Maple Grove Church

Bravo Houston for not abandoning civility, a la Los Angeles, after a former police officer, Andrew Blomberg, accused of beating young black man, Chad Holley, was acquitted. The New Black Panther Party and the NAACP called for a peaceful demonstration. And peaceful it was.

Quanell X and other protest leaders have said that they lack faith in the justice system and this verdict demonstrates that their skepticism is justified. This position makes two assumptions that must be vetted.

First, the legal system is not the justice system. Law and justice need not, although they should, have anything to do with one another. Something can be perfectly legal and yet unjust, alternately, something just may be illegal. Laws aspire to justice but that doesn’t mean they always hit their mark.

In lieu of the recent studies which show that online shopping is among the sectors in the business industry that has significantly grown over the past year and which is expected to grow further this year, Perth SEO Company Oracle Digital has released its most stringent SEO tools and Internet marketing strategies in order to cater to the upsurge of the demand for online services in the country.

IBIS World, the top market research company in Australia, has just released a recent report showing the top five growing companies in the country. The said report showed the recent developments and various innovations within the retail industry.

Despite the fact that the past year has been a very tough one for most retail companies, online shopping was among the top sectors that showed a significant improvement. Statistics has shown that online shopping gained an increase of 10.2% or $10.4 Billion – which represents around 5% of the total income for the retail industry. Other sectors that have likewise shown growth accordingly are Motor Vehicle Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Diamond and Gemstone Mining and Online Education.

According to experts, one of the main reasons for this significant increase in profits from the online shopping sector are the far-advanced technological changes and modified spending habits of Australians – which most online shops were able to take advantage of.

Studies have likewise shown that for the past five years, the online sector has been growing at a very fast pace, which can be attributed to the fact that more consumers are now getting comfortable using the internet for their purchases.

Among the most popular items that are being bought through online shopping are computer and electrical items. Lately, many sources have also demonstrated that food and liquor have also been gaining ground. And with the impending innovations from companies such as Woolworths, Aldi and Coles – these numbers are expected to increase even more.

With this surge for the demand of online shopping, retailers need to engage in the online world in order to maximise their full potential and earn profits substantially. Otherwise, this could cause their businesses to be outcompeted in the long run.

Clint Maher, Oracle Digital’s Director of Operations, agrees with these findings. According to him, The need to go online is an indispensable move towards achieving sustainable business growth.

Maher says, Its quite exciting to see the dramatic uptrend in searches for consumables and gifts this year. If I were a retailer without an online sales division, then I would be very, very worried.

He went on to say, “Smaller businesses have to embrace the online realm, if you ignore it, you will be left behind.”

It is because of this potential for success that Oracle Digital has been tirelessly developing its SEO techniques, social marketing strategies, and other advanced online tools – in consonance with the company’s ongoing commitment to provide every client with valuable results through innovative web marketing solutions.

Oracle Digital is an Internet Marketing company based in Perth, Western Australia. They offer valuable SEO services to various businesses around Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. If you want to know more about their services, give them a call at 1300 899 851, or visit their website at http://www.oracledigital.com.au

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Communicating Food Sustainability

Italy
-

27 Apr 12

On Wednesday May 2 2012, from 9am to 1pm, an international seminar will be held in the assembly hall of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo. Organized in collaboration with the US-Italy Fulbright Commission, it will be conducted in English and will address the subject of “Communicating Food Sustainability:Languages, Narratives, Policies”.

The event is sponsored by the University of Gastronomic Sciences and the Fulbright Commission for cultural exchanges between Italy and the United States, which promotes opportunities for study, research and teaching in the two countries through scholarships and grants.

Attending the seminar will be Piercarlo Grimaldi, dean of the University of Gastronomic Sciences and master of ceremonies; Simone Cinotto, history lecturer at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, who will act as chair; Maria Grazia Quieti, director of the US-Italy Fulbright commission, who will present an “Overview of the Fulbright Program and Cultural Exchanges”; Daniel Philippon, a Fulbright scholar and student at the University of Arizona, who will speak on the subject of “Inspiring Change: How Literature Shaped the Sustainable Food Movement”; and Audun Lem of FAO, who will explain “The links between responsible fisheries, responsible fish trade and responsible fish consumption”.

