<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>romancatholic.biz</title>
	<atom:link href="http://romancatholic.biz/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://romancatholic.biz</link>
	<description></description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:02:46 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>Teen Star Nick Jonas Rents in New York</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/teen-star-nick-jonas-rents-in-new-york</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/teen-star-nick-jonas-rents-in-new-york#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:02:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/teen-star-nick-jonas-rents-in-new-york</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Nick Jonas has leased an apartment in New York&#8217;s Chelsea neighborhood listed for rent at $23,000 per month. The apartment is owned by NHL player Scott Gomez and previously occupied by designer Marc Jacobs. Lauren Schuker has details on The News Hub. Nick Jonas has leased an apartment in New York&#8217;s Chelsea neighborhood that&#8217;s owned [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="article story">
<div class="articlePage">
<div class="insetContent insetCol6wide embedType-video">
<div class="insetTree">
<p><!-- lib_json_commons.ftl --></p>
<div class="videoObjectBox boxType-F">
  <a href="#" class="videoClickThru"><br />
    <span class="videoHint"></span><br />
    <span class="videoPlayIndicator"></span><br />
    <img width="512" height="288" src="http://m.wsj.net/video/20120216/021612hubpmppjonas/021612hubpmppjonas_512x288.jpg" /><br />
  </a>
</div>
<p class="targetCaption">Nick Jonas has leased an apartment in New York&#8217;s Chelsea neighborhood listed for rent at $23,000 per month. The apartment is owned by NHL player Scott Gomez and previously occupied by designer Marc Jacobs. Lauren Schuker has details on The News Hub.</p>
</p></div>
</div>
<p>Nick Jonas has leased an apartment in New York&#8217;s Chelsea neighborhood that&#8217;s owned by National Hockey League player Scott Gomez. The apartment was listed for rent at $23,000 per month, and was previously occupied by fashion designer Marc Jacobs. </p>
<div style="width:278px" class="legacyInset">
<div class="insetContent">
<h3 class="first">Photos: Private Properties</h3>
<div class="insetContent embedType-interactive">
<div class="insetTree">
<div class="insettipUnit insetTarget">
<div class="insetZoomTargetBox">
<div class="insettipBox">
<div class="insettip">
<p><a href="#">View Slideshow</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<p>                    <a href="#"><img src="http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/WK-BA949_PRIVAT_D_20120216191601.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="174" width="262" alt="[SB10001424052970204792404577227352509472584]" /></a></div>
<p>                    <cite>Gene Ivester/Alan&#8217;s Studio on Main</cite></p>
<p class="targetCaption">A 47-acre estate in Napa Valley, Calif. is on the market for $29.5 million.</p>
</p></div>
</div>
</div></div>
</div>
<p>The furnished condominium apartment has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and over 2,000 square feet of living space. There&#8217;s a terrace with an outdoor kitchen and views of downtown Manhattan. The apartment has six televisions and a lighting and entertainment system controlled by iPad; in the living room, there&#8217;s a 120-inch high-definition movie screen that drops down from the ceiling. Listing broker Andrew Torrey, of the Noble Black team at Corcoran, notes that the apartment is particularly good for entertaining. He declines to comment on current or past tenants. </p>
<p>Mr. Jonas, a 19-year-old member of the Jonas Brothers, is currently starring in Broadway&#8217;s &#8220;How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.&#8221; Mr. Gomez plays for the Montreal Canadiens.</p>
<h6>A Napa Valley Estate Lists for $29.5 Million</h6>
<div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-video">
<div class="insetTree">
<p><!-- lib_json_commons.ftl --></p>
<div class="videoObjectBox">
  <a href="#" class="videoClickThru"><br />
    <span class="videoHint"></span><br />
    <span class="videoPlayIndicator"></span><br />
    <img width="272" height="153" src="http://m.wsj.net/video/20120216/021612hubpmppnapa/021612hubpmppnapa_512x288.jpg" /><br />
  </a>
</div>
<p class="targetCaption">A 47-acre estate in Napa Valley, Calif. is on the market for $29.5 million. It includes an 11,700-square-foot home with limestone fireplaces from Europe and a living room with handpainted ceilings. Lauren Schuker has details on The News Hub.</p>
</p></div>
</div>
<p>A 47-acre estate in Napa Valley, Calif. is on the market for $29.5 million</p>
<p><a name="U6035869663805SE"></a>
<p>The Tuscan-style property is on the grounds of the Meadowood resort in St. Helena. Completed in 2002, the ridgetop estate has an 11,700-square-foot, four-bedroom home with limestone fireplaces and a living room with hand-painted ceilings. The property also has a pool with pool house, a two-bedroom guest home and a caretaker&#8217;s apartment. </p>
<p>The sellers are Ken Fitzsimmons, an original partner of the now-closed boutique investment bank Robertson Stephens, and his wife, Jane. They bought the land in 1995 and built the estate, which they used as their main home; they&#8217;re downsizing. </p>
<p>
                Jane Garassino and Chuck Sawday of Pacific Union, a Christie&#8217;s International Real Estate affiliate, have the listing.</p>
<h6>Jeffrey Katzenberg Sells His Beverly Hills Home</h6>
<div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D">
<div class="insetTree">
<div class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget">
<div class="insetZoomTargetBox">
<div class="insettipBox">
<div class="insettip">
<p><a>Enlarge Image</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<p><a><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/WK-BA955_PRIVAT_D_20120216190632.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="174" width="262" alt="PRIVATEPROPS3" /></a>
<div class="insetFullBracket">
<div class="insetFullBox">
<div class="insetButton"><a class="insetClose">Close</a></div>
<p><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/WK-BA955_PRIVAT_G_20120216190632.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="369" width="553" alt="PRIVATEPROPS3" /></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>                <cite>Bloomberg News</cite></p>
<p class="targetCaption">Jeffrey Katzenberg</p>
</p></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>Hollywood executive Jeffrey Katzenberg is in escrow to sell his home in Beverly Hills, Calif., for around $9.2 million. </p>
<p>Mr. Katzenberg, who is currently chief executive of DreamWorks Animation&#8212;the studio behind the &#8220;Shrek&#8221; and &#8220;Kung Fu Panda&#8221; franchises&#8212;first listed the 9,173-square-foot, five-bedroom, six-bathroom home in January for $9.4 million. The buyer is not known. The contemporary Mediterranean-style home opens to a two-level foyer and includes a step-down living room and formal dining room. The half-acre property includes a pool and a two-story guesthouse with full-size gym and a professional home theater with ample seating. </p>
<p>Mr. Katzenberg, who moved into the home in 1985, rose to prominence in Hollywood when he ran Walt Disney&#8217;s film division in the 1980s and 1990s, producing movies like &#8220;The Little Mermaid,&#8221; &#8220;Beauty and the Beast&#8221; and &#8220;The Lion King.&#8221; </p>
<p>Mr. Katzenberg is selling the house because two years ago he bought a new home in the exclusive Trousdale Estates section of Beverly Hills. Mr. Katzenberg paid about $35 million for that property, which spans six acres just above the Greystone Mansion, now a public park and Hollywood landmark. Mr. Katzenberg and his wife are currently moving into the house, which they renovated. A long private drive leads up the property, which sits on a promontory and with sweeping views. </p>
<p>
                Myra Nourmand of Nourmand &amp; Associates in Beverly Hills, Calif. represented the seller in the pending deal. </p>
<p><cite class="tagline">&mdash;Lauren A.E. Schuker, Candace Jackson and Juliet Chung</cite><cite class="tagline">&mdash;Email: <a class="" href="mailto:privateproperties@wsj.com">privateproperties@wsj.com</a><br />
            </cite><!-- article end -->
</div>
</div>
