Lower inflation contributed to slowdown in Russian grocery market growthMore information on this topic is presented in the PMR report:
- December 2017
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The Russian grocery retail market increased by only 4% in 2016, which was a major slowdown, as over the last few years the market had been growing in double digits, according to PMR’s new report “Grocery retail in Russia 2017 – Market analysis and development forecasts for 2017-2022”. The main reason was that whereas in 2014-2015 the market’s growth – whilst negatively affected by the rouble’s depreciation and by the overall crisis in Russia’s economy – was supported by rapid price increases (the grocery segment includes mostly staples that consumers have to buy regardless of the economic situation), in 2016 this effect weakened considerably as inflation eased.
In 2017 and subsequent years, the grocery market will grow slightly faster than in 2016, according to our forecasts. However, a return to double digit-growth rates should not be expected. What is more, if the sanctions and Russia’s subsequent countersanctions are abolished and imports of Western products to Russia increase, the growing supply might result in a further slowdown of prices’ increase. Market growth will not be fuelled by inflation to the extent it was in previous years. However, this effect will be partially nullified by the increasing demand for more expensive, Western products. Also, the market’s growth will be supported by growing consumer confidence and the increasing sales value of large-area store chains, which plan to continue their expansion.
The grocery sector is still one of the least affected sectors by the macroeconomic and political situation in the country. In 2016, the grocery segment accounted for more than 61% of the whole Russian retail market, and its share – which had grown for several years – will likely remain at the current level in the years ahead.
The Russian grocery retail market is still vastly dominated by alternative channels of distribution, including open-air markets, smaller traditional stores or specialist outlets, among others. Nevertheless, it is home to many modern retail chains. The majority of them are still of domestic origin – only five of the top 20 grocers are foreign, with the French-based Auchan taking the third position by sales as of 2016.
Interestingly, the list of the five largest domestic retailers on the Russian grocery market remained unchanged but there was a reshuffle of the top two players. Magnit has been the largest grocery player by sales for the last three years, but in 2016, its main rival, X5 Retail Group, took the top spot. What is more, it is worth noting, that the grocery retail sales revenues of both Magnit and X5 Retail Group exceeded RUB 1tr (€13.5bn) in 2016.
However, despite X5’s leadership in terms of sales, Magnit remained the largest grocery company in terms of store count with close to 11,000 stores in 2016. And it will maintain this position also in 2017, even despite the very rapid expansion of X5, whose brands are expected to grow their estates the most this year. In late November 2017, X5 already opened its 11,500th grocery store in Russia. It is also worth noting that Magnit and X5 account for almost three-quarters of all stores owned by Russia’s top 20 grocers by sales. Their dominance is particularly evident in the discount segment, where they account for about 90% of all stores and over 70% of sales turnover via their Pyaterochka and Magnit chains.
Discounters channel is the largest modern grocery channel in Russia, as well as the one with the highest growth perspectives. This is due to the continued high popularity of the format among Russian customers. Discount stores became highly popular during the economic crisis as Russians looked for lower prices and cheaper brands, but the format is also benefitting from the trend toward smaller and more frequent purchases closer to home. Hypermarkets, however, are also still popular with Russian consumers, and retailers continue to actively expand in this channel, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. During the crisis, people started to hunt for discounts and promotions even more; and private labels continue to gain in popularity in both food and non-food categories. These two factors positively influence sales in both these modern retail formats.
The majority of Russia’s top grocery retailers operate in more than one store format, and Dixy Group is present in all the modern retail formats. Retailers tend to diversify their format’s portfolio in order to reach more consumers. It is also worth noting that there are grocery retailers who have decided to cease developing certain formats altogether in order to focus on other, more promising ones. One example is X5, which says it may stop opening new convenience stores under Perekrestok Express banner. Another is O’Key, which intends to sell its eponymous supermarkets.
The growing popularity of online sales is also visible on the Russian grocery market, however, this distribution channel has not yet fully developed. The main problems are costs of logistics and the sceptical attitude of Russian consumers towards online sales. Only a few of the large retailers have their own online stores. Thus, there is great potential in this channel. In 2017, X5 launched online food sales based on its Perekrestok chain; Auchan plans to do the same in the near future.
More information on this topic is presented in the PMR report:
Grocery retail market in Russia 2017. Market analysis and development forecasts for 2017-2022


The report for Global String Inverter Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.
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Each installation requires a mean of conversion from DC to AC such as solar inverter systems, which facilitate generated electricity to be fed into the power grid. Rising demand for continuous and reliable power sources as well as easy installation & customization are some of the factors which drives the market of string inventor. String inverters are used in residential, commercial & industrial, and utilities. Increasing consumption of solar energy across the world is referred as one of the major driving factors for the market. The string inverter market is expected to be driven by decreased cost, removing systems monitoring capabilities. Moreover, Reliability, accessibility and high efficiency will propel global string inventor’s market share in the forecasted period. Increasing renewable integration in Utility scale large projects is further accelerating the growth of string inverters market. On the other hand, heat loss due to the large size of the inverter is acts as a major restraint of the global string inverter market.
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Product matrix which gives a detailed comparison of the market for different recycled product types
Geographical analysis across 15 countries
Profiling of 10 key market players
In-depth analysis including SWOT analysis, and strategy information of related to report title
Competitive landscape including emerging trends adopted by major companies
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The major player operating in the market of Global String inverter are SolarMax, Huawei Technologies, Sungrow Power Supply, Fronius International, KOSTAL Solar Electric, Growatt New Energy Technology, Schneider, Ingeteam, Ginlong Technologies, Advanced Energy Industries, KACO New Energy.
Study Objectives of String inverter markets Market.
To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the String inverter markets Market.
To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth.
To analyze the String inverter markets market-based porter’s five force analysis etc.
To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW)
To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective
To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by, and sub-segments
To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market
To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Conveyor system.
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Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the global string inverter market during the forecast period, owing factor such as growth on account of increasing clean fuel electricity demand. Moreover, Government initiative such as Jawaharlal Nehru National solar mission in India, to encourage solar system adoption as well as policies such as feed-in tariffs referred as motivating factor for the growth of the market.
Whereas, Americas expected to be the fastest growing market due to increasing demand for electricity combined with the area’s high irradiation levels, making the region ideal for PV installations.
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TOP 10 European Hydroenergy Generation in February 2022
Norway is the largest country in Europe for hydropower.
According to the statistics of Chaodian Think Tank, in February 2022, the total power generation of TOP10 countries in Europe with hydropower generation was 31.3TWh (1TWh=1000GWh), and the TOP10 countries accounted for 91.8% of the total hydropower generation in Europe that month.
Norway’s hydropower generation in February 2022 was 8.2TWh, accounting for 33.1% of Europe’s hydropower generation in that month.
Norway is the sixth largest hydroelectric generating country in the world and the largest hydroelectric generating country in Europe. There are many mountains and valleys in the country, and there are abundant water resources. There are nearly 1,000 hydropower stations in the territory, and 96% of the domestic power supply comes from hydropower.
Hydropower is not only enough for the whole people to use, but it is often surplus, and electricity will be exported to neighboring countries, such as Sweden and Denmark.
Sweden, which ranks second, has a hydropower generation capacity of 5.9TWh in February 2022, accounting for 17.3% of Europe’s hydropower generation capacity in that month. It has formed a cooperation with Norway, and the two complement each other in hydropower generation.
The third is France’s 3.7TWh. In order to alleviate the shortage of energy supply and promote the demand of renewable energy, the development of offshore wind power projects has become one of the key directions of France’s energy transformation. According to the “France 2030” investment plan, France will invest 300 million euros in special funds for the development of floating offshore wind power in the future, and set a target of 18GW of available offshore wind power capacity in 2035.


It’s CSA Sign Up Season, and farms all over the greater seacoast have lots of different choices to offer you in Community Supported Agriculture Shares.
One of our favoritest things is when new farmers find a great spot to start their new businesses. Orange Circle Farm is helmed by Jeffrey Benton, who has worked at several area farms over the past years, and is now starting his own farm in Stratham.
“The Orange Circle Farm CSA includes 20 weeks of fresh produce starting in early/mid June and continuing into October. Shares will be pre-boxed at pickup where there will be additional vegetables available to supplement your share. An egg CSA option is also available. Pick ups are in Kittery or at farm in Stratham.”
(Not sure what CSA is all about? Start here.)
We’re hosting two CSA Days at the Market on February 8th in Exeter and February 22nd at Wentworth Greenhouses, where over a dozen CSA farmers will be available to talk to you about their options. In anticipation, we asked the participating CSA farms to answer 4 questions. Here’s what Jeff Benton of Orange Circle Farm had to say:
4 Questions (+ their answers) for Orange Circle Farm:
1. What is the best thing about your CSA?
The best thing about the CSA at Orange Circle Farm is getting to be a part of a new farm and participate first-hand in the growth of local food.
2. What new, exciting, or interesting thing are you offering in your CSA shares this year?
Everything will be new in this first year of Orange Circle Farm including the eggs, the canning workshops and or course, sweet potatoes (my personal favorite).
3. Why is CSA important?
The CSA model creates a clear, consistent platform for a sincere relationship between customers, farmers, the land, and the food that is changes hands.
4. Why do you farm?
I farm because it’s the only way of life that I’ve found continuously challenging and rewarding.
Meet the farmer of Orange Circle Farm and more CSA farmers during the CSA Days at the Winter Farmers Markets in Exeter on February 8th and at Wentworth Greenhouses, February 22nd, 10am to 2pm.


