Beige Bk Text ? Summary: Modest to Moderate Expansion | ForexLive

WASHINGTON (MNI) ? The following is the summary of the latest
Federal Reserve Beige Book survey of economic conditions in the 12 Fed
districts, published Wednesday:

(* Prepared at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and based on
information collected before July 9, 2012. This document summarizes
comments received from businesses and other contacts outside the Federal
Reserve and is not a commentary on the views of Federal Reserve
officials.)

Reports from most of the twelve Federal Reserve Districts indicated
that overall economic activity continued to expand at a modest to
moderate pace in June and early July. The Atlanta, St. Louis, and San
Francisco Districts reported modest growth, while Boston, Chicago,
Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Dallas described economic activity as
advancing moderately. The New York, Philadelphia, and Cleveland
Districts noted that activity continued to expand, but at a slower pace
since the last report, while Richmond cited mixed activity.

Retail sales increased slightly in all reporting Districts except
Boston and Cleveland, where sales were categorized as flat, and New
York, where sales softened. Of the Districts that saw an increase in
activity, most noted strength in auto sales. In particular, auto dealers
noted that demand for fuel-efficient vehicles continued to support
sales. Tourism activity remained strong according to contacts in the New
York, Richmond, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and San Francisco Districts.

All District housing market reports were largely positive as sales
and construction levels increased and home inventories declined. Rental
markets continued to strengthen with rising rents being reported in
Boston, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas. Commercial real estate
leasing and construction continued to improve as demand for multifamily
units increased in Atlanta, Chicago, and San Francisco. However, both
New York and Richmond noted a slowdown in commercial activity, while
Philadelphia and Dallas held steady.

Manufacturing activity continued to expand slowly in most
Districts, and Cleveland, Atlanta, Chicago, and Kansas City cited slight
increases in production levels. However, several Districts reported a
deceleration in new orders, and the Philadelphia and Richmond Districts
reported declines in shipments and orders. Demand for nonfinancial
services remained generally stable in most regions. Richmond noted
strong sales among professional, scientific, and technical firms, while
Dallas noted strength in energy, legal, and audit-related services.
Transportation reports were generally positive, with Kansas City noting
an uptick in trucking activity, while Richmond reported increased port
activity.

Demand for loans, particularly those related to real estate, grew
modestly in most Districts. However, both Cleveland and Richmond noted
some weakness in loan activity. Credit standards remained unchanged in
New York, Richmond, and Kansas City, while credit quality improved in
Philadelphia, Kansas City, Dallas, and San Francisco. Agricultural
production and pricing reports were mixed. While drought conditions have
affected production in some Districts, others noted favorable
conditions. Chicago and Kansas City reported a significant deterioration
of corn crops, which has pushed up prices since the end of June.

All Districts conveyed that input prices had stabilized in recent
months. Price pressures were described as easing in New York,
Philadelphia, Atlanta, and San Francisco as energy costs declined. Wage
pressures remained modest, except for highly skilled workers in
information technology, health care, transportation, and manufacturing.
Employment levels improved at a tepid pace for most Districts. Overall,
Districts reported that their contacts remained cautiously optimistic
about future business conditions.

Consumer Spending and Tourism

Most Districts reported modest increases in retail spending on a
year-over-year basis, but many reported slower growth in recent months
compared with earlier in the year; however, Boston and Cleveland
reported sales as flat, and New York cited softer sales. There were a
few reports that high summer temperatures negatively affected sales.
Sales of big-ticket household goods were strong in the Richmond,
Chicago, Kansas City, and Dallas Districts, while sales were reportedly
flat for home furnishings and major appliances in the San Francisco
District. Boston reported that sales for furniture and electronics had
slowed, and retailers in the New York District reported that home goods
sales were weak. Reports from luxury-goods retailers were mixed. Firms
in the Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Chicago Districts reported that sales
of high-end goods remained strong, while retailers in the Kansas City
and San Francisco Districts indicated demand had softened, and those in
the Cleveland District noted that sales of luxury goods had slowed. Most
Districts reported that vehicle sales remained robust. Demand was high
for fuel-efficient vehicles in particular. Looking forward, merchants in
the Boston and Philadelphia Districts were concerned that economic
uncertainty could result in restrained sales growth, while retailers in
the Cleveland District anticipated that the third quarter will be higher
compared with year-ago levels. Kansas City noted that merchants there
expected further strengthening in the coming months.

