According to Forbes Magazine, for the first time in over a decade, digital downloads from the iTunes Store decreased in 2013. And, while the 6% drop may not be staggering, it may be evident of a growing trend in music listening.It seems that revenue from digital streaming websites increased by 32% over the past year, indicating that music fans are more interested in streaming their favorite tunes than they are in downloading them. Perhaps this speaks to web services, like Spotify, which gives paid users access to millions of songs through their interactive software program and online database.While streaming seems to be the way of the future, we shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves. 2013 also saw an 8% decrease in overall album sales. Maybe the drop in download revenue is because, well, music was better in 2012? It’s hard to say, really.We do know that Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience was the #1 selling album in 2013, and Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” was the #1 selling single. Eminem, Luke Bryan, Imagine Dragons, and Bruno Mars round out the top 5 selling albums. In 2012, Adele’s “21″ was the top selling album, with 4.4 million copies. JT’s top selling album only moved 2.4 million copies. Maybe iTunes shouldn’t freak out just yet. What do you think?-David Melamed (@DMelamz)
Ellington was among eight ladies who were recognised for their contribution towards empowering women, not only in Jamaica, but across the Jamaican Diaspora and in other sections of the world. In presenting Ellington with her award, President and Chief Executive Officer of ‘It’s just POSH’, Shelly-Ann Richmond spoke to the veteran broadcaster’s influence on the media landscape, especially on television in Jamaica where she professionally carried out her tasks with grace and poise.Ellington expressed appreciation for the award and pointed out that she was pleased to have had some influence on the society, despite the many distractions that are available.She also dedicated her award to a number of persons with whom she shared the production and television stages with, back in the 1980s, including Lindy Delapenha, Leonie Forbes and Easton Lee. Fae EllingtonJamaican broadcaster receives “POSH” awardVeteran broadcaster Fae Ellington was presented with the ‘It’s Just POSH Award’ at the Women of the Diaspora Leadership Conference at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay, St James on Saturday.
Dave NatzkeEditorProgressive DairymanEmail Dave [email protected] USDA’s latest annual Farm Production Expenditures report, issued in August, estimated interest rates represented about 2.8 percent of total farm production expenditures in 2017.advertisementadvertisementHere’s a look at Federal Reserve district interest rates and other credit conditions.• Chicago (district covers all or portions of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin). Compared to the same quarter a year earlier, farm loan repayment rates deteriorated for a 19th straight quarter. Across the district, about 6 percent of farm loans were classified as having “major” or “severe” repayment problems, the highest second-quarter percentage since 2002. About 21 percent of the survey respondents reported that their banks required larger amounts of collateral than a year ago.Over the first half of 2018, district banks reported issuing more farm operating loans than historically normal, but lower amounts for ag real estate loans. Merchants, dealers and other input suppliers noticeably boosted agricultural lending. According to survey respondents, lenders within the Farm Credit System also issued an above-normal volume of operating loans and mortgages during the January-June period of 2018. Life insurance companies reportedly issued slightly below normal amounts of agricultural loans, although this trend was bucked in Illinois.Third-quarter 2018 farm loan volumes were anticipated to increase from year-earlier levels, especially for operating loans and loans guaranteed by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, but decrease for real estate lending.advertisementSecond-quarter 2018 farmland values were up 1 percent from the same quarter a year ago and up 2 percent from the first quarter of 2018, the largest quarterly gain in four years. Only Illinois exhibited signs of a year-over-year decrease in farmland value. District farmland values were expected to be stable in the short term.District bankers expressed concerns about the negative impacts of U.S. trade policy.As of July 1, 2018, the average interest rates for farm operating, feeder cattle and agricultural real estate loans (before adjusting for inflation) were at their highest levels since the third quarter of 2011. On average, real interest rates on farm mortgages have returned to the levels seen during the peak of farmland values in 2013.