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From Today's Papers - 13 Oct 2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131013/main3.htm
Hizb commander held in Bandipora
Srinagar, October 12
In a span of two weeks, security forces in Kashmir arrested another militant commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.
Hizbul militant commander Junaid, aliases Manzoor and Arshid, a resident of north Kashmir's Bandipora district, was arrested in a joint operation by the police and the Army yesterday.
"Junaid, an A+ category militant of the outfit, was arrested from Dubban-Turkpura, Bandipora, in an apple orchard. After a tip off about his presence, the area was cordoned off. On being challenged, he tried to escape but was apprehended after a chase," a source said.
"An AK-56 rifle, two magazines and 60 rounds of ammunition were recovered from him," the source added.
The sources said Junaid was operating in Bandipora and Ganderbal districts.
"He is being questioned," the source said. Earlier this month, security forces busted a module of the Hizbul Mujahideen in north Kashmir by arresting one of its top militant commanders, Nisar Ahmad Dar, alias Usman, a resident of Saidpora, Sopore, and four of his associates. Dar was wanted by the police in various militancy related incidents in north Kashmir and Srinagar during the past four years.
Security forces have stepped up operations against the terror outfit in north Kashmir.
Pak army backs Sharif against militants
Islamabad, October 12
Keeping open the option of military action against militant groups, Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani today said talks with them must be held within the constitutional limits.
Kayani, set to retire next month after leading the army for six years, said the military fully backed the government's move to hold talks with militants.
There is an opinion that the government was forced to go in for talks because of the failure of military operations against militants but this is far from the truth, he said while addressing a passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad. Though the use of force was the last option, the army was fully prepared to exercise this option if necessary, the 61-year-old army chief said. The army had the capability to mount a befitting response to the militants, he added.
Describing terrorism as a "big challenge" that goes against Islamic teachings, he said: "To deal with it, the national leadership chose the option of giving talks a chance. The Pakistan Army supports this move. — PTI
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131013/nation.htm#4
Stapled visas: India lodges protest with China
New Delhi, October 12
India today lodged a strong protest with China over issuing stapled visas to two teenage Indian female archers from Arunachal Pradesh who were due to participate in the World Archery Youth Championships in Wuxi. "The protest was lodged in Delhi today," official sources said.
The fresh visa row between the two countries comes days ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Beijing. China's action obviously was prompted by its territorial claim over the entire north-eastern state.
The two archers, Maselo Mihu and Sorang Yumi, were barred from boarding a China-bound flight on Thursday night. The two girls said they were unaware of having had visas stapled on their passports till they reached the airport and were turned back.
Earlier in the day, senior BJP leader and Archery Association of India (AAI) president Vijay Kumar Malhotra today shot off a strongly-worded letter to External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, asking him to immediately take up the matter with Beijing. The Chinese Government must stop issuing stapled visa and treat all Indian nationals equal, he said.
"The whole episode has raised questions about the political parameters worked out by the Indian and Chinese Governments." The Chinese action amounted to insulting not only the Government of India but the entire country, said Malhotra in the letter, a copy of which was also sent to the Prime Minister.
Khurshid, however, sought to play down the issue, saying differing perceptions on the border issue between the two countries lead to such unsavoury incidents, which should not affect cooperation in other areas.
This is not the first time that India is involved in a row with China over stapled visas to Indians. In 2010, it had started issuing stapled visa to Indian nationals from Jammu and Kashmir, thereby questioning the state's accession to India. It later discontinued the practice after India's protestations.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131013/ground.htm
A failure and a missed opportunity
By setting the precondition of improvement in the situation on the LoC and action on terror to take forward bilateral relations, Manmohan and Sharif handed over the driver's seat to the Pakistan Army, which has never shown keenness to accelerate the peace process.
Raj Chengappa
It is exactly two weeks since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, but so far there are no signs of any positive outcome of the high-profile first summit between the two leaders.
The big decision in New York was to have the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two armies meet and "suggest effective means" to restore peace and tranquillity on the Line of Control (LoC) and ensure the sanctity of the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement. A fortnight later there is no word even on the dates on when the two DGMOs would meet. Meanwhile, ceasefire violations continue unabated and the Army has had to launch a major operation to clear Keran sector of militants.
All this is in sharp contrast to the expectations that were generated before the two met. Sharif had come promising "a new beginning" and there was even talk of his offering a major trade proposal that included bestowing on India the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status. For Manmohan Singh, had all gone well, he could have crowned his second term as Prime Minister by opening a new chapter in bilateral relations with Pakistan and paying a visit to his hometown Gah, located across the border.
Yet in a scene that has now become familiar with most Indo-Pak summits, the run-up to the meeting saw extraneous events conspire to force the leaders into reverting to hardline positions to placate domestic constituencies. These included the twin terror attacks in the Jammu region, the continued violation of ceasefire on the LoC by the Pakistan Army and Rahul Gandhi's outburst that undermined Manmohan Singh's authority.
Then, prior to the Indo-Pak summit, in his meeting with US President Barack Obama in Washington DC, Manmohan said he had explained "the difficulties that we face given the fact that the epicentre of terrorism remains focused in Pakistan." Clearly smarting over Manmohan's comment, Sharif is said to have come up with the analogy of the "dehati aurat", which he denied later. Soon after, at the UN General Assembly, both Prime Ministers spoke tough on relations between the two.
Even before the summit, lines were drawn. After the meeting, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon said the two leaders had agreed that "the precondition for a forward movement in the relationship, which they both desire, is really an improvement in the situation on the LoC."
My assessment is that the summit was both a failure and a missed opportunity. Both sides had expended much political capital to meet but came up with little to show. Instead, by setting the precondition of improvement in the situation on the LoC and action on terror to take forward the relations, Manmohan and Sharif have handed over the driver's seat to the Pakistan Army, which has never shown keenness to accelerate the peace process.
Sharif came away from the summit with his authority considerably undermined and status diminished. By his loose talk and inability to get the Pakistan Army to silence the guns on the LoC before the summit, Sharif failed to capitalise on a chance to make a breakthrough he so wanted.
By complaining to Obama, Manmohan Singh expressed a lack of confidence in the new Pakistan Prime Minister's ability even before they had met. The Indian Prime Minister was clearly at odds with his stated policy that differences between India and Pakistan should be handled bilaterally. Sharif had a right to feel miffed.
Sharif then misjudged the situation by presuming that the UPA II was on its last legs and that Manmohan Singh was a lame-duck Prime Minister. He seemed to indicate that he would prefer to wait for the next general election and make his big trade offering to a new government in India.
By not trusting his instincts and having the courage of conviction to improve relations with India, Sharif has again given those against the peace process a chance to harp on his "deceitful" behaviour in the past, including on Kargil. After all, it was Sharif who pushed for a summit meeting with Manmohan Singh and if it was just to get the DGMOs to talk to each other then the Pakistan Prime Minister had wasted a golden opportunity to set the agenda.
Yet all is not lost. Manmohan Singh exhibited courage by going ahead with his meeting with Sharif despite stiff objections. If Sharif is smart then after he gets the Army Chief of his choice in place, he should rapidly restore tranquillity on the LoC and by December unilaterally offer trade concessions to India as a gesture of goodwill. Manmohan Singh may then yet fulfil his dream of improving relations with Pakistan and visiting his hometown before he lays down office. For Sharif, the new beginning he dreamed of with India would have kick-started.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/world/asia/india-cyclone.html?_r=0
800,000 Evacuated as Powerful Cyclone Hits India
NEW DELHI — A powerful cyclone whose spinning arms engulfed much of the Bay of Bengal weakened Sunday morning as it crashed into India's eastern coast, flooding homes and roads throughout the region and disrupting electricity and communications.
The authorities evacuated about 800,000 people, one of the largest such evacuations in India's history. The storm's maximum sustained winds, which were approximately 124 miles per hour when the storm made landfall about 9 p.m. Saturday, had dropped to less than half that strength nine hours later.
