月別アーカイブ: 2016年11月

Kathryn Marie Bauk and Adam Price Campbell were united in marriage June 18, 2016 at the Newman Catholic Student Parish in Chapel Hill. Andrew Santamauro officiated the 2 p.m. ceremony. A reception followed at the Carolina Inn.

The bride was escorted by her father, Michael Stephan Bauk. Attending as her matron of honor was Jennifer Bauk Baker of Winston-Salem. Bridesmaids were Dr. Kristen Michelle Bauk, of Charleston, S.C.; Ms. Nicole Marie Bauk, of Arlington, Va.; Mrs. Sarah Lynn Bauk, of Winston-Salem; Dr. Elizabeth Eve Hibberd, of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Ms. Stephanie Ann Kelly, of Los Angeles, Calif.; and Mrs. Mary Katherine Parr, of Huntersville.

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Best man was Ryan Scott Campbell of Greensboro. Groomsmen were Mr. Brian Michael Bauk, of Boone; Mr. Stephan Peeler Bauk, of Winston-Salem; Mr. Jonathan Hedrick Campbell, of Chicago, Ill.; Mr. Todd Carlton Menk, of Charlotte; Dr. Ashish Kumar Jain, of Chicago, Ill.; and Dr. Brandon Shane Smetana, of Indianapolis, Ind.

Miss Margaret Grace Baker, of Winston-Salem, was flower girl. Program attendants were Ms. Emily Hope Barringer and Mrs. Kathryn Walters Tucker, both of Charlotte.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stephan Bauk of Salisbury, the granddaughter of Mrs. Stephan Bauk of Rockville, Md., and the late Mr. Bauk. She is also the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Lewis A. Peeler of Salisbury. A 2004 graduate of Salisbury High School, Kathryn graduated with highest honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. She earned her Masters of Science in Nursing in 2011. She is a pediatric nurse practitioner at Boston Children’s Hospital, currently pursuing a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Duke University.

The groom is the son of Ms. Marilyn Bray Campbell of Charlotte and Dr. and Mrs. J. William Campbell of Greensboro. He is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. Bernard John Bray of Indianapolis, Ind., and the late Mr. and Mrs. Oren Densel Campbell of Pine Grove, W.Va. A 2002 graduate of Providence Day School, Adam graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2011. He is currently a Rhinology Fellow at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in affiliation with Harvard Medical School.

Following a honeymoon at Primland Resort in Meadows of Dan, Va., the couple are making their home in Boston, Mass.

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This Monday is the Teen Mom OG Season 6 finale, and judging from this week’s preview clips, the episode will not disappoint! Tyler Baltierra’s dad Butch finds himself back behind bars again, Farrah Abraham finally meets her mom Debra’s doctor fiance, Amber Portwood gets nervous about her upcoming “mommy makeover” surgery, and of course — MACI’S WEDDING!!!We’ll kick things of with a little “bad news, good news” video. The bad news is that Tyler’s dad Butch Baltierra gets arrested yet again after being out of prison and sober for more than a year. You’ll have to wait for the good news…

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The good news is that Tyler says Butch’s arrest was only for missing a parole meeting. Tyler goes on to say that he isn’t sure exactly what happened, which might explain why Butch was actually charged with driving on a suspended license. (You can read more about his arrest here.) Either way, as far as Butch Baltierra arrests go, this one is waaaaaaay down on the concerning scale!Next up we have one of reality TV’s most contentious mother/daughter relationships featured yet again as Farrah Abraham is introduced to her future stepdad, Dr. David Merz — who apparently has no problem being completely honest and to the point:

After Farrah and Dr. David awkwardly hug and have a seat, Simon Saran kicks things off by giving David a pseudo-backhanded compliment. “I gotta definitely say…I think you bring out the best in Debra. She’s like nice and calm and less tense.”“No,” Debra’s fiance responds. “I don’t bring the best out in her — she’s always the best.”“Ah, there you go,” says Simon.David then reveals he is no stranger to Teen Mom and he is not a fan of how Farrah treats Debra on the show. “She’s been through a bunch of s***, and she gets all this stuff thrown at her. I’ve watched Teen Mom,” he continues. “It hurts me because I know her and GRRR GRRR! Why are they doing that to her? You know, beating her up?”Farrah seems perplexed about what David is suggesting. “What do you mean in regards to beating who up, or what up, or down up, or where what?”

