text:
from calvin.runtime.south.async import threads
from calvin.runtime.south.calvinsys import base_calvinsys_object
from calvin.utilities.calvinlogger import get_logger
import paho.mqtt.subscribe

_log = get_logger(__name__)

class Subscribe(base_calvinsys_object.BaseCalvinsysObject):
    """
    Subscribe to data on given MQTT broker (using paho.mqtt implementation)
    """

    init_schema = {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
            "hostname": {
                "description": "hostname of broker",
                "type": "string"
            },
            "port": {
                "description": "port to use, defaults to 1883",
                "type": "integer"
            },
            "qos": {
                "description": "MQTT qos, default 0",
                "type": "number"
            },
            "client_id": {
                "description": "MQTT client id to use; will be generated if not given",
                "type": "string"
            },
            "will": {
                "description": "message to send on connection lost",
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                    "topic": {
                        "type": "string",
                    },
                    "payload": {
                        "type": "string"
                    },
                    "qos": {
                        "type": "string"
                    },
                    "retain": {
                        "type": "string"
                    }
                },
                "required": ["topic"]
            },
            "auth": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                    "username": {
                        "type": "string"
                    },
                    "password": {
                        "type": "string"
                    }
                },
               "required": ["username"]
            },
            "tls": {
                "description": "TLS configuration for client",
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                    "ca_certs": {
                        "type": "string",
                    },
                    "certfile": {
                        "type": "string"
                    },
                    "keyfile": {
                        "type": "string"
                    },
                    "tls_version": {
                        "type": "string"
                    },
                    "ciphers": {
                        "type": "string"
                    }
                },
                "required": ["ca_certs"]
            },
            "transport": {
                "description": "transport to use",
                "enum": ["tcp", "websocket"]

            },
            "topics": {
                "description": "topics to subscribe to",
                "type": "array",
                "items": {
                    "type": "string",
                    "minItems": 1
                }
            },
            "payload_only": {
                "description": "only retrieve payload (not entire message)",
                "type": "boolean"
            }
        },
        "required": ["hostname", "topics"],
    }

    can_read_schema = {
        "description": "True if there is a message is available",
        "type": "boolean"
    }

    read_schema = {
        "description": "retrieve received message",
        "type": ["number", "integer", "null", "boolean", "object", "string"],
        "properties": {
            "topic": {
                "type": "string"
            },
            "payload": {
                "type": ["number", "integer", "string", "null", "boolean"]
            },
        },
    }

    can_write_schema = {
        "description": "Does nothing, always return true",
        "type": "boolean"
    }

    write_schema = {
        "description": "Does nothing"
    }

    def init(self, topics, hostname, port=1883, qos=0, client_id='', will=None, auth=None, tls=None, transport='tcp', payload_only=False, **kwargs):
        def on_connect(client, userdata, flags, rc):
            if rc != 0:
                _log.warning("Connection to MQTT broker {}:{} failed".format(hostname, port))
            else :
                _log.info("Connected to MQTT broker {}:{}".format(hostname, port))
                client.subscribe(self.topics)

        def on_disconnect(client, userdata, rc):
            _log.warning("MQTT broker {}:{} disconnected".format(hostname, port))

        def on_message(client, userdata, message):
            self.data.append({"topic": message.topic, "payload": message.payload})
            self.scheduler_wakeup()

        def on_subscribe(client, userdata, message_id, granted_qos):
            _log.info("MQTT subscription {}:{} started".format(hostname, port))

        # Config
        self.settings = {
            "msg_count": 1,
            "hostname": hostname,
            "port": port,
            "client_id": client_id,
            "qos": qos,
            "will": will,
            "auth": auth,
            "tls": tls,
            "transport": transport
        }

        _log.info("TLS: {}".format(tls))
        self.payload_only = payload_only
        self.topics = [(topic.encode("ascii"), qos) for topic in topics]
        self.data = []

        self.client = paho.mqtt.client.Client(client_id=client_id, transport=transport)
        self.client.on_connect = on_connect
        self.client.on_disconnect = on_disconnect
        self.client.on_message = on_message
        self.client.on_subscribe = on_subscribe

        if will:
            # set will
            # _log.info("Setting will: {}: {}".format(will.get("topic"), will.get("payload")))
            self.client.will_set(topic=will.get("topic"), payload=will.get("payload"))

        if auth:
            # set auth
            # _log.info("setting auth: {}/{}".format(auth.get("username"), auth.get("password")))
            self.client.username_pw_set(username=auth.get("username"), password=auth.get("password"))

        if tls:
            #_log.info("setting tls: {} / {} / {}".format(tls.get("ca_certs"), tls.get("certfile"), tls.get("keyfile")))
            self.client.tls_set(ca_certs=tls.get("ca_certs"), certfile=tls.get("certfile"), keyfile=tls.get("keyfile"))

        self.client.connect_async(host=hostname, port=port)
        self.client.loop_start()

    def can_write(self):
        return True

    def write(self, data=None):
        pass

    def can_read(self):
        return bool(self.data)

    def read(self):
        data = self.data.pop(0)
        if self.payload_only:
            return data.get("payload")
        else :
            return data

    def close(self):
        self.client.disconnect()
        self.client.loop_stop()


A compact booster that won't mess with your tone and features an ingenious switching system.
Lacks the tone options of the Spark.
TC Electronic's latest mini pedal effort, the Spark Mini Booster, features an all-new boost circuit, plus TC's clever new PrimeTime switching, which detects whether you want the switch permanently on (latching) or just for as long as you hold it down (momentary).
Rather than the full-sized Spark Booster's 26dB of boost and tone controls, the Mini Booster features one solitary knob that controls 20dB of boost, plus true bypass - there's no battery power, though.
"No matter how it's set, the Spark Mini sounds tonally transparent"
No matter how it's set, the Spark Mini sounds tonally transparent, simply raising the level of your guitar signal and overdriving your amp. Used with a clean valve amp, the level control provides a range of options, from a small volume boost plus bottom-end fattening and treble sweetening to all-out grit at full blast.
The Spark Mini also works well for pushing already overdriven amps and pedals - it's ideal for that extra bit of drive for solos or heavier riffs. The PrimeTime switching works like a charm, too. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn't fox it, and it always worked how we wanted it to.
However you use one, a small, transparent booster such as this is perfect for many players. Some may miss the extra tone options included on the full-fat Spark, but with PrimeTime switching, TC has provided easy versatility to give this Mini the edge over its rivals.


· Participating in the opening quotations.
· Managing office petty cash.
· Office Management III/Office Administration and Management III.
· Reporting any incidents to police and/or the office immediately they occur.
· Defensive Driving lasting not less than one (1) week from a recognized institution.
· Ensuring safe custody of the office facilities.
· Kenya certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) mean grade D minus or equivalent qualification from a recognized institution.
The application MUST be accompanied with a detailed C.V stating the current position, work experience, postal address, telephone and email contacts, and copies of all relevant academic and professional certificates (only those stated in the job requirements) and, relevant work testimonials. Further, interested applicants are required to fill the Employment Form.
Applicants submitting hard copy applications can download and fill the Employment Form from our website.
Applicants are also expected to provide email, telephone and postal contacts of three(3) referees.
All applications should reach the Director General on or before 18th December, 2018 at 5.00 pm.
5. Valid Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) clearance.


