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OCC at risk of losing AA+ S&P rating
4 stars based on
The Commission has proposed amendments to the formula for determining the customer reserve requirements of broker-dealers under the Securities Exchange Act of the "Exchange Act". The proposed amendments would permit a broker-dealer to treat margin related to security options clearing corporation credit rating products "SFPs" purchased or sold in customer securities accounts that is required and on deposit with a clearing organization as a "debit item" in options clearing corporation credit rating its reserve requirement under the formula in Rule 15ca.
The effect of permitting such a debit is to reduce the amount that the broker-dealer is required to set aside in the "special bank account for the exclusive benefit of customers" under Rule 15c e. The debit is appropriate because the funds held by the clearing organization represent funds already set aside by the broker to satisfy customer claims, and a similar debit is provided for options margin on deposit at OCC. One of these requirements would have what we assume to be the wholly unintended consequence of making the debit unavailable for margin deposited with a registered clearing agency that complies with options clearing corporation credit rating Commission's registration standard limiting permissible uses of clearing fund deposits.
Another would have the effect of forcing fundamental changes in the handling of customer funds and securities by OCC, its clearing members, and their custodians, and would substantially reduce the efficiency of the clearing process for options as well as SFPs. Other requirements are less seriously or immediately harmful, but are nevertheless inappropriate, unnecessary and potentially harmful as applied to a registered clearing agency.
Although some or all of these requirements may be appropriate as applied to a clearing organization not subject to the Commission's regulation, none of them are necessary or appropriate as applied to OCC. Background As currently in effect, Item 13 of the reserve formula in Rule 15ca allows a broker-dealer to take a debit i. Indeed, we suspect that is exactly what the Commission would have proposed, had it not been forced to address another issue options clearing corporation credit rating to SFPs.
As noted in the Commission's release, the Commodity Futures Modernization Act the "CFMA" created a regulatory framework for the trading of security futures products "SFPs"including single stock and narrow-based index futures and options on options clearing corporation credit rating futures.
Thus, the Commission staff has had to consider whether and under what circumstances SFP margin on deposit at a DCO that is not also a Clearing Options clearing corporation credit rating should be entitled to a debit in the reserve formula. However, options clearing corporation credit rating SFP debit is subject to several additional conditions not applicable to the options margin debit. The apparent reason for these additional conditions is to provide the Commission with some assurance as to the safety of margin deposits held by DCOs not regulated by the Commission.
But rather than limit the application of the conditions to DCOs, the Commission also proposes to impose these conditions on OCC as a options clearing corporation credit rating to providing a reserve formula debit for SFP margin held at OCC but not as a condition to providing such a debit for options margin. The Commission's proposed amendment to Rule 15ca would permit a broker-dealer to include its SFP customer clearing margin deposit as a debit item subject to four specific conditions identified in paragraphs 2 a through 2 d of Note G to proposed Item Paragraphs 2 a through 2 c are wholly inappropriate as applied to OCC.
Paragraph b would require OCC to fundamentally change the way in which OCC and its clearing members handle margin deposits and would options clearing corporation credit rating reduce the efficiency of the clearing process. Subparagraph c ii also contains a requirement that OCC would not currently meet and that is inconsistent with industry standards.
The remaining provisions of paragraph cwhile innocuous, are also completely unnecessary as options clearing corporation credit rating to a Clearing Agency. There are a number of things wrong with this test. Moreover, OCC operated successfully and safely for many years without such a rating; many other sound clearing organizations including the Clearing Division of the CME do not have such a rating; and we do not believe that it is appropriate for the current proposal to be conditioned on such a rating.
Although the rule includes an alternative test, that test is also unsatisfactory. While it is not clear from the text of the rule itself, the release makes clear that the term "security deposits from clearing members" refers to deposits that the clearing organization "may use.
If that were to occur, it would not reflect any reduction in OCC's creditworthiness, but would instead reflect a reduction in the size of the potential obligations that the clearing fund might be called upon to satisfy. Nevertheless, it would prevent OCC from satisfying Paragraph 2 b even if OCC's clearing fund otherwise qualified as an acceptable "security deposit. Also, we assume by "assessment power" that the Commission means the legal right to compel clearing members in the aggregate to deposit that amount.
We assume that this ability to make a call for additional funds that is not legally enforceable is not what the Commission meant by "assessment power. We do not believe that this was the Commission's intent. Our comment is not merely that the particular standards set forth in proposed Note G are wrong and should be modified. Our more fundamental comment is that we do not believe that there is any reason to require a Clearing Agency subject to the full regulatory authority of the Commission to meet additional or different standards in order to be deemed a sufficiently sound repository for customer margin deposits related to SFP transactions.
Surely any Clearing Agency that the Commission has found to meet the standards for continued registration under Section 17A of the Exchange Act, and whose rules have been approved by the Commission under Section 19 of the Exchange Act, must be sufficiently creditworthy to hold a deposit of customer funds.
Otherwise, it should not be permitted to do business as a Clearing Agency at all. Note G of the reserve formula is not the appropriate place to set minimum financial requirements for a Clearing Agency that is comprehensively regulated by the Commission. The proposed requirement is even more peculiar when one considers that the stated purpose of the rule amendment is to permit a debit in the reserve formula only for margin deposits related to SFPs.
There is surely nothing about clearing SFPs that would justify the imposition of these new financial requirements options clearing corporation credit rating a Clearing Agency. The reason for imposing the new financial requirements is presumably to give the Commission some assurance as to the creditworthiness of a DCO that would be holding funds of securities customers but which is not subject to the Commission's regulatory oversight.
If the Commission is not comfortable in simply relying upon the regulatory oversight of the CFTC to ensure the creditworthiness of any such DCO, then that would be a reason to impose minimum requirements with respect to Options clearing corporation credit rating under Note G. It would not be a reason, however, to impose new requirements on a Clearing Agency that is already fully regulated by the Commission.
Neither fairness nor safety and soundness considerations require the Commission to provide identical treatment for an entity that is already subject to extensive regulation by the Commission and one that is not. They are obviously not similarly situated in the most relevant respect. Moreover, these requirements would as a practical matter discriminate against Clearing Agencies. By imposing requirements that today can only be options clearing corporation credit rating by one or two DCOs, and not by OCC in part because options clearing corporation credit rating OCC's compliance with the Commission's own clearing agency registration requirementsthe Commission would in practical effect be allowing a reserve formula options clearing corporation credit rating only for customer margin deposited with DCOs that the Commission does not regulate, and not with an established Clearing Agency that the Commission does regulate.
We recognize that this was not the intent of the Commission or its staff, and that the clearing fund requirement in Note G could be modified to conform it to the use restrictions in Section 17A noted options clearing corporation credit rating. Our point is to emphasize the risks of including in the reserve formula additional and potentially conflicting standards for a Clearing Agency that is already subject to extensive regulation options clearing corporation credit rating other provisions of the Exchange Act and regulations thereunder.
Segregation Requirements Paragraph 2 b of Note G to Item 14 provides, as a further condition to the availability of the debit, that a DCO or Clearing Agency must deposit "customer margin in a bank account separate from other margin deposits of clearing members, and must require the bank to provide a written acknowledgement that the property in the account is held free of any lien of the bank or person claiming through the bank.
They would also exacerbate an awkward and inefficient mismatch between the way OCC is required to treat customer funds and the way all other Clearing Agencies treat such funds.
OCC does not presently maintain separate deposit accounts or custody accounts for margin collateral deposited by its clearing members in respect of different account types. When a clearing member deposits margin with OCC, it is required to specify the account options clearing corporation credit rating which the margin is being deposited. The same is true of withdrawals. However, all cash deposited as collateral with respect to all account types of all clearing members other options clearing corporation credit rating segregated futures accounts and cross-margining accounts is commingled options clearing corporation credit rating OCC in deposit accounts at OCC's settlement banks.
Similarly, securities pledged to OCC as margin with respect to all account types are commingled at The Depository Trust Company "DTC" or in the pledgor's bank custody account in the case of government securities.
None of these accounts are segregated as between customer and proprietary assets. In the case of assets deposited in respect of the segregated futures accounts provided for in Section 3 f of Article VI of the By-Laws, OCC and its clearing members will, of course, maintain separate deposit and custody accounts as required under Section 4d 2 of the CEA.
But the customer protection regime provided for in the CEA, which is based upon "segregation in gross" of customer funds, is different in concept from the customer protection regime developed by the Commission under Section 15 of the Exchange Act, which options clearing corporation credit rating based primarily upon a net segregation requirement represented by the reserve formula of Rule 15ca.
In the case of OCC, the Commission's present proposal would impose the requirements of both customer protection schemes simultaneously, which is both unnecessary and quite unworkable for OCC. Although proposed new Item 14 of the reserve formula, and therefore the provisions of Note G, would apply only to margin deposited in respect of SFPs, OCC does not calculate separate margin requirements on a product-by-product basis. OCC has been a pioneer in the development of risk-based margining techniques that determine margin requirements based upon the net risk of a portfolio of positions in options and other securities and derivative products.
As a result, OCC will not determine a separate margin requirement for SFPs, and it will not be possible for clearing members to distinguish the customer margin deposited in respect of Options clearing corporation credit rating from that deposited in respect of options.
Furthermore, even if options clearing corporation credit rating were possible to separately identify customer SFP margin, OCC could not maintain SFP customer margin collateral separate from SFP proprietary margin collateral unless OCC restructured its system of deposit accounts and clearing members restructured their DTC and bank custody accounts to segregate customer from proprietary assets.
This would require establishing numerous additional bank accounts and custody accounts and incurring the continuing costs of maintaining those accounts and would burden OCC and its clearing members with the need to process transfers of funds and securities among those accounts as often as daily, all to no good purpose, given that customer property held by OCC as margin is already adequately protected by Rule 15c Although OCC maintains fidelity bond coverage for employees, it does not have coverage that would apply to non-employee agents, other than contract employees and outside counsel.
OCC has been advised by options clearing corporation credit rating insurance agent that such coverage is not readily available. Many people and entities may act as agents of OCC from time to time for specified purposes.
The need to protect against potential defalcation in these agents' obligations to OCC, and the most appropriate means of protection, options clearing corporation credit rating better addressed on a case-by-case basis in light of the particular services rendered. Before permitting broker-dealers to carry positions in OneChicago futures with CME in a securities account, the Commission would need to determine whether such commingling is permissible under Rule 15c We would be pleased to discuss any of these issues with you further.
Please feel free to contact me at or Andy Naughton at Indeed, under OCC's risk-based margin system, it will be impossible to distinguish the clearing margin applicable to non-segregated SFPs from the clearing margin applicable to options. Paragraph 2 d is limited in its application to clearing organizations that are not registered Clearing Agencies, and we therefore refrain from comment on that provision. This limitation options clearing corporation credit rating imposed to meet the Commission's own clearing agency registration standards, which provide with a limited exception not relevant here that "the rules of the clearing agency should limit the purposes for which the clearing fund may be used to protecting participants and the clearing agency i from the defaults of participants and ii from clearing agency losses not including day-to-day operating expenses such as losses of securities not covered by insurance or other resources of the clearing agency.
Under this proposed rule change, the aggregate clearing fund would be a function of the "risk margin" excluding the premium value of options, which is fully collateralized by margin deposits on deposit at OCC as follows: We also note that some insurers offer clearing member default insurance that could be used as a substitute for some portion of the clearing fund, thereby creating another circumstance in which the size of the clearing fund might be reduced without reducing the amount of protection against risk.
Securities pledged to OCC through a custodian bank continue to be held in the account of the pledgor at the custodian bank but subject to OCC's control. This makes it unnecessary for OCC to account to pledgors for interest, dividends, etc.
Article VI, Section 3 provides for separate accounts for individual market-makers and alternatively permits combined market-maker accounts in which transactions for multiple market-makers may be cleared. In addition, so-called "joint back office" or "JBO" transactions are carried in a combined account separate from other account types. Finally, OCC provides options clearing corporation credit rating "futures segregated funds account" in which a options clearing corporation credit rating member that is a fully-registered futures commission merchant must clear the transactions of its futures customers subject to the segregation requirements of Section 4d 2 of the Commodity Exchange Act.
This issue options clearing corporation credit rating not arise for security futures because a future represents a liability of the customer as well as an asset, and is therefore never treated as fully paid.

