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Arts - Entertainment & It
Interact Theater Company from the USA and Rajanagarinda Institute for Child Development (RICD) in Chiang Mai create an original play comprising actors with and without disabilities from the United States and Thailand in Wake Up and Dream at CMU Art Museum on March 2 and 3.
The third annual theatrical collaboration between Interact Theater Company and RICD is a series of songs, stories, comedy and film that explore the value of having dreams and daring to reach beyond our perceived limitations. Interact Theater professionals along with Thai performers with and without disabilities, are spending two months creating this musical celebration and performance about the human capacity to reach beyond expectations. Songs and stories will be presented along with be filmed interviews of parents, children, and team leaders who have been a part of this creative process and have witnessed the changes taking place in all who participate.Interact brings to the collaboration its winning philosophy of radical inclusion; mixing professional performers and actors with a wide range of disabilities, ages and ethnic back grounds in the creative and performing experience. Added to the collaboration by professional staff of RICD and all of the wonderful performers there, is the Thai sense of Sanook. Through this collaboration, our goal is to deliver toour audience a meaningful, joyful theatrical experience.
"Wake up and Dream" is more than a show: it's an experience that will change the way the audience looks and feels about the capabilities of all people, especially those with disabilities.
Interact Theater Company has been helping people to wake up to the full potential of people with disabilities for more than 20 years. For the past 8 years, they have been traveling around the world performing and helping other organizations create a new model of programming. Interact's Artistic Director and Founder, Jeanne Calvit says, "People with disabilities the world over are often seen as flawed, infirm or 'less than'. We turn that paradigm on its head and shine a light on their gifts and talents. By doing this we change perceptions and it has a wonderful ripple effect that has a positive impact on families, caregivers and professionals that work with our artists. Being involved in Theater and Art in collaboration with others has a healing and therapeutic effect on not only the participants but the whole community."
Wake Up and Dream will show on 7 pm Friday, March 2, and 2 pm and 7 pm on Saturday, March 3 at CMU Art Museum Theater (Corner of Suthep Road and Nimmanhaemin Road). Tickets are available at the door for 200 baht.
K. Waewdao's performance was a scathing critique at the idealized vision many Thais have of the North.
By Shana Kongmun
The FIAO - Chiang Mai show, a contemporary Lanna Dance performance saw the Norsan Group perform the modern dance performance Muan and the ironic and funny critique of the commercialization of Northern culture in the performance titled Lanna Dream by Waewdao Srisook.
The first part of the performance was the modern dance and performance by the Norsan Group which involved unique painting as part of the performance as well as singing, instrumental music and dance. The gracefulness of the dancers made the entire performance a pleasure to watch.
The Norsan Group put on a graceful and beautiful dance performance.
K. Waewdao then took the stage with her set of performers and her quick change performance from Lanna dancer to hill tribes, to umbrella dance, to strip down to nearly nothing and then be re-dressed in the traditional Lanna costume was a scathing critique of the commercialization of Northern culture. The "culture commodity" that has been created to suit not only foreigners' visions of the "Lanna Dream" but also those of other Thai people who view the northerners with some kind of idealized and falsified vision. A video of an interview with Ajarn Vithi Phanichphan drove this issue home. Dr. Vithi is a well known scholar of Northern culture and one who has often had controversial runins with others as he points out that the whole idea of a "Lanna culture" was created to sell the North.
The performances by the Norsan Group and K. Waewdao will be repeated for the benefit of those in Bangkok this weekend, on the 25th and 26th at the Nakarin Theatre on Sirnagarindra Rd. Perhaps those who attend will take away a different vision of the North and a more realistic one.
K. Nok and her staff organized the event and encourage those in Bangkok or with friends in Bangkok to see the performances scheduled for Saturday the 25th of February and Sunday the 26th of February. [email protected]
Dr. Howard Graves introduces one of the screenings in his apartment.
Jai Pee
On May 18th 1911 the great composer Gustav Mahler died of a rare blood disease in the Löw's Sanitarium in Vienna; on May 18th 2011 here in Chiang Mai a cycle of all Mahler's great works was launched at the apartment of Dr Howard C Graves, the inspiration behind the scheme. This wonderful and impressive cycle of all Mahler's great symphonies and many of his songs and related works, all shown on DVD, was the first of its kind in Thailand – coming to an end with a celebratory garden party in the home of ardent Mahler enthusiast Wan Lee and his charming wife Pandita in Mae Rim in January. This was a totally separate event from the live Mahler Cycle being presented by Maestro Somtow and the Siam Philharmonic over a five year period in Bangkok. However, the cycle here acted as a great support for the live version in Bangkok and was very well attended despite all sorts of difficulties.
JP presents Dr. Howard Graves with a poster of the Mahler cycle to commemorate this first time event in Chiang Mai.
Dr Howard had originally planned to use a large screening room but this came to nothing after long discussions and many delays. In the interim, Dr Howard had asked Jean-Pierre (JP), Chiang Mai's resident musicologist to support the screenings with a series of lectures. JP responded affirmatively and launched the whole series with a seminar outlinijng the life and times of Mahler, plus the influences – social, political and musical – on his work as a composer. The cycle featured all the symphonies conducted by legendary Mahler conductor Leonard Bernstein, mostly with the celebrated Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra but also featuring the London Symphony Orchestra and the Israeli Philharmonic. Supporting materials ranged from a late 1960's popular song by the Strawbs through to the influential music of composers such as Berlioz and Bruckner and included several of Mahler's songs as well as two of his song cycles and most importantly a rare recording of the composer himself playing a piano version of the final movement of his fourth symphony. Originally intended to be a fortnightly cycle, the screenings were subject to all sorts of amendments and re-scheduling to avoid the September flood waters and the off-stage fireworks at Loy Kratong in November as well as to take account of illness. But the huge undertaking moved forward like a giant wave of sound engulfing over 60 people who attended at least once and in some cases every single event. The lectures were informative and enlightening with sets of notes to guide the listener through the complexities of the works almost all of which last nearly an hour and a half.
All of this has now been captured in a book as a record in written form supplemented by photographs – which will be published shortly and available through JP or Dr Howard. The whole event was a huge success and gave music lovers in Chiang Mai a rare opportunity to work their way through the compositions of this significant composer, who after many years of neglect, is now considered to be one of the giants of classical music. It was heartening to see many nationalities represented at the screenings – people from North America, Europe, Australia, Thailand, China, Japan and Korea – a truly multinational event. Most importantly this significant episode is just the beginning – Dr Howard and JP are now planning a Beethoven Cycle and are casting their nets even wider to include in the future similar cycles of works by Wagner, Dvorak and Brahms.
Nothing quite like this has happened before in Thailand except for the marathon live performances of all of Fauré's Nocturnes and Barcarolles presented by Dr Bennett Lerner just a couple of years ago – another first for the city. Despite the lack of a proper concert or recital hall, music survives in Chiang Mai due to the persistence and imagination of people such as Dr Howard and Dr Bennett and how grateful we all are for their efforts to sustain the musical life here.
HEADLINES [click on headline to view story] :
Wake Up and Dream
Contemporary dance performance takes a hard look at the Lanna Dream
The Mahler Cycle in Chiang Mai – A First for Thailand!
"Imagination is better than Knowledge"
Classical concert from top class musicians


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Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Mohammad Dastgheib Shirazi (Persian:  السيد علی‌محمد دستغیب شيرازي ) (born 14 March 1935) is an Iranian Twelver Shi'a Marja.

Biography
Ayatollah Dastegheib has studied in seminaries of Qum, Iran under Grand Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Golpaygani and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and also in seminaries of Najaf, Iraq under Grand Ayatollah Abul-Qassim Khoei.

Dastgheib is member of the Assembly of Experts, the body charged with selecting and supervising Iran's supreme leader. He is also a prominent supporter of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Ghoba Mosque issue
According to the news agency RFERL.org, the Iranian security forces closed the Ghoba Mosque" on January 2, 2010, and did not allow Friday prayers to take place. The Ghoba mosque in Shiraz which is one of the most important in the city, was closed with the aim of "silencing" Ayatollah Dastgheib, who is based there and who has "used the mosque as a platform to deliver sermons fiercely critical of the Islamic republic's current regime".

Aiding Syrian Government
Dastgheib has reportedly questioned government strategy of aiding the Syrian government against protesters. During a 23 June 2011 Quranic interpretation session at the Qoba mosque in Shiraz, he urged that Iran's resources be saved for Iranians, and asking "Where should the public wealth that could make this country one of the best in the world be spent? Should it be sent to Syria, so they can oppress the people?"

See also

List of Maraji
List of members in the First Term of the Council of Experts

Notes

External links
Biography in Persian

Living people
1935 births
Iranian grand ayatollahs
Iranian Islamists
Shia Islamists
Islamic democracy activists
Iranian democracy activists
Muslim reformers
People from Shiraz
Association of Combatant Clerics politicians

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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In response to the mob violence in the Nation's Capitol, the Board of Trustees of The Phillips School of Theology in its scheduled meeting on January 6, 2021, requested and commends Bishop Othal Lakey for drafting the following statement.
Bishop Sylvester Williams, Sr., Chair
Board of Trustees, Phillips School of Theology
Board of Trustees Phillips School of Theology
Statement Concerning Mob Violence in Nation's Capitol
The Board of Trustees of the Phillips School of Theology, the seminary of the Christian Methodist Church of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, in its annual meeting held January 6, 2021, Bishop Sylvester Williams, Chair, enters upon its record the following statement regarding mob violence that occurred this day in the nation's capitol:
With deep dismay and sober concern, we take notice that on the day Christians celebrate Epiphany, January 6, a violent mob stormed the Capitol of the United States, occupied the chambers of the United States House of Representatives with guns drawn, ransacked the offices, including the Speaker of the House and terrorized the elected leaders of the nation. Most disturbing to us is that this insurrection was at the behest and urging of the President of the United States upon his blasphemous and blatantly false claim that the recent presidential election was stolen from him. In the Name of the Christ whom we serve as Lord, members of a church that has been at the forefront of the call for justice and righteousness, and citizens from all sections of the nation we condemn these dastardly acts and call for law enforcement authorities to locate and prosecute the perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law. We commit to the hands of our God, who sees all everyone does and hears all each one says, a President, before whom he must one day stand in judgment.
As Christians, however, we do recognize that even in the darkness of our dismay over the events of this day, our God has given us two bright rays of hope. On this day an African American pastor and a young Jewish business executive, both committed to this nation living up to its creed of liberty and justice for all, were elected the Senators from the state of Georgia. For us, their election is evidence that God is still God and, as Marian Anderson used to sing, "He's got the whole world in his hands."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Fave Five: What Works Best? (So Far)
May 28, 2019 May 28, 2019 expectingalpha Stocks	$ADS, $ALB, $HFC, $JWN, $WBA, Fave Five, Irish Spring
This Week's Fave Five is brought to you by Pittsburgh's own Pat Donnelly. Pat stopped me in the hall at the National Association of Investors annual conference and said, "You know what — among many things — I wonder about? Which Fave Five selection mode has delivered the best performance?" That's a really, really good question. Pat is the chair of the NAIC volunteer advisory board.
Fave Five (5/24/2019)
We started the Fave Five as something of a whim. It was sort of the answer to the question, "Is it possible to highlight 3-5 companies a month, let alone a week?" After a few years, the results are becoming compelling and provocative. If you've been around here for more than a little while … you know that we treasure skepticism and critical thinking about the challenges and potential of investing.
It's time to refine our characterization of the "Fave Five."
Our Fave Five essentially represents a listing of stocks with favorable long term total return forecasts and good/excellent quality rankings. We basically screen on Manifest Ranking (equally-weighted PAR and Quality). This is the primary screening criteria every single week. The only variation is how "deep" we go into the percentile rankings. Sometimes we stop at 99.44% … other times sticking to the top 2% … or 5% … and when in a bottom fishing mode as low as top 50% or even "deeper."
Keep in mind that a repeat appearance among the Fave Five for a given DOES NOT result in "accumulation." Once a stock is "in", it's in until it's "out." So the accompanying image of results is measuring the performance of the tracking portfolio.
And speaking of "out", we've been using this demonstration portfolio to deploy (1) Rule-of-5 "time outs" for companies that lag the market by more than 20 percentage points, (2) celebrate success as measured by a stock price soaring to the extent that the return forecast (PAR) approaches low single digits. These are fun. (3) We'll be adding a quality degradation algorithm. Stay tuned.
Second Screens
So the real difference is the secondary screening criteria each week. The default setting is the highest 1-year total return forecast by analyst consensus. Hence the 112 selections. We're elated to see a premise hold as the relative return for this most frequent criterion is beating the market.
But the most compelling results come from three secondary screening criteria: (1) High Growth, (2) Irish Spring and (3) Triple Play. High Growth is just what you think it is. It's compliant with our search for excellent smaller and faster-growing companies. The elevator speech is GREAT companies growing in double digits — with top line growth of 10% or 12% or more.
Irish Spring resonates with real "risk" reduction as our resident Irishman, Hugh McManus, has guided us to find GREAT companies available near their 52-week lows.
And Triple Play is a powerful nod to the legacy of the modern investment club movement and George Nicholson's nudge to seek companies with (1) depressed stock prices, that (2) have the potential for margin enhancement and (3) P/E ratio expansion.
"Most Oversold" is simply the qualifiers with the lowest Relative Strength Index (RSI) courtesy of StockCharts.com. Yes, Virginia, it's a technical indicator. But it could prove to be something that heeds Ralph Acampora's advice in Chicago last weekend to "Go ahead and do all the wonderful things you do to study companies but before you press the BUY button, do Ralphie a favor and check the price trends. Is your discovery gaining or falling in stock price?" There's only two selections in this category so far. That will change. Soon.
We're also optimistic about Owner ROC. (More to follow on this) Anecdotally, we think it will remain faithful to virtually all of the foundational concepts while raising the awareness and emphasis on debt capital. Stay tuned here, too.
The Long and Short of This Week's Fave Five
Long & Short Term Perspectives. (May 24, 2019) Projected Annual Return (PAR): Long term return forecast based on fundamental analysis and five year time horizon. Quality Ranking: Percentile ranking of composite that includes financial strength, earnings stability and relative growth & profitability. MANIFEST Ranking: Equally weighted ranking of Return Forecast (PAR) and Quality. 52-Week Position: Position on scale between 52-week low price and 52-week target price. VL Low Total Return (VLLTR): Low total return forecast based on 3-5 year price targets via Value Line Investment Survey. Morningstar P/FV: Ratio of current price to fundamentally-based fair value via www.morningstar.com ACE P/FV: based on analyst consensus for fair value. Owner's Return On Capital: Return (Profitability, long term estimate) vs. Total Capital (equity + debt). S&P P/FV: Current price-to-fair value ratio via Standard & Poor's. 1-Year ACE Outlook: Total return forecast based on analyst consensus estimates for 1-year target price combined with current yield. The data is ranked (descending order) based on this criterion. 1-Year S&P Outlook: 1-year total return forecast based on S&P 1-year price target.
Fave Five Legacy (Tracking Portfolio)
The relative/excess return for the Fave Five tracking portfolio is +2.4% since inception.
The absolute annualized rate of return is 11.8%.
Tracking Dashboard: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/fave-five
Fave Five (5/17/2019): Prohibition Edition
May 20, 2019 May 20, 2019 expectingalpha Stocks	$AL, $CMD, $IIVI, $SAVE, Fave Five, SLB
Our Fave Five essentially represents a listing of stocks with favorable short term total return forecasts (1 year, according to Analyst Consensus Estimates, or ACE) combined with strong long-term return forecasts and good/excellent quality rankings. The median 1-year ACE total return forecast is 14.1%.
The City of Big Shoulders … and a Speak Easy, Or Two …
The National Association of Investors held their annual conference in Chicago this past weekend and I was honored/privileged/grateful to attend and to support the efforts of a gifted gypsy band of awesome volunteers. You know who you are. Thank you. Even better, the educational slate included our dear knights (and a damsel) as Kim Butcher, Ken Kavula and Cy Lynch provided several sessions and discussions. Hugh McManus would have joined us if his company hadn't jobnapped him somewhere between Singapore and San Francisco and diverted him to Barcelona for the weekend.
You know you might be in Chicago when the banquet menu includes hot dogs smothered in onions, mustard, pickle spears with a side of deep dish pizza.
You know you might be in Chicago when the LIVE Round Table audience in true crowd rebellion decides that they can vote more than once for stock nominations. (And they're right)
You know you might be in Chicago when all of the wait-until-next-year attire has morphed into World Series Champion paraphernalia.
You know you might be in Chicago when people are imitating the voices of Sean Connery and Kevin Costner in the hallways lined with pictures of beer being "distributed" from barrels on to the streets. (This sort of behavior is likely frowned upon by our resident Irishman Hugh AND his partner in crime, Pat Donnelly.)
You know you might be in Chicago when an audience of investors wants to talk about cannabis, prohibition and the companies that prospered when Elliott Ness stopped foaming up State Street back in the 1930s. When the audience assumes control of the discussion (which we encourage) and starts talking about specific investment characteristics of Anheuser-Busch, fields of opportunity, distribution infrastructure and doing stock studies on companies from 1933 … I'm pretty sure that, yes, you're in Chicago.
Yes, you're among friends who like to share ideas, devastate the mysteries of investing … and they're BETTER when they do it together.
Three of this week's Fave Five figured prominently in panel discussions and sessions. Cantel Medical (CMD) was selected by Ken Kavula during the opening session stock panel and Cy Lynch selected II-VI (IIVI) for the Round Table. Kim Butcher selected Air Lease (AL) for the Round Table and the audience seconded her motion while pondering just how many hands and appendages they could vote with for the various nominations. (Except for my pick, REGN, which received an insignificant number of appendages and at least one guffaw. I'm hurt but unswayed.)
Spirit Air Lines (SAVE) did not come up but probably should have. It was on my short list. (But it's moot. You probably wouldn't have voted for it anyway.)
The NEW CVS Health (CVS)
March 10, 2019 March 10, 2019 expectingalpha Stocks	$CVS, Aetna, M&A Analysis, Total Health, Transformation
This article is a current example of the type of company analysis Manifest Investing (and our friends) performs on stocks following the time-honored (since 1941) methods of the modern investment club movement. CVS is the 10th most widely-followed stock by our community of investors and is the 2nd most frequently-selected stock during our monthly FREE webcasts known as our Investing Round Table. Note: The 9-year annualized rate of return for the stocks featured is 15.5%. Start a test drive (trial subscription) at http://www.manifestinvesting.com ($79/year, group discounts for club partners and educators) and see the answers to some natural "next" questions including: (1) What about store growth? and (2) How much did Warren Buffett overpay for Heinz and did CVS pay too much for Aetna?
At CVS Health, we share a clear purpose: helping people on their path to better health. Through our health services, plans and community pharmacists, we're pioneering a bold new approach to total health. Making quality care more affordable, accessible, simple and seamless, to not only help people get well, but help them stay well in body, mind and spirit.
Cy Lynch warned all of us as he selected CVS Health (CVS) again for the February Round Table. CVS now ranks as the 2nd most frequently selected company for the tracking portfolio. Cy's warnings? (1) You can't lean on the rear view mirror for this one. The historical data doesn't include Aetna. (2) The fear and herd-following among the Rhinos has delivered some painful price action. [Note: The Rhinos just could be right.] (3) CVS is undergoing a high risk (general perception) transformation from the current business model to one that seeks to optimize wellness, decrease dependency on pharmaceutical band-aids (!!!) and fight to establish an effective go-to solution that serves customers with a cost effective path to health.
Reference: Looking Ahead: 2019 Health Care Trends
Business Model Analysis (Sales)
CVS Health. Pro Forma Sales Projections. As Cy suggested, the company has shifted. The step change in sales due to the addition of Aetna can be seen in 2018. The growth rate (slope of the trend line) from 2010-2017 is visually different from the slope seen for 2018-2023. The former trend (10-12%) no longer applies to a stock study of the new CVS. It's supporting information for what may be possible — but the growth rate suggested in the SEC filings is 6-7%. (Value Line has a much more pessimistic outlook for the 3-5 year forecast — resulting in a growth forecast of 4.5%)
The profitability forecast (according to CVS and the legions of Rhinos who chimed and rhymed with opinions about the Aetna deal) is available here also. Dividing the net income in 2022 into the the sales forecast, we see (11.6/333.4) = 0.035 = 3.5%
… And Now, The Rest Of The Story
My personal opinion is that it boils down to remembering and realizing that CVS is the company that discontinued the sale of cigarettes a few years ago to a chorus of whining and Armageddon commentary from the Rhinos.
This is massively challenging but a mission with merit. This core holding — at least temporarily — has shifted from blue chip stalwart to execution-based speculation. But it's a good speculation based on the promises delivered by excellent management over the past several years. The investing jungle is full of doubting Rhinos and the stock price has been mightily challenged, accordingly. That said, the expectations (4% growth, 3.5% profitability, 11.5x average P/E) are the types of low bars that investors like Graham and Buffett have vision cast as stepping over them while others assail the assortment of 7-foot high jump bars with other opportunities.
Imagine them ripping out the chips and candy and recapturing the space with cost-effective access to doctors, physician's assistants, nurse practitioners and various flavors of therapists and nutritional campaigns. Imagine America taking a few less pills and feeling comprehensively better. CVS ripped out the smoking products. How challenging is it to believe that they just might be serious about the rest of this?
CVS — This Is Disgusting (Quad 7 Capital, Seeking Alpha)
Why CVS Stock Fell 12% Last Month (Jeremy Bowman, Motley Fool)
S-4 Registration Statement (SEC file — January 4, 2018)
Top 8 Healthcare Predictions For 2019 (Forbes, November 13, 2018)
Larry Merlo at National Press Club: Improving Health Community By Community
February 18, 2019 February 18, 2019 expectingalpha Stocks	$GLOG, FDS, Lincoln, SBUX, VLLTR Forecast
"Investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Abraham Lincoln
"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended on to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts — and some beer." — Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln was a voracious reader. And legend has it — a pretty good listener, too. Reading the Lincoln-Douglas debate transcripts, he was self-effacing, quick on his feet and the exchanges were actually pretty enjoyable (most of the time.)
Holders of the nation's highest office have often had a close relationship with booze, as George Washington established the nation's largest whiskey distillery in 1797 and Thomas Jefferson brewed his own beer. Andrew Jackson's inaugural party in 1829 was so legendary that we still drink the orange punch party goers consumed. But Lincoln was the only president who was also a licensed bartender.
While they sold booze, it was far from a watering hole. The Chicagoist states that "Stores could sell alcohol in quantities greater than a pint for off-premises consumption, but it was illegal to sell single drinks to consume at the store without a license.
In March 1833, Berry and Lincoln were issued a tavern, or liquor, license, which cost them $7 and was taken out in Berry's name. Stores that sold liquor to consume on the premises were called groceries.
So … it's more appropriate to think of Lincoln as a grocer than a bartender.
I still think the Spielberg movie, Lincoln is a must see in these interesting times in which we live.
Why In The World Would A Long Term Investor Live In Fear Of Recessions?
11. FactSet Research (FDS)
20. Starbucks (SBUX)
Alliance Data Systems (ADS)
CBRE Group (CBRE)
C.H. Robinson (CHRW)
Forward Air (FWRD)
Health Care Services (HCSG)
Illumina (ILMN)
Maximus (MMS)
S&P Global (SPGI)
Starbucks (SBUX)
The status of the 2019 Best Small Companies can be tracked at: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/best-small-2019
November 2018 (FB, FLT, IIVI)
December 2018 (AL, IIVI, IPGP, NVDA)
Investing Topics with Ken, Mark & Friends
Turnout Tuesday: What's It All About, Alpha? (August 2018)
Companies That Do Capital Allocation Right (Phil Ordway, Anabatic Fund)
If This Isn't Stock Manipulation, Then I Don't Know What Is (Jesse Felder)
Why Stock Buybacks Do So Little For Americans (Barry Ritholtz)
The Dreaded Earnings Recession (Ben Carlson)
An Open Letter To The President (A Classic — based on your responses — Expected Returns, November 2008)
O Captain, My Captain! (ER, April 2008)
Alpha In Your Eyes and Your Feet (Howard Lindzon)
Materially Stronger: Golar LNG (GLNG), Allegiant Travel (ALGT), United Continental (UAL), Spirit Airlines (SAVE)
Materially Weaker: Bristow Group (BRS), Papa John's Pizza (PZZA)
Discontinued: Dun & Bradstreet (DNB), American Railcar (ARII)
Value Line Low Total Return (VLLTR) Forecast. The long-term low total return forecast for the 1700 companies featured in the Value Line Investment Survey is 6.5%, decreasing from 7.7% last week. For context, this indicator has ranged from low single digits (when stocks are generally overvalued) to approximately 20% when stocks are in the teeth of bear markets like 2008-2009.
Long & Short Term Perspectives. (February 22, 2019) Projected Annual Return (PAR): Long term return forecast based on fundamental analysis and five year time horizon. Quality Ranking: Percentile ranking of composite that includes financial strength, earnings stability and relative growth & profitability. VL Low Total Return (VLLTR): Low total return forecast based on 3-5 year price targets via Value Line Investment Survey. Morningstar P/FV: Ratio of current price to fundamentally-based fair value via www.morningstar.com S&P P/FV: Current price-to-fair value ratio via Standard & Poor's. 1-Year ACE Outlook: Total return forecast based on analyst consensus estimates for 1-year target price combined with current yield. 1-Year S&P Outlook: 1-year total return forecast based on S&P 1-year price target.
The average return forecast (PAR) for this week's update batch is 8.7%. (MIPAR = 8.2%)
The 52-week total return forecast for the group is 18.7% versus 14.9% for stocks overall. S&P has a 1-year outlook for this week's batch at 10.4%.
Morningstar sees them as fairly valued (P/FV = 101%) and S&P "dissents" at a P/FV of 107%.
""I think I could make you 50% a year on $1 million. No, I know I could. I guarantee that." — Warren Buffett, 1999 BusinessWeek Interview
This is a reference to portfolio design and balance — specifically achieving a blend of blue chip stalwarts combined with a suitable mix of faster growing promising smaller companies. We generally aim for an overall sales growth forecast of 10-12% with suitable adjustments for time horizon and/or risk tolerance. Based on some recent soul searching, we're now pondering how much "relatively undiscovered company content" is enough. Or too much? In any event, we'll be dedicating a larger slice of our weekly updates to DISCOVERY.
This Week's Sources and Suggestions
Value Line Investment Survey Updates
Groundhog Challenge XIII (2019) Entries
Barron's 100 Sustainable Companies
Kim Butcher's S&P 600 Initiations
Coverage Initiated/Restored: Northstar Realty Europe (NRE), RingCentral (RNG), Roku (ROKU), Invitae (NVTA), Baozun ADR (BZUN), DXC Technology (DXC)
On Recessions (State of Investing)
February 7, 2019 February 7, 2019 expectingalpha Investing	$vle, Recessions
If there's one image that captures the State of the Investing "Union", this is one of the more important flavors. Recessions massacre profitability and explode Stock Selection Guides (2008-2009). Companies with weak profitability dip below zero and EPS "disappear."
Value Line Arithmetic Average Companies ($VLE) ex-Financials. This statistic covers the industrials and excludes the asset-based companies where we focus on ROE.
One of the biggest reasons that the 2016-2017 period for the bull market was so "empty" for most investors is because of the recessionary conditions that materialized in some segments, rolling corrections. With the tax law revisions for 2018 and beyond, we'll be carefully monitoring the additions of 2020 and 2024 estimates to our studies as Value Line ratchets their data arrays one year during upcoming Issue updates.
Crowning Groundhogs (2018)
February 2, 2019 February 2, 2019 expectingalpha Investing, Stocks, Watercooler	Best Super Bowl Commercials, Groundhog, Stock Picking Contests, Super Bowl Indicator
This Week at MANIFEST (2/8/2019)
"A group of investors heeding the lessons of Graham, Babson and Nicholson has at least one leg up on the crowd and a better than average opportunity to generate exceptional returns." — Our Groundhog Creed.
Super Performances
The Super Bowl is on Sunday.
Sorry Patriots fans, but if you care about the 2019 stock market, the only thing standing between you and the oblivion of an "old AFL team" winning the Super Bowl and poking the restless bear, the accompanying image of a focused Ram is it. Go Rams!
And that's the second most important thing going down this weekend.
Our courageous band of Groundhogs have finished another revolution around the sun, the twelfth such rendition — and we'll be crowning another repeat champion, Anna Gombar of Holly, Michigan.
Inviting Anna Gombar (and her husband Rod) to a stock selection contest is like inviting Tom Brady to a football tournament.
The results are in and the accounting team is crunching numbers, munching pizza and chugging adult beverages in the conference to compile the final results. Spoiler alert: They're outstanding. Again. (I hope) No, we expect.
Back To The Super Bowl And All Things Commercial
What have been your favorites over the years? The Coca-Cola ad ranks as one of the best of all time. The Apple commercial is epic. And Budweiser consistently hits it out of the park with the gorgeous Clydesdales. But the E*Trade babies and the CareerBuilder Monkeys are legendary.
But — to us (particularly in Michigan) — the Eminem commercial by Chrysler stands out among the best. Ever.
Mean Joe Greene Coke Commercial (1979)
Apple 1984 Ad Commercial – Original Recording (1984)
Several Clydesdale & Dalmatian Moments With Budweiser (Various)
ETrade Baby Commercials (Various)
CareerBuilder Monkeys (2007)
Chrysler Eminem Super Bowl Commercial – Imported From Detroit (2011)
The S&P's 7.9% Advance Marked Its Best Start To The Year Since 1987
Sharp Rebound. The S&P 500 had it's best month in three years following December's slump. Hard to think of the market gyrations over the last four months as anything but a YoYo "Walk-The-Dog" market.
2. Cognizant Technology (CTSH)
4. Microsoft (MSFT)
12. Alphabet/Google (GOOG)
19. Visa (V)
27. Oracle (ORCL)
28. Wells Fargo (WFC)
36. T. Rowe Price (TROW)
Baidu (BIDU)
Booking.com (BKNG)
Cognizant Technology (CTSH)
eBay (EBAY)
EPAM Systems (EPAM)
FleetCor (FLT)
Global Payments (GPN)
Infosys Tech (INFY)
PayPal (PYPL)
SEI Investments (SEIC)
T. Rowe Price (TROW)
Western Union (WU)
Turnout Tuesday Educational Sessions
The Rediscovered Benjamin Graham
Quality Effort: Tribute To Arnold Bernhard (ER, Mark Robertson, December 2014)
The Global Use of Medicine in 2019 and Outlook to 2023 (IQVIA)
Companies of Interest: Value Line (2/8/2019)
Materially Stronger: Fiserv (FISV)
Materially Weaker: Sohu.com (SOHU), Ameriprise (AMP), SEI Investments (SEIC), BlackRock (BLK), Ctrip.com (CTRP), GroupOn (GRPN), Capital One (COF), Ansys (ANSS)
Discontinued:
Groundhog Challenge 2019
Get Me Through December … & Beyond
December 24, 2018 December 27, 2018 expectingalpha Stocks	$NVDA, $OLED, $SWKS, $VSH, AAPL, IPGP, VLLTR Forecast, Weekly Update
This Week at MANIFEST (12/28/2018)
"Patience is genius in disguise." — Various, including Hugh McManus
"A 10% decline in the market is fairly common—it happens about once a year. Investors who realize this are less likely to sell in a panic, and more likely to remain invested, benefiting from the wealth building power of stocks." — Christopher Davis
"You make most of your money in a bear market, you just don't realize it at the time." — Shelby Cullom Davis
"A market downturn doesn't bother us. It is an opportunity to increase our ownership of great companies with great management at good prices." — Warren Buffett
""Is value investing dead? I don't know. I don't care. I don't know when we will know. What I do know is that Warren Buffett says that growth investing and value investing are actually joined at the hip. (Tom O'Hara said this, too.) Valuation Investing is the blend of growth and value investing." — Joel Greenblatt
Get Me Through December?
Eddy Elfenbein shared the unpleasantness update in this week's Market Review at crossingwallstreet.com:
The numbers are remarkable. On Thursday, the S&P 500 closed at its lowest level in 15 months. In the last 12 trading sessions, the S&P 500 has lost 11.6%. The details are even uglier. Within the index, 423 stocks are now trading below their 200-day moving average. On Thursday, new lows beat new highs 175-0.
20 Years With The Value Line Arithmetic Average ($VLE). Some context. We've seen similar moments like this before. But there's no denying that the December "candlestick" is in a league of its own … rare company. We're approaching long-term "Oversold" conditions as suggested by the relative strength index (RSI) nearing 30 and relative long-term lows. We're reminded that the trailing 52-week returns have dipped sub-zero a few times in the last few years — so this should not be regarded as something new or unusual.
Manifest Investing Median Return Forecast (MIPAR). It's clear that the median (basically average) return forecast for the 2300-2400 companies in our coverage universe have SUDDENLY shifted to new levels due to the price drop. This could also happen from a breach of fundamentals — but that is NOT the case, here … at least not yet. Return forecasts are now at levels we haven't seen since 2008-2009.
Source: https://www.morningstar.com/tools/market-fair-value-graph.html
Beyond December — A Hope For Fewer Potholes …
My take on all of this carnage? It's different this time.
Yes, I said the words.
Bear markets and corrections are pretty unique despite all of our attempts to slap historical price chart overlays and compare factors, etc. The simple truth is that (1) the sample size will never be statistically sufficient for any material conclusions to be reached. [Yet the Rhinos will continue to try. Smile and nod at them.] (2) Markets are not rational.
Current conditions definitely qualify for a sedative or something stronger.
Look no further than the accompanying weekly chart of the Value Line Low Total Return Forecast to see how sudden the current price correction has been. We've not seen a change with this velocity or ferocity since 2008. You remember, right? With Christmas carols humming in the background, recall the names Bear Stearns, Lehman, Merrill Lynch and things like credit default swaps and neighbor's houses in foreclosure.
Yes, there's a mountain of uncertainty and an abyss of incivility inside the Beltway and a President who's certainly disruptive. But the core problem with the status is virtually unchanged — ALL of the political posers persist in patching or ignoring potholes (healthcare, immigration, infrastructure, federal capital structure, failed nation building, sloped international trade playing fields, the ostriches and lobbyists related to real capital markets reform, etc.). The hypocrisy is gut wrenchingly prevalent.
I think the stock market is legitimately tired of the perpetual motion of Congressional Kick The Can Down The Road — and corporations are suddenly much more guarded about faith in consistency and less optimistic that the moving targets have abated. As the foot comes off the accelerator and taps the brakes (again) we might return to the recessionary conditions of 2015-2016. Much of the globe is already headed there.
Unattended potholes become sinkholes.
Like snowflakes, it's different this time. It's always different. Trying to allocate assets or imagine outcomes based on historical models (even when powered by artificial intelligence) is a neural niblick.
So we turn to a constant. A constant that survived and thrived through the 1970s, 1987, 1994, Y2K and the gasping throes of 2008-2009. That constant is to eschew the chaos. Focus on what matters. Simply put, INVEST BETTER.
We accept that markets are not rational. We refuse to be surprised when they convulse.
We take the words of Warren Buffett quite seriously when he longs for corrective opportunities "a few more times during his investing lifetime" and speaks unflinchingly of tracking excellent companies and waiting for them to be available at attractive prices.
I believe one of those moments may have arrived. We don't often make "market calls" but we did write about back-up-the-truck moments back in November 2008 (a wee bit early) and March 2009 (squarely in the bullseye). This could be another Buffett Bonanza.
So … we think it's prudent to do what we've done for DECADES. Discover excellent companies, BETTER COMPANIES. Buy those that are priced well. BETTER PRICES FOR BETTER RETURNS.
Hugh McManus likes patience and its genius-making potential. He also likes excellent companies trading near their 52-week or multi-year lows. We're thinking Hugh must be beside his Irish self these days and hope to hear from him during next weekend's Round Table. Ken Kavula is sure to be swimming in the pool of sudden small company opportunity. Cy Lynch is likely to admire the latest bear market which will become a future blip. Rest assured that we'll be more focused on the long term perspective than any pusillanimous politicians and their potholes, meandering Rhinos or any of those annoying talking heads who focus on "how much your 401(k) LOST since breakfast today."
We promise to remain focused on the discovery and sharing of the best ideas — the opportunities we've known for decades as BETTER COMPANIES at BETTER PRICES.
Merry Christmas to our favorite nation of focused and compassionate investors!
1. Apple (AAPL)
23. Skyworks Solutions (SWKS)
26. Intel (INTC)
IPG Photonics (IPGP)
MKS Instruments (MKSI)
Skyworks Solutions (SWKS)
Universal Display (OLED)
Round Table Sessions (Video Archives)
January 2018 (ADS, SBUX, SWKS)
February 2018 (CWH, HCSG, MCK, PBH, SIRI)
March 2018 (AYI, GE, MCK, WAL)
April 2018 (GE, SBUX, ULTA)
May 2018 (ALRM, ADS, CBRE, CTSH, FIVE)
June 2018 (BECN, BMY, OLED)
July 2018 (CTSH, COHR, IONS, SKX)
August 2018 (IPGP, LCII, WH)
September 2018 (LCII, SLP)
October 2018 (ARDX, LMAT, MKSI, UNFI)
Turnout Tuesday: Investing In Overheated Markets (February 2018)
Turnout Tuesday: Taxes & Impact on Stock Studies (April 2018)
Turnout Tuesday: Quality Trends & Selling (June 2018)
Why We Sold Apple Stock (Vitaliy Katsenelson)
Index Investing Critic Takes Aim. Fires. Misses. (Barry Ritholtz)
Masters In Business: Jeremy Grantham (Barry Ritholtz)
An Evolve Or Die Moment For The World's Great Investors (Fortune via Kim Butcher)
Crossing Wall Street Market Review — 12/21/2018 (Eddy Elfenbein)
Buying When Stocks Are Down Big (Ben Carlson)
Companies of Interest: Value Line (12/28/2018)
The median Value Line low total return forecast for the companies in this week's update batch is 12.3% vs. 10.8% for the Value Line 1700 ($VLE).
Materially Stronger: Vishay Intertechnology (VSH), Office Depot (ODP), Kemet (KEM)
Materially Weaker: TTM Technologies (TTMI), Diebold Nixdorf (DBD), Western Digital (WDC), Plantronics (PLT), STMicroelectronics (STM), Micron Technology (MU), Cirrus Logic (CRUS), Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC), Celestica (CLS), 3D Systems (DDD)
Discontinued: Spectra Energy Partners (SEP)
Value Line Low Total Return (VLLTR) Forecast. The long-term low total return forecast for the 1700 companies featured in the Value Line Investment Survey is 10.8%, increasing from 8.5% last week. For context, this indicator has ranged from low single digits (when stocks are generally overvalued) to approximately 20% when stocks are in the teeth of bear markets like 2008-2009.


