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Vita came to us in April of 2008, when she was 8 weeks old. She actually chose me (her mom) when I first saw her. The people caring for her thought she would not get adopted because she was so quiet and wouldn’t greet potential adopters, but when she met me, she jumped right into my arms.
She was sweet, gentle, stubborn, and loved her parents, she showered us with kisses daily. She went by many nicknames including Veets, fur angel, fluffy baby and bubs.
She enjoyed taking walks and smelling all the flowers in the neighborhood. She loved giving high fives, snacking on treats, including her cat sisters' treats, chewing on her bones, chicken, carrots, and anything that fell from the dinner table.
Vita had an incredible and long life, taking annual trips to the beach, visiting her grandmom and pop pop in Lancaster, and going for car rides to Starbucks for her pup cup.
When she was a younger lady, she loved chasing rabbits and squirrels, running laps around the yard, and sunbathing on her back deck.
Vita will be sorely missed by her parents Greg & Sabrina, her cat sister Bella, her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends. Everyone who knew Vita loved her. She was the most loyal, faithful best friend anyone could have asked for, Her gentle soul will be deeply missed forever.

domain: pet


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Renewable energy company GESS International plans to break ground on five biogas plant projects in the fall and complete construction by the end of 2020. The factories will convert cattle and swine manure and agricultural residues into renewable natural gas.
The sites are planned for northern and central Missouri. Three will be in Audrain County, near Mexico and Laddonia. Another is in Chariton County near Tripplett and the final one is planned for Miller County near Tuscumbia.
Seth Daughety, the company’s grant coordinator, tells Missourinet each project will create 16 jobs. The total investment will be nearly $185 million in Missouri.
“The benefits of these projects will make a positive impact into the local economy and agricultural industry by adding a major investment into the local tax base, creating and training new employees for the operations of these plants, creating a new revenue stream for area farmers, all while creating a renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” says Daughety.
In addition to creating renewable energy, he says the project will positively impact existing agricultural production facilities. It is GESS International’s goal to help existing agricultural industries in the area become more sustainable. He says agtech is a leading industry in Missouri.
Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet


Unison NHS members back strikes
Unison's NHS workers, including nurses, occupational therapists, porters, paramedics, medical secretaries, cooks and healthcare assistants have voted to back strike action in a row over pay.
A total of 68% voted in favour of being prepared to take part in a strikes while 32% said no.
In the ballot which also asked if they were prepared to take part in action short of strike action, 88% agreed while 12% voted against.
Unison's NHS workers have voted to back strike action in a row over pay
The dispute is over pay in England, with union officials arguing that 60% of NHS staff and 70% of nurses will not get a pay rise for the next two years.
This has created a "demoralised and demotivated workforce," according to Unison general secretary Dave Prentis. Unison is the UK's largest health union with 300,000 NHS members in England.
There are 10 unions balloting in the NHS over pay, and plans over the date and type of action to be taken are still to be made.
Mr Prentis claimed: "This Government's treatment of NHS workers has angered them and this anger has now turned into action. Refusing to pay them even a paltry 1% shows what the Government really thinks about its health workers. Inflation has continued to rise since 2011 and the value of NHS pay has fallen by around 12%.
"We know health workers don't take strike action lightly or often. The last action over pay was 32 years ago. But we also know a demoralised and demotivated workforce isn't good for patients.
"If we move into industrial action we will work with NHS employers to minimise the impact on patients. But it's not too late for Jeremy Hunt to act to avoid this and we repeat our offer to the Government to negotiate with us. To date the Secretary of State has refused to meet with health unions to negotiate pay."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "We are disappointed that Unison is planning industrial action and has rejected our proposals to give NHS staff at least 1% additional pay this year and at least a further 1% next year.
"NHS staff are our greatest asset and we know they are working extremely hard. This is why despite tough financial times, we've protected the NHS budget and now have 13,500 more clinical staff than in 2010.
"We want to protect these increases and cannot afford incremental pay increases - which disproportionately reward the highest earners - on top of a general pay rise without risking frontline NHS jobs.
"We remain keen to meet with the unions to discuss how we can work together to make the NHS pay system fairer and more affordable."
The Royal College of Midwives is also balloting its members on taking industrial action in a row over pay.
Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the RCM, said: "We congratulate Unison on their ballot result today. I am asking our members who are also being balloted on fair pay in the NHS to join their other union colleagues and vote yes to industrial action.
"Now is the time for midwives to say enough is enough and to show their frustration over the rejection of the justly deserved 1% pay award, and vote yes in our ballot."
The RCM's ballot runs until September 29.
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CHILLI CON CARNE RECIPE | JAMIE OLIVER CHILLI RECIPES
Using brisket in this chilli con carne recipe gives amazing texture and wonderful depth of flavour.
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Number Of Ingredients 17
- Ask your butcher to trim and slice your brisket for you. If you’re doing it yourself, carefully trim the meat by discarding any fat or silver skin. Cut the meat against, rather than with, the grain into 2.5cm thick pieces.
- Make the coffee and, while it’s hot, soak the dried chillies in it for a few minutes to let them rehydrate.
- Meanwhile, peel and dice the onions and peel and finely slice the garlic.
- Heat a few lugs of oil in your largest casserole pan on a low heat, add the cumin, paprika, oregano, bay and onions. Fry for 10 minutes, until the onions have softened.
- Deseed and chop half the fresh chillies. Slice up the rehydrated chillies and add them to the onion mixture along with the chopped fresh chilli, the cinnamon sticks, sliced garlic, a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper and a splash of the chilli-infused coffee.
- Stir, then add the rest of the coffee, the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon, and the molasses or sugar. Add the pieces of brisket and another good pinch of salt and pepper, cover with a lid and simmer for around 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- After a few hours use 2 forks or a potato masher to break the meat up and pull it apart.
- Once you’ve done this, deseed, slice and add the peppers, then drain and add the beans. Leave to simmer with the lid off for 30 minutes, or until the meat is completely falling apart and delicious, stirring occasionally.
- Have a taste and season well – if you require a bit more heat (like I would), this is the time to deseed and chop the rest of the fresh chilli and stir it in.
- Dollop a big spoonful of soured cream over the chilli (if using), and serve straight from the pan, with fluffy rice, flatbreads or potatoes and a really nice fresh lemony green salad. Don’t forget multiple cold beers! Enjoy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 426 calories, FatContent 13.1 g fat, SaturatedFatContent 5.1 g saturated fat, ProteinContent 50.5 g protein, CarbohydrateContent 26.7 g carbohydrate, SugarContent 13.8 g sugar, SodiumContent 1.4 g salt, FiberContent 10.8 g fibre
TURKEY CON CHILLI | JAMIE OLIVER RECIPES
No one will recognise leftover turkey once it's jazzed up in this spicy chilli with attitude
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Number Of Ingredients 25
- For this recipe, you will need 600 g turkey, leftover, shredded.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
- Peel and roughly chop the onions and carrot, and trim and roughly chop the leek. Deseed and roughly chop the peppers, and deseed and finely chop the chillies.
- Heat a few lugs of olive oil in a large casserole-type pan on a medium heat. Add the onions, carrot, leek, peppers and chillies, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Pick the coriander leaves (save these for later) and finely chop the stalks.
- Add the coriander stalks, cumin and paprika to the pan, and cook for another 10 minutes or so, stirring frequently until soft and delicious. Sometimes I like to add some honey and white wine vinegar at this point and let it cook for a couple of minutes. I find this adds a wonderful sheen and enhances the natural sweetness of the vegetables.
- While that’s happening, shred the turkey meat off your carcass and roughly chop it. Add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper to the pan of vegetables, then add the turkey and take the pan off the heat.
- Scrunch in the tomatoes, drain and add the chickpeas or butter beans and stir everything together. Pop it in the hot oven to blip away for 2 hours. Check on it after an hour, and add a splash of water if it looks a bit dry.
- While that’s cooking, make your guacamole. Peel and destone the avocados and put one of them in a food processor. Halve the tomatoes, peel the onion and garlic, and deseed the chilli, and add it all to the food processor with the coriander and blitz.
- Use a fork to mash the other avocado in a bowl so it’s nice and chunky. Taste the mixture in the food processor and add salt and squeezes of lime juice until the taste is just right for you. Whiz up one more time, then tip into the bowl with your chunky avocado and mix together.
- Take the chilli out of the oven and scrape all the gnarly bits from the edge of the pan back into the chilli for added flavour. Squeeze in some lime juice, and stir through most of the reserved coriander leaves.
- Have a taste to check the seasoning, then serve with steamed basmati rice or tortillas, and a good dollop of soured cream and guacamole on top. Scatter over your remaining coriander leaves and some finely sliced fresh chilli if you fancy, then get everyone to tuck in!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 452 calories, FatContent 19 g fat, SaturatedFatContent 4.1 g saturated fat, ProteinContent 41.4 g protein, CarbohydrateContent 30.2 g carbohydrate, SugarContent 17.5 g sugar, SodiumContent 0.96 g salt, FiberContent 9.1 g fibre
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domain: food


