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Fed's forward guidance may be responsible for more market volatility
The 2008 financial meltdown exposed a lack of transparency in the financial system. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in response, sought to provide more openness and fewer surprises with forward guidance -- early indications of changes in monetary policy to guide investors, businesses and households. The Fed's hope was that providing information about likely changes could reduce market disruptions.
I have long been skeptical of the effectiveness of forward guidance because future changes in monetary policy are heavily dependent on data that are not yet known. Worse, the Fed has consistently been too optimistic about the economic recovery, making its forward guidance ineffective.
In 2012, the Fed forecast 3.4 percent growth for 2015, but gradually cranked that down to 2.1 percent, the average annual growth rate since the recovery started in mid-2009. It similarly cut to 2 percent from 4 percent its initial forecasts for 2012, 2013 and 2014.
To assess whether forward guidance has been effective in preventing market disruptions, compare today's economy with the market conditions of the mid-1990s, prior to its use. Of course, there are significant differences in inflation, global growth and other measurements, yet the differences in volatility between then and now are stark.
The Fed raised short-term interest rates in February 1994 without warning. It pushed rates up six more times by November 1994, doubling the federal funds rate to 6 percent. This caused Treasury yields to skyrocket in what became known as the great bond massacre of 1994.
Yields on 10-year Treasuries jumped 2.3 percentage points to 8.1 percent, for a price loss of 23 percent. The 30-year Treasury-bond yield leaped by 1.9 percentage points for a principal decline of 17 percent. The index that measures stock-market uncertainty reached a high of 23.9 in April, compared with a 10.8 level before the first rate increase.
Ditto for Treasury volatility, which is measured by taking the 20-day moving average of the daily percentage change in yield. For 10-year Treasuries in 1994, volatility rose from 0.5 percent at the start of the year to a peak of 1.2 percent, while volatility in the 30-year bond climbed from 0.4 percent to a peak of 1 percent.
If forward guidance worked, you'd expect less stock and bond volatility now -- even more so with all the Fed's talk of raising rates. Nevertheless, forward guidance appears to be stirring up markets, not calming them down. Stock and bond market volatilities have jumped to levels vastly exceeding those of the mid-1990's.
The Fed indicated it might raise rates in June, September and now December. From their February lows, yields have risen 68 basis points (100 basis points equals one percentage point) on the 10-year Treasury note and 87 basis points on the 30-year Treasury bond.
The 1994 yield increases were higher. Still, the volatility index jumped to 40.7 in late August, almost twice the 23.9 high of 1994. Similarly, our index of Treasury volatility this year reached 2.9 percent for the 10-year and 2 percent for the 30-year -- more than double the 1994 levels.
Why are stock and bond volatilities twice as high with forward guidance than without it? Anticipation of a Fed rate rise and China's economic slowdown have roiled stock markets. Also, I believe higher bank capital requirements have led to less liquidity, and therefore higher volatility, in Treasuries.
But forward guidance is also a culprit due to the Fed's chronic overoptimism about economic growth and its persistent warnings of an imminent rate increase.
The Fed isn't alone with its embarrassingly overoptimistic forecasts. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank keep reducing their outlooks for global growth. Economists in the Wall Street Journal's forecasting surveys have also persistently cut their growth forecasts.
The Fed's use of forward guidance has been ineffective due to its inability to correctly forecast economic conditions. And this probably led to more, not less, market volatility. Back when the Fed surprised investors, stock and bond market volatility was half of today's levels.
Instead of continuing to do the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results, why not just abandon forward guidance?
Originally posted on http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-11-30/false-promise-of-the-fed-s-forward-guidance
Gary Shilling says China economy not headed to recession
As the leaders of 17 countries gathered in the Philippines Wednesday for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated the obvious. "The Chinese economy is a concern for everyone," he said. "We will work hard to shift our growth from just expanding scale to improving its structure."
What he means is that China's economic deceleration -- the official growth rate of 6.9 percent is a six-year low -- is the sign of an economy in transition. It's moving from an over-reliance on exports and government-led investment to an economy that is more consumer-led.
So how's that going? First the bad news: The industrial goods-producing sector of the Chinese economy is in recession and likely to remain there for at least another year.
Now the good news: The domestic-oriented service sector is likely to keep growing at low, double-digit rates -- and that should result in real GDP growth of 4 percent to 5 percent.
Until recently, China's economy grew rapidly, thanks to a booming manufacturing sector that imported raw materials and equipment to produce goods that were exported to North America and Europe. Slow growth in the developed world, however, put an end to that ploy.
China's other stimulus, infrastructure investment, resulted in ghost cities and a pile of debt now totaling 208 percent of gross domestic product. Together, the debt overhang and excess capacity will limit future growth.
Now, exports are declining after decades of 20 percent annual growth. An earlier housing boom, driven by aggressive bank lending in response to the 2007-2009 recession, has been followed by a decline in construction. Growth in capital investment continues to slow. The industrial sector's growth rate plummeted from a 22 percent annual rate in the second quarter of 2007 to a mere 0.2 percent in the third quarter of this year.
You might think all these weak numbers signal that the Chinese economy overall is headed toward recession. I don't believe so, and here's why:
Services (which includes consumer spending) grew at a healthy 12 percent annual clip in the third quarter from a year earlier. True, the stock market bubble and housing boom propelled that growth, which is falling back to earth now.
Still, since the recession, the service sector's share of GDP has grown while the industrial sector's share retreats. Since the first quarter of 2007, services gained 8.2 percentage points of GDP, to 51 percent, while the industrial sector's share dropped 5.8 points, to 40 percent. The remaining 9 percent is agriculture. Services' share of GDP first topped that of industry in the second quarter of 2012.
A major obstacle to consumer spending in China is its high -- and rising -- savings rate. It was 30 percent in the first quarter, compared with just 4.8 percent in the U.S. in September. Chinese households save huge portions of their limited incomes because of the obligation in a Confucian society to provide for one's family, but also because pensions are limited and China lacks a social-safety net.
There is evidence, however, that Chinese consumers are spending more. Passenger rail traffic continues to grow by a solid 10 percent. Interest in personal health and sports is growing, and the number of marathons and marathon participants doubled between 2011 and 2014. After a slump in sportswear sales following the 2008 Beijing Olympic games, sales are again jumping. Internet traffic through mobile devices has nearly doubled this year, and movie box-office revenue is up more than 50 percent.
Sales for technology, alternative energy, education, media and entertainment companies are rising much faster than those in basic industries. Twenty newer Chinese stocks tracked by Goldman Sachs had 23 percent revenue growth in the first half of 2015 versus a year earlier, compared with 2 percent for older companies.
Further evidence of the shift can be found in employment growth, which is increasing for the services sector and declining for heavy industry. Since 2007, the labor force in services rose 8.2 percent, but just 3.1 percent in heavy industry.
On balance, then, China's heavy industry is retreating while services are rising. What will these trends mean for future growth?
Bear in mind that the service sector also is vulnerable. The earlier boost to financial services by the stock market and housing bubbles has been reversed. Also, laid-off workers from private heavy industry and state-owned enterprises have reduced purchasing power.
Using regression analysis, my firm measured the effects on GDP of various combinations of growth in the manufacturing and industrial sector and the services sector. For the third quarter, the 0.2 percent growth in secondary industries (manufacturing, energy, construction and mining) combined with the 11.9 percent advance in the tertiary sector (services) results in a total GDP gain of 5.4 percent.
Adding the 0.5 percent GDP contribution from the ever-shrinking primary sector (agriculture), the total comes to 5.9 percent -- still below the (likely overstated) official 6.9 percent growth rate, though not by much.
Chinese statisticians have no doubt been inflating their GDP numbers since Mao's Great Leap Forward in the 1950s demanded big output gains -- or else. Overstatements are probably greater now that growth is slowing.
Even if services rose at an optimistic 13 percent, when combined with flat manufacturing growth in future years, GDP would still rise only 6 percent annually. A more realistic flat manufacturing sector and 10 percent growth in services yields 4.3 percent overall GDP, but don't count on the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics to report a number that low!
So even Beijing's newly reduced growth target of 6.5 percent is unrealistic. The 4 percent to 5 percent range is more likely -- and that's based on clearly overinflated historical numbers. Still, ongoing growth in the services and consumer sector should stave off recession in China and actual declines in GDP.
As China shifts from an export- and infrastructure-led economy to one more domestically driven, its impact on other economies will drop. In particular, China's role as the vacuum for the world's commodities will continue to recede.
Look for the recent nosedive in commodity prices, be it copper and other nonferrous metals, iron ore, coal or other basic materials, to persist. On the other hand, Chinese food imports may gain as rising personal income levels result in diet upgrades. It takes more grain to turn pigs into pork than it takes to satisfy human nutrition needs directly with corn.
China will no longer dazzle the world as it did in past decades by taking over global manufacturing and growing rapidly. But at least slower, domestic-led growth will be more sustainable.
via http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-11-18/china-s-economy-is-slowing-but-there-may-be-a-silver-lining
Deleveraging effect much stronger than Fed's monetary policy
Gary Shilling talks about Deleveraging and how long it can last.
Fed's forward guidance may be responsible for more...
Gary Shilling says China economy not headed to rec...
Deleveraging effect much stronger than Fed's monet...


