If you are a Virginian, there is a little-known program that can create massive tax breaks for you while also supporting nonprofits that provide neighborhood social services such as health care, education, housing, job training and food for impoverished populations.
The program is called the Virginia Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP). To encourage support for charitable organizations servicing low-income communities, NAP provides a 65% Virginia state tax credit in exchange for charitable gifts to approved NAP nonprofit organizations.
In fact, if you are a high-income earner, you may receive back more tax benefits than you gave to the charity in the first place, akin to an instant positive return on investment. What's more, the recent passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 could have made this program even more attractive to certain taxpayers.
You can also combine the tax benefits of the NAP program with avoidance of capital gains taxes by gifting appreciated securities (such as stocks and mutual funds) to make the whole transaction even more attractive. As described in the detailed analysis in this article, a person in the top tax bracket gifting highly appreciated stock could be receiving over $1.30 of tax benefits for every $1 gifted.
While this program and its substantial financial attractiveness are not widely known, many savvy taxpayers and their advisors are aware of this opportunity so the program is in high demand. As such, you should research which NAP charity or charities you would like to support and develop a relationship with their development office so that you can access some of their allocated credits each year. In this article, an illustrative example is analyzed to describe how the program works and how the various tax credits and deductions really add up.
Please note that the following information has been compiled by the author from various sources, the analysis is general in nature, and the contents should not be relied upon for legal or tax advice. To analyze and understand your specific situation, please consult your CPA or other professional for advice.
In 1981, the Virginia General Assembly established a program within the tax code to encourage individuals, businesses, and trusts to donate to charitable organizations serving low-income communities. These charities provide a range of social and educational services such as health care, education, housing, job training and food to impoverished populations living in Virginia.
The program provides a total of $17 million in tax credits each year. $8 million are allocated for the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) to administer for General Human Services organizations and $9 million are allocated for the Department of Education (DOE) to administer for Education organizations. There are also similar programs in several other states including Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Missouri.
Due to changes in the Virginia tax code in 2013 you get in return a 65% Virginia state tax credit for the amount donated, which is then applied to your state income tax liability. As will be discussed later, when including the normal federal and state deductions you receive for charitable gifts, depending on your tax bracket, you could receive tax benefits close to or even higher than the actual gift.
What Charities are Eligible for the Virginia Neighborhood Assistance Program?
Have an audit or compilation performed by an independent certified public accountant.
Have at least 50% of the total revenue spent and people served are low-income.
Organizations must reapply each year for the July 1 to July 30 program cycle. Approved charities under the Virginia Department of Social Services can be found here and approved charities under the Department of Education can be found here.
To be eligible for the 65% Virginia credit, individuals must contribute a minimum of $500 and maximum of $125,000 per year in the form of cash or marketable securities.
Businesses must contribute a minimum of $616 (no maximum) in the form of cash, merchandise, rent/lease facility, professional services, pharmaceutical services, and physician specialist services. Business entities must be authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Licensed professionals such as physicians, dentists, nurses, nurse practitioners, professional counselors, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, and marriage and family therapists who donate their services for an approved clinic may also be eligible for credits.
Tax credits are non-refundable; however, Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credits that exceed the donor's total Virginia State tax liability may be carried forward for up to five years. The tax credit for the current year is utilized first, prior to using the credit that has been carried forward from a preceding taxable year.
A 65% state tax credit is a powerful incentive for donors. Right off the bat, you get $0.65 back for every $1 you contribute to an approved charity.
If you itemize deductions on your federal tax return, you also get the normal charitable deduction for your charity as well, which then also flows through to your tax return in the form of a lower taxable income.
You must also consider, however, that state taxes are a federal deduction (although all state and local taxes are now subject to a maximum deduction of $10,000 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which I will address in a bit). If you were going to deduct your state taxes and now your state taxes are lower because of the tax credit, you must subtract the loss of deduction from the equation.
Nerd note: The calculation to do this is state tax rate (5.75%) plus state tax credit (65%), all multiplied by your federal marginal tax rate. For example, for a middle bracket family (24% in 2018), for every $1 of charitable contributions, federal deductions would be lower by $0.17 ($1 X (5.75%+65%) X 24%). Therefore, when considering the positive tax benefits of the NAP gift (65% state tax credit, 24% charitable deduction for federal taxes, and 5.75% charitable deduction for state taxes which all add up to 94.75%), you must subtract 17% to get the actual after-tax benefit.
All told, a middle-bracket family (24% in 2018) gets total tax relief of $0.78 for each $1 of charitable contributions under this program.
As mentioned in the previous section, the tax benefits of the NAP donation are dampened by the fact that lower state taxes results in a decrease in state tax deductions. However, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2017, deductions for state and local taxes (SALT) are now limited to $10,000. This means that if the sum of your state tax, real estate taxes, and personal property taxes are over $10,000, the decrease in state taxes from the NAP donation may not result in a decrease in SALT deductions.
Nerd Note: For example, let's say you have around $200,000 taxable income in 2018 with approximately $11,500 in associated state taxes. You also have $8,000 in real estate taxes and $1,000 in personal property tax. Your SALT is $20,500. However, you can only deduct $10,000. If you make a $1,000 NAP donation, your state taxes goes down by $708 ($1000 x 65% tax credit plus 5.75% for the deduction). Your total SALT is now $19,792, but you still can only deduct $10,000 so the NAP donation had no impact on your SALT deduction.
In these situations, the NAP donation tax benefit is a lot more powerful. The same middle bracket family (24% marginal tax bracket) gets tax relief of 94.75% instead of the original 78%.
