Category Archives: National Vanguard

What would the World look like after coronavirus, economically, politically and socially?Armageddon looms if no cure comes by August

Mir Muhammad Ali Khan (MAK) is a Pakistani investment banker and capital advisor in Wall StreetJournal. He is an author and world known capital and investment expert. His latest very comprehensive well researched article on post Coronavirus Economic and its Social Implications was sent to Lt Gen Abdul Qayyum (Retd). The same is as under:- USA may pull other countries down with it.

By Mir Mohammad Ali Khan(MAK)

Paris is not so romantic anymore. Is it? Manhattan sleeps very early now. Doesnt it? Giving hugs and kisses is considered a sign of ignorance now. Isnt it? Sitting near your grandparents is looked upon as a risk towards them. Right?

Well I read this somewhere today or something similar to it and it imprinted in my mind forever.The world has run out of gas, it feels like, and even that on a deserted highway millions of miles away from a gas station. Coronavirus has gripped our lives. We woke up in 2020 like we are still sleeping through a nightmare. Some say that the world is going to end and others say that it a wrath of God. Well, I would refrain from commenting on the world ending or the wrath part because that would involve an emotional statement and at a time like this, as an investment banker, my duty becomes to guide the people as to what I foresee. And my expertise lies in finance and by default the field of investment banking on Wall Street is very intertwined with watching political economy and its volatilities unfold, globally.

So many questions come to mind at once. Will this affect the globalization of the past 25 years? Will it tilt the balance of economic power away from one region to another? Will America weaken and China or Russia strengthen? Will it create a new trading or cooperation block/s in the World? Will the World see new currency dominate instead of the Dollar? Will the education system shift from the brick and mortar to an online distance learning based platform, albeit slowly? Will the democracies that will or have failed to protect their people lose value in the eyes of the voters? Will the selfish countries be isolated by the world communities based on their memories from the time of Coronavirus and non-cooperation?Well the questions are endless and most of the answers will be nothing more than speculations. So let us stick to facts. Facts that can be calculated 12 months forward based on numbers in light of 50 years backwards.

WORLD ECONOMY

Will the world economy collapse soon? No. But if this ordeal continues for another 6 months then we are looking at some very grave consequences. Consequences that this world is not prepared for. Before I go on with my topic, let me shed some light on the facts where people compare this to the events of 2008 world financial crisis. 2008 was a car crash. This could be a train wreck. 2008 was a sudden event built up over a period of a few years based on just one financial product and that product was high risk mortgage securities. It was not an Armageddon. It did not affect the logistics. World tourism. Petrol prices. Airline industries. Textiles around the world. So on and so forth. This affects 193 countries. And all of them at once and in every aspect possible not just financial.

The world GDP as we stand right now is approximately $88,081 billion dollars or $90 trillion. The 1st 3 months since including February and March, we have lost $3.2 trillion in global GDP. World capital markets have lost double that amount. Corporations that declared their earnings or will do so will do it including the month of January when it was not so bad and February when it started to get bad and March where it has become a pandemic. These figures will not look as bad as for the next quarter which includes April, May and June. Apple alone is facing a revenue loss of $1 billion a day because of its stores closure around the world. Airlines in Asia alone have swallowed a loss of $129 billion dollars. This loss can never be made back because airlines are already a high debt low profit margin business. Tens of airlines will go bankrupt within the next few months.

America being the biggest economy will pull so many other countries down with it but before it pulls others down, IF this pandemic continues for the next 3 to 4 months, America will see damage to its economy that will be absolutely irreversible.

70 million people are working from home right now. Working from home very soon is going to change into staying at home without work. The highest unemployment claims came in last week in America, 3.2 million jobless claims. This can increase to a number anywhere between 8 to 12 million within the next 6 months. 12 million jobless claims or even 6 million, half of it, which can be filed next month, spells disaster for America. Why? Because out of work America means mortgage default on homes.

America has approximately $15.8 trillion in mortgage debt. $11.1 trillion or the highest portion of the debt is in home loans. $3 trillion is in commercial properties. $1.6 trillion is in multifamily units or what you may call apartment buildings. And $254.1 billion approximately in farm loans.

Add to it the national American debt which rose by another $3 trillion in 60 days to above $23 trillion because of the $2 trillion relief package announced by Trump. $2 trillion cannot and will not help America more than a few months, not even 2. It will require a package of $6 to $10 trillion. Which will take the American national debt to its highest level ever. Money that America does not have or maybe has spent on wars, $14.8 trillion, instead of domestic spending or savings.

Back to the mortgages. Out of work Americans means no mortgage payments. No mortgage payments on top of a sinking economy due to deserted roads, no retail, no food, no travelling, no tourism and no money, will create a snow ball of foreclosures. Foreclosures unlike the 2008 bad loans. Here, it will be the people with the best credit history and decades of great payment history will be declaring bankruptcies. Corporate earnings for the next 2 quarters dwindling will force companies to lay off people. That will be an icing on the cake.

