks while viewing the latest offerings."
Event organisers expect the show to build on previous successes, and are privately confident that key indicators will compare favourably with past fairs. At the 2003 October event, the Hong Kong Electronics Fair attracted 1,950 exhibitors from 22 countries and regions and more than 48,000 buyers from 143 countries and regions, once again posting a record high.
Overseas buyers accounted for more than 54% of visitors, and arrived from diverse locations, including Asia (58.5%), Europe (21%), North America (9%), the Middle East (3.5%), Australia and the Pacific Islands (3.1%), Central and South America (2.6%), and Africa (2.4%).
Despite the addition of the spring event to the electronics industry's schedule, Chick believes buyers and exhibitors will find plenty of opportunities to do business at the autumn fair.
"Consumer demand for novel and higher-tech products shows no sign of letting up," she says. "We've responded to that by creating more opportunities for the electronics industry to showcase its best new items and help industry players make better informed sourcing choices."
The fair has proven a hit with buyers over the years, with visitors to the previous edition such as TNM World Sdn Bhd, Malaysia business director Anthony Chan delighted with the range and quality of products on display.
"This event is well organised and well presented," Chan notes. "It has many manufacturers, not just from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland but from other parts of the world as well. I can find a complete range of products in one place."
Exhibitors were also quick to praise the event for facilitating numerous business opportunities. "Many visitors to the Hall of Fame at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair haven't heard our name before, but that is changing," says Jessie Chen, a marketing executive for Dbtel Inc of Taiwan. "We have made contact with buyers from the Middle East, the UK and Brazil, among others."
Participants from the group pavilions noted the important role played by the fair in raising the global profile of their products. "Mainland companies are highly enthusiastic about joining the Hong Kong Electronics Fair - more than 350 have already confirmed their participation in the Chinese mainland pavilion," says Zhang Xiaoyue, deputy general manager of China National Electronics Import & Export Corp.
He says a wide array of products will be on display at the fair, including audio-visual products such as hi-fi systems for cars, DVDs, VCDs, LCDs and home appliances. "Our electronics industry has been growing rapidly in recent years in terms of technology and manufacturing standards, while the products are also competitively priced," Zhang explains. "The major trend is the gradual change from OEM to brand building and high-end products."
This time the TDC expects more than 2,000 exhibitors from Belgium, the Chinese mainland, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, the US and Hong Kong.
The new exhibition concept introduced in 2003, the Hall of Fame, will return to showcase quality brand names in electronic goods, both in finished products and components. More than 150 brands are expected to feature.
"The Hall of Fame proved popular with exhibitors and buyers, and we have brought it back due to spectacular demand," notes Chick. "We've taken note of their feedback and have made this section even bigger and better than before."
The continuing success of the Hong Kong Electronics Fair underlines the important role played by the city in the global electronics business as the major global supplier of electronic products.
According to the TDC, the territory exported US$24.1bn of electronic products in the first quarter of 2004 - an encouraging growth of 19% over the same period in 2003.
Extra Attractions Add Hi-Tech Value
Astute visitors won't want to miss the exciting electronicAsia event, which is being held concurrently with the Hong Kong Electronics Fair. This electronic parts and components exhibition featured 552 leading industry producers under one roof in 2003.
"As the specialist show for components, assemblies, electronics production and display technologies, electronicAsia is now well established," says the TDC's senior exhibitions manager Anne Chick. "It will be staged for the eighth time this year and continues to grow in size and influence."
A series of conferences, seminars and forums, covering a wide variety of pertinent topics delivered by key industry speakers, will keep visitors plugged into the latest developments in the industry.
Another attraction to look out for at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair is The Frontiers of Brainpower, which highlights the most creative projects from Hong Kong's top research institutions.
"Top-notch research and development is one of the main factors behind many of the most successful products on display at the fair," notes Chick. "Hong Kong has a number of top-quality research institutions and incubator companies and by organising The Frontiers of Brainpower showcase, we hope to help them reveal some of their ground-breaking creative projects and prototypes of tomorrow's best-selling electronic products."
Participants include Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp (HKSTPC), which will promote its 'Incu-Tech Programme,' which supports technology start-ups in Hong Kong. Currently, the scheme involves about 80 such enterprises from the four focused technology clusters of biotechnology, electronics, IT & telecommunications, and precision engineering. HKSTPC will showcase a number of these start-ups at The Frontiers of Brainpower.