The research document entitled Global Human Immunoglobulin for Intravenous Injection Market 2020 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 offers answers to decisive market-specific growth by rightly identifying industry needs, vendor activities, and latent growth opportunities with promising growth potential. The report focuses on defining, describing, and analyzing the market competition landscape, market share, and development plans in the upcoming years. The report covers a host of metrics like supply-demand ratio, market frequency, market trends, dominant players of market driving factors, challenges, prospects contains a forecast of 2020 and ending 2025. The research highlights the key elements influencing the market, the constraints, and the difficulties that could affect market development.
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The key segments expected to dominate the market such as product type, application, and regions are discussed in detail in this report. Global Human Immunoglobulin for Intravenous Injection market report presentation has been placed to ensure maximum investment returns amongst market participants inclusive of both established contributors as well as aspirants eying absolute market involvement. Readers eying complete market penetration are offered ready-to-refer investment guidance in the market report. The report presents a detailed synopsis of the current market scenario along with versatile details on the overall key trends, as well as threats and challenges that seem to significantly impact revenue generation in the market.
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Key players profiled in the global market include: Tiantan Biological, Boya Biological, Hualan Biological, Taibang Biological, Weiguang Biological, Shanghai Laishi, Paisi feike, Yuanda shuyang, Zhenghua Shenghua, Nanyue Biological, Kangbao Biological, Lvshizi, Zhongyuan Ruide
In market segmentation by types, the report covers: Children, Adult
In market segmentation by applications, the report covers the following uses: Disease Prevention, Treatment, Diagnosis, Other
The key focus of the report includes details specific to the following regions: North America (United States, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy, Spain, Benelux, Nordic), Asia (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Australia and Taiwan), South America (Brazil, Argentina), MENA (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey)
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The interest in promoting food and water security through development projects has led to the need for tools that can evaluate the impact of these projects and ensure that they reach the most vulnerable and enhance the quality of life for the members of the community (Gertler et al., 2011). This study brings together the stochastic frontier model with impact evaluation methodology to measure the impact on farmers’ technical efficiency (TE) within a modern irrigation technology transition framework. Deciding to adopt or not a new agricultural technology is not necessarily a random determination. Unobserved heterogeneity across the farms in the sample can have an impact on the farmer’s decision to adopt the new technology.
Therefore, selection bias can be present, and when the model is not correcting for it this can lead to biased measures of economic performance. In this study, we apply both Heckman (1979) and Greene (2010) specifications to correct for self-selectivity biases, and then we measure and compare technical efficiency scores (TE) resulting from these models. The empirical application uses data covering 56 small-scale greenhouse farms, cultivating vegetables, from Crete (Greece) for the cropping years from 2009 to 2013 transitioning from drip to overhead sprinkler irrigation technology. Results from the stochastic frontier model corrected for self-selection reveal that there is significant selection bias in the sub-sample of adopters and, if the model does not control for this bias, an overestimation of the technical efficiency scores can be observed.
Also, adopters' technical efficiency scores are lower than those of the non-adopters when the corrected for self-selection stochastic frontier model is applied. This implies that in the short-term the adoption of the new irrigation technology has a cost in terms of technical efficiency. However, this outcome can be explained by the fact that after the adoption of new technologies, farmers may need more time to incorporate the know-how of the newly acquired technology in the production process.


Q1: I don’t mind giving for our current needs, but why should I worry about the church’s property needs 10 years or more from now?
A: For more than 2000 years, Christians have handed the Church forward to the place it is now — in our hands. As Christians, we care about the future: that’s who we are and what we do. If those who came before us over the past 127 years hadn’t cared about the future, there would be no St. John’s, Roanoke at all. They cared about things bigger than themselves, and who isn’t hungry to do the same today? Our forebears placed into our care this vibrant church with the expectation that we would hand it to the future in, at a minimum, as good shape as they gave it to us. Over the generations, what a gift. And responsibility. AND opportunity!
Q2: May I designate my commitment to support one particular phase of the campaign?
A: Yes, you may. While undesignated gifts enable us to fund all of the campaign components, we understand that certain phases will resonate strongly with certain individuals. We know that when you give where your heart is, your joy is multiplied in seeing the fruits of your generosity.
Q3: Why haven’t we been putting money into a reserve account all along?
A: We have! After a comprehensive analysis of our non-recurring property needs a decade ago, the Vestry has regularly allocated between $30,000 and $65,000 a year to a property account to address these needs. Unfortunately, our aging facility is requiring an increasing amount of annual financial support, and our reserves are just not keeping pace. This deficit must be addressed. The costs for routine property needs and maintenance (about 6% of our annual operating budget) will continue to be paid from the operating budget. The new funds we are raising will be used for major capital needs over and above minor repairs and normal everyday maintenance expenses.
Q4: What is the status of our current Property Reserve Account?
A: At this writing, we have $170,000 in the Property Reserve Account–not an adequate amount to cover the $1 million in expected needs.
Q5: Doesn’t St. John’s have other special investment accounts with monies that could be used for all these property needs?
A: No, we do not have additional assets for this purpose beyond the property reserves mentioned in Q3 and Q4 above. All restricted investment assets have been placed in our existing Endowment Fund to better satisfy the varied wishes of the donors. Unrestricted assets have been placed in our operating reserve accounts to bring those balances to appropriate targeted levels.
Q6: Is the Endowment Property Account separate from our current Endowment Fund?
A: No. The portion of the Cornerstone of Faith capital campaign funds intended to address the longer-term non-recurring property needs (ten years and beyond) will be placed in a Property Account within the existing Endowment Fund. An annual distribution of the earnings from this account will fund future property needs while allowing the principal to remain intact.
Q7: Are we in danger of having to cut ministry programs if we don’t raise enough money?
A: Yes. Unless additional revenues are found for property expenses, more and more money from the operating budget will have to be allocated for property at the potential expense of staff, program or ministries. Most of St. John’s ministries occur within our buildings or on our property. Taking care of our building and property is an integral part of continuing to support these ministries.
Q8: How do I decide how much to pledge to the campaign?
A: Each household will make its own financial commitment decision. To help you as you decide, we invite you to pray, attend worship services and special Cornerstone of Faith capital campaign events; read the printed materials; talk with fellow members, the clergy and staff; and speak with the Cornerstone of Faith Capital Campaign Committee members for information. We hope that God will move you to give from a place of faith and joy.
Below are examples of what various levels of commitment would look like over a five-year period.
Weekly Monthly Annual Gift 5-Year Total
$10 $40 $480 $2,400
$25 $100 $1200 $6,000
$50 $200 $2,400 $12,000
$75 $300 $3,600 $18,000
$100 $400 $4,800 $24,000
$200 $800 $9,600 $48,000
$300 $1,200 $14,400 $72,000
$400 $1,600 $19,200 $96,000
$500 $2,000 $24,000 $120,000
Q9: How long do I have to pay my pledge?
A: There will be a five-year payment period (if needed) for pledges. You may choose any payment plan you wish over that five-year period: a one-time payment, annual, semi-annual, monthly – whatever works for you. You will receive a quarterly statement from the church letting you know the status of your pledge. You will also receive an annual statement for tax purposes.
Q10: What if my financial situation changes or I move before the end of the five-year giving period?
A: At any time during the giving period you may change your pledge by notifying our financial staff. We will be grateful if you are able to fulfill your total pledge.
Q11: What is the annual operating budget of St. John’s Church?
A: The annual operating budget of St. John’s Church for the current year is $1,733,000.
Q12: How does my capital campaign pledge affect my annual stewardship giving?
A: Your capital campaign response is a separate commitment. All money received for the
Cornerstone of Faith capital campaign will be directly applied to completing its components. Your campaign commitment is above and beyond your current annual giving to St. John’s ongoing ministry and programming needs.
Q13: How do I make a pledge?
A: You will be called by a Cornerstone of Faith capital campaign visitor – one of your fellow church members – to ask to come discuss the campaign with you at your home, office or another place convenient to you. The purpose of this visit is to talk about St. John’s, this campaign, and the importance of every pledge. There is no pressure!! We believe you will find that you really enjoy the chance to “talk church” with a friend (perhaps a new friend!) and to have any questions about the campaign answered.
Q14: Who will see my pledge?
A: Your pledge is confidential. When a visitor (one of your fellow church members) comes to talk with you about the campaign, you will be invited to seal your pledge in an envelope. The campaign visitor will return the sealed envelope to the Minister of Parish Administration, who will open and record your pledge.
Q15: Can a bequest in my estate plans count for a campaign pledge?
A: Yes. We are seeking both outright cash gifts AND gifts from one’s estate plans (planned giving) as a part of this campaign. We strongly encourage everyone to consider including St. John’s in their estate plans with a bequest or a planned gift.
Q16: What will be the priorities if all the money is not raised?
A: The funding priorities as outlined in the Cornerstone of Faith capital campaign case statement will provide first for Immediate needs of $1 million. Next, $1 million will be allocated to the Property Reserve Account to cover projected physical plant needs in years 2-9 beyond this campaign. The remaining $2 million we seek to raise will be allocated to the Endowment Property Account. The Vestry will then be charged with recommending next steps based on the results of the capital campaign.
Q17: With the trends away from church affiliation, will St. John’s be here to benefit from the investment I am being asked to make?
A: Yes, our parish is growing and thriving! We recently confirmed 28 adults and baptized 13 babies and children, and attendance at our Sunday services reflects a growing number of young families participating in our multi-generational congregation. A successful Cornerstone of Faith campaign will mean that the worship, education, fellowship, outreach, programs, and ministries which have drawn individuals and families to St. John’s for over 125 years can continue to do so for the next 125. We are a people of faith and this campaign gives each of us an opportunity to live into that faith.
Q18: What if I have additional questions?
A: There will be many opportunities for you to learn more throughout the campaign process. For answers to many of your questions, please contact Cornerstone of Faith Capital Campaign Co-Chairs Jan Garrett or Barbara Johnson.