American capital markets may have a few Dead Cat Bounces (quick upward rallies) but the future of it is dependent upon the corporate earnings not Trumps plans to inject funds. No corporate

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US will pull others down with it - Vanguard

Frederick County Public Schools announces the five teachers advancing as finalists for the 2020-2021 FCPS Teacher of the Year Award, the countys most prestigious award for teachers. Every school in FCPS is asked to nominate at least one outstanding teacher every year to be selected as the countys Teacher of the Year. This year, after several stages of review that included interviews and submitting essays and other materials, FCPS has narrowed the field to five finalists. They are: Philip Arnold, Erica French, Ashley Lillard, Jill McWilliams and Joseph Tom Mitchell.

FCPS Career and Technology Center (CTC) instructor Philip Arnold was initially a systems engineer by profession but a teacher at heart. Arnold, who teaches Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Architecture and Engineering classes, is best known for helping students gain skills to solve real-world problems. His students have won awards at national SkillsUSA, and some even traveled to Africa to install their invention to provide clean water for a school. Arnold has earned the Charles E. Tressler Distinguished Teacher Award, two Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams Excite awards, ProJet Aviation Teacher of the Year recognition, and was named the FCPS Career and Technology Education Teacher of the Year.

Brunswick Middle math teacher Erica French is a former Brunswick Middle student. Having taught honors classes for Highly Able Learners, Honors Algebra I and Algebra II, she is touted as one of the nicest, coolest teachers and one who knows how to connect with students. In addition to teaching math, French implemented a tutoring program to help struggling students stay on top of their grades. She has supported her colleagues as a mentor for new teachers, sixth-grade team leader and professional development facilitator for Google Classroom. She is also an FCPS Vanguard Teacher Leader and curriculum writer.

Thurmont Primary first-grade teacher Ashley Lillard is a passionate educator and advocate for science, technology, mathematics and social-emotional learning. Last year, she secured a Battelle National Biodefense Institute grant to fund a robotics lab project at her school. She is working with colleagues to plan a joint STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) night with Thurmont Elementary to foster enthusiasm for coding and programming for students at both schools. Lillard has taught elementary students since 2007. She was the Lions Club Teacher of the Year for Thurmont Primary in 2014-2015.

At Walkersville Elementary, Jill McWilliams teaches a multi-grade kindergarten/first-grade class. She is a teacher leader whose engaging instruction results in her students making significant progress and leads her colleagues to look to her for guidance and support. McWilliams served as the kindergarten team leader and then volunteered to serve as the substitute team leader when a colleague went on leave. She has taught at several elementary schools in Frederick County, including Glade, Thurmont and Walkersville, and she was an FCPS Teacher of the Year nominee in 2016.

Urbana Middle music teacher Joseph Tom Mitchell is in his 31st year of teaching. At Urbana Middle since it opened in 2007, he has taught 21 years in Frederick County. Mitchell is described as sincere, compassionate, caring, humble and student-centered. He teaches choir and orchestra. He also he plays cello in the Frederick Symphony Orchestra, teaches private cello and bass students, and is a guest conductor for various local ensembles. Mitchell has initiated and organized a variety of music programs including the after-school GLEE! Club. He also earned the status of National Board Certified Teacher in 2018.

FCPS will announce the winner of the 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year award later this spring. FCPSs current Teacher of the Year is Mike Franklin, who teaches physical education at Catoctin High School.

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FCPS names Teacher of the Year finalists - Frederick News Post

Secrecy, denial, and incompetence have condemned thousands of Iranians to their deaths amidst the coronavirus outbreak. Even if Iranian leaders now adopt best-practices, it is likely too late to meaningfully control the viruss continued spread in Tehran. Traffic jams show that the citywhich has grown seven-fold since the 1979 Islamic Revolutionhas not practiced social isolation and will likely suffer far more casualties.

While Iranian reporting is opaque, it is likely that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and their families have suffered disproportionately within Iranian society. When Iranian authorities first acknowledged that the coronavirus was out-of-control, they put the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in charge of the domestic response. Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the IRGC-Ground Forces for the past decade, told an Iranian audience that his forces were playing a pivotal role in all aspects of the Iranian public health fight, from securing the supply chain to sending forces into the infected zones to spray disinfectant or set up field hospitals.

In almost all countries, first responders have suffered because of their proximity to the ill, and it is unlikely that Iran would be immune from such a phenomenon. The living quarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps likely compound the problem. One of the reasons why the 1917-1918 Spanish flu struck down so many in the prime of life was that it tore through military barracks. If the Revolutionary Guards are at the forefront of the Iranian fight against COVID-19, it is unlikely they will retain pre-COVID-19 readiness.