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When it comes to digital SLRs, Canon deserves credit for breaking more price and performance barriers in the last three years than any other manufacturer. It all started with the introduction of the EOS D30 in 2001, the first 3MP DSLR priced under $3,000, and the very first to use a CMOS sensor. A year later, Canon launched the CMOS-based EOS D60, the first 6.3MP camera priced under $2,000. Soon afterward, we celebrated the arrival of the EOS-1Ds, the world’s first full frame, CMOS-based 11MP DSLR with a street price under $8,000. This year, Canon surprised us with its new EOS 10D, a $1,500 (street price) DSLR equipped with the same 6.3MP CMOS sensor as the EOS D60. (We were all secretly hoping for a more affordable version of the dream-machine EOS-1Ds). This left us wondering: Is the new EOS 10D merely a lower-priced version of the D60, or yet another digital SLR milestone?
Canon apparently wrestled with the shortcomings of the D60 and D30 in designing the new EOS 10D. (The D60 and the D30 shared the same stainless-steel chassis and polycarbonate body, a mediocre three-sensor autofocusing system, and relatively poor low-light performance.) For starters, the 10D chassis is also constructed of both polycarbonate and stainless steel, but with further protection added by rigid magnesium-alloy covers on the sides, top, and back. A larger rubberized surface on the right side also makes the camera easier to grip. The improved construction adds four ounces to the body, but we now feel that the EOS 10D has more of the look, feel, overall balance, and ruggedness of a pro SLR.
Several controls (such as meter mode and exposure compensation) have been moved closer to the shutter-release button and are easier to reach. While most of the buttons on the camera back are the same as those on the D60, the AF-select and partial metering buttons now serve a dual purpose in playback mode, allowing you to zoom in (up to 10X, versus 4X on the D60) and zoom out. The top LED panel is about the same size as the D60’s and provides much of the same information on exposure and camera controls.
Canon claims that the 10D’s focusing system has been greatly improved in terms of speed and low-light sensitivity. There are now seven selectable AF zones instead of just three, and they cover a wider horizontal and vertical focusing area. In addition, the EOS 10D has a higher-capacity burst rate of up to nine images at 3 fps in the highest resolution setting, using either JPEG or RAW formats. Other than the additional AF zones, the viewfinder is pretty much the same as the D60’s, but it now includes a flash-exposure-compensation indicator and a memory-buffer indicator. In single-shot mode, the latter usually reads nine images. But in continuous mode, it varies based on the number of images shot, updating continually as images are stored to memory. (More on the actual AF and shooting performance later.)
A cheaper EOS D60, or more significant?
According to Canon, the EOS 10D’s image quality has been improved in several areas, most notably color accuracy, lower signal-to-noise ratios at all ISO settings (from 100-3200), in low light, and for longer exposures. These advances are attributed to a refined sensor-manufacturing process and the integration of Canon’s highly acclaimed DIGIC Image Processor. Canon also boasts that it is now the only manufacturer that designs and builds all of the major components of its DSLRs, including the body, image sensor, image-processing circuitry, and optics. We can’t argue with them on that point. But how about the rest of the claims made for the EOS 10D?
As we mentioned earlier, the EOS 10D uses a similar CMOS imaging sensor as the D60, capturing a 6.3MP image (2048×3072 pixels) at a 2:3 aspect ratio. As a result of the smaller image sensor size (15.1×22.7mm) relative to a 35mm film frame (24x36mm), the effective focal length of a 35mm lens is magnified by 1.6X. This essentially curtails ultrawide coverage with EOS-mount Canon lenses. For example, the EF 16Ð35mm lens provided by Canon for our test delivers the equivalent field of view of a 26-56mm lens on a 35mm camera. Telephoto capability is increased in the same proportion, so a 100-300mm lens performs like a 160-480mm lens.
The EOS 10D borrows many of its exposure and metering controls directly from the older EOS D60, such as shutter- and aperture-priority, manual exposure, A-DEP (auto depth-of-field priority), and program AE. (For more on these, see the full EOS D60 test, Pop Photo). It also features similar custom functions. But now there are six program AE image modes instead of the five found on the D60, and the 10D has a built-in orientation sensor that rotates image files and automatically adjusts white balance, exposure, and focusing for vertical shots.
Like its older siblings, the EOS 10D accepts CF Type I or II cards, including MicroDrives, but now it can simultaneously store both RAW and JPEG versions of an image. In addition to exposure and flash-bracketing modes, it features a white balance (WB) bracketing mode. In this mode, the camera will automatically store the same image three times with warm, normal, or cool white-balance settings, so shooting a full burst of nine images produces 27 files on the memory card!
The EOS 10D has shutter speeds from 30-1/4000 sec, flash-sync speeds up to 1/200 sec with the built-in flash (or up to 1/4000 sec with the Canon Speedlite 550EX set to FE flash mode). Its pop-up flash has a bit more power than the D60’s, plus an AF-assist strobe light for shooting in the dark. The camera also offers a flash-exposure lock (FEL) that lets you preset flash exposure based on specific parts of a scene covered by the nine percent partial spot area. For studio shooting, the camera has a PC sync connector, which can be controlled directly from a computer via the USB connector and the supplied Canon RemoteCapture software. Other Canon software utilities include ZoomBrowser EX, PhotoStitch, and the File View Utility for converting RAW files to JPEG or TIFF; plus now Canon throws in a copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 (a $99 value).
Does it test like a pro?
As we said, the Canon EOS 10D is built more like a pro camera than either the D60 or D30. But does it perform like one? On nearly every level, the answer is yes! The AF system has been substantially improved by offering seven selectable focus zones, as well as much faster speed and greater sensitivity. In bright light levels around EV 12, focusing speeds were about the same as the D60, averaging 0.4 seconds. At EV 7, the 10D was already twice as fast as the D60 (and close to the Nikon D1X), turning in times of 0.4 seconds, compared to 0.85 seconds with the D60. At moderate to low light levels, from EV 6 to EV 3, the 10D clocked in at 0.4 to 0.55 seconds, much faster than the D60’s AF speed of 0.9-1.85 seconds and actually a bit faster than the Canon EOS-1Ds and the Nikon D1X. At EV 2, the limit of the 10D’s AF sensitivity, the camera took 0.95 seconds to focus, compared to the D60’s 2.4 seconds. Not bad, but the EOS 1Ds, the Nikon D1X, the Sigma SD9, and the Fujifilm S2 Pro are all able to focus down to EV 1.
We didn’t find much difference in captured resolution between the EOS 10D and the EOS D60, but that’s really no surprise thanks to matching megapixel counts. On the other hand, most other image-quality parameters showed obvious advancement. Color accuracy tests of images captured in both sRGB and Adobe RGB (1998) produced surprisingly precise skin tones and realistic, saturated colors. (In fact, as we go to press, the EOS 10D holds the record for color accuracy in any camera, film or digital.)
When the camera is set to ISO 100-200, noise levels (which we’ve nicknamed digital grain) are very low, with very clean shadows and skin tones. Even at ISO 400, noise levels are lower than many digital cameras deliver at ISO 100, and at ISO 800, noise levels are still acceptable. No other DSLR we’ve tested holds up as well at ISO 800. At ISO 3200 (which requires setting a custom function), noise is unacceptable, but you still get a usable image.
Bursts get a boost
The camera’s burst mode also performs as claimed, capturing nine images in just three seconds (in RAW or JPEG mode). What Canon fails to mention is that it now only takes 15 seconds to write the entire nine images to a CF card (very fast!). If you keep the shutter button depressed after the burst, the camera continues to capture one image per second until the CF card is full.
In playback mode, you can now zoom in up to 10X, more than enough to see if eyelashes are in focus. You can also review capture information, histograms and overexposure warnings, crop and trim images, and tag your favorites for printing on DPOF, EXIF 2.2, or Canon Direct compatible printers. A new button has been added to the left side of the LCD that lets you quickly change scrolling directions when zoomed in on an image, and thereÕs a slide-show mode that cycles all images continually.
On the down side, the Canon EOS 10D’s 1.6X lens magnification factor might force you to shell out a few hundred dollars more to get a decent wide, angle field of view. And the partial spot area (tested at about 15 percent of image area) isn’t as useful as a real spot meter. Finally, at $1,500 street price, the EOS 10D is still high-priced for most photo enthusiasts. But if you can afford it, we think it’s currently the best digital SLR for the money.
|What’s Hot and What’s Not|
|• Extremely high image quality, with excellent color accuracy • Greatly improved AF system • Rugged body construction • Uses new DIGIC processing chip • Captures 3 fps, up to nine images in burst mode with fast write speeds • Strong pop-up flash with GN 43 at ISO 100; supports multiflash system • Decent software bundle allows direct camera control from computer • Rechargeable lithium ion battery||• 1.6X lens magnification factor • Distracting AF-focusing-assist strobe • No true spotmetering|
|Lab Test Results|
|Resolution: Extremely high (1510x1440x1450 VHD lines) Color Accuracy: Excellent (avg. Delta E: 7.10; best 90%: 5.83; worst 10%: 18.18) Highlight & shadow detail: High Contrast: Normal, and adjustable Noise: Very low at ISO 100 and 200, low at ISO 400, and moderately low at ISO 800 Image quality: Extremely high AF Speed: Extremely fast in normal to bright light. Fast in low light down to EV 2|
How does the EOS 10D stack up against competitors?
Nikon D100 ($1,700, street)
This popular 6MP DSLR accepts Nikkor lenses (with a 1.5X magnifation factor). It also features 28 custom functions, sophisticated metering options (including a precise 1.1 percent spotmeter), a pop-up flash, and a bright AF-assist light. However, the D100 has a less rugged polycarbonate body and can only capture up to 6 high-res JPEG images at 3 fps. RAW bursts are slower, and RAW conversion software is optional. While image quality is extremely high, the D100 has slightly lower color accuracy and higher noise levels at ISO settings of 200 compared to the EOS 10D.
Sigma SD9 ($1,500, street)
Sigma’s first foray into the DSLR battle features the Foveon X3 sensor with slightly lower noise levels than the EOS 10D at ISO 100-400 settings. It also features a higher 1/6000-sec shutter speed and AF sensitivity down to EV 1. However, the SD9’s resolution is closer to a 5MP camera, it lacks a pop-up flash, and it has a narrower 1.7X magnification factor with compatible Sigma lenses. You are also limited to capturing RAW image files, which require a computer to process and slow down the burst rate. Finally, the SD9 doesn’t ship with rechargeable batteries.
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GET READY FOR HANUKKAH
Shop the latest trends in unique serving pieces and kitchen tabletop items. Great for gifting, better for keeping for yourself!
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text: The snow we got last weekend was good for high school cross country skiing. There was a special Valentine’s Day event today in Winterport. It was the first high school meet at the brand new Abbott Park. Four nordic teams from Camden Hills, John Bapst, Orono, and Hampden were competing in a skate ski relay race. Today the competitors were rewarded with balloons and chocolates.The winners included, for the boys, Hampden’s Dustin Ramsay and Tyler Moore.

