A new app launching in Brazil called Promise Tracker aims to keep them honest.
If a politician promised to fix a city's streets, for instance, a citizen could go to the Promise Tracker website and create a survey asking fellow citizens about road conditions. Respondents could use the mobile app to take photos of potholes and to map their location with GPS technology.
The idea behind Promise Tracker is that your civic duty hasn't been fulfilled once you've hit the ballot box -- it's just begun.
"With democracy, we're really good at mobilizing people to get out and vote for elections, but there's a huge drop off in engagement after the elections are over," said Rahul Bhargava, research specialist at MIT's Center for Civic Media and project manager of Promise Tracker.
Top 5 Net Payout Yield Companies To Own For 2015: Laclede Group Inc (LG)
The Laclede Group, Inc. (Laclede Group), incorporated on October 18, 2000, is a utility holding company. The Company operates in two segments: Regulated Gas Utility and Gas Marketing. The Gas Utility segment includes the regulated operations of Laclede Gas Company (Laclede Gas or the Utility), Laclede Group's subsidiary and core business unit. Laclede Gas is a public utility engaged in the retail distribution and sale of natural gas. Laclede Gas is the natural gas distribution utility in Missouri, serving more than 1.13 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The Gas Marketing segment includes Laclede Energy Resources, Inc. (LER), a wholly owned subsidiary is engaged in the marketing of natural gas and related activities on a non-regulated basis. Effective September1, 2013, Laclede Group Inc through its newly formed subsidiary acquired Missouri Gas Energy, a provider of natural gas distribution services.
Gas Utility
The Utility focuses its gas supply portfolio around a number of natural gas suppliers with equity ownership or control of assets strategically situated to complement its regionally diverse firm transportation arrangements. During fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 (fiscal 2013), the Utility purchased natural gas from 35 different suppliers to meet current gas sales and storage injection requirements. Natural gas purchased by the Laclede Gas for delivery to its service area through the Enable Mississippi River Transmission LLC (MRT) system totaled 55.0 billion cubic feet (Bcf). Laclede Gase also holds firm transportation on several other interstate pipeline systems that provide access to gas supplies upstream of MRT. In addition to deliveries from MRT, 8.6 Bcf of gas was purchased on MO Gas, 13.4 Bcf on the Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc. (Southern Star Central), 0.03 Bcf on the Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company system, and 0.1 BCF on the Postrock system. Some of the Utility�� commercial and industrial customers purchased their own! gas with the Utility transporting 17.0 Bcf to them through the Utility�� distribution system.
The Utility has a contractual right to store 23.1 Bcf of gas in MRT�� storage facility located in Unionville, Louisiana, 16.3 Bcf of gas storage in Southern Star Central system storage facilities located in Kansas and Oklahoma, and 1.4 Bcf of firm storage on Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company�� system storage. In addition, the Utility supplements flowing pipeline gas with natural gas withdrawn from its own underground storage field located in St. Louis and St. Charles Counties in Missouri.
Gas Marketing
LER is engaged in the marketing of natural gas and providing energy services to both on-system utility transportation customers and customers outside of the Utility�� traditional service area. During fiscal year 2013, LER utilized 12 interstate pipelines and 93 suppliers to market natural gas to its customers primarily in the Midwest. LER served more than 205 retail customers and 100 wholesale customers. Through its retail operations, LER offers natural gas marketing services to large industrial customers, while its wholesale business consists of buying and selling natural gas to other marketers, producers, utilities, power generators, pipelines, and municipalities. LER also serves power plants that use natural gas to generate electricity.
OTHER
Laclede Pipeline Company, a wholly owned subsidiary, operates a propane pipeline under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction. This pipeline connects the propane storage and vaporization facilities of the Utility to third-party propane supply terminal facilities located in Illinois, which allows the Utility to receive propane that is vaporized to supplement its natural gas supply and meet peak demands on its distribution system. Laclede Pipeline Company also provides transportation services to third parties. Other also includes Laclede Group�� subsidiaries that are engaged in,! among ot! her activities, oil production, real estate development, compression of natural gas, and financial investments in other enterprises. These operations are conducted through seven subsidiaries.