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For adult groups of 10 or more, there are a range of options available for groups for an enjoyable day out at the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port.
Please allow at least two hours for the above plus additional time to look round the museum and the shop at leisure and have a bite to eat in our Waterside Cafe.
The Gold Package (£17.50 per person) includes a soup and sandwich for lunch or a mid-afternoon break of afternoon tea as well as everything included in the Silver Package. Please allow at least three hours for this plus additional time to look round the Museum independently and visit our gift shop.
The Platinum Package (£20 per person) provides A Behind the Scenes Tour on top of the Gold Package. You can visit either the Archives or view hidden away items in the Small Objects Collection or the larger objects in the Lime Shed. Please allow an extra hour for the Behind the Scenes tour in one of these areas.
If you prefer to be more independent, then the Bronze Package (£8.50 per person) may be your preferred choice. Your group will have all-day admission to the museum and exhibitions. On arrival they will be able to borrow a free audio guide and be given a free visitor map. You need to allow at least 2 to 3 hours to look round the museum and don't forget to allow time to have a hot or cold drink and a bite to eat in our Waterside Cafe and for some retail therapy in the gift shop. You may also join one of the scheduled public boat trips on Centaur for an additional £3.
For all visitors, please remember before leaving home, to download the Window on the World app onto your phone or table to help make the site come alive.
All group bookings should be made in advance and can be tailored to suit your individual requirements – please speak to our museum team to discuss.
* The Museum, shop and cafe closed from Christmas Day to 2 January.
Leave M53, jct 9 and follow signs.


Drawing inspiration from geometry, the Shea contemporary leather chair offers a modern update to your home. The frame is sturdily constructed with wood and comfortably padded with foam cushioning. Bright white or dark brown leather with edges finished in matching piping lends a classic touch to your space and is paired with black legs. Opaque non-marking feet give sensitive flooring additional protection.
-- Please Choose an Option --	19"W x 24"D x 36.5"H: Seat H - 19"


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Viewing: Musician/Artist/Band - View all posts
Sideshow 59 NEW ALBUM "Tainted" available 03/02/2020
The release of Sideshow 59's third studio album, "Tainted" is so close we can tasted it. With three days until the release we have never been more excited! This is the first time in the bands history that an entire album is being released at once (vs. the method of releasing each song individually once completed as was the case with Vol. I and Vol. II). A little bit of information regarding this new album:
Album Title: Tainted
1. Spin
2. Dissonance
3. Lucid
4. Stranger
5. Vexation [Explicit]
in Musician/Artist/Band
Sideshow 59 - Live @ Santa Fe Harley-Davidson
Sideshow 59 played a charity event for the Keep Santa Fe Beautiful foundation in Santa Fe, NM at the Santa Fe Harley-Davidson dealership this passed weekend. Many thanks to those who stopped by to rock out and have been sending in pics/videos of the performance. Check some of them out below!
Pics:
Vids:
Beck and Call
Sideshow 59 New Albums
Ladies and gentlemen - Kodi and Loki have been busy since the completion of SS59's Vol. II:
Loki has been writing for the next album, "Loki's Verse," for which both Kodi and Loki have completed recording for the first track "All of the Above," (currently in post production). Loki's Verse will consist of tracks written in totality by Loki and performed by Kodi where directed.
Additionally, Kodi has released the first track for a less-spoken-of upcoming album, "Townhome Sessions." This album is the result…Read more
D.i.D Updates - End of the Year
It's been a while since we've gotten the chance to update you all on the happenings here at D.i.D Productions so lets jump right in!
First and foremost, Sideshow 59 finished has released their second album Free Admission Vol. II back around March of this year. This completion, of course, is equipped with free downloads of any/all songs on the album for all D.i.D Members (remember - it's free to register!) and hard copies of the album available in the form of a CD (if that's still your cup…Read more
New Sideshow 59 Song, "Vertrag!"
Hey people! As promised, we have just finished putting together the newest song off of Sideshow 59's second album, "Free Admission Vol. II." It's called, "Vertrag," and you can find it over on the Free Admission Vol. II page!
Go check it out, and as always, we love feedback.
Thank you all for everything you do!
- Kodi Vanei, Sideshow 59
Sideshow 59 NEW ALBUM "Free Admission Vol. II" First Track RELEASED
Just a quick update to let ya all know that we have release the first track from Sideshow 59's new album, "Free Admission Vol. II." It's called, "Alpha (Stay Hungry)" and can be found over on the Sideshow 59 Profile (or you can click here if you're lazy).
Unfortunately, the songs from the album will not be available for Free Download until the album is complete - but that gives all the more reason to keep checking back!
Go check it out. Let us know what you think.…Read more
Sideshow 59 - Free Admission Vol. I Complete / Potential Radio Play
Well it has, indeed, been quite a while since we've had any news to report for you, our D.i.D listeners, but fret no more - there are a couple of new things to hold your fancy!
First and foremost, Sideshow 59 has completed their first album, "Free Admission: Vol. I" and as promised, it is available both for streaming here on the website, or free download to any/all of our D.i.D Members. If you haven't created your profile yet, do so ASAP and download the new album to have it accessible to you whenever…Read more

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Third sector organisations play a crucial role in the health and social care sector generating £8.5m to the Scottish economy and providing the support millions of people rely on. This event showcases cutting edge work done by charities and social enterprises in Aberdeen within the theme of health and wellbeing. Join us for an afternoon of TED-style talks from inspiring third sector speakers and find out about innovative work done in Aberdeen!
For the full programme and more information about the speakers please click here.


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Екабc Дравниекс (; 23 сентября 1858, Билская волость, ныне Смилтенский край — 21 декабря 1927, Рига) — латышский издатель, переводчик, литератор, создатель первой латышской энциклопедии.

Биография
Родился в 1858 году в Валкском уезде. Учился в Эрмесской приходской школе, затем в школе Валкского уезда и наконец в Дерптской учительской семинарии (1877—1879). После этого работал учителем в приходской школе в Тифлисе (1879—1882), в земской школе в Вецсатах. В 1886 году опубликовал «Словарь иностранных слов» (; пятое издание 1914).

В 1887 г. обосновался в Митаве, преподавал в городской гимназии. В 1890 г. приобрёл типографию, открыл книжный магазин и собственное издательство. Основными жанрами издаваемой литературы были научные и художественные книги. Выпустил первые 25 томов первого латышского «Энциклопедического словаря» (; 1891—1894); проект остался незавершённым из-за банкротства Дравниекса, тома 27 и 28 впоследствии напечатал Индрикис Алунанс. Напечатал также сборник «Латышские дайны» (), издавал журналы «Austrums» («Восток») и «Zemkopis» («Землепашец»). В 1895 году связи с материальными трудностями ликвидировал своё предприятие.

В следующем проекте «Энциклопедического словаря», издававшемся Рижским латышским обществом в 1906—1919 гг., был техническим редактором. Издал «Немецко-латышский словарь» (; 1910), «Русско-латышский словарь» (; 1913, третье издание 1931), «Орфографический словарь» (; 1915) и первый «Англо-латышский словарь» (; 1910, четвёртое издание 1938).

Публиковал статьи и рассказы, сочинял пьесы. Перевёл на латышский язык пьесы Германа Зудермана «Родина» (; 1896), Максима Горького «Мещане» (; 1904), Герхарта Гауптмана «Крысы» и Генриха Ибсена «Дочь моря» (обе 1911), а также роман Чарльза Диккенса «Приключения английского джентльмена Николая Никлби» (; 1883).

Удостоен Ордена Трёх звёзд III степени (1926)

Литература
 Книговедение: энциклопедический словарь/ Ред. коллегия: Н. М. Сикорский (гл. ред.) и др. — М.: Сов. энциклопедия, 1982, — 664 с. с илл., 12 л. илл.

Примечания

Издатели Латвии
Командоры ордена Трёх звёзд
Переводчики прозы и драматургии на латышский язык
Переводчики с русского языка
Переводчики с немецкого языка
Переводчики с английского языка

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Adding array elements recursively in javascript concatenates them I am trying to add elements of a 2 D array in javascript based on some logic using recursion. I am surprised to find that instead of adding the numbers it is concatenating them. I mean to say the contents of variable "sum" is not the sum but concatenation of elements. Can someone help me? Please tell me about the mistake I have committed.
var globearr=[];
var stock=0;
var sum=0;
var some=["3#44#75","21#98#60"];
leastAmount(some);
function recur(myArr,i,j,row,col){
    if(i===row-1&&j===col-1){

    sum=sum+myArr[i][j];
    globearr[stock++]=sum;
    return 0;
    }
    else if(i===row-1 && j!== col-1){

    sum=sum+myArr[i][j];
    recur(myArr,i,j+1,row,col);
    }
    else if(i!==row-1 && j=== col-1){

    sum=sum+myArr[i][j];
    recur(myArr,i+1,j,row,col);
    }
    else
    {

    sum=sum+myArr[i][j];
    recur(myArr,i,j+1,row,col);
    recur(myArr,i+1,j,row,col);
    }
}

function leastAmount(input1)
    { //some code goes here setting up row and col and temparr[]//
    var myArr=new Array(row);
    for(i=0;i<row;i++){
    myArr[i]=new Array(col);
    }
    y=0;
    for(i=0;i<row;i++){
        for(j=0;j<col;j++){
            myArr[i][j]=temparr[y++];
        }
    }

    recur(myArr,0,0,row,col);
    var start=globearr[0];
    var count=globearr.length;
        for(i=1;i<count;i++){
        if(start>globearr[i])
        {
            start=globearr[i];
        }
        }

        alert(start);
}

A: use parseInt() for every Integral operation

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Sql return last order details for each customer Using SQL Server 2012.
I have a table T_Orders with few columns with the order details. In the table there are also columns ClientID -int, OrderDateTime - smalldatetime.
How can I return the last order for each client?
The problem is that if I do something like this :
select max(OrderDateTime), ClientID
from t_Orders
group by ClientID

I will not get the rest of the information about the order because I didn't select all the columns. If I select all the columns, I will have to group by all of them and the result will not be the last order for this client.