At least five people were killed in the coastal city of Gopalpur because of heavy rain and high winds before the storm made landfall, officials said. The storm was expected to drop up to 10 inches of rain over the next two days in some areas.
The Indian predictions before the storm hit were less alarming than those from the meteorological authorities in the United States. Late Friday, the United States Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center said the storm, then barreling across the Bay of Bengal, had maximum sustained winds of 161 m.p.h., with gusts reaching 196 m.p.h. — making it similar to a Category 5 hurricane, the most severe.
But once the storm arrived on land, its intensity was more modest, and Indian officials defended their more measured forecast as having been more accurate.
"We are not trying to downplay the intensity of the cyclone," M. Shashidhar Reddy, the vice chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, said at a news conference Saturday. "In fact, U.S. authorities are overplaying it."
On Saturday, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, in Hawaii, reduced its estimates, saying they showed maximum sustained winds of about 138 m.p.h. and gusts of up to 167 m.p.h.
L. S. Rathore, director general of the India Meteorological Department, termed the storm, named Cyclone Phailin, a "very serious cyclonic storm." By Sunday, Mr. Reddy said, the storm was likely to be downgraded to a "serious cyclonic storm."
Still, the true scope of natural disasters in India is often not known for days, given its large population and fairly weak central government. And powerful cyclones in the Bay of Bengal have a history of being particularly deadly because the geography funnels the storms into some of the most densely populated and poorest regions in the world. About 12 million people were in the storm's path, according to Indian officials.
More than 10,000 people were killed 14 years ago when a powerful cyclone came ashore in roughly the same area, and more than 300,000 were killed in 1970 when a storm hit what is now Bangladesh. But disaster preparation arrangements are far better now, officials said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a statement Saturday that he had been briefed on preparations for the storm and had directed that the central government extend all needed assistance to state officials.
In the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh State, many mud homes and farms were destroyed, and uprooted trees blocked roads, according to officials there. About 30,000 people were evacuated from coastal villages in Andhra Pradesh.
K. Baliah, a district official involved in rescue efforts, said coastal residents had been reluctant to leave until they saw the sea rise. "At first they refused to leave their properties," he said. Then, "when the water started to enter their communities around 2 p.m., the people decided themselves that they must leave."
The surge accompanying the storm was expected to reach nearly 10 feet, weather officials said, which would cause heavy flooding across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, another coastal state.
Service members from the country's army, air force and navy were deployed to help in rescue and relief operations, A. K. Antony, India's defense minister, said.
The air force deployed C-130 aircraft, recently purchased from the United States, to help in the efforts, and the navy had diving teams with inflatable rafts deployed at important locations, Mr. Antony said. Military helicopters were also available for rescues, he said.
Pentayya Chintakayala, 33, a fisherman from a village near the port city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, said the fishermen of his village had stopped fishing and moved their boats inland, but were concerned that they could lose everything if the storm was as severe as predicted.
"What they tell us on television and what we see in the waves have nothing to do with each other," he said. "Fishermen don't always listen to the warnings, and 90 percent of the time that's O.K., but 10 percent of the time the warnings are true, and we lose everything because we don't believe them. Fishermen are stubborn like that."
Mr. Chintakayala added that it was difficult to store fishing equipment very far inland, "because the boats are heavy and there isn't much place to store them."
Officials in the Visakhapatnam district were able to evacuate 21,500 people to relief camps by Saturday evening, including 3,500 inhabitants of flood-prone slums in the city of Visakhapatnam. But they said that they had often resorted to force, and that 30,000 more might have to be evacuated if the worst predictions came to pass.
"Basically the people are not willing to come to the shelters, because they are worried that they will lose their belongings," said M. Venkateswarao, the district revenue officer. "They say that nothing bad will happen and that we are unnecessarily forcing them. But even if one person dies, it will look very bad for the district administration."
Malavika Vyawahare and Hari Kumar contributed reporting from New Delhi, and Vivekananda Nemana from Visakhapatnam, India.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/another-ceasefire-violation-by-pakistan-army-in-poonch/1/314383.html
Another ceasefire violation by Pakistan army in Poonch
After suffering heavy damages in the exchange of firing late Friday night the Pakistan army on Saturday trained its guns on the forward Indian posts in Balakote and Mankote area of Mendhar sector of Poonch and resorted to 'unprovoked' firing for over two hours in the area.
According to the sources, at least 20 Indian posts in the forward areas of Balnoi were targeted by the Pakistan army with mortar shells,small arms and automatic fire.
In the heavy exchange of fire which was first reported around 1830 hours, the Indian troops are claimed to have reverted strongly inflicting heavy damages to the Pakistani troops and other fortified bunkers on the other side of the LoC.
According to Defence PRO Col. R.K. Palta, the unprovoked firing from the Pakistan side started around 1830 hours and lasted till 2030 hours. He claimed that the Indian troops strongly responded with same calibre of weapons and in the exchange of fire no loss of life and other casualty was reported till last reports came in.
The Indian troops are maintaining tight vigil all along the line of control to prevent fresh infiltration bids from across the LoC in the coming days. The Pak army is learnt to have provided shelter to large number of trained militants along the LoC before pushing them inside the Indian territory to execute terror plots hatched by their handlers in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, following repeated incidents of ceasefire violations and regular targeting of civilian areas along the LoC, the majority of border residents have been forced to stay indoors and spend long wintry nights fearing for the well being of their loved ones huddled inside fragile houses.
The border residents, living under the constant fear of death and destruction in the firing line of Pakistan army guns, are angry as they have been doing so without any state govt. help since first week of August when tension escalated between the two neighboring armies in the aftermath of attack on the Indian soldiers inside LOC.
Expressing their serious concerns, villagers in one of the forward village of Poonch told reporters, the situation here is once again taking an ugly turn.
The villagers said,"for last three days the Pak army is regularly pounding Indian posts and using high calibre of weapons". "We do not know where to hide as Pak guns are targeting civilians areas with the sole purpose of triggering migration".
"Pakistani troops are targeting us on almost daily basis and still we are not getting nay help from the local authorities", the villagers alleged.
"Every evening we have to face the trauma of roaring Pak guns, it is getting beyond our control". We are not able to sleep properly in the night due to heavy exchange of firing.
The villagers demanded that the state govt should relocate them to safer zone for the time being.
http://www.authintmail.com/news/kashmir/srinagar/court-martial-vk-singh-over-his-kashmir-remarks-former-congress-president
Court-Martial VK Singh Over his Kashmir Remarks: Former Congress President
SRINAGAR — Former Congress president Ghulam Rasool Kar Saturday said former Indian Army chief VK Singh should be court-martialled for his remarks that politicians in Kashmir were on payrolls of Indian Army.
"Indian defence ministry is authorized to recall any Army general after his retirement. So Singh should be recalled and court-martialled. This will send a message that nobody can bring disrepute to the democratic set up of India," Kar told Srinagar based CNS news agency.
Mr Kar claimed that India was not keen to take any action against General Singh. "It was absurd on part of the home ministry to ask General Singh to reveal more names. Payoff controversy should be probed and should not be put into cold storage," Kar said.
Asserting that Singh did a 'huge damage' by his remarks, Mr Kar said he should have showed maturity by keeping silent.
"It would have been good for him to keep mum even after the report was leaked. The speaker of legislative assembly did a marvellous job. Singh should be made accountable in the floor of the house," Kar said.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/616682/matters-military/
Matters military
It is interesting as an Indian to read that the all-powerful Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has made it clear that he will retire on November 29 and his future now rests in the hands of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who might or might not re-employ him in another post. And that the last is prompted not by the army, but by the US and the Pakistan government's shared concerns about relieving General Kayani at this stage.