<div style='margin-bottom:5px'>© 2011 Wall Street Journal (<a href='http://www.wsj.com'>www.wsj.com</a>)</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/teen-star-nick-jonas-rents-in-new-york/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Brazil banks raise reserves against default-report</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/brazil-banks-raise-reserves-against-default-report</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/brazil-banks-raise-reserves-against-default-report#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:02:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/brazil-banks-raise-reserves-against-default-report</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[RIO DE JANEIRO &#124; Sun Feb 19, 2012 10:27am EST RIO DE JANEIRO Feb 19 (Reuters) &#8211; Brazilian banks increased reserves against potential default by 21 percent in 2011 to 115 billion reais ($67.3 billion) as Brazilian consumers struggled to manage record debt levels, the Correio Braziliense newspaper said on Sunday on its website. Banks&#8217; [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span><br />
<span></span></p>
<div>
<p>
        <span class="location">RIO DE JANEIRO</span> |<br />
        <span class="timestamp">Sun Feb 19, 2012 10:27am EST</span>
        </p>
</p></div>
<p><span class="focusParagraph">
<p><span class="articleLocation">RIO DE JANEIRO</span> Feb 19 (Reuters) &#8211; Brazilian banks<br />
increased reserves against potential default by 21 percent in<br />
2011 to 115 billion reais ($67.3 billion) as Brazilian consumers<br />
struggled to manage record debt levels, the Correio Braziliense<br />
newspaper said on Sunday on its website.</p>
<p></span><span></span>
<p>Banks&#8217; provisions against bad debt rose higher than in 2008<br />
when the U.S. banking crisis led to a worldwide credit crunch,<br />
Correio reported, citing figures from Brazil&#8217;s central bank.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>An increase in benchmark interest rates in the first eight<br />
months of 2011 increased pressure on borrowers, Correio said,<br />
citing Roberto Luis Troster, an economist with Delta<br />
Consultoria, a Sao Paulo economic consultancy.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>After an expansion of credit in 2009 and 2010, Brazilian<br />
families are spending about half of their incomes to service<br />
debt, the paper reported.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>The default rate on consumer credit in Brazil is 7.3 percent<br />
of loans with the highest default rates among so-called &#8220;Class<br />
A&#8221; consumers, higher-income individuals who are generally<br />
considered to have the lowest risk of default, Correio said.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>Non-government banks raised bad debt provisions 26 percent<br />
in 2011 while state-led and state-owned banks raised their<br />
provisions 14 percent, the paper reported. Brazilian banks<br />
raised provisions 25 percent and foreign banks 28 percent.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>Brazil&#8217;s government is pressuring state-led Banco do Brasil<br />
 and state-owned Caixa Economica Federal to cut<br />
lending rates, a move aimed at expanding credit and encouraging<br />
private sector banks to lower costs for borrowers, the Estado de<br />
S. Paulo newspaper reported on Saturday.</p>
<p><span></span>
</p>
<p><span></span></span>
<div style='margin-bottom:5px'>© 2011 REUTERS (<a href='http://www.reuters.com'>www.reuters.com</a>)</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/brazil-banks-raise-reserves-against-default-report/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Excel4apps White Paper: Oracle EBS 12 Upgrade &#8211; What is the Impact on Financial Reporting?</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/excel4apps-white-paper-oracle-ebs-12-upgrade-what-is-the-impact-on-financial-reporting</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/excel4apps-white-paper-oracle-ebs-12-upgrade-what-is-the-impact-on-financial-reporting#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:02:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/excel4apps-white-paper-oracle-ebs-12-upgrade-what-is-the-impact-on-financial-reporting</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Excel4apps White Paper provides guidance to Oracle ERP users on the impact on General Ledger reporting when their existing application is upgraded to Release 12, as well as solutions available to address the gaps in meeting user requirements in the new environment. It is important to take into account the effects of an R12 [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This Excel4apps White Paper provides guidance to Oracle ERP users on the impact on General Ledger reporting when their existing application is upgraded to Release 12, as well as solutions available to address the gaps in meeting user requirements in the new environment.</p>
<p>
      It is important to take into account the effects of an R12 upgrade, or even re-implementation, on the GL reporting process. </p>
<p>Understanding these effects and identifying available solutions to fulfil any deficiencies provides Oracle users with an opportunity to not only satisfy GL reporting requirements, but improve their processes altogether. </p>
<p>Such improvements may be found in the form of increased productivity, so users spend less time compiling and collating GL reports and more time analysing results for better decision-making. </p>
<p>In today&#8217;s ultra-competitive environment, value-added solutions often become the crucial component to giving organisations the advantage necessary to stay ahead of the curve.</p>
<p>This Excel4apps technology White Paper includes:<br />&bull; Client Application Desktop Integrator (ADI) has been removed from R12<br />&bull; Client ADI vs. Report Manager &#8211; A Comparison<br />&bull; Publishing a FSG using Report Manager<br />&bull; Common Report Manager Issues<br />&bull; Standard Request Submission &#8211; An Alternative for Ad-hoc FSG Submission
    </p>
<div style='margin-bottom:5px'>© 2011 AMEINFO (<a href='http://www.ameinfo.com'>www.ameinfo.com</a>)</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/excel4apps-white-paper-oracle-ebs-12-upgrade-what-is-the-impact-on-financial-reporting/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Are Bank Stocks &#8216;Responsible&#8217;?</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/are-bank-stocks-responsible</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/are-bank-stocks-responsible#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:02:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/are-bank-stocks-responsible</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By CHRIS GAY Mention &#8220;socially responsible investing&#8221; and most people think of a stock-picking strategy that involves abstinence&#8212;that is, avoiding industries or companies whose ethical, environmental or governance practices fall short of certain standards. More in Investing in Funds Dividend Stocks Aren&#8217;t the New Bonds The Scramble for Catchy ETF Tickers What to Do With [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="article story">
<div class="articlePage">
<h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=CHRIS+GAY&amp;bylinesearch=true">CHRIS GAY</a><br />
            </h3>
<p>Mention &#8220;socially responsible investing&#8221; and most people think of a stock-picking strategy that involves abstinence&#8212;that is, avoiding industries or companies whose ethical, environmental or governance practices fall short of certain standards.</p>
<div class="insetCol3wide">
<div class="insetContent">
<h3 class="first">More in Investing in Funds</h3>
<ul>
<li><span><br />
                        <strong><br />
                            <a class="" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204542404577158761922787578.html">Dividend Stocks Aren&#8217;t the New Bonds</a><br />
                        </strong><br />
                    </span></li>
<li><span><br />
                        <strong><br />
                            <a class="" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204468004577167080550487746.html">The Scramble for Catchy ETF Tickers</a><br />
                        </strong><br />
                    </span></li>
<li><span><br />
                        <strong><br />
                            <a class="" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204542404577159311576663798.html">What to Do With Leftovers in 529 Plans</a><br />
