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Consumer Protection in a digital financial world – Initiatives and beyond
(Shri M K Jain, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India – June 21, 2019 – Annual Conference of Banking Ombudsman – 2019, Mumbai)
Deputy Governor Shri Kanungo, Executive Director, Mrs. Marandi, other Executive Directors of RBI, Managing Directors/CEOs from banks, Overseas Guests, colleagues from Reserve Bank of India and other institutions.
2. I am happy to be here for delivering this address at this annual event of the Consumer Education and Protection Department (CEPD), Central Office (CO) on a historic moment as we enter the silver jubilee year of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme which was started on June 14, 1995. John F Kennedy, while addressing the US Congress on March 15, 1962 had said and I quote,
“Consumer by definition include us all. They are the largest economic group in the economy, affecting and affected by every public and private economic decisions. Two thirds of all spending in the economy is by consumers. But they are the only important group in the economy who are not effectively organized, whose views are often not heard.”
And we all know how important this day was for all of us pursuing consumer protection.
Reserve Bank’s measures on consumer protection
3. We, at Reserve Bank of India have come a long way since then as we recognised the significance of customer service and consumer protection in the banking sector early on. It has also remained mindful of the need to empower the common man, the retail customers and the small entities to ensure balance in a bank/ Financial Service Providers’ (FSP) approach to this segment of customer vis-à-vis large and corporate customers. The Reserve Bank, as a multi-service central bank, has been proactively engaged in initiatives to build a strong financial system, expand the reach and access of financial services and ensure protection to customers of banks/FSPs. Since the 1970’s, RBI has progressively created, reviewed and updated, an elaborate guidance framework for banks on good customer service, including an internal grievance redressal mechanism with reporting to a Board level Committee.
4. Let me start with a brief account of the measures taken by the Reserve Bank in the area of consumer protection. Consumer confidence and trust in a well-functioning market for financial services promotes financial stability, growth, efficiency and innovation over the long term.1Effective customer protection regulations together with an easily accessible mechanism to resolve disputes between customers and the regulated entities in a timely manner, are essential for promoting consumer confidence. Further, awareness measures for customers on financial matters instills in them knowledge about their rights and responsibilities and helps them to make right financial decisions.
5. Specifically, in its pursuit of the objective of consumer protection, the Reserve Bank introduced the Banking Ombudsman Scheme on June 14, 1995, for the customers of banks, which has been reviewed periodically so that it retains its relevance as an apex level complaint redressal mechanism for customers of banks. Reserve Bank has also launched the Ombudsman Schemes to include the customers of non-banking financial companies and Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) Providers. These Schemes have evolved over time as apex level complaint redressal mechanisms for customers of entities regulated by the Reserve Bank. I may mention here that these Schemes provide a cost-free and expeditious redressal of complaints relating to deficiency in the services by eligible entities covered under respective Schemes.
6. The Reserve Bank had created a dedicated Customer Service Department in 2006 to act as the nodal department in the Reserve Bank for grievance redressal of complaints received from the public. The department, has since been renamed as Consumer Education and Protection Department (CEPD), and continues to focus on providing a level playing field between suppliers and consumers of financial services, by easing the imbalances emanating from information asymmetries, inadequate disclosures and unfair treatment. In addition, the Charter of Customer Rights2, put in place by the Reserve Bank in December 2014, comprising of broad, over-arching principles to be adopted by banks has been playing an important role in protecting the interests of their customers.
7. In India, we have a well-defined grievance redressal structure, the first resort on the complaint being the branch itself with proper escalation level in the banks/FSPs. It is expected that the grievances of the customers are redressed in a hassle-free manner at the first point of contact with the Ombudsman being the last resort. An important milestone in strengthening the grievance redressal mechanism available to bank customers was the institutionalization of the Internal Ombudsman (IO) mechanism in 2015 in all public sector banks, select private sector and foreign banks. Based on a review of the framework in September 2018, the coverage of the IO Scheme was extended to all Scheduled Commercial Banks (other than Regional Rural Banks) having 10 or more banking outlets in India. The objective of setting up the mechanism of IO was to ensure that there is undivided attention to resolution of customer complaints in banks and the customers of banks get an independent and auto-review of their grievances which are partially or wholly unaddressed before they approach the Banking Ombudsman (BO). The IO mechanism is expected to strengthen the consumer protection and grievance redressal processes in banks.
8. In this era of digitalization, given the increasing use of technology by service providers and their customers, being mindful of occurrence and potential of unauthorized transactions, the Reserve Bank has issued regulatory instructions keeping the interests of the customer in mind. The “Framework on Limiting the Liability of Customers in Unauthorized Electronic Banking Transactions” issued on July 6, 2017 is a defining development in the wake of risks arising out of rapid digitalization of payments and money transfer transactions, where there is a judicious balance between ease of use and security of the transaction. The provisions, initially applicable to scheduled banks, have in January 2019, also been extended to cover authorized non-banks that issue PPIs.
9. In keeping with the rapid evolution in the financial sector, the Reserve Bank has progressively reviewed and updated its instructions and guidelines relating to customer service such as, simplification of KYC procedures, mandating issue of EMV chip/pin cards, transparency in pricing of credit, etc. of which, you are all aware.
10. The current strategy of the Reserve Bank for consumer protection for the Reserve Bank is to create an enabling environment for developing a customer-centric financial system by instituting mechanisms for addressing information asymmetries between the providers and consumers of financial services, enhancing standards of disclosures and ensuring a better alignment of product design vis-à-vis the customer’s requirements while providing an efficient and effective grievance redressal mechanism. Through all the changes and developments in the financial world, the RBI has endeavored to ensure a robust consumer protection mechanism that is visible and credible.
The role of the Ombudsman
11. Before I delve into the role of the Ombudsman, let me say that in this journey of 25 years, several milestones have been achieved by the Ombudsmen and their staff. They have handled complaints with increased volume and complexity. Further, they are now handling complaints from two other Ombudsman Schemes which have been recently added to the redressal framework.
12. The financial sector in general, and banks in particular, are in the midst of a major revolution. A fintech wave is sweeping across financial products, processes and delivery channels. Digitalization and electronic facilities have transformed the payments system. New types of financial entities are competing for traditional banking functions, though on a much smaller scale. Technology application and digitalization have ensured that financial services can be availed anytime, anywhere, at the click of a button. Convenience, cost rationalization and competition are the hallmarks of the day.
13. However, we are simultaneously being exposed to innumerable known and unknown risks and uncertainties – cyber security breaches, phishing/vishing frauds, data thefts and misuse, data privacy breaches, malware attacks etc. While it is known that these risks exist, the garb in which they manifest, when and at what severity, is an unknown. With convenience, there are new challenges – for customers, entities and regulatory authorities. In this background, the role of the Ombudsman has become challenging; considering the increasing number of complaints, their complexity, as well as ability to deal with the dynamic financial environment.
14. The position of the Ombudsman –so to say the ‘Third Umpire’ in financial dispute resolution – being quasi-judicial, comes with authority and independence. Clearly authority and independence are synonymous with responsibility and objectivity. Accordingly, Ombudsman should remain mindful of their conduct and behaviour, as also the quality of their decisions. They should also be aware of the need to proactively guard against any cognitive bias. Also, while it is a fact that they are technically not assigned an investigative role or investigation tools to carry out their responsibility, Ombudsmen should, at least, adopt an exploratory approach to identify the exact issue or deficiency within their limited mandate of summary disposal. While being disciplined, fair, straightforward and upright, Ombudsmen should also remain accessible to the customers so as not to put to peril the reputation of the Reserve Bank or jeopardize public confidence in the consumer protection mechanism.
15. The responsibility of objective dispute resolution cast upon Ombudsmen, while being significant is not singular. The Ombudsmen must, therefore, refrain from self-limiting their role as that of mere grievance redressal. In fact, Ombudsmen should leverage their vantage position to obtain a fair idea of the business conduct, the strengths and weaknesses of banks. In particular, Ombudsmen should ensure that regulated entities remain responsible and accountable to their customers, and their behaviour is consistent with the principles of sound financial conduct as prescribed through various guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank.
16. In order to ensure that consumer awareness reaches to persons in the remote corners of the country, we need to spread awareness through both physical and digital modes. Conducting and participating in the Town Hall activities and other awareness programmes in their jurisdiction should remain an ongoing agenda for Ombudsmen. Since the programmes are conducted outside the Ombudsman Offices, could these be used as opportunities to redress the grievances of the complainants by going near to them? In that case, the Ombudsman can plan well in advance and take on board the complainant and the concerned entities. This will have a positive impact with regard to the accessibility of the Ombudsman.
17. Educating and spreading awareness through digital modes are being undertaken from the Central Office level. While such effort should continue at an enhanced scale, awareness should be spread in local languages for easy understanding and effective communication. The content should be carefully designed to spread financial literacy and awareness regarding customer rights, their obligations, and their responsibility in the conduct of financial transactions and safeguarding financial information in a simple way to be easily understood by the common man. This is critical for the success of any programme designed for their protection and welfare.
Complaint Management System
18. In order to effectively support the Ombudsman framework, the Reserve Bank has started implementing a technology enabled Complaint Management System (CMS) as an upgrade to the currently operational Complaint Tracking System (CTS). The new system will integrate the entire grievance redressal mechanism of the Reserve Bank, which includes the Banking Ombudsman, the Ombudsman for NBFCs, Digital Ombudsman as well the Consumer Education and Protection Cells (CEPCs) at Regional Offices that handle complaints which are not covered by the Ombudsmen Schemes. The new system will also encompass all the regulated entities – banks, NBFCs and PPI providers – as also allow the customers themselves to keep sight of grievances and their redressal. The system will reduce manual process resulting in reduction of Turnaround Time (TAT) and facilitate improved data analytics for use by stakeholders. Further, CMS has an awareness module on the front page containing information materials in audio, video and text formats.
