The "Pine Tree State", in the far north-east of the United States, offers pretty, laid-back seaside towns as well as spectacular scenery, superb seafood and a gentle pace of life. Maine is so relaxed that it feels more like Canada – with which it shares a much longer land border than with neighbouring new Hampshire.

Originally part of Massachusetts, Maine officially became a separate state in 1820. while part of new England – along with Vermont, new Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island – Maine is larger than all the rest combined. Indeed, it is the same size as Ireland, with a population of only 1.3 million people – which means there is plenty of scope for wilderness adventure.

Evidence suggests that the Vikings were regular visitors to Maine, paving the way for intrepid fishing fleets from Europe. Many subscribe to the theory that the state’s official feline, the Maine Coon cat, is descended from domesticated Norse cats.

The names of many of Maine’s towns and cities, such as Bangor, Belfast, York, Camden and Calais, bear witness to the European migrants who arrived on its shores around the 17th century. One of the first groups was that of Samuel de Champlain, a Frenchman who settled in Mount Desert Island in eastern Maine around 1604. Eight miles south of Calais, you can visit the International Historic Site of Saint Croix Island (001 207 454 3872; nps.gov/sacr ), which was one of the first places French explorers made landfall in Maine before heading south. You will need to hire a boat to get to the island, which opens from sunrise to sunset throughout the summer. Admission free.

Maine State Museum (001 207 287 2301; mainestatemuseum.org ) offers exhibits and artefacts chronicling Maine from pre-history to more recent times (Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-4pm, closed Sundays and Mondays, admission $2/£1.30).

Where to start?

Maine’s stunning 3,500-mile coastline, which stretches from the Piscataqua River on its border with new Hampshire right up to the Canadian province of new Brunswick. It is a fractured mosaic of craggy coves, rocky peninsulas, beaches and estuaries peppered with more than 2,000 islands. US Route 1, which runs the length of the Maine shore, and continues down the East Coast to Key West in Florida, is the perfect artery from which to explore.

Maine has a string of more than 60 lighthouses that protected ships from its picturesquely indented coastlines. Lighthouse fanatics can take Route 1 from the southern reaches of Maine, starting at Cape Neddick, and travel north as far as the Canadian border, to the candy-striped Quoddy Head lighthouse, which is also the easternmost point of the United States.

Just south of Portland on Cape Elizabeth is probably one of Maine’s most photographed lighthouses. Sitting on a craggy outpost framed by the crashing waves of the Atlantic, the Portland Head Lighthouse, 1000 Shore Road, Cape Elizabeth (001 207 799 2661; portlandheadlight.com ) is the oldest in Maine; it was commissioned by George Washington in 1790. next door there’s an informative museum housed in the former light keeper’s quarters (10am-4pm daily, admission $2/£1.30).

Halfway along the coast, Camden is steeped in colonial history and one of Maine’s most alluring seaside towns. A clapboard house-lined main street sweeps down to a picturesque harbour clogged with boats. its prosperity was built on seafaring and shipbuilding in the early 19th century. Stay at the Camden Harbour Inn, 83 Bayview Street (001 207 236 4200; camdenharbourinn.com ), a pretty veranda-wrapped boutique inn perched on a hill at the edge of town with sweeping views of the bay; doubles from $175 (£117) including breakfast.

Another atmospheric inn is the Black Point Inn at Prouts Neck in Scarborough (001 207 883 2500; blackpointinn.com ), with views of the Atlantic on three sides and rooms in the style of old-school chintz. From the hotel you can amble around the Prouts Neck peninsula and soak up the inspiring scenery. Doubles from $420 (£280), including dinner and breakfast.

Retail therapy?

Maine may not immediately strike visitors as a bargain-hunter’s dream destination, but it is. The southern coast plays host to both Kittery and Freeport, two large "outlet centres" that attract hordes of eager shoppers. stranger still, Maine imposes a 5 per cent sales tax while neighbouring new Hampshire is tax-free.

A short detour off the I-95 freeway north of Portsmouth, new Hampshire, you can find discounts at Kittery’s numerous outlets, which include Nike, Banana Republic, Gap, Carhartt, Burberry, North Face and Patagonia. For more information see thekitteryoutlets.com.