A: This is usually solved using window functions:
select *
from (
  select o.*,
         row_number() over (partition by o.ClientID order by o.OrderDateTime desc) as rn
  from t_orders o
) t
where rn = 1
order by ClientId;


A London entrepreneur has launched a world-first socially responsible ethical hiring platform, set to disrupt the hiring market.
In return for a charitable donation, Network-14 (founded by Elan Diamond, former Worldpay Talent Acquisition Partner and previously Founding Partner of REC Award Winner, Concilium Finance) connects employers with a community of experienced professionals, providing referrals for open assignments.
Crucially, employers can engage directly with a Sponsor to obtain a professional reference regarding technical, behavioural and leadership competencies, as well as testimony regarding previous performance and achievements. This allows businesses to capitalise on the knowledge and understanding unique to those who genuinely know the Nominee on a professional level, affording credible insight-led hiring.
Significantly, employers posting assignments onto the job board offer a sum for Sponsors to donate to a charity of their choosing for successful introductions. This not only elicits insightful recommendations, it allows those involved to contribute directly to their CSR objective at the same time. This all whilst creating an infinitely more ethical approach to hiring overall.
Diamond said, "Removing personal gain renders the input of the Sponsor significant and authentic to employers as part of their decision making.
"Not only this, but in the current climate (with the focus on CSR and ethical practices) incentivising Sponsors with an opportunity to give-back is a powerful motivator. Ultimately, Network-14 is looking to reclassify the meaning of "rewarding opportunities" improving lives, one role at a time".


text:
Q: Neural Networks and Image Processing to Shoot Caterpillars w/ Lasers I am somewhat of an amateur farmer and I have a precious cherry tomato plant growing in a pot. Lately, to my chagrin, I have discovered that my precious plant has been the victim of a scheme perpetrated by the evil Manduca Quinquemaculata - also known as the Tomato Hornworm (http://insects.tamu.edu/images/insects/common/images/cd-43-c-txt/cimg308.html).
While smashing the last worm I saw, I thought to myself, if I were to use a webcam connected to my computer with a program running, would it be possible to use some kind of an application to monitor my precious plant? These pests are supremely camouflaged and very difficult for my naive eyes to detect.
I've seen research using artificial neural networks (ANNs) for all sorts of things such as recognizing people's faces, etc., and so maybe it would be possible to locate the pest with an ANN.
I have several questions though that I would like some suggestions though.
1) Is there a ranking of the different ANNs in terms of how good they are at classifying? Are multilayer perceptrons known to be better than Hopfields? Or is this a question to which the answer is unknown?
2) Why do there exist several different activation functions that can be used in ANNs? Sigmoids, hyperbolic tangents, step functions, etc. How would one know which function to choose?
3) If I had an image of a plant w/ a worm on one of the branches, I think that I could train a neural network to look for branches that are thin, get fat for a short period, and then get thin again. I have a problem though with branches crossing all over the place. Is there a preprocessing step that could be applied on an image to distinguish between foreground and background elements? I would want to isolate individual branches to run through the network one at a time. Is there some kind of nice transformation algorithm?
Any good pointers on pattern recognition and image processing such as books or articles would be much appreciated too.
Sincerely,
    mj
Tomato Hornworms were harmed during the writing of this email.

A: A good rule of thumb for machine learning is: better features beat better algorithms. I.e if you feed the raw image pixels directly into your classifier, the results will be poor, no matter what learning algorithm you use. If you preprocess the image and extract features that are highly correlated with "caterpillar presence", then most algorithms will do a decent job.
So don't focus on the network topology, start with the computer vision task.

A: Do these little suckers move around regularly? If so, and if the plant is quite static (meaning no wind or other forces that make it move), then a simple filter to find movement could be sufficient. That would bypass the need of any learning algorithm, which are often quite difficult to train and implement.


text:
Blog #146 – Movie Review — The Natural
A true classic from when I was growing up, the movie The Natural with Robert Redford in another one of my favorite movies of all time. The takeaway from this movie is, in my opinion, […]
A true classic from when I was growing up, the movie The Natural with Robert Redford in another one of my favorite movies of all time. The takeaway from this movie is, in my opinion, about never giving up on your dreams. In the movie, Roy Hobbs, played by Redford, is a teenage phenom baseball player who gets a shot at the pros. Without giving away the entire story line, his journey to the Major League level gets derailed early in the process. He ends up wandering through life for quite a while, and eventually gets a shot with a minor league team. He gets a lot of strange looks and "grandpa" jokes from his new team mates as he joins them in the clubhouse for the first few times. Once he picks up a bat and heads to take batting practice, everything changes.
His girlfriend from his teen years gets left behind as he chased after his dreams, but he never forgot her. They end up reconnecting once he is playing baseball again, and it appears he is trying to have a "redo" moment with her. Glenn Close plays this role, and she is very traditional and cautious when they meet again so many years later. She has a pivotal scene in the movie, and it is symbolic of several different things depending on your point of view.
One of the most memorable lines in the movie is when Hobbs is asked about what he wanted to do within the game of baseball. He says: I wanted to be the best. I wanted to walk down the street and have people say "There goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was." I am not sure that I can totally relate to this; I played Little League baseball as a kid, but I was by no means much above average. I wrestled my freshman year of high school, but I think I did that mainly because my Dad was a great wrestler and I was raised to follow in those footsteps. A neck injury in my try out for the Varsity team ended that run before it ever started. I moved over to racquetball, and despite having exposure to the highest level of the sport very early on in the process, I never thought I would be number one. My goal was always to make it into the top 20 in the world, and I did accomplish that. I sometimes wonder if my mindset would have been hellbent on being number 1 if that would have made a difference in the end result.
I am not sure if my lack of burning desire to be the absolute best has held me back in any way. To be completely obsessed can be very taxing, especially if you fall short of that goal. I am well aware of, and do my best to avoid, the nagging feeling of regret that plagues many people. I do believe that I have pursued the things I wanted to excel at, and gained a high level of proficiency at hobbies and professions alike.
But here is the question:
What would being "the best there ever was" do for you?
Is there anything other than the approval and acceptance of others that this would do for you? Is this the key to a happier life, more money, or anything else? Does this level of being driven ever end happily?
Certainly in the world of sports, the ability to outshine your team mates and opponents likely gets you paid more than others. But that cheddar comes at a hefty price. Is the spotlight and all the scrutiny that comes with it these days really worth it? In the movie, there are bribe attempts, cheating, even a deliberate poisoning, all in the name of winning. The super rich adversary that Roy Hobbs faces in the movie has more money than he knows what to do with, and he gets his kicks manipulating the players and the game of baseball. A sad and shallow life, a miserable old man trying to find a way to stay relevant. Roy couldn't be bought, and plays of the love of the game. An epic clash ensues, and the plot of the movie comes to a dramatic head and…well, I don't want to give it away, but it is an awesome ending to say the least.
Check it out when you get the chance…well worth the time.


text:
Visalia's Mayor will retire after 21 years. Here's who could replace him.
Visalia Mayor Bob Link will retire from the City Council after 21 years of service. Here's who has already thrown their hat in the ring for November 2020.
Visalia Mayor Bob Link will not be seeking reelection, and there is already a candidate vying to replace him on City Council.
Brett Taylor, a Visalia planning commissioner, announced he is running for Link's District 2 seat. Taylor is the CEO of the Tulare County Realtor's Association, and he has served on the planning commission since 2012.
Taylor told the Visalia Times-Delta he felt it is the right time to run now that Link is retiring. He said he would not have run against Link, and he plans on advocating for property owners and businesses.
"I love living in Visalia and raising my children here," Taylor told the Times-Delta. We have been blessed with wonderful leaders who have helped Visalia become such a great community. I would like to use my business and governmental experience to make sure we remain a fantastic place to live."
Taylor, a Visalia native, graduated from Redwood High School and has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Business.
Link will retire after 21 years serving on the city council. He was first elected in 1999, and he served as the mayor from 2002-2004 and 2009-2011.
The mayor previously owned Link's Men's and Women's Wear in downtown Visalia. Link's father started the business in 1941, and it was open until Link retired from it in 2013.
So far, Taylor is the first candidate to replace Link. The election will be in the November general election.
There are no Visalia city elections in the March primary.
Daniel Gligich
Daniel Gligich is a senior reporter for The San Joaquin Valley Sun. Email him at daniel.gligich@sjvsun.com.
Kaweah Health eyes its ticket to better doctor recruitment: housing
The Visalia-based hospital district is hoping to improve its standing to recruit medical school talent seeking residency.
'It's bad, and it's getting worse:" Report questions Feinstein's mental fitness
Concerns over 88-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein's mental state are looming large ahead of her re-election in 2024.
Kern Co. prosecutors blasts judge for tossing case involving McCarthy office break-in
A Democratic activist who broke into House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy's office last January will see her case dismissed. Prosecutors said the judge issued a "get out of jail free" card.
Hurtado vs. Hurtado? Kingsburg Councilwoman hints at Senate as recall mounts
Facing the prospect of a recall election, Kingsburg City Councilwoman Jewel Hurtado hinted at the possibility that there's life beyond the southern Fresno County city.
byReid Stone


Mr. Shyam Benegal, renowned filmmaker and activist for social change, has taught at the Film and Television Institute in Pune and has been associated with ADAPT for many years. He has also directed a film on the organization entitled "The Love We Give for Nothing".
Mr. V. Ranganathan was formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra. He has been associated with Dr. Alur"s work and as the present Chairman of the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee, advocates physical accessibility for persons with disability in public places. He is at present facilitating a collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on the mapping of out-of-school children and training of regular teachers.
Mrs. Vera Udwadiais committed to the cause of disability and along with her husband, IRB Member Dr.Farokh Udwadia has been actively engaged in activities at ADAPT.
Mr. Arup Patnaik, former Director General, Police and Managing Director, Maharashtra State Police Housing Corporation was the 36th Police Commissioner of Mumbai. He is a supporter of social causes, among which disability is one that is close to his heart. Mr. Patnaik is keen to replicate inclusive services in Odisha.
Mr.Nagesh Kukunoor is an award-winning filmmaker and has been ADAPT"s Ambassador for the Mumbai Marathon.
Ms. Dia Mirza is an actor and producer and is known for her involvement in social causes. She has been a staunch supporter of ADAPT"s work and as one of our Ambassadors, has been spreading awareness on disability and inclusion.
Ms. Shonali Bose is an award winning filmmaker of international renown, and has been advocating for the rights of the disabled. She actively supports the activities of the ADAPT Rights Group. Her most recent feature film, Margarita, with a Straw, has been hailed by the disability community across the world for it's authentic, brilliant portrayal of a young girl who happens to have CP, coming to terms with her sexuality. ADAPT is proud to be one of the producers of the film.