Travel and tourism activity was reported as strong across several
Districts. Hotel occupancy rates and revenue per room were robust in
many areas according to reports from New York, Richmond, Atlanta,
Chicago, and San Francisco. Attendance numbers were solid at attractions
in various Districts, including theme parks in Florida and New Yorks
Broadway theaters. Richmond, Minneapolis, and San Francisco reported
that natural disasters had negatively affected bookings in some parts of
their Districts. Dallas reported that demand for international travel
was strongest for South America and Mexico destinations. Atlanta shared
their contacts concerns about the potential impact of economic and
financial stress abroad and the effect it could have on international
travel. That said, several Districts reported that the outlook among the
majority of hospitality contacts for the remainder of the summer is good
as hotel and convention bookings continued to exceed last years pace.

Real Estate and Construction

Reports on residential housing markets remained largely positive.
Sales were characterized as improving in Philadelphia, New York,
Richmond, Chicago, St. Louis, and Minneapolis, while home sales
increased in Boston, Cleveland, Atlanta, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas
City, Dallas, and San Francisco. However, reports on sales were mixed in
the New York District, and gains in the Boston District eased from
earlier in the year. New home sales were described as disappointing in
the Philadelphia District. Construction increased in the New York,
Atlanta, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Dallas, and San Francisco Districts,
while reports from the Cleveland District said construction slowed. Most
Districts reported declines in home inventories. Homes prices have begun
to stabilize in some markets and price increases were noted in select
markets. Boston and Atlanta noted that appraisals were coming in below
market prices.

Rental markets continued to strengthen by most accounts. Rising
apartment rents were reported in the Boston, New York, Atlanta, Chicago,
and Dallas Districts. Strong demand for rental units spurred increases
in multifamily construction in the San Francisco District. Multifamily
construction was described as strong in the Atlanta and Chicago
Districts. Apartment construction is expected to pick up over the next
several months in the Dallas District.

Recent activity in commercial real estate markets has been mixed.
Modest improvements were noted in Boston, Atlanta, and St. Louis and
demand strengthened in the San Francisco District. Softer conditions
were reported in the New York and Richmond Districts, while demand held
steady in the Philadelphia and Dallas Districts. Nonresidential
construction activity varied as well. Construction activity increased
modestly in the Minneapolis and Kansas City Districts, while
construction continued to gain momentum in the Boston District. Demand
for commercial construction rose in Chicago, while activity was
described as much improved from a year earlier in the Cleveland
District. Construction was flat in the Atlanta District on a
year-over-year basis, while activity had softened in recent months in
the Richmond District. Overall, the outlook among commercial real estate
contacts and contractors was slightly positive.

-more- (1 of 2)

** MNI Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 **

[TOPICS: M$U$$$,MMUFE$,MGU$$$,MFU$$$]

Source: http://www.forexlive.com/blog/2012/07/18/beige-bk-text-summary-modest-to-moderate-expansion/

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Video: Another uniform controversy made in Myanmar

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/48216757#48216757

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Here's Why We'll Hear Those Tennis Grunts at the London Olympics [Olympics]

The thwack of an arrow hitting a target. The splash of a swimmer diving into the pool. The clap of a sprinter's feet hitting the track. Those are some of the noises you'll hear broadcast through your TV when the London Olympics kick off next Friday. But you're not just hearing those signature sounds of sport naturally—in fact, it takes an immense amount of movie-caliber production. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/KscbEoJnJIc/heres-why-well-here-those-tennis-grunts-at-the-london-olympics

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Technology Writer: Best Ways to Utilize Old Computers

Living in a world where technology has transformed our lives and made us more advanced, it is inevitable to live without a computer or laptop. Whether it is for communicating with friends, having a chat with your relative staying far off or for business purposes, computers are widely used these days by one and all.?