After taking into account the improved results due to the SALT deduction limitation, the arithmetic for the high-income earner becomes interesting - the tax benefits become higher than the donation amount (i.e. the donor makes money on the transaction).
Nerd Note: Even though the loss of the SALT deduction results from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the same phenomenon happened to many taxpayers who were subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT) where SALT deductions are eliminated.
In the chart below, you can see how the cumulative tax benefit of a NAP donation increases as your income rises. Once you are in the 32% bracket (taxable income of $157,500 for single filers and $315,000 for joint filers), the tax benefits outweigh the original gift.
Nerd Note: The chart above does not include the phase-out of itemized deductions as income rises (known at the Pease Limitation) which would have a dampening effect of the federal tax deduction for charitable contribution. However, the Pease Limitation was repealed as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and so does not affect the results. The analysis above also does not consider taxpayers potentially being subject to the alternative minimum tax.
Individuals can donate not only cash, but also marketable securities such as stocks and mutual funds to eligible charities under the NAP program. Since the charities themselves liquidate the marketable securities and do not pay income taxes, any capital gains that would have been owed by the donor if they sold it themselves are avoided.
In 2018, long-term capital gains are taxed at the federal level at 0% for taxable income below $77,200, 15% for taxable income between $77,200 and $479,000, and 20% for taxable income above $479,000. For those taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income above $200,000 ($250,000 if married filing jointly) there is also a 3.8% net investment income tax on unearned income above these thresholds.
Therefore, there are essentially four federal tax brackets: 0%, 15%, 18.8%, and 23.8% - plus the 5.75% marginal Virginia state tax rate.
Let's illustrate capital gain tax savings by example. Let's say you are married filing jointly and your taxable income is $250,000. You bought a stock 10 years ago for $50,000 and now it has doubled to $100,000. Your capital gain is $50,000. Your capital gain tax rate is 24.55% and so your capital gain tax would be $9,400.
Nerd Note: 22.55% if calculated as 15% capital gains rate plus 3.8% net investment income tax on unearned income plus 5.75% state tax rate and assumes you already have $10,000 of SALT deductions and therefore do not "lose" SALT deductions.
If you gift this $100,000 of stock, you avoid $12,275 in capital gain taxes that you would have paid at some point if you ever sold the stock. In fact, after gifting the stock, you could turn around and buy $100,000 of the same stock. When you ultimately sold it in the future, you would have avoided $12,275 in capital gain taxes because your cost basis is $100,000 now instead of $50,000.
Nerd Note: To be more precise, you are saving $12,275 in nominal terms, not today dollars. To calculate the precise amount of savings you would need to know how far in to the future you plan to sell the security and discount back the benefit based on time value of money.
Nerd Note: Advanced-age donors should be aware that appreciated securities you own would receive a step up in cost basis at death and so if you plan to die with the investment, there is not truly a tax benefit (to the heirs in this case).
Here is a summary table of the potential capital gain savings from gifting appreciated securities. The rows indicate how much capital gain there is relative to the cost basis of the security (50% represents a doubling, 75% represents a quadrupling, etc.) and the columns represent the tax rates.
Obviously, this list of possible scenarios is not comprehensive, but it is provided to show you the range of potential opportunity here (from a tax perspective). At worst, you get a 65% state tax deduction (if your gift was in cash and you do not itemize deductions). Therefore, you cannot claim any other tax benefits from charitable gifts other than the 65% tax credit.
You will also notice that in any scenario in which you are in the top tax bracket and you itemize deductions, you come out net positive. Looking at the last scenario, every $1 you give nets you $1.30. That is an instant 30% rate of return on investment.
Even in the middle tax bracket case, donations only actually "cost you" $5 for every $100 you give. Talk about leveraging your giving power! And if you give appreciated securities like stocks and mutual funds, you make out net positive ($1.07 for every $1 you give). Convinced yet?
Qualified NAP organizations are listed on the Virginia Government websites. There are two lists since the program allocation is split between the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) to administer for General Human Services organizations and the Department of Education (DOE) to administer for Education organizations.
You can search these lists for charities locally and you may already support these organizations.
Once you have selected a candidate charity, consult with the organization's development office to determine the availability of NAP tax credits. Each charity gets allocated a certain amount of credits based on its application and while the NAP program is not widely known, many savvy taxpayers and their advisors are aware of the program and jump on the opportunity. Therefore, credits generally get used up fast.
Since these tax credits are in high demand, you should consider developing a relationship with the candidate charity in advance of a future NAP program cycle (which starts July 1 of every year). Plan on making arrangements to make your donation at the beginning of the cycle before they are used up.
Be advised that that your donation must also meet the minimum tax credit donation amounts ($500 for individuals, 616 for businesses) and each organization may have its own criteria for eligibility of NAP tax credits (for example, having a higher minimum accepted donation to account for the processing time required by the charity and high demand for these credits).
The donation must be made directly to the NAP organization with no strings attached and without any conditions or expectations of monetary or other benefits. Discounted property, partial donations or bargain sales are not allowable for NAP donations.
To process the actual NAP donation application, you fill out the appropriate Contribution Notification Form (CNF) (see here for forms for the VDSS program and see here for forms for the DOE program) and return it back to the approved organization. The NAP organization will then forward the contribution notification form to VDSS or DOE to have your tax certificate issued. Processing time for tax certificates is generally 4-6 weeks and you attach this proof of NAP donation to your Virginia tax return.
For more information, reference the Neighborhood Assistance Program on the Virginia Department of Social Services website or the Virginia Department of Education website or reach out to me with questions.
The information is the personal views of Josh Stillman and is not necessarily indicative of those of Capitol Financial Consultants, Inc. The information contained herein has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable; however, there is no guarantee of its accuracy or completeness. Any opinions expressed here are statements of judgment on this date and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated or projected.


