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Singer Ashanti, Mother Terrorized by Explicit Text Messages

Ashanti (Reuters)

A fitness trainer deluged Ashanti's mother with crude text messages about the R&B star, peppering his comments with graphic photos and a picture of her family home, authorities said in a court case that could go to trial next week.

Devar Hurd, 31, sent the Grammy-winning singer's mother and her husband dozens of messages to their cell phones before his July arrest, a detective said in papers filed in state court in Manhattan.

The messages gushed lewdly about Ashanti's performances and jealously lamented her relationship with the rapper Nelly, the court papers said. They said one message included a photo of her mother's home and asked about coming over to visit; another mentioned seeing her car when he went to a performance of "The Wiz." Ashanti starred in an off-Broadway revival of the musical this summer.

Hurd, 31, has pleaded not guilty and is being held on $50,000 bond. His lawyer, Richard Verchick, declined to comment Wednesday. Relatives said they were mystified by the charges against Hurd, a gym worker and former janitor from Indiana.

Ashanti spokeswoman Judy Katz said the singer and her family feel authorities have taken care of the issue and decline to comment further.

Hurd's text messages interspersed explicit sexual scenarios – sometimes accompanied by photos of male genitals – with career advice, accounts of his workouts and dreamy romantic visions, according to the court papers.

"I had a nice dream about us shani," he wrote in June, according to the papers. "We was at your place and had a event and u was singing. I was feeling so good because we was finally past this and living together."

A July message said his mental state "is very fragile with all this," the court papers said.

While most of the messages were apparently directed at Ashanti, a few seemed to address her mother, Tina Douglas, and sister, Kenashia.

Tina Douglas told Hurd to stop contacting her in February after he called repeatedly, according to the court papers. It's unclear how he might have gotten her cell phone number.

"As far as I know, he doesn't know these people," sister-in-law Kim Hurd said by phone Wednesday. "He's not in the music business. He's really a regular old person."

It's unclear whether Ashanti, 29, would be called to testify if the case goes to trial.

Raised in Glen Cove, New York, the multiplatinum-selling singer got her first record deal at 14; her hits include "Foolish" and "Only U." She has appeared in films including "Coach Carter" and "John Tucker Must Die."


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Fox News Poll: Majority of voters favor women in combat

FILE - In this Sept. 18, 2012 file photo, female soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division train on a firing range while testing new body armor in Fort Campbell, Ky., in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan. (AP)

There’s widespread support among American voters for women serving in combat roles.  And just over half still favor lifting the ban on women in combat -- even if the policy would require any future drafts include women.

Voters favor the new military role for women by a decisive 71-26 percent margin, according to a new Fox News poll.

If women and men would then be equally eligible if lawmakers brought back the draft, a 51-percent majority supports the women-in-combat policy.  Opposition increases to 45 percent if this is the case.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced the military is “eliminating the direct ground combat exclusion rule for women” on January 24.

In general, majorities of women (73 percent), men (68 percent), Democrats (81 percent), independents (68 percent) and Republicans (61 percent) favor opening combat roles to women when the issue has no qualifiers attached.  One of the largest gaps in support is between age groups:  voters under age 30 (81 percent) are much more likely than those ages 65 and over (58 percent) to endorse the idea.

Veterans and those currently in the military (54 percent) are much less likely than those who haven’t been in the military (73 percent) to favor allowing women in combat.

Support for combat roles drops by 25 percentage points among women (to 48 percent) and 12 points among men (to 56 percent) when the draft qualifier is added.

President Obama has announced the United States will withdraw its troops in Afghanistan in 2014.  Voters have mixed views about how that should play out:  46 percent think the U.S. should remove all troops, while 48 percent think some should remain after the drawdown for counterterrorism operations.

The split in preferences reflects a large partisan divide: While a 57-percent majority of Democrats favors removing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, a 58-percent majority of Republicans thinks the U.S. should have a continued military presence there.

Voters who have served in the military (48 percent) are as likely as those who haven’t served (45 percent) to say the U.S. should withdraw all troops.

On a related issue, by more than two-to-one, voters oppose the U.S. continuing to provide financial support to Afghanistan: 66 percent oppose, while 30 percent favor.

By 48 percent to 42 percent, voters approve of the job Obama is doing on Afghanistan.  There’s only one area where the president’s approval rating is higher, and that’s terrorism where 59 percent approve and 36 percent disapprove.

Gun Control Measures

Supporting tougher gun laws is just as likely to help as hurt lawmakers come election time.  While 43 percent of voters would be more likely to vote for a congressional representative who backs tougher laws, about the same number -- 44 percent -- would be less likely to do so.

Among independents, 33 percent would be more inclined to vote for someone who supported tougher gun laws, while 50 percent would be less likely.

Sixty-six percent of Democrats would be more likely to vote for a lawmaker who backed strengthening gun laws.  Almost as many Republicans -- 63 percent -- would be less likely to support that candidate in the next election.

The Northeast is the only region where a majority says a lawmaker’s backing of tougher gun measures would be a net positive (55 percent more likely to support to 31 percent less likely).  In the other regions, a lawmaker’s support for new laws is more likely to cost rather than gain votes -- especially in the West (37 percent more likely to support to 51 percent less likely).

Since the December mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, there has been a lot of discussion about requiring background checks for all gun buyers and banning military-style assault weapons.

If the federal government were to ban certain guns, 72 percent of voters would be at least somewhat concerned that in the future the government would try to narrow the scope of other individual rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.  That includes 53 percent who would be “very” concerned.

The Fox News poll is based on landline and cell phone interviews with 1,010 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from February 4 to February 6.  The full poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

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  • Le Puy-en-Velay

    Le Puy-en-Velay

    © Only France

  • Espalion

    © Only France

  • Saint Privat d'Allier

    Saint Privat d'Allier

    © Only France

  • Conques

    © Only France

  • Conques

    © Only France

In order to reach Spain, pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela can choose from one of four routes that run through France. Many monuments have been built along these historical roads to welcome the pilgrims: the many paths and structures constitute one of the first European cultural routes to be recognised by the European Council in 1987 and have been listed as Unesco World Heritage since 1998.

In the Middle Ages, a large number of catholic pilgrims from all over Europe met at the famous Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, situated in the far west of the Iberian peninsula, in Galicia, to worship the relics of the apostle Saint James.

