Christmas has come early for the Macquarie Infrastructure Group (ASX: MIG), but then it would when you decide to give $500 million… to yourself! We’re still puzzling out the exact transaction, but from what we can gather, MIG decided to sell some its U.S. toll road assets to another fund, Macquarie Infrastructure Partners for $1.06 billion. MIG then revealed that it, “will be applying up to A$500 million from the sale to an expanded on-market share buy back… .This will result in a total buyback of up to A$1 billion, of which approximately $272 million has been used to acquire securities since the buyback commenced on 3 October 2006.”
Who knows… maybe MIG’s own shares are a much better long-term investment than American toll roads. But isn’t a bit unseemly when the best place for your own cash… is yourself? Has an investment bank become narcissistic when its analysts conclude that the bank itself is the best investment on the market? Vanity, vanity… all is vanity.
But then, buying your own shares does tend to plump up your cheeks and give them a nice rosy hue. And it’s not like MIG is the only one doing it. According to Hirschel Abelson, the CIO of New York-based money management firm Stratlem, “in the twelve months ending March 31, 2006, US companies spent a record US$36 billion in stock buybacks.”
Abelson says that is, “an extraordinary amount NOT to put to work on behalf of the economy. Dr. Marc Faber enlightens us on the strategy, “Rather than investing in new facilities, corporations choose to distribute their cash to shareholders by buying back the company’s own shares, which reduces the number of outstanding shares and boosts earnings per share (ed: doesn’t this make the stock even attractive to the company’s buyers, prompting to buy even more of themselves?)
Is there real harm in using shareholder cash to boost earnings by reducing shares outstanding? Not visibly. And after all, here in Australia there is plenty of real business investment in real economic activity (building roads, digging mines, drilling for oil and gas etc.). But Abelson points out that when a company chooses to invest in itself-especially a company who makes a living investing in other assets-it probably means there aren’t a whole lot of other assets out there worth buying.
He writes, “There is nothing wrong with returning money to shareholders, but it is the thought process behind these decisions which raises red flags. Buybacks are typically an indication that there are no investments on the horizon that represent a superior use of the company’s money. Another downside to buybacks is that they give a false impression of corporate performance. Higher earnings per share are generally thought to result from real improvements, like higher sales.”
Real improvements. We like the sound of that. It reminds us of real assets. Abelson winds up, getting to the heart of the matter, and the real motive, “Buybacks can enhance the stock price-and thus mollify unhappy investors-without increasing overall revenues. So, on the one hand, buybacks are a sign that good investments may be lacking. On the other, they give investors the impression that the good times are rolling on.”
The times have never been better for the money shufflers. But they are having to get more creative to come up with new assets to securitize and re-sell to a gullible public. Even good con men run out of ideas every once in a while.
The flood of cheap money has flattened the total return on all asset classes… and forced Macquarie’s various spawns to use cash to reduce their float to improve earnings on a per share basis. If that doesn’t sound to you like real economic activity it’s because it’s not. Building bridges, pipelines, taking salt out of water, coal out of the ground, and gas from beneath the sea… that’s real economic activity.
Investors are going to realize that sooner or later. And then the precious metals are going to go to the moon.


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Sugar Free Freezer jam
2 tbsp. water
2 c. fresh strawberries, or fruit of
your choice, washed & diced
Sugar substitute to equal 1 c. sugar
1 env. unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 tsp. Cornstarch
Combine lemon juice, water, gelatin and cornstarch in a saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring constantly, until gelatin and cornstarch dissolves. Add fruit to gelatin mixture. Heat to boiling point over low heat, stirring constantly. Boil berries 3 minutes. (Other fruit may take longer.) Remove from heat and add sugar substitute. Pour into heat proof jars and cover. Let set at room temperature until cooled. Store in refrigerator or freeze.

domain: food


Atletico Madrid and Manchester City players were involved in several fights during and after their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal match Wednesday in Madrid. Photo by Ballesteros/EPA-EFE
April 14 (UPI) -- Police officers chased players through the tunnel and broke up fights outside the locker rooms after the second-leg 2021-22 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal match between Atletico Madrid and Manchester City.
Manchester City, of England's Premier League, advanced to the semifinals through the 0-0 draw Wednesday at Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. The Sky Blues edged Atletico, of Spain's La Liga 1-0 in total goals in the home-and-away series in the prestigious European soccer tournament.
A spokesperson for UEFA, administrative body for soccer in Europe, told UPI on Thursday that it is reviewing official reports from the match. Those reports, submitted by a referee and a UEFA delegate, could lead to potential disciplinary measures.
Wednesday's game included 15 fouls, seven yellow cards and one red card dismissal. The teams combined to put just four of 24 shot attempts on target.
Players were tense throughout the match, but that tension turned the most violent in stoppage time. Sky Blues striker Phil Foden received a pass about 30 yards in front of his own net and took his dribble up the left flank at the start of the sequence.
He outraced several defenders, but was stopped when Atletico sweeper Felipe slid in near the left sideline. Felipe hit the ball out of bounds as Foden jumped over the slide. Felipe then swung his leg under Foden and appeared to make contract with the forward.
Foden rolled on the ground and held his left ankle, which looked to be injured from the contact. Players from both teams then ran into the area to share words and shoves near the left corner flag, as trainers tended to the grounded Foden.
Coaches and referees eventually separated the players. Felipe, who received a yellow card in the 24th minute, was given another yellow card, resulting in a red card and ejection. City's Nathan Ake and Atletico's Stefan Savic each received yellow cards for their roles in the scuffle.
The final whistle sounded a few minutes later, but the tension followed the teams off the field.
Savic and Atletico teammate Sime Vrsaljko were caught on camera as they exchanged more words with Jack Grealish and other City players as both teams went through the tunnel toward their respective locker rooms. Vrsaljko threw an object toward City players and was restrained by coaches.
Local police then followed the players to the end of the tunnel and got in between the teams to break up a larger melee.
The Sky Blues, who lead the Premier League standings, take on Liverpool in the FA Cup semifinals at 10:30 a.m. EDT Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London. They host La Liga's Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal matchup at 3 p.m. April 26 at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England.
Atletico hosts Espanyol in La Liga play at 10:15 a.m. Sunday in Madrid.


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Review for you can keep my brother
The war is over and it is a victory for the light. But it came at a terrible price. Harry chooses no...
In: Harry Potter
- Authors: 425188
- Stories: 40063
I think you were right. I think you had a point there.
I promised you that I would always remember. Things like that, well they don't just fade away.
REWRITE IN PROGRESS In a world where nightmares have become reality, Jack is just trying to survive ...
An imagine about Pete Wentz *self insert*
In: Fall Out Boy
In: Angel Sanctuary

domain: literature


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Create a great and edgy interior is a matter of pride. If we do bit of effort everyone can establish the ambiance of the interior better than ever. Thats why this bedroom interior furniture layout ideas provide you with inspiring options that allows you to furnish your space more lovely.
We think that bedroom interior furniture layout ideas brings selection of project, layout, decor styles. This pictures from home planners can give beautiful inspiration design ideas, color, schemes, and furniture for your house layout, plan. Decorate the interior by your own themes or designs can be the most important elements for your home. It is right that every space will need a certain decoration where the people will feel cozy and safe by the theme, decors or themes.
Crucial aspects of the space furnishing is about the perfect set up. Decide on the furniture maybe super easy thing to do but make guarantee the layout is properly right and effective is not as effortless as that. Because when considering to opting for the appropriate furniture layout, efficiency and functionality should be your main aspects. Just keep the efficient and simplicity to make your interior look stunning.
We know with this bedroom interior furniture layout ideas, it is also better to look for the ideas from the architect or home planner, or get ideas on the webisites or book first, then choose the good one from every ideas then combine and put together to be your own themes or decors. For make it easier, make sure that the decors or themes you will opt for is suitable with your own personality. It will be good for your house because of depending your own taste and personality.

domain: design


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Dale Earnhardt Jr collectibles, merchandise, diecast, posters, and clothing! SCROLL DOWN
Dale Earnhardt Jr. began racing in 1991 on the Concord asphalt track in the Street Stock Division. After competing in the Nascar Late Model Stock Car class, Dale Jr moved up to the Busch series. In the Busch series, Dale Jr drove one race in 1996 and eight races in 1997. Dale Earnhardt Jr won back-to-back Busch Championships in 1998 and 1999. In 2000, Dale Jr began driving in the Nascar Cup series with Budweiser and Dale Earnhardt, Inc. support. That season, driving as a rookie, Dale Earnhardt Jr. started on the pole twice and won races at Texas, Richmond, and the Charlotte All-star competition.