                        </strong><br />
                    </span></li>
<li><span><br />
                        <strong><br />
                            <a class="" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203718504577183332257590646.html">ETFs to Bet on a Rebound in Europe</a><br />
                        </strong><br />
                    </span></li>
<li><span><br />
                        <strong><br />
                            <a class="" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204542404577158970902886322.html">Are Risk-Parity Funds a Better Mousetrap?</a><br />
                        </strong><br />
                    </span></li>
<li><span>Read the <strong><br />
                            <a class="" href="http://online.wsj.com/public/page/investing-in-funds-02062012.html">complete report</a><br />
                        </strong>.</span></li>
</ul></div>
</div>
<p>The mutual-fund industry began offering products based on this idea in the 1970s, and Morningstar Inc. recently identified 199 mutual funds and 23 exchange-traded funds as socially responsible. Among the industries these funds typically shun are those connected to tobacco, alcohol, pollution, weapons and authoritarian regimes.</p>
<p>But some involved in socially responsible investing, or SRI, say two recent developments&#8212;a long, acrimonious debate about health-care finance and the worst financial crisis in 80 years&#8212;may prompt some socially responsible investors to take a closer look at two other sectors: for-profit health insurers and too-big-to-fail banks.</p>
<p>Both groups &#8220;put the customer at odds with the corporation, and that is very problematic,&#8221; says Amy Domini, founder of Domini Social Investments LLC, which refuses to invest in certain banks and insurers for precisely that reason. </p>
<div class="insetContent embedType-image imageFormat-arbitrary">
<div class="insetTree" style="width: 382px">
<div class="insettipUnit" style="width: 382px"><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/IF-AA714_SRI_NS_20120203113305.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="[SRI]" height="362" width="382" /></p></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>Both industries have drawn the wrath of the Occupy movement. To protest the power of Wall Street banks, many Occupy sympathizers have moved their deposits from large financial institutions to smaller banks and credit <a href='http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/toc/9537/index.htm'>unions</a>. </p>
<p>What if investors wanted to do something similar and move their money to funds that refuse to invest in big banks and for-profit health insurers?</p>
<p>Turns out it might not be so easy.</p>
<p>While there are a few exceptions, SRI managers generally haven&#8217;t painted big banks and for-profit insurers with the same broad brush as, say, tobacco and gambling. Indeed, some of the most prominent names in both industries can be found in some of the best-known SRI funds.</p>
<h6>Hazardous to Health?</h6>
<p>Unlike products and services widely considered to be harmful to the greater good, the health-insurance industry&#8217;s impact on society is a matter of debate.</p>
<p>Critics contend there is a fundamental conflict between the profit goals of insurers and the public-health goals of everyone else. This owes largely to the tendency of for-profit carriers to avoid the sickest individuals to the extent that they can, a problem the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 aims to address.</p>
<p>Insurers, of course, deny they add cost but no value to health care. &#8220;Health plans have pioneered the programs and services that are needed to help patients navigate the complicated delivery system to get the care they need,&#8221; says Robert Zirkelbach, spokesman for America&#8217;s Health Insurance Plans, a lobbying group that represents for-profit and nonprofit insurers. And as required by state law, 90% of policies already are sold on a &#8220;guaranteed issue&#8221; basis, meaning no applicant is turned away, he says. </p>
<p>The $20 million  <a class="times" href="/fund/page/fund_snapshot.html?symbol=ETGLX">Eventide Gilead</a> fund has avoided for-profit health insurers since its inception in July 2008, citing the industry&#8217;s basic business model. &#8220;It&#8217;s a huge financial game that these guys are playing to maximize their profits, by bringing in the most healthy people and trying to turn the screws on people who are sick,&#8221; says Finny Kuruvilla, a former practicing physician who manages the Boston-based fund. &#8220;I&#8217;ve never seen a single [for-profit insurer] that I&#8217;d feel proud about owning.&#8221;</p>
<p>His stance, however, appears to be the exception rather than the rule. Indeed, some of the health-insurance industry&#8217;s biggest names figure in many socially responsible funds, and they&#8217;re also in one of the oldest and best-known SRI reference indexes, the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index.  </p>
<p>The index, formerly known as the Domini 400 Social Index, excludes companies with significant business in six industries: tobacco, alcohol, gambling, nuclear power, firearms and military weapons. Outside of those six excluded industries, companies are evaluated using metrics that attempt to gauge the company&#8217;s &#8220;social utility,&#8221; says Thomas Kuh, an executive director at index compiler MSCI.</p>
<p>At least three private health insurers&#8212;<a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=CI" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">Cigna</a> Corp., <a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=HUM" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">Humana</a> Inc. and <a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=WLP" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">WellPoint</a> Inc.&#8212;have made the cut: They represented 0.93% of the index as of Jan. 31.</p>
<p>
                Erin Gray, head of marketing for Green Century Capital Management, whose  <a class="times" href="/fund/page/fund_snapshot.html?symbol=GCEQX">Green Century Equity</a> portfolio tracks the MSCI KLD 400 index, says that while &#8220;it wouldn&#8217;t surprise me if individual investors want to stay away&#8221; from for-profit insurers, &#8220;I don&#8217;t see us currently taking that next step within the SRI sector&#8212;to screen out these types of companies.&#8221;</p>
<p>Indeed, Calvert Investments, one of the largest SRI firms in the U.S., says it holds insurers Cigna, <a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=WCG" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">WellCare Health Plans</a> Inc. and <a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=AFL" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">Aflac</a> Inc. in several of its SRI funds, and it holds WellPoint in a separate line of funds it calls SAGE (Sustainability Achieved through Greater Engagement).</p>
<p>While conceding that the U.S. way of health insurance is &#8220;imbalanced&#8221; and &#8220;imperfect,&#8221; Calvert Senior Vice President Bennett Freeman says Calvert is &#8220;just not going to fence off a whole industry.&#8221;</p>
<h6>Too Big to Own?</h6>
<p>When it comes to large banks, critics say excessive deregulation over several decades has produced an industry of oversized banks that get paid to gamble with other people&#8217;s money.</p>
<p>At least two funds&#8212;Eventide and the $211 million  <a class="times" href="/fund/page/fund_snapshot.html?symbol=APPLX">Appleseed</a> fund&#8212;avoid too-big-to-fail banks altogether on ethical grounds. </p>
<p>&#8220;The whole concept of too big to fail is a recipe for corruption, cronyism and economic disaster,&#8221; says Adam Strauss, co-manager of Appleseed, which swore off big banks in mid-2010. &#8220;The largest banks today operate in an environment where they can take massive risks, and profit from those risks, knowing that the public will bail them out when those risks fail,&#8221; says Mr. Strauss, whose fund produced an annualized return of 6.2% in the five years through January, giving it a No. 1 ranking in its Morningstar category.</p>
<p>Still, the broader SRI community has no uniform approach to too-big-to-fail banks.</p>