Hong Kong Buyers Request Form Overseas Buyers Request Form More Publications Related TDC Trade Fair
Lighting Industry in Hong Kong
Electronics Industry in Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition Industry in Hong Kong
Social Insurance Available for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Residents Working in Mainland
Source for quality suppliers and manufacturers of electronics and electrical appliances on hktdc.com.


text:
Breaking Through Physical Gaming Limitations: Shadow's Full-Featured Cloud PC with Dedicated Storage is Accessible via Any Device
TL; DR: Shadow makes it possible for gamers to access the resources of a high-speed PC from any internet-connected device. The result is a cheaper, faster, and more flexible user experience that is entirely independent of one's hardware. Ultimately, Shadow's vision is to transform the way consumers around the world think about computers by shifting value from the device to the datacenter.
After months of quarantine, your favorite first-person shooter game has become a much-needed digital escape. Today, itching for a win, you've carefully positioned your character behind cover, waiting for the right opportunity to exploit the opposing team's mistakes.
Suddenly, you realize your computer isn't responding to your keystrokes, no matter how hard you pound the keyboard. By the time your device snaps out of the lag, you've been discovered — and destroyed — by your enemy. Game over.
Should you curse the 10-year-old PC that you can't afford to replace? Probably. After that, you may want to check out Shadow — the first high-performance computer accessible from any device connected to the internet.
Shadow allows subscribers to access the resources of a high-speed gaming PC using any device.
Using the Shadow app, available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, gamers can transform nearly all of their devices, including smartphones, smart TVs, tablets, and Macs, into a powerful, cloud-based Windows 10 PC.
"Proper gaming computers can cost up to $3,000, they're complex, and they become obsolete every two or three years," said Florian Giraud, Shadow's Head of Strategy and Growth. "At Shadow, we take care of the renewal of the components so you don't have to. You can turn everything from a MacBook Air to a smart TV into a gaming computer."
The innovative solution is essentially a full-featured cloud PC with dedicated storage that gamers can access from any device, at any time. The idea is to make access to a powerful, low-latency gaming PC easier and more affordable than ever before while taking flexibility to a whole new level with a bring-your-own-game approach and customization options.
A Cheaper, More Accessible Gaming Experience
Shadow was created in 2015 by Founders Emmanuel Freund, Stéphane Heliot, and Asher Kagan, who set out to shape the future of computing by inventing the PC of tomorrow.
"They realized from past experience that it no longer made any sense to have all of the computing power you need on your device since you can have it in the cloud," Florian said. "By bypassing the challenge of miniaturization, you had the potential for unlimited power, storage, et cetera."
The concept also made sense from an ecological perspective. By transferring processing power to datacenters and taking advantage of high-speed internet, the founders knew they could slow the waste caused by hardware obsolescence.
The company is aiming to reduce hardware waste by moving resources to the cloud.
Doing so wasn't easy: Instant streaming of a high-speed computer is far more complex than your average Netflix or Spotify technology.
The Shadow team devoted significant time to research and design to ensure the best image quality at any given time. Together with its user community in France, Shadow improved upon the beta version until the company was confident enough to release the product to the public in 2017. The service then quickly expanded throughout Europe and the U.S.
Today, Shadow is the first high-end computer completely free of hardware constraints. This means gamers no longer have to pay for a supercharged gaming computer to explore the latest digital adventures. Instead, they can turn nearly any device they own into a Windows 10 PC using the resources in Shadow's always updated datacenters.
Users can transfer their games, progress, and achievements from software platforms and digital storefronts like Epic Games Store, GOG, Origin, Uplay, and Steam, among others, or install new ones.
Overcoming Challenges for a Broader Market
Florian told us that gaming was the perfect use case with which to test out its technology for the future of computing. After all, they're the ones who tend to view latency as the difference between (digital) life and death.
"We chose gaming as the first use case for our machine because gamers need power to achieve their goals and have high demands in terms of latency — they want the machine to do what they direct it to do with no exceptions," he said.
With Shadow, you play compute-heavy games from any location.
In the long term, Shadow's goal is not just to compete with the makers of gaming hardware, but with PC manufacturers as a whole.
The company's value proposition is crystal clear in that respect: If Shadow can produce a full-featured cloud PC with enough power to keep gamers happy, that speaks wonders for its ability to stream less demanding content, such as movies.