domain: sports


What happens next heavily depends on your company size and responsibilities within the IT team. Large organizations with a dedicated IT security team will most likely adopt mature tools such as a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) system that integrates all the security events and incidents. They will follow their standard security procedures and work through the detected incidents.
Small and medium size organizations struggle with resources and IT security is just one of the responsibilities of a general IT team. For such organizations the major tool in place and single pane of glass is ITIM (IT infrastructure monitoring) such as Progress WhatsUp Gold where they manage all the alerts and events related to their digital environment.
Efficiency of tools in place is especially important for these resource constrained IT teams. With the needs of such organizations in mind we have designed an integration between WhatsUp Gold and Flowmon ADS to bring security incidents detected through NDR technology into a unified view of WhatsUp Gold console. The integration relies on the Flowmon REST API and takes 5 minutes to configure if both Flowmon and WhatsUp Gold are already in place. As a result events detected by Flowmon ADS are displayed in WhatsUp Gold including summary statistics by severity and event type with the option to drill down to details of each individual event.
From an event overview there is always the option to drill down directly into the Flowmon ADS to investigate specific events in detail.
For each event Flowmon ADS provides a detailed classification of the malicious activity such as type and subtype or MITRE ATT&CK framework tactics and techniques. There is a human understandable detail that summarizes and further explains the nature of the activity in the network. In addition to event source IP address, MAC address or even user identity (if available) is provided. Further details and drill downs show network traffic that caused the event. All these details can be further augmented by integrated signature-based intrusion detection (leveraging Suricata) or full packet capture if Flowmon Probes are in use as a source of network telemetry.
From the configuration perspective the connection of WhatsUp Gold to Flowmon requires specific REST API credentials to retrieve data from the Flowmon appliance. In Settings > Libraries > Credentials create new REST API Credentials specific to your Flowmon appliance. Obviously Flowmon ADS module needs to be installed on Flowmon appliance.
Do not forget to assign these particular credentials to your Flowmon device in Device Properties > Credentials. Now everything is ready to analyze Flowmon ADS events directly in WhatsUp Gold. Navigate to Analyze > Flowmon > Flowmon Events.
We have demonstrated how to integrate security events from Flowmon ADS in WhatsUp Gold that typically acts as a single pane of glass and main tool for IT professionals responsible for the digital environment.
Here at Progress we are on a mission to redefine Application eXperience and provide IT professionals with tools that will give them back control of the whole digital environment. The presented capability is based on WhatsUp Gold version 2022.0 that provides out of the box integration with Flowmon to gather and present volumetric and performance metrics as well as security events using Flowmon’s native REST API and is available to all WhatsUp Gold and Flowmon users. Flowmon version 11.1.x or 12.x is required. For security events Flowmon ADS version 11.4.x or 12.x is required.


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It is quite natural as a parent for you to worry about your children. Nothing is more worrisome than wondering how your children's actions and behaviors can be met with painful and uncomfortable consequences. Juvenile hall, juvenile delinquency, and juvenile courts come to mind when you catch your son or daughter making a bad choice. Yet, in spite of what you have heard, how much do you really know about juvenile detention?
Losing a job can be a very stressful and troubling time in your life. Unemployment benefits are available to help cushion the blow of losing a job if you qualify for them.
Applying for Unemployment
If you have lost your job, the first step to receiving unemployment benefits is to apply for them. Your state unemployment office will assist you in this process. After applying for benefits, your state will contact your former employer.
Many parents consider moving out of town immediately after a divorce to help them and their children get a fresh start. While moving does have its advantages, there are also several considerations that you need to take into account to help your children thrive during this new phase of their lives.
Children who move away from one of their parents will need strong support to help cope with the change.

domain: sociology


CKay – Watawi ft. Abidoza, Davido & Focalistic mp3 Download free
Following the recent news about his upcoming LP project, top class singer and songwriter CKay who have been making lots of headlines lately decides to deliver a new killer track titled Watawi featuring Abidoza, Davido and Focalistic alongside it’s lyrics. Cop below and enjoy.
VERY HOT: Davido & Focalistic – Champion Sound
“Watawi” indeed have been a year that will ring big tunes on many music lovers for the test of time as suicide have been the order of the day among artists, and also today the duo decides to use the song to reach out to all upcoming artists and content creator out there to never give up, and also to believe in their dreams. This also will serve as the first time the duo are blending together on a single and certainly won’t be the last.
Stream, and share “Watawi”. Don’t forget to drop your comments below.


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We took premium Belgian chocolate, a mix of dark and milk blends, infused it with CBD and then produced it into succulent flakes, which are perfect to mix with hot milk to make the ultimate hot chocolate.
Cocoa, Milk, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Soy Lecithin, Natural Vanilla Flavouring, CBD
Our CBD is UK sourced, vegan and contains 0% THC
Each bag contains 250g of chocolate flakes.
10mg of CBD per 25g serving
Product packaging may differ to picture.


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If you are in danger of losing your home, there still is time to refinance while the house is in foreclosure steps.
If you can refinance your home, you will be able to start off with a clean slate. The loan will start over and you won't be behind payments. As a bonus, sometimes a lower interest rate is available, making the monthly payments less.
Not every situation is a prime candidate for mortgage refinancing. If you find out your situation isn't good for refinancing, there are other steps you can take to stop mortgage foreclosure. Read on to find out what you can do to save your home.
Find out about mortgage refinancing-
If you have 25% equity built up in your home, you are a good candidate to refinance. If you have at least 15% equity, there is still a good chance. Any less, you might find it hard to find a lender willing to take the risk.
Look into Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan-
HASP's is a special program set in place by President Obama. If you don't have equity built up, you could still be eligible for this government plan. If you are paying over 31% of monthly gross income in housing costs, you may be able to refinance or get other help to save your home.
If you are considering mortgage refinancing, or need professional advice, you can find it at hopenow.com. Each state and situation is different when dealing with mortgage refinancing. It's a good idea to get a professionals advice, based on your specific details.
After taking the above steps, you are ready to talk to a lender about refinancing. Contact more than one lender, get quotes and interest rates. Find the best contract that fits you best.
If you can't refinance, there are other options such as ,selling your home.Don't give up and let your house be foreclosed on.A councilor can help explore your options
Never pay for any foreclosure advice Don't sign over the deed of your house to any company that says they can save you from foreclosure.It is more than likely a scam. Always give mortgage payments directly to your mortgage company, unless previously approved.

domain: finance


Measuring retroreflection from road markings need to be done in a structured way if you want to obtain usable measurement results
You need to make sure the instrument is in good shape and recently calibrated.
You need to design a measurement program which offers results representative of the markings you investigate.
You need to decide how often to measure the markings to ensure performance according to the requirements of the standard.
DELTA has summarised the main parameters to take into account when planning a measurement program, and we have come up with proposals to the design of the program.
Do it right first time, it saves time and provides a better base for making management decisions.


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Peru's overwhelming claim to fame is the mystique and majesty of the ancient remains at Machu Picchu - deservedly named recently the 'South America's Leading Tourist Attraction.” But there's more to Peru
than its fabled history, leading it to also earn the designation as 'South America's Leading Culinary Destination 2022' and 'Leading Cultural Destination 2022' in the region.
Here are some of the reasons why:
Annual Día de la Canción Criolla Celebrates Music and Dance on October 31
Move over, Hallowe'en. There's a different, time-honored tradition on the last day of October in Peru. Día de la Canción Criolla (‘The Day of Creole Song’) is a performance event hosted by the Ministry of Culture every year on October 31.
The event is hosted along the Peruvian coast and Andean highlands and brings together a medley of provincial music while also providing a platform for local musicians to showcase their skills. The music was created as a result of the history of Spanish influence and African communities in Peru and is typically created using instruments such as the guitar and Peruvian cajón. The music is accompanied by an array of cultural dances such as the Peruvian national dance, the Marinera, and Vals Criolla, also known as the Peruvian Waltz. Locals can be found in main squares throughout the country celebrating this special occasion.
Peruvian Art Galleries & Museums Offer Immersion into Country’s Unique Culture
While that's only one day of the year, there are many incredible galleries and museums throughout the country for visitors to peruse and enjoy year round. Here are just a few ideas of places for art and history lovers to explore:
This museum showcases the past 3,000 years of art in Peru in a permanent collection of over 18,000 pieces from pre-Columbian, Colonial, Republican and Modern eras. It is also housed in an incredible space that once served as Peru’s National Exhibition in the 19th century. (Pictured above)
Museo Larco is surrounded by a lush garden in a beautifully restored 18th-century house. Visitors here can explore more than 30,000 catalogued ancient pottery artifacts and pre-Columbian erotic art.
MAC offers a spacious outdoor area as well as interactive exhibits. It is the only institution dedicated exclusively to researching and promoting contemporary, artistic practices of Peru. Both emerging Latin American artists and international names have shown their work at MAC. Guests to the museum can tour three rooms in this glass structure and then enjoy some time outdoors to contemplate the work.
Considered the pride of Northern Peru, the museum was designed to resemble ancient Moche tombs. Visitors here can explore exhibits of many of the artifacts of the Lord of Sipán, one of the most emblematic figures of the Mochica culture. The discovery of his tomb was the first royal burial site found intact in South America, and belonging to a Peruvian civilization prior to the Inca Empire.
The curators of this museum believe pieces of Andean ethnographic art, if they are produced using traditional techniques and materials, are pieces of great cultural, educational and aesthetic value. The museum aims to acquire, preserve, investigate, communicate and exhibit these foundations of a genuinely Peruvian art form.
Three Lima Restaurants Named to the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List
Those in the know go to Peru for its culinary scene, recently acknowledged yet again with three restaurants in the nation's capital being named to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants List, making Lima a must-visit destination for foodies.
The three restaurants were Central
(#2) – owned and run by Virgilio Martínez and Pía León, last year’s World’s Best Female Chef; Maido
(#11), a perfect expression of Peru’s Nikkei cuisine; and Mayta
(#32), which focuses heavily on sustainable Peruvian ingredients. (Pictured, top, a mise en place at Lima’s Central restaurant.)
Another Lima spot, Kjolle
(#68) was named on the expanded list of the top 100, and is also owned by Chef Pía León.
Belmond's Luxury Train Adventure through Peru is an Epicurean Odyssey
Travellers to Peru can explore Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machupicchu, Cusco, Puno, Lake Titicaca, the Uros floating islands and the Colca Valley on a food adventure aboard Belmond's luxury train the Hiram Bingham (bar car pictured above).
Journeying from city to mountain, lake to canyon, guests on this excursion explore the rich culture of Peru through architecture, adventure and, ultimately, your taste buds. Activities on this journey include visits to markets across the country to learn about Peruvian food culture, dining at incredible restaurants, and partaking in a special river-side lunch at Rio Sagrado, A Belmond Hotel, including a variety of dishes featuring local ingredients, strolls through charming villages and, of course, world-class cuisine aboard the train itself.
Start your Peru Trip!
Images courtesy of their respective properties as noted.
All rights reserved. You are welcome to share this material from this page, but it may not be copied, re-published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