After Farrah and Dr. David awkwardly hug and have a seat, Simon Saran kicks things off by giving David a pseudo-backhanded compliment. “I gotta definitely say…I think you bring out the best in Debra. She’s like nice and calm and less tense.”“No,” Debra’s fiance responds. “I don’t bring the best out in her — she’s always the best.”“Ah, there you go,” says Simon.David then reveals he is no stranger to Teen Mom and he is not a fan of how Farrah treats Debra on the show. “She’s been through a bunch of s***, and she gets all this stuff thrown at her. I’ve watched Teen Mom,” he continues. “It hurts me because I know her and GRRR GRRR! Why are they doing that to her? You know, beating her up?”Farrah seems perplexed about what David is suggesting. “What do you mean in regards to beating who up, or what up, or down up, or where what?”

After Amber expresses her anxiousness, the video then shifts to “home video” footage of Amber after the procedure as she struggles to walk around the hospital. We then see Matt at home the next day talking to his cousin on the phone. Matt says that Amber’s recovery has been harder than they expected, adding that she has been laid up in bed. Then, the conversation turns to Matt’s book.

(It seems odd to me that MTV keeps filming scenes with Amber and Matt sitting in fold-up lawn chairs in the garage — what’s that about? Plus, I noticed that Matt was wearing a ring on his left ring finger. Is that something new? To answer my own question I looked back at some older videos and it appears that he has been wearing it for most of the season. He didn’t have it on at the tattoo parlor, but I spotted it in pretty much every episode after.)

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Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich have NOT put their wedding on hold, despite an inaccurate tabloid report. Gossip Cop can bust this claim. It’s simply not true.

According to OK!, the couple has yet to make any arrangements for their nuptials, as the “Dancing With The Stars” judge is allegedly getting cold feet. A so-called “source” tells the outlet, “Whenever someone brings up dress shopping or looking at venues, Julianne insists she doesn’t have the time.” “But Brooks is starting to worry,” contends the magazine’s questionable insider, adding, “He just wants her to get the ball rolling.”

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But despite the tabloid’s claims, Hough and Brooks’ wedding plans are actually moving full steam ahead, Gossip Cop has learned. In fact, in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Hough confirmed that a date has been set for their wedding. That’s the opposite of it being on hold.

“We’ve been so blessed and so fortunate over the years that we’ve met so many incredible people in our life. We want to share it with them, too,” Hough said of her nuptial plans. Clearly, the star is not getting cold feet over marrying her fiance, but is looking forward to it. As Gossip Cop reported at the time, Hough and Laich became engaged last year. They’re now moving ahead at their own pace, not one set by OK!.

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What could more fitting for a country star’s “I dos” than a rustic Nashville wedding? Sounds perfect, right? Well, it pretty much was! Last month, country singer Tyler Farr wed his sweetheart, Hannah Freeman, in a countryside ceremony and the newly-released wedding photos have us dreaming of sunflower bridal bouquets and grooms in cowboy boots.

On the big day, Farr and Freeman headed to Tennessee’s Mint Springs Farm for their rustic and romantic nuptials. “Tyler and I are both laid back and we don’t like fancy things, so we wanted something that represented us and that wasn’t too far from our house,” the bride explained to People magazine. “We wanted things to be simple and intimate.” And that’s exactly the vibe we’re getting from the just-released wedding day pics — from the outdoor venue to Freeman’s wedding dress. “I’ve never been the type of girl to dream about my wedding day, ever and I never picked out wedding dresses before I was engaged. I wanted something simple and classic,” Freeman said of her Stella York lace wedding dress with its non-fussy silhouette and sweetheart neckline. Meanwhile, the groom and his groomsmen all donned grey suits accessorized with yellow-hued boutonnieres for their walk down the aisle.

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After the couple said their “I dos” in the venue’s open-air, vine-adorned pavilion, the wedding party headed inside for dining and dancing — including the coolest first dance, like, ever. Farr earned himself MAJOR points with his new wife when he secretly recruited pal Brad Paisley to become a wedding singer for the night and perform for their first dance (video above). The plan was actually set into motion a week ahead of the big day when Farr was on tour with Paisley and heard a sneak peek of Paisley’s new single, “Today.”

“I was on his bus and he showed me the video and I just teared up,” Farr told People. “I’m very blunt and I was like, ‘That song was amazing and I want to surprise my fiancé with something really special. Would you come and play this song for our first dance?’” And he did! Paisley appeared at the wedding reception to sing the romantic tune for the couple’s first spin around the dance floor. “She had no idea,” Farr said. “It was so cool of Brad to take the time to do that. He’s a good friend and a great guy.”

“She is beautiful anyway, but there she is in a white dress and Brad is singing those lyrics and it hit me and I got emotional!” the groom continued, remembering the magical moment. “The tears were pretty visible.”

Like the ones we’re crying right now, Tyler?!