domain: economics


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We would all prefer that our dogs came in bubble wrap to help cushion and protect them from the world. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and pups get hurt, sometimes severely. One of those injuries is a concussion. Concussions in dogs can range from mild to severe. Even mild concussions warrant consulting your vet.
After the initial assessment and treatment your vet may send your pup home for further monitoring. If your vet gives you the go-ahead to help your dog with a concussion at home, here’s what you need to know:
Overview of concussion in dogs
A concussion is usually something we associate with contact sports, daredevil stunts, vehicle accidents, or general clumsiness, but most of the time when we hear “concussion”, it’s assumed the patient is human. Many may have never considered the possibility of concussion in companion dogs.
Any time our pets experience physical trauma, it’s natural to be concerned, especially if it’s a head injury. Concussions can happen in dogs just as they do in humans, and in the same way, a concussion can have serious implications. Because dogs can’t communicate with us the way a human concussion patient would, it’s important to learn how to provide care and how to recognize signs of an issue.
First-aid at home for your dog after a head injury
In the event of a head injury, it’s important to seek care quickly. As soon as you believe a head injury has occurred, keep your dog calm and minimize movement, then contact your dog’s veterinarian or the nearest veterinary emergency center to get instructions for care and to schedule a visit.
If there are any wounds present, avoid handling them as they will be painful, and attempting to clean or treat them at home is not in your dog’s best interest. If necessary, pressure can be applied over a wound that is bleeding significantly.
Signs that your dog’s head injury or concussion is serious
Signs of concussion in a dog might present with:
- Persistent vomiting
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures or difficulty standing
- Uneven pupil size
- Disorientation and lethargy
Working with your vet to help a dog with a concussion
Veterinary expertise is key for proper concussion management. If your dog has experienced a head injury or exhibits the signs listed above associated with some other physical trauma, get an appointment with your dog’s vet or an emergency veterinary office ASAP. They’ll be able to tailor treatment to your dog’s personal needs; this may include:
- A thorough review of your dog’s medical history, past and present
- Physical examination where the doctor will look your dog over and assess things like pupil size and shape, signs of pain or swelling, and other signs of trauma
- Diagnostic tests including x-rays to look for fractures, bruising, or other signs of trauma
- Observation by trained professionals who can look for signs of a concussion, or worsening concussion
- Dog-safe prescription medications to manage pain
- Sometimes advanced care with treatments that can reduce brain swelling if the concussion is severe
What to do to help a dog with concussion at home
After your vet’s assessment and treatment, they’ll send your dog home with you. Their home-care instructions may include:
- Restricted activity and rest for a period of time (often a couple weeks)
- Monitoring for signs of abnormal brain function
- Safe administration of prescription medications
- Controlled offering of food and water, including recommended frequencies and volumes to make sure your pet is getting sufficient nutrition and hydration, without over-doing it
- Return to the vet if you notice any negatives changes in your dog’s behavior
Would a vet be able to help over a video call?
Virtual vet consultations are an option in many urgent situations for quick assessment and advice without a trip to the vet. While they lack tests, they can help gauge severity and guide next steps. A video call veterinary visit may be useful to get an initial perspective on your dog’s head injury but in most cases of trauma involving the head, they’ll recommend a visit in-person with a veterinarian for better assessment.
A video call will not allow you to seek care in the form of observation from veterinary professionals, diagnostics like x-rays, or certain medical treatments like IV infusions to reduce brain swelling
Preventing future concussions in dogs
It’s impossible to eliminate all risk of head trauma and concussion in dogs because accidents happen. However by reducing the risk of common causes of head trauma, you’ll also reduce your dog’s risk. Common causes of head trauma that may lead to concussion include:
- Car accidents: When your dog is riding in the car with you, use approved restraints such as dog seat belts or kennels.
- Contain your dog in and out of the home: Prevent trauma from being hit by a car or being attacked by other animals.
- Supervise during play: While play may not seem like a big deal, it’s important to pay attention when dogs are playing too aggressively, when play is happening between a large dog and a small dog, or when dogs aren’t aware of their surroundings during play (running into stationary objects).
- Prevent falls from any height: Make sure decks and stairs have railings and are up to code, close up any dog-sized openings, keep windows closed from the bottom; only open from the top when possible, keep furniture away from windows to prevent dogs from climbing out of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I give my dog any over-the-counter pain medications?
Over-the-counter pain medications should never be given to a dog, but especially not if they’ve experienced a head injury. Pet store products may say that they are pet safe but if they contain actual pain medication, it’s often aspirin which can be very dangerous to give when a head injury is known to have occurred. There are no pet-safe human medications.
- Never give ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc) – it can cause gastric ulcers, intestinal ulcers, kidney failure, and even central nervous system signs
- Never give acetaminophen (Tylenol) – it can cause severe liver damage, and interfere with blood’s ability to carry oxygen to the rest of the body
- Never give naproxen (Aleve) – it can cause gastrointestinal signs, anemia, and kidney failure.
- Never give prescription medications meant for humans either. Doses for dogs and humans are very different and some medications that are safe for humans are fatally toxic to dogs.
How long does it take for a dog’s concussion to heal?
Recovery time varies based on your dog’s physical health plus the severity of the injury. With proper treatment, improvement is usually seen within a few days and full recovery may be within a couple of weeks.
With severe head trauma and concussion though, it’s possible there will be permanent damage.
Are there specific breeds more susceptible to concussions?
It’s possible for any dog to end up with a concussion from head trauma. There are no breeds particularly prone, however smaller breeds might be more at risk because of their size.
How do I know if my dog’s condition is worsening?
If your dog was already showing signs but exhibits any of these escalations, it’s likely their condition is getting worse:
- Increased disorientation or loss of consciousness
- Persistent, uncontrollable vomiting
- Altered behavior such as aggression, depression, or new avoidance behavior