• Bookings receive an automatic 1 Soccer7s match ban.
• Sending-offs receive an automatic 2 Soccer7s match ban.
• Red cards for abusive and violent will be REPORTED TO THE FA.
• Players found guilty of violent acts may also be banned permanently.
• TEAMS EXCEEDING 7 DISCIPLINE POINTS WILL BE BANNED from the competition permanently.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
David Darracott
Writer of Literary Suspense
BOOKSHELF BLOG
YOUR NOVEL--WRITE NOW
Book Signing: Book Miser, Roswell
October 6: Presentation & Authors' Reception: COMO Convention, Augusta:
September 23: Video Interview, UNG Gainesville
Seminar: East Metro Atlanta Christian Writers, July 9, 10:00-2:00
Reading: Milton Library June 22
North Atlanta Writing Group Meeting: June 1
Reading: University of North Georgia, Dahlonega: March 23
Seminar: Northeast Georgia Writers Association, Gainesville: March 2
Reading: LaGrange Public Library: January 26
Panel Speaker: Milton Literary Festival: November 14
Book Signing: Decatur Book Festival, Emory Alumni tent, September 5
Speaking: "Meet the Author," a presentation on the evolution of a novel, at the Grand Opening of the new Alpharetta Public Libray, July 30. Open to the public
Awarded: 2015 Georgia Author of the Year by the Georgia Writers Association at its annual awards banquet for the detective/mystery category, at Kennesaw State University, June 27. In her comments about his winning entry, Wasted, the judge, Melanie Sumner, wrote: "Darracott writes this suspenseful story with tight, polished prose, allowing his characters to reveal themselves with authentic, controlled dialogue. The carefully chosen details of his settings, such as the protagonist's old Triumph and his modest house outside of Decatur, Georgia, with an inch of pine needles on the roof, and a cracked concrete driveway, bring the reader smack into the middle of the story. More exotic scenes on the Caribbean are illustrated in detail that is both exquisite and essential to the plot . . . the characters of Player and Sharpe are well-portrayed . . . a brilliant ending reveals the subtle satire . . . and with that Wasted becomes a profound novel, as well as a good read."
Speaking: "The Agent Chase" Seminar, an informal group discussion on the pros and cons of literary agents, for creative writing students at Emory University, April 16
Seminar: "Couldn't Put It Down" Class on Plotting and Structure to Keep Your Readers Turning Pages, East Metro Atlanta Christian Writers, Tucker, February 14
Speaking: Seminar on Writing the Novel, February 7, Forsyth County Library
Webinar: Creating Characters You Love--or Hate, November 20
Signing: Author's Reception, State Library Convention, Augusta, October 2
Signing: Decatur Book Festival, August 30
Speaking: Launch Your Novel!, Emory University, August 23
BOOK RELEASE: Wasted, August 4
Speaking: Seminar on Novel, March 22, Forsyth County Library
Speaking: Seminar on Novel Writing, January 11, Forsyth County Library
Book Signing, Decatur Book Festival: August 31
Reading: June 12, Callanwolde Arts Center
Announcement: Nominated for the 2012 Georgia Author of the Year Award in fiction for Internal Security, sponsored by the Georgia Writers Association
Speaking: Saturday, May 18th, an appearance at the Red Clay Writers Conference includes a speaking engagement on the genres of fiction, entitled "The Writing Spectrum"
Guest Appearance: On February 21, Bookcast radio show, hosted by Bill Thompson, featured an interview with David on the perils of controversial subject matter
http://www.thebookcast.com/indie-author-david-darracott-internal-security/
Guest Appearance: On January 16, David was a guest writer on the live talk program, Red River Books, hosted by Fran Lewis blogtalkradio.com.
Guest Appearance: March 1st, the WebbWeaver radio program hosted David in a discussion about Internal Security, including a chapter reading by the writer
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/webbweaverbooks/2013/03/01/webbweaver-books-proudly-presents-author-david-darracott
Interviews & Reviews:
Click on the links below for news articles and reviews on recent works:
http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com/search?q=darracott
 http://tributebooksreviews.blogspot.com/search?q=darracott
http://michellewrites.com/blog/2012/10/21/ask-tough-questions-in-life-author-david-darracott-does/
© 2014 by David Darracott
Terrence S. Jones
Michael Mollick
COVERS:
Cyrus Walker
daviddarracott@gmail.com
Seminars on writing the contemporary novel and how to publish in today's fiction markets are announced from time to time on the News & Events page. For more information about special appearances at bookgroups, seminars, and conferences, please send an email. Your inquiries are always welcome.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Tucked along the incredibly quiet at night Jalan Kamunting, the new Mex-meets-Mediterranean Joloko is quite the find. Expect hip, neon-lit vibes in the bar, and lush tropical surroundings in the back. Ordered this as a late night snack. The hummus is wonderful; creamy and nutty with a sweet finish. Was a tad disappointed by the tough, chewy flatbread but I'm hoping it was only cos we went towards closing time!