Owning a personal computer these days has become common with even kids having one at home. With the rapidly advancing technology, computers will not only become more invasive, they will also come to be less recognized in the near future.

Imagine a time when your computer slows down or partially stops functioning. What could you probably do? Hire a mechanic, dispose off your old computer and purchase a new one or visit computer sales and service Watsonia to get your computer repaired. Well, getting your old computer repaired is not a bad idea, but utilizing it effectively is the best way to save money. Here are a few tips to help you utilize old computers effectively.

• Try repairing the computer on your own by upgrading its hardware to boost speed. At times you may be unable to improve the hardware version in certain computers, at such a time try upgrading the hard drive and RAM. RAM can improve the performance of old computers significantly.
• If you find parts of the computer hardware broken, you can recover the parts. If the hard drive is functioning, you can utilize it as a portable hard drive for your new computer.
• Another best way to utilize old computers is by dismantling it and advertising its working parts for sale on various sites. You will earn money selling computer parts like hard drive, RAM, audio cards and memory chips.
• Bring a smile on someone?s face by donating the old computer to friends or someone in your family, who will use it for simple tasks.
• Certain programs you use the most require optimization in order to boost the speed of your old computer. You can speed up programs by minimizing its history size.?
• It is easier to move cache to a RAM disk once you have an improved version of RAM. Avoid using lots of plugins and extensions, as they slow down computer speed.
• Installing new operating system is an excellent way to make use of old computers. Installing a new operating system means that you will have to delete items in the disk. It becomes vital to keep a back up of data before installing new operating system in order to avoid loss of data.

Make use of your old computers with these tips and if you still face any problem with your computer or laptops you can always rely on Computer Sales and Service Eltham.

Author?s Bio :?Annie writes about finance, technology, marketing, events and home d?cor. She is fond of sharing her knowledge by posting articles that related to all concerning topics.

imagesource:http://images02.olx.in/ui/19/63/11/1327642496_307856211_1-Old-New-Computer-SALE-Near-Ranaghat-Ralway-Station.jpg,http://www.dansdata.com/images/blog/acard400.jpg,https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIlfMXI9tGyc7ZeW1By9e-KpQ1-UwZLXYqfHP5KMY2hY7Mx0jgPOm6hNGSprIU2xUnkQIkPR0iaTzLSwCT9oIS09eRZVvLPhD4DDfru2cWXTxjz1xRtlhXrqHaRztP-BlmAy5_1BMVOWw/s1600/76676-sistema_operativo_software_basico_que_controla_un_ordenador.jpg

Source: http://www.technowriter.net/2012/07/best-ways-to-utilize-old-computers.html

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Fulbright Anniversaries: Celebrating Legacies of International ...

In 2012, the Fulbright Program celebrates significant anniversaries in 14 countries: Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Lithuania, Morocco, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Ukraine, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. . The U.S. Department of State, U.S. embassies Fulbright Commissions, partner governments and organizations that administer Fulbright worldwide will commemorate the formalization of relationships between the United States and partner countries?connections that have ranged from twenty to sixty years?with conferences, symposia, galas and concerts. Fulbright anniversary events are reminders of the impact of decades of educational exchange on bilateral relations, scholarship and civil society linkages.

In February, Germany celebrated its 60th Fulbright Program anniversary at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin with remarks by Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who serves as the honorary chairman of the program. Cornelia Pieper, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, delivered a speech citing Fulbright?s role in the reinvigoration of transatlantic relations, particularly as new generations of Americans lose ties with their European roots. Just seven years after the end of World War II, the newly formed Federal Republic of Germany signed a bilateral agreement with the United States, which grew to be the largest such agreement within the framework of the Fulbright program. The Fulbright Commission in Germany has recently focused its efforts on the integration of students from recently emigrated families.

