A bond is a debt obligation or security, where the the holder or buyer expects the holder to repay the principal and interest at maturity (a date in the future). The bond market is a financial market where these bonds are bought and sold. To get an estimate of the size of these debt securities markets you should bear in mind that the international bond market is approximately $45 trillion and the size of U.S. bond market debt is about $25.2 trillion.

How are these markets structured?

Quite different from the stock, futures and options markets, most of the trading volume in bond markets takes place between brokers and large financial institutions in an over-the-counter market. But, a couple of bonds, primarily corporate ones, are listed on exchanges. This is partly due to the differences in bonds.

What are the various types of bond markets?

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association(SIFMA) classifies the bond market into the following categories:

1) Corporate

In simple terms, corporate debt securities are IOU’s issued by corporations so that

they can use this cash to support their day-to-day operations and generate greater profits in the future. All sorts of corporations issue corportate debt. These could range from industrial, financial companies to service-related ones.

2) Government and Agency

As the name suggests, government and agency debt is issued by different government- sponsored enterprises (GSEs). These entities have been created by Congress to fund loans at affordable rates to certain kinds of borrowers (such as students, farmers and homeowners). GSEs mostly rely on debt financing for their daily operations. Some examples of GSEs in this regard – Fannie Mae, Sallie Mae, Federal Farm Credit System Banks etc.

3) Municipal

Municipal securities are debt securities issued by counties, cities, states, and other governmental entities to raise money to build/maintain infrastructure such as highways, schools, hospitals, and drainage systems. This is perhaps the the state and local governments in the United States finance their cash flow requirements.

One great appeal of investing in municipal bonds is that the interest on these securities is exempt from the federal income taxes.

4) Mortgage Backed Securities and Asset-Backed Securities

Financial institutions issue mortgage debt securities to those interested in ownership of mortgage loans. These are loans that are used to finance the borrower’s purchase of homes or other real estate. As the underlying loans (mortgages) are being paid off, the investors receive interest payments in addition to their principal being paid off.

 Some examples of agencies that issue these debt securities are – Ginnie Mae (Government National Mortgage Association), Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation).

Asset-backed securities (ABS) are similar in mortgage securities in that they represent an interest in a variety of assets such as auto loans, auto leases, home equity loans, or credit card receivables. The investors in these debt securities receive interest payments in addition to their principal as the underlying loan is being paid off.

In summary, you have learnt what bond markets are, the different types of bond markets and the different players in these markets.

Article Source 

Ever deleted something by mistake? Has your computer ever crashed and you lost all of your pictures, music, and files? Back up your computer. Do it now! Do it for free!

With the recent release of Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps, I got to thinking about Michael Douglas’ career. There weren’t many movies that jumped out at me that he has done in recent years, but after looking through his IMDB resume, I see that he has had quite his fair share of great films, not only recently, but throughout his career. This article will discuss what I consider to be Michael Douglas’ greatest films up to this point.

The first film that I will mention is the predecessor to my inspiration to this article. I am, of course, talking about Wall Street. This Oliver Stone directed film was released in 1987 and nabbed Michael Douglas an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Another movie that I really enjoyed was The Game. I am not surprised, since this film was directed by one of the best directors in the game today, David Fincher. This psychological thriller also stars the great Sean Penn.

Another film that I feel compelled to discuss on this list is A Perfect Murder. This movie is actually a remake of the Alfred Hitchcock movie, Dial “M” for Murder.This film stars Douglas, along with Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortenson.

It goes without saying that any list of Michael Douglas movies has to include Fatal Attraction. I feel like in a lot of ways, this film was the predecessor to Basic Instrict. This movie stars Michael Douglas and Glen Close along with Anne Archer.

The last movie that makes the cut for me is Traffic. Douglas plays the part of Robert Wakefield in this incredible film about the war on drugs. This movie also stars Benicio Del Toro and is directed by Steven Soderbergh.

As it stands, this is my Michael Douglas best-of list. There are still a few films I have to see of his, but I think this is pretty much it.

Article Source

Ever deleted something by mistake? Has your computer ever crashed and you lost all of your pictures, music, and files? Back up your computer. Do it now! Do it for free!

Mayim Bialik had a fashion makeover on Saturday, May 30, with Clinton Kelly and Stacey London on What Not to Wear. “I’ve never really had a tremendous desire to have hip fashion sense and I guess it shows,” Bialik says. “I’m very self conscious about showing my body, and am very comfortable in frumpy clothes. So Stacy and Clinton schooled me — not only did anything I owned not fit me, but they taught me how someone who hates fashion can have style.”