I am wondering if anyone who visits here had any of these injuries and what was done for it. I have yet to make an appointment with an Ortho, but that is happening Monday.
I slipped down a few stairs in December which is what caused all that wonderful junk.
Sounds like an arthroscopy is in order. I bet that's what the os will want to do. It's not a big deal, they put a couple little cuts below the kneecap edge and go in there with a camera and little tools, and will trim the meniscal tear if it can't be fixed, and see what else is going on, and most likely fix what they can while they're there.
I am not new to the concept of arthroscopy, as I had one on my right wrist in July to repair some torn cartilage there.
Hopefully I'll be able to get an appointment soon so I can get this taken care of ASAP.
Goodluck with your OS appointment and getting these problems dealt with in a timely fasion.
I went ahead and scanned in my MRI report if that makes it easier for anyone to decipher.


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Fear Street – Part Three: 1666 (2021): Horror/Mystery
Kay 2020s, Film Reviews July 18, 2021 July 19, 2021 2 Minutes
Through the eyes of Sarah Fier, Deena experiences the horrors she had to endure and discovers how the curse of Shadyside really began.
The entertaining horror finale in the trilogy of entertaining horrors! Beware of what you read before watching it though! My beloved Ioanna urged me to watch it so here it goes. Have the same expectations as Part One and Part Two and you will not regret watching it – that is if you liked the other two. Let me start with the most important element. The similarities to 1978 – certain narrative juxtapositions – are meant to be striking to remind us that there are people out there who would still go after you with modern torches and pitchforks just because you are different than the majority. People who would ignore, even stomp on values such as diversity, inclusion, and freedom of choice. Therefore, the intention is there, that's not what you need to be preoccupied with.
Now, the execution is what caused, from I've heard, all the unnecessary negativity. People who didn't like the other two shouldn't have watched it, to begin with. People who did like the other two, shouldn't be moaning. Part Three refers to the same diverse yet enormously narrowed-down-Netflix audience that I've spoken before, so I fail to see what the same audience didn't like. Was it the accents? The accents are not to be taken more seriously than the plot itself. The lesbian drama? Some people (or cultures) still take infidelity and homosexuality as seriously as back then. So, it's trying. It really is. But I believe that the film's message is as confused as its audience – consequently, is it the film to blame? And since I'm not really that trilogy's audience, I just enjoy the confusion, turn it off, and go to bed.
Alas, the execution is that particular crowd-pleasing (?) result that, ultimately, is not Scream (1996), Friday the 13th (1980), or The Witch (2015). But don't be overly alarmed, because it's Fear Street! And it has its own character and it is the product of its era. Imagine you open a night club. Are you gonna play whatever song everyone is asking from you to play or are you gonna stick to the kind of music that characterises and defines your night club – and whoever the hell likes it? As a filmmaker, having to put up, unfortunately, with ignorant producers, that's the dilemma. As audience, try to respect the hard work thousands of people have put into any project. And Leigh Janiak, and all cast and crew, have put a lot of work.
P.S. Did anyone comment on the fact that maybe there is a connection to "Fear" Street and Sarah "Fier"? Food for thought…
Benjamin Flores Jr.
Fear Street - Part Three: 1666
Fred Hechinger
Julia Rehwald
Leigh Janiak
McCabe Sly
Olivia Scott Welch
Sadie Sink
Previous Post Fear Street: Part Two – 1978 (2021): Drama/Horror/Mystery
Next Post Arctic (2018): Adventure/Drama


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Ne-Yo And Fabolous Working On Best Of Both Worlds LP
'[There's] something about his voice and my voice that makes sense together,' Libra Scale crooner tells MTV News of a Jay-Z/R. Kelly-style album.
Alvin Blanco 02/25/2011
Grammy-winning R&B crooner Ne-Yo is working on a couple of projects, including a new solo album and a collaborative LP with rapper Fabolous.
The singer/songwriter's fourth album, Libra Scale, was only released last November, but during NBA All-Star Weekend he told MTV News that since some fans may not have gravitated to the project like his past work, he's already back on the grind.
"I'm actually working on a new album as we speak," Ne-Yo revealed. "Libra Scale was a project, it was an experiment. The people that got it, got it. The people that didn't, it's all good. I got a little cool for the room, I understand that. But this next album is more about just listening to the music, vibing out, determine your own adventure, back to what it is I normally do. Be looking for that around September."
Ne-Yo's standards are high, considering Libra Scale debuted at #9 on the Billboard albums chart and got favorable reviews in the press. The singer performed a medley of songs from the LP at the 2010 American Music Awards. But the album didn't match the commercial success of its predecessor, Year of the Gentleman, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 when it was released in 2008, selling about 250,000 copies its first week in stores.
Ne-Yo's upcoming project is still untitled, as is a planned joint project with Brooklyn rapper Fabolous. The Def Jam labelmates have worked together before, with Ne-Yo lending his vocals to Fabolous' 2007 hit single "Make Me Better," both artists appearing on Jamie Foxx's "She Got Her Own" the following year and Fab giving a verse to Ne-Yo's "Crazy Love," from Libra.
"We have been talking about getting in, trying to do kind of a Best of Both Worlds-type vibe situation," Ne-Yo said, referring to 2002's joint album from Jay-Z and R. Kelly. "It's just something about his voice and my voice that makes sense together. We been kicking ideas around and I can't say exactly when to look for it, but definitely look for it. Keep your eyes peeled, we'll be out there."
What did you think of Ne-Yo's Libra Scale album? Tell us in the comments!