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text:
Peonies are one of my favorite flowers, but their blooming season is heartbreakingly quick. We now have a lovely row planted out front and I find myself sniffing the blooms like a weirdo that just can’t get enough. I wanted to find a way to preserve them in some way and decided to create peony petal ice cube molds to look like a blooming flower. After that I started brainstorming other ways I could use the edible petals. A particularly fragrant variety I steeped into a simple syrup which gave it a nice floral flavor.
A little of that, some gin, Elderflower liqueur, and a splash of lemon and the Peony Petal Gin Martini was born! It’s like a boozy lemonade with a hint of floral… but of course calling it a martini makes it sound far fancier! This is a great cocktail to serve for a summer brunch, bridal shower, or just any occasion where you want to be a little extra and a little fancy!
For Peony Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups peony petals
This syrup will work best with a fragrant variety so you get the true scent and flavor. I used Duchess de Nemours. And if you don’t have peonies of your own, just take a walk in your neighborhood and you’re bound to find some! Just be sure to ask your neighbor before “borrowing” a few blooms!
Wash your petals to remove any dirt and bugs (ants love these flowers) and set aside. There were some other teeny tiny bugs I couldn’t seem to wash off, but I’ll get to how I removed those in a second. In a medium sized saucepan combine the sugar and water and bring to a simmer over medium to high heat. Once the sugar is dissolved add your peony petals (yes even if there’s still teeny tiny bugs). Stir to mix, cover, and then let the petals steep in the mixture overnight.
Once the petals have had a chance to infuse the syrup you can strain into a glass jar and discard the petals. Now about those little bugs… strain your syrup through a cheese cloth (or heavy duty paper towel worked for me) into another glass jar. Your syrup should be clear of any leftover bits that you don’t want! Seal the jar and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
Peony Petal Gin Martini
(makes 2 martinis)
4oz gin, chilled
2oz Elderflower liqueur, chilled
1oz Peony Simple Syrup
Juice from half a lemon (about 2 Tbs)
Fresh basil or mint
And of course… peony petal ice cubes!
I used whiskey ball ice molds to create mine or you could freeze petals in a traditional ice cube tray.
- Elderflower liqueur can be a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way. There’s also a ton of other cocktails you can use this in.
- If you happen to find this recipe outside of peony season, you can always use other edible flowers to create the ice cubes and just use a plain simple syrup instead. The Elderflower liqueur still adds a nice floral hint to the drink.
- As pretty as this cocktail is, she sure has a kick, so you can always top it off with a little club soda to turn it into a Gin Fizz and tone down the booze.
Combine gin, Elderflower liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a Country Cocktail Shaker (mason jar) and shake well. Pour over flower petal ice into martini glasses, garnish, and serve.

domain: hobby


To promote democracy globally, we must fix the system in Sierra Leone, Samura Kamara says
On Twitter, Samura Kamara, the presidential nominee for the All People's Congress political party in Sierra Leone, shared a letter expressing concern about recent events in the country.
Kamara stated that Sierra Leone had experienced a "sad day" when the Chief Electoral Commissioner Mohamed Konneh presented a Certificate of Return at State House, following what Kamara called an "electoral coup and unprecedented election fraud."
He went on to explain that Sierra Leone had not been the same since the "paopas" came to power, a local term meaning "whether you like it or not."
Kamara recounted how, in June 2023, Sierra Leoneans had come out in large numbers to vote against an "autocratic and ethnocentric regime."However, the decline in democracy culminated in the most blatant electoral fraud ever.
Kamara warned that if this situation continues, it could lead to the death of democracy in Sierra Leone and threaten its consolidation, given the region's political, social, and economic problems.
Kamara, as an institutionalist, believes that organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and international partners have a significant role to play in preventing the spread of undemocratic behavior that ignores the voice and will of the majority.
He warned that if Sierra Leone's broken democracy is not fixed, and the "rogue regime" remains in power, then no one, including the AU, ECOWAS, and international partners, would have the moral authority to advocate for democracy, freedoms, peace, justice, and human rights globally.
Kamara called on international organizations and individuals who believe in democracy to take action and reprimand those who manipulate election results. He stressed that it is not enough to merely support elections and remain passive until situations become untenable. Failing to act can embolden dictators or would-be dictators.


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Legacy donations – bequests left in a will – are often a sizeable chunk of a charity’s revenue but aren’t always given the attention they deserve.
According to research by Remember A Charity, more than a quarter (27%) of charity donors are preparing to leave a charitable legacy or have already done so (up from 23% in March 2009).
Meanwhile, the number of wills with a charitable bequest (charitable estates) has risen from just over 34,000 to more than 36,000 in the past decade, states Smee & Ford.
It’s a fact that the UK has an ageing population. For this reason – and because some organisations rely on bequests for up to half of their annual income – many charities are redoubling their efforts to sow the seeds of legacy giving.
Charities have recognised that over the last 30 years people have talked more freely about leaving donations in their will. Many organisations have increased their media spend to highlight legacies.
As the Baby Boomer generation gets older, charities have become alive to the benefits of broadcasting legacy messages. If charities can reach a person at the moments when they are considering making a will, or changes to it, there’s a greater chance a donation will be included. We also know that once a gift is written into a will it’s unlikely to be taken out.
We recently rolled out a comprehensive new campaign, A Memory Everlasting, for Surrey-based Princess Alice Hospice.
The initiative is ongoing and is based on the hospice’s research, which revealed a growing need for its services. This will only increase as the local population ages and will need to be supported by even greater donations.
We took a holistic view and looked at all the audiences the hospice interacts with: patients, families, donors, shop supporters and volunteers. Everyone should be a hospice ambassador.
The campaign creative links directly back to the hospice, based around the silver birch which adorn its garden. Our strategy is to sow the seeds of legacy to many and cultivate the small but important group of people who respond.
For Princess Alice Hospice, legacy giving is fundamental, and according to director of fundraising, marketing and communications Nigel Seymour is 37% of its overall income and the largest revenue stream, equating to £3.2m annually.
He explains that it is vital that everyone across the organisation understands what the charity is trying to achieve and how they can help the team reach as many people as possible with this campaign. The whole organisation, from the board down, believes in this as a long-term programme to protect the future, rather than a short-term investment.
A traditional approach of direct mail to Princess Alice’s warm audience has been fused with other activity including a retail strategy and face-to-face events explaining the value of legacy. The first event was well received. People wanted to find out more and we had some pledges on the day.
Seymour said: “Our 47 high-street stores are a key focus, too. Some 8,000 people cross our thresholds each week, so we need our volunteers and store staff engaged and talking about legacies in a way that allows the wider fundraising team to continue the conversation with supporters.”
He believes the campaign’s real value will be witnessed between five to ten years from now when legacy income picks up significantly.
Where once legacy departments were left relatively unattended and underfunded, I believe their time has come. There’s been a certain complacency about legacies across the charity sector which can’t go on. It’s a gift for the whole charity, so it’s vital to develop a message that everyone in the organisation can get behind.
Seymour insists there is a huge opportunity for all hospices to work together to consider and promote the value of legacy to the sector. It’s the primary income source for 99% of hospices. As Seymour said: “We joined Remember A Charity, and I’d encourage other hospices to do the same. It’s a great chance to collaborate for a small investment that will make a lasting difference.”
Gail Cookson is fundraising director at WPN Chameleon