"We knew that if we could convince gamers that we are inventing the computer of the future, then we could convince anyone," Florian said.
Taking Gaming Flexibility to a Whole New Level
In addition to lower costs and more power, Shadow's goal is to provide users with the freedom to play without platform-based restrictions. That way, you don't have to run the risk of being restricted to a certain selection of games while your gaming circle moves on to the hottest new thing since Fortnite.
"There are no limits in terms of when you can access Shadow or what games you can play, because any game that is available on a PC is available on Shadow," Florian said. "That's the full freedom of the PC approach we took — users are in no way locked into our ecosystem."
Users can also leverage Shadow's power to run other demanding software, such as Photoshop. The company currently offers an introductory Boost plan with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for a low monthly fee.
Customers can sign up to be on a waiting list for the company's upcoming Ultra and Infinite plans, which will feature additional memory and storage.
"All of our plans are extremely powerful in terms of computing power, but we will have three offers featuring different configurations," Florian said.
In addition to a subscription, all users need is a low-cost device and a minimum internet speed of 15 Mbps. For the best possible experience, Shadow recommends using an Ethernet connection or a 5GHz wifi connection.
The Vision: To Shift Value from Devices to the Datacenter
Florian said Shadow is currently testing early-stage options for streaming games in virtual reality lenses, which would untether users from cords that cause mobility limitations.
"But we don't want to do it behind closed doors in some secret lab and release it out of the blue," he said. "We know that if we want to be successful like we were with Shadow, we need to work closely with the community. We are on a collective exploration that provides us with a powerful way to design and release features."
Virtual reality is the company's next frontier, but ultimately, Shadow's vision is to move value from hardware to the datacenter, improving accessibility to computing innovations worldwide.
"We think this is the way the computing industry is going, and we are proud to be working with our communities to pioneer this space," Florian said.


We're excited to tell you one of our favourite local companies has taken a much-loved product and turned it into a stunning wall decal!
Cocoon Couture's Enchanted Tree has long been a delightful decor item for homes with young familes. Keen to expand on its popularity for those living in more compact spaces, Cocoon Couture has made a wall decal of the tree and you can choose from three irresistible colours.
The entire decal measures 2 m x 2 m with the kit containing enchanted leaves, acorns, dreamy and sleepy owls, early birds, a fox and two flower stems for the base of the trunk. It's $275 plus post, from The Wall Sticker Company.


Annual reports intended for the public – except those of nonprofit organizations – can be viewed without charge. For companies with a mandated statutory audit, AJPES publishes audited annual reports.
In accordance with legislation, AJPES publishes annual reports of companies, cooperatives, sole proprietors and associations at its website to allow the corporate public and all other interested users easy and efficient access to the performance data of business entities. This information has an important role in adopting business decisions.
The JOLP web service (public posting of annual reports) allows users to access published annual reports for the last five business years free of charge. AJPES's web portal features annual reports, audited annual reports and consolidated annual reports. AJPES publishes annual reports according to calendar. A copy or transcript of these annual reports for previous financial years can be obtained directly from AJPES's branch offices.
by fax, post or in person at AJPES branch offices.
According to the regulations, business entities are required to file their annual report data to AJPES for national statistics purposes and for publication purposes. Most business entities submit their annual report to AJPES for both purposes (national statistics and public availability), as well as for tax purposes.
AJPES is required to provide the annual reports submitted by business entities for the purpose of ensuring public availability to any person requesting such information. AJPES publishes annual reports on English website for companies, cooperatives, sole proprietors and associations, thus providing users with a comprehensive, easy, fast and free way of accessing this information.
Data includes companies that have submitted their annual reports under the Companies Act for national statistics purposes. Companies are all limited and unlimited liability companies (including listed companies), economic interest groupings and main offices of foreign business entities. Middle-sized companies, large companies and companies whose securities are traded on organized market are subject to statutory audit.
Data includes cooperatives that have submitted their annual reports under the Cooperatives Act for national statistics purposes. Medium-sized and large cooperatives are subject to statutory audit.
Data includes sole proprietors that have submitted their annual reports under the Companies Act for national statistics purposes. Data does not include sole proprietors with personal income tax based on normalized expenses.