Any outbreak among the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will likely have ramifications beyond immediate military readiness. Among the Islamic Republics military veterans, there are long-standing grievances with regard to health care. The government largely abandoned those injured during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War. The most dysfunctional Veterans Administrations hospitals in the United States outperform by far the best medical centers available to Iranian veterans. Those who served Iran to fight the pandemic and suffer long-term health complications due to their troubles will breed resentment toward the government. The Iranian governments financial woes and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps prioritization of support for foreign interventions over pensions will breed resentment among the families of those who succumb to COVID-19. And while the Guards top commanders are millionaires several times over and live posh lifestyles, most Guardsmen live a more impoverished existence in the apartment blocs of western Tehran or in the slums to the citys south. This means that they are more likely to spread the disease through their own communities than those in more affluent northern neighborhoods.

The Revolutionary Guards will also likely suffer future recruitment woes. While the organization depicts itself as the ideological vanguard, it is as faction-ridden as Iranian politics. There are many ideological hardlinersthe late Qassem Soleimani or his successor Esmail Ghaani, for examplebut there are also those who join the Revolutionary Guards for more cynical reasons. Iran is still a conscript society and so, if military service is a necessity, better to join a Guards unit which will pay more and provide better connections and opportunities in the future. Future generations may think twice, however, about volunteering for the Guards if its missions expose them to greater harm. Indeed, the Guards and the paramilitary Basij were also suffering a manpower shortage due to resistance among many ordinary Iranians to deployments into Syria, leading the Guards leadership to rely increasingly on Lebanese Hezbollah or Iraqi, Afghan, or Pakistani Shiite militia groups.

Beyond eroding Irans military readiness, the impact of the virus on public perception will be huge. Even the Islamic Republics most ardent apologists recognize that there is a growing trust deficit between the Iranian public and the regime. The problem is not just at home. Tehran must often temper its strategic partnerships in response to public distrust of its international partners. Take Russia, for example: While Iranian authorities have pursued an unprecedented rapprochement with Russia, the Iranian public has neither forgiven nor forgotten centuries of Russian imperial exploitation and so Iranian authorities must at times put brakes on the partnership or at least keep some aspects of it secret.

This historic distrust of Russia is one reason why Iranian authorities sought to hedge their bets. Jomhuri-e Eslami, one of the Islamic Republics flagship newspapers, published an article (no longer available online) on July 21, 2018 arguing that Revolutionary Leader Ruhollah Khomeinis slogan Neither East nor West but Islamic Republic should not prevent Tehran from outreach to Beijing. Yayha Rahim-Safavi, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a top military advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, drove home the point in a January 2019 speech.

The World Health Organization may condemn linking COVID-19 to its origins in Wuhan, China, but most Iranians will not be so politically correct. They recognize that it was their governments trade with China and its air links coupled with a diplomatic decision not to antagonize Chinese authorities that first introduced the disease into Iran and facilitated its rapid spread. Whereas just a few months ago, most Iranians were indifferent to their governments outreach to China and the growing Chinese presence in Iran, that too will likely change as suspicion of China and the Chinese will likely taint government outreach. Russia will always have a greater stigma within Iranian society than China, but no longer will Tehran be able to sell its turn toward Beijing as cost-free. That will not mean that Iranian leaders would abandon their eastern strategy, but even ardent regime Islamists recognize the potency of grassroots Iranian nationalism and will think twice about openly crossing it.

Michael Rubin is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). You can follow him on Twitter:@mrubin1971.

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Iran's Military Likely Can't Fight Thanks to Coronavirus - The National Interest

It was the class of warships that was never built, the Montana-class authorized under the "Two Ocean Navy" building program and funded in Fiscal Year 1941 and it would be the last of the kind ever ordered by the U.S. Navy. The ships were nearly a third larger than the preceding Iowa-class, and at 920 feet in length and with a beam of 121 feet, and a displacement of 60,500 tons 71,000 tons with war load would have been even larger than the HMS Vanguard, the last battleship to be built.

A total of five of the ships were ordered, with the lead in her class (BB-67) to be built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard along withOhio (BB-68); while Maine (BB-69) and New Hampshire (BB-70) were to be constructed at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn; withLouisiana (BB-71) built at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia.

The vessels would have required a crew of at least 2,355 personnel and perhaps as many as 2,780 if fielded as a flagship of the fleet.

Each of the six ships was to carry a dozen 16-inch guns, three more than the Iowa-class, but its massive size, increased armor and added firepower came at some notable costs.

First, the Montana-class was slower not fast enough to escort carriers, but still fast enough to operate in the battle line. Given the threat of enemy aircraft, especially in how the Royal Navy's HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were sunk off the coast of Singapore in December 1941 less than a year after she was commissioned by torpedo aircraft, the slower speed was an issue.

Then there is the argument that this class was really meant to be a "Yamato killer," capable of taking on the Imperial Japanese Navy's powerful battleship. The truth is that the United States Navy didn't actually know about the Yamato's 18-inch guns until 1944, so clearly the Montana-class, which was on the drawing board farearlier, wasn't simply meant to take on the Japanese behemoth.

