Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about ourreview process here.We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.The RundownBest Overall:Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master at Amazon"If you're looking for a new motherboard to match the 10th-gen Intel Core processors, the Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master is our pick for the best overall option."Runner-Up, Best Overall:MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon Wi-Fi at Amazon"The MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon Wi-Fi motherboard is a great option for AMD processors."Best Intel Z490 Splurge:Asus ROG Maximus XII Extreme at Amazon"The Asus ROG Maximum XII Extreme has been hailed for its excellent build quality and impressive cooling capabilities."Best Balanced:MSI MPG Z490 Gaming Carbon at Amazon"The MSI MPG Z490 Gaming Carbon motherboard will land right in the sweet spot of performance and price."Best Budget AMD:Gigabyte B450M DS3H at Amazon"The Gigabyte B450M DS3H doesn't skimp on the core essentials."Best AMD Threadripper:AsRock TRX40 Taichi at Amazon"The AsRock TRX40 Taichi is our pick to suit that need."Best High-End Intel:MSI MEG Z490 Godlike at Amazon"The MSI MEG Z490 Godlike has just about anything you could want from an Intel 10th-gen motherboard."Best Budget Intel:MSI Z490-A Pro at Amazon"The MSI Z490-A Pro might be your ideal pick, if budget is a factor."Best Intel Mini-ITX:AsRock Z490 Phantom Gaming ITX at Amazon"The AsRock Z490 Phantom Gaming ITX is the best mini-ITX board out there."
If the processor or CPU is the heart of your computer, then consider the motherboard to be the backbone. It's the crucial bit of infrastructure that houses your chipset and links in all of the other hardware you need, including your GPU or graphics card, memory, storage, ports, cooling systems, and really anything else onboard.
Given all of that, it's no surprise that picking a motherboard is a critical decision in any build. You can't just roll the dice and hope for the best with a motherboard: it needs to support the CPU that you plan to fit in and play nice with the rest of your system too. Besides, there are multiple motherboard form factors designed for different types of builds, and they come with varying features, ports, aesthetic touches, and more.
For 10th-gen Intel Core builds, we recommend the Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master at Amazon, a motherboard that can push your processor to the limits without breaking the bank (at least as much as some other motherboards). And if you're of the AMD persuasion instead, the MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon Wi-Fi is an ideal motherboard that supports both the latest generation of Ryzen processors as well as the previous one.
Before shelling out for your PC's new backbone, consult Ach5's buyers guide to PC motherboards to learn more about the various form factors and other considerations at play when assembling your build.
Best Overall:Gigabyte Z490 Aorus MasterBuy on AmazonWhat We Like
Cleaner looking that previous model
14 Phrase Digital VRMsWhat We Don't Like
On the pricier side
If you're looking for a new motherboard to match the 10th-gen Intel Core processors, the Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master is our pick for the best overall option. It's not the most affordable of the bunch, but also far from the priciest (keep reading), putting it in a sweet spot for the average enthusiast looking to eke out a strong performance from the latest-gen Intel chips.
The Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master has a cleaner overall look compared with its predecessor, yet it's also stocked with a vast array of what the company calls Thermal Reactive Armor—or various heat-dissipation methods, including a dedicated heat sink for each M.2 SSD slot. And it can handle some serious power, thanks to its 14 Phase Digital VRMs with 90A smart power stages.The 7 Best Processors of 2021
Runner-Up, Best Overall:MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon Wi-FiBuy on AmazonWhat We Like
Lots of slots and ports
Stays cool in useWhat We Don't Like
A little pricey
The MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon Wi-Fi motherboard is a great option for AMD processors. While it still supports 2nd-gen AMD Ryzen processors, it's really designed to help you make the most of the latest and greatest 3rd-gen models. Core boost technology helps you squeeze every bit of processing power out of your chip, plus the motherboard has four DIMM slots for DDR4 RAM up to 4,400Mhz or potentially higher when overclocked.
It's a well-stocked board with a pair of M.2 SSD slots that will support the upcoming PCIe 4.0 standard, and they're kept cool by MSI's M.2 Shield Frozr heatsink. In fact, cooling is a major focus on this board, including an optimized design for optional water cooling. Some customer reviews note that it may not feel as precisely and uniformly designed as some pricier alternatives, but that doesn't seem to have any impact on the overall quality for AMD fans.The 10 Best Gaming Motherboards
Best Intel Z490 Splurge:Asus ROG Maximus XII ExtremeBuy on AmazonBuy on B&H Photo VideoWhat We Like
Strong build qualityWhat We Don't Like
Just because Intel has switched chipsets twice since Z270 debuted doesn't mean these boards aren't worth taking a look at. Even at two years old, 6th and 7th-generation Intel CPUs are still great performers when it comes to gaming, video production, and general computing.
The Asus ROG Maximus IX Hero is one of the best Z270 boards produced and is loaded with features that still make it a great product today. If you're into air cooling, but you like to control your fans, this board is impressive. It has eight 4-pin headers and a breakout header for a four-fan adapter. This means you could control up to twelve fans with this bad boy with minimal work.The 7 Best i7 Processors of 2021
Best Balanced:MSI MPG Z490 Gaming CarbonBuy on AmazonWhat We Like
Understated designWhat We Don't Like
VRM heat sinks run warm
The Gigabyte Z390 UD is dirt cheap at $120 but still manages to drive Intel's latest processors well. You're not getting any frills here, though. There's no USB 3.1 or Wi-Fi, and don't you dare expect any RGB. However, it has everything you need to drive the basics.
The top, metal-shielded PCI-E port is a full x16 slot, and you've still got stables like gigabit LAN and USB 3 ports available. The Z390 UD even has an M.2 port available, which is fantastic for the price. If you're looking to overclock, or you want fancy sound or more connectivity options, the Z390 UD might not be for you. If you just need a board that provides the basics, you won't find a quality board for any cheaper than this.
Best Budget AMD:Gigabyte B450M DS3HBuy on AmazonWhat We Like
Solid performanceWhat We Don't Like
No USB-C port
No Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
This is exactly the kind of motherboard you want if you're attempting a dirt-cheap PC gaming rig build. It's a Micro-ATX board, which means it sits between the full-sized Standard-ATX boards and the Mini-ITX seen above, but it sells for considerably less than anything else on this list.
Luckily, the Gigabyte B450M DS3H doesn't skimp on the core essentials. It has 4 DIMM slots for DDR4 RAM, both HDMI and DVI-D ports for video output, and 6 USB 3.1 ports along with 8 USB 2.0 ports. That said, this kind of board isn't ideal for overclocking, plus it lacks USB-C ports along with built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth support. Hey, that's the price of cheap, but it could hit all of the basics needed for many low-cost builds.
Best AMD Threadripper:AsRock TRX40 TaichiBuy on AmazonWhat We Like
Can take a ton of storage
Stays cool in useWhat We Don't Like
Can feel overcrowded
You can build a truly insane PC for gaming or creative professional needs with an AMD Threadripper CPU onboard, but you'll need a motherboard built to handle that kind of intense power. The AsRock TRX40 Taichi is our pick to suit that need. Not only can this motherboard help you get the most out of a pricey Threadripper, but it does so with more of a distinctive aesthetic edge than we usually see from motherboards.
The gear design pattern suggests at a glance that this is a very cool board, but that “coolness” applies to the actual experience of using the motherboard too. Despite all the power in play, the TRX40 Taichi keeps heat in check thanks to its extra-large aluminum heatsink and fan. It's also built for speed thanks to the 2.5Gb/sec LAN port and Wi-Fi 6 support, plus it has a 20Gb/sec USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port onboard. Reviews point to this board getting a bit cramped under certain build configurations, however, so be aware of potential hitches there.The 4 Best Graphics Cards of 2021
Best High-End Intel:MSI MEG Z490 GodlikeBuy on AmazonWhat We Like
OLED status screenWhat We Don't Like
No USB 3.1 Gen2x2 ports
Talk about truth in advertising: the MSI MEG Z490 Godlike lives up to its name with capabilities that might feel like they're divine indeed. It's similar to the Asus ROG Maximus XII Extreme mentioned earlier on this list, but MSI's hook here is to not only deliver the kind of incredible performance you expect but also to augment it with loads of handy perks and flourishes.
The MSI MEG Z490 Godlike has just about anything you could want from an Intel 10th-gen motherboard… and more. It has 4 DIMM slots for up to 128GB of RAM at up to 5,000Mhz overclocked, as well as an INTERSIL digital PWM (16+1+1) with 90A smart power stage. Add to that a 10GB Super LAN port and 2.5G LAN plus Wi-Fi 6 support, and a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports. And on top of a comprehensive cooling solution, it even has a built-in OLED status screen to help you keep tabs on its running condition. It's expensive, no doubt, but this is a drool-worthy motherboard for anyone looking to go all-out.
Best Budget Intel:MSI Z490-A ProBuy on AmazonWhat We Like
Strong performanceWhat We Don't Like
NO PCIe 4.0
Little visual flash
Just because you want to run a new 10th-generation Intel Core chipset doesn't mean that you need to shell out big bucks for a motherboard. Other boards might pack more perks and style or hit higher performance peaks, but if you want something that works well and doesn't do any more than it needs to, the MSI Z490-A Pro might be your ideal pick.
It's not loaded with RGB lights (which you can add), but this motherboard supports the same 1200 socket and up to Intel Core i9 chips as pricier boards, and its 4 DIMM slots can push DDR4 RAM up to 5000Mhz overclocked. Customer reviews point to a well-constructed board that is ideally suited to mid-range and budget-friendlier builds, not to mention more understated ones that aren't filled with RGB light shows.
Best Intel Mini-ITX:AsRock Z490 Phantom Gaming ITXBuy on AmazonWhat We Like
Compact Intel board
Speedy connectivityWhat We Don't Like
No PCIe 4.0
Riser adds size
Last but not least, if you're keen on running a 10th-gen Intel chipset but want to keep your build compact, the AsRock Z490 Phantom Gaming ITX is the best mini-ITX board out there. It'll push out power like other comparable full-sized Z490 motherboards, with DDR4 RAM speeds of 4666Mhz or potentially higher via overclocking.
It's outfitted with the latest connectivity features, including Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5Gbps LAN support, plus it squeezes in a pair of M.2 slots for SSDs. Customer reviews point to it staying cool under pressure too, although note that this motherboard doesn't offer PCIe 4.0 support. Also, there's a PCI riser that extends upward from the board and could make it a tougher fit for very tight cases.
The Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master (view on Amazon) is the best overall motherboard for 10th-gen Intel Core processors, delivering impressive performance and strong cooling capabilities. For AMD builds, the MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon Wi-Fi (view on Amazon) is the best all-around option for most users, although, for both Intel and AMD, there are plenty of other options for more or less cash.
About our Trusted Experts:
Brittany Vincent has covered games and technology for more than 10 years, and was previously editor-in-chief of modojo.com.
Andrew Hayward has been covering subjects such as technology and gaming since 2016, with his work included in more than 100 publications to date.
What to Look for in a Motherboard
CPU support - Choosing the right motherboard requires quite a bit of consideration, but it really starts here: Do you want an Intel or AMD build? Once you have your processor brand choice mapped out, then you'll have to see which motherboards support the particular chipset you choose. All of the Intel boards on here are for the current 10th-generation chips, while there's a mix of AMD options explored.
Form factor - What kind of PC are you going to build? Do you want the full-size tower, a compact unit, or maybe something in between? There are three types of motherboard form factors: the Standard-ATX, mid-sized Micro-ATX, and compact Mini-ATX, and each has its strengths and weaknesses given the size, price, etc.
Ports and slots - When it comes to the nitty-gritty details, you'll need to dig into the specs and see what kinds of ports and slots found on any motherboard you're considering. How many USB ports are there, and what kind are they? Are there enough M.2 slots for the number of SSD drives you could potentially pop in? Do you care if the motherboard is ready for the future PCIe 4.0 standard? These are all things to weigh in your decision-making process.


