BERRYVILLE, Va., Jan. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ ? Eagle Financial Services, Inc. (OTC BULLETIN BOARD: EFSI), the holding company for Bank of Clarke County, whose divisions include Eagle Investment Group, announces its 2012 fourth quarter and?record annual profits.? The Company?s common stock is listed for trading on the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Bulletin Board under the ticker symbol EFSI. Fourth Quarter and Annual 2012 Highlights: John R. Milleson, President and CEO, stated, ?We are pleased to report two exciting accomplishments during 2012: the Company produced record profits for the year and continued its streak of consecutive dividend increases, a streak unmatched by most financial institutions.? The 2012 dividend of $0.73 per share was the 26th consecutive year of a dividend increase for the Company.? The year?s record earnings were primarily a result of a very steady and strong net interest margin of 4.47% and lower loan loss provisions.? That level of core earnings afforded the Company the ability to aggressively manage its non-performing assets as well as begin an expansion east into Loudoun County.? The Bank?s twelfth retail branch is currently under construction at 203 Hirst Road in Purcellville, Virginia and will open in April 2013. To branch at a time when many banks are contracting is a strategic initiative of which we want to take full advantage.? Income Statement Review Net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 was $1.6 million reflecting an increase of 128.1% from the quarter ended December 31, 2011.? Net income was $6.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2012 which represented an increase of 51.5% when compared to net income for the same period in 2011. These increases resulted mostly from reduced interest costs and loan loss provisions. Net interest income for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 was $5.7 million, which represented a decrease of 3.3% when compared to $5.9 million for the same period in 2011.? Net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2012 was $23.2 million which represented an increase of 1.8% when compared to $22.8 million in 2011.? This increase in net interest income for the year resulted mostly from the decline in the Company?s funding costs.?? Total loan interest income was $5.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2012, reflecting a decrease of $305,000 from the quarter ended December 31, 2011.? Total loan interest income was $22.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2012, reflecting a decrease of $440,000 from the year ended December 31, 2011.? Average loans for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 were $420.2 million compared to $409.1 million for the same period in 2011.? Average loans for the year ended December 31, 2012 were $420.8 million compared to $405.8 million for 2011.? The tax equivalent yield on average loans for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 was 5.26%, down 43 basis points from the same time period in 2011.? The tax equivalent yield on average loans for the year ended December 31, 2012 was 5.39%, down 31 basis points from 2011.? Interest income from the investment portfolio was $933,000 thousand for the quarter ended December 31, 2012, reflecting a decrease of 15.6% when compared to $1.1 million for the same period in 2011. Interest income from the investment portfolio was $4.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2012 and $4.5 million for? 2011.? Total interest expense was $814,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2012 and $1.1 million for three months ended December 31, 2011. Total interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2012 was $3.4 million, representing a decrease of $1.4 million or 29.6% from the year ended December 31, 2011. The average cost of interest bearing liabilities decreased 23 basis points when comparing the quarter ended December 31, 2012 to the same time period in 2011.? The average cost of interest bearing liabilities decreased 31 basis points when comparing the year ended December 31, 2012 to the same time period in 2011.? The average balance of interest bearing liabilities decreased $17.4 million from the quarter ended December 31, 2011 to the same period in 2012.? The average balance of interest bearing liabilities decreased $19.9 million from the year ended December 31, 2011 to the same period in 2012. The decline in interest bearing liabilities for both periods resulted from maturities of wholesale borrowings and time deposits. The net interest margin was 4.31% for the quarter ended December 31, 2012.? When compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2011, the net interest margin decreased 16 basis points. The net interest margin was 4.47% for the year ended December 31, 2012.? When compared to the year ended December 31, 2011, the net interest margin increased seven basis points. This increase was attributable to the decreased cost of interest bearing liabilities. The Company?s net interest margin is not a measurement under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, but it is a common measure used by the financial services industry to determine how profitably earning assets are funded. The Company?s net interest margin is calculated by dividing tax equivalent net interest income by total average earning assets. Tax equivalent net interest income is calculated by grossing up interest income for the amounts that are non-taxable (i.e., municipal income) then subtracting interest expense. The tax rate utilized is 34%. Noninterest income was $1.