mercredi 31 août 2011

Glen Helen Gorge, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

photo

Glen Helen Gorge, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

The West MacDonnell Ranges part briefly at Glen Helen Gorge, to make way for the Finke River. The ranges are of pacoota sandstone and form steep, broken ridges and it is here that the permanent Finke River waterhole is an important refuge in the hot summer months

Tags

Glen Helen Gorge

Alice Springs

Northern Territory

Australia

Gorge

MacDonnel Ranges

Sandstone

Finke River

Finke

Water Hole

River

finke river, alice springs, glen helen, macdonnell, waterhole, broken ridges, sandstone, hot summer, northern territory, briefly

Flickr.com

SteppesArtisan2011-233

photo

SteppesArtisan2011-233

Tags

Athens

Texas

United States

Steppes

Artisan

Ansteorra

2011

USA
Flickr.com

mardi 30 août 2011

Paris

photo

Paris

Impressionen aus Paris - La Defense.

Hier geht's zum Album "Paris" - Schaut einfach einmal rein!
Please see my photo set "Paris" here!

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La Defense

Paris

Frankreich

france

Europa

Europe

RiesenFotos

paris la defense, quot, photo

Flickr.com

Venice Dawn IMG_3278

photo

Venice Dawn IMG_3278

Early morning arrival in Venice. This was the one morning that I actually bothered getting out of bed before the sun was up ;)

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Venice

Italy

Europe

travel

vacation

all

cruise

morning

dawn

sunrise

venice dawn, morning arrival, sun

Flickr.com

lundi 29 août 2011

51 - Terrace Racing

photo

51 - Terrace Racing

Location photography by Offroad Images © 2011

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ttc

ttc2011

tufftruck

offroad images, photography

Flickr.com

...MIAAA!!!!

photo

...MIAAA!!!!

:-) :-) :-)

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Napoli

Campania

Italia

mare

spiaggia

onde

gioco

estate

sea

beach

waves

summer

game

vico equense
Flickr.com

dimanche 28 août 2011

Kynance Cove, Cornwall

photo

Kynance Cove, Cornwall

Kynance Cove, Cornovaglia

Canon eos 500D
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS @ 18mm
1/500, f/11.0, ISO 400
handheld

Tags

sky

sea

landscape

kynancecove

gulls

eos

cornwall

clouds

birds

ef s 18 55mm f3 5, kynance cove, 55mm f3 5, eos, 18 55mm f3 5

Flickr.com

U.K. Net Migration Rises 21%

LONDON—Net migration to the U.K. jumped 21% in 2010 to 239,000, as the number of people moving to Britain remained unchanged but the number leaving to live in other countries fell to its lowest level in five years, official data showed Thursday.

The Office for National Statistics said the number of people immigrating to the U.K. in the year to December 2010 was 575,000—similar to the annual level of immigration seen since 2004. The number of people emigrating from the U.K., which has fallen consistently since the financial crisis began in 2008, stood at 336,000 in the year to December.

Net migration—the balance between the number of people moving to the U.K. and the number leaving on a long-term basis—increased 21% in 2010 compared with 2009, when the figure was 198,000.

The increase will likely embarrass Prime Minister David Cameron's government, given it promised to limit immigration into Britain, and comes at a time when polls show that many Britons think there are too many immigrants in the U.K. The Conservative-led government has pledged to cut net migration to the "tens of thousands" by 2015.

Since it came into office in May 2010, the government has announced a number of proposals and changes to the immigration system. These include attempting to limit migration from non-European Union countries by proposing an annual cap, while at the same time loosening criteria to allow entrepreneurs and the rich to settle in the country.

Some of the government's immigration measures, in particular the cap on non-EU migrants, have been criticized by the business community, who say they could prevent companies recruiting the skilled workers they need.

While the government's action to date hasn't curbed overall net migration, it may have impacted on the number of jobs offered to foreign nationals. Thursday's figures show the number of people migrating to the U.K. for a definite job fell to 110,000 in 2010, its lowest since March 2004. By contrast, in 2008, 168,000 people moved to the U.K. to take up a particular job.