The Blossom TV Show all started with Blossoms Mum having left the family. Mum wants to concentrate on her own life and career. Blossom lives with her father Nick and 2 brothers, Anthony and Joey. Nick is a musician. Six, Blossoms best friend spends most of her time at the Russos. Six is quite a character – she is always rambling!

Six and Blossom had the normal girl growing up experiences – first loves, boyfriends on and off, trouble at school etc. Blossom was keen on her ‘video diaries’.

Nick marries Carol who has a daughter called Kennedy. Joey signs up with a minor league baseball team. Anthony and his wife Shelley have a baby and move away. Blossom takes up acting.

Blossom was broadcast on NBC between 1991-1995.

Most of the Blossom episodes were directed by Bill Bixby star of the Incredible

Hulk until he passed away.

The Blossom TV Show was also popular in UK, Spain, Brazil and India.

Mayim Bialik now has two sons – Miles and Frederick and is married to Michael Stone.

Bialik has a Ph.D in neuroscience. Bialik is contemplating a return to acting.

-Hayley L Hewitt

Article Source

Ever deleted something by mistake? Has your computer ever crashed and you lost all of your pictures, music, and files? Back up your computer. Do it now! Do it for free!

The forty second president of the United States, Mr. Bill Clinton was born on August 19, 1946. The third youngest President of the United States served the nation during the period of 1993 to 2001. These are the information about Bill Clinton that the whole world knows. However, there are few other things about Bill Clinton, which the whole world is not aware of. Just keep reading on the article to know 4 interesting information about Bill Clinton.

A resume builder is a wonderful tool to take advantage of if you suddenly find yourself on the hunt for a job. With a resume builder you can successfully build a great looking resume in no time at all and as long as you choose a quality resume builder, the process couldn’t be much simpler.

Really using a resume builder is a simple one, two, and three process. While you may have to go back after you are finished and tweak a few things here and there, for the most part using resume software to create a great looking resume is accomplished as follows:

1. Select Your Template: The first step in using a resume builder is to select the template you want to use. Most resume builders have thousands of templates to choose from so finding one that is appealing to you should not be a problem. Simply find a template that you like in the sector in which you are trying to get work in and move on to the next step.

2. Fill-In-The-Blanks: Once you have selected your template, your resume is ready to be completed. The resume template you selected will have all the information you need and to take that template from prototype to actual running model. It is as easy as filling in the blanks at this point. The great part about using a builder is that many of the resume builder programs come with information as to what should and shouldn’t be filled into those blanks. This ensures that you are including all the information potential employers are looking for and not including what they don’t need to or want to see.

3. Check and Print: The final step in using a builder to help you build the perfect resume is to check everything over and then print out the resume if you like what you have. If you are not pleased then you simply have to make any adjustments you desire until the finished product is exactly what you feel a potential employer will want to see. You should also save a copy of your completed resume to a file on your computer at this point.

Using resume software to help you build your resume is really a no brainer. These days there are so many resume builder programs on the market that it is very easy to find a program that has everything you are looking for, including a large number of templates, great customer service, and a price tag that won’t leave you in shock.

Easy to use and very effective, resume software is now making it possible for anyone, regardless of technical skill level, to create a great looking resume. Your dream job is out there, but in order to land it your resume has to really shine. If you are not 100 percent confident in your abilities to create the perfect resume then you too may want to consider using a quality resume builder to help you achieve all of your employment goals.

It is unfortunate, but Boise State completed its second perfect season in four years, but wasn’t considered good enough to play for the national championship in either of them. Still, their 2009 season was at least more rewarding than the 2008 season. In 2008 the Broncos finished undefeated in the regular season, but they were not even offered a chance to play in a BCS bowl. A slightly tougher schedule and some upsets in the major conferences opened the door for Boise State to return to the BCS in 2009. They made the most of that opportunity by winning their second Fiesta Bowl in four years.

Boise’s best game probably came in its opener when the Broncos faced Oregon. Boise State had shocked the Ducks in Eugene the year before, but Oregon was expected by many to challenge for the Pac-10 title in 2009. The Ducks did not disappoint on that front, but Boise State dominated the season opener defensively. The Broncos earned a 19-8 win. The game was more remembered for LeGarrette Blount’s postgame punch of Byron Hout, but it set the stage for Boise State’s perfect run through the season.

