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A free series of educational meetings to teach farmers and landowners about the 2014 Farm Bill have been set for December.Don Shurley and Nathan Smith, University of Georgia agricultural economists based on the UGA Tifton Campus, along with representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency, will conduct the meetings throughout Georgia, beginning on Friday, Dec. 12, in Fort Valley. “The farm bill has changes that are going to require producers and owners to make decisions over the next two or three months. There are a lot of options and flexibility in terms of this farm bill and decisions for people to make. It’s somewhat complicated and there are a lot of questions out there,” Smith said. “We’re trying to provide these educational programs to help them understand what those decisions are and provide some information that people can use.”Meetings are also set for Tifton and Bainbridge on Monday, Dec. 15, Dawson and Quitman on Tuesday, Dec. 16, Vidalia and Waynesboro on Wednesday, Dec. 17, Cartersville and Hull on Thursday, Dec. 18, and Alma on Friday, Dec. 19. Registration is required, but there is no cost for participants.A similar set of meetings was held last spring after the farm bill was initially announced. Those meetings focused on the bill’s contents. According to Shurley, this month’s meetings are aimed at helping producers and landowners make key decisions regarding their respective farming operations.“We’re going to be talking about what choices the farmer and the landowner have to make, presenting information to help them understand what’s in the farm bill and giving them information to help them understand how to make decisions,” Shurley said. Topics to be covered include timelines for decision-making and who has to make the decisions; how payment yields can be updated; crop history and how the reallocation of base acres works; the Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX), the new crop insurance safety net for cotton; and resources and other tools that are available to assist in decision-making.Who makes the decisions may sound like an easy question to answer, but Shurley explains this isn’t always the case.“If I’m the farmer, but you own the farm, and I’m renting the farm from you, a lot of these decisions you have to make, but you can’t make them without information from the producer about the crop history and yield history,” Shurley said. “A farmer that may be farming two dozen serial numbers is not unusual. A total farm may be 1,500 acres, but it may be 100 acres here, 121 acres there, 300 acres here. The decisions have to be made on each of those farms independently.”The times of the meetings vary at each location. Contact the local UGA Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1 for specific times and registration details. The meetings that begin at 9:30 a.m. will conclude with lunch at noon. Meetings with a 4 p.m. starting time will conclude with dinner at 6:30 p.m.
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享S&P Global Market Intelligence ($):Nearly $72 billion worth of U.S. oil and gas speculative-grade debt is distressed, an amount that has doubled since the year began, and is now at an all-time high as oil prices have collapsed, signaling a coming wave of defaults by oil and gas borrowers, S&P Global Ratings said March 19.The distress ratio – the proportion of speculative-grade bonds paying 1,000 basis points, or 10%, above U.S. Treasury bills, compared to the total number of speculative issues – soared to more than 94% for the oil and gas sector this year after Russia and OPEC failed to reign in crude oil production at the same time the COVID-19 virus emerged, cutting into worldwide demand, Ratings said.The distress ratio indicates the level of risk the market has priced into bonds. A rising distress ratio reflects an increased need for capital and often precedes increased defaults when accompanied by a severe and sustained market disruption, the rating agency explained. The U.S. oil and gas distress ratio is higher now than its previous peaks during the 2016 oil price crash and the Great Recession of 2008, the credit rating agency noted.S&P also noted that nearly 40% of the U.S. oil and gas companies with less than investment grade credit ratings were on CreditWatch with negative implications or a negative outlook, more than twice its normal average of 19%. It expects defaults to rise when these oil and gas firms find no way to refinance that debt in today’s market, skittish with worry about the coronavirus.“As financing conditions quickly become much less accommodative due to risk aversion from investors uncertain about the global impact of COVID-19, we may continue to see an increase in distressed debt instruments, followed by an increase in defaults,” Ratings said.[Bill Holland]More ($): U.S. oil, gas distressed debt has doubled to highest level ever — S&P S&P: U.S. oil and gas industry distressed debt now at all-time high
Kayaking is a diverse outdoor sport that can be enjoyed independently or tandem and anywhere from the oceans of the coast to the rushing rivers of the valleys. For every paddler from the morning kayak along the banks of a calm lake to the weekend warriors who rip roar through class four rapids, there is a kayak for everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned paddler looking to expand your horizons or are looking to rent or buy a kayak for your own water venture, here is a guide to finding the one for you.