The main reason people move to the U.K. on a long-term basis is to study, with 228,000 coming to the country to study in the year to December 2010, slightly more than the 211,000 recorded in 2009, the ONS said. The number of people immigrating to the U.K. to study has trebled over the last decade, with 78% coming from outside the EU.

Write to Ainsley Thomson at ainsley.thomson@dowjones.com

european union countries, immigration measures, immigration into britain, net migration, immigration system, david cameron, foreign nationals, national statistics, minister david, skilled workers, term basis, britons, migrants, financial crisis, business community, immigrants, european union, prime minister, proposals, tens of thousands

Online.wsj.com

Vamos cayendo.

photo

Vamos cayendo.

Prensiona "L" para verlo grande con fondo negro. Se ve mejor!
Prensiona "F" si te gusta. Su "fav" ser muy apreciada!

Press "L" to see large black background. It looks better!
Press "F" if you like. His "fav" is greatly appreciated!

Mi pgina en Facebook - My page on Facebook
My Twitter
My Tumblr

PD: Por favor no comentar spam o publicidades de grupos. Si lo publican tendre que bloquear a la persona.
Please do not comment spam or group photos. If the public will have to block the person.

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Nikon

D3100

Nikon D3100

art

nature

foto

fotografa

cmara

summer

new

nueva

argentina

perspectiva

enfoque

nitido

nitidez

2011

live

love

light

dia

top

luz

color

colors

contraste

encuadre

colores

luces

sky

photo

365

da

day

explore

explored

photos

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macro

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verde

green

yellow

francorostan

fotgrafo

load27

day148

day149

week35

project36577

google

geo

flickr

i365

aug27

otoo

internet

oneday

fondo negro, group photos, publicidades, quot, black background

Flickr.com

samedi 27 août 2011

08 Haithabu WHH 21-08-2011

photo

08 Haithabu WHH 21-08-2011

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Haithabu

Hedeby

Heddeby

Heiabr

Heithabyr

Heidiba

Siedlung

Wikingerzeit

Wikinger

Vikinger

Vikings

Viking

Vikingr

Huser

Museum

Archologie

Archaeology

Arkologi

WHH

Haddebyer Noor

Schleswig-Holstein

Slesvig-Holsten

Slesvigland

Deutschland

Tyskland

Germany

Sommerzeit

Vorfhrung Handwerk im Experiment

Model, Form und Tiegel - Bronzeschmuck in Serie gegossen

Experimental-Archologe

Ken Ravn Hedegaard

http://www.ravnstoebeteknik.dk

21-08-2011

21. August 2011

08/21/2011

http://www.haithabu-tagebuch.de
Flickr.com

Water under the bridge...

photo

Water under the bridge...

See where this picture was taken. [?]

Tags

founders bridge

connecticut river

hartford

east hartford

Connecticut

USA

geotagged
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vendredi 26 août 2011

London Transport Museum 13

photo

London Transport Museum 13

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londontransportmuseum

london

transport

museum
Flickr.com

The Utmost Point

photo

The Utmost Point

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sun

sea

water

splash

spatter

foot

silhouette

sky

light

evening

girl

kid

reed

multiexposure

multiple exposure

triple exposure

J11

jakobstad

pietarsaari

suomi

finland

pni

skrubu

pekka nikrus
Flickr.com

jeudi 25 août 2011

Olympics Draw Refugees

[olyref] Getty Images

Spectators watch the Closing Ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics.

The Vancouver Olympics has had one curious byproduct: refugees. Canada has received seven requests for asylum from foreign Olympics spectators so far—including two from Japan, one from Russia and four from Hungary. If past trends are any indication, that number could increase.

The flurry of asylum applicants underscores Canada's reputation as an easy place to ask for refuge: Nearly anyone can do it, as long as they have entered the country and haven't been identified as an international security risk.

That ease has prompted a surge in asylum applications in recent years, from a list of countries that include Mexico, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Canada received nearly 34,000 requests for asylum in the past year, according to the Immigration and Refugee Board. Some 61,000 such applications were pending as of the end of December, the highest ever under the current system.

Asylum seekers generally apply under the standard definition of a refugee as laid out by the United Nations, meaning they fear persecution at home based on factors such as race, religion, politics or membership in a persecuted group, often gays or lesbians.

Those who can't prove they are truly in danger of persecution are sent home—as some 60% of applicants have been in recent years. But applicants are allowed to stay in Canada, with full benefits, until they get a hearing, which could take years.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said on a Canadian politics television show Tuesday: "It is a pretty obvious signal to people that they can come make a claim, get welfare benefits, get a work permit, stay here sometimes for years, and try to get permanent residency.''

Canada has tried to stem the rush by making it harder for citizens of top refugee producers to get in. In July, Citizenship and Immigration Canada started requiring visas for travelers from Mexico, which ranked No. 1 last year with 9,296 asylum requests. (It has a 9% acceptance rate.) Mexico slapped visa requirements on Canadian diplomats and officials in return.

The same month, Canada reimposed a visa requirement on then-No. 2-ranked Czech Republic, noting that nearly 3,000 refugee claims had been filed by Czech nationals in the roughly two years during which visas hadn't been required.

International sporting events have been magnets for refugee claims. Canada received 1,390 refugee claims associated with the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, and 1,592 from the 2001 Francophone Games in Ottawa and Gatineau, Quebec, said Johanne Nadeau, a spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Write to Phred Dvorak at phred.dvorak@wsj.com

citizenship and immigration canada, immigration and refugee board, refugees canada, immigration and refugee, asylum requests, asylum seekers, asylum applications, citizenship and immigration, asylum applicants, definition of a refugee, immigration minister, welfare benefits, jason kenney, security risk, permanent residency, canadian politics, byproduct, international security, current system, list of countries

Online.wsj.com

mercredi 24 août 2011

Shrewsbury Town v Swansea City (23.08.11)

photo

Shrewsbury Town v Swansea City (23.08.11)

carling cup action at the Greenhous Meadow between Shrewsbury Town and Swansea City

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swansea

city

fc

shrewsbury

town

swansea city fc

shrewsbury town fc

swansea city

shrewsbury fc

wales

welsh

football

soccer

football ground

football grounds

carling cup

league cup

carling

cup

league

english football

english soccer

welsh football

welsh soccer

picture

pictures

image

images

photo

photos

ground

Greenhous Meadow

Greenhous Meadow stadium

scfc

stfc

fans

floodlights

nikon

coolpix

s9100

nikon coolpix s9100

sport

sports

swans

the swans

salop

shrews

blues

jack

army

jacks

jack army

swansea city, carling cup, army

Flickr.com

mardi 23 août 2011

AU11_60d_02977a

photo

AU11_60d_02977a

Rainbow Pitta at Howard springs park east of Darwin, Australia, 110809. Pitta iris. Pittidae.

Tags

2011

AU

Australia

bird

Pitta

Pitta iris

Pittidae

Rainbow Pitta

darwin australia, pitta, springs park, iris, howard springs

Flickr.com

...it was winter in Paris

photo

...it was winter in Paris

The muse d'Orsay is on the left and the louvre on the right side of the river Seine, Pont des Arts in the front...(must view on black)

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Paris

France

Frankreich

city

river

Seine

bridge

Pont des Arts

water

bridges

museum

Louvre

Muse d'Orsay

skyline

travel

Europe

winter

pont des arts, river seine, d orsay, louvre, muse

Flickr.com

Saline

photo

Saline

Tags

Malta

Gozo

Sea

Salines
Flickr.com

lundi 22 août 2011

SunTrust Building, Norfolk, Virginia

photo

SunTrust Building, Norfolk, Virginia

Clouds reflect off the SunTrust building near the Norfolk, Virginia waterfront.

Tags

Norfolk

Virginia

VA

water

front

SunTrust

bank

building

clouds

blue

sky

reflection

glass

flag

virginia waterfront, suntrust, norfolk virginia ebook download

Flickr.com

Pan American Health Organization

photo

Pan American Health Organization

525 23rd ave. NW
Washington, DC
Architect: .Roman Fresnedo Siri, 1968

Tags

aluminum

american

architecture

beehive

bottom

building

circular

columbia

curtain

curves

dc

district

foggy

foggybottom

headquarters

health

midcentury

modern

modernism

nations

office

organization

paho

pan

photo

photography

photos

sweeping

un

united

wall

washingtondc

who

pan american health, siri, 23rd ave

Flickr.com

dimanche 21 août 2011

samedi 20 août 2011

Seul au Monde

photo

Seul au Monde

Parc National des Pyrnes

Tags

pyrnes

pireneos

montagne

mountain

lac

lake

water

parc national

france

randonnes
Flickr.com

vendredi 19 août 2011

2969 Arches Over The Sun.jpg

photo

2969 Arches Over The Sun.jpg

Khancoban 'Arches Over The Sun' Tour at The Toff In Town, melbourne, supported by The Orbweavers and Ildiko.

Tags

Khancoban

Melbourne

The Toff

The Toff In Town

live music

night

orbweavers, sun tour, toff, arches, melbourne

Flickr.com

jeudi 18 août 2011

Caribou Wilderness Area-2011_0815-124743

photo

caribou Wilderness Area-2011_0815-124743

The Black loop trail in the Caribou Wilderness Area of Lassen National Forest - Jewel Lake

Tags

California

geotagged

Susanville

United States

USA

caribou wilderness

hiking

trails

wilderness

Lassen National Forest

lassen

caribou wilderness, lassen national forest, wilderness area, black loop, loop trail, caribou, jewel

Flickr.com

Pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba

photo

Pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba

Playa del Rey--breakwater, 16 Aug 2011.
This bird was close to the footbridge.

Tags

2011

Birds

California

Nature

USA

pigeon guillemot, footbridge, breakwater, del rey

Flickr.com

RAF Museum, Cosford

photo

RAF Museum, Cosford

Tags

raf

museum

royal

air

force

british

britain

cosford

uk

midlands

airplane

aeroplane

matthew

king
Flickr.com

mercredi 17 août 2011

0903_London_223

photo

0903_London_223

Tags

Spring Break

europe

london

vacation

2009
Flickr.com

DSC_0364 - BMW TI - 1 G1 GT 2000 - Cipriani Federico

photo

DSC_0364 - bmw TI - 1 G1 GT 2000 - Cipriani Federico

13-14-08-2011- - 49° Cronoscalata Svolte di Popoli - Prove e gara

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49

49°

cronoscalata

svolte

di

popoli

pescara

storiche

historic

foto

fotos

photo

photos

nikon

d300s

pietroz

pietrozoccola

cipriani, g1, dsc, bmw, 0364

Flickr.com

mardi 16 août 2011

Panorama Rovigno (HDR)

photo

panorama Rovigno (hdr)

Tags

croatia

hdr

rovigno

rovinj

vascotto

veronica

panorama

sea

water

boat

nikon

d90

nikond90

rovigno, hdr, panorama

Flickr.com

lundi 15 août 2011

a fait longtemps que je ne suis pas alle Beuvron ~ I've not been in Beuvron for long time…

photo

a fait longtemps que je ne suis pas alle Beuvron ~ I've not been in Beuvron for long time

J'aime mieux sur fond noir ~ I like it better in the lightbox

Localisation sur Google maps See where this picture was taken. [?]

Tags

Europe

France

Normandy

2010

Beuvron-en-Auge

Normandie

Normandie Calvados Village Halle Toit Roof Rue Street Place t Summer les

plus

beaux

villages

de

France 2010

Original iPhoto

Normandie 2010

geotagged

google maps, google, calvados, toit, aime online, long time

Flickr.com

dimanche 14 août 2011

What runs but never gets tired?

photo

What runs but never gets tired?

Sing me the legends of the river.
Tell me a story of the sky.

Because I want to grow.
Because I want to know.
Because I want to understand.

In the river is the model of creation.
Our lives like the river to the sea.

Paint me a picture of the landscape.
Dance me the dance of the waves.
Sing me of the legends of the river.
Tell me the story of the sky.

Tags

children

bw

blackwhite

blackandwhite

water

summer

senlis

river

reflections

reflection

raz

geotagged

frenchcountryside

france

river to the sea, legends, waves, landscape, sky

Flickr.com

samedi 13 août 2011

Nature Rivers

photo

Nature Rivers

Tags

Beijing

China

Chinese

Chinesisch

Summer

Palace

Sommerpalast

Seerosen

Water

Lily

Lilies Boat

Boot

Wasser
Flickr.com

Ferien USA New York_1362.JPG

photo

Ferien usa new york_1362.JPG

Tags

New

York

Ferien

USA

Ausflug

Flickr

ferien usa, usa new york online

Flickr.com

John Erario, Leaha, Anu Singh, Mark Schulte, Armando A Chavez summer 2011

photo

John Erario, Leaha, Anu Singh, Mark Schulte, Armando A chavez summer 2011

Get Out On The Roof Summer 2011

Photo
New York City USA
08-06-2011

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N.Y.

N.Y.C.

NY. NYC. New York

New York City

City

212

Midtown Manhattan

Midtown

Manhattan

USA

America

American

Big Apple

The Big Apple

roof

top

rooftop

photo

photos

pic

photography

summer

2011

anu singh, mark schulte, leaha, armando, chavez

Flickr.com

vendredi 12 août 2011

Mavericks With Medals

[Olymp] Associated Press

Shaun White

When Johnny Spillane won the first-ever U.S. medal in the Nordic Combined on the third day of the Winter Olympics, his victory was touted as the payoff for old-school Olympic team building: a patient grass-roots effort to establish an American presence in an obscure winter sport. But since that early surprise, most of the biggest names of the Winter Games have been members of Team USA in name only, mavericks notable for training on their own, often in unconventional ways.

In 2007, for example, Bode Miller, who won his first Olympic gold in the men's combined earlier this week, took the unprecedented step of quitting the U.S. Ski Team to form his own Team America, which consisted of a mobile home and his personal entourage, before returning to the U.S. Ski Team this season. Lindsey Vonn, who won the women's downhill, has also worked outside the U.S. Ski Team infrastructure, being coached by her husband, Thomas Vonn, a former U.S. Ski Team racer. The Games' biggest star, Shaun White, the two-time defending gold medalist in the halfpipe, developed and perfected his signature tricks—the Double Cork and Double McTwist 1260—at a secret halfpipe built by sponsor Red Bull in Silverton, Colo.

Speed skater Shani Davis, who won gold in the 1,000 meters and silver in the 1,500 meters, operates even further outside the mainstream. An African-American from the South Side of Chicago, Mr. Davis opted out of the U.S. Speed skating's "athlete's agreement" that would have provided him a modest stipend; he chose, instead, to look for his own sponsors. He's conspicuously absent from the team's promotional materials, and team officials are notably mum on the subject of their biggest star. Short-track star Apolo Ohno hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with the powers that be in his sport. And, of course, figure skating is the ultimate individual endeavor, with skaters like 15-year-old Allison Reed of the Republic of Georgia, by way of Warren, N.J., going so far as to change citizenship in order to compete.

Contrast this rather rough-and-ready approach to athlete development with Canada's methodical, government-sponsored Olympic performance program. At a cost of 112 million Canadian dollars ($105.6 million), "Own the Podium" has produced only 17 medals as of early Friday, well behind the pace of Torino four years ago, when the Canadians captured 24. The U.S. sat atop the medal standings with 32.

This may seem, at first, like a convincing argument for fully privatizing the development of Olympic athletes. The reality is more complex than that. America's Olympians are funded at relatively low levels compared with their international rivals—the U.S. Olympic Committee doled out $58.2 million over four years to national governing bodies of individual sports, roughly half of what Canada's spending. For every Shaun White, there's a Shannon Bahrke, the pink-haired, bronze-medal mogul skier, who started her own coffee line to support her training and that of her teammates. Or the American speedskaters, who turned to comedian Stephen Colbert to raise $300,000 for the team after its major sponsor, DSB Bank, went bankrupt. The bottom line is simple: We won't put a dent in the national deficit with the money we're now spending on our Olympic athletes.

Relying solely on companies like Red Bull won't do it either. Sponsors are looking for an immediate return on their investment and to throw money at sure things. Messrs. Davis, Ohno and White secured big endorsement deals because, as defending gold medalists, they were sure to attract media attention, win or lose.

As Canada has learned the hard way, producing Olympic medalists is a long-term proposition. A lack of funding might distract a mature athlete from giving his best performance, but throwing money at a modestly talented competitor won't put him on the podium.

The first part of the road to future Olympic gold is under way right now. This week, every 10-year-old in the U.S. wants to be Shaun White or Lindsey Vonn or even Bill Demong, who won a gold in large-hill Nordic Combined. The first job of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the governing bodies of the individual sports is to provide the resources so as many of these kids as possible can to try out these sports in the hopes that one in a million will turn out to be the next Bode Miller.

Then comes the hard part, that long slog between gifted youngster and grizzled medal contender. The USOC must recognize that its goal isn't to churn out merely competent athletes by the dozens, but to identify and nurture a few full-blown geniuses. And geniuses often march to the beat of their own drums. Early in his career, for example, Mr. Miller was the first to use shaped skis, while his coaches dismissed them as a gimmick for recreational skiers. And Ms. Vonn, at the urging of her husband, defied conventional wisdom and became the first woman to race—and win—on stiffer, longer men's skis.

For all their talent and charisma, the heroes of Vancouver are also rugged individualists who reinvented their sports, sometimes clashing with coaches who didn't see things their way. It's not hard to envision an alternate reality in which many of them got fed up with bucking the system and ended up in front of the television, watching less talented but more compliant former teammates finish a respectable 12th.

An American version of "Own the Podium" might look like a cross between a school voucher program and venture-capital funding. The USOC and the individual sports federations should offer seed money to the most promising young athletes, and then have the foresight to step back and allow them maximum freedom to think—and train—outside the box. If there's a lesson to be learned from this magical Olympiad, it's that the only thing more important than discovering prodigious talent may be having the good sense to stay out of its way.

—Mr. St. John wrote the By the Numbers column for The Wall Street Journal and is a frequent contributor to SKI magazine.

apolo ohno, shani davis, grass roots effort, thomas vonn, old allison, johnny spillane, gold medalist, american presence, winter olympics, mctwist, speed skater, unconventional ways, husband thomas, ski team, bode miller, republic of georgia, halfpipe, unprecedented step, speed skating, track star

Online.wsj.com

Baka Voda

photo

Baka voda

Baka Voda near Makarska, Dalmatia, Croatia
20110724 191620 Morje024BakaVoda

Tags

Croatia

Hrvatska

Hrvaka

morje

sea

water

landscape

Biokovo

mountains

sunset

sun

dalmatia, voda

Flickr.com

jeudi 11 août 2011

France Strikes Confident Tone on U.S. Economy

PARIS—French finance minister Francois Baroin Saturday questioned Standard & Poor's downgrade of the U.S. government's AAA sovereign credit rating and said France has complete confidence in the U.S. economy.

"It's one rating agency amongst the three main ones. It's just one element in the view of the financial situation of the United States. I note that Moody's and Fitch have confirmed their triple-A ratings on the U.S.," Mr. Baroin said on French radio station RTL.

A U.S. Treasury representative said after the downgrade, from AAA to AA+ with a negative outlook, that it was a judgment flawed by a $2 trillion error.

"We can ask ourselves why Standard & Poor's has taken this decision on the basis of non-consensual figures that I'm sure the American treasury will comment on," Mr. Baroin said.

"We have a total confidence in the solidity of the American economy and its fundamentals," he added, noting the U.S. plans to reduce spending and deficits. "This confidence is in no way interrupted by the move from this rating agency."

S&P said the downgrade reflects their opinion that the fiscal consolidation plan that Congress and the administration recently agreed to falls short of what would be, in their view, necessary to stabilize the government's medium-term debt dynamics.

France, which is itself rated triple-A by all three agencies, will stick to it's deficit reduction targets come what may, Baroin said. "We will keep our objectives because they are inviolable," he said.

The French government targets bringing its deficit down to 3% of gross domestic product in 2013 from an expected 5.7% this year. It projects the debt-to-GDP ratio to peak at 86.9% of GDP in 2012.

Baroin also said France has been in contact with all the finance ministers from the Group of Seven countries, particularly over the last few days and this morning. He did not give details of the talks.

Write to William Horobin at William.Horobin@dowjones.com and Ruth Bender at Ruth.Bender@dowjones.com

francois baroin, french finance minister, gdp ratio, u s treasury, fiscal consolidation, government targets, reduction targets, consolidation plan, french radio, american economy, negative outlook, finance ministers, dowjones, deficit reduction, solidity, gross domestic product, financial situation, french government, bender, radio station

Online.wsj.com

mardi 9 août 2011

Moon rising

photo

moon rising

@ Sand Dunes Arch, Arches National Park, Utah.

Tags

USA

Utah

Arches

National Park

Moon

Canyon

Sand Dunes Arch

Square

Leica

M9

national park utah, rising sand, arches national park, sand dunes, moon

Flickr.com

Floating Flops

photo

Floating Flops

Siobhan spotted these, just floating around!

Tags

kayaking

kayak

Simon

Sait

Simon Sait

reflecting

remembering

water

fear

friends

friendship

random

flip flops
Flickr.com

lundi 8 août 2011

#cupcakes #monarch #foodie

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#cupcakes #monarch #foodie

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South Africa Debates Nationalizing Central Bank

JOHANNESBURG—A top official at South Africa's central bank added his voice to a growing chorus against nationalizing mines and banks, warning that while he didn't think the government would go through with it, the debate could signal a move toward a more hands-on economic approach.

This wouldn't be good news for the economy, said Rashad Cassim, one of eight members of the central bank's monetary policy committee.

"If we had a track record of a highly efficient government with great checks and balances, with the ability to distribute effectively and with minimal corruption, then actually no one would react to the government taking over mines," said Mr. Cassim, the central bank's head of research. "But we don't have that."

A push for South Africa to nationalize its mines and banks, led by Julius Malema, the influential youth leader of the ruling African National Congress, has topped headlines in recent months. The Youth League wants the government to take 60% of private mining assets without compensation to distribute wealth and create jobs.

The ANC hasn't endorsed nationalization as official policy, and so far, President Jacob Zuma and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan have remained quiet on the issue. Only two government ministers have spoken out against it, including Susan Shabangu, the country's mining minister. On Monday, South Africa's public enterprise minister, Malusi Gigaba, called the debate "reckless" and said it is hurting investment sentiment and the country's reputation.

The Reserve Bank's position against nationalization isn't surprising, given that nationalization proponents would want the bank to lose its shareholders and become strictly a state institution, said Neren Rau, chief executive of the South African Chamber of Commerce.

"It is obviously coming from the point of view of defending its current model, which is highly regarded in terms of international standards," Mr. Rau said. "Nevertheless, I do believe the Reserve Bank reasons its argument strongly."

Mr. Cassim said he doesn't expect a major shift in the ruling party's economic policy, but at worst, he's concerned the government is heading toward increased state monitoring and regulations.

Even with talk of nationalization and increasingly hostile political rhetoric in Africa's largest economy, money keeps flowing into the South African market. The rand, with attractive yields, remains up 5% to the dollar compared with the same time last year.

monetary policy committee, jacob zuma, african national congress, malema, cassim, economic approach, efficient government, nationalization, public enterprise, pravin, checks and balances, state institution, government ministers, finance minister, youth leader, s central, zuma, anc, proponents, johannesburg

Online.wsj.com

Eastcost, NY, DC and in between

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Eastcost, NY, DC and in between

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20110721164820

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20110721164820

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samedi 6 août 2011

Tuk-Tuk Driver Cambodia

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Tuk-Tuk Driver Cambodia

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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Heal me

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Heal me

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vendredi 5 août 2011

A little more to the left...

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A little more to the left...

Crazy to see these mighty palms lean so far over each straining to have their share of the sun.

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ephemera - Dean's Cafe menu

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ephemera - Dean's Cafe menu

Known for their huge menu of 4-egg omelettes.

Actually, it was lunchtime and so I chose the patty melt. Big mistake. I should have stuck with their specialty ('tho Mr.J's grilled ham and cheese looked good, with lots of ham).

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jeudi 4 août 2011

Snapping Coathanger at Sunset

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Snapping Coathanger at Sunset

Snapping Coathanger at Sunset

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A blacktip grouper sits on a rock

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A blacktip grouper sits on a rock

A blacktip grouper with large eyes and a scowl on its face perches on a rock.