Planes, trains, and automobiles have carted a new batch of St Andrews students away from the comfort and security of home and off to the madness that is higher education. They come alone, they come in groups, they come with family eager and hungry for adventure, or timid and afraid to let go, but relentlessly they all come.
Getting your key and moving in to your new student quarters is a huge step in every young fresher's life. But what awaits them when they unlock that long anticipated door is nothing but an empty room, and a Bible.
To some, that Bible may ease the transition, and help fill the emptiness that accompanies leaving everything you know behind. To others, it might make the emptiness greater, emphasizing the foreignness of this place, it may even feel threatening and invasive. To many I imagine that it invokes nothing more than a shrug, and is later used as a convenient doorstop/coaster/paperweight.
University is a time of learning in all its forms, and spiritual learning falls under that heading. I am not paranoid enough to see this as a wide spread conspiracy by our school to indoctrinate us into the Christian faith.
The Bibles don't present an attack on secularism or even other religions. They are just there, and to most it won't even seem like anything other than the norm.
And that is where the really interesting debate lies; it's a debate about the nature of religion and faith. That supposedly innocuous book, placed there by well-meaning Gideons, begs the question on whether faith should be actively sought, or passively received.
In secular Europe, Christianity has become a passive religion resting more on tradition than on fervour. Baptism as an infant is not exactly an example of making an informed choice about spirituality. Teenagers seem to attend their confirmation either just to please an older relative or to get the gifts. Many people go to church on Sunday because that is what has always happened. The dwindling attendance numbers suggest that this isn't even that strong of a reason anymore.
Bibles are provided since they are rarely brought or bought. The Gideons are just feeding the passivity of modern religion. Of course, there are people who choose to participate, but they are not part of this argument. They are the ones who have their own Bible.
Faith should be chosen, not given. That is reason alone not to stock the rooms with Bibles, not to mention the fact that it is quite invasive, or even blatantly insulting.
There is a difference between putting a Bible in a hotel room and putting one in a student's room. A hotel is a temporary dwelling; this is supposed to be your home. Each of us has the right to choose what we invite into that space. The fact that the University allows the Gideons to do so shows either poor judgement, or a lack of critical thinking.
Neither are qualities that this institution should inspire in their students.
I don't advocate banning these Bibles from the halls, since banning books is usually the first step in most dystopian novels, but I do propose that they are not placed in the rooms. Keep them in the Wardens office or, better yet, in an on-site library, along with other foundational religious and secular texts.
Halls are part of our learning environment (and not just for the rules of Game of Fire) so they shouldn't discourage people from exploring philosophy and religion.
We all chose to come to university, and higher education is not about being spoon-fed, it is about active learning. We choose our modules, we choose our societies, and we choose what we believe in. None of these should be unconsidered, and we shouldn't passively follow.
It is presumptuous to assume that the majority of students in residence want a Bible provided for them, especially when it is the only option available. If you want a Bible, go get one, make religion an active choice, not just a residue of tradition.
I must admit that I do not usually pick up a copy of our student newspaper. Today, however, I took one. Upon receiving my copy of The Saint this morning, I was surprised to see an opinion piece on the Bibles in the flats. It is reassuring to see that my thoughts upon seeing this book in my flat are not entirely unlike those felt by other students made me feel a bit less awkward. The suggestions on where such books might be kept make, in my opinion, far more sense than leaving them in the rooms regardless of whether the inhabitants are Christian, Buddhist, or Atheist – to name a few.


Life the way you've always imagined it!
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Granite kitchen with spacious island, beautiful windows, custom cabinets, a practical nook with custom built-in bench, your friends will be impressed with the new stainless steel kitchen appliances. Separate family room with vaulted ceiling, a master suite, a guest suite downstairs. Stylish state-of-the-art bathrooms. HD surveillance system & filter with salt-free water softener system are desirable items on every buyer's want list. Captivating front landscape & durable high quality wooden fences that reinforce the stylish good looks of the house. Your guests will be thrilled to be entertained in the huge backyard with 2 tier 9 inch post pergola & an outdoor kitchen.


While recommended to families, the movie is a realistic representation of what might happen within the next decades.
Over 2,300 small animations had to be created for this movie to become reality.
The team processing materials worked on a 24/7 basis in shifts.
648 people worked tightly together in the production of this movie.
While the main part took less than six months to complete, the project took three years.
But someone is willing to share small bits of his soul and even perform the ultimate sacrifice to make them right again.
Designing a robot that is immune to pretty much everything.
Using an advanced robot for the wrong reasons in life.
Having a robot army that decides to destroy humanity and all life.
Creating the solution that might change the world into better.
Performing the ultimate sacrifice to save the world and fix a mistake.
Will the good manage to destroy the bad and save the world?
A scientist creates BRAIN at a dictator's order – an advanced robot using his own intellect. Put a dictator and an advanced robot together and things will go wrong. When used to kill the dictator's enemies, the robot starts programing other war machines to turn against humanity. At some point, an entire army decides to kill everything that lives – from people and animals to plants. The scientist uses his soul to create nine rag dolls and performs the ultimate sacrifice upon the project. Will these dolls be able to confront an entire army of robots?


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text:
Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking
Nikki Coghill, AR Cooper
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Centre for Academic Primary Care
Objective To investigate motivators, de-motivators and adherence to regular physical activity during and at six months after participation in a 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of walking. Design Purposive sampling in a group of men who participated in a RCT of supported, home-based walking in Bristol, England, between December 2002 and June 2005. Method 38 sedentary, hypercholesterolemic men (54.8 (5.0) years) who participated in a 12-week RCT of walking with regular professional support, were interviewed by telephone six months after the RCT. Results Health or fitness were the main motivational themes for adherence to walking during the RCT. Six-months after the RCT, 27 participants were still doing some walking and 18 were more physically active than before the RCT. In those who were still physically active, health benefits were motivators for adherence. In those who were less active, lack of time was a de-motivator with external support identified as a motivator for becoming more active. Conclusion Health was the main motivating factor for adherence to physical activity during and after the supported RCT. Lack of external support was a de-motivator for sustaining physical activity. Keywords Physical activity; Motivation; Adherence; Support
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.04.017
Title of Publication Reviewed: Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking
Author of Publication Reviewed: Coghill N, Cooper A
10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.04.017
Dive into the research topics of 'Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Randomized Controlled Trial Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science 100%
Physical Activity Psychology 37%
Man Medicine and Dentistry 25%
Walking Medicine and Dentistry 18%
Fitness Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science 6%
Health Psychology 6%
Groups Psychology 6%
Motivation Psychology 6%
Coghill, N., & Cooper, AR. (2009). Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking. Preventive Medicine, 49 (1), 24 - 27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.04.017
Coghill, Nikki ; Cooper, AR. / Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking. In: Preventive Medicine. 2009 ; Vol. 49 (1). pp. 24 - 27.
@article{1dd91fdd49cd44678ac3b02d8b177afe,
title = "Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking",
abstract = "Objective To investigate motivators, de-motivators and adherence to regular physical activity during and at six months after participation in a 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of walking. Design Purposive sampling in a group of men who participated in a RCT of supported, home-based walking in Bristol, England, between December 2002 and June 2005. Method 38 sedentary, hypercholesterolemic men (54.8 (5.0) years) who participated in a 12-week RCT of walking with regular professional support, were interviewed by telephone six months after the RCT. Results Health or fitness were the main motivational themes for adherence to walking during the RCT. Six-months after the RCT, 27 participants were still doing some walking and 18 were more physically active than before the RCT. In those who were still physically active, health benefits were motivators for adherence. In those who were less active, lack of time was a de-motivator with external support identified as a motivator for becoming more active. Conclusion Health was the main motivating factor for adherence to physical activity during and after the supported RCT. Lack of external support was a de-motivator for sustaining physical activity. Keywords Physical activity; Motivation; Adherence; Support",
author = "Nikki Coghill and AR Cooper",
note = "Title of Publication Reviewed: Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking Author of Publication Reviewed: Coghill N, Cooper A",
doi = "10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.04.017",
pages = "24 -- 27",
journal = "Preventive Medicine",
Coghill, N & Cooper, AR 2009, 'Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking', Preventive Medicine, vol. 49 (1), pp. 24 - 27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.04.017
Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking. / Coghill, Nikki; Cooper, AR.
In: Preventive Medicine, Vol. 49 (1), 07.2009, p. 24 - 27.
T1 - Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking
AU - Coghill, Nikki
AU - Cooper, AR
N1 - Title of Publication Reviewed: Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking Author of Publication Reviewed: Coghill N, Cooper A
N2 - Objective To investigate motivators, de-motivators and adherence to regular physical activity during and at six months after participation in a 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of walking. Design Purposive sampling in a group of men who participated in a RCT of supported, home-based walking in Bristol, England, between December 2002 and June 2005. Method 38 sedentary, hypercholesterolemic men (54.8 (5.0) years) who participated in a 12-week RCT of walking with regular professional support, were interviewed by telephone six months after the RCT. Results Health or fitness were the main motivational themes for adherence to walking during the RCT. Six-months after the RCT, 27 participants were still doing some walking and 18 were more physically active than before the RCT. In those who were still physically active, health benefits were motivators for adherence. In those who were less active, lack of time was a de-motivator with external support identified as a motivator for becoming more active. Conclusion Health was the main motivating factor for adherence to physical activity during and after the supported RCT. Lack of external support was a de-motivator for sustaining physical activity. Keywords Physical activity; Motivation; Adherence; Support
AB - Objective To investigate motivators, de-motivators and adherence to regular physical activity during and at six months after participation in a 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of walking. Design Purposive sampling in a group of men who participated in a RCT of supported, home-based walking in Bristol, England, between December 2002 and June 2005. Method 38 sedentary, hypercholesterolemic men (54.8 (5.0) years) who participated in a 12-week RCT of walking with regular professional support, were interviewed by telephone six months after the RCT. Results Health or fitness were the main motivational themes for adherence to walking during the RCT. Six-months after the RCT, 27 participants were still doing some walking and 18 were more physically active than before the RCT. In those who were still physically active, health benefits were motivators for adherence. In those who were less active, lack of time was a de-motivator with external support identified as a motivator for becoming more active. Conclusion Health was the main motivating factor for adherence to physical activity during and after the supported RCT. Lack of external support was a de-motivator for sustaining physical activity. Keywords Physical activity; Motivation; Adherence; Support
U2 - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.04.017
DO - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.04.017
JO - Preventive Medicine
JF - Preventive Medicine
Coghill N, Cooper AR. Motivators and de-motivators for adherence to a program of sustained walking. Preventive Medicine. 2009 Jul;49 (1):24 - 27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.04.017

