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[ad_1] I love this picture so much! It captures her personality so perfectly! I found this picture of the two older girls with Jesse at a Father-Daughter dance many years ago. This boy doesn’t want to sit back when we go on walks now. He wants to take everything in all around him! Almost to the third trimester!! I keep hearing from people who don’t follow my Instagram stories and posts closely who write in and say, “Wait, are you pregnant again??!” And I realized I probably should post another pregnancy update here! This has definitely been a pregnancy filled with interesting twists and turns. Honestly, it hasn’t been easy. I’ve been way more nauseous than any of my four other pregnancies. And months upon months of incessant nausea — first the first trimester nausea and then acid reflux nausea — well, it definitely stretches you and can wear you down. But I keep thinking of women who have HG and throw up multiple times a day every day their entire pregnancy or those who have debilitating nausea for much less exciting reasons and it helps me have a better attitude and a perspective shift. Any time I have a little relief from the nausea, I’m just so grateful — even if it just lasts for an hour! I’m trying to be super, super careful with what I eat and with taking really good care of myself and that does help at least a little. Another piece of the “adventure” has been the ongoing spotting/bleeding issues I’ve had with this pregnancy. First it was unexplained bleeding (in my first trimester), then it was my placenta, and now they believe it’s likely related to me having a low-lying placenta. I go back for another sonogram next week and we’ll see if my placenta has moved in the right direction or not. There’s a decent possibility I’m going to have placenta previa based upon how things are moving… but I’m trusting God and so grateful to have made it this far without any major emergency bleeding episode. I’m grateful that my OB has been so calm but also wise about everything. I honestly have such peace about however things turn out and what the next 10-12 weeks might hold. I’m trusting God for each day, praying for protection over this baby, and just trying to do a good job of resting, getting good nutritious food (as best as I can stomach it!), and filling my mind with truth/encouragement. So there’s a pregnancy update for the many who have requested it! Thanks for being such great cheerleaders and prayer warriors! My 6 Goals for Last Week Personal Goals Delete 1000 photos and videos from my phone. Do one extra house-cleaning project every day (follow along on Instagram for details!) Reading Goals Finish listening to The Last Bookshop in London. Finish reading Hero on a Mission. Business/Blogging Goals Write a post on 50 Things You Don’t Have to Pay For. Rewrite/edit chapters 1 and 2 of my next book. My 6 Goals for This Week Personal Goals Delete 1000 photos and videos from my phone. Do one extra house-cleaning project every day (follow along on Instagram for details!) Reading Goals Finish listening to When Crickets Cry. Finish reading Come Sit With Me. Business/Blogging Goals Write a post on 20 Ways to Save Money on Meat. Rewrite/edit chapters 3-6 of my next book. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] U.S. Supreme Court nominee Jackson deflects Republican attacks [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Gen Z and millennial consumers have grown up in the digital world. They are, by far, one of the most active groups in the mobile sphere. Ever wondered about what they look for in a smartphone? It’s the design/colour and multimedia capabilities such as internet browsing, music, video etc. The camera is equally important, especially the quality of the rear camera and that of photos and video taken in low light. Gaming, too, has to be top-notch. Let’s not forget, it is this group of customers who utilise the full functionality of their phones as their preferred device for most activities over tablet, laptop or a desktop. No wonder, many mobile brands are revamping their strategies to target these younger consumers. Take, for instance, iQOO. It has brought out a new device—Z6 5G—designed to appeal to this audience. The company claims its new offering is the fastest 5G smartphone in the ~15K segment, a lucrative market that has plenty of brands vying for market share, notably Xiaomi, Samsung, Oppo, Tecno among others. Will the Z6 5G click with the consumers? The all-new iQOO Z6 5G comes in two colours—Dynamo Black and Chromatic Blue, priced at Rs 13,999 for 4GB+128GB, Rs 14,999 for 6GB + 128GB and Rs 15,999 for the 8GB+128GB variant (our trial unit). Packed with an ultra-sleek form factor, the phone comes with 2.5D flat frame design along with