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Season 3 Episode 7: Love Yourself, The Sequel. Featuring Lorna Muchemi
Manage episode 314950103 series 3170227
On this episode your hosts, Ivy and Hafare are joined by Lorna Muchemi, a digital content creator and 1/4 of Over25 to discuss body positivity, plastic surgery, content creation, going viral and more.
As always thank you for listening. As stated in the podcast, from now on you can financially support the podcast by sending your donation via
Mpesa to 0742509392.
We would really appreciate it and it would go a long way in keeping us going.
Follow us on our socials
@survivingnairobi on IG and @survivenairobi on Twitter
Hafare - @hafare_ on Twitter and @hafare on IG
Ivy - @iv_ey on Twitter and @callmedjiv on IG
Lorna Muchemi - @lornziemuchemi on IG

domain: entertainment


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Police Wednesday were in a standoff with an LAPD detective’s girlfriend who has barricaded herself inside a San Fernando Valley home.
The Los Angeles Police Department received a domestic violence call around 12:15 a.m. in the 14000 block of Lemay Street in Van Nuys.
When officers arrived on scene, they located the victim’s boyfriend who had sustained minor injuries, according to Capt. Andy Neiman.
The woman, who was a former LA city employee possibly in her 50s or 60s, was refusing to cooperate.
“We’ve heard a rumor that there is an AK-47 – that has not been verified at this time, so we are working on that assumption and out of an abundance of caution we are going to move very slowly,” Neiman said. “Our SWAT team is going to do everything they can do this very peacefully and very methodically.”
Officers were called to the same residence Tuesday for a domestic violence incident, but no crime was involved, he said.
Three nearby homes were evacuated.
Residents were asked to avoid Kester Avenue south of Van Nuys Boulevard and north of Victory. Van Nuys High School was not affected.
SOURCE: CBS Los Angeles

domain: sociology


A performance kitchen is nothing new to many independent pizzerias. Tossing dough and handcrafting pizza in front of a jaw-dropped audience of eager patrons is what the open-concept pizzerias thrive on. Domino’s Pizza is introducing a concept built around its open kitchen in Austin, Texas. The pizza company is calling it Pizza Theater. For more on Domino’s Pizza Theater, CLICK HERE.
Domino’s is not alone. Other major chains have also introduced similar concepts. Papa Murphy’s, known for its take-n-bake style, rolled out a prototype store called Create, applying a contemporary design to take-n-bake. Where Papa Murphy’s dough-making process is done behind the scenes, Create’s new open kitchen is its centerpiece. To read more about Papa Murphy’s new concept, CLICK HERE.


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The first group of molds that I will make is for the tail cone. There are 5 separate molds involved. The tail cone mold will consist of three separate pieces: left lower section, right lower section, and the third part is the curved upper surface of the tail cone. I also added two access panels … Continue reading Building molds for the tail cone
As I was shaping and finishing the rear section of the velomobile plug, I ended up with 2 different and distinct designs left and right, mostly caused by my being over-zealous with the hot wire foam cutter on the left side. After thinking and musing about it I decided the right side was a more … Continue reading The plug is completed!
I ordered a rear suspension kit from Katanga, to install on the Zephyr. The suspension was designed as an upgrade/retrofit for the WAW. It moves the rear axle rearward by about 2 inches, using a virtual pivot design. The kit arrived mostly assembled, and the small bolts were taped in the hole for shipping. The … Continue reading Designing for the rear suspension
I cut up a couple vinyl sign riders, to create some quick measurement guides for checking the symmetry on my plug: https://flic.kr/p/2hY6AUK The upper guide is 48 centimeters between the left and right points, and at top middle there is a small point. The small point lines up on the centerline so I can check … Continue reading Symmetry and other fun stuff!
I'm creating my own velomobile for varied reasons, whether for customizing the fit or trying to wring out any aerodynamic improvements I can. Most decisions have a trade-off though; I may gain some aerodynamic advantage by making a change, but that may mean I give up something else. Some of the aerodynamic tweaks that I'm … Continue reading Trade-offs
Our Thanksgiving travel plans were canceled at the last minute, due to some family health concerns. So we were home for the long weekend, which gave me lots of time to continue working on the plug! The hot wire cutter is still working well, I've only had to replace the stainless steel wire one time … Continue reading The curves are showing up!
I know that I could do my velomobile design work on a 3D program, and cut out templates for each 2" slice of my design, but I want to do it "old school" - glue a bunch of pieces of foam together, and then sculpt the design from a huge foam block! So I cut … Continue reading Working on the foam Plug
To build the plug for this creation I've decided to use polystyrene insulation board, commonly found in home improvement stores. This is different than the polyisocyanurate foam I have worked with in the past. Using this material will bring up a couple things that are new to me. First is that auto body filler (ABF) … Continue reading Starting to Design my velomobile
I didn't think I'd be doing this.... I was just having fun figuring out composites work, making myself some truly custom pieces. Yet here we are 😉 https://vimeo.com/368685335 So, a fair question is: Why? Well I certainly know it's going to require a lot of work and time. And as someone asked, "you own 2 … Continue reading Designing my own Velomobile!
I like to ride with an action camera on my velomobile rides. It's nice to be able to put together a video of a particularly fun ride or event. But it's also nice to have video evidence in case a vehicle driver does something stupid or dangerous. My first camera was an early edition GoPro … Continue reading Creating a Camera/Fly6 pylon

domain: hobby


MK Diamond 157222 MK-170 1/3-Horsepower 7-Inch Bench Wet Tile Saw Description Product description It is a great little tabletop saw that is perfect for the weekend do-it-yourselfer. It’s easy to set up, very lightweight and precise. The 1/3 hp motor provides a number of power for projects like cutting counters or floor tiles. The sliding platform allows you to move your work into the blade with a smooth and controlled motion giving you square and accurate cuts every time. This 7 in. versatile and compact tabletop tile saw is designed for the do-it-yourselfer with a high torque, universal motor. It is a great little tabletop saw that is perfect for the weekend do-it-yourselfer. Its easy to set up, very lightweight and precise. The 1/3 hp motor provides a number of power for projects like cutting counters or floor tiles. The sliding platform allows you to move your work into the blade with a smooth and controlled motion giving you square and accurate cuts every time. It comes with a 7-inch diamond saw blade that cuts a maximum of 12-inch square, a water pump and adjustable rip guide. Great value for the money. –Jodi Johnson See all Product description Features: 7-inch bench wet tile saw1/3-horsepower engine for high torque (5500 rpm) and powerHigh-have an effect on thermoplastic water reservoir will not rust or peelIncludes saw, 7-inch diamond blade, submersible water pump, adjustable rip guide15 pounds; 1-year warranty Handling Most order ship within 24 hours. We ship to the address that is at eBay when your order is placed. Please make sure your mailing address is correct before placing your order. In order for us to provide excellent service to eBay and our customers we have a limited time period to fulfill and ship orders. We are unable to make change to orders after they are placed. Delivery We Do Not Ship Outside of the Continental US. P.O. Boxes APO/FPO (military addresses) Please contact us to confirm the item can be shipped to your address Return Policy All items qualify for returns within 30 days of receipt. Buyer is responsible for return shipping on any item that is not damaged. To arrange for a RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) we will have to be contacted through eBay. If you don’t seem to be satisfied with the purchase, please contact us through eBay to get to the bottom of any problems. Feedback We take our reputation seriously, we buy and sell online, so we understand the value of believe. In case you are unsatisfied with your order, please contact us and we can work with you to get to the bottom of it to your satisfaction.