Customer reviews are powerful. They create a community out of strangers and they determine the fate of businesses. However, sometimes all the advice can be confusing and overwhelming. How do can use the reviews to your best advantage and make sense of sometimes conflicting opinions? Read our ideas on what to look for during your maid service Yelp search.
The house cleaning industry is as not as simple as people probably think. Every day maids are presented with new homes, new customers, and new challenges. A maid service with experience will know how to handle every problem and request. They've also proven with their longevity that they deliver high-quality service; how else would they still be in business? A maid service that has survived over a decade knows the in-and-outs of house cleaning and how to exceed customers' expectations.
Of course, customer satisfaction will also show in the online ratings. Be wary of any business that has an average rating of 3 stars or lower. At best, this shows a business is nothing special. At worst, it reveals highly inconsistent service. During your maid service Yelp search, look for a company with consistently high ratings. This will be a good sign you'll be spending your money wisely and working with a company that will go the extra mile to deliver the exact service you want.
Of course, the content of the reviews themselves is important. Read about other users' experiences to see what they love about the company. If you find the majority of review have good things to say, you can feel comfortable knowing that your experience with that company will be similarly great.
If you do a maid service Yelp search in Portland, Maids by Trade will be at the top of your list. We are proud to have almost 100 reviews and an overall rating of 4.5 stars. If you are a previous customer of Maids by Trade and you have not left a review on Yelp, we invite you to leave your honest commentary.
Maids by Trade is the top choice for Portlanders because of our almost 20 years of experience, our EcoPink℠ System, our amazing attention to detail and excellent customer service, our range of customizable service options, and so much more. If you have questions about our service, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us!