General Kayani has managed to get the respect of his people by one, allowing the elections and the democratic process to continue without interference; and two, by announcing that he will retire as scheduled. He has remained a soldiers' soldier, refusing to dabble in politics almost like an Indian Army chief, although not quite there, as the Indian Army has remained completely out of politics. But there is a similarity. It is interesting to note that both countries have created overarching military institutions without allowing these to assume intended powers. General Kayani will hold the additional charge of chairman joint chiefs of staff committee until the government appoints the successor to General Khalid Shameem Wynne who has just retired. This was clearly intended to be a central defence body but remained a ceremonial office. The Express Tribune has reported the possibility of Kayani being appointed to the post, but only after the Nawaz Sharif government has revamped it with more powers and authority. It remains to be seen if this will be done and whether the civilian government will actually allow full military powers to be vested in one single authority. A General Kayani in such a post would probably inspire trust and confidence, but whether the same will hold true in the future would definitely create some nervousness in the civilian citadels of power.
One says this because India, too, has gone around the bush creating a structure but not appointing the key chief of defence staff (CDS) to operate it. Differences between the three defence services over the appointment of a CDS, seen as an overreaching authority, has stalled the implementation of the decision for years now. The Indian government tried to compensate by setting up the Integrated Defence Staff seen by the military as a 'watered down CDS'. This has not succeeded in reducing the military's isolation for nuclear policy planning that remains in the control of civilians in the ministry of defence. Experts point towards the strong inter-service competition for a larger share of India's nuclear arsenal and the resources for developing it, with a unified approach eluding decision-makers. The CDS was to have been the central authority to harmonise these efforts but seems to have been relegated to the background now. Political concerns about setting up a supra-military body with overarching powers are also a major reason for the indecision.
Given the fact that India, where the military is totally subordinate to the political will, has hesitated to appoint a CDS, it will be interesting to see whether Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, bloodied in the past through a military coup, will actually revamp the existing joint chiefs of staffs committee as is being mentioned in the Pakistan media as a nuclear command authority and the last word in military decisions. No wonder that despite US pressure, the Pakistani prime minister has sought time to take a decision.
It is imperative for all nations with democratic aspirations to ensure full political control over their armies. Fortunately, the founding fathers of India ensured that this became the rule, as a result of which, the defence services emerge from the barracks only when the politicians order them to. A lack of political courage makes the army appear stronger than it is at times, but even so, the checks and balances are sufficient to compensate for a weak executive.
Pakistan is clearly still struggling to establish civilian control over its defence forces and more importantly, the military industry as it were and all the 'assets' that have come to be associated with it. Prime Minister Sharif has made some independent noises and it remains to be seen how he follows through, particularly as for him it remains a tough job given the divisions within about the 'all civilian' approach.
I'm reading: From Today's Papers - 13 Oct 2013Tweet this! Posted by Rohit Agarwal at 09:20


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Does Xi Jinping's Seizure of History Threaten His Future?
The struggles of the first century of Communist Party rule are being buried by the need to cohere around what Xi calls "the great rejuvenation" of China.
By Evan Osnos
Xi is determined to eradicate what he calls "historical nihilism," the corrosive doubt that could threaten the dominance of his party.Photograph from AFP / Getty
At a secretive conclave this week, China's Communist Party is busy excising the unwanted chapters of its history. The resulting portrait—which may shape the future even more than the past—will be enshrined in a pronouncement with a title that leaves no doubt about its emphasis: "The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party on the Major Achievements and Historical Experiences of the Party's Hundred-Year Struggle."
In the argot of Communist politics, the session that began on November 8th is the sixth plenum of the Nineteenth Central Committee. In practice, it's the last big occasion for the paramount leader, Xi Jinping, to cement his dominance before next year, when he is expected to begin a third term as leader. (He got rid of term limits in 2018.) The meeting this week carries special significance: the Party, for only the third time in its history, will issue a verdict on past events, a maneuver of power politics that George Orwell famously described when he wrote, "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past."
The full self-portrait won't be released until after the meeting—which consists of four days of closed sessions—but it's been clear for months that Xi is determined to eradicate what he calls "historical nihilism," the corrosive doubt that could threaten the dominance of his party. During the summer, China's official online Rumor Refutation Platform, a Web site that collects public tips and reports levels of purportedly false content online, warned of attempts to "smear Party history" through what it called efforts to "slander and discredit revolutionary leaders." Under Chinese law, a person found to have spread a rumor faces up to fifteen years in prison. A list of the "top-ten" most-circulated "rumors" ranged from deep strategic questions—"Did the Communist Party avoid confronting the Japanese army directly?"—to sensitive details, such as the suggestion that Chairman Mao's son died during the Korean War because he gave away his battlefield position by "cooking egg fried rice." (Mao Anying died in an air strike in 1950. The fried-rice story, which has never been confirmed, outrages nationalists and Party agencies.)
But the effort runs deeper than removing unflattering discussions online; it is shaping up as the historiographical equivalent of bulldozing a cemetery. Earlier this year, an official volume known as "A Short History of the Chinese Communist Party" was revised to limit discussion of the Great Leap Forward, Mao's calamitous social and political campaign, which resulted in the worst famine in recorded history. (The previous rendering of the Great Leap Forward carried the admonition "This bitter historical lesson shouldn't be forgotten.") The revised history also removed a candid assessment of the Cultural Revolution, the decade of bloody chaos that Mao set in motion in 1966. In an article published in September in the journal China Quarterly, Patricia Thornton, a specialist in Chinese politics at Oxford, observed that the official history of this turmoil had been "replaced with an account that restricted its focus to highlighting various industrial, technological and diplomatic advances."
A verdict on history is a tool for clarifying who has accumulated sufficient power to render it. In 1945, after years of purges and infighting, a resolution cemented Mao's supremacy by declaring that his ideological "line" had prevailed over the errors of his opponents. In 1981, when Deng Xiaoping was steering China toward a pro-growth brand of Leninism, the Party lifted him by pinning blame for the Cultural Revolution on the "Left errors" of Mao and his radicals.
For Xi, pruning China's history to remove patterns of infighting, dissent, suffering, and discrimination is a technique for engineering the future. It is the next step in a march to remove obstacles from his path, beginning with the arrests of his political opponents, after he took power nine years ago; extending into a sweeping campaign of incarceration and human-rights abuses against dissidents, writers, and Muslims in the Xinjiang region; and eventually reaching into the ranks of China's oligarchs, by kicking away the power of business leaders such as Jack Ma, who retired from the tech giant Alibaba in 2019, and by redoubling China's claims to sovereignty over Taiwan, the South China Sea, and other disputed regions. Xi's use of history projects the message that the struggles of the first century of Communist Party rule have been buried by the need to cohere around Xi's pursuit of strength, dignity, and obedience—what he calls "the great rejuvenation" of China.
Xi's party has taken to calling the great rejuvenation "an irreversible historical process," a concept that echoes with some of the triumphant certainty that attached to Western liberal democracy after the end of the Cold War. But Geremie Barmé, a historian of China living in New Zealand, notes that, in the current case, the promise of inevitability is framed largely around the leader. "His works have been published in luxurious volumes; every speech he makes is celebrated as 'important'—his every statement and quotation is hailed as 'golden formulations,' " Barmé told me. "His activities, history, and personality are limned in terms that suggest an approaching apotheosis."
At the moment, outside analysts see no major threat to Xi's power, but the history of the Chinese Communist Party casts doubt on the prospect of a simple, certain future. "After all, since 1936 there has been only one peaceful transition of power within the Chinese Communist Party, and that was in 2002, when Hu Jintao, designated as heir by Deng Xiaoping, took over the reins as Party General Secretary from Jiang Zemin," Barmé said. Far more often, the pressures of ambition and factionalism within the Party have given rise to sudden bids for power and dominance.