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Rita Ora Bobs to the Beat with a New ‘Do
Rita Ora switched up her look once again with a brand new bob!
While we’ve seen snaps of the songstress rocking shorter locks (noticeably during her DKNY fragrance shoot), she spent time in a set of extensions lately. She surprised everyone last week by walking the Moschino runway with fellow bobbed beauty, Katy Perry, with her own version of the cut. She turned to celeb stylist Chris Appleton to shed the extensions and shorten the length with a piecey finish!
Ora shared a slew of pictures of her new look over the weekend as the she took to the stage, posed with pals in Milan, and even appeared on the upcoming cover of Japan’s Ketchup Magazine. Aside from Perry, Ora joins Jessica Alba, Taylor Swift, and Jessica Alba – all of which are rocking the new cut of the year. (Sorry, pixie.) What do you think of Ora’s shorter strands?

domain: artistic


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Development Gateway Water Resources Management Nanotechnology and the Developing World
: "This study considers the impact of nanotechnologies to the Millennium Development Goals. The authors sought to identify and rank the 10 nanotechnology applications most likely to have an impact in the developing world. An international panel of 63 experts looked at applications in the areas of water, agriculture, nutrition, health, energy and the environment in the next 10 years. The top 10 nanotechnology applications identified were: -Energy storage, production and conversion; -Agricultural productivity enhancement; -Water treatment and remediation; -Disease diagnosis and screening; -Drug delivery systems; -Food processing and storage; -Air pollution and remediation; -Construction; -Health monitoring; and -Vector and pest detection and control. By Fabio Salamanca-Buentello, Deepa L. Persad, Erin B. Court, Douglas K. Martin, Abdallah S. Daar, Peter A. Singer, Canadian Program on Genomics and Global Health (CPGGH) at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics, April 2005.
Date: April 13, 2005

domain: literature


Jul 29, 2013, 12:30 PM EDT
Ex-Lotus man James Allison has a new home with an old driver of his. The former technical director at Lotus will become Ferrari’s chassis technical director as of September 1; he’ll make his debut in red at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Allison will work with Pat Fry, who will serve as Ferrari’s director of engineering. In May, Ferrari had denied approaching Allison for a role with the team.
The move reunites him with Fernando Alonso. They worked together at Renault last decade, and together won the 2005 and 2006 World Championships. After Allison’s departure from Lotus, Alonso spoke highly of him.
“I worked very closely with him and was world champion with him two times,” Alonso told the BBC. “Then I came back to Renault in 2008 – and in 2009, he was already technical director and we were not so successful with that car. But we saw the Lotus car in the last two years and there is no secret that he’s one of the top men here and we will see what future he has.”
There’s still 10 more races left in 2013 for Alonso to claw back the 39-point gap to Sebastian Vettel. It’s not impossible as Vettel proved a year ago, when he trailed Alonso by 42 after the 11th round of the season at Hungary, and with only nine races left.
But Allison’s task will be to help turn the Ferrari into a car capable of performing better on Saturdays, so that it can take the fight to Red Bull, Lotus and Mercedes on Sundays.
- Insight: Planning Andretti’s Sports Marketing promotional efforts at Miami and NOLA 0
- Remembering racing legend Raymond Beadle: ‘Once upon a time, I was the best at what I did’ 2
- Weekend wrap: Brad Keselowski rises up to Talladega challenge 0
- The irony of a winless driver winning a title in the new Chase still exists 3
- Roger Penske defends Keselowski, says other drivers “jealous” of his success 4
- What will NASCAR fans do now that their favorite drivers are eliminated from Chase? 9
- Brad Keselowski wins at Talladega on 2nd G-W-C attempt, advances in Chase 10


Britney Spears praised her skincare progress in a new Instagram selfie Monday (Aug. 3) while opening up about her early struggles with acne.
“When I was younger I never really had an acne problem until I did my first movie … I was so nervous to be on camera so I went to the dermatologist for stronger skincare products !!!” she wrote in the caption. “It cleared up quickly after but you have to be careful because prescribed products are very strong !!!! I remember waking up and saying wow it’s gone.”
She landed her debut film role when she was 21 alongside Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning in the 2002 road comedy film Crossroads. The 38-year-old pop star went on to explain how she’s now grateful to the sun for gifting her with “a natural glow.”
“Now I stay outside a lot and I give the sun credit for lifting my spirits and giving me a natural glow !!!!!” Spears wrote while detailing the origins of her pink flower crown seen in the picture. “It was so hot yesterday but look what I found …. my mini rose garden hidden in the back !!!! I put them in my hair and I thought they were exquisite.”
Spears’ longtime boyfriend Sam Asghari also lent a hand in lifting her spirits by commenting, “so pretty” with a heart emoji.
See Spears’ sunny selfie below.