AG finish. It weighs 186g and is 8.25mm thin, providing a sleek and premium finish to the smartphone. There’s a 6.58-inch 120Hz FHD+ display that displays 120 frames per second, a 100% increase in the number of frames for smoother graphics. The higher the frame rate, the shorter the screen lag time and the smoother the animations, making operating experience with high speed movement free of trailing or motion blur and producing more detailed, clear and impactful visual images. Inside, the device is power-packed with the Snapdragon 695 5G mobile platform that allows faster and smoother phone performance. For hardcore gamers, the phone’s 240Hz touch sampling rate is a boon; this helps in faster screen response time letting the gaming moves become quicker, smoother, and more accurate. The phone is also equipped with a unique 5-Layer Liquid Cooling System. Apart from this, iQOO Z6 also comes with the Ultra Game Mode that intelligently adapts the gaming experience according to the user’s preference. This lets the users switch between the three given modes—Power Saving, Balanced, and Monster Mode, helping them customise the preferences in the form of data including CPU, GPU, memory, battery, etc. On the camera front, the phone sports a triple rear camera setup with 50MP Eye Autofocus main camera along with 2MP macro camera and 2MP bokeh camera. The impressive 50MP Eye Autofocus main camera is designed to capture clear and crisp shots even if the subject is moving, without losing focus. Bottom line: The iQOO Z6 sets a high bar for phones of this price segment with its attractive design. It is a good mid-range phone with smooth user experience, plenty of power, competent cameras and long battery life. SPECIFICATIONS Display: 6.58-inch 120Hz FHD+ display Processor: Snapdragon 695 5G mobile platform Operating system: Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12 Camera: 50MP + 2MP macro + 2MP Bokeh (rear), 16MP front camera Battery: 5000mAh battery with 18W FastCharge technology Estimated street price: Rs 13,999 (4GB+128GB), Rs14,999 (6GB+128GB), Rs15,999 (8GB+128GB) You might also be interested in: Samsung Galaxy M32, Xiaomi Redmi Note 10, realme 8 5G, Moto G40 Fusion [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Minneapolis-based CarVal Investors, a global alternative investment manager and long-time player in the mortgage market, has launched a real estate mortgage investment conduit, or REMIC, that plans to work with loan originators around the country to develop and acquire innovative nonagency mortgage products. The new REMIC, Mill City Loan Holdings LLC, will serve as a mortgage conduit for funds managed by CarVal while also developing relationships with originators to acquire “residential mortgage assets across multiple strategies,” according to a CarVal statement announcing the launch of the REMIC, which will do business as Mill City Loans. A REMIC is a special purpose tax vehicle that holds pools of mortgages and issues multiple classes of ownership interests to investors in the form of pass-through securities, such as bonds. REMICs are tax exempt under federal law, although the income earned by investors is taxable. “We expect it to be a challenging [mortgage] market from a volume perspective due to interest rates and credit spreads,” said David Pelka, head of RMBS business and a principal at CarVal. “However, we are optimistic on both opportunistic mortgage-loan acquisition opportunities as well as continued product evolution of non-QM — not just this year, but through this economic cycle.  “This is why our funds founded a mortgage conduit, Mill City Loans.” CarVal Investors is a major player in the investment management world, with a focus on acquiring, managing, selling and securitizing loans, including credit-intensive assets, such as non-QM mortgages. Pelka said his firm has invested more than $24 billion in nearly 2,000 loan portfolio transactions globally since 2014. CarVal, which also has offices in New York, London, Luxembourg and Singapore, currently has more than $11 billion in assets under management — including corporate securities, loan portfolios, structured credit and hard assets. The investment management firm and its affiliated funds also are active in both the residential whole loan and RMBS markets, with some 30 years of experience buying, managing and trading nonperforming, sub-performing and reperforming loans. CarVal has acquired $10 billion in whole loans over the past decade and a half, Pelka added, and securitized $5 billion in residential mortgages, primarily through its Mill City Mortgage Loan Trust shelf. As the mortgage market transitions from a refinancing-dominated cycle to one where rising rates move purchase mortgages to the forefront, Pelka said he expects many