Sit on top kayaks are popular with those looking to not feel constrained and aren’t planning to be tackling any roll-worthy rapids. These provide a nice stable platform for the paddler while providing increased mobility and flexibility compared with the sit-in models. Some drawbacks to consider with this style boat are that they must be wide enough to compensate for the higher center of gravity, making them slower and are a bit more heavy to haul to and from the waters. Sit in kayaks come with the benefits of being drier, allow for extended paddling seasons, allows your body to control the movement of the vessel better, and storage as well! If you wanted to pack a small tent, food, and other small gear- you could use a sit in kayak as your transportation to an island for a night under the stars. This style of kayak has a raised lip around the cockpit where the paddler sits, allowing for the use of skirts which serve to keep water out of the boat. This becomes a major draw for those wishing to make it down a river.
Recreational kayaks are highly favored for beginner and low intensity seeking paddlers. You will mostly find these style of boats on flat waters such as lakes, ponds, and perhaps a gentle river. Most basic rental kayaks fall into this category as they are good for a leisurely paddle and give you the stability to feel safe taking a camera along for some nature photography along your journey. With wide cockpits, these boats are easy to get in and out of, making them very user friendly.Touring kayaks are also meant for calm waters like the recreational style, however they are built slightly differently as they trade designs to be a little less maneuverable like whitewater kayaks so they can be ideal for higher cruising speeds, comfort for longer journeys, and allow for good cargo capacity. These are great for the ease of straight-line paddling and are often built to be 17-20 feet long.
Whitewater kayaks are those tiny things you see strapped to cars going past you on the highway that make you wonder, “How does someone fit in that thing?” These boats are designed short in order to do their job- keep paddlers in the boat. They are meant to be easily maneuverable so that paddlers can make it through rougher conditions than you would find on still waters. While these are great for river paddling, they are most definitely not a 2 in 1 deal. Do not plan on taking one of these bad boys on a lake as they are just not built to track in a straight line. Not meant for storage or for leisurely rides, these tiny boat are the gateway for thrills, spills, and often go hand in hand with helmets.Sea kayaks are, no surprise here, ideal for ocean paddling. Designed with directional stability, these boats can handle the sea’s sometimes unpredictable conditions. However, I would not expect to stay dry your first time in a sea kayak as there may be a learning curve coming your way with these. Unique features to sea kayaks are their bow and stern bulkheads that keep water from filling the ends of the boat in the event that it is capsized. To avoid this potential, many sea kayakers go with the sit on top sea kayaks that will not fill up since they have no cockpit.
Pedal kayaks are a niche within the paddling community that has become synonymous with those who enjoy fishing from a kayak. The draw here is that with both hand on a rod as the paddler fights to bring the fish to the surface, you can still have full control of going both forward and in reverse by using your feet. Trying to fish in other style kayaks is possible, but it does add the extra step of juggling the paddle and the rod. The way it works is the pedals work to spin a small propellor toward the front of the boat. With the foot pedals keeping you moving forward or back, there is also a rudder in the rear of the kayak allowing the paddler to steer.Double kayaks allow you to have company along with you as you paddle and also provide you with ample space for storage. The price that the storage and additional person come at is the function of maneuverability. Not as easy to turn and not easy to be paddled effectively alone, this style of boat is common as rentals and for those who truly enjoy being on the water a lot and want a companion along the way. Who ever said you had to put a human in the second seat? If you’ve got an outdoor loving dog with a lifejacket, you can always go tandem with your pets!
‘Bellyak’ boats are a fairly new creation where the kayaker lays on their front side or kneeling rather than sitting upright and uses their arms as paddles. Their appearance resembles a cross between a surfboard and a whitewater kayak. This no paddle necessary ‘body boat’ has several neat characteristics to it. Its design is intended to give you a full body fitness experience and vantage point to where it feels like you are flying on the water. While this may seem out of the norm for the sport, it creates an avenue for many with disabilities to get out on the water and have a great time on the water. Its structure allows for easy re-entry and is lightweight, making it easy to carry for one person, including individuals in a wheelchair. The swim motion strengthens the upper back, shoulders, and arms while developing lateral core strength. Much more than a physical gain, this boat appeals to the hearts of people with a variety of abilities as it makes water sports attainable to all.Don’t let the large variety of kayaks discourage or overwhelm you. Instead, think of the type of adventure you’re seeking on the water and based on that, you’ll be able to find the proper kayak for the task. To get a good feel for the kayak style made for you, it may be worth the minor expense of renting one for a few hours and giving it a test run before investing in a brand new or used one.