Government agencies are changing the way they achieve their missions. They are procuring, deploying, and even creating their own digital services to help meet rising citizen and employee demands. This collective effort is called digital transformation, and it's the way forward for government.
But with digital transformation comes inherent security risks. New tools and connections can increase vulnerabilities to agency networks, as well as overcomplicate the IT environment. To reduce risk and safeguard agency systems, government must pursue a security transformation, as well.
This course explains how a security fabric, rather one-off platforms or tools, can increase cybersecurity even as agencies innovate. In three lessons, we explain the risks of digital transformation and discuss the components of a more robust security transformation. Finally, we define a security fabric and examine how it can transform agency operations and innovation.


Cholesterol-lowering "statin" drugs taken by millions of Britons may not work well enough in about half of those prescribed them, research suggests.
One possible explanation is patients not taking their prescribed drugs or doctors giving them at too low doses, experts suggest.
"Bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is a major contributor – it can lead to furring and blockage of blood vessels.
But the work does provide "real life" data and experience to draw on.
Researcher Dr Stephen Weng, from Nottingham University, said: "Our research has shown that in almost half of patients prescribed statins, they are very effective and offer significant protection against cardiovascular disease.
"However, for the other half – whether it's due to your genetic make-up, having side effects, sticking to the treatment or other medications – we don't see that intended benefit."
He said: "We have to develop better ways to understand differences between patients and how we can tailor more effective treatment for those millions of patients who are simply blanket-prescribed statins."
A little bone in the knee scientists thought was being lost to evolution seems to be making a comeba..


text:
Q: Speeding up hat matrices like $X(X'X)^{-1}X'$ (projection matrices) and other aspects of custom-built estimator when software runs out of memory Is there a way to speed up $Z(Z'Z)^{-1}Z'$ type matrices? I am implementing the expression below directly using a matrix language and my program frequently crashes while if I run OLS on them using a pre-fabricated command, it is not an issue.
Is there a tip you guys might have to compute these matrices efficiently?
The goal here (but that is just an aside) is to implement the following estimator
\begin{eqnarray}
(X' P X - \sum_{i=1}^{n} P_{ii} X_{i}X_{i}' - \alpha X'X)^{-1} (X' P_Z y - \sum_{i=1}^{n} P_{ii} X_{i} y_{i} - \alpha X' y)
\end{eqnarray}
Now, $\alpha$ is the smallest eigenvalue of $(\overline{X}'\overline{X})^{-1} (\overline{X}' P_Z \overline{X} - \sum_{i=1}^{n} P_{ii} \overline{X}_{i} \overline{X}'_{i})$ where $\overline{X} = [y,X]$.
I am pretty confident that once I have found an efficient way to compute the projections, I can easily implement the rest easily.
Thanks so much!

A: Using QR decomposition (which ought to be available if you already have calculated the regression):
Let $X$ have $n$ rows and $p$ columns and be of full column rank.
$H=X(X'X)^{-1}X'$
$=QR(R'Q'QR)^{-1}R'Q'$
$=QR(R'R)^{-1}R'Q'$
But if $R_1$ is the first $p$ rows of $R$ then $R'R=R_1'R_1$
$=QR(R_1'R_1)^{-1}R'Q'$
Now let $Q=(Q_1,Q_2)$ where $Q_1$ is the first $p$ columns of $Q$. Then $QR=Q_1R_1$.
$=Q_1R_1R_1^{-1}(R_1')^{-1}R_1'Q_1'$
$=Q_1Q_1'$
Where $Q_1$ is $n\times p$.
So if you have the QR decomposition of $X$, then the hat matrix is fairly simple.
Note that some regression programs will give $Q_1$ automatically. [It's also possibly that a regression program will have performed pivoting. That shouldn't impact the calculation of the hat matrix though.]

A: Try using the SVD. E.g., since
$$
    X = U\Sigma V^T,
$$
then
$$
    (X^T X)^{-1} = (V\Sigma^2 V^T)^{-1} = V\Sigma^{-2} V^T,
$$
and thus
$$
    X(X^T X)^{-1}X^T = U I_r U^T = U_r U_r^T,
$$
where $I_r$ is an $n\times n$ identity matrix with $r\leq n$ ones on the diagonal (upper part), and $n-r$ zeros on the lower diagonal, where $r$ is the rank of $X$.
This will likely speed up your computation.


text:
Q: C# Process Call, Interact with Standard Input and Standard Output I have a button I click that executes a command.  The command may prompt for some standard input and I need to respond to that input, the problem is the way the program runs may be different from day to day so I need to interpret the standard output and redirect standard input accordingly.
I have this simple piece of code that reads the standard output line by line and when it sees a prompt for password, it'll send standard input, however the program just hangs since it never sees the prompt for the password, but when I run the batch file the password prompt is there.
Here is the batch file I am calling to execute this test:
@echo off
echo This is a test of a prompt
echo At the prompt, Enter a response
set /P p1=Enter the Password:
echo you entered "%p1%"

Here is the output of that batch file when run from the command line:
C:\Projects\SPP\MOSSTester\SPPTester\bin\Debug>test4.bat
This is a test of a prompt
At the prompt, Enter a response
Enter the Password: Test1
you entered "Test1"

Here is the C# snippet I am using to call the batch file that is hanging:
    var proc = new Process();
    proc.StartInfo.FileName = "cmd.exe";
    proc.StartInfo.Arguments = "/c test4.bat";
    proc.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
    proc.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true;
    proc.StartInfo.RedirectStandardInput = true;
    proc.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
    proc.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
    proc.Start();
    //read the standard output and look for prompt for password
    StreamReader sr = proc.StandardOutput;
    while (!sr.EndOfStream)
    {
        string line = sr.ReadLine();
        Debug.WriteLine(line);
        if (line.Contains("Password"))
        {
            Debug.WriteLine("Password Prompt Found, Entering Password");
            proc.StandardInput.WriteLine("thepassword");
        }
    }
    sr.Close();
    proc.WaitForExit();

Here is the debug standard output I see, notice that I never see the prompt for the password, why is this?  it just hangs?
This is a test of a prompt
At the prompt, Enter a response

Is there a way I can watch the standard output for prompting and react to it accordingly?

A: Your main problem is that you are working through the stream reader using sr.ReadLine() this is an issue because the prompt for a password halts until the user enters a new line (hits enter after typing the password).
So you need to read the stream 1 character at a time. This example should help you get started.
while (!sr.EndOfStream)
{
    var inputChar = (char)sr.Read();
    input.Append(inputChar);
    if (StringBuilderEndsWith(input, Environment.NewLine))
    {
        var line = input.ToString();
        input = new StringBuilder();
        Debug.WriteLine(line);
    }
    else if (StringBuilderEndsWith(input, "Password:"))
    {
        Debug.WriteLine("Password Prompt Found, Entering Password");
        proc.StandardInput.WriteLine("thepassword");
        var line = input.ToString();
        input = new StringBuilder();
        Debug.WriteLine(line);
    }
}

private static bool StringBuilderEndsWith(StringBuilder haystack, string needle)
{
    var needleLength = needle.Length - 1;
    var haystackLength = haystack.Length - 1;
    for (int i = 0; i < needleLength; i++)
    {
        if (haystack[haystackLength - i] != needle[needleLength - i])
        {
            return false;
        }
    }
    return true;
}

A: With the process class you can run the batch file directly. The standard I/O might not be getting through since it has to go through cmd first
proc.StartInfo.FileName = "test4.bat";
proc.StartInfo.Arguments = "";


A Sinus lift, otherwise known as a sinus graft or sinus augmentation is a surgical procedure performed to add bone to the upper jaw. The specific area is the site of the molars and premolars with the objective of making them taller. The bone is added between the jaw and the maxillary sinus. The sinus cavities are located on either side of the nose. In order to make room for the bone, the sinus membrane must be moved upward, or lifted. This procedure prepares a site for a dental implant in the upper jaw. The success and longevity of a dental implant relies heavily on the jawbone to which it will attach. A skilled oral surgeon is paramount to graft additional bone to serve as an anchor for the implant.
In most cases a small incision is made on the premolar or molar region to expose the jawbone then a small opening is cut into the bone and the membrane lining and the sinus is lifted or pushed upwards. The underlying space is filled with a bone grafting material. After the bone is implanted, the incision is stitched up and the healing process begins. Eventually, the bone becomes part of the jaw and the dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in the new bone.