The role of banks/FSPs
19. Let me now turn to the role of banks/FSPs. All financial entities have a special relationship with their customers and thus, it is their duty to recognize issues raised by them in their financial transactions and provide a fair redressal of their customer grievances. Banks/FSPs need to maintain transparency in pricing, service charges, fees, and penalties.
20. Banks/FSPs not only need to make sufficient disclosures on all aspects of their functioning and operations but also need to play a proactive role in educating customers on the products offered, the operational techniques, risks involved, safeguards and redressal options available. Liability for customer losses due to lapses on the part of banks/FSPs should lie with the latter. The RBI guidance on limiting customer liability in unauthorised electronic banking transactions targets this perspective3. More important than compensation, however, should be on ‘prevention’ through awareness initiatives. This would also help minimise complaint origination at the bank/FSP level and reduce complaint clogging at the Ombudsman level. As I have mentioned earlier, I would like to add that the Reserve Bank has issued guidelines last year strengthening the Internal Ombudsman Scheme in banks. While it is envisaged that the IOs appointed by the banks would be independent in their functioning; it is imperative that banks understand that all complaints which are partially or wholly rejected by the banks must necessarily pass through the desk of IO before final closure. I am sure the banks are taking steps to appoint adequate number of IOs, in line with the volume of complaints received by them as provided in the Scheme.
21. A critical aspect of consumer protection that calls for dedicated attention within banks/FSPs is management engagement. Top and Senior Management in charge of grievance redressal need to take responsibility for the performance and robustness of the redressal framework and engage through deep involvement, close monitoring and oversight of issues involved. They and their staff, need to be driven by ‘true service’ sentiments. Customer service and consumer protection should not be relegated to the sidelines by goals driven by hard targets and sales related incentives for on-boarding customers. Banks/FSPs are, at times, found wanting in these aspects. The rising number of complaints on mis-selling of products by providing incorrect or incomplete information to customers, fraudulent transactions caused due to breach in security protocols, breach of customer privacy, etc. point in this direction.
22. Finally, agility in addressing customer grievances needs to be inculcated at all levels of staff. The turnaround time (TAT) for complaints received within banks/FSPs and those referred to them by the Ombudsmen offices could then be reduced even further from the existing level of TAT.
Issues to address in Consumer Protection and Grievance Redressal
23. The G20 High Level Principles on Financial Consumer Protection, adopted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in October 2011, inter alia, mandate that jurisdictions should ensure that consumers have access to adequate complaints handling and redress mechanisms that are accessible, affordable, independent, fair, accountable, timely and efficient. Such mechanisms should not impose unreasonable cost, delays or burdens on consumers. What is the scope for improvement for us vis-à-vis these guidelines? Let me talk about some specific issues in this context.
i. Timeliness in complaint disposal – Irrespective of the minimum time requirement for a complaint examination with all required inputs/documentation from the involved parties, the time frame for disposal has to be reasonable. In this context, you may be aware that we are currently working on a framework to harmonize the TAT for resolution of customer complaints and charge-backs in all the electronic payment systems. Public expectations are high for early redressal and we too need to evolve a zero-tolerance framework for delays in responses from regulated entities.
ii. High level of non-maintainable complaints – While non-maintainable complaints cannot be wished away, given that 48.9% of the total complaints received during 2017-18 were non-maintainable could point to two things: first, the complainants are not aware about the procedural requirements for filing their complaints; and second, there could perhaps a tendency to routinely close complaints without adequate examination in some cases. In either case, there is scope for more work from the Ombudsman.
iii. Large proportion of rejections – A sizeable proportion of the maintainable complaints are being rejected, mainly on the ground that the bank was not deficient, and the complaints were not justified. During 2017-18, 33.82% of the maintainable complaints were rejected, which though down from 57.23% in the previous year is still rather high given that the objective of the Scheme is to facilitate resolution of issues through mediation. Further, 8.27% of the total complaints were rejected citing requirement of elaborate documentary and oral evidence. However, in some of the appeal cases, it was observed that a better focused review of the facts could have resulted in a satisfactory outcome for both parties without taking recourse to the appellate mechanism.
iv. Communication issues – Many a time, we deal with persons who may not understand the meaning or the implications of our communication. After all, if the recipient does not comprehend what was intended, there is no purpose served in such cases. Therefore, a concerted attempt should be made to de-jargonize the terms in all our correspondence and awareness materials. It is also essential that soft skills of the dealing staff are developed so that a customer visiting our premises goes out as a satisfied person.
v. Effectiveness of redressal system in banks: The secular trend in volume of complaints shows significant increase in most offices. As I mentioned earlier, this could be a positive indicator signifying increasing trust in the functioning of the Ombudsman mechanism. However, a portion of the increase could also be attributed to: a) the growing complexity in products, also enabled by technology, b) greater penetration of financial services covering even consumers with less than desired level of financial literacy, c) lack of monitoring and sensitization of the dealing staff/BCs by banks, d) inadequate in-house redressal mechanisms, e) unfair business practices, f) ineffectiveness of the IO and g) not carrying out root cause analysis resulting in recurrence of similar complaints. Effective steps need to be taken to address these issues in banks/FSPs, both at the ground level and at the policy level.
Expectations from the Ombudsmen
24. I would say that overall, the performance of the Ombudsman offices has been good. Nevertheless, given the enormous challenges in terms of increasing customer awareness, innovations, digitalization and expectations of stakeholders, we should constantly be on the lookout for areas that need our attention. Let me now talk about some expectations that the Reserve Bank has from the Ombudsmen:
i. Quality Outcome: The Ombudsman should meticulously examine complaints and use his/her specialist knowledge of financial services. This would ensure that the consumer is not placed at a disadvantage due to any lack of resources or technical knowledge. Decisions and outcomes should take into account extant regulations, applicable law and good industry practice. For this, the Ombudsman and the supporting contingent of staff members should keep themselves updated with the latest developments in policy and practices.
ii. Fairness: The Ombudsman must exemplify a commitment to procedural fairness. The complainant, the regulated entity against which the complaint has been received and any person/entity directly affected by an Ombudsman’s decision should be given an opportunity to respond before the final decision is taken. I would like to mention here that there were occasions when a case warranted reference back to the BO at the appeal stage as an opportunity was not provided to all parties to present their case.
iii. Consistency: We should aim for consistency of outcome in similar cases. Else, banks will not know how they are expected to handle complaints themselves. There could also be a tendency to game the system by regulated entities in such a scenario. Frequent interactions and sharing of information among the BOs would help in this regard. I am glad to note that a Committee comprising of various stakeholders viz., Banking Ombudsmen, Department of Payment & Settlement Systems, Department of Banking Regulation, Department of Banking Supervision, IDRBT and NPCI, has looked into increasing instances of frauds related to digital transactions and recommended certain operational procedures to facilitate better resolution and suggested a review of relevant regulatory instructions. The report of Committee may be examined for implementation.
iv. Public Awareness initiatives: Unless people are made aware of the ‘what and how’ of the entire ‘grievance redressal’ structure in banks/FSPs and the Reserve Bank; and the procedures for lodging complaints especially the grounds of complaints under the various Ombudsmen Schemes, the effectiveness of the grievance redressal mechanism would not be fully realized. In addition to targeted awareness campaigns by the Ombudsmen and those driven through banks and other consumer organizations, feeding information to the communications media with resolved case studies can be explored. The latter will have broader reach and it can also be effective.
v. Use of data: Though it is not a stated objective of the Schemes, data on complaints should be analysed by the Ombudsmen carefully for providing meaningful insight and support to the regulatory, supervisory and other departments of RBI for policy formulation. Further, data in the CMS should be effectively leveraged for data analytics to derive useful information such as commonalities across complaints, causative factors and details of banks/branches/delivery channels/products presenting adverse features. The data can be useful for appropriate policy and operational action.
vi. Quality assurance: The International standard ISO 10003:2018, a quality management standard for customer satisfaction, gives guidelines for an organization to plan, design, develop, operate, maintain and improve an effective and efficient dispute resolution process for complaints that have not been resolved by an external organization. It would be useful to examine our processes vis-à-vis such/similar standards for possible improvements. In this context, I would be keen to learn the outcome of the consumer satisfaction survey on the banking Ombudsman Scheme being commissioned by CEPD. We need to also study the procedures and practices followed in select jurisdictions with well-developed dispute resolution systems for adoption/adaptation by the Reserve Bank.
25. As I conclude, let me also quote John F. Kennedy once again who said:
“There are risks and costs to a program of action – but they are far less than the long range cost of comfortable inaction”.
Living with the status quo, without significant effort to change it, would lead to ineffective and unsuitable long range outcomes. So, let us continue to move with times and resolve to evolve!
I am sure that the deliberations during this Conference will seek to arrive at concrete action points for time-bound implementation towards the betterment of consumer protection in the financial sector.
I wish you all the very best!
1. G20 High-Level Principles on Financial Consumer Protection
2. RBI has issued a ‘Charter of customer rights’ in December 2014. The Charter enunciates five basic rights of bank customers. These include right to fair treatment, right to transparency, fair and honest dealing, right to suitability, right to privacy and right to grievance redress and compensation.
3. In July 2017, RBI issued instructions to banks indicating that in any unauthorised electronic banking transaction, the liability of a customer would be zero or limited if the unauthorised transaction/s is reported to the bank timely and there is no contributory negligence on the part of the customer. Further, the onus of proving contributory negligence will lie with the bank.
(Above post been published after replacing earlier post which become obsolete now but comments are not been removed)