Data includes associations that have submitted their annual reports under the Associations Act for national statistics purposes. Associations with revenues or expenses exceeding 1 million EUR are subject to statutory audit.
Data includes non-profit organizations - legal entities governed by private law that have submitted their annual reports under the Accounting Act for national statistics purposes. This category includes institutes, trade unions, political parties etc.


text:
Germany energy
Coalition talks in Germany put climate policy on the agenda
January 18th 2018 | Germany | Renewables
Negotiations on the formation of a "Grand Coalition" government in Germany between Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) reached a breakthrough on January 12th, as successful preliminary talks concluded with the release of a blueprint outlining common ground between the leadership of the two parties on a range of policy areas. The formation of a new government is not yet a done deal, however. Approval from SPD delegates at a party conference on January 21st is needed before the party can enter formal negotiations with the CDU to form another coalition government.
Climate policy was included in the 28-page blueprint released last week, somewhat allaying earlier fears that tackling climate change might become a lower priority in the event of a new CDU-SPD government being formed. It was, for example, widely reported that Merkel and SPD leader Martin Shulz had originally agreed to abandon Germany's target to cut GHG emissions by 40% from 1990 levels by 2020. In fact what they initially agreed to was to delay the reaching of this target until the early 2020s, while also deciding to keep an existing commitment to cut emissions by 55% by 2030. Subsequently, the blueprint released days later reflects that both parties, on paper at least, are committed to reaching broad climate policy goals (although issues such as immigration, the economy and public spending are a greater priority).
According to Berlin-based Clean Energy Wire, the climate and energy portion of the blueprint commits the parties to reach existing emissions reduction targets for 2020, 2030, and 2050 (including legislation to guarantee reaching 2030 targets), preparing a plan for the eventual phase-out of coal-fired power, financing to smooth the socio-economic impact of a transition away from coal, reaching a 65% share for renewables of electricity consumption by 2030, and holding of auctions for at least 8 gigawatts of wind and solar capacity that will be constructed in 2019-2020.
Assuming a CDU/SPD coalition is formed, and the broad objectives on climate policy in the blueprint are left intact, the challenge will then be for the new government to guide Germany's energy transition, or Energiewende, into the next decade. Given Germany's mixed performance on reaching some of its climate and energy objectives thus far, however, this will be no easy task.
GHG emissions
Germany seeks to cut emissions by 40% from 1990 levels by 2020, 55% by 2030, and by at least 80% by 2050. The 2020 target is unlikely to be reached, with emissions falling to 28% below 1990 levels by 2015, and estimates showing little movement in 2016-17. An average annual reduction of between 3-4% between 2018 and 2020 will be required to reach the 2020 target, but this is unlikely in the absence of drastic policy intervention (such as a shutdown of significant coal-fired capacity) or a sharp economic downturn. Germany's emission levels are unlikely to reach much beyond 30% below 1990 levels by 2020, well short of the target set in 2007.
Germany's 2011 nuclear phase out prompted discussion over the decision to eliminate a significant source of low carbon energy – nuclear accounted for over 20% of generation when it was announced – while it was seeking to meet an ambitious emissions reduction target. Germany's emissions have in fact fallen over the last decade, but only incrementally, with very modest cuts in emissions in the power sector largely negated by slight increases in other sectors, such as transport and manufacturing, and more recently stronger economic growth. Although there has been significant deployment of wind and solar power in recent years it has been displacing another source of low carbon energy, nuclear, and this has mitigated the impact of the rapid rise of renewables on reducing the German economy's emissions. Reaching of the 2030 target will require a greatly accelerated pace in emissions reduction compared to what has been achieved in the previous decade, and must also include progress in sectors other than power generation.
Germany has faced criticism for its lacklustre performance on reducing emissions, especially from a school of thought in energy policy who view that nuclear power should play a valuable role in de-carbonising electricity supply. The Energiewende, however, has its roots in the anti-nuclear movement from decades ago, which largely explains that a key driver behind it is the expansion in the use of renewables rather than opting for technology neutral "de-carbonisation," an approach that would include nuclear power. Germany has been successful in expanding deployment of renewables, with all forms combined reaching 33% of gross generation in 2017 (Fraunhofer ISE, a German energy think tank, estimates that renewables reached over 38% of Germany's net generation, or power consumed domestically by households and excluding electricity exports).