domain: pet


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Joseph Vaz was born on Friday, April 21, 1651 in Benaulim, baptised on a Friday and died on a Friday (January 16, 1711 in Kandy, Sri Lanka).
The day he was born, his father Cristovam Vaz saw a star in the Sky around midday. He wrote in his personal diary that his son would become a great man.
The doors of Cortalim Church opened on their own when he went to visit the Blessed Sacrament one night. He was called “the little saint” as a boy and recited the Rosary on his way to Church and school.
He resolved to eat kanji for his food (sometimes called the food of the poor) throughout his life.
He started the first Milagristas or Oratorians indigenous order after returning from South Kanara having brought peace among warring factions. The Oratorians served the Church in Sri Lanka and other countries for 150 years.
He disguised himself as a coolie wearing a loin cloth around his waist when he entered Sri Lanka as part of his mission since no priest was allowed on the island. His wheatish brown complexion helped him slip onto the island where the Dutch persecuted Roman Catholics.
He entered hiding a kit under his loin cloth and wore a Rosary round his neck. He later built the first Church in Sri Lanka and dedicated it to Mother Mary.
He worked alone in Sri Lanka for 10 years and the next 14 years was accompanied by Goan Oratorians. He learnt their culture, sang their songs, and helped build their own local Church, never imposing the western Church on the faithful.
He baptised, catechised and built 300 chapels, churches and built homes for the old, sick and the needy next to the churches.
He would always keep a sack of rice to be distributed to the poor after mass.
Under the fear of being caught by the Dutch who were ruling in Sri Lanka, he disguised himself as a baker, dhobi, coolie, servant, businessman, porter and even a fisherwoman. He would work during the night by the light of the moon.
He issued a command over snakes to never bite a priest. Till date, never has a priest in Sri Lanka has been bitten by a snake.
While in prison, he learnt Tamil and Sinhalese, translating Catechism books and wrote the Stations of the Cross in the local language.
He won the hearts of the Buddhist kings with the exemplary life he led. He was requested by the kings to pray for rain when the island was ravaged by drought. He performed the miracle of rain in Kandy, a record of which can be found in their archives. It had rained all over the island except on the Saint and the Altar he built to pray for rain.
He never kept any money with him, always depended on God and his fellowmen. He had nothing to owe, and nothing to call his own. He wore and owned only one cassock, which was patched and stitched all over.
The Sri Lankans called him Samanasu Swami (the angelic priest) and is the first and only missionary of the East to have his mission in the East.
He educated his neighbour and companion John who accompanied him in Sri Lanka and requested the superior of the Oratorians to ordain him a priest. John, who later returned to Goa, was ordained a priest. (The first Dalit-priest)
He would always sleep on a mat on the floor and never sought glory.
He served 30 years as a priest, 24 of them in the Sri Lankan Vineyard and walked barefoot for the most part of his life. Despite his thin figure, he walked through the jungles like the wind.
He died in an odour of Sanctity on January 16, 1711, the day and the time that he had been foretold! Before dying he advised those gathered around him in Sinhala saying, “Hardly will you be able to do at the time of death what you have not done during your life”.
He sent the crucifix given to him by the Pope to Goa, now preserved in the oratory room of the shrine of St. Joseph Vaz at Sancoale, Goa, the only relic in India.

domain: history


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Save your seeds for next year's garden
I enjoy all these plants not only for their beauty but also for their memory of times spent in good company.
About this time I start collecting seed for next year's gardens. Saving seed doesn't require that much effort for most plants and I personally like the feeling of truly self-perpetuating garden.
Not all seeds can be successfully saved. Hybrids, for instance are carefully controlled cross between two different parents. If you collect the seeds and sow them, they may resemble one of the parent plants or if another cross was made, say by a bee during pollination, they may be something completely different. This is why you find odd looking squashes coming out of the compost pile. While you can plant your save hybrid seed, you just won't know what you're getting.
Non-hybrid or open-pollinated plants will come true from seed. These are generally older varieties of flowers and vegetables, were often grown in our grandparents' gardens and usually are referred to in this day of modern hybrids as heirlooms. One excellent source is the seed savers Exchange, Rte. 3, Box 239, Decorah, IA 52101. Though this nonprofit organization specializes in vegetables, flowers and herb seeds are also available.
Numerous garden flowers offer seed saving opportunities. Vigorous self-seeders like nicotiana, calendula, cynoglossum, bachelor buttons, sunflowers, nigella, tall verbena and cosmos, I just let do their thing in the garden and transplant wayward seedlings each spring. These are hardy annuals whose seeds can survive the winter. The ones to collect are the half hardy and tender annuals that would never make it through on their own.
Some to consider are marigolds, zinnias, four o'clock, morning glory, salvia, petunias, nasturtiums, sweet William, thunbergia, celosia and balsam. Finding the seeds may be the hardest part of the task for novices. If you started them from seed you may remember what it looked like tiny black beads, large and rounded, long and flat, or thin and papery. Take apart a few dead flowers and look for the same type of seed you planted.
Ideally seeds should mature on the plant. If frost threatens cover the plants or pull the whole plant up and hang it in the basement until seed heads have dried. Collect your seeds and let them air dry for a few days before storing in air tight containers. Remove as much of the chaff surrounding the seeds as possible as it may hold moisture and cause your seeds to mold. Be sure to label them and keep in a cool, dry place until ready to sow next year.
Seeds from tomatoes need a wet processing. Let the tomato thoroughly ripen, then cut it open and scoop the seeds into a bowl. Add a little water and stir. Let set a few days but add more water if necessary to cover seeds. Viable seed will sink to the bottom. Pour off the debris on top and check to see that the gel that surrounds each seed is dissipated. If not, repeat the process.
When ready I just stick the seeds on waxed paper to dry and store in labeled air tight containers. Serious seed savers might want to check out a copy of "Seed to Seed" by Suzanne Ashworth.
If you have questions about seed saving or any other home or garden topic, call the UConn Home Garden Education Center (toll-free) at (877) 486-6271 or visit www.ladybug.uconn.edu.

domain: agronomy


It's hard enough to make a living in the component market for cycling, however, trying to make a living on aftermarket component construction and sales is a whole 'nother ball game. The guys over at Twenty6 components are doing a pretty good job down in Montana, and we recently had a chance to test some of their famous Dualie levers.
Twenty6 recently finished constructing their Formula One brake levers, so read here for some more information on how they install, feel, and ride.The first, and most noticeable item about the Dualie levers are the colors - anodized colors at that. The ones we received were Burnt Orange, which in laymen terms means a dark Orange. The Dualie lever is designed as a two finger lever, however, with a ridge separating the two fingers it could be adapted as a single finger lever. The Dualie lever has been machined completely out of 6061-T6 Billet, which is extremely strong, but still light weight - 18 grams a piece (36 grams a set).
The guys over at Twenty6 have altered the One lever for a quicker brake response and engagement, a small enhancement from the original levers. Offered in 10 different colorways, all of which are anodized, the Dualie lever was designed to be flashy and functional. What function does it have? Twenty6 claims the Dualie levers "should" increase cornering and rider confidence, while aiding the rider in looking blinging!
The levers that were on my Formula One brakes seemed pretty complicated to take off, so I decided to put together a quick clip on how hard it was to remove, and install the new brake levers.
After changing my levers over, I went for a quick rip to see what the differences are. As advertised on Twenty6's site, they have quicker engagement than the previous levers. The reach adjustment won't pull the lever as close as on the stock blades, but the bite point is much closer, without having to adjust the FCS(Bite adjustment) on my One Brakes. The two finger, gripped design allows you to comfortably run 1 or two fingers, however, when single finger braking, it feels weird to put it on the inside slot, so I found myself gripping the lever on the outboard section. The new Dualie levers weigh in at 18 grams a piece, a full 8 grams over the stock blades that are found on the Ones, so there is a small weight cost to running these.
Along with all the performance enhancements, the Burnt Orange color goes really well with the glossy black color on the One brakes. Along with that, the Pinkbike.com logo looks great! The Dualie levers will run you $75 US, and are available through Twenty6's website, or from one of their dealers.