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Eukaryote
Alternative Titles: eucaryote, eukaryotic cell
Eukaryote, any cell or organism that possesses a clearly defined nucleus. The eukaryotic cell has a nuclear membrane that surrounds the nucleus, in which the well-defined chromosomes (bodies containing the hereditary material) are located. Eukaryotic cells also contain organelles, including mitochondria (cellular energy exchangers), a Golgi apparatus (secretory device), an endoplasmic reticulum (a canal-like system of membranes within the cell), and lysosomes (digestive apparatus within many cell types). There are several exceptions to this, however; for example, the absence of mitochondria and a nucleus in red blood cells and the lack of mitochondria in the oxymonad Monocercomonoides species.
Eukaryotes are thought to have evolved between about 1.7 billion and 1.9 billion years ago. The earliest known microfossils resembling eukaryotic organisms date to approximately 1.8 billion years ago. Compare prokaryote.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn, Managing Editor.
cell: The nature and function of cells
…cells of organisms known as eukaryotes. In contrast, cells of organisms known as prokaryotes do not contain organelles and are generally smaller than eukaryotic cells. However, all cells share strong similarities in biochemical function.…
metabolism: Anabolism
In eukaryotic cells (i.e., those with a well-defined nucleus, characteristic of organisms higher than bacteria) the enzymes of catabolic and anabolic pathways are often located in different cellular compartments. This also contributes to the manner of their cellular control; for example, the formation of acetyl coenzyme…
heredity: Transcription
…of RNA polymerase, but in eukaryotes there are several different types. RNA polymerase I synthesizes ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and RNA polymerase III synthesizes transfer RNA (tRNA) and other small RNAs. The types of RNA transcribed by these two polymerases are never translated into protein. RNA polymerase II transcribes the major…
More About Eukaryote
In life: Prokaryotes and eukaryotes
In taxonomy: Division of organisms into kingdoms
In protist: Defining the protists
In microbiology: Bacteria (eubacteria and archaea)
In cloning
In cytoplasm
In DNA
In Roger D. Kornberg
In endoplasmic reticulum
In gene
View Media Page
Lynn Margulis
Susan L. Lindquist
Roger D. Kornberg
Prokaryote
UNESCO-EOLSS - Eukaryote Cell Biology
University of California Museum of Paleontology - Introduction to the Basal Eukaryotes
MedicineNet.com - Eukaryote
eukaryote - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
Animal, (kingdom Animalia), any of a group of multicellular eukaryotic organisms (i.e., as distinct from…
Cell membrane, thin membrane that surrounds every living cell, delimiting the cell from the environment…
Quantum mechanics, science dealing with the behaviour of matter and light on the atomic and subatomic…