Boise State then rolled easily in its next game, dominating Miami (OH) 48-0 on the smurf turf in Boise. Kellen Moore threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns in the win. The high scoring offense was still effective the following week in a 51-34 win over Fresno State. The Broncos were not seriously challenged in their next two games, either. A road trip to Bowling Green produced and easy 49-14 win against the nation’s best receiver, Freddie Barnes. Boise State also beat UC-Davis 34-16 before visiting a difficult Tulsa team.

Against Tulsa, they only led 18-14 at halftime before pulling away slightly with 10 straight second half points. Tulsa got within 28-21 early in the fourth quarter, but Boise State’s defense was able to stop the big plays and hold on for the win. It is the closest an opponent would come to beating the Broncos all season. It is also the last time Boise State was held under 40 points until the Fiesta Bowl against Texas Christian. The broncos rolled over Hawaii (54-9), San Jose State (45-7), Louisiana Tech (45-35), Idaho (63-25), Utah State (52-21), Nevada (44-33), and new Mexico State (42-7) to complete a 13-0 regular season. They were selected for their second BCS bowl in school history, and it was the first time ever that two non-BCS conference schools received bids.

The Broncos would not get another shot at the big boys, however. They were asked to play TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, which was a rematch of their Poinsettia Bowl matchup following the 2008 season. TCU won that matchup 17-16, but Boise State got revenge in this one. Brandyn Thompson had a 51 yard interception return for a touchdown and Boise State converted a successful fake punt to set up a two yard touchdown run from Doug Martin to secure a 17-10 win over the Horned Frogs.

Sarah Palin is back in the news today with the release of her new book ‘Going Rogue’. With the release of her new book, she is hitting the media trail with a blitz of interviews. Sarah Palin has already had an interview with Oprah Winfrey. In the Oprah interview, Ms. Palin discusses her time on the campaign trail with and without Sen. John McCain and the difficulties she had with some of the campaign staff.

She also discusses her interview with NBC’s Katie Couric and how that effected her on the campaign and how the campaign staff treated her after the interview. She also relates that it was a bad interview and wished she could do it over, but used it as what not to do in the future.

Sarah and Oprah further discussed her daughter Bristol’s pregnancy and that she wished she could have been more tough with her words emulating the fact that this should not be glaomorized or thought of as being emulated in any way.

Sarah also discussed Levi Johnson, the father of her daughter Bristol’s child and even invited him to Thanksgiving dinner. She hinted that Levi should be a part of his child’s life no matter what has happened in the past.

She discussed in detail the reason and facts surrounding her resignation as the Govenor of Alaska. She discussed how she felt about her position and how it was not good for Alaska and how she could not get out and talk about what she felt matters today.

One thing is for sure, Sarah Palin has plans to have many more interviews including Conservative talk show host Sean Hannity of Fox News. There is a good web site which has a very good collection of Sarah Palin interviews.

Born May 9, 1979, Rosario Isabel Dawson is a Hollywood actress, writer, and singer. She starred in various films like “Men in Black II”, “Sin City”, “Kids”, “The Rundown”, “Rent”, “Seven Pounds”, “Death Proof”, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”, “25th Hour” and more.

Dawson was born in the city of New York. Her parents were only 15 years old when Dawson was born. She is a daughter of a Puerto Rican plumber named Isabel and a Native American construction worker named Greg Dawson. She has one brother named Clay. While Dawson was still young, her parents got divorced.

As a child, Dawson had brief appearance in Sesame Street. At 15, she was discovered by Harmony Korine and Larry Clark and made her first film through “Kids”, which was released in 1995. Soon after, she appeared in several movies such as “Eagle Eye”, “Kill Shot”, “The Adventures of Pluto Nash”, “Alexander”, “This Revolution” and others. Dawson also won the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NACCP) Best actress for the movie “Seven Pounds” where she played the character of Emily Posa.

Before her break in Hollywood came, Dawson had a difficult life. She married at an early age and at 21, she and her husband lived in an abandoned building located at Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The couple installed electrical and plumbing wiring in the building to make it a better place for her children to grow up. Dawson mentioned that this incident in her life made her believed that if you want something better to happen in your life then you need to do it by yourself.

The name is Emmanuel. To the boxing world, he is Pacman. To his adoring fans, he is Our Manny. To the boxing pundits, analysts, enthusiasts, commentators, not excluding politician-hangers on, he is Pacquiao. To the millions of starving Filipinos, hungry for heroes, who feed on political bickering breakfast, lunch and dinner with snacks in between, he is the Pambansang Kamao (National Fist).