However, before construction began the changing tide of war, and the impact that the aircraft carrier had in pushing back the Japanese made it clear that the Montana-class was not the right ship for the job. The Navy's need for more aircraft carriers, amphibious and anti-submarine vessels resulted in a suspension of the program in May 1942 before a single keel had been laid.

Just over a year later, when it was clear that the Age of the Battleship was at an end, on July 21, 1943, the program was formally canceled. Yet, had even a single Montana-class battleship been constructed, she would have been the most powerful U.S. Navy vessel of her time.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com.

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Montana-Class Battleships Would Have Answered the Question Can a Warship be Too Big - The National Interest

VSN(admin) PublishedFriday, April 10, 2020 - 08:30 AM

Lexington, KY The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced Grand View'sFelix Chapman(SR/San Jose De Las Lajas, Cuba) as the 2020 TeamSnap/AVCA NAIA Men's National Player of the Year. This is Chapman's second-consecutive year to earn this honor. The senior outside hitter is the first player in program history to win multiple national player of the year honors.

Over the 2020 season, Chapman has accumulated incredible averages including 5.24 kills per set, a 0.363 hitting efficiency, 1.21 digs per set, 0.8 blocks per set, and 0.55 service aces per set. Registering double-digit kill totals in every match that he played, Chapman was an offensive threat. On four occasions, the senior smashed 20-plus kills including nine performances hitting at least .400. In February, Chapman also went on a four-match run where he totaled 17 aces reaching a high of 1.42 service aces per set.

Chapman also received Heart of America First-Team All-Conference honors while also snagging the Player and Attacker of the Year accolades. This was his second-consecutive year being named player of the year for the conference.

Nationally, the Viking outside hitter was ranked No. 1 in total kills (351), No. 1 in kills per game (5.240), No. 7 in total service aces (37), No. 8 in service aces per game (0.550), No. 23 in hitting percentage (0.363), and No. 35 in total blocks (51). The senior tallied 1,056 kills in his three-season career with the Vikings.

*Denotes number of years named an AVCA NAIA Men's All-American

TeamSnap/AVCA NAIA Men's National Player of the Year:Announcedon Thursday, April 9.

AVCA NAIA Newcomer of the Year:Kyle Anema, Vanguard, OH

Kyle Anema, Vanguard, OH, RS-Fr.Stats: 5.11 K/S, .296 Hitting %, 1.64 D/S, 0.5 B/SFirst AVCA All-American in program history in their first year in existence.

Francisco Arredondo, Grand View, S, Fr.Stats: 11.21 A/S, .339 Team Hitting %, 1.31 D/S, 0.4 B/SJoins teammate Raffy Polanco to become the seventh and eighth different All-American for the VikingsThe eight are the fourth-most in the NAIA.

Luciano Bucci, Park, S, Jr.Stats: 11.1 A/S, .299 Hitting %, 1.5 D/SParks nine All-American players are tied with Lourdes for second-most in the NAIA (Missouri Baptist leads with 10).

Luka Cajic, Missouri Baptist, OH, Sr.Stats: 4.10 K/S, .363 Hitting %, 0.69 SA/S, 1.74 D/SThird consecutive AVCA All-American honor...Becomes the fourth Spartan to garner the award at least three times.

Felix Chapman, Grand View, OH, Sr.Stats: 5.24 K/S, .363 Hitting %, 0.55 SA, 1.21 D/S, 0.8 B/SThree-time AVCA All-American (2018-2020)Joins Pedro Cardoso as the only players in program history to take home All-American honors on no fewer than three occasions.

Hiago Crins, Park, RS, Jr.Stats: 3.5 K/S, .339 Hitting %, 1.4 D/S, 1.3 B/SPark ties Grand View for the most All-American awards in this years class (three).

Felipe Guirau, Park, OH, Jr.Stats: 3.2 K/S, .319 Hitting %, 1.1 B/S, 1.1 D/SParks 14 AVCA All-American certificates are third-most in NAIA historyOne of only three programs with double-digit certificates.

Robert Henige, Benedictine Mesa, MB, Jr.Stats: 2.5 K/S, .338 Hitting %, 1.15 B/SSecond consecutive AVCA All-American awardFirst player in program history to garner All-American status more than once.

Edin Ibrahimovic, Menlo, OH, So.Stats: 5.2 K/S, .374 Hitting %, 1.6 D/S, 0.57 B/STwo-time AVCA All-American (2019, 2020)Remains the only Menlo player to be named an AVCA All-American.

Miljan Kastratovic, Missouri Baptist, OH/RS, So.Stats: 3.76 K/S, .290 Hitting %, 0.51 SA/S, 1.36 D/S, 0.4 B/SSecond AVCA All-American award (2019, 2020)Missouri Baptists 21 All-American certificates are most in the NAIA.

John Montalvo, Campbellsville, L, RS-Jr.Stats: 2.66 D/S, 0.81 Opponent Hitting %First AVCA All-American in program historyCampbellsville joins Vanguard to become the 20th and 21st programs to have an All-American.

