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Our unit just returned from the range and we had a leader accidentally discharge his weapon. No one was hurt, but boy did it tear up the commander's car. Any recommendation on how to handle this?
For starters, this not an accidental discharge. It is a negligent discharge. This leader was negligent on several levels.
The weapon should have been cleared off the range. This means the range OIC, NCOIC, and safeties also failed to fulfill their responsibilities.
There is a weapons clearing barrel outside most buildings. It is a requirement to clear your weapon before you enter a building.
Techniques for resolution vary according to the unit, but I've seen a variety of different disciplinary actions in the past. In combat arms units, the leader is usually relieved of their leadership position and given a relief for cause evaluation.
In other situations, Soldiers are given Article 15's, ordered to perform corrective training, or ordered to become range certified.
This is a serious issue—the potential to kill someone can not be downplayed. Saying "no one was hurt" is not an excuse. You need to deal with this in a serious manner that fits the circumstances.
The property damage to the commander's car is an issue as well. That will at least require an MP report which means it will show up on the blotter and probably wind up with the chain of command getting a call. I am sure this will also result in a serious incident report as well. This leader is going to get a lot of unwanted attention.
This is not an honest mistake, it is an unforgivable sin. For more information about the difference between these types of leadership challenges, read this related article.
posted on 03/27/2017 under Q&A
Mark is a Retired Command Sergeant Major with 26 years of military leadership experience. He held 3 military occupational specialties (Field Artillery, Nuclear Weapons Tech, and Ammunition Ordnance). Mark is one of the leading military authors in the fields of leadership, counseling, and training.
I was taken off of the Command List Inte...I was taken off of the Command List Integration because of expired point- Can my Commander put me back on the CLI?
I was wounded during a combat action and...I was wounded during a combat action and my chain of command has not recommended me for a Purple Heart- What can I do about it?
I received my 1st Article 15 reading and...I received my 1st Article 15 reading and then my commander lost my packet- Can they redo the packet?
Jesse Campos
Wednesday, 7 March, 2012 at 21:19
I recently witness an incident where a soldier E-4 was in charge of a team of 10 at JRTC while under an E-5 and E-6. Anyway he took the initiative and gave the order for them to dump all blank ammo and clear all weapons the SPC then was tasked out to do another detail, so could not visually confirm that each soldier did so. LEt me add that the NCOIC of the team did not clear that E-4s weapon or supervise the clearing of anyone in that team. ON return to there return to main base half the team was broken off to a different chalk and under the command of that chalk leader. One soldier a PFC failed to clear his weapon and the NCO in charge of his group failed to recheck all weapons for bolt blocks before the flight. So he flew with a blank round in the chamber. When they landed they moved back to the company to turn in weapons to the arms room and the soldier again did not clear his weapon and ND inside the company. So heres my question is it the duty of that SPC to clear all the weapons off the range or the E-6. I recall reading in a regulation that an E-6 or higher is responsible for clearing all soldier off the range. Is there an AR that discusses responsibilities on a range.
Is there a regulation that states the NCOIC or a NCO has to clear all soldiers off a range.
SSG Auten
Sunday, 22 July, 2012 at 12:13
The outlined responsibilities for range procedures are in several regulations including AR 385–63/MCO 3570.1C • 30 January 2012, Range Safety, along with local and company SOP's (Standard Opertional Procedures), FM 17-12-8 light cavalry gunnery, there are many, the internet is a powerful research tool, that is how I found this intuitive website and the information, but to me safety on and off the range is the responsibility of all soldiers, Regonal Command West (Afghanistan) has implemented the buddy clearing policy, as have I in my aircraft, check your "buddy". Hope this helps!