The Other category also includes the Utility�� non-regulated propane services business which involves providing propane-related services and storage to third parties and its affiliate, Laclede Pipeline Company. Beginning July 1, 2013, propane-related services are included within Gas Utility operations pursuant to the Utility's new rate case.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By IBTimes]
Getty Images Not all smartphones that receive high ratings from expert reviewers end up being popular, according to an analysis of ratings data from FindTheBest. The report analyzed the ratings that expert reviewers gave smartphone models and compared them to consumers' ratings of the same. It found that some phones that get very high ratings from expert reviewers don't get the same glowing reviews from users. For example, expert reviewers thought the Samsung Galaxy Stratosphere II was a fantastic phone. It received a rating of 88 out of 100 on FindTheBest, a website that aggregates and analyzes ratings from tech review sites. However, smartphone users gave the phone a rating of 2.5 out of 5. The reverse held true in some cases. Although expert reviewers gave the LG Optimus Elite (LG) a low rating -- 48 out of 100 -- the same phone got an average rating of 4 out of 5 from users. Here's a scatterplot of a variety of smartphones, as rated by both expert ("smart") reviewers and users: (Click on the chart to view a larger version.)
- [By Ahmed A. Namatalla]
Egypt�� biggest publicly traded company agreed to pay about 7 billion Egyptian pounds ($1 billion) over five years to settle the tax dispute on the sale of its cement unit to Lafarge SA (LG) in 2007, Amsterdam-based parent OCI NV said yesterday. The payments will start in May and end in 2017. OCI NV shares had the biggest increase since the company�� Dutch public offering in January.
Best Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: PDI Inc.(PDII)
PDI, Inc. provides outsourced promotional services to various companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare industries in the United States. The company?s services offer customers a range of both personal and non-personal promotional options for the commercialization of their products throughout the product lifecycles, from development through maturity. It operates in three segments: Sales Services, Marketing Services, and Product Commercialization Services. The Sales Services segment focuses primarily on product detailing, which includes a sales representative meeting face-to-face with targeted physicians and other healthcare decision makers to provide a technical review of the product being promoted; and offers a portfolio of expanded sales services consisting of talent acquisition services, short-term teams, and vacancy coverage services. The Marketing Services segment is involved in the creation, design, and implementation of interactive digital commu nications programs to the healthcare community through the Internet, multimedia, tablet PCs, mobile devices, and dimensional direct mail, as well as DIAGRAM, a proprietary software to deliver non-personal selling solutions via interactive communications exchanges that accommodate the schedules of healthcare providers. This segment also engages in the creation of teledetailing programs executed via tele-representatives. The Product Commercialization Services segment provides product commercialization solutions, including product detailing, full supply chain management, operations, sales, marketing, compliance, and regulatory/medical management to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and diagnostics clients. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
PDI, Inc. (Nasdaq:PDII) reported the signing of a contract with a new customer to provide promotional services across PDI’s multiple communications channels that will target primary care physicians.
Best Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Lumos Networks Corp (LMOS)
Lumos Networks Corp. is a fiber-based service provider in the Mid-Atlantic region. The Company provides data, broadband, voice and Internet protocol (IP) services over fiber optic network. The Company offers a range of data and voice products supported by approximately 5,800 fiber-route miles in Virginia, West Virginia, and portions of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and Kentucky. Its products and services include metro Ethernet, IP services, business advantage bundle, managed router service, broadband, voice services and Web hosting. On October 14, 2011, NTELOS Holdings Corp. announced a distribution date of October 31, 2011, for the spin-off of Lumos Networks Corp.