• Dallas (district covers all of Texas and portions of New Mexico and Louisiana). Dry conditions continue to be a concern for ag producers and their lenders in the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas district.A survey of 118 bankers indicated demand for agricultural loans overall decreased for an 11th consecutive quarter. Loan renewals and extensions rose, but at a slower pace, while the rate of loan repayment continued to decline.District real ranchland values surged during the quarter, while dryland and irrigated cropland values declined. Nominal dryland and ranchland values increased year over year in Texas; southern New Mexico cropland values increased while ranchland values decreased; and northern Louisiana cropland and ranchland values all increased. Survey respondents expect farmland values to trend up in the upcoming months.advertisementSecond-quarter 2018 interest rates on all types of loans were higher, in most cases the highest since mid-2011. Bankers indicated continued tightening of credit standards.• Kansas City (district covers Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, the northern half of New Mexico and the western third of Missouri). Lower commodity prices led to deterioration of second-quarter farm incomes, especially in corn and soybean areas affected by ongoing tariff wars.Despite some previous signs of stabilization, agricultural credit conditions weakened in the second quarter. Bankers continued to report a modest increase in problems with loan repayment. On average, bankers across the district reported that nearly 30 percent of the dollar volume of their farm loan portfolios was experiencing at least minor repayment problems.Elevated demand for farm loans continued to place pressure on liquidity at some agricultural banks, and survey respondents indicated they expect loan demand to be even larger in the next three months, reflecting anticipated increases to operating loan balances through the end of the growing season. While the agricultural lending cycle typically results in fluctuations in bank liquidity as operating loans grow to meet seasonal demands, the majority of bankers continued to report year-over-year decreases in available funds for the fourth straight year. That’s led to an increase in loan denials, and a majority of bankers reported they had increased collateral requirements compared to a year ago.Interest rates on farm loans continued to rise in the second quarter, with the largest increases on variable-rate loans. While increased interest expenses are unlikely to have a significant impact on farm income in the short term, higher rates are likely to influence decisions in making longer-term capital and real estate purchases.Recent increases in interest rates could continue to put pressure on the market for farm real estate, but farmland values across the district generally remained steady or declined slightly. The value of irrigated cropland decreased most significantly, declining about 4 percent from a year ago. The year-over-year decline in the value of nonirrigated cropland was the smallest since early 2015. Farmland value changes varied by state and their individual dependency on different crops.Cash rents in the second quarter also declined at a relatively modest pace: Rent for ranchland decreased about 3 percent due, in part, to a decline in cattle prices.In a separate report, Kansas City Federal Reserve district staff economists said consolidation in the livestock sector has led to fewer farms with greater financing needs (Read: Large Loans for Livestock Drive Uptick in Farm Lending). As a result, increased lending and larger loan sizes in the livestock sector have coincided with higher interest rates on livestock loans.• Minneapolis (district covers all or portions of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin). Falling farm incomes are impacting capital and household spending, according to results of the second-quarter agricultural credit conditions survey in the Minneapolis district of the Federal Reserve Bank. Equipment purchases were the most depressed in Wisconsin.While a solid majority of lenders stated that the number of loan renewals or extensions had held steady, a growing number reported the rate of repayment on agricultural loans fell, and 29 percent saw increased renewal activity.Falling incomes also drove increases in demand for loans. Collateral requirements were unchanged, according to about 90 percent of lenders responding to the survey.Fixed and variable interest rates for operating, machinery and real estate loans all increased modestly from the previous quarter.Though quarterly surveys in recent years typically indicated steadily but moderately declining land prices in the wake of a long period of soaring growth, the second-quarter results generally pointed to a moderate increase in land values. The average value for nonirrigated cropland in the district increased by more than 3 