domain: artistic


When the FW190 first appeared in the sky's over France in 1941, it proved to be a shock to the RAF, totally outclassing the Spitfire Mk V. The radial engined fighter was totally at odd's with European thinking of the time, radials were considered to be inferior to liquid cooled "in-line" engines due to excess drag, the FW190 quickly made engineers re-think this idea. When a FW190 was accidentally landed intact in England by a rather lost Luftwaffe pilot, British engineers & test pilots were given the chance to study it extensively, the 190 was found to be highly advanced in many respects and many of it's features were to find their way into later Allied aircraft.
This great looking FW190 is made from tough EPO foam and is superbly finished in the color scheme of Christophe Jacquards Flug Werk 190. The main wing is carbon re-inforced and is also removable for easy transportation, the wing features navigation lights & split flaps and all servo's have been pre-installed. The brushless outrunner motor, ESC and servo's have also been pre-installed into the fuselage, as has the sequencer to operate the under-carriage doors. One of the really outstanding features of this FW190 is the superbly manufactured battery hatch compartment, likewise the very scale spinner with realistic cooling fan. The long under-carriage legs of the FW190 can make for nasty ground handling on grass surfaces, so a compromise was made for ease of use and reliability by shortening the leg's, this does not detract at all from the lovely scale look of this nice size Warbird once it is flying.
This superb looking FW190 is a joy to fly, it has tons of presence and a nice scale outline, it is well designed and robustly constructed, looking and flying like a much larger and much more expensive warbird. With it's undoubted quality, superb flying characteristics, scale looks, robustness and great price, this lovely FW190 should be a welcome addition to any Warbird enthusiasts hanger!
High Detail Scale Finish
Excellent Flight Performance
Retracts, Split Flaps, Lights and Sequenced Gear Doors as Standard
High Quality and extremely Robust Scale Molded Spinner, Cowl and Battery Hatch
Robust & Scale 3 Bladed Prop
Uses Common 2200mAh 3s Lipoly Battery
Easy and Fast Construction
Removable Wing for Easy Transportation
Flying Weight: 1600g
ESC: 40A w/BEC
Servo: 9g x 7
Retracts: Servoless Electronic
Gear Doors: Sequencer/Servo Controlled
Your Own 6 Channel TX/RX
2200mAh 3s Lipoly Battery
Excellent plane, and an outstanding value. My only nits were that the instructions did not list any recommended control throws for the flight surfaces, the rudder is a bit thick where it meets the fuselage, and the delayed gear covers sometimes don't synchronize correctly. However, the quality of the model is really very nice, and assembly is super easy. You should check the set screw that holds the motor on the shaft. Mine came a little loose after the first couple of flights, but no damage, and it was an easy fix. This is a fantastic looking model in the air with the paint scheme and the flashing LED wing lights. Good power from a 2800mAH Zippy 3S pack, and easily went 6 minutes with 3.74v per cell left. The plane is very stable, and easy to land with the included flaps. Loops, rolls, split S, all the usual war bird maneuvers are easy. For a full house plane with flaps, lights, and retracts, this is a super deal at 129.00! I would definitely recommend this one.This is a beautiful and we'll built craft, I've mated it to a Spektrum AR636 and flies incredibly stable I only gave 4 stars on the quality since I cannot truly determine how it will do in time, however it is hefty and well made.Very soft retracts and small wheels make it usable only on a hard runway, NOT usable on Grass!! Sehr weiches Fahrwerk und kleine Rä*der machen den Flieger nur auf harten Pisten nutzbar. Un.brauchbar auf Gras
Very soft retracts(2.5mm) and small wheels make it usable only on a hard runway, NOT usable on Grass!!Next to the vampire this is the best model I have purchased from HK. It is very stable, flies nice and slow with flaps down or 1/2 down, or fast fly with flaps up. landings are easy. the paint finish is very good, retracts are good but more delay on landing gear doors closing would be good. I will fit gun sound and light effects next jobfor the price this is an awesome warbird and really a pleasure to fly!
retracts (with sequeced doors)
3s lipo (a plus in my opinion)
landing gear not fit for grass
no pilot figure in the cockpit
the manual it comes with is really horrible! :)
it has only one side on the assembly and lacks lots of vital infomation!
so i made a short video that shows everything the manual is missing:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mebqGJmsD2oJust got everything set up. Retracts were getting stuck and hopefully this will help anyone who just bought this plane to avoid this. The doors that close over the wheels have one servo that operates using a gear function and the rats nest of wires that are located right by the servo can easily get chewed up and snagged. Wire management is very important, especially if you hook up the lights (even more wires!). When you attach the wing and feed through the wires, pay attention to where that gear is and avoid it, tape the wires or zip tie them away. One problem I can't figure out is one wheel will snag the door when it's being retracted. It happens about 1 out of 3 times. Not a big deal, but I would like to fix it.Ha sido mi primer avin de ala baja y perfecto, con un poco de expo y dual rate perfecto. El taln de aquiles es el tren de aterrizaje pero en general muy bien.reat plane, even better on 4s and a bigger esc. I'm using a 70amp. Spare prop you can use a Multiplex :Hersteller-Nr.: 224309Arrived well packaged with no transit damage. There are a few minor niggles regarding the construction. No lead locks on any 2 way servo leads, easily rectified. The leads are not long enough so making it a struggle to fit wing to fuz without getting anything caught. Cheap plastic clevis on gear door broke after about 10 cycles. The pushrods are an odd thread. I will probably replace them after the "stock" maiden flight. As yet unflown. I will report back once done.


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Imagination Becomes Reality November 12 2019, 0 Comments
By Deborah Butler
It is an afternoon in August as I get to the Bay School Community Arts Center where the sign reads “Kids Art Show Reception.” I am surrounded by color, texture and multi-dimensional art—paintings, drawings, pottery, and murals--the results of the Bay School’s 14 artistic and creative camps offered every summer for kids ages four and up. I glimpse imagination become reality in these displays on show.
Preschoolers, elementary kids and young teens share their work from “Life’s a Beach,” “Artsy Animals, ““Fairy Camp,” “Creating with Clay, “ and “Art Du Jour Mixed Media.” Sessions were offered in the mornings and afternoons for a couple of hours, sometimes for two or three days.
At 3:30 the first parents and kids arrive. I watch what becomes a pattern for families trickling in over the afternoon. A boy and his sister run for their art works: “Mommy, here it is! “ They stand by their art and the first thing Mom does is photograph them next to it. They smile broadly, and like every other child that comes after them, they see their imaginations have become real.
The little boy created a Junkbot, a 3D object/scene made of various materials. This project was a special camp: funded by a grant, it drew parents and children together to develop a creative project. His mom tells me that it is a monster watching TV. He shyly explains, “Here’s the TV set, and the antenna and the plugs, too.” His sister created a picture capturing the beach. “She had so much fun,” her mom smiled.
I look up and more fathers and mothers come in the door, the kids flying excitedly to their art displays. The flashbulbs light up the gallery. One dad tells me with pride, “ He did way better than I can do.”
The kids enthusiastically embrace and admire each other’s work. Several parents and kids stand in front of glittering Mermaids. A parent, whose kids routinely come here in the summer, tells me, “I think they like the experience because it’s not just about coloring in the lines. They use their imaginations here.”
A well-worn path flows from artwork to food table then to the craft table. The staff understands young artists; this is where kids collect eventually, doing what they always do when they come here—making art. Using watercolor pencils and making leaf templates, they create more art to take away while the instructor encourages them. “That’s the best coloring job I’ve seen so far,” she tells a very focused boy. I am not surprised to see parents and staff join in. Working with art seems to have a way of connecting everyone.
So how does imagination become reality? The imagination unleashed and fed by the support among, and the collaboration between, these adults and children empowered everyone to do his or her best and to see the best in each other. Here we get a glimpse of how art impacted not only young artists, but their parents and the staff too.


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Join us for Shady Palm Artist Peter Sterling-Tuner for this Mermaid Magic Class December 16th 2pm-4pm $45.00 Includeds all materials. Dive into the enchanting world of Mermaids in a single class workshop!
Explore Mermaid art styles, learn fish anatomy basics, and discover a harmonious ocean-inspired color palette. Use basic painting techniques and personalize your fish ornament with unique details to create your mermaid masterpiece. Combine Art with the allure of the deep sea. Join one of Shady Palms Artists Peter Sterling Turner for a creative journey in "Mermaid Magic”!
Paint a Wooden Fish Ornament to be a Mermaid on one side or any other way that you would like.This immersive and creative experience will guide participants in transforming a simple fish ornament into a stunning piece that captures the allure of Mermaids and the depths of the ocean.
$45 includes Materials
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Become a Volunteer at Ysterplaat Community Centre
We would love to connect with you and have you serve alongside us. Here at Ysterplaat Community Centre there are various ministries which allow for you to connect with others, be equipped and build the church. We welcome volunteers who have a heart for serving and a heart for the church. Our volunteers play a part in ensuring that our services and events are an incredible experience for all who attend.