The four routes

Many pilgrims travel through France to reach the famous cathedral. According to the Unesco website, “the spiritual and physical requirements of the pilgrims are satisfied thanks to the creation of a large number of special structures, many of which have now been created in the French section of the journey”.

Paris, Vézelay, Le Puy and Arles

The French pilgrimage routes, described in the “pilgrimage guide” written by Aimery Picaud, a monk from Poitou, in the 12th Century, are those starting from Paris, Vézelay, Le Puy and Arles. These go by the names of: the Via Tolosana (the Arles Way, leaving from Arles), the Via Podiensis (leaving from Puy and crossing through Cahors), the Via Lemovicensis (or the Vézelay route, which runs through Vézelay, Perigueux, etc.) and the Via Turonensis, also known as the “Grand Chemin” in France (leaving from Paris and continuing via Tours, Bordeaux, etc.).

The Paris route, the Vézelay route and the Le Puy route meet in the Northern Basque Country, at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains, and, after crossing the border, form the Navarre Way. In Spain, in Puente la Reina, the Arles Way joins onto the Aragonese Way to form the French Way.

Breath-taking landscapes

The signposting along the French and Spanish Ways is carried out with the support of the European Institute of Cultural Routes.

These Ways allow for the discovery of magnificent regions and wonderful landscapes that are grandiose and little known in France, dotted with incredibly charming villages. Of the four historical routes, the oldest and richest in Romanesque monuments is that passing through Puy-en-Velay, an important place of pilgrimage.

The monuments, from Conques to Saint-Jean-d'Angély

A large number of establishments for accommodating the pilgrims (hospices, chaplain's lodges, hostels, etc.) and monuments showing their devotion (basilicas, chapels, statues, frescoes, etc.) have been constructed along the routes; 71 of them are listed as World Heritage.

Among other remarkable sites along the way are the Notre-Dame du Port cathedral in Clermont-Ferrand, the Sainte-Foy abbey-church in Conques, the bridge over the Lot and the Saint-Fleuret church in Estaing, the Moissaic Church and Abbey, the Puy-en-Velay cathedral, the Saint-Front cathedral in Périgueux, Saint-Sauveur church and the Saint-Amadour crypt in Rocamadour, the Saint-Sernin basilica in Toulouse, the former Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges Cathedral, the royal Saint-Jean- d'Angély abbey, etc.

To find out more


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Attawapiskat and Atikokan: A tale of two northern towns

Appeared in the Financial Post
Release Date: December 9, 2011
Imagine two small Ontario towns. One is a reserve that blocks an outside investigation into its $31.2 million annual operating budget. That town, Attawapiskat First Nation, has 1,549 people on the reserve according to the last census.

Now imagine another town, a non-Native one, where recent budget estimates peg its annual operating expenditures at $8.4 million. That’s the township of Atikokan, near Thunder Bay, with 3,293 people.

Careful readers will notice that the larger town, Atikokan, has a much smaller operating budget than does Attawapiskat.

What’s additionally curious is where the money is spent. According to Attawapiskat’s latest budget documents, $11.2 million went to salaries, wages and employee benefits. That equates to $7,249 per reserve resident on just compensation-related expenditures.

In contrast, according to the latest available estimates from Atikokan, that town spends just under $3-million on salaries and benefits, or $904 per person.

That contrast might explain the resistance by some to a third-party investigation into the finances of Attawapiskat First Nation.  After all, one might reasonably ask this question: given Atikokan spent $3-million on compensation for all city staff, why must Attawapiskat spend $11.2 million? That’s an $8.2 million difference, some of which could have paid for needed housing on the Attawapiskat reserve.

Here’s another contrast. In Atikokan, (for the fiscal year ending in December 2009), the mayor’s salary was $7,713 with travel expenses of $4,268. The total cost to taxpayers thus just under $12,000. In fact, total salaries and expenses for Atikokan’s mayor and seven councillors was just $46,691.

On the Attawapiskat reserve (for the fiscal year ending in March 2010) the chief’s salary alone was $51,803. In total, salaries for Attawapiskat’s chief, deputy chief and 18 councillors that year amounted to $386,129. With $28,535 in expenses, the total cost to taxpayers was $414,664. In the next fiscal year, that cost jumped to $615,552—a 48 per cent increase.

The Attawapiskat-Atikokan comparison isn’t the only useful contrast.

Consider other northern Canadian towns that are also not reserves. In 2010, the northern Alberta town of Athabasca, with a population of 2,575 had an operating budget of $5.5 million. It spent just over $1.6 million spent on wages and benefits for all city staff, council included. That crunches out to just $644 per Athabascan.

Or how about Valemount in northern British Columbia? That village, with 1,018 people, had an annual operating budget of $3.2 million in 2010. It paid out $811,852 in compensation-related expenses, or $797 per capita.

Here’s another calculation. Per capita, if the city of Toronto spent as much on wages, salaries and benefits as did Attawapiskat First Nation, Toronto’s remuneration bill would have been $20.1 billion in 2010, this as opposed to $4.8 billion. (Toronto’s wage and benefits bill is still curiously high, at $1,741 per capita, but that’s another column.)

Such comparisons should be recalled by everyone when Chief Shawn Atleo from the Assembly of First Nations, and Attawapiskat chief Theresa Spence mount the rhetorical barricades and urge everyone to move on without “assigning blame,” which is a dodge.  Or when they blame “colonialism”.

Such facts should be recalled by anyone concerned about Canada’s First Nations reserves and their too-often sub-standard shape. What’s clear is that a lack of money isn’t the problem. Rather, it’s how that money is spent.

With the exception of obvious short-term help for the people of Attawapiskat in winter—to make up for past monies that were spent on a large bureaucracy instead of housing—more money won’t solve anything.

Instead, a long-term strategy is needed with the following elements: accountability for money spent; eventual transfers directly to individual natives with money then taxed back for band services; property rights for individual Natives on reserves which would help foment accountability, entrepreneurship and pride.

Lastly, realism is needed about the fact so many reserves are not economically viable. For the last two centuries, people around the world have moved from rural areas to the cities. Similarly, many people on reserves (mostly in rural areas) need to find their way close to educational, economic and social opportunities closer to major population centres, if not for themselves, then certainly for their kids.

Such opportunities are why the majority of First Nations people, 57 per cent, already choose to live off-reserve.