The search for a new Microsoft CEO is almost over and it seems highly likely the board will announce this week that Steve Ballmer will be succeeded in the top job by Satya Nadella.
Who? Most of the businesses world will never have heard of Satya Nadella, unlike the two other rumoured shortlisted candidates: Alan Mulally of Ford and Steven Elop of Nokia. As an ex-Ford CEO, Alan Mulally would have brought a fresh perspective on some of the strategic choices Microsoft needs to make soon, but as Microsoft has a strong track record of outsiders having short tenures, it would have been a risky approach. The appointment of Steven Elop would also have had some risk, given the politicisation of his short period at Nokia, as an ex-Microsoft employee.
So it’s possible that a degree of risk-aversion has crept into the thinking of the Microsoft appointments committee in appearing to settle on Satya Nadella. He’s a Microsoft insider, serving the company for twenty two years in a number of roles. Most recently and significantly, Mr Nadella has been the head of Microsoft’s cloud computing, and the server and tools divisions. Those divisions are the most important aspects of the long term future for Microsoft, as use of desktop computing declines, and the cash cow which is Microsoft Office on the desktop begins to look a little old fashioned. Mr Nadella has been central in establishing Microsoft’s growing advantage in the key developer and business customer sectors.
But is this choice a little too safe? For the thirty eight years of its history, Microsoft has always been a fast-following innovator rather than breaking much new ground. That approach served the company well in the boom years of regular PC replacements with accompanying new versions of Windows. More recently, sluggish adoption of new versions of Windows such as Windows 8, and the fragmentation of use of computing devices have made the future for Microsoft not quite as predictable as it once was. Perhaps now is the time for bigger, bolder steps rather than more polished versions of the same.
Sixty six percent of Microsoft’s profits are earned from the business divisions. Focussing on the rapidly changing needs of business customers is the most important target for the new CEO. Anything else is a distraction. So please, Mr. Nadella, get rid of Xbox, Bing and the other consumer divisions. Your competitors are better at them, and they will distract you from what your company is best at: business software.


Electricity prices in some of the North Island's highest - and sunniest - power bill areas are tipped to reduce with the $300 million development of a major solar power generating network on productive farms.
Lodestone Energy, New Zealand's newest and largest solar energy company, will initially build and produce solar energy from five farms spanning 500 hectares to Dargaville, Kaitaia, Whakatane, Edgecumbe and Whitianga.
The first five-farm phase of the privately funded Lodestone venture will produce nearly 400GWh of renewable energy, enough to power 55,000 households, about the number in Hamilton city.
Managing director and 46.8 per cent Lodestone shareholder Gary Holden, said the farms, each located close to a substation to keep interconnection costs down, will plug into those substations and earn the spot or half-hour price, but will also sell to local retailers at a fixed price.
The farms would be "a game changer" for the electricity market.
"These are five of the sunniest locations in the country that also have a very high electricity price that needs to come down. We will have a positive downward pressure on the electricity price."
The first consented development will be at Kaitaia, with construction due to start by late this year. This farm is expected to start producing electricity mid-next year.
"One of the fundamentals of the electricity market is that the local power price is a function of how much electricity is shipped in from far away," Holden said.
"In the Far North for example, at certain times electricity is coming from the South Island so the price there is reflective of power coming that distance. By generating right there on the spot we are able to bring back the cost of bringing power to an area.
"We intend to be a good strong competitor against retail propositions (local people) they've been offered so far."
Consent process work is under way for the other four farms, which are expected to be fully operational by summer 2023-2024, said Holden.
Solar power production, which can be constructed very quickly at a lower cost than wind and geothermal plants, doesn't require water, causes no emissions and pollution, and will be "tucked in behind hedgerows so will disappear on the landscape", so local authorities find them attractive, he said.
The venture will increase New Zealand's solar generation eightfold, injecting sustainable, renewable power into the electricity grid during the day time and helping reduce the country's reliance on fossil fuels, said Holden, a dual Canada New Zealand citizen with a 35 year executive and investment career in the energy sector in both countries.
He is a former chief executive of Pulse Energy and TransAltaNZ, which in the emerging deregulated energy sector post-1995, held the largest retail market share in the country.
Holden said the technology used - a total of 500,000 panels imported from industry leader China - will be the most advanced available today, but the most innovative part of the venture was building one big power plant in five locations while retaining productive land use underneath.
The panels will be 2.3m above ground when in the flat position, allowing farming underneath, and will rotate to follow the sun. They will be placed 10-13m apart so a tractor can move between rows.
"From a distance it will look like they will look like a vineyard or an avocado farm. We wanted to keep the productive value of the land intact."
While the technology is imported, local electricity distribution companies will be involved in the "big ticket" interconnection work, Holden said. Each farm will host between 70,000 and 170,000 solar panels.
Lodestone was founded last year by New Zealand software entrepreneurs Guy and Sue Haddleston, who hold 30.4 per cent of the company, and Holden. Together with 20 other private investors, they will fund the first phase of development to construction, costing $40m to $45m.
Then the company will seek more investor capital and bank funding, probably in six to nine months, Holden said.
The company owns the farms but will lease them to professional farmers and growers, for the best production use for the area.
The raising of the panels meant about 85 per cent of agriculture production could continue after the panels are installed. It also means if the farms are flooded, electricity production isn't disrupted.
Holden said the venture's development manager has just developed Canada's biggest solar farm through his company Greengate.
New Zealand received high levels of sunshine, with above-average solar radiation occurring in most of coastal North Island and the central South Island, he said.
The first five farms were located in the country's sunbelt - between the 34th and 39th parallel - placing them at the equivalent latitude of the Mediterranean and Southern California, where solar generation is common.
"In addition, the electricity market welcomes distributed generation, particularly in areas where demand is growing and electrical transmission is constrained."


GFOA Website’s Best Practices and Advisories 1. Identify the first assigned best practice and advisory Category: Budgeting and Fiscal Policy Title: Budgeting for Results and Outcome 2. Summarize the major provisions of this document The document has established the principles necessary for effective budgeting, which include setting of broad goals, development of strategies and financial policies, designing a budget that will support the goals and strategies set, and focusing on the necessity of continuous evaluation of government performance. The document observes the difference between the conventional budgeting and the budgeting done by GFOA by noting that GFOA concentrates on outcomes and not on the structure of the organization. It recommends that the government should budget practically by focusing on the results, and it establishes steps that the government can follow to ensure that it has the ability to do this.
Some of the steps include knowing the amount of money available, prioritizing the results, identifying the most significant programs and activities, and communicating the performance results to the internal and external stakeholders. In addition, the document identifies the roles that budget professionals can play when budgeting for results. 3. How does this practice contribute to sound budgeting? This practice is essential for sound budgeting because it has ensured that the government does not waste any money on unnecessary programs and activities. It requires the government to identify the most necessary programs to include in the budget. In addition, it has ensured that the government does not spend money that it does not have.
Furthermore, this practice increases accountability on the part of the government because it requires it to communicate the results to all the stakeholders. 4. Identify the second assigned best practice or advisory Category: Debt Management Title: Debt Service Payment Settlement Procedures 5. Summarize the major provisions of this document The document notes the responsibility of government debt issuers in ensuring that debts are paid accurately and on time. It notes that debt issuers have the responsibility of using funds for the benefit of the government. The document further notes how the governments move in using electronic payment has benefited different stakeholders by reducing credit and liquidity risk, standardizing payment streams, improving efficiency, and reducing loss of funds.
It makes several recommendations to the state and local governments to guarantee that interest payments and debt principal are paid on time. 6. How does this document contribute to sound budgeting? The document contributes to sound budgeting because it reduces the risk of losing funds. Debt payment and payment of interest are crucial in budgeting because they contribute in determining the amount of revenue available for the government. It reduces any chance of fraud and other modes of corruption, which might occur in the transfer of funds. Without the necessary revenues, the government is not able to fulfill all of its obligations. 7.
Identify the third assigned best practice or advisory Category: Retirement and Benefits Administration Title: Strategic Health-care Plan Design 8. Summarize the major provisions of this document The document notes the challenges faced by plan sponsors when providing health-care benefits, and it observes that these challenges prevent the sponsors from implementing their long-term plans. It highlights the need for plan sponsors to increase their effectiveness in service delivery. It recommends that the sponsors follow a strategic long-term plan, which includes principles and objectives that will help in managing costs.
It recommends that plan sponsors should consider using analytical tools to measure the health risk factors, data warehousing, define cost objectives, and determine the necessary cost containment measures needed. 9. How does this document contribute to sound budgeting? This document is essential for sound budgeting. The government spends a lot of money on healthcare since there are many costs involved. This document contains principles that ensure education for all the people involved.
Through this, people are able to know the limitations of benefits, employer and employee costs and the benefits of retirees and employees. The people will become more conversant with these education initiatives, and they will be able to make better decisions regarding their healthcare.