domain: economics


The emergence of some of the national and regional on insurance solvency and financial reporting creating number of challenges for data management of insurers.
A requirement for more granular level control over data to support compliance and various regulatory requirements, In today’s time insurers, generate a huge amount of digital data, insurers also must deal with more demanding customers, customers are more knowledgeable and demand more knowledge about their contracts, products which they want and what they don’t want
A combination of regulatory changes, Big data opportunities, and growing consumer expectation has created the need for the insurer to manage and govern data actively, most insurers have started investing more in data management, security, and governance processes, and technologies.
How an Insurer manages and uses its data and derive business insight that is accurate and timely will be critical to the long term success of the insurer
Requirements for meeting IFRS 17 compliance hugely depend on the high quality and accuracy of data.
Insurance Industry and Data
The insurance industry has recognized that data and insight and knowledge are now key to driving business results. Using large warehouses of internal data, augmented with third-party providers, and big data sources, data analysts are driving product R&D and predictive modeling as well as influencing operations and strategy at all levels of the organization.
However, many insurers are dealing with the challenges of multiple legacy systems, little data integration, and limited agreement on what data assets mean. Instead of mining for insights, many insurers are still struggling with basic data quality and completeness issues. To resolve this, carriers need to develop a comprehensive data strategy that looks across the entire organization: at people, process, and technology.
The insurance industry needs to be able to use data analytics to support its critical business decisions –i.e. whether to provide an organization coverage, what types of coverage to underwrite, and what level of premiums to set. Good data is arguably one of the most valuable assets.
Insurance companies hold lots of unstructured documents like agreements, underwriting documents, a different version of such documents, now a days most such documents are in a digital format with a digital signature from the Insured party.
Insurance and new digital business data
As part of innovation from insurance companies, they started having a Robot or AI-driven chatbot providing an initial level of customer interaction, these are all semi and unstructured data, they have lots of details which can help the insurer to offer their service to the customer or satisfy customer data.
In a new digital world, the most consumer buys custom insurance products and services, they are comparing various products from various e-commerce websites or third party portals, if the insurer doesn’t have control over their data to provide one version of service and quotation for various products and services, they will lose against their competition.
Many primary Insurers are moving agent-based business model to Direct business with the customer, consumers are using multiple channels to compare products, prices, and services about the insurer and then make a decision about which channel to use for purchasing product
To compete in such a market, the insurer has to maintain one version of truth and offers which are competitive against their competition.
Most (if not all) insurer have also taken a big initiative in their digital and omnichannel to reach out to customers and provide best of services, this initiative also generates lots of new data, e.g. When AI-driven robot-based Chatbots provides services and trying to connect with the customer to initial interaction to provide services or receive any feedback, this generates lots of unstructured data which can be used to understand customer pain areas.
Some insurer have also done POT and POC to use Drones to start inspection services and collect images using drones
Why Data Governance important for Insurer
The bigger question for many insurers is can they trust their organization’s data? Is it accurate, consistent, a large enough data set to be relevant, and is it refreshed frequently? The concept of data governance was born to help organizations tackle this very issue.
If you don’t focus on Data governance you may be putting your organization at risk by going after unprofitable or risky lines of business in the wrong industry verticals, setting premiums too low or too high, producing inaccurate financial forecasts, or missing out on opportunities to use new data points for future decision making.
Carriers that embark on a data and analytics journey maturity without taking a value-based use case approach having matured Data governance processes have seen limited success, without Data governance they are at risk of not generating the positive profit impact that they expect.
They may even find that their executive sponsorship and funding dry up. There are only three ways to create value within an insurance carrier: sell more, manage risk better, and cost less to operate
That’s a tall order for insurance entities that handle marketing, policy, claim, and financial data via multiple proprietary internal and external systems. To further complicate the integration, these systems may or may not document best practices.
Past decisions and dependencies on data may not be known. The programming language may be difficult to interpret. Add to that a lean-and-mean workforce and whew….you need someone to govern this process or you may end up basing your business decisions on questionable data.
Simply put, strong insurance organizations have valued and will value Data governance teams. They rely heavily on the data because they are defining best practices across all these systems.
Data Governance Framework
Every Data governance framework values data as a strategic business asset. Insurers have huge data resources and the traditional data management exercises – tending to rely on internal data with rigid infrastructure – are becoming insufficient in this fast-paced digital era.
Insurers today need a comprehensive strategy for systems, processes, and rules for use of data across the whole organization. There is a trend towards deeper and real-time analytics and better preparation of the data to be better able to answer questions such as: can you access data where and when you need it in the insurance business flow? Do you know if your data is clean, current, and complete?
This means that, as the first step to effective data management, you need to question the data first, pulling it together in many different formats, cleaning and normalizing, before going on to ‘do’ things with the data.
Data governance should incorporate all IT systems and create decision-making processes that rise above departmental silos and should provide accountability for data quality.
- A robust Data governance framework requires:
- Enforcement of procedures to ensure data gathered is as per the business needs, if necessary re-shaped, merged, or transformed from multiple data tables
- Integration of data from different business units and sources for a unified view of customers, often requiring sharing of meta-data across business domains
- Exploration of the available data, as well as new data, to uncover and understand the quality or continuity issues that may exist (by matching or cross-checking across data tables)
- Monitoring of data on an ongoing basis to check for enforcement of data rules, identifying any quality issues, and building data quality into existing processes.
There are multiple definition or way of defining Data and Information Governance
Data governance charts three main aspects: rules of engagement, decision rights, and data accountabilities, Defined Process to acquire, manage, define, create, secure, integrate, curate, improve , integrate and deliver Data in organization
Another way of looking Data governance is “Data governance is defined as a control that ensures data entry (by an operations team member or by an automated process), meets precise standards (such as a business rule or a data definition), and applies data integrity constraints”
COFORGE believes that Data Governance is a must initiative for any insurer willing to take control of their data and this is the first step towards creating a culture of Data-driven growth and be a leader in the respective segment Data governance is all about a data management structure to implement the business policies framed under it. Data management functions include data quality, data administration, data warehousing and data analytics. A Data governance framework helps stakeholders within an organisation – from business, IT, data management, compliance, and other departments – to gain clarity of concepts and objectives.
COFORGE’s comprehensive Data Governance Framework
This can be done with the right policies and procedures, structures, roles, and responsibilities within the organisation. Data governance is required to manage data effectively and inject data quality across the organisation. Continued compliance of policies and procedures will improve data quality over the long term.
Steps required to implement a data governance framework
Here are the steps broadly required to be taken to create an effective data governance framework:
- Decide the strategy for data use and ensure this is aligned to the business processes (often this involves talking between departments and organizational restructuring that is not traditionally regarded as ‘data management’)
- Define a Data Governance Council, a charter, objectives, goals, and Principles
- Create 2 years of Roadmap with achievable goals and control over data
- Create a hierarchy for administering the use of data
- Put in place an organizational structure and reporting that aligns with data governance
- Create a data governance Council, a charter, a communication plan, and enforce data governance policies.
Each organization will be in its own unique situation and may be confronted with distinctive challenges, but these steps would provide a foundation to build an effective data governance framework.
It ensures simplified coordination among people and processes enabled by technology to reap benefits from the value of data. The goal of data governance is to homogenize the work of people and processes to enhance data integrity and quality.
Data governance has attained some new dimensions with digital technologies, providing data insights, and micro-steps with data enrichment that were not possible in the pre-advanced analytics era. It is becoming significant, not just as a point of competitive advantage, but also to ensure compliance in the regulated environment.
Benefits of Active Data Governance for Insurer
A productive and active data governance strategy will improve decision-making, ensuring information is understood, increasing the credibility and trust of data, whilst protecting data sources in the regulated environment. Data governance should support the company’s business objectives by:
- Managing data as a shared key asset across the organization
- Having transparent data governance policies and decisions.
- Defines ownership of data from a business perspective as well as a technology perspective
Insurers are generally aware that data is critical for their business, but the importance of data governance has still to hit home, in terms of business culture and terms of systems. A holistic data governance approach can help insurers:
- Generate flawless insights that are aligned to the business goals
- Promote greater efficiency and cost savings
- Meet compliance and regulatory requirements
- Reduce operational cost and improve efficiencies
- Data governance initiatives invest a lot on their master and core Business entities like Policyholder, party, Insurable object, these are very Key business elements for analysis and reporting point of view
- Create a data-driven culture in the organization
- Have a common definition of data from Business to technical mapping point of view
- Not be overwhelmed by swelling data volumes (simplifying access to traditional and ‘new’ data sources).
- Data also enables new offerings such as providing insurance to automobiles on a per-mile basis.
Better Data and trusted data help Insurers to improve profitability by avoiding the cost and increasing productivity. Although technology often creates operating efficiencies and productivity gains, it can be difficult for IT leaders to get credit for cost savings unless there are actual hard dollar savings through staff cuts. Additionally, most technology investments are not about cost takeout by automating existing processes or practices—they are about deploying new capabilities, which usually means new expenses
The answer to why data governance is critical today is in what Bill Gates suggested, way back in 1999. He said then: “Virtually everything in business today is an undifferentiated commodity, except how a company manages its information, How you manage information determines whether you win or lose”. Information is nothing, but insight generated out of well-governed trusted Data
Data governance teams are the unsung heroes who hold the keys to success in their insurance organizations.
Core Initiatives of Data Governance
The different organization have a different level of maturity in areas of Data governance, but below are key initiatives mostly directly initiated by the DG council willing to take control of data at the organization level and make it more trustable assets
- Define a Data governance Council with a clear charter, Vision, Objectives, and Principles
- Define roles of Data stewards and data custodians
- Define various processes for creating, approval for Core entities like (Customer, Policies, Insurable properties)
- Define and document Data Management and Data security processes
- Technology and Business sponsorship of core business entities to be mastered using MDM and RDM (Reference Data Management) solutions
- Business and Technology driven Data Quality improvement, standardization of tools and monitoring process by measurable KPI
- Data Privacy and Security related initiatives (sometimes control by DG council, for some org controlled by Chief Security office)
- Setting authorization and authentication process for Data, Information and Insight within and outside organization
How Coforge Tech can help achieve this goal
Coforge Tech Data & Analytics service line can help insurers to set up, manage and operate their Data governance framework, our SME and domain expert can prepare a custom roadmap for the data governance framework and help them to set up a Data COE where most of the data related challenges can be managed by a team of Domain-based data analysts under the guidance of thought leaders.
Coforge Tech have comprehensive solutions from consulting to project-based and Managed Data COE to help their client in 3 areas, strategic, Tactical project-based, and Operationalization of Data COE
Strategic: setting up a custom Data governance framework as part of consulting engagement. Coforge team can also provide Roadmap to mature in Data governance initiative
Tactical: Help client run, implement the right set of tools and technology required to implement Data governance initiatives (like Informatica Axon, Collabra, etc.,), COFORGE D&A and Insurance BU can setup a Data COE which will include a team of Data, tools, and Insurance SME who can take ownership of the quality of data from a business context point of view
Operational: Coforge Tech can help the client on operationalization by setting up a managed Data COE as an extension to the client’s data governance team, This team can focus on outcome-based engagement to meet Data Governance related measurable KPI by setting up a Data COE for the client or various groups related to client
Hemal Vora - Sr Director, Data & Analytics, Coforge
Hemal Vora is Sr. Data practitioner with more than 22 years of experience from Data management to active Data governance role, He has also worked with multiple BFS and Insurance clients and has done consulting engagements to setup Data Governance Framework for various clients.
Rajan Jindal - Data Governance Head
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Twins give Jeter second base from final Metrodome game as gift
MINNEAPOLIS — As Derek Jeter continues his farewell tour throughout the season, opposing teams continue to present the longtime Yankees shortstop with gifts.
On Saturday, it was the Twins’ turn.
In a pregame ceremony before Saturday’s game at Target Field, Minnesota presented Jeter with an autographed base. It wasn’t just any base, though. It was the last second base ever used at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, the Twins’ home before Target Field.
In that game on Oct. 11, 2009, Jeter and the Yankees eliminated the Twins in Game 3 of the 2009 of the American League Division Series by winning 4-1. Jeter went 1-for-4 in that game as New York advanced.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said a few words about Jeter before Saturday’s game, and Minnesota second baseman Brian Dozier — who idolized Jeter as a kid — presented Jeter with the second base in its display case. Twins coach and Hall of Famer Paul Molitor, who like Jeter is a member of the 3,000-hit club, gave Jeter a check for $10,000 for his foundation.
"I asked Mr. (Joe) Girardi over there today," Gardenhire told Jeter. "I said we’re honoring you, to take you out of the lineup for two more days and we’ll be fine here in Minnesota."
Jeter had plenty of success against Minnesota over his career. In his 129 games against the Twins before Saturday’s contest, Jeter batted .321 with 59 RBI and 13 home runs. He had plenty of hits at the Metrodome, too, hitting .301 with 14 doubles and 18 RBI in 52 career games there.
Now he’ll have a piece of that stadium to remember the Twins — and his success against them — after he retires at the end of this season.
Follow Tyler Mason on Twitter