The challenge for politicians, native and non-native alike, is to remove existing incentives for people to stay on remote reserves, and to provide transitional help those same people move closer to opportunities.


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M A I N * L I N K S

SUNY Fredonia
Division of Arts and Humanities
ENGL/INDS 240: Introduction to African American Literature and Culture
Fall 2008
Section 1: MWF 3-3:50, Fenton 174
Office: Fenton 265; MWF 1-2, Th 3-5, and by appointment; 673-3856
E-mail: simon@fredonia.edu; brucesimon18@yahoo.com
Web site: www.fredonia.edu/department/english/simon/
ANGEL space: https://angel.fredonia.edu/

Since just about every work of African American literature explicitly or implicitly comments on the state of the nation, I won't bother listing works that we're going to miss out on in this unit (except to complain that the Norton STILL doesn't include Frederick Douglass's major novella The Heroic Slave, which is one of the key engagements with America in early African American literature).

Instead, I want to explain why we're reading the works we are reading. My goal here is for you to understand and reflect upon the tensions between claiming and critiquing "America" in African American literature and culture. By this, I don't mean the "assimilation" vs. "separatism" binary that structures and delimits most discussions of the competing appeals of U.S. nationalism and black nationalism for black Americans. The writers who are "claiming 'America'" are not accommodating themselves to a preconstituted idea of what being an American means; on the contrary, they seek to destroy the assumption regnant throughout much of U.S. history that America is "a white man's country," by showing how African Americans have made the United States what it is and shaped its national culture. The writers who are "critiquing 'America'" are not simply rejecting white America or white Americans; they are questioning whether the attempt to transform "the American dream" or close the gap between American ideals and realities is realizable or even desirable, and are trying to generate an alternative to U.S. nationalism. This black nationalist project is neither unitary nor unproblematic, so we will need to be as attentive to its complexities and contradictions as we are to those in the writing that attempts to reframe U.S. nationalism and to show that "race" is not simply a regional or urban issue, but one that engages the entire country.

This unit is centrally concerned with two different versions of nationalism that have appealed to many black writers and intellectuals--on the one hand, U.S. nationalism (Americanism, patriotism, the American dream, and so on), and on the other, black nationalism (which ranges the ideological spectrum: the Black Panthers are quite different from Asante's Afrocentrism which in turn is quite different from the Nation of Islam). We will endeavor to track different writers' relations to these two intellectual and political traditions, with the understanding that neither is reducible to one side of the simple binary of "assimilationism" vs. "separatism" and that both traditions have multiple internal debates within them. To reduce commitment to U.S. nationalism to a desire for "assimilation" is a tragic and false assumption: as we saw in the "city" unit, a writer like Alain Locke could praise the growing and changing "race consciousness" in Harlem precisely for (in his view) its Americanism, and as we will see in Du Bois's essays from The Souls of Black Folk, his commitment to U.S. nationalism (evident in his call for full citizenship and other rights) in 1903 stemmed from his sense that African Americans had in part created American culture and society. It is also important to recognize that the writers who share a commitment to U.S. nationalism disagree on all sorts of matters, and that their different political and rhetorical strategies were meant to intervene on a particular historical conjuncture that is quite different from our own (hence we need to analyze what David Walker was attempting to do in 1829, what Langston Hughes was attempting to express in 1925, and what Melvin Tolson was attempting to trace in 1944, and to attend to the similarities and differences between Douglass's oration, Du Bois's and Baldwin's essays, and King's letter). At most, what these writers share is a refusal to equate "white" and "America," an attempt to put race matters in a national frame and on a national stage (i.e., slavery as not just a Southern problem in the mid-nineteenth century but a national one; race as not just an urban issue since the '20s but a national one), and a desire to create new national narratives for America. Our goal is to engage the complexities of these writers' re-thinking and re-visioning of U.S. nationalism.

We will go through a similar process of learning to engage the complexities of black nationalist discourses, to learn how to avoid a reductionist approach that would equate black nationalism and "separatism." We're going to be investigating the relation between claims made in manifesto-style essays that announce the black aesthetic movement's project and what happens in poetry and stories written during and after the movement's high water mark. Of particular interest will be our consideration of the gender politics of black nationalism, and the ways in which women writers committed to the movement negotiated a space for themselves within it, in the face of a restoration of black patriarchy that many of its leaders seemed to be advocating.

We'll be putting everything together by finishing Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man at the same time as we're analyzing landmark speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Barack Obama.

Suggestions for further exploration:

M A I N * L I N K S

ENGL/INDS 240: Introduction to African American Literature and Culture, Fall 2008
Created: 9/11/08 4:21 pm
Last modified: 9/11/08 4:21 pm
Webmaster: Bruce Simon, Associate Professor of English, SUNY Fredonia


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A couple of Nike Free 5.0+ Breathe styles arrived at US retailers over the past month,and now we see that these highly ventilated variations aren’t restricted to just the one model. It’s a full-on Breathe Pack with various colorways for the Frees 5.0 Mens with reasonably priced cheap nike free run and just all around a great shoe that goes with everything there. These shoes are comfortable cause the standard of country size soyou may want to order a size up.The only other thing is that find out how much support you need in a running shoe before purchasing Free 5.0+, for instance if you need knee and cheap nike free run sale  ankle support these shoes aren’t for you because the way these shoes are made is that they’re so light and thin that they make you feel as though you’re bare foot.So wear these if you want to go run errands or don’t have to get dressed up or anything like that.Personally for running I bought the Nike Frecheap nike free rune 5.0+ Breathe Sport Turquoise running shoes and they’re incredibly lightweight, great arch support,wide room for toes. now that i’ve run in these,i can’t go back to my other running shoes.this makes your calves work harder,but reduces strain on the knees. relative to other shoes, there’s less cushion on the heels, which make you want to land mid-foot.So just cheap air max 90 know that these are great shoes than you could ever image and will be figured out how much support you really needed.We are just wanted to give a heads up for other fans of nike free 5.0 shoes or other person who read this article for luck.The shoe itself though is cheap air max 2014 sale comfortable and will last.Those always have new arrivals and other introduce of free styles aren’t common here in the Australia,so stick with here for updates after you’ve seen the entire Nike Running Breathe Pack after the jump below.