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Miss Darby Grace Birnbaum and First Lieutenant William Peter Savino Jr, USMC, were married on Saturday, October 8th, 2016 at two o’clock in the afternoon at Popp Fountain in City Park. The double ring ceremony was officiated by the Reverend Michael Kuhn of St Martin’s Episcopal School. Elizabeth Messina played piano during the ceremony and Erika Parker was the photographer. Following the wedding, the reception was held at the Arbor Room at City Park with entertainment provided by The Boogie Men. Guests came from Canada, England, Greece, Ireland, and Norway as well as many parts of the U.S. Following the reception, an after-party was hosted by the bride’s parents at The Bulldog in Mid-City. Edna Rice of Houston and Linda Friedlander of New Orleans hosted a “Louisiana Tea” at Linda’s home the Thursday before the wedding. On Friday before the wedding the bridesmaid’s brunch was held at Brennan’s in the Morphy Room. On the eve of the wedding, the parents of the groom hosted a rehearsal dinner at Impastato’s in Metairie.

Source: sheindressau.com

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen H. Birnbaum of Houston, Texas. She is the granddaughter of Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Linwood A. Pace, U.S. Army (Ret.) of Lafayette, Louisiana and the late Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Birnbaum of Prattsville, New York. The groom is the son of Commander and Mrs. William P. Savino, USN (Ret.) of Slidell, Louisiana. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Sheahan of County Cork, Ireland and the late Mr. and Mrs. Vito Savino of Commack, New York.

Presented in marriage by her parents and escorted by her father, the bride wore a gown of ivory corded embroidered Italian lace that starts from the bodice and percolates to the hemline. This gown features a V-neck bodice with sheer lace straps and an overlay sweetheart neckline, a deep v-back and is finished with a semi-cathedral train. The wedding gown was from Yvonne LaFleur of New Orleans. Her veil was fingertip length illusion and features a piece of lace from her mother’s wedding veil. The veil was designed by the bride and was hand made at Yvonne Lafleur. The bride carried a simple, classic hand-tied bouquet designed by Pistil and Stamen in whites and soft pastels featuring old fashioned roses, dahlias, zinnias, and textural foliage. A handkerchief handmade by the bride’s maternal grandmother of the fabric from the bride’s baptismal gown was wrapped around the bouquet. The bride also wore pearls given to her by her maternal grandparents when she was born.

Serving as Maid of Honor was Kaitlyn Barr of Greenville, South Carolina. Bridesmaids were Savannah Gresham of Houston, Mahlette Mammo of New York City, Abigail Morris of Metairie and Christine Savino, the groom’s sister, of New Orleans. The bridesmaids wore gowns of navy chiffon in different styles and they each carried bouquets of white and soft pastel flowers, similar to the bride’s.

Serving as the best man was Thomas Savino, brother of the groom, of Slidell. The groomsmen were Donald Birnbaum of College Station, Texas, brother of the bride, Andrew Daire of Baton Rouge, Byron Delaune of Thibodaux, Noel Marcantel of New Orleans, Jonathan Tan of Los Angeles, California and Jonathan Watson of Baton Rouge.

Darby is a 2010 graduate of Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas. She graduated in May of 2014 from Louisiana State University where she earned a BA in International Studies and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Darby currently works for the federal government in New Orleans.

Bill is a 2008 graduate of Fountainbleau High School in Mandeville. He graduated in May of 2013 from Louisiana State University with a BA in International Studies. Bill is currently stationed at Camp Pendleton and is serving as a platoon commander for the U.S. Marines.

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Following the wedding festivities, Darby will be joining Bill and residing in San Marcos, California. She will be taking a transfer and will be working in the San Diego office of the federal government. The happy couple will take a delayed honeymoon in 2017 to Ireland and Italy.

Kathryn Ann Bergin became the bride of Joel Thomas Shillingburg both of Boerne in a double-ring ceremony on Oct. 29 at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Boerne.

The bride is the daughter of Kirk and Robyn Bergin of Boerne. The bridegroom is the son of Donald and Jill Shillingburg of Temple. Father Norman Ermis officiated the ceremony.

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The bride was given in marriage by her parents.

The matron of honor was Toni Harwig of Cedar Park. Bridesmaids were sister-in-law Brooke Bergin and Allie Richter; both of Boerne, Lindsey Kellam and Emily Hall; both of Houston, Alex Pendley of Austin, Emily Anderson of College Station, Kelly Samouce of San Antonio, and Hannah Rios of Provo, Utah.