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Book 1, Wintersong - A Novel
This book can be downloaded and read in Apple Books on your Mac or iOS device.
“Wintersong is a maze of beauty and darkness, of music and magic and glittering things, all tied together with exquisite writing. This is a world you will want to stay lost in.” —Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Dark, romantic, and unforgettable, Wintersong is an enchanting coming-of-age story for fans of Labyrinth and Beauty and the Beast.
The last night of the year. Now the days of winter begin and the Goblin King rides abroad, searching for his bride…
All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her mind, her spirit, and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen and helping to run her family’s inn, Liesl can’t help but feel that her musical dreams and childhood fantasies are slipping away.
But when her own sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl has no choice but to journey to the Underground to save her. Drawn to the strange, captivating world she finds—and the mysterious man who rules it—she soon faces an impossible decision. And with time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed.
Rich with music and magic, S. Jae-Jones's Wintersong will sweep you away into a world you won’t soon forget.
"This was Labyrinth by way of Angela Carter. Deliciously romantic, with a nuanced Goblin King and a strong heroine, this story was rife with fairy tales, music, and enchantment." —Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen
From Publishers Weekly
© Publishers Weekly
This is possibly my favorite book. I’m restless thinking about it. If you’re a fan of Labyrinth you will definitely love this masterpiece.
I couldn’t put the book down !
Captivating. Beautiful. Frustrating. Exhilarating. And most of all LOVE!
I absolutely LOVED this book!! It is an incredible fantasy fiction which I have come to really enjoy. This is such a powerful love story and path of self discovery. I can't wait until the next book! I am sure I could read this book again and realize new details I missed that are woven throughout the story. I am envious of the author's depth of creativity. J. J. did a fantastic job- 5 stars hands down!
Other Books in This Series
- Level: Grades 7-13
- Category: Fairy Tales, Myths & Fables
- Published: Feb 07, 2017
- Publisher: St. Martin's Press
- Seller: Macmillan
- Print Length: 400 Pages
- Language: English
- Series: Book 1, Wintersong

domain: literature


text:
With more of us than ever now working from home, rustling up an organic breakfast can be an easy way to incorporate more planet-friendly food into what we eat every day. This bircher muesli recipe with apple and almond butter is hearty, delicious, and most of the prep is done the night before.View Post
Independent food and drink businesses in Wales are calling on the public to ‘eat independent, support local’ whilst using the government’s “Eat Out to Help Out” discount scheme throughout August. The discount scheme – announced by Rishi Sunak last month – offers a half price discount on eating out (up to the value of £10) on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August.View Post
On Friday, Mark Drakeford announced that from tomorrow, we will all be allowed to meet up in parks and private gardens, as long as we maintain social distancing, avoid contact, and limit it to two households at a time. Like everyone else in the country, I can’t wait to make the most of this new lease of freedom and meet up with friends and family who I’ve not seen for weeks on end. Picnics in the park are about to become a daily occurrence for me!
But before I get ready to spend 99.9% of my free time in the local parks, I wanted to give a shout out to the deliveries and subscriptions that have made the last few weeks – mostly spent eating and drinking in our small Canton garden – that much more bearable.View Post
A new WRAP study shows that householders have become more resourceful in managing their food during the Coronavirus lockdown – from using up cupboard stocks, to meal planning, freezing leftovers and batch-cooking. Meanwhile, in Cardiff, a new online food information hub details the ways that people can be part of a city-wide response to the crisis; whether that’s by supporting local food businesses, volunteering to feed the local community, reducing food waste or growing food at home.View Post

domain: food


text:
President Muhammadu Buhari has instructed security agencies, particularly the intelligence arm, to track and arrest the sponsors of the illegal refinery, which led to the death of tens of Nigerians in Abaezi Forest, Ohaji-Egbema council area of Imo State on Friday.
In his reaction to the bloody incident, President Buhari described the explosion and the resulting deaths as a national catastrophe, directing the armed forces, other security agencies, especially the secret service, to intensify the clampdown on illegal petroleum refining in the country.
According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President said responsibility for the loss of lives and property lies squarely on the sponsors of the illegal refinery, “who must all be caught and made to face justice.”
“President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the nation’s armed forces, security and intelligence agencies to intensify the clampdown on illegal refineries following the reported deaths of tens of people Friday night after an illegal refinery exploded at Abaezi forest in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State”, the statement said.
In conveying “the condolences and the full depth and range of the nation’s shock and trauma” to the families of the victims, the Ohaji Egbema community and the government and people of Imo State, the President urged community leaders, the police, and the secret service to never allow the occurrence of the heart-breaking incident in any part of the country again.

domain: law


text:
In the studio, Laura sorts quilt fabric for Aunt Janice.
Emily sews quilt blocks.
Jan held up two panels of her current quilt.
She is making several quilts to be raffled to provide food bank funding.
I finished the scarf I wove on all week, and it's on Helen, at the Gallery.
Together with one lonely purple scarf.
And me, taking its picture.
And Emily, watching.

domain: design


text:
April Uprising and Russo-Turkish War (1870s)
When two rusalii groups met there was a struggle to the demise in which the lifeless had been buried in particular «rusaliyski cemetery.» Each 12 months there are holidays in honour of wolves and mouses. According to other beliefs the hazard peaks at the so-known as few days across the New Year Eve «Dirty Days», this time begins at Koleda, which merged with Christmas, when teams of youngsters koledari visit houses, singing carols and receiving a present at parting.
Bulgaria under Ottoman rule (1396–
Asparukh’s Bulgars made a tribal union with the Severians and the «Seven clans», who were re-settled to guard the flanks of the Bulgar settlements in Scythia Minor, because the capital Pliska was built on the site of a former Slavic settlement. Bulgarian legislation additionally bans people carrying illnesses that “constitute a serious hazard to the life and health of the offspring or the other partner” from getting married, except the individual’s associate is informed. The goal of the study is to analyze the attitudes of Bulgarian women toward premarital intercourse, oral-genital sex, heterosexual anal intercourse and gay behaviour, as well as the elements influencing these attitudes. Personal attitudes determine the person sexual behaviour and secure sexual apply.
On 5 September 1944 the Soviet Union declared warfare on Bulgaria and invaded. Within three days, the Soviets occupied the northeastern a part of Bulgaria along with the important thing port cities of Varna and Burgas. Meanwhile, on 5 of September, Bulgaria declared struggle on Nazi Germany.
Bulgarian devices have been used within the exploration of Mars, together with a spectrometer that took the primary top quality spectroscopic images of Martian moon Phobos with the Phobos 2 probe. Cosmic radiation en path to and across the planet has been mapped by Liulin-ML dosimeters on the ExoMars TGO. Variants of those instruments have additionally been fitted on the International Space Station and the Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe. Another lunar mission, SpaceIL’s Beresheet, was also outfitted with a Bulgarian-manufactured imaging payload.
The government of Vasil Radoslavov aligned Bulgaria with the German Empire and Austria-Hungary, although this meant changing into an ally of the Ottomans, Bulgaria’s conventional enemy. But Bulgaria now had no claims against the Ottomans, whereas Serbia, Greece and Romania (allies of Britain and France) held lands perceived in Bulgaria as Bulgarian. In 986, the Byzantine emperor Basil II undertook a marketing campaign to conquer Bulgaria. After a struggle lasting several decades he inflicted a decisive defeat upon the Bulgarians in 1014 and completed the campaign four years later. In 1018, after the demise of the last Bulgarian Tsar – Ivan Vladislav, most of Bulgaria’s nobility chose to join the Eastern Roman Empire.
This prevented Byzantine makes an attempt at Hellenisation and created fertile floor for further revolt. In 1185 Asen dynasty nobles Ivan Asen I and Peter IV organized a significant rebellion and succeeded in re-establishing the Bulgarian state.
Bulgaria didn’t be part of the German invasion of the Soviet Union that began on 22 June 1941 nor did it declare struggle on the Soviet Union. However, regardless of the shortage of official declarations of war by either side, the Bulgarian Navy was involved in a number of skirmishes with the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, which attacked Bulgarian shipping. Besides this, Bulgarian armed forces garrisoned within the Balkans battled varied resistance groups. The Bulgarian government was forced by Germany to declare a token warfare on the United Kingdom and the United States on 13 December 1941, an act which resulted in the bombing of Sofia and different Bulgarian cities by Allied plane. Elections in March 1920 gave the Agrarians a large majority and Aleksandar Stamboliyski fashioned Bulgaria’s first peasant government.
Ivan Asen and Peter laid the foundations of the Second Bulgarian Empire with its capital at Tarnovo. Not long after the Slavic incursion, Moesia was as soon as once more invaded, this time by the Bulgars underneath Khan Asparukh.
The former two are concentrated within the Rhodopes, a massif in southern Bulgaria, but are current in clusters in different components of the country, as an example the Turks in the Ludogorie region and the Pomaks in the Rhodopes and some villages in northern Bulgaria. Today, Muslims form the bulk bulgarian bride in Kardzhali Province and Razgrad Province (mostly Turks) and Smolyan Province (principally Bulgarians). Today the bulk of the Catholic inhabitants of Bulgaria lives in Plovdiv Province, centred on Rakovski, in addition to in some villages in northern Bulgaria. The Banat Bulgarians are a Bulgarian minority in Romania and Serbia adhering to Catholicism.
Recent jap influences from the genre music chalga and turbo-folks even brought a status for the masculine voices of females. Similar carpet patterns appear on the Flag of Turkmenistan ultimately derived from historical Persia. It used to be given to the kid of an unmarried girl (for instance the son of Kuna will get the surname Kunin and the son of Gana – Ganin). The surname suffix -ich could be discovered only sometimes, primarily among the many Roman Catholic Bulgarians.
Secondary training comprises selective/comprehensive excessive colleges and vocational college. The admission to comprehensive faculties is predicated upon grades from entry exams, often in literature and/or arithmetic as well as grades in junior highschool. Students can enroll in highschool after the successful completion of grades 7 or 8. Usually, those who want to examine languages, arithmetic, or informatics in-depth apply to highschool after 7th grade. Students graduating from excessive-college must take high school exit exams in Bulgarian language.