The more Xi closes down the routes for advancement, dissent, and individual success, the more he risks fostering a kind of political sepsis—a volatile, sometimes fatal, rot from within. It is a lesson contained in the past, but one has to be open to seeing it. In July, in a speech marking the Party's hundredth anniversary, Xi addressed a hand-picked crowd of more than seventy thousand people. He turned, as he often does in speeches, to the power of history. "By learning from history, we can understand why powers rise and fall," he said. "Through the mirror of history, we can find where we currently stand, and gain foresight into the future." Perhaps, but only if the mirror is true.
Why the last snow on Earth may be red.
When Toni Morrison was a young girl, her father taught her an important lesson about work.
The fantastical, earnest world of haunted dolls on eBay.
Can neuroscience help us rewrite our darkest memories?
The anti-natalist philosopher David Benatar argues that it would be better if no one had children ever again.
What rampant materialism looks like, and what it costs.
Evan Osnos is a staff writer at The New Yorker. His most recent book is "Wildland: The Making of America's Fury."
More:Xi JinpingChinaCommunist PartyAuthoritarianismHistory

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Apple's Phil Schiller Named to DNA Sequencing Firm's Board of Directors
Apple's head marketer, Phil Schiller, has been named to the board of directors of DNA sequencing and array-based technologies company Illumina. The company announced the move today.
Phil Schiller introducing the iPad mini.
"Phil's track record and global experience in bringing world-class products to market will help guide us as we continue to develop innovative new solutions for our customers," said Francis deSouza, Illumina President and Chief Executive Officer. "His vision, integrity and passion are fully aligned with Illumina's core values."
Schiller, who has over 30 years of marketing and management experience, with over 25 of those year spent at Apple. Schiller joined Apple's senior executive team when late co-founder Steve Jobs returned to the company in 1997. Schiller has been a part of various marketing campaigns for such Apple products as the Mac, iPhone, iTunes, iPhone, and more. He took over management of all of the Apple App Stores back in December of last year.
Schiller previously served as the as the Vice President of Product Marketing at Macromedia, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif.; as the Director of Product Marketing at FirePower Systems, Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif.; as an Information Technology Manager at Nolan, Norton & Company of Lexington, Mass.; and as a Programmer and Systems Analyst at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He graduated with a B.S. in biology from Boston College.
Next Up Apple Sells its One Billionth iPhone
Topics board of directorsIlluminaPhil Schiller


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New Aquitaine
Marcel Gay
Marcel GAY est directeur de la publication de IDJ.
vaccin-covid-pixabay
France lost 30 percent of vaccine doses
4th January 2021 - 10:51 am by Marcel Gay
In a confidential note, Bercy gives the information that provoked the blow of Emmanuel Macron's face.
Tags Coronavirus 2019-nCoV, Featured, Vaccines
sarkozy (dr)
Sarkozy tried for corruption
23rd November 2020 23rd November 2020 - 11:49 am by Marcel Gay
The former president appears before the criminal court of Paris from this Monday alongside his lawyer Thierry Herzog and the former high-ranking magistrate Gilbert Azibert in the case known as wiretapping, for "corruption and influence peddling".
Tags Corruption, Juges, Nicolas Sarkozy
Didier Reinke and François Philippe at the table of the Plein-Sud restaurant in Longué-Jumelles (49), equipped with protective APET screens from the Jean Bal Thermoformage company (photo Fabien Lambert).
COVID-19: the guilty meals?
12th November 2020 12th November 2020 - 11:46 am by Marcel Gay
Three scientists demonstrate here in a masterly way that the coronavirus could be transmitted essentially by large sputters to the glass and to the plate during meals. They also explain how to protect oneself from it. Cross interview.
Tags Coronavirus 2019-nCoV, Featured
Dr Sergueï Gorbenko: a worldwide reputation (reproduction of the Jeannedomremy site)
Joan of Arc and the fake news (6/6) " I discovered the skull of Joan of Arc "
26th August 2020 31st August 2020 - 6:00 am by Marcel Gay
At the beginning of the 21st century, a Ukrainian scientist, Dr. Sergei Gorbenko, claimed to have discovered the remains of the Virgin Mary in the Basilica of Cléry-Saint-André, near Orléans. One more fake news?
Tags Fake News, Featured, Joan of Arc
Jaulny Castle (Meurhe-et-Moselle), a 12th century building (DR)
Joan of Arc and the fake news (5/6) La Pucelle returns five years after the bonfire
Jeanne didn't die at the stake in Rouen. The proof? She reappears five years later and leads a well-informed public life as attested by numerous documents.
Painting by Lionel ROYER representing Joan of Arc in the Basilica of Bois Chênu (DR)
Joan of Arc and the fake news (4/6) Twenty-six months of public life
The eventful life of The Maid is well known. Yet it lasted only a little over two years.
Jeanne was a living myth as early as the 15th century (fresco in the Basilica of Domrémy, DR).
Jeanne d'Arc and fake news (3/6) Who designed Operation Pucelle?
23rd August 2020 21st August 2020 - 6:00 am by Marcel Gay
The ploy of the envoy from heaven to save the kingdom of France was conceived by an exceptional woman: Yolande of Aragon, Duchess of Anjou, Queen of the Four Kingdoms. The operation was masterfully executed by another exceptional woman: the Pucelle d'Orléans.
Jeanne in Chinon recognizes the king among her courtiers. Fresco of the Basilica of Domrémy (Photo DR)
Joan of Arc and the fake news (2/6) The Hundred Years War: why?
22nd August 2020 21st August 2020 - 6:00 am by Marcel Gay
To understand the Johannine epic, we must go back to the context of the Hundred Years' War and find out why Joan wanted, one fine day in 1428, to go and meet the king.
Joan of Arc at the stake (fresco in the Basilica of Domrémy-DR)
Joan of Arc and the fake news (1/6)
21st August 2020 21st August 2020 - 6:00 am by Marcel Gay
No, Joan of Arc was not a shepherdess, no she did not die on a great pyre in Rouen, no she was not called d'Arc, but Joan the Virgin. To put an end to the fake news of the 15th century that our historians have been indiscriminately repeating ever since.
coronavirus-covid-19-transport-commun
Covid-19 : Should you wear the mask or not?
12th August 2020 - 9:45 pm by Marcel Gay
There is an ideological controversy over the wearing of the mask between supporters and opponents of this piece of cloth, which, we are told, is designed to "protect oneself and others". What does science have to say about it?
Tags Coronavirus 2019-nCoV, Featured, Mask
Chez les Ouïghours (DR)
The Seven Initiatory Journeys of Claude Vautrin
27th July 2020 - 2:29 pm by Marcel Gay
Claude Vautrin's latest book, Sept voyages initiatiques, published by Kaïros*, takes us to distant lands where the visible world and the invisible sphere meet. Journeys to better understand others and, therefore, to better know oneself. A must read.
Tags Claude Vautrin, Featured, Seven initiatory trips
Eliane Houlette
A look back at the troubling Fillon case
22nd June 2020 - 1:57 pm by Marcel Gay
With eight days to go before the Paris Criminal Court on 29 June 2020, we learn that justice would have been manipulated. By whom? For what? Back to a hand-sewn manipulation.
Tags Affaires, Eliane Houlette, Featured, François Fillon
Leaving Paris for the countryside… A city-dweller's dream not (yet?) a statistical reality
Parisian terraces: the great anything!
Return of the Mondial Air Ballons in 2021
23rd July 2020 23rd July 2020
Moselle : firefighters attacked, perpetrators convicted
22nd July 2020 22nd July 2020
Suburbs Defy Containment
#depistagepourtous in the City of St Nicolas de Port (France)
Nancy : On the trail of a drug against Covid-19
Municipalities in Marly (57): business is coming out on You Tube
Nancy: free visit of the Villa Majorelle on the 1st Sunday of each month.