percent from a year earlier. Irrigated land increased by 2 percent, while ranchland values rose by a little more (between 2 percent and 3 percent).The picture for cash rents was more mixed. The district average cash rent for nonirrigated land decreased by 3.5 percent from a year ago, while rents for irrigated land rose more than 2 percent.The increase in land values was mostly consistent across the district. Cropland prices increased the most in North Dakota, where lenders reported that nonirrigated land values rose nearly 6 percent compared with a year earlier, but all district states saw growth in that category. Rents for the same class of land fell 7 percent in Minnesota and 3 percent in South Dakota, but increased by about 3 percent in North Dakota and Wisconsin.• St. Louis (district covers all or portions of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee). Proportionately more bankers responding to the second-quarter survey indicated net farm income had declined from year-earlier levels, continuing a trend stretching 18 consecutive quarters dating back to the end of 2013. A majority of bankers expect the trend to continue into the third quarter of 2018.Survey responses showed the value of quality farmland fell 3.5 percent during the second quarter of 2018 compared with a year ago, but cash rents increased 0.4 percent. In contrast, ranchland or pastureland values increased 1.6 percent in the second quarter compared with a year ago, while cash rents for that category of property declined 9 percent. The drop in cash rents for ranchland or pastureland was the largest percentage drop recorded since the fourth quarter of 2016.Compared to a year earlier, quarterly ag loan demand increased and the rate of loan repayment slowed. Both fixed and variable interest rates on all categories of loans rose during the second quarter.Land values: A tale of two marketsWhen it comes to land values, it’s a tale of two markets – one that says it is a good time to sell and one that indicates that it is time to invest in land – according to the Farmers National Company.The underlying strength in values of good quality land is due to the fact the amount of land offered for sale isn’t keeping pace with buying interest.The other side of the land market indicates that although coming down from recent peaks, land values remain historically high. The decision for those contemplating a sale of the farm or ranch is whether to sell now and capture what still is a very good price or hold for a later sale.The expectation in the land market is that there will be some additional sales of land going into the winter in order to shore up financial conditions of some farmers. More land for sale could apply downward pressure on prices.And, with the continuation of lower farm incomes, operators will have less cash available to make capital purchases. As farmers and ranchers typically buy 80 to 95 percent of the land that comes up for sale in an area, any slowdown of their purchasing will lessen the bidding for land that comes up for sale.Several other outside factors may influence the land market going forward. Rising interest rates, although slow, will have an effect on those land buyers financing their purchase and for those comparing alternative investments. In addition, rising yields on government bonds may indicate increased return expectations from ag land as the two have some correlation.At this time, there are good reasons to support the tale of two land markets with one saying it is a good time to sell and one indicating it is time to invest. Besides those factors on both sides, there are the wild cards of weather, crop yields, energy prices, government policies and world events that can override the current status of the land market. Meeting Aug. 1, the Federal Reserve board voted to hold off on raising interest rates again. Recent reports from Federal Reserve district banks in major agricultural regions indicate interest rates on fixed- and variable-rate loans increased (Table 1), reaching levels last seen in 2010-12.
Hemera/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — An elite team of American commandos killed a senior leader of ISIS this week, giving President Obama another name to scratch off his list of top terrorists in the final days of his presidency.Abu Anas al-Iraqi, said to be the finance chief of ISIS, was killed Sunday in an operation in Syria by an intelligence-driven U.S. special operations unit known as the Expeditionary Targeting Force, a counterterrorism official told ABC News.“He was a top ISIS emir,” the counterterrorism official said, using the Arabic term for “prince” or “leader” that is commonly adopted by jihadis.The U.S. hopes to also kill top ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed caliph, or leader, of all Muslims, who is believed to be hunkered down in Iraq’s second-largest city, Mosul. Iraqi government forces and a U.S.