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
A London, Ontario RBC branch
Oil - PipelinesProtest - Revolt
Closed for risky business: Stop supporting toxic tarsands
Media Coop editors | Toronto Media Coop | December 15, 2014
#shutitdown #notarsands
This morning more than a dozen affiliates of Enbridge and the Tar Sands have been locked out of their workplaces throughout Ontario. Individuals in 9 cities have participated.
Doors to banks, political offices, and other institutions associated with Enbridge have been locked or otherwise disabled, with "Closed for Risky Business" notices posted. These notes all convey the same message:
"Good people cannot simply watch as the government and big business dismantle protections and poison our communities for profit, so today we call attention to companies that enable Enbridge to continue destroying for profit – their financiers and contractors; their facilitators and publicists. Those who manage their security and their planning, approve their permits and projects – and any other players who passively take part in eco-destruction while operating business as usual."
The National Energy Board has already had to crack down on Enbridge's Line 9 project this year for negligence and safety concerning watercourses line 9 crosses however, anti-Line 9 activists are adamant that the public cannot rely on the NEB to be an effective watchdog since environmental protection is not in their mandate.
Additionally, annual reports show that NEB Regulated Company Incidents have more than doubled since 2003 and that 2013 alone saw more than 1000 major pipeline spills in Canada. In that same year, the NEB only issued 283 Notices of Non-Compliance and 8 Inspection Officer Orders. Currently, the Board is facing legal pressure for Treaty violations and ineffective public consultation regarding Line 9 while also receiving sharp criticism for celebrating the public's inability to ask questions as a success.
Ten million people live along the route of the Enbridge Line 9 pipeline: a high-pressured oil pipeline that's more than 40 years old and has leaked at least 35 times. The pipeline walls are 30% thinner than modern pipes and during inspection with their own in-line tools Enbridge found nearly 13,000 anomalies. Instead of repairing these areas, however, Enbridge filed to perform visual inspections for just a fraction of them and then, in August 2014, filed to cancel 162 of those inspections to meet their in-service deadline. While Enbridge seeks to have the line approved to run soon, there are currently only 6 of the required 104 emergency shut off valves for major water crossings.
Land defenders also want to draw attention to line 9 directly contributing to the expansion of the Alberta tar sands – the largest industrial project on earth. It's a project that has major impacts on carbon emissions and permanently contaminates approximately 8 million barrels of water each day. Much of this harm is felt by First Nations communities whose cultures and livelihoods continue to be decimated by industry.
The "Closed for Risky Business" bulletin summarizes the protest's intent with the following message:
"We will continue to act until our message is heard. We act because we care about keeping our water and air clean for our community and for future generations. Will you?"


text:
Raleigh Half Marathon
On Sunday, April 14, 2019, the inaugural Raleigh Half Marathon will be run, filling the void of the departed Rock 'n' Roll series. The Raleigh Half Marathon was created for people to run fast. This course was strategically selected to offer the flattest and fastest half marathon course in the Raleigh area.
The start will be on the roads inside Buffaloe Road Athletic Park. Runners will head down towards the Neuse River Greenway Trail, where they will head North (turn left) for approximately 6 miles before turning around, heading back towards Buffaloe Road Athletic Park, where they will take the path back up the right side, before finishing the final 400 meters on the track, in the style of the Olympic Games.
The Raleigh Half Marathon will be the 2019 USATF North Carolina State Championship, and will feature a 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials Standard Chase (Men 1:04:00 / Women 1:13:00). All finishers will recieve a unique 2018 Raleigh Half Marathon Finisher's medal, and the Top 50 Men and Top 50 Women overall will recieve a one of a kind Raleigh Half Marathon Coffee Mug.
The Top 3 Male and Female finishers, as well as the Top Masters Runners will recieve prize money, and any North Carolina resident to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials will recieve travel funding to the event on February 29, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia, courtesy of USATF North Carolina. The Top 10 Male and Female runners that hit the Olympic Trials Standard will also be given a $250 bonus.
In 2019, the race will be limited to 500 runners. The race is 86% full, as of 1/4/2019.
The Raleigh Half Marathon is directed and promoted by Sir Walter Running, a Raleigh-based 501©(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring the Greater Raleigh running community together through innovation, activation, and inclusivity. Sir Walter Running is a USATF club that also produces the Sir Walter Miler, the Pop Up Miles series, the Raleigh RunDown Downhill Mile, the Rocket Mile, Pop Up Cross Country at Dix Park, a series of Strava Challenges, and the Summer of Miles podcast.
April 14, 2019 (Sunday) - 08:00


Both decameters per square second and kilometers per square second are units of measurement for acceleration. You can convert decameters per square second to kilometers per square second multiplying by 0.01. Check other acceleration converters.
how many square hectometers is 41.19 square decameters?
how many gallons per mile is 72.9 miles per liter?
how many liters is 39.58 deciliters?
how many weeks is 4,491 years?


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Octopath Traveler Nintendo Switch No. 6 in Japan sales
BUSINESS • NINTENDO SWITCH
Media Create Co., Ltd. this month said Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.'s Octopath Traveler for Nintendo Co., Ltd.'s Nintendo Switch ranked in the top 10 software sales in the latest retail data from Japan.
Between July 30 to Aug. 5, Octopath Traveler ranked as the No. 6 software selling 18,448 units in the period.
Octopath Traveler is a turn-based role-playing game that includes HD-2D graphics, Boost system to build powerful attacks, and eight distinct characters with their own story path.
It sells at $59.99.
DOOM Eternal to invade PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
GTA V PS4 jacks No. 1 PSN sales in July