Further up the coast, Freeport may have played an important role in Maine’s colonial history, but it is probably best known as the home of outfitter LL Bean, 95 Main Street (0800 891 297; llbean.com ), which was founded here in 1917. The centre of town is home to its giant flagship store encompassing anything you might ever need for a visit to the great outdoors. Go for one of its classic canvas totes so beloved of preppy East Coasters, which can be monogrammed with your initials while you wait. there are plenty of other bargains to be had among Freeport’s 200 or so other shops, like at the outlet store of fashionistas and First Lady favourite, J Crew. For more details see freeportusa.com. V Gourmet capital?

C Maine’s principal coastal town, Portland, has been quietly establishing itself as a bit of a gastro centre and lays claim to having more restaurants per capita than any other US city after San Francisco. Overlooking the scenic Casco Bay and with an ordered grid of charming, cobbled streets, quirky shops, a handful of micro breweries and a thriving fishing industry, it makes a perfect base for a couple of days.

Join the locals propping up the U-shaped bar in the pier side J’s Oysters, 5 Portland Pier (001 207 772 4828; jsoyster.com ; open 11.30am-11.30pm, except Sundays, noon-10.30pm). It serves freshly shucked oysters and steaming bowls of chowder to a convivial mix of regulars and tourists.

Reservations are a must for one of the city’s hottest tables: Fore Street at 28 Fore Street (001 207 775 2717; forestreet.biz ) – all exposed brick walls and wooden furniture, set in a former warehouse close to the seafront. It champions locally sourced ingredients and the menu changes daily, but the spit-roasted local pork and wood-fired oven-baked mussels are always on the menu.

Duck Fat at 43 Middle Street (001 207 774 8080; duckfat.com ; 11am-9pm daily, to 10pm Thursday-Saturday) is another foodie hotspot although as the name suggests, it’s not the healthiest. It is most lauded for its Belgian frites double fried in artery clogging duck fat (the doughnuts are excellent, too).

Half-an-hour outside Portland you can get back to nature, or at least agriculture, at Pineland Farms at 15 Farm View Road, new Gloucester (001 207 668 4539; pinelandfarms.org ; 8am-6pm daily, until 7pm from 1 June to 6 September). this picture-postcard 5,000-acre working farm has an education centre, a creamery as well as various activities like hiking and, in winter, cross country skiing. there is also a market where you can stock up on vegetables, fruit and maple syrup; the Dish Creative Caf

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PATTON — Patton Public Library will hold its first book signing at 7 p.m. July 20 when native son John Allen Resko will discuss his new book in the library’s Community Room. “The Gates of St. Charles” is the memoir of Resko, a professor emeritus and former chairman of the department of physiology at the Oregon Health and Sciences University School of Medicine in Portland. Some of the discussion at the signing will focus on Resko’s early years growing up in Patton. Potential writers may be interested in his reasons for writing this book. Resko attended a seminary but after years of perseverance he realized that the religious life was not for him. he felt trapped in the pursuit of a vocation in which he did not belong. This realization led him to pursue a career in science. he also shares the story of his parents’ emigration from Austria-Hungary at the turn of the century and how they settled in the small coal-mining community of Patton. Resko lives in Hillsboro, Ore., with his wife, Magdalen. They have two grown children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The book can be purchased at the signing for $18.95.  Refreshments will be served.  

Patton native to discuss his book »
Local News »
The Tribune Democrat, Johnstown, PA

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Salina’s housing market has been challenged of late, but elsewhere in Kansas, the financial challenges affecting the single-family home market have been broader and more negative.

In Emporia, there’s a two- to three-year inventory of existing homes for sale, and real estate agent Jeff Williams thinks that supply will have grown larger by the end of the year.

Emporia’s economy has been rocked in recent years by the loss of 1,500 jobs at the Tyson Foods beef-packing plant.

Also, another major employer, Dolly Madison bakery, saw its parent company, Interstate Bakeries Corp., file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The result has been that the rate of homes either being foreclosed upon by lenders or sold for less than what the homeowners owed is inching close to 30 percent, said Williams, president of the Emporia Board of Realtors.