Strasbourg: 5 dead and 7 injured in a fire
Covid-19: negative tests for suspicious cases in Lorraine
26th February 2020 5th March 2020
Sarrebourg (57): Justice invites itself in the campaign
2021 © FrenchDailyNews.com


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Seven in September: First look at officer-involved shooting reports reveals incidents which escaped media attention
A new law requiring Texas law enforcement agencies to report officer-involved shootings to the Attorney General went into effect September 1st. There have been a couple of news reports about the publication of this data, but Grits thought it worthwhile to see what the new reports look like. So far, documentation related to seven different shootings has been posted online.
UPDATE: There were at least four more Texas police shootings in September than were reported to the AG.
Even with just a few reports in, it's clear the law is already starting to do what its authors presumably intended - giving a fuller picture of the statewide frequency (too frequent) and severity (all over the map) of police shootings, which sometimes aren't even publicized in the local media. While most shootings do get local press coverage, few ever rise to state or national attention. But like the tree falling in the forest with no one to hear it, media silence doesn't mean the victims were less shot.
There are not enough cases yet to draw any conclusions about broad trends (right now, it's "anecdote" not data). And the reports don't list names for officers or victims. But the early cases are interesting. Here are summaries of the seven posted so far, two of which, interestingly enough, came from Freeport, TX:
Freeport: Officer mistook phone for gun
The very first report under the new law sounds like so many others: an unarmed black man was shot while sitting in his car after being stopped by police after what they say was a tip that the man had crack cocaine. The injured driver was eventually charged with evading arrest and his passenger with public intoxication, but no drug charges. A local news report filled in the story:
A Freeport officer spotted the vehicle and tried to pull the driver over. At first, the driver, identified as Mayberry, stopped, but then took off, leading police on a short chase.
The fleeing vehicle stopped in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 1010 Magnolia. The officer ordered the occupants to show their hands. As the officer approached, the driver reportedly turned his body towards him while holding a dark colored object. Fearing for his life, the officer fired, hitting the suspect in the shoulder.
A later news report provides this salient detail: "No gun was immediately found at the scene, but a dark-colored cell phone was on the ground outside the driver's door of Mayberry's car after the shooting."
Plano: Practice makes perfect
The next day, in Plano, it looks like a cop accidentally shot someone at the shooting range. Grits could find no press coverage of the incident.
Houston: A tragic 'change of heart'
Two days later in Houston, a 21-year old black male was seriously injured after police responded to an emergency call. This incident didn't get much local coverage but according to one report, the man was standing in the middle of the road shooting a gun. After initially complying with officer's commands, the HPD spokesperson said that the man "had a change of heart," reached into his waistband, and the officer shot him three times (in the back, groin and leg).
Freeport: A mysterious death
After that flurry of police shootings, Texas took a short breather, but the next incident report for September 13th raises more questions than it answers. Two officers from the Alvin, Texas police department apparently shot a 29 year old white male to death down in Freeport, nearly 40 miles away, while executing a warrant. According to the document filed with the Attorney General the man was armed. There appears to be no press coverage of the incident at all. There's also nothing over in the AG's "death in custody" database to match the incident.
Balch Springs: At least they didn't shoot the dog
On September 16th, in another unreported incident, a Balch Springs officer responding to a vicious dog complaint shot an unarmed white woman at a single family home on Marriott Avenue. She was not killed.
Dallas: Suicide by cop?
Then finally, Monday September 21 saw shootings in El Paso and Dallas. The Dallas incident garnered significant press coverage as bystander video shows a half undressed, drug addled Gerardo Ramirez running through an apartment complex parking lot shooting a gun. He was killed after shooting at officers on the scene. There has been speculation this was a case of suicide by cop.
El Paso: To prevent an escape
In El Paso on the same day, a 24-year old female officer shot a 21-year old burglary-of-a-vehicle suspect while the man allegedly was trying to escape in a car. According to the AG report, the man had a deadly weapon, but it may have been the vehicle. The El Paso robbery suspect was injured but not killed.
Perhaps Grits will make this a monthly feature. For now, journalists should be aware of this new resource; clearly there are untold stories about shootings by Texas police waiting to be unearthed which heretofore have not been reported.
Labels: Attorney General, Police, use of force
In the Navy, if you are the Captain of a ship that comes into contact with another vessel or a dock etc, you are thanked for your service and then promptly retired. And then an investigation occurs to find out what happened. Note the sequence--it doesn't matter who caused the collission, you as captain are at all times responsible for the entire vessel.
What does this have to do with officer shootings? When an officer shoots someone who turns out to be unarmed, the Navy rule should kick in: i.e., thanks for your service and we can wish you well in your new career whatever that may be.
The Navy gets rid of people on the first incident because the political fallout from a second incident is so severe top brass are at risk. You see the liability of placing someone in command after they've made an initial mistake skyrockets. There is no mitigating it. So the rule is very simple: thanks for your service & good luck. ...after the first incident.
This has a place in officer involved shootings.
Recommend the form include the following questions:
Is the incident captured on video from ____body camera. ____in-dash camera.
Is the incident response audio recorded: _____yes. ______no.
Was the shooting investigated by an outside organization? ____yes. ____no
If yes, who investigated? ____Texas Rangers. ____Citizen Review Board ___internal affairs. ____other. (Please specify)
Was the officer _____charged with internal policy violation? ___criminal violation? ____indicted by grand jury. ____convicted
Grits, thanks for publishing what others refuse to. And, if you go Monthly on this, you'll be one of the only one's to do so and risk being called a: cop hater, criminal & liberal, by the usual suspects. So, make sure to include a graph regarding Public Servants that got shot by both - L.E. and non-L.E. to be fair.
With that, in any follow up to come, (if possible) consider including a little on the media embedding a reporter (you referred to them as journalist) with local PDs' fiasco. It appears that you hinted but didn't come right out and say it.
In my worthless but free opinion that no one asked for, there are more than 7 incidents and those will never come to light due to secrete deals made on the way to the emergency room and of course there's the non-reporter in the mix that's told to go cover the Fair while we make shit disappear. C-ya.


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Visit the Diabetes UK website
Welcome to the London Women's Diabetes Support Group
The group started up in the late 80s, when several women experiencing problems with human insulin got together to offer mutual support
When/Where we meet?
We meet about four times a year, usually for restaurant meals in central London, as well as offering peer support between meetings
What do we talk about?
We talk about anything related to living with diabetes. This could include insulin regimes; hypos; diet; eating disorders; exercise; complications of diabetes; depression; hormonal fluctuations and their effect on insulin requirements; pregnancy; relationships and the reactions of others to our diabetes. Many women appreciate the opportunity to talk openly about their life with diabetes, to share difficulties and to learn from others' experiences
What can we offer?
For some women new to the group, it may be the first time that they have talked freely to someone else who lives with diabetes, or have talked about their own experience of living with diabetes. Several women have mentioned how isolated they felt with their diabetes before discovering this group. If someone expresses a wish to talk to a group member about their experiences of diabetes and such events as pregnancy or the menopause, for example, we try to put them in touch with a group member who has had that experience and can offer specific support/compare notes.
What participants say about the group?
• The informality of the group and our meetings is appreciated.
• Several members who have thyroid or other medical problems besides diabetes have said it was helpful to share experiences with other women who have such problems in addition to diabetes.
• One newcomer said she valued the opportunity to meet others who had developed type 1 diabetes in adult life.
Diabetes UK - Care.Connect.Campaign.
© Diabetes UK 2019
Diabetes UK is the operating name of The British Diabetic Association.
Company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 339181.
Registered office: Macleod House, 10 Parkway, London NW1 7AA.
A charity registered in England and Wales (no. 215199) and in Scotland (no. SC039136).


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Annapolis Commencement FAQs
Annapolis Community
Annapolis Information
King William Players
Mitchell Gallery
Where and when will the Commencement ceremony be held?
The ceremony is traditionally held on the front lawn, where there is plenty of seating for all. The Commencement ceremony for both undergraduate and graduate students will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 12.
Are there limits to the number of guests who may attend graduation?