domain: sociology


text:
- Directed by Sam Liu
- July 22, 2016 (San Diego Comic-Con) / July 25, 2016 (US)
- Bruce Wayne/Batman-Kevin Conroy
- The Joker/Red Hood-Mark Hamill
- Barbara Gordon/Batgirl-Tara Strong
- Commissioner Gordon-Ray Wise
- Detective Harvey Bullock-Robin Atkin Downes
- Carlos Francesco-John DiMaggio
- Alfred Pennyworth-Brian George
- Reese-J.P. Karliak
- Murray-Andrew Kishino
- Mitch-Nolan North
- Parry Francesco/Paris Franz-Maury Sterling
- Carnival Owner-Fred Tatasciore
- Patrolman-Bruce Timm
- Jeannie-Anna Vocino
- Call Girl-Kari Wahlgren
- Sal Maroni-Rick D. Wasserman
The Joker escapes Arkham Asylum and focuses on Commissioner Gordon and his family to prove a very disturbing point.
The plot of Batman: The Killing Joke is built around The Joker wanting to prove the idea that all it takes is one very bad day. One very bad day can destroy a good person. One very bad day can turn the good to evil. One very bad day can break a person’s mind and turn them insane.
Speaking of The Joker we get an origin story for him in Batman: The Killing Joke. I can certainly see elements of it were used in the film The Joker though to be fair this is based off a graphic novel. Not a lot but enough that that the use is obvious. Here The Joker is a failed comic with a devoted wife. And we learn what destroyed him and made him who he was happened to be just one very bad day. And now The Joker has decided to prove that one very bad day could destroy anyone. Very disturbing stuff.
We never get a name for The Joker in the flashbacks. Not even a nickname. What strikes me is that here The Joker was such a nobody before that when he became the Clown Prince of Crime that apparently the police and Batman were unable to figure out who he really was. How insignificant and forgettable are you to be leave no trail? Then again the flashbacks might not be true since The Joker prefers his past to be “multiple choice.”
Some have leveled complaints about this adaption. I can certainly appreciate their points. If you’re invested in something and it doesn’t come out the way you want it then I certainly see why they are upset. I personally did not go into this with any real knowledge of the source material other than the final few frames of the story. I remember picking it up in some bookstore when I was very young but never purchasing it. I just skipped to the end.
I can draw issue with the portrayal of the dynamic between Batman and Batgirl. He is the seasoned veteran and she is the amateur studying under him. That is fine. I am not even bothered by the student being attracted to the teacher thing Batgirl has going on. My issue is the seasoned veteran with no displayed emotion towards his student decides to boink her on a rooftop while in costume. That strikes me as a massive bit of poor judgement on the part of master strategist Batman. He is in costume in public and in a very vulnerable position. Anywho…
Batman: The Killing Joke is probably one of the more disturbing Batman animated features. I found it rather shocking at many points. There has been blood and violence in Batman films before but what The Joker did here seemed more, for lack of a better word, relatable than some of the other stuff that has occurred. Possibly because what he did were things that could most certainly happen in the real world given a twisted enough mind.
The story here is essentially two parts. The first half is the setup of the conflict between Batman and Batgirl who has been essentially studying under him for some time with the second part being The Joker’s plot. They are two very separate stories merged into one. Having only looked at the last few panels of the original narrative I’m not sure how the story originally played out.
Batman: The Killing Joke is well executed. There is an ever increasingly dark tone to it as Batman becomes more and more convinced that what is happening with The Joker this time is their final confrontation. The dialogue makes for some fine drama between all the characters. The Joker’s focus as always appears to be Batman but one could infer that this is all really about Gordon and the plot is because of Gordon. Why did Joker not capture Batman and try to break him instead?
What happened in the closing moments in the original story was clear to me and it is strongly implied here as well though not nearly as clear. Originally it was implied to the point of almost being obvious that Batman killed The Joker. Then again they are asking your mind to do the work and not handing you the answers.
Quality like this makes me once again wonder why DC or Warner Bros. isn’t handing over the reins of their live action universe to any one of the multiple creative minds behind their animated films. This movie is great and I think a live action version handled by the people behind it would be even better. It’s dark and gritty and disturbing.
The animation strikes the perfect tone. You see a moody, decaying Gotham City on display here plus it has that feel of comic book art. They create a distinct and darkly beautiful world.
Batman: The Killing Joke is one of many great entries in the DCAU catalog. This movie I highly recommend!


Apple Watch is a line of smartwatches produced by Apple Inc. It incorporates fitness tracking, health-oriented capabilities, and wireless telecommunication, and integrates with iOS and other Apple products and services.
An introduction to the unique technologies and interactions that make a new, more personal experience.
The smartwatch was created by Apple Inc. and announced by Tim Cook on September 9, 2014.
Features incorporate fitness tracking and health-oriented capabilities as well as integration with iOS and other Apple products and services.
Apple announced three “collections”: Sport, Watch and Edition.
Distinguished by different combinations of cases and interchangeable bands.
The watch relies on a connected iPhone to perform many of its default functions (e.g. calling and texting) and will be wirelessly compatible with the iPhone 5 or later models running iOS 8.2 or later, through the use of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Operates primarily in conjunction with the user’s iPhone for functions such as configuring the watch and syncing data with iPhone apps, but can separately connect to a Wi-Fi network for some data-reliant purposes, including basic communications and audio streaming
More stories: here


“Anyone here regret working in marketing?” A Reddit post asking this exact question is just a small piece of a growing pile of evidence: Marketers are finally infiltrating this under-the-brand-radar social media platform. And why wouldn’t they? Thousands of posts like this one spark lively online conversation among Reddit users, Redditors, every day, on a […]
The Internet is growing up, but not everyone is growing up with it.
Make room, Marissa and Meg.
The money was already there.
Change your Dropbox logins. Now.
“It’s a sex crime.”
Money for mobile apps and other improvements.
Let your audience ask you anything.
Hours after defending its reasons to keep it up.
Ask permission before using our stuff, says Reddit.
Flood your friends with feline facts.
Tag! You’re it.
Director Brian Knappenberger discusses his documentary about the pioneering Internet activist who took his own life.
It’s that time of the year again, where tech companies deliver humor as part of their customer service.
A Q&A in which we Ask Him Anything.
An AMA from the all-women team that brought you Curiosity’s Mars landing.
Pinterest isn’t going away and it’s only getting bigger. Here’s why it’s the social platform to watch.
The social news site’s front page is now slightly more sanitary and friendlier to mainstream browsers—by design.
Samuel L. Jackson is shaking up Reddit today with a hilarious challenge: He promises to read the most upvoted 300-word comment as a monologue.
Bill Gates, Microsoft’s onetime supreme overlord and the current chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, took to Reddit Monday morning to allow users to “Ask Me Anything.”


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text:
George H W Bush was the first president to officially pardon a turkey atin 1989.
nothing They probably eat something; just not Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving is only celebrated in the United States.
The same way you do in the United States - by enjoying a turkey dinner and lamenting on what you're thankful for. The only real difference between Canada's Thanksgiving and the US's Thanksgiving is the date.
In the United States, turkey is traditionally served as the main course of Thanksgiving dinner. This tradition appears to date back to New England.
The first president to observe a formal Thanksgiving dinner in the White House was Rutherford Hayes. Abraham Lincoln actually celebrated Thanksgiving, but the event was much smaller.
Turkey is a Thanksgiving dinner staple.
The first annual White House Thanksgiving dinner was hosted by Sarah Polk, the first lady of then president James Polk. The dinner was hosted in November 1845.
No.Our view of the first Thanksgiving comes to us from the 1800's and when the history of the colonies were romanticized. It wasn't until 1860 that the holiday became official in the United States. The Pilgrims had a fast each year as part of their religion and when they broke the fast there was a big dinner. Somehow this became the "first Thanksgiving."
In 1621, turkey was not served at the first Thanksgiving dinner.
wich game is often wached after thanksgiving dinner
Thubway Tham's Thanksgiving Dinner was created in 1918.
Food.Food was on the menu at the first presidential thanksgiving dinner!:)
James Polk's wife sarha Polk
East Harlem Council for Human Services host a free thanksgiving dinner.
The number of people at the average Thanksgiving dinner in a community depends on the size of families and their extended families, as people tend to eat Thanksgiving dinner with their families.
The popular root of a Thanksgiving dinner is a yam. Other Thanksgiving foods are turkey, mashed potatoes, ham, and assorted vegetables.
In the United States there are no foods that are special for Mother's Day like there are for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mothers are sometimes treated to breakfast in bed and/or are treated to their favorite foods for dinner. Many children treat their mothers to dinner at nice restaurants on Mother's Day.
Turkey is the main dish of the Thanksgiving dinner.
The cost for Thanksgiving dinner at the Hometown Buffet can range from under $15 to over $20. Thanksgiving dinner prices at the Hometown Buffet can vary greatly, depending on location.
First lady, Sarah Polk, hosted the first Thanksgiving in the White House in 1845. She was the wife of President James Polk. They also put up the first Christmas tree.
Many turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving dinner.
The Parson's Thanksgiving Dinner - 1908 was released on: USA: 19 November 1908


text:
Deadline: March 31, 2012
Established in 1989 when the Wellington Branch of the Herbert Sutcliffe Schools of Radiant Living gave to the University a capital sum of $100,000 (being the proceeds from the sale of its premises) as an endowment for one or more Scholarships each year in the general area of the Humanities. A further $30,000 a year over the next ten years was to be added to the endowment, in connection with the sale of the world headquarters of the movement at Havelock North. The deed of gift specifies that up to 50% of the scholarship money each year may be made available to help needy or disadvantaged students and in particular students from groups who at present are under-represented among the students at the University.
Recommendations about the use of the available scholarship money will be made from time to time by the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. In some cases, applications may be invited. In other cases, awards may be made directly.
Purpose of award
For students who are enrolled on a full-time basis for the final year of a BA, BEd, BMus or BA(Hons), BMus(Hons) or first year of a MEd and who are facing financial hardship.
For academically worthy students who:
(a) are experiencing financial hardship (especially, but not exclusively, students from groups currently under-represented at Victoria University of Wellington); and
(b) who are enrolled on a full-time basis for the final year of a BA, BEd, BMus or BA(Hons), BMus(Hons) or first year of a MEd.
How do students apply?
Application forms available from this link and from Scholarships Office
For guidelines, application forms and more information about this award contact:
The Scholarships Office
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600
Phone: (04) 463 5113 or (04)463 5557