Ghosn ousted from Nissan due to "significant acts of misconduct"
That involvement has presented headaches for Ghosn and Nissan before, particularly when it comes to the chairman's compensation. Among the best paid executives in both Japan and France for several years, Ghosn's compensation has regularly drawn criticism.
Eight of the 11 major S&P sectors were lower, led by a 1.9 per cent decline in technology shares.
The rest of the so-called FAANG stocks - Facebook Inc, Amazon.com Inc, Netflix Inc and Alphabet Inc - shed between 3 per cent and 1.3 per cent. Now a new report has added fuel to the fire, potentially causing fresh stock market jitters. Cryptocurrency mining had fueled demand for those cards late past year but this has all but dried up as prices of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies tanked and mining became no longer profitable. -China trade worries on the forefront. "A unit of sale is less relevant to us today than it was in the past", Maestri said.
Boeing Co and Caterpillar Inc, seen as trade sensitive stocks, fell 3.3% and 1.6%, respectively.
The S&P index recorded 26 new 52-week highs and seven new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 15 new highs and 84 new lows.
And Stormi isn't the only one showing him some love, as Kylie's Instagram is pretty much a Travis Scott stan account rn. The "Sickomode" singer saw the cute vid and reacted with the comment, "Da da I'm otw back momma".
This story was reported by The Associated Press . "How can they think we are going to come here to be violent?" Some northbound lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry that had been closed have reopened after the U.S.
One of them inquires about the availability of a dress, leaving him to reply: "Where was my invite?" It reads: "This Christmas". Each year, however, patrons of the retail store tweet at a man named John Lewis to discuss the advert.
Hayne's future in the NRL was already in limbo with the off-contract star yet to be offered a new deal by the Parramatta Eels . NSW Police confirmed the charge, which came after a woman lodged a complaint to the NRL Integrity Unit earlier this year.
The first glimpse of them was as though they had walked out from the realms of a historical land towards their future together... While we eagerly waited to get a glimpse of the wedding, it was only after they shared the pictures did we get to see them.
La gratuité est assujettie à la diffusion de publicités. "C'est aussi une bonne opportunité pour les publicitaires". Le déploiement du film gratuit a débuté au mois d'Octobre et de nouveaux contenus sont ajoutés au fur et à mesure.
Tourism Minister Yariv Levin speaks at the 15th annual Jerusalem Conference of the "Besheva" group, on February 12, 2018. Israel strongly opposes such calls for boycotts, which it considers a biased approach to the conflict.
Consisting of the US, Japan, India and Australia, the group met in Singapore in the past week to discuss ways to cooperate. But ultimately, the consequences of the trade war extend beyond trade, he noted.
La fatigue, oui, mais on est des grands joueurs, on est censé jouer 60 matches dans la saison, ça ne doit pas compter. On n'a pas su répondre collectivement, ni individuellement aux Pays-Bas. "Je serai devant ma télévision".
Jaguars Will Consider Trading Jalen Ramsey
Contract wise, Ramsey has the 2019 season and a fifth-year option remaining on his contract with the Jaguars. The Jaguars, for what it's worth, have denied the rumors.


Vote to pass a bill that reduces tax rates for oil drilling.
-Reduces tax rates on oil drilled after June 30, 2008 from six and one-half percent to four percent (Sec. 1).
-Provides a temporary tax rate reduction of two percent for the first fifteen months for vertical wells and the first two years for horizontal wells (Sec. 2).


Dr. HousingBubble reports:
«Recent data shows that the shadow inventory figure is starting to decline nationwide. However in high priced markets particularly in California there is little movement in the shadow inventory. To the contrary, notice of defaults for California raged up nearly 70% in the last month of data. In other words while the pipeline nationwide for shadow inventory may be declining at a slow turtle like pace, little of this is happening in high priced markets with absurd levels of hidden inventory like in Beverly Hills or Culver City for example.
Adding fuel to the fire, the incredibly high mortgage limits are set to expire which will keep the faux-bourgeoisie from buying their $1 million shack in a preferred zip code simply by going into massive debt. They will now need to come to the table with some solid cash and a respectable income. Realtors are bemoaning this and trying to fight tooth and nail to keep it in place because they realize how phony some of these buyers are in terms of their actual net worth.»


Peroni, Chiara (2007): A non-parametric investigation of risk premia.
Download (529kB) | Preview
This paper investigates features of credit risk using non-parametric techniques, studying determinants of risk premia using a non-parametric term-structure model of the corporate spread. The model, which measures the extra return of defaultable corporate bonds on their government counterparts, involves the rate of inflation, a key macroeconomic variable that is found to explain the spread non-linearly. This approach demonstrates the usefulness of non-linear approaches in contrast with standard linear approaches. The model is also useful to forecast the future course of the spread.
|Item Type:||MPRA Paper|
|Institution:||university of east anglia|
|Original Title:||A non-parametric investigation of risk premia|
|Keywords:||Risk premium, affine models, non-parametric regression|
|Subjects:||G - Financial Economics > G1 - General Financial Markets > G12 - Asset Pricing ; Trading Volume ; Bond Interest Rates
C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C1 - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General > C14 - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
|Depositing User:||Chiara Peroni|
|Date Deposited:||07. Feb 2008 06:20|
|Last Modified:||08. Mar 2015 20:21|


Rural patients with the poorest health status are substantially more likely to switch from a Medicare Advantage plan to a traditional Medicare plan than other patients, according to a new study from Health Affairs.
Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas may face challenges to gaining access to care, particularly if enrolled in MA plans with limited benefits and restrictive provider networks. These barriers to care may, in turn, increase switching to traditional fee-for-service Medicare among rural MA enrollees, the research found.
Using 2010–16 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data, researchers found that switching from traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage was uncommon among enrollees, both rural (1.7%) and nonrural (2.2%). Switching from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare was more common in both settings, especially for rural enrollees (10.5%) compared with nonrural enrollees (5.0%).
The differential was even greater among rural enrollees who were high cost or high need. Of 11 care satisfaction variables researchers examined, dissatisfaction with care access had the strongest association with switching from MA to traditional Medicare among rural enrollees. The findings point to the importance of developing policies targeted at improving care access for rural MA enrollees.
The study recommends two areas in which policymakers could take steps to address the issue.
First, because primary care physicians are less likely to practice in rural areas for a variety of reasons, creating financial incentives for healthcare workers could begin to address the overall shortage of rural medical practitioners.
Second, it could be worth looking at incentives for MA plans to provide better access to these patients through mechanisms such as a payment add-on for plans that operate in rural areas.
“We found in the study that something is going on here: rural Medicare Advantage enrollees are facing limited access-to-care issues,” Sungchul Park, assistant professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy at Drexel University, told Fierce Healthcare.
Park added that the available data simply isn’t robust enough to determine the mechanism that causes patients to be dissatisfied to care access, but he believes the flexibility Medicare Advantage programs have may be a key part of the problem.
“I think our findings suggest that this issue may be more pronounced in Medicare Advantage because they can determine which providers to include in their network or not,” he said.