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Updated: May 5, 2020
Loans, Tax Credits, & Tax Implications: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Public Law 116-136, 134 Stat. 281, 286-93 (March 27, 2020)
Enacted on March 27, 2020 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) contains several important tax provisions (and potentially forgivable) loan benefits for businesses and individuals to expand business access to capital.
In general, as stimulus support during COVID-19, borrowers may apply for different types of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, either administered directly through the SBA or through permitted third-party lenders. Although limited funds are available, there are several limitations with claiming the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and other tax benefits available under the CARES Act.
For example, by combining the [refundable against payroll taxes] Employee Retention Credit with the Payroll Tax Deferral under the CARES Act, employers may reduce (or receive a cash refund) their 2020’s Social Security tax and defer the remaining balance due to 2021 and 2022, subject to further guidance by the IRS and/or U.S. Treasury Department. Although the payroll deferral under the CARES Act is essentially an interest free loan, the amount payroll taxes incurred will still need to be paid in the near future.
However, employers must decide which relief program they qualify (e.g. PPP loan forgiveness v. Employee Retention refundable payroll tax credits) and intend to use because utilization of loan forgiveness options under the CARES Act may then disqualify the use of the both the Payroll Deferral and Employee Retention Programs to that specific taxpayer seeking financial support.
Regardless of whether your business pursues PPP loan forgiveness or Employee Retention Credits, taxpayers should also strongly consider whether their business is eligible (e.g. less than $5M in gross receipts) for up to $250,000 per year in R&D tax credit payroll offset opportunities as an immediate and supplemental cash saving opportunity in addition to claiming either the CARES Act PPP or Employee Retention Credit stimulus support. Taxpayers and recently formed businesses across all industries may qualify for the R&D credit.
Subject to further guidance by the IRS and/or U.S. Treasury, if your business does qualify for the R&D tax credit payroll offset, one potential tax strategy to maximize your cash flow in the short-term may include (1) maximizing and claiming R&D tax credits (non-refundable) against your business payroll taxes, then (2) applying the Employee Retention Credits (up to $5,000 refundable per employee) to eliminate any remaining payroll liability (which may even turn into a cash refund) to maximize both R&D and Employee Retention credits simultaneously.
Contact AndreTaxCo to learn more about the R&D tax credit, timing requirements for payroll offset election on original returns only, credit utilization, and other tax incentives to help you and your business in addition to the stimulus options under the CARES Act.
Another consideration to note, the IRS recently published Notice 2020-32 which clarifies the following regarding the tax impact to loan recipients under the CARES Act:
(1) No deduction is allowed under the Internal Revenue Code (Code) for an expense that is otherwise deductible if the payment of the expense results in forgiveness of a covered loan pursuant to section 1106(b) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Public Law 116-136, 134 Stat. 281, 286-93 (March 27, 2020). See also IRC § 265(a)(1); Treas. Reg. § 1.265-1 (prevents a double tax benefit regarding a “class of exempt income”); and
(2) Income associated with the forgiveness is excluded from gross income for purposes of the Code pursuant to section 1106(i) of the CARES Act. Forgiven amounts will not constitute cancellation of indebtedness income for federal tax purposes.
As further background, here are some of the key provisions (see summary list & specific subsections below) for individuals & businesses, summary benefits, and criteria for qualification provided or expanded under the CARES Act. However, be aware that additional rules and restrictions may apply.
Governmental Funding & Relief include the following:
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ~ up to $10M forgivable;
Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Emergency Advance ~ $10K forgivable;
Small Business Administration (SBA) Express Bridge Loans ~ up to $25,000 for disaster-related purposes;
SBA Debt Relief ~ SBA will pay 6 months of principal, interest, and associated fees for specified borrowers (excluding PPP or EIDL borrowers); and
Additional Debt Relief ~ SBA Serviced Disaster (Home and Business) Loans automatic deferments through December 31, 2020
Notable Business Tax Provisions include the following creations and/or modifications:
[New] Employee Retention Credit ~ up to $5,000 in refundable payroll credits per eligible employee;
Delayed Payment of Certain Employer Payroll Taxes;
Increase in the Section 163(j) Interest Expense Limitation ~ deduction increased from 30% to 50%;
Modifications to the Net Operating Loss Rules ~ temporary 5 year carryback & 80% limitation pause until 2021; and
Modifications to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) - e.g. allow businesses to immediately expense certain qualified improved property (QIP).
For Individuals, the CARES Act also creates the following:
Economic Impact Payments (e.g. $1,200 advance rebate) for 2020;
Expands the Charitable Deduction;
Relaxes Certain Rules Relating to Retirement Accounts; and
Exclusion for Certain Employer Payments of Student Loans.
Governmental Funding & Relief Options
In addition to traditional SBA funding programs, the CARES Act established several new temporary programs to address the COVID-19 outbreak as further outlined below.
*SBA Notice: PPP Resumed April 27, 2020
Note, the SBA has publicly announced resumed accepting Paycheck Protection Program applications from participating lenders on Monday, April 27, 2020 at 10:30am EDT. However, due to the limitation of funds available, and prior applications in the queue, it may be difficult for any new applications to receive funding approval.
The Paycheck Protection Program was established by Sec. 1102 of the CARES Act. The PPP was initially administrated as a $349 billion loan program (and since recently infused with additional stimulus) by the Small Business Administration (SBA) intended to help U.S. employers keep workers on their payrolls.
Pursuant to Sec. 1102 under the CARES Act, the PPP generally applies to taxpayers who have fewer than 500 employees (full or part-time) regarding potential qualification.
However, taxpayers with “small business concerns” (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632) can be eligible borrowers even if they have more than 500 employees, as long as they satisfy the existing statutory and regulatory definition of a “small business concern” under section 3 of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632. A business can qualify if it meets the SBA employee-based or revenue-based size standard corresponding to its primary industry. See www.sba.gov/size for the industry size standards. See also U.S. Treasury “PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)” (April 29, 2020).
PPP loans can be as large as $10 million. However, most organizations will receive smaller amounts (e.g. generally a maximum of 2.5 times their average monthly payroll costs).
In general, eligible entities for the PPP may include the following:
Businesses and entities that were in operation on February 15, 2020
Small businesses, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, 501(c)(19) veterans organization, or Tribal businesses that have fewer than 500 employees, or the applicable size standard in number of employees for the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industry as provided by SBA, if higher
Individuals who operate a sole proprietorship or as an independent contractor and eligible self-employed individuals
Any business concern that employs not more than 500 employees per physical location of the business concern and that is assigned a NAICS code beginning with 72 (Hotels and Restaurants), for which the affiliation rules are waived
Affiliation rules are also waived for any business concern operating as a franchise that is assigned a franchise identifier code by the Administration, and company that receives funding through a Small Business Investment Company
PPP loans may be forgiven, so long as you follow the specified rules. Under section 1106(b) of the CARES Act, a recipient of a covered loan may receive forgiveness of indebtedness on the loan regarding payments made for the following expenses during the 8-week “covered period” beginning on the covered loan’s origination date:
(1) Payroll Costs;
Compensation (salary, wage, commission, or similar compensation, payment of cash tip or equivalent); Payment for vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave; Allowance for dismissal or separation; Group health care benefits, including insurance premiums; Retirement benefits; State or local tax assessed on the compensation of employees.
Employee/owner compensation in excess of $100,000. However, the exclusion of compensation in excess of $100,000 annually applies only to cash compensation, not to non-cash benefits, including: (1) employer contributions to defined-benefit or defined-contribution retirement plans; (2) payment for the provision of employee benefits consisting of group health care (3) coverage, including insurance premiums; and (4) payment of state and local taxes assessed on compensation of employees.
Taxes imposed or withheld under chapters 21, 22, and 24 of the IRS code
Compensation of employees whose principal place of residence is outside of the U.S.
Qualified sick and family leave for which a credit is allowed under sections 7001 and 7003 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116–127).
(2) Interest on Mortgage (or other existing debt) Obligations (incurred before the "Covered Period");
E.g. payments of interest on any mortgage obligation but excluding any prepayments or payments of principal
(3) Rent (including rent under a lease agreement); and
However, section 1106(d) of the CARES Act provides that the amount of the covered loan forgiveness is reduced if, during the covered period:
(1) the average number of full-time equivalent employees of the recipient is reduced as compared to the number of full-time employees in a specified base period (period from either February 15, 2019, through June 30, 2019, or January 1, 2020, through February 29, 2020, as selected by the borrower), or
(2) the salary or wages for any individual making less than $100,000 per year is reduced by more than 25% as compared to against the most recent full quarter before the covered period. Reductions in the number of employees or compensation occurring between February 15, 2020, and 30 days after enactment of the CARES Act will generally be ignored to the extent that reductions are reversed by June 30, 2020.
In addition, pursuant to an interim final rule issued by the Small Business Administration, no more than 25% of the amount forgiven can be attributable to non-payroll costs. See Q&A 2.o. in Part III of the interim final rule, Business Loan Program Temporary Changes; Paycheck Protection Program, Docket No. SBA-2020-0015, 85 Fed. Reg. 20811, 20813-20814 (April 15, 2020).
*Notice: Lapse in Appropriations
As of May 1, 2020, the SBA COVID-19 website publication states the “SBA is unable to accept new applications at this time for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)-COVID-19 related assistance program (including EIDL Advances) based on available appropriations funding. However, applicants who have already submitted their applications will continue to be processed on a first-come, first-served basis."
The CARES Act contains provisions related to SBA’s existing Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The program operates pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act and provides low-interest (i.e. 3.75% for small businesses, 2.75% for nonprofits) long-term loans to small businesses located in areas that SBA has declared to be geographic disaster zones.
Small businesses can apply for up to $2 million in 7(b) Disaster Loans if they are located within the geographic disaster zones.
Although the maximum loan size is $2 million, applicants who apply for this loan may request an expedited advance (e.g. distributed within 3 days) of up to $10,000 from the SBA. This loan advance may be forgivable and provide up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing temporary difficulties or temporary loss of revenue.
Small business owners in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In general, the EIDL loan may be used for financial obligations and operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred. For example, Section 7(b) Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other costs, but are not intended to replace lost sales or profits and cannot be used for certain purposes, including to refinance debt, make payments on loans owed by another federal agency, to pay tax penalty obligations, repair physical damages, or to pay dividends to stockholders. These Disaster Loans also offer long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay.
Key changes to the EIDL from the CARES Act include:
Section 1110 of the CARES Act provides that SBA Disaster Loans will be available until December 31, 2020. (Note that the “covered period” for the Section 7(a) loans described above runs only until June 30, 2020.)
CARES Act similarly changes the definition of “small business,” for the purposes of a Disaster Loan, to include a company with no more than 500 employees, but does not waive the affiliation rules for Sector 72.
CARES Act also waives the personal guaranty requirement and the requirement for applicants to demonstrate that they are unable to obtain credit from other sources.
CARES Act provides for a $10,000 emergency advance (within three days of submitting an application) while an applicant’s loan application is pending, which SBA will not require to be repaid. However, the Act provides that an applicant may receive this advance while still applying for a Section 7(a) loan described above and that, if the applicant later receives a 7(a) loan, the amount of the advance will “be reduced from the loan forgiveness amount for a loan for payroll costs.”
(1) Any small business affected by COVID-19 with less than 500 employees
Including sole-proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed persons;
Cooperative with not more than 500 employees;
An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), as defined in 15 U.S.C. 632, with not more than 500 employees;
A tribal small business concern, as described in 15 U.S.C. 657a(b)(2)(C), with not more than 500 employees;
501(c)(19) veterans organizations;
An agricultural cooperative, aquaculture enterprise, nursery, or producer cooperative, that is small under SBA Size Standards;
A private non-profit organization that is a non-governmental agency or entity that currently has an effective ruling letter from the IRS granting tax exemption under sections 501(c),(d), or (e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or satisfactory evidence from the State that the non-revenue producing organization or entity is a non-profit one organized or doing business under State law, or a faith-based organization
(2) Businesses in certain industries may have more than 500 employees if they meet the SBA’s size standards for those industries.
Affiliation rules may apply when the SBA is deciding whether a business’s affiliations preclude them from being considered “small.” Generally, affiliation exists when one business controls or has the power to control another or when a third party (or parties) controls or has the power to control both businesses.
Pursuant to its authority under the Small Business Act, the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA” or the “Agency”) provides direct loan assistance to small businesses located in communities impacted by Presidential-declared disasters and disasters declared by SBA under its own authority.
The EBL Pilot Program, announced by publication of a notice in the Federal Register on October 16, 2017 (82 FR 47958), is designed to supplement the Agency’s direct disaster loan capabilities. As originally announced, the EBL Pilot Program authorizes SBA Express Lenders to provide expedited SBA-guaranteed bridge loan financing on an emergency basis in amounts up to $25,000 for disaster-related purposes to small businesses located in communities affected by Presidential-declared disasters while those small businesses apply for and await long-term financing (including through SBA’s direct Disaster Loan Program, if eligible).
Effective March 25, 2020, SBA expanded program eligibility to include small businesses nationwide adversely impacted under the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Emergency Declaration issued by President Trump on March 13, 2020 (“COVID-19 Emergency Declaration”). Because the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration covers all states, territories, and the District of Columbia, eligible small businesses under the EBL Pilot Program include small businesses located in any state, territory and the District of Columbia that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 emergency. This notice also stated that all references to disasters in the EBL Pilot Program requirements will include the COVID-19 emergency. In the same notice, SBA extended the term of the EBL Pilot Program through March 13, 2021.
EBL loans can only be made up to six months after the date of an applicable Presidential Disaster Declaration. For the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, EBL loans can be approved through March 13, 2021.
In general, the SBA Express Bridge Loans enable small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly as support during the COVID-19 economic disaster. This pilot program allows SBA Express Lenders authority to deliver expedited SBA-guaranteed financing on an emergency basis for disaster-related purposes to eligible small businesses, while the small businesses apply for and await long-term financing (e.g. SBA Economic Injury Disaster loan).
General Terms & Background:
Up to $25,000
Will be repaid in full or in part by proceeds from the EIDL loan
In support of coronavirus debt relief efforts, the SBA will pay 6 months of principal, interest, and any associated fees that borrowers owe for all current 7(a), 504, and Microloans in regular servicing status as well as new 7(a), 504, and Microloans disbursed prior to September 27, 2020.
However, this relief is NOT available for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans or Economic Injury Disaster loans (EIDL). In general, borrowers do not need to apply for this assistance. It will be automatically provided as follows:
For loans not on deferment, SBA will begin making payments with the next payment due on the loan and will make six monthly payments.
For loans currently on deferment, SBA will begin making payments with the next payment due after the deferment period has ended and will make six monthly payments.
For loans made after March 27, 2020 and fully disbursed prior to September 27, 2020, SBA will begin making payments with the first payment due on the loan and will make six monthly payments.
SBA has notified 7(a), 504 and Microloan Lenders that it will pay these borrower loan payments. Lenders have been instructed to refrain from collecting loan payments from borrowers. If a borrower's payment was collected after March 27, 2020, lenders were instructed to inform the borrower that they have the option of having the loan payment returned by the lender or applying the loan payment to further reduce the loan balance after SBA's payment.
For current SBA Serviced Disaster (Home and Business) Loans: If your disaster loan was in “regular servicing” status on March 1, 2020, the SBA is providing automatic deferments through December 31, 2020.
What does an “automatic deferral” mean to borrowers?
Interest will continue to accrue on the loan.
1201 monthly payment notices will continue to be mailed out which will reflect the loan is deferred and no payment is due.
The deferment will NOT cancel any established Preauthorized Debit (PAD) or recurring payments on your loan. Borrowers that have established a PAD through Pay.Gov or an OnLine Bill Pay Service are responsible for canceling these recurring payments. Borrowers that had SBA establish a PAD through Pay.gov will have to contact their SBA servicing office to cancel the PAD.
Borrowers preferring to continue making regular payments during the deferment period may continue remitting payments during the deferment period. SBA will apply those payments normally as if there was no deferment.
After this automatic deferment period, borrowers will be required to resume making regular principal and interest payments. Borrowers that cancelled recurring payments will need to reestablish the recurring payment.
Notable Business Tax Provisions
The CARES Act rolls back several provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) to help improve cash flow for businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. For example, the CARES Act temporarily scales back TCJA deduction limitations and provides tax credit opportunities as listed below.
For businesses forced to close or experience a significant economic decrease during the pandemic, CARES Act (Section 2301) creates a new employee retention credit (the Retention Credit) for wages paid from March 13, 2020 to December 31, 2020. “Eligible employers” are allowed a refundable credit against employment taxes equal to 50% of qualified wages, up to $10,000 for each employee (i.e. $5,000 maximum per employee).