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 and $1.3 million for the same period in 2011.? Noninterest income was $6.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2012 and $5.9 million for the same period in 2011. Increases in service release premiums received from secondary market mortgage activity were the largest contributor to the year?s increase in noninterest income. Noninterest expense was $5.0 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 and $5.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2011. Noninterest expense was $18.5 million and $19.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.??The majority of the decrease in noninterest expense resulted from a one-time adjustment to FDIC assessment expense.? The Company determined that the balance of the Company?s prepaid FDIC insurance was too low and as a result made a $199,000 adjustment to increase the prepaid balance and decrease the corresponding expense in the quarter ended June 30, 2012. ?Decreases in other operating expenses relate to the Company?s efforts to improve efficiency by diligently managing and monitoring its operating expenses. Asset Quality and Provision for Loan Losses Provisions for loan losses were $10,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2012, compared to $900,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2011. Provisions for loan losses were $1.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2012, compared to $3.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2011. The ratio of allowance for loan losses to total loans was 1.57% at December 31, 2012 and 2.13% at December 31, 2011.? The ratio of allowance for loan losses to total nonaccrual loans was 272.5% at December 31, 2012 and 357.0% at December 31, 2011.? The amount of provision for loan losses reflects the results of the Bank?s analysis used to determine the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses.? The decreased provision for the quarter and the year mostly resulted from the decrease in the amount of specific allocations required for impaired loans. During the year, several impaired loan balances were partially charged off while others had been completely charged off and moved to other real estate owned.? At December 31, 2012, impaired loans totaled $15.3 million and had related specific allocations of $2.4 million.? At December 31, 2011, impaired loans totaled $19.9 million and had related specific allocations of $4.2 million. Nonperforming assets increased slightly from $5.0 million or 0.87% of total assets at December 31, 2011 to $5.6 million or 0.94% of total assets at December 31, 2011. This increase resulted mostly from the increase in other real estate owned. Several loans had been charged off and moved to other real estate owned during the year, including two large commercial real estate loans whose collateral was valued at $853,000 at December 31, 2012. Total nonaccrual loans totaled $2.4 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011.? During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Bank placed one loan totaling $230,000 on nonaccrual status. Although this loan is unsecured, the majority of the Bank?s other nonaccrual loans are secured by real estate.? Management evaluates the financial condition of these borrowers and the value of any collateral on these loans.? The results of these evaluations are used to estimate the amount of losses which may be realized on the disposition of these nonaccrual loans.? Loans greater than 90 days past due and still accruing increased from $94,000 at December 31, 2011 to $208,000 at December 31, 2012. The Company realized $1.4 million in net charge-offs for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 versus $48,000 for the same period in 2011. The Company realized $3.8 million in net charge-offs for the year ended December 31, 2012 versus $2.1 for 2011. The 2012 loan charge offs were concentrated in larger balance commercial real estate loans while the 2011 loan charge offs were concentrated in residential real estate. ?The Company continues to operate a troubled credit group to monitor past due loans, identify potential problem credits, and develop action plans to work through its troubled loans as promptly as possible. ?Asset quality remains a primary concern of the Company. Necessary resources continue to be devoted to the ongoing review of the loan portfolio and the workouts of problem assets to minimize any losses to the Company. Management will continue to monitor delinquencies, risk rating changes, charge-offs, market trends and other indicators of risk in the Company?s portfolio, particularly those tied to residential and commercial real estate, and adjust the allowance for loan losses accordingly. Total Consolidated Assets Total consolidated assets of the Company at December 31, 2012 were $593.3 million, which represented an increase of $25.3 million or 4.5% from total assets of $568.0 million at December 31, 2011.? Total loans increased $7.7 million from $410.4 million at December 31, 2011 to $418.1 million at December 31, 2012.? Considering the continued low interest rate and competitive market environment, the Company has been conscientious about maintaining both its underwriting standards and its net interest margin and thereby cautious about the growth it has accepted in the loan portfolio. Deposits and Other Borrowings Total deposits, which include brokered deposits, increased $28.6 million to $477.1 million at December 31, 2012 from $448.5 