By Myriam Ortega/Diálogo June 21, 2017 The Colombian War College (ESDEGUE, per its Spanish acronym) turned 108 on May 1st. To celebrate its anniversary, various academic activities and official ceremonies were held throughout the month in Bogota, Colombia. The celebration began with a seminar on “Prospects for Security and Defense” organized by ESDEGUE’s master’s program in National Security and Defense, with support from the Specialized Security and Defense Knowledge Network. The event showcased different views from an academic perspective regarding the main security and defense dynamics for both Colombia and the rest of the world in the 21st century. Retired Colombian Army Colonel Yesid Ramírez Pedraza, the director of the National Security and Defense master’s program, explained to Diálogo the context in which the seminar’s topic was selected. “The 2003 Declaration [on Security] in the Americas, [promoted by the Organization of American States (OAS), which seeks to foster respect for human rights, to protect democracy, and safeguard the rule of law] was adopted in Mexico City. OAS, and obviously the states that make up the organization, understood that security must focus on a new arena.” “When we talk about prospects, we are referring to new alternatives used by threats, the new global trends. This is a scenario where an atomization of threats appears, along with new contexts like cyberspace, war and cyber threats that could destabilize a state at any given moment,” Col. Ramírez added. The relevance of this seminar is evident within the framework of what ESDEGUE represents for national security and defense. “It is the [laboratory of ideas] of the Armed Forces General Command (…) which creates strategic studies for decision making on the part of the Ministry of Defense and the Colombian government, in terms of the state’s response to permanent threats seen in the field,” Col. Ramírez said. 108 years of achievements Since its founding in 1909, ESDEGUE has trained Colombian Armed Forces leaders in response to the needs that have historically been put in their path. It was created during the presidency of General Rafael Reyes Prieto, at a time when the Thousand Days’ War had just ended and Colombia faced a period of political instability. At the time, Gen. Reyes wanted to organize the Army to confront threats that could destabilize the government. “That curriculum, focused at the time on strategy, tactics, the operation of the Joint Staff, the deployment of troops in the field, and military administration (…), has persisted and evolved with time. Currently, there are important postgraduate studies in military sciences,” Major General Nicacio de Jesús Martínez Espinel, the director of ESDEGUE, told Diálogo. During the 1960s, the Colombian Armed Forces changed their strategy, which was based on Prussian Army doctrine, in order to face guerrillas with counterinsurgency strategies. It was a period in which education was based on American doctrine and a deeper study of national security theory. “And in the past five decades, there has been a special emphasis on new strategic scenarios, in which the Armed Forces are developing,” Maj. Gen. Martínez said. After the agreement Following the signing of the peace accords between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, ESDEGUE is preparing its leaders for this new scenario. “The institution has to accept reality, which is why they should incorporate new methods for [administering] structural changes to face new scenarios of constant challenges and obstacles,” Maj. Gen. Martínez said, pointing out that instability also arises through socioeconomic and legal factors, as well as insecurity, all of which could threaten constitutional order and peacebuilding efforts. “The Armed Forces should transform based on our needs, not only in war but also in social terms,” Maj. Gen. Martínez said. With this, he stressed the importance of human security, of working with other forces, and developing operations with other governments to promote collective security.