Raffy Polanco, Grand View, RS, Sr.Stats: 3.62 K/S, .289 Hitting %, 0.44 SA/S, 1.37 D/S, 0.4 B/SThirteen of Grand Views 17 AVCA All-American certificates have come since 2016.

Grand View University Men's Volleyball Heart of America Athletic Conference Awards & Achievements

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Grand View's Chapman Named AVCA National Player Of The Year For Second-Consecutive Year - Victory Sports Network

Amid the coronavirus bear market, target date funds generally performed in line with expectations, but not all TDFs are created equal and outcomes have varied, according to new research by Morningstar.

In a sign of industry progress, TDFs so far have held up better than they did during the 2008 global financial crisis, though outcome have diverged for near-retirees, the firm notes in How Target-Date Funds Fared Amidst the Coronavirus Sell-Off.

Despite diversified portfolios, investors expecting to retire this year (2020 funds) lost more than 17% on average. Individuals expected to retire in 40 years (2060 funds) lost 31%which is a minor improvement versus U.S. equities, which fell 33%, and global equities, which declined 32%, according to the firms data. In general, the report looks at the period Feb. 20 through March 20.

Investors should be especially cognizant of their target-date funds risk profile as they approach and enter retirement, when their nest eggs have likely peaked and they begin to rely on those savings to support their lifestyle, notes Leo Acheson, Associate Director, Multiasset & Alternative Strategies at Morningstar and author of the post.

And while their diversification benefits dissipated, he notes that thats not abnormal during extreme selloffs. As such, TDFs have captured more of the equity markets downside than would be anticipated from their strategic equity weighting which, while counterintuitive, aligns with expectations.

During more-modest equity sell-offs, bonds typically provide ballast, rising in value as equities fall. But during severe drawdowns, like the ones experienced this year and during the global financial crisis, correlations across asset classes rise, and even investment-grade bonds are susceptible to losses, Acheson explains. Indeed, he notes that TDF bond portfolios declined alongside their stock portfolios, exacerbating losses in the recent meltdown.

Comparing Results

Acheson takes a deeper dive in looking at the variation in outcomes for near-retirees by comparing outcomes based on TDF asset-allocation approaches, including those focused on longevity risk versus market risk. One observation is that strategies focused on longevity risk has led to long-term gain but near-term pain.

For example, T. Rowe Price minimizes longevity risk via a heavy equity weighting in its Retirement series by targeting 55% in equities at retirement, versus 43% for the norm. The firms bond portfolio also courted more risk than most in the recent sell-off, contributing an estimated 3% loss in the 2020 fund. According to Acheson, that led to one of the industrys worst outcomes for near-retirees during the drawdown, when its 2020 fund declined nearly 23%, lagging other target-date indexes by about 4 to 5 percentage points.

As of March 20,that largely wiped out the funds excess returns it had earned over the past five years, but the funds higher risk profile has paid off over the long term, he notes. Since the market bottomed on March 9, 2009, through March 20, 2020, it gained 192%, outpacing all its competitors, Acheson observes.

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Fidelitys Freedom Funds also emphasizes longevity risk, but to a lesser degree. Its above-average targeted equity stake of 52% at retirement contributed to its 2020 funds below-average 19.2% loss during the coronavirus sell-off. Investors in its 2020 fund have reaped the benefits of an overweight stake in equities during the past five years, but when stocks neared their trough this year, the 2020 funds one- and three-year returns came up short, Acheson observes. He notes, however, that the series remains a strong option.

Meanwhile, balanced approaches to risk management appears to have contained losses. Vanguards 2020 fund targets a 50% weighting in stocks at retirement, which largely drove its 18.6% decline in the drawdown. However, its conservative bond portfolio, which lost about 1% in the sell-off, lessens its risk profile, he notes.

JPMorgans SmartRetirement series takes less equity risk than the average peer for near retirees, targeting 33% in stocks at retirement. Its bond portfolio, which includes high-yield bonds, emerging-markets debt and bank loans, courts more risk than most, leading to an overall moderate risk profile. Acheson notes that the 2020 funds bond sleeve lost about 4% in the drawdown. Still, he notes that with a 17% loss, the 2020 fund held up modestly better than peers and target-date indexes.

BlackRock LifePath Index has the industrys most aggressive equity glide path for young investors, but the series de-risks at a faster pace than most, ending with a below-average equity weighting of 40% at retirement, Acheson explains. As such, investors retiring in 2020 lost 15.3% during that period, meaningfully outpacing relevant target-date indexes and landing in the peer groups top quintile.

American Funds 2020 fund, meanwhile, pulled off an impressive feat, according to Acheson. Despite an above-average 46% equity weighting, it lost 16.4% amidst the sell-offwhile thats still painful, he notes that its better than about 70% of peers. The series bias toward giant caps with strong fundamentals, safe bond portfolios, and large cash balances held by its underlying funds offset its overweighting in stocks, he observes.