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+27 21 689 7438/9 gmanager@cpfpa.org.za
Member Application Form
Member Audit Form
Firebreak Agreement
Stack Burning
Fire Danger Rating
FDI: Best Practices
National Veld & Forest Fire Act
Alien Vegetation (IAV) & Fire
FAQs: National Veld and Forest Fire Act
The responsibilities of people in control of land.
All owners on whose land a veldfire may start or burn or from whose land it may spread must:
prepare firebreaks on their side of the boundary if there is a reasonable risk of veldfire
have such equipment, protective clothing and trained personnel for extinguishing fires as are: prescribed (in the regulations)
if there are no regulations, reasonably required in the circumstances
take all reasonable steps to notify the FPO of the local FPA (if there is one) when a fire breaks out
do everything in their power to stop the spread of the fire.
The Act also requires that if the owner is absent, he or he must have a responsible person present on or nearby his or her land to:
extinguish a fire if one broke out, or assist others to do so
take all reasonable steps to alert the neighbours and the FPA (if there is one).
The owner may appoint an agent to act on his or her behalf to perform these duties.
Who is an 'owner' in terms of the Act?
'Owner' means any landowner with title deed as well as a lessee or other person legally controlling land, the executive body of a community, the manager of State land, and the chief executive officer of any local authority, or their duly appointed agents in the cases of State land (including South African National Defence Force land).
State land owners.
State land means:
national or provincial land (but not municipal land)
land held in trust for communities by the Minister of Land Affairs or the Ingonyama Trust.
State land owners must become members of an FPA if one is registered in the area where the land is located. The Minister of the government department or member of the provincial executive council exercising control over the land, or a person authorised by him or her, must be represented on the FPA unless the land is controlled by:
a person contemplated in s2(1)(xiii)(a) (a title deed holder, lessee, or person controlling the land in terms of a contract, will. law or order of the High Court) or
a community.
Land owned by communities
Land controlled by a community could be private land (where the community owns it), or State land held in trust for the community by the Minister of Land Affairs or the Ingonyama Trust. The Act states that where land is controlled by a community, regardless of the ownership of the land, the executive body of that community is the owner. The executive body can exist in terms of:
its constitution (where the community has formed a communal property association and owns the land)
any law (for example, where a tribal authority was appointed by law) or
custom or customary law (where a chief or headman and the tribal elders may control the land) The executive body of any community which controls land held in trust by the Minister of Land Affairs or the Ingonyama Trust must become a member of an FPA if one is registered in the area where the land is located. Several different communities might control portions of a single piece of State land held in trust. Each community should be represented in the FPA by its executive body.
Why form an FPA?
Co-operation among rural owners and managers of land is required for the effective management and
prevention of veldfires. Government cannot take on the duties and responsibilities of landowners for fire
protection.
The Act places this responsibility on landowners
No presumption of negligence in civil claims for damage where a fire from the member's land causes damage or loss to another person (section 34).
The benefits of co-operation in preventing and combating veldfires through the institution of the FPA, within the framework of an agreed veldfire management strategy.
The cost saving that comes from avoiding duplication with for example disaster management plans and agricultural conservation programmes.
The protection that comes from the enforceable rules of the FPA, as established in its constitution.
The fact that FPA rules are enforceable in the FPA area protects members from the actions of non-members.
Advice and assistance to members in meeting the statutory requirements for readiness for fire fighting, including skills development.
The registered Fire Protection Officers (FPO) of an FPA receives powers to enforce the Act and FPA rules.
Improved communication among members, for example, of fire hazard conditions.
Improved communication between members and the Minister and other roleplayers.
Free access to research commissioned by the Minister on the prevention and combating of veldfires and on the use of controlled fire in sustainable forest management.
Possible relief from certain prevention measures, for example, the duty to create and maintain firebreaks, depending on the contents of the FPA's veldfire management strategy.
The overall benefits of progressive building of capacity within the FPA and thus among its members, with overall reduction in the risks of veldfires.
The possibility of assistance from the Minister.
Possible decreased insurance premiums because the risk of veldfire is less.
Improved powers of negotiation by virtue of being a member of a group of owners.
Am I obliged to join an FPA if one forms in my area?
It is not compulsory for most owners to join an FPA if one is registered in the area they live in. This is because the right to freedom of association in the Constitution must be upheld, but also because landowners themselves need to make a firm commitment, voluntarily, to co-operate through FPAs. But certain owners must join an FPA when it has registered:
The owners of State land, whether it is held by the national or provincial government
The owners of land held in trust for communities by the Minister of Land Affairs or the Ingonyama Trust, which usually means the executive body of community exercising control over that land, because they are in control of land held in trust for them by the State.
A municipality within the area of the FPA, if it has a fire service.
What about non-members inside an FPA's area?
Non-FPA members are not bound by the rules of an FPA. However, municipal land owners must be members of the FPA. It is possible for the local council to pass by-laws which are binding on everybody inside the municipal area. An FPA is able to object to the burning of firebreaks within its area, regardless of whether the party is a member or not. In this way, an FPA may enforce its own rules on members and non-members.
Why an FPA must register
An FPA must register in order to qualify for assistance under the Act and to receive the powers and duties
provided for under the Act. For example, the FPA can make rules that bind members, like when and how
firebreaks should be prepared. The registered Fire Protection Officer of an FPA can enforce the rules and
inspect members' property to ensure that the Act is being complied with. This assists members of FPAs to
better manage and control veldfires.
What is an FPA's business plan?
Section 5 of the Act sets out the duties of an FPA. An FPA's business plan is a strategic document (not an
operational plan) explaining how it will tackle its duties using risk analysis and management. It must:
demonstrate understanding of the veldfire problem in the FPA's area and the competencies necessary to deal with it
illustrate that risks have been identified
communicate the reasons for the rules that will be applied
provide information that will develop a country-wide picture of veldfire risk.
DWAF has developed a guideline for FPAs to develop business plans. DWAF Fire Advisers can
assist FPAs to draw up their business plans.
Why does an FPA need a business plan?
Because South Africa is so diverse, it is impossible to have a blueprint for the management of veldfires for the whole country. Local knowledge and judgement must determine the way veldfires are managed. Veldfire management within an FPA must be a balance between the plans of the individual landowners, and the collective plans of the FPA, established for the common good. The business plan is a strategic document, not an operational plan. It is essential to the FPA because it provides a framework for a consistent, diligent and efficient approach to veldfire management, and for co-ordination with related aspects of managing resources and the environment.
Registering the Fire Protection Officer
In order to have powers under the Act, an FPO must be registered. He or she applies for registration by means of in Form 2. The DG will register the FPO if she or he is sure the FPO will be able to enforce the Act in a responsible manner. The DG will look at the skills of the FPO and the support that will be given to him or her by other role players or an umbrella FPA.
What is the National Fire Danger Rating System?
The National Fire Danger Rating System rates the fire danger on any given day in a particular region, given a particular set of circumstances. The rating ranges from insignificant (code blue, where there is such a low fire danger that no precaution is needed) to extreme (code red, where the danger is so high 'That no fires may be allowed in the open air and special emergency fire measures must be invoked. This section of the Act (Chapter 3) has not yet been brought into effect because DWAF has not yet decided which fire danger rating model to use.
When is a firebreak necessary?
Landowners are required to prepare firebreaks on their side of the boundary where there is a reasonable risk of veldfire (section 12(1)). How do we know what a reasonable risk is? The courts use the "reasonable person test":
if a reasonable person in the position of the landowner would foresee that by not preparing a firebreak, a veldfire could start or spread across his or her land, causing harm to someone else,
and therefore would prepare one,
then the landowner should also prepare one.
The Act does not specify requirements for firebreaks because the specific requirements for an effective
firebreak vary from place to place.
Who may enforce the Act?
A registered FPO, a forest officer,a police officer, and an officer appointed in terms of section 5 or 6 of the Fire Brigade Services Act, 1987 (Act No. 99 of 1987), have the power to enforce the Act. References to an FPO in sections,27. 28 and 29 includes all the abovementioned officials. An FPO must carry identification to be able to exercise these powers. An FPO may delegate any of his or her powers and duties, except the power to arrest, search and seize.
How should we interpret the 'Presumption of negligence' clause
If a fire which has started on your land, or has spread across your land from somewhere else causes a loss to your neighbour, your neighbour may lodge a civil claim against you for damages. In such a case, you are presumed to have been negligent, unless you can prove otherwise. However, if you are a member of an FPA, you are not presumed to have been negligent, so it is more difficult for your neighbour to successfully claim damages.
How do we interpret section 34?
Often people interpret s34 to mean that if you are a member of a FPA, you cannot be found guilty of negligence and so cannot be made to pay compensation for a fire that started on your land.
This is incorrect.
We will look at the law of delict to understand what s34 means.
Delictual liability
Why do you need to know about the law of delict?
Because generally when someone suffers a loss due to fire they turn to the law of delict for a remedy. To win your case, you must show that all five elements of a delictual action are satisfied.
Elements of a delictual action
The five requirements (or elements) necessary for delictual liability are:
Conduct.
Wrongfulness.
Fault (intention or negligence).
Causation.
Harm.
Each requirement must be proved for a person to have committed a delict (and thus be held delictually liable).
The starting point in asking whether there is delictual liability is to determine whether there was conduct (i.e. something that was done or not done).
This may be an act or an omission: doing something or failing to do something.
2. Wrongfulness
Conduct must be legally wrongful in order for one to be liable. It cannot just be something which is morally wrongful.
If someone's legal right has been violated then there has been a wrong. If I punch someone, this violates their right not to be harmed and is wrongful.
Every violation of a duty in an Act is wrongful. Therefore, failing to prepare a firebreak when one is required to according to section 12(11) is wrongful.
If a clearly defined right or duty cannot be found, one still may have conducted oneself wrongfully if the 'test' is satisfied.
The 'test' to determine if there is wrongfulness is referred to as "the legal convictions of the community" test (also called boni mores).
In other words, the courts ask whether the conduct was so unreasonable in the eyes of the community that one should be held to have committed, not merely a moral wrong, but a legal wrong.
Defences to wrongfulness
There are defences to wrongfulness that allow a person to show that their conduct was not, in the special circumstances, wrongful. While there is no closed list (as the list is also a product of the "boni mores") the most common defences include:
consent and assumption of risk
private defence or necessity
superior orders
statutory authority and official capacity.
3. Fault
For delictual liability to exist, there must be fault.
The conduct must have occurred intentionally or negligently.
Intentional wrongdoing takes place where the wrongdoer intends to cause the harm.
Negligence arises where someone acts without taking proper care -they have not acted as a "reasonable person" would have acted. The test for negligence is:
would a reasonable person in the position of the defendant [wrongdoer] foresee the possibility of his or her conduct causing damage to another person;
would a reasonable person have taken steps to guard against the possibility of harm, and did the defendant fail to take the steps that a reasonable person would have taken to guard against this possibility of harm?
The reasonable person
Who is the reasonable person?
This fictional person is:
the average man or woman,
not reckless or overcautious,
aware of their surroundings and the dangers inherent in various activities.
Should the person concerned also have particular expertise, then their conduct is measured against that of the reasonable expert (e.g. electrician or mechanic).
Defences to negligence
The most straightforward defences are:
that a reasonable person would not have:
foreseen the harm; or
taken the steps necessary to guard against the harm;
that one acted reasonably (i.e. if a reasonable person would not have done it then I do not need to do it either).
A partial defence is to establish that someone else was also at fault so as to have one's damages reduced according to the degree of fault of the other person.
Defences to causation
Defences include arguing that:
the damage was too remote;
that a new cause intervened; or
that the damage was disproportional to the wrong and negligence on the part of the defendant.
5. Damage/harm
If there is no legally recognised damage, then there is no delict.
For instance if you break up with a boyfriend and his feelings are hurt. The only defence is that the harm caused is not legally recognised.
Proving a delict
To prove that someone has committed a delict and therefore should compensate you (pay damages) you must generally prove each of the five elements of the delict:
Fault.
How does s34 help?
Section 34 helps the person who is trying to prove the delict (the injured party -generally called the
plaintiff).
It does this by saying that when the wrongdoer (defendant) is not a member of a FPA, the injured party does not have to prove negligence, because the court automatically presumes the wrongdoer is guilty of negligence.
The wrongdoer can rebut the presumption by proving that s/he was not negligent e.g.:
a reasonable person would not have foreseen harm
a reasonable person would not have taken any steps to guard against the harm.
The injured party will still have to prove the other four elements of the delict to succeed.
However, where the wrongdoer is a member of a FPA, the injured party will have to prove negligence. This is because the presumption does not apply to members of FPAs.
Therefore, the presumption assists the injured party only in cases where the wrongdoer is not a member of a FPA.
Summary of s34 presumption
If the wrongdoer is not a FPA member, what must the injured party prove?
conduct – yes
wrongfulness – yes
negligence – no – the presumption comes in
harm – yes
causation – yes
If the wrongdoer is an FPA member, what must the injured party prove?
negligence – yes
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3 On A YA Theme: Stream These YA Adaptations
This week's edition of "3 On A YA Theme" is sponsored by Annotated.
Annotated brings you the story of the 17-year-old girl who invented science fiction. Download it for free on Apple Podcasts or Google Play.
As the weather begins to turn cooler and the nights become a little longer, it seems like prime time to take a look at some of the YA adaptations currently offered on Netflix. I've done a number of these round-ups through the years, and it's always neat to see the number of these films increasing. I've included the film trailers, as well as descriptions from the book where the film was inspired.
If you haven't yet, take advantage of a few streaming films from Lifetime. There's a 7-day free trial to Lifetime's streaming service, which is plenty of time to enjoy Sea Change, Ten, and/or Drink, Slay, Love.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.
Carrie Pilby by Caren Lissner
Figuring out life in NYC. Being a genius has never been this hard! Carrie Pilby doesn't fit in. Anywhere. And she's pretty much given up trying. A year out of college, this nineteen-year-old genius believes everyone she meets is immoral, sex obsessed and hypocritical, and the only person she sees on a regular basis is her therapist. When he comes up with a five-point plan to help her discover the "positive aspects of social interaction, " Carrie, who would rather stay home in bed, is forced to view the world in a new light.
Girls Lost based on Pojkarna by Jessica Schiefaur (translated into English as The Boys, which is confusing to me, too).
There doesn't seem to be a full adaptation available in English, but there is a nice excerpt in English available to read here.
Maximum Ride by James Patterson
Six unforgettable kids—with no families, no homes—are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that's just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don't know where they come from, who's hunting them, why they are different from all other humans…and if they're meant to save mankind—or destroy it.
If you're a fan of Megan McCafferty's "Jessica Darling" YA series—starting with Sloppy Firsts—then you might want to also stream the adaptation of her middle grade series that tells the early story of Jessica and her friends. Jessica Darling's It List is available on Netflix and is so worth watching to see how these characters started their adventures together.
Want more "3 On A YA Theme" posts? Gotcha covered.
Sign up for What's Up In YA? to receive all things young adult literature.
#Young Adult Literature#adaptations
How I Learned to Love Superhero Comics