Tax exempt organizations under 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code may also receive relief under the Retention Credit Program within the same criteria described below. However, governmental employers and any employer that receives a Paycheck Protection Program loan (Sec. 1102) are NOT eligible for the Employee Retention Credit (Sec. 2301(j)).
The Employee Retention Credit applies to:
The employer's share of Social Security tax under IRC Section 3111(a) (6.2% of wages)
The portion of the employer's and employee representative's share of RRTA tax under IRC Sections 3211(a) and 3221(a) that corresponds to the 6.2% Social Security tax rate
The credit is calculated on a quarterly basis. Under Section 2301(b)(3), if the Employee Retention Credit exceeds the employer's Social Security or RRTA tax liability for the quarter, the excess will be treated as an “overpayment” that shall be refunded to the employer. This refund owed to the employer as a “customer" even if it utilizes services of a certified professional employer organization.
The CARES Act creates a new payroll tax credit for an “eligible employer” for a given quarter if either of two criteria are met:
(1) Their 2020 operations are partially or fully suspended because of certain government orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e. stay-at-home orders issued by county or state authorities), or
(2) Experienced “significant decline” in gross receipts beginning first quarter 2020 (defined as less than 50% of gross receipts for the same calendar quarter of 2019).
In this case, the employer continues to be an eligible employer until the next calendar quarter in which “Significant decline” ends when its gross receipts exceed 80% of its gross receipts for the same quarter the previous year.
As such, shutting down partially or fully may qualify a business under this provision. Alternatively, if the business did not shut down entirely or partially, the Employee Retention Credit Program is also accessible from the time that a business experienced at least a 50.01% decline in gross receipts compared to the previous year’s corresponding quarter, until the gross receipts of a subsequent quarter increase to being only a 20% decline compared to its previous year’s corresponding quarter.
Qualified Wages Under the Employee Retention Credit
The amount treated as qualified wages with respect to an employee cannot exceed the amount the employee would have been paid for working an equivalent duration during the preceding 30-day period.
For all eligible employers, qualified wages also include health plan expenses to the extent they are properly allocable to qualified wages. Wages paid to certain related individuals are excluded from qualified wages.
The credit is limited to 50% of the first $10,000 in total qualified wages, including health benefits, paid to each eligible employee for all calendar quarters.
In general, wages that qualify are determined based on the number of full-time employees. This is calculated based on the average number of full-time employees during 2019, as determined under IRC Section 4980H.
For eligible employers with more than 100 full-time employees (based on average headcount during 2019), “qualified wages” are wages paid or incurred to employees when they are not providing services due to COVID-19. For example, employees who are furloughed or face reduced hours as a result of their employers’ closure or reduced gross receipts are eligible for the credit. See Sec. 2301(c)(3)(A)(i); and
For employers who had an average number of full-time employees in 2019 of 100 or fewer, all employee wages are “qualified wages”, regardless of whether the employee is furloughed (employee providing services or not). See Sec. 2301(c)(3)(A)(ii).
The limitation for wages paid for such employees are limited to the amount the employee would have been paid for an equivalent amount of work in the 30 days immediately preceding the period for which the employee is paid. See Sec. 2301(c)(3)(B).
In either case, under 2301(c)(3)(C), qualified wages include qualified health plan expenses paid or incurred by the eligible employer for health coverage to the extent excludable from gross income of the employees under IRC Section 106(a). These expenses are allocated to qualified wages as allowed by the Treasury Secretary. Unless otherwise provided by the Secretary, the allocation shall be treated as properly made if it is on a pro-rata basis among employees and periods of coverage (during the COVID-19 emergency period).
This section has a “Denial of Double Benefit” provision to prevent “double dipping.” Any wages taken into account determining the credit allowed for the Employee Retention Program CANNOT be taken into account for:
Wages taken into account under IRC Section 45S (income tax credit for paid family and medical leave);
Wages taken into account under sections 7001 and 7003 of the Families First Coronavirus Act (provides payroll tax credits for paid leave required to be provided by small employers);
Wages paid to ineligible individuals specified in IRC Section 51(i)(1) (e.g. dependents who are employees, individuals who own 50% or more of company stock, fiduciaries, etc.); and
Wages paid to an employee in which the employer is allowed, and claims, a Work Opportunity Credit under IRC Section 51.
Similar to certain other tax credits, no deduction is allowed for qualified wages claimed as an Employee Retention Credit. An eligible employer can also elect not to have the credit apply. Note, certain other rules may prevent the double counting of credits.
The Section 2302 of the CARES Act delays required federal tax deposits for certain employer payroll taxes and self-employment taxes incurred between March 27, 2020 (enactment date) and December 31, 2020. Amounts will be considered timely paid if 50% of the deferred amount is paid by December 31, 2021, and the remainder by December 31, 2022. This provision is NOT a waiver, but a deferral.
However, this provision does not apply to employers who have a covered small business loan forgiven under Section 1106 ("LOAN FORGIVENESS") of the Act.
Employment taxes covered under this provision include:
IRC Section 3111(a): employer's share of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Tax (Social Security), currently set to 6.2% of wages up to the wage base ($137,700 in 2020)
The employer's and employee representative's share of Tier 1 Railroad Retirement Tax Act (RRTA) tax under Internal Revenue Code Sections 3211(a) and 3221(a) (only for railroad employers, and the 6.2% portion that coincides with the Social Security Tax due)
Self-employed individuals: the equivalent amount of Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA) tax due on net earnings from self-employment under IRC Section 1401(a) (50% of the 12.4% tax)
Deferral may be used by employers that remit payroll taxes via an agent under IRC Section 3504 or certified professional employer organization. Where an employer directs a third party to defer the applicable tax payments, employers may be solely liable for making timely deposits under the deadlines set through the CARES Act, including those related to worksite employees performing services for a certified professional employer organization customer during the covered period.
It is important to note that not all payroll taxes are covered by this provision, including,
federal income tax withholding,
Medicare tax, or
employees’ share of Social Security Tax.
Additionally, there is no dollar cap on the wages that are counted in calculating the taxes that may be deferred.
As previously noted, employers that take advantage of the Small Business Act loan through the Paycheck Protection Program enacted by the CARES Act preclude usage of the Payroll Tax Deferral program if the loans are later forgiven (“[Section 2302] shall not apply to any taxpayer if such taxpayer has had indebtedness forgiven under [the Paycheck Protection Program]”).
The Section 163(j) limitation on business interest deductions is increased from 30% to 50% (Sec. 2306) of adjusted taxable income for tax years beginning in 2019 and 2020. Importantly, for 2020, taxpayers (including partnerships) can also elect to use their 2019 adjusted taxable income as the base for computing their 2020 limitation, instead of their 2020 adjusted taxable income which might be considerably lower (or even zero).
Special provisions are added to allow partners in partnerships to benefit from the provision without the need for partnership amended returns (which have become complicated under the new partnership audit rules).
The CARES Act makes two temporary changes (Sec. 2303) to the net operating loss (NOL) rules to offer more immediate relief to taxpayers with losses:
(1) provides for a five-year NOL carryback period, and
(2) pauses the 80%-of-taxable-income limitation on utilizing NOL carryforwards.
Both rules apply to NOLs arising in tax years that begin in 2018, 2019, or 2020.
Under this provision, if a taxpayer carries back NOLs to a Section 965 (repatriation tax) inclusion year, the taxpayer will be treated as having made an election under Section 965(n) not to apply the NOL deduction against its Section 965 income. The Act also offers a special election to exclude a taxpayer’s Section 965 inclusion years from the five-year carryback period.
The Act also amends the effective date of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) NOL rule changes. The pre-TCJA NOL rules now apply to NOLs arising in tax years that began before January 1, 2018. Those NOLs can be carried back two years, and then forward 20 years without the 80%-of-taxable-income limitation. NOLs arising in tax years that begin after December 31, 2017, will have an unlimited carryforward period. Once the temporary rules expire, NOLs arising in tax years that begin after December 31, 2020, cannot be carried back, and when carried forward will be subject to the 80% limitation.
Finally, the Act makes certain technical changes to the NOL utilization rules. These changes are permanent, and will apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2020.
Modification of Limitation on Losses for Taxpayers Other Than Corporations
The CARES Act modified the TCJA's loss limitation rules of Section 461(l) for pass-through businesses and sole proprietors, and will now be delayed and only apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2020. See Sec. 2304 of the CARES Act. These loss limitation rules provide that non-corporate taxpayers can use a maximum of $250,000 ($500,000 for married filing jointly) in business losses per year to offset other income. For partnerships, S corporations, and other pass-thru business entities, the loss limitation applied at the partner/shareholder level, not the entity level.
Although the TCJA of 2017 made several changes to the U.S. tax code, a notable key provision was the new limitation on excess trade or business losses imposed on individual taxpayers. Before the TCJA, such losses were often unlimited as long as the taxpayer materially participated in its pass-thru businesses. Post-TCJA, Section 461(l) limited even participating owners’ ability to use net business losses to offset “non-business” income. This may include passive or investment income (capital gains, trust distributions, dividends, interest, and some rental income) and potentially W-2/employee income.
The CARES Act retroactively clarified that excess business loss calculations “shall be determined without regard to any deductions, gross income, or gains attributable to any trade or business of performing services as an employee.” As such, W-2/employee income is not business income and capital losses will not be included in a taxpayer’s aggregate deductions for 461(l) calculation purposes. A business’s capital gains, however, may be included in aggregate business income, but only to the extent of the lesser of (1) the net capital gain income attributable to the taxpayer’s trade or business, or (2) the taxpayer’s capital gain net income.
When Section 461(l) was first enacted, it was intended to limit pass-thru “excess business losses” for taxable years 2018 through 2025. However, the CARES Act removes the excess business loss limitation for 2018, 2019, and 2020. Beginning in 2021, however, the limit comes back into effect and will limit pass-thru loss deductions as previously legislated.
This new limitation (recently modified by the CARES Act) was enacted as an “anti-tax-shelter” mechanism, although it impacts taxpayers (e.g. small business owners) who generally do not utilize business losses as a tax shelter abuse device. The limitation was intended to restrict the ability of taxpayers (other than C corporations) to use trade or business losses to offset other sources of income, such as investment income. Trade or business losses have historically been subject to a variety of limitations at the shareholder level (e.g. passive activity loss limitations, at-risk basis limitations). This new overall loss limitation was intended to create another restriction on top of the other limitations that continue to apply.
Under new IRC Section 461(l), an “excess business loss” is the excess of aggregate trade or business deductions over the taxpayer’s aggregate trade or business gross income or gain plus a threshold amount. In general, the threshold amount is $500,000 for married filing jointly taxpayers and $250,000 for all other taxpayers (as adjusted for inflation). To the extent a taxpayer has an “excess business loss” for the tax year, that portion of the loss is disallowed and will become a net operating loss (NOL) that will be carried forward to future tax years.
CARES Act Amendments to Section 461(l) Summary
The CARES Act retroactively removes that impact by providing those taxpayers with refunds for 2018 and 2019, and removes excess business loss limits in 2020 through the following:
Eliminating “excess business loss” limitations for taxable years 2018 through 2020;
Clarifies deductions under IRC Sec.172 and Sec. 199A are not taken into account in determining the amount of a taxpayer’s deductions used to calculate its “excess business loss”;
Provides neither deductions, gross income, nor gains from employee services are included in the excess business loss calculation; and
Adds provisions relating to the application of capital gains & losses in determining a taxpayer’s excess business loss.
As such, prior to the CARES Act's delay of implementing the loss limitation to non-C Corp taxpayers until 2021, this new law limits a taxpayer’s deductible net business losses to the threshold amount for the tax year incurred, and forces taxpayers to wait at least one year before utilizing those losses in excess of the threshold.
Example: In 2021, a married taxpayer filing jointly has investment income of $1 million. In addition, she has aggregate business losses of $1.25 million. The taxpayer’s excess business loss is $750,000 ($1.25 million aggregate loss - $500,000 threshold). The excess business loss is disallowed in 2021 and treated as part of her NOL carryforward to later years. As a result, the taxpayer’s gross income for 2021 is $500,000 ($1 million investment income - $500,000 limited business loss).
This example illustrates how the new law could severely limit a taxpayer’s ability to offset his other income with his business losses and could result in a tax liability for 2021. However, as mentioned above, under Sec. 2304 of CARES Act, the taxpayer’s business losses may now be fully utilized until IRC Section 461(l) “excess business loss” limitation new effective date beginning after December 31, 2020.
For taxpayers that anticipate aggregate business losses above the threshold amount in 2021, they may need to engage in some additional tax planning and potentially prepare to pay tax liabilities where they previously would not have had a tax payment due. As mentioned above, a taxpayer’s excess business loss will become an NOL and carried to future tax years, subject to further guidance or applicable threshold limitations (e.g. 80% of tax income limitation).
Modification of AMT Refundable Credits
When the TCJA repealed the corporate alternative minimum tax (AMT), corporate AMT credits from pre-TCJA years were potentially available as refundable credits over several tax periods, ending in 2021. However, the CARES Act (Sec. 2305) accelerates the recovery of AMT credits and helps ensure all corporate taxpayers will recover AMT credits in full. Corporate taxpayers may elect to claim the entire remaining refundable AMT credits in a tax year beginning in 2018. Absent an election, the credits are refunded in the corporation’s tax years beginning in 2018 and 2019. The CARES Act also provides a procedure to file for a tentative refund to obtain these refundable credits within 90 days.
Immediate Deduction for Qualified Improvement Property
The CARES Act (Sec. 2307) amends depreciation rules (as modified by TCJA) to allow businesses to elect to immediately write off costs associated with “qualified improvement property” acquired after September 28, 2017, and before January 1, 2023. Absent taxpayer election, qualified improvement property will be depreciable over 15 years, rather than 39 years. In general, “Qualified improvement property” includes any improvement(s) made to the interior portion of a commercial building that is placed in service after the date the building was placed in service.
Temporary Exception from Excise Tax for Alcohol Used to Produce Hand Sanitizer
Sec. 2308 under the CARES Act waives, for 2020, the federal excise tax on distilled spirits used for or contained in hand sanitizer that meet FDA standards. This provision provides relief to distilleries that have shifted their production capacity from distilled spirits to hand sanitizer in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Notable Individual Tax Provisions
As further economic support, the CARES Act also provides various individual tax provisions during the COVID-19 crisis. For example, the CARES Act provides the following individual tax rebates and savings opportunities as listed below.
The CARES Act (Sec. 2201) provides one-time direct Economic Impact Payments for non-tax dependents with a work-eligible social security number of up to $1,200 for single filers or heads of households. Married couples filing jointly can receive up to $2,400. An additional payment of up to $500 is available for each qualifying child under age 17.
Economic Impact Payments are subject to phaseout thresholds based on adjusted gross income (AGI). The phaseouts begin at $75,000 for singles, $112,500 for heads of household and $150,000 for married couples.
The payments are phased out by $5 for every $100 of AGI above the thresholds. For example, the payment for a married couple with no children is completely phased out when AGI exceeds $198,000. The payment for a head of household with one child is completely phased out when AGI exceeds $146,500. And, for a single filer, it’s completely phased out when AGI exceeds $99,000.
Individuals who filed a 2018 or 2019 federal income tax return will receive their rebate automatically. For those who have not filed a return, the IRS may identify recipients based on information in their 2019 Social Security Benefit Statements. The Act authorizes the IRS to disburse advance refunds electronically to any account the payee has authorized for direct deposit of a tax refund or other federal payment since January 1, 2018.
Individuals who claim the standard deduction in 2020 will be allowed an above-the-line deduction of up to $300 for cash charitable contributions, except for contributions to donor advised funds and Section 509(a)(3) supporting organizations.
For individuals who itemize, the CARES Act suspends the 50% limitation for “qualified contributions” made in 2020. Thus, individuals who itemize can generally deduct qualified contributions up to the amount of their income, less other deductible contributions. A “qualified contribution” is any cash contribution paid to a charitable organization, other than donor-advised funds and Section 509(a)(3) supporting organizations, if the taxpayer elects to treat the contribution as a qualified contribution.
For corporations, the deduction limitation for qualified contributions is increased from 10% to 25% of taxable income, less other deductible contributions.
The percentage limitation for donations of food inventory is increased from 15% to 25%.
The CARES Act (Sec. 2202) waives the 10% early withdrawal penalty for coronavirus-related distributions up to $100,000 made from qualified retirement accounts in 2020. The income attributable to the distribution is subject to tax ratably over three years, unless the taxpayer elects to include the entire amount in income in 2020. The taxpayer may recontribute the funds to any eligible retirement plan as a “rollover” within three years, without regard to that year’s cap on contributions. The provision also provides flexibility for loans from certain retirement plans for coronavirus-related relief.
A “coronavirus-related distribution” is any distribution made in 2020 to an individual:
(1) who is diagnosed with COVID-19,
(2) whose spouse or dependent is diagnosed with COVID-19, or
(3) who experiences adverse financial consequences as a result of being quarantined, furloughed, laid off, having work hours reduced, being unable to work due to lack of child care due to COVID-19, closing or reducing hours of a business owned or operated by the individual due to COVID-19, or other factors to be described in regulations.
For 2020, the Sec. 2203 of the CARES Act also provides a temporary waiver of retirement plan minimum distribution rules for certain defined contribution plans and IRAs.
The Sec. 2206 of the CARES Act allows an exclusion of up to $5,250 from an employee’s income for amounts paid by an employer toward the principal or interest on the employee’s qualified student loans. The $5,250 cap applies to the combined amount of the student loan repayment and other educational assistance provided by the employer. In general, the payment must be made between March 27 and December 31, 2020.
As a reoccurring theme regarding the CARES Act benefits, to prevent a double benefit, the tax deduction for student loan interest is NOT allowed for any amount the exclusion is allowable.