We do not limit seating for the event if it is held outdoors.
In the case of rain, the ceremony will be in the Francis Scott Key Auditorium, with limited overflow seating in the Francis Scott Key Lobby and the Conversation Room in Mellon Hall. Admission to the auditorium and to overflow seating will be by ticket only.
How long is the Commencement ceremony?
The ceremony will last approximately two hours.
Do I need to RSVP for other events that weekend?
We do not require a formal response for any Commencement activities.
Are there invitations for Commencement?
Beginning in late March, all students who are preparing to graduate can receive six Commencement invitations from the Office of the Registrar. If needed, a limited amount of additional invitations may be obtained for $1 each.
What events may family and friends attend?
Families and friends of graduating seniors are invited to Class Day Exercises; a reception follows on the Library Plaza. That evening, the Commencement Waltz crowns the spring social season. Families and friends of all graduates are also welcome at the Commencement ceremony; a reception follows on the front lawn.
What if I have a family member with special needs?
Please call the Assistant Dean's Office at 410-626-2512 to make special arrangements.
What is appropriate dress for Commencement ceremonies?
Commencement exercises are held outside on the front lawn. Business casual is suitable attire, along with comfortable shoes for walking across campus and on grass. Because of the intensity of the sun, we suggest that you wear sunscreen and/or sun protection. Water stations will be provided. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be moved indoors to the Francis Scott Key Auditorium.
Is there a reception following the Commencement ceremony?
A reception on the front lawn will follow the Commencement ceremony. If you are planning to go out for lunch after the ceremony and reception, we recommend making a 1:30 p.m. reservation.
Where do we park?
Campus parking is limited. Handicapped parking is available in most campus lots, and our Public Safety officers set up additional handicapped parking spaces in the Chase Stone parking lot. You can reserve a handicapped parking space by calling the Assistant Dean's Office at 410-626-2512.
Beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, and throughout the weekend, parents and guests may park in all available campus lots, on a first-come, first-served basis. Free parking is available at the state garage on the corner of St. John's and Calvert streets on weekends and from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. on weekdays. The entrance to the garage is on St. John's Street. There is also parking for a fee at the Navy/Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Rowe Boulevard and Taylor Avenue, just off Route 50, where a free downtown shuttle runs every 15-20 minutes.
Where may we purchase St. John's College memorabilia?
The bookstore will be open on Saturday but closed on Sunday.


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2012 Slammy Award winners
Dec 18, 2012 - by Steve Gerweck
WWE presented its Slammy Awards yesterday night on RAW, just twenty four hours after the WWE.COM Slammy Award winners were revealed prior to the TLC pay-per-view. Voting was exclusively held on the WWE app for iPhone, iPad, and Android phones. The first Slammy was presented by Booker T, appropriately presenting the award that was named after his catch phrase, the 'Tell Me I Did NOT Just See That Moment of the Year.' The winner was Kofi Kingston for his great escape at the Rumble. The 'Comeback of the Year' award was presented by Road Dogg and Billy Gunn and it went to Jerry "The King" Lawler for his miraculous return after his heart attack. Vickie Guerrero presented the 'Kiss of the Year' award which involved AJ in all of the nominees. AJ and John Cena won the award. The returning Ric Flair presented the 'Superstar of the Year' award which John Cena award. Santino Marella and Tensai presented the 'LOL Moment of the Year' which The Rock won for his segment throwing John Cena's times in the Boston river. Zack Ryder and Layla presented the 'Hashtag of the Year' award which Zack Ryder won for his #WWWYKI. The 'Newcomer of the Year' award was presented by Sheamus and won by Ryback. WWE Hall of Famers Ricky Steamboat, Mean Gene Okerlund, and Jim Ross presented the 'Match of the Year' which was won by Triple H and the Undertaker for their Hell In A Cell match at WrestleMania.
(thanks to Colin Vassallo)
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The big bang theory argues that the universe began in a tiny, infinitely hot and dense point called a singularity, which contained all of the mass, energy and space in our universe. This then exploded 13.8 billion years ago and began rapidly expanding, spreading out energy and space and began to cool.
Within a fraction of a second, the universe grew from smaller than a single atom to bigger than a galaxy. Some of it turned into helium and hydrogen gas, which formed stars and galaxies.
This theory uses the observation of red shift, meaning that as an object moves away from earth, its colour rays look more like the colour red because the light wavelength is stretched. The more red shift there is, the faster the object is moving away, and by measuring this, scientists argue that the universe is expanding. As most things become cooler as they expand, scientists assume the universe began very small and hot.
The big bang theory was actually first proposed by George Lemaître in 1927, a Belgian Catholic priest (please see our page on Catholicism for more information about their heretical teachings). He began the theory that the universe was expanding from somewhere and some point in time.
In 1951, Pope Pius XII embraced this and declared that the big bang theory was compatible alongside the Catholic view of creation. In 2014, Pope Francis said that the big bang theory supports evidence of a divine creator, arguing that God created the world through the big bang theory and directed the processes of evolution (please see later in this page for why this is illogical, as well as our evolution page).
Not only did the big bang theory originate within the Catholic church, it has always been pushed by Catholicism in disregard for the Bible's clear teachings on creation.
Isn't the big bang theory proven?
Despite popular scientific teachings, the big bang theory is just a theory. It is not an observable event that scientists can repeat, or that they have conclusive evidence for. It is a hypothesis based on speculation about the universe, and is therefore not proven. A few arguments why the big bang theory is false will be given below.
First of all, the most obvious problem with the big bang theory is the question of what existed before. The big bang theory requires a 'singularity' to explode, but what brought this into existence? How long did it exist for? Did it always exist? Is this possible? What caused it to explode? What existed before this? How did matter just begin to exist? These questions cannot be answered by the big bang theory, but are rather satisfied by the existence of an eternal creator God.
If something is spinning clockwise and pieces of it fly off, these pieces will also spin off clockwise. Imagine children on a roundabout, if the speed picks up enough that they fall off, they will be thrown in the same direction the roundabout is spinning. This is called the law of conservation of angular momentum. However, the big bang theory proposes that the universe began as a spinning dot, and yet Venus, Uranus and possibly Pluto spin the reverse way from the other planets. Also, 8 of the 91 moons rotate backwards, where Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus all have moons that spin in different directions. Some whole galaxies spin backwards.
If all of our universe exploded from the same matter, why is the sun made of 98% hydrogen and helium but Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are less than 1% hydrogen and helium? If the planets were all created in the same way, why are they all made up of such different elements and have such different appearances?
If the universe was created in one big bang from a single dot, would all the matter not be distributed evenly? It would make sense logically that if everything exploded from the same minuscule point that it would be thrust out evenly. So why do we have areas of space with clusters of stars, and then areas of huge voids?
The big bang theory says that matter (hydrogen and helium) was created from energy as the universe expanded. In physics, when matter is created from energy, the reaction also produces an equal amount of antimatter, which is similar to matter but has a reversed charge. According to this rule, the big bang should have produced equal matter and antimatter, but our universe is composed almost entirely of matter with only very small amounts of antimatter. If there were equal amounts, life would have been impossible, so this is clearly a factor of God's design – the universe was designed with large amounts of matter and little antimatter so that life was possible, whereas if it was the result of the big bang this would not be possible.
The big bang theory violates the first law of thermodynamics, which says that matter and energy can't be created or destroyed. If the universe was created out of nothing, this clearly depicts matter and energy being created from nothing. It also violates the second law, which says that all matter has a natural tendency to move towards disorder (entropy). The big bang theory supposes that an explosion created matter which then moved towards perfect order. To follow the second law of thermodynamics, the big bang would have caused all matter to be randomly distributed throughout the universe, rather than forming galaxies and planets.
Nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, but the big bang occurring within less than a second violates this.