Family lawyers hold key to driving change
A â€˜dire' court system hampered by LiPs represents the biggest challenge for the future, writes Matthew Rogers
The family justice system has endured a tough year but those at the coalface have remained hardened and committed in pushing to change amid unprecedented crises.
Legal aid cuts and rises in court fees continued to deny access to justice to many while the surge in care cases, compounded by the ongoing closures across England and Wales, placed family courts under even greater pressure.
The latest legal aid statistics from the Ministry of Justice reaffirmed the damaging impact of LASPO on those seeking state help. Since its introduction there have been 70,000 fewer applications (43 per cent) for family legal aid and 53,000 fewer granted (33 per cent).
As a consequence, a growing number of litigants in person are frequenting the courts, which on occasion has frustrated the process and presiding judges. For Hazel Wright, a partner at Hunters, LiPs represent the biggest challenge for the family justice system heading into 2017. She stressed to Solicitors Journal the importance of securing fair outcomes for families at a time of increasing need and where an already stretched system is being asked to assist more LiPs without the necessary resources to do so.
Court fees also rose to part-fund the £700m court and tribunal reforms this year. For separating couples the fee for issuing a divorce petition increased by £410 to £550. Tony Roe, the principal of Tony Roe Divorce and Family Law Solicitors, described how the ‘dire state of the court system’ was next year’s greatest challenge. ‘There are massive delays within the system and not enough judges, all the way up the Court of Appeal. Meanwhile the MoJ has hiked court fees, making a significant profit on each divorce, something which the Justice Select Committee examined this week.’
As ‘divorce season’ approaches, separating married couples should undergo a mediation information and assessment meeting (MIAM) but their take-up has been low as only one in five couples use them. The MoJ’s legal aid figures revealed that in the last quarter they fell by 17 per cent compared to the previous year and are at just over half of pre-LASPO levels.
When called upon, MIAMs have proved largely successful, with 62 per cent of mediations ending with successful agreements. The rate of success varied between different categories, with the highest proportion of agreements (65 per cent) in the children category.
For Wright, greater use of out-of-court processes is a key area for progress to be made in 2017. In particular, she earmarked alternative dispute resolution as a means for resolving children and finance disputes while also highlighting the importance of referring high-conflict Children Act cases to relationship experts so as to avoid parents clogging up the courts.
In July, the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators’ children scheme was launched as a flexible alternative to court proceedings, and was endorsed by lawyers and the president of the Family Division, Sir James Munby. Roe commented: ‘Arbitration is an excellent option for so many cases, now extended to private law children matters, and is really taking off. However, many practitioners somehow overlook it despite its flexibility, speed, and confidentiality. Please make a New Year’s resolution to try arbitration in 2017!’
Other forms of ADR to help children are also being piloted. Currently being trialled in Liverpool, settlement conferences have been backed to help resolve private law children matters but the jury is still out on their application in public law matters.
In September, Munby J revealed that ‘a radical rebalancing of the very functions and purpose of the family courts is needed’ after revealing the number of care cases had risen by 26 per cent between 2009/10 and 2014/15 – from 8,832 to 11,159.
Following the introduction of the Children and Families Act in 2014, however, the average duration of care proceedings fell from 56 weeks in 2011 to 28 weeks in early 2016. Shorter care proceedings have been found to have a positive impact for children after a study funded by Cafcass and the Department of Education found that more children ended up in stable placements. Munby J also praised the role of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) and Pause, which focuses on addressing the underlying problems women face from losing successive children in repeat care proceedings.
Review and collaborate
Looking ahead, Solicitors Journal would like to see other initiatives progress. The Centre for Social Justice has previously called for children’s centres to provide preventive relationship support to separating couples where possible and, if appropriate, to resolve conflict and find solutions to challenges. In September, lawyers backed proposals for an ‘observatory’ to improve the use of research in the justice system. Both of these ideas are eminently sensible and would improve outcomes for families.
We would hope that 2017 would finally bring a review of LASPO and that the first roll out of online courts will shed some light on their possible effects. The uncertain impact of Brexit on UK family law should also become clearer. Next week the Justice Select Committee will examine the impact of Brexit for civil justice with Phillip Marshall QC, chair of the Family Law Bar Association, alongside Resolution, due to give evidence.
A collaborative effort is needed and MPs should consult with family lawyers and judges more regularly if the family justice system is to improve and provide families, and children especially, with the protection and positive outcomes they deserve.
Matthew Rogers is a reporter at Solicitors Journal


The M110C is the latest version of the Knight M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) is the U.S. Army’s latest medium-caliber sniper rifle. There are also reports that the United States Marine Corps will soon adopt the weapon. The M110C is lighter than the original version but maintains that legendary Knight reliability and accuracy. The 7.62mm SASS delivers a new level of long-range precision rapid fire that enables execution of operational missions not possible using manually operated weapon systems.
High-capacity, quick-change magazines enable ammo selection optimization in both the suppressed and unsuppressed firing modes. The semi-automatic M110 has increased sniper rate of fire, precision and lethality against personnel and light material targets, especially in target rich environments and scenarios requiring multiple follow-up shots. The SASS is also the first U.S. Army weapon system that integrates an optimized quick attach/detach sound suppressor to aid with Warfighter survivability by reducing weapon firing signature.
Chambered for 7.62 NATO the M110C weighs in at 16 pounds with a barrel length of 20 inches. And an overall length of 47.25 inches.
For more information check out http://www.knightarmco.com/m110.html.
From AKs to M14s, from AUGs to SCARS, Pat gives practical, real-world advice on tactical rifles from around the world. It’s a great go-to book for shooters, collectors and hobbyists in fact, for anyone with an interest in tactical rifles and their uses.


text:
Kupros Inc. Newsroom - Profile and News Archive
Kupros, Inc. is an "Innovation First" company that's committed to rapid and ongoing research and development. It specializes in creating exotic filaments to expand the capability of the additive manufacturing industry in the U.S.
Winner of the Radius Indiana and Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition, graduate of the NSIN Foundry, gBETA, and BunkerLabs business accelerator programs and licensed by the DoD Crane Naval Laboratory, the revolutionary Cu-29 conductive filament is 80 times more conductive than currently available options. Preliminary testing of Cu-29 has shown a resistivity of only 74.3 micro-ohms per centimeter, which is less than 3% different to bulk copper (99% pure). Currently available products have resistivity greater than 6,000 micro-ohms per centimeter.
Planned product releases for 2023 include a high conductivity variant of Cu-29, and aerospace and radiation hardened variants.
David Walters, COO
of Kupros Inc.
Engage with Kupros Inc.
Learn more online at: https://www.kuprosinc.com/

domain: chemistry


text:
What is 80s?
Both slang for OxyContin and Billy Joe's wife. Probably the most popular usage of this is in the song "80" off of Green Day's Kerplunk.
I do not mind if this goes on, cuz now it seems I'm too far gone.
I must admit admit that I am enjoyin' myself, 80 please keep taking me away...
80s - meme gif
80s - video
80s - what is it?
The awesomest time in the world EVER
Tears for fears, Billy idol, Dead KEnedys, other AWESOME bands
the greatest time of progress and invention in children's television
What does "80s" mean?
Slang for OxyContin 80mg.
Let me get a couple more of those 80's
80s - what does it mean?
Period of time when wearing killer colors, speaking like you came from the valley, and really sweet movies like Goonies were created.
We should revert back to the 80s.
80s - meaning
doing 80 miles an hour on one of Jersey's most glorious east/west highways.
"Made it to work on time doing 80 on 80."
"It only takes me 55 min to get home from Montclair State!"
"Pft, I can do it in 25. 80 on 80."
80s - definition
On GameFAQs message boards, topic titles can only have 80 characters. It's normal to announce when you have created a topic title with exactly 80 characters.
Topic title: Is it weird that my parents encourage me to illegally download movies/music/etc?
So is it?
80s - slang
To express ones utter disgust at something that is old / not of current use or of the past.
'man i was playing Urban Strike on Genesis the other day'
'man thats so fucking 80s '"
when somethings to crazy for words.
do you even remember last night
negs broda, that shit was straight 80s.
The 80s - also called "The Eighties" - is the best decade ever, and the era of Successful artists like Michael Jackson, amazing fashion, and new technologies.
Thriller of Michael Jackson was n.1 album in the 1980s and still.
Simply the best decade to ever pass. It held the best music, movies, shows and celebrity icons. There's no question about it.
Friend: "yo, what film should I watch?"
Me: "watch one of those 80s films, they're bloody amazing."