The Japan-U.S. Fulbright Program also began seven years after World War II and has been instrumental in bolstering post-war U.S.-Japan relations. To celebrate the impact of Fulbright on this important relationship, the Japan-U.S. Educational Commission (Fulbright Japan), the Japan Fulbright Alumni Associations, and the Japan-U.S. Educational Exchange Promotion Foundation (Fulbright Foundation) sponsored the Japan-U.S. Fulbright Program 60th Anniversary Symposium, ?Paving the Path ? Envisioning the Future.? Fifty to sixty Fulbrighters from both the U.S. and Japan are selected each year and there are over 8,000 alumni of the program.

Hungary?s 20th Fulbright anniversary was accompanied by a 20-minute video detailing the stories of Hungarian and American scholars whose work and lives have been impacted by their participation in Fulbright. The Hungarian Commission also commemorated its anniversary with a daylong program at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The events included panel discussions given by diplomats and professors on American-Hungarian political and cultural relations and the future of Fulbright in Hungary.

Indonesia celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Fulbright Program, which has been administered since 1992 by the nonprofit organization AMINEF (American Indonesian Exchange Foundation). President Obama sent his greetings to the anniversary celebration, citing the impact of his childhood experience in Indonesia on his life and stating, ?In Indonesia, the Fulbright Program has strengthened ties between our countries that are based on mutual understanding and respect. Since 1952, Indonesia scholars have participated in the Fulbright Program, learning and teaching in the United States.? The Program has provided Americans similar opportunities to experience Indonesia and its people firsthand.?

At the end of June, Cyprus celebrated its 50th Fulbright anniversary with a mini-conference called ?Ideas That Flow: A Stream of Ideas Toward Sustainability in Cyprus.? Scholars in Cyprus came to together to present on subjects including renewable energy, climate change and water resource management.

On July 10, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at an event in Hanoi, Vietnam for the 20th anniversary of the Fulbright Program in Vietnam. Since its inception in 1992, the U.S.-Vietnam Fulbright Program has funded the exchange of approximately 1,000 U.S. and Vietnamese citizens. ??People often ask me: What can an individual, what can a nation do? Well, the world we live in is unpredictable. There is no way that we will know everything that will happen in the future. But the best insurance policy is a good education at a great university,? Secretary Clinton stated.

Other programs have events planned for the remaining months of 2012, including Morocco and Sweden this fall. Happy birthday to all the countries celebrating anniversaries this year!

Source: http://fulbrightscholarblog.cies.org/2012/07/16/fulbright-anniversaries-celebrating-legacies-of-international-educational-exchange/

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Where to find cheap and reliable auto insurance ? Question | Texas ...

Where to find cheap and reliable auto insurance ?

I?m looking for a company offering reliable and cheap insurance at the same time ?

You can compare quotes from different companies for free at: Usa insurance quotes

It depends on where you live and how old you are. Not everyone can get it in the same place.

Nowhere if you are under 25. Until you are under 25, you cannot get cheap car insurance anywhere.
Any insurer licensed to sell insurance in your state, will be relatively reliable.

But there?s no shortcut for cheap ? you?ll have to shop around.
3 months ago
Report Abuse
Good luck with that.
source:Where to find cheap and reliable auto insurance ? insurance quotes

Source: http://www.southernontheinside.com/where-to-find-cheap-and-reliable-auto-insurance-question/

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Time for the Common Core? | Pennington Publishing Blog

Teachers and district administrators are busy attending staff developments and planning days on aligning curriculum to the Common Core English Language Arts Standards. Experts are making their rounds at districts still lucky enough to have a few dollars allocated to staff development. Far more often it?s the sales reps from publishers, eager to cash in on Common Core-aligned curriculum, who are assisting educators in instructional planning.