It's here! Yes, the 81st edition of the Warren County Farmers' Fair is back starting TODAY with eight big days chock-full of fun for everyone. The Fair has always been a place where the agriculture community comes together to celebrate and show off their hard work. It's also been a place of family traditions, where visitors came with their grandparents and now bring their grandchildren. But in recent years, the Fair has expanded its activities to reach a more diverse crowd, welcoming "out-of-towners" as well as locals. This Special Edition of Warren County Wanderings is meant to give you a taste of some of the highlights coming up today through Saturday, August 4 . There's more: the carnival rides! the animal exhibits and shows! the produce, flower and handwork shows! the horse competitions! the talent show! the food! So by all means, head for www.warrencountyfarmersfair.org for details and to plan your visit. There's lots more happening at the fair beyond the few things we mention hear. See you at the fair, and Happy Wanderings!
Every day of the Fair, weather permitting, hot air balloons will inflate and launch from green pasture to blue sky. It's a sight to behold! Tethered rides are available for $10 per person.
Up and coming Country singer Adam Yarger plays the Main Arena. A native of central Pennsylvania, he relocated to Nashville at age 19 to chase his dream of being a country music icon. In 2015, Adam released his first EP containing 4 songs, then shot and directed the video for his most popular single 'Backroad'. A year later he released a brand new single titled 'Find Me Fishing' and another single, 'Burn'. His energy and down-to-earth personality leave crowds chanting for more!
Free admission for Senior Citizens all day Monday by showing your Medicare Card. Special events include the Senior & Disability Expo sponsored by the Warren County Department of Human Services and their Division of Aging and Disability Services, from 10:30am to 3:30pm on the Dance Floor Pavilion. You'll meet a variety of service providers, and blood pressure screenings from the county Health Department and ID cards from the Sheriff's Office will be available.
From 5-8pm don't miss the Antique Car Show, sponsored by American Legion Post 528, on the Office Lawn. Bring your wheels! Registration 5-6:30pm, voting and award 6:30-7:30pm.
Local favorites Bobby Clark and his band are back at the fair, and playing it hard! See them on the Office Lawn Stage as they rock out to classic rock and country.
Leah Marie Fuls was a winner of the Farmers' Fair's Country Idol contest and now she's back to perform on the stage at the fair office lawn.
Schedule Your Hot Air Balloon Ride at the Farmers' Fair!
Feeling adventurous? Want to see the most amazing views of our beautiful county from the SKY?! Then hop on board and join the fun close-up in one of the Hot Air Balloons at the Hot Air Balloon Festival at the Farmers' Fair! Balloon rides at the fair are $205 per person for Saturday and Sunday and $195 per person weekdays. Major credit cards accepted. Complete refund for balloon ride if canceled due to weather. To schedule your ride at the Balloon Festival with festival coordinators Balloonatics & Aeronuts - Hot Air Ballooning NJ, call 908-283-0721 or email fly@njballoonrides.com. Find details about the fair's Hot Air Balloon Festival at this link.
The Kids' Corral Activity Area is a great place to bring the young ones for free activities all day long. Craft sessions, shows, contests and more. Plus, it's under a tent, giving a little respite from the sun (or the rain). The Kids' Corral is open daily from 12-8pm.
The Main Arena events are always popular, and often sell out completely. Head for the ticket office at the fair to snap up whatever seats are left for these events!
Need some fresh honey? Work boots? Kitchen implements? You'll find it in the Commercial Exhibits. The Commercial Building also features community groups and historical societies, while you can browse the day away with all the vendors you'll find at the fair. Commercial Exhibits are open 12-10pm daily.
Now in its 21st year at the Fair, the Traditional Arts Expo is found in the building just past the long Commercial Building, at the southern end of the fairgrounds. Inside you'll find the United Quilt Show, showcasing the talents of both the Hunterdon County Quilt Guild and the Evening Star Quilt Guild, in addition to displaying items from the Warren County Needle Arts Guild and the Lost Art Lacers of North Jersey. Check out displays and demonstrations on lacing, handweaving, needle arts, and more. Vote for your favorite quilt in the contest, and buy a raffle ticket for a chance to win a beautiful quilt! The Traditional Arts Expo is open daily 12-9pm.
While you're at the Fair, be sure to stop by the "Warren County and You" building to see all the county government displays, but especially the Explore Warren display pictured here. You can win great prizes generously donated by some of the terrific attractions here in Warren County! Just fill out your entry form, drop it in the box, and get ready to win!
Pick up literature on all these attractions and more, a copy of this year's edition of The Wonders of Warren County, and an ExploreWarren.org koozie to keep your cans and bottles cool while you're enjoying the summer (while supplies last). And if you happen to see one of us from Explore Warren at the table, be sure to let us know you're a Warren County Wanderer!


When Oliver Stone's movie JFK opened in December 1991 a huge PR campaign was mobilized against the film. Even progressives spoke out.Noam Chomsky wrote in support of the Warren Commission's findings – in contrast Michael Parenti gave one of his highly acclaimed talks criticizing the lone assassin theory. The bitter questions that haunted defenders and critics alike was whether government agencies of a democratic country would do such a thing as assassinate an elected President.
In this talk Michael Parenti turns to that question first – he examines, in part one, what he calls "the gangster nature of the state."In part two he goes over details of the assassination and critiques The Nation, The Progressive, Chomsky and Cockburn. He spoke in Berkeley, CA, on the 30th anniversary of the JFK assassination. This is one of many "standing ovations" talks by Parenti. The master for this program was lost and this appears to be the only copy of the original recording.