million at December 31, 2011. The Company held $9.9 million in brokered deposits at December 31, 2012 and 2011.? Securities sold under agreement to repurchase were $10.0 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011. Borrowings with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta were $32.3 million at December 31, 2012 and $42.3 million at December 31, 2011. Equity Shareholders? equity was $63.7 million at December 31, 2012 and $58.1 million at December 31, 2011. The book value of the Company at December 31, 2012 was $19.11 per common share. Total common shares outstanding were 3,352,523 at December 31, 2012.? On January 16, 2013, the board of directors declared a $0.19 per common share cash dividend for shareholders of record as of January 28, 2013 and payable on February 15, 2013. Certain information contained in this discussion may include ?forward-looking statements? within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements relate to the Company?s future operations and are generally identified by phrases such as ?the Company expects,? ?the Company believes? or words of similar import. Although the Company believes that its expectations with respect to the forward-looking statements are based upon reliable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, there can be no assurance that actual results, performance or achievements of the Company will not differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For details on factors that could affect expectations, see the risk factors and other cautionary language included in the Company?s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. | EAGLE FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. | | | | | | | | | | | KEY STATISTICS | For the Three Months Ended | | 4Q12 | | 3Q12 | | 2Q12 | | 1Q12 | | 4Q11 | | | | | | | | | | | | Net Income (dollars in thousands) | $ ? ? ? ? ?1,581 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?1,253 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?2,002 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?1,714 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 693 | | Earnings per share, basic | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.47 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.38 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.60 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.52 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.21 | | Earnings per share, diluted | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.47 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.37 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.60 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.25 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.21 | | | | | | | | | | | | Return on average total assets | 1.08% | | 0.88% | | 1.43% | | 1.23% | | 0.48% | | Return on average total equity | 9.95% | | 8.01% | | 13.29% | | 11.74% | | 4.76% | | Dividend payout ratio | 40.43% | | 47.37% | | 30.00% | | 34.62% | | 85.71% | | Fee revenue as a percent of total revenue | 20.32% | | 20.40% | | 20.26% | | 19.18% | | 18.53% | | | | | | | | | | | | Net interest margin(1) | 4.31% | | 4.40% | | 4.60% | | 4.56% | | 4.47% | | Yield on average earning assets | 4.91% | | 5.01% | | 5.23% | | 5.25% | | 5.28% | | Yield on average interest-bearing liabilities | 0.83% | | 0.85% | | 0.87% | | 0.94% | | 1.07% | | Net interest spread | 4.08% | | 4.16% | | 4.36% | | 4.31% | | 4.21% | | Tax equivalent adjustment to net interest income (dollars in thousands) | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 198 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 200 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 207 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 212 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 214 | | | | | | | | | | | | Non-interest income to average assets | 1.05% | | 1.09% | | 1.12% | | 1.06% | | 0.88% | | Non-interest expense to average assets | 3.41% | | 3.20% | | 3.12% | | 3.31% | | 3.73% | | | | | | | | | | | | Efficiency ratio(2) | 60.91% | | 61.36% | | 56.96% | | 61.43% | | 72.60% | | | | | | | | | | | | (1)??The net interest margin is calculated by dividing tax equivalent net interest income by total average earning assets. Tax equivalent interest income is calculated by grossing up interest income for the amounts that are non taxable (i.e., municipal income) then subtracting interest expense. The rate utilized is 34%. See the table below for the quarterly tax equivalent net interest income and the reconciliation of net interest income to tax equivalent net interest income. The Company?s net interest margin is a common measure used by the financial service industry to determine how profitable earning assets are funded. Because the Company earns a fair amount of non taxable interest income due to the mix of securities in its investment security portfolio, net interest income for the ratio is calculated on a tax equivalent basis as described above. | | | | (2)? The efficiency ratio is not a measurement under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. It is calculated by dividing non-interest expense by the sum of tax equivalent net interest income and non-interest income excluding gains and losses on the investment portfolio and sales of repossessed assets. The tax rate utilized is 34%. See the table below for the quarterly tax equivalent net interest income and a reconciliation of net interest income to tax equivalent net interest income. The Company calculates this ratio in order to evaluate its overhead structure or how effectively it is operating. An increase in the ratio from period to period indicates the Company is losing a larger percentage of its income to expenses. The Company believes that the efficiency ratio is a reasonable measure of profitability. |