<p>While Domini Social Investments shuns most large U.S. banks, <a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=JPM" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">J.P. Morgan Chase</a> &amp; Co. accounts for about 2.5% of  <a class="times" href="/fund/page/fund_snapshot.html?symbol=DSEFX">Domini Social Equity</a>, a $716 million fund that has beaten the S&amp;P 500 by an annualized 2.7 percentage points over the past three years. Ms. Domini says she likes J.P. Morgan&#8217;s &#8220;impact investing&#8221;&#8212;assessing a loan on the basis of its likely social and environmental consequences, not just its financial return. </p>
<p>Likewise,  <a class="times" href="/fund/page/fund_snapshot.html?symbol=GCBLX">Green Century Balanced</a> sold <a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=BAC" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">Bank of America</a> Corp. and <a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=GS" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">Goldman Sachs Group</a> Inc. but continues to hold <a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=WFC" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">Wells Fargo</a> &amp; Co., which represents 1.6% of assets, according to Ms. Gray. She says Wells Fargo &#8220;has plenty of room for improvement&#8221; on its environmental, social and governance record, but it has made laudable efforts to increase lending to poor and underserved communities. </p>
<p>A Wells Fargo spokesperson says the bank seeks to &#8220;provide products and services that meet the long-term financial needs of all customers in the communities we serve.&#8221;</p>
<p>The Rev. Seamus Finn, a board member for the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, a network of institutional investors representing faith-based organizations, says the question is whether these funds will take a harder line against big banks in the wake of postcrash changes such as the Dodd-Frank financial-overhaul law.</p>
<p> &#8220;Is the SRI community going to look at [those changes] and actually try to put some metrics on them and say, &#8216;You know, if you&#8217;re doing this, we&#8217;re not going to hold the stock?&#8217; &#8221; he says. &#8220;That&#8217;s where I think we are.&#8221; </p>
<p>
                <em>Mr. Gay is a writer in New York. Email him at <a class="" href="mailto:reports@wsj.com">reports@wsj.com</a>.</em>
            </p>
<p><!-- article end -->
</div>
</div>
<div style='margin-bottom:5px'>© 2011 Wall Street Journal (<a href='http://www.wsj.com'>www.wsj.com</a>)</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/are-bank-stocks-responsible/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>June 20, 2011 – Green Power Planet Newsletter</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/june-20-2011-%e2%80%93-green-power-planet-newsletter</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/june-20-2011-%e2%80%93-green-power-planet-newsletter#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:02:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/june-20-2011-%e2%80%93-green-power-planet-newsletter</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Published by: United States Environmental Protection Agence (EPA) (yosemite.epa.gov)]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='margin-bottom:5px'>Published by: United States Environmental Protection Agence (EPA) (<a href='http://yosemite.epa.gov'>yosemite.epa.gov</a>)</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/june-20-2011-%e2%80%93-green-power-planet-newsletter/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Creating a Career-Shifting R &#233;sum &#233;</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/creating-a-career-shifting-r-sum</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/creating-a-career-shifting-r-sum#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:03:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/creating-a-career-shifting-r-sum</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By ELIZABETH GARONE Many workers who lost jobs in the hardest-hit sectors of the economy are now looking to change careers. But crafting a r&#233;sum&#233; that shows the benefits of hiring an industry outsider can be challenging. In this installment of The R&#233;sum&#233; Doctor, three recruiting experts critique a r&#233;sum&#233; from a job hunter eying [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="article story">
<div class="articlePage">
<h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=ELIZABETH+GARONE&amp;bylinesearch=true">ELIZABETH GARONE</a>                </h3>
<p>Many workers who lost jobs in the hardest-hit sectors of the economy are now looking to change careers. But crafting a r&#233;sum&#233; that shows the benefits of hiring an industry outsider can be challenging. </p>
<p>In this installment of The R&#233;sum&#233; Doctor, three recruiting experts critique a r&#233;sum&#233; from a job hunter eying a move into facilities management from commercial construction.</p>
<div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D">
<div class="insetTree">
<div class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget">
<div class="insetZoomTargetBox">
<div class="insettipBox">
<div class="insettip">
<p><a>Enlarge Image</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<p><a><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-AT129_Res_DR_D_20100111153241.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="174" width="262" alt="Res DR." /></a>
<div class="insetFullBracket">
<div class="insetFullBox">
<div class="insetButton"><a class="insetClose">Close</a></div>
<p><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-AT129_Res_DR_G_20100111153241.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="369" width="553" alt="Res DR." /></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>    <cite>Cameron Wittig for The Wall Street Journal</cite></p>
<p class="targetCaption">Mark Peterson served as project manager for a new football stadium at the University of Minnesota before his layoff last July.</p>
</p></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>
    <strong>&#8226; The Job Seeker:</strong> Mark Peterson, 47, of Woodbury, Minn., was laid off in July from a senior project manager/sales position at a small commercial-construction company where he had worked for 19 years. Though he was hired in November as a senior project manager for a rival firm, the contract job is commission-based and doesn&#8217;t include medical or other benefits. He says the position is unlikely to yield a salary anywhere close to his prior annual income of around $125,000.</p>
</p>
<p>
    <strong>&#8226; The Objective:</strong> Mr. Peterson is seeking a mid- to senior-level executive position in facilities management. Mr. Peterson would like to stay in the Minneapolis metro area and is seeking a minimum annual salary of $85,000, significantly lower than his previous salary but on par with what he expects in the current economy. If the economy were to improve, he says he would be looking for $100,000 to $125,000. </p>
<p>&#8220;Any company that has a large campus or multiple buildings to manage could work well for me,&#8221; he says.</p>
</p>
<p>
    <strong>&#8226; The Experts:</strong> Offering feedback on Mr. Peterson&#8217;s r&#233;sum&#233; are Ken Rose, a senior client partner in Chicago for executive-search firm Korn/Ferry International Inc.; Nanci D&#8217;Alessandro, a vice president and national account executive in New York for commercial real-estate firm <a href="/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&amp;symbol=GBE" class="companyRollover link11unvisited">Grubb &amp; Ellis</a>; and Julia Hicks, director of human resources at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. Universities are one of his target employers because of their many buildings to manage.</p>
<div style="width:278px" class="legacyInset">
<div class="insetContent">
<h3 class="first">The Doctor Is in</h3>
<div class="insetContent embedType-interactive">
<div class="insetTree">
<div class="insettipUnit insetTarget">
<div class="insetZoomTargetBox">
<div class="insettipBox">
<div class="insettip">
<p><a href="#">View Interactive</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<p>     <a href="#"><img src="http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-FF945_resume_D_20100111161504.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="174" width="262" alt="" /></a></div>
</p></div>
</div>
</div>
</p></div>
</div>
<p>