domain: law


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By Andrea Plaid
As you know, the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) did the One Step Forward/Three Steps Back Dance when it came to rights for marginalized people. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-gender marriage and made rather questionable rulings regarding affirmative action and the Voting Rights Act (VRA), the justices’ ruling negatively impacted Native American nations’ right to their children and, ultimately, tribal self-determination. Colorlines’ Aura Bogado explains in the most popular post of this past week:
In a 5 to 4 decision today, the Supreme Court ruled that the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) does not block termination of a Native father’s parental rights. The court appears to have ruled as if it was deciding the issue based on race—when a better lens to understand the case, called Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl, is through tribal sovereignty.
First, some quick background on the case and on ICWA itself [sic]. Christy Maldonado gave birth to a baby in 2009 whose father, Dusten Brown, is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Because of self-determination, the Cherokee Nation decides who its citizens are—and because Dusten Brown is Cherokee, his baby, named Veronica, is Cherokee as well. Maldonado and Brown lost touch by the time the baby was born, and Brown was never informed of the baby’s birth. Maldonado decided to put the baby up for adoption, and a white couple named Melanie and Matt Capobianco took Veronica into pre-adoptive care.
So what does ICWA do? The act was created because of incredibly high rates of white parents adopting Native children; in states like Minnesota, that have large Native populations, non-Natives raised 90 percent of Native babies and children put up for adoption. Those adoptions sever ties to Native tribes and communities, endangering the very existence of these tribes and nations. In short, if enough Native babies are adopted out, there will literally not be enough citizens to compose a nation. ICWA sought to stem that practice by creating a policy that keeps Native adoptees with their extended families, or within their tribes and nations. The policy speaks to the core point of tribal sovereignty: Native tribes and nations use it to determine their future, especially the right to keep their tribes and nations together.
But leave it to the Supreme Court to miss the point altogether this morning. The prevailing justices failed to honor tribal sovereignty in today’s ruling.