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Hand-tufted Monet October Multi Rug (5'3 x 8'0)
The Impressionist painting style was influenced by nature, light and scenes from daily life. This Monet rug captures these elements in a hand-tufted modern masterpiece. The warm color palette evokes a landscape at sunset.
ITEM#: 14648532The Impressionist painting style was influenced by nature, light and scenes from daily life. This Monet rug captures these elements in a hand-tufted modern masterpiece. The warm color palette evokes a landscape at sunset.
- Primary materials: 100 percent wool
- Pile height: 0.75 inches
- Style: Transitional
- Primary color: Multi
- Secondary colors: Beige/ chocolate brown/ red/ gold/ sage/ olive/ terracotta/ light brown
- Pattern: Abstract
Tip: We recommend the use of a non-skid pad to keep the rug in place on smooth surfaces.
All rug sizes are approximate. Due to the difference of monitor colors, some rug colors may vary slightly. We try to represent all rug colors accurately. Please refer to the text above for a description of the colors shown in the photo.
|Style||Casual Contemporary Country Kids & Tween Novelty Patterned Southwestern Transitional|
|Pattern||Abstract Floral Geometric Nature|
|Dimensions||5'3 x 8'0|
|Materials||NEW ZEALAND WOOL|
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How Trump Managed to Lead the World With the Worst Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
Image Courtesy: flickr
Six months ago, on January 30, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Ten days before this, the Chinese government had said—to great alarm—that the coronavirus could be transmitted from human to human. The contagiousness of this virus led the WHO to make the declaration, which came a month after the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention told their counterparts in the United States about the virus. On the day that the WHO declared the PHEIC, Trump gave a press conference, where he bewilderingly said, “We think we have it very well under control.” From January 30 onward, the Trump administration’s response to the virus was incoherent and outrageously incompetent.
On July 31, the WHO’s International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee met and the following day asked governments to continue with and even increase their work of educating their populations to be vigilant with the basic WHO rules (to wear masks, to keep hands clean); the WHO also asked governments to “continue to enhance capacity for public health surveillance, testing, and contact tracing.” These recommendations when they were first issued on January 29, and since they were updated on June 5, had been immediately followed by the governments of Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Venezuela, New Zealand, South Korea, and the Indian state of Kerala. But they were forcefully ignored by countries such as Brazil, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
On July 30, the executive director of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Program, Dr. Mike Ryan, told a press conference that he was “certainly surprised” by the “slowness in general of systems to react on things like contact tracing, cluster investigation, testing, [and] being able to bring a comprehensive public health strategy to bear.” The WHO, he said, spent the first months after January offering technical and operational assistance to countries “that we would traditionally feel need that assistance.” This was a mistake. In many countries that they assumed would handle the pandemic effectively, such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom, the entire system failed.
“I think we’re all learning lessons; that there’s been a deep underinvestment in the public health architecture,” Dr. Ryan said. This is a UN official being polite; it seems that he would like to simply say that in countries like the United States, the government utterly failed the public.
There are more than 18 million active cases in the world, with more than 4.8 million of them in the United States of America. The U.S. has about 59,000 to 66,000 cases per day—a catastrophically high number, especially when you compare it to Laos and Vietnam, which have almost no new cases and which have few fatalities (Laos has none; Vietnam has had six). How does one understand the total failure of the Trump administration to break the chain of the infection?
From 2010 to 2019, the budget for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was cut by 10 percent. In February, after the PHEIC had been declared, the Trump administration proposed a funding cut to the Department of Health and Human Services of $9.5 billion, which included a 15 percent cut to the CDC ($1.2 billion) and a sharp decrease in the contribution to the Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund. In March, Trump’s budget team defended these cuts.
Not only has the U.S. government cut the public health budgets for the CDC and other federal agencies, but it has also made sure to slice the funds for state and local public health officials. In 2009, a report by Trust for America’s Health found that there “has been a shortfall of $20 billion annually—across state, local, and federal government—in funding for critical U.S. public health programs.” A more recent study by the Trust for America’s Health found that public health funding for local governments fell from “about $1 billion after 9/11 to under $650 million” in 2019. A superb Associated Press investigation found that “nearly two-thirds of Americans live in counties that spend more than twice as much on policing as nonhospital health care, which includes public health.”
Between 2008 and 2017, as a consequence of the austerity, state and local health departments had to lay off 55,000 people—one in five health workers. In 2008, the Association of Schools of Public Health reported that by 2020 “the nation will be facing a shortfall of more than 250,000 public health workers.” Nothing was done to heed this warning.
In March, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner was tasked with forming a committee to manage the pandemic. On the committee were cronies of Kushner, including his former college roommate, supposedly the “A-team of people who get shit done”; absent from the committee were leaders of key departments in the U.S. government, including Admiral Brett Giroir who had been appointed on March 12 to coordinate COVID-19 diagnostic testing (he left the position in June).
Despite the cronyism of the committee, it is said to have produced a plan that included setting up “a system of national oversight and coordination to surge supplies, allocate test kits, lift regulatory and contractual roadblocks, and establish a widespread virus surveillance system.” The national testing plan, it was said, would be announced by President Trump in early April. It was not.
Instead, Trump continued to brag about his administration’s response, which was essentially nil. On April 27, Trump was joined at the White House by the CEOs of Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, who both bragged that their firms would be able to handle the testing. Steve Rusckowski of Quest Diagnostics said in Trump-style, “we’ve made tremendous progress.” They were then doing 50,000 tests a day; they are currently doing about 150,000 tests a day.
The issue is not the number of test samples taken per day, but the time it takes to get the results to the person tested. In mid-July, Dr. Rajiv Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation, said that he is disheartened by the private sector testing system. “No one expected that the lag time would go from a day or two to seven or, in some cases, 14 days,” said Shah. “With the seven-day lead time you basically aren’t testing at all, it’s the structural equivalent of doing zero tests.” These are powerful words from the former head of USAID, whose foundation released on July 16 a “National COVID-19 Testing Action Plan,” which should have been developed by the U.S. government in March and put into action immediately. The Trump administration neither adopted the White House committee’s plan from March, nor have they adopted the Rockefeller’s plan; they have, in fact, announced no plan.
Three days after the Rockefeller Foundation released its plan, Trump made another one of his ludicrous statements. He went on Fox News and said, “Cases are up because we have the best testing in the world and we have the most testing.” There is nothing factual about either of these claims. In June, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said that as many as 90 percent of the cases in the U.S. are being missed because of an absence of testing. There are probably, therefore, 20 million people with the disease rather than the 2.3 million confirmed cases. More testing would show higher numbers.
Testing and contact tracing would allow precise isolation for populations who could carry the infection to others. None of this is happening. When Admiral Giroir was asked in a congressional hearing on July 31 if it was possible to get tests returned within 48 to 72 hours, he replied, “It is not a possible benchmark we can achieve today given the demand and supply.”
The incompetence of the Trump administration—mirroring the dangerous incompetence of Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and Narendra Modi of India—coming on top of a destroyed public health system and a failed private sector testing establishment has condemned millions of people in the U.S. to catch the disease and pass it on. There is—thus far—no prospect of breaking the chain of infection in the United States.
This article was produced by Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute.
Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute. He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations. His latest book is Washington Bullets, with an introduction by Evo Morales Ayma.
Get the latest reports & analysis with people's perspective on Protests, movements & deep analytical videos, discussions of the current affairs in your Telegram app. Subscribe to NewsClick's Telegram channel & get Real-Time updates on stories, as they get published on our website.

domain: news


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You can always visit a land based casino to experience your preferred games of chance, but then chances are you will discover much trouble progressing to a nearest venue in the city. Your best pick would be to go online and find online casinos with games up to 80 as well as other options which could just enhance the game experience. They have features that are similar to those available at a local casino, and that’s why many everyone is finding activity venues easier. Gambling enthusiasts can easily open their laptops or computers and visit a well known casino website and the rest is history. They can play whenever you want they really want, which convenience cannot be matched by land casinos. https://newzealandcasinosonline.co.nz/1-minimum-deposit-casinos-nz/ Bankroll management for pokies machines is the term for how cleverly you apply the available cash on different days for betting sessions on machines. An individual’s bankroll and the number of days he/she offers to spend on denomination machines figure out how the bankroll is usually to be divided. For instance someone comes to an internet casino using a bankroll of $6000 and plans to stay for six days, in this case the average person can fix the limit to $1000 each day. If the consumer desires to play for 4 hours every day, the limit for every hour on daily stands at $250. When the consumer starts playing he/she should continue with the bankroll management strategy. Individuals shouldn’t exceed the bankroll limit set on every hour or daily.
Casino Party Theme Ideas
It is essential to take into account a lots of mobile device vendors continue to be perfecting the compatibility of software. Several cell phones won’t be equipped to work games or even the games independently most likely are not ready to work without problems over a mobile phone. If your game crashes it will spoil any poker playing session, therefore go surfing for review articles of varied websites then judge those who play successfully with smartphones. Wireless zones will furthermore put less pressure about the battery, which can be certainly critical due to the fact computer programs are notable for power draining ways. Locate a wall outlet in order to be safe.
Some parties for the children involve adults while some remain exclusive to kids. Think about whether you wish to suggest the parents join in the fun. Additional adults can help monitor the kids’ play to ensure additional safety, but adults like to be entertained as well, that serves to need to incorporate other entertainment such as a poker party elements and extra casino party equipment.
Please be aware gambling could be plenty of fun, and also can be addictive. Be sure to only play on your own entertainment and with money you don’t need for other purposes. A good tip I can provide you with would be to set a limit on your own to experience with. This might be a time frame, or a certain amount you might have won or lost. And remember; while playing, tend not to alter your limits anymore!

domain: hobby


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Train to run with Coach Jay Johnson
Myrtl Routine by Coach Jay johnson
The Myrtl routine gets its name because it focuses on your "hip girdle". All the exercises in this routine either strengthen or help provide a greater ranger of motion in this area.
Lunge warm-up by Coach Jay Johnson
These 5 exercises are not only a great warm-up and a great way to strengthen your core but they also get you working in all three planes of motion: sagital, lateral, and transverse.
Pedestal Routine by Coach Jay Johnson
There are two keys to this routine, the first to engage the muscles around your belly button and to breath throughout the duration of each exercises and the second is to be very aware of your "line" or body positions. You should be able to draw a straight line from your foot to your shoulder in each of these three exercises.
Back Routine by Coach Jay Johnson
The following set of back exercises is a great general strength routine that is simple and can be done by runners of any level. If you've had lower back problems in the past, try only 1-2 reps of each exercise then wait a few days to ensure that your not aggravating any pre-existing conditions or previous injuries.
Medicine Ball Routine by Coach Jay Johnson
The medicine ball routine is a classic example of old-school training that has stood the test of time. Start with a light medicine ball. A 4 or 6 pound ball is fine for most women. A ball no heavier than 8 pounds is fine for most men.

domain: health


Now, why am I writing about a VH1 documentary? What does this have to do with advertising or marketing? "NY77" is directed by Henry Corra. When Henry's not making documentaries, he's making commercials. In fact, in the midst of setting up interviews with Ed Koch, Al Goldstein, Ian Schrager, KRS One and, uh, Annie Sprinkle, Henry shot a Crest campaign for Saatchi. From blinding white teeth to "cool" urban squalor. Talk about emotional disconnects! (Suddenly, I'm thinking of a potential Orbit gum commercial.)
Nanette Burstein, who produced and directed "The Kid Stays in the Picture," is the executive producer of NY77.
First airing is Aug. 11 at 9 p.m. It's VH1, so it'll probably be on again (and again) this fall.