domain: finance


Typically in the RC community, radio control boats rely on small nitro engines or electric motors to get around. Fitted with traditional propellers, they’re capable of great speed and performance. Of course, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, as [Integza] shows with his latest build.
As far as the boat side of things is concerned, it’s a basic 3D printed single hull design. The innovation comes in the drivetrain, instead. The boat uses compressed air for propulsion, stored in a battery of four soda bottles, pressurized to 6 bar. The compressed air is used to drive a Tesla turbine of [Integza]’s design, which is 3D printed on a resin printer. Rather then driving a propeller, the Tesla turbine instead turns a Lily impeller, which pulls the boat through the water rather than pushing it along. The impeller uses a nature-inspired design, hence the name, and was also 3D printed, making producing its complex geometry a cinch. The guts of a toy radio control car are then used to control the boat.
Understandably, performance is less than stellar. The limited reserves of compressed air can’t propel the boat long, and the combination of the high RPM Tesla turbine and Lily impeller don’t provide a lot of thrust. However, the boat does move under its own power, demonstrating these oddball technologies while doing so.
[Integza] has been working with these technologies for a while; we featured an earlier Tesla turbine build back in 2018. Video after the break.


Jill Duggar Dating Without The Big Kiss
Fresh from kickoff of a new season of 19 Kids & Counting on TLC, Jill Duggar talks about courting the Duggar way. Duggar courting involves saving that 1st kiss for the wedding day. Jill’s wedding day is fast approaching, with the nuptials planned for June of 2014.
Jill’s Advice To Other Teen Girls
Whether one agrees with the Duggars’ courting rules or not, many girls can benefit from Jill Duggar’s advice. Also, Jill talks about how she fell in love with her soon-to-be husband, Derick Dillard, and offers up stories from her new book, Growing Up Duggar.
More From Jill Duggar on Family, Faith & Upcoming Wedding
Jill Duggar’s interview on Channelmom uploads soon to CM Podcasts or find out more at The Duggar Family blog.


After almost a year, roads blockaded by protesting farmers at Singhu border have been vacated; however, it will be some time before they become fully operational for all vehicles
On December 15, around 10:00 pm the porous border between Delhi and Haryana, near Singhu, was reopened. This came close on the heels of the protesting farmers vacating the protest site after a successful campaign against the three contentious farm laws.
However, despite the farmers vacating the area, the roads near the border, which had been closed for around a year, still bore the signs of the protests. Holes in the middle of the road, ditches, barricading and cement blocks.
While work was in full swing to reopen roads from Haryana to Delhi for vehicular movement, the road on the Delhi side (Singhola) was still blocked. Cranes had been deployed to demolish the cement blocks and remove the barricading that had been erected at the height of the protests to keep the farmers from entering Delhi.
At Sonipat- Delhi Border, we met Ashish Kumar, an engineer with Welspun Group, which had been tasked with making the roads motorable again. When we asked Ashish about the opening of the road for commuters, he said “Today evening roads from Haryana side will become functional”. Responding to the query of why it was taking so long to reopen the roads for commuters despite the farmers vacating the spot, he informed us that “There were nails cemented on the ground, big cement blocks were erected and trenches were dug to stop farmers from entering the national capital. We have demolished cement blocks and filled the trenches, but it will take time to completely reopen the road”. In the meantime, he informs, that the road has become serviceable for small vehicles but heavy vehicles have to use alternative roads, the Nathupur and Jati roads, which commuters were using during the protest”.
However, the alternative route from Singhu to Narela, used by people to enter Delhi, is in a deplorable condition. The narrow streets are packed with vehicles, with traffic moving at snail’s pace.
Mani Ram Shukla, a auto rickshaw driver stuck in the traffic, despite the cacophony of blaring horns, seemed to be happy. Asked about this, he said, “Now that the farmers have vacated the site, our work which was badly affected for the last one year will again shoot up. I was making Rs 400-500 a day, while the road was blocked, but now I earn around Rs 1,000 a day”.
He went on to explain that the protest had brought his work to a standstill, and though he thought the farmers’ fight was important, the continuous traffic jams lasting two to three hours, coupled with waterlogging and pothole-ridden service lanes, had made driving an uphill task. But “With the farmers having left, we can drive on the main road, which is smooth as compared to the side road” he said.
Sandeep, another commuter says “It was hard for people living near Singhu Border, but the protesting farmers were helpful, labourers and daily wage earners like us were having a three-time meal at langar”.
However, not everyone was happy about the protesting farmers occupying the roads near Singhu border and were relieved that the protests were finally over.
Kake, who runs a grocery store on the alternative route used by commuters says, “For the past one year, we have been suffering, I want to thank god that all this has come to an end. The constant honking of vehicles had made our life hell and pollution was also increasing. Due to the protest, our work was also not going well but now I think my sales will come back to normal”.
At around 4:00 pm, DC Sonipat, Lalit Siwach, reached Delhi-Haryana Border to officially open the road for commuters; while interacting with media he said, “Only three lanes will be operative for now, only light vehicles are allowed. I am requesting people to keep their speed slow, NHAI and administration have done a tremendous job and in 48 hours we have made the road motorable, which was occupied by the farmers for the last one year. We hope that people will support us and soon the road will be opened for heavy vehicles.” However, he did not disclose the exact date when the roads would be fully operational for all vehicles.
With inputs from Kshitij Kumar Ojha
(Cover: Heavy machinery is deployed to reconstruct the road from Singhu border PHOTOS: Anmol Nath Bali)


text:
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini will not be allowed to use any of the official cars bought for the late king until his role is clarified, the KwaZulu-Natal government has ruled.
Lennox Mabaso, the provincial premier’s spokesperson, told Scrolla.Africa that if they allow Misuzulu to use the vehicles this will mean that any son of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu could then demand to use the official fleet.
“Misuzulu’s role is still not clear because of the family dispute over the throne taking place in court. He has not been recognised by the law or the president,” Mabaso said.
Meanwhile, a Toyota Prado that was bought for Misuzulu’s mother, the late Queen Regent Shiyiwe Mantfombi, has been taken back to the manufacturer.
“We had to take back the car because the Queen was no longer alive and it would have caused problems with the auditor-general,” said Mabaso.
On Saturday King Misuzulu said there should be no confusion about who is the king.
Speaking in Nquthu at the 143-year anniversary of the battle of Isandlwana during the Anglo-Zulu war, he said: “I am your king and I am willing to work with you and take this nation forward.
“The kraal is almost complete so that my coronation can take place. The other government processes will follow.”
On Thursday, King Misuzulu’s uncle, Prince Mbonisi of eKhwezi, filed urgent court papers at the Pietermaritzburg High Court trying to block King Misuzulu from delivering the address at the commemoration.
His application was dismissed with costs after the court ruled that he was not a relevant person to block King Misuzulu.
The commemoration was funded by the IFP-run Nquthu and uMzinyathi District municipalities.

domain: news


Reclamation in Disguise
Pelindo III Accused of Reclaiming Land in Port of Benoa by Failing to Haul Away Dredged Bottom Soil
Balipost.com reports that Pelindo III – is vacuuming sand from the bottom of the Port of Benoa as part of the enhancement and enlargement of Bali’s southernmost seaport. This activity has prompted complaints from people living in the areas surrounding Tanjung Benoa and a local lawmaker.
The sand is creating reclaimed land surfaces that are rumored will be used to create recreational areas, tourist accommodation and tourist attractions. This psuedo-reclamation of land is taking place in an area not far where from where local Balinese have been involved in a bitter 5-year battle to prevent the creation of a large tourism development in an area once reserved for mangrove conservation.
A member of Commission I of the Provincial House of Representatives (DPRD-Bali), I Nyoman Adnyana, warms that if the modification of the structure and shape of the port deviates from uses deeemed suitable for a seaport this would be a clear violation of zoning regulations.
"The soil resulting from dredging should not be used to reclaim land. But the dredgings have been put on the shore and leveled. They say they want to use the (new) land for tourism activities, which would be a change of function (under the zoning rules),” said Adnyana on Tuesday, August 28, 2018. At the same time, Adnyana acknowledged that PT Pelindo III has been authorized by the Minister of Transportation to turn the Port of Benoa into a modern terminal for large ocean-going vessels. The Bali lawmaker insists that any work carried out by PT Pelindo III must follow the law and not offend the aspirations of the community. Local residents have expressed concerns that the dredging at the port will cause subsidence of the surrounding shores.
Adnyana insists that the authority given to PT Pelindo III is limited to creating a port and not to develop accommodation, recreational, and tourist attractions. These uses are outside the original authority given to PT Pelindo III and would be violations of zoning laws.
Earlier press reports even suggested that PT Pelindo has plans to build a modern hospital at the port.
Adnyana said the bottom soil produced from reclamation should not have been deposited on the shore and turned into reclaimed land, but should have been transported to a new location. Adnyana said that Pelindo’s actions amount to reclamation that cannot be done without following procedures, including the preparation of an environmental impact study and obtaining permission from the Denpasar Municipal Administration.
“If sand is being moved from the ocean to shore for reclamation this cannot be tolerated. Permission to build hotels, restaurants, and accommodation should not be given. If, however, the intent is to make the Port more orderly and doesn’t disturb the local environment, the it (the work) is needed and the dredging can continue.
Earlier, the general manager of Pelindo III for the Port of Benoa, I Wayan Eka Saputra, said the deepening of ships’ channels and dredging of the port are part of a mandates given by the Central Government. Adding, “We will certainly review the matter and try to make improvements. We will then communicate with all those involved.”
Saputra said that the sedimentation of the Port of Benoa happens quickly creating shallows that are not suitable for ships operating in the Port.
While all agree on the need to create a modern port facility at Benoa, the issue not being addressed by Pelindo is whether or not the soil dredged and brought to shore should be turned into reclaimed land or moved away to another location.