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Band of Brothers Summary and Analysis

FreeBookNotes found 1 site with book summaries or analysis of Band of Brothers. If there is a Band of Brothers SparkNotes, Shmoop guide, or Cliff Notes, you can find a link to each study guide below.

Among the summaries and analysis available for Band of Brothers, there is 1 Book Review.

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Band of Brothers

by Stephen E. Ambrose

January 1st 2006
Est. Read Time:
6 hours

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Simulation games are the ideal games which portrays almost all activities pertaining to real life where users get the chance to replicate various activities that they use to perform in their actual life. These types of games are a perfect abode for people who would like to do tasks that they are unable to do in real life. A simulation game can be used for training, analysis and prediction purposes and there is usually no definite goal in it. Most simulation games involve building and collecting things along with communication with various online characters and living in a virtual society. UK Truck Simulator 1.06 is one such simulation game where you can play the role of a truck driver regularly plying on UK roads and transporting goods from one place to another.

The trucks that are present in UK Truck Simulator are primarily inspired by designs from 7 different truck manufacturers. Like real life the trucks you will be driving holds licenses from MAN and basically your job will involve delivering cargo between 18 big cities of UK which are connected with each other through a major motorway. You can choose from over 60 different items to load and transport. In the game you can start your career as an employee of a transport company and later with your hard work can buy your own truck and start your own business. You can also purchase garages and set up branches across UK to accommodate your growing fleet. Moreover, you can also upgrade your trucks to keep them in better shape. While playing the game you can also enjoy the scenic beauty of various locations around UK.

To conclude, Truck Simulator 1.06 is indeed a great simulation game which allows the user to experience the life of a truck driver and work hard to grow your transport business. This game deserves a rating of four points due to its superb graphics and most importantly for offering an interesting gaming experience.

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The Oh La Las – Songs from the third floor

The Finnish band led by Oskar Nyman and Joel Isaksson features their promising debut album. See the life green like a pear!

Oh la las in Tallinn

The band is composed by Oskar Nyman on the vocals, Joel Isaksson  on the guitar, piano, banjo and vocals, Egon Veevo on the bass and Anders Salim on the drums. As they explain at their official MySpace site, most of the work for their first studio album was done while enjoying some nice time in a summer cottage. We don’t know if that cottage had a third floor, or if the Finnish guys had stairs available to reach a third degree of inspiration, but what is certain is that their debut album is a more than notable work.

With folky pop-rock style, they have quite a nice and interesting American sound, which can remind you to bands like The Jayhawks or even The Rolling Stones themselves in some parts of the record. As some highlighted tracks, I would recommend All is Well, I ´ll be Fine or the relaxing acoustic parts of Home as well as the romantic ballad Hold Me.

As you can see, the Finns have quite a positive vibe in their songs (and their titles), quite refreshing in a scene that usually reaches from the most depressing side of the music.

A great work, pretty enjoyable. If I can put a “but”, I would complain that there are only 8 tracks to listen to!

Rating 4/5

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Monday, December 3, 2012

Rainbow Terrapin Network Training

The LGBT Equity Center has one last training within the Rainbow Terrapin Network. These trainings explore the ways in which we can better support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) individuals and LGBTQ related issues on the UMD campus. Whether you are an undergraduate, graduate student, staff or faculty member this training is available to you. Any and all LGBTQ community members and our allies are welcome! Sign up today at Monday, December 3rd, 1PM-4PM in Marie Mount Hall {Will appear in FYI on Nov 9, 2012
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Four interesting, non-hierarchical freeware notes programs

This article will present four novel, free note taking apps: Treesheets, Tobu, Cintanotes, and MindRaider. Each one of these apps is unique in its own way, yet they have one thing in common in that they are not your traditional, hierarchical-tree based notes programs.

1. Treesheets: this program is a conflation of a note-taking app with a spreadsheet. It employs the same cell-based spreadsheet structure with one important exception: the cells are designed to contain large amounts of data within them.

This means that once cell can contain, say, a header or category with 4 cells underneath it containing your information for that category, and yet each one of those cells can be literally”zoomed into” to reveal, say, dozens of rows of information within each one.

The result: a visual matrix that can be worked with easily, with huge amounts of information embedded within individual cells that can be accessed/revealed by zooming in (and out) of them.

Notetakers Screenshot2

Treesheets screenshot

Treesheets is one of the most original notes programs that I’ve come across in a long time, and despite being quite a mature software it still feels like a work in progress to me. The interface in particular takes a bit of getting used to (especially as it diverges in it’s functionality from that Microsoft spreadsheet that most of us use). Nonetheless it is a great way to organize, store and access information and packs quite a “wow” factor.

[via DonationCoder]

Tobu Screenshot 2. Tobu: this program’s slogan is “information should organize itself”, and while Tobu doesn’t quite achieve that goal, it offers an excellent interface for organizing notes using tags rather than a hierarchical tree structure.

Tobu displays notes based on relationships; type in a tag and you will get a list of all relevant notes, as well as a column-view of all other associated tags. You can then type in more tags in the filter box(es) to narrow your list of notes further. But the program goes one step further by allowing the user to assign values to tags (for example you can make up a tag such as “Rating” an assign it, say, values from 1 to 5). The end result of this is a database like functionality wherein tags connect notes to each other and function as database fields with user-defined values (and which can be a very useful/powerful tool for organizing information).

Cintanotes Screenshot3. Cintanotes: is a free, lightweight notes program that is really simple and straightforward and is organized around tags rather than a tree structure.

There are a number of things that make Cintanotes attractive; (1) it is very well suited to entering quick notes; (2) has a note-clipping function whereby you can select text in an app or in your browser and press ctrl+F12 to clip straight into Cintanotes (it will even preserve the URL if clipped from a browser, which is nice); (3) has a handy search function; (4) can display a tag “sidebar” that is really useful for navigation, and (5) can be run portably or from a USB drive.

MindRaider Screenshot 4. MindRaider: two things you need to know about this one; (1) it can organize your notes around a hierarchical tree structure as well as a tags both, and (2) it will automatically create a “mind map” representations of your notes, outlining the various relationships between your notes and creating a visual representation of the interactions that may exist in your information.

MindRaider offers a slew of other functions, including multiple notes formats, linking between various notes or entities (including URLs and local files), and a powerful search function.