Marc is a partner in the Firm's Global Antitrust Practice. He has considerable experience in a wide range of antitrust work and has been involved in some of the most high-profile UK and European cases in recent years in the fields of M&A, cartels and antitrust litigation.
Much of Marc's work involves dealing with cross-border cases (both for UK and overseas clients) and he regularly represents clients before the UK and European competition authorities, and has also appeared before the UK and European courts in competition cases.
Marc is recommended in the Global Competition Review 100.
University of Cambridge
Highlighted cases, some of which established legal precedents now reflected in guidance published by the relevant antitrust agencies, include the following:
Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs on their joint acquisition of the private equity portfolio of the National Bank of Greece.
BATS Global Markets Inc. on its acquisition of Chi-X to create the largest pan-European equities trading platform, which was cleared unconditionally by the UK's competition authorities following an in-depth review.
Mitsubishi Rayon Company on its acquisition of Lucite, one of the first mergers cleared by MOFCOM in China based on behavioural remedies.
IBA Health on the ground-breaking IBA Health Limited v OFT case before both the Competition Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. This was the first successful appeal of a merger clearance decision under the Enterprise Act, a decision that continues to have wide-ranging implications for UK merger control procedure and the way in which the UK authorities have approached subsequent cases.
Pinewood Healthcare on its successful claim for damages against Reckitt Benkiser for abusing its dominant position in the supply of Gaviscon.
GB eye on the investigation by the UK's Competition & Markets Authority into price-fixing of goods sold online, a case which led to the UK's first ever director disqualification for breaches of antitrust law.
A major international financial institution on the first antitrust investigation conducted by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority.
A major European financial institution in connection with the European Commission's investigation into alleged cartel infringements in the foreign exchange sector.
A major international financial institution on the market investigation by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority into the asset management industry.


Budget Aldi beats big stores on quality
The discount supermarket Aldi has beaten Britain's big four chains on the quality of its food.
The German-owned company collected a host of prizes following blind taste tests by chefs and food industry experts.
Aldi stores, which tend to be in poorer locations, are increasingly patronised by the middle-classes following rave reviews from shoppers.
Their taste was vindicated at Checkout magazine's Quality Food Awards. Aldi's Specially Selected Italian Stone-Baked Pizza Romagna won the top award of the night. The company's beef wellington was also named best frozen food product while it won the bread section for a chocolate chip brioche.
Waitrose, at the other end of the price spectrum, also received several major prizes. But Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons failed to sparkle.
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When's an insurance scheme not an insurance scheme
Hon Jim Anderton
Member of Parliament for Wigram
12 May 2006 Media Statement
When is an insurance scheme not an insurance scheme
Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton supports the pensioners who spoke out against the Southern Cross Healthcare hikes in its premium for the elderly in what Southern Cross Healthcare has called a 'rebalancing of costs'.
"Southern Cross Healthcare has lost sight of the insurance principle, which is paying when you are young and able so that as your income falls and health deteriorates, people get the services they expect and need – and have paid for during their 'healthiest years', Jim Anderton said today.
"Southern Cross Healthcare has reversed this long-term insurance principle into a policy which charges you more and more the older and more likely to get sick you are, with no account made for the early, healthy years when premiums were paid and no claims were made.
"New Zealanders need to feel secure about getting the healthcare they need when they need it, instead of being tied into a 'user pays' medical subscription scheme. The fact that the proportion of New Zealanders with health insurance has dropped from 50 per cent to 33 per cent since the early nineties reflects premium rises but also a confidence shift by New Zealanders in recognition that our public health services are being rebuilt and private health insurance is not to be trusted.
"The best role for the Labour-Progressive Government is to increase the capacity and efficiency of our public health system, making the most of our skilled medical practitioners, our excellent medical facilities and New Zealand tax revenue to guarantee a publicly funded first-world health service for all New Zealanders," Jim Anderton said.


Manage episode 289304709 series 2452325
LNG Canada’s $40 billion megaproject is taking shape. The project is the largest private sector investment ever made in Canada, and marks the birth of a new export industry. This week, the CEO of LNG Canada, Peter Zebedee joins the podcast to provide an update on the construction underway in Kitimat, British Columbia. Here are […]
The post An Interview with Peter Zebedee: CEO of LNG Canada first appeared on ARC Energy Research Institute.


I n v e s t m e n t C o u n s e l, LLC
David R. Hargrove is Chief Executive Officer and portfolio manager at Bassett Hargrove Investment Counsel. Prior to starting Tucker Hargrove Management he was an analyst and portfolio manager with Wilmington Capital Management and Greenville Capital Management. David graduated from Williams College and received an MBA from The Wharton School. He has 40 years of investment experience and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Christopher A. Luft is a portfolio management consultant at Bassett Hargrove. He previously was Sr. Vice President and partner at Marvin & Palmer Associates, a global equity financial advisory firm. During his 23 year career at Marvin & Palmer he supervised the multi-billion dollar international equity trading team. Formerly he was the NASD registered principal and trading manager at Christiana Brokerage. Christopher graduated from Lehigh University with a B.S. in Business and Economics.
Theresa M. Cody handles all aspects of operations, trading and client reporting at Bassett Hargrove. Previously with Allied Signal, Greenville Capital Management, and Tucker Hargrove Management. Theresa has over 30 years of investment administrative experience.
Joanne R. Havertine is responsible for performance measurement, trading and accounting at Bassett Hargrove. A graduate of the University of Delaware, Joanne's investment experience spans over 35 years with previous experience at Merrill Lynch, Delaware Trust, Greenville Capital Management and Tucker Hargrove Management.
Edward J. Bassett serves as marketing consultant at Bassett Hargrove after retiring at the end of July 2018. Before founding The Bassett Group in 2004, Ed retired after a 27 year career with DuPont Capital Management culminating as Chairman and CIO. Ed currently serves as Chairman of the Hagley Museum and Library Endowment Investment Committee and is a member of its Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Longwood Rotary and the University of DE Investment Committee. Ed graduated magna cum laude from the University of MD with a B.S. in Finance and is a Charted Financial Analyst.


July 10, 2018 | Access to Credit
The Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) today released a modernized set of best business practices to further enhance consumer protections and address the evolving credit needs of small-dollar loan customers. CFSA member companies are licensed and regulated in each state in which they operate, and these mandatory Best Practices ensure they continue to hold themselves to a higher standard of responsible lending and help consumers make informed financial decisions. Additionally, these modernized best practices are intended to cover all small-dollar loans provided by CFSA member companies, including automobile title and installment loans.
“We are excited to release our modernized Best Practices, which help ensure CFSA member companies continue to provide their customers with superior service, offer customers the best resources available to make informed financial decisions, and deliver unparalleled transparency,” said CFSA CEO Dennis Shaul. “Small-dollar loans are a vital form of credit for millions of American households, and these Best Practices will further protect consumers as they look to small-dollar loans to fulfill their financial needs.”
CFSA’s new set of mandatory Best Practices include 15 lending requirements for member companies – up from the CFSA’s previous 13 Best Practices. The two new provisions of the modernized Best Practices are:
In addition to the two new requirements, several existing Best Practices have been updated with substantive changes, technical adjustments, or both. Among the changes to the existing Best Practices:
CUSTOMER NOTICE: There are a wide variety of loan products available in the marketplace, so your choice of lending products should match your financial needs. Small-dollar loans used over a long period of time can be expensive.
“As evidenced by the high customer satisfaction scores enjoyed by CFSA member companies, we enjoy great relationships with the customers we serve and have worked over the past year to strengthen the organization’s Best Practices. We believe that our customers will be pleased with result of this effort. These Best Practices allow us to stay true to our mission of balancing strong consumer protections while providing access to short-term credit for millions of Americans,” added Patrick O’Shaughnessy, Chairman of CFSA’s Executive Board. “We will continue to hold ourselves to the highest standard as we provide hard-working Americans with the financial resources they need to provide for their families and themselves.”
CFSA’s Best Practices have been in effect since 2000 and have been periodically updated over the years. While the new set of Best Practices are effective now, member companies will have until the end of the calendar year to be in full compliance. The transition period until January 1, 2019, provides members time to modify software and computers systems, update employee handbooks and operational procedures, and train employees.
Customers can find more information about CFSA’s Best Practices by visiting CFSA’s website, as well as inquiring at local storefronts of CFSA member companies.