“I had no intention of taking it as it wasn’t mine,” Mujenih said on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com.Read also: Commuter line sees surge in passengers as ‘new normal’ beginsState-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir invited Mujenih and Egi to his office in Jakarta to reward them for their honesty. The minister gave them two life insurance policies, each worth Rp 500 million, from state-owned lenders Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) and Bank Mandiri, They were also rewarded life and health insurance worth Rp 50 million from Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) as reported by kontan.co.Dua pekerja paruh waktu yang dikontrak @keretaapikita dan @CommuterLine, yakni Petugas Pengawalan KRL, Egi Sandi Saputra (24) dan Petugas Kebersihan kereta, Mujenih (34) melakukan tindakan mulia yang patut dicontoh kita semua. pic.twitter.com/xZAy3Mm1vY— Kementerian BUMN (@KemenBUMN) July 13, 2020Telecommunications company Telkomsel, a subsidiary of state-owned communications company PT Telkom Indonesia, also rewarded Mujenih and Egi with free internet quota worth Rp 200,000 every month for a year. Meanwhile, electronic payment platform LinkAja gave them electronic money worth Rp 5 million.”What they did should be an example for other frontline employees who interact with customers. Their actions should also serve as an inspiration for those of us who work in managerial positions,” Erick said on Monday.Mujenih and Egi were also granted permanent employment status with the commuter train operator. (nal)Topics : After making headlines and going viral on social media for handing in hundreds of millions of rupiah in lost property, two staff members of Commuter Line operator PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia have received substantial rewards for their honesty.The two employees, 34-year-old cleaner Mujenih and 24-year-old security guard Egi Sandi, found a black plastic bag containing Rp 500 million (US$34,690) in cash during their shift on July 6. The plastic bag was left on a passenger seat in one of the commuter trains. Mujenih initially thought the plastic bag contained trash, but he was surprised upon discovering the money.Mujenih and Egi later reported their finding to passenger service officials in Bogor station in West Java. The money was then returned to its owner who came looking for it at the station.
London stocks fell by 3.4 percent after Health Minister Matt Hancock warned Britain’s coronavirus crisis was at a “tipping point”, fueling expectations of more restrictions aimed at curbing Covid-19 as government experts said cases could mushroom.”Virus fears have come back to haunt investors today, as concern rises that the consumer-led recovery is going to falter if lockdowns are re-introduced,” noted Fawad Razaqzada, an analyst at ThinkMarkets.”Stocks have tanked, the dollar has jumped, and the pound has been pounded,” he added.Wall Street also had a losing day, although equities clawed back from session lows in apparent bargain-hunting. World equity markets suffered heavy losses Monday as investors reacted to mounting fears of a second coronavirus wave and diminishing odds of another United States stimulus bill as partisanship intensifies ahead of the presidential elections. Crude oil prices plunged, owing to expectations for less demand just as more supply from Libya becomes available, traders said.The banking sector was also rocked by an international media probe that claimed massive sums of allegedly dirty money had flowed for years through some of the world’s largest banks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended at 27,147.70, down 1.8 percent or around 510 points, but more than 400 points above session lows.Hopes of another round of US stimulus spending took a hit with the death of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which has sharpened already significant partisan differences in Washington ahead of the US presidential election on November 3.Ginsburg’s death “means the political scene now seems more hostile, decreasing the possibility of a stimulus deal getting done,” said TD Ameritrade’s JJ Kinahan in a note.’Virus fears’Russ Mould, at the online broker AJ Bell, added that “travel stocks again faced severe turbulence amid the rising fears over new (government) restrictions.”Most Asian bourses had already fallen sharply earlier in the day.Shares in major banks dived after BuzzFeed News and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published findings over dirty money allegedly flowing through the banking system.”Profits from deadly drug wars, fortunes embezzled from developing countries and hard-earned savings stolen in a Ponzi scheme were all allowed to flow into and out of these financial institutions, despite warnings from the banks’ own employees,” according to the probe.Banks replied that they have been working for several years with national regulators to address many of the issues raised in the report.Also, the industry noted that law enforcement sometimes request banks keep a client relationship ongoing to support further investigations.Topics :
Some homeowners didn’t know when their smoke alarm was last tested.Smoke Alarm Solutions CEO Cameron Davis said the figures showed many people were blase about fire safety.He said the research found nine per cent of Queensland households did not know when their smoke alarms were last tested and four per cent said they had never tested them.“Nobody thinks it’ll happen to them, but 160 Queensland families will be the victim of a house fire this month,’’ Mr Davis said.“Families and landlords have a responsibility to ensure their properties are safe. There is no better investment than an up-to-date and working smoke alarm.”He said the changes to smoke alarm legislation would impact on every one of the state’s estimated 550,000 rental properties by 2022. Investors and owner occupiers are not all protecting their properties.THERE is one thing owners and investors can do to protect their properties, but a surprising number don’t, new research has revealed.Research by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service revealed 15 per cent of Queensland households did not have operational smoke alarms installed.The situation was worse in Far Northern Queensland where 21 per cent of house holds didn’t have an operational alarm. In Central Queensland it was 18 per cent and Brisbane 13 per cent.More from newsNew apartments released at idyllic retirement community Samford Grove Presented by Parks and wildlife the new lust-haves post coronavirus21 hours agoThe research also found only 20 per cent of Queensland households had a smoke alarm in the main bedroom, despite new legislation that all Queensland properties must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in all bedrooms by 2022 in rental properties and owner-occupied properties by 2027.