???????? | EAGLE FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. | | | | | | | | | | | SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA BY QUARTER | | | | | | | | | | | | 4Q12 | | 3Q12 | | 2Q12 | | 1Q12 | | 4Q11 | | BALANCE SHEET RATIOS | | | | | | | | | | | Loans to deposits | 87.63% | | 93.51% | | 94.36% | | 92.92% | | 91.52% | | Average interest-earning assets to | | | | | | | | | | | ??? average-interest bearing liabilities | 139.30% | | 139.84% | | 138.63% | | 136.42% | | 132.72% | | PER SHARE DATA | | | | | | | | | | | Dividends | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.19 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.18 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.18 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?0.18 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? 0.18 | | Book value | $ ? ? ? ? ?19.11 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?18.78 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?18.47 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?18.05 | | $ ? ? ? ? 17.67 | | Tangible book value | $ ? ? ? ? ?19.11 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?18.78 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?18.47 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?18.05 | | $ ? ? ? ? 17.67 | | SHARE PRICE DATA | | | | | | | | | | | Closing price | $ ? ? ? ? ?22.00 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?21.50 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?20.10 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?20.75 | | $ ? ? ? ? 16.81 | | Diluted earnings multiple(1) | 11.70 | | 14.53 | | 8.38 | | 9.98 | | 20.01 | | Book value multiple(2) | 1.15 | | 1.15 | | 1.09 | | 1.15 | | 0.95 | | COMMON STOCK DATA | | | | | | | | | | | Outstanding shares at end of period | 3,352,523 | | 3,344,737 | | 3,337,251 | | 3,320,600 | | 3,300,692 | | Weighted average shares outstanding | 3,348,630 | | 3,341,050 | | 3,326,999 | | 3,316,005 | | 3,305,189 | | Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted | 3,359,611 | | 3,352,337 | | 3,337,114 | | 3,321,687 | | 3,312,290 | | CAPITAL RATIOS | | | | | | | | | | | Total equity to total assets | 10.74% | | 10.94% | | 10.83% | | 10.64% | | 10.23% | | CREDIT QUALITY | | | | | | | | | | | Net charge-offs to average loans | 0.33% | | 0.40% | | 0.13% | | 0.04% | | 0.01% | | Total non-performing loans to total loans | 0.63% | | 1.19% | | 0.43% | | 0.59% | | 0.62% | | Total non-performing assets to total assets | 0.94% | | 1.30% | | 0.71% | | 0.94% | | 0.87% | | Non-accrual loans to: | | | | | | | | | | | ????? total loans | 0.58% | | 1.19% | | 0.39% | | 0.48% | | 0.60% | | ????? total assets | 0.41% | | 0.89% | | 0.30% | | 0.36% | | 0.43% | | Allowance for loan losses to: | | | | | | | | | | | ????? total loans | 1.57% | | 1.86% | | 2.01% | | 2.13% | | 2.13% | | ???? non-performing assets | 118.38% | | 16.64% | | 213.78% | | 168.99% | | 176.06% | | ???? non-accrual loans | 272.45% | | 156.37% | | 509.93% | | 445.46% | | 357.00% | | NON-PERFORMING ASSETS: | | | | | | | | | | | (dollars in thousands) | | | | | | | | | | | ??? Loans delinquent over 90 days | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 208 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 10 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 163 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 449 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? ?94 | | ??? Non-accrual loans??? | 2,414 | | 5,091 | | 1,692 | | 1,995 | | 2,449 | | ??? Other real estate owned and repossessed assets | 2,934 | | 2,364 | | 2,181 | | 2,815 | | 2,423 | | NET LOAN CHARGE-OFFS (RECOVERIES): | | | | | | | | | | | (dollars in thousands) | | | | | | | | | | | ??? Loans charged off | $ ? ? ? ? ?1,516 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?1,801 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 609 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 237 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?327 | | ??? (Recoveries) | (122) | | (84) | | (50) | | (81) | | (279) | | Net charge-offs (recoveries) | 1,394 | | 1,717 | | 559 | | 156 | | 48 | | PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES (dollars in thousands) | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 10 | | $ ? ? ? ? ?1,050 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 300 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ? 300 | | $ ? ? ? ? ? ?900 | | ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSS SUMMARY | | | | | | | | | | | Source: http://www.redliontrader.com/streamingnews/geo-visions-new-performance-enhancement-products-for-men-and-women-now-available-on-amazon-com-and-sears-com/ today show powerball katt williams greg mcelroy new york post kate middleton bob costas
(Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp , the Pentagon's biggest supplier, forecast 2013 earnings growth above analysts' estimates as it expects a record backlog and continued efforts to cut costs to overcome an anticipated weakening of sales. Lockheed said on Thursday that earnings per share had dropped 19 percent to $1.73 in the fourth quarter from $2.14 a year earlier, reflecting a large noncash pension adjustment, higher income tax expenses and a charge for job cuts in its aeronautics division. Excluding those one-time items, Lockheed earned $1.91 per share, beating the consensus view of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S, who had forecast $1.82 per share. Lockheed said it expected earnings per share to rise to between $8.80 and $9.10 in 2013 from $8.36 in 2012. The company is assuming the U.S. Congress will avert $500 billion in additional Pentagon spending reductions known as "sequestration" that are due to take effect over the next decade, starting in March. Chief Financial Officer Bruce Tanner told reporters on a conference call that it remained unclear how any additional cuts to the U.S. defense budget would be implemented, which made it difficult to forecast the coming year's results. Chief Executive Officer Marillyn Hewson, who took over on January 1, told reporters the company's results in 2012 were "extraordinary" but that Lockheed remained focused on cutting costs and ensuring performance on key contracts. Lockheed said fourth-quarter sales fell slightly to $12.1 billion from $12.21 billion. The company said it expected sales of $44.5 billion to $46 billion this year, down from $47.18 billion in 2012, but Hewson said there were no additional workforce reductions in the works at this point. Shares of Lockheed were down 1.9 percent at $94.23 in morning trading. Rob Stallard, analyst with RBC Capital Markets, said it was a good quarter for Lockheed, with its longer-cycle equipment portfolio offsetting sharper revenue declines in its shorter-cycle information services division. He said the company's 2013 outlook for operating profit and earnings per share had also beaten analysts' expectations. Hewson told reporters the company's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program was progressing "very well," and she expected to finalize agreements for sixth and seventh production orders with the Pentagon in the first half of 2013. Hewson acknowledged that the F-35 fighter used similar lithium-ion batteries as those being investigated on Boeing Co's 787 Dreamliner, but said the company saw no problem since the F-35 equipment was made by a different manufacturer and had been tested and vetted extensively. She said investigators were still trying to determine what caused a problem that prompted the Pentagon to ground the U.S. Marine Corps variant of the F-35 last week and that it was too soon to predict any effect on the flight test program. Lockheed said three of its five divisions had reported higher sales and operating profits for the fourth quarter, but the space systems and information systems divisions posted lower profits and sales. The company said sales and earnings in the information systems and global solutions business were hit by a continuing downturn in federal information technology budgets and the impact of a continuing resolution that took effect October 1 and which bans new program starts. Sales fell 14 percent in the quarter, while earnings dropped 20 percent, the company said. The space systems business also saw sales and earnings fall in the fourth quarter. (Corrects third paragraph to show earnings figure excludes all one-time items, not just the increase in income tax expense) (Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lockheed-sees-higher-earnings-weaker-sales-2013-115117390--finance.html department of justice doj dept of justice weather chicago swizz beatz mpaa south carolina debate
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's disgraced former senior politician, Bo Xilai, will go on trial next week, a Beijing-backed Hong Kong newspaper said on Friday, in what would be the final act of a drama that has shaken the ruling Communist Party. Bo, once a contender for the top leadership in the world's second-largest economy, was ousted in China's biggest political scandal in two decades last year following his wife's murder of a British businessman, Neil Heywood. The mainland China-run Ta Kung Pao newspaper said on its website that Bo's trial would start on Monday in the southern city of Guiyang and last three days. It cited "well-informed Beijing sources", but gave no details. One of Bo's lawyers, Li Guifang, declined to comment when reached by telephone. Reuters was unable to reach his second lawyer, Wang Zhaofeng, despite repeated telephone calls. A court official in Guiyang who gave his family name as Li said he had not heard anything about the case. "The case has not yet even been put forward for prosecution," he added. A source with direct knowledge of the case told Reuters he "had not heard" that the trial would begin next week. China's Foreign Ministry, typically the only government department which regularly fields questions from foreign reporters, said questions about Bo's trial should be referred to the "relevant authorities" and declined further comment. Telephone calls to the Central Committee for Discipline Inspection, the party's top corruption fighting body, went unanswered. The number for the Justice Ministry's spokesman's office was disconnected. Officials reached by telephone in Guiyang said they were unaware of the case. Bo, a former commerce minister, turned the sprawling, haze-covered southwestern municipality of Chongqing into a showcase for his mix of populist policies and bold spending plans that won support from leftists yearning for a charismatic leader. Bo, 63, was widely seen as pursuing a powerful spot on the party's elite inner core before his career unraveled after his former police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to a U.S. consulate for more than 24 hours in February and alleged that Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, had murdered Heywood with poison. Both Wang and Gu have since been jailed and Bo expelled from the party, accused of corruption and of bending the law to hush up the killing. Formal charges against Bo have yet to be made public. Wang Yuncai, one of the lawyers for Wang Lijun, said it was quite possible the court case could open on Monday, though she said she did not know for certain. "It's already been in the hands of the prosecutors for a long time, so it's quite possible," she said by telephone. "Judging from the Wang Lijun case, that would mean a verdict within a week of the court hearing." The two Wangs are not related. Li Zhuang, a Beijing lawyer who opposed Wang Lijun and Bo for mounting a sweeping crackdown on foes in the name of fighting organized crime, said he also thought it was possible for a Monday hearing. "I would only say it's possible, though not totally certain," Li said. China has thrown a veil of official secrecy over Bo's fate, with the latest brief announcement earlier this month simply confirming that he had been handed over to the courts. That has prompted a wave of rumors, mostly spread by overseas Chinese websites, about when and where the trial will be. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Jeremy Laurence) Source: http://news.yahoo.com/trial-chinas-bo-xilai-opens-next-week-says-053235688.html the bachelor finale march madness bracket south by southwest i want to know what love is courtney mercury retrograde bath salts
Because so many of the indicators and risk factors of childhood obesity overlap with matters of ethnicity and poverty (which is disproportionately linked to ethnicity), it is not surprising that civil rights organizations have taken an interest in childhood obesity issues. If public policy is to be made and enforced, they want their groups taken into consideration and their voices heard in the debate. MALDEF, described as the law firm of the Latino community or the Latino voice for civil rights in America, is backed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which is greatly interested in ending childhood obesity. The MALDEF webpage says: This alarming trend has disproportionately impacted low-income communities and communities of color. For example, Mexican American and African American youth ages 6 to 11 are more likely to be obese or overweight than white children, and Latino and African-American children are more likely to develop diabetes than white children.
The organization sees its mission as educating policymakers at every administrative level? [...] about the need for cultural competence and public resource equity in our food policy programs and legislative proposals that are aimed at addressing the broad issue of childhood obesity prevention.
People need to make healthy food choices, and they need places to buy nutritious food. Schools need to pay attention to what they are feeding kids and making available in vending machines. Schools and cities need to provide adequate safe play areas. All these things are susceptible to influence, by reaching the minds and emotions of lawmakers, bureaucrats, and ordinary citizens. Another active organization is the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) which also cites the presence of ?many barriers that prevent access to healthy and affordable foods, and safe places for physical exercise.? Its webpage mentions ?food insecurity? as contributory to childhood obesity, and this is an example of how many different facets such a large societal problem typically has. Some kids overeat because of unaddressed emotional needs, and if food is always around, they?ll eat constantly. This can happen to a child of any ethnicity or economic stratum. Other kids get fat because the household they live in is always stocked with junk food and empty-calorie treats, which are so easy to get hooked on. Again, this can happen to a kid of any race, at any income level. But there is a certain kind of neediness for food that only strikes children in homes where the future of eating is uncertain. If a child is frequently hungry, and sometimes even if there have only been one or two spells of outright hunger, it can have an effect. When food is available, they might have a tendency to overeat, through anxiety, because of never being inwardly sure if there will be something to eat tomorrow or next week. The sociologists call this ?food insecurity,? and it is more subtle than a growling empty stomach, but it?s a real thing for a certain number of kids, and quite possibly a factor in their obesity. LULAC says: According to the Centers for Disease Control, 65% of adult Hispanics are overweight or obese. Hispanics are also less likely to have adequate health insurance coverage than any other racial or ethnic group in the US? The CDC estimates that for children born after the year 2000 1 in 3 will develop type 2 diabetes. For Hispanic children the figure is even more alarming. 50% of Hispanic children born after 2000 will likely develop type 2 diabetes.
For a number of different reasons, a bunch of kids are growing up to be adults with extra poundage and a constellation of obesity-related medical problems. Your responses and feedback are welcome! Source: ?Preventing Childhood Obesity,? MALDEF.org
Source: ?Obesity,? LULAC.org
Image by FBellon. Source: http://childhoodobesitynews.com/2013/01/22/hispanic-view-on-childhood-obesity/ world peace world peace lakers colorectal cancer metta kashi neil diamond orange crush
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