Last year renewables generation increased by 15%, mainly due to a significant increase in wind power, and since 2010 renewables have doubled in terms of volume and its share of power generation. Overall, the growth in renewables generation in the last six years has exceeded the loss of generation from nuclear power over the same period, and Germany will overshoot its 2020 targets for both renewables' share of electricity and total energy consumption (35% and 18% respectively). The CDU/SPD blueprint commits a potential coalition government for renewables to account for 65% of electricity generation by 2030, higher than the original target set of 50%. Achieving this will require dependence on coal generation to be sharply reduced, which in turn will be a challenge for Germany's policymakers in the next decade.
Coal dependence
Coal (including carbon intensive lignite) has remained a key source of electricity supply in Germany, despite renewables booming. Nevertheless the outlook for coal in Germany does not look rosy. Traditionally coal had been a mainstay of the German economy and a key source of power generation, as with other European industrial powers, but this dominance has been slowly on the wane.
In 1990 coal accounted for nearly 60% of Germany's power supply, but by 2010 this had slid to 42%. Coal generation did rebound between 2010 and 2013, and from 2011 this was attributed to the immediate shutdown of 8 of Germany's 17 nuclear reactors in that year. While this did contribute to a temporary increase in coal-fired generation, which went up by over 13% between 2010 and 2013, the extent of the influence of the nuclear shutdowns is hard to quantify. Falling natural-gas generation also contributed to the coal rebound, with demand for this lower-carbon fossil fuel being squeezed between the push for renewables, cheaper priced-coal and stagnant energy consumption. Furthermore, the modest boom in coal generation lost momentum in 2013, which has in fact fallen consecutively in the last four years, completely negating the impact of the short lived increase in the years before. In 2017 coal dropped to 37% of gross generation, from 40% the year before, with most of the fall due to lower output from black coal plants (but output from more carbon intensive lignite plants has remained fairly stable).
Last year one of Germany's largest black coal plants shut down, due to market conditions, and this reflects the broader fundamentals that are becoming tougher for coal generation in Germany and in Europe more broadly. Renewables usage is growing while power consumption remains stagnant, and cheaper natural gas prices has made gas-fired generation more competitive as well. Nevertheless Germany will not meet its climate targets with coal generation edging down gradually on an annual basis. The CDU/SPD blueprint is vague on the pace a coal phase-out would take, or how it will be implemented, and proposes to leave that job to a commission to make recommendations. But the next German government will need to bring about a more drastic reduction in dependence in coal generation, especially lignite, than what current trends reflect, if the 2030 climate targets as outlined in the blueprint are met.
More will be known about the likelihood of a CDU/SPD government being formed after the result of the SPD special meeting on January 21st. Climate policy is not the highest priority of either party, but those looking for a greater commitment on this issue can afford to be cautiously optimistic over the longer term. Nevertheless, the 2020 emissions target will likely not be reached, and once the nuclear phase out is completed a pathway will need to be negotiated to ensure that the 2030 target is realised. It will take detailed policy intervention, not just stated ambition, to enable the rapid fall in emissions that are required for Germany to claim global leadership in tackling climate change.
February 1st 2019
EU progress slows on climate targets


USS Zumwalt off Arrowsic in September.
President-elect Donald Trump says he wants to bolster the nation's military with more ships, planes and ground forces. Even if he is only partially successful, it could mean a big boost to Maine's defense contractors and to the state's economy.
Defense industry jobs generally pay well. While the average per capita income in Maine is less than $28,000 a year, the average pay at Bath Iron Works is over $51,000 a year. That's one reason why some see Trump's proposals to increase defense spending as having the potential to boost the state's economy.
There are about 270 ships in the U.S. fleet, and Trump says he wants a 350-ship Navy. Andrew Hunter of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington says building ships takes a long time.
"The quickest way to deliver more ships is to order more of what you already got in production," he says.
And that could mean more orders for Burke-class destroyers, which are built at Bath Iron Works. A new class of ships, such as the future frigate discussed in the trade press, could take a decade to design and get into production.
Brian Slattery of the Heritage Foundation says there's talk of changing strategy around the new class.
"Folks are thinking how can we evolve that Littoral Combat Ship, the LCS program to something that more resembles the frigate that it had replaced," he says.
There were 71 Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates built for the Navy — 24 of those at Bath Iron Works, which was the lead yard for the ships.