A sound constitution, a good character, and a well-furnished mind are in the experience of the author the essential foundations for a full and useful life. In this book an attempt will be made to draw some thoughts together from a wide spectrum of sources which have proved of great value in the promotion of these ideals. For individual and nation the practice of high principle in private and public life can only be achieved by acknowledging virtues such as those set down by Plato in the Republic, namely: wisdom, courage, temperance and justice.
4 The best guidance of life is gleaned from the wisdom of the master teachers of humanity and the teachings of love enshrined in traditional wisdom.


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The Pixies Erase and Re-Record Kim Deal's Bass Parts for New Material Following Her Departure from Band
Nicci Boots October 3rd, 2013 - 6:41 PM
Four months in, Pixies fans continue to reel over Kim Deal's departure from the group. Much has gone down since the band's original bassist made her exit, and today, former bandmates spoke out on Deal's walkout.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Pixies frontman Black Francis shared how the band had been recording at a studio in Wales earlier this year, and that Deal dropped the bombshell one day at a coffee shop near their studio.
Kim walked in at some point and said, 'I'm flying home tomorrow.' She quit the band. It was an awkward moment. We didn't hug or shake hands or anything. [Guitarist] Joey [Santiago] and I just stood up and said, 'Okay.' Then we had to get out of there, so we immediately went to a bar. I had to move from coffee to alcohol.
A couple of nights prior, Francis said the band had shared a bonding moment while going out for Indian food.
There weren't any managers, producers, roadies or anything. I can't remember the last time we all sat down and had a meal, just the four of us. It was wonderful. We broke bread together, shot the shit and had a nice meal. After the meal, Kim wanted to go back to her lodging, so we all walked her to a cab. Thinking back now, I realize this was her saying goodbye. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I think it was meant to be our last supper.
Drummer David Lovering says the band was in mourning for a few days after, but then they decided to buckle down and complete what they'd flown overseas to do.
…we didn't have time to keep doing that because we had this studio booked and lot of overdubs to record. We just rolled up our sleeves and said, 'We might as well finish this.'
The band erased Deal's contribution to the new songs per her own request, and brought on PJ Harvey bassist Simon "Ding" Archer to replace them. Since then, the Pixies have hired former Muffs bassist Kim Shattuck, and are currently touring Europe in promotion of their new music. This includes "Bagboy", their first single in nine years, which they recently performed on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, and EP-1, a brand new, four-song collection that's meeting mixed reviews thus far.
Says Francis, in a tone that hints at Deal's absence:
The fans are emotionally involved in the whole thing. Even more than us. But we just got into this to make music and see whatever level of success we could reach. We didn't want the day job. We don't want to be managers of warehouses or whatever. We don't want to run a restaurant. This is what to we do, and my solo career is over. I have no interest in making solo records. For me, this is it.
Nicci Boots