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Blue Knight women lose to Wheeling Jesuit, 91-70
The Urbana University women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season on Saturday with a 91-70 setback to Wheeling Jesuit inside the Grimes Center.
UU (2-1, 0-1 MEC) trailed by four, 57-53, at the end of three quarters, but allowed a season-high 34 points in the fourth. It was the league opener for both teams, as Wheeling Jesuit improved to 4-0.
"We knew coming into (Saturday) that we had to limit our mistakes for the whole 40 minutes," UU head coach Haley Ducey said. "We came out with a lot of energy and intensity. We struggled in the first half finding our shot, but played solid defense that kept us in it.
"But down the stretch, we had too many turnovers and mistakes to keep us in the game. I'm still proud of how hard we worked. This was a great learning experience for the younger girls, and we'll get ready to take on West Liberty on Monday."
Guard Megan Beachy led four Blue Knights in double-digit scoring with 18 points. She went 4 of 9 from beyond the arc and shot 50 percent overall from the floor. Guards Stefanie Davis (12 points, five rebounds, four assists) and Danie Shafer (11 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals) stuffed the stat sheet, while Morgan Mattimore chipped in with 11 points.
Wheeling Jesuit's Mariah Callen scored a game-high 23 points to also lead four players in double figures.
Both teams hit 10 threes in the contest, but the visiting Cardinals outshot the Blue Knights with a 50-percent shooting percentage. UU was kept to 39 percent overall.
The scoring went back-and-forth in the opening quarter and UU led at the end of 10 minutes by a point, 14-13.
Then, UU built its largest lead of the game early in the second quarter as Davis capped a run of scoring nine consecutive points. Her jumper at the 9:35 mark in the second put UU ahead 19-15.
The teams went back-and-forth the rest of the first half, but a WJU three with 45 seconds left gave the Cardinals a five-point halftime advantage at 37-32.
Wheeling kept the scoring going with an 11-0 run out of the break and led by as much as 51-34 with 5:31 left in the third. The Blue Knights didn't' let up and outscored the Cardinals 19-6 the rest of the quarter. Beachy accounted for 10 of those points.
Unfortunately, the Blue Knight scoring ran dry in the fourth quarter as Wheeling cruised ahead.
UU returns to action on Monday with a road conference game at West Liberty. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: Blue Knight women lose to Wheeling Jesuit, 91-70. Here is a link to that story: https://www.urbanacitizen.com/sports/37378/blue-knight-women-lose-to-wheeling-jesuit-91-70


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Laws & Regulations SEC & Regulatory Bodies
Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
Katrina Munichiello
Fact checked by Katrina Munichiello
Katrina Ávila Munichiello is an experienced editor, writer, fact-checker, and proofreader with more than fourteen years of experience working with print and online publications. In 2011, she became editor of World Tea News, a weekly newsletter for the U.S. tea trade. In 2013, she was hired as senior editor to assist in the transformation of Tea Magazine from a small quarterly publication to a nationally distributed monthly magazine. Katrina also served as a copy editor at Cloth, Paper, Scissors and as a proofreader for Applewood Books. Since 2015 she has worked as a fact-checker for America's Test Kitchen's Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines. She has published articles in The Boston Globe, Yankee Magazine, and more. In 2011, she published her first book, A Tea Reader: Living Life One Cup at a Time (Tuttle). Before working as an editor, she earned a Master of Public Health degree in health services and worked in non-profit administration.
What Is the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)?
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) oversees and enforces provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). As an agency of the Department of Labor (DOL), EBSA is charged with enforcing the rules governing the conduct of plan managers, the investment of plan assets, the reporting and disclosure of plan information, the fiduciary provisions of the law, and workers' benefit rights.
Simply put, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) acts as a watchdog against the inappropriate activities of pension managers to ensure the safety of the assets of U.S. workers.
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is an agency of the Department of Labor that was established in 1970.
EBSA's overall role is to protect the benefits of U.S. employees through the enforcement of rules and regulations that apply to investment plans and investment managers.
Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is overseen by EBSA.
EBSA oversees nearly 722,000 retirement plans, 2.5 million health plans, and other benefits plans in the amount of $10.7 trillion dollars.
Understanding the Employee Benefits Security Administration
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) helps educate and assist over 155 million U.S. workers, retirees, and their families. Its purview covers nearly 710,000 retirement plans, some 2.4 million health plans, and millions of welfare and benefit plans representing roughly $10.1 trillion in assets.
EBSA creates regulations and seeks to enforce them with the primary goal of ensuring that work-related benefits, such as retirement and health plans, are safeguarded. It also achieves this by educating all parties involved, such as plan sponsors, beneficiaries, and participants.
EBSA provides assistance to participants through Benefits Advisors, who help answer any questions and investigate and process any complaints. If a Benefits Advisor cannot resolve a complaint, then it goes to the enforcement group for review.
EBSA is also responsible for enforcing Title I of ERISA. The purpose of ERISA is to ensure that the retirement assets of U.S. workers are appropriately managed and protected. They achieve this through a variety of regulations that qualified plans must follow so that worker's assets are not invested or managed poorly.
Title II of ERISA is overseen by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This part of ERISA outlines the standards by which plans can receive beneficial tax treatment.
Employee Benefits Security Administration Organizational Structure
EBSA has dozens of regional and district field offices around the country. These offices conduct investigations into alleged violations of Title I of ERISA. Such offices also handle questions and complaints from pension plan administrators and the public.
The EBSA is led by the Assistant Secretary, who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Under the assistant secretary are the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for national offices, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for regional offices.
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is divided into eight program offices. They are:
Office of Exemption Determinations: Processes requests for exemptions from ERISA's prohibited transaction provisions for individuals and classes.
Office of Enforcement: Conducts EBSA's enforcement program.
Office of Health Plan Standards and Compliance Assistance: Provides regulations and rule interpretation guidance related to health plans. Also educates and provides technical support to health plans and government agencies.
Office of Regulations and Interpretations: Carries out EBSA's regulatory agenda and rule interpretation activities. Also develops, analyzes, and implements pension and healthcare policy issues by providing technical assistance and support.
Office of the Chief Accountant: Provides annual reporting and audit requirements to employee benefit plans. Also enforces those provisions via civil penalties against plan administrators whose annual report is rejected.
Office of Technology and Information Services: Provides computer support and services to EBSA staff nationwide.
Office of Outreach, Education, and Assistance: Assists participants and administrators with its staff of Benefits Advisors, who answer questions and complaints. Also establishes outreach policies and procedures, as well as provides oversight and support to the regional offices.
Office of Program, Planning, Evaluation, and Management: Advises and provides oversight related to the development, implementation, and evaluation of EBSA policy. Also includes strategic planning, financial management, budgeting, human resources, and administrative programs.
U.S. Department of Labor. "U.S. Department of Labor Restores Over $3.1 Billion to Employee Benefit Plans, Participants, and Beneficiaries, the Most Ever." Accessed Feb. 22, 2021.
U.S. Department of Labor. "Employee Benefits Security Administration." Accessed Oct. 6, 2020.
Government Accountability Office. "Employee Benefits Security Administration: Enforcement Improvements Made but Additional Actions Could Further Enhance Pension Plan Oversight." Accessed Feb. 22, 2021.
U.S. Department of Labor. "Regional Offices." Accessed Feb. 22, 2021.
U.S. Department of Labor. "Organization Chart." Accessed Feb. 22, 2021.
What Does the Department of Labor (DOL) Do?
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is a cabinet-level agency responsible for enforcing federal labor standards.
What Is a Determination Letter?
A determination letter is issued by the Internal Revenue Service to inform a company whether its employee benefit meets the rules for special tax treatment.
What Is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)?
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) protects workers' retirement savings by ensuring fiduciaries do not misuse plan assets.
Behind Plan Sponsors
A plan sponsor is a designated party—usually a company or employer—that sets up a healthcare or retirement plan for the benefit of its employees.
What Is the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)?
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is a federal agency that protects the pension plans of many workers in the private sector.
A pension plan is an employee benefit that commits the employer to make regular payments to the employee in retirement.
3 Ways You Could Lose Your Pension—and How to Fight Back
What Information Does an Employer Have To Give About a 401(K) Plan?
Which Retirement Accounts Does ERISA Cover?
Everything You Need to Know About the DOL Fiduciary Rule
Small Business 401(k)s: How to Leverage the Multiple Employer DOL Rule
Where to Look for Help From the Government