The Company�� broadband services include Business DSL, Dedicated Business Service, Managed Router Services, Business Broadband XL, Business PC Services and Web Hosting. Its IP services include Integrated Access, IP Trunking, IP Centrex and IP Phones. Its voice service include Business Voice, Business Advantage Bundle, nTouch, Intelligent Messaging, Simultaneous Ring, Conference Calling and Long Distance. Its data services include Metro Ethernet and Quality of Service. Lumos Networks Business DSL provides up to six megabits per second downstream and one megabit per second upstream. Its managed router support service equipment includes staging, installation, configuration, and maintenance while support provides around-the-clock monitoring, management and trouble resolution and direct access to networking experts. Its Business Broadband XL offers a selection of high download speeds. Lumos Networks' Integrated Access solution can integrate local voice, long distance, voicemail, and broadband Internet access. Lumos Networks nTouch brings voicemail linking IP Centrex and nTelos Wireless phone.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Top losers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), off 5.8 percent, and Lumos Networks (NASDAQ: LMOS), down 2.9 percent.
Top Headline
Citigroup (NYSE: C) reported better-than-expected first-quarter results. Citigroup's quarterly profit surged to $3.94 billion, versus a year-ago profit of $3.81 billion. On a per-share basis, it earned $1.23. Excluding one-time items, its earnings rose to $1.30 versus $1.29. Its revenue declined to $20.12 billion. However, analysts were projecting earnings of $1.14 per share on revenue of $19.37 billion.
Best Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Streamtrack Inc (STTK)
StreamTrack, Inc. (StreamTrack), formerly Lux Digital Pictures, Inc., incorporated on May 6, 2008, is a digital media and technology services company. StreamTrack provides streaming and advertising services through its RadioLoyalty Platform to over 1,100 Internet and terrestrial radio stations and other broadcast content providers. It has developed a video in-steam technology that enables radio broadcasters to enhance the end users experience. StreamTrack is also developing additional Internet products and Internet and mobile technologies, including WatchThis, a merchandising in-stream technology to provide Internet Protocol (IP) television streaming services, advertising and e-commerce services. In May 2012, the Company acquired the entire WatchThis business and assets. On August 31, 2012, it acquired RadioLoyalty, Inc.
Within StreamTrack Digital, the Company is specializes in traffic whether its display, video, mobile, lead gen, search or social. Its short message service (SMS) and multimedia messaging service (MMS) Delivery Platform manages SMS and MMS campaigns, MMS event boards, mobile Websites and has a detailed reporting engine.
The Company�� revenue is principally derived from advertising services. The Company generates advertising revenue primarily from display and video advertising. The Company generates the majority of its advertising revenue through the delivery of advertising impressions sold on a cost per thousand (CPM) basis. Its advertising revenues are generated through its technologies from Internet-based content. The Company generated services revenues related to the management and resale of its webhosting capacity at its two facilities.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Last Friday, small cap stocks Boreal Water Collection, Inc (OTCMKTS: BRWC), Streamtrack Inc (OTCMKTS: STTK) and Nexia Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: NXHD) surged 66.67%, 45.67% and 29.41%, respectively. Moreover, only one of these small cap stocks appears to be the subject of some kind of paid promotions or investor relations activities. So will these small cap stocks keep surging for the new trading week? Here is a closer look to help you decide on a trading or investing strategy:
Best Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund (DFE)
WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund is a non-diversified fund. It seeks investment results that closely correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Index.
The WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of the small-capitalization segment of the European dividend-paying market. The Index is comprised of the companies that compose the bottom 25% of the market capitalization of the WisdomTree Europe Dividend Index.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matthew McCall]
The European equity rebound continues and within the region the small cap stocks have been quietly performing very well. The WisdomTree Europe Small Cap Dividend ETF (NYSE: DFE) focuses on small cap stocks that pay high dividends.
Best Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Avalon Holdings Corp (AWX)
Avalon Holdings Corporation (Avalon) is a subsidiary of American Waste Services, Inc. (AWS). Avalon operates in two business segments: waste management services and golf and related operations. The waste management services segment includes waste disposal brokerage and management services and captive landfill management operations. The golf and related operations segment includes the operation and management of golf courses, fitness centers, tennis, spa services, dining and banquet facilities and a travel agency. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the net operating revenues of the waste management services segment represented approximately 81% of its total segments��net operating revenues. During 2011, the net operating revenues of the golf and related operations segment represented approximately 19% of its total segments��net operating revenues.