In our past writings have we discussed the critical benefit of a long-term investment time horizon for investors. We pointed out that though stock market volatility can be considerable in any given year, it is smoothed out with the passage of time. As a result, investors with long term time horizons and/or higher risk tolerance levels maintain a significant competitive advantage when it comes to investing. However, of course, many investors struggle with short term volatility. Because of this, we thought we would touch on another tool that can be helpful to investors this quarter – Diversification. Additionally, because diversification plays a critical role in determining whether we as investors ultimately achieve our goals, we will share a useful tool known as a benchmark which can be used to help monitor its relative effectiveness.
Diversification involves the combination of risky assets such as stocks with less risky and uncorrelated assets such as bonds to reduce the overall risk in a portfolio. The use of diversification can be very helpful for investors with shorter investment time horizons, or an interest in reducing risk in their portfolios.
The chart below compares the performance of an investment 100% in stocks against a portfolio that has 60% exposure to Stocks and 40% exposure to bonds, or a 60/40 portfolio in investment vernacular. For the stock allocation we selected the S&P 500 and for bonds we have used 10 Year US Treasury Bonds. The performance is shown on a rolling 3-year basis meaning the first calculation is for the 3-year annualized return from 1928 to 1930, the next is from 1929 to 1931, and so on all the way through the close of last year, when the return from 2015 through 2017 is calculated. In total, returns are calculated over 88 different time periods. We used a 3-year time-period for the chart because in our minds it is the minimum amount of time necessary to consider a meaningful investment in risk assets.
One could say that a diversified investor gives up some of the upside in their portfolio in exchange for a bit more certainty. The question of how much insurance, or exposure to less risky assets is needed, is answered differently by each of us. We chose a 60/40 blend in our example because it is one of the more popular allocations. The challenge is to determine the appropriate risk exposure to enable us to achieve our goals without exceeding our own individual comfort levels. For many, this level is typically found when they can achieve peace of mind knowing that their future spending needs will be met, while preserving the ability to stay the course with their investments during times of heightened volatility.
The chart below shows a spectrum of exposure to risk over the past 10 years ranging from T-Bills (Cash) to 100% equities. Like before the blended index includes the percentage exposure to stocks and bonds.
As you can see, there has been a direct correlation between the level of risk taken and the return secured over the past decade. An investor in T-Bills has not been able to keep pace with inflation and has seen little return on their investment. Meanwhile, an investor with 60% exposure to the S&P and 40% exposure to bonds has seen their investment increase by 9.6% in each of the past 7 years. Of course, in periods of prolonged market gains it is easy for more conservatively positioned investors to start to second guess their exposure to risk. However, rather than thinking of investing as a choice between cash and stocks, or risk off risk on, we believe investors are much better served to focus on making sure that they are maximizing their return for the level of risk being taken in their portfolios. The best way to do this is by using another handy tool known as a Benchmark.
A benchmark is defined as a standard or measure that is used to compare the allocation and return of a given portfolio. It allows us to measure the performance of our investments on a risk adjusted basis by incorporating the percentage exposure of our portfolio to risky and less risky asset classes.
There are of course many more investment asset classes than the S&P 500 and Aggregate bonds that investors may choose from in constructing portfolios. Some would argue that a Benchmark needs to include the percentage exposure to all the asset classes that a portfolio is exposed to. As a result, they create what can become very complicated blended benchmarks that already reflect all the investment allocation decisions that have been made in a portfolio. However, once an asset class has been placed in a benchmark, say international equities, or emerging markets for example, the relative merit of the decision to add international stocks in the portfolio can no longer be determined (both have been detrimental in recent years).
Instead, by creating a simple straightforward two strategy benchmark, as we have done above, we can measure the impact and timing of our additional diversification decisions, or more importantly those being made on our behalf. This approach can be particularly powerful in instances where we, or our advisors are exclusively using passive index funds. In this case the allocation decision, or which asset classes to own and when, is the only ACTIVE decision being made. Why not measure its relative effectiveness?
If you are a client of ours, we spell out your appropriate benchmark and our performance against it clearly on our quarterly statement. If you or your advisor do not calculate it, you can determine it for yourself by adding the percentage exposure to equities as well as your exposure to bonds and cash from your most recent brokerage statement. With this ratio in hand you can now compare your performance against the corresponding blend in the chart above. So, how are your results?
Please feel free to reach out to us anytime if we can be of assistance. We are always happy to meet to discuss our investment approach and/or provide a free assessment on assets outside of our control.