As we look into the universe, we are looking light years away. This is supposed to represent distance, so as we look a thousand years away, we can see the universe as it existed a thousand years ago, because this has taken a thousand years to reach us. If the big bang theory occurred 13.8 billion years ago, the further we look back into the universe, the closer to the big bang we should be able to see. However, so far we have been able to see at least 13.2 billion light years away, but we see fully formed stars and planets just like we have today, rather than an early pre-formed universe.
Can't the big bang theory work alongside the Bible?
In short, no. The big bang theory is a secular story of the origin of the universe, and is an alternative to the Biblical creation story, not an accompaniment. Some of the differences are:
The Bible teaches a six day creation by God several thousand years ago, the big bang theory teaches an instantaneous explosion and an evolution of the universe over billions of years.
The Bible teaches the earth was created before the stars, the big bang theory teaches the stars were formed before the earth.
The Bible teaches plants were created before the sun, the big bang theory teaches that the sun was formed before the plants.
The Bible teaches the seas were created by God on the fifth day, the big bang theory teaches that the first oceans took around 11 billion years to form after the initial explosion.
The Bible teaches the earth was created with the paradise of the Garden of Eden, the big bang theory teaches that it was formed as an empty rock.
See the links below for more information:
https://answersingenesis.org/big-bang/
https://answersingenesis.org/big-bang/problems-with-the-big-bang/
http://www.timefortruth.co.uk/content/pages/documents/1360453996.pdf
http://www.icr.org/article/thats-fact-big-bang
https://creation.com/astronomy-and-astrophysics-questions-and-answers
http://science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/astronomy-terms/big-bang-theory7.htm
https://thetechreader.com/top-ten/top-ten-scientific-flaws-in-the-big-bang-theory/
http://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2016/05/three_problems_with_the_big_bang.html
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/cosmology/top-30-problems-big-bang-theory.htm
http://creationtoday.org/the-big-bang-theory/
Kent Hovind on the big bang theory
http://news.wgbh.org/post/big-bang-theory-roman-catholic-creation
→ Next page: Defending Genesis


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Carbon markets, Pacific, combat land degradation , disaster-prone areas, energy security, semi-arid lands, smallholder farmers, social science
(-) energy security (32)
(-) combat land degradation (16)
(-) disaster-prone areas (9)
(-) Carbon markets (5)
(-) semi-arid lands (3)
(-) Pacific (3)
(-) social science (2)
Seeds of Inspiration: Sudan's First Flying Robot Farmer
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INDC's shed light on the need to address sustainable bioenergy in Africa: Rwanda at the forefront
In a recent review, FAO identified that 41 out of 54 countries in Africa included at least one policy or measure on more sustainable use of bioenergy in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). Considering the critical role of sustainable bioenergy in sub-Saharan Africa, FAO's…
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Future Policy Org- Your online database of sustainable policy solutions
FuturePolicy.org is an online database designed for forward-thinking policy-makers, to simplify the sharing of existing and proven policy solutions to tackle the world's most fundamental and urgent problems. Grown from the conviction that solutions exist for the most essential challenges to humanity…
The role of organic amendments in drylands restoration
Dryland areas are being seriously affected by degradation processes. The use of organic amendments in ecosystem restoration is an effective technique for accelerating soil regeneration processes in degraded drylands. This recovery is a result of the rapid increment of organic matter and clay…
Building BRIDGES between Turkey and Africa's Great Green Wall
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Conference on Climate Change, Migration and Resilience from 5th – 9th September 2018 in Bonn
Climate change is already influencing migration and population movements – and will do so in future. Two perspectives on the nexus of migration and climate change have emerged: On the one hand, much policy and research attention is directed to climate change as a cause for migration, and for…
Plants vs Sand. How the World Food Programme is helping communities use plants to stop sand dunes in Mauritania
A lone grain of sand, on its own, is completely harmless. It travels on its journey carried by the wind, by water, or even hitchhikes on a living being, barely noticed as it meanders through the landscape. When a grain of sand joins up with others to become a sand dune, it can become a force that…
Tourism's climate footprint soars
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'Carbon law' could lead to zero global emissions by 2050
Researchers have proposed a global roadmap for decarbonisation over the coming decades. The roadmap is based on the idea of a simple heuristic, described by the researchers as 'carbon law', of halving carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions every decade from 2020 to 2050. The researchers say that, if…
New IRENA report: 'Hydrogen from Renewable Power'
Launched during IRENA's Innovation Week, the agency's latest technology outlook 'Hydrogen from Renewable Power' outlines the potentially pivotal role hydrogen may play in a deeper energy transition. And, while hydrogen is already widely used in facilities such as chemicals plants and refineries, by…
Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape 2018. Tracking Finance for Electricity and Clean Cooking Access in High-Impact Countries.
Sustainable Energy for All's Energizing Finance series is the first and only in-depth attempt to capture multiple years of data on investment for the two key areas of energy access: electrification and clean cooking. It focuses on public and private finance commitments in 20 developing countries –…


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With Mayweather-Paul Bonanza, Lines Continue to Blur in Combat Sports – The New York Times
For an instant on Sunday night, as Logan Paul stood in a boxing ring across Floyd Mayweather Jr., the best boxer of this generation, television cameras and microphones captured his astonishment.
"This is crazy," Paul, the social media star, said as his name was introduced before his eight-round exhibition at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., against Mayweather, who will enter the Boxing Hall of Fame later this month.
Against most expert predictions, Paul, 26, lasted the entirety of the fight without falling to the canvas. No winner was announced because there were no judges. But Paul crowed afterward that he did something that many people would have thought was improbable.
"I don't want anyone to tell me anything is impossible ever again," Paul said in his post-fight interview. "The fact that I am in here with one of the greatest boxers of all time proves that the odds can be beat.
"I'm going to go home thinking, 'Did Floyd let me survive?' He's one of the GOATs, and in many ways he controls this sport to a T. That's what makes him great. It's an honor to grace the ring with him."
The spectacle pitted Mayweather, 44, who won all of his 50 professional fights, against Paul, who earned the fight not through any meaningful boxing experience, but because of a large social media following. Boxing purists viewed the event as a circus. But it drew massive interest, even overwhelming Showtime's ability to stream the broadcast at a selling price of $49.99 per customer.
The bonanza aligned with a persistent theme for combat sports right now — the debate on how to consistently elevate fights into the mainstream consciousness. In doing shows like these, promotions demonstrate that they are willing to appease the masses. And it may become the most-used strategy as the sports and their stars evolve.
Mayweather retired in 2017 after dispatching Conor McGregor, an Ultimate Fighting Championship star boxing professionally for the first time, in another fight that also seemed unlikely at first but materialized because of the fans' interest. U.F.C. President Dana White initially shrugged off the idea of matching the two together by putting a mixed martial arts fighter in a regulated boxing match. But he slowly adapted, and soon sat next to McGregor while he trash-talked at news conferences during an international media tour.
Mayweather began boxing at age 19 and needed only two years to win his first title. Since then, he has become the sport's biggest draw, earning a massive net worth as one of the world's highest-paid athletes. He claims to have earned $1.2 billion in his career.
That stardom drew in Mayweather, nicknamed Money, who reached boxing's pinnacle by making any event he headlined a potential blockbuster. Through Paul, the opportunity presented itself again.
Mayweather viewed Paul as easy prey, and equated the incoming payday as a "legalized bank robbery." Add the fact that the result would not count against his official record, and it made sense for him to briefly exit retirement for a quick night of work, he said.
"For me to be retired, to be a grandfather, and to come have some fun with a guy that is in his 20s, when the money comes, we'll see who's the real winner," Mayweather told reporters. "At the end of the day, I am going to the Hall of Fame for boxing. I have nothing to prove.
"When I come and do an exhibition or come out and box and have some fun, I do it because I want to do it, not because I have to do it."
But for its sustainability, boxing can no longer cling to Mayweather and his celebrity. He acknowledged that his performance Sunday may not have been on par with those earlier in his career, and he dismissed the notion of returning to a professional fight (he also downplayed the chances of a future exhibition).
