The cost of permits to view the gorillas for an hour in Uganda and Rwanda is currently the same – 500 USD pp since (May 2008). However, gorilla permits in Uganda cost 350 USD pp during the months of October and November, as well as March, April and May, considered to be the low season.
there are currently eight habituated guerrilla groups in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park of Uganda and a total of eighty permits are issued every day at eight per group. In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park there is one habituated group, but they move into Rwanda every now and then thus at times permit sales for this park is suspended.
In Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, there are four habituated gorilla groups and eight permits are issued per group bringing the total per day.
The permits can be booked in advance by you or by your travel agent (some people report this procedure to be slow and unpredictable) or you can book when you get to Uganda or Rwanda but then you run the risk of them all being sold out and you might have to wait (will be a problem if your time is very limited).
Bwindi is a rainforest so the vegetation tends to be a little more dense and might make photography more difficult but it all depends on exactly where the gorillas are on the day while VNP is a little more open and might afford better views.
Your chances of seeing the gorillas are excellent in both Uganda and Rwanda because they are tracked each day by experienced trackers so their locations are known down to the last 24 hours. It's possible but quite rare for visitors not to see the gorillas.
Transport to and from the national parks if you are not using a safari company can be done using buses and taxis which seem to be reasonably reliable in both countries.
So in answer to the question of which country is better to see gorillas, it seems that they are both pretty much on par and your choice can come down to what is more convenient for you.
Bwindi is a rainforest so you can expect precipitation most of the year with the heaviest rains occurring in March-April and September-November while other months are reasonably dry. Annual precipitation is between 1130mm and 2390mm.
The annual temperature ranges between 7-20°C with the coldest period being June and July.
The park receives a high amount of rainfall; over70 inches(1,800mm) per year and daytime temperatures average about70°F(21°C). The dry season occurs mid-June-September and December-March.
Gorilla permits for Volcanoes park effective from 2nd.June.2012 will cost USD.750 per permit.


text:
Direction, Formation
Health and Sanity
Sidney Callahan
Sidney Callahan, Ph.D, is an award winning author, professor and licensed psychologist. She earned her B.A. in English (magna cum laude) from Bryn Mawr College, her M.A. in Psychology from Sarah Lawrence College and a Ph.D in Social and Personality Psychology from the City University of New York. Callahan has written numerous articles, books, and columns devoted to religious, psychological, and ethical questions. She has been awarded many honors in the course of her career and served on many boards.
For twenty years she taught and served as a tenured professor of psychology; she has also held visiting chairs of interdisciplinary studies and moral theology at Georgetown and St. John's University in New York. She has lectured at over three hundred academic and public institutions. Callahan is also former columnist for the National Catholic Reporter.
©2011 The Crossroad Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved. | info@crossroadpublishing.com | website built by Gábor Bánóczi

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Walking at work: Treadmill desks soaring in popularity
Oct 1, 2013, 2:34 PM | Updated: Oct 2, 2013, 7:38 am
A customer tries out a treadmill desk at the newly opened Work While Walking in Bellevue, the world's first retail store dedicated to walking and standing desks. (Work While Walking photo)
(Work While Walking photo)
BY JOSH KERNS
Former KIRO Newsradio Reporter
Longtime Seattle-area tech entrepreneur Ron Wiener is used to spending long hours in front of a computer. But when he started putting on weight over the years and feeling crummy, he realized he needed to do something different.
"You don't think five pounds is a lot. But it adds up, so over the years it became a real problem for me," he says. Then one day he saw someone working on a treadmill desk and figured he'd give it a shot. After trying one, he was hooked.
"It changed my life," he says.
He's not alone. Treadmill and standing desks are soaring in popularity.
LifeSpan Fitness in Salt Lake City says its sales of treadmill desks more than tripled over 2012.
"We don't see the growth slowing down for several years as right now we are just moving from early adopters, which are educated and highly health-conscious, to more mainstream users," says Peter Schenk, company president.
With treadmill desks, users walk at a leisurely 1 to 2 miles per hour, enough to speed your metabolism, but still allow you to work or talk on the phone without losing your breath or working up a sweat.
"When you walk at very slow speeds your productivity goes up significantly and this has been scientifically shown. You're increasing blood flow to the brain, obviously. Your concentration improves," Wiener says.
While there's little research so far measuring the direct health benefits of treadmill desks, there's plenty of data showing all our sitting is significantly hurting us.
Conditions from obesity to increased risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease have all been linked to sitting. Even going to the gym three times a week doesn't offset the harm of being sedentary for hours at a time, said Dr. James Levine, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic.
"There's a glob of information that sitting is killing us," Levine said. "You're basically sitting yourself into a coffin."
More companies are intrigued by the idea of helping employees stay healthy, lose weight and reduce stress, especially if it means lower insurance costs and higher productivity, says Levine, an enthusiastic supporter of the moving workstations.
"Even walking at one mile an hour has very substantial benefits," Levine said, such as doubling metabolic rate and improving blood sugar levels. "Although you don't sweat, your body moving is sort of purring along."
But finding one to try isn't easy. That prompted Wiener to first set up a website to review and sell treadmill and standing desks. And he just opened the world's first retail store dedicated to the desks in Bellevue.
"I couldn't find good info online. It was mostly put out by manufacturers. Some of them were high quality products and the information just wasn't very thorough. Some of them were very poor quality products and the information crossed the line into fraudulent health claims."
The Bellevue location of "Work While Walking" near Microsoft's sprawling campus was a logical location. Weiner says tech workers are far and away the biggest adopters of treadmill desks.
"Intel, Google, Microsoft, they've got hundreds of them. The IT industry has the highest health care costs because it has the highest incidents of sitting disease. So naturally, you would expect this industry to glom onto it," he says.
The desks are also the hot thing in Hollywood. Jimmy Kