TORONTO (AP) ? Research In Motion rose Thursday after Goldman Sachs upgraded the phone maker's shares, saying there's a "30 percent chance" RIM's much-delayed BlackBerry 10 smartphones will be a success.
THE SPARK: Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski lifted RIM to "Buy" from "Neutral," the latest analyst to voice a slightly more optimistic view for the troubled company. Goldman lifted its 12-month price target to $16 from $9.
THE BIG PICTURE: RIM was once Canada's most valuable company, with a market value of more than $80 billion in 2008, but shares have sunk due to ground lost to Apple Inc.'s iPhone and phones running Google Inc.'s Android system.
Now the company's new BlackBerrys, expected sometime after Jan. 30, are considered critical to its survival. The new system includes a touch screen and the apps experience that customers now expect.
THE ANALYSIS: Jankowski noted positive early reviews for the new operating system and broad-based support by carriers who are looking to sell a third operating system beyond Google's Android and Apple's iOS.
She predicted that RIM will become profitable in the year ending in February 2014. Analysts polled by FactSet expect a loss. Still, she expects RIM to revert to a loss the next year.
Last week, National Bank Financial Kris Thompson increased his price target to $15 from $12, while Jefferies analyst Peter Misek doubled his price target from $5 to $10, saying the BlackBerry 10 operating system has a 20 to 30 percent chance of succeeding.
SHARE ACTION: Shares of Research In Motion added 67 cents, or 6.4 percent, to $11.77 in midday trading on the Nasdaq. The stock is up 78 percent since late September ? but it's down 23 percent this year through Wednesday's close, and has lost more than 90 percent from its 2008 high.
Unexpectedly low appraisals can happen for a number of reasons, especially when foreclosures, short sales and other distressed properties abound.
Hoping for a better valuation, Joanna Zimring Towne is remodeling her Altadena home?s kitchen. (Irfan Khan, Los Angeles Times / November 11, 2012)
Joanna Zimring Towne thought refinancing her Altadena home would be simple.
When Zimring Towne and husband Andrew Towne, a 48-year-old television lighting technician, bought the two-bedroom home for $535,000 in 2006, the appraiser valued it at about $600,000.
During the November 2011 inspection, Towne walked around the property with the appraiser. The couple were being charged $500 by the management company that employed the appraiser, but they considered it a minor sacrifice, hoping to reduce their mortgage rate to 3.25% from 6.9%.
Then the valuation report arrived a few days later, and hope turned to anger.
?The appraiser spent about 10 minutes in the house, didn?t take photos and gave us an appraisal of $350,000,? said Zimring Towne, 37, director of the career services center at Los Angeles? Pierce College. Not taken into account, she said, was that ?in this area, we have tremendous [price] variability within a mile radius.?
The appraisal process has become a headache for homeowners looking to secure historically low interest rates and buyers and sellers hoping to reach property deals.
More than a third of real estate agents say they?ve recently seen lower-than-expected appraisals hold back home sales, even though buyers and sellers had reached agreement on price, according to a survey by the National Assn. of Realtors.
Of the agents surveyed, 11% said a contract was canceled and 9% said a contract was delayed because of a low valuation, the association said. And 15% said they had a contract renegotiated to a lower sale price because of a low appraisal valuation.
?The combined issues of stringent mortgage lending requirements and appraisal frictions are hampering otherwise qualified buyers from purchasing a home in a timely fashion and in some cases are preventing them from buying at all,? Lawrence Yun, the Realtors group?s chief economist, said in a statement accompanying the survey results.
The Realtors group and others say sometimes problems arise because appraisers, employed by large appraisal management companies, may not have sufficient experience in a neighborhood.
In addition, real estate agents say, a low valuation can occur when an appraiser doesn?t take a home?s condition into account, hasn?t kept up with market values or compares the property to homes that really aren?t similar in a market complicated by foreclosures, short sales and other distressed properties. Often, lenders are being cautious to avoid some of the valuation mistakes made during the housing-bubble years.
Whatever the reason, appraisal horror stories are easy to find.
Leo Nordine of Nordine Realtors has been unable to refinance his 3,500-square-foot Hermosa Beach home because he can?t get the property appraised for a high enough value.
?I have had offers of $4.5 million. It appraised for $2.5 [million] in September. Tear-down lots on my street sell for more than that,? he said.
?I have been in the business for 25 years. I know everyone. I have perfect credit. And I can?t even refinance my house,? the 59-year-old real estate broker said. ?If I have no control, the average guy who doesn?t know anything about real estate has no control either.?
Rosemary Kubeck-Shumski, 47, a mortgage loan advisor and branch manager for Real Property Finance Inc. in Redondo Beach, recalled a four-unit Torrance investment property that was appraised to be worth $350,000 less than expected in June 2010.
Kubeck-Shumski, who has been in the business since 1991, said, ?I could tell the guy did not go to the property. He pulled photos from the Multiple Listing Service.?
After showing comparative values on local listings and providing original photos, Kubeck-Shumski got the appraisal bumped up to $975,000 from $635,000.
Miguel Soler, 38, an agent with Re/Max in Valencia, said that when a property has multiple offers, the homeowner should ask the appraiser to note the number of bids in the report. ?This shows that the market is appreciating and the amount of interest in the property,? he said.
The opinion of the appraiser doesn?t always determine the sale price. In June, a Valencia listing that appraised at $640,000 sold for $690,000, Soler recalled. In this case, he said, the lender capped the loan and the buyer came up with the extra $50,000.
Even with good information, complex appraisals can be tricky territory for the most seasoned appraisers, said Mark Backonen, chief executive of Class Appraisals Group, a leading appraisal management company based in Troy, Mich.
?For the most part, everyone is trying to make the best decisions and do the best work they can. But when you have areas with a high number of foreclosures and banks dumping properties, it causes all kinds of problems,? he said.
?If there are no similar homes next to the subject property, the entire theory of appraising goes out the window.?
Backonen said that of the 10,000 appraisals his company conducts each month, about 3% are disputed. Of that 3%, a third are corrected and two-thirds are upheld.
In the 1980s, after the savings and loan crisis, the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice were adopted. They require an appraiser to be competent, independent and objective.
Industry watchdogs called for regulation in 2009 after accusations emerged of ethics violations and inflated values resulting from a too-cozy relationship between loan originators and appraisers. The Home Valuation Code of Conduct was created to prevent collusion by making appraisal management companies, not individual banks or lenders, responsible for selecting appraisers to value homes.
Now, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is pushing for more transparency in the mortgage process, full appraisal reports and valuation data, information on the appraiser who recorded the report and disclosure of cost-splitting of appraisal fees, which range from $250 to $1,000. Backonen said Class Appraisals keeps approximately 10% to 15% of the fee.
For those with the appraisal blues, new guidelines and standards can?t come soon enough.
In Altadena, the Townes are remodeling their kitchen and hope to try again for a better valuation.
?It is hard to justify putting a $20,000 kitchen into a house that ? unless we can refinance ? we will never come close to breaking even on,? Zimring Towne said.
?
This article was reposted from the Los Angeles Times, originally written by Michelle Hofmann and published on November 11, 2012.
(Carol Lindsay | The Salt Lake Tribune) Devin Smith and Miriam Wilson play Ingenious during an after-school board games club at Layton Junior High.
After-school club ? Teacher Stephen Olson loves sharing his passion for board games.
Layton ? Growing up, Stephen Olson loved board games ? all kinds of board games.
He played them with his family and friends. When he went to college at the University of Utah, he started a board game club with fellow students.
Eventually Olson?s friends gave up board games for girlfriends, wives, children and other activities, and the club died out. But Olson?s love for games never diminished.
Fast forward to 2012, and Olson is a math teacher at North Layton Junior High. It?s his first year on the job, and he discovered there is no math club, so he volunteered to supervise one. He then discovers there is no chess club. It?s one of the few board games he doesn?t love, so he asked his administration if he could have a combination chess and board game club.
They consented.
On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, the board game club meets after school from three to five. Olsen is a happy teacher?he gets the chance to play board games and share his knowledge and love of the game with students.
Olsen visited his parents? home and retrieved an assortment of his favorite games from youth including Ingenious, Small World and Tsuro. Other students play trading card games and still others play chess.
"I can?t resist playing games," Olson said. "I play while I?m correcting papers."
The games help students with reassigning skills and logic. Small World teaches them about combination and how things can synergize or work against one another. Olson said the students also have to learn to put on their poker faces when playing.
While the majority of game playing is friendly, tension can break out.
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"Small World gets a little heated," Olson said.
Seventh-grader Alex Chipman loves the structure of board games.
"I have Asperger?s so this is one of the few times I can open up and enjoy myself," said Alex, who flits around the room checking out all the games. "I don?t like it when people don?t follow the rules. Here I don?t have to worry about people going against the rules because if they don?t follow them, the game won?t work."
Alex?s father, David Chipman, is a resource teacher at North Layton Junior High. He enjoys having Alex participate in the club. "It keeps him occupied and forces him to interact socially," he said. "I think it gives the kids a way of expressing their own personality without having to be afraid of what anybody else thinks about it because they all have a shared interest in the games. If you are passive or aggressive in your play it?s OK, it?s a game, and no one gets hurt."
Eighth-grader Miriam Wilson has always loved board games, and she has not missed a single day of club. At home she played Monopoly and Sorry. The club has introduced her to new games.
"I like playing with other people," Miriam said. "After I?ve played with them for a while, I know what they are thinking and what their next move is going to be."
At another table sit the trading-card gamers. Two brothers, Braden and Cameron Putnam, are in the club. They enjoy playing games with each other and their brother, but they joined the game club to play against new people.
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Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
QUITO (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is suffering from a chronic lung ailment that could worsen at any time and is being checked regularly by doctors, the Andean country's ambassador to Britain said on Wednesday.
Assange, 41, whose website angered the United States by releasing thousands of secret diplomatic cables, has been holed up inside Ecuador's embassy in London since June to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning over rape and sexual assault allegations. Assange has denied any wrongdoing.
"He has a chronic lung complaint that could get worse any time. The Ecuadorean state is covering Mr Assange's medical costs and we have arranged for regular doctor visits to check on his health," Ambassador Ana Alban told a local TV network during a visit to Quito.
British authorities say Assange will be arrested if he sets foot outside the embassy. The building, located just behind London's famed Harrods department store, is under constant police surveillance.
Ecuador said last month it is worried about Assange's health and asked Britain to guarantee him safe passage to hospital from the embassy if he needs medical treatment.
That would allow him to return to the embassy after treatment with refugee status.
Assange took refuge in the embassy after running out of legal options to avoid being sent to Sweden. Ecuador granted him asylum in August and said it shared his fears that he could be sent from Sweden to the United States to face charges over WikiLeaks' activities.
U.S. and European government sources say the United States has issued no criminal charges against him, nor launched any attempts to extradite Assange.
Assange is said to be living a cramped life inside the modest diplomatic mission. He eats mostly take-out food and uses a treadmill to burn off energy and a vitamin D lamp to make up for the lack of sunlight.
On Tuesday, the Australian former computer hacker accused "hard-right" U.S. politicians of pressing European credit card firms to block more than $50 million (31.2 million pounds) in donations to WikiLeaks, and said that had forced the website to reduce the volume of documents it posted online.
Speaking to reporters in the embassy's gilt-corniced conference room, Assange said his stay there had been "difficult in many ways" and that any resolution of the standoff would be "a matter of diplomacy."
He refused to comment on his health or how long he may have to stay in the embassy, declaring those subjects "off-topic."
In late August, Assange said he expected to wait six months to a year for a deal that would allow him to leave the embassy.
This holiday season, small retailers are leaving Groupon off their lists as far as sales strategy goes.
This shopping season is the biggest one of the year, and small businesses often rely on sales made during this period to bring them into the black as the year comes to a close.
A sales strategy that didn't work during the rest of the year is out of the question for the holidays, says Pamela Springer, CEO of online small business network Manta.
This doesn't bode well for Groupon and other daily deals sites. Only 3percent of retailers got repeat customers out of daily deals promotions, according to a survey Manta released Oct. 30.
"They're doubling down on things that work, and leaving things that are less proven or they've had experience with and didn't work off to the side," says Springer.
If businesses aren't getting repeat customers out of Groupon deals, they're losing money, says Anthony Bruce, CEO of retail data analyzer Applied Predictive Technology. Groupon often charges businesses as much as half the revenue of a deal sale, which is usually a drastic discount already.
"If there are future purchases that occur because of a Groupon, that's great," says Bruce. "If it's an incremental visit I wouldn't have gotten anyway, it's bad. If it's a visit I would have gotten anyway but did it with a Groupon, that's terrible."
Jennifer Untermeyer says she won't use Groupon this holiday season, because she lost money on the five daily deals she ran last year for her business, TravelKiddy, an online store that sells toys and games to keep kids busy during road trips or plane rides. She ran her first $10 deal for $20 of merchandise on Eversave last November, trying to snag holiday travelers, and ran four more similar deals on niche mom-themed deals sites, hoping to score new customers.
It didn't work.
"We can tell how many people we've had repeat, and it's eight or nine out of 3,000 deals," she says. "We ended up in an overall loss, even factoring in the marketing benefits."
Sales chief Kal Raman says Groupon helps businesses retain customers through its reward program, which is sort of like a frequent-flier program for customers. The program helps businesses track purchases a Groupon customer has made, and after a certain level of spending is reached, Groupon automatically sends the customer a free deal.
"We effectively become their loyalty-management company," says Raman, who sees Groupon as a great way for retailers to sell inventory they'd otherwise be sitting on. "As a small-business owner, you can aim high, and we can hedge that risk."
Will Ander, senior partner of retail strategy firm McMillan Doolittle, says liquidation is the only good thing Groupon does for small retailers. "It's more effective than giving it to the Salvation Army."
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) ? An autopsy has found that a Guantanamo Bay prisoner who died in September committed suicide, a U.S. military official said Thursday.
Adnan Latif, who was found unconscious in his cell in a disciplinary wing of the prison at the U.S. base in Cuba, took an overdose of psychiatric medication, according to a senior Defense Department official.
The official said it had not yet been determined how Latif, who was from Yemen and had a history of mental illness and clashes with guards, managed to collect enough medication to kill himself. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the autopsy results have not yet been released and the case remains the subject of an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
The U.S. military does not intend to disclose the results of the autopsy or discuss the case in further detail until after Latif's remains are returned to his country, said Army Col. Greg Julian, a spokesman for the U.S. military's Miami-based Southern Command, which has jurisdiction over Guantanamo. The remains are at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
His death was the seventh suicide at the prison, where the U.S. now holds 166 men. The deaths of two other prisoners were determined to be from natural causes.
The finding of suicide in the Latif case was first reported by the website Truthout, followed by The New York Times.
David Remes, a lawyer for Latif, said he is skeptical of the military's conclusion and said it would be difficult for the prisoner to accumulate enough medication to commit suicide because he was frequently searched and monitored inside the prison.
Remes said he thinks it's possible that Latif was given excessive or incorrect medication. "Given a choice between blaming themselves and blaming Adnan, the choice they made was all but preordained," he said.
Latif, who was in his 30s, was held at Guantanamo for more than a decade. The U.S. government accused him of training with the Taliban to fight the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. He was never charged and was apparently among about 30 prisoners from Yemen who could not be sent back because their country is considered too unstable to prevent former prisoners from engaging in militant activities.
At Guantanamo, he was among dozens of prisoners who waged hunger strikes to protest their captivity. At the time of his death he was in a disciplinary unit for allegedly hurling bodily fluids at a guard.
He had challenged his confinement with a civil petition known as a writ of habeas corpus. In July 2010, a judge ruled a classified report was insufficient evidence that he had trained at the militant camp and ordered his release.
The government appealed to a higher court, which ruled that courts should assume the government documents were accurate and reliable. In June, the Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal, which lawyers said has caused increased despair among Guantanamo prisoners.
____
Associated Press writer Pauline Jelinek in Washington contributed to this report.
BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian state-run media say two car bombs have exploded in a Damascus suburb, inflicting several casualties.
The Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights says 20 people were killed in the blasts. The activist group relies on reports from the ground.
The SANA state news agency says the Wednesday morning explosions targeted Damascus' eastern Jaramana suburb, which is mostly populated by Christians and Druse.
Rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad are predominantly members of the Syria's Sunni Muslim majority. They have frequently targeted the country's minority communities, perceived to be allied with Assad's Alawite sect, an offshoot Shiite group that dominates the regime.
Damascus suburbs have become opposition strongholds since March last year, when the uprising began.
At least 40,000 people have been killed in the civil war, according to activists.
Peter Jackson with his daughter Katie Jackson on the red carpet at the world premiere of "The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey."
By Pip Bulbeck, The Hollywood Reporter
An estimated hundred thousand New Zealanders turned out along the 1,600-foot red carpet, which took the stars two hours to negotiate at the world premiere of Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" in the New Zealand capital of Wellington on Wednesday afternoon local time.
The event took place nine years after the red carpet was rolled out to host the premiere of the "Fellowship of The Ring" on the same streets.
PHOTOS: The hard road to "The Hobbit"
Elijah Wood, who reprises his role as Frodo Baggins in the "Hobbit" films, said he was relying on muscle memory to take him to the Embassy Theater, where many of the cast and crew saw the completed film for the first time.
A large international press contingent and others were the first to see the film at a screening Monday night, but were under a strict embargo that kept people from commenting on or reviewing the film before the end of the premiere.
PHOTOS: Meet "The Hobbit's" key characters
But Wood paid tribute to Martin Freeman?in the lead role of Bilbo Baggins. "He was brilliant -- the right amount of funny," he said. "He has strange qualities, but also real heart. He is the heart of the movie, and he really pulled it off."
Attendees also lauded the technical quality of the film and its higher frame rate.
Richard Armitage, who plays dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield, said about working with Jackson: ?The thing that inspires me is that he?s as fascinated with technology and where film can go as he is with story and character. Something incredible has been created that?s never been seen before."
PHOTOS: "The Hobbit": 17 new posters introduce characters going on "An Unexpected Journey"
Director/producer Bryan Singer tweeted:? "Just saw ?#Hobbit?. Having some serious frame rate envy. Amazing and involving. Loved it! And ?@ianmckellen118?, my friend, you are brilliant!"
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, who allowed the film to keep shooting in New Zealand by changing labor laws and underwriting an extra $25 million in incentives two years ago said: ?New Zealand took a risk investing in 'The Hobbit,'? and ?it's paid off.? Jackson, he said, is a ?genius.?
Oscar winner Joe Letteri,?Weta Digital?s head of visual effects, was somewhat more reserved, saying that ?after tonight we?ve got he rest of the story to tell. ?Weta Workshop tweeted: ?To all of you who have joined us for the wild ride leading up to this day - a big thank you from the Weta team."
REUTERS/Mark Coote
Cast and crew pose on stage at the world premiere.
It seems demand to see the film in its native higher bit rate of 48 frames per second is high, at least in New Zealand, with sessions at those cinemas screening at the higher frame rate selling out, according to reports. The film formally opens in New Zealand on Dec. 14. According to the NZ Herald, a decision by exhibitors Hoyts and Event Cinemas to dedicate a screen in every theater to projecting the film at the higher frame rate has created a rush for tickets.
It has been reported that only 1,000 cinemas worldwide will have the capacity to screen the film in the higher frame rate in 3-D.
Fans worldwide were able to watch the red carpet proceedings live on the Internet thanks to a feed from Warner Bros.
Tourism New Zealand is expecting a boost in the tens of millions of dollars from the "Hobbit" films. Meanwhile, Jackson said he would take a short break before getting back to post-production on the second and third films after Christmas.
And Graham McTavish, who plays dwarf Dwalin, revealed that there would be another two months of film work in May next year for some of the cast.
As Jackson finishes work on the second and third films, another duo of blockbuster sequels is being created not far from Jackson?s hometown.
Avatar director James Cameron told reporters on the red carpet that he has taken up residence on his new farm in Wairapa, a short flight from Wellington, to write "Avatar 2" and "3."
He told reporters that he needed the solitude so he could give the scripts his full attention. However, he was enjoying his new home so much that it was distracting him, he added.
And as befits a family film, Weta Workshop chief Richard Taylor?acknowledged that he was waiting to see the finished "Hobbit" with his family, while Jackson walked the red carpet with his daughter Katie, who was just three years old when work on the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy started. Asked if she wanted to follow the family movie-making tradition -- her mother Fran Walsh?is Jackson?s co-writer and co producer -- she quipped: ?You never know, I might carry it on.? Jackson, obviously pleased at the prospect, said ?she?s extremely clever. It?d be fantastic if she did.?
While Jackson was the first to arrive on the red carpet, he also had the last word.
?It's been two years with this narrow focus on the film where we were trying to keep everybody out," he said. "You have security, you don't want people to know what you're doing. Then you get to that moment where filming's over, and 100,000 people come along to the premiere. It's kind of like the whole world has turned upside down."
If you're confused over a recent email from Facebook regarding its data use policy, you're not alone.? The email ? with the subject line "Up... Read more
9 hrs.
Devin Coldewey, NBC News
Police in Helsinki?seized?the laptop of a young girl during a search of her family's home last week, according to her father.?The alleged?offense? Using the?popular BitTorrent website The Pirate Bay to download a single album.
Last year, 9-year-old Julietta?came across a torrent on The Pirate Bay after searching on Google?for Finnish pop star Chisu's latest album. The download failed to work, and she and her father went and bought the album together shortly afterwards.?Unbeknownst to them,?Finland's Copyright Information and?Anti-Piracy Centre (known as CIAPC, as well as its Finnish acronym, TTVK) had already?taken notice.
The events are related by the girl's father,?Aki Wequ Nylund,?in?a public?Facebook post. (Though Google Translate's Finnish is not very good, an account of the translated?story?was posted at copyright and BitTorrent news blog?TorrentFreak.)
That spring, a letter arrived from the TTVK?alleging that the Nylund's account had been linked to a copyright infringement. The letter gave the option to pay a settlement of ?600 and sign a non-disclosure agreement ? a common tactic used by copyright holders that removes the need for formal charges.
Nylund contacted the?TTVK?lawyer to contest the matter, but?the TTVK continued its pursuit of damages. Last Tuesday morning, he found a pair of Finnish police officers standing at his doorstep.
The police presented a search?warrant, entered, and identified the girl's Winnie?the?Pooh-decorated laptop as the object of their search, and confiscated it.
Unsurprisingly, the events have drawn criticism locally and abroad. Finnish Internet rights watchdog Electronic Frontier Finland denounced the actions of the TTVK in a statement and blog post, calling attention to the arbitrary nature of the settlements and their use?as a scare tactic. They also point out that?Nylund's acknowledgment?in this case notwithstanding, an IP address used to track an infringement cannot be linked to a person's identity.
The TTVK's executive director defended the actions in comments to Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, saying that TTVK and the police were only working to enforce the law.?
Chisu, the pop star whose album was at the center of the controversy, expressed in a Facebook post that she supported copyright law but apologized for the situation.
Niko?Nordstr?m, CEO of Warner Music Finland, acknowledged (also via Chisu's Facebook page)?the limits of IP-based enforcement, but said?"this procedure is currently the only way to tackle illegal downloading" (translation by Google).
Had the TTVK known that the infringing party in this situation was a young?girl, might they?have taken a softer approach? In past cases,?U.S. media associations have not?made accommodations for minors, either.
As for Julietta's lost laptop, an anonymous benefactor sent a brand-new MacBook Pro to replace it. Her father reports that she is already putting it to use, playing online with her friends. An administrator at The Pirate Bay promised VIP privileges to her as well if she wants them?? ?although after this experience, it would be understandable if she opted not to take advantage of the offer.
Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC?News Digital. His personal website is?coldewey.cc.
(Reuters) - Wisconsin and Illinois share the shoreline of Lake Michigan but when it comes to the health of their state public pension funds, they are polar opposites - one sits at the top and the other at the bottom in a new ranking of U.S. states released on Monday.
The rankings, compiled by investment research firm Morningstar Inc, looked at the liabilities of taxpayers on a per-capita basis for the pension funds administered by 50 states, as well as the more traditional measure of how well or poorly the programs are funded.
"Wisconsin had the strongest-funded pension system," the study said, noting the state's good management and pension reforms over the years. "Illinois had the weakest-funded system."
The cost of funding public pensions has become a controversial issue in many U.S. states and cities which are struggling with lower revenue in the wake of the economic recession and higher costs, not only for pensions but also for services such as public safety, healthcare and education.
Wisconsin residents faced a liability of just $23 each for their state's public pension system, which was 99.8 percent funded in fiscal 2011. That contrasted with Illinois, where the funded ratio was just 43.4 percent.
Illinois, home to the city of Chicago and the fifth-most populous state in the United States, has missed payments to its pension fund in some years and in other years has underpaid.
Fresh data reported by an Illinois legislative commission last week, after the completion of Morningstar's report, showed the state's total unfunded liability rose considerably at the end of fiscal 2012 to $96.8 billion, while the funded ratio sank to 39 percent. Morningstar said outside its report that this would increase the unfunded actuarial accrued liability (UAAL) per capita to roughly $7,500.
Factors behind the jump include contributions by the state government and other public entities which were below the annual required contribution (ARC) - funding needed to cover benefits plus a part of unfunded liabilities - and weaker-than-expected investment returns.
Another strain came from a decrease to 8 percent from 8.5 percent in the assumed investment rate of the state's Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), which makes up roughly half of the total state liability, said Rachel Barkley, municipal credit analyst for Morningstar.
"The Illinois plan has been chronically stressed with poor management decisions adding a substantial amount of strain," she said.
This contrasts with Wisconsin, where the pension system has historically had strong management and employer contributions have regularly met 100 percent or more of their required levels, according to Morningstar. Investment assumptions are more realistic at a moderate at 7.2 percent.
The state moved to shore up its pension system by passing reforms in 2011 to help ensure the continued stability of the plan, including increasing employee contribution levels and tougher requirements for new hires.
Illinois approved some public pension reforms for new workers in 2010 but so far this year has failed to pass an additional overhaul, in the face of strong opposition from unions and political bickering.
ALASKA A SPECIAL CASE
Even the state with the highest shortfall in its public worker pension fund per individual taxpayer - Alaska, with a per-capita liability of $10,000 - is considered better off than Illinois. Its funding ratio stood at 59.2 percent in fiscal 2011, and revenue from its energy industry will help make up the difference.
"Alaska has a very different funding mechanism than other states," Barkley said.
Illinois depends largely on income and sales taxes, putting a larger proportion of total state funding on the backs of its residents, she added.
While most states considered to be in poor shape with their public pension funds suffer from both low funding levels and a high per-capita liability, there are notable exceptions, the study said, underscoring the importance of using both metrics.
In Indiana, the funded ratio of 59.6 percent is basically at par with that of Alaska, but its unfunded gap per-capita is only $2,284.
Some caution is needed when making state-by-state comparisons, said Keith Brainard, research director for the National Association of State Retirement Administrators. Not all unfunded liabilities are created equal, "and degree of legal protections varies from one plan and state to another," Brainard said, noting that pension obligations are nearly impossible to change under the law in some states, but in other states are more flexible.
"A side-by-side comparison generally will not reflect these different circumstances, and will mislead readers about the meaning of the numbers," he said.
States can also manage different pension plans. For example, there is a huge difference between those states that run teachers' pensions and those that do not.
In Colorado, which does not contribute to teachers' plans, the gap for each taxpayer is moderate at $1,804 despite a low funded ratio of 57.7 percent. Morningstar notes that the fact that teachers' liabilities are not covered by the plan does not mean that Colorado taxpayers are not ultimately liable for the funding.
(Reporting by Tiziana Barghini in New York; editing by Karen Pierog and Matthew Lewis)
Contact: Leslie Ridgeway lridgewa@usc.edu 323-442-2823 University of Southern California - Health Sciences
International analysis finds that countries using high fructose corn syrup in their food supply have a 20 percent higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes
LOS ANGELES AND OXFORD, U.K. A new study by University of Southern California (USC) and University of Oxford researchers indicates that large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) found in national food supplies across the world may be one explanation for the rising global epidemic of type 2 diabetes and resulting higher health care costs.
The study reports that countries that use HFCS in their food supply had a 20 percent higher prevalence of diabetes than countries that did not use HFCS. The analysis also revealed that HFCS's association with the "significantly increased prevalence of diabetes" occurred independent of total sugar intake and obesity levels.
The article, "High Fructose Corn Syrup and Diabetes Prevalence: A Global Perspective," is published in the journal Global Public Health.
"HFCS appears to pose a serious public health problem on a global scale," said principal study author Michael I. Goran, professor of preventive medicine, director of the Childhood Obesity Research Center and co-director of the Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. "The study adds to a growing body of scientific literature that indicates HFCS consumption may result in negative health consequences distinct from and more deleterious than natural sugar."
The paper reports that out of 42 countries studied, the United States has the highest per capita consumption of HFCS at a rate of 25 kilograms, or 55 pounds, per year. The second highest is Hungary, with an annual rate of 16 kilograms, or 46 pounds, per capita. Canada, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Argentina, Korea, Japan and Mexico are also relatively high HFCS consumers. Germany, Poland, Greece, Portugal, Egypt, Finland and Serbia are among the lowest HFCS consumers. Countries with per capita consumption of less than 0.5 kilogram per year include Australia, China, Denmark, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.
Countries with higher use of HFCS had an average prevalence of type 2 diabetes of 8 percent compared to 6.7 percent in countries not using HFCS.
"This research suggests that HFCS can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is one of the most common causes of death in the world today," said study co-author Professor Stanley Ulijaszek, director of the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Oxford.
The article proposes that this link is probably driven by higher amounts of fructose in foods and beverages made with HFCS. Fructose and glucose are both found in ordinary sugar (sucrose) in equal amounts, but HFCS has a greater proportion of fructose. The higher fructose content makes HFCS sweeter and provides processed foods with greater stability and better appearance because of the more consistent browning color when foods made with higher fructose are baked.
In a previous related study, the authors found that the fructose content in some U.S.-produced soft drinks, especially the most popular, was about 20 percent higher than expected, suggesting that some manufacturers might be using HFCS with more fructose than previously estimated. Such differences could "potentially be driving up fructose consumption in countries that use HFCS," the researchers said. The study notes the difficulty in determining the actual amount of fructose in foods and beverages made with HFCS because of "a lack of industry disclosure on food labels."
Growing evidence reveals that the body metabolizes fructose differently from glucose. Among other things, fructose metabolism occurs independently of insulin, primarily in the liver where it may be readily converted to fat, which likely contributes to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition on the rise in Hispanics in the U.S. and Mexico.
"Most populations have an almost insatiable appetite for sweet foods, but regrettably our metabolism has not evolved sufficiently to be able to process the fructose from high fructose corn syrup in the quantities that some people are consuming it," said Ulijaszek. "Although this syrup can be found in many of our processed foods and drinks, this varies enormously from country to country."
The U.S. is the single largest consumer of high fructose corn syrup. By the late 1990s HFCS made up 40 percent of all caloric sweeteners and was the predominant sweetener in soft drinks sold in the U.S. However, since 2008, exports of HFCS from the U.S. to Mexico increased "exponentially" after trade restrictions were removed, the researchers said. They call for updated public health strategies requiring better labeling of fructose and HFCS content in processed foods.
To explain the varying degrees of HFCS consumption in the European Union, the researchers note that trade and agricultural policies set quotas for HFCS production, and while some countries, such as Sweden and the U.K., do not take their assigned quotas, other countries, such as Hungary and Slovakia, are able to purchase extra quotas from countries that do not accept them. The findings of the paper thus have important implications for global trade policies that may affect public health.
"If HFCS is a risk factor for diabetesone of the world's most serious chronic diseasesthen we need to rewrite national dietary guidelines and review agriculture trade polices," said Tim Lobstein, director of policy for the International Association for the Study of Obesity. "HFCS will join trans fats and salt as ingredients to avoid, and foods should carry warning labels."
###
Article cited:
Goran, M., Ulijaszek, S. and Ventura, E. (2012). High fructose corn syrup and diabetes prevalence: A global perspective. Global Public Health. Published online Nov. 27, 2012.
Background Information:
Sources of data in the ecological analysis include the Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors Collaborating Group (BMI), International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas (prevalence) and the FAOSTAT, a statistical website maintained by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (food availability).
People suffering from type 2 diabetes have high blood glucose due to insulin resistance. Though the exact cause of type 2 diabetes is not known, studies frequently attribute it to excess weight and lack of activity. Recent research estimates that 6.4 percent of the world population is diabetic and by 2030, the estimate will increase to 7.7 percent, with developing countries seeing the highest increases. Wider acceptance of processed foods with higher levels of refined carbohydrates, especially sugar, is considered by some experts to be a reason. Complications from type 2 diabetes include blindness, dementia, gum disease, cardiovascular disease and an increase in lower limb amputations. Those with type 2 diabetes typically have a 10-year shorter life span than the general population.
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Contact: Leslie Ridgeway lridgewa@usc.edu 323-442-2823 University of Southern California - Health Sciences
International analysis finds that countries using high fructose corn syrup in their food supply have a 20 percent higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes
LOS ANGELES AND OXFORD, U.K. A new study by University of Southern California (USC) and University of Oxford researchers indicates that large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) found in national food supplies across the world may be one explanation for the rising global epidemic of type 2 diabetes and resulting higher health care costs.
The study reports that countries that use HFCS in their food supply had a 20 percent higher prevalence of diabetes than countries that did not use HFCS. The analysis also revealed that HFCS's association with the "significantly increased prevalence of diabetes" occurred independent of total sugar intake and obesity levels.
The article, "High Fructose Corn Syrup and Diabetes Prevalence: A Global Perspective," is published in the journal Global Public Health.
"HFCS appears to pose a serious public health problem on a global scale," said principal study author Michael I. Goran, professor of preventive medicine, director of the Childhood Obesity Research Center and co-director of the Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. "The study adds to a growing body of scientific literature that indicates HFCS consumption may result in negative health consequences distinct from and more deleterious than natural sugar."
The paper reports that out of 42 countries studied, the United States has the highest per capita consumption of HFCS at a rate of 25 kilograms, or 55 pounds, per year. The second highest is Hungary, with an annual rate of 16 kilograms, or 46 pounds, per capita. Canada, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Argentina, Korea, Japan and Mexico are also relatively high HFCS consumers. Germany, Poland, Greece, Portugal, Egypt, Finland and Serbia are among the lowest HFCS consumers. Countries with per capita consumption of less than 0.5 kilogram per year include Australia, China, Denmark, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.
Countries with higher use of HFCS had an average prevalence of type 2 diabetes of 8 percent compared to 6.7 percent in countries not using HFCS.
"This research suggests that HFCS can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is one of the most common causes of death in the world today," said study co-author Professor Stanley Ulijaszek, director of the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Oxford.
The article proposes that this link is probably driven by higher amounts of fructose in foods and beverages made with HFCS. Fructose and glucose are both found in ordinary sugar (sucrose) in equal amounts, but HFCS has a greater proportion of fructose. The higher fructose content makes HFCS sweeter and provides processed foods with greater stability and better appearance because of the more consistent browning color when foods made with higher fructose are baked.
In a previous related study, the authors found that the fructose content in some U.S.-produced soft drinks, especially the most popular, was about 20 percent higher than expected, suggesting that some manufacturers might be using HFCS with more fructose than previously estimated. Such differences could "potentially be driving up fructose consumption in countries that use HFCS," the researchers said. The study notes the difficulty in determining the actual amount of fructose in foods and beverages made with HFCS because of "a lack of industry disclosure on food labels."
Growing evidence reveals that the body metabolizes fructose differently from glucose. Among other things, fructose metabolism occurs independently of insulin, primarily in the liver where it may be readily converted to fat, which likely contributes to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition on the rise in Hispanics in the U.S. and Mexico.
"Most populations have an almost insatiable appetite for sweet foods, but regrettably our metabolism has not evolved sufficiently to be able to process the fructose from high fructose corn syrup in the quantities that some people are consuming it," said Ulijaszek. "Although this syrup can be found in many of our processed foods and drinks, this varies enormously from country to country."
The U.S. is the single largest consumer of high fructose corn syrup. By the late 1990s HFCS made up 40 percent of all caloric sweeteners and was the predominant sweetener in soft drinks sold in the U.S. However, since 2008, exports of HFCS from the U.S. to Mexico increased "exponentially" after trade restrictions were removed, the researchers said. They call for updated public health strategies requiring better labeling of fructose and HFCS content in processed foods.
To explain the varying degrees of HFCS consumption in the European Union, the researchers note that trade and agricultural policies set quotas for HFCS production, and while some countries, such as Sweden and the U.K., do not take their assigned quotas, other countries, such as Hungary and Slovakia, are able to purchase extra quotas from countries that do not accept them. The findings of the paper thus have important implications for global trade policies that may affect public health.