The commissioner also backed the main elements of the revised IORP Directive, noting the need to ensure pension funds had “sound” risk management processes in place and were run by “capable” people – the latter likely a recognition by the Commission that its initial draft, with its focus on professionals, risked alienating member states that made use of lay trustees.Thyssen also challenged pension funds to live up to the spirit of the revised Directive, arguing that funds needed to “invest more long term” and build cross-border activities.“In short, the proposed directive aims to establish a modern regulatory framework,” she said. She also praised the work undertaken to develop a Europe-wide pension tracking service.TTYPE, which published an initial report in early 2015, is currently examining how to proceed with the development of a viable business plan for the project.Thyssen hinted that there could be further Commission involvement in launching TTYPE.“We are investigating possibilities to help the pension industry build on this momentum to roll out a fully fledged cross‑border pension tracking service,” she said. The European Commission has called for more to be done to highlight the economic benefits of private retirement savings and argued that the overhaul of the IORP Directive is needed to push the pensions sector toward long-term investments.Social affairs commissioner Marianne Thyssen, speaking at the World Pension Summit in the Hague, called on governments and social partners to do more to promote private pension savings.She admitted the current low-interest-rate environment was proving difficult for investors and noted that governments only had a limited ability to offer tax incentives in a time of fiscal constraint.“Nevertheless, we must promote supplementary savings,” Thyssen said. “Even with the limited savings capacity of households, efforts must be stepped up to clearly demonstrate the economic benefits of complementary retirement savings.”
South Korean natural gas company Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) and Vietnam-focused project development and asset management company Energy Capital Vietnam (ECV) have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate on a new LNG regasification terminal.As explained, the MOU provides the framework for the development of a privately-funded LNG regasification terminal, storage, gas supply system and 3,200 MW gas-fired power project near Mui Ke Ga, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam.The two parties plan to work together to optimize their efforts to meet the significant LNG demand growth forecasted for Vietnam.Commenting on the MOU, David Lewis, CEO of ECV, said KOGAS’ presence in the LNG business together with ECV’s position as one of the first LNG movers in Vietnam, allows both companies to leverage each other’s strengths to bring low-cost LNG to Vietnam and help address critical energy security needs.“This significant milestone culminates a year-long effort with KOGAS. We share similar strategic visions … and we look forward to our long-term partnership together,” Lewis added.
ILOILO City – Six persons crossing theintersection of Infante and General Luna streets here were hit by a waywardpassenger jeepney before dawn on Sunday. * Lebien Lavarro, 20, of Estancia,Iloilo * Vincent Redondo, 28, of Mina, Iloilo The passenger jeepney, plying theLeganes, Iloilo – Iloilo City route, was being driven by Lore Belisario, 54, ofNueva Valencia, Guimaras. * Gwyn Dyne Enderes, 20, of Estancia,Iloilo Belisario faces a charge for recklessimprudence resulting to multiple physical injuries./PN * Christian Librado, 20, of BarangayDungon B, Jaro district
* Bryan Flores, 20, of Barangay Buyo,Santa Barbara, Iloilo The road mishap happened at around 3a.m., according to Police Staff Sergeant Ricky Ardamoy, traffic investigator. At the police station, Belisario saidhe lost control of the jeepney. He told the police he was willing to shoulderthe hospital bills of the six injured persons. * Charles Tajonera, 19, of San Lorezo,Guimaras The following were taken to the IloiloDoctors’ Hospital for treatment: 