Canada’s social insurance assets pass $140 billion in fourth quarter

Sunday, February 13, 2011

With a fourth-quarter investment earnings of $3.9 Billion CAD, largely driven by stock market rises, the Canada Pension Plan’s (CPP) assets rose to $140.1 Billion reported the CPP Investment Board on Thursday.

Rate of return for the quarter netted three percent, bringing the first nine months of the fiscal year to 8.3%. The fund’s broad exposure to equities, in concert with a good quarter for stocks both in Canada and internationally, was largely to be credited according to CEO David Deneson.

The assets value rose from $127.6 Billion March 31st 2010, to $138.6 B on September 30th, to $140.1 B December 31st. The $3.9 B investment earnings, 3.58 of which came from the 54% of the portfolio in equities, was partially offset by seasonal outlays of $2.4 B to plan members.

The fund was very active throughout the calendar year, and particularly active in infrastructure, real estate, and private equity. As part of a consortium they completed the $4.8 B purchase of UK-based Tomkins plc, as well as purchasing Australian-based Intoll for $3.4 B thus acquiring a 30% stake in the 407 Express Toll Route (ETR) near Toronto — which they expanded purchasing a further 10% stake from Spain’s Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte, S.A. (CINTRA). They acquired a 25% equity stake in Westfield Stratford City, a retail complex adjacent to London’s Olympics venue, among many real estate ventures.

The CPP fund covers every province except Quebec, whose Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec is the only larger pension fund in Canada. The five-year annualised investment rate of return for the CPP reserve fund was 3.5%, its 10-year rate of return was 5.6%, at the close of 2010. The fund was established in 1997.

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4 November

Bad Breath Causes And Bad Breath Cure Using Natural Home Remedies

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Submitted by: Dr Charles Buchar

Halitosis is the scientific term for bad breath, which is unarguably one of the most detrimental conditions to a person’s personal and social progress. Bad breath occurs due to decays of food effectuated by microorganisms in the mouth, which release several gases. These gases are mingled in the breath making it foul. Sometimes, the breath can be so foul that it becomes unbearable for other people to come in close communication with the sufferer.

Medically, halitosis is known as oral malodor, and it almost always originates in the oral cavity. The decay could occur in the teeth, gums or even on the tongue. Generally, bacteria are responsible for oral malodor.

Causes of Bad breath

1.Poor Gums

2.Eating Greasy Food

3.Constipation

4.Diabetes

5.Sinusitis

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC_zxgTHPqo[/youtube]

6.Cavity in a tooth

Home remedies for Bad Breath

1.Chewing mint leaves will soon freshen up the breath and is simple home remedy for bad breath.

2.Brushing teeth after every meal will prevent bad breath.

3.Gargle with baking soda dissolved in warm water. It can also be used for cleaning tongue. This remedy is one of the good home remedies for bad breath.

4.Drinking a hot cup of unsweetened tea will help curing bad breath.

5.After meals chew some sunflower seeds and drink a glass of water. This is a good natural remedy for bad breath.

6.Eating yogurt for 6 weeks will completely remove bad breath.

7.A good natural remedy for bad breath is tea made from Fenugreek (methi) seeds.

8.Chewing one clove after meals daily will help dealing with bad breath.

9.Squeeze a lemon in a glass of water and gargle frequently. Good home remedy for bad breath

10.Drinking pineapple juice will soon vanish the foul smell from the mouth and acts as natural remedy for bad breath.

11.Eating apples daily is also good for mouth purification as it removes the bacteria causing bad breath.

12.Chew cardamom seeds to sweeten your breath as the aromatic flavour of cardamom acts as a breath freshner. This remedy is also good home remedy for bad breath.

13.Mouthwashes containing, dyes and alcohol should be avoided as they only provide temporary relief.

14.Eat parsley to reduce bad breath.

15.Rinse juice of half a lemon with a glass of water after every meal. This is one of the effective home remedies for bad breath.

16.Intake of food products that are rich in zinc prevents bad breath as it keeps the check on the anaerobic bacteria in the mouth.

17.Chewing cardamom seeds also sweetens the breath.

18.Before brushing use hydrogen peroxide to rinse the mouth.

Curing Bad Breath – Through your daily diet

Calcium, phosphorous, vitamins A and D help to keep the mouth healthy, while vitamin C prevents bleeding of the gums. Your daily diet should include citrus and other fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, milk and mill products, like youghurt and cottage cheese and unrefined cereals. Food that you can eat raw, like fresh fruits, salads and sprouts, not only cleanses the teeth. But also help to exercise the gums and teeth, because they have to be chewed.

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3 November

HIV-positive man receives 35 years for spitting on Dallas police officer

Sunday, May 18, 2008

An HIV-positive man was sentenced to 35 years in prison Wednesday, one day after being convicted of harassment of a public servant for spitting into the eye and open mouth of a Dallas, Texas police officer in May 2006. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that no one has ever contracted HIV from saliva, and a gay-rights and AIDS advocacy group called the sentence excessive.