The official adaptation of Days of Wonder's best-selling train board game, Ticket to Ride, now on your computer!
**Pocket Gamer: 9/10 with Gold Award – ""A fantastic adaptation of an excellent board game, and a must-buy for strategy fans""
· Online Play (WiFi, 3G, 4G) against other iPhone, iPad, Mac (non-exhaustive list).
· True cross-platform: players can challenge each other on other supported platforms including Mac, iPhone, iPad.


text:
Football Vs Soccer – How They Are Related, and How They Are Not
Two of the most dearest sports Football and Soccer share a lot of practically speaking. Of late, many are asking why there is a particularly worldwide draw for soccer while football stays an American game. This articles plan is to draw out a portion of the likenesses and contrasts among soccer and football dependent on: history, group size, and fan size.
History: Football versus Soccer
Football is really a relative from soccer. However the date is uncertain of when the game was first known to be played, there were numerous expert groups beginning to jump up in the last part of the 1800s. It wasn't so vastly different from its nearer cousin rugby, however was showing some far various plays from soccer as of now.
Here is a fascinating truth. Soccer or "football" as will be as known in generally European and South American Countries is really the originator of both rugby and football. The significant disengagements happened when the principles for soccer changed to a "no hands" rule. Now rugby was conceived. Later as rugby split into two various types of play: conventional rugby which permits punt objectives and more footwork, and American football which has the opening shots and field objectives (suggestive of its soccer days) handling and hand offs (like rugby) and forward passing, alternatives, and different augmentations. วงการบอลลาลีกา
Soccer then again has a long history, as indicated by the Munich Ethnological Museum there is a Chinese text dated around 50 B.C. discussing "soccer" games in china. However it is uncertain how comparable these games were to what we know as soccer today.
Group Size: Football versus Soccer
There is a colossal size contrast among football and soccer. In football you not just have players that make up a group, however you include explicit groups inside your group. There are three significant groups that comprise of a football crew: The offense, the guard, and uncommon groups. Every one has a particular target. The offense with a quarterback, collectors, and watchmen's goal are to score scores, while the guarded group's responsibility is to prevent the rival group from scoring by handling the quarterback, sprinters, or hindering passes. Unique groups manage dropkicks, field objectives, and the opening shots. All things considered there are somewhere in the range of 30 – 60 players that consolidate to make a football crew.
Soccer is a consistent game. Which means not at all like football where you have set plays and a hostile and guarded group, in soccer the ball is continually going. That being the situation there are as yet hostile and guarded parts to the play of soccer. One can figure out if a group is in all out attack mode or protective by where the ball is on the field. Assuming the ball is your ally of the field, you are on protective, in the event that it is on your rival's side, you are in all out attack mode.
Fan Size: Football versus Soccer
Figuring out which game has a more noteworthy or more faithful fan base is troublesome. Here in the United States American football by a long shot has the bigger fan base. In any case, outside of the United States (and maybe Canada) you don't hear much with regards to football, just soccer. Whole urban communities have been known to close down for the world cup, but then the most watched occasion was last year's super bowl. One thing is a reality. Both soccer and football have faithful fans that are not going anyplace.
Soccer or Football? Well regardless of anything else, you are picking between two exceptionally famous games that will keep on acquiring force in the years to come.
Youth Football Drills That Can Be Practiced Alone
Is Arkansas Using a Youth Football Offense?


Guests can indulge in a pampering treatment at the hotel's full-service spa, Active Club. Services include facials and body treatments. The spa is equipped with a sauna, a spa tub and a steam room.
Restaurant GINGER. – This restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Open daily.
Business travelers may be exempt from the Dortmund city tax and may contact the property for further information or ask the hotel at check-in. Guests can contact the property using the information contained in the confirmation received after booking.
We had a lovely time in Dortmund for the England Game at the nearby football stadium. The hotel is a way out of the city centre but has good links on the U-Bahn. It is perfect for Borusia Dortmunds ground just a short walk. It has a lovely pool and nice rooms and is good for the nearby Park and TV Tower although there's a €3.50 charge to go into the park. Not too much around in the way of Restaurants and Bars and we weren't made to feel too welcome in the Bar as lots of German FA officials on all expenses paid trip were in the hotel so felt looked down upon by them. Also the hotel cleaning staff were very noisy and out quite early knocking and banging doors whilst shouting and this was all still early so wasn't happy just trying to rest!!! Reception staff and leisure club staff very friendly and helpful. Only other point is the policy of taking money... we reserved the hotel on a credit card and at check in used a different pre paid euro card... they blocked €558 on euro card for the stay and even though we paid with that card at checkout they have still take £492 off the credit card originally used too... so hope this gets sorted... not happy with that and a good job we checked our statements!!! All in though a nice place.
Clean , comfortable and reasonably priced..
Booked the room as it was near to Signal Iduna Football stadium as we were there for my son's 21st birthday treat (or should I say one of them ) to watch Dortmund play. The hostel is very close to the stadium, making it easy to walk there and back. The hotel is clean comfortable and the staff are excellent, particularly in the bar, where the food and beverages are served promptly and politely. They are also not overpriced , thankfully, as we would have had a long walk to find somewhere else to take refreshments! Overall, very good. I would go back.
The hotel was great but it would have been nice to know that it is right next to a refugee camp.


Canvas Of Change Analysis Through The Prism Of Creativity is good choice for you that looking for nice reading experience. We hope you glad to visit our website. Please read our description and our privacy and policy page.
Finally I get this ebook, thanks for all these Canvas Of Change Analysis Through The Prism Of Creativity can get now!


text:
2020 Year-In-Review: The Top Five Television Series
There have been a lot of television series released in 2020 worth watching. Here are my top five recommendations.
You've probably read this a lot by now (and you'll continue to hear it over the next few days) but 2020 has been a particularly good year for television releases. Due to streaming services already having a stake in television before the pandemic hit, or shows being easier to release than movies, there's simply a lot on television worth watching – whether that's on Netflix, Hulu, HBO, or even more networks. Although I don't watch as much TV compared to movies, there's a lot of things I've seen – whether it be a limited series or a season of a returning show – that I definitely think is worth recommending. Here are five of them, with a list of honorable mentions at the end.
5. The Last Dance
It was extraordinarily difficult to have a conversation about television with anyone in May and June 2020 without talking about the Michael Jordan docuseries, The Last Dance. To be fair, the series is so good that talking about it wasn't really considered an issue. A rare communal event in cable television, it almost felt as if everyone was watching this show on Sunday nights from 9 to 11. The series itself is simple. It tells the story of Michael Jordan's last NBA season with the Chicago Bulls, a team he led to victory six times in their Golden Era. As the final season progresses, the series jumps back into the past as the series explores the complete history of Jordan's tenure, including his rise as a star, his abrupt transition to professional baseball, and every single event leading up to the final season. The series does take a little bit of time to get into, and the timeline switching can feel tiring after a while, but for the most part, The Last Dance is a series that deserves all the hype it has received, and is a sports-centric docuseries that is bound to go down in history.
The Last Dance is streaming now on Netflix and ESPN+.
4. City So Real
Similar to The Last Dance, City So Real is also a docuseries. But besides that, the newest project from Steve James is nothing like the previously listed series. Initially divided into four parts, with a fifth part added to address the Coronavirus and the racial justice movement, James' series documents the events leading up to the 2018 mayoral elections in the city of Chicago. The brilliant documentary director uses his vérité documentary making skills to craft a story that leaves no event behind, capturing each candidates' story and practically all of their campaign events and journeys. It plays in a yin-and-yang harmony with Frederick Wiseman's four-and-a-half hour documentary, City Hall (which will be highlighted on tomorrow's list of best documentaries). James and Wiseman are compared a lot, due to their filmmaking techniques, but in both projects, they explore aspects of the government in a new way, showcasing the complexities of bureaucracy and the intensities of electoral processes that most might not know about. It's a deeply important project, one that is even more important now, and at its core, its a piece of work that is much more entertaining and fascinating than people are giving it credit for. A must watch for James fans, whose work is still so incredible, and a must watch in general.
City So Real is streaming now on Hulu.
3. Betty
At the Sundance Film Festival in 2018, a small indie film titled Skate Kitchen was released, to much acclaim. The film went on to have a small theatrical release, and had a moderately successful life when it was released on VOD and streaming services. You don't have to see Skate Kitchen to understand HBO's Betty, but it is definitely interesting to see how director Crystal Moselle adapted her story, the characters in it, and the actors who played those characters, for a six-part series on HBO. If I'm being honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of Skate Kitchen (although I'm planning on giving it a rewatch). When my cousin – who reviewed the show for Under The Radar Magazine – recommended Betty to me, I didn't know if I would enjoy it. Right from the opening few minutes of the first episode, through, I was hooked. Without describing too much of the show, because it's honestly best to go in blind, Betty is a show that wouldn't be half-as-successful without its brilliant cast, and their chemistry. As a result of that, the show is insanely hard to look away from. Each episode is addicting to watch and zooms through its 30 minute runtime. Thankfully, the show got renewed for a second season, because if the main ensemble and Moselle have shown anything with Betty, it's that there's definitely more story to be told, and a lot more for us to look forward to.
Betty is streaming now on HBO Max.
2. Small Axe
It's very difficult to classify Steve McQueen's powerhouse new series, Small Axe. On the one hand, it is a collection of five distinct films, all telling the story of the West Indian experience in the United Kingdom. I've even included some of the films in the KavehJAwards nominations. But on the other hand, it's being marketed by Amazon as a series, and the company is submitting them for consideration at next year's Emmys rather than the Oscars, which is an interesting choice. Regardless of if its a TV show or movies, there's simply nothing like Small Axe. Director Steve McQueen has returned with one of his strongest projects yet, each episode building off of the others whilst standing strong in its own right with its distinct film techniques and themes. Whether you watch each film separately or binge them all at once, there is so much to take away from this show, and it is bound to go down as one of the most important projects of 2020, as it should.
Small Axe is streaming now on Amazon Prime.
1. I May Destroy You
What can I say about Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You that hasn't already been said, including by myself in my review and editorial about the show for the site? It's been months since the show ended, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Based on Coel's own story of sexual assault, the 12 part limited-series explores the idea of consent, and the effect of when consent is breached, through its three main characters. It's expertly written, deeply emotional, and has an ending that will stick with viewers long after they finish the series, similar to the entire show itself. Out of all of both the films and television that I've seen this year, there is nothing for me that has reached the level of this masterpiece. It's absolutely amazing, and is essential viewing, plain and simple.
I May Destroy You is streaming now on HBO Max.
That's it for the main list, but here are some honorable mentions: Season Four of HBO's Insecure, Netflix's The Haunting of Bly Manor, HBO's We Are Who We Are, AMC's Quiz, HBO's I Know This Much Is True, and Hulu's Normal People.
The 2020 KavehJAwards - Nominations
2020 Year-In-Review: The Top Five Albums
2020 Year-In-Review: On Books