I had dinner with a friend a few weeks ago.
We'd both forgotten it was Valentine's Day, as it figures on neither of our radars. So we were were surrounded by couples gazing adoringly at each other, and our candlelit table was strewn with rose petals.
The waiter obviously thought we were together, and greeted us with a knowing smile. Amused by his mistake, we decided not to burst his bubble.
As we ate and chatted, I realised that ours was one of the few tables where there wasn't an uninvited guest. For all around us, as far as the eye could see (and the restaurant was long, narrow and packed) were couples one or both of whose faces were illuminated by the glow of not just a candle, but a smartphone.
Now my friend and I both have phones – in fact we'd arranged to meet via WhatsApp, as phone calls are so yesterday – but we never have them on the table when we meet up. Instead, they're tucked away safely in our pockets, out of sight and out of mind.
And that makes a big difference, as we're not distracted when we talk. We're both present in the moment (three years on, I'm still on the mindfulness kick) and we have better conversations because of it.
But it's not just that we have no distractions. He's one of the few people I know who actually gets how a conversation works: the give and take, the listening and talking, the to and fro.
And that's perhaps no surprise, given that he worked for years as a broadcast journalist, getting people to open up and tell their story.
Which leads me nicely to Celeste Headlee, whose talk on TED has already racked up almost 7 million views.
You can see why. 10 ways to have a better conversation is amusing, waffle-free and highly practical.
The veteran radio host says you should forget everything you've been told about how to talk and listen ("It's crap!" she says bluntly, to an amused audience). Instead, she gives her top tips based on decades of experience.
You'll find out what Buddha said about having your mouth open, why it's a bad idea to pontificate, and how conversations are like a mini-skirt.
For anybody involved in communication, this talk is a must. Whether you're in conversation with a client, a case-study interviewee, your marketing agency or a prospect – or even a friend over a table of rose petals – you can use these simple techniques to great effect.
At a fraction under 12 minutes, it's a presentation that walks the talk, obeying the last of the 10 rules: be brief.