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Columns Positive Parenting Our Son Doesn't Have Friends
Our Son Doesn't Have Friends
By Shira Frank, LCSW
Sunday, August 11, 2019 at 9:33 pm | י' אב תשע"ט
Q: Our 12-year-old son is a lively child, but somehow making friends doesn't come easy to him. It's a funny thing, because boys will come over to our house to play, but then won't really be friends with him in school.
He'll even ask them: "Why don't you hang around with me in school?" Those who respond at all either shrug their shoulders or give some half-baked answer. Understandably, he feels very bad about the situation. He sometimes says that he has better things to play with than the other boys do, and that's why they come to our house.
I asked the Rebbi what my son might be doing wrong, and he told me that sometimes he verbally puts other boys down by being too blunt and condescending. The Rebbi also said that my son is often nervous and worried about his grades and competitive in the classroom. He seems to make an issue of proving others wrong, and that must get on their nerves.
He tries to be "cool" to get the attention of classmates, and I'm afraid that he might exaggerate the truth (he does this at home). Please give us a way to work with our son to help him.
A: Being in a competitive class can be a struggle, and being competitive by nature can be a lifelong struggle. There is a reason why Rambam discusses, in the final lines of Hilchos Melachim, the idea that in Moshiach's time there will be no more jealousy and competition. Competition and jealousy often go hand in hand, and cause a person to feel that he is never "good enough."
Besides causing social issues among peers — and leading to those that involve exaggerating to the point of almost lying — continually discussing and comparing academic achievements is a straight pathway to continual disappointment.
Being same'ach b'chelko and aware of one's own talents and positive attributes are essential to the positive gift of self-love that we need to bestow upon ourselves. Working to help build our children's self-esteem has been discussed often in this column, and working on this will definitely help your son.
Perhaps one cause of your son's nervous demeanor (which certainly can cause peers to distance themselves from him) is his insecurity in not feeling that he is "good enough." Whether it's not being smart enough, or savvy enough (reflected in his trying to act "cool," as you put it), a continual feeling of not making the grade might be the cause of his self-doubting nature, which he then covers up by attempting to be over-confident.
Sometimes your son's observing the behavior of other children — his cousins, perhaps — can help make him aware of his own social-skill shortcomings. When you comment on these observations, you should use the "cushion method," which consists of verbalizing a positive opening statement to your son, then commenting on the actual issue at hand, and then ending with a supportive statement. It might sound like this: "Shloimi, you're probably not at all aware of this, but when Chani and Moishe come, and you tell them how great you are at this electronic game, I think it makes them feel sad. It's just the feeling that I get. I do realize that you're so happy when they come. You're a kind uncle to them…" Even if your son initially rejects your observations, at least a discussion has been opened up.
Quoting what the Rebbi' said about his behavior is most likely unhelpful. He might say that the Rebbi is just saying lashon hara about him, that he never liked him anyway, etc.
In reference to classmates enjoying coming to your house, it could be that your son feels much more comfortable on his own turf. He may be a magnanimous host who is very generous and proud of his toys and games, and feels much less threatened in this less pressured environment.
You can comment on what a great host he is, and then say you're just wondering if he might speak in a similar manner in school, and that might help him with making friends. A parent needs to speak in a tone of "curiosity" — and it's important to be non-judgmental.
B'hatzlachah!


Rustic frames feature earthy colors and exposed wood. They are used for a wide genre of artwork and can add character to paintings. Rustic Distressed frames can complement artwork where an aged look is desirable. Also called "shabby chic," this evergrowing popular look is also featured in furniture and other home décor. Our rustic picture frames come in a variety of earthy, muted tones like green, red, and blue. Browse our ready-made rustic frames below, available in a variety of sizes to suit your needs.


Oggetto: DETERMINAZIONE DIRIGENZIALE II AREA - UFFICIO DI PIANO - OGGETTO: A.D. N. 671/2016 - AVVISO PUBBLICO PER I PROGETTI PERSONALIZZATI DI VITA INDIPENDENTE (PRO.V.I. 2016 – 2018) IN FAVORE DI PERSONE CON DISABILITA' GRAVI PER L'AUTONOMIA PERSONALE E L'INCLUSIONE SOCIO-LAVORATIVA. LIQUIDAZIONE II° TRIMESTRE (AGOSTO – OTTOBRE 2018) AL BENEDFICIARIO CODICE PRATICA N. OH3IDI4.


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A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Tunisia Treating Cutaneous Leishmaniasis with Paromomycin Ointment
A. Ben Salah, H. Zakraoui, A. Zaatour, A. Ftaiti, B. Zaafouri, A. Garraoui, P. L. Olliaro, K. Dellagi, and R. Ben Ismail
Laboratoire d'Epidemiologie et d'Ecologie Parasitaire, et Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Direction Regionale de la Sante Publique et Service Regional des Soins de Sante de Base, World Health Organization Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, Tunis, Tunisia
A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was carried out in 1992 in central Tunisia to assess the tolerability and efficacy of paromomycin ointment against zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major. One hundred fifteen patients, 2–60 years of age, with a single lesion of parasitologically confirmed cutaneous leishmaniasis, were included in the trial. The ointment was applied twice a day from day 1 through day 14. Clinical and parasitologic evaluations of lesions were done at days 0, 15, 45, and 105. Fifty-seven patients were allocated the treatment and 58 the placebo. Based on local toxicity and laboratory evaluation, there was no difference in tolerability between the two groups. Parasitologic evaluation at day 15 showed that 74.5% of the treated group had negative smears compared with 56.4% among controls (P = 0.06). This difference was no longer apparent at days 45 and 105. Clinical evaluation at days 15, 45, and 105 did not indicate any difference between the two groups. The clinical evaluation at day 15 was a good predictor of the final prognosis of the lesion in the two groups when analyzed separately, suggesting no clinical relapse in either group. These findings suggest that paromomycin ointment should not be used in the present formulation as a treatment for zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Tunisia.
Copyright © 1995 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1995
https://www.ajtmh.org/view/journals/tpmd/53/2/article-p162.xml