No.88 Yili road Changning district, Shanghai.
Forte Shanghai Hotel is in the hearth of Hongqiao business area, 7 km from Hongqiao Airport. It is close to Parkson Shopping Center, Shanghai International Exhibition Center, Zhongshan Park. The downtown is not far, People's Square is at 15 minute drive.
Shanghai Forte business Hotel is located at Hongqiao economical and commercial center of west area, the interchange between Neihuan high frame and Yanan high frame, the trafficis very convenient. Hongqiao economical and commercial center is the earliest economical development in Shanghai, there are many business buildings and the investment environment is excellent. Morever, there is grand exposition museum like Shanghai international exposition center, world trade business town, which is one of the most developed area in Shanghai. Hotel has Chinese and western restaurants that can meet your various needs. Mizhuo wine corridor is the best choice for businessman to have a little wine, in addition, there are many big or small meeting halls which are used for average or small style meeting, lecture and dinner of meeting private person etc.
Hotel has 201sets of elaborated guest rooms, when you in the guest room and open the window, you will have a panoramic view of green shade and waterside pavilion of " New Hongqiao center park" and " Shanghai world business trade town" . Make you take into account both official business efficiency and comfortable environment. Besides, there are many advanced multi functional meeting halls that is the best choice for business meeting.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of your hotel. It was an excellent experience with the exception of the breakfast.....which was grossly overpriced.
You should probably check the shower head nozzle, when on it comes out of the bottom of the handle.
Facilities very clean and comfortable. Staff friendly and courteous at all times. Wireless internet was not always available which was the only disappointment to an enjoyable stay. No breakfast. 2 complimentary bottles of water each day was great.
Thanks for the smooth process. Excellent service at Forte Hotel.


This shows again how Black Lives Matter care nothing about helping people but just making noise and trying to get attention.
Black Lives Matter of Cincinnati will be part of the "CPD out of CPS Campaign" this weekend to scrap all police from all Cincinnati Public Schools.
"We believe schools…, especially for people of color and poor neighborhoods, resemble more of a prison then places of education," said Mario Martone, who is a member of the group. Martone said the group is also against "Zero Tolerance" policies.
BLM's event to call for the removal of officers from schools will be held 3-6 p.m. Saturday at Beloved Community Church, 3846 Montgomery Rd.
Sgt. Dan Hils who is president of the Fraternal Order of Police for Cincinnati Police gave a strong response.
Hils sees CPD's role as critical for the safety of certain schools in the city. He believes the positive relationship between officers and students is critical.
"The officers that work with the children and teens in CPS prove each day that they care about all lives. They should be commended, not removed from their post," Hils said.
Judge Jeanine Tears Hillary Clinton To Pieces!


text:
Q: How to find the support of MGF I am having a difficult time determining the support or range of a MGF for a given pmf. The specific questions states to find the MGF of f(x)=6/((x^2)(pi^2)) for x=1,2,3...
The result (which is the same answer on the prof's answer key) is
(6/pi^2) Sum (from x=1 to inf) (e^(tx))/x^2
The part that I do not understand is that on the answer key, it has t<=0. How is this figured out? I've looked online and through two different texts, and still am unsure.

A: The support of the $MGF$ is all values of $t$ such that the MGF exists, which in this case is equivalent to being finite. Your series is:
$$\sum_{x=1}^\infty \frac{e^{tx}}{x^2},$$
which diverges when $t>0$ since $\lim_{x\rightarrow\infty} e^{tx}/x^2\rightarrow=\infty\neq 0$, where 0 would a necessary condition for convergence. On the other hand, the series does converge for $t\leq 0$ by the comparision test to $\sum_{x=1}^\infty\frac{1}{x^2}<\infty$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
package Paws::IAM::CreatePolicyResponse;
  use Moose;
  has Policy => (is => 'ro', isa => 'Paws::IAM::Policy');

  has _request_id => (is => 'ro', isa => 'Str');
1;

### main pod documentation begin ###

=head1 NAME

Paws::IAM::CreatePolicyResponse

=head1 ATTRIBUTES

=head2 Policy => L<Paws::IAM::Policy>

A structure containing details about the new policy.

=head2 _request_id => Str

=cut


text:
import tkinter as tk
import os
import sys

root = tk.Tk()
root.title("Running Ork 01")
cycle_period = 100

def die():
    sys.exit()

cw, ch = 600, 100
xpos = 15
dx = 4

canvas = tk.Canvas(root, width = cw, height = ch, bg = "darkgreen")
canvas.grid(row = 0, column = 0)
path = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "sources/animation/images/orcrt1.gif")
ork1 = tk.PhotoImage(file = path)

while True:
    xpos += dx
    canvas.create_image(xpos, ch//2, anchor = tk.CENTER, image = ork1)
    canvas.update()
    canvas.after(cycle_period)
    canvas.delete(tk.ALL)