Should You Melt into the Wax Business?
If you’ve been thinking about diving into the wax melt business, you probably have a lot of questions. You may be wondering about the pros and cons of running your own wax melting business.
Have you been dreaming of starting your own wax melting business?
Are you curious about the pros and cons of the endeavor?
If so, you’ve come to the right place!
Starting a wax melt business can be both exciting and overwhelming. From wax types to shipping costs, there is a lot to consider before taking the plunge. Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of starting a wax melt business.
To help you decide if this is the right business move for you, let’s take a closer look at some of the key points.
The Pros Of Starting a Wax Melt Business
The Pros are pretty great when it comes to making wax melts! For starters, you get to let your creativity shine as you create unique scents and designs that customers will love.
Plus, making candles can be fun and relaxing and with an ever-growing market for natural products, it is easy to find new customers who are looking for quality wax melts from independent makers like yourself.
Additionally, running your own business can be incredibly rewarding. You will have complete control over what products you make and how much money you want to charge for them. That means you can set prices that make sense for your business while still providing quality products that people will love!
Plus, if things go well, you may find yourself working from home in no time at all – which has its own set of advantages.
Wax melting is a great way to make extra money because it requires relatively minimal start-up costs. All you need are wax melts, containers, and basic supplies to get started. Plus, there's no need to rent an expensive store or workspace–you can work from home or even sell online!
That means that anyone can start their own wax melt business with minimal investment and overhead.
Additionally, running your own wax melt business gives you the flexibility to choose your own pricing structure and create unique scents that will appeal to your customers. Plus, since most people love candles and other scented products, this type of business is usually quite profitable.
Finally, it’s also a great way to network with other small businesses in your area and build relationships with customers who appreciate quality products.
The Cons Starting a Wax Melt Business
Though there are many benefits associated with setting up shop selling wax melts, there are also some drawbacks as well.
The first is cost; it can be expensive to buy supplies in bulk or in large quantities that allow you to keep up with customer demand.
Additionally, depending on where your customers are located, shipping costs may add up quickly – especially if those customers live out-of-state or abroad.
And then there’s the question of taxes; it is important to understand how taxes work in relation to your business (and pay them promptly!).
Finally, don’t forget about marketing; without getting the word out about your amazing products, no one will know they exist!
Starting a wax melt business isn’t for everyone
But if it sounds like something that appeals to you, then don’t hesitate any longer! Weighing the pros and cons can help ensure that this endeavor ends up being successful instead of stressful.
With some research into supplies and taxes along with creative marketing tactics under your belt – not forgetting lots of practice (with plenty of room for mistakes!) – soon enough you could have an amazing candle-making empire on your hands!
The biggest downside to starting a wax melt business is that it takes time and effort to get it up and running.
You’ll need to do market research on what types of scents are popular in your area, as well as figure out how much you should charge for each product.
Additionally, ordering supplies in bulk can be costly upfront but will save money over time – so it might be worth investing in larger quantities first before testing out smaller batches.
Also keep in mind that while selling online can generate more revenue than traditional retail stores do, there is still competition from other businesses selling similar products so it might take some time before you stand out from the crowd!
Starting a wax melt business is an excellent opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to make extra money without investing too much capital upfront or spending too much time on marketing efforts. However, like any new venture, there are pros and cons associated with starting this type of enterprise – from figuring out pricing structures to competing against other businesses selling similar products – so make sure you do your research before taking the plunge! With patience and hard work though, owning a successful wax melting business could become one of the best decisions you ever make! Good luck!
Exploring Serathena's Range
Serathena offers an expansive selection of wax melts and much much more!. Whether you're seeking the comfort of classic scents or the intrigue of contemporary artwork, their range has something for everyone. Explore categories like:
- Simply the Best Wax Melts: Curated for discerning fragrance enthusiasts, this collection boasts the finest and most beloved long lasting scents.
Art by Cindy: Infused with artistic creativity, this collection introduces an artistic dimension to Serathena with Personalised artwork.
Handmade Wooden Home Accessories: Enhance your home decor with elegant and handmade accessories that complement your home.
Personalised Lithophane: Elevate gifting with a personalised touch, combining fragrance and sentiment in a unique way.


Square is a new start-up that was co-founded by Jack Dorsey (the guy who created Twitter and was their original CEO). According to Fast Company, Square is a “is both a foolproof and attractive experience” that will appeal to small businesses.
Starting today, Square aims to make credit card sales as easy for retailers with an iPhone as it is for some dude selling a couch on Craigslist.
With Square, anyone can accept credit or debit card payments by downloading the app and plugging a little plastic cube into the headphone jack of an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or Android phone. After a quick swipe of the card through the reader, the merchant turns the device over to the customer to sign his or her name on the touchscreen using a finger instead of a pen. The customer can add a tip, either by percentage or a particular amount, and then enters their phone number or email address. In the best case, the receipt message will buzz in the customer’s pocket as an email or SMS text message while walking away with their purchase.
Customers are charged as usual by their banks or credit card companies, and Square settles up the net funds with merchants each night instead of at the end of the month. The swiper and application are both free and include access to an online dashboard with analytics that help merchants track exactly what they’ve been selling.
What could be better than earning up to 100% commission on the sales of exciting cruise and destination vacation packages?
Earn recurring monthly payments selling mobile websites and apps to local businesses.
Be a part of the number one growth industry while securing your future with residual income.
Amazing opportunity for only $500 in an industry that is prime for sales.
Our one-of-a-kind training program allows you to successfully enter the lucrative world of commercial financing.


Recently, the "Datang", carrying the last shipment of iron ore from Channar Joint Venture, sailed from the Port of Western Australia to China, bringing the iron ore project of Channar Joint Venture, one of the longest and most successful projects between China and Australia so far, to a successful conclusion. On April 9, Rio Tinto and Sinosteel celebrated the collaboration of great importance through a video connection between Beijing, China and Perth, Australia.
At the Perth venue, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Perth Long Dingbin, CEO of Rio Tinto Corporation Shi Daocheng, and Chief Commercial Officer of Rio Tinto Group Bai Ruiming delivered video speeches. Representative of the Governor of West Australia - Minister of Mental Health, Aboriginals and Labor Relations Stephen Dawson and Iron Ore CEO of Rio Tinto Joad attended and spoke at the event. Nearly 120 people from all walks of life, including Chinese institutions in Western Australia and representatives of Aborigines in Australia, attended the event. In Beijing, Chairman of Sinosteel Xu Siwei, General Manager Liu Andong, and President of Rio Tinto China Ren Binyan were connected to the main venue in Perth through a live broadcast. Wang Yingsheng, Deputy Secretary General of China Iron and Steel Association, leaders and representatives of Sinosteel and Rio Tinto China attended the event.
In his speech, Xu Siwei congratulated Channar Iron Ore Mine for its 33-year successful operation and expressed his gratitude to the leaders of China and Australia at all levels, people from all walks of life and employees of both companies who cared for and supported the development of Channar Iron Ore Mine Project. Xu Siwei noted that 33-year successful operation of Channar Iron Ore Mine was a source of pride and joy for both partners. It is Rio Tinto and Sinosteel's perseverance in the spirit of contract, standing together regardless of situation, and sincere cooperation that has resulted in the three successful renewals and extensions of the Channar Project and the cumulative production of more than 290 million tons of iron ore, making a historic contribution to the development of China's steel industry and the economic prosperity of the mining industry in Western Australia. In the future, Sinosteel is willing to continue to deepen the mutually beneficial and win-win partnership between the two sides, inherits and develops the brand of Channar, and further explores the cooperation in more areas and ways.
Joad stated that the Channar Joint Venture of landmark significance sets a positive example of win-win cooperation between Australia and China in the resources sector and the broader economic fields. Over the years, both sides have worked together to provide the raw materials needed for China's breathtaking economic transformation while also developing Western Australia's infrastructure, which has made great contributions to the local mining boom. As one of the longest and most successful economic and trade cooperation between Australia and China, the Channar Joint Venture project has promoted mutual understanding and trust between Australia and China. Although the Channar Joint Venture has been successfully carried out and ended, the friendship between Sinosteel and Rio Tinto and the economic and trade cooperation between China and Australia will always continue down.
The Assistant General Manager of Sinosteel Corporation, Secretary of the Board of Directors and the relevant personnel in charge of the Economic Research Institute, Sinosteel Overseas, Sinosteel International Trade and Sinosteel Trade attended the event in Beijing.
Liu Andong and Ren Binyan are exchanging souvenirs
Group photo of the leaders from Sinosteel Australia Pty Ltd and Rio Tinto Iron Ore Company
The last shipment of Channar iron ore on board "Datang" departes
The Last Batch of Channar Iron Ore for Memory
Commemorative Album of Both Sides Channar Code


What you decide to pay people is much more difficult than it seems. This issue is covered in greater detail in "Compensation and Benefits". Pay systems must be developed that motivate employees and embody fairness to everyone working at the organization. However, organizations cannot offer every benefit and perk because budgets always have constraints. Even governmental agencies need to be concerned with compensation as part of their HR plan. For example, in 2011, Illinois State University gave salary increases of 3 percent to all faculty, despite state budget cuts in other areas. They reasoned that the pay increase was needed because of the competitive nature of hiring and retaining faculty and staff. The university president said, “Our employees have had a very good year and hopefully this is a good shot in the arm that will keep our morale high. 1
The process in determining the right pay for the right job can have many variables, in addition to keeping morale high. First, as we have already discussed, the organization life cycle can determine the pay strategy for the organization. The supply and demand of those skills in the market, economy, region, or area in which the business is located is a determining factor in compensation strategy. For example, a company operating in Seattle may pay higher for the same job than their division in Missoula, Montana, because the cost of living is higher in Seattle. The HR manager is always researching to ensure the pay is fair and at market value. In "Compensation and Benefits", we get into greater detail about the variety of pay systems, perks, and bonuses that can be offered. For many organizations, training is a perk. Employees can develop their skills while getting paid for it. Training is the next step in the HR planning process.
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Azzano Center is located in Lombardy in the heart of one of the wealthiest regions in Europe. The site is located off the A4, the motorway connecting Milan to the prosperous cities in the north east, such as Bergamo, Brescia, Verona and Venice.
Azzano Center will be an exceptional shopping and entertainment center, with a vast offer of fashion, recreation and entertainment options. The center will play host to a five-star hotel, a conference center and a multiplex cinema. It will become an essential part of the retail complex that serves the public of the area around the Orio al Serio airport, with more than 12 million passengers expected by 2012.
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As Canada prepares to legalize marijuana next summer, a Statistics Canada report reveals the black market for cannabis reached up to $6.2 billion in 2015.
That makes the cannabis market approximately one-half to two-thirds the size of the $9.2 billion beer market, according to the federal agency, and between 70 and 90 percent of the $7 billion wine market in Canada.
The Government of Canada is currently finalizing negotiations with the provinces for distribution of tax dollars from legal marijuana sales, after the House of Commons voted to legalize, regulate and restrict access to cannabis for non-medical purposes with Bill C-45.
Canadian cannabis consumption in 2015 is estimated to have been 697.5 tonnes.
The report assumes a price range of $7.14 to $8.84 per gram, making the value of Canadian cannabis use in 2015 to be between $5 billion and $6.2 billion.
Statistics Canada states that the estimates presented in the study will be updated as new data on cannabis use and other socio-economic information becomes available.