  • If you know of other interesting FREE notes apps please let me know in the comments section
  • If you are interested in more of a “traditional” hierarchical outliner type notes app check out KeynoteNF (a newer version of Keynote that is back in development; NF stands for “New Features”), SEO Note, or TreeDBNotes Free.

Samer Kurdi

Samer Kurdi

Has been reviewing software since 2006 when he started
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  • paolodelmare

    You can also consider which is a lightweight note taking software.
    This is a KISS an windows-only (2000 and upwards) application.

    Additional free alternative note taking software: (Mpad) (TheGuide)

    All the best from bRaZiL.

  • hari

    Thanks for the post, I really looking for this kind of program. The previous Evernote still the best application I can found (current version cannot run on W2K), only the look that I don’t like. While Cintanote good on it, but still need some more features. I really hope the keep developing Cintanote.
    Tiddlywiki and all its variant (MPTV is my favorite) should be in the list, simple yet powerful, with a tweak we can also have WYSIWYG editor with tiddlywiki.

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  • Joe

    Treesheets is also portable:

    Note that it does have a single setting (default font), which it saves to the registry (only if you change it).

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  • starroute

    Here are some other note-taking programs I use either regularly or occasionally. The first two are basically hierarchical organizers but with additional forms of internal linking that take them beyond the simple tree outliners. They’re not as handy for quick notes but can be excellent for organizing data — research files, inventories, etc.:

    TheKBase –

    NeoMem –

    There’s also xmind, which I believe was featured here recently. Basically a mindmapper, it’s got an abundance of ways to append notes, links, etc. and I’m finding it a good way of assembling collections of related information.

  • RG

    Nice overview thanx, really liking CintaNotes

  • taffit

    Thanks for this article.
    Even if it isn’t under development anymore, ShirusuPad is still one of my favourites: it is small, runs from an USB stick, it runs silently in the background until a shortcut is pressed. Notes can be “extracted” to floating sticky notes, you can set alarms, … I’m just sad that it isn’t developed anymore and its source code isn’t availabe (the author prior to leave development was thinking of making its code available).
    Take a look:

  • Samer

    Thanks for all the feedback guys. I hadn’t known about some of these apps; downloading 😉

    Wondering if anybody knows of a notes program that is organized by tags and is an RSS client as well (i.e. allows for organizing/tagging RSS entries as well as notes). There was one program that did this that I used a long time ago (whose name I now forget), but it wasn’t a very good implementation.

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  • Andrew

    Those seem pretty cool, haven’t used them yet. Probably wont, memento is my favorite note program. Its low on features and hasn’t been updated since ’05. But I like it.

  • Neotoma

    I really like Keynote NF. It has many features, is Portable and OpenSource.
    Give it a try :

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  • D. Jack

    How about this free notes APP:

  • Doug H

    I love these programs, though I never have enough time to really try them out! Am currently working with Evernote, Microsoft’s OneNote, and Aignes AM-Notebook registered version.

    AM-Notebook is another in the long line of hierarchical note programs. There is a free Lite version available. Has spreadsheet capabilities, etc. I used to use TreePad and went with AM-Notebook after that, but haven’t examined many of the above (I had liked Keynote, didn’t know it was resurrected).

    Anyway, thought I should mention AM-Notebook just for completeness. It is still updated, last update was May 2009.

  • Scott

    I’ve been using a combination of Notescraps and Cinta Notes to manage my information. But the biggest problem I had with this was that due to a lack of password protection. Now I am using Smart PIM ( I really like this free notes manager.

  • Scott

    I’ve been using a combination of Notescraps and Cinta Notes to manage my information. But the biggest problem I had with this was that due to a lack of password protection. Now I am using (SmartPIM). I really like this free notes manager.

  • neeraj

    mars notebook is the one I use.

    Pretty happy with it for almost a year now.

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  • d9ping

    An other suggestion: NoteFly, really small application under 100kb.

  • Sann

    I’m using Google Sites ( for taking long-term notes. You can set password on them and access any of your notes word wide. It supports themes, comments, file attachments, easy to create hierarchical menus and you can even include contents into pages (using it all the time).
    Right now I have 4 sites on different projects storing my notes and ideas safely and accessible.

    I didn’t know that there are sooo many note taking apps. Long before I was using simple text files, then I found OneNote. Using text files is not convenient, OneNote is a real helper, but has a very clunky interface and it’s slow.

    So Google Sites is the solution for me right now for long term notes. But I’m still looking for a very simple, pretty mini-note taking app.

  • Peter

    For a different take on note taking software have a look at IDEA! from SYCON

  • Ahmose

    WikidPad is hierarchical, can work with tags (you write them inside the note like this: [tag: tag1, tag2, etc], can export to html, is a Wiki so it automatically links and updates links between the notes/pages as you type, can save its database as .txt so you can find them using any desktop search, or save them in another format so they be more hidden, has a large community, is now opensource.

  • John R

    No one has mentioned Flashnote – It’s barebones, not much more than notepad, really, but has a hierarchical database for notes, and saves immediately, there is no save button. You never lose anything, unless you accidentally delete it yourself.

  • T800

    I heavily use TreeDBNotes Free.

    Beware, this is notes manager for power users. My advice: Pro version doesn’t have anything more to offer, Free is just fine.
    I use it constantly at work because the document tree feature is super useful when I want to quickly navigate across my text’s chapters, while others struggle through MS Word (haha, serves them right).

  • Kewapo

    There is a little tiny program: tiddlywiki. Is a html file (wiki-style) where you can add notes in a non-linear way.

    It has many plugins and is highly configurable.

    Is multiplatform (you only need firefox, or explorer, or safari, or opera with javascript active).

    The web is:


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Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I clean my HVAC system? What are the benefits?
People will argue on the benefits of cleaning your HVAC system. The fact is that your HVAC system gets dust, debris, mold, bacteria, germs, etc. There are two main reasons why you should clean your HVAC system.

1. Dust and dirt impacts the efficiency of your furnace system. This causes you to face higher than normal heating and maintenance costs.