In the past three years, the average home price has dropped as much as 10 percent, averaging about $97,000 now, he said.

Each day, on average, for every home that sells, two to three more come on the market, Williams said. And it’s harder for good customers to get a mortgage loan, with loan regulations becoming more strict, he said.

His employer, Ek Real Estate, is the city’s no. 1 selling agency. Normally at this time of year there would be at least 50 single-family home sales pending, meaning homes that are under contract but not actually closed, Williams said.

“Right now, within our entire Multi-Listing Service system, which covers a five-county area, there’s only 30,” he said.

While the foreclosure process runs its legal course, the homes financed through national-based lenders often sit vacant, developing plumbing, mold and other problems that will have to be corrected before they can be lived in again, Williams said.

“This is going to take a few years for all of this to bleed through,” he said.

In Hays, the market is far less severe, but the difficult financial times still serve to hold down sales, said real estate agent Dave moody, past president of the Hays Board of Realtors.

He said many owners are refinancing homes they already own and others are taking advantage of low interest rates to commence remodeling projects.

Moody estimated the average sales price at about $145,000.

New homes continue to be built on the city’s east and northwest edges.

“Two hundred thousand for a new one is probably low end, anymore,” he said. “You can’t build much for $150,000, $175,000 anymore, just due to the cost of labor and materials. And that’s not even talking about the lot.”

Hays currently has about 91 single-family homes on the market. a year or two ago, that was down as low as 70 or 80, but as few as eight years ago moody remembers there were as many as 200 on the market at one time.

He said the city’s home inventory is tightening.

“Something is put on the market and it’s priced right, it’s picked up fairly quick,” he said.

He said Hays has a strong single-family home market ordinarily and prices for homes have held up. Unemployment in the city is low, due partly to the stability offered by its no. 1 employer, Fort Hays State University, and the Hays Medical Center.

n Reporter David Clouston can be reached at 822-1403 or by e-mail at dclouston@salina.com.

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(Credit:U.S. Congressional Bioguide)

Former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey won’t be leading the Motion Picture Association of America after all, the organization said Thursday.

In a terse statement, the film industry’s trade group said the two sides “have agreed to end negotiations regarding the position of chief executive officer of the MPAA. The search process for a new CEO will continue.

The Hollywood Reporter said last week that the deal was all but done. The only thing left to be done was to settle on a start date.

Kerrey, a popular lawmaker and former Vietnam war hero, would have been a powerful hire for the film industry. with the film and music industries trying to get help fighting piracy from the federal government, Kerry might have been an effective lobbyist.

The MPAA didn’t name any other potential candidates or when a hire is expected.

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CINCINNATI — Braves general manager Frank Wren managed to upgrade his outfield mix and add depth to his bullpen by acquiring outfielder Rick Ankiel, right-handed reliever Kyle Farnsworth and cash considerations from the Royals just before Saturday’s non-waiver Trade Deadline.

In exchange for Ankiel and Farnsworth, the Royals will receive outfielder Gregor Blanco, right-handed reliever Jesse Chavez and Minor League left-handed reliever Tim Collins. The Braves had acquired Collins as part of the five-player trade they completed with the Blue Jays on July 14.

Ankiel, who has been bothered most of this season with a strained right quadriceps muscle, has hit .261 with four homers in 27 games with the Royals this year. The 31-year-old former pitcher has hit .367 (11-for-30) with a homer and a .973 OPS since returning from the disabled list July 22.

Farnsworth, who spent the final two months of the 2005 season serving as the Braves’ closer, has gone 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in 37 appearances this year. The 34-year-old right-hander will be utilized to lessen the burden incurred by Peter Moylan, Jonny Venters and 40-year-old right-hander Takashi Saito, who have teamed to serve as Atlanta’s primary middle relievers.

Blanco, who was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday, hit .310 with a .394 on-base percentage in the 36 games he played for Atlanta this year. Chavez went 3-2 with a 5.89 ERA in 28 appearances this season.