The following case studies will also be presented:

Paolo Corvo, lecturer in sociology at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, “Feeding Milan: South Park and Expo 2015″;

Giacomo Festi, lecturer in food writing and advertising at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, “Promoting sustainability on different new media platforms: languages and strategies”;

Megan Frances McGowan, Fulbright student at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, “Sustainable Nutrition Education in New York City Schools”.
Schedule:

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR
“Communicating Food Sustainability: Languages, Narratives, Policies”
Assembly Hall, University of Gastronomic Sciences, Pollenzo
May 2, 2012 9am-1pm

Welcome Address
Piercarlo Grimaldi, Dean, University of Gastronomic Sciences,

Chair
Simone Cinotto, University of Gastronomic Sciences,

Maria Grazia Quieti, Director US-Italy Fulbright Commission
“Overview of Fulbright Program and Cultural Exchanges”

Daniel Philippon, Fulbright Scholar, University of Minnesota,
“Inspiring Change: How Literature Shaped the Sustainable Food Movement”

Maria Grazia Quieti, US-Italy Fulbright Commission,
“Discourses on Food and Sustainability in Trade Negotiations”

Audun Lem, FAO,
“The Links between Responsible Fisheries, Responsible Fish Trade and Responsible Fish Consumption”

CASE STUDIES

Paolo Corvo, University of Gastronomic Sciences
“Feeding Milan: South Park and Expo 2015″

Giacomo Festi, University of Gastronomic Sciences
“Promoting Sustainability on Different New Media Platforms: Languages and Strategies

Megan Frances McGowan, Fulbright Student, University of Gastronomic Sciences
“Sustainable Nutrition: Education in New York City Schools”.

www.unisg.it

Phone services have been restored to about 12 homes south of Horsham which have spent the weekend without landline telephone access.

Residents in the Talangatuk area discovered the problem on Saturday morning and services were restored about 7:00pm (AEST) last night.

Mobile phone reception in the area is poor, so neighbours have been communicating with each other using two-way radios.

Telstra yesterday identified a power problem with the network and called in Powercor to rectify the issue.

Topics:
telecommunications,
horsham-3400

The cost of insuring Asia-Pacific
corporate and sovereign bonds from default dropped, according to
traders of credit-default swaps.

The Markit iTraxx Australia index slid 6 basis points to
153 basis points as of 10:21 am in Sydney, according to
Deutsche Bank AG. The gauge is set for its lowest close since
April 6, according to data provider CMA.

The Markit iTraxx Asia index of 40 investment-grade
borrowers outside Japan fell 4 basis points to 163 basis points
as of 8:22 am in Hong Kong, Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc
prices show. The index is headed for its lowest close since
April 17, according to CMA, which is owned by CME Group Inc. and
compiles prices quoted by dealers in the privately negotiated
market.

Both indexes are set for a second straight monthly gain.
The Australian benchmark is poised to rise 5.4 basis points this
month, and the Asian gauge is headed for an increase of 3.4, CMA
prices show.

In Japan, the measure increased 28.3 to 182.4 as of April
27, also a second monthly climb and the biggest jump since
November, according to CMA. The Japan market is closed today for
a public holiday.

Credit-default swap indexes are benchmarks for protecting
bonds against default and traders use them to speculate on
credit quality. A drop signals improving perceptions of
creditworthiness, while an increase suggests the opposite.

The swap contracts pay the buyer face value in exchange for
the underlying securities if a borrower fails to meet its debt
agreements. A basis point is 0.01 percentage point.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Rachel Evans in Hong Kong at
revans43@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Shelley Smith at
ssmith118@bloomberg.net

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MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM, Apr 29, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –
With the met office issuing severe weather alerts for much of
southern England, Scotland, Wales and the West Midlands(i), Swinton
Commercial, one of the UK’s leading business insurance brokers, is
advising business owners to make sure they are covered for damage
caused by April showers.

The UK has already been hit by almost three inches of rainfall, with
heavier downpours still to come in areas such as South-West England,
with mid-air tornadoes being spotted in locations such as Hampshire,
Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Manchester and East Anglia.

With forecasters predicting a month’s worth of rain over the course
of a few days, making this April the wettest on record, Swinton
Commercial is offering the following advice to businesses located in
flood prone areas, to help minimise the impact of flood damage,
should their businesses be affected.

“Planning ahead can dramatically reduce the impact of flooding on
your business” says Brian Greenfield, Chartered Insurance Broker at
Swinton Commercial. “For example, storing valuable items higher up
reduces the likely loss at little or no cost. In high-risk premises,
consider investing in flood-protection products, which may help to
reduce your commercial insurance costs.

Swinton Commercial recommends two ways to reduce flood damage for
your business:

— Try to prevent water entering the building by installing permanent or
removable barriers to seal doors, windows and other openings – such as
toilets and drains. Other products include air brick covers, non-return
valves on drains and pipes and flood sacks.
— Reduce the damage caused by water entering the building by raising
electrical sockets, wiring and controls for ventilation systems, using
lime-based plaster instead of gypsum and raising large equipment. Use
flood resistant materials in the construction of new buildings or
extensions to reduce the damage if a flood does occur.
— Regularly back up computer data and store important records and
information, such as your business insurance policy details in a safe
place above flood level, preferably on an upper storey of the building.
— Check the Environment Agency website for regularly updated flood
warnings. Getting early warnings of flooding could help you to reduce
damage and financial losses.