domain: entertainment


text:
Gettysburg Address has lessons for today
It took President Abraham Lincoln just two minutes to deliver a speech that would last forever.
Interestingly enough, the Gettysburg Address — given 150 years ago Tuesday at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pa. — drew only mild appreciation at the time.
Gettysburg was the scene of a significant Union victory, but one that came at great loss of lives. Four and a half months after the battle, a cemetery was dedicated at the site to those who had died there.
Lincoln wasn’t the main speaker that day. That honor fell to Edward Everett; Lincoln followed his two-hour speech. Even the president noted “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here.” Some newspapers called the speech trite and “flat.”
Today, few people would fail to recognize the opening line of “Four score and seven years ago … “
Lincoln managed in this mere 272 words to reflect upon the war in the broad sense of what it meant to the nation, regardless of sides. In concise, simple terms he talked about the importance of the nation, the need to heal, and the importance of the people in a society to keep that dream alive.
That reflection of the symbiotic relationship between people and government is just as applicable today.
During the course of the nation’s 237 years — an infancy in the sense of governments — there have been ups and downs, good things and bad things. What has made the difference is how we, as a nation, have dealt with those.
Think of the cohesive nature of the nation in the face of great obstacles or tragedies.
Now compare that with the past few years, when the nation in many ways has become almost as divided as 150 years ago. Instead of calling up arms, the nation is mired in rhetoric. Instead of acknowledging and respecting differences, it seems the nation has become more polarized and less willing to compromise. Instead of worrying about the greater sense of “nation,” many groups are concerned strictly with themselves and getting everything they can.
It is as important today as 150 years ago we remember that we are a nation “conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”


text:
Police were searching for a hit-and-run driver who critically injuring a woman as she crossed a street in South Los Angeles early Monday.
The woman was walking home from work around 12:45 a.m. when she was struck by a vehicle in the 11400 block of Menlo Avenue (map), which is west of the Imperial Highway, according to the Los Angeles Police Department and the California Highway Patrol.
She was rushed to a local hospital and last reported to be in critical condition.
The driver fled the scene.
Police described the vehicle they were looking for as dark in color, but had no further description available. They also had no description of the driver.
The roadway was temporarily closed while police investigated. It was reopened around 3:30 a.m., according to a KTLA photographer at the scene.
No further details were immediately released.

domain: news


text:
STEVE INSKEEP, host:
It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep.
There was a famous moment in the Watergate scandal when two investigative reporters were supposedly told to follow the money. That's exactly what inspectors in Iraq have been doing. But when it comes to a gigantic contract for training Iraqi police, they found the money impossible to follow. The special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction examined a $1.2 billion contract. They found records in disarray at the State Department, which was supposed to oversea that contract.
NPR national security correspondent Jackie Northam has been tracking the story. And Jackie, let's follow the money as far as we can. Who got it?
JACKIE NORTHAM: Well, the contract was awarded to DynCorp International in February 2004 and it's for training services for Iraqi police. So DynCorp was to provide housing and food and security and facilities, and trainers, mostly police officers on leave or retired who were to train Iraqi police in specialized areas.
The inspector general's report says the training was conducted by DynCorp and the equipment was delivered. That's not the problem. The problem is with the paperwork, the invoices, the supporting documents, that type of thing.
The report says in some cases there were duplicate payments or expensive equipment that was purchased but was unnecessary or unused. And the report says that payments were made sometimes without checking if the work or services were completely satisfactory.
And so the State Department is trying to catch up on all this paperwork and it could take years to validate. But this is what the report focuses on, is just, as you say, how much disarray is involved at the State Department, trying to sort out all these invoices.
INSKEEP: So the $1.2 billion didn't disappear into space. The U.S. government got something for its money, but there's no way to tell exactly how much it got for its money?
NORTHAM: At this point, no. And in fact State Department officials that I spoke with said it could take up to five years, and that's with a dedicated workforce, to try to sort this out. And you know, the State Department people that I did speak with said for the most part the special inspector general's report was correct, but they felt it focused way too much on the past and not things that they've - measures they've put into place since 2006 to try to resolve these problems. They say they've done their own reviews. They've launched reforms. More importantly, they've hired people to help manage this contract, and certainly more people to work solely on trying to reconcile these invoices.
You know, when DynCorp was awarded this contract in 2004, there was one person working in the State Department bureau that handled this account. And in fact, this is just a small slice of a broader account worth over $3 billion. It was worldwide.
And so there is one person on this account. It was huge, but it's like many other government agencies. Since the war started, they've been tasked to take on these Herculean rebuilding projects in Iraq immediately and they simply didn't have the personnel or the resources to do it. They weren't geared up for it. And so what we're seeing is the result of that speed and the scale all at once. And they just weren't prepared for it.
INSKEEP: One person overseeing this huge contract on a central function of the war in Iraq, trying to train Iraqi security forces so they can take care of themselves; can I just ask what DynCorp, the private contractor, has to say about all this?
NORTHAM: Well, they said, as the report pointed out, they said that, you know, they did train these officers and that the, you know, the equipment was provided and everything else. And frankly, they say that this report is really focused on the State Department, not them so much.
And you know, the DynCorp people that I spoke with yesterday said, look, we've done our own internal audits, you know. We're trying to catch up on paperwork as well. And at one point we found, you know, a $6 million discrepancy and we actually returned a check to the State Department.
So again, you know, once the final figures are tallied up - and this could be years away - we'll get a much clearer picture of what the State Department got for their money.
INSKEEP: Okay. Jackie, thanks very much.
NORTHAM: Thank you.
INSKEEP: That's NPR's Jackie Northam.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

domain: politics


text:
There is so much truth to the saying “it takes a village to run a business.” As busines owners, many of us were panic strickenwhen COVID emerged, and with reason, as recent studies show that women have been the hardest hit during this pandemic. Fearing the demise of our livelihood, we signed up for one too many online “meet ups”. We turned panic into overscheduling and over doing it. Sound familiar? It’s like we almost cracked the code of our over-scheduled lives. Now that our new normal has set in, we have pivoted. I sense a virtual calm has set in.
To be clear: I am only speaking of a very privileged subset of people who can continue to work from home. As women, we need to continue to advocate for each other during these unprecedented times. I always say a woman alone has power; collectively we have impact. The truth is that raising each other up and channeling the power of collaboration is truly how we’llchange the equation of our future.
We need each other more than ever right now. Many of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are hitting womendisproportionately hard. Like me, many women across the globe have been juggling a lot since the Covid-19 crisis started. We all have varying views about how to live our lives, how to run our businesses, and how to manage our relationships, but at the core of each of us, we are seeking connection and fulfillment. These connections have changed considerably as social distancing has become the new normal. Many of us are not only struggling to keep up financially, but we are feeling isolated and alone. Let’sface it, video calls just don’t give us the human, in person connection we seek.
So how do you maneuver COVID during these unprecedented times? Find an online community that speaks your language. As a founding member of FemCity, I have felt connected despite the disconnect we are all feeling right now. FemCity swiftly created a space that allowed us to maneuver around many of the challenges we have been faced with during this pandemic.
FemCity’s list of resources for businesses and business leaders that have been affected by COVID have helped me realign my priorities. I believe you will find these small business resources valuable as you navigate the impact and uncertainties of COVID-19 measures. You need to consider what happens not just today, but tomorrow and beyond. Remember, it’s ok to not be ok. And although I don’t really believe we are all in this together because of varying socio economic realities, I am of the opinion that we cannot go through this alone.
I encourage you to seek out support both from local and federal agencies. There are many resources available for women in business. Now is not the time to have too much pride or let your ego stand in the way. You have worked too hard to only get this far. The difference between going to bed feeling content or disappointed at the end of the day has a lot to do with the expectations we set for ourselves. Shift your thinking from perfection to good enough. Better yet: use this moment to become more reasonable with your expectations of yourself and of others. So many situations are out of our control. But we do have choices about how we approach each day and the expectations we set for ourselves.
A lot of us can identify with — and have benefited from — the desire to be perfect. But we often take it too far. Even before the pandemic, women especially struggle to match unreachable ideals. Instead of aiming for perfection, let us aim for happiness. I remind myself that this is the goal every single day
Remember, fall back on your support system. Have a conversation with someone you may have met at a pre-COVIDnetwork event or call a long-time friend. Trust me, we are all experiencing so much of the same feelings.
The entrepreneurial path is not always easy, and COVID sure hit us like a train truck. But as entrepreneurs, we have only one end game, success. By looking for opportunities to support and advocate for our female peers, we can help propel them to new heights, even when we cannot be together.