The method we take a trip is altering. With technological advances and a determined need for higher sustainability, lorries are becoming cleaner as well as smarter. Are electric vehicles the future of transport? Electric Vehicle Industry Mounts
In this post, we’ll explore what electrical lorries are and how they work. We’ll likewise analyze just how lasting they are, and also whether they’re the solution for the green transport of the future.
What are electrical automobiles? Electric Vehicle Industry Mounts
Allow’s begin with an electrical vehicle interpretation. We know that cars are used for transferring lorries or goods, whether on land, water, or via air. An electrical lorry (likewise called an EV) is a vehicle that is powered by electrical power, generally in the form of electrical motors powered by batteries or fuel cells.
When we see this definition, it’s very easy to believe just of points like electrical autos. Electric vehicles additionally consist of various other road transport (such as trucks, bikes, and buses), as well as electrical aircrafts as well as also watercrafts.
You’ll frequently see a range of types of electric cars fit under this term. This consists of:
- All-electric lorries In this type of electrical lorry, the battery is the only source of power.
- Crossbreed automobiles. These use a combination of a combustion engine with an electric motor, the last which charges when the car is in motion.
- Plug-in crossbreeds. These likewise integrate burning engines with rechargeable batteries, yet the batteries can also be recharged directly when plugged in.
- Fuel-cell cars. These create their own electrical power from onboard fuels such as hydrogen. They do not require to connect into an electric outlet to reenergize.
A quick history of electrical automobiles
Electric automobiles and various other automobiles really feel significantly principles of the present as well as future. New innovations as well as legislation imply that suppliers worldwide are transforming their attention to totally or partially electric fleets. However actually, the idea of using electricity to power transportation dates back well over 100 years.
Throughout the 19th century, different trying outs electrical lorries took place. The very first battery-powered electric motor was developed by Thomas Davenport in 1834, and over the complying with decades, different researchers and designers tinkered with the style.
Electric carriages, cars and trucks, cable cars as well as even trains started to emerge towards the mid to late 1800s. Nevertheless, the major concern with these vehicles was that the batteries made use of weren’t rechargeable, making them unwise for commercial use.
The details of the very first electric automobiles are commonly discussed. Some suggest that the first self-powered, human-carrying electrical automobile was created by French developer Gustave Trouvé in 1881. Nevertheless, it’s commonly agreed that the first electrical manufacturing auto was created in London in 1884 by Thomas Parker.
Electric cars soon came to be extremely preferred, especially in the US. A big proportion of automobiles when driving in the early 1900s were electrical. The large manufacturing of Ford’s fuel vehicles and also the significantly inexpensive price of oil soon implied that electrical lorries couldn’t complete.
It wasn’t till the 1970s that rate of interest in electrical car technology was renewed when cars such as the CitiCar were produced. In the mid-1990s, General Motors launched the EV1, as well as the Toyota Prius ended up being the initial mass-produced crossbreed car.
Problems of power and also array were still an issue until the late 2000s when Tesla launched its very first Roadster. Nowadays, most major producers contend least some electric or hybrid lorries in their array, as well as battery production is much better than ever before.
Present electric lorry innovation
So, electrical vehicles have been about longer than you could think. Yet what is the present technology like? Apart from electrical automobiles (we’ll cover them even more down), there are numerous remarkable types of electric transport:
Logistics lorries. From large trucks to freight handling, there is a series of companies developing electric logistics cars. The view was that electrical batteries for products cars would be expensive and impractical. New studies suggest that a better billing network might fix the issue. Electric Vehicle Industry Mounts
Public transportation. Electric buses are currently extremely preferred in China, while Europe is getting the pace of fostering. In the UK, around 38% of the railway network is energized. Electric trams are likewise preferred worldwide.
Airplane. Electric airplane innovation is still in its early stage. According to some experts, modern traveler aircrafts would ‘need batteries considering 30 times more than its existing fuel intake, implying it would never ever take off’. Nevertheless, progress is being made, as well as electric planes do exist.
Watercrafts. Battery power is likewise a problem for electric watercrafts. The limited power is problematic, specifically for bigger cars as well as longer trips. Nevertheless, there are prototypes beginning to arise that prove that EVs can exist in various formats.
How do electrical cars and trucks function?
Let’s take a better take a look at how electrical cars function, in addition to at some key questions surrounding them. We’ll focus on totally electrical cars instead of hybrids or plug-in hybrids.
We’ll maintain this explanation simple right here, covering some of the basics. Basically, electrical cars make use of an electrical motor to power the automobile’s wheels. These motors obtain their power from batteries that are usually put low down in the vehicle. There is commonly also an added battery that powers the electrics, lights, and other such elements.
The batteries in electrical autos are rechargeable and also can be billed from the electricity grid. This indicates that either a wall-mounted charger or fast battery charger (such as those at service stations) are required.
Naturally, electric vehicles require a method to manage how much power they draw from the batteries to power the motor. For this job, a control unit is used. Basically, this utilizes the accelerator to determine just how much power is required, imitating the feeling of a burning engine.
You can discover more regarding battery storage as well as technology with our free online program.
How much time does it take to bill an electrical vehicle?
There are a couple of variables to take into consideration when it concerns electric vehicle billing. The first is the type of battery utilized– most use a Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, although the ability will commonly differ. Following is the type of billing utilized– a common home 7kW charging point will certainly be a lot slower than a rapid 150kW one.
As an instance, the 2019 Tesla Model S has a 75kWh battery. To totally reenergize it, quotes suggest 11 hours for a 7kW charger, but less than an hour for a 150kW charger.
Just how much does it cost to bill an electric vehicle?
Once more there are several variables to take into consideration when it involves the expense of charging an electrical car. Along with the expense of the power in devices (a kilowatt-hour or kWh), you need to consider the size of the battery.
In the UK, the ordinary cost is 10-14 dime per kWh. So again, taking the Tesla Model S as an instance, its battery can hold 100kWh of fee. At 10p per kWh, it would certainly set you back , 10 to completely charge the battery.
For how long do electrical cars and truck batteries last?
There are two means to consider this concern. The very first is the electric cars and truck range– exactly how far a cars and truck can take a trip on a complete fee. As you may anticipate, this additionally differs depending upon the car as well as the kind of battery it has. However, the average is about 200 miles, with the Tesla Model S getting to 345 miles and the Nissan Fallen leave getting to 135 miles.
The various other consideration is the life expectancy of EV batteries. The batteries that electric cars and trucks use become less efficient in time, suggesting they at some point hold much less fee. Sector stats predict that many electrical vehicle batteries will certainly last between 10 as well as 20 years prior to they need replacing. Electric Vehicle Industry Mounts
Can electric lorries develop lasting transport?
As we discovered in our posts of decreasing your carbon impact and greenhouse gases, transport represent around one-fifth of global CO2 emissions. What’s more, almost 75% of these emissions come from road lorries.
Seemingly, there is a requirement for even more green transport as well as power systems all over the world. So exactly how lasting are electric cars? And what is their effect on the environment?
As we check out these questions, there are once again several considerations. We’ll cover each one in more detail
Exactly how sustainable are electric cars?
One of the most significant advantages of electrical cars and trucks and various other automobiles is that they generate no emissions when they’re running. As there is no process of combustion, no fuel is burned, and also no CO2 emissions are released right into the environment.
Certainly, these lorries still need electrical energy to bill the batteries. As well as the crucial question when it pertains to sustainability and environment change is where this electrical power originates from. Power that comes from wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, or other renewable energy sources is normally rather clean. In lots of areas of the world, power is created by burning fossil gas.
What is the ecological effect?
There are various other problems past usage emissions. Making electrical vehicles, specifically lithium-ion batteries, can be quite an energy-intensive process. Some researches suggest, for instance, that over a 3rd of life time electrical vehicle carbon dioxide emissions come from energy made use of to make the vehicle.
For electrical autos to be extra eco-friendly, producing procedures, as well as battery recycling and also effectiveness, have to all boost. That being claimed, a 2018 record from the UK government wrapped up that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) ‘have significantly lower greenhouse gas exhausts than standard vehicles, even when thinking about the electrical power resource and also the electrical energy made use of for battery production.’
Are electrical cars the future of global transport?
Can electric vehicles be the eco-friendly transportation solution for the future? Several nations appear to be making policies based on the truth that electrical cars, a minimum of, might be the future. What’s more, according to scientists at Timber Mckenzie, electric auto sales are anticipated to reach 45 million annually by 2040, producing a complete worldwide EV supply of 323 million.
Nevertheless, there are obstacles with electrical vehicles. Battery technology has come a long way in recent times, however, for bigger lorries, particularly, the power outcome isn’t yet rather enough to make them viable.
Exhausts connected to the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries require dealing with, and recycling of these components likewise requires to enhance.
Electric automobiles definitely have the potential to lower discharges as well as help to attend to environment adjustment. And also, we will likely see them change combustion engines in lots of circumstances. It requires an effort throughout lots of different areas to create a lasting future. Electrical vehicles need to be powered by sustainable power resources to be truly reliable. Electric Vehicle Industry Mounts
Author: Ken Wallace
Hi! I’m Ken and welcome to Flow Wheels. As an avid skateboarder, I’m taken a keen interest in personal electric vehicles over the last few years. Some might say I’m a tad old for this but it keeps me young at heart 🙂 I’ve owned and tested many models and it is very fun. Hope you are able to find one that suits you.