    <strong>&#8226; The R&#233;sum&#233;: </strong>Mr. Peterson has kept his fairly standard r&#233;sum&#233; to one page. He leads with his contact information, followed by a summary statement and 11 areas of expertise. The r&#233;sum&#233; goes on to describe his career in reverse chronological order with bullet points and concludes with details of his education and training.</p>
</p>
<p>
    <strong>&#8226; The Positives:</strong> Our experts were impressed with some of the accomplishments cited in Mr. Peterson&#8217;s r&#233;sum&#233;. They also gave it kudos for being clutter-free despite its short length.</p>
</p>
<p>
    <strong>&#8226; The Advice:</strong> Much of the information that hiring managers want to see&#8212;such as the size and scope of projects he worked on and certifications he holds&#8212;is there, our experts agree. What Mr. Peterson needs to do is revamp the layout so it is more pleasing to the eye and easier to quickly scan, they say.</p>
<p>Right now, the r&#233;sum&#233; is formatted with a significant amount of white space in some areas and in other places, text is bunched together. Most of all, he needs to direct his r&#233;sum&#233; away from construction and more toward facilities management by highlighting his transferable skills when describing his former positions.</p>
<p>&#8220;Quite frankly, I would have overlooked this r&#233;sum&#233;, and it would not have made my list,&#8221; says Ms. D&#8217;Alessandro. &#8220;The r&#233;sum&#233; is still very much geared to construction.&#8221;</p>
<p>For starters, our experts recommend Mr. Peterson get rid of the &#8220;Management Professional&#8221; title at the very top. &#8220;There&#8217;s really no point to giving yourself a title or categorizing yourself,&#8221; says Mr. Rose. &#8220;Your professional experience and training should stand on its own.&#8221;</p>
<p>Likewise, our experts agree Mr. Peterson should revamp his summary statement. As it is, it is unclear and it doesn&#8217;t even mention facilities management, they say. &#8220;It needs to be more focused on what he is trying to achieve and it should show his strengths,&#8221; says Ms. D&#8217;Alessandro.</p>
<p>For Ms. Hicks, the summary statement &#8220;needs to be more specific about what he can offer and not what he is seeking from an employer.&#8221;</p>
<p>Mr. Rose usually counsels his clients against including a summary statement. But he says he would make an exception for someone looking to change careers. &#8220;Otherwise, the person looking at his r&#233;sum&#233; is going to ask, &#8216;Why is this drywall guy sending this to me?&#8217; &#8221; he says.</p>
<div class="insetCol3wide">
<div class="insetContent insetContentType-shaded">
<h3 class="first">Read More</h3>
<p>
     <a class="" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704431804574539403154677622.html">R&#233;sum&#233; Doctor, First Installment: Creating a R&#233;sum&#233; That Sells</a>
    </p>
<p>
     <a class="" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703580904574638321841284190.html">The Best and Worst Jobs</a>
    </p>
<p>
     <a class="" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703278604574624392641425278.html">Landing a Job of the Future Takes a Two-Track Mind</a>
    </p>
</p></div>
</div>
<p>The next section of Mr. Peterson&#8217;s r&#233;sum&#233; features a list describing his areas of expertise. Ms. D&#8217;Alessandro and Ms. Hicks said they both like it, but they said it should be shortened to six bullets from the current 11. They suggest formatting the section into two or three columns rather than one to make it more visually appealing. &#8220;When the list gets too long, the reader loses focus on the most important skills he is trying to convey,&#8221; says Ms. Hicks.</p>
<p>By contrast, Mr. Rose considers the list &#8220;a waste of valuable real estate&#8221; and suggests deleting it. He says he prefers r&#233;sum&#233;s that highlight strengths with tangible accomplishments in the work-history section. &#8220;There really is no value-add in a list like that,&#8221; he says. &#8220;Hiring authorities don&#8217;t really trust your assessment of yourself.&#8221;</p>
<p>While there are mixed feelings among the experts about including a list of skills, all agree that when used, it needs to be concise and contain only those skills that can help a candidate stand out from the competition.</p>
<p>For the section that lists past employers, our experts want to know more about Mulcahy Inc., where Mr. Peterson spent 19 years. This is especially important for job seekers who have experience at a small or midsize firm that might not be known outside of its particular state or region. &#8220;What kind of company is it?&#8221; says Mr. Rose. &#8220;It could be a multinational, or it could be Mr. Mulcahy, his son and Mark.&#8221;</p>
<p>Our experts also want to see more details about what Mr. Peterson did at Mulcahy. &#8220;Did he hold the same position for all 19 years, or was there career progression while he was there?&#8221; asks Ms. Hicks. </p>
<p>&#8220;If there were multiple positions, you would want to show that,&#8221; says Ms. D&#8217;Alessandro.</p>
<p>She suggests adding subsections under a particular company. Even if Mr. Peterson held only one or two positions at Mulcahy, he should still break up his time there in order to show the breadth of his job as well as career progression, she adds.</p>
<div class="insetCol3wide">
<div class="insetContent">
<h3 class="first">The Doctor Is In</h3>
<p>
     <strong>If you&#8217;d like your r&#233;sum&#233; reviewed for The Resume Doctor:</strong> Send your document along with a short description about your job search and the type of job you are seeking to <a class="" href="mailto:cjeditor@dowjones.com">cjeditor@dowjones.com</a>. Please use R&#233;sum&#233; Doctor in the subject line.</p>
</p></div>
</div>
<p>Our experts also didn&#8217;t like how Mr. Peterson&#8217;s r&#233;sum&#233; displays his past accomplishments. He lists seven, single-spaced bullet points, each packed with responsibilities and accomplishments, for the time he spent at Mulcahy. &#8220;They need to be spread out more with additional bullet points, so they are not just a mass of verbiage,&#8221; says Mr. Rose.</p>
<p>Further, Ms. Hicks says that Mr. Peterson could have done a better job of explaining his major career accomplishments.</p>
<p>For example, rather than listing the companies he had contracts with by name, she says she would have liked to see the different industries they&#8217;re in, because this would show his breadth of experience. </p>
<p>Perhaps most important, our experts say he is missing out on an opportunity to highlight experience that would prove highly relevant to a job in facilities management. In two of his early positions, he mentions the field in bullet points that describe his responsibilities but doesn&#8217;t elaborate. </p>
<p>&#8220;A lot of people make the mistake that if it happened 20 years ago, no one cares about it,&#8221; says Mr. Rose. &#8220;But you accomplished things back then that show career advancement.&#8221;</p>
<p>Including early stints can be especially important for prospective career changers, he adds. Mr. Peterson &#8220;should leverage some of that experience so he won&#8217;t come across as a complete newcomer,&#8221; says Mr. Rose.</p>
<p>In the education and training section, our experts were critical of Mr. Peterson for citing uncommon acronyms for all but one of the certifications he listed. Instead, they would have preferred to see these spelled out. Ms. Hicks also suggests Mr. Peterson show when he obtained the certifications, especially if he got any in recent years. Including dates would also show that he&#8217;s &#8220;up-to-date on what&#8217;s going on in the industry,&#8221; adds Ms. D&#8217;Alessandro.</p>
<p>Further, our experts noted that Mr. Peterson should have gone into detail about what may be the most valuable credential he has for a job in facilities management&#8212;Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Having a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) designation demonstrates significant knowledge in green building practices and would transfer well to facilities management. It could also mean the difference between Mr. Peterson&#8217;s r&#233;sum&#233; going to the top and bottom of the pile, says Ms. D&#8217;Alessandro.</p>
<p>Finally, our experts said that to fit the extra information, Mr. Peterson may need to expand his r&#233;sum&#233; to two pages from one, and that doing so would be acceptable for such a senior-level job hunter. </p>
<p>&#8220;With 25 years of experience, you cannot articulate the depth of your experience in a one-page r&#233;sum&#233;,&#8221; says Ms. D&#8217;Alessandro.</p>