A Dallas County jury concluded that Willie Campbell’s act of spitting on policeman Dan Waller in 2006 constituted the use of his saliva as a deadly weapon. The incident occurred while Campbell, 42, was resisting arrest while being taken into custody for public intoxication.

“He turns and spits. He hits me in the eye and mouth. Then he told me he has AIDS. I immediately began looking for something to flush my eyes with,” said Waller to The Dallas Morning News.

Officer Waller responded after a bystander reported seeing an unconscious male lying outside a building. Dallas County prosecutors stated that Campbell attempted to fight paramedics and kicked the police officer who arrested him for public intoxication.

It’s been 25 years since the virus was identified, but there are still lots of fears.

Prosecutors said that Campbell yelled that he was innocent during the trial, and claimed a police officer was lying. Campbell’s lawyer Russell Heinrichs said that because he had a history of convictions including similarly attacking two other police officers, biting inmates, and other offenses, he was indicted under a habitual offender statute. The statute increased his minimum sentence to 25 years in prison. Because the jury ruled that Campbell’s saliva was used as a deadly weapon, he will not be eligible for parole until completing at least half his sentence.

If you look at the facts of this case, it was clear that the defendant intended to cause serious bodily injury.

The organization Lambda Legal (Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund), which advocates for individuals living with HIV, says that saliva should not be considered a deadly weapon. Bebe Anderson, the HIV projects director at Lambda Legal, spoke with The Dallas Morning News about the sentence. “It’s been 25 years since the virus was identified, but there are still lots of fears,” said Anderson.

The Dallas County prosecutor who handled the trial, Jenni Morse, said that the deadly weapon finding was justified. “No matter how minuscule, there is some risk. That means there is the possibility of causing serious bodily injury or death,” said Morse. Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins stated: “If you look at the facts of this case, it was clear that the defendant intended to cause serious bodily injury.”

Contact with saliva, tears, or sweat has never been shown to result in transmission of HIV.

A page at the CDC’s website, HIV and Its Transmission, states: “HIV has been found in saliva and tears in very low quantities from some AIDS patients.” The subsection “Saliva, Tears, and Sweat” concludes that: “Contact with saliva, tears, or sweat has never been shown to result in transmission of HIV.” On Friday the Dallas County Health Department released a statement explaining that HIV is most commonly spread through sexual contact, sharing needles, or transfusion from an infected blood product.

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2 November

Senior citizen group seeks recovery of Medicare expenses from U.S. cigarette makers

Saturday, August 6, 2005

A U.S. lobbyist group, the United Seniors Association, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Boston to recover Medicare expenses related to tobacco smoking. The suit says there is a link between nicotine addiction and smoking-related diseases.

The first of its kind lawsuit seeks to recover as much as $60 billion in estimated Medicare expenses outlaid for treatment of lung cancer and emphysema patients.

The Medicare Secondary Payer Statute (MSP) allows someone to sue on behalf of Medicare. The medical expenses that another party was legally obligated to cover, in this case the tobacco companies if they are found liable in court, would be split between parties to the suit and Medicare. The MSP statute was entered in part because the government does not have the resources to prosecute every case under Medicare law.

Charles Jarvis, the CEO of the group said, “Our motivation is one of taxpayer protection.” He added, “Considering how badly the taxpayers have been injured financially, we believe the responsible parties — the tobacco companies — should be reimbursing the taxpayer to the greatest amount possible under the law.”

Currently, U.S. employees are taxed by Medicare at 1.45% of their earnings. This payroll tax amount is matched by their employer when paid to the IRS.

The lawsuit names Philip Morris USA, Lorillard Tobacco, the Liggett Group, and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and two of its subsidiaries as defendants. The United Seniors Association is asking for twice the amount paid by Medicare to treat smoking related illnesses since 1999.

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31 October

Five Effective Business Analysis Techniques

By Adriana Noton

The term business analysis refers to the discipline of identifying needs within a business, and determining the appropriate solution.

These solutions may include changes in the organization itself, strategic development or development of new policies. The person who takes on the responsibility of business analysis is called a business analyst.

When the time inevitably comes for some sort of change, the business analyst has several techniques at his disposal. Precisely which techniques are used will depend on the nature of the problem, and the scope of the solution. Here are five that are used successfully by business analysts to help solve an array of different problems.

MOST

The MOST technique is an internal analysis. It contains four attributes that are defined by the business analyst to ensure the project you are working on is aligned and on track. These attributes are as follows:

-Mission (Where the business intends to go?)

-Objectives (the key goals that will help achieve mission)

-Strategies (the different options for moving forward)

-Tactics (How the different strategies are put into action?)