"If HFCS is a risk factor for diabetesone of the world's most serious chronic diseasesthen we need to rewrite national dietary guidelines and review agriculture trade polices," said Tim Lobstein, director of policy for the International Association for the Study of Obesity. "HFCS will join trans fats and salt as ingredients to avoid, and foods should carry warning labels."
###
Article cited:
Goran, M., Ulijaszek, S. and Ventura, E. (2012). High fructose corn syrup and diabetes prevalence: A global perspective. Global Public Health. Published online Nov. 27, 2012.
Background Information:
Sources of data in the ecological analysis include the Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors Collaborating Group (BMI), International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas (prevalence) and the FAOSTAT, a statistical website maintained by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (food availability).
People suffering from type 2 diabetes have high blood glucose due to insulin resistance. Though the exact cause of type 2 diabetes is not known, studies frequently attribute it to excess weight and lack of activity. Recent research estimates that 6.4 percent of the world population is diabetic and by 2030, the estimate will increase to 7.7 percent, with developing countries seeing the highest increases. Wider acceptance of processed foods with higher levels of refined carbohydrates, especially sugar, is considered by some experts to be a reason. Complications from type 2 diabetes include blindness, dementia, gum disease, cardiovascular disease and an increase in lower limb amputations. Those with type 2 diabetes typically have a 10-year shorter life span than the general population.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
A couple of most favored Beachbody workout plans are P90X and also Madness. I concluded p90x somewhat no less than last year (and also ?m lower to the small lines associated with P90X2) and also concluded half of Madness. (But plan to surmount the whole issue starting in of a 7 days). We are searching toward each items as well as have talked regarding the issue along with buddies, family members, co-workers, men and women on a regular basis whom request myself regarding change the point is, every person. The principal question We are always requested is ?WHAT Might Be The Brilliance Between P90X And also Madness?? As well for those people that have concerns regarding, next is often ?WHICH Fits ME??
The reaction on the foremost is a lot easier in comparison with next considering that the next cause would depend round the workout targets as well as the present health situation of the people asking. Therefore let?s reply greater question initial.
P90X is usually a muscle-building, entire body body fat warp speed workout which includes cardio exercise workout plans, even so their focus will get more efficient and also thinner. P90X will depend on the thought of Muscle tissue Distress. P90X modifications your workout each and every a month in order that the muscles do not grow to be used to your workout. Consequently, muscles are necessitating for you to constantly modify. Muscles Develop simply because they modify. (And females, you should not worry about turning out to be ?too muscular? : discover Instructor Very she is carried out P90X multiple occasions.
Madness is usually a cardio exercise intensive software which utilizes additional weight regarding resistance. Insanity?s technological advance is Maximum Interval training workout Workout routines Workout routines. Max Interval training workout Workout routines Workout routines is coaching extremely strongly along with small restoration smashes for you to inhale and also out and give your own pulse for you to decelerate somewhat, ahead of turning your strength look out upon greatest extent levels.
Make the most of Its superfit as well. He?s an excuse along with the workout plans are pleasant, however his / her software offers significantly less opportunity for jokes due to the strength. Numerous Shaun? catchphrases consist of ?Dig so much deeper!?, ?We excellent, ya?ll?? , ?Shaun Its beginning perspire!?and the most used ?That sh*t is berries!!?
I could to accomplish Madness through the couch and also couldn?t comprehensive the idea. I really might along with P90X. In my personal people that are merely ever coming back directly into health and fitness has to start along with P90X. You?ll be able to adjust ample to accomplish your workout and operate you to ultimately shape.
If you?re getting into good shape and also would like to fall entire body body fat quickly, In my opinion Madness is the thing that you would like. When it?s possible quickly fall a lot of bodyweight throughout P90X, Madness forces weight loss with all the strength needed. (When someone coatings either offered by a complete pizza, it?s not at risk of issue. Abs can be purchased in your kitchen place. Incidentally, each workout plans consist of diet regime that you simply need to comply with, as well. That?s a lot more a ?do when i feel that instead of after i do? idea.
If you?re searching to obtain more efficient, P90X could be our idea, however in addition, you?ll receive more efficient handling Madness.
In my opinion those two plans are great and also might suggest all of them. You will see movies associated with each workout plans the following. Let me know precisely what training session targets are that we provides you with my personal regarding which may be useful to you! Views act like hand, everybody has 1. funny !, nevertheless i own a the very least tried these kind of workout plans!
The remains of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat were exhumed from his grave on Tuesday -- eight years after his death at age 75 -- as part of an investigation into allegations that he was poisoned, according to official Palestinian radio.
The remains were taken from the massive mausoleum in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where Arafat was buried, and moved to a nearby mosque so that Palestinian doctors could take samples from his bones, Palestinian officials told The Associated Press.
The samples will be handed over to French, Swiss and Russian experts who have flown in for the exhumation and who will examine them in their home countries, the officials said. They said samples were taken earlier from Arafat's bedroom, office and personal belongings.?
French judges opened a murder inquiry into Arafat's death in August after a Swiss institute said it had discovered high levels of radioactive polonium on his clothing.
AP
See key moments and memorable scenes from Yasser Arafat's life.
A team of international experts from Switzerland, France and Russia was due to take samples from Arafat's body to test for traces of poison. The corpse will be reburied later in the day on Tuesday with full military honors.
Rumors of foul play have long surrounded the sudden demise of Arafat, a champion of Palestinian statehood from the time he was 19, and eventually, the democratically-elected president of the Palestinian Authority.
Arafat was revered by many Palestinians and Arabs as a freedom fighter and reviled by many Israelis and its allies as a terrorist for his relentless fight for Palestinian self-determination. But he also had enemies and rivals within the Arab and Palestinian political circles.
He died in November 2004 at a French military hospital, a month after suddenly falling ill. The rapid deterioration of his health and death baffled doctors who were trying to treat him in France, and an autopsy was never performed at the request of his widow, Suha.
While the immediate cause of death was a stroke, the underlying source of an illness he suffered in his final weeks has never been clear, leading to persistent speculation in the Arab world that Israel poisoned him. Israel has denied such allegations.
Poisoning as a cause of death gained currency after a Swiss institute said it had found high levels of radioactive polonium on Arafat?s clothing, which was supplied by Suha, prompting the French to open a formal murder inquiry.