The only thing that cannot be fundamentally altered in Flamingo are the tweet options in the timeline. Unlike the official client, there are no buttons to reply, retweet, and like always shown underneath each tweet. A single tap reveals those options, though, and tapping and holding opens a tweet and shows replies.
Besides that, pretty much everything in Flamingo can be customized. Like with other third-party Twitter clients, users can change the color of the app toolbar and background. There are 12 presets and a picker allows users to choose from 30 colors. Text, links, FAB, and bottom bar each have a color picker as well.
What sets this Twitter client apart from others is the ability to change the basic navigation of the app. By default, users have tabs at the top for Timeline, Mentions, and Messages. Mentions only shows @replies, but an activity page that shows RTs, likes, and new followers can be added. Other pages include lists, trends, and even the ability to directly add a user's timeline. These pages can easily be reordered in settings.
The Material Design guidelines recently allowed developers to use bottom tabs in apps. Like Google+ and Photos, Flamingo has the option to use animated bottom tabs. For a more minimalistic option, users can select no tabs and just swipe between pages.
Flamingo also includes a night mode that automatically activates after 7 PM, Chrome Custom Tabs, and a 3D Touch-like feature to preview profiles in the main timeline. The app's toolbar can be changed to a search bar (like in Google Play), simple page title, or a dropdown to switch accounts. Users can even customize the interface on an account-by-account basis. Behavioral options include the ability to control the behavior of tabs and the toolbar when scrolling.
At $0.99, Flamingo is an absolute steal and you should really consider buying it before all its Twitter tokens are claimed. The sheer number of options allow you to make it the perfect Twitter client. As of now it's still in beta, but stable enough for daily use. The app sees frequent updates and Ruston is actively adding features based on feedback.
The official Twitter client is better than ever design-wise and is finally adding the latest Android features. It is enough for the average user, but if you're a power user that wants fine customization and a wholely Material look, Flamingo is your app.


I am a retired Air Force colonel, physician, and former Deputy Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. I feel it is important for your readers to have accurate information when deciding on who will represent them in Juneau.
This coming primary election for the state Senate seat pits Lora Reinbold against Dan Saddler.
Some facts voters should consider when voting in August, Dan Saddler compromised his integrity for power when he voted with the Democrats to pass SB91 and to take no less than half of our PFD. He of course was able to keep his staff and committee positions by "playing" the game at our expense. He sold us out, since he obviously believed he and the rest of the Legislature and governor could more responsibly spend our money than we could, by voting to screw us out of at least half of our dividend because this RINO refused to make any meaningful or significant cuts to the out-of-control state spending. Control the money, and you control the power. That's what we would be looking at if Dan becomes our state senator. No meaningful cuts, instead he would keep spending to buy votes. Dan voted for the disastrous SB91 and blocked most of the amendments proposed to fix this horrible law. So you and I now get to enjoy the current crime wave that has resulted from this lousy legislation.
Lora Reinbold, on the other hand, is a true conservative that believes in small government and respects the individual and our ability to more responsibly run our affairs than the government can. She will reign in this out-of-control state spending and work to repeal or fix SB91.
With all due respect to Sam Albanese, whose July 26 letter complained that Rep. Saddler had sometimes voted independently from the lock-step Republican caucus, I believe that his voting record proves that he is a candidate who thinks for himself and for his constituents. The poor implementation of SB91 had more to do with inadequate social service support funding, putting he cart before the horse.
In 2012, shortly after my appointment to the Statewide Suicide Prevention Council as the Military/Veteran representative, Mr. Saddler sought me out and expressed his deep concern for suicide prevention and for meeting the needs of the military and veteran communities. I was impressed by his understanding of issues behind Alaska's high suicide rate, and by his specific focus on the well being of current and past service members.
For the record, I am an undeclared voter; I vote for the person who I believe is the most qualified and who has the best interests of our community at heart. I believe that Mr. Saddler is that person.
Head's up, District 13 voters. If you care about integrity and good ethics in your elected official, then you should vote for anyone but Nancy Dahlstrom.
The Alaska Constitution doesn't allow legislators to accept jobs created while they were in office. But, Dahlstrom showed her colors when she accepted a job offer with Gov. Sean Parnell's office while still a sitting legislator.
Making matters worse, Dahlstrom was the gatekeeper of bills which make her actions as House Rules chair questionable while she simultaneously considered her future position — which nearly doubled her salary.
Good legislators avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Dahlstrom did not.
If District 13 voters want a trustworthy representative who truly cares about their interests and isn't part of the political establishment, then they need to cast their votes for anyone but Dahlstrom, who already showed her affinity and willingness to break our laws as a public official.
The next time you find yourself idling for hours on the Glenn Highway because a truck hit a car, a car hit a moose, or a truck hit a bridge, you can thank Rep. Lora Reinbold for not being there to vote to approve the Knik Arm Bridge.
We had all the finances worked out. After two years of work, simple House majority approval of a conference committee bill would mean the Knik Arm Bridge would be built. But two days before the vote, Reinbold left for a vacation in Croatia, and the bill failed by one vote. We saw the impact when a truck hit a bridge on March 22 and closed the Glenn Highway.
So, next time you find yourself in gridlock on the Glenn Highway, thank Rep. Lora Reinbold and her vacation. What a loss to our State and community!
The people that are elected write laws that effect what governs us on a daily basis so it is worthy of your time and energy to take the time necessary to vote with discernment.
One candidate, that I hope you will join me in voting for is Lora Reinbold. I was created along side Lora in my Mother's womb and spent many months next to her before we were born. Lora is pro life as we all as Americans should be as it states in The Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life…" It greatly pains me, and is far beyond what I can comprehend, that one could even consider not nurturing God given life as a human. There is no debate, no choice - we must unite as humans to speak for those who can not speak for themselves and love and nurture the unborn.
Ungodly, criminal behavior has risen in Alaska since senate bill 91 was passed. Lora voted against senate bill 91 from the beginning but her opponent, Dan Saddler, voted for senate bill 91. In addition, Dan Saddler sent out a deceptive ad stating he would listen to the voters but this was not my experience with him. He stormed off when I tried to speak to him.
Does your candidate support the parental right to select the best school/vouchers for their child? As a former ASD science teacher, I know atheism is the religion teachers are expected to teach in the state of Alaska. Tax dollars should not be used to support a state religion that is indoctrinated into children via teaching evolution.
I wanted to write in and show my support of Dan Saddler for State Senator.
I have had an ongoing problem with one of the utilities not using their easement and just driving over my side yard (which holds my septic system), to get to the pole. They were dumping tree cuttings in my yard that they cut from other yards, not mine. Then they dragged all this debris through my yard to place along my driveway to be picked up days latter. This left debris all over my side yard. They did not clean this up, causing a danger to my animals' feet and an overall mess in my yard. They could have used the easement — it was clear and opens on to the road but used my yard instead.
I tried calling them, writing emails and sending photos of the damage. I received lots of it would not happen again only to have it happen again and again. I was trying to save damage to my septic system and my property but was getting nowhere.
I finally started calling the state reps in my area. Then I remembered Mr. Saddler, who I had seen at local fundraisers. I knew he was not my representative but called and left a message. I did not receive a call or help from my representative, but Mr. Saddler called me and asked me to send the photos and information on what was going on. In a very short time I received an apology letter from the company, and they have not been using my side yard since. I also received a call back from Mr. Saddler, who was checking to make sure I had received a letter of apology and that they no longer were using my side yard. He also requested that I let him know if I had any further problems with this.
I was very impressed. Mr Saddler didn't know me. I was not in his district, so votes were not a motivator. But he took time to be of service to us. Mr Saddler does not just say he cares about Alaska and Alaskans. He shows it by his actions, We need someone with his qualities as our State Senator. Someone who is available to the people and who will help them with problems that are important to them. He will definitely have my vote.