Finally, John Hancocks Multi-Index Preservation has the most conservative glide path among series that Morningstar covers. Acheson notes that that positioning helped this series 2020 fund outperform about 90% of rivals and both target-date indexes amidst the sell-off, when it declined 13.4%. He further observes, however, that the series overly conservative stance has weighed on returns over time.

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Here's How TDFs Have Fared During the Coronavirus Pandemic - National Association of Plan Advisors

By Shellsea Lomeli

In response to the health and economic crisis presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, a collection of national, regional, and state organizations have called for an immediate nationwide moratorium of juvenile fines, fees, and paying negative consequences for nonpayment.

COVID-19 continues to negatively affect the economic circumstances of several families across the nation. The statement acknowledged the response of state and local governments to ensure people stay housed and financially stable during the crisis, such as suspending evictions and foreclosures. Advocate organizations asked these government officials to take the same accommodating approach toward juvenile fees and fines.

According to the Juvenile Law Center, almost every state imposes costs on children in the juvenile justice system. These fees and fines can extend to thousands of dollars and are a regressive and radical discriminatory tax on low-income communities and communities of color, stated the organizations. They also included that these communities were more likely to endure significant economic and financial hardships during the COVID-19 crisis which could be potentially catastrophic.

The signatories of this statement range from human rights to criminal justice organizations, including groups such as ACLU, NAACP, and the University of California, Berkeley Law School Policy Advocacy Clinic. The statement provided comprehensive lists of both general policy recommendations and specific action steps for eight different groups of decision makers such as governors, juvenile public defenders, and law enforcement.

In a general assessment, the participating organizations recommended that states, counties, and juvenile courts immediately take action on a variety of levels, including suspend[ing] and withdraw[ing] all referrals of unpaid juvenile fee and fine accounts to state taxing and collection authorities and private collection agencies.

The signatories intended to acknowledge that all rules and regulations must apply to private agencies. For example, state legislatures were urged to suspend the authority of private agencies from collecting unpaid juvenile fees and fines. In addition, the statement called for government officials to notify and educate youth and families on the described new policies and procedures.

The policy and action recommendations on suspending juvenile fees and fines should be carried out for at least the duration of this health and economic crisis, the participants stated. Doing so would allow for the reduction of harm toward youth and families involved in the juvenile justice system during this crisis.

However, the numerous signatories also used the statement to urge government officials to work toward making these law and policy changes permanent, even after the effects of COVID-19 are condensed. Many jurisdictions are beginning to realize [that] charging fees and fines to youth in the juvenile system and their families is counterproductive, the organizations expressed.

According to the statement, juvenile fees and fines threaten youth rehabilitation and increase the likelihood of recidivism among youth. It was also argued that issuing such a charge nets little or no government revenue, meaning that suspending or possibly ending juvenile fees and fines nationwide would greatly assist American families financial situations without having a significant impact on the governments monetary gain.

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Over 100 Advocate Groups across the United States Call for the Suspension of Juvenile Fees and Fines - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis

Chief Nnia Nwodo, President-General, Ohanaeze NdigboByChinemerem Eke

ONCE more we have provided the cannon fodder for those who hold the view that Ndigbo cannot agree on anything.

The issue of the moment is the creation of anotherState for the South East. Unknown to many, this issue has made considerable progress, as the series of media exchanges that have taken place in the past few weeks have shown. The issue remains a family matter that should be resolved in the interest of the family.

Comrade Paul Ikechukwu Njoku fired the first salvo when he asked why Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General, Chief Nnia Nwodo had stalled the moves that would have actualised the creation of a sixth State in the South East. Heasserted that his positionwas based on verifiable facts, though they had not been made available to the public.

A timeline of recent activities for the creation of another State in the South East is as follows

November 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari promised an extra State in the South East to an Ohanaeze Ndigbo delegation that included all South East Governors, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, DIG Hillary Opara (rtd), Prof Chigozie Ogbu, Prof Barth Nnaji, former Senate President Adolf Wabara, former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, National Woman Leader of Ohanaeze, Dame Nne Nwafor, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Igbo Caucus of the National Assembly, Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, and others.

February 2018, the South East Governors Forum after a meeting at Lion House, Enugu,authorised the National Executive Committee, NEC, of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to select from among the State Movements in the South East thedemand that best satisfies the constitutional provisions on creation of States.

11 September 2018, Nwodo, inaugurated a Committee of the whole house headed by the Vice President (Ebonyi), Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, a former Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, and Vice Chancellor, Ebonyi State University. Barrister Uche Okwukwu was Secretary of the Committee.

27 September 2018, the Committee met with the leaders of the State Creation Movements at the national headquarters of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Enugu where each group made presentations and submitted documents to support their demands.

10 October 2018, Ohanaeze Ndigbo NEC Committee on State Creation met in Enugu. It completed its assignment and submitted itsreport to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo President.It received presentations from Aba, Adada, Anim, Equity, Etiti and Orimili.