-led coalition mounted a stalled offensive to retake the city in recent months.The official said that one other ISIS fighter was killed and that the U.S. team — under orders of the Joint Special Operations Command — conducted “sensitive site exploitation.” Which means it looked for documents and electronic devices with intelligence value. No American operators were wounded.The U.S. government has not publicly confirmed the terrorists’ deaths.At the Pentagon, spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis confirmed on Monday only that there was a “routine” U.S. special operations raid by the ETF in Dayr az Zawr, Syria, the day before and that it was “successful.”He said the operation was not intended to rescue hostages and no one was captured or detained, as has been reported on social media.Al-Iraqi is not a well-known figure.His name occasionally surfaced in social media as well as in captured ISIS documents referring to him as a leader, and intelligence indicated he was a member of ISIS’ ruling shura council.As chief accountant, he oversaw the group’s war chest, derived from extortion, kidnapping and ransom, taxation in occupied territories, oil and gas sales and illicit trafficking, officials said.The death of an ISIS operative of the same name was reported two years ago, but, like many other ISIS figures falsely reported killed, al-Iraqi — a nom de guerre — apparently remained alive and in the fight until this week.The CIA declined comment Tuesday on his killing.Al-Iraqi was killed shortly after U.S. special operations helicopters began trailing a single vehicle outside Dayr az Zawr and were fired on by the occupants of the vehicle, a third official told ABC News.The helicopters fired back, disabling the vehicle and killing all the occupants.The Obama administration has racked up a number of kills as he makes way for President-elect Trump to assume the responsibility of keeping Americans safe from terrorist attacks.The dead include Hajji Mutazz, a deputy to al-Baghdadi; Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, ISIS’ spokesman and external operations chief; and Abu Mohammed Furqan, an Iraqi member of the shura council who with al-Adnani oversaw the group’s sophisticated, narrative-driven propaganda, which has shocked the world and drawn in tens of thousands of foreign volunteers since 2014.The top Qaeda operative in Afghanistan, Nayef Salam Muhammad Ujaym al-Hababi, was killed in a U.S. airstrike last fall, and the top Taliban emir, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, was killed in Pakistan by an American drone in May.Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Powered by WPeMatico Related
SUN HILLSLocation: 3185 N. Northhills Drive, LaytonDirections: From south, exit I-15 at Hwy 89, go 10 miles north to State Road 193, go west 2 miles, turn right at Northhills Drive. From north, exit I-15 at Clearfield exit 336, go approximately 4 miles east.Head Professional: Jeff Jerman (director)Superintendent: Brody JermanCourse Designer: Bruce SummerhaysYear Opened: 1996Cost: $11, $22 Srs., Jrs. $8, $16 M-F carts $5 per player per nine, range $4, $6Reservations: 771-4814, 7 days in advance, Mon. for weekendEasiest time to get on: Weekday morningsCourse record: 63, Barry Schenk, Vaughn RobinsonCourse description: Owned by Japanese investor Takashi Morishita and situated on the southeast side of Hill Air Force Base, Sun Hills has been called a “poor man’s Valley View” after the popular course down the road. It’s not as tough as Valley View, but it has the same rolling terrain and is a well-manicured layout. The layout is fairly wide open and there are just three lakes that don’t come into play much. From the tips, the course plays just 6,550 and a comfortable 6,012 from the middle. A lot of folks may not be aware of the course because of its location, but it usually isn’t too crowded and sits in a peaceful environment, except when the jets from nearby Hill AFB are flying. On weekday mornings, you can play 18 holes for $25, including a cart.Holes to remember: The par-3 No. 3 hole is long from every tee, ranging from 184 yards from the front to 231 from the back, and slicers must beware of the out-of-bounds fence down the right side. The par-4 7th is a right-angle dogleg left with houses (hopefully) keeping golfers from trying to cut the corner too much. On the back side, the par-3 13th is a pretty downhill hole with a lake on the left, and the par-4 17th is a fun downhiller with a small lake and two bunkers guarding a green that some folks may try to drive.Difficulty: OOOLayout: OOOScenery: OOOEnjoyability: OOOHole Par Yards* 1 4 3802 4 3513 3 2064 4 3555 5 4876 3 1517 4 3418 3 1439 5 473Out 35 288710 4 33611 4 42812 4 37613 3 17614 5 47015 3 12416 5 49317 4 37218 4 350In 36 3125TOTAL 71 6012*Middle tees