<p>                <strong>Write to </strong>                Elizabeth Garone at <a class="" href="mailto:cjeditor@dowjones.com">cjeditor@dowjones.com</a>            </p>
<p><!-- article end -->
</div>
</div>
<div style='margin-bottom:5px'>© 2011 Wall Street Journal (<a href='http://www.wsj.com'>www.wsj.com</a>)</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/creating-a-career-shifting-r-sum/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Who Needs Daytona?</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/who-needs-daytona</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/who-needs-daytona#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:03:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/who-needs-daytona</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. &#8212; Mark Martin has never won the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 or the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, but the 53-year-old driver feels no regret. He is a man comfortable in his own skin. &#8220;When I was a teenager, that&#8217;s what I thought I was going to do was win the Daytona [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. &#8212; Mark Martin has never won the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 or the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, but the 53-year-old driver feels no regret.</p>
<p>He is a man comfortable in his own skin.</p>
<p>&#8220;When I was a teenager, that&#8217;s what I thought I was going to do was win the Daytona 500,&#8221; Martin said as he prepared for Sunday&#8217;s Daytona 500 with a new ride at Michael Waltrip Racing. &#8220;And now it ain&#8217;t happened. It hasn&#8217;t stopped me from trying. It doesn&#8217;t bother me at all &#8212; none. Why should it? &#8230; If I won it and for some reason didn&#8217;t get the trophy then that would bother me, but I didn&#8217;t win it yet so why should it bother me?&#8221;</p>
<p>Martin arrived in NASCAR in 1981 as the youngest driver ever to win the American Speed Association (ASA) national championship. In fact, he won it three years in a row from 1978-80. But he failed in his first attempt at NASCAR&#8217;s premier division. He was out of a full-time ride by 1983 and returned to ASA to rebuild his career. He would eventually return to NASCAR with team owner Jack Roush in 1987 in what is now the Nationwide Series with a full-time return to Cup in 1988.</p>
<p>Since that time, Martin has become one of NASCAR&#8217;s best drivers, winning 40 career races. But the prestigious victories still elude him.</p>
<p>There are those who judge a NASCAR driver not only on his victories, but where those victories occurred. A driver can rack up wins at Michigan, Pocono, Martinsville and Kansas and be content in knowing they were the best at winning on what race drivers call &#8220;Racer&#8217;s Racetracks,&#8221; tracks where driver skill combined with hitting the right combination on the race car often leads to success. The two restrictor-plate tracks on the schedule &#8212; Daytona and Talladega &#8212; are far different. At those tracks luck and circumstance often determine a driver&#8217;s ability to succeed.</p>
<p>Martin&#8217;s fellow drivers believe, even without those victories, his body of work speaks for itself.</p>
<p>&#8220;I think Mark Martin is a champion of the sport, whether he&#8217;s got the trophy or not,&#8221; Carl Edwards said. &#8220;He gives his best every week and that&#8217;s all you can do. The fun part about this sport is just going out and doing the very best you can. If you win, it&#8217;s a great feeling. I was close enough to know to at least get a taste of how great this race [Daytona] would feel to win and be able to be right there and have a shot at it and then get to talk to Trevor Bayne a lot about it. It would be an amazing race to win.&#8221;</p>
<p>Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon also thinks Martin&#8217;s failure at Daytona is but a footnote to his illustrious career.</p>
<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s no way that he&#8217;s going to be judged by that and he&#8217;s been close,&#8221; Gordon said. &#8220;I think it&#8217;s more of a personal thing to him and if he won it, I think he would be overjoyed and overwhelmed and elated just because to him, it&#8217;s like there&#8217;s this something holding him back from getting that victory in Daytona, but I think he&#8217;s just as capable of doing it as anybody.&#8221;</p>
<p>Martin&#8217;s best shot at Daytona came in 2007 when he was in the lead just a few hundred yards from the checkered flag. With a massive crash just behind him, NASCAR officials did not hit the caution light, choosing to let Martin and Kevin Harvick battle it out to the checkered flag. Harvick&#8217;s Chevrolet was able to nudge just a few inches in front of Martin&#8217;s front bumper to deny the Old Warrior his chance at Daytona glory.</p>
<p>The wrinkles on Martin&#8217;s face are an indicator that time has marched on since he was the fresh-face young man that arrived at Daytona in 1982 full of optimism, hope and dreams. And three decades later without a Cup title or a Daytona 500 victory, Martin has no regrets.</p>
<p>&#8220;Nobody ever told me that I was going to be the greatest of all time,&#8221; Martin admitted. &#8220;I figure that I&#8217;m darn lucky to have been able to participate in this sport and stumble around and win a few things. I&#8217;m not owed anything. You earn what you get. I have not lost one ounce of sleep over not winning it other than the disappointment of being within three feet of it in &#8217;07. </p>
<p>&#8220;I had to stop short &#8230; when I was telling you that I hadn&#8217;t lost any sleep over it. To be real honest, that&#8217;s not accurate. I did lose a little bit over coming within three feet of it. You don&#8217;t get to choose which races you win &#8212; if you&#8217;re lucky you just get to win some. I figured that I got lucky and I got to win some. I don&#8217;t get to choose which ones they are.&#8221;</p>
<p>Three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart headlines the list of big-name drivers yet to hit Victory Lane at Daytona, but he keeps that missing accomplishment in proper perspective.</p>
<p>&#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t trade three championships to win Daytona,&#8221; Stewart said. &#8220;It&#8217;s not a good feeling to not have that tally in the win column. &#8230; It&#8217;s the biggest race of the year; everyone wants to win that race. I won&#8217;t say that it is not a complete career if you don&#8217;t win it, but there is a lot of priority on this. Darrell Waltrip and Dale [Earnhardt] both had to go a long time before they got it.</p>
<p>&#8220;But it&#8217;s very high on my list &#8212; especially these next two weeks, it is the highest thing on it.&#8221;</p>
<p>Martin will go out on Sunday and attempt to win the Daytona 500, but if he doesn&#8217;t win it, that&#8217;s OK because Martin is man secure with what he has accomplished in his career.</p>
<p>Even without a Daytona 500 victory, Martin&#8217;s rÃ©sumÃ© is more than complete.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/who-needs-daytona/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Vanuatu country profile</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/vanuatu-country-profile</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/vanuatu-country-profile#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:03:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top Stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/vanuatu-country-profile</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Vanuatu &#8211; a string of more than 80 islands once known as the New Hebrides &#8211; achieved independence from France and Britain in 1980. Local traditions are strong. Women, for example, generally have lower social standing than men and have fewer educational opportunities. Despite strong growth, the economy has struggled to meet the needs of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="introduction">Vanuatu &#8211; a string of more than 80 islands once known as the New Hebrides &#8211; achieved independence from France and Britain in 1980.</p>
<p>Local traditions are strong. Women, for example, generally have lower social standing than men and have fewer educational opportunities. </p>
<p>Despite strong growth, the economy has struggled to meet the needs of Vanuatu&#039;s expanding population.</p>