RECOMMENDED DRIVETRAIN MAINTENANCE FOR DIFFERENT SYSTEMS
Just like the oil in your car’s engine, the transmission oil (usually referred to as fluid) is subject to degradation from dirt, friction, and heat. Breakdown of the fluid can cause premature failure of the transmission. Close to nine out of ten transmission failures are due to fluid contamination and overheating, according to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilder’s Association. Automatic transmissions require regular maintenance. The rule of thumb? Replace the fluid and filter every 30,000 miles or every 12 months, whichever comes first. A complete transmission transfusion (or flush) is recommended because this procedure exchanges all the old fluid for new. There is one caveat here. On vehicles with a poor transmission service history you should seek the advice of a professional before doing a complete fluid exchange. A “poor transmission service history” refers to a transmission with burnt fluid (evidence of overheating) or a transmission with fluid that’s been in the unit more than 80,000 miles.
Why could a complete flush cause problems in these transmissions? There are many documented cases of high-mileage transmissions failing shortly after having a complete fluid exchange. Why? If the unit has overheated (evident by burnt fluid), the glue on the back of internal clutches has crystallized. When it is soaked in a bath of fresh high-detergency transmission fluid, the glue on the clutches dissolves, rendering the clutches, and thus the transmission, useless. Therefore, on units with high mileage, it might be wise to change only the filter and the fluid in the pan.
Maintenance varies with the type of CVT. The best advice is to follow the maintenance schedule dictated by the carmaker.
Standard transmissions are not quite as touchy as the automatics; however, it’s a good idea to have them checked every oil change. Standard transmissions use one of three lubricants: automatic transmission fluid, 30W motor oil, or gear oil. When checking the fluid be sure to check the level, the presence of moisture (which renders the fluid a milky color), or the presence of wear particles. A small amount of wear material is acceptable, but excessive wear material can indicate a problem. The maintenance change interval for transmissions that use automatic transmission fluid and 30W motor oil is every 50,000 miles. For gear oil the recommended interval is 80,000 miles. Follow the carmaker’s maintenance schedule because some can and do vary.
4 х 4 MAINTENANCE
In addition to a transmission, all 4 x 4 vehicles have a transfer case, locking hubs, and front and rear differentials. Some have an additional center differential that is part of the 4 x 4 drivetrain system. The maintenance of the transfer case is usually the same as the standard transmission (check your owner’s manual just to make sure). Maintenance of the locking hubs is extremely critical, however. Locking hubs come in two forms: automatic and manual. Both forms of hubs must be inspected for wear and disassembled, cleaned, and lubricated regularly (every 24,000 miles or 24 months). Snow, ice, water, salt, and mud find their way into these mechanized units and render them useless, costing the owner big bucks. Do yourself a favor and keep the locking hubs in good working order.


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South Louisiana Food Summit provides information for farmers, locals and restaurants alike
Calling all lovers of local food!
EatLafayette and Acadiana Food Alliance have combined forces to form the South Louisiana Food Summit. The two-day event, June 17 and 18, is a bridge between local producers, restaurants, schools and the community.
Organizers and partners Jennifer Ritter Guidry, Acadiana Food Alliance secretary, and Jesse Guidry, Vice President of Communications with Lafayette Travel, came up with the idea after seeing an overall lack of support for local foods at each end.
Jesse Guidry hopes to beef up EatLafayette. He wants to turn the summer-oriented brochure for local eateries into a way to connect people and to help to raise funds. The campaign is celebrating its first in-house publication after 15 years of partnerships.
"We want to expand outside of being a list or marketing program," he said, "bring everybody to the table to get them talking — also help the restaurants get education about local food. Our biggest barrier is what it means to be a local restaurant owner — struggles with budgeting, market."
Jennifer's end goal is to foster more relationships between those growing and those serving. She hopes to develop more connections between restaurants and producers. Although some producers already have working relationships with local restaurants, many do not.
"Make sure dialogue is moved forward, help new and beginning farmers to stick with it," she said. "We're dedicated to supporting their efforts. (It is) also something locals can help with and tap into."
Those who join the Monday adventures will leave at 8 a.m. and head for Baker Rice, also known as Acadian Gourmet Foods Inc., Brookshire Cattle, Crawfish Haven, where lunch will be served, Blazing Star and R2 Positive Culture.
Attendees are then encouraged to chose dinner from the EatLafayette list, with specials offered to those participating in the Summit.
Tuesday is full of panels being held at the Cajundome beginning at 9 a.m. Experts in business, food waste and sustainability, culinary storytelling and policy are a few of the subjects covered in the all day event.
That evening chefs will compete for Louisiana Seafood King and Queen in the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off. Taste of EatLafayette will be working alongside the competition to provide samples of local restaurants featured in EatLafayette's summer-long campaign.
One- and two-day passes are available at SOLAFoodSummit.Eventbrite.com. Both tickets include lunch, coffee and snacks. The two-day ticket includes the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off and Taste of EatLafayette Kick-Off Tuesday night.
Contact Victoria Dodge at email@example.com or on Twitter @Victoria_Dodge

domain: food


Louisville police officers sue for toxic mold exposure
LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- A group of Louisville Metro Police employees say they were exposed to toxic mold in a city office building.
Now they are suing the public works department and the public housing authority.
The suit asks a judge to force the city to fix the building's problems, and to provide compensatory and punitive damages and a jury trial.
The executive director of the housing authority says police employees were moved out of the building about a year ago so crews could repair cooling units, replace carpet, and deal with mold issues.