The Church Isn’t Broke | Mark Elsdon
June 28, 2021
In this episode, John talks with Mark Elsdon, pastor, entrepreneur, author, and a fellow religious worker on the campus of UW-Madison. Mark discusses his life and his new book, We Aren’t Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry (Eerdmans, 2021).
Mark is the Executive Director at Pres House, Co-Founder of RootedGood, and owner of Elsdon Strategic Consulting. He is also president of the board of directors for Working Capital for Community Needs, based in Madison to provide micro-finance for the working poor in Latin America.
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You’re finally in your 20s, and you have a great paying adult job.
This is usually the point where most men start to live it up by blowing through their money, but not you. No, you’re smarter than that.
You know that you’ve got financial goals you want to hit, and you’re determined to be smarter than the guys around you buying tables in clubs and living beyond their means.
If you’re ready to start adulting like a bad a**, then make sure you’re aiming to hit these financial milestones before your 30th birthday.
1. Budget like a boss
As an adult, it’s important to know exactly where your money is going.
But figuring that out is a little more complicated than just giving your online account a quick glance once a month to check your balance. You need to know how much you’re spending on entertainment, food, alcohol, and bills.
Don’t know how to create the right budget for you?
No problem. Some of these apps offer budget suggestions based on your cash flow.
Take advantage of all of the amazing technology that allows you to organize your finances, and learn how to budget like a boss.
2. Find a side hustle to pay off debt
According to Experian, millennials have an average of $23,332 of debt.
Whether that comes from student loans, car payments, or that first credit card you got your hands on at 18 years old, it’s time to pay that debt off.
Jordan Arnold, a millennial who paid off $23,375 in debt in under a year, believes that it all comes down to a game plan and hustle.
Jordan was interviewed by MONEY and shared that he chose pizza delivery as his side hustle to pay off his debt.
During the day he went to his job at an insurance agency, but as soon as 5:00 came around, he’d change into his pizza delivery uniform and deliver pizzas until 10:00p.m.
It was that side hustle that allowed Jordan to pay off his debt at 23 years old. Talk about a guy with a game plan.
It doesn’t matter what you choose to do (pizza delivery, freelancing, babysitting), just do something to start bringing in extra money.
If you’re unsure of what to do, check out this awesome list of smart ways to make money on the side in 2016.
3. Create credit so good your banker will be envious
So many people overlook such an important detail in their financial lives, but anything you want to do in the future (buy a house, car, etc.) is going to be determined by your credit score.
Before anything, learn your credit score, which is easy with free websites like Free Credit Report. Go through the report carefully, though, because Time has found that 1 in 4 credit reports actually contain a mistake, which can seriously screw up your financial wellbeing. (If you do find a mistake, learn how to dispute it here.)
It sounds too easy, but the best way to ensure higher credit is to be vigilant about bill payments.
Another way to increase your score is to make sure you have the right spending to limit ratio of your cards.
Just because you have $1,000 in credit doesn’t mean you should use it every month. Experts believe the correct ratio is to only use 10%-30% of your credit limit.
4. Figure out your Net Worth
This is probably one of the most important formulas you’ll need as an adult, so memorize it:
assets – liabilities = net worth
You can even use this nifty online calculator by Bankrate to figure it out.
So, what should be included in your assets?
- The total amount of your checking and savings
- The amount of your retirement savings
- Any valuable items in your home
- The market value of your home if you own one
- The value of your care if you own one
- Your life insurance if you have it
And your liabilities?
- Auto loans
- Credit cards
- Personal bank loans
- Student loans
It’s advised that you check your net worth once a year.
5. Create an “Oh Sh*t” Emergency Fund
Most guys don’t see the need to have an emergency fund, but if you run into any of the following emergencies, you might just be sol:
- Car accident
- Sudden health emergency
- A leak in your home
- Job loss
If you ever find yourself in any of these unexpected emergencies, you’ll be glad you have that emergency fund because running your credit line dry is definitely frowned upon when you’re trying to gain financial security.
The general guideline for the amount you need in your emergency savings is 3 – 6 months worth of your total amount of monthly bills and necessary payments.
6. Create long-term financial goals
Hoping to make a big purchase later on in life like a house, a wedding, or a car?
Write those down, and start working towards those goals in mind that now. The bigger deposit you can make on big purchases, the better.
7. Learn to discuss money comfortably in your relationship
Money ranked at the top of most uncomfortable topics to discuss in a relationship according to a Northwestern Mutual Study.
We get it. Money talk sucks, but that doesn’t mean that if you’re in a serious relationship that you should avoid it.
It’s important to get on the same page with your significant other (especially if wedding belles are in the future) as far as finances go.
If you’re unsure of what strategy to take to bring up the awkward conversation, try out these strategies named by MONEY.
1. Which goal do you believe is most important to meet?
2. How did you feel hitting your first financial goal in your 20s?


Last week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on the changes facing the franchise industry following the National Labor Relations Board’s decision that franchisors and franchisees can be “joint employers.”
The “joint employer” idea says that the corporate office shares responsibility for employee working conditions with the individual franchise location. Those in favor of the idea say that franchise locations shouldn’t operate under the rules that apply to small businesses, because they have the support of large corporations. Those opposed to the idea point out that franchisees are small business owners, with personal responsibility for hiring, paying, and managing workers.
Right now, this is a legal dispute centered on McDonald’s restaurants. The NLRB took a position, but the legal wrangling is not likely to end soon.
While the court battle is underway, there has been plenty of discussion of this issue. The Senate hearings haven’t ended that discussion. Some are saying that the final outcome of the dispute could change the nature of franchising, and of the relationship between franchisor and franchisee.
There are clearly two sides to the argument, and that was reflected in the Senate hearing. The committee chair, Lamar Alexander, said that this new definition of the franchisee-franchisor relationship “could destroy a small business opportunity for more than 700,000 Americans” if it became law.
Franchisees testified at the hearing, saying that the influence of the “joint employer” idea could reduce their freedom to run their businesses as they choose, under the terms of the franchise agreements they signed. If this is the case, then the proposed policy changes could attack basic freedoms for franchisees.
It has also been suggested that the additional costs for franchisors, if they are required to take responsibility for day to day operations for each of their franchisees, would be crippling. Franchisors might determine that it would be in their best interests to own all their locations, and the franchise system, which has been so successful, could be threatened.
On the other hand, supporters of the policy changes say that franchisees are currently accepting all the liabilities and responsibilities for their employees’ working conditions, even though the franchisor has a great deal of power over their ability to provide positive working conditions for those workers.
The controversy has also become entangled with discussions about minimum wage, changes in the employment landscape which see more people working as contract labor rather than employees, and other economic changes on the horizon.
However, no matter what political and economic issues come to mind, the central question revolves around the definition of an employer. The proposed new “joint employer” definition makes employers of people who have no direct relationship at all with the employees.
Some of the responsibilities currently involved in identifying “joint employers” include these:
- choosing and supplying uniforms
- setting wages
- scheduling working hours
- direct supervision of work
- promoting and firing of workers
Franchisors do not typically take on these responsibilities, though they may have some influence in some areas.
Alexander went on, “We live at a time when Democrats and Republicans bemoan the fact that it’s getting harder and harder to climb the economic ladder of success in our country. Successfully operating a franchise business is today one of the most important ways to do that.”
Watch the hearing.