Collins is a hard-throwing left-hander who could prove to be the most significant part of the package for the Royals. The 20-year-old reliever has posted a 2.29 ERA and recorded 87 strikeouts in the 51 innings he has combined to complete with Double-A new Hampshire and Double-A Mississippi this year.

in another last-minute deadline deal, the Braves acquired Minor League outfielder Wilkin Ramirez from the Tigers in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named by Nov. 20. Ramirez, who participated in this year’s Futures Game, has combined to hit .230 with 19 homers in the 97 games he has played with Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo this season.

Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. this story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Braves land Farnsworth, Ankiel from KC

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Calcutta News.NetFriday 30th July, 2010 (IANS)

Following in on a fairly productive visit by Prime Minister David Cameron, Britain has lined up a string of high-profile visits that include Prince Charles, Defence Secretary Liam Fox and Immigration Secretary Damian Green in the next few months to keep its India ties on a trot.the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, accompanied by his wife Camilla Parker-Bowles, will represent Britain at the inaugural ceremony of the Commonwealth Games Delhi will host Oct 3-14.Riding on the 700 million pound-deal for selling 57 Hawk AJTs (advanced jet trainers) during Cameron’s visit, British Defence Secretary Liam Fox will be here in November to carry forward an enhanced defence partnership ahead of the joint air exercise, Indra Dhanush, in India in October.Green will be coming to India in the last week of August. with the proposed British immigration cap on non-EU skilled workers arousing anxiety in India, Green’s talk with Indian officials will kick off the process of consultations on the issue.during a round-table discussion with Indian business honchos here Thursday, Cameron had sought to allay Indian concerns over a proposed immigration cap on non-EU citizens, saying it placed no barrier to the ‘brightest and best’.on the cultural front, too, the next six months will be full of events like the first exhibition in India of the Indian-born British sculptor Anish Kapoor, in Delhi and Mumbai. A play based on the life of Indian-born mats genius A.K. Ramanujan will be shown in Mumbai and Hyderabad. the literati can look forward to the first edition of the Hay Literary Festival in Thiruvananthapuram in November.Imparting a renewed momentum to bilateral ties, the two countries took a slew of initiatives to double bilateral trade to $24 billion by 2015 as they launched a new CEOs forum, to be co-chaired by chairman, Tata group, Ratan Tata and head of Standard Chartered Bank, Peter Sands.Hailing the visit as the beginning of a new chapter in ties with a rising India, British diplomatic sources said Cameron’s two-day visit struck a chord in the country with his sincere desire to take relations to a new trajectory.’His frank talk on action against terror originating in Pakistan helped. and yes, his six against Kapil Dev got us media attention. But, above all, it was his sincerity and enthusiasm that won hearts,’ the sources told IANS.’It was no theatrics. the special relationship with India is for real,’ said a British diplomat.(Manish Chand can be contacted at ) 

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After Cameron, more high-profile visits from Britain

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In a mixed decision, Judge Richard Arcara upheld the mail-order ban contained in the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act but temporarily exempted more than 140 Seneca-owned businesses from a provision requiring them to comply with all taxing laws in the places they sell cigarettes.

The order will remain in place while a lawsuit claiming the PACT Act is unconstitutional works its way through the court.

The ruling disappointed Seneca Nation President Barry Snyder, who said it would not protect tobacco employees from losing their jobs.

Some Seneca businesses shut down even before the law took effect June 29, saying without the post office they had no way to ship the thousands of cartons of discount cigarettes ordered by phone and Internet each day by smokers around the country. UPS and FedEx voluntarily stopped shipping cigarettes several years ago.

“The nation urges Seneca business people to continue their court battle — all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, if necessary — to allow mailing of legal tobacco products,” Snyder said.

Seneca-owned businesses are estimated to control 80 percent of the country’s mail-order cigarette market. Relying on tribal sovereignty, sellers do not collect state sales taxes, allowing them to sell cigarettes at prices far lower than nonnative competitors.

Native American sellers were offering cartons of Marlboros for $50.99 on Friday, compared with the $100 price tag in off-reservation convenience stores in new York, where the sales tax is $4.35 per pack.

Nonnative retailers are among PACT’s biggest supporters.