text:
Message from Our Leader
Corporate Organization Chart
Our Philosophy of Urban Design
Vertical Garden City
Create Cities, Nurture Cities
Three Missions of Urban Design
Domestic Projects
Roppongi Hills
ARK Hills
Atago Green Hills
ARK Hills Sengokuyama Mori Tower
Motoazabu Hills
Laforet Harajuku
Shanghai World Financial Center
Toranomon-Azabudai Project
Toranomon Hills Area Project
The Jakarta Office Tower Project (tentative name)
Conference Facilities and Event Space
Hotel, Resort, Wellness
Innovative City Forum 2019
Mori Building Co., Ltd.
Designing the Future for Global Cities and Lifestyles
Mori Art Museum and Academyhills operated by Mori Building Co., Ltd., and Institute for Urban Strategies -The Mori Memorial Foundation are joining hands with co-organizer The Japan Foundation Asia Center to stage the next segment in the international conference series on cities and lifestyles of the future -- "Innovative City Forum 2019 (ICF)" -- on November 19 - 20, 2019 at Roppongi Hills.
Held every year since 2013, ICF is an international conference for "designing the future for global cities and lifestyles". Global opinion leaders including scholars, researchers, engineers, artists, designers, enterprise managers, and journalists come from diverse fields of endeavor, both from within Japan and abroad, to discuss lifestyles of the future in the context of technological innovation, and the future of the cities that underscore those lifestyles. To date, there have been 289 speakers, and 60 persons are scheduled to take the podium this year.
In its 7th edition this year, "the 4th industrial revolution and what lies beyond that" will be discussed beyond generations. For the keynote presentation, it welcomes Jorgen Randers, Professor Emeritus of the BI Norwegian Business School and authority on sustainable development in its relation to the future and climate change; Keisuke Toyoda, formerly of Tadao Ando Architect & Associates and now an international consultant of architecture, urban development and technology; and Fumio Nanjo, Director of Mori Art Museum.
The United Nations has raised "sustainable cities and communities" as a goal in its SDGs, while modern cities are facing aging populations, deteriorating environments, increasing difficulties in ensuring food and energy supplies, and a plethora of other issues. Meanwhile, the rapid pace of technological innovation offers hope that these problems will be solved in time, and lifestyles are likely to change in the process as well. The situation calls for a new vision of the future that pools the latest ideas from multilateral viewpoints that speak to society, lifestyle choices, culture and more. ICF provides a platform for advocating directions to a better future and discussing the fundamental question of humankind's purpose for living, from diverse angles.
Outline of Innovative City Forum 2019
Date: Tuesday, November 19 - Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Place: Roppongi Academyhills (49F Roppongi Hills Mori Tower)
Admission: ¥5,000 per session (Tax included)
* ¥2,000 (tax included) for sessions hosted by The Japan Foundation Asia Center and ICF Hub
Organized by: Institute of Urban Strategies - The Mori Memorial Foundation,
Mori Art Museum and Academyhills
Co-organized by: The Japan Foundation Asia Center
Supported by: World Economic Forum, International House of Japan, Loftwork Inc.
Details/Registration: ICF official website (http://icf.academyhills.com).
Mori Building has involved in joint research and various verification in cooperation with leading research institutes, universities and companies. Using Roppongi Hills and other "Hills" as a platform for testing and transmitting, it will continue discussing on how cities and lifestyles of the future should be, and, by practicing urban development in ways that spawn innovation, it seeks to enhance Tokyo's magnetism as a global city.
Please refer to the PDF file for more information.
Please address inquires regarding this press release to:
Mori Building Co., Ltd. Public Relations


text:
Sylvain Gbohouo (Elefántcsontpart, 1988. október 29. –) elefántcsontparti válogatott labdarúgó, jelenleg a kongói bajnokságban érdekelt TP Mazembe játékosa. Posztját tekintve kapus.

Sikerei, díjai
Elefántcsontpart
 Afrikai nemzetek kupája (1): 2015

Jegyzetek

Források
Sylvain Gbohouo a national-football-teams.com honlapján

Elefántcsontparti labdarúgók
1988-ban született személyek
Labdarúgókapusok
A 2014-es világbajnokság labdarúgói
Afrikai Nemzetek Kupája-győztes labdarúgók
Élő személyek


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Educational Qualification : B.E./B. Tech/Diploma in civil engineering from a recognized university/ institute.
WAPCOS Selection Process : Selection will be made on through interview.
How to Apply WAPCOS Vacancy : Interested candidates may send their CV in the prescribed proforma to the G.Venkata Ramana, Project Manager, WAPCOS Limited 3rd Floor, Chakos Towers, Jews Street, (Near Padma Junction), Pullepady, Ernakulam, Kochi -682035 on or before 15.12.2017..


text:
Q: parse.com containsAllObjectsInArray limit I am running into a limit during a pfquery using containsAllObjectsInArray.
My objects in parse have an array attribute that can contain up to 12 strings, the query works great as long as my search query array is 9 or less strings.
When I do a PFQuery on this table using containsAllObjectsInArray and my search array contains anything more than 9 objects, I get the following error.
Error: Too many terms in $all query (Code: 154, Version: 1.2.19)
So obviously the containsAllObjectsInArray can only search 9 or less matches within an array.
Is this going to be fixed?
I was following Parse's example blog post on scalable searches using tags, http://blog.parse.com/2013/03/19/implementing-scalable-search-on-a-nosql-backend/.  very surprised this is the method recommended and it bombs after object has more than 9 tags.

A: I should of tried this first before posting, but I simply split my search into sub arrays all with max size of 9 and then added them each to the pfquery in multiple containsAllObjectsInArray calls.  Query worked fine.  Kind of a hack work around, but works for now.

A: I apply the same solution, I splitted the query with maximum 9 items and works. Here is a sample code for PHP:
    $totalTags = count($tags);
    $theQuery = new ParseQuery("articles");
    if($totalTags  > 9){
        $c=0;
        for($i=0;$i<($totalTags/9);$i++){
            $limitArray = Array();
            $h = 0;
            $ini = $c;
            $fin = min(9+$c,$totalTags);
            for($j = $ini; $j < $fin; $j++){
                $limitArray[$h] = $tags[$j];
                $c++;
                $h++;
            }
            $theQuery->containsAll("tags", $limitArray);
        }
    }else{
        $theQuery->containsAll("tags", $tags);
    }
    $articles = $theQuery->find();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
UMD implemented pass/fail to save face, not to save students
Maya Rosenberg
The Main Administration Building was renamed after Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. "Mike" Miller Jr. in June. (Joe Ryan/The Diamondback)
Views expressed in opinion columns are the author's own.
Welcome back to school, where the new year means continued institutional indifference and gaslighting. The University of Maryland entered 2021 with the same messy energy it had for all of 2020 — but is anyone really surprised?
In times of crisis, this university's administrators seem to shrug off the common sense solutions that would alleviate so much of the resentment and anger felt by students. It shouldn't take thousands of signatures and students begging for help for the people in charge to realize there are relatively easy answers to these issues.
If your students are telling you they are juggling financial instability, academic challenges, mental health struggles and food insecurity and the best way to resolve some of these unprecedented struggles is by implementing a pass/fail grading system, why wouldn't you?
Why did administrators decide that this semester is the time to reinstitute a pass/fail system? Last time I checked, the pandemic didn't stop during the fall. Not much is different this spring except now, students can finally choose pass/fail grading — for up to seven credits this semester. It's better than nothing, but why seven credits? It's a weird number for an even weirder decision.
Let's be honest, administrators' refusal to reverse their decision about pass/fail last semester had nothing to do with their "worries" about students' post-graduation plans or course material mastery; it had everything to do with their own stubbornness. Once that decision was made, no matter how hard students worked to secure pass/fail, it wasn't going to happen. If there's one thing that can be reliably expected from this university, it's that it will do almost anything to avoid being wrong.
This need to save face is why the university waited until this semester to reimplement pass/fail, and it's probably why students are allowed to take seven credits as pass/fail, too. It's also most likely the reason this decision was announced soon after Provost Mary Ann Rankin's resignation was announced. As the senior vice president for academic affairs, she came under heavy fire for the lack of a pass/fail grading system during the fall semester.
It's suspicious that a pass/fail system was reinstated right after Rankin's resignation, but what else should we expect? If it's fishy, shady and poorly explained, it's just another normal decision from this university. Administrators' collective shoulder shrug to students' pandemic-caused crises matches the casualness with which they announced pass/fail.
It's crucial to acknowledge that we owe this semester's expanded pass/fail grading system to the incredible work student activists did last fall. They held town halls, circulated a petition that gained over 7,500 signatures and lobbied hard against university officials who were not in favor of implementing the pass/fail grading system. There would be no accommodations for grading this semester without the organizing of those students.
The frustration, apathy and irritation to this university's lukewarm decision about its grading policy drowns out the recognition and appreciation these students deserve. And those very students who led the charge for pass/fail won't get the acknowledgement they deserve, while the university will attempt to take all the credit.
At the end of the day, this pass/fail grading nightmare has exposed an ugly truth: If this university wants to do something, it can. There's no need to hide behind bureaucratic red-tape or weak excuses about preserving professionalism. If university officials want to help their students, they will, and if they don't, they won't. It's that simple.
Maya Rosenberg is a junior journalism and public policy major. She can be reached at maya.b.rosenberg@gmail.com.
Mary Ann Rankin
pass/fail grading
Perfect attendance is a toxic policy for students
Rohin Mishra
Food is an enormous vessel for culture. Its colonization robs it of its meaning.
Lei Danielle Escobal
To form a more equitable economy, exploitive independent contracting must end


Our office is starting to look like adults live in this house.
Well, minus the poorly ironed curtains. My short attention span failed me after three panels.
We picked up our couch a couple of weekends ago. We went with the Gravina sofa from Sofa Mart. Our furniture options are super limited in the Quad Cities. We both (okay, all 3 of us) really love this couch. It has clean lines. The leather has a bit of an aged look to it. And the couch is super comfy.
The curtains are from West Elm. When gaining inspiration for this room, I was really drawn to dark walls and tan curtains. Amazingly my vision turned out in reality like it did in my head. That rarely happens.
We still need some art behind the couch and we have a furniture build to complete. But we're getting there. If stupid tax season would end, so would this room. Nate's all crunching numbers for 72 hours a day (yes, a day). I'm all trying to not let the house fall apart and making sure we eat something better than Cap'n Crunch. (Mmm, Cap'n Crunch.) Hurry up April 16th! Oh wait, that's when we leave for Maui. This blog is going downhill fast.
I have previously mentioned that Ike was pretty partial to the old couch. We had a few comments asking if Ike would be allowed on the new couch. Ike is allowed everywhere. He runs the show. Nate and I just like to think we are in charge. (Actually Nate and I are in charge. Most of the time. Wire Fox Terriers need to know who is charge. The breed has a strong personality which is both charming and challenging.) We were curious how he'd take to the new couch. The first night we had a little bit of a misunderstanding.
Ike thinks he should be able to sink down in cushions. He likes things fluffed up around him. His spot on the living room couch is molded to his body. He tried digging in the corner of the couch to mold this one as well. The couch survived. We discussed how this couch isn't as fluffy. I'd say he's since adjusted fine.
If you're behind on the Neverending Office Story: Read about our new paint color here and our updated built-ins here!
Who's glad Ike's couch story has a happy ending? Any ideas on art work? We have a couple ideas in mind.