An abundance of boys is what helped Mason McCulley, an aspiring actor from Alabama, land a job as a manny for a family with two boys in Beverly Hills. Even though all of his friends have office jobs, McCulley said he feels right at home as a manny. “I play sports and play outside with them. Playing the games takes me back,” he said. And forget about Mr. French – the portly, genteel butler who found himself caring for a trio of kids on TV’s classic “Family Affair.” As an athletic 24-year-old, McCulley fits the active older-brother image of the modern manny families seek out. Nicole Weiler, a mother of five in Woodland Hills, used a neighborhood boy named Bobby as a baby sitter for several years starting when her boy/girl twins were 2. She and her kids, who are now in high school, remember their male minder fondly. “He’d do more fun things, like play on the trampoline. The girls (baby sitters) were all delicate and were always on the phone,” said Weiler’s daughter, Megan, who is now 17. Aside from providing more rough-and-tumble play than female nannies, mannies have other advantages. Marcia Campbell, co-owner of C&C Nanny Referral, an agency in Studio City, said she finds mannies generally take their work more seriously than nannies. “They’re more committed,” Campbell said. “You get all kinds of female nannies, but for the guys, it’s a career.” That’s especially true for mannies who have been trained abroad, she said. Allison Myerson, mother of 14-month-old Benjamin, hired her grandfather’s former caregiver as a manny for her son. Michael Dealo, 34, is from the Philippines. When he’s not taking Benjamin to Universal Studios or the park, Dealo cooks and cleans for the Myersons, all for $200, three days a week. “I enjoy it because I treat them as my family in L.A.,” said Dealo, who has three daughters in the Philippines. He is hoping to bring his family to California within the next several months. Campbell has had some success introducing the manny idea to families with boys. For instance, she got a call from a single father with three sons looking for care. “He hadn’t even thought of it,” she said. “He was kind of worried because he has a son who is 17 and he didn’t want someone who was too young. He said, `She can’t be too cute.”‘ The father was thrilled when Campbell offered up one of her live-in men who cooks, and the manny has an interview with that family next week. Still, she said she has a very difficult time placing her men. Part of the problem is the “new” factor, as in, “Do you want to be the first to hire a man on the block?” And then there’s the widespread concern that a man would be much more likely to abuse a child. “I would never hire a male nanny or baby sitter,” said Susan Greene, a criminal prosecutor and mother in Thousand Oaks. “The reality is that men are so much more likely to be sexual predators than women.” Other moms argue that hiring a female nanny isn’t a guarantee against trouble. “You don’t need (to be a man) to abuse a child,” said Weiler, the Woodland Hills mom. “There are plenty of stories of women doing horrible things.” Still, Weiler said she would probably not hire a manny for her 18-month-old baby girl, despite the positive experience with her boy baby sitter years ago. “I don’t feel for a girl that is going to be the best situation,” she said. “It would depend on the person. I’m probably a little more choosy because our news media has done a good job about publicizing all the bad stuff out there.” [email protected] (818) 713-3662160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! “They ate McDonalds. The family was busy and didn’t have time to cook. I’d tell them, OK, we’re going to do 20 minutes of homework and then we’ll go outside and play basketball.” To be sure, mannies are still very much the minority among kid-minders. Katie Vaughan, owner of Beverly Hills-based Westside Nannies, said about 95 percent of her working recruits are women, and 5 percent are men. But even with such a small percentage of male recruits, she can’t place all of them – something she hopes will change as more families become more open to male nannies. In fact, in some cases male nannies might even have an advantage in the job market. “Many times men can fit the family situation better, where there may not be a father in the home, or there are preteen boys,” she said. Move over, Mary Poppins. Families – especially single parents with sons – are opening up to the idea that a good nanny doesn’t have to be female. Enter the manny, a caregiver willing to not only change diapers and whip up mac ‘n’ cheese, but also throw a football, wrestle and play video games. “I’m not afraid of any challenges,” said Michael Listermann, a 21-year-old male nanny in Sherman Oaks. “I have no problem driving to Disneyland and taking the kids. I’m young enough to have fun, but I’m responsible.” During his eight months working for a Hollywood family with two boys and a girl, all under 8, Listermann made a point of getting the kids outdoors for plenty of exercise. 