In his ruling, Arcara disagreed with claims by Seneca lawyers that the law violated the Constitution’s equal protection rights because it has a disproportionate effect on Native Americans. Congress knew leveling the playing field for nonnative retailers would hurt American Indian businesses, he wrote, “but took that action in spite of that fact, and not because of it.”

He also shot down challenges to the mail ban, saying Congress has the authority to prohibit tobacco shipments if it wants.

“It was Congress’s judgment that use of the mails …. facilitates illegal cigarette trafficking and enhances the accessibility of cigarettes for minors,” Arcara said.

But the judge said the law’s unprecedented requirement that sellers follow the taxing schemes of the cities and states into which they ship could have far-reaching effects and deserved a closer look.

“If Congress possesses the authority to subject out-of-state retailers to every state and local taxing jurisdiction into which their products are delivered, then it has the authority to do so for all commercial products, not just cigarettes,” Arcara said.

Plaintiff Aaron Pierce, whose 10-year-old Seneca Smokeshop does business in 46 states from the Cattaraugus reservation, planned to find an alternate delivery method, his lawyer said without elaborating.

“We’re pleased to be remaining in business and we intend to do so,” attorney Michael Feeley said.

Arcara’s ruling came hours before an earlier temporary order blocking enforcement of the entire law was set to expire.

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Complete Policy in PDF Format

Penalty C-20-b of USC’s recent NCAA Infractions Report requires USC to close its football (and men’s basketball) practices to the general public for the next 4 years. here is the new practice admittance policy, as developed by the university and its Office of Athletic Compliance. this policy is being implemented to insure that USC is in compliance with NCAA rules.

University of Southern California Football Practice Policy

Football team practices shall be strictly limited to men’s football team student-athletes and coaching staff, necessary Athletic Department personnel and guests pre-approved by the Vice President or Associate Vice President of Athletic Compliance. Media, immediate family members of student-athletes (i.e., parents, legal guardians, grandparents, siblings, spouses and children of student-athletes), USC Executive Employees (as defined below) and their escorted pre-approved guests, and other pre-approved guests may attend practice by requesting and receiving permission to do so from the Office of Athletic Compliance, at least 48 hours in advance of a practice. Media should initially contact the Sports Information Office to request pre-approval to attend practice. Immediate family members of student-athletes should contact the Football Office to confirm the family member’s attendance at practice has been approved by the Office of Athletic Compliance. once initially approved by the Office of Compliance, the immediate family of football student-athletes and media need not separately seek permission to attend a practice. Football student-athletes must contact the Office of Athletic Compliance to update their list of immediate family members. USC Executive Employees should request pre-approval for guests by completing the appropriate form and submitting it to the Office of Athletic Compliance.

All pre-approved guests authorized to attend a practice shall not have any contact with prospective student-athletes; and, they shall not have access to the team locker room or other athletic facilities while student-athletes or prospective student-athletes are present.

All guest entry to practice facilities shall be limited to a single secure point of access with a check-in and wrist band issuance procedure to verify and confirm pre-approved attendance. All guests shall be informed of rules regarding conduct at practice and prohibited contact with prospective student-athletes; and, they must agree, in writing, to abide by such rules upon check-in and before admission to the practice field. A separate point of access and practice viewing area will be provided for authorized prospective student-athletes on official or unofficial visits.

Under NO circumstances will the following individuals be permitted access to practice facilities: agents (such as athlete agents, marketing agents or financial advisors to athletes) or their employees, representatives or affiliates (including “runners”). Prohibited individuals, limitations regarding guests, practice viewing locations, and other practice related issues will be monitored, reviewed and may be adjusted on a periodic basis by the Vice President and/or Associate Vice President of Athletic Compliance in consultation with the Athletic Director or Sport Administrator.

As used herein, “USC Executive Employees” shall mean the following: President, Provost, Senior Vice President for Administration, Senior Vice President for Development, General Counsel, Athletic Director, Senior Associate Athletic Directors, Vice President and Associate Vice President of Athletic Compliance, all Office of Athletic Compliance staff and the Head Football Coach (provided that any pre-approved guests of Head Football Coach are escorted by a Senior Associate Athletic Director).