The global media have been so fixated on reporting - or misreporting - the Turkish-inspired Gaza flotilla that many reporters have overlooked a far more significant flotilla which has been dispatched by Israel to the Persian Gulf.
At the same time as Israeli naval commandos were boarding the Mavi Marmara (a vessel belonging to the Turkish self-styled "humanitarian agency", the IHH, which has links to Islamist terrorists), news surfaced that Israel had redeployed three of its five Dolphin-class submarines in the Gulf.
All three of these German-built submarines - the Dolphin, Tekuma and Leviathan - have previously patrolled in the Gulf, but now are expected to be assigned to waters off Iran as a permanent station. Each carries nuclear-tipped cruise missiles.
According to London's Sunday Times (May 30), the submarine flotilla's commander, identified only as "Colonel O", said: "We are an underwater assault force. We're operating deep and far, very far, from our borders."
Israeli intelligence often uses the British press to warn enemies of the consequences of any belligerent act.
The report said Israel's new deployment was in response to possible rocket attacks on Israel by Iran, Syria or Hezbollah (a radical Islamist political and military movement in southern Lebanon which effectively controls the Lebanese government).
Israel fears above all a co-ordinated and/or simultaneous rocket onslaught by these three hardline allies. The Sunday Times reported that "ballistic missiles developed by Iran, and in the possession of Syria and Hezbollah ... could hit sites in Israel, including air bases and missile launchers".
A nuclear response from Israel could destabilise Iran's unpopular Islamist regime and similarly impact upon its two allies, Syria and Lebanon, both of which share borders with Israel.
Modifications to the vessels mean that they can now ply waters well away from Israel's southern port of Eilat, including especially off Iran, for up to 50 days. This means just seven turnarounds annually, which will ensure the presence at any time of at least one submarine.
An unnamed Israeli naval officer quoted by the Sunday Times said: "The 1,500 km range of the submarines' cruise missiles can reach any target in Iran." A flotilla officer added: "We're a solid base for collecting sensitive information, as we can stay for a long time in one place."
One of the reasons Israel decided to deploy this flotilla on Iran's doorstep was because of Iran's decision to continue arming Hezbollah with a massive missile arsenal.
Furthermore, the primary aim of the Turkish IHH-backed Gaza flotilla was to inflame world public opinion and break Israel's resolve not to lift its naval blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
Turkey's provocation was seen as complicit with Iran's arming Hamas with Iranian missiles, thereby encircling Israel and ensuring that all its cities and military instillations are vulnerable to a blitz far greater than anything that Hitler's V1 and V2 bombardments inflicted upon London.
"Tel Aviv, Israel's business and defence centre, remains the most threatened city in the world, said one expert. 'There are more missiles per square foot targeting Tel Aviv than any other city,' he said."
Until last year, Israeli had only three Dolphin-class vessels. The 1,625-tonne Dolphins, built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG, a German shipbuilding firm based in Kiel, are considered the most modern and sophisticated non-nuclear-powered submarines in the world. They can carry 16 torpedoes or missiles.
The first two Dolphins were added to Israel's navy in 1997 and a third in 1999. All three have since been upgraded by boosting fuel capacity and enlarging torpedo tubes so they can launch longer range missiles.
Significantly, Egypt, which sees Shi'ite Iran as a growing threat in the eastern Mediterranean, recently reversed its longstanding policy of denying Israeli submarines use of the Suez Canal.
Israel had traditionally stationed its submarines in the Mediterranean. However, last June, it dispatched one via the Suez Canal to the Red Sea, indicating its increased strategic reach and as a first warning to Iran. Because Israel believes Iran did not heed the warning, it has now moved to boost its submarine presence to three vessels that will patrol waters off Iran.
According to the Montreal-based Centre for Research on Globalization, Israel's submarine nuclear strike capacity is only part of its nuclear arsenal, which is estimated to be between 200 and 400 warheads, equivalent to almost 4,000 Hiroshima-type bombs.
This is an ominous indication of the high stakes for which Iran's leaders are willing to play as they continue to boost the already sizable missile arsenals in Syria and south Lebanon.
Israel also has about 50 Jericho II ballistic missiles on mobile launching ramps and these, plus its submarine-based missiles, are ready for launching around-the-clock.


What's some tuff conditions encountered as you left to hunt or fish.?
Frazzled wife with young kids watching me walk out the door.
LOL! I can't think of any conditions tougher than that!
I agree with JCarlin. That is the toughest part of going on a trip to deer camp. No matter how many times my wife tells me she wants me to go to camp for opening weekend/week by myself and have that alone time, I still feel guilt when leaving. You want to be excited and show your enthusiasm, but don't want to rub it in the nose of your spouse who will be home with the kids by themselves. It's a strange dichotomy. The youngest is now two, so only a couple of more years before she's ready to stalk the woods. Ok, maybe more like 5-7 yrs but I think "a couple" sounds better.
Blizzards, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes AND volcanic eruptions can't top jcarlin! LOL!
I headed out on a spring turkey hunt before daylight.
When I stepped out the door, I was greeted with thunder, lightening, wind gusts to 35mph and 58°F!
I stood on the porch and considered a retreat. I hadn't so much as SEEN a turkey since 2011!
When I parked at the gate, I could feel the winds gusts rocking the one ton truck and noted a few splatters of rain on the windshield that accompanied the thunder and lightning!
Again I considered retreat...but onstead, grabbed gear and headed out across the soggy pasture to my "ambush"!
I was lucky enough to shoot a bird, but I think it was more "suicide by hunter" on his part than shrewd planning and calling technique on my part!
By the time I finally made it back to the truck, the only thing that had changed was the spatters of rain had turned into a down pour....accompanied by thunder, lightning and 35/40mph wind gusts!
The only thing dry....well, nothing was dry!
I hunt on the farm so about the worst thing can happen is one of the neighbors calling to tell me they have a bunch of red cows in their yard whilst I'm on my way out the door.
I don't get out to camp much because of it. My kids are a little older, my daughter who's still in the house isn't interested, and my son's not ready for camp yet. This is dad's trip.
I'm one of those guys who fits it in when I can (my BJJ class is 5:30 AM) without it infringing on the rythms of the house much. Got a couple of school age kids in multiple sports and activities on end of the day, buses that don't leave until a normal person's working hours, and 2 full time professional parents and being gone for a few days really puts a strain on the person who's home. I don't like it at all when it's me either. Wife and kids are otherwise occupied this weekend. I made the call that I'm leaving for camp after the gym tomorrow. Haven't picked up a firearm for deer in a couple of years due to this... archery I do locally. I can take a few hours here and there to do that, no big deal.
That sounds like a good plan to keep the house running smoothly. I wish I lived in an area to sneak in a BJJ class early in the morning, instead I'm up at quarter til 3 running/kettlebells/or yoga before out of the door at 5 for work. My wife stays home with the kids which makes it more difficult to leave that one weekend a year. She already has the kids alone most days. She did a doe camp trip to NC one year while I was at deer camp which worked out great, but that was before the baby. It's all about balance. Having that time alone and being there for the family. But even knowing that, I come out of the woods or don't go out some days around the house because my heart just isn't in the hunt as much as it is staying in and being there when the family wakes up. They do like when I use venison breakfast sausage for biscuits and gravy. Which means I HAVE to hunt some days each year!
I looked up Argali Rams,not for amateurs or feint of heart. The photos show just how huge and magnificent these animals are,in a desolate region of our planet. This was also my first encounter with Happy Myles,he is right up there with Jim Shockley.
You got it first swing. I was going to say, "cold, wet weather and an angry wife to go home to", but you topped it off with having kids, too.
Thx for the story,we put ourselves in tough places sometimes I think just because we can.
My pick-up truck broke down up in Rochwood, Maine. I can't remember what it was but the repair bill was cheap. The auto mechanics do not wear masks and rob you in Maine. He fixed my vehicle for 1/3 the price back in Jersey.
Nice good folks up there, in the Pine Tree state. ?


Opening on 03.12.2018 to 01.4.2019.
MSCT was established through an agreement between the Millennium Stadium and the Millennium Commission and its income is generated through a levy on every ticket purchased by people attending public events at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
There are no restrictions on applying to this round. If you have been successful in the past three years, the embargo on re-applying for three years does not apply. If you have been unsuccessful in the past year the embargo for not re-applying for a year does not apply.


The Peralada Golf & Wine Spa Resort is situated in a tranquil part of the Costa Brava and has an exclusive atmosphere with unique surroundings where you will find countless spaces to relax. Peralada has been voted as one of the Worlds Top 10 Wine treatment Spas and is well worth the visit.
Indulge yourself reading the morning press in the library; sunbathe on the terrace next to the outdoor swimming pool or savouring a delicious cocktail in the Wine Bar while you watch the sunset. The Peralada Resort is 40 minutes from Girona airport and 90mins from Barcelona.
2, 3 or 6 nights sharing double room with Breakfast.
2, 3 or 6 unlimited green fee days in Peralada Golf.
Free access to the fitness center and to the aqua zone of the Wine Spa (heated pool, tepid and tunnel shower, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath, pediluvium, and relaxing hot stones).
Free entrance to the Casino Peralada.