<p>The main sources of revenue are agriculture and eco-tourism. Both depend on the weather, and when, as in 1999, cyclones and persistent rain hit Vanuatu, both suffer. </p>
<p>Tax revenue is derived from import duties, and neither personal income nor company profits are taxed. </p>
<p>Vanuatu tightened up its tax and regulatory systems after the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development warned that it could face sanctions if lax taxation regimes were exploited by criminals for money-laundering. </p>
<p>Australia, a key donor, has pushed for good governance and economic reform in the islands. </p>
<div style='margin-bottom:5px'>© 2011 BBC News (<a href='http://www.bbc.co.uk'>www.bbc.co.uk</a>)</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/vanuatu-country-profile/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lawyer sees &#8220;conspiracy of silence&#8221; in Mubarak trial</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/lawyer-sees-conspiracy-of-silence-in-mubarak-trial</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/lawyer-sees-conspiracy-of-silence-in-mubarak-trial#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:03:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top Stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/lawyer-sees-conspiracy-of-silence-in-mubarak-trial</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Dina Zayed CAIRO &#124; Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:38pm EST CAIRO (Reuters) &#8211; A lawyer acting for the families of those killed in Egypt&#8217;s uprising against Hosni Mubarak Monday told the court trying him that there had been a &#8220;conspiracy of silence&#8221; by those seeking to shield the former president. The prosecution and lawyers [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span><br />
<span></span></p>
<div>
<p class="byline">By Dina Zayed</p>
<p>
        <span class="location">CAIRO</span> |<br />
        <span class="timestamp">Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:38pm EST</span>
        </p>
</p></div>
<p><span></span><span class="focusParagraph">
<p><span class="articleLocation">CAIRO</span> (Reuters) &#8211; A lawyer acting for the families of those killed in Egypt&#8217;s uprising against Hosni Mubarak Monday told the court trying him that there had been a &#8220;conspiracy of silence&#8221; by those seeking to shield the former president.</p>
<p></span><span></span>
<p>The prosecution and lawyers for the plaintiffs were speaking ahead the final hearing of the case Wednesday, when Judge Ahmed Refaat is due to set a date to deliver his verdict in the trial that began on August 3.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>The prosecution is seeking the death sentence for Mubarak over the charge that he was involved in killing some 850 protesters but says the Interior Ministry and its police force have not cooperated to help them build the case.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>&#8220;There is no doubt that there has been a conspiracy against the court, a conspiracy that started from the first day, a conspiracy of silence,&#8221; plaintiff lawyer Sameh Ashour <a href='http://bestkeywestvacations.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/a-great-catch-grouper-after-booking-key-west-fishing-charters-to-the-wrecks-and-reefs/'>said</a>.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>&#8220;It is a conspiracy for all those videos to be recorded over, for an officer to be allowed to wipe all recordings from the police force&#8217;s operation room,&#8221; he said, accusing police of tampering with potential evidence.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>Many Egyptians had hoped the trial would help turn a page on the past, but are now worried the prosecution has weaker evidence which could lead to a light sentence. They also say Mubarak received preferential <a href='http://keywestvacations.webnode.com/cobia-a/'>treatment</a>.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>Mubarak, 83, who has denied the charges that also include abuse of power and corruption, was again in court on a stretcher and in the same cage as his two sons, the former interior minister and other top police officers.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>He has been held in a military hospital rather than in prison facilities. A parliamentary committee said Monday in a report that a prison hospital on the edge of Cairo where other officials have been held was now equipped to receive him.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>The prosecution, responding to the final arguments of the defense, said they had worked round the clock to build the case.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>&#8220;We say the evidence is strong and decisive,&#8221; prosecution lawyer Moustafa Suleiman said, adding that television footage showed the violence unleashed on protesters during the 18-day uprising that brought down Mubarak on February 11, 2011.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>He added: &#8220;Over the course of the past month, what we have heard (from the defense) was distortions, silencing of the truth. Some of it was complete manipulation.&#8221;</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>The prosecution reminded the court of footage from a mobile phone of one victim that showed the moment he was shot during the uprising, with images of the officer who shot him, but the Interior Ministry said it could not identify the shooter.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>The prosecution also dismissed the defense argument that &#8220;third parties&#8221; and foreigners were to blame.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>&#8220;Were these foreigners or third parties just in Tahrir Square (in Cairo)? How come they didn&#8217;t show up in other provinces,&#8221; Suleiman said.</p>
<p><span></span>
<p>(Editing by <a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/search/journalist.php?edition=us&amp;n=edmund.blair&amp;">Edmund Blair</a>)</p>
<p><span></span></span>
<div style='margin-bottom:5px'>© 2011 REUTERS (<a href='http://www.reuters.com'>www.reuters.com</a>)</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/lawyer-sees-conspiracy-of-silence-in-mubarak-trial/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Being Sure Wine Matches the Label</title>
		<link>http://romancatholic.biz/being-sure-wine-matches-the-label</link>
		<comments>http://romancatholic.biz/being-sure-wine-matches-the-label#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:03:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HermPink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://romancatholic.biz/being-sure-wine-matches-the-label</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Type the words &#8220;empty wine bottles&#8221; into eBay&#8217;s search engine and you will soon be presented with a number of options to purchase all manner of empties from the world&#8217;s greatest wine estates. Within seconds, I found examples of magnums and bottles of distinguished vintages from Bordeaux and California. I can understand keeping a bottle [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="article story">
<div class="articlePage"><a name="U603565170630ALE"></a>
<p>Type the words &#8220;empty wine bottles&#8221; into eBay&#8217;s search engine and you will soon be presented with a number of options to purchase all manner of empties from the world&#8217;s greatest wine estates. Within seconds, I found examples of magnums and bottles of distinguished vintages from Bordeaux and <a href='http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/29/obama-biden-camp-hype-palin%E2%80%99s-debating-skills/'>California</a>. I can understand keeping a bottle as a trophy from a particularly special vintage or grower, but I have no inclination to start a collection of empties. So why would somebody want to buy an empty bottle, in some cases for hundreds of pounds? </p>
<div style="width:278px" class="legacyInset">
<div class="insetContent">
<h3 class="first">Drinking Now</h3>
<div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D">
<div class="insetTree">
<div class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget">
<div class="insetZoomTargetBox">
<div class="insettipBox">
<div class="insettip">
<p><a>Enlarge Image</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<p><a><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-RU818_4dnonl_D_20120215084111.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="174" width="262" alt="4dnonline0216" /></a>