2. The air quality in your home can be poor from many sources. It’s well known that mold, fungi, bacteria, germs and microscopic dust mites reduce the quality of air that we breathe. As a result you may suffer from allergies, asthma, dry coughs, chronic breathing problems, headaches, etc. Ensuring that your HVAC system is regularly cleaned can help improve the air quality in your home.
What is entailed in a furnace inspection?
Furnace inspection includes inspection of proper operation of your furnace. This includes but is not limited to inspection of the furnace chimney, proper start-up, heat exchanger, ignition assembly, motor, fan, belt, filter, etc. Our inspection also includes assessment of all the devices you may have (i.e. humidifier, purifier, etc). On top of this, we will also check your dryer, dryer vent and central vacuum system.
What are the different methods of furnace and duct cleaning?
For furnace and duct cleaning Fresh Air Furnace Services uses a high compressed air method (skipper line or forward/reversed skipper line method), a brushing method or both methods simultaneously.

High Compressed Air Method
This method of cleaning uses high compressed air at about 200-240 psi (pounds of pressure per square inch) using a blowgun, forward skipper line (air blows from working point) and reverse skipper line (air blows towards working point). Combination of all these tools gives you very efficient and effective cleaning of your heating system. This is our customers’ most popular and preferable method of cleaning due to its effectiveness.

Brushing Method
In this method of cleaning the main tool is a brush (different types and sizes). Rotary brushes “wipe” all dust and mold accumulated on the surface of furnace ducts. This method also is especially effective to remove big pieces of debris (i.e. newly built homes or in homes after renovations), toys and other miscellaneous items from ducts.

Combination of Brushing and High Compressed Air Methods
A combination of the brushing method and high compressed air method is the most efficient and effective method of cleaning. The brushes “wipe” all dust and remove debris while the high compressed air blows out all of contents from ducts. *This method is more labour intensive and requires more time.
What is sanitization?
The purpose of sanitization is to kill mold, eliminate odor and disinfect non-porous hard surfaces (duct work) by simply spraying or wiping it on and letting it dry. Our company uses Benefect® disinfectant, the first and only botanical disinfectant in North America.

• Kills Over 99.99% of Bacteria, Fungus, TB and HIV
• No Rinse or Wipe Required
• No Warning Labels or First Aid Statements

Benefect® is suitable for use around children, pets and the chemically sensitive. The patented technology is a broad spectrum hospital disinfectant made from plants.

What is furnace chimney cleaning?
Furnace chimney cleaning is required for efficient and proper operation of your furnace. It is also a safety issue if blockage of the chimney occurs, restricting carbon monoxide to vent out fully, which might cause gas to leak inside your home (i.e. dead birds fall into the chimney - mostly happens in cold periods).
What is dryer and dryer vent cleaning?
According to the U.S. Fire Administration (Division of U.S. Department of Homeland Security), clothes dryers were involved in an estimated 15,600 U.S. structure fires, 15 deaths, 400 injuries, and $99 million in direct property damage annually, between 2002-2004.

A clean, unobstructed dryer vent improves the safety and efficiency of your dryer. As the dryer vent becomes obstructed and filled with lint, drying time increases and causes the dryer itself to overheat. We recommend scheduling dryer and dryer vent cleaning at the same time with furnace and duct cleaning, because we utilize the same equipment. *If ordered separately, you will be charged a service call fee.
What is fireplace cleaning?
Gas fireplaces require regular cleaning, inspection and maintenance for efficient and long lasting operation. We remove all the dust and stuck on dirt inside your fireplace, inspect your pilot light assembly and clean the front glass cover of the fireplace.

Wood burning fireplace cleaning is required for safety reasons. A clean fireplace chimney ensures proper and full ventilation of combustion gases - especially carbon monoxide.
What is central vacuum system cleaning?
Your central vacuum system should be cleaned on a regular basis so major blockages do not occur. The walls of the system collect dust and dirt and can become a source of bacteria and germs. We use the same powerful equipment to clean your central vacuum system as we do for your HVAC system.
filter comparison
What are humidifiers?
Humidifiers are used to transmit moisture in the air. In dry climates, combined with cold weather and high winds, the moisture content in the air is reduced, and people usually face skin and breathing problems. Recommended levels of humidity are 30% to 60%, so when the humidity level falls below 30%, it can cause uneasiness and discomfort in an individual. Such low levels of humidity can also trigger symptoms of asthma. Also, these low humidity levels are harmful for the plaster, wooden floors, wood furniture and even the structure of your home. Humidifiers restore the moisture content in the air and provide a safe environment to breathe. Our company recommends one of the most popular and reliable humidifiers in the market: GeneralAire® model 1042LH.
What are permanent electrostatic filters?
Do you know that the average person breathes in about 32,000 pints (18,185 liters) of air every day? Those 32,000 pints contain about 1,120,000,000 particles of dust and most of those particles are 3 microns or smaller in size. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. This can be a big problem if you suffer from allergies. Electrostatic air filters have advanced significantly in the last 10 years. Now they are extremely efficient, with ratings up to 95%. This means they filter 95% of the particles that pass through them. Compare that to the 5%-10% that is achieved with typical disposable fiberglass filters. Our filters are made by Air-Care™.
air purifier
What are air purifiers?
Air purifiers disinfect your air with the same ultraviolet light technology used in many hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories and kitchens. This UV Air Treatment System installs easily into your home's heating and cooling system, where the UV light sterilizes mold spores and live, airborne bacteria, effectively preventing them from circulating through your HVAC system.
What are carbon monoxide detectors?
A carbon monoxide detector or CO detector is a device that detects the presence of the carbon monoxide (CO) gas in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
How does a LintAlert Dryer Safety Alarm work?
The LintAlert® enhances your home safety plan by monitoring the dryer exhaust system for problems. As lint naturally builds up over time, LED indicators progressively illuminate to show how efficiently your dryer is operating. When airflow restriction becomes dangerous, an alarm is triggered.


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Conversion Optimisation: choosing the right method for testing your website.

Ben x

Over the past few months I’ve been really getting to grips with the world of Conversion Optimisation Testing - the process of testing to improve the performance of a landing page or conversion funnel with a view to increasing leads, sales or completed objectives.

Conversion optimisation can be a tricky subject, with many caveats. The field is littered with recommendations, best practice guidelines and suggestions for how to maximise the conversion potential of a website. Additionally there is no shortage of tools and packages designed to empower designers, developers and online marketers to collect and analyse data with a view to making informed changes to key converting landing pages and conversion funnels. But with this plethora of resources, the process can feel daunting and a little overwhelming. Trying to establish where to begin and what methods to use can seem like an impossible task, which is why I’m writing this blog post.