The list of guests authorized to attend practice shall be maintained by the Office of Athletic Compliance and provided to the Athletic Director. The list shall be reviewed weekly by the Vice President or Associate Vice President of Athletic Compliance in consultation with the Athletic Director or Sports Administrator. USC reserves the right to restrict the number of guests and viewing locations at practice. Further, USC reserves the right to deny entry to any individual.

USC FOOTBALL RULES FOR FOOTBALL PRACTICE

By accepting a Practice Wrist Band Pass for USC Football Practices:

1. you understand and agree that USC may limit, suspend, or terminate access to the football practice USC field and revoke your football practice wrist band pass.

2. you agree not to violate any NCAA, Pac-10 or University rules.

3. you agree not to have any contact with any USC prospective student-athlete (or their relatives or friends) while at a USC Football Practice. this includes in-person contact and written or electronic communications, either directly or via a third party.

4. you agree not to arrange, provide or promise to provide any benefits to any current USC student-athlete (or their relatives or friends) from yourself or on behalf of anyone else.

5. you agree not to arrange, provide or promise to provide any benefits to any prospective student-athlete (or their relatives or friends) from yourself or on behalf of anyone else.

6. you certify that you are not an agent (e.g., sports agent, marketing agent or financial advisor to athletes) or any such agent’s employee, representative or affiliate (including “runners”).

7. you certify you have not triggered the definition of a representative of USC’s athletics interests by 1) making a financial (cash or in-kind) donation to the USC Athletic Department or one of its booster organizations; 2) participating in or becoming a member of an organization promoting USC’s athletics program (e.g., Cardinal & Gold, Trojan Club); 3) assisting the Athletic Department in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes; 4) assisting (or have assisted) in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or 5) being involved in promoting USC’s athletics program.

Access to USC’s football practice field may be revoked at any time if you do not abide by NCAA, Pac-10 or USC rules. Failure to abide by any of the requirements above may result in immediate action, the forfeiture of the future opportunity to observe or participate in any USC Athletic Department activity and the forfeiture of any other privileges, including the opportunity to purchase season tickets.

Print Name:_________________________________________________________________

Signature:______________________________________________________________

Date:_____________

Driver’s Lic./Picture I.D. _______________________________

Phone Number: _________________________

E-mail: _____________________   

USC’s Football Practice Admittance Policy – University of Southern California Official Athletic Site

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Santander will continue its UK expansion by taking over 318 Royal Bank of Scotland branches as early as next week.

Today the Spanish bank reported a 10% rise in profit in its British arm. It also confirmed it was considering a stock market flotation of part of its UK business, which has grown rapidly through the acquisition of former building societies Abbey National, Alliance & Leicester and parts of Bradford & Bingley.

After cutting its UK workforce by 1,900 following the series of takeovers, the Spanish bank now intends to hire 600 extra staff for its branches and call centres, because of the increased demand for its products. The bank recently came bottom in a which? survey of customer satisfaction.

Alfredo Saenz, Santander’s chief executive, would not be specific about the acquisition of the RBS branches, but said he expected a “solution” in August. RBS, which has been ordered to sell the branches by the EU in return for £54bn of taxpayers’ money, reports its figures a week tomorrow. RBS conducted an auction for the branches but Santander is now the only remaining bidder.

As the major UK banks prepare to publish their performance for the first half of 2010 next week, Santander admitted that, overall, its net profit fell 1% in the first half to €4.44bn (£3.72bn) as its domestic operations were hit by the economic crisis in Spain. Its shares ended 1.6% lower at €10.26 amid disappointment about the fall in profits.

But the bank was upbeat about its prospects in the UK, where it is selling one in five new mortgages and also trying to expand lending to small businesses. This is a subject that concerns the government, which wants small businesses to thrive to help cushion the blow of cuts in the public sector.

The bank lent £12.3bn for home loans to take a market share of almost 20% in the first half, which is higher than its traditional share of 14%. However if the £9bn of mortgage funds that was repaid is included in the numbers, the amount of new mortgage lending falls to £3.3bn. Lending to small business was up 20% to £7.5bn but this gives Santander a market share of just 3.2%.