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Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Catalogs 580 Juveniles
by Blood-Horse Staff
Date Posted: 4/15/2014 1:27:37 PM
Last Updated: 4/16/2014 9:06:12 AM
Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic division has cataloged 580 entries for its 2-year-olds in training sale May 19-20 at Timonium, Md., with under-tack shows scheduled for May 14-15. In between the under-tack shows and the sale is the 139th Preakness Stakes (gr. I) on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.
On the cover of the catalogs that will be mailed on or about April 21 are Mizdirection, who captured her second Breeders' Cup victory in last year's GEICO Turf Sprint (gr. IT), and Louisiana Derby (gr. II) winner Vicar's in Trouble, a candidate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
"We have numbers, a very high-quality group of sires, and racetrack results going for us right now," said Paget Bennett, local sales director. "Our graduates from this sale have proven themselves at the highest levels of racing all over North America."
The catalog is now online at the Fasig-Tipton website.
Copyright © 2015 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


She has worked on lavish sets for films like The Great Gatsby and TV shows like Underbelly. Now, Briar Stanley is keeping the credits rolling on her own interior design business and blog, The Sunday Collector.
We all love Sunday but what is it about Briar and this particular day of the week? According to Briar, she was as young as 20 when she set her heart on Sunday for a girl’s name should she ever have a daughter. Then, some eight years later she found herself working on film sets and ‘collecting’ a lot of things. “Sunday was not only a word and name I loved, it was the day I would potter around the house, constantly rearranging,” she says. Not surprisingly, when she launched a blog six years ago she named it Sunday Collector and three years on, when her daughter was born, she was given the name too.
Briar says that while she spends most of her time now working on residential projects for her design business, she does find parallels to her former working life dressing film sets. “Over the past few years, I’ve worked on everything from a Hamptons style ‘mega’ home in Newport, to a rented, one bedroom apartment in Dulwich Hill,” she says.
“I love the variety, and truly tapping into the headspace of my client. In a way, it’s very similar to taking a brief from a production designer or director – you research the script and the character, and work out how that ‘character’ likes to live.”
Apart from family, Briar says her passion for home decorating reigns supreme. She describes her home on Sydney’s northern beaches as ‘Scandi by the beach’, with pops of fun colour.
“It’s a mixture of collected objects, furniture and art accumulated along the way,” she says. “There are things I have purchased when I was a poor student and pieces I’ve saved for.”
When it comes to her own personal style, she is pretty relaxed and would rather be shopping for furniture and interior bits and pieces than fashion. Except when it comes to her daughter, that is. “Dressing Sunday is a completely different story – I have so much fun choosing her outfits and I’m lucky that she loves to accessorise with sunglasses and bags, making her one cute little muse.”
“I love a bedroom with a comfortable hotel feel, and created a calming space by painting the walls in Dulux Tranquil Retreat.”
When it comes to client briefs and designing interiors, what would be her biggest challenge? “Space. It’s all well and good if you come across a beautiful piece of furniture, but making the final selection often turns in to a mathematical exercise and getting the proportions right,” Briar says. “There is nothing worse than a rug that is too small.”
Briar’s advice for creating a covetable living space hinges on the gradual gathering of personal things while keeping clutter to a minimum – especially when sharing with children. “Everything in our home has its place, but I’m also constantly updating things, and donating items to charity. I have a loose rule that when something new comes into the home, something should be donated,” she says.
While Briar is busy working on a whole raft of interior design projects, her blog remains a constant source of inspiration for readers. She redesigned it a couple of years ago, leaving Briar feeling a renewed sense of energy to share what really is a delicious edit of finds, spanning kids and motherhood to DIY, food and travel.


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The 39th annual PBS KVIE Art Auction was a success!
We thank you for your participation.
All proceeds support your PBS station, KVIE.
To view the auction again, click on the links below:
Friday, 10/2/20 7PM - 10PM
Saturday, 10/3/20 noon - 10PM
Sunday, 10/4/20 10AM - 8PM
Watch the 2020 Awards Ceremony!


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Techrock relies heavily on their expertise in Blockchain, which is why Rakuten turned to them for a partnership in the next big Japanese e-commerce project. Most importantly, Techrock uses blockchain to verify the authenticity of the products that go through their platform, which is the main feature Rakuten is after.
Blockchain technology has taken the e-commerce world by surprise, especially as newly developed chips have enabled numerous niches and businesses to get into tracking their products. More and more companies and e-commerce platforms have integrated the blockchain authentication system into their methodology, in order to ensure their customers are getting their money’s worth.
Techrock’s CEO Alexander Busarov has commented that the company is very happy to provide a big number of Chinese customers with verified products provided by a big supplier like Rakuten.
This partnership is part of Rakuten’s strategy to develop its e-commerce services by providing enhanced tracking of customers’ products and purchases. The company is also trying to fight the global counterfeit products’ industry by enlisting the services of specialists like Techrock.
This is not Rakuten’s first introduction to blockchain technology, as Bitcoin payments were introduced on their platform back in 2015, while Rakuten Wallet is also available to customers. However, their partnership with Techrock focuses on the security capabilities of the technology, rather than its payment functionalities.
In order to introduce products with verified authenticity, Rakuten will create specialized areas on Techrock’s platform where customers will be able to purchase them. Additionally, this partnership will aid with the development of cross-platform royalty programmes.
Rakuten’s further advances in the use of blockchain hint at the ways this technology will revolutionize numerous business and services around the world.


Council loses Casino roundabout battle
This prediction was made by Richmond Valley Council general manager Brian Wilkinson after the NSW Land and Environment Court determined ALDI would not be required to construct a roundabout at the corner of Richmond and Centre streets in Casino.
"Should that occur then council has concerns there will be ongoing traffic issues at the Richmond/Centre streets intersection, and also other traffic impacts in the Casino CBD," he said.
The roundabout had been a consent condition for the supermarket's construction after the RTA determined a roundabout would be necessary to accommodate the increased number of people using the roads.
However, ALDI refused to pay the entire $1 million bill for the roundabout.
In the months of negotiations that followed, Richmond Valley Council and ALDI agreed - and made extensive representations to the RTA and State Government - that they would both contribute funding to the roundabout, considering it would benefit local residents and future ALDI customers.
However, this proposal was rejected by the RTA, which refused to contribute funds.
The stalemate forced the matter to be taken to the Land and Environment Court, which concluded that the requirement for a roundabout be excluded from the consent conditions.
A representative for the RTA said that while the development would impact on traffic flow, the RTA did not fund any roadworks needed as a result of a private development.
The representative also said the RTA had not identified a need, in the short to medium term, to upgrade the intersection in the absence of the ALDI supermarket or a similar proposal.
Mr Wilkinson said Richmond Valley Council could appeal the decision, but said it was unlikely because the expert evidence it had gathered substantiating the need for a roundabout came from the RTA.
However, mayor Charlie Cox said council would not let the issue rest.


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Using Cocaine During Pregnancy May Damage Developing Fetuses, Causing Lifelong Learning Disabilities
- February 19, 2002
- Yale University
- Taking cocaine during pregnancy causes possibly permanent changes in an area of the brain that governs short term memory – leading to symptoms that are very much like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Yale researchers have found in two recent studies.
New Haven, Conn. – Taking cocaine during pregnancy causes possibly permanent changes in an area of the brain that governs short term memory – leading to symptoms that are very much like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Yale researchers have found in two recent studies.
The research team in the Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory at Yale School of Medicine found that prenatal exposure to cocaine leads to over-stimulation of the medical prefrontal cortex of the brain in the offspring, and a dramatic impairment in learning.
"Children exposed to cocaine in the womb may have a problem with excitable neurons in part of the brain that helps control attention and memory," said Bret Morrow, associate research scientist, associate clinical professor and lead author of both studies. "Potentially, this excitable prefrontal cortex may be the basis of the learning deficits in these children."
"The use of cocaine among women of childbearing age is alarmingly high," he added. "When a pregnant woman uses cocaine she also exposes her fetus to the drug. Studies have shown that these cocaine exposed children have increased occurrence of symptoms similar to those seen with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – increased distractibility, impulsivity and select learning deficits. Based on our animal studies, we are concerned the effects could very well be lifelong in humans."
The first study published in the February issue of Behavioral Brain Research involved administering cocaine to pregnant rats and then assessing short term memory in the offspring when they were adolescents and adults.
The test animals were placed in a cage with two identical objects. They were then removed from the cage for a brief interval, and then put back in with one of the former objects and a second new object. If the animal explored the new object preferentially, that was taken as evidence that the animal remembered the first object. The test is similar to one used with human subjects.
"Those animals exposed to cocaine prenatally did very poorly on these tests," Morrow said.
The second paper published in the February issue of Neuropsychopharmacology focuses on the theory that the frontal and prefrontal cortex, which are involved in short term memory, are in some way altered when fetuses are exposed to cocaine.
The researchers examined the brains of animals exposed to cocaine in the womb and found that the medial prefrontal cortex showed dramatic activation not seen in other cortical regions. The product of a gene, FOS, was used to measure this activation. Fos, a protein, is made in an excited neuron and then it is used to turn on other genes. These secondary genes can change the way a neuron responds to a stimulus the next time it occurs.
"This is thought to be one mechanism by which a neuron ‘learns,’" Morrow said. "We believe that the excess activation in the prefrontal cortex plays an important role in the poor short term memory in these."
He said the studies were another step toward understanding and treating the long-lasting effects on the circuitry of the brain that occurs after exposure to cocaine at a critical stage in development.
"Essentially, the brain appears to become re-programmed in a subtle way, causing it to respond abnormally to routine events," Morrow said.
Co-authors on both studies were John Elsworth, senior research scientist in psychiatry and pharmacology, and Robert Roth, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology.
Materials provided by Yale University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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domain: medical