In part this is to divulge my findings over the coming months, but also as a way to formalise my findings and provoke some discussion on best practices and the preferred methods used by other people. Conversion Optimisation testing offers the opportunity to test a website in a live environment. This is an advantage over the alternative method whereby a new page or section is created to replace an old one with the impact being monitored. Live testing means all versions are subject to the same market conditions as they are running at the same time, enabling us to limit the impact of other factors which may affect the test.

There are a variety of methods which are recommended for Conversion Optimisation Testing, and the truth is, the correct one will depend entirely on the fundamentals of your given project, but two predominant methods are discussed again and again as the most effective methods of Conversion Optimisation Testing.

A/B (Split) Testing

The first and most simple is known as “A/B” testing. A/B testing in its simplest form is when a separate, second variation of the page being tested is created with various alterations from the control page (original page). Traffic to the page is then split between the original version (Version A) and the new version (Version B). The performance of the two pages is then monitored for a period of time and the page which performs the best is then selected. At this point another variation of the page may be created (Variation C) and traffic is then split between the winner of the initial test, and the newest version of the page. This process would typically continue until all logical variations have been created and tested. As the test progresses, each new variation that is developed must take into consideration the learned knowledge from the test which preceded it. Once the A/B testing has been completed and all logical page variations have been created and tested, the highest performing page is selected and permanently replaces the original variation.  Different tools allow you to conduct split testing in slightly different ways, for example it is common to create more than just one variation (a/b), for example; if a site receives enough traffic it may be possible to create two or three additional variations of the control page (test versions a/b/c/d) and split the traffic between all of them equally. The amount of variations which can be tested at once typically depends on how much traffic the website receives on a day to day basis, as attempting to create multiple variations on a low traffic website will mean statistically useful results take a long time to accumulate. Google Website Optimiser is a common tool for performing A/B testing, and takes a more structured approach to A/B testing. It allows us to create two variations in a single experiment,  and once a winner is found, a new variation (C) can be tested in a second experiment against the winner from the first experiment and so on.

Multivariate (MVT) Testing
MVT Testing

The second method for testing and improving website conversion is Multivariate testing. This is a process by which several components of a landing page are tested. The simplest way think of Multivariate testing is as several A/B/C/D/Etc tests being performed on a single page at any one time. For example, you may create 4 variations of the page header, 2 variations of the lead website image, 3 variations of the sidebar section, and 2 different colours on the primary CTAs (call to actions).  These different variations are then tested in different combinations. So a user may land on the page and see headline 1, lead image 2, sidebar section 1 and the 2nd call to action colour variation – or some other random combination. What this effectively means is that with Multivariate testing it is possible to test a potentially limitless number of combinations at any given time – the only real limitation being the time it will take to get a statistically valid sample of visitors to each of the specified combinations. As the test progresses we then disable underperforming combinations in favour of the high converting ones. Multivariate testing is more granular than A/B testing in that it allows for the testing of specific elements on a page, rather than A/B testing which requires that an entirely different variation of the page be created for testing. Multivariate testing allows us to identify specifically which elements are serving as a blocker or as an enabler to conversion, and in which combination they work best. Unlike A/B testing, which doesn’t give us this granularity, MVT Testing allows us to pinpoint exactly which element an improvement in conversion can be attributed to. Many popular websites adopt a continual 24/7 MVT testing strategy – is one of the most well known. They continually test and re-test various elements of their website. This is why the Amazon site evolves gradually, so for the user, there is never a visibly drastic change to the layout of pages or design of page elements, but over time the site changes to include the highest performing combination of tested elements.

Deciding which method of testing to use on your website

A/B Testing

A/B testing is the easiest method of conversion optimisation testing, as the implementation of this type of test is so simple. Two variations of a page are created (e.g. / and then traffic is literally split 50/50 between the two. There are also less technical implications of testing in this way; typically, cookies are used to maintain a consistent user experience – once a user has seen a particular variation of a page, this is the same variation they will see if they leave the site and return at a later date with the same computer and web browser. Google Website Optimiser offers a pain free method for implementing this type of test requiring only the addition of the following code to the pages being tested:

    • Two .js codes on the original variation, One to perform a redirect to the additional variations and one that measures the number of times the page was seen.
    • One JavaScript code snippet on each variation page to measure the number of visitors viewing each page
    • One JavaScript code snippet on the conversion page to measure which visitors converted.

Another significant benefit of testing in this way is the seamless integration with Google Analytics. As two separate pages are being created, within Google Analytics, a report can be generated on the two pages which can then be compared against each other after an appropriate amount of time has passed – allowing us to not only see if a page conversion rate has increased, but also to see if other metrics such as Bounce Rate or Time on Page have shown an improvement as well.

Advantages of A/B testing

Advantages of A/B testing

In terms of flexibility, again A/B testing has great benefits regarding the design and functionality of a page. Because we’re creating a completely new version of the page we are not limited or restricted by other elements which may need to be considered when testing in combinations as with an MVT experiment. Due to the fact that an A/B test will usually involve two (or more) separate and unique variations the margin of difference between the performances of the variations is typically much greater and a winning variation is usually identified quickly. Faster results means less time testing and more time for your winning combination to start converting visitors.

The simplicity of this method of testing also means that permanently changing from one variation to another is a simple process too, requiring only the removal of the GWO js code snippets. Because of these benefits A/B testing is almost always ideal for relatively low traffic websites or websites where conversion levels are minimal – such as blogs or educational sites.

A/B Testing also makes testing conversion funnels very simple, but potentially a little hard to manage. Traffic can be split between two pages, which then lead down different conversion funnels to a shared conversion goal page. This is simple to implement but has potential issues regarding the resource required to develop these entirely separate funnels. Furthermore, changing elements along the conversion funnel makes it even more difficult to identify exactly what increased or decreased conversion rates. For example, something which serves to increase conversion rates at the beginning of funnel A may be countered by something which decreases conversion rates at the end of funnel A; with a simple A/B test this would be difficult to measure.