text:
Apple, Qualcomm, Concur Tech: Tech Winners & Losers
Samsung's Galaxy S III surpassed the top selling Apple phone in August, selling 18 million units to a reported 16.2 million units for the iPhone 4S, according to Strategy Analytics. Apple launched the iPhone 5 in late September and reportedly sold 6 million units prior to the end of the third quarter.
Apple said it sold 26.9 million iPhones overall during the quarter, a 58% year-over-year hike.
The San Diego-based company reported earnings of 89 cents a share on $4.87 billion in revenue for its fiscal fourth quarter, up 18% year-over-year and 5% sequentially. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the chip maker to earn 82 cents per share on $4.66 billion in revenue.
Qualcomm also said it expects a strong first quarter, as smartphone demand, particularly at the high-end, continues to be strong. The company anticipates revenue of between $5.6 billion and $6.1 billion, with non-GAAP earnings ranging from $1.08 to $1.16 per share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are currently looking for revenue of $5.295 billion and earnings of $1 a share.
Shares were rising 4.97% to $61.01 in mid-day trading.
The hosting software company earned 40 cents per share on $118 million in sales during its fiscal fourth quarter. Wall Street analysts were looking for 25 cents per share on revenue of $119 million.
Concur gave mixed first-quarter guidance. It sees earnings per share of 30 cents on revenue of about $121.7 million. Wall Street analysts are looking for 25 cents per share on $125.6 million.
Shares have rebounded from earlier in the session though when they traded as low as $57.70.
Interested in more on Concur Technologies? See TheStreet Ratings' report card for this stock.
--Written by Chris Ciaccia in New York
>Contact by Email.


text:
This is Amazon’s response to me and everyone else that sent an email to them –
Thank you for contacting Amazon.com.
This is an embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error for a company that prides itself on offering complete selection.
It has been misreported that the issue was limited to Gay & Lesbian themed titles – in fact, it impacted 57,310 books in a number of broad categories such as Health, Mind & Body, Reproductive & Sexual Medicine, and Erotica. This problem impacted books not just in the United States but globally. It affected not just sales rank but also had the effect of removing the books from Amazon’s main product search.
Many books have now been fixed and we’re in the process of fixing the remainder as quickly as possible, and we intend to implement new measures to make this kind of accident less likely to occur in the future.
Thanks for contacting us. We hope to see you again soon.
Customer Service Department
Amazon has decided to exclude “adult material” from some searches and best sellers lists. Adult material referring to books in the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) and erotic categories. Amazon has stripped these books of their sales ranking AND if you search for the title of the book on the front page, it won’t come up. For example, The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks by Josh Lanyon. It is a m/m romance mystery book. If I search for that title on Amazon’s main page, it doesn’t come up. It will come up if you go to the book page and perform a search.
This post at Dear Author sums it up very well. Plus you can follow on Twitter at #amazonfail.

domain: literature


If Tyson Foods owned agricultural waste, we might have cleaner water.
Trans fats have been an unlabeled part of the American diet until relatively recently -- a fact that makes a good case for the "precautionary approach" to new foods.
Big Ag argues food costs would rise if Washington state votes to label GMOs. Here's a closer look at why those claims are false.
We've devised the world's shortest survey to find out what kind of actions our readers are taking. You know you want to.


A tea towel is a stylish towel that can also be placed on a tray or a small table. Jacquard woven cotton towels by Garnier Thiebaut can be used as kitchen towels or as tea towels.
This magic red jacquard woven towel features the shape and name of Moulin Rouge, with 3 pairs of legs from the can- can dancers. Garnier Thiebaut gives its interpretation of the festive and audacious spirit of the Moulin Rouge!
Paris-lovers and pink-lovers will not resist this elegant design from Garnier Thiebaut's latest 2015 collection! Here are the most famous monuments of Paris: The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Le Sacré Coeur, the triumph arc and le Louvre. Woven in high quality cotton jacquard fabric, it's as useful as it is beautiful.


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The DNN (Deep Neural Network) algorithm can reduce background noise in real time for clear conversations without interference.
22-hour Battery Life
Enjoy Music Longer
The earbuds can operate up to 6.5 hours for a single full charge. With the assistance of a charging case, total battery life can be up to 22 hours.
3.9g Compact Body
Comfortable to Wear
The 3.9g swan-neck body is designed for long-term wearing. The 35°golden in-ear angle ensures a secure fit without sound leakage.
Smart Touch Control
Better Understand You
Answer/reject call, activate voice assistant, and make every operation at your fingertips accurately and conveniently.
When there is an incoming call
Press and hold for 1.5s: answer/reject call
Double tap left/right earbud: hang up call
When playing music
Press and hold for 1.5s: play/pause
Double tap left/right earbud: previous/next track
Triple tap left earbud: turn on/off low latency mode
Product name HAYLOU GT7Neo
Wireless connection Bluetooth 5.2
Communication distance 10 meters (barrier-free open environment)
Single playtimeAbout 6.5 hours
Battery capacity (single earbud)35mAh
Battery capacity (charging case) 310mAh
Charging time(earbud)About 1.5 hours
Charging time(charging case)About 2 hours


Former battle rifles used in CMP Vintage Military Rifle (VMR) games are infamous for triggers unsuited to precision shooting. While we may be able to lighten some of these triggers, there are others we can’t or shouldn’t, whether for safety reasons or to not violate the spirit (and rules) for “as-issued” VMR competition.
Many factors can affect a rifle’s precision (accuracy), and when we compete with “as-issued” battle rifles, we gain a real appreciation for what goes into our match-grade guns. When we shoulder and fire a vintage military rifle, we find stocks we strain to conform to, left-sided sling mountings that cause a list to port when we sling-in, and coarse sight adjustments exacerbated by a lack of rear sight adjustments and triggers that run the gamut from, “Could be better” to “No wonder they lost the war.”
Most military triggers, with some rare exceptions, are of the two-stage type. That is, pulling the trigger at first offers no resistance and then it feels as though the trigger stops against sudden resistance. That “no resistance” portion is the first stage. In this first stage, the shooter is merely taking up slack deliberately designed into the trigger system as a safety measure. Continuing to pull the trigger through that sudden resistance and into the second stage trips the sear and releases the firing pin or striker. When you visualize an infantryman’s daily job, including rough handling and dealing with gear, straps, loose clothing and all manner of transportation while carrying (or dropping) a loaded rifle, you can see why designing slack into a trigger that may get bumped or entangled is a good idea.
The trigger’s second stage is where we run into a problem with shooting vintage military rifles in competition—it is routinely too heavy for precision target shooting. We may also have to pull through a long, bumpy and sometimes “gritty” second stage before the rifle fires, and often the release point is not consistent or doesn’t feel so. It can be especially aggravating when shooting offhand and the trigger won’t break cleanly or with consistent feel.
Have you ever fired a Model 1895 Steyr straight-pull bolt-action carbine? If so, you know why we never see these guns at VMR matches. Among other reasons, the triggers are spongy and heavy. The trigger pull on mine is far too high to measure on a spring-type trigger pull gauge. You’d have to go to a gym to find enough weights to trip the M95 Steyr trigger, and there doesn’t appear to be a way of lightening it without modifying springs or other parts. Most vintage military rifles have triggers that are not too difficult to lighten, but do CMP VMR competition rules permit it?
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
While CMP rules don’t specifically permit modifying or lightening triggers, they do state trigger pull weight can be no lighter than 3.5 pounds on bolt guns and 4.5 pounds on semi-automatics. One can argue that this is a “don’t ask, don’t tell” invitation to lighten “as-issued” triggers, especially as CMP rules permit other modifications to VMR rifles while still considering them to be “as-issued.” In the end, the only official examination is when an official weighs your trigger before a CMP sanctioned match, verifying the pull weight and that the trigger is, indeed, two-stage.
Stoning the trigger, sear and other engagement surfaces is the usual practice for smoothing (and somewhat lightening) triggers and is keeping within the spirit of VMR competition when we consider the other modifications CMP permits, but the rulebook does not specifically permit modifying springs or replacing fire-control group parts.
“Careful Fitting” vs. Modification
The procedure for lightening triggers is individual to each model of rifle. Some are simple and well-known. Others, not so much. The No. 4 Lee-Enfield, for example, should not have a trigger-pull weight lightened to less than 5 pounds, regardless of CMP’s 3.5-pound rule. According to E.G.B. Reynolds in NRA’s British Enfield Rifles, doing so may cause the rifle to fire when taking up the first stage. Model 98 Mauser and some other triggers, on the other hand, can be improved by lightly polishing the sear-cocking piece engagement surfaces, a practice legal under CMP’s “careful fitting of original parts” rule. Removing a coil from a sear spring can lighten pull weight, but is arguably a modification and not “careful fitting,” as is installing aftermarket springs to lighten trigger pull. But the CMP Rules Committee, of course, has the final say; if in doubt about a rule or intended modification, submit your question to CMP.
There’s plenty of how-to information available, including YouTube videos, describing the methods of smoothening and lightening the triggers of various vintage military rifles. However, before you start, know that those engagement surfaces mentioned above typically have facing angles that are critical to proper and safe operation. Changing them even slightly by stoning, at times, may render some triggers unsafe. While many trigger jobs are not beyond the ability of the home hobbyist with decent mechanical aptitude along with the right information and tools, consider leaving trigger work to the professional. Smoothing and lightening triggers arguably constitutes modifying a safety device, and if you do it incorrectly, you may endanger others—and expose yourself to legal liability in case of accident.
The founding principle of VMR competition is to offer a low-cost alternative to formal competitions like NRA High Power in order to attract a new, larger audience of civilian shooters into marksmanship training who may then go on to formal competition. Certainly, a bit of tuning will make vintage military rifles more competitive, but every modification that CMP permits is another step on the slippery slope of turning VMR competition into another arms race, so it’s necessary to carefully limit them. While unpermitted modifications may go undetected, they violate the spirit of the VMR game and of competition. Every shot fired from such a rifle is basically stealing from other competitors.
Shooting the highest score at any cost isn’t what the VMR games are about anyway; they are about getting out to the range to participate in civilian marksmanship. Adapting to our rifles challenges our skills and puts the focus on our ability, and we act out a kind of living history when we compete with our old battle rifles. Pretty good reasons to shoot ‘em “as-issued.”
Read more: Lithgow SMLE Mk III Question