After showering and charging our devices we toured Gonder with Dave and his friend. We visited a series of castles built by Solomonic emperor Fasilides in the 16th century after he restored the Ethiopian Church and established Gonder as Ethiopia's capital. With grand halls, towers and gables, the architecture was almost as interesting as the court intrigue. It was all very game of thrones -African version.
Gonder also has a significant moslem presence and it was the area in which the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews) lived before they were evacuated to Israel during famine and rule of the Derg in the 1980's.
We took tuk tuks to the sprawling market where we saw everything on sale from fruit and incense to ladies of the evening. Dinner was at Master Chef restaurant where we had injera with shiro, spinach and potatoes. The proper way to eat Ethiopian food is to break off a piece of injera (large fermented pancake) and scoop up some curry or sauce and pop it into your mouth. You are not supposed to use your left hand or let your fingers touch your lips. I kept forgetting this as I would scoop with my left and lick the spilled sauce off my fingers. Dave's friend told us that he was recently wed to a girl in an arranged marriage. Most marriages in Ethiopia are arranged by parents and he told us he was very happy with the result.
After dinner we went to a night club in a basement club near our hotel. The place was packed and there was this amazing energy. Different singers would come on accompanied by male and female dancers who would switch outfits for each singer. Gonder people dance with their shoulders shaking them side to side leaning forward. Modesty prevents the female dancers from dancing with the audience so only the male dancers work the crowd. Dressed in silver and gold outfits that would put Prince to shame, the men would shoulder dance with members of the audience for tips. It was funny to see guys putting money in the pockets of dancers in a context that was completely different from the North American one.
Next morning (March 13) we woke at 4 a to the sound of Orthodox prayers in Ge'ez being broadcast over the town loudspeakers. After a breakfast of full (beans with chilis and onions and fresh bread) We said good bye to Dave and caught a flight to Lalibela. The town is named after a 13th century emperor who unified Ethiopia and embarked on a project to build solid rock churches in order to create a new Jerusalem. The churches were very impressive some were rectangular and had two floors, one was shaped like a cross. Some interiors of the churches were sparse, others had murals and carvings including stars of David and African saints. There were some pilgrims and orthodox priests. European missionaries went to Aftica to bring religion to "the savages" However, these churches showed how Christianity was alive and well in Ethiopia and that while Europe was in the Dark Ages, Ethiopians were building a "New Jerusalem". It made me realize how the creative and open periods of all societies are temporary. Maybe one day Ethiopian and other African tourists will traipse around the ruins of American cities leave tips to the Amharic speaking local guides and wonder about the societies that built them.
Eliot and I met up with Jure for dinner at this restaurant that looks like a set form a James Bond movie. It is owned by a Scotsman. They have Scottish/Ethiopian dishes including Shepherds pie with Shiro. Over beer, Jure described his 14 hour bus ride ordeal from Gonder to Lalibela. From what he could see through the icon/saint covered windshield, the road was barely wider than the bus. Things got worse when the bus stopped and the Ethiopians got off to pick Khat (mild narcotic). Everyone on the bus started chatting as if they were on mushrooms, then they all fell asleep. That would be ok except for the fact that the driver was chewing on it as well. After that experience Jure booked a flight to Addis.
That evening Eliot had stomach issues which somehow eluded me. The next day we flew back to Addis for one more night at the Caravan hotel before catching our flight to Tokyo. The airport was packed there were chinese people in the duty free, Arabs and Magrebi people in the restaurants, an African soccer team buying sneakers and Israelis. I even saw a chassid. As we took off I was very sad to be leaving Ethiopia. It was one of the places I was most looking forward too and the experience surpassed all expectations. Each time we leave a country I sense the loss associated with having part of a journey. I guess every day brings us closer to the end of the journey. When you travel you live life on steroids, everyday you see something new and experience new things, you do not get to fall into routine. Experiences can be good and bad but they are almost always new. Our trip is long and the loss associated with ending in one country is tempered by expectations of visiting the next one. As I lay down to sleep on the three seats (Airplane was empty), I looked forward to Japan.