text: Team India will return to action when they host Sri Lanka for the three match T20I series, starting January 5. Virat Kohli will continue to lead the side, while his deputy Rohit Sharma along with fast bowler Mohammed Shami have been given a break. Jasprit Bumrah and opener Shikhar Dhawan have made their comeback after recovering from injuries. Out of 16 T20Is these two teams have played so far, India have won 11 while Sri Lanka have just five wins to their name. Despite their poor record against India, Sri Lanka will be high on confidence, especially after their second-string side completed a clean-sweep against Pakistan in their own backyard.

domain: news


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Well, I am on the last leg of our trip and should be back in Kentucky the first of May. We are enjoying visiting with my husband's family in Texas and letting the puppies swim in the nearby lake.
Speaking of families, my lovely aunt sent me this photo of me and my older brother. I thought I'd share since it looks like I've always loved reading. Do you all have fond memories of reading when you were a child?
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Born to Read
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That is just adorable!ReplyDelete
What a great picture! :) I remember my mother reading to us all the time, and giving us books to look at and "read" ourselves.ReplyDelete
The picture is wonderful! I loved reading when I was a kid. Reading Rainbow was my favorite show - I remember running to the library to search out the latest book recommendations.ReplyDelete
Now that I'm a parent, I share my love of books with my 6 month old daughter. Babies have so much enthusiasm for everything you do with them - even if all she does right now is try to chew on the covers!

domain: literature


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Nezuko Kamado Cute Cookie Cutter STL inspired by Kimetsu No Yaiba.
This design is Nezuko Kamado Cute.
3d printing settings:
These cutters come in 2 pieces:
1) the cutter with a wall of 0.8mm
2) Interior design
this model is optimized for a 0.4mm nozzle
Works better with PLA.

domain: design


Christianity is the dominant religion in Dallas, where 78 percent of the populace are practicing the faith. Kennedy was assassinated on Elm Street while his motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas. Johnson told police during a standoff that he was upset about recent police shootings of black men and wanted to kill whites, especially white officers.
The city is the largest economic center of the 12-county Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area (commonly referred to as DFW), which had a population of 7,102,796 as of July 1, 2015, representing growth in excess of 676,000 people since the 2010 census.
As such, the metropolitan area's economy is the 10th largest in the world.
Although some of Dallas' architecture dates from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, most of the notable architecture in the city is from the modernist and postmodernist eras. Several smaller structures are fashioned in the Gothic Revival style, such as the Kirby Building, and the neoclassical style, as seen in the Davis and Wilson Buildings.
Iconic examples of modernist architecture include Reunion Tower, the JFK Memorial, I. One architectural "hotbed" in the city is a stretch of historic houses along Swiss Avenue, which contains all shades and variants of architecture from Victorian to neoclassical.
The Praetorian Building of 15 stories, built in 1909, was the first skyscraper west of the Mississippi and the tallest building in Texas for some time. A racetrack for Thoroughbreds was built and their owners established the Dallas Jockey Club.


“The Court grants the plaintiffs’ request for declaratory relief and declares that the city of Bridgeport, Mayor Joseph Ganim and Chief of Police A.J. Perez failed to adhere to the Bridgeport City Charter and Rules of the Civil Service Commission when appointing Captain Garcia to the position of Assistant Police Chief on December 18, 2019.” – Judge Stevens
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE RULING BY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE STEVENS AGAINST THE CITY OF BRIDGEPORT, ET AL ON THE APPOINTMENT OF REBECA GARCIA TO THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF
“The ruling by Superior Court Judge Barry Stevens that the Ganim Administration violated Bridgeport’s civil service rules and city charter in its appointment of Rebeca Garcia to the position of assistant police chief in December 2019 is yet another example of Bridgeport’s system of political corruption and patronage that permeates from the highest levels of city leadership.
As Judge Stevens said in his ruling, ‘The city’s overarching intent and goal in the selection of the assistant chief of police was not so much to comply with the civil service rules but rather to allow [former Police Chief Armando] Perez to choose from the ranks whomever he wanted in whatever manner he desired.’
Sadly, time and time again – from yesterday’s ruling on Acting Police Chief Rebecca Garcia to the previous appointment of the former Police Chief Armando Perez – the Ganim Administration has shown a complete disregard for adhering to basic civil service rules and processes in filling key government positions.
From a sham police chief search, to lawsuits, to settlements, we’ve paid out upwards of $1.3 million to uphold patronage within the highest levels of our local government – and that doesn’t even include the most recent costs from this latest court case. Moreover, the never ending rulings and reports pointing to the pervasive and systemic political corruption that exists within the Ganim Administration has cost Brideporters confidence in their city government.
It’s simple: the city of Bridgeport should have an open, transparent, ethical, and merit-based search and hiring process for all department heads, that also includes ample opportunity for public input.


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Day: Wednesday, 16th August 2016
Miles: 1663.4 – 1689.5
Kangaroo Spring Remote Site 1663.4 – Oregon Border Remote Site 1689.5
The mental pressures of hiking against a goal that sometimes seems far beyond grasp are immense. Common knowledge dictates that we need to break things down into smaller pieces or milestones, those that are easier to estimate and achieve. Whilst this was certainly a localized daily feature of the Pacific Crest Trail, one undeniable truth is that California is enormous, and getting out of California at times feels like it will never happen. You can break the state into smaller pieces but ultimately, you’re still in California, and psychologically the idea that two enormous states still lie ahead is slightly dispiriting. Today however, I would finally finish those sections of the PCT in the great state of California, and enter Oregon, after just 1680 miles (and change).
I awoke expecting the gleaming grey granite walls that I saw illuminated by moonlight to grace my breakfast view in the same vein as Yosemite. How wrong I was however. My immediate view was of a landscape unlike any we had encountered. Burnt auburn colored rock faces rose hundreds of feet above, whilst the ground similarly showed tints of reds and browns, an exotic and unexpected change to what we’ve seen for miles and miles. I gazed in awe at just how wrongly I had interpreted the view around me. Kangaroo Valley was a truly beautiful place to awaken. I watched as the sun-line gradually moved down the mountains, the silhouettes of trees to the east taking form. I had a hearty breakfast of flour wraps, MountainHouse egg breakfast skillet and a liberal dousing of the Tapitio powder, probably my favorite breakfast at this point! I left camp at 7AM with fuel in the tank and high morale.
Whilst Kangaroo Spring itself was a little disappointing, I was very content as I started along a series of ridge-lines, passing a picturesque lake and a series of exposed slopes, obviously cleared by a fire area in the last 20 years. Far off in a hazy horizon, Shasta was still visible, but as a bare outline at this point thanks to the heat-haze. I was aiming for the crossing point where the PCT cut the road that Art-the-ATV-guy uses. Coincidentally that was also the location for a pleasant pipe spring, which happily made up for the disappointing lack of kangaroos at Kangaroo Spring! At the spring I met Anmei once again, and soon after bumped into Mash an Flint. Given how we all bunched up in Seiad Valley, the trail was now akin to an unblocked pipe, with lots of traffic in a relatively small area. A little further on I bumped into Skippy, Smiles and iRobot. The trail was far busier in the early hours of today than I think I had experienced in a long long time!
As I entered a level forested area with some recent signs of cleared blow-downs, I came across one of the most enjoyable interactions on the entire Pacific Crest Trail. I took a second glance as I viewed a number of horses on the trail, lazing around in the cool shadows. As I proceeded slowly, I met their handlers, trail-keepers Peggy Goshgarian, her husband Bill and their horse handler George. This team were hard at work clearing trail so that people like myself can enjoy the view, and not worry about the trail being clear ahead.
Trail Peggy and Bill were real characters. Peggy had even taken horses from Seiad Valley all the way as far as Canada with Bill as support. They were a really interesting pair and their horses were obviously doted on. However I was eager not to take them from their work and so continued on after a good chat. I promised to send them on a card when Im done, to which they said “just write to Trail Peggy and Bill, Seiad Valley, CA and we’ll get it’! The rural nature of Seiad Valley, the fun and welcome we got (apart from the RV park) reminded me more and more of the people I grew up with in Ireland. Where everyone knows everyone and is interested in everything going on in the district.
As I hiked onwards, I eventually came to a high ridge above a spring, where a bunch of the hikers I met earlier were resting up for lunch. I picked up some water from the spring, much to the intrigue of some curious cattle wearing bells, before settling in for a lunch wrap of tuna and cheetos. It was a very relaxing scene, a warm breeze, some sun, some annoying yellow jackets, and an omnipresent jangle of bells in the air. This was only disturbed when Breakaway arrived to the lunch-spot, and exclaimed with a tone and bluntness that only he could pull off :”Is there cattle around here or did some hippies hang up a bunch of wind chimes”.
Knowing that we were very close to finally making it to Oregon, we all set off aiming north, with more ridge-tops to follow, bounded by golden grass and just a 15 miles to the border.
Even the sheep was getting pretty excited by now…
I did not expect the terrain to become as dry and arid as it is along the California, Oregon border.
Finally, right before the border, the landscape that you expect from Oregon came into view, trees and grassy meadows in the last few miles along with some pleasant flowing springs. By now there was a group of 10 of us, all aiming for the border together, and giddy with excitement!
Finally as we turned the final bend, the tree that marks the border came into view! A simple wooden plaque on the stump, marks the line, along with a box containing a trail register. The level of excitement that people feel at this point in the thru-hike was clear to see in the register. It really felt for the first time like I had achieved something, although still tinged with a level of unknowing – given the reputation of the Pacific Northwest for rain! Regardless, we had finally conquered California!! I did of course bring a small token to celebrate with, a can of Budweiser that I shared with 10 people! From here to camp was just a short mile uphill, and so we had a night of much merriment, despite our complete lack of supplies to support any form of merriment at all. In actuality this means that other than dinner, we simply reveled in the satisfaction that we had achieved something! Tomorrow is a new day, and a new state!