# root.protocol("WM_DELETE_WINDOW", die)
root.mainloop()


"Paying attention to the nuances of the land, I've learned to grow really high quality forages, protein, and energy." Jack and Anne Lazor, Butterworks Farm, raise their herd of Jersey cows on pasture and high-quality forages in Westfield Vermont and produce a certified organic yoghurt.
During years of drought, Butterworks Farm has been short on feed for their herd of Jersey cows. They have relied upon increasing their land base to provide more summer forage and more hay in the winter. Jack noted that maintaining good grazing practices during drought was crucial to the health of the entire agroecosystem.
Specifically, his rule is grazing down to only 3-4 inch height, instead of down to the ground or only 1 inch. He said, "If you want them to regrow quickly, don't brutalize them." That requires more land base, which not all farmers have.
Management decisions are informed by weighing a complex set of goals, challenges, constraints and opportunities. Butterworks Farm is transitioning away from grains because there are so many challenges, some of them directly or indirectly climate related. Jack says, "Though I love it, its not financially viable." The farm is striving the make a transition into the hands of the next generation while reasserting a strong presence in the organic dairy market, though these trends are informed by, but not driven by climate change projections.
Jack recounted the history of the economic successes and trials of his business over the last 40 years, explaining that when the yogurt business took off and the business was flush with cash, they were able to not only purchase extra equipment and amendments, but also invest in the ecological sustainability and climate resilience of the farm. In this way, Jack linked the farm's capacity to invest in new adaptive management strategies directly to the financial stability of the farm and market opportunities. Since 2008, the farm has experienced a decline in skim milk yogurt sales, which has dominated much of the farm's strategic decision-making.
Making the investment into good soil and committing to regenerative agriculture takes a leap of faith, time and money, and Jack sees that some farmers are afraid of that. In Jack's experience on the land, he sees the return on his investments into the minerals, soil amendments, cover crops and equipment show up in the health of the soil and the plants, and then in the health of his cows and quality of milk and cream.
Jack emphasized the importance of developing a carbon consciousness. Agriculture has a lot of potential to offset the greenhouse gas emissions in multiple ways. We know that some carbon is captured by perennial, reduced tillage and other systems that increase organic matter, but exactly how much is captured is difficult to measure. Further research is needed on the carbon sequestration potential of grazing systems, and innovative manure and tillage methods. We should be proactive about this, even if the exact amounts of carbon sequestration or reduction in greenhouse gas emissions are unknown- every bit counts!
Contributing author: Alissa White, Research Specialist, Agroecology Livelihoods Collaborative (ALC), visited Butterworks Farm in April 2017. Suzy Hodgson, UVM Extension Center for Sustainable Agriculture, visited in June 2017.


1942-2018 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Winston Walter Fury, 76, of Mount Whatley, NB at the Moncton Hospital on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. Born in Point de Bute, Winston was a son of the late Winston and Alice (Tingley) Fury. Winston had worked for Rowe's Esso for over twenty years. He finished out his career with twenty-four years with J.D. Irving Woodlands working in the woods, something he very much enjoyed. Winston loved hockey and devoted many years to coaching. He also enjoyed being outdoors, fishing, clamming, and being in the garden. He will be sadly missed by everyone. Winston will be dearly missed by his wife of twenty-seven years, Marion (Goodwin), Mount Whatley; his children, Jeffrey (Yvonne) Fury, Quesnel, BC and Shelley (Roy) Billingsley, Quesnel, BC, Winston (Debbie) Fury, Truro, NS; two step-children, Sonya Fury, Aulac, NB, and Kirk Fury, Aulac, NB; twelve grandchildren and several great grandchildren; brothers, Donald, Brian (Sandra), and Kenneth (Sunday); sisters, Doris Jones, Vera-Lynn (Mark) Strathearn, Heather Robichaud, and Susan (Duane) Pauley; brothers-in-law, Robert Acton, Wendell Stiles, Donald Coates, Terry Bird; sisters-in-law, Donna and Linda Fury, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by brothers, Ronald, Keith, George, and David, sisters, Alma, Marilyn, Gail, and Kimberley, and an infant brother, Douglas. Arrangements are under the care and guidance of Jones Funeral Home, 70 Bridge Street, Sackville (506-364-1300) from where visitation was held on Friday, November 2, 2018 from 2-4 and 6-8 pm. A funeral service for Winston was held on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 2 p.m. Burial followed in the Point de Bute Cemetery. Donations in memory of Winston may be made to the Point de Bute Cemetery. Sharing of memories and condolences may be sent to the family by visiting Winston's online memorial at www.jonesfuneralhome.ca or through the Jones Funeral Home Facebook Page.