Polonium was the substance that killed Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006. Litvenenko was a Russian ex-spy who later became a relentless critic of the Kremlin.
"It is a painful necessity" to exhume the body of Arafat, said Tawfiq al-Tirawi, who is in charge of the Palestinian committee overseeing the investigation, speaking to reporters in Ramallah on Saturday.
Tirawi said the Palestinians had "evidence which suggests Arafat was assassinated by Israelis," Reuters reported.
The exhumation might not resolve the mystery. Polonium-210 decomposes rapidly, and some experts say it is not clear whether any remaining samples will be sufficient for testing.
NBC's Kari Huus, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More world stories from NBC News:
Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
Women dysmenorrhea how to alleviate it ? What foods can relieve dysmenorrhea and promoting blood circulation ?
Grapes: in 1997, the University of Wisconsin found that drank three purple grape juice can reduce platelet aggregation force 40%, similar to aspirin, thrombolytic, anticoagulant and insoluble fiber role. In particular, grape skin contains flavonoids, a role in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.
Lemon: Lemon combination of citric acid and calcium ions into soluble compounds, can ease the calcium to promote the role of blood clotting, prevention and treatment of hypertension and myocardial infarction.
Pineapple: Pineapple contains biological and pineapple protein not only make the blood clot dissipated, but also early to stop the formation of blood clots, lower blood viscosity, has antithrombotic effect.
Grapefruit: grapefruit citral can significantly reduce the overall oxygen consumption in mice, also can be optimized animal myocardial ischemic electrocardiographic; citral to inhibit platelet aggregation.
Olive: olive oil is rich in oleic acid can lower blood total cholesterol, bad cholesterol, increase good cholesterol, thus achieving the purpose of the prevention of cardiovascular disease. In addition, wherein the poly-phenolic compounds may also reduce the incidence of CHD.
Hawthorn: Hawthorn flavonoids, three types of expansion peripheral, with a slow and long-lasting antihypertensive effect.
Cabbage: cabbage rich vitamin C can reduce the body?s cholesterol concentration and increase the elasticity of blood vessels, can eat the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Celery: celery, celery (apigenin), the energy buck and affecting the central nervous system. Celery yuan, there is a certain role in the expansion of peripheral blood vessels, this antihypertensive effect is considerable.
Leeks: leek potassium, eat leeks can optimize the balance of potassium and sodium in the body, high blood pressure, heart disease is beneficial.
Onion: Onions contain diallyl disulfide, sulfur amino acids and cysteine, with good lipid-lowering effects. Onion is known to very few vegetables contain forward prostaglandin A, is a strong vasodilator to reduce peripheral vascular resistance and blood viscosity, reduce blood pressure.
Yam: yam dopamine has to dilate blood vessels, to optimize the function of blood circulation.
Garlic: Garlic took part in a good effect on the cardiovascular system, can lower blood pressure, blood fat and cholesterol. 2 eat garlic, blood pressure decreased by about 12% after three months, and will decline more as time progresses.
The onions: fitoncidin treatment of cardiovascular sclerosis. Onions also enhance fibrinolytic activity and role in lowering blood lipids.
Ginger: Ginger has a salicylate similar substances. Role of anti-platelet aggregation.
Sweet potato: the mucus proteins in sweet potato, can maintain the elasticity of the vessel wall and prevent atherosclerosis, and promote the excretion of cholesterol.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes vitamin P content is higher, reducing capillary permeability, prevent hardening of the arteries.
5 ways to relieve dysmenorrhea of women ? how to relieve dysmenorrhea 1. To maintain a balanced diet: less eat too sweet or salty foods because they make you bloated and slow, should eat more vegetables, fruits, chicken, fish, and try to frequent meals.
2. Do not ea...
6 foods can relieve dysmenorrhea during menstruation ? how to relieve dysmenorrhea Most women in the premenstrual and menstrual period will feel bloating, fatigue, headache, dysmenorrhea, and mood swings and other symptoms, and some digestive problems. Prevention and treatment of th...
How to do women dysmenorrhea? ? Tips for women dysmenorrhea. How to do for women dysmenorrhea?
The first one: Diet
1, A balanced diet, eat too sweet or salty foods, eat more vegetables, fruits, chicken, fish;
2, Drink a glass of hot milk add a spoonful of ...
Tags: relieve dysmenorrhea food, tips to relieve dysmenorrhea, ways to relieve dysmenorrhea, what foods to eat to relieve dysmenorrhea, women dysmenorrhea This entry was posted on Sunday, November 25th, 2012 and is filed under Health Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
In the future, some human's memories are wiped and they become 'Purus,' the perfect servants. But when start to remember their past and become independent, what will happen?
Owner:
Game Masters:
This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Paxatore?. Anything posted here will also show up there.
Topic Tags:
Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
May I reserve the Innocent Purus?
Call me... ?????or Hallowed... If you dare. :3
Hallowed777
Member for 0 years
Can I slap a reserved sticker on the Cherren father?
And on a pointless side note why do I always find good roleplays when I'm half asleep and can't type for anything?
I like Vanships. And flying cruise ships with massive diesel engines. Steam is cool and all, but diesel.
Hazezon
Member for 1 years
I must say, this is a really, really awesome roleplay! I love how detailed everything is!
May I please reserve The Criminal Purus?
Leon21
Member for 0 years
Pardon the double post, but I have one quick question. Do the Purus have the same surname as the family they work for, or do they have their own surname?
Leon21
Member for 0 years
Hmm, could I reserve the Volunteer? Thanks. =D
Tsukiakari
Member for 0 years
@Leon the Purus can have their own surname, though would probably just go by their first name or take up the families surname.
@Tsukiakari reserved!
UniqueYetUnoriginal
Member for 0 years
Okay ^^ I'll just have him take up the family's surname because I'm too lazy to come up with my own surname XD
Leon21
Member for 0 years
Oh, also, another question (I know, I ask a lot of questions, I'm sorry ^^;;): Am I allowed to submit my character as a WIP so that I can see the formatting I have so far and to save what I'm writing (My computer has a nasty habit of randomly shutting down on me)?
Leon21
Member for 0 years
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Public release date: 27-Nov-2012
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the point is, every person. The principal question We are always requested is ?WHAT Might Be The Brilliance Between P90X And also Madness?? As well for those people that have concerns regarding, next is often ?WHICH Fits ME??