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Linkages between researchers and legislators in developing countries. A scoping study.
Effective parliaments are a cornerstone of democracy, performing three core functions: representing the citizenry, providing oversight on the actions of government, and making legislation. A range of quality evidence is needed to fulfil these responsibilities. For example, MPs need to know what the issues in their constituencies are; committees need to understand the possible impacts of legislation they are working on; and staff need access to a wide range of evidence in order to advise MPs and committees.
Citizen knowledge: evidence held by citizens themselves about their lived experiences. Parliaments might gather this for example through public hearings or community visits.
Research evidence: evidence which is produced through a formal, comprehensive and rigorous process, usually using primary and secondary literature and adhering to accepted principles of quality. Parliaments gather this through their own research departments, or through externally commissioned research.
Practice-informed knowledge: evidence gained from experience of implementing policy and practice. Parliaments might gather this in a variety of ways, for instance through expert verbal testimony, or through programme reports.
Human resource capacity (staff and MPs): with the skills to access, appraise and use a variety of types of evidence for decision making.
While staff and MPs are both critical to Parliament's human resource capacity, they play different roles in evidence use. MPs are rarely involved in gathering, reviewing and synthesising evidence themselves—they usually rely on staff to provide them with briefing papers, prepare speeches, and compile summaries of key social and economic indicators in their constituencies. Parliamentary staff including committee clerks, researchers, IT stafflibrary personnel and reporters preparing reports of proceedings are therefore key to the day-to-day information management in parliaments. They answer MPs' queries and research requests, produce reports for parliamentary committees, and shape the administrative and IT systems that affect evidence use. They also may be involved in connecting external experts with Parliament, for example through inviting them to contribute evidence for a report or organising a roundtable.
Weak organisational and human resource capacity—for instance, some parliaments have large and well-organised multidisciplinary research teams, while others may have no research department at all.
Varying levels of leadership commitment to evidence: ome parliaments have a strong focus and support for research and evidence at the top levels of their leadership and strategic planning, while others do not prioritise this function.
Limited IT and library services: ssome parliaments have better-resourced library and IT services which can enable more efficient information management.
The fast-paced political nature of the legislature and the challenges this poses for providing robust evidence in a very short timeframe is a challenge which is common to all parliaments.
Limited links with the national research sector—while parliaments have considerable research needs, building relationships between academic institutions and policymakers can be difficult. They often have different incentives, timescales and understandings of evidence.
The use of evidence in parliaments is therefore a broad area of interest covering internal information management, as well as institutional issues such as strategy and budget, and external relationships across the governance system. These include relationships both between Parliament and the Executive and between Parliament and other stakeholders, such as researchers, NGOs and donors. The central underpinning interest is in how Parliament systematically identifies and meets its needs for a range of evidence to inform decision making.
This Area of Expertise, jointly hosted by INASP and AGORA, gathers and shares the expertise of parliamentary development experts as well as those in the evidence-informed policy making sector on these themes.


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MLB All-Star Game 2011: How Could Andrew McCutchen Snub Have Been Avoided?
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I've been thinking about the fact that Joel Hanrahan, rather than Andrew McCutchen, will be representing the Pirates in the 2011 MLB All-Star Game.
Now, clearly, Joel Hanrahan is a deserving All-Star. He's got a blistering fastball, he's amazingly fun to watch and he's been blowing away National League hitters all year.
But it's immensely disappointing to Pirates fans to see Andrew McCutchen not on the team. McCutchen has been, by almost any reasonable standard, one of the best players in the National League, and he's been the face of a Pirates franchise that has been one of the best stories in baseball this year. He absolutely should be there.
Here's a suggestion for avoiding this problem. The issue is that each team needs to have a representative, and so what people do when they don't want to think too hard about a particular team is to just pick a reliever. After all, All-Star teams need relievers, so what better way to include a player from a sad-sack team than to pick a low-wattage player like a relief pitcher? This allows those who select the All-Star rosters to dismiss teams like the Pirates, while also somehow still acknowledging them.
Maybe the token player on each team shouldn't be allowed to be a reliever - each team should be represented by either a position player, one who plays every day, or a starting pitcher. Only after all teams are represented that way could relievers be selected.
This would, it's true, make selecting the rosters even more complicated. But it appears that the folks in charge do need a lot of hand-holding.
... Or, you know, maybe the folks who pick the teams could start doing so responsibly. Both McCutchen and Hanrahan deserve to be there. But the fact that McCutchen isn't there is a travesty.
2011 MLB All-Star Game: Joel Hanrahan, Andrew McCutchen, Kevin Correia Represent Pirates
2011 MLB All-Star Game Results: Prince Fielder's Homer Leads National League To 5-1 Victory
2011 MLB All-Star Game: Bruce Bochy Angry About Clint Hurdle's Comments Regarding Andrew McCutchen Snub