originators will be looking for more inroads into that purchase market, such as innovative non-QM loan products. CarVal’s new REMIC will act as a tool for providing liquidity for that evolving market, according to the Mill City Loans website. “Mortgage volumes overall will be under pressure as long as rates are high, increasing and/or volatile,” he said. “Non-QM will need to be re-priced to higher coupons as well, which will also impact volumes. “I expect it will be a challenging environment for originators,” Pelka added, “which is why we are excited to have Mill City Loans as a mortgage conduit to meaningfully partner with originators to offer interesting nonagency mortgage products.” The range of nonagency, non-QM mortgage products is broad and encompasses the self-employed borrower as well as entrepreneurs who purchase investment properties — and who can’t qualify for a mortgage using traditional documentation, such as payroll income. As a result, they must rely on alternative documentation, including bank statements, assets or, in the case of rental properties, debt-service coverage ratios.  Non-QM mortgages also go to a slice of borrowers facing credit challenges — such as a recent bankruptcy or slightly out-of-bounds credit scores. The loans may include interest-only, 40-year terms or other creative financing features often designed to lower monthly payments. Pelka said Mill City loans will be led by mortgage-industry veterans Trey Jordan, former general counsel at New York Mortgage Trust; Mike Petersen, a former TCF Bank executive with experience in capital markets and loan-portfolio management; and Kent Usell, a mortgage and investment banking expert who worked previously at New York Mortgage Trust and alternative investment firm Oak Hill Advisors. “We see significant opportunity,” Pelka said, “both navigating the current uncertainty, but also partnering with originators [through Mill City Loans] to develop meaningful nonagency mortgage products.” The post This global investment firm wants to become a non-QM rainmaker appeared first on HousingWire. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The post The Great Resignation: Why Millions of Employees Are Calling It Quits appeared first on Millennial Money. Whether you’re an employee thinking about joining in or an employer curious about what’s behind this trend, read on. Since spring 2021, a curious phenomenon has been happening across America. Workers are quitting their jobs in droves, and there’s no sign that this trend is about to end. Dubbed the “Great Resignation” by Anthony Klotz of Texas A&M University, millions of employees are voluntarily resigning each month. Their reasons for quitting vary, but one thing is certain—the Great Resignation is having an impact on the U.S. labor market, as well as people’s lives. Whether you’re an employee thinking about joining in and quitting your job or an employer curious about what’s behind this trend, read on. Table of contents What Is the Great Resignation? Why Are Workers Quitting Their Jobs? Why the Great Resignation Is Really the Great Reshuffle Quitting for a Better Job How Can Employers Improve Employee Retention? Raise Wages Let Employees Work from Home Foster a Culture of Respect Focus on Professional Development Should You Quit Your Job? The Bottom Line What Is the Great Resignation? Also known as the “Big Quit,” the Great Resignation is an ongoing trend in which a large number of workers have voluntarily quit their jobs. It began in the U.S. in April 2021. That month, a record 4 million Americans left their jobs. That number has held steady—all told, roughly 48 million people called it quits in 2021. That’s a record number of job-jumpers. In the “before times,” fewer than 3 million Americans resigned from their jobs each month, on average. Fast-forward to 2022, and the trend is holding. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.3 million employees quit their jobs in January 2022. That’s a quit rate of nearly 3%. While some of the folks who quit are finding new jobs, others are deciding to stay out of the workforce altogether. You may also have noticed that the start of the Great Resignation—spring 202—coincided with the one-year anniversary of the initial COVID lockdowns here in the United States. At that time, businesses were finally reopening and more people became eligible for vaccination doses. Faced with the tough choice of staying home or going back to work, a lot of people chose the former. Why Are Workers Quitting Their Jobs? When the COVID pandemic first shut down the United States, a lot of people left the labor force involuntarily. In March and April 2020, more than 22 million workers were laid off due to businesses being forced to close. In addition, at the time, many women decided to leave the workforce because, with schools and day-care centers closed, they needed to stay home to take care of their kids. That trend of resignations started to snowball. And by the time businesses started reopening, a much broader swath of American employees decided they wanted to quit too. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center gave some valuable insight to why the Great Resignation is happening. According to the survey of more than 9,000 people who quit in 2021: 63% said their pay was too low 63% said they saw no opportunities for advancement 57% said they felt disrespected at work 48% said they quit due to child-care issues 45% said they wanted more flexibility when it came to hours 43% said their benefits—such as health insurance and paid time off—were unsatisfactory While some of the workers who have resigned have done so to drop out of the 9-to-5 grind and be part of the “Anti-Work Movement,” the majority have quit to find better jobs elsewhere. Learn More: Early Retirement Checklist: 15 Essentials What Is the Financial Freedom Movement? True Financial Freedom and How to Achieve It How To Make Money Without A Job Why the Great Resignation Is Really the Great Reshuffle The reasons workers cited as why they quit are nothing new. Historical data shows that employee turnover has tended to run high in the U.S. in recent years. What is outstanding about the Great Resignation is that so many workers are quitting at the same time. Some of it boils down to simple psychology—when a friend quits their job, it’s normal to start thinking how you could do the same. And when a co-worker quits, it’s not unusual to see others resign in short order—especially if working conditions are less than stellar. After all, there’s strength in numbers. In addition, having an empty spot on your resume during the COVID era doesn’t look so bad. Employment gaps used to send out a big red flag to potential bosses. Now many people have a “gap year” in their history thanks to COVID. But the Great Resignation has also caused there to be a number of job openings in the labor market. That may be an understatement—in fact, we’re experiencing a labor shortage. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 11.3 million open jobs in the U.S. in January 2022. That’s only a slight decrease from the record number of open jobs in December, 11.4 million. This labor shortage gives workers more bargaining power for better pay, better hours, and better benefits. It appears to be working. Quitting for a Better Job According to the bureau, although 4.3 million workers quit their jobs in January, 6.5 million found new ones. Rather than dropping out of the labor force, people are changing jobs. And according to Pew, 56% of workers who switched jobs in 2021 report that they now earn more money, have more growth opportunities, and enjoy more flexibility when it comes to their schedules. Still, there are many folks who are unable—or unwilling—to re-enter the labor force, despite the many job openings. They mostly include workers in the health care, education, restaurant, retail, and hospitality industries—jobs that put them in the front lines whenever there’s a resurgence of COVID. How Can Employers Improve Employee Retention? So

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[ad_1] ‘Cobra Kai’ Stars Peyton List and Jacob Bertrand Confirm They Are Dating  TMZ [ad_2]

[ad_1] Effort to end 'most-favored' trade status for Russia slowed in U.S. Senate [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The commerce ministry will extend the existing foreign trade policy (FTP) for some more months beyond March 31, Union minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday.Last year in September, the government extended the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 till March 31, 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The present policy came into force on April 1, 2015. The policy provides guidelines related to imports and exports in India. The ministry announces the policy every five years. “I think many events that are unfolding are making us work over time to make that policy much more contemporary and more real time, more to the needs of the new india…The existing policy will be continued for some more months,” Goyal told reporters here. A separate foreign trade policy cell was created to coordinate with various officials in the formulation of the policy under the supervision of an officer of the level of joint secretary to the Government of India. Director General of Foreign Trade Santosh Kumar Sarangi said a notification with this effect will come in a day or two. “It is likely to be extended by few months,” he said. [ad_2] Source link

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