PESTLE

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZNrwXXihoM[/youtube]

The PESTLE technique is an external analysis designed to examine the many different external elements affecting a business and its operations. It includes six attributes:

-Political (Current and future political influences)

-Economic (The local, national and world economy impact)

-Sociological (Different ways society can affect an organization)

-Technological (The effect of new and emerging technology)

-Legal (The effect of national and world legislation)

-Environmental (Local, national and world environmental issues)

CATWOE

CATWOE is a technique used to encourage critical thinking about what the business is trying to achieve. There are six different elements included in this technique:

-Customers (Who benefits from the highest level business process and how does the issue affect them?)

-Actors (Who is involved in the situation? Who is implementing solutions? What will impact their success?)

-Transformation Process (What processes or systems are affected by the issue?)

-World View (What is the big picture and what are the wider impacts of the issue?)

-Owner (Who owns the process or situation being investigated and what is their role in the solution?)

-Environmental Constraints (What are the limitations that will impact the solution and its success?)

SWOT

A SWOT analysis is used to give a more complete overview of both internal and external factors affecting a business. There are four attributes to SWOT:

-Strengths (Examine advantages and what is done well within the company.)

-Weaknesses (Examine the disadvantages and areas that need improvement.)

-Opportunities (Examine opportunities for improvement in all areas, including market share.)

-Threats (Examine the obstacles the business faces in accomplishing their goals.)

FIVE WHY’S

The Five Why’s technique is used to help get to the root of any given problem within the business. It is a question asking method to examine the cause and effect of a particular situation.

You will start with a problem, such as “my car won’t start,” then ask a succession of why questions until the root of the problem is uncovered and a solution is evident.

Business Analysis can be a complex and intricate process. Within this broad spectrum lie several sub-disciplines, roles and even more techniques.

All businesses encounter situations and problems that need attention to help keep them moving forward. With a skilled business analyst employing the right techniques, a solution won’t be far behind.

About the Author: Market leader in providing a new generation of predictive, business analytics software and services that create true business intelligence. Offering masterful tools in data collection, information analysis, and collaborating business statistics.

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31 October

Nepal Parliament passes resolution to curb King’s power

Thursday, May 18, 2006Prime Minister of Nepal, Giriraj Koirala proposed in Parliament a resolution which is aimed at drastically curtailing the monarch’s powers. According to the resolution, the King will be stripped of his status as the Supreme Commander of the Royal Nepal Army (which is to be renamed as the Nepal Army Cabinet). Portions of the Nepalese national anthem that praise the King have been cut.

The proposal also aims at cutting down on the King’s allowance and his right to be exempted from paying taxes. The government which is currently referred to as the “King’s administration” will henceforth be known as the “Nepalese Government”. The resolution also changes Nepal’s status from that of a Hindu nation to a secular one. The King’s Advisory Council will no longer exist and his security will be taken care of by Parliament. The King will also now no longer have the privilege of being above the law of the land since the resolution provides for him to be tried in court if the situation so warrants.

Analysts have expressed concerns saying that under the current Constitution, this proposal cannot become law till the King signs it. Politicians say however that this proposal is above the Constitution and reflects the will of the people. King Gyanendra restored democracy to the Himalayan Kingdom after weeks of massive anti-monarchy protests earlier this year.

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29 October

New Zealand Reserve Bank phone hacker not convicted

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Gerasimos Macridis, 39-years-old, left the court room discharged without conviction after hacking into the New Zealand Reserve Bank’s phone system and then asking for money for his services after pointing out these security flaws to both the Reserve Bank and Telecom New Zealand in May, 2006, and offering to fix them. He had identified himself as a security consultant.

The New Zealand Police then raided his home and took his computer on 21 September. Macridis told police that he did not think it was illegal, but knew he was not authorised to access the phone systems. Telecom then took him to court.

Colin McGilicray, police prosecutor, said: “Macridis has a significant number of previous fraud convictions and it appeared he was trying to obtain money through virtue of his technical knowledge.”

Macridis, who represented himself, told the court that for 11-years he had worked as a casual security consultant and he had worked for Telecom, police and Department of Internal Affairs.

Macridis thought himself as an honest, law abiding citizen as his 1994 conviction had ‘turned his life around’.

Judge Ian Mill said this case was very unusual and also noted that Macridis ended his offending over 10-years ago.

Mill said: “Macridis used his talents to identify security risks and he had identified a grave risk to the Reserve Bank and its customers. Macridis provided a report of his findings, requested payment albeit without a contract and for his troubles was prosecuted. He did not pass the information on to others and did not use it for personal gain.”

“In my view his intentions were honourable,” Mill added.

Mill discharged him without conviction on the basis that a conviction would be out of proportion with his actions.