The PK is the Filipino’s national pride, the Filipino boxing jewel. He has done the country proud. A jewel indeed to be treasured and flaunted. He is of humble beginnings. From his home in General Santos City, somewhere south of the Philippines, the Boy PK earned his and his family’s keep even at a tender, young age. PK sold donuts in town and brought home coconuts which he in turn sold to neighbors. PK’s story has the stuff that John Gokongwei’s, Henry Sy’s and Lucio Tan’s million bucks success stories are made of. There’s a difference, however, a huge difference. The Filipino-Chinese Taipans’ idea of a punch is limited to the beverage.

The PK discovered by recruiters for amateur boxing. This led to his now legendary career and stellar status in boxing. When he loses in a fight, the Filipino nation is not convinced. An icon is not supposed to lose. There may have been some human errors in the judges’ scoring, anything but, certainly not in anyway due to the PK’s human limitations, slight imperfections. When the PK was badly bruised in a fight and still made it to the 12th round standing, during his first encounter with El Terrible, the nation was still euphoric and welcomed him home like they would welcome him in victory. The idol is never fallen in the eyes of his countrymen.

He is a son, brother, husband, father, friend, Mr. Everyman, and PK. He is as human as any one and as Filipino as every Filipino born and bred. During his fights, his wife would always be at the ringside and his mother would always be kneeling in front of their home’s altar holding on to her rosary beads. His two young boys would watch their father’s fight on satellite TV, but no other fan is as privileged as these two who get to sleep, sip and dine with the PK. He is the home grown boy who made good, he is fantastic media copy, a much sought after product endorser, whose material blessings he shares through his charities.

It has been a long time since the traffic-heavy streets of Manila was for once empty when people chose to stay home to watch a delayed boxing telecast and longer still since the time when Filipinos were swept in a united adulation, all because of Manny Pacquiao, the People’s Champion.

We often hear about celebrity workouts claiming the celebrity was put through hours and hours a day of punishing, gruelling workouts to get super fit for their upcoming film and made to eat a minimal amount of food. Do we actually believe any of this  hype? I think most of us would say no, personally I don’t believe the celebrity  would be alive to see the first day of filming!

This kind of hype is exactly what Scarlett Johansson has recently been through, the media claimed that she has been whipped into shape by an army of trainers and lost 14 pounds in order to prepare for her superhero role in Iron Man 2.

Scarlett has always been a true advocate of healthy living, so how she lost 14 pounds from her already petite frame is beyond me. She has however been training with Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna’s trainer who by her own words is doing a series of pull-ups, crunches, lunges, jumping jacks, planks, push-ups, running and continuing to eat a healthy, nutritious diet. Which by anyone’s standards is the way to go to get into any kind of superhero shape.

I personally didn’t train Scarlett for her role but if I had of done her workout would have consisted of a circuit based training session, working the upper body with one exercise and then working the lower body with another exercise allowingno rest in between. Then throw in one minute of jumping jacks at the end of the circuit, rest for one minute and repeat the circuits two more times. The circuit based programme would have been done 4 times per week with 20 minutes of interval training thrown into the mix at the end of the workouts. This would build lean muscle and improve her aerobic fitness which is a fantastic way of getting fit and sexy.

Obviously with any fitness routine she would definitely need to be following a healthy diet. With any kind of nutrition plan she would want to ensure she followed this rule (I personally follow it and also expect my clients to follow it too). If you can’t pronounce what’s in it, you shouldn’t be eating it and if it’s not grown by the earth or raised on the land then avoid it at all costs because it’s made by humans! What you put into your body on a daily basis is just as important as how you workout.

For anyone wanting to get into superhero shape, there are no quick fixes. It’s all about eating a healthy diet, committing yourself to your goals with determination and consistency.

Steph Rice is a Certified Personal Trainer and a Certified Nutrition Advisor.
Steph is best known for being the No1 Womens Motivational Fat Loss Expert; helping
hundreds of women across the world achieve their fat loss goals with amazing results.

Please visit [http://thesexyflatstomachsolution.blogspot.com/] for further
information and to sign up for your free download, The Fastest Fat Burning Solution
Known to Women Article Source 

Everyone has lost data. Some by way of computer crash, some by way of deleting something by mistake. Most of us don’t have the time, storage space, or expertise to back up our own data. We would like an easy way to do it. We would like for our data to be as safe as it would be on our own computer. There is a place online where you can back up your data. Your data will be secure, and the backup will be free! Back up your media, photos, and files – do it now!