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11-01-2021 Weekly Updates With Alice, Allen, Matt, Les, And Rob
https://d2iwv8pn9yf3nf.cloudfront.net/ZjKTy3zBi.mp3
The first half of the Lykken on Lending program will feature our Weekly Updates. Go to our website to read more about our regulars and weekly updates!
Weekly Updates With Alice, Allen, Matt, Les, And Rob
It is Monday, November 1st, 2021. We're so grateful to have you here with us. This show is created by mortgage professionals and we're here for mortgage professionals, although we have a lot of real estate people reading and those who have interests in the industry. I'm most grateful for you, our readers. We appreciate you being here. Our commitment is to bring you timely information in a format that you can read anywhere, anytime. We appreciate much of the feedback.
We may have shared the feedback we received at the MBA conference. It's much better attended than anticipated. Ray Conference, I loved it. Kudos to the MBA and the whole MBA team. Marcia Davies is responsible for the things that happened behind the scenes. We're pleased with it and it was outstanding. Thank you for all the great comments from all of those who were at the conference and passed on back at your lister and you enjoy the show.
I want to say that we've got as a hot topic guest someone that I have respected in the industry as a leader for many years. She's an amazing person. Kimberly Nichols is Senior Managing Director at PennyMac. She's going to be giving an update on diversity inclusion. We're going to also talk about what's going on in the wholesale channel that she heads up for PennyMac. She's one of my favorite people. She's not all that. She had triplets. There are working moms and then there are working moms of triplets. She's amazing both at a personal and professional level. We're so blessed to have her joining us in the hot topic segment.
We put out some promotions on it and they put out promotions. I got so much feedback. A lot of people are dialed in, reading to and ready for the comments. Also, I'll give a shout-out to Ludwig, an advertising agency. Barbara and the team are doing an amazing job. LudwigPlus, thank you for helping make this all happen.
We are proud to be a part of the Industry Syndicate. Check out all the shows at IndustrySyndicate.com. I'm grateful for our sponsors like the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. I had a great interview with Michael Fratantoni and got a lot of positive feedback. It's the interview I recorded while using my cell phone, going back and forth like it was a microphone. The audio came out but the content was good. If you haven't read it, go back and do so.
Also caught up with our friends at Finastra. They're doing a great job with their mortgagebot solution. A lot of innovations are coming in with them. They're the number one FinTech company in the world. When you look at a company and the leaders like PennyMac, the leader in the industry, you pay attention to what they have to say. Be sure to check out the interview that we did with Karen Jenkins on October 4th, 2021 talking about the importance of the user experience and customer experience.
The CX and UX are a lot. We could talk about that but check out that episode. I'm grateful for their sponsorship, as well as Lenders One and The Mortgage Collaborative. These two coops do a great job of helping lenders connect with each other of their same size. Something that TMC or The Mortgage Collaborative has is the co-labs. They do a great job, as well as Lenders One does a similar thing but it's important that we connect and hear about each other's struggles and what goes on in there. Check that out. I couldn't go on without both of these coops.
We're members of both of them. Pick one or both. That's what we recommend. Get involved. It does not replace the MBA re-membership but do get a member of one of these coops. You'll find that you'll benefit from it, especially in these times when we're in shrinky margins. What are others doing about it? How do we respond to technology that's coming out? These two coops will do a good job and help you with that.
Also, this community Mortgage Lenders of America Association. I'm grateful to be a part of them, CMLA, as well as Insellerate. Josh Friend does a great job with that interview on June 21st, 2021. It is still getting radically downloaded because of the radical things that they're doing inside their company to connect you with borrowers. It's a great empowering engagement platform.
Also, when you're recruiting, you got to look at Mobility MMI, Mortgage Market Intelligence, as well as Modex. Both of these companies do a great job of bringing empirical data when you're recruiting LOs. Also, got some great business intelligence BI out there.
Everyone's talking about BI and Data. Both of these companies have that going in a big wave for what's going on in the real estate market and the realtors that are doing well. A special thank you to our newest sponsor, Snapdocs. I'm so thrilled to have Amy Moses and the entire Snapdocs team with us on the show as a sponsor. Check out Snapdocs. What they're doing in eClosing is they're fast becoming the leader. Check out eMortgage, everything Snapdocs. I appreciate it. They're one of the up-and-coming companies and you will want to get to know them.
I also want to say a special thank you to those that are regulars on the show. We have our beloved Alice, who's been here since the beginning of the show. We also have Rob Van Raaphorst, Les Parker, Matt Graham and Allen. Thank you to all of the regulars for their contributions that make this show so successful. Let's get over to Rob Van Raaphorst from the MBA for the MBA Mortgage Minute. Rob.
Welcome to the Mortgage Minute and the latest news from the Mortgage Bankers Association. MBA submitted recommendations to FHFA on the new Equitable Housing Finance plans for the GSEs. The recommendations emphasize transparent oversight and an evaluation process for the plans. Note that FHFA should undertake rule-making to ensure these efforts remain durable regardless of how long the GSEs remain in conservatorship.
The creation and implementation of these plans is an important step in addressing our nation's longstanding challenges related to housing equity, particularly with respect to the racial homeownership gap. According to MBA's latest forbearance and call volume survey, the total number of loans in forbearance has decreased by 2.15% with an estimated 1.1 million homeowners currently in forbearance plans. That's it. Thank you for joining me.
I listened to the announcement. This is what he was talking about while they making recommendations but I'd like to find out from some of you out there. We're hearing some reports of increased action by the CFPB. If there are any of you that could give me some feedback on that or welcome that, we're hearing reports of that, which is a little concerning but there's at least some good movement on what's going on at FHFA. Sandra Thompson, listen to her speak. She's very encouraging.
The big news about the appraisal is they're going to desktop appraisals, which will hopefully speed along the process, dealing with a big bottleneck in our processes. Speaking of what's going on in the markets, let's get over to Les Parker with the TM Spotlight and a macro view of the markets. What do you have for us, Les?
Fed tried so hard and got so far but in the end, it doesn't even matter. Compare the Fed, WeWork and Mortgage Bankers, they all try hard. The Fed tries to stimulate the economy but in the end, it doesn't matter. WeWork burns millions in cash trying hard to outrun the flames. Investors have lost their enthusiasm for unicorns who prioritize rapid growth over profits. When mortgage lenders focus on production and not profits, then investors and warehouse lenders abandon them because, in the end, growth doesn't even matter. These views are my own. Go to TMSpotlight.com to subscribe to my daily newsletter.
Go out and do that. When you do subscribe, put in the word POWER for PowerSeller and you'll get Les's subscription that he usually charges for. You'll get it for free. Sign up. I encourage you to do that on TMSpotlight.com. Matt Graham is here with us with a pre-recorded comment. Matt couldn't join us live but we're always grateful when he puts it a word. Be sure to check out MBS Live. We're going to hear from Matt Graham, Founder and COO of MBSLive.net. I love his commentary on what the market is. What do you got, Matt?
A week began for the bond market on a positive note and that continued for the first three days of the week. This brought much-needed relief after several weeks, nearly a month of steady weakness in longer-term yields. The highlight of the middle of the week was essentially the front running of the European Central Bank announcement, which was scheduled for Thursday morning but by Wednesday, European yields were surging lower, bringing US yields along for the ride.
All told that brought tenured treasury yields down to 1.52% after being as high as 1.7% in the previous week so that is a pretty nice recovery. Something very nice to see after 3 to 4 weeks of steady weakness following the September 22nd Fed announcement. More on that in a moment as that is integral to the bigger-picture developments.
In terms of economic data, we had both home price reports on Tuesday morning. Case-Shiller and FHFA slowed down a little bit. Let's focus on FHFA for a second. It came in at 1% month-over-month growth for August versus 1.4% in the previous month. Not as fast as it was but 1% is still very big in terms of home price growth.
More importantly, all it had to do was come in flat to solidify expectations for conforming loan limit increases. Granted the headline, HPI, Home Price Index for FHFA is not the same as the expanded quarterly data that's used to calculate conforming loan limits but it's close enough that we can safely conclude that $625,000 thing that's going on for quite a few lenders is more than safe.
With the gains seen in August 2021, we're probably closer to 633-ish. If we get something even remotely close to this number at the end of November 2021, then conforming loan limits could easily be over $640,000 or the very least in that neighborhood. This is a little bit of interesting news for those of you that have been trying to figure out where loan limits would be.
To reiterate, they have not been updated yet. They won't be updated officially until the next FHFA Home Prize report comes out on November 30th, 2021. As far as other data for the week, consumer confidence is stronger than expected, 113 versus 108. New home sales are stronger than expected, $800,000 versus the $760,000 forecast.
We moved into treasury auctions for the week and Wednesday's five-year treasury auction was quite strong. It helped bonds gain additional ground and added to the rally that the European Central Bank sparked in the morning. Durable goods came in weaker from the previous month but stronger than expected at negative 0.4%.
Domestic Market Movement: Wednesday's five-year treasury auction was quite strong, helped bonds gained additional ground and added to the rally that the European Central Bank sparked in the morning.
On Thursday, the big to-do was the GDP announcement. We don't normally put a lot of stock in GDP because it is a very backward-looking report since it covers an entire quarter's worth of data. In this case, it was the advanced report, meaning that it's the first look at Q3 we've had. There was a lot of speculation as to where the thing would come in because the median forecast among economists was up at 2.7%, whereas tracking indices like the Atlanta Feds GDP was down at 0.2%.
Thus, 2.7% or 0.2%, effectively is no growth in Q3. This led to some speculation or at least some chatter that the actual number was going to be much weaker than the forecasts we're calling for and thus provide the bond market an additional reason to rally. Some people even ascribed strength earlier in the week to these whisper expectations for a much weaker-than-expected GDP rating.
By coming in at 2% versus the Atlanta Fed GDP, for instance, at 0.2%, those fears, expectations or whisper numbers were squashed. We saw no major reaction to the GDP data when it came out on the 28th. There's a little bit of volatility in the morning but more movement later in the morning as Europe moved back in the other direction.
We had European yields leading US yields higher by the end of the day and then as soon as Europe closed, we flattened out. That's been a constant theme where a majority of the volatility that we've seen on any given day has occurred during the hours that the European market is open and then we either flatten out or push a little bit back in the other direction when Europe is closed.
That underscores the importance of foreign central bank policy on domestic market movement. We've seen it with the Bank of England, Bank of Canada and European Central Bank in a very clear fashion on several occasions. There's no reason to expect that won't continue. Everybody's favorite central bank is the Fed and that is the big to-do for the week ahead.
Granted, we do have other data coming out this week. ISM manufacturing is already out. There's no major reaction. Non-manufacturing on Wednesday and then the big jobs report on Friday. Wednesday afternoon brings the Fed rate decision. No decision is to be made there. Rates are going to remain unchanged but the decision to announce the tapering of the Fed's bond-buying programs has already been made.
Barring catastrophe, something crazy would have to happen for them not to announce. Everybody's betting on it and they'd be foolish to forgo the opportunity. Some people are wondering if the Fed is tapering. If the 2013 taper tantrum is bad for rates, what does that mean? Are we destined to launch at even higher rates? The answer is emphatic, nobody knows. If we are going to launch to higher rates, it will have nothing to do with the fact that the Fed announces tapering on Wednesday. Markets have known this for a while. They've telegraphed it more clearly than they've ever telegraphed anything.
If we look at longer-term charts, we can see that yields have risen nearly as much as they did in 2013 in advance of tapering. We can also see based on past precedent that when the Fed backs out of the market, either via the scheduled end of a bond purchase program or a tapering discussion and then a tapering official announcement, bonds have rallied after that counterintuitive as it may seem. There is no rising rate implication associated with the tapering announcement itself.
The Fed does say other stuff. The more interesting stuff they may comment on is the rate hike cycle, the timing and the quantity of potential rate hikes. Markets, especially Fed Funds futures, which bet on Fed Funds rate levels at various points in the future have priced in two rate hikes for 2022 and that has been a rapid and recent change. If the Fed were to corroborate that, it would cause further drama in the yield curve but not necessarily for longer-term rates like tenure yields and mortgages.
Mortgages would be caught in the crossfire to a greater extent than ten-year yields because the average mortgage lasts less than ten years. It is more similar to something like a five-year treasury or at least, splitting the difference between a 10 and 5-year treasury. The big drama we've seen is in the spread between things like 5-year notes and 30-year bonds or between 2-year notes and 10-year notes.
All these yield curve trades have been the talk of the town as far as bond traders are concerned and there's no reason to expect that to stop anytime soon. The interesting question will simply be, "How much will MBS and mortgage rates be caught in the crossfire?" More than anything, the bottom line is that don't fear the taper.
We have seen this before. Markets knew it was coming from the moment the Fed began buying bonds in 2020 and the yields have done a good job getting in position for what they know is coming. Where we go from here will depend on new things that happen and we'll discover as opposed to things that we are already able to predict with near-perfect certainty. As always, get a free extra to double-time trial to MBS Live with no credit card requirement by entering the code LOL in the signup screen on MBSLive.net.