domain: politics


At 8 p.m. EST on Tuesday, October 11, 2011, ESPN will premier The Dotted Line, a documentary about sports agents directed by Morgan Spurlock. ESPN provided a DVD screener of the documentary, which I had a chance to review over the weekend.
The documentary begins with Drew Rosenhaus, the most recognizable sports agent in the world, defending one of his clients. But Rosenhaus is certainly not the focus of the show. Instead, ESPN provides commentary from a plethora of current and former agents, NCAA personnel, and went through the recruiting process of a young, upcoming agent named Eugene Lee. Other than a clip of former NFLPA Contract Advisor Josh Luchs taking the cameras with him to UCLA’s practice facility to show just how easy it is for agents to gain access to college athletes, I found the portions devoted to Lee and his company ETL Associates to be the best parts of the show.
The cameras followed Lee, who founded his company in 2003, through the process of recruiting players at West Virginia, University of South Florida, and Notre Dame. He thought he would leave his meeting with the WVU player and have a signed representation agreement in hand. Lee ended up finding out from the WVU player’s high school coach that the player would be signing with a different agent. Lee signed the USF player and celebrated with his co-workers, only to receive a termination letter from that player six weeks later. Lee also signed the Notre Dame player, who went undrafted, but eventually was picked up by the Chicago Bears. The show provided great insight on the highs and lows of recruiting for the smaller, boutique firms. Eugene Lee spent a lot of time and money on recruiting and representing fringe players, and ended up losing out on signing one, was terminated by another, but worked his tail off for the third, who got picked up by a team after Lee put in even more hard work. The question is, how does someone like Lee actually make money?
Another segment of the show was devoted to baseball agent Peter Greenberg. Greenberg became one of the biggest
agents in baseball by focusing on recruiting and representing Venezuelan players. ESPN’s documentary displayed just how powerful Greenberg’s name is in baseball circles in Venezuela. Players hope to have a chance to sign with Greenberg. Typically, it is the other way around, with agents praying that they can sign top talent. The fact that Greenberg negotiated a huge contract for Johan Santana certainly helped the agent establish his solid reputation.
And then there was a segment on agent scandals. Quite a bit of attention was paid to Josh Luchs, who was recently a fabulous guest speaker in the Sport Agency Management class that I teach at Indiana University. Again, the part of the Luchs segment that stood out the most was when he drove his Mercedes right up to a UCLA locker room entrance and showed how easy it was to gain access to the players.
The documentary also included words of wisdom from Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports & Entertainment, who talked about the immense costs associated with providing training for clients, basketball agent David Falk, who talked about how trust is earned and that it is very difficult to succeed as an agent without cheating, and others.
Be sure to tune in to ESPN at 8:00 p.m. EST on October 11, 2011, and let me know what you think of the documentary.


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Service experience: 1 relaxing shop layout & a ask foring environment 2 costa express ( vending machine ) : a quick convenient manner. Morning coffee in costa del sol tricia is in charge she runs the group—a fact that is acknowledged, accepted, and never (to my knowledge). View this essay on costa coffee an overview what market is much like starbucks during the early years of its growth into an international company of renown. Starbucks primarily operates and competes in the retail coffee and snacks store dunkin brands with 246% and other competitors like mcdonalds, costa. Learn more about café bustelo's variety of cuban-style espressos, where to buy our coffee products, and about upcoming latin events near you.
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I also learned that the costa ricans have a serious sweet tooth, that coffee is a vital part of the local cuisine, and that even as sweet as the. High demand for coffee has pushed growers toward sun or almost 70% of colombia's land area devoted to coffee and 40% of costa rica's. A well-recognized and wide-accepted brand image is one of the most valuable assets of the company (aaker, 1991) costa coffee has a welcoming and. Coffee production in india is dominated in the hill tracts of south indian states, with karnataka the non-traditional areas of andhra pradesh and orissa in the eastern coast of the country and with a third region comprising the states of assam. There are many typical costa rican dishes that show the country's exquisite culture and costa ricans usually drink a cup of coffee or fresh fruit juice with it.
Traditionally, the costa rican economy has been based on tropical agricultural products, such as coffee, bananas and sugar however, the. Organisation name - costa coffee it is a food base organisation and heart of our since the 1972s, costa coffee has been actively involved in improving the quality of life for related university degree human resource management essays. An offshoot of the massively popular costa book awards, the coffee their center for documentary studies essay prize honours the best.
Those who criticize costa rica's new immigration law are dismissed as advocating a figure equal to that earned by costa rica's coffee exports the same year. Costa introduced a new 'two stream' waste solution in 2012 ensuring that stores segregate their organic waste (including coffee grounds) from. Middle of paper -hikes-drink-prices due-to-soaring-coffee-cost-sep-22-2010/ rodenberg, j, costa coffee vs starbucks business intelligence retrieved. Costa coffee evaluate existing managers against the competencies list design and development programme to enable management improve their. College of arts and law ug essay competition 'money is like love his own compost toilet to foraging for discarded food in the bins outside costa coffee.
Recent market research reflects that consumers have not cut down on their coffee consumption instead, they are shifting to options with lower. Free essay: this plan looks at how the company is performing the costa mission is to save the world from mediocre coffee, and that. Free essay: costa coffee marketing plan 1 company name costa coffee part of whitbread plc is the uk's leading hospitality company with. (9) exchanging views by meeting local costa ricans who work the land field trips assignment 2a, 2b essay on coffee, photo survey (due day 31) 10.
Coffee is isolated it's produced at a certain altitude when i was in costa rica, i had the same feeling as when i was in china it's the same. A photo essay of costa rica's magnificent flowers from the i will be writing more about this lovely place, set in an organic coffee plantation. A photo essay by troy paff graffeo is one of north america's oldest artisan coffee roasters and remains a family-run our blend is prepared by using the finest, freshest arabica beans imported from colombia, costa rica and new guinea.
For the consumers who first visit to costa coffee, they would set themselves july, 2014] uk essays (2014) starbucks coffee company [online] available at. I also got to volunteer at the vusd fair and be a part of the wave crest cafe i enrolled at mira costa college and decided to take a nutrition class and a.

domain: food


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All children, regardless of their background, ability or illness, have the capacity to connect to the ‘universal language’ of music.
While at BC Children's or Sunny Hill, children may be referred for music therapy by Child Life specialists, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists or by parents. Once referred to the music therapy program children participate in both active and receptive techniques such as instrument playing, improvisation, listening to music, song writing and singing. Music therapists use these techniques to promote self-expression and relaxation so children have the opportunity to regain a sense of control and confidence.
“The best part of my job is having the privilege to work with children in what may be the most vulnerable time of their lives,” said Erin Johnston, music therapist, BC Children’s. “To have the opportunity to connect with children in such a meaningful and special way is the greatest reward.”
Music therapists at BC Children's and Sunny Hill are accredited and have successfully completed a bachelor program or graduate certificate in music therapy, in addition to a 1,000-hour supervised clinical internship.
Music therapy helps refocus attention and is a source of emotional support. Among many benefits, it can also influence the heart rate and blood pressure of children and improve their quality of life during their stay at BC Children's or Sunny Hill.


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Searching for a natural remedy to cure your pet’s fever? End your search with Fev Pet. It is a careful combination of herbs that is developed by a team of experienced professionals, veterinarians, researchers, and animal health experts. The natural remedy targets the root cause of fever while boosting your cat and dog’s immune system to fight against recurring viral and bacterial infections. This Cat and Dog fever medicine not only cures fever, but also relieve cough and cold, while increasing platelets. This natural ayurvedic syrup helps your dogs and cats feel better by nourishing them from the inside. Check out its description below:
- Controls Fever, Cough, Cold & Pain
- Maintains the Right Body Temperature
- Improves Immunity & Increases Platelets
- Controls Recurring Infections
|Increases platelet count
|Has anti-microbial properties
|Is anti-allergic & anti-inflammatory
|Controls temperature & boosts immunity
Fev Pet Benefits
✅ It is an Anti pyretic and Pain reliever for dogs & cats with boosted immunity and platelet count.
✅ The anti-inflammatory benefits of giloy plant and other herbs reduce inflammation of the organs.
✅ The benefit of papaya leaf juice and other natural ingredients is well known for its action to improve platelet count in fever.
✅ The anti-microbial action of ingredients fights off viral and bacterial infections.
✅ The immuno-modulator improves immunity and prevents recurring infections.
For Kittens, a dosage of 0.5 ml twice a day is recommended and for dogs of small breeds, 1-2 ml twice a day. Likewise, for dogs of large breeds, it is recommended to give 2-3 ml twice a day or as directed by the Veterinary doctor. Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight.
Best Before: 36 Months from the date of manufacturing.
Dimension: 3*3*10 cm
Why Choose Fev Pet?
With Fev Pet - Cat and Dog fever medicine by your side, you can ensure that your Dog and Cat is getting appropriate care and nourishment during times of fever and beyond. While it is a powerful tool for treating canine temperature, it also increases platelet count, boosts immunity and is also the best cough syrup for dogs and cats. Place your order right away for a healthier, happier pet!
FAQs: Fev Pet
1. What can I give my dog for fever?
Fev Pet is one of the best Pet fever control solution that not only relieves fever, but also cough, cold and body pain that often accompanies fever.
Bought 2 products
1) cough syrup (fev pet)
2) itching spray (tick free)
Borh r quality products, worthwhile
This is a very good medicine
Five stars for effectiveness.. best syrup.
Affordable and reliable fever syrup.
Highly recommend for dog's fever.

domain: pet


General Motors has largely put its ignition switch recall crisis behind it—to the tune of over $2.5 billion in criminal, civil and other penalties—but various legal trials still linger. In the first of a couple hundred cases, GM was cleared of any wrongdoing with regards to its updated ignition switch fix.
Reuters reports an Arizona man alleged he was involved in a crash after his updated ignition switch moved the key out of place, and in turn, cut power and the ability to steer and brake. The case is significant because, as mentioned, the ignition switch was replaced with the approved fix found in 2.6 million other recalled cars.
“In this case, the jury carefully considered the evidence and found that the ignition switch in this car was not defective and played no role in the accident,” GM said in a statement after the verdict.
GM had previously admitted fault and declared the original ignition switch was indeed defective, but the updated ignition switch has received all seals of approval. Despite that, 230 cases await a hearing with courts. Six were selected for test trials.
Defense lawyers argued the crash was caused by the driver’s own actions after not paying attention to traffic conditions and the road ahead.
The previous ignition switch has been linked to 124 deaths in GM vehicles.