Technology has been evolving in various ways over recent decades, but the long-term effects are just now starting to show. Innovation has become part of our everyday lives and experiences, but new technologies also have a global impact on processes all over the world. That being said, traditional roles and functions are changing, thereby introducing new skill requirements. For the academic and research library (ARL) world, new innovative technologies are impacting librarians, library services and overall the traditional library model.
Machine learning, big data analysis, the Internet of Things (IoT) and everything in between are changing the way people obtain, consume and disseminate information, while simultaneously affecting the way we process, find meaning and make decisions based on it. At the center of this change is the library, a traditional powerhouse for providing high-quality information. How will traditional libraries compete with the growing demands of today's digital information age?
In order to answer that question, we must take a look at the challenges currently faced by libraries all over the world.
Our world is hyper-connected through innovative technologies, and for libraries to fit into this landscape, they must offer services that meet the expectations of this audience. While the traditional library is a quiet space filled with books for focus and reading, the libraries of the future need to transform into a creation hub built to foster creativity with visual resources, flexible displays, 3D printing, virtual reality and more.
Universities and academic libraries are often the first to suffer cuts when government funding decreases and the economic environment shifts. This financial instability has long been listed as a top concern for libraries since the recession in 2008 from which 50 percent of chief academic officers believe their institutions had not yet recovered as of 2016.
The struggle for government or institutional funding is a vicious cycle. Libraries and their staff are expected to prove that they're worth the money, but this cannot be accomplished without the implementation of new technologies, which requires funding.
The conclusion has been made that new generations see themselves as self-sufficient in their information-gathering skills. An Ithaka S+R survey found that only two percent of respondents use library staff or services for scholarly pursuits, while 40 percent of faculty claim their students rarely interact with campus librarians. Various scholarly sources have popped up online offering students a free option with easy access. This has led libraries to struggle to differentiate themselves and build unique experiences for users.
A 2017 Horizon report found that 68 percent of college students start their research with Google and Wikipedia. The reality is, there are various alternate resources available to access high-quality information, especially with the new open access mandates. This shift in how patrons consume information has drastically shifted how they look at the traditional library. According to McGraw-Hill Education's recent Digital Study Trends Survey, 53 percent of students prefer digital learning, while 94 percent state that digital learning technology helps them retain new information. Paperback books are no longer cutting it — younger generations expect libraries to offer the same fast, interactive experience they get from other online sources.
While the challenges may seem grim, they provide libraries with an opportunity to evolve and take on new roles. The traditional model of providing high-quality collection, instruction and reference must update to give libraries the chance to offer new services in today's digital landscape.
What do these new roles look like and how can AI make an impact?
Artificial intelligence and machine learning has the ability to prevent libraries from becoming obsolete by maintaining innovative relevance and taking on new roles and services. However, the adoption of AI is often a difficult process. As such, leaders must shift the perception of AI implementation to focus on the benefits that it has presented in other industries—as an enabler to solve everyday problems.
Locating connection with large datasets that would otherwise be overlooked is vital to success, but is also a complex process that requires cross-disciplinary alignment with research. This is one area where AI technology can lend a helping hand. The partnership between publication organizations, and the implementation of research systems that operate with other institutions, creates a streamlined exchange of research and data across sectors. Information and collections become more analyzable, searchable and discoverable, which supports a quality network of resources world-wide.
Not only can AI help reduce common human errors, but can also cut the mundane and manual tasks to a minimum, dramatically increasing overall operational effectiveness. Automation technology frees up time for library staff, allowing them to focus on more strategic and complex initiatives such as assisting with lectures, developing collections and reading lists, or educating students on how to refine their research efforts.
With the use of machine learning algorithms, library staff can offer a better user experience for patrons. This technology has the ability to tailor content instantly from thousands of resources, replacing the manual sorting simply by optimizing search engine results with chatbots and location-based services. After this process is complete, the AI component will then leverage data on user touchpoints, such as past interactions and habits to better identify the needs of patrons and develop high-quality, engaging experiences.
Despite the various challenges that must be conquered, AI and other forms of innovation have the ability to positively impact and transform the libraries of the future. From a more engaging user experience to improved operational efficiency and a foothold in the new information landscape, the benefits clearly outweigh the risks and work required for technology implementation.


text:
William Estrada grew up in California, Mexico, and Chicago. His teaching and art making practice focus on addressing inequity, migration, historical passivity and cultural recognition in under represented communities. He documents and engages experiences in public spaces to transform, question, and make connections to established and organic systems through discussion, creation, and amplification of stories through creativity already present. He is currently a visual art teacher at Telpochcalli Elementary and faculty at the School of Art and Art History at UIC. He has worked as an educator and artist with Chicago Arts Partnership in Education, Hyde Park Art Center, SkyArt, Marwen Foundation, Urban Gateways, DePaul University's College Connect Program, Graffiti Institute, Vermont College of Art and Design, Prison + Neighborhood Art Project and The School of The Art Institute of Chicago.
William's art and teaching is a collaborative discourse of existing images, text, and politics that appoints the audience to critically re-examine public and private spaces. As a teacher, artist, and cultural worker he reports, records, reveals, and amplifies experiences you find in academic books, school halls, teacher lounges, kitchen tables, barrios, college campuses, and in the conversations of close friends to engage in radical imagination.
William has presented in various panels regarding community programming, arts integration, and social justice curricula through the Illinois Art Education Association, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois Humanities Council, Smart Museum of Art, the National Guild of Schools in the Arts, National Art Education Association, Teachers for Social Justice San Francisco, Iowa University, Grand View University, Illinois State University, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Nebraska Art Teachers Association, Illinois Arts Alliance, and the Chicago Cultural Alliance. In 2016 he was awarded the Teaching Artist Community Award from 3Arts Chicago.
His current research is focused on developing community based and culturally relevant projects that center power structures of race, economy, and cultural access in contested spaces.


Symetrix | Visionary Solutions, Inc.
With a singular focus on installed systems DSP, Symetrix delivers high performance audio hardware and software, backed by the highest caliber of customer care. We continuously expand the scope and capabilities of our product offerings to range from simple single unit budget installations to state-of-the-art 100,000 seat stadiums, and everything in between. Our purpose is to lead by innovation: early-stage implementation of Dante™ network audio is just one example.


Midfielder Dale Stephens said there were no excuses after Brighton & Hove Albion crashed to a 5-0 Premier League defeat at home to Bournemouth this afternoon.
The Seagulls remain five points clear of third-from-bottom Cardiff after the Bluebirds lost 2-0 away to Burnley. Albion host Cardiff at the Amex on Tuesday in a huge game to try to move themselves closer to safety.
Dan Gosling gave the Cherries the lead after 33 minutes, before Ryan Fraser made it 2-0 just before the hour.
Anthony Knockaert was shown a straight red card for a wild lunge on Adam Smith, before Bournemouth added three more goals through David Brooks, Callum Wilson and Junior Stanislas.
Speaking to Match Of The Day afterwards, Stephens said: "It's a very disappointed changing room. We're all very disappointed.
The midfielder added Albion would make no excuses and said: "It's a bad, bad day.
"Bournemouth played well and we didn't. We didn't build on what we've been doing well this season.