domain: sociology


text:
Our journey through the National Film Registry continues with Kent Mackenzie’s documentary The Exiles.
I had never heard of The Exiles before we started our journey through the National Film Registry. However, I had heard of Sherman Alexie whose name is featured prominently on the DVD cover. Sherman Alexie came into prominence as a poet and a writer of novels and short story collections focused on Native American life. “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” brought him to national attention.
Alexie’s stories are not the stories of Native Americans Hollywood has pushed on the public for decades. Alexie’s stories are about life, love, and relationships in a world that often rejects Native Americans or want to see them portrayed as anything but human. It only seemed fitting Alexie would be involved with the restoration of The Exiles.
Edward Curtis was a photographer who made a living off taking pictures of Native Americans. His photos have done more to influence how the average American sees Native Americans than other medium besides movies. There’s a reason Kent Mackenzie started his documentary with Curtis’s photos. Curtis’s Native Americans are not the Native Americans who will be featured in the documentary.
The Exiles follows a group of Native Americans over twelve hours as they “wander” through Los Angeles. From all outward appearances the cast of characters are just like anyone else living in 1960’s Los Angeles. We’re introduced to people hanging out in an apartment reading comics, listening to the radio, and making plans for the night. These are not Curtis’s Native Americans.
Although the movie follows a group of friends it’s the personal stories of three people that is the focus of The Exiles. More often than not voice overs are a tool of a poor script. Voice overs and narration are often things that could be revealed in the movie, but for one reason or another the director has chosen to use voice overs before action. In The Exiles it gives us a more intimate look into the people’s mind and feelings. This is no more apparent than with Yvonne. Yvonne’s narration is as heartfelt as it is emotional.
Yvonne is a young woman who is pregnant with her first child . She left her reservation to because she wanted more and she wanted to give her baby things that she never had or was unable to have on the reservation. Even as she says she wants something better we see her staring at jewelry and clothes behind windows of stores she will never be able to afford to buy.
Yvonne is the saddest character in the movie. It’s not a sadness of emotion exactly but a sadness of situation. She came to the city for a better life, but she’s left on her own while her husband, Homer, is out on the town drinking, playing cards, and getting into fights. She doesn’t specifically say it but we can assume it’s not the first time she has been set out on her own. Instead of being with her husband at the end of the night she spends the night with a friend.
It’s through Homer we see the only glimpses of life on the reservation. It’s a desert scrub land with a small home on it. A couple, Homer’s parents, are sitting on the ground picnic style while kids are playing in the distance. It’s obvious the family doesn’t have a lot. Although they may not have a lot in material possessions Homer’s family seems happy. It’s a stark difference to the situation Homer finds himself living in Los Angeles.
Homer feels like a person trapped in his own circumstances. Is he going out in the city partying with friends while his wife watches movies because he wants to or is he doing because there are very few options for him? Unlike Homer’s friend Tommy, Homer is a difficult character to figure out.
The third person the movie follows is Tommy. Tommy, unlike Homer, is unapologetic. He’s not making excuse for his partying lifestyle. At the end of the movie, after the hours of drinking, the only thing Tommy wants to know is what they’re going to do that night.
Tommy’s thoughts and actions are fine on their own, but they drag down Homer too. Homer was passive at the beginning of the movie. The longer he is with Tommy the more disastrous the night becomes. Near the end of the movie Homer is involved in a fistfight at a bar.
Though Homer, Tommy and the friends they hang out with have chosen to live off the reservations they have still brought some of the culture to Los Angeles. The festivities of the night culminate in a bonfire with everyone playing instruments and singing. However, even in this happy situation fights break out.
The Exiles is a documentary posing as a movie. Shot mostly at night Mackenzie has managed to capture Los Angeles’s cityscape. Bunker Hill, Angels Flight, the Hollywood Hills, and other landmarks are prominently featured in the movie. By capturing the city at night Mackenzie makes Homer, Yvonne,and Tommy feel more outsiders of their city. They are both exiles from their reservations and from the city.
These are not the noble savages of classic literature and they’re not the savages white settlers made Native Americans out to be as they moved across the plains. Homer, Yvonne, Tommy, and their friends are flawed. They’re flawed as any of us, but that makes them human.
Year released- 1961
Year added to the National Film Registry- 2009


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DennProp, the property portal to the North Coast South Africa.
With billions been budgeted too stimulate developing countries, such as South Africa, through local government and international and national investors alike, looking to take advantage of the higher returns in the commercial/retail and the industrial property market with an insatiable middle class market growth taking place in developing countries around the world. Stimulated by the current uncertain fiscal future of the developed countries, the old adage of “it’s as safe as houses” could not be more apt.
As South Africa has been blessed with its diverse landscape, from the “Funsunzi” ever green Kwa Zulu Natal, that has the privilege of been blessed with the beautiful warm blue waters of the Indian Ocean, to the mystified contrasting mountains of the Drakensburg. The jewel of Africa, the very cosmopolitan Johannesburg, down to the historic and diverse Cape Province, combined with a historically disadvantaged majority, one now has an urbanization development of insatiable proportions.
Such as the North Coast of Kwa Zulu Natal, the home of DennProp, where the transformation currently undergo is largely due to the re-location of the King Shaka International Airport, has resulted in billions been approved for further commercial, industrial and residential development.
DennProp, looks forward to adding professional assistance to your property portfolio. Ensuring your property investment is a profitable one!.
Commercial Property | Residential Property | Idustial Property
To successfully market and sell your properties contact DennProp head office see contacts below or visit our website for more information

domain: geography


OPCW urges Syria to speed up chemical weapons handover for timely destruction
Johannesburg: The international chemical watchdog has called for Syria to speed up operations to hand over its deadly arsenal for destruction, after missing the key deadline of 31 December 2013.
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) spokesperson Michael Luhan said that Syria`s most dangerous chemicals were supposed to have left the country by end of December last year, but technical difficulties withheld the process, News24 reports.
The joint OPCW-UN mission revealed on Tuesday that the first batch of chemicals had been dispatched from Syria`s port of Latakia on a Danish vessel for destruction in international waters aboard a US Navy ship.
The "Priority One" chemicals, including mustard gas, must all be destroyed by 31 March of this year, OPCW official added.
According to the report, the Danish ship will stand offshore until more chemicals arrive at Latakia and then return to collect them.
The mission has a June deadline to complete the destruction of all of Syria`s chemical weapons, the report added.
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This is the real thing. Different name same real mexican grill taste. Free shipping on qualifying offers. El mariachi is a full service modern day cantina specializing in serving the most authentic and popular mexican fare.
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Skip to: main navigation | main content | sitemap | accessibility page
At the heart of our corporate social responsibility policy is our commitment to the people who work at Gregg Latchams now and in the future.
It’s also important to us to maintain a secure, supportive, enjoyable and meritocratic workplace. We believe that a wide range of characters and perspectives can only benefit our clients and our business.
We’re committed to tackling all forms of discrimination and ensure that everyone is treated equally and fairly with dignity and respect, regardless of background, race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, religion or beliefs.