In addition to growing the fleet, Trump has also signaled that he wants to bolster U.S. air power. That could be a boon for the Pratt and Whitney plant in North Berwick, which builds engines used in the F-35 jet fighter.
Trump has criticized the aircraft as being too expensive, with a price a tag of over $100 million apiece. But Hunter says it's already in production.
"The F-35 is basically the only game in town when it comes to buying new fighters for the U.S. Air Force," he says.
The North Berwick plant also builds engines for the B-21 bomber that is under development, at a projected cost of more than half a billion dollars each.
Beyond ordering new ships and planes, Trump could also reach his goals by extending the lives of current weapons systems, Slattery says. And that could mean more work for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.
"With respect to submarine platforms, they're looking at ways to extend the service life by nature of having a nuclear power plant that can operate longer," he says.
Trump also wants to build up ground forces in both the Army and Marine Corps, adding tens of thousands of troops. That could benefit smaller contractors in the state, from athletic shoemaker New Balance to the General Dynamics plant in Saco that makes machine guns and grenade launchers.
Maine's two U.S. senators both support Trump's efforts to improve the military, but express concerns about the cost — pegged at hundreds of billions of dollars over several years. Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, who serves on the Appropriations Committee, points to a national debt in excess of $19 trillion.
"It will be interesting to see what the president's budget is and how he proposes to shift funding in order to pay for that needed improvement in our naval fleet," she says.
Independent Sen. Angus King, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, agrees with Collins that the military is underfunded. But he too is concerned about how Trump plans to pay for his new and expanded programs.
"Really don't know what the proposals are, what the offsets might be. But the reality is we are already running a half trillion a year budget deficit and that is expected to run into the indefinite future," he says.
The short-term funding for the operation of the federal government runs out in April, at about the same time the new Congress will have to focus on Trump's first budget proposal, which should take effect next October.


Drummer Girl has a beautiful book cover and the picture is different compared to other books that I have seen. I want to check it online and I will check the summary of the book. I always explore books and for me it is like I am the director and the character in the book. This is where imagination takes place and there will be some suggestions that I will hear and I am open to these options.


The Skelton brothers were only 9, 7, and 5 years old when they went missing from Morenci, Michigan, on November 25, 2010. It has been nearly 8 years since their mom, siblings, grandparents and other family members have seen Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton. Their mother, Tanya Lynn Zuvers Skelton, had filed for divorce from their father, John Russell Skelton, in September 2010 and had custody of the boys. John took them for a court-ordered visitation over Thanksgiving, and never returned them.
There has been much speculation around where Andrew, Alexander and Tanner could have gone with one theory focusing on Amish country and whether their father, John Skelton, left them there. At one time John mentioned the Amish as being the group.
In September of 2017, human remains were located in a shed in Montana. In December of 2017 Michigan State Police Michigan State Police said an investigation was underway to determine whether or not the remains could be that of Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton. By February of 2018, authorities determined that the remains located in Montana were not those of the Skelton brothers.
The boys' father, John Skelton is currently serving 10-15 years at the Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia.
John Skelton pleaded no contest to three counts of unlawful imprisonment in September 2011. He claimed that he had not harmed the boys, but gave them to unknown individuals in an effort to keep them safe.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Michigan State Police.


If I had to answer that question, I wouldn't now what to say because I think it depends on a lot of things which of the two will be better. Both of them have pros and cons. DataSets for instance are very easy to persist in a database. Classes on the other hand can enforce business rules more easily.
Barry Gervin started out with a list why datasets are so good, but in the comments there's a big discussion going on about when to use datasets and when to use custom entities. I for one like datasets and classes. And I think we can use them both, even within the same system. On the other hand, that might get a bit complex.
Is Udi Dahan's comment right? Should dataset only be used in one-off situations, or can they belong in the center of a system's architecture?
I don't have a particular preference, although I seem to be inclined to start with classes more often. Do you have a preference? If so, drop me a line in the comments!
Up 'til now I've used DataSets most of the time because they come with standard functionality for keeping changes and structure. But if you are going Service Oriented with your code, and you want to be interoperable (i.e. callable from non-.NET environments) you just cannot use these .NET specific types in your methods. So there home-brew classes or simple types are the way to go…think about that all the time when you're building code. 'Coz you never know who's going to use your stuff tomorrow.