The provisions for bad and doubtful debts fell back to £187m in the second quarter of 2010, from £204m in the first three months of the year. At group level, the bank set aside €4.9bn in provisions against non-performing loans, which was up 6% year-on-year.

Santander, despite having taken over Abbey as long ago as 2004, is regarded as a new entrant in the UK banking market and a competitor to the “big four” banks – RBS, Lloyds, HSBC and Barclays – which continue to dominate the high street.

It is stepping up its pressure on the incumbents at a time when other new entrants are trying to win business, including Metro Bank, which opened its doors for business for the first time yesterday.

Amid much publicity, the first new bank to open on high streets for more than century was unable to disclose how many new accounts had been opened on its first day. Metro Bank is offering customers a sandwich toaster if they open accounts, as well as biscuits for dogs and lollipops for children to try to create a welcoming atmosphere.Other banks trying to expand in the UK include Tesco’s finance arm, Virgin Money and a new banking venture led by City veteran Lord Levene which may try to take over the nationalised Northern Rock or branches that Lloyds Banking Group is being forced to sell by the EU in return for £20bn of state aid.

Santander poised for next phase of UK expansion

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“Value investing” or “growth investing” are easy to define. But socially responsible investing, which shuns sinful stocks, can be a more slippery concept. After all, what you call a “sin stock” may seem just fine to another investor. to keep pace with changing times, we’d like to suggest another kind of stock that socially responsible investors might want to snub.

The changing face of viceSome traditional sin stocks are no-brainers. Altria (NYSE: MO – News) profits from selling unhealthy, addictive cigarettes, which many opponents argue have vast social costs. and if you’re ethically opposed to war and militarism, Raytheon (NYSE: RTN – News) probably isn’t up your alley.

However, the aftermath of the financial crisis has earned another segment a spot on some investors’ ethical spit list. The associated Press recently reported that the socially responsible Appleseed Fund recently added a new category to avoid: “too big to fail” banks like Bank of America (NYSE: BAC – News), Citigroup (NYSE: C – News), Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS – News), JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM – News), or Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS – News).

Bad banks! No biscuit!The Appleseed Fund makes a good, valid point here. We’ve all been forced to pay for many big financial companies’ poor decisions, in myriad ways. The banks had privatized profits and socialized losses, which hardly sounds “socially responsible” to me.

More importantly, those systemic problems haven’t gone anywhere. Congressional Oversight Panel Chairwoman Elizabeth Warren has butted heads with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, arguing that neither the banks at fault nor the government charged with the cleanup have fixed the problems that caused the financial crisis to begin with. Without the government’s help, Warren does not believe that the banks are truly sound.

The big banks’ involvement with derivatives also figured into The Appleseed Fund’s decision. The fund cited Warren Buffett’s description of derivatives as “financial weapons of mass destruction.” (Perhaps these banks aren’t too dissimilar from military contractors after all!)

Let’s face it: in any economic bubble, greed tends to overtake everyone. Speculative consumers who decided to gamble on the housing-market casino definitely share part of the blame for the ensuing disaster. But the banks certainly played a huge part in paving our road to economic hell — with or without good intentions.

Some stocks are worth shunningI decided a long time ago that the big banks occupied my own personal “shun list.” I’d rather search for good, ethical, well-run companies. I was never convinced the big banks’ problems were really fixed, even with a massive government assist. and I fear they’ll still sell us all down the river the first chance they get. my heartfelt wish in 2008 was to see them fail. The way a lot of their executives whined and grubbed and finagled for bonuses they didn’t really deserve made me ill, quite frankly.

Many investors aren’t interested in socially responsible investing. Still, I hope they’ll at least give a few minutes’ thought to what really motivates the companies with which they align their financial interests. After the last couple of years, I’d say everyone could stand to do a little stock-related soul-searching.

Do the big banks deserve the vice stock status or not? Bare your soul in the comment box below.

Check back at Fool.com every Wednesday and Friday for Alyce Lomax’s columns on corporate governance.

Alyce Lomax does not own shares of any of the companies mentioned. The Fool has a disclosure policy. Try any of our Foolish newsletters free for 30 days.

New Sin Stocks to Avoid

New Sin Stocks to Avoid is a post from: tzumii

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