domain: hobby


Jessie J at HMV Oxford Street
It’s a rainy Monday afternoon in Central London and most artists with only a handful of singles under their belt would struggle to muster a decent crowd for an under-publicised in-store appearance. However, today, the 14th May, the artist in question is Jessie J, a singular talent hyped to within an inch of her life by rabid A&R executives and already in the throes of superstardom thanks to high-profile gigs with Universal Music and The Voice. So by the time she takes the stage, introduced by former Spice Girl Mel C in what comes across as a pretty clear passing of the musical baton, the usually sterile shop floor is at fever pitch.
With just an acoustic guitar and some light percussion for backing, what comes across most is her voice, vaulting to impossible heights with consummate ease. The incessant trills and quirky stuttering can be a hindrance, like on the over-emotive Nobody’s Perfect, but it’s genuinely refreshing to have a pop star who can actually hold a tune. Stripped of its inane production and redundant B.o.B guest verse, even Price Tag comes across as bearable and even a little fun, despite its brutal overexposure in recent times – the crowd are quick to join in on the chorus and shout back the lyrics at the slightest prompt.
Throughout the short set, Jessie J’s genuine love of performing is almost palpable. Her personable, everywoman ramblings preceding each track, coupled with some unrestrained mugging at fans in the front row, give far more insight into her bubbly personality than any of the uninspired lyrical couplets which her detractors are quick to seize upon. The highlight of the afternoon comes when a fan asks for a personalised video on their phone – she not only acquiesces but ad-libs an entire song singing directly into the phone, before leading into triumphant closing number Domino.
Funny, down-to-earth and baffled by her new-found fame, whilst embracing it whole-heartedly, it’s little wonder Jessie J has won over the British public in such a short time. Her songs still strike me as underwhelming pop-by-committee, but that just makes today’s gig all the more impressive. The event was staged to promote Music Is Great Britain, a new live music DVD, celebrating iconic live performances by British artists down the years to raise money for the charity Save The Children. It seems appropriate that the star attraction put on a great show, with such unremarkable source material – proving that in the right hands, all music sounds better live.
Photo: Katie Harris
Watch the video for Domino here:


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STAFF BENDA BILILI
September 19, Vogue Theatre
The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is extremely disappointed to announce the cancellation of the concert by Staff Benda Bilili, the extraordinary Congolese music group slated to perform at the Vogue Theatre on Monday, September 19th.
The concert was part of a substantial North American tour also cancelled in its entirety by Staff Benda Bilili management, who cited major issues obtaining the required documentation for the group to enter the U.S. as the reason for cancelling the tour. No future plans have been announced. The Vancouver concert was the group’s only Canadian date on a tour that was scheduled to begin in Folsom, California on September 14th.
This tour had a major supporter in Rotary International as part of that organization’s work to eradicate polio around the world. Members of Staff Benda Bilili have been stricken by the disease, and their story and music continues to inspire and educate people everywhere.
National Geographic Entertainment is still moving forward to promote the documentary “BendaBilili”! about the group and their lives in Kinshasa Congo, which will screen at this year’s Vancouver International Film Festival. For full information on this film and its screening dates, go to http://www.viff.org/festival/ .
CONCERT TICKET REFUNDS
For tickets purchased at Vogue Box Office
Credit cards refunded automatically.
Cash purchases refunded at box office.
For tickets purchased at Highlife Records
Bring tix to outlet for refund.
Any questions from the public can be directed to the Vancouver Folk Music Festival:
firstname.lastname@example.org or 604-602-9798 X200.


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It took them 12 innings this time, but the A’s completed a four-game sweep of the Yankees on Sunday, this time winning 5-4. They’ve won five straight games by exactly one run.
The A’s are the first team since the 1999 Marlins to win five straight by the slimmers of margins.
The streak started with a 4-3 win over the Rangers on Thursday. They then beat the Yankees four straight: 4-3, 3-2, 2-1 and 5-4.
The Yankees actually jumped out to a 4-0 lead today, but the A’s came all of the way back. Brandon Inge and Kurt Suzuki homered in the fifth, and the A’s got another run in the sixth on an RBI groundout. Down 4-3 in the ninth, they got a game-tying home run from Seth Smith off Rafael Soriano. Coco Crisp won it in the 12th by singling in Derek Norris.
The victory improved the surprising A’s to 51-44, putting them into a tie with the Angels for second place in the AL West before the Angels play Texas tonight. The Angels, A’s and Orioles are all currently tied for the two wild card spots, with the White Sox one back.
Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong was pulled from Saturday’s game against the Brewers after sustaining a right elbow contusion, according to a team announcement. The full extent of the injury has not been revealed, nor is it clear when Wong might return to the lineup, though he’s presumed to be day-to-day for the time being.
Wong suffered the injury in the third inning. He reached base on a line drive single to right field, his first of the evening, and was accidentally struck on the elbow when Wade Miley made an errant throw to Jesus Aguilar on a pickoff attempt. The 27-year-old second baseman has already seen his season shortened by injuries after sustaining a right thigh contusion and, more recently, dealing with a bout of chronic inflammation in his left knee. He entered Saturday’s contest batting .238/.323/.388 on the year with eight home runs, and a .711 OPS through 330 PA.
Following the incident, Wong was replaced on the field by Greg Garcia at the top of the fourth inning. The Cardinals currently lead the Brewers 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth.


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Everyones always on about the Northern Lights but what about the Southern Lights, the even more illusive Aurora Australis? If you’re in the southern hemisphere, this is one light show you do not want to miss. Here’s where to see them.
You’ve been hearing a lot about the Northern Lights from us on the Traveller’s Blog and we admit, we’ve been neglecting the sister, the Southern Lights, Aurora Australis. The Southern Lights definitely get a lot less press simply because they’re a lot harder to find (but no less glamorous!). But we think there’s a certain adventure to be had in the chase… even if it means camping out on a sheet of ice in the Antarctic.
Where to find the Southern Lights?
South Georgia is a good place to start. It’s one of the southernmost islands in the world, usually surrounded by ice. The best time to visit is in March and it’s also prime season to spot the lights. The lights are the most active from March to September… winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
Stewart Island in New Zealand is a bit easier to access with flights to Auckland than South Georgia, just off the southern tip of NZ. Head to Rakiura National Park in the winter to have the chance to see the lights. The park’s name cames from the Maori language, meaning “the land of glowing skies.”
The Falkland Islands are the perfect location to spot the Southern Lights, just 400 miles off the coast of South America. The islands are incredibly beautiful and are home to some amazing wildlife too: penguins, elephant seals and more! The best time to see the lights from here is between April and August when the days are incredibly short.
Antarctica is of course the ideal spot to see the lights but it does take a certain type of adventurer to get there. This is not just a destination you pick out of a travel brochure! The lights are the most active here and during the winter months the entire sky is lit up on a regular basis. Expect -50°C temperatures, cutting winds and dangerous icy conditions.
Finally Australia offers some pretty great places to catch the lights. The above video was show near Melbourne, from Mornington Peninsula. Tasmania, compared to Australia’s other provinces, probably offers the best chances to see the lights in winter, as far away from light pollution as possible.
Are the Aurora Australis worth travelling for? Have you ever seen them?

domain: geography


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The company’s experience and trajectory in the development of cancer treatments have made SunRock worthy of this recognition.
The Business Technology Cluster of the Life Sciences in Galicia (Bioga), with the support of the Government of Galicia, awarded its X Bioga Awards in 2022, among which are SunRock Biopharma as a Competitive BioCompany; CanTher as a BioBusiness Idea; BFlow as a Young BioCompany; and Granja Campomayor as an Innovative BioCompany.
The company SunRock Biopharma, based in Santiago de Compostela and dedicated to the development of antibodies for the treatment of tumors with urgent needs for cancer therapies, was the winner in the Competitive BioCompany category. The biotechnology company had already been awarded the Innovative BioCompany Award in the 2019 edition. This is the first time that a company has received two Bioga awards in different categories. The reasons for awarding the prize were “the experience and trajectory of the company’s human team; the development of multiple cancer treatments through open innovation processes, and the achievement of a license agreement for one of its molecules with a pharmaceutical multinational.”