Waste Management Services
Avalon�� waste management subsidiaries provide hazardous and nonhazardous waste brokerage and management services and captive landfill management services. Waste management services are provided to industrial, commercial, municipal and governmental customers primarily in selected north-eastern and mid-western United States markets. American Waste Management Services, Inc. (AWMS) assists customers with managing and disposing of wastes at approved treatment and disposal sites based upon a customer�� needs. American Landfill Management, Inc. (ALMI) is a landfill management company that provides technical and operational services to customers owning captive disposal facilities. A captive disposal facility only disposes of waste generated by the owner of such facility. ALMI provides turnkey services, including daily operations, facilities management and management reporting for its customers. As of December 31, 2011, ALMI manages one captive disposal facility located in Ohio. In addition, American Construction Supply, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of ALMI, sells construction mats.
Gol! f and Related Operations
Avalon�� golf and related operations segment operates golf courses and related facilities and a travel agency. Avalon Lakes Golf, Inc. (ALGI) owns and operates a Pete Dye designed championship golf course located in Warren, Ohio. ALGI generates revenue from membership dues, greens fees, cart rentals, merchandise, and food and beverage sales. TBG, Inc. (TBG), a subsidiary of ALGI, entered into a long-term agreement with Squaw Creek Country Club to lease and operate its golf course and related facilities. In addition to a championship golf course, the Squaw Creek facilities include a swimming pool, tennis courts and a clubhouse that includes a fitness center, dining and banquet facilities. TBG generates its revenue in the same manner as ALGI, but also generates revenues from tennis. Avalon Travel, Inc., a subsidiary of ALGI, owns and operates a travel agency which generates its revenue from booking travel reservations. Avalon�� golf courses are located in Warren, Ohio, Vienna, Ohio and Sharon, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Geoff Gannon] company that is in two different businesses.
It has a golf course business that is not profitable but has a lot of assets. And then it has a waste management business that is profitable. But doesn�� have a lot of assets.
This is the sort of situation where I would pay a lot of attention to the balance sheet. You aren�� really double counting in a stock like this. The assets are not producing the earnings. They could be separated from the business.
Unfortunately, this is a controlled company. And not a good activist target.
But you will find situations like Gyrodyne (GYRO) and Syms (SYMSQ) where at some point the company�� entire value really depended on its balance sheet.
Obviously when looking at things like real estate you don�� go by what it says on the balance sheet. You try to find a note on depreciation that breaks out land, buildings, etc. And gives information about how the company depreciates its property.
And ��of course ��you look at the ��roperties��item in the 10-K. In the U.S., you then use the information you��e gathered to check county land records and things like that for more information about the property.
Generally, you want to:
路 Find out when the company bought the property
Best Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. (BBVA)
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (BBVA) is a diversified international financial group, with strengths in the traditional banking businesses of retail banking, asset management, private banking and wholesale banking. The Company also has investments in some of Spain�� companies. During the year ended December 31, 2009, BBVA focused its operations on six major business areas: Spain and Portugal, Wholesale Banking and Asset Management, Mexico, The United States, South America and Corporate Activities. On August 21, 2009, through its subsidiary BBVA Compass, BBVA acquired certain assets of Guaranty from the United States Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the FDIC).
Spain and Portugal
The Spain and Portugal business area focuses on providing banking services and consumer finance to private individuals, enterprises and institutions in Spain and Portugal. The main business units included in the Spain and Portugal area Spanish Retail Network, which manages individual customers, high net-worth individuals (private banking) and small companies and retailers in the Spanish market; Corporate and Business Banking, which manages business with small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large companies, institutions and developers in the Spanish market, and Other units, which includes consumer finance, that manages renting and leasing business, credit to individual and to enterprises for consumer products and Internet banking; European Insurance that manages the insurance business in Spain and Portugal, and BBVA Portugal, that manages the banking business in Portugal. The Spanish Retail Network unit services the financial and non-financial needs of households, professional practices, retailers and small businesses. The Corporate and Business Banking unit offers a range of services and products to SMEs, large companies, institutions and developers with specialized branch networks for each segment.