Mr Greenfield added: "As the rain continues to fall across the UK, it's
important that businesses take all precautions to protect themselves
against flood damage. We would recommend taking the above precautions
to minimise potential damages caused to business premises, whilst
also checking business insurance policies to make sure your business
is fully covered for the worst case scenario."

Sources:

The Met Office

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings/

The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/9225204/Severe-weather-warnings-as-Atlantic-storms-batter-Britain-with-rain-and-wind.html

Notes to Editors:

About Swinton Commercial:

As one of the UK's leading commercial insurance brokers, Swinton
Commercial has the expertise and industry knowledge to provide you
with highly competitive business insurance that's tailored to your
needs.

With 34 branches across the UK, including 19 regional centres,
Swinton Commercial has quickly established itself as the UK's local
broker, offering a dedicated team of advisors with specialist
industry knowledge in all sectors.

Your local Commercial Account Executive has an in-depth understanding
of the insurance market in your area and will arrange a face-to-face
appointment with you, taking the time to thoroughly understand your
business and its specific requirements.

We cater for most types of business - from small start-ups to
well-established organisations, comparing quotes from leading UK
insurers to find you the right level of insurance, at the right
price.

What's more, our award-winning offering has over 80,000 business
customers - and we're growing fast.

Visit
www.swintoncommercial.co.uk for more information or call 0800
954 3802.

Contacts:
SKV Communications
Anna Goulding or Alyssa Harrison
0161 838 7770
firstname.surname@skvcommunicatons.co.uk

SOURCE: Swinton

mailto:firstname.surname@skvcommunicatons.co.uk

Copyright 2012 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

Financial Glossary

Words used in this article:

Do emergency managers care about alerting the deaf? Well, an activist/researcher/teacher with deep expertise in communicating with the deaf says, Deaf people think emergency management doesnt care about them. Stephanie Jo Kent says the American Deaf community remains essentially neglected despite generations of struggle and decades-old accessibility rights legislation. Shes not just complaining, though; shes trying to do something about it.

She and some colleagues saw an opportunity through Novembers national test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). They were concerned that the test didnt seem to address the needs of non-hearing people. So, they conducted an experiment. They spread the word that a Twitter hashtag #DEMX was created to represent an emergency of some type (D=Deaf, E=Emergency, X=uncertain variable of which kind of crisis). They wanted to see how the hashtag would spread among both deaf and hearing people near the time of the test.

They found the hashtag spread rather nicely, but didnt see much crossover between the two groups, Deaf citizens shared information within the Deaf community, and emergency management planners and responders shared the information within their community, said Kent in her blog postabout the project.

What may have been of equal significance was the attention given her on-line presentation called Deaf Eye on Emergency. As I write this, its been viewed over 1900 times, 1500 times in one week. Thats not bad at all.

So, it seems we have two things here: (1) evidence of less-than-desirable (poor?) communications between emergency management and deaf people, and (2) signs that deaf people are really open to learning more about how they can keep informed using social media tools like Twitter. We should figure out how to take advantage of both the interest level and the new means of communicating.

All the best,

Rick

Galain Solutions, Inc.

• ARTS AND CRAFTS ?? The front windows at the soon-to-be Lulu Belle?s displays some of the merchandise the store will offer, including these rustic homewares. Photos by Lizz Schumer.
• I SAW THE SIGN ?? The signage for Lulu Belle?s is already on the back of the building, directing customers to the newest shop in town.

It is painfully obvious that
the 2008 financial crisis would have been a lot less severe
had consumers been better educated about the debts they
were taking on.

The Dodd-Frank reform law created the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau to help all of us become
savvier purchasers of financial products such as mortgages,
credit cards and student loans. In other words, the
bureau’s mission is to avoid a repeat crisis.

The agency, still in its infancy, has already taken
impressive steps toward improving the quality of
information consumers receive. In several areas, however,
it could do more to help Americans compare financial
products and understand contract terms.

Mortgages may be the most pressing need. Documents
that borrowers get when taking out a home loan are still
baffling. The agency is supposed to propose by July a
simpler form that enables consumers to understand and
compare loan terms when mortgage shopping.

The consumer bureau’s prototypes are a vast
improvement over the current situation. Lenders would have
to clearly indicate the loan amount, the interest rate and
whether it could increase, any prepayment penalties, and
whether there are balloon payments or other surprises of
the types that landed many borrowers in hot water. One nice
feature: The forms clearly explain the monthly amount
borrowers would owe and the services they could shop for,
including pest inspection, courier fees and title
insurance, to save money.

Fee Disclosure

The bureau could improve on this by requiring lenders
to include explanations of settlement fees — what they’re
for and whether they’re required — for inspections,
homeowners association dues, brokers’ payments and the
like. Part of the problem with disclosures now is that
borrowers can’t really assess what’s necessary and what’s
being pushed on them by unscrupulous actors.