08/27/18 Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 50. Noes 24. Page 6655.).
08/23/18 Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 26. Noes 13. Page 5652.).
I am returning Assembly Bill 2427 without my signature.
This bill would require Medi-Cal managed care plan contracts to include a provision allowing the Department of Health Care Services to terminate the contract if the Attorney General determines that the plan engaged in anticompetitive conduct, or if the department determines the plan has a pattern of not complying with medical loss ratio requirements.
This bill is unnecessary as the department has sufficient statutory and contractual authority to deal with inappropriate or illegal conduct by plans.


text:
CARAH FAYE ANNOUNCES UPCOMING SOLO DEBUT ALBUM
By New You Editorial
Carah Faye is brimming with excitement at the release of her first solo debut album in about four months. "Some of these songs I have been sitting on for about 2 years," said the talented singer/songwriter. "The key words are epic, timeless and a little urban which is unlike what I have done in the past. It is excitingly fresh for me!" Her main musical influences were Elle Fitzgerald, Etta James and Nancy Sinatra. Her grandfather, Arnold Moselle, a World War II fighting captain and vocalist for The Nightingales, used to sing lullabies to her, including Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole songs. "Nat King Cole is my number one singer I draw inspiration from – his tone just does something to me," said Faye. "I think anyone can sing but you are born with a tone."NEW YOU caught up with Faye at the 65th Annual BMI Pop Awards event on Tuesday in Los Angeles. She is currently the lead female vocalist of the band, Shiny Toy Guns, with whom she scored a Grammy nomination. When it comes to health, Faye is all about listening to your body. "If your hair is dry or your skin is dry, look up what your body is lacking," she implored. "Everything comes down to nutrition." We agree.
Carah Faye
KELLY OSBORNE ON WHY SHE LOVES AIRBNB
JENNI PULOS PRAISES THE WORK OF LUPUS LA
OUTLANDER ACTRESS LOTTE VERBEEK GIVES SEASON 3 SPOILER ALERT


More often than not, my reading list consists of books coming to theaters so that I can compare, contrast, and analyze when the movie comes out. I've found this is a good way to give myself some variety in genres (with the exception of horror/thriller). I do like to add in non-fiction as well, whether about organizational behavior, religious philosophy, or sociology. Memoirs read by the author are some of my favorites, plus I appreciate the general time-saving benefit of audiobooks to get through more of my reading list.
I am very eclectic in my viewing habits, from Disney/Pixar (Cinderella, Up) to fantasy (Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them) to adventure (The Martian, Star Wars). I also love superhero movies when you are part of not only the action, but also thoughtful character development (Captain America, The Avengers) and musicals that you can't help but sing-along to (Glee, Hairspray). On television, I am especially fond of family-centric comedies and dramas, feeling like an extension of the families themselves (Modern Family, Gilmore Girls, Parenthood).
I could blame my strong attraction to children's and family content on being a parent, but I'm basically a big kid. As a family, we try to limit screen time, but we do enjoy watching shows where we can interact with one another and the characters in the show (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood). It's a definite bonus when there's a catchy theme-song or music (Netflix's Beat Bugs, Puffin Rock, and Furchester Hotel via Roku). Some of my favorite picture books to share at home are about bears, woodland creatures, and pugs, but you can never go wrong with a classic author (Laura Numeroff, Bill Martin, Jr.).


We've really been missing The Chew these days!
Last year we stopped by Clinton's Craft Corner to share some easy Thanksgiving DIY's and got to craft with Clinton and Carla!!!! Can you even?!?!
We started by making mini autumn tree place settings, by gluing a branch onto a wood round/slice and adding some bright punched out paper leaves.
Then we made felt pinecone critter ornaments as take home gift for guests!
To complete the table, we added some paper leaf table scatter that also double as conversation starters (for all those awkward family moments). Check out the clips for a full tutorial and a fun throwback with the amazing Chew crew!
Click here for the template and written instructions!
And if you want to hear more about our process and see the crafts that didn't make it on, check out our video we made after!


Contemporary cuisine featuring innovative seafood preparations.
Michael Mina Tasting Menu $98 + $78 for wine pairings.
Michael Mina Vegetarian Tasting Menu $85 + $58 for wine pairings.
Michael Mina's eponymous named restaurant at Bellagio features seafood and a Michelin single star rating. However, Michael Mina is more than just a chef, he is the CEO of Michael Mina Group a San Francisco based restaurant Group, or to use the current vernacular, Michael Mina is a brand.
"Service is a bit too rushed, with bread and water delivered in the heedless manner of a coffee shop...The miso-glazed sea bass in mushroom consommé tasted like nothing more than seafood sukiyaki."
"The sleek atmosphere complements the contemporary cuisine featuring innovative seafood preparations, vegetarian and seasonal dishes from Mina's cookbook."
The internet buzz is mostly favorable, as evident from the representative sampling below, however it is easy to feel that one should expect a little more from a Michelin Star restaurant.
Excellent food and service! Not much more to add to that!
I love this unpretentious dining experience. Michael Mina serves up fine dining and excellent service, while making you feel welcome and comfortable.
Tuna Tartare (Appetizer) - nice balance of sesame seed oil and salt/pepper along with a quail egg on top.
Maine Lobster Pot Pie: Mr. Mina's arguably most famous dish - with vegetables, cream, and black truffles . Beautifully made with a delicate pastry covering a generous portion of lobster mixed in with a flavorful, but not too heavy brandied cream sauce - yum!
My favorite item on their menu is the Lobster Pot Pie. But please arrive hungry as the pot of lobster will challenge even the most voracious appetite.
We were placed at the small tables that seat a couple each. I hate this type of seating because the couple to the right and left of you are about a foot away and can hear everything you are saying.
I don't think I've ever encountered such a generously portioned tasting menu and everything from the amuse bouche to dessert was excellent. The two dishes that stuck out were of course the lobster pot pie as well as the foie gras that was close to the size of a sirloin steak.
I've been to Michael Mina twice, and the food and service have been remarkably outstanding both times. This is a special occasion restaurant, with special food, service, and, yes, prices, to match.
Service is a bit too rushed, with bread and water delivered in the heedless manner of a coffee shop.
The miso-glazed sea bass in mushroom consommé tasted like nothing more than seafood sukiyaki. Really good sukiyaki, but even so.


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Campaigning for outstanding buildings
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We are C20
We campaign across Britain and our regional network is always expanding.
Our regional committees are our eyes and ears across the nation, wherever irreplaceable buildings or public realm are under threat. Each one runs a programme of events to raise the profile of post-1914 built heritage and supports the campaigns, aims and objectives of the Society. Their local knowledge makes them indispensable.
We currently have no formal representation in the East Midlands, East Anglia, Yorkshire and the North East. If you would like to help re-establish a committee in any of these regions then please do get in touch.
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Are you satisfied with our services or have any comments? Don't hesitate and write us your experiences and opinions. All remarks, that you send us, are very valuable to us and will help us improve our services. A compliment from a customer is without doubt the best motivation possible.


The Aka Pygmies are known as one of the oldest populations on the African continent, occupying parts of the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo. Music is a key element of the social and spiritual life of the community, and each person is introduced to musical practice at an early age with counting rhymes and singing games. Since the Aka lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle, music is usually only vocals, leading to a complex polyphonic system with rich harmonies from a chorus. Any accompanying instruments—small drums, iron blades, plant stalk whistles—are easy to carry, used for other daily purposes, or immediately discarded.
This recording was annotated, compiled, and produced by Simha Arom, who is considered a world expert on Central African music. In addition to this album, Arom's recordings are featured on more than a dozen other albums in the UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music, including Greece: Vocal Monodies and Benin: Bariba and Somba Music.
This album is part of the UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music. More than 125 albums are being released by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings to make the series publicly available again, including more than a dozen never-released albums of musical traditions from around the globe.


You Say It's Your Birthday; It's My (Martian) Birthday Too! Yeah!
One of the most common queries on Wolfram|Alpha is a user entering his or her date of birth to see how many years, months, and days old he or she is today.
Since this feature first became popular, we added more birthday-specific features for this query type. By adding "birthday" to your query, you'll get even more detailed information, such as a birthday countdown, a notable dates pod, and astrological birth information.
For example, submit a query such as "birthday March 29, 1990" to see how many days there are until your next birthday (time to start planning, March 29ers!) and how long it's been since your last birthday.
What's So "Super" about a Supernova?
Wolfram|Alpha's coverage of the universe continues to grow. We have now added a large collection of observed supernovae in the universe to our ever-expanding compendium of astronomical knowledge.
What exactly is a supernova? It's a catastrophic event in the life of a star.
Four hundred years ago, on January 7, 1610, Galileo pointed his telescope at the planet Jupiter and discovered that it had its own moons. This discovery changed our perspective on the universe.
Prior to Galileo's discovery, the Earth-centric Ptolemaic system was the standard view of the cosmos where Earth was the center–heaven was above and Earth was below. Copernicus had proposed a heliocentric model, but it was a mental exercise meant to simplify the complicated Ptolemaic system. Galileo's discovery was the first one that showed evidence that something was orbiting a body other than Earth. If Jupiter had things in orbit around it, why couldn't other bodies?
At the time telescopes were cutting-edge, and only a few people had them. What Galileo did was an instructive example on how to combine technology and curiosity.
Today you can recreate the moment with today's technology by typing "Jupiter" into Wolfram|Alpha.
Among the pods about Jupiter, there is a graphic showing the current configuration of the so-called "Galilean moons", the ones Galileo saw 400 years ago: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
Type "Galilean moons" to find out more about them. Or for historical curiosity, try "January 7, 1610" and find out more about that day.
Wolfram|Alpha contains a wealth of astronomy data on many areas of our universe, such as objects within our solar system and in the deep sky, constellations, and computational astronomy, making it a handy resource for astronomers, students, and hobbyists. Some of the most intriguing space activity takes place right here at home, inside of our own solar system. Wolfram|Alpha makes computations and explores properties and locations for objects and events in our solar system, such as the sun, planets, planetary moons, minor planets, comets, eclipses, meteor showers, sunrise and sunset, and solstices and equinoxes. You can query any one of these objects or phenomena, and learn information such as their position in the sky relative to your location, size, or distance; their next occurrence; and much more.
Wolfram|Alpha automatically assumes your geographic location based on your IP address, which is handy when querying for the time and location of an upcoming sky event. For instance, a quick "lunar eclipse" query in Wolfram|Alpha tells us that, for our location in Champaign, Illinois, the next one will occur on August 5, 2009 at 7:38pm U.S. Central Daylight Time and will be penumbral, which means the moon will enter the Earth's penumbra (the outer part of its shadow), resulting in an apparent darkening of the moon. A penumbral eclipse is often hard to see because the penumbra isn't very dark.