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mercredi 3 août 2011

5 Ways 'The Bachelorette' gets relationships wrong

Surviving, thriving marriages from the popular franchise’s two shows are few and far-between—for a reason. According to Rachel Sussman, LCSW, a marriage and couples counselor at Rachel A. Sussman & Associates in New York City, the reality of married life is given such short shrift, and so many of the key elements are overlooked, that these unions simply don’t have the backbone to survive long term. “As you get to know someone, you need to know what you are looking for—what you will and won’t settle for, or ask for,” says Sussman. ‘Do you want to have kids? How many? How do you handle work-life balance?’ These are the questions people need to ask each other.” Here, 6 more relationship mistakes the series makes:
 
7 Mistakes Even Smart Couples Make

1. There’s No Mention of Practical Matters
The would-be couples on this show spend an inordinate amount of time checking in to ask each other, essentially asking, “do you love me yet?” and if there’s any nuts-and-bolts discussion of the reality of married life—shared goals, religion, values, children (or not), work-life balance, and how everyone feels about one spouse grossly out-earning the other—it’s edited out by producers, says Sussman.

Negotiation 101

2. Every Date is an Exercise in Excess Whether you’re in a long-term relationship or just starting to date, sometimes less is more. If you’ve seen even part of one episode, you know the drill: boy and girl go on a highly scripted and over-thought “date,” which is so distracting, it’s impossible to capture a real feeling. Producers do a stealth trick—using the extraordinary circumstances of the series, and the dates they set up for the contestants, to allow for heightened emotion that can get misplaced onto actual people. There is no grabbing a pizza, catching a movie, sitting in Starbucks—because actual reality is kind of boring. When you’re not focused on the extraordinary circumstances of the evening, “boring” or just plain familiar backdrops can open the door to deeper conversation.

10 Everyday Ways to Stay Close

3. Talk is Cheap In successful marriages, couples prioritize what’s important to discuss. In fact, our internal editors play a key role in keeping the peace. “If something major is going on, your partner takes into consideration the whole picture of your relationship before diving in to discuss one specific situation,” says Shannon Boxley, LCSW, a marriage and family therapist at Four Seasons Therapy in Park City, UT. “It’s good marriage manners to be tactful.” Just as it’s bad relationship manners to, say, allow someone to get down on his knee before you tell him he’s not “the one.” And even worse form to try to soften the blow with seemingly meaningless compliments. Yeah, we know, it’s good TV. Last night, before Bachelorette Ashley could pin the final rose on JP’s lapel, she had to first explain to poor (lucky?) also-ran Ben that while she found him “interesting,” and they’d shared some great moments, she didn’t return his devotion and love. It carried no truck with Ben, who gathered his last shred of dignity—and stormed away in anger. “Don’t try to sugar coat this,” he nearly growled. “It can’t end well. When something good comes to an end, it’s not ending well.” She appeared stunned—because every thought she’d previously expressed had been met with unconditional acceptance. Because they were her feelings.

Why Happy Couples Fight

4. There’s no feelings-angel in real life. “If you base your ideal of a relationship on what you see on TV, and think everyone has a producer standing in the wings, coaxing emotion out of them, and then you don’t ask the real questions, you won’t know what kind of communicator you’re with,” notes Sussman. Ben’s next girlfriend is, in fact, in luck. “I’m a more complete person because of Ashley, and because of the whole journey,” Ben told Chris, noting that he’d learned to become more emotionally accessible. Which, love-struck viewers should note, means he’s also empowered to have the conversations that will actually prepare him for finding his true partner.

40 Must-Know Tips About Love and Sex

5. Rush-to-ring means missed milestones.
Ashley and her chosen spouse-to-be, JP Rosenbaum said last night they’re moving in together soon and taking some time to adjust to their life without cameras before they plan their wedding. Which is good. Because as life happens, “eventually, something comes up that you have to talk about,” says Sussman. “Even if it’s, ‘you were late for our date,’ and you learn what kind of communicators you are.” We wish them luck.
Ways to Help Make Your Love Last

More from Prevention:
Spice Up Your Love Life With Yoga
Meditate to a Better Marriage
14 Days to Better Sex

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long term relationship, short shrift, work life balance, nuts and bolts, extraordinary circumstances, actual reality, married life, sussman, starbucks, backbone, amount of time, negotiation, counselor, stealth, emotion, couples, producers ebook download, franchise, amp, pizza

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