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When I was about ten, my father gave me a book of Shakespeare's sonnets, and for some reason I took to them in a big way. I can't imagine that I understood everything in them -- in fact I'm not sure I understand everything in them even now. But I read them a lot, and I can still recite several of them from memory.
Anyway, the other day I got an email about a new project to set some of the sonnets to music. I'm not actually sure whether, on the whole, I'm a particular fan of setting poetry to music, but I listened to some of these and I liked them, and thought some of you out there might like to hear them too. The music is played on traditional Elizabethan instruments and does, I must say, sound lovely. There's also a non-Shakespearean setting of a piece called 'Love is a Babe', which sounds like a very 21st-century title but isn't.
So -- here is a picture of the instruments being played, and I'm going to copy the information, and links, that I was sent so you can follow it all up if you want to.
Here's a link to I Fagiolini's "Love Is A Babe", an acapella piece that could very well have been performed in Shakespeare's time. And a five track sampler of more contempoary material, featuring the afformentioned Elizabethan instruments, including album highlights "Like As The Waves Make Towards The Pebbled Stone" and Cara Dillon's "Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day".
SHAKESPEARE: THE SONNETS
Shakespeare’s poetry. Shakespeare’s instruments. Modern songs. Out on April 23rd (Shakespeare’s birthday) Written during the time of Elizabeth I and re-imagined for the Diamond Jubilee year of Elizabeth II, these are the most precious words ever written about love.
Performed on instruments from the early 17th century, played by the cream of the world’s period instrument specialists, conceived with immense passion, commitment and integrity, Shakespeare: The Sonnets was recorded in London over the last 6 months.
Fresh from his success of recording an outsize Renaissance mass for a massive 40 parts that had not been heard for 400 years (and winning a Gramophone Album of the Year Award in the process), Robert Hollingworth, director of vocal ensemble I Fagiolini (also a judge on the UK’s Choir of the Year and involved in a number of films) was looking for a new challenge.
To a specialist of the Renaissance period, Shakespeare’s sonnets are an intriguing challenge: the most romantic and personal poems ever written but rarely set to music. All the lyrics are Shakespeare’s own and no additions made, although occasionally lines have been moved around to fit the contemporary song structures. Within this, the meaning is never altered and the emotional content of the sonnets is always sustained.
What is amazing is how modern some of Shakespeare’s language is: ‘Blind Fool Love’, or the ‘blues’ sonnet ‘No Longer Mourn’ - or the final track, ‘Love is a Babe’. Singers from all over the UK perform on the album, but finding players of these rare and ancient instruments ought to have been incredibly difficult. In actual fact, the UK is the world leader in modern performers on these recreated ‘period’ instruments, and experts in playing in period style. For example, Erin Headley plays the lirone - a 13 string cello-type which is so difficult to play that it has not been heard for hundreds of years. In fact Erin is one of only a handful of professional lirone players in the whole world. Also Lynda Sayce, who played lutes, Renaissance guitars and theorbo is the lead lutenist and a world authority on the instrument. Her theorbo (a type of giant Lute with a very long neck) is a copy of one originally made in Venice in 1608 and now housed in the Royal College of Music, London. It has strings lengths of over 170cm and a massive 2 metre neck!
The originals of these instruments are in museums and often unplayable, so modern replicas are now handmade to order by makers who have rediscovered this ancient art. A harpsichord and virginals can be worth £20,000 each: lutes, harps and theorbos £10,000 each. All the instruments benefit from stable temperatures with no air conditioning, often problematic in modern life. However the important feature of this project is its blend of early instruments and playing styles with modern recording techniques and the very modern groove. Percussion is played by famed drummer Geoff Dugmore who can usually be found playing with Robbie Williams, Rod Stewart and Tina Turner, as well as helping out modern day X Factor winners like Matt Cardle.
1) Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore. Sonnet 60
2) Against that time - If ever that time come. Sonnet 49
3) Who will believe my verse in time to come. Sonnet 17
4) How oft, when thou, my music, music play'st. Sonnet 128
5) O, never say that I was false of heart. Sonnet 109
6) Love is too young to know what conscience is. Sonnet 151
7) No longer mourn for me when I am dead. Sonnet 71
8) Thou blind fool love. Sonnet 137
9) Those lines that I before have writ do lie. Sonnet 115
10) When I do count the clock that tells the time. Sonnet 12
11) Shall I compare thee to summers day? Sonnet 18


Microscopy is the observation of tiny objects that are not visible to the naked human eye. High resolution objectives allow best image quality and various magnification levels to be achieved by means of eyepieces of the smallest specimens to be examined. Precise optics enable fast, accurate and detailed magnification of a wide variety of structures. With modern video microscopes, the image can be displayed directly on a monitor by exchanging the eyepiece with a high-resolution CCD camera. This enables a quick assessment of the structures to be evaluated via microscoe and simple communication between the examiners, saving time and results-oriented.
Figure 1: Structure and function of a microscope
General structure and function of a microscope
The functionality of a microscope is based on its components, whereby two components are decisive in a simplified way:
- The Lens and
- The Ocular.
The light source of the microscope emits light that penetrates the object on the slide. In the first step, these light beams are magnified by the lens. The so-called “real intermediate image” is created in the tube. This is magnified by the ocular (comparable to a magnifying glass) once again. Both optical components act like converging lenses.
Optical requirements for a modern microscope
A microscope must meet various optical requirements in order to achieve optimum results during microscopic examination. In addition to homogeneous illumination, this includes, for example, high resolution for the best possible magnifications. For a high and natural brilliance of the image, stray light should be avoided. A fixed incorporation of the different lenses ensures exact images and prevents defocusing. The maximum correction of image aberrations, such as the curvature of the image field, is opposed by the largest possible image field at the same time. asphericon offers effective and suitable solutions for the optical requirements of your microscope - time-saving, efficient and cost-saving.
Our wide product range includes a variety of high-quality spheres and aspheres with unique optical properties - available immediately in our StockOptics product range or custom-made solutions for you. The perfect imaging qualities of our optics ensure best results in microscopy, e.g. in the fields of biology, medicine, metrology or material sciences. Surface finishes from asphericon for precision lenses reduce reflections for razor-sharp microscopic images. Our wide range of beam shaping optical systems also offers optimum illumination of the object under consideration.