domain: medical


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Seurat produced many oil sketches and drawings as studies for his monumental painting A Sunday on La Grande Jatte of 1884–6 (Art Institute of Chicago). Many of these concentrate on the landscape but others, including this one, focus on the scale and position of figures within the final picture.
Here we see a man standing rigidly, reduced to his essential outline with no incidental detail. Seurat had already included him in an earlier oil sketch, and he appears in the final painting where he is accompanied by an elegantly dressed woman. Like most of the people in the Grande Jatte, he is shown in profile as he looks straight ahead at the river. He wears a black top hat, a long grey jacket or coat and dark trousers, which identify him as a member of the middle or upper classes and, perhaps, as a dandy. He also holds what might be a walking cane or a furled umbrella and what may be a folded blanket or groundsheet.
Seurat produced many sketches and drawings as studies for his monumental painting A Sunday on La Grande Jatte of 1884–6 (Art Institute of Chicago). Many of these concentrate on the landscape but others, including this one, focus on the figures, either individually or as groups. In these figure studies, the landscape often functions as a stage set within which Seurat experiments with the scale and position of people who will eventually populate the final painting.
In this study, we see a man standing on the right. A few other less-defined people can be seen in the background. Reduced to his essential outline and with no incidental detail, he has the appearance of a cut-out paper figure placed on the canvas. Like most of the people in the Grande Jatte, we see him in profile as he looks straight ahead at the river. Seurat had already introduced this man in an earlier oil sketch (Art Institute of Chicago), positioned on the far right-hand edge, and he appears in the final painting. His size and location in this sketch are close to the final picture, but there he is accompanied by an elegantly dressed woman. As she stands to his left, she partly blocks our view of him, although his face and the front of his body are still visible. In this sketch, he wears a black top hat, a long grey jacket or coat and dark trousers, clothes which he wears in the final painting and which identify him as a member of the middle or upper classes and, perhaps, as a dandy. He also holds what might be a walking cane or a furled umbrella and what may be a folded blanket or groundsheet. In the final picture, however, he is clearly carrying a cane under his left arm, which now points upwards to the right, and he holds a cigar in his right hand. It is his female companion who carries an umbrella, which she has opened to shield herself from the sun.
As in the Grande Jatte, the large grassy area fills most of the picture. Seurat has divided this between a shaded foreground (with a preponderance of blue alongside a dark green) and a sunlit middle area (where a golden-yellow is combined with a light green). Compared to the other Study for ‘La Grande Jatte’ in the National Gallery’s collection, there is a reduced range of colours. As Seurat had not yet fully developed the pointillist technique he used in the painitng itself, the sketch may date to 1884–5.
It is possible that Seurat painted this study in the studio rather than on location. As in many of the sketches and paintings he made along this area of the river Seine, he attends to the interplay between the horizontal and vertical lines offered by the location, which provided a ready-made architecture or grid within which he could arrange individual elements. Here the man’s rigid upright pose, which gives him the look of a tailor’s mannequin, forms a strong vertical that visually rhymes with the trees.
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domain: artistic


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"It was not being used to enhance performance," Brailsford told the BBC, adding that Team Sky "do not cross the line" when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs.
Brailsford said Sky would seek to be more transparent in future about riders' use of Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs).
Wiggins has faced questions over the timing of the medical interventions and his use of a corticosteroid to tackle asthma problems. Details were published by cyber hackers on the fancybear.net website this month.
The data revealed the Briton was given permission to take triamcinolone before the 2011 and 2012 Tours as well as the 2013 Giro d'Italia.
TUEs allow athletes to take banned substances for verified medical needs and are signed off by sports federations. There is no suggestion Wiggins broke any rules.
"I have known Bradley a long time and he is an asthma sufferer and he has struggled with allergies for as long as I have known him," Brailsford said.
"I know that at the time there was a recommendation to see a specialist, he went to see a specialist and was then given permission by the authorities.
"I trust and believe in the integrity of that process."
Brailsford added that he had been aware at the time about what Wiggins was taking and had complete trust in the team doctors.
He did not believe the reputations of rider or team, who have a much-publicised 'zero tolerance' policy, had been tainted.
Wiggins told the BBC in an interview broadcast on Sunday that the TUEs were "to cure a medical condition.
"This wasn't about trying to find a way to gain an unfair advantage. This was about putting myself back on a level playing field in order to compete at the highest level," he said.
The injections of triamcinolone have been highlighted as an apparent contradiction of Wiggins' previous claims that he had adhered to cycling's "no needles" policy.
A spokesman for Wiggins said last week that the injection mentioned in the leaked information was an intramuscular treatment. He said the rider stood by his comment concerning the use of illegal intravenous needle injections.
Questions have also been asked, in a sport with a notorious doping past, as to why Wiggins did not need the injections before 2011 or after 2013.
"In our total existence we (Team Sky) have had 13 TUEs," said Brailsford. "This is not a systematic abuse of TUEs, we have raced many, many races and there's a very small number. We run a tight ship."


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WhichBookie racing analyst Andrew Blair White provides a preview and betting tips for races at Fairyhouse on Wednesday 7th July.
|Wild Desire||12/112/1||Each Way
|Place BetPlace Bet|
Date of Tips: 11/06/2021
Disclaimer The odds for these selections were correct at the time of publishing (09:10 11/06/2021) but may have changed since. Please check the latest price before placing your bet.
June has been a very bumpy road so far and one that can’t be looked back on with much enjoyment so far. The great part of Horse Racing is that anything can change in a few days and a few races. With Royal Ascot next week, I’ll be hoping my form can turn around for the exciting five-day festival. For now, I am in desperate search for not only a winner, but some sort of continuity of form.
With the return of Irish Jumps racing at Clonmel, I am trying to get back to basics but circling in on the racing I love the most. It is a fairly ordinary card at Clonmel, but there are some good handicaps with value edges to have a look at and potentially some nice prices to be had.
I have just the one selection from the card, which comes in the competitive handicap chase at 4.40 over the extended 2 miles. It will be interesting to see the dynamic of this race, as Jack Holiday is usually an enthusiastic front runner, while other market principles Ciankyle and Ingleby MacKenzie usually like to get on with things as well. This style of running could lead to some of them taking each other on too early, and setting it off for something off the pace.
Those that know me well will know that I am more than partial to a Paul Nolan horse. I won’t back them blindly, however with the nick the whole stable is in at the moment, it would be prudent to examine whatever they are running with a fine eye. I have landed on Wild Desire in this race, who certainly looks as if she could be competitive in her first handicap over fences. She ran a notable race in third over this C&D back in December, when only finishing 10 lengths behind Epson Du Houx, who is a strong horse at a top handicap level. Her other chase efforts would also indicate that an opening mark of 99 over fences is a fair assessment.
There are always risks involved with backing a horse in her first handicap over fences, but I take a lot of faith in the fact that this mare has had a robust career in handicap hurdles. She has won twice in her time, both off lower marks than this – but she is off a low and lovely racing weight of 10 stone 9 pounds, which is aided by young Adam Williams taking 4 pounds off her back.
She is usually held up with a late run and if this race pans out the way I see it, she might be able to pick apart a pace collapse out in front at Clonmel, which is a deceptively stiff finish. At a price of 12/1 with Bet365 with 4 Places, I make her an each way selection.

domain: sports


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Lockerbie bomber's release 'a mistake'
US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley has called the freeing from custody of the Lockerbie bomber ''a mistake''.
He made the remarks after Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who said the UK may wish to explain the circumstances behind Abdelbaset al-Megrahi's release.
Four US senators believe oil giant BP lobbied for the move to secure a deal with Libya.
16 Jul 2010


28a U.S. Code Appendix -
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Excerpts from the Report of the Judicial Conference—Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure—September 2006
The Illustrative Forms
The advisory committee submitted proposed revisions to Illustrative Forms 1 through 35 (to become Forms 1 through 82) contained in the Appendix of Forms to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure with a recommendation that they be approved and transmitted to the Judicial Conference. * * *
The Illustrative Forms have not been revised or updated in many years. The advisory committee applied the same style conventions and principles to the forms as was used with the restyled rules. It declined to make changes to the substance of the forms, consistent with its style-project policy, even though some of the forms represent approaches to pleading and other submissions that may not be consistent with current practices. For example, the “complaint” forms call for allegations that are far briefer than are commonly found in cases filed in the district courts. Similarly, the advisory committee did not change the choice of examples in the forms; the “negligence complaint” form continues to use the example of an automobile striking a pedestrian.
The forms have been reorganized and grouped by subject area. The revised forms place “special” forms as Forms 1–9; “complaint” forms as Forms 10–21,[;] “answer” forms as Forms 31–31 [sic]; “motions” forms as Forms 40–42; “discovery” forms as Forms 50–52; “condemnation” forms as Forms 60–61; “judgment” forms as Forms 70–71; and forms for “assignment to magistrate judges” as Forms 80–82.
The pleading dates in the forms were eliminated and a uniform blank date was substituted. Explanatory Notes were also eliminated, because the forms are intended to stand on their own as simple and brief illustrations.Form 1 28Af1.eps Form 2 28Af2.eps Form 3 28Af3.eps (As amended Mar. 26, 2009, eff. Dec. 1, 2009.) Form 4 28Af4.eps (As amended Mar. 26, 2009, eff. Dec. 1, 2009.) Form 5 28Af5.eps Form 6 28Af6.eps Form 7 28Af7.eps Form 8 28Af8.eps Form 9 28Af9.eps Form 10 28Af10.eps Form 11 28Af11.eps Form 12 28Af12.eps Form 13 28Af13.eps Form 14 28Af14.eps Form 15 28Af15.eps Form 16 28Af16.eps Form 17 28Af17.eps Form 18 28Af18.eps Form 19 28Af19.eps Form 20 28Af20.eps Form 21 28Af21.eps Form 30 28Af30.eps Form 31 28Af31.eps Form 40 28Af40.eps Form 41 28Af41.eps Form 42 28Af42.eps Form 50 28Af50.eps Form 51 28Af51.eps Form 52 28Af52.eps (As amended Apr. 28, 2010, eff. Dec. 1, 2010.) Form 60 28Af60.eps (As amended Mar. 26, 2009, eff. Dec. 1, 2009.) Form 61 28Af61.eps Form 70 28Af70.eps Form 71 28Af71.eps Form 80 28Af80.eps Form 81 28Af81.eps Form 82 28Af82.eps
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