Marie Antoinette famously made a DIY lemon cognac face mask to beautify her skin. Once we found that out, we HAD to try it.
With effortlessly chic style and a look that's never contrived, French women possess a certain natural beauty that has become their unique calling card. From Brigitte Bardot to Coco Chanel, many icons come to mind– but no woman is more talked about in French history than the blushing beauty Marie Antoinette, the Hapsburg princess.
Known for her exuberant taste, ash-blonde locks, and rosy cheeks, Marie Antoinette indulged in many elaborate grooming habits, some of which still grace the powder rooms of French women today.
But, despite her mother's political scheming, Marie acquiesced to the marriage and would eventually grow fond of Louis in her own way. Antoinette was immediately embraced by her subjects but, "by the time of her execution 23 years later, was reviled," writes Richard Covington.
Marie Antoinette ruled France at a difficult period in history, right on the cusp of the French Revolution. Ravaged by a national financial crisis, the French people grew weary of crushing taxes and the rising cost of bread. These sentiments would eventually embolden the French people to revolt against (and successfully overthrow) the French monarchy.
Marie Antoinette's ignorance to the difficulties of the French people didn't help her cause when she was accused of participating in a scheme to swindle the crown jewelers. Although she was found innocent, the gossip that ensued "provided further fodder for scandal-mongering pamphleteers and journalists already intent on portraying the queen as greedy and corrupt," Richard Covington continues.
Her reputation followed her, and so began her unraveling.
Marie Antoinette with her children and Madame Élisabeth, facing the mob that had broken into the Tuileries Palace on 20 June 1792.
Although the French public thought of her as materialistic and greedy, many now regard Marie Antoinette as a hapless victim of circumstance, torn between the two opposing worlds of decadent, aristocratic power and pluralistic democratic ideals.
Despite her flaws, those who loved Antoinette saw her as courageous, kind, and nurturing– especially her one true love, Swedish military attaché Count Axel Fersen, with whom she exchanged clandestine letters. Perhaps Fersen saw past Marie's faults and held her in high regard as the "soft-hearted queen" who was capable of great kindness, whether she was tending to an injured peasant or caring for a poor orphan boy.
While she stole away to her private bed chamber for a few moments of solitude, one can only imagine the flurry of thoughts that raced through Marie Antoinette's mind. Perhaps she relived the "social whirl" of the night before. Maybe she wished to escape from the prying eyes of her subjects. Or perhaps she dreamed about being united with her true love once more.
Marie Antoinette– who never wore an outfit more than once– had tastes for furniture, décor, and clothing that were only rivaled by her lavish beauty rituals.
So then, in her private moments of solitude, Marie did what any queen would do: engage in complete and utter indulgence. Marie Antoinette– who never wore an outfit more than once– had tastes for furniture, décor, and clothing that were only rivaled by her lavish beauty rituals.
Whether she was bathing her skin with linseed, pine nuts, and sweet almonds; dabbing herself with the finest oils and perfumes; or having her "coiffeurs" shape her hair into bouffant styles, Marie had an unquenchable thirst for the finer things in life, Allison Hirschlag suggests in this Mental Floss feature.
Marie Antoinette en chemise, portrait of the queen in a "muslin" dress. 1783 portrait by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun.
By contemporary standards, most of Marie Antoinette's rituals were rather excessive, but some of her beauty routines were, in fact, surprisingly simple. According to the Beauty Gypsy, Marie Antoinette's signature face mask consisted of just four ingredients: cognac, one egg, powdered milk, and a lemon.
Many French women swear by the skin-soothing benefits of lemon juice, which is believed to tighten pores and naturally exfoliate the skin. Egg whites are, in the words of the Beauty Gypsy, "packed with proteins to repair skin tissue." Last but not least, powdered milk contains lactic acid, which is oft touted by natural beauty enthusiasts as a gentle exfoliator.
For a skin-soothing treat borrowed from the days of Early Modern France, try the Beauty Gypsy's version of Marie Antoinette's signature face mask. After all: you don't have to come from imperial lineage to feel like royalty.
Blend the ingredients into a smooth paste or stir them together with a fork or wire whisk.
Apply the mixture to your face and let it dry for about 15 minutes.
Rinse with warm water and pat your skin dry with a soft towel. Finish with your favorite moisturizer.
Go barefaced or apply your makeup as usual. For a flushed glow, dust a rosy-pink rouge on the apples of your cheeks.
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Mary Landrieu's Bus Related Meltdown
12 Sep, 2005 by	John Hawkins
This is just too good not to post. It's Mary Landrieu completely crumbling, live on air, over the Ray Nagin Memorial Motor Pool. From Fox News Sunday…
WALLACE: I think it's fair to say that both of you have been very tough on the federal response in the first days after Katrina hit. Senator Vitter, you gave FEMA an "F" and then, you have this to say — and let's put it up on the screen: The agency "has been completely dysfunctional, completely overwhelmed."
Senator Landrieu, speaking on the Senate floor on Thursday, you were even tougher. Let's look.
LANDRIEU: And I intend to find out why the federal — particularly the response of FEMA — was so incompetent and insulting to the people of our states.
WALLACE: Senator Landrieu, I want to ask you — and I'll ask you both, but let me start with you — about the local response.
Was it incompetent and insulting for Mayor Ray Nagin to order a mandatory evacuation, but then to leave buses — and we have a picture of them — hundreds of buses idle, so that they could be flooded, instead of using them to get people out.
LANDRIEU: Well, Chris, I was there, as you know, through the whole ordeal with state and local officials, and was right there with Louisiana Democrats and Republicans, city council members, police chiefs, mayors, the governors, and could watch what Haley Barbour was doing and Governor Riley in Alabama.
I am not going to level criticism at the local level. These people did…
WALLACE: But I'd like you to answer, if you could, this one specific question.
LANDRIEU: Well, I will. I will answer it. I am not going to level criticism at local and state officials. Mayor Nagin and most mayors in this country have a hard time getting their people to work on a sunny day, let alone getting them out of the city in front of a hurricane. And it's because this administration and administrations before them do not understand the difficulties that mayors — whether they are in Orlando, Miami, or New Orleans — face.
LANDRIEU: In other words, this administration did not believe in mass transit. They won't even get people to work on a sunny day, let alone getting them out…
WALLACE: But Senator, there were hundreds of buses sitting in that parking lot. Can I just ask the question?
LANDRIEU: You can, but let me finish, if I could, please.
WALLACE: Well, look in the picture here. There were hundreds of buses in parking lots. The city and the state.
LANDRIEU: That is underwater. Those…
WALLACE: It wasn't underwater before the…
LANDRIEU: Those buses were underwater. Those buses…
WALLACE: They weren't underwater on Saturday; they weren't underwater on Sunday.
LANDRIEU: We had two catastrophes. We had a hurricane and then we had a levee break. When the levee broke, not only did New Orleans go underwater, but St. Bernard when underwater and St. Tammany Parish went underwater.
WALLACE: But they weren't underwater on Sunday.
LANDRIEU: And Plaquemines went underwater. And because the mayor evacuated the city, we had the best evacuation between Haley Barbour and Kathleen Blanco of any evacuation I've seen. I'm 50 years old; I've never seen one any better.
WALLACE: But there were a hundred thousand people left in the city.
LANDRIEU: They did (leave) a hundred thousand people left in the city because this federal government won't support cities to evacuate people, whether it's from earthquakes, tornadoes, or hurricanes. And that's the truth. And that will come out in the hearing.
Hat tip goes out to Jonah Goldberg at the Corner for the transcript.


Cruises for Baby Boomers; Visit new lands, relax and meet new people. Senior singles or couple cruises are gaining in popularity. Come have an adventure!
You've spent the duration of your life thus far inking out a great living, enjoying the company of your family and getting ready for the retirement you deserve and now as a baby boomer that time has come.
Just picture it, lounging on a cruise ship enjoying a plethora of activities while dining on the finest foods in between visiting exotic locales when the cruise ship docks. This is just a brief example of what lies ahead for baby boomers who take cruises across the world.
Add to that the fact that there are cruises specifically designed for baby boomers and the life of luxury can't get any better. Whether you are happily married or happily single, the chance to enjoy a wonderful cruise on an awe inspiring ship as it courts you off to beautiful destinations across the globe awaits you if you are interested. Deciding to take a cruise is the first step but there are a few more that you need to be aware of when deciding what kind of cruise you want to partake upon. Allow me to offer you a few tips to help you along your journey.
The next step to taking that cruise you have always wanted is to decide just what kind of cruise you are looking for. There are numerous choices when it comes to cruises for baby boomers ranging from formal cruises where a suit and tie are expected at dinner to cruises where a Hawaiian shirt and some flip flops will suffice. You can pick a baby boomer cruise with an age minimum so as to guarantee you will be in the company of your peers or you can choose a baby boomer cruise that its geared towards either singles or couples.
There are more and more senior singles cruises today than ever before. Think about what kind of experience you want to have while on your baby boomer cruise, what kind of memories you want to make and then make your selection among the choices.
After you have decided exactly what kind of cruise you would like to take its time to select a destination to cruise to! Destinations range from the safe to extreme, the Gulf of Mexico to The Antarctic. Alaskan senior cruises are gaining in popularity. Odds are that if you are a male, you probably served in the military so maybe you want to go visit the scenery in Europe or far east you were accustomed to on tours of duty. The options are truly limitless as there are cruises for baby boomers that can take you all over the world. Sit down and really give some thought to where it is you've always wanted to go...or go back to.
Now that we have the "where" and the "why" out of the way, let's focus on the how. Just as is true with destinations and activities, there is a cornucopia of different travel agencies and cruise websites that deal exclusively with cruises for baby boomers. Simply head online and do some quick research and within a short amount of time you should find a handful of companies and agencies who would love to help facilitate your cruise. Simply decide which one fits your interests and budget best and you are ready to go.
All in all, senior travel tours and cruises for baby boomers are quickly becoming a popular niche and thus the options and available packages are expanding daily. You've worked hard to deserve your retirement or vacation so why not enjoy it as well.