You know why I give him a bad time about EOR. He has got that down low-key voice. I love what he does and brings to the show. He got a lot of compliments when I was at the conference on his content. Matt, thank you. Sign up for a service once you hear the jobs report coming up and some of the volatility that could be coming into the markets. Don't fear the taper.
I don't fear it but I'm nervous about it. It all speaks to potential volatility. You need to have a tool that you can use that will be able to give immediate updates on what's going on. That's why you need MBSLive.net. Sign up for an extra special because you get to have a trial period a little longer than normal. Let's get over to Alice Alvey. Alice is CMB Vice President of Education and Training at Union Home. She's got our legislative update. Alice, it's so good to have you here.
It's good to be here, Dave. Listening to Matt's report, it's great that he has that calm voice as he talks about all that market fluctuation. You don't want anybody that's overly excited like you and me. You want that calm demeanor. He came up with Les Parker's next bit because you keep talking about don't fear the taper. All I can think of was (Don't Fear) The Reaper, the Blue Öyster Cult song. My update is a little granular on some agency stuff. First of all, FHA does have its revised handbook on the drafting table.
What I love about what they do is they highlight all the words that they've changed. We would all sit down and have the two books open side by side in the old paper world and have to go figure out, "Did they add a comma that changed the meaning of something?" In these 4,000, there aren't a ton of changes but a few little things that some lenders were doing, because they may have gotten answers from FHA and others, weren't. They cleaned up a couple of things.
One that they are highlighting is that you don't need to verify twelve months of payments on time for a contingent liability as the result of a divorce. I love when we don't have to get extra paperwork. You don't need an access letter for a joint account. There's some information in there that's trying to loop in third-party responsibilities on appraiser independence and then adding the verbiage for their new FHA Catalyst system for the appraisal portal that'll be rolling out in March of 2022. There's nothing super earth-shattering with the new 4,000 but a few tips and tricks here and there that originators will love.
The other update I have is Ginnie Mae issued an all-participants memo, an APM, clarifying the seasoning requirements on VAs and how it would apply if you are refinancing a modification. The way it was worded in chapter 24 of their guide was a little mixed up, whether you were talking about a modification itself of the loan that you have in servicing that you're pulling out of a pool and putting back in perhaps or you're a lender like us. Maybe we've got some other lender's loan and we are refinancing that loan. The borrower is in a modification or the loan has been modified.
Ginnie Mae issued an APM clarifying the seasoning requirements on VAs and how it would apply if you are refinancing a modification. Click To Tweet
They're getting some clarification out around that. I want to give lenders a heads-up that our special guest, PennyMac, had some clarification too in their guide that was very helpful online. This has been around and some lenders are feeling if this is new or old guidance. You could see enough of the good shops out there had it already in place. Here's a heads-up to companies. You want to take a look at this right away. Make sure you've got some systems in place to catch that VA loan. You are refinancing a modification. If you miss this, you have some challenges.
Modifications aren't there with flashing red lights in a loan file. You've got to dig for a red flag and sometimes go the extra mile. A heads up from lenders. It does appear even with the heading of the memo that Ginnie Mae's calling us a clarification, which means your pipeline has to already be in compliance with us.
The other quick thing is don't forget to catch up on Fannie and Freddie's changes for condos as a result of that structural collapse that was so devastating in Florida. They have some extra requirements in place that everyone's going to have to make sure they're on top of. You think of the liability that goes beyond the building and the mortgage but the liability for the project of the people who are around there are secondarily impacted.
Domestic Market Movement: Remember to catch up on Danny and Freddy's changes for condos as a result of that structural collapse that was so devastating in Florida.
It's a big deal and as lenders, it's a new territory to tread to make sure the appraisers are giving you complete information and the homeowners association also on any litigation pending and possible structural defects. Make sure you're talking to your teams about that and getting them all up to speed. There shouldn't be any surprises on that one. Everybody should be on board. We don't want to blend on that project. That's my update to you, Dave. Back to the show.
There's some great stuff in there. With that condo story, I was wondering at what point it's going to have ramifications from that. First of all, I thought a lot has been lost but you start looking at how we go back to something that was built many years ago. With the structural defects, what is going to be required out of that? Thanks for highlighting that. One of the questions came in from one of our readers and it also echoes Bobby nicely over there, who's one of our faithful readers. How are you responding? What are you hearing about lenders responding to this?
I don't have any insider information. At the end of the day, we're going to have to wait and see what the feedback messages come out to be. It'll be that you get the feedback message that says it's eligible for 2055. There is a lot of pressure on Fannie and Freddie to offer some relief to the extent that we know they are very capable in this industry.
The pressure has to be on them to say, "We are struggling to get appraisals. You have data. Let us leverage the data. This is a borrower benefit. It's not us trying to take a shortcut. Your loan is still properly secured. We don't know how much of this we'll see. Once it rolls out, we'll be able to share more." That was quite the big scoop of information without a lot of detail that happened at the MBA.
There are two big bottlenecks as you look at the process, Alice. The training in Union Home is so progressive. That's why many people look at what is Union Home doing on that front. When you look at where is this going, what are the two bottlenecks? Is it appraisal and title? If new things are developing and interesting titles, the company is coming on the show to hopefully address more. Lots are coming down and there are initiatives underway.
I promise I will share once I hear something but as of now, I don't have any.
I've been calling around too. I'm not hearing anything other than we're looking at it, going back, using what the old option was and working with that until it comes forward but they're launching it. It is not back yet. What do you do with that? We'll find out what PennyMac might be doing. Alice, thank you so much. You are beloved and the content that you bring out is always meaningful. Thank you so much for adding to the value of this show. Alice, we truly love you and appreciate you. Say hi for me to your amazing husband Andy.
I will. Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Let's get over to another amazing contributor, Allen Pollack with the tech update.
I'm going to throw out a bad Halloween dad joke and then get into some fun stuff. The bad joke, David, is what's a ghost's favorite dessert? It's ice cream. Don't hang up because we got good content coming, we promise. It's funny we talk about the appraisals that Alice was talking about and potentially, do we allow for desktop appraisals? A lot of people ask me a question and I don't even have the answer to it.
I'm going to raise it, which is who raised all the values of the homes. Did the demand become so low that people overbid and homes sold for a higher price and then new listings said, "They went for a higher number? I'm going to go for a higher number." The appraiser said, "Okay, or were there enough people to pay for more than what the homes were worth?" Ultimately, we created a new benchmark for home prices. That's a big question. What is the answer to that question? Who allowed the values to rise? Was it purely a part of the demand and the rise or the shortage of inventory? Do you know the answer to that or do you want to take a shot at it?
I can take a lot of shots of the speculation but I seem to get myself in trouble so I'll avoid that one.
We can answer it another time but for the folks that ask me that question, I'm sorry. I don't have a perfect answer. David, I thought we can talk about global warming and the supplies that are floating in the Pacific or even better, we can skip all that and talk about how to engage your internal technology staff there. That's more important.
First, this was a big shocker. 7 months after a $16 million series B round, digital mortgage platform, Maxwell, has raised $52.5 million. A source has told Bloomberg and I'm reading some of their comments that the latest financing split between $28.5 million in equity and $24 million in debt values $450 million. That's a crazy number, especially since Maxwell because there's a lot of competition out there. They've done some wonderful things. They also launched Maxwell Capital acting as a dedicated investor for small banks and credit units. It's an unbelievable strategy.
They're driven and doing great. Check out Maxwell. Get this. David. We also know Floify. They're more of a platform where a lot of brokers were using their credit cards to pay for 1 off, 2 off, not so much of the enterprise platform. They sold $90 million to a company proptech called Porch Group. It's a Denver-based company.
If you don't know too much about Floify, it costs Porch about $76.5 million in cash and $10 million in common stock for Porch. They're going to be investing to further help qualify as customers stand apart by making home purchasing and the moving process much easier for borrowers. It seems that having the online right-front-facing point-of-sale technology platform is a way to create a service that fits all. Even if you have partners that are within it, you create one omnichannel experience and that's what everybody wants. David, get it. The news keeps on coming.
Rocket Mortgage has partnered with Salesforce to bring more technology to lenders. It's going to be called Mortgage as a Service and it's going to be in the financial cloud of Salesforce. It'll support a POS and LOS for financial institutions. How about that? If you didn't think I had enough amazing news, it gets better. There's an article in National Mortgage News and it parlayed perfectly into what we were talking about called Build a Better Tech Stack. They've got five items. I'm going to list them real quick. It's so spot on.
Domestic Market Movement: Rocket Mortgage has partnered with Salesforce to bring more technology to lenders. It will be called Mortgage as a Service, and it will be in the financial cloud of Salesforce.
If you're looking to build a new tech stack, you need to consider these five things. eLending, web-based and mobile-based browsing solutions, OCR and ICR, automated data gathering and analysis and AI and Rules-based Workflow. That article couldn't be more spot on. If you're looking to revise your strategy and new vendors, go read that article. There's a little bit of content around those five topics but it is spot on.
What the article doesn't talk about is how to put a tech staff around it. You're going left, scrolling, reading this article and moving right. What do you do? One thing, David. You and I have talked to many people about this. I'm going to bet not a lot of people have this but the question is, do you have a technology board of advisors? Do you have an executive group? Not your corporate executive group but how are you driving tech strategy?
Remember the question a long time ago about many shows. There's a difference between a CIO, CISO or CTO to a VP of technology. We probably should dig that backup. If you've got the same guy who built your system as the same guy who's your CIO, CISO or CTO, is that your tech strategy? Did they graduate from fiddling, managing and playing with those systems every day to being part of the corporate strategy to drive profits, reduce costs and accelerate your brand?
That's what you need. You need an executive group or a specific team that's circled your tech strategy. This article is on Forbes. It's a good article. I'm going to talk more about how to work with offshore development next time or get further into this. I wanted to bring this up real quick because it's so good. It's called 16 Ways to Keep Your Tech Team Happy and Motivated.
Since it's in Forbes, I like it because they've talked to several people rather than an opinion letter that's in another place online. What's good is to share good and bad news equally. For many of us, especially on the tech side, you always hear bad news. You always hear things that we're going to do in the future but how often do you share the good news? Even if it's nothing more than a customer that sent an email that said, "You made my day. Thanks for getting this done quickly," share that with that tech staff. They need to see that.
Not just your management tech staff but share it with the guys that are coding. The next one is regularly reviewing performance based on tangible metrics, being able to set a goal and show them that they've achieved that goal. Spread the news, challenge them and create new opportunities for them. Tech folks sometimes don't want to sit in the bubble and do just that forever, even if it's a temporary project that you whisp them away and you give them some special mission. You complete that mission, come right back and continue to do wonderful things.
They want opportunities and do new things. The number one thing I'd say out of everything I went over David, we'll end the segment on this. Give them work-life flexibility. Let them know family comes first. They're important and they are family but their family comes first. That's the most important thing to keep your tech staff happy.
Give the staff work-life flexibility. Let the staff know they're important and family, but their family comes first. That's the most important thing to keep your tech staff. Click To Tweet
It's so interesting you bring that up because I was talking to another individual who resigned on that one issue. He had a death in the family and was made to feel guilty for almost going to the funeral. When he got back, no one asked him anything like, "How are you doing? What's going on?" It's amazing how sometimes insensitive we can be but maybe that's why I'm excited about our upcoming hot topic because whomever we have coming on is a plug-in for all of that.
Allen, thank you so much. I appreciate your tech update. That was Allen Pollack. If you want to reach him as many of you do, get ahold of him at [email protected].That's his email address. He works as an advisor. He works on boards. He does a lot of stuff. When does that man sleep? He's got three daughters. I look forward to having you back next time, Allen. Thank you so much. I got a lot of feedback on your segment as well. It's great stuff. I appreciate it.
It's good to have you here with us. Proceed onto the next topic because we're going to start the hot topic. We've got some exciting topics coming up. I'm very excited about continuing the topic of how you connect with people. I want to say special thank you to our sponsors, Finastra, CMLA, MBA or Mortgage Bankers Association, Mobility MMI, Knowledge Coop and The Mortgage Collaborative. Have a great time.
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Build a Better Tech Stack – Article
16 Ways to Keep Your Tech Team Happy and Motivated – Article
Filed Under: Episode, Latest Episode Tagged With: All Participant Memorandum, European Central Bank, Rocket Mortgage, Structural Collapse, Tech Staff