The best man was brother of the groom Alan Shillingburg of Houston. Groomsmen were brothers of the bride Trevor Bergin of Boerne and Chase Bergin of College Station, Andrew Averitt of Fort Worth, Caleb Steel of McAllen, Michael Harwig of Cedar Park, Colton Hagler of Cypress, and Ryan Crawford of Jacksonville, N.C.

The flower girls were Emelia and Florence Hitzfelder of Castroville.

Ring bearer was Greyson Bergin of Arlington.

A reception followed the ceremony at The Cana Ballroom in Boerne.

After a wedding trip to Maui, Hawaii, the couple will reside in Boerne.

The bride graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in communications. She is employed as an assistant service manager at Ken Batchelor Cadillac in San Antonio.

The bridegroom graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in construction science. He is employed as an assistant superintendent at Bartlett Cocke General Contractors in San Antonio.

The parents of the bridegroom hosted a rehearsal dinner at The Helene House in Boerne.

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Summary

The ‘Indian Fantasy’ is what I call the thesis suggesting that gold will enter a long-term bull market based on Indian demand.

The Indian gold market is isolated, over-regulated, and the factors people assume to be at play are not playing out as expected.

Over the short term, at least, I expect no positive impact on gold prices because of Indian physical demand.

Physical Gold and the SPDR Gold ETF (NYSEARCA:GLD).

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There is a familiar narrative in the gold community. It suggests Indian demand will lead to a long-term rally for gold as the country grows in wealth and purchasing power.

I call this theory the ‘Indian Fantasy’

The Indian fantasy is plausible because, even as a relatively poor developing nation, India consumed 668 tons of gold, a third of global demand, in of 2015. One can assume that as the country’s wealth increases, so will its consumption – leading to a doubling or even quadrupling of demand for physical gold.

In this article, I want to explore why this fantasy is not playing at in the short-term.

Background

India’s per capita GDP is currently 1,498.87 USD; this is compared to 6,807,43 USD and 14,611,70 USD for China and Russia respectively. Unlike the other two BRIC nations, however, India has high population growth and its GDP is growing at a lightning-fast 5% annually.

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and gold has played as an important role in the cultural practices of the subcontinent.

The Indian Wedding Season and the holiday of Diwali are critical points in the Indian physical gold market. Demand is usually decided by the number of weddings occurring in the fourth quarter and the agricultural yield of the year; the later of which is determined by the quality of the monsoon rains.

India has had the best July in decades regarding monsoon rainfall. August and September were also strong.

A third of Indian gold demand, translating to one sixth of worldwide demand, comes from relatively poor rural farmers. According to Reuters, there is a correlation between gold buying and the strength of the Indian harvest, which in turn correlates to the strength of the monsoon.

The monsoon has been strong this year, and this suggests the physical gold market should be healthy. However, the Indian fantasy may not be the Indian reality

The Problem

The Indian gold industry is struggling despite headwinds from a strong monsoon and low prices. The problem is oversupply and weak demand; government policy has compounded the issue.

India does not produce much gold domestically, and its government does not allow exports of the metal. The introduction of new regulations seem to have also added to the glut in supply.

For most of the year, gold was cheaper in the isolated Indian market than the international spot price. At the time of the U.K’s ‘Brexit’ vote, the gap between Indian prices and global prices grew to as much as $100 per ounce.

Gitanjali Group (NSE: GITANJALI), chairman Mehul Choksi, states quote:

Gold prices are weak because of – disruptions like mandatory requirement of PAN card for transaction above 2 lakh Rupees.”

Presenting a Permanent Account Number (PAN) for tax reporting and tracking was made mandatory for all purchases over Rs 200,000 (currently equivalent to US$3,000) on New Year’s Day 2016.

This, arguably poor, government policy is also leading to black market activities. Quote:

Over the last 4 days alone, the authorities have seized almost 1 kilo of gold near the Bangladesh border, around 2 kilos inside a scooter in Siliguri, also in West Bengal, plus twelve 10-gram gold bars inside a bag at Mumbai Airport, and 1.3kg of gold inside the body cavities of a passenger landing at Hyderabad from Oman.

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Conclusion

I believe the long-term bullish case for gold in India is a fantasy as long as the Indian government over-regulates the market. Even regardless of regulation, the ‘Indian Fantasy’ theory seems suspicious.

The Indian gold market has had two major headwinds: lower than global prices + a strong monsoon and the results have been lackluster so far. Monsoon rains are not translating to significantly higher gold purchases as they may have done in the past.

It does not look like Indian gold demand will make up for dollar strength, the risk of interest rate hikes, and weak commodity market; factors that are currently pushing the price of gold downward.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: No position in gold ETFs, but long-term physical holdings.