Comrade Njoku, whose publication chronicled the activities of the committee, noted the cessation of activities since the report was submitted to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo President almost 18 months ago. Njoku was a member of the Committee. All Committee members signed the report which included the votes taken on the submissions and presentations the State Creation Movements made to the Committee.

It was after Comrade Njokus publication that Chief James Ugwu, the Director of Media of Adada State Movement raised issues with the work of the Committee. He said the Committee should have worked with documents that preceded the 2017 meeting with President Buhari that re-ignited movements for the creation of an additional State in the South East. Chief Ugwu said those documents placed Adada ahead of the other movements.

Could this be the reason for the silence of Ohanaeze Ndigbo President on the report? How does Ohanaeze Ndigbo intend to proceed in the quest for an extra State in the South East?

Time is ticking away. A way of resolving this matter that would lend itself to equity and justice is for Ohanaeze Ndigbo to work with the report of its Committee of 18 September 2018.For how long would Ohanaeze keep its silence on the report of a Committee it set up? Where does Ohanaeze stand on the creation of another State in the South East? Should it not tell the public?

It is time Chief Nnia Nwodo broke his silence. He would also need to explain his ebbing enthusiasm in a move he began so well.

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Creation of another state for South East Where does Ohanaeze stand? - Vanguard

From the start the battle lines over COVID-19 have taken the shape of the political contours of the country. Left versus right. Urban versus rural. But in a lot of ways this has been the extension of science versus anti-science.

The wing of the country that trusted the science was the wing more likely to heed the early warnings and projections. Thats not necessarily concurrent with left and right splits. There are people on the far left inclined to believe that this is a hoax or a government-concocted experiment that has been unleashed as a way to control the citizenry or seize control over the economy.

Those who heeded early warningslike Ohio, California and Washingtonhave been hit by the disease but have controlled the spread. California has at press time had more than 15,000 reported cases, but that is far fewer than what has happened in New York and New Jersey in absolute numbers and less per capita than many other states: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, and Louisiana.

The states that have locked their states down have seen the curve flattened, while those who waited too long have seen the case numbers increasing.

The problem we face is also technologicalwe have not enough testing to know exactly how many people are infected.

That led to a warning by Dr. Anthony Fauci that perhaps as many as half the people infected with the virus may not have any symptoms.

Its somewhere between 25 and 50 percent, said the specialist, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, during a briefing by President Trump and members of the coronavirus task force on Sunday.

He acknowledged, though, that this was only a guess and the real need is for more testing to figure out how many Americans are carrying the virus without realizing it.

On the other end of the scale, there is President Trump who has repeatedly played down the crisis, stating in late January that it was under control and implying early that this was all just a hoax.

On Sunday, he doubled down on his push for the use of an anti-malarial drug, per the NY Times issuing medical advice that goes well beyond scant evidence of the drugs effectiveness as well as the advice of doctors and public health experts.

But what do I know? Im not a doctor, Mr. Trump said, after recommending the anti-malaria drugs use for coronavirus patients as well as medical personnel at high risk of infection.

If it does work, it would be a shame we did not do it early, Mr. Trump said.

The media noted that when a reporter asked Dr. Fauci about the use of hydroxychloroquine, Mr. Trump stopped him from answering. On Saturday, he challenged optimism about the drugs effectiveness against COVID-19.

What is the answer to this and other questions? More science, of course.

The New York Times reports that economists desperately want to re-open the economy.

That is largely going to depend on the ability to reduce the risk of transmission.

Without more testing, theres no way that you could set a time limit on when you could open up the economy, said Simon Mongey, a University of Chicago economist who is among the authors of a new study that found that rapid deployment of randomized testing for the virus could reduce its health and economic damage.

Its going to have to depend on being able to identify people that have the coronavirus, understanding how readily those people can transmit the disease to others and then kind of appropriately isolating people that are contagious, Mr. Mongey said.

The ultimate answer, of course, is a vaccineand scientists have made progress here, but still most experts think that is probably a solution which is 18 months away.

Yesterday we pushed the antibody tests.

Governor Newsom announced that a new immunity test from Stanford could screen and allow people who are immune from the virus to go back to work.

The testing space has been challenging for us, and I own that, Governor Newsom said during a news conference. I have a responsibility as your governor to do more and to do better.

He told the media on Saturday that the Stanford blood test is just hours away from federal approval and could allow people to begin to return to work

Unlike others, these tests are serological, and could determine whether someone has developed antibodies to the coronavirus. In theory, those who develop immunity may be able to safely interact with others without catching or spreading it.

That would be a game changer.

Dr. Charity Dean, assistant director at the California Department of Public Health, said it would be used on Californians in the coming week.

Were very excited that this is a California homegrown test, she said during the news conference.

I still believe that the real revolution, however, will be rapid testing. That would provide us with a means to know who has it, who is carrying it, and whom to isolate. We might with a lot of work and cooperation be able to allow those who are not carrying it or who are immune to restart their work outside of their house and thus partially restart the economy.