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In recent past US-India ties seemed to have emerged on the basis of a symbiotic relationship as both the nations are grappling with somewhat same issues – China’s growing clout in the South China Sea, Terrorism, shared values and security interests. However, despite the bonhomie, Trump has never held himself back from cracking-down on India.
Firstly, last year in June when pulling out of the Paris accord, Trump made no qualms about reprimanding India and that too unwarrantedly. Without any proof whatsoever, precarious supreme leader of USA accused India of being the world’s largest polluter. Ironically, the US is way ahead in emitting Carbon Dioxide at 15.99 per cent as opposed to India’s 6.24 per cent.
What Did Nikki Haley Imply During Her Visit
Nikki Haley, the US envoy to the UN, on her recent visit to India, implied that India needs to revise its relations with Iran. Such implications though unwarranted were not completely unexpected.
“President [Donald] Trump has said we need to hold Iran to account”, she said. She further went on to say, “I think as a friend [of the U.S.] India should decide whether [Iran] is a country they want to continue doing business with”. Do her statements imply that India needs to decide between Iran and the U.S. But for India, It is not the case of “Scylla and Charybdis”, just because we’re an ally doesn’t warrant president Trump to expect us to hang onto every word he utters? India is its own country, who has to make decisions keeping its own faith and belief in mind.
The USA has already been infiltrated with doubts after the international display of India’s inclination to mend the relations with China and growing proximity with India’s time-weathered ally Russia.
On top of that, India’s firm decision to continue energy deals with Iran and Venezuela notwithstanding the sanctions put by the USA under the much promulgated CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act), has aggravated the Indo-US relations even further.
Not to say, India’s S-400 Deal with Russia is suspected to be a direct snub to the USA.
Modi’s words at the Shangri-La-Dialogue in Singapore, which held nuanced yet firm undertones of non-compliance from those of U.S. Defence Secretary James Mattis, acted as the proverbial nail in the coffin.
The Times Have Changed- The USA Is No More The Supreme Power
The world has come far along from the times when the U.S.A used to sneeze and the rest of the planet seemingly used to catch a cold. Though still the most powerful country in the world, U.S.A is no more in the position to act like Goliath, the big bully. The era when the U.S. was a hegemonic force is far behind.
The U.S. is one of our allies and we are agreeable on several issues, like China’s growing clout in Indo-Pacific region, however, this rapport does not amount to India toeing the line with the U.S. on every international issue.
Their enemies are not our enemies and if the U.S. beg to differ, then one can question the propriety in this contradiction, for the U.S. was tongue-tied and said relatively little when India was reeling from Doklam standoff with China.
India can have a symbiotic relationship with the U.S. while still maintaining its autonomy and having beneficial relations with other allies. To imply otherwise would mean suffering from indignity and playing second fiddle to the U.S.
America Has No Permanent Friends Or Enemies
When Henry Kissinger said that “America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests”, it seems he was not mincing his words. Camaraderie with the U.S. is even more uncertain now, with Donald Trump pulling the strings from the Pentagon. His incoherent foreign, as well as domestic policies, scream of uncertainty and warns of overt reliance.
Moreover, to be regarded as a reliable ally, rather than blatantly baring their teeth, the United States should show magnanimity and tolerance to its allies. The crude reality of American supremacy cannot be covered by flashy summits and flowery rhetoric. Trump must not forget that “First an empire prospers, as a result, it becomes arrogant and eventually, this arrogance results in its downfall”, as is discernible from the downfall of the mighty Roman Empire, the Soviet Union so on and so forth.
Countering Emerging Trio Of Russia-China-Pakistan
Traditionally an ally of India and supporter of India’s stance on Kashmir, Russia is now heavily leaning towards India’s adversaries Pakistan and China. Having said that, the emerging trio of Russia-China-Pakistan can be counteracted by initiating talks with Pakistan, maintaining cordial relations with China and assiduously ensuring Russia of India’s affinity despite growing ties with the west.
Ties with Pakistan can be mended if only the two neighbours let go of the visceral mutual hostility. China is on its way to becoming a world leader. To pretend otherwise is myopic, to say the least. China and India should address each other’s concerns as before relying on the partner’s miles away, it is imperative to resolve issues close home.
India Needs To Resuscitate Nehru’s “Bandung Spirit”
Amidst the strenuous conflicts between the U.S., Russia and China, India needs to carve its own niche rather than taking sides and must take an independent stand without being waylaid into taking decisions. India would fare far better if it resuscitates the “Bandung Spirit” in its foreign policy.
When Nehru could successfully lead Non-Alignment movement during the time when India was just finding its feet in the global scenario, after driving enemies away from home, we certainly can be even more assertive today. Now the scenario has changed and India is an emerging economy and heralded as the world’s largest democracy. India can prove its mettle by reviving the Non- Alignment movement and ensuring the Big Powers of its non-partisan stand. There is a persistent need for nurturing the goal of keeping “India first”.
Trump’s Unpredictable Foreign Policy
As for the US, India cannot completely rely on Trump’s unpredictable foreign policies. We must maintain a wary alliance with the largest economy in the world as an alliance with the superpower will always be unequal. The ties with the USA will accrue many benefits to India as Trump supports India’s membership bid for the NSG group and endorses India’s trepidation over China’s Belt and Road Initiative. However, we must be on the qui vive lest we end up sleepwalking between China and the USA. Growing military alliance with the USA should also be kept in check as that could potentially serve India up as a theatre for a proxy war between China and the United States in future.
The USA has a vested interest in India’s clout in the South-Asian region owing to China’s growing hegemony. In biological terms, we can forge a symbiotic relationship with the USA but not at the expense of our autonomy.
At present India seems to be stuck in a cauldron of the proverbial chicken-and-egg situation but as the French say “Petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid”, which designates patience and perseverance. With time, wit and diplomacy we can build a unified comity with the world powers and our regional neighbours without having an impinging effect on our sovereignty and autarchy.


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Norway, Western Europe’s largest oil producer, will attend Thursday’s video conference meeting of the OPEC+ group, which is set to discuss output cuts in a bid to support prices amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the country’s oil ministry said on Thursday.
Non-OPEC Norway, which meets about 2 percent of global oil demand, will be represented by a top civil servant attending the meeting as an observer only, in line with its long established precedent.
The Nordic country has made it clear it stands ready to make unilateral cuts to its oil output if a broad deal is agreed between other major producers, but has not said how big those reductions could be.
The country’s crude oil output stood at 1.75 million barrels per day in February, up 26 percent from a year ago, the latest available data shows. Including condensate and natural gas liquids (NGL), the oil liquids production was 2.1 million bpd.
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Services We Offer
OPC Company Registration in Andheri Railway station
MS Legal Associates:
The Companies Act 2013 is an Act of the Parliament of India which regulates incorporation of a company, responsibilities of a company, directors, dissolution of a company. The 2013 Act is divided into 29 chapters containing 470 sections as against 658 Sections in the Companies Act, 1956 and has 7 schedules. The Act has replaced The Companies Act, 1956 (in a partial manner) after receiving the assent of the President of India on 29 August 2013. The Act came into force on 12 September 2013 with few changes like earlier private companies maximum number of member was 50 and now it will be 200. A new term of "one person company" is included in this act that will be a private company and with only 98 provisions of the Act notified. On 27 February 2014, the MCA stated that Section 135 of the Act which deals with corporate social responsibility will come into effect from 1 April 2014. On 26 March 2014, the MCA stated that another 183 sections will be notified from 1 April 2014.
The Ministry of Company Affairs thereafter proposed a draft notification for exempting private companies from the ambit of various sections under the companies act.
What is One Person Company (OPC)?
The concept of One Person Company [OPC] is a new vehicle/form of business, introduced by The Companies Act, 2013 [No.18 of 2013], thereby enabling Entrepreneur(s) carrying on the business in the Sole-Proprietor form of business to enter into a Corporate Framework.
One Person Company is a hybrid of Sole-Proprietor and Company form of business, and has been provided with concessional/relaxed requirements under the Act.
Features of One Person Company (OPC)
1. Only One Shareholder:
Only a natural person, who is an Indian citizen and resident in India shall be eligible to incorporate a One Person Company. Explanation: The term "Resident in India" means a person who has stayed in India for a period of not less than 182 days during the immediately preceding one calendar year.
2. Nominee for the Shareholder:
The Shareholder shall nominate another person who shall become the shareholders in case of death/incapacity of the original shareholder. Such nominee shall give his/her consent and such consent for being appointed as the Nominee for the sole Shareholder. Only a natural person, who is an Indian citizen and resident in India shall be a nominee for the sole member of a One Person Company.
Must have a minimum of One Director, the Sole Shareholder can himself be the Sole Director. The Company may have a maximum number of 15 directors.
Terms and Restrictions of OPC
A person shall not be eligible to incorporate more than a One Person Company or become nominee in more than one such company.
Minor cannot shall become member or nominee of the One Person Company or can hold share with beneficial interest.
An OPC cannot be incorporated or converted into a company under Section 8 of the Act. [Company not for Profit].
An OPC cannot carry out Non-Banking Financial Investment activities including investment in securities of any body corporate.
An OPC cannot convert voluntarily into any kind of company unless two years have expired from the date of incorporation of One Person Company, except threshold limit (paid up share capital) is increased beyond Rs.50 Lakhs or its average annual turnover during the relevant period exceeds Rs.2 Crores i.e., if the Paid-up capital of the Company crosses Rs.50 Lakhs or the average annual turnover during the relevant period exceeds Rs.2 Crores, then the OPC has to invariably file forms with the ROC for conversion in to a Private or Public Company, with in a period of Six Months on breaching the above threshold limits.
Steps to Incorporate One Person Company (OPC)
Obtain Digital Signature Certificate [DSC] for the proposed Director(s).
Obtain Director Identification Number [DIN] for the proposed director(s).
Select suitable Company Name, and make an application to the Ministry of Corporate Office for availability of name.
Draft Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association [MOA & AOA].
Sign and file various documents including MOA & AOA with the Registrar of Companies electronically.
Payment of Requisite fee to Ministry of Corporate Affairs and also Stamp Duty.
Scrutiny of documents at Registrar of Companies [ROC].
Receipt of Certificate of Registration/Incorporation from ROC.