<div class="insetFullBracket">
<div class="insetFullBox">
<div class="insetButton"><a class="insetClose">Close</a></div>
<p><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-RU818_4dnonl_G_20120215084111.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="369" width="553" alt="4dnonline0216" /></div>
</div>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>From everyday drinking to a treat from the cellar, three wines ripe for <strong><br />
                        <a class="" href="#U603594180542LJH">tasting today</a><br />
                    </strong>
                </p>
</p></div>
</div>
<p><a name="U603565170630PKG"></a>
<p>As eBay says, there are myriad reasons for buying old bottles, from decorating a restaurant to storing homemade wine. But let&#8217;s speculate for a moment. How probable is it that one might be tempted to purchase an empty bottle from a particularly valuable and sought-after domaine, refill it with a similarly aged wine of above-average quality (but by no means as valuable) and try to pass it off as the original? It would be a fun trick to play at a dinner party. But could it actually fool an expert? </p>
<p><a name="U603565170630Z2"></a>
<p>&#8220;There have been fakes for hundreds of years, certainly in France,&#8221; says wine authenticator Maureen Downey, owner of Chai Consulting in San Francisco. &#8220;As somebody who is experienced at looking at these things, you can tell when the capsule isn&#8217;t right. It is believed that one of the methods of making a fake wine is by refilling an empty bottle. We often find it is a very old bottle with a brand new cork but no indication of recorking.&#8221;</p>
<p><a name="U603565170630MCG"></a>
<p>As the prices for fine wine have increased, so have fears about counterfeits. One Hong Kong merchant told me that restaurants there are now more diligent about smashing the empties of particularly prestigious <a href='http://edition.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/09/12/russia.bears/index.html'>wines</a>. Although not an exact science, the authenticity of a product&#8212;which can be verified by the glass, label, weight and color of the liquid&#8212;remains a very real concern.</p>
<p><a name="U603565170630OCG"></a>
<p>Take, for example, the European debut of California-based Spectrum Wine Auctions, which last week came to London for its much-billed &#8220;Evening Sale.&#8221; Hours before Spectrum and its local partner, Vanquish wine merchants, were due to accept bids at a sale room in the Mandarin Oriental hotel, they released a statement saying they were withdrawing 13 lots from the auction, including a number of bottles with the Domaine de la Roman&#233;e-Conti label, due to &#8220;apparent label discrepancies.&#8221; The domaine, through its U.K. agent Corney &amp; Barrow, confirmed it couldn&#8217;t verify the wines&#8217; authenticity. Eight lots from Burgundy&#8217;s Domaine Comte Georges de Vog&#252;&#233; were also withdrawn. Richard Brierley, head of fine wine at Vanquish, says those lots were withdrawn &#8220;as a matter of precaution&#8221; after a specific request from the domaine. Domaine Comte Georges de Vog&#252;&#233; declined to comment.</p>
<div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-DV">
<div class="insetTree">
<div class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget">
<div class="insetZoomTargetBox">
<div class="insettipBox">
<div class="insettip">
<p><a>Enlarge Image</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<p><a><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-RU828_lyons0_DV_20120215093257.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="394" width="262" alt="lyons0216" /></a>
<div class="insetFullBracket">
<div class="insetFullBox">
<div class="insetButton"><a class="insetClose">Close</a></div>
<p><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-RU828_lyons0_G_20120215093257.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" height="369" width="553" alt="lyons0216" /></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>                <cite>Spectrum Wine Auctions</cite></p>
<p class="targetCaption">Spectrum withdrew a number of bottles with the Domaine de la Roman&#233;e-Conti label from its London auction last week, due to &#8220;apparent label discrepancies.&#8221; </p>
</p></div>
</div>
</div>
<p><a name="U603565170630J2B"></a>
<p>The red flag was originally raised by Los Angeles-based collector Don Cornwell. Mr. Cornwell, who also happens to be a lawyer, completed his own detective work when he viewed Spectrum&#8217;s wine catalog and noticed several incongruities in the labels of some of the rarest and most sought-after Burgundy wines. He posted his concerns, in forensic detail, on the forum of Internet wine site <a href='http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2000/10/09/289321/index.htm'>wineberserkers.com</a>. This alerted Corney &amp; Barrow, who then raised the issue with Spectrum. Among these concerns was the observation that on a bottle of Domaine de la Roman&#233;e-Conti 1978, which had an estimate of &#163;6,000, a label on the shoulder of the shipper, Percy Fox, misspelled the address as &#8220;Sackvilee Street&#8221; rather than Sackville Street. </p>
<p><a name="U603565170630WPH"></a>
<p>&#8220;It is concerning to see a label on which the then-London address of Percy Fox &amp; Co. is misspelled,&#8221; says Simon Lawson, general manager of Diageo-owned Percy Fox, which was the official U.K. agent for Domaine de la Roman&#233;e-Conti until 1993. &#8220;Our suggestion would be that any wine which displays labeling errors like this are referred to the domaine for verification before being offered for sale.&#8221;</p>
<p><a name="U603565170630MSE"></a>
<p>In the auction catalog, Spectrum and Vanquish say all of their wines were carefully inspected and vetted by their team of international experts, who spent long hours meticulously scrutinizing each detail of every consignment. They also added, in a statement, that the wines were withdrawn &#8220;through an abundance of caution and in line with our commitment to excellence in due-diligence and verification,&#8221; so that the issues could be properly investigated. At the time of writing, Spectrum President Jason Boland says the investigation is ongoing. Mr. Brierley adds: &#8220;We are committed to resolving the matters raised and having the relevant producers involved in that process.&#8221;</p>
<p><a name="U6035651706301KF"></a>
<p>But the incident does raise questions as to the provenance of old and rare fine-wine bottles coming onto the market, especially viewed in the present context of fine-wine prices. &#8220;Clearly there is a problem,&#8221; says Corney &amp; Barrow Managing Director Adam Brett-Smith, and &#8220;clearly it needs addressing.&#8221; The withdrawn lots didn&#8217;t stop staggering sums being paid for rare wines at the Spectrum and Vanquish wine auction. A three-liter Jeroboam of Domaine de la Roman&#233;e-Conti 1990 sold for &#163;40,250, while a single bottle of Domaine de la Roman&#233;e-Conti from 1945 fetched &#163;28,750. These are sums that could only be dreamed of two decades ago. I wonder how much the empties would sell for.</p>
<div class="insetContent embedType-interactive insetCol3wide">
<div class="insettipUnit">
<!-- lib_json_commons.ftl --><br />
<!-- lib_flash_commons.ftl --></p>
<p><!-- flash project - default - FLASHLIST09 --></p>
<div style="width:571px;height:550px">
<textarea></p>
<div class="noFlash">
{if djIsFlashPossible}</p>
<p>The version of Adobe Flash Player required to view this interactive has not been found. To enjoy our complete interactive experience, please download a free copy of the latest version of Adobe Flash Player <a href="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash">here</a></p>
<p>{else}</p>
<p>This content can not be displayed because your browser does not support the Adobe Flash player required to view it.</p>
<p>{/if}
</p></div>
<p></textarea></div>
</div></div>
<p>
                <strong>Write to </strong>                Will Lyons at <a class="" href="mailto:william.lyons@wsj.com">william.lyons@wsj.com</a>
            </p>
<p><!-- article end -->
</div>
</div>
<div style='margin-bottom:5px'>© 2011 Wall Street Journal (<a href='http://www.wsj.com'>www.wsj.com</a>)</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://romancatholic.biz/being-sure-wine-matches-the-label/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