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Q: How do travel search engines combine flights I'm curious about how the flight/train search engines combine the results from multiple sources. For example, let's say I'm asking to go from London to Paris, and let's assume there are no direct flights for whatever reason. However, there is a flight from London to Lille (North of France), and then a train from there to Paris. An extreme example would be where there is no direct connection either, but you can get to your destination by combining plane, train, bus and finally taxi or a ride-sharing service.
How would a search engine effectively find the best option? It has access to a basic API from each provider that allows it to ask for rides from point A to B at a specific time. It does not have a database of all available rides and flights though, it can only query each provider's API but those queries are quite slow (if you have to do hundreds of them) and costly, so the objective is to minimize the amount of queries.
I'm thinking about making a small ride-sharing comparator as a side project (and maybe include bus/train/taxi as well) and I'm not sure where to start or if this is even doable considering the constraints.
I believe my problem is not simply about "connecting the dots" - the suggested questions assume that you know all the dots and you just need to find the best path. In my case it's a bit different because not only do I not know the best path, but I do not even know which "dots" do I have. I can make queries such as "is there a ride from A to B" but I can't ask "give me all the rides you offer", which means I'm looking for advice on how can I efficiently query for potential "dots" without using the bruteforce approach of asking for all possible combinations (which would DoS the provider's site).

A: Path- finding algorithms such as A* routinely do this using some cost function (e.g. Distance, time, or even waiting-time) and heuristics to select the most promising candidate for expanding the path (e.g. If possible departure from same station/airport, and distance between arival point and target).
The basic schema would be:

*

*use a sorted queue

*pick the first path on queue, or your departure point. If reached target you have the optimal path

*expand it on the end point by looking for all the compatible travel possibilities

*calculate the "cost" (in your case the travel time) of each new expanded path as well as the heuristic for reaching target

*put all these paths in the queue and sort it

*loop again until you're over

You have variants depending on which heuristic you take, which cost (or set of cost) you want to minimize), how you combine cost and heuristic, if you prune some irrelevant expansion, and whether you stop when target is reached or go on to collect several alternatives.
In all these algorithms, the path is expanded one step per iteration, without having to know all the points or path in the graph. When presenting the results, the path might have to be agregated in order to hide the obvious but irrelevant segments (e.g. All the towns on the train route)
If the API you're querrying does not provide all the departures from a given note, you have to introduce in the algorithm additional heuristics based strategies, such as:

*

*caching previous replies on other requests, so to build up a map of potential existing segments (e.g if there was a flight between A And B on a day, there might be one onaother day, probably around same time). However you'd still need to check/confirm for the current travel.

*identifying intermodal  hub nodes (e.g. Start with limited set of known hubs such as London, Paris, Franfurt, and expand list automatically based on statistics) and if no direct path is found, start breaking down the path using these hub nodes (still making use of the cost/distance heuristics)

*take rules of to avoid plane/train for shorter distances.

There are a lot of strategies that can be considered. But as soon as you enter such a fuzzy approach (e.g. You have to advance in the blind) your performance will heavily rely on your heuristics and a lot of fine tuning will be required. The easiest way will still be a partnership with services offering you a "list of departures" API


Stephens, Ronald B. 11/1/1936 - 11/7/2018 Portage Age 82, died November 7, 2018. Ron was born November 1, 1936 in Newberry, the son of Cyril and Mary (Perrier) Stephens. He practiced business and corporate law in Kalamazoo for 30 years. Ron was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Samantha Popkey; and by 2 brothers: Matthew and Gerald Stephens. Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Harriet Stephens; 3 children: Rebecca Stephens (John Woitinnek), Theresa (David) Luzenske and Mark Stephens; grandson, A. Alexander (Dayna) Popkey; 3 siblings: Janet Wehner, Sharon McManus and Robert Stephens and many nieces and nephews and a special great-nephew, Christopher Briggs. Cremation will take place. Visit with family and friends while sharing food and drinks on Friday (Nov. 23) from 5-8 PM at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Home, 6080 Stadium Dr., Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900 where services will be held Saturday (Nov. 24) at 11 AM. A luncheon will follow the services in the Life Story Center. Please visit Ron's personal web page at www.BetzlerFuneralHome.com, where you can read his story, archive a favorite memory or photo and sign his online guestbook before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to West Michigan Cancer Center or Community in Schools of Kalamazoo.
"Harriett and Family, I had the great privilege of..."
"Our mothers came to Kalamazoo from Newberry to work at the..."


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Consumer credit firms can seize vehicles from February
Credit firms can seize vehicles from February
By Hannah Nemeth Posted 14 January 2021
Financial regulator's draft guidance proposes lenders can repossess goods and vehicles from 31 January 2021
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed ending its current guidance on consumer credit which means that before the end of January 2021 firms should not terminate a regulated agreement or repossess vehicles (or other products) except in exceptional circumstance.
Under the FCA's draft guidance, consumer credit firms will be able to repossess goods and vehicles from February, but only as a last resort, and subject to complying with relevant government public health guidelines and regulations on social distancing and shielding.
It also expects companies to consider the impact on customers who may be vulnerable, as a result of the pandemic or for other reasons, when deciding whether repossession of goods or vehicles should take place.
It argues that continuing to limit repossessions may not be in the best interest of customers struggling to pay consumer credit agreements. It points out that shorter terms and higher interest rates on these agreements, along with the depreciating value of the goods or vehicles, would mean that consumers could owe more in the long term if repossessions don't go ahead.
Guidance on mortgage evictions extended to April
Meanwhile, the FCA's current guidance on mortgage repossessions, which means firms should not enforce repossessions before 31 January 2021 except in exceptional circumstances, has been proposed to be extended until 1 April 2021
The financial regulator cites the worsening coronavirus situation and the government's tighter coronavirus-related restrictions as the reason why it has introduced the new draft guidance.
It says that consumers could experience significant harm if forced to move home at this time as a result of repossession proceedings. It also highlights the government bans on evictions in some of the devolved nations, which could prevent firms from enforcing home repossessions.
While welcoming the FCA's proposal to halt mortgage repossessions until April, Peter Tutton, head of policy at StepChange debt charity, highlights concerns about those struggling to pay consumer credit agreement.
"We are concerned about the potential impact of the FCA's proposal to allow repossession of goods and vehicles in some circumstances after 31 January – customers affected tend to be more vulnerable and some creditors have historically pursued repossession prematurely, which may not square entirely with the FCA urging firms to treat this as a last resort.
He adds: "It's vital that the FCA not only sets out strong protections, but also monitors the response of creditors and uses its supervision powers to enforce the guidance. For people experiencing debt during the pandemic, the consequences may create real and ongoing hardship even after the public health crisis ends."
The FCA is inviting comments on the draft guidance by 10am on 18 January 2021.
Does this impact me?
If you're struggling with repayments or think you could end up at risk of repossession, it's best to seek debt management advice.
Everyone's circumstances differ, so you can talk through options available specifically to you with a qualified professional. Debt charity StepChange offer impartial, free advice - or call their helpline on 0800 138 1111.
Disclaimer: All information and links are correct at the time of publishing.
By Hannah Nemeth
You're on your way to becoming a
money maestro!
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Because April is Animal Cruelty Prevention Month, members of the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives gathered to revise a bill to ensure that the welfare and safety of animals remain a priority.
The Protective Animal Welfare and Safety Act, proposed by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, will impose fines and penalties, establish an anonymous tip service, create a commission to review the state's current animal welfare laws and create a statewide registry of individuals convicted of crimes against animals, according to Massachusetts Voters for Animals.
Tarr held a hearing Thursday to draw attention back to the PAWS Act and encourage the body pass the bill by July.
Ami Bowen, director of marketing and communications for the Animal Rescue League of Boston, said the bill would allow the public to take a stand and help in resolving the current issues with animal safety.
Animal rights activists and employees alike have supported Tarr in his crusade against mistreatment of animals.
Bowen said people often report suspected incidents of animal abuse anonymously, and there is commonly a connection between cruelty to animals and other forms of violence.
Other members of the Senate and House of Representatives have accompanied Tarr in his efforts. The issue became more prominent after the August 2013 case of "Puppy Doe," in which a dog was euthanized after being found brutally beaten in Quincy Park. The injuries included a stab wound to her eye, the splitting of her tongue to look like a serpent, as well as being burned and starved.
Several residents said animal abuse should not be accepted or tolerated, although people may not be aware of the prominence of the issue.
Tom McLoughlin, 54, of Back Bay, said abuse should not be tolerated, both in the city of Boston and in the state as a whole.
Heather Nickle, 36, of Back Bay, said the PAWS act is a proactive approach to solving a problem in the community before it happens.
1) If this is a "student" newspaper from a college or university, is it most certainly NOT "independent" in any way, shape, form or theology. 2) They mention "police experts" of which there is no such thing. 3) There is that all-important "anonymous tip service" that is the foundation of EVERY animal abuse case. So, here is your first "anonymous tip" — the editor of this paper is an animal abuser.