Arriving in his absence are Paul and his younger brother, Jake, who have seized the opportunity to perform in unconventional ways. Logan Paul, who lost in a split decision in his only professional fight two years ago, said he intends to keep training seriously as a boxer.
In recent fights, Jake, 24, knocked out the former N.B.A. player Nate Robinson and the mixed martial artist Ben Askren. He has since signed a multi-fight deal with Showtime and announced his next opponent, the former U.F.C. champion Tyron Woodley.
Other fighters have raised their hands, too. Adrien Broner, a veteran boxer with over 30 professional fights, said Sunday he would knock both brothers out. On Sunday, Logan Paul said he anticipated he would have a group of suitors.
"I'll be putting on prizefights," Paul said. "I'm sure there's a list on Twitter, people saying this, saying that. I'll pick one."
The pattern of shaking established norms doesn't seem to be fading soon. White, the U.F.C. president, reportedly blocked a potentially lucrative boxing match between the U.F.C. legend Georges St.-Pierre and the boxer Oscar De La Hoya. St.-Pierre, 40, said it would have been a "dream come true" to fight De La Hoya, 48, who is one of his favorite boxers.
Logan Paul, who wrestled in high school and repeatedly clinched against Mayweather, also suggested participating in a mixed martial arts fight because of his wrestling background. He said he and his brother were being held to a high standard because of their social media success, but he hoped to meet that level as they adjusted to becoming athletes.
And as the lines continue to blur within the combat sports community, he said he was happy to be at the forefront.
"Anytime I can entertain, I'm happy," Paul said. "I just love entertaining and making people happy with the stuff I love doing."
← Why CIOs must become jack-of-all-trades in a technology-focused world – CIO Dive
All-league spring sports lists – Marion Star →
CBS Sports ranks Tennessee Vols extremely low in preseason rankings – atozsportsnashville.com
PREP SPORTS ROUNDUP: Marshall girls take first, boys fourth at Milaca meet – Marshall Independent
Manhertz seeks financial support for SBU sports | Basketball | bradfordera.com – Bradford Era


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THREE Fijians nominated for World Rugby Sevens Rookie of the Year 2019.
Home / THREE Fijians nominated for World Rugby Sevens Rookie of the Year 2019.
LATEST NEWS, LOCAL NEWS, MAIN NEWS, SPORTS
Three Fiji Airways National 7s team players have been nominated for the World Rugby Sevens Rookie of the Year 2019.
All three are having a good season with the National 7s team as they hope to win the World Series title in Paris this weekend.
Meli Derenalagi and Aminiasi Tui-maba are the front runners to win the Rookie of the Year Award.
Derenalagi was also named the HSBC Player of the Final in London last weekend.
Tui-maba has also been outstanding on the wing while the other Fijian player nominated is Vilimoni Botitu.
Samoa's Johnny Va-ili is the fourth player on the nominees list.
The winner will be announced at the HSBC World Rugby 7s awards on Monday after the Paris 7's tournament.
Report on Child Care in Fiji LaunchedLATEST NEWS, MAIN NEWS
Elevated parts of Sigatoka to expect intermittent water supply tomorrowLOCAL NEWS, MAIN NEWS


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Home Projects/opportunities $60 million West Loop condo project moves forward for fall groundbreaking
$60 million West Loop condo project moves forward for fall groundbreaking
The developers of a 72-unit, seven story condo project in Chicago's West Loop assert they've sold 35 per cent of the units ahead of the project's groundbreaking sometime later this fall.
Belgravia Group Ltd.'s CA6 West Loop at 305-323 S. Racine Ave. had a projected construction cost of $60 million, Crain's Chicago Business reported in January. It is unclear exactly how the COVID-19 pandemic would affect the project's costs, though the design including three-and four-bedroom units (with three to 3.5 bathrooms per unit) presumably would be appealing to purchasers seeking space and social distancing room.
In a news release, the developer says it has four of the larger units available for prices starting at $1.65 million each. "While the original plan for the building called for only five of these penthouse-level duplexes, Belgravia was able to add seven more after the original five sold out during the first week of pre-sales," the statement said. Smaller units are offered in the $800,000 range.
"With four bedrooms and over 3,000 square feet, these homes are equally suited for buyers who want a place they won't outgrow, as well as those who want to transition out of a single-family home – whether in the suburbs or city – but don't want to sacrifice the square footage they've enjoyed," said Liz Brooks, vice-president of sales and marketing at Belgravia Group.
The Hubbard Street Dance Center (Google Street View)
The project is expected to be completed by mid-2022. It is on the site of the former Hubbard Street Dance at 1147 W. Jackson, Crain's reported in January.
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DataBid Projects of the Week – Dec. 6 to 13


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14 May Summer Camp is Back!
Posted at 18:56h in Mizner News by miznercc2 0 Comments
Last summer we were focused on safety, quarentining and creating our own fun at home. This summer is focused on FUN because we have a lot of catching up to do. It's more exciting than ever that Summer Camp is back at Mizner...
12 May How Mizner Country Club Safely Put On Weddings During COVID-19
Mizner Country Club is a premier residential community-based in Delray Beach, FL. Mizner's grounds are often a destination spot for weddings, formal parties, and other events. With beautiful landscaping, high-end facilities, and full-service catering, the Mizner Country Club is an ideal spot for your event...
16 Apr Top Ranked Fitness & Wellness Center in the Nation
Club + Resort Business recognizes Mizner Country Club as the #6 Top Ranked Private Club and Resort Fitness and Wellness centers across the United States. Inclusion on this list highlights the investments these clubs have made in their facilities and the commitment to the guest experience. All listings were...
15 Apr A Feast for the Ages
If you build it, they will come, but since social distancing is real in the days of Covid-19, Mizner did it twice. Last month, Mizner hosted a 2-night Italian dining extravaganza, Feast of San Gennero. A delicious spread of all your Italian favorites. An endless...
25 Mar Mizner Breaks Ground with First Female Executive Chef
Hannah Flora-Mihajlovic Scores Rave Reviews As one of the nation's first female private club Executive Chefs, Hannah Flora-Mihajlovic is paving a new path at one of Delray's most popular country club communities. Mizner Country Club is buzzing about its new groundbreaking chef who is delighting...
10 Mar Food Drive for Lady Queen of Peace Parish
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have devastating economic effects on the lives of many in the Delray Beach community, Mizner Country Club's "Mizner Cares" Committee decided to take action to help their community during this very difficult time. Mizner Cares Committee Chair Susan Lyman explains,...
17 Feb 2021 Men's Member-Member Shoot-Out
The Men's Member-Member is the premier member event of the year. 2-man teams compete in flight over 36 holes, with each 9-holes being a different format, Modified Pinehurst, 1 Net Best Ball of two, or a 2-person scramble. Each flight winner then competes in a...
12 Feb Big Win For Mizner CC's Women's Tennis Team
Division 2B Tennis Team Triumphs in South Palm Beach County Women's Tennis Association (SPBCWTA) It came down to the wire. Going into the final match, tied for first in the standings, Mizner Country Club's Division 2B Tennis Team came on strong to finish in first place...
28 Jan Romann Geneus Named Employee of the Year
Romann Geneus, Mizner Country Club's Food & Beverage Supervisor, has been named Mizner Country Club's Employee of the Year 2020. The announcement was made by Larry Savvides, General Manager & COO. In presenting Romann with this year's award, Savvides said, "Romann is one of our most...
15 Jan VERNON GETTONE ACHIEVES CRSE CERTIFICATION
Mizner Country Club announced that Vernon Gettone, Mizner's Director of Tennis, has completed and passed all the requirements to be awarded the designation of Certified Racquet Sports Executive (CRSE). The CRSE Program is a 10-month, intensive study and experiential continuing education program which demonstrates the commitment...