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Iran and China aren't the only drivers of commodity speculation....I've been keeping an eye on this, in a way as an Australian I'd want as much of our resources as possible used for our benefit and owned by us, so it figures that other countries would want the same too. The main issue here is the way multinationals do business and the political views which conflict with it, amongst other social issues.
(link to this article is in the third paragraph of the next story- click through the the link below to read it all)
Latin America wrestles with Big Oil
By Jasmina Kelemen, MarketWatch
Last Update: 1:13 PM ET May 10, 2006
HOUSTON (MarketWatch) -- As record commodity prices translate into staggering profits for Big Oil, many producing nations, including some of the United States' largest suppliers in Latin America, are eyeing the industry's swelling coffers and deciding that more of those riches should stay at home.........
Mines in general: http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Stor...arts&dist=news
Gold markets eye Latin American moves
Nationalizing natural resources may add fuel to gold's rally, but sink shares
By Myra P. Saefong, MarketWatch
Last Update: 2:20 PM ET May 10, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Moves by Venezuela and Bolivia to nationalize their countries' natural resources could soon spill into the mining sector, likely boosting prices for metals that are already at multi-year or record highs, while pressuring shares of companies with interests in Latin America.
"A great leftwing, socialist rising is occurring in Latin America, which will push higher all mineral prices," said Ned Schmidt, editor of the Value View Gold Report.
"Venezuela and Bolivia are only the beginning," he said.
Indeed, early this month, Bolivian President Evo Morales said the move to nationalize the country's hydrocarbons sector was just the beginning. "Tomorrow it will be the mines, the forest resources and the land," he said.........

domain: news


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Complete Streets and the transit rights of human beings
Alejandra Roldán talks to us about the urban concept of “Complete Streets” and the transit rights of human beings
The current situation of living and transiting the cities has led to the creation of alternatives and the consideration of transforming spaces, roadways, streets, and access points in the urban environment. In the same way, the importance of having transit rights for the people that live in a big or small metropolis has been proposed.
When we move through the city, the main problem or obstacle that we face is crossing the street, given that the signs and the accesses are not clear, which prioritizes the transit of vehicles. In the same way, it is necessary to delimitate spaces for the various modes of transportation, since the lack of these leads to chaos and transit accidents, therefore, designating specialized areas without interrupting the traffic flow generates time, safety and economic solutions.
The Complete Streets are the streets designed or redesigned that raise an approach of accessibility for all, having security and ease as the main fundamentals while transiting an avenue or street.
The principles that Complete Streets present take into account the right of equality, equity, and coexisting in the city, which means that they are planned so that women, children, seniors and people who have a disability, could transit the streets freely without any obstacle or impediments that could generate restlessness and insecurity.
Universal design and access are the basis for the creation of this concept given that citizens have the right to enjoy the space, which leads us to the concept of ‘‘inclusion’’. This means that for the spaces we transit to be inclusive, they need to be visible to the entire public, ensuring that no exclusion is generated.
In addition to considering various users, the Complete Streets proposal also takes into account the way they are transported. Bicycles, cars, motorcycles, buses, as well as the various transportation systems a city has, are essential factors in the planning of streets and cities that are based on this concept.
“The Complete Streets are the streets designed or redesigned that raise an approach of accessibility for all, having security and ease as the main fundamentals while transiting an avenue or street.”
Moreover, the recreation, rest, contemplation, and enjoyment rights of green areas, just as nature, are other aspects that constitute this proposal, because under an urban environment, it is necessary to realize these activities to improve the lifestyle, health, and of course mitigate the climate change and reduce the environmental impact.
Landscape practices are also crucial in this context. Consequently, the installation of green infrastructure is indispensable. For example, planting large species in the tree canopy, making them easy to spot and serving as focal points for indicating directions or significant intersections.
Also, color, smell and texture are characteristics of plants that we can take advantage of so that people with certain disabilities can easily locate important areas in a public space.
Concerning green infrastructure on streets, the utilization of rainwater and hydric resources in conjunction with vegetation generate ecosystem benefits on streets, mitigating the environmental impact that concrete pavement creates, collaborating with the microclimate creation, attracting wildlife and pollinators, which contributes to the improvement of people’s mental health since they are in contact with nature. The rain gardens are a great option for landscaping issues on the design of these streets.
Below a classification approach is presented to order and to ubicate the indispensable elements for the Complete Streets. The prioritization of safety and inclusion, are the two key factors for the design of streets and roadways based on Complete Streets.
Several North American and European cities have applied the concept; however, to begin implementing them in any metropolis, an urban analysis is required first to understand the city’s functionality and gradually implement the strategies.
- David Lovato. ‘’You Spoke, We Listened. Complete Streets Survey Results.’’ Valley Transportation Authority. https://www.vta.org/blog/you-spoke-we-listened-complete-streets-survey-results (Consultado el 25-10-2023)
- Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. ‘’Complete Streets. Design Workbook’’. ITDP. https://smartnet.niua.org/sites/default/files/resources/4-complete-streets-design-workbook.pdf (Consultado el 25-10-2023)
- Instituto de Accesibilidad. ‘’ACCESIBILIDAD EN COMPLETE STREETS, ENFOCÁNDOSE EN EL DISEÑO UNIVERSAL’’. Instituto de Accesibilidad.https://institutodeaccesibilidad.com/complete-streets-diseno-universal-accesibilidad/ (Consultado el 25-10-2023)
- National Association of City Transportation Officials. ‘’Complete Streets are Green Streets.’’ NACTO.https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-stormwater-guide/streets-are-ecosystems/complete-streets-green-streets/ (Consultado el 25-10-2023)
- Ohio, Department of Health. ‘’Complete Streets. Fact Sheet.’’ Ohio, Department of Health. https://cms2.revize.com/revize/athenscch/Complete%20Streets%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf (Consultado el 25-10-2023)
- Smart Growth America. ‘’Complete Streets.’’ National Complete Streets Coalition.https://smartgrowthamerica.org/what-are-complete-streets/ (Consultado el 25-10-2023)
- The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. ‘’Complete Streets Design Guide’’. Montgomery Planning. https://montgomeryplanning.org/planning/transportation/complete-streets/ (Consultado el 25-10-2023)
- Wisconsin Bike Fed. ‘’Complete Streets.’’ Wisconsin Bike Fed.https://wisconsinbikefed.org/what-we-do/advocacy/milwaukee-complete-streets-for-all/ (Consultado el 25-10-2023)

domain: geography


The girls are back!
Lena Dunham and co. attended the Television Academy presents An Evening with Girls event in NYC last night, and gave us an interesting fashion moment!
Lena, of course, was the most unique-looking in an Isa Arfen shift dress with a colorful eye print right on the front, while Allison Williams got a bit "edgy" in wrinkled-on-purpose drawstring capris and an oversized white blouse.
She's like a chic pirate! A pirate that wears Louboutins!
Zosia Mamet and Jemima Kirke remained the most low-key, with Zosia in a simple blazer and pinstriped button-down and Jemima in a pretty but rather forgettable green frock.
One of these days they should really wear all matching outfits a la vintage Destiny's Child! Ha!
[Image via AP Images.]
Tags: allison williams, christian louboutin, fashion smashion, isa arfen, jemima kirke, lena dunham, red carpet, television academy, zosia mamet


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SAN FRANCSISCO (MarketWatch) -- Progress Energy PGN, -3.63% said Thursday that it plans to cut 450 jobs and will offer early retirement to 3,500 of its 12,000 workers. The Raleigh, N.C.-based energy company said that it will have a final tally of the reductions in May. The company said that it wants to save $75 million to $100 million a year in operating and maintenance expenses by the end of 2007.
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domain: finance


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Typically, Qataris have no problem with super-expensive watches… But Harry Kane’s recent choice of wrist candy has raised more than a few eyebrows at the 2022 World Cup.
The England national team captain and Tottenham star was spotted wearing a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ‘Rainbow’ (ref. 116595RBOW) worth well over AU$1 million as he led his squad from the team coach into their dressing room ahead of England’s dramatic 6-2 win over Iran earlier this week.
Why is this significant? In light of Qatar’s appalling record on human rights, it’s been reported that England planned for Kane to wear a rainbow-coloured captain’s armband as a protest and display of support for the LGBTQ+ community – only for England to back down after copping heat from FIFA.
So we reckon this eye-catching timepiece is Kane’s subtle way of hitting back at Qatar and FIFA. Well, subtle’s probably the wrong word… We just wonder if anyone from FIFA has had any words with him about it.
Released back in 2018 but since discontinued, this luxurious rose gold take on Rolex’s most desirable watch is swathed in diamonds, with 47 rainbow-gradated baguette-cut sapphires replacing the Daytona’s usual tachymeter bezel and hour markers.
This flashy Rolex has proven to be exceptionally popular with well-heeled sports stars and celebrities. Zlatan Ibrahimovic owns one (with a black dial) as does Roger Federer’s wife Mirka (although hers is white gold).
After blitzing Iran in their first group-stage game, Kane’s England squad struggled unexpectedly against the USA, eventually drawing 0-0. England’s next game is against Wales on the 29th.


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Sunday, March 01, 2015
More Cans From conserverie la belle-iloise
Yes, it's more from these guys. I figured that I'd pick up a couple of those other cans of soup this time, along with the sardines that the lady suggested. The lobster bisque on the left was just a lobster bisque, but the fish soup on the right was earthier than the other one from last time. I liked this better.
The sardines were better than I was expecting too. Normally I pass on tomato-based ones on the assumption that it'd be some nasty ketchup-like based sauce in there. But the lady recommended this one, and fortunately, there was nothing ketchup-y about it. It was just tomatoes, olive oil, and sardines.
Digested at 7:25 PM
|This made me feel:|