About Union Budget 2015
The Union Budget 2015 is going to be unveiled today by our Financial Minister Mr. Arun Jaitely. Everyone is waiting for this “#Acche Dino Ka Budget” of the Modi Government. Salaried taxpayers are contributing one-sixth of the direct tax collections, so they are expecting a lot from the Finance minister.
Let’s see, what are the top expectations from this Union Budget 2015:
- Income Tax Expectations: The squeezed middle people are expecting a high tax relief from the Finance Minister. Finance Minister often said that he will not burden the middle people with more taxes. The limit under Section 80C is 1.5 lakh, which is low. taxpayers are expecting a hike in this exemption limit as the fuel price has seen a fall this year.
- Foreign Investments: Foreign investors are seeking a big opportunity to do business in India with ease. They are expecting clarity for them from this budget.
- Make in India: To make India a Global manufacturer Hub, promotion of the “make in India” campaign is expected from Union Budget.
- No hike in prices: People are expecting no hike in the prices. Arun Jaitely has to make a balance in the budget papers without raising the prices.
- Hike in Service Tax: Service Tax on consumer goods may face a hike. The finance minister will earn profits by raising excise duty and service tax on consumer goods, televisions, etc.
- Real Estate: Corporate houses are seeking a cut in the minimum alternative tax from 18.5% to 15%. Real estate developers are expecting no taxes on unsold flats.
- Tech Companies: Tech companies are expecting an extensive use of IT in government and development in infrastructure. “Over the past nine months, the Government has set the right context and articulated its vision for India’s economic development,” said Bhaskar Pramanik, Chairman, Microsoft India. Campaigns such as Digital India, Smart Cities, Skill India require strong financial support.
- Education: The Education Sector in India is expanding at a very fast rate, but it is expecting support and extra attention from Arun Jaitely. The common man is expecting a change up to a minimum of Rs. 1,000 in the exemption limit of Education Allowance.
- Students: Students are hoping a rise in exemptions against education loans up to 10 years from the currently allowed 8 years. The service tax should be slashed, otherwise, education institutes may increase fees.
- Farmers: Farmers are the backbone of the country. They are expecting lower interest rates or no interest rates on Agriculture loans.
These are some of the expectations from the Union Budget. Let’s wait what will be there in Jaitelys’ Budget for a common man.
Catch Live Updates of Union Budget 2015-16
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Set in late 19th century Canton this martial arts film depicts the stance taken by the legendary martial arts hero Wong Fei-Hung (1847-1924) against foreign forces' (English, French and American) plundering of China.
Kabali is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language gangster-drama film written and directed by Pa. Ranjith and produced by Kalaipuli S. Thanu.] The film revolves around the gang war between Kabaleeswaran (played by Rajinikanth) and Tony Lee (portrayed by Winston Chao). Radhika Apte, Dhansika, Dinesh Ravi, Kalaiyarasan, and John Vijay also star in pivotal roles.
A mysterious guide escorts an enthusiastic adventurer and his friend into the Amazon jungle, but their journey turns into a terrifying ordeal as the darkest elements of human nature and the deadliest threats of the wild force them to fight for survival.
A few individuals in the medical profession are murdered or kidnapped, and the cop investigating the case suspects a doctor and arrests him. But is he the one who is behind these crimes? And why are they being committed?


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Nearly half of the private sector workers in the United States work for small enterprises, which also account for two out of every three new job creations.
If you run a small business, getting a business loan can help you launch or expand your enterprise, buy crucial equipment, or cover working capital requirements.
Knowing how business loans operate will help you discover the best loan for your company, which, when applied successfully, can be a lifesaver.
What Is a Business Loan?
A small business loan is a type of commercial financing qualified businesses can get from traditional banks, online lenders and credit unions. Businesses can use funds to cover the costs that come with operating and growing a business, including everything from working capital and equipment purchases to larger purchases like real estate.
How Do Business Loans Work?
Business loans offer financing to business owners in the form of a lump sum or credit line. Your company promises to repay the money it borrows over time, together with interest and fees, in exchange for this funding. Until the loan is entirely returned, your lender may need daily, weekly, or monthly payments depending on the type of business loan.
Loans for businesses can either be secured or unsecured. Secured loans demand collateral, such as real estate, equipment, cash, or assets, which the lender can seize if you default on the loan. Conversely, collateral is not necessary for unsecured loans. Instead, you usually need to sign a personal guarantee committing yourself to accepting responsibility if the company fails to pay its obligation as agreed.
What Are Business Loans Used For?
Business loans can be used for a variety of things. However, you will typically need to disclose your intended purpose for the money when you apply for credit.
Typical uses comprise:
- Startup costs
- Commercial real estate purchases and/or remodeling
- Cashflow for everyday expenses
- Debt consolidation or refinancing
- Equipment purchases
- Inventory purchases
- Business acquisitions
- Business expansion
- Business franchising
- Marketing and advertising
You may have noticed that the list above left out one important category of purchase: personal spending. Generally speaking, lenders won’t let you apply company loans to pay for personal expenses like buying a house, a car, or other activities that are irrelevant to business needs.
Types of Business Loans
If you need cash for your business, you might want to have a look at the seven types of business loans listed below. Finding the best alternative may be made easier by using a business loan broker.
A type of financing known as an SBA loan is supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which insures a percentage of the funds that companies borrow through these credit facilities. The lender may be ready to give money to companies that it might not have otherwise approved for funding because the risk is reduced as a result.
The interest rates on SBA loans can be competitive for well-qualified borrowers. What’s more, SBA loans typically range from $30,000 to $5 million and come with extended repayment terms—up to 25 years.
SBA loans, however, also have infamously onerous eligibility restrictions. Expect to go through a lot of hoops and wait a few months to find out if you’re eligible.
For these kinds of loans, a personal credit score of at least 680 is advised.
Another popular form of business financing that is repaid over a predetermined time period is business term loans. A traditional bank or an online lender can let you borrow money for your company on a term loan. Because online lenders often offer more lenient qualification conditions, newer enterprises typically have a greater chance of approval.
Typically, these loans have periods of up to 10 years, a maximum loan amount of about $500,000, and annual percentage rates (APRs) that begin at about 9%.
Which loan conditions you can obtain normally depends on your business’s history, annual revenue, and creditworthiness, including your own.
Working Capital Loan
Working capital loans are a type of short-term financing that can assist companies who require a cash infusion to support ongoing running costs like payroll. These loans are often in the form of a term loan, line of credit, or invoice factoring. Particularly seasonal enterprises may profit from a working capital loan during lean times when controlling cash flow is difficult.
Depending on the precise form of financing you seek for and the risk you represent as a borrower, the terms of your working capital loan may change.
However, the typical range for working capital loans is $2,000 to $5 million. As a general rule, loans with fewer qualification requirements typically have higher interest rates and fees to balance the lender’s risk.
Business Line of Credit
When you don’t know how much money you’ll need up front, a business line of credit gives a flexible option to acquire it. This is due to the fact that, like with a credit card, borrowers can use a credit line ranging from $2,000 to $250,000 as needed. You can also reuse your credit limit as you return it over the course of the draw period, and you will only be charged interest on the amount you actually borrow rather than the total permitted maximum.
A business line of credit’s draw period eventually ends, usually within 12 to 24 months, unlike business credit cards. The repayment period will start once the draw time is up, and you will be required to pay back any remaining balances together with interest. The time frame for repayment can be anywhere between six months and five years. You won’t be able to borrow money during this time using your credit limit.
Merchant Cash Advance
When your company needs money quickly, a merchant cash advance (MCA) may be a simple method to get access to short-term funding. In exchange for a one-time payment of cash, business owners provide the lender—often a merchant services firm—a percentage of future sales receipts. This sum plus fees is reimbursed daily or once a week by automatic clearing house (ACH) payments or from the company’s individual sales.
The faster loan application procedure and laxer qualification standards, though, can be pricey. Factor rates for MCAs typically range from 1.2 to 1.5. For instance, if the factor rate is 1.2 and the MCA amount is $10,000, the total payback will be $12,000.
Businesses that bill other businesses using an invoicing system can be qualified for invoice factoring. This kind of business finance is selling your company’s unpaid invoices to a factoring company. The factoring company will then take over the task of collecting the unpaid invoices and advance you a portion of them (typically between 70% and 95%). The factoring company pays your company the leftover balance after collection, less the factoring fees. For each month an invoice is delinquent, factor costs normally range from 0.50% to 5%.
Your company may benefit from equipment financing if it has to purchase anything from modest electronics to massive manufacturing machinery. The cost of the equipment being financed determines the loan amounts. While lenders frequently finance between 80% and 100% of the equipment expenses, they also frequently demand a down payment of roughly 15%. Three to ten years’ worth of time is available.
Business Loan Requirements
Depending on your particular lender and how you intend to use the funds, business loan requirements may change. The qualifications a lender could impose prior to approving a fresh application for funding depend on the sort of loan you’re applying for. Generally speaking, you might anticipate the following requirements:
- Minimum credit score.: A lender often looks at both your personal and company credit ratings. The minimal score needed depends on the type of loan.
For instance, you need a minimum score of 680 to be eligible for an SBA loan or a conventional bank loan, and a minimum score of 630 to be eligible for equipment financing or business lines of credit. Additionally, solid business credit is advised.
- Annual revenue.: Before you can get funding, some lenders may require that you have a certain amount of yearly business revenue. This demonstrates that your company can afford to make future debt payments.
- Time in business.: Longer-running companies are more likely to get their loan requests approved. Lenders generally demand that a company has been in operation for at least one to two years. Businesses that have been operating for at least six months are eligible for several types of financing.
- Debt ratio.: Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) and debt-service coverage ratio may also be examined by lenders (DSCR). Your DSCR compares your business’ annual net operational revenue to its total debt, whereas your DTI compares your monthly personal debt to your gross income.
- Collateral.: Secured loans require you to put up collateral, such as accounts receivable or real estate, that the lender can take possession of if you are unable to pay back the loan.
- Personal guarantee.: A personal guarantee is required by some lenders and loan types to protect the lender in the event of a default. In the event that your company breaches the terms of the loan, the lender will demand that you use your own resources to pay back the debt.
You might wish to check through frequent issues that might hinder you from acquiring a small business loan in addition to looking at requirements for business loans.
Understanding the procedures you must follow to qualify for a business loan can sometimes be just as important as knowing what not to do beforehand.