The Company�� European Insurance unit�� activities are conducted through! various insurance companies that provide direct insurance, reinsurance and insurance brokering services in Spain and Portugal and market products for different types of customers (private individuals, SMEs, retailers, professional service firms and providers and self-employed individuals) through this unit�� branch offices. BBVA Portugal manages its banking business in Portugal.
Wholesale Banking and Asset Management
The Wholesale Banking and Asset Management area focuses on providing services to large international companies and investment banking, capital markets and treasury management services to clients. The business units included in the Wholesale Banking and Asset Management area are Corporate and Investment Banking, which coordinates origination, distribution and management of a complete catalogue of corporate and investment banking products (corporate finance, structured finance, syndicated loans and debt capital markets) and provides global trade finance and global transaction services with coverage of large corporate customers specialized by sector (industry bankers); Global Markets, which handles the origination, structuring, distribution and risk management of market products, which are placed through its trading rooms in Europe, Asia and the Americas; Asset Management, which designs and manages the products that are marketed through its different branch networks including traditional asset management, alternative asset management and Valanza (its private equity unit); Industrial and Other Holdings, which helps to diversify the area�� businesses with the aim of creating medium and long-term value through active management of a portfolio of industrial holdings and other Spanish and international projects, and Asia.
During the year ended December 31, 2009, it launched two products: BBVA Bonos Cash (BBVA Cash Bonds), a money market fund for retail customers, and BBVA Bonos Largo Plazo Gobiernos II (BBVA Long-Term Government Bonds), a public-debt fu! nd. In ad! dition it launched through this unit additional fixed-income long-term funds, including BBVA Bonos Corporativos 2011 and BBVA Bonos 2014, which were sold to HNWI customers.
Mexico
The business units included in the Mexico area are Retail and Corporate banking and Pensions and Insurance. BBVA Bancomer launched six new mortgage products for lending to home buyers in 2009. These products included: loans for home improvements, remodeling or additions to homes and financial discount which provides liquidity to construction companies. In Mexico, it operates its pensions business through Afore Bancomer, its insurance business through Seguros Bancomer, its annuities business through Pensiones Bancomer and its health insurance business through Preventis.
The United States
The business units included in the United States area are BBVA Compass and Other units: BBVA Puerto Rico and Bancomer Transfers Services (BTS). During 2009 this unit marketed and sold several new products, The ClearPoints credit card, Business Build-to-order Checking, Compass for your Cause and Money Market Sweep.
South America
The South America business area includes its banking, insurance and pension businesses in South America. The business units included in the South America business area are Retail and Corporate Banking, which includes banks in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela; Pension businesses, which includes pensions businesses in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and Dominican Republic, and Insurance businesses, which includes insurance businesses in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
Corporate Activities
The Corporate Activities area handles its general management functions. These mainly consist of structural positions for interest rates associated with the euro balance sheet and exchange rates, together with liquidity management and shareholde! rs��fun! ds.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lee Jackson]
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. (NYSE: BBVA) was raised to Outperform from Neutral by Credit Suisse.
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) was started as Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley
- [By Jim Woods]
If you’re looking for an income-producing dividend stock to fill the void, consider the classic pure plays AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ).
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA)
When it comes to suspending dividends, the Europeans don�� want to be left out. In October, Spain�� biggest financial institution, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), cut its annual dividend by putting a cap on payouts for 2014 (and going forward) to 40% of profits.
- [By Alexis Xydias]
Borrowed stock in BBVA (BBVA), Spain�� second-biggest bank, has fallen to 0.23 percent of the Bilbao-based company�� outstanding shares, from 2.41 percent two years ago, Markit data show. The stock surged 41 percent in the period.
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