For most English-language arts teachers, the chief question to be answered is not what to teach or how to teach, but how much to teach. By and large, English teachers will teach what they are paid to teach. Few teachers have real issues with the overall concept, parameters, design, or scope and sequence of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). We may grouse about the shift to expository reading and writing, but beneath our posturing at staff meetings, we are really a compliant bunch. Just let us hang on to some semblance of sovereignty re: how to teach, and we will willingly accept the dictates of what to teach.

But the question of how much to teach is keeping English teachers up at night. All instruction is inherently reductive. It?s an agonizing process of give and take. If we give additional attention to this Standard, we necessarily take attention from this Standard. Gone are the days when we simply fretted over losing cherished projects such as building Medieval Castles, writing Anne Frank Diaries, or performing Romeo and Juliet. We?ve been on this no-frills Standards kick for quite a while. We?re down to bare bones, and any new instructional focus takes away from teaching an English Language Arts Standard.

And let?s just take a moment to call out those well-meaning colleagues who insist upon some hodge-podge all-inclusive Standards, akin to 1990s thematic education. You can?t teach specific reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language Standards in one easy unified lesson. Gone are the days when we pretended to teach everything by teaching nothing in detail. It all sounded good, but it never worked.

So how do we teach the CCSS English Language Arts Standards with fidelity and specificity and still have time to take roll? It?s not easy, but here are some thoughts.

How Much Time for the Common Core?

*****************************

My take on the CCSS English Language Arts emphasis of Standards is that a consensus is building toward a 35-30-25-10 plan. That would be 35% of class time spent on the Reading Anchor Standards (Literature and Informational Text), 30% of class time spent on the Writing Anchor Standards, 25% of class time spent on the Language Anchor Standards, and 10% of class time spent on Speaking and Listening Anchor Standards. Percentages include differentiated instruction in all instructional Strands.

Now percentages are useful in that we all have different instructional minutes and some of our history/social science, science, and technology colleagues are actually getting serious about teaching their fair share of the CCSS Literacy Standards. But detailed minutes get to the nuts and bolts of how much to teach.

I?m fortunate to teach seventh grade English-language Arts in an eighty-minute block, five days per week. No, I won?t tell you where. You?re probably a better teacher than I, and I still have a few more years ?til retirement. Adjust to your own instructional minutes, but here is how I make sense of allocating instructional time to the CCSS English Language Arts Standards:

• Reading: 25 minutes each day with a fifty-fifty expository/informational, narrative/descriptive split.
• Writing: 20 minutes each day with a fifty-fifty split of process pieces and essay strategies, sentence combining, quick writes, etc.
• Language: 15 minutes each day of grammar and usage, mechanics, spelling, language application, and vocabulary development.
• Speaking and Listening: 10 minutes each day of Speaking and Listening Standards: direct instruction and application in all facets of communication.
• Differentiated Instruction: 10 minutes each day of specifically adjusting instruction to individual needs.

Homework: 20 minutes each day of independent reading at the student?s instructional reading level with interactive, graded discussion involving parents and book clubs.

Of course each day is not rigid according to this time frame and allocation of instructional minutes. I do tell a joke occasionally and take roll, so I have to adjust instruction accordingly.

The author of the Pennington Publishing Blog, Mark Pennington, has written a comprehensive Grades 4-12 language series to help ELA teachers teach each of the Common Core Language Standards.?Teaching the Language Strand (of the Common Core State Standards)??2012 Pennington Publishing provides the resources teachers need to teach grade-level Standards and to differentiate instruction for their diverse learners. Previews of the grade-level teacher guides and student workbooks are available on the author?s?website.

Grammar/Mechanics, Reading, Spelling/Vocabulary, Writing Common Core, common core instructional time, Common Core State Standards, English grammar, grammar standards, language standards, Language Strand, vocabulary standards

Source: http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/reading/time-for-the-common-core/

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