Over 180 Workers Killed in Deadly Garment Factory Collapse in Bangladesh
April, 24 2013 Share
[Updated, Wed 4/24 11 p.m.]
An eight-story building named Rana Plaza in the Savar neighborhood on the outskirts of Dhaka collapsed at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24, 2013. As of Wednesday evening, 10 pm EST, 180 garment workers were onfirmed dead, and the death toll continues to rise. There were over 3,000 workers in the Rana Plaza building, of whom some 1,500 have been rescued. An estimated 1,000 workers have been injured, many hospitalized and many in need of blood transfusions. Workers have lost toes, legs and hands. Five to six hundred workers are are still trapped inside the rubble.
One worker stated, "I was in the cutting section of the garment factory and suddenly we heard a huge noise and the building collapsed within a few minutes... I removed pushed away the rubble and came out with two other workers. But at least 30 other workers in my cutting section were still unaccounted for."
There were at least four garment factories in the eight story building:
- New Wave Style
- Ether Tex
- Canton Tech Apparel
- New Wave Bottoms
The Children’s Place and Cato are among the clients of the collapsed factories.
Bangladesh is tragically known for its lack of proper building codes combined with out-of-control graft.
It is the workers who pay the ultimate price. (Another 70 garment workers were killed in the same area in Savar in 2005 when another multiple story garment factory collapsed.)
Our staff found these workers' ID cards in the rubble. It is not yet known whether these young women made it out alive or if they died in the collapse.
On Tuesday, April 23, the workers refused to enter the factory building. There were massive cracks in the factory walls, some measuring a foot wide and ten to twelve feet long. The workers could see directly into the factory.
Union leaders advised the workers not to enter the factory. A local sub-district director also told the workers not to go into the building. The sub-district director told the factory owner to lock the factory. But on Wednesday, April 24, the owner re-opened the factory.
Management told the workers, “You must go to work. If not, the garment shipments will not go out on time and if that happens, we will not have any money to pay your wages for the month.”
As it is, the workers and their families live hand-to-mouth, with no savings.
The workers had no choice and they entered the factory at 8:00 a.m. At 9:00 a.m., the factory building collapsed, as five or six floors pancaked on top of one another.
As of Wednesday night in Bangladesh, 130 workers were confirmed dead.
Five to six hundred workers remain trapped in the rubble.
Personnel from the Bangladeshi military, fire fighters and police say it will take three days to remove the rubble. The workers think it will take more time. The fire department is using their hoses to run water into the collapsed building in hopes that water will reach some of the trapped workers.
The workers toil from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00, 9:30 or 10:30 p.m. –a 13 to 14 ½ hour shift, often seven days a week.
The workers were paid starvation wages—12 cents an hour for helpers, 22 cents for junior sewing operators and just 26 cents an hour for even the most senior sewing operators.
Eighty percent of the workers are young women 18, 19 and 20 years of age.
The workers want the factory owner—Mr. Rana, who named his massive building “Rana Plaza”--to be imprisoned. If not, they will go on general strike.
Delwar Hossain, the owner of the Tazreen factory, which burned to the ground killing 112 workers in November 2012, is still walking free. The government has not brought charges against him. The workers say they will not allow Mr. Rana to get off scot free.
The Bangladeshi garment workers want the U.S. Government to deny Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) trade benefits to Bangladesh until the Bangladeshi workers finally have the right to organize independent unions.
One hundred percent of the workers want a union. But the owners and Bangladeshi government have refused to allow it. Rather than support the workers, the owners hire thugs to beat the workers, firing and blacklisting any worker who speaks up.


Update (Nov. 25): Richard Hammar, senior editor of CT sister publication Church Law & Tax Report, offers five takeaways from Friday's housing allowance ruling, including his thoughts on the ruling's limited yet significant impact and a possible workaround available to Congress.
His advice while the appeals process shakes out: "Churches should continue to designate housing allowances for ministerial employees for 2014, and church pension plans should continue to designate housing allowances for retired ministers."
Meanwhile, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) stated the decision is "sending shockwaves through the religious community, ... leaving many ministers wondering what the impact of this case will be." ECFA's take:
"This ruling [if not overturned] in effect would force clergy of nearly every religion across America to pay additional taxes, regardless of faith or creed. This will either force congregations to increase clergy compensation to offset these taxes or require pastors to dig deep to see if they are able to absorb these taxes."
ECFA also noted how the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations (CAPRO) advised last year that Congress "should not apply a dollar limit to the clergy housing exclusion ... because attempting to do so would create more challenges than it would solve."
One of the most important tax breaks available to American pastors is unconstitutional.
At least, according to a federal judge's assessment of an atheist group's complaint that the IRS's clergy housing allowance—which will save pastors $700 million this year in income taxes—violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb of Wisconsin ruled that the second part of IRS Code Sec. 107, which exempts clergy from paying income taxes on compensation considered a housing allowance, "provides a benefit to religious persons and no one else, even though doing so is not necessary to alleviate a special burden on religious exercise."
"The significance of the benefit simply underscores the problem with the law, which is that it violates the well-established principle under the First Amendment that '[a]bsent the most unusual circumstances, one's religion ought not affect one's legal rights or duties or benefits,'" wrote Crabb in a ruling first reported by the Wisconsin State Journal.
The decision leaves alone the first part of Sec. 107, which excludes the rental value of actual parsonages from being taxed.
The ruling, while notable, will not have an immediate impact upon clergy compensation because Crabb has stayed its effect until any appeals are resolved. The case, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. v. Lew, will almost certainly be appealed to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. (The Seventh Circuit previously reversed Crabb's ruling that the National Day of Prayer was also unconstitutional.)
The housing allowance is "the most important tax benefit available to ministers," according to GuideStone Financial Resources, the benefits arm of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). America's largest Protestant denomination opposes the ruling.
"The clergy housing allowance isn't a government establishment of religion, but just the reverse," said Russell D. Moore, president of the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "The allowance is neutral to all religions. Without it, clergy in small congregations of all sorts would be penalized and harmed."
Religion News Service calculates that the loss of the housing allowance, if upheld, could reduce the take-home pay of some pastors by up to 10 percent.
The lawsuit by the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) addresses the practice of what it calls "double dipping," wherein a pastor can use tax-free income to buy a home, then deduct interest paid on the mortgage and property taxes.
CT previously noted how, after the FFRF's first challenge was dismissed due to lack of standing, the FFRF changed the way it compensated its co-presidents so that they received a housing allowance similar to many pastors. The federal government recently offered a novel defense: that atheist leaders could qualify as "ministers of the gospel." Crabb's ruling rejects this idea. Howard Friedman of Religion Clause explains more.
Such housing allowances last came under scrutiny in 2002 when the IRS challenged megachurch pastor Rick Warren on his housing allowance claim of more than $70,000, leading Congress to revise the law and limit allowances to "the fair rental value of the home." (CT offered its own take in an editorial.)
According to CT sister resource Managing Your Church, the average base salary of a full-time senior pastor in 2012-2013 ranges from $33,000 to $70,000. Eighty-four percent of senior pastors surveyed said they also receive a housing allowance, which accounts for $20,000 to $38,000 in added compensation. The Joint Committee on Taxation calculates the exemption amounted to $700 million in recent years, notes Peter Reilly of Forbes.
CT previously reported how the threat to pastor parsonages lost its legal legs but was revived again, and examined debate over whether or not Congress should change the rules on pastor housing allowances. CT also noted the quirky reasoning that recently allowed one prominent pastor to claim two parsonages.
Editor's note: This post has been updated.


Food defines people in different cultures and regions globally; the preparation, the components integrated into the food, and even the presentation are influenced by the differences in cultures. At the same time, people have different perspectives when it comes to food. While others take more time in the preparation, for others, simple approaches are the best as they help eliminate the complexity and the different elements that have to be integrated to attain the outcome. Partly, this relates to the activities and roles that people have in different regions. The fast economies place more emphasis on the skill integrated into the preparation of food and the effort that led to the preparation leading to sophisticated foods and selections while those in slow-paced economies are more concerned about the taste rather than presentation.
Michael Pollan selected bread as food to characterize human activity as it is viewed and prepared in different ways all across the world. With the difference in preparation, there are other regions where it also is a representation of something different from what people really know about bread. Bread is a form of food in most parts of the world; in some regions, it is a form of escort taken with tea. In other regions, it is part of the main meal, while in other regions; it is a form of snack taken with beverages. These differences Pollan uses to define bread as both a product and enabler of civilization.
In the Arab Spring, the biggest outcry of the people was the standardization of the wheat prices to allow farmers and even small families get access to the food they required. Bread is a staple food that accompanies most of the delicacies prepared, with the increase in price for bread, demonstrations began with the people demanding standard pricing for bread. In regions where wheat farming is the main agricultural practice, volatility of the global wheat market develops an imbalance in the ability of farmers and corporations to continue operating. On a global level, the volatility of the wheat market could create a huge shortage of the resource creating a market gap with some of the regions depending on wheat forced to seek alternative food sources.
In the series, Pollan points out that the sourdough bread prepared by Richard could be edible by people with gluten intolerances. This is because it is prepared traditionallyand the yeast included is natural. The fermentation used in the development of bacteria is done in the original long way that ensures that the bacterium fully breaks down the gluten and carbohydrates in the bread. This results in ease in the release of nutrients within the bacteria and increasing the digestion process when the bread is consumed.
Different regions have been forced to adopt different approaches to bread making in Morocco. The environment and the climate differences fromone region to another makes it difficult to ensure that the same approach is adopted across the country. Those in the heart of the desert are forced to use a different approach to making bread that allows them to use less heat and resources available. However, the ingredients applied in making the bread are similar.
The best approach to managing the inevitable food catastrophe is investing in modern approaches to management of the environment and increasing awareness on the involvement of the community in the development of measures necessary for the development and maintenance of standard measures of environmental management. Both in North Africa and Norway, the community is continually being involved in the management strategies to enhance the positive view towards natural environment management.