The agency should also require lenders to speed up
delivery of the final loan terms and give paperwork to
borrowers at least three days before closing. Homebuyers
are often rushed through the paperwork on closing day and
may not be comfortable raising questions at the last
minute. Giving them a few days to actually read what
they’re agreeing to could go a long way toward removing
unexpected surprises.

When consumers sign up for credit cards, unlike with
mortgages, they don’t suffer from a lack of information.
Instead, they are awash in complicated legalese designed
largely to protect card issuers against lawsuits. A 2010
analysis by CreditCards.com, a research service owned by
publisher Bankrate Inc., found the average card agreement
is written on a 12th-grade reading level, while the average
adult reads at a ninth-grade level.

The bureau’s two-page prototype does away with a lot
of the complicated jargon that clutters up many agreements
and highlights several crucial pieces of information,
including the interest rate for purchases and cash
advances, penalties for late payments and whether rates can
change.

But the form puts simplicity above usefulness. It
includes many terms that consumers may not understand,
including “prime rate” and “compounding,” with no
explanations. The words are underlined to draw attention to
them, and the agency provides a definition for each on its
website. Many consumers may not take that extra step.

Plain English

A better approach would be to lengthen the form
slightly and include definitions — in plain English –
with the agreement.

More troubling, the form is voluntary. Some, but not
all, issuers have said they’re open to using it. We hope
that, in a competitive marketplace, consumers will demand
that all card issuers do so. But that’s not a given, and
it’s entirely possible that vulnerable consumers — those
least likely to understand the agreements — will continue
to get dense paperwork that doesn’t adequately explain
their risks.

This month, the CFPB backed away from a plan to count
upfront fees — the kind that some card issuers charge even
before an account is opened — toward a 25 percent fee cap.
The bureau, which has many battles to wage, chose not to
fight after a federal court issued an injunction, saying
the US went beyond its mandate.

So-called fee harvester cards are unsettling, but
disclosure is the key: As long as the CFPB requires that
consumers be clearly told about any upfront charges, they
don’t need to be covered by the cap.

The next credit bubble may not be mortgages or credit
cards, but student loans. Outstanding student loan debt
recently crossed the $1 trillion mark, eclipsing credit
cards as the second largest source of US household debt
after mortgages. That’s one reason CFPB Director Richard Cordray has focused on helping students — and parents –
better understand the huge financial burden that may come
with a college degree.

The bureau has started an online, interactive tool
that allows prospective students to compare costs — and
estimated debt levels upon graduation — at about 7,500
higher-education institutions. It is also working with the
Department of Education to develop a financial aid
“shopping sheet” that would help students compare aid
offers from various schools. And the agency provides advice
and counseling for students having trouble paying back
their loans.

Tuition Increases

The college cost comparison tool, still in the testing
phase, needs some refining to make it truly useful,
including factoring in tuition increases. It assumes
tuition and fees remain constant; given that tuitions rise,
on average, 6 percent annually, such an assumption could
seriously understate total debt.

Students would also be better served if they could
indicate their intended career and how long they expect to
take to complete a degree. The tool currently projects a
student’s debt burden by assuming the average national
salary for graduates with bachelor’s degrees. But a student
who plans to pursue an arts degree may wind up making far
less than one who studies engineering. With those fixes,
the tool could help college students avoid the unwelcome
graduation gift of unbearable debt.

So far, we see no evidence that the CFPB is usurping
the right of financial companies to offer an array of
products or of consumers to make their own choices. The
bureau seems to understand its proper place in the
regulatory alphabet soup — to better educate consumers in
financial arcana and to police wrongdoing, while avoiding
the role of national nanny.

Read more opinion online from Bloomberg View.

Today’s highlights: the View editors on the healing power
of zinc; William D. Cohan on the federal debt; Simon
Johnson on German unions; Richard G. Sloan on fair-value
accounting; John Eastman on Arizona’s immigration law.

To contact the Bloomberg View editorial board:
view@bloomberg.net.

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Google has released a report in connection with the charge by US Federal Communicating Commissions inquiry, which blamed that it has collected some sensitive data from millions of unknowing households while operating specially equipped cars for its Street View service. Google released the report after the wrangling
with FCC over which details to reveal publicly.

The revelation had raised new questions regarding the capturing personal information by Google over a two-year period.It is noted that report pointed its finger at a rogue engineer who intentionally wrote software code that captured payload data information, communication over the Internet.

It has been alleged that information emails, passwords and search history from unprotected wireless networks going beyond what Google says it intended.

The FCC has also accused Google of withholding an email that openly discussed the engineers review of payload data with a senior manager on the Street view project.

The FCC concluded in its report that collecting the data was not illegal, but it slapped Google with a fine of 25,000 dollars this month for obstructing its investigation.

(With inputs from ANI)