MVT Testing

Many different factors have an impact on website conversion rates, which is where A/B testing is lacking; the simple testing of one page over another doesn’t offer enough specific information relating to what is aiding in a visitor’s path to conversion. It might be an unclear CTA, or an off-putting image acting as a barrier to conversion. Creating a new version of the page may well improve conversion, but the downside of this is that we haven’t learnt which elements of the original variation weren’t working, and more importantly, which elements of the new version are working. MVT testing allows for a more refined strategy, because we can make much smaller tweaks and changes and then test and analyse their impact, and more significantly, we can also test which elements are working well in combination and which might be working against each other. For lower traffic websites minor changes to colours, headings and images may not have a measurable impact, which is why simple A/B testing is a viable alternative. However for websites with a high volume of traffic, MVT Testing is the preferred method as this factorial process of testing is carried out by defining key areas of a page, on which elements can be alternated independently of other defined areas. For example; this might include but is not limited to:

    • The Site Header Image
    • The Sidebar
    • A Primary Call To Action
    • The H1 Text

Advantages of MVT Testing

Advantages of MVT Testing
Because MVT Testing allows us to test a potentially limitless set of combinations, it is absolutely paramount that a structured approach be taken, and that a testing plan is developed. The resulting amount of combinations vs. the average daily traffic to the website should be considered. Doing so will ensure that you see statistically relevant results in a reasonable timeframe. Failing to consider this may result in a wasted effort, and a test which lasts for months without showing a winning combination. If the correct approach to MVT Testing is taken, then the information gathered from this sort of experiment will be invaluable, offering insight into how your users think and interact with your site and how different elements within your website work together.

Technically, an MVT experiment is more of a challenge to implement than an A/B test. Relying more heavily on JavaScript:

    • Initial JS Code snippet in the header
    • An JS Code Snippet for each individual element on the page that will be tested
    • Additional JS Code snippet on the conversion page

Unlike an A/B test, all variations and combinations are displayed on the fly within a page, and so thought must be given to the impact of swapping various elements in and out of the defined areas on the page and how (if at all) they will work together. This seems simple enough when we’re considering swapping one image for another but consider the notion of moving a primary CTA from one defined area to another – in some cases this might offer a combination with two CTAs and one with none. In this case it is important to have a plan in place for ensuring that only the combinations you want to test are displayed to users.

Other complexities relating to an MVT test include the integration with Google Analytics. Different tools offer different levels of analytical reporting. In the case of Google Website Optimiser, the analytical reporting is minimal and therefore intetegration is required with Google Analytics for more comprehensive analysis. The most documented method for integrating a Google Website Optimiser MVT test with Google Analytics is to use custom variables to identify combinations, which is then fed into Google Analytics. This is a technical implementation and opens the floodgates regarding the impact this might have on our existing website tracking, and as such should be implemented with care and consideration.

To summarise, the key benefits of each method of testing are outlined below:

Multivariate Testing A/B Testing

    • More specific testing

    • Allows for “fine tuning” of a page

    • Requires a HIGH level of traffic

    • Less design resources required in long term

    • More technical implementation

    • More granular results – learning exactly what works and what doesn’t at a page element level.

    • More informed, scientific results

    • Simple version A vs version B testing

    • Not designed to identify minor areas where conversion could be improved

    • Requires a Medium – High level of traffic

    • Simple implementation

    • Typically yields a more clear winner – more dramatic results

    • Typically takes less time than MV testing

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Ask Amy

July 4, 2014

Ask Amy: Two sons engaged in romantic drama

Dear Amy: We have two sons, "Paul," 36, and "Michael," 33. Paul finally married his long-term girlfriend "Tasha" after a long and tempestuous relationship marked by bitter breakups and tearful returns — with one arrest along the way.

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China unpegs yuan; HQ Sustainable unpegs health products

June 29, 2010

No doubt all of you have noticed that China has recently unpegged their currency to the US dollar, preferring to key it instead to a basket of foreign currencies. Of course, having a fully floating yuan is pegging it to a basket of foreign currencies; it’s just that the peg is to every currency in the world at whatever weight the international market allows. At any rate, this has caused the yuan to become slightly stronger, although the Chinese government is still in control of all currency exchanges and is keeping volatility clamped down, but it is a positive development for those of us who like domestically-focused Chinese stocks, as the same amount of yuan now translates to more dollars.

China has said all along that they will not be bullied by complaining foreigners, and that if they unpegged their currency it would be to serve their own interests. And this unpegging may indeed have nothing to do with Western agitation and everything to do with China’s needs. We are told that the Chinese economy is expanding and some policymakers are becoming more domestically focused, and this means that China needs concrete, steel, copper, coal, petroleum, and all manner of things, which will be consumed internally rather than be worked up and re-exported. These things are, of course, much cheaper to buy with a strong currency than a weak one. Unfortunately, since the dollar and other currencies become weaker as the yuan becomes stronger, we in the US may find them to cost more, although our own exports will become more competitive as well. In any case, those of us who own companies that have cash flows in yuan should make out very well.

Speaking of which, HQ Sustainable announced Friday that they intend to spin off their marine health and bio-products line, representing about 1/4 of the firm’s total sales but more than half of its gross profits, into a separate company, although the board claims that it will retain 65% ownership. This segment has been the recipient of the bulk of the firm’s marketing expenditures, and much of the firm’s allocations to bad debt reserves has gone to the fish farm business last quarter, although the health products division received most of the reserve increases last year. It has not escaped my notice that many domestic Chinese firms have high and increasing receivables, so it is reasonable that bad debt reserve allocations will be higher than historical levels. I’m not sure if receivables reserve against chargeoffs can be viewed as nonrecurring; on the one hand a weak global economy will mean that chargeoffs are higher than they would be on a normal footing, but with higher levels of receivables come higher levels of reserves naturally, so I’m not convinced that these chargeoffs are nonrecurring enough to be ignored.

As I stated in my last article, the market tends to punish conglomerates of unrelated businesses, on the grounds that diversification for its own sake is generally practiced on the portfolio level and it is superfluous to practice it within a company. The market reacted positively to this spinoff, and the stock went up 10% on Friday, although it gave that back up entirely on Monday. I do like spinoffs, although with the company theoretically giving up 35% of an entirely domestically-focused business the cash flows in yuan may be going to another party. Furthermore, since I view the entire company as dramatically undervalued I worry that the spinoff will result in the firm giving away the new shares too cheaply, thus paradoxically destroying value in a move intended to enhance value. However, if the sales go well, the firm will receive the premium associated with the spinoff and retain control and a large interest in an entity that has its premium unlocked, and 35% of that premium will be in cash.

On balance, then, I think that both China’s liberalization of the yuan and the HQS spinoff  are positive developments for the strategy proposed on this blog.

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