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28 October

Things To Know About Dentists And Dentistry

Submitted by: Calvin Washin

Everyone would have gone to dentists at least once in their lifetime. Sometimes, to fill up a cavity in your mouth, replace teeth, or if you are one so naughty that broke your teeth in a fall, then, to fit artificial teeth and the reasons can be many. Thus, a dentist is one major person in our lives. But, of course, going to the dentists are nightmares for everyone, because he says, It won t hurt, relax, and then, you find him clutching his drills to explore your mouth. Good God! It is terribly frightening, that your eyes get tightly shut, and the siren of fear echoes the room. Again, the dentist shall assure It won t hurt. May be, this is why, we define dentists as prestidigitators who put metal into your mouth and pulls coins out of your pocket. And, we keep thinking, some tortures are physical, some mental, but the one that is both, is Dental.

Actually, dentists play the role of small soldiers in our life, who safeguards us from those terrible toothaches that attacks our region of the oral cavity. The dentists fight the intruders (germs), who invade our oral regions. In that way, they are really the soldiers of our oral cavity. There are many things to know about dentists and dentistry, which, once known, wouldn t let your conscience blame or tolerate someone blaming dentists. So, coming to a serious discussion, a dentist or dental surgeon is a doctor specialized in treatment of oral diseases and its diagnosis and prevention. The oral health services provided by the dental clinics help fight our oral cavity troubles, with the help of dental assistants, hygienists, dental technicians and therapists.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go3TZBoiOf4[/youtube]

Dentists are graduates of dental colleges, who have acquired at least a bachelor s degree and efficient training. They should graduate from accredited schools of dental education, and also pass all the written and practical examinations of dentistry. Dentists not only diagnose and treat tooth issues, but also instruct patients on things like their diet, brushing, use of fluorides for their tooth, flossing and similar aspects related to dental care. The treatment options included in dental clinics are removal of tooth decay, filling of cavities, examining x-rays, pacing protective plastic sealants on children s teeth, straightening the teeth, and repairing fractured teeth. Also, treatments for gum diseases like performing gum and supporting bone s correction surgeries are offered in the dental clinics. Aesthetic oral treatments are also provided by which, ugly teeth and gums can be replaced with duplicate good teeth.

A wide range of dental equipment used by dentists are available today like, x-ray machines, drills, mouth mirror, probes, forceps, brushes, and scalpels. The latest technologies used may include digital scanners, latest laser technologies, and other computer technologies, sophisticating the dentistry to match it with the current technologies. Inside the dental lab, the staffs and doctors wear gloves, safety glasses, masks, etc., that prevent infectious diseases from spreading.

There are several specialty areas in dentistry, in which, each doctor can specialize. For instance, the Orthodontists are the biggest group of dentists, who provides teeth straightening adjustments for the patient s teeth by applying pressure with braces and other appliances to the teeth. There are several other areas like, Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons (who handles operations in mouths, teeth, gums, jaws, neck and head), Periodontics (perform gum and supporting bone corrections), Prosthodontists (replace missing teeth), Endodontists( performs root canal therapy), etc. Dentists play crucial roles in everyone s life, and it is up to you, to decide which category specialized dentist should be your doctor for all your oral troubles.

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Since most of dental procedures are much more expensive and not covered by insurance, you need to make sure you find a Dentist who is reliable and gets the job done properly, giving you good results. Click here for

Cosmetic Dentist Santa AnaPediatric Dentist Santa Ana

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26 October

Eleven year-old driver kills family in collision

Friday, January 15, 2010

A Honda, with eleven-year-old Jose Covarrubias behind the wheel, ran a stop sign in Porterville, California colliding with a Ford around 7:30 P.M.

The eastbound 1993 Honda was sideswiped from the driver’s side by a southbound 1999 Ford, killing Jose. His sister, 6-year-old Elizabeth Covarrubias, and mother, Maria Covarrubias, were killed when they ejected, as they were not wearing seatbelts. Family friend Froylon Gonzalez was sent to the hospital with serious injuries, and the driver of the Ford, Charles Seguin, sustained minor injuries.

Felipe Gonzalez, Froylon’s brother, said the family was returning from Jose’s soccer team practice. He also added that he had never seen Jose drive before. Gonzales was the lone survivor of the Honda and has not yet been interviewed.

The accident occurred at a rural intersection and it did not appear to law enforcement that drugs, alcohol, or weather were a factor in the collision.

The bodies will be buried in Mexico near where the father lives.

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26 October

Wikinews interviews specialists on South Korea military parade

Sunday, October 6, 2013

On Tuesday, South Korea staged a huge military parade to mark its armed forces’ 65th anniversary in a display of long-range missiles considered a direct threat to North Korea. 11,000 troops and 190 different weapons systems were on display in the parade. Wikinews interviewed several specialists about the parade’s possible significance.

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25 October
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