Oxford University scientists have now developed rapid testing technology which gives results in half an hour and which can be done at home. This could be rolled out in a matter of weeks.

There is also the development of airway pressure masks, which can better treat people and avoid the need for ventilators. The problem with ventilators is they can only be used under sedation. This would bridge the gap and also ensure ventilators are used only for the most severely ill.

There is also a possibility of temporary vaccines which could be given to those at most risk. This could guard their health for a few months at a time as a long-lasting solution comes forward.

Where is this research taking place? A lot of it is at research universities like UC Davis.

In a release from last Monday, UC Davis reported, Anticipating a scarcity of medical devices and a lack of treatment options for COVID-19, engineeringresearchers at the University of California, Davis, are investigating innovative technology to manufacture masks, ventilators and other critical equipment.

And, of course, UC Davis researchers are working hard to develop a vaccine and treatments.

On March 19, they reported, Clinical pathologists, infectious disease physicians and scientists at the UC Davis Medical Center, School of Medicine, California National Primate Research Center and Center for Immunology and Infectious Diseases are collaborating on new reagents, diagnostic tests and a vaccine for the COVID-19 coronavirus. Their goal is to unravel the biology and infectious pathology of this new virus, and to develop means for prevention and ultimately treatment.

All in all, science holds the promise of shortening this crisis, and reducing the risk to the public until we can find a vaccine and perhaps effective treatments for those with more severe versions of the illness.

David M. Greenwald reporting

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Monday Morning Thoughts: Science Will Have to Get Us out of this COVID-19 Mess - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis

Hanley Wood | Meyers Research, the housing industry's foremost advisors and provider of rich data, today announced that it is honoring Taylor Morrison as BUILDER magazine's 2020 Builder of the Year. Due to COVID-19 delays, this award will be presented during live awards proceedings at the 2020 Builder 100 event, Nov. 2-4, at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point, California.

WASHINGTON (PRWEB) April 10, 2020

Hanley Wood | Meyers Research, the housing industry's foremost advisors and provider of rich data, today announced that it is honoring Taylor Morrison as BUILDER magazine's 2020 Builder of the Year. Due to COVID-19 delays, this award will be presented during live awards proceedings at the 2020 Builder 100 event, Nov. 2-4, at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point, California.

"In these trying times, we are thrilled to be honored by such an esteemed organization for our company's story and heart that truly transcends every facet of our brand," said Sheryl Palmer, Taylor Morrison chairman and CEO. "It's my honor to accept this award on behalf of the entire Taylor Morrison family, one that we continue to cultivate and nurtureone that continues to prove resilient. We are grateful for our partners at Hanley Wood and Meyers Research for granting us this honor and we will continue to proudly serve as a beacon in the homebuilding community."

2020 Builder of the Year

Taylor Morrison's bold strategic path toward extending its geographical footprint, shoring up its "barbell strategy" customer segmentation balance, expanding its real estate pipeline, burrowing boldly into the single-family-for-rent vanguard date back eight years to its $722 million IPO, and acquisition of Texas-based Darling Homes.

The strategic "wins" of the past 18 months as Taylor Morrison raced to be both the leading home builder its customers aspire to come to, and an enterprise its shareholders can count on for sustainable value creation shine no less brightly for the fact of COVID-19's sudden, bewildering impact.

At the same time, Taylor Morrison CEO Sheryl Palmer has committed energies, focus, and fanaticism to working with her corporate brain trust on transforming the meaning, essence, and model of what a big home building company should be.

The results of this work are evident and profound:

"The Taylor Morrison team, under Sheryl Palmer's leadership, is an inspirational example of resilience and adaptability in action in any time, but never more than now," said Hanley Wood | Meyers Research CEO Jeff Meyers.

"The clarity of the Taylor Morrison culture around customer experience, trusted relationships, and innovation is exactly what will fuel a rebound for housing," said John McManus, VP-editorial director for BUILDER and the residential group. "What Palmer, her brain-trust of headquarters, regional, and divisional leaders, and the sprawling network of thousands of associates can now celebrate is one essential, baseline characteristic: shared purpose."

About BUILDER

Published by Hanley Wood Media, BUILDER is the authority in the residential construction industry and serves as the magazine of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For more than three decades, BUILDER has provided essential news, information and resources about products, technologies, trends, regulatory requirements and best practices to help home building professionals build smart.

About Hanley Wood | Meyers Research

Hanley Wood | Meyers Research represents the housing industry's leading provider of rich data, backed by Zonda and Metrostudy, and the industry's top advisors for residential real estate development and new home construction. With products and services geared for homebuilders, multifamily developers, lenders, and financial institutions, we provide innovative solutions to maximize opportunities in today's real estate development landscape. To learn more, visit meyersresearchllc.com.

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Taylor Morrison Honored As Hanley Wood Announces 2020 Builder of the Year Award - Benzinga