Brian W. Ferry has been a favorite photographer of mine for some time now and I can't help but feel a little giddy whenever I see the latest post from the blue hour in my Feedly. I'm particularly fond of his still life as well as the work he does for Harry's Five O'Clock Magazine and Freunde von Freunden. There's something very special about the way he captures the seemingly ordinary–details we might naturally overlook are made prominent and essential. He photographed a home in São Paulo for the cover story of Dwell's February 2015 issue. The photographs, shot with medium format film, enliven the space in a way that makes it seem familiar and comfortable yet also so striking and beautiful. I've found myself coming back to it again and again.


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Posted on May 2, 2011 December 9, 2015 by Adam Kuhn
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Directed by Peter Jackson
Written by Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson, Phillipa Boyens & Stephen Sinclair
The Lord of the Rings series is legendary and all three are highly regard. All three received multiple nominations at the Academy Awards, having been released in three consecutive years from 2001-2003, but The Return of the King in the film which broke through and won the most awards, 11 to be exact. So where does the middle chapter of the epic tale from J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson fall? It is hard to say having just seen the first two again recently, with the third to come soon. But my initial reaction is that The Two Towers is a great achievement, but one that failed to make a great impression on me.
There seems to be an unwritten rule in cinema when it comes to making sequels: go bigger, and go darker. I do not quite understand the theory behind going darker, though bigger I get. It is like the rules of making a mixtape told so eloquently by Rob Gordon (John Cusack) in the film High Fidelity: "You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch." Peter Jackson was listening because with The Two Towers, the director introduced even more characters, created massive battle scenes, including the roughly 45 minute battle at Helm's Deep. Needless to say, there is a whole lot more scope in this film than was in the first which was epic in its own rights.
So what about that darker factor? I don't get why this is a requirement. I guess in the formation of a trilogy it does make sense, otherwise it would be happy fun time all the way through and nothing setting up the third act of the trilogy. In the case of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the journey of Frodo and Sam is the entire story, so without this middle section being bleaker and darker, there would be much less tension and suspense building up to the third in the trilogy, which would make the payoff not as good. In that regard, this film was massively different from the first in tone and emotion. The film is equally beautiful in its cinematography, just in an opposing way. In the first there were many bright, shiny colors popping off the screen. This time the colors are much more drab and depressing and really make the experience that much more down and dirty. It matches the tone well.
The special effects were also magnificent, especially when it came to the battle scene at Helm's Deep. However, there were also times when the effects were not up to par with the rest of the film. For instance, the sequences where Pippen and Merri are with the Tree Beard character, the effects are much more obvious and less seamless than in other parts. It is a minor quip, as not much time was spent with these characters, though that could be another problem I had with the film. The storytelling seemed to jump back and forth and it didn't always work, though at times it flowed brilliantly. The Merri and Pippen sequences are a good example of this, never really grabbing my attention or making me care. At the same time, I felt not enough time was spent with Frodo and Sam, though that too is understandable as this film is much more about Aragorn and the humans defending Helm's Deep than it is a furtherment of the journey of Frodo and Sam to destroy the ring. They got the lionshare in the first film, and I would expect the story to return focus on them a bit more in the third as the series concludes.
Another minor difficulty I had with the film was the comedy, which seemed much more prevalent here than in the first, though maybe I am misremembering. Another possibility is the simple fact that this film is darker, so when the comedy does come it is that much more jarring. But whatever the case may be, the comedy didn't always work (like the counting match between Legolas and Gimli during the battle), but like every other quip I have with this film, it is also done well in certain places.
So my general conclusion for this film would be that it doesn't do what the first film did quite as well as there are a number of things I am able to point to and say that I did not enjoy, but they are few and far between and not significant enough to make the experience with the film anything less than a great one. I am greatly looking forward to seeing the third and final film in the series and being able to look back at the trilogy as one long seamless story instead of three separate films.
This entry was posted in:2002, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Tagged with:Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Orlando Bloom, Peter Jackson, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Viggo Mortensen
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We have Autumn, a rich, chic print with a brightly-colored palette and a burst of floral features.
Sunset is a new dimension of drop-dead gorgeous, like the last glimpse of the sun after a fun day at the beach!
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This course teaches the participants on how to build integration solutions using IBM Integration Designer (IID) for deployment into IBM Business Process Manager 8.5 Advanced edition. This class starts with Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) basics. Participants will learn about the Service Component Architecture (SCA) programming model and the Service Data Objects (SDO) data model. Business process development using The role of adapters when integrating disparate back ends is discussed and participants learn about the IID tooling in detail.
Introduction to IBM Business Process Manager 8.5 Advanced edition.
Knowledge of XML and Web Services is highly suggested for this class. You can gain this knowledge with one of the following classes.