text:
French Floral Metal Wall Décor
Make your home très magnifique with this lovely wall art. Featuring fleur-de-lis accents and a floral-inspired scrollwork, this beautiful piece brings elegant charm to your gazebo, entryway or bedroom. Forged out of durable, weather-resistant iron, it's perfect for using indoors or outside.
- Beautiful French-inspired wall piece with floral-inspired medallion patterns
- Displays on a wall, door or gate
- Perfect for indoor or outdoor decorating
- Model number: 110311018
- 33"L x 2"W x 33"H
- Material: Iron
For return terms, see our full Returns Policy.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Cisco warns supply chain delays could persist until this time next year
Current issues aren't stopping it from growing fast – or 400Gbit Ethernet sales booming
Cisco has wrapped its 2021 financial year with better-than-expected revenue, and a warning that supply chain constraints could persist until this time next year.
In prepared remarks [PDF] intoned by CEO Chuck Robbins at the start of the company's earnings call, he said Cisco is "continuing to manage through the components shortage challenges that nearly every company is experiencing" and expects "supply challenges and cost impacts to continue through at least the first half of our fiscal year and potentially into the second half."
Robbins said customers haven't seen the need to order in advance as a de facto way of reserving kit, so Cisco's not seeing shortages create an unusually fat sales pipeline.
Not that Cisco needs it: Q4 revenue came in at $13.1 billion — an eight per cent year-on-year increase that outpaced full year growth of one per cent to reach $49.8 billion of revenue. GAAP net income was $3.0 billion – a 14 per cent year-on-year jump. Full year net income of $10.6 billion was down six per cent year-on-year.
Robbins forecast year-over-year growth in a range of 7.5 to 9.5 per cent for FY 2022, but CFO Scott Herren warned that work to secure supplies is adding to Cisco's costs and therefore forecast margins to dip a point or two.
- 'This is the worst I've seen it' says Arista boss as entire network hardware sector battles component shortages, doubled lead times for semiconductors
- We'll drop SBOMs on UK.gov to solve Telecoms Security Bill's technical demands, beams Cisco
- Got a cheap Cisco router in your home office? If it's one of these, there's an exposed RCE hole you need to plug
- FISMA's a fizzer, says Cisco, and calls on Congress to get cyber security policy right – pronto
An aside: The Register has recently received approaches from upstart pure-play software-defined networking vendors suggesting we write that their approach will deliver new networks, faster, than will be possible if buyers wait for Cisco's supply chain to deliver. We mention this as Cisco's supply chain challenges aren't just a financial consideration – competitors are using them to differentiate their own wares.
If Cisco has noticed such digs, it's not saying so.
It is saying that it booked $4 billion of software revenue in Q4 21, a figure CFO Herren said makes it one of the world's top ten software vendors.
Robbins attributed Q4's good results to newer products starting to sell fast. He singled out WiFi6 and 5G as obvious growth areas and noted that 400Gbit Ethernet is "taking off in … a meaningful way".
"In Q4, 400-gig ports, our orders were up 668 per cent, and for the year, 400-gig port orders were up 831 per cent. We have over 400 customers that have deployed, and we've taken orders for almost 180,000 ports total."
That kind of enthusiasm is driven by what Robbins said are "transformation projects for customers' networks.
Yet data centre sales were the company's only segment not to grow in the quarter, despite what Herren described as "solid growth" for the Nexus 9000 switching portfolio. ®


Samsung has unveiled its new Galaxy Book Flex2 5G which packs Intel's new 11th Gen Core CPUs -- either in Core i5 or Core i7 processor form -- 5G connectivity, and so much more. Check out the video on it from Samsung:
Inside of Samsung's new Galaxy Book Flex2 5G and its 11th Gen Core CPU we have 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage, joined by Intel Xe graphics and a 13.3-inch convertible 1080p WLED touch display. Samsung has also got 5G connectivity, as well as Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 technologies.
This is Samsung's first laptop with a "world-facing" camera with a 13-megapixel camera on the keyboard desk, but it can be flipped and folded over to use it. Samsung ships the new Galaxy Book Flex2 5G on February 12 for $2260 for the Core i5 model or $2530 for the Core i7 model.


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Offering an outdoor pool and tennis court, Citrigni is located 4.5 km from the centre of Peschici. It provides a free shuttle to the beach.
Along with WiFi and parking, the accommodation comes with a kitchenette and private bathroom. The rooms are rustic to fit with the surrounding countryside, but also offer satellite TV.
Guests can enjoy an on-site bar with outdoor seating. The property also has BBQ facilities and a children’s playground.
Gargano National Park and the town of Vieste can be ...reached by car in 20 minutes.

domain: travel


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Jan 28, 2017 Latest post:
May 23, 2017
Three years ago Candace was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She decided at that time that she would not be defined by cancer. She underwent bilateral mastectomy surgery and continued to live life to the fullest. She chose to focus on her faith in Jesus Christ and loving her family well. She faced the cancer with courage and optimism. Recently Candace developed pain that led to an admission to the hospital. It was determined at that time that her breast cancer had returned and has spread. She is currently home with her family and prayerfully considering her treatment options with the support of her husband Dave and her family. As you know, Dave and Candace's family has grown to include their now 4 year old son. Their care needs may include child care, housekeeping, errands and transportation to appointments. Each family member has different diet needs so in lieu of delivered meals, we are asking for gift cards to Whole Foods Market.
Candace is asking specifically that her condition not be shared on social media like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If you know Candace well, then you understand that it is her faith in Jesus Christ that is the source of her confidence and courage. Her life has had many health and personal challenges and continually she trusts in His promises. Her light shines so bright and we are grateful that even now she lives with hope and joy as to what is to come.


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Labour has promised to fight welfare cuts and produced its own analysis suggesting that Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) had risen by less than earnings over the past decade.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne said longer-term figures showed JSA had risen by 32 per cent since 2002/3 while average earnings rose 36 per cent over that time.
Iain Duncan Smith has given the green light to a £14 billion cut to tax credits that's pushing millions of working families into poverty and now means thousands of part-time workers are better off on benefits.
More top news
Tony Kim, who taught accounting at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, was detained as he tried to leave the country.
Southern England will start dry and bright, and sunnier, colder weather will arrive in the north later in the day.
Drivers caught speeding excessively can now expect fines starting from 150% of their weekly income.


"Good article but it fails to mention the unfortunate acidic characteristic of coffee, which is a big issue for people that suffer from GERD, acid reflux, heartburn, etc. "
-Cholesterol Caution. Boiled or unfiltered coffee (such as that made with a French press, or Turkish-style coffee) contains higher levels of cafestol, a compound that can increase blood levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Choose filtered methods instead, such as a drip coffee maker.
-Prudence for Pregnant and Nursing Women. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology says it’s safe for pregnant women to get a moderate amount of caffeine (no more than 200 mg, equivalent to 2 cups of coffee per day), but warns that it’s still not clear if higher intakes could increase risk of miscarriage. Since caffeine can pass into breast milk, nursing moms should cut down if their babies are restless or irritable.


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Fred Recalls Champions League Debut at Shakhtar Donetsk
Manchester United midfielder Fred has recalled with relish his Champions League debut with Shakhtar Donetsk when he first came to Europe. The Brazilian says the competition is a major factor in South Americans moving to Europe.
Fred made his tournament bow in September 2013 in a 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad, “It was sensational. We used to play the Champions League video game, so to be able to play in the competition with Shakhtar, to listen to that famous music, this time in the stadium... for me, it was an amazing feeling.
“It brings back all the memories from when I started, all the help my family gave me when I was growing up. To be able to play in the Champions League made me really happy - even happier because we won that match,” he told United’s official website.


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R&B-dance sensation Timomatic delivers his self-titled debut album via promo shows around the nation.
Only weeks after he dropped a remix album, Australia’s Got Talent alumni Timomatic is ramping up for his self-titled debut album.
He raves in a presser, “I think that my music is definitely relevant to what’s happening in music right now. I really want my music to capture as wide an audience as possible – I make my music for everyone. This music is pop music, make no mistakes about it.”
It certainly seems to be working, his debut single ‘Set It Off’ sold triple-platinum, and the next two sold platinum and gold.
Alongside his tour with Pitbull, with a series of appearances at Westfields, and signings at Sanity and JB Hi-Fis around the nation.
Timomatic the album will be available on Friday 24 August. Check out our chat with him underneath the dates.
Timomatic Westfield Promo Tour
Friday 24 August – 4pm – Whitford City, WA
Sunday 26 August – 11am – West Lakes, SA
Tuesday 28 August – 4pm – Fountain Gate, VIC
Thursday 30 August – 6pm – Garden City, QLD
Sunday 2 September – 12pm – Liverpool, NSW


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Omoni Oboli, a great actress and director, has encouraged Nigerian millennials and those who look up to her that if they work hard enough, they can achieve their goals.
The mother of three claimed on her Instagram page that she would not have gotten this far and become a household name in Nigerian entertainment if it weren’t for a silver spoon.
Her statement was in reaction to someone telling her that she didn’t need to work as hard because she was already well-known around the world.
Omoni Oboli captioned a photo slide of herself on duty as follows:
“SOMEONE SAID I’M ALREADY MADE SO WHY WORK SO HARD…I SAY, I’M WORKING TO LEAVE A LEGACY FOR MY KIDS AND OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE ESPECIALLY OF AFRICAN DECENT. IF A GIRL LIKE ME WHO WASN’T BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON CAN SUCCEED GLOBALLY, EVERYONE CAN! WE ARE NOT HERE TO LOOK PRETTY.”
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He Was Trying to Prevent Drug Dealers from Corrupting Christian Youth
By Jeremy Reynalds, Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service (firstname.lastname@example.org)
LAHORE, PAKISTAN (ANS-April 14, 2016) — Rasheed Bibi wife of slain Christian man Nazeer Masih and her son Patris Masih have been left haunted by and horrific attack on her husband.
According to a story by the British Pakistani Christians Association (BPCA), the victim, Nazeer Masih, 55, lived in a small village called Wandala Dayal Shah and worked for a local realtor. He was left with only one arm a few years ago after an accident at a factory where he was previously employed. His wife Rasheeda Bibi told the BPCA that he lived a simple life and had no enemies.
However, on the evening of April 6, 2016, Nazeer Masih was cutting grass in some fields with his Muslim friend Nawaz, when two people he knew armed with a chopping knife and iron rod attacked him slashing right through his face and slicing open his throat.
Apparently an argument had ensued after Nazeer had told them to leave the young Christians in his community alone.
The men also attacked his friend Nawaz who was a witness to the attack. Despite a wounded head, he escaped and ran towards other villagers and told them what happened. Nawaz was not the primary target of the men as he is a Muslim.
BPCA said some villagers put Nawaz in a rickshaw and got him to the local hospital, while others ran to Nazeer Masih. Sadly, by the time they reached him he had died.
Nazeer Masih’s son, Patris Masih, 35, was one of the men who ran to the location of his father.
He told the BPCA that when he reached him he was horrified by the brutality of the savage attack his father had endured. The attackers had sliced his father’s face several times. The scene left Patris in shock. He broke down and cried beside his father’s dead body, and is still heartbroken and traumatized.
Local villagers called police naming two Muslim men as the murderers, Nadir and Haider from a nearby village. However, BPCA said, police officials refused to register a First Incident Report (FIR) for the crime and no action was taken by them.
On April 7, 2016, a group of Christians frustrated by the lack of police activity over what they considered a clear case of murder case took the dead body of Nazeer Masih to the nearby G T Road and staged a protest rally.
After a couple of hours’ demonstration and negotiation with senior police officials, BPCA said the group agreed to bury the body on the assurance that a First Information Report (FIR) would be filed and the complaint investigated.
Pastor Alfred Azam said in the story, “This is not the first incident of persecution of Christians in our village. Local Muslims are always creating problems for our Christian community. Before and after our church services, Muslim drug dealers swarm around our church trying to sell drugs to our vulnerable youth. Some drug pushers move around in Christian residential areas, and beat young Christians forcing them to take drugs in an attempt to get them addicted. When our older men tell these criminals to leave our young people alone, they get killed.”
Journalist Shamim Masih of BPCA, said in the story, “When I visited the local police station, the Senior House Officer was not present. However, more junior officials told me that there is a pending investigation of this alleged murder. As soon as police are able to find any clue for the murder, an FIR will be registered against the culprits.”
A complaint has been registered, and BPCA said police are searching for the alleged killers, Nadir and Haider, who were named by eye witness Mohammad Nawaz.
BPCA said, “Some Christians are hopeful for success with this case as a Muslim key witness was also injured, and as a result the police have been relatively cooperative following their initial traditional insouciance towards an attack on Christians.”
However, to date no arrests have been made and other Christians believe senior police officials haven’t done much.
Wilson Chowdhry, Founder and Chairman of the BPCA, said in the story, “Often Pakistani Christian asylum applications to the UK are denied on the basis that Christians are offered a police service and have a judicial system set up too protect them. Yet in this case, once again we have evidence of a corrupt and poorly administered rule of law that is biased against the deprived Christian community. Britain has to review its current home office policy towards Pak-Christians. Their risk profile for such asylum seekers is based on the false premise that a developed law and order mechanism operates in Pakistan. This simply is not true.”
He added, “The problem of drug addiction in Christian communities is a rising concern …. it is high time the government of Pakistan set up a (special) task force to crack down on the drug cartels that have destroyed so many lives.”
For more information, please visit www.britishpakistanichristians.org.
Photo captions: 1) Picture of Nazeer Masih before his brutal death. 2) Family of the slain Christian. 3) Journalist Shamim Masih receives a photo of Nazeer Masih at their home. 4) Jeremy and Elma Reynalds.
About the writer: Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico’s largest emergency homeless shelter, www.joyjunction.org. He has a master’s degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is “From Destitute to Ph.D.” Additional details on “From Destitute to Ph.D.” are available at www.myhomelessjourney.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, Elma. For more information, please contact: Jeremy Reynalds at email@example.com.
Note: If you would like to help support the ASSIST News Service, please go to www.assistnews.net and click on the DONATE button to make your tax-deductible gift (in the US), which will help us continue to bring you these important stories. If you prefer a check, please make it out to ASSIST and mail it to: PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609, USA. Thank you.
You may republish this or any of our ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net)


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Hello guys back here again with another model kit review!!! This one is neat cause you can transform into 3 different modes!!! Click the video down below to find out!!
Hello everyone, back again with another toy review!!! Come and join us for this very fun stop motion review voiced by Thedubbub and Happy Kandi!!
Hello everyone back again with a reaction video to a fan made Dragonball video created by the R.Creator. Come and join me for this reaction video down below!
Had the wonderful opportunity to watch this movie on opening night!!! And let me tell you, this movie was breath taking!!! Loved every single moment in this movie! Come and join me and my wife down below for this movie review!
Hello! Back again with another toy review on the SH Figuarts Bulma!! She is definitely an amazing figure. I had so much fun posing her around and creating a stop motion with her. Come join me down below for this review!
Hey Deadgrinners! I finally got my hands on this figure. Thanks to YouTube channel JP_TOYZ.

domain: entertainment


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With the incredible 2021 he registered between AA and AAA in 2021, it’s no wonder the Riley Greene rookie card market is starting to draw some attention. In his first taste of advanced minor league ball, the former 5th overall draft pick crushed it to the tune of .301/.387/.534 triple slash across 485 at bats. Not too mention his 24 homeruns and .921 OPS. Oh, and for good measure he was also a monster on the base paths stealing 16 bags in 17 attempts. Impressive indeed.
So with a first round pedigree and a breakout to justify it, we’re expecting big things out of Detroit’s top prospect. And soon. So if that smooth left handed swing produces in the majors like it did in the minors? Expect big things from the following Riley Greene rookie cards!
2022 Rookie of the Year Alert: Check out these Adley Rutschman rookie cards!
Riley Greene Rookie Card Hot List
2019 Bowman Chrome Draft (Check eBay Listings)
When it comes to baseball cards, it rarely get’s better than a “1st Bowman”. Bowman has lead the way in prospect cards for several years and few cards are as coveted as a player’s first appearance with the brand. Greene’s came in 2019 when he debuted in the 2019 Bowman Draft collection. The card shows off his spread out stance as he awaits the next delivery and is also available with Greene’s autograph.
While values vary depending on the card, some of the rarest of the collection have sold for well north of $1,000. Meanwhile, the base cards can sell for as high as $100 if in the right condition.
2019 Bowman’s Best (Check eBay Listings)
Bowman’s Best is another go-to collection if you’re on the hunt for prospect cards. While not as sought after as Chrome Draft, it offers plenty of great Riley Greene rookie cards at far lower prices. For instance, the PSA 10 autograph base card recently sold for less than $300. Compare that to the same condition of the Chrome Draft autograph version and you’ll save hundreds. If you’re looking for a solid card but don’t want to drop too much of the ole’ bankroll, here’s your play.
2020 Bowman Chrome (Check eBay Listings)
Not to be confused with Bowman Draft, the regular Chrome set from 2020 also features some great Riley Green prospect cards. Check out the one above. The card features Greene’s base running prowess as he hustles across the paths. As you can see, this set also features autographs with the base featured here valued somewhere around $300 as a PSA 10. In addition to the ink, also be on the lookout for some of the rare parallels. A great collection to target if you want to Chrome name but not the 2019 price tags.
Question of the Day: Who will be called up first Bobby Witt Jr. or Riley Greene?
When will we see some TRUE Riley Greene rookie cards?
As you know, the cards featured here are technically “prospect cards”. However, they’re usually the most sought after cards even after the ones with the RC label are released. That said, the true rookie cards shouldn’t be too far off. Many folks believe Greene will debut at some point in 2022. Therefore, we should start to see some RC labeled Riley Greene rookie cards before the end of the year as long as an injury doesn’t slow his call up.
Riley Green Rookie Card Forecast
As we just said, Greene should debut in 2022 so he’ll be one of the most collected prospects heading into the season. Look for prices to rise as we near opening day (whenever that may be) and level off as we await the inevitable call up. Once that happens, the market will shirt from being driven on speculation alone. An immediate impact in his rookie season should send your cad to new heights. Especially if that ends in a Rookie of the Year award. Meanwhile, lackluster production could mean a pull back in value. Overall we’re bullish in both the short term and over the next few years.


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Stocks gave back all the gains achieved earlier in the week, as a selloff in crude oil punished the energy sector and fueled a dour mood on Wall Street.
The S&P 500 was down nearly 1.5% on Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 1.4%, and the Nasdaq fell 1.1%. Losses have more than doubled since market open. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX.X) , commonly known as the 'fear index,' has risen nearly 50% since Friday's selloff.
Crude oil moved lower on Tuesday after the International Energy Agency said global demand growth was slowing by more than previously thought and predicted the slowdown would continue in 2017. The agency expects global demand to increase by 1.3 million barrels a day this year, 100,000 barrels slower than previously forecast.
"Recent pillars of demand growth -- China and India -- are wobbling," the IEA said in its monthly report. "After more than a year with oil hovering around $50 a barrel, the [economic] stimulus from cheaper fuel is fading."
West Texas Intermediate crude fell 3% to $44.90 a barrel on Tuesday.
"The weakness in oil is translating into equity market weakness and U.S. dollar strength, further undermining oil market sentiment in turn," said Tim Evans, energy futures analyst at Citi. "It's a risk-off trade day."
Energy stocks were the worst performers on the markets Tuesday. Exxon Mobil (XOM - Get Report) , Shell (RDS.A - Get Report) , Total (TOT - Get Report) , BP (BP - Get Report) and Petrobras (PBR - Get Report) were all sharply lower, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE - Get Report) slid 2.8%.
Benchmark indexes rocketed higher on Monday in a rebound from Friday's selloff after Fed Gov. Lael Brainard urged caution and "prudence" in the central bank's decision-making. The S&P 500 and Dow gained more than 1% to erase more than half of the losses suffered over Friday's session.
Goldman Sachs economists reduced their odds for a rate hike in September following the dovish comments from Brainard. Goldman now gives a hike at the Sept. 20-21 meeting a 25% probability, down from a previous forecast of 40%. It's the third time this month that Goldman has updated its odds for September.
"A common theme [in Monday's Fed comments] was the absence of a clear signal that the Federal Open Market Committee is likely to hike in September," economists wrote in a note. "The lack of a signal is meaningful because if action were likely, the committee would normally make an effort to nudge the market toward anticipating a hike."
Markets are pricing in an even lower probability for September. Chances of an interest rate hike this month fell to 15% on Monday, down from a 24% likelihood at the end of last week, according to CME Group fed funds futures. The majority of investors are banking on a rate hike in December. Chances of a move during the Fed's final meeting of the year sit at 48%.
Speculation over the outcome of next week's meeting will be rife in the coming days with little in the way of new information on which to trade. No Fed members are left to speak this week, few companies of note are set to report, save Oracle (ORCL - Get Report) on Thursday, and economic data such as producer and consumer prices and retail sales are crammed into a busy Thursday and Friday.
"The month of September is living up to its expectations as being a tough month to ride out, as seasonal factors weigh down the markets," Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at First Standard Financial, wrote in a note. "We think [a pullback] will be swift and short-lived... We don't look for a prolonged market readjustment, since the VIX is likely to continue to rise as the quarterly options expirations kick in this week. In summary, we look for a six to eight percent overall decline in the coming days."
September is historically the worst-performing month for stocks with seasonal factors such as light trading volumes and a general wariness over historical trading patterns. The Dow has fallen an average 1.1% in September since the benchmark index was created in 1896, compared to an average gain of 0.8% over the remaining 11 months.
Atlanta Fed Pres. Dennis Lockhart announced Tuesday that he will step down from his position, effective the end of February. Lockhart has held the position for nearly a decade. Atlanta Fed's board of directors, led by Chairman Thomas Fanning, will conduct the search for a replacement.
Lockhart skirted a discussion of the Fed's interest rate plans in a speech on Monday, pointing to the highly sensitive nature of markets. "Financial markets seem to be very sensitive to remarks of Fed speakers at the moment," Lockhart noted.
Apple (AAPL - Get Report) was the only Dow component in the green, after suppliers T-Mobile (TMUS - Get Report) and Sprint (S - Get Report) each reported strong pre-orders for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Sprint said orders for the latest models were up more than 375% over the first three days compared to last year. Apple shares rose 2.6%.


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A stock trading simulator is an online tool that allows users to simulate buying and selling stocks and track their virtual performance. It can be a useful tool for practicing the skills of trading, but isn't necessarily realistic, as people inevitably act differently when real money is at stake. While some simulators are largely designed as a fun game, potential serious investors need to look for a simulator that is as realistically as possible, taking into account the markets it models, the trading techniques it simulates, and the frequency and detail of updates.
The first concern when choosing a stock trading simulator is price. Both free and paid-for options are available. Whether to pay for a simulator is a personal choice, but the general principle should be to only pay where doing so brings clear advantages, but to only use free options that still provide a useful service.
It's also important to check that a stock trading simulator covers the type of investments you are interested in. First, you should check that a simulator covers the markets you are considering trading in for real, and that it either covers all stocks on the market, or at least a wide and representative sample. Then, you should check that it covers your preferred trading style. Some simulators only cover straightforward buying and selling, while others allow you to simulate shorting a stock, a technique by which you make a profit if the price falls.
The most important element of a stock trading simulator for somebody considering real trading is that it allows real-time trading, or something close to it. Some more casual simulators are designed basically as games, and only update prices once a day. This may be sufficient for getting to grips with the basics of stock investing, but won't be enough if you are planning serious investing, in particular day trading, which is the strategy of buying and selling stocks on the same day with the aim of making small but quick returns. You may also want to look for a simulator that includes elements designed to be more realistic about costs. This can include taking account of the commission you would have to pay brokers if you traded for real.
A good stock market simulator will allow you to track your performance in terms other than the pure profit or loss. For example, a simulator could compare your performance with that of the market as a whole, which gives a better idea of how your decision making paid off. Some simulators even rank "investors" in a league table. This can be a bit of fun, but shouldn't be taken too seriously as many of the people on it may have been using the simulator for entertainment and won't necessarily have the level of skill of real traders.


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Posted by Mark Washburn on Monday, November 25, 2013 at 4:56:36 PM By Mark Washburn / November 25, 2013 Comment
The posh Bonita Springs gated-community of Pelican Landing has a new beach. The Pelican Landing Community Association this week unveiled its new beach renourishment that follows past beach erosion in the area. Pelican Landing is the only gated-community in Southwest Florida to have 35 acres of private beach. After 5 years of beach renourishment permits and state and federal delays, Pelican Landing revealed its new stretch of sandy beach that adds natural beauty to this all ready premier community. The 34-acre Big Hickory Island Beach, which is north of Little Hickory Island and south of Lovers Key Park, was replenished with 105,000 cubic yards of sand and 7 concrete panels to stop future beach erosion. Sand started being dredged from an offshore shoal off New Pass in July. Pelican Landing is a 3,100-home gated-community that owns Big Hickory Island, and the Hyatt Regency of Coconut Point shared the $3 million cost for the beach project to add sand after erosion started impacting the stretch of beach in front of these dwellings. Project leaders hope Pelican Landing’s new private beach with more than 2,000 yards of shoreline will inspire more prospective buyers to buy Pelican Landing homes or to stay at the Hyatt. The beach amenity will be attractive to guests at the Hyatt to have access to the water. This also brings value to Pelican Landing residents, who all ready enjoy a lifestyle of a premier golfing community in a pristine natural setting. Housing options at Pelican Landing include condos, villas, coach homes and single-family homes. Here is a resource to learn more about Pelican Landing real estate options.
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domain: geography


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A Dogged Problem: Humane Society Dealing With Annual Summer Surge Of Animals Needing Care
The Kansas Humane Society is struggling to find room because of a surge in stray and surrendered animals.
Ericka Goering of the Humane Society said the shelter is used to the uptick during warmer months, when more cats and dogs are having litters. The unwanted ones often end up in its care.
Also, as more pets spend time outside, it’s easier for them to roam and arrive at the shelter next door as strays.
“The summer is a really, really stressful time for us here,” Goering said. “We really struggle with finding open kennels to be able to safely house the animals.
“We struggle with finding enough fosters to be able to take in animals, especially the young and underaged kittens. … They're still not ready to be on their own.”
Last year was the exception to the annual summer increase in animals needing shelter. Goering said fewer pets were surrendered to the Humane Society and fewer unclaimed strays were transferred from the Wichita Animal Shelter.
Lower intake led to fewer adoptions. 2020 saw 6,103 adoptions compared to 8,280 in 2019.
“Last year was the strangest year that I've ever experienced while working here at the Humane Society,” Goering said. “We did not have nearly as many animals coming into our care as we normally would see.
“We had so many people offering to foster for us, which was incredible. And people were adopting.”
More space at the shelter meant staff and volunteers could spend more quality time with the animals. They had the capacity to give extra medical care and behavioral work to the pets that needed it.
Now, the society is running out of kennel space. Goering said the increase in animal intake is consistent with previous summers, and it’s not due to a wave of returns from pandemic adoptions.
To help make adoptions easier, there are no appointments required to visit the Humane Society.
Outside of adopting, Goering said volunteering and fostering are helpful. Volunteer and foster training are both online, and teenagers can now volunteer without a parent.
“We really tried to do some innovative things with our volunteer program just to reduce the barriers to entry and make it easier for people to come in and spend time with us,” Goering said. “We don’t really have any requirements. … We’re just thankful that you come in and do what you can when you can.”
Katelynn McIlwain is KMUW's Korva Coleman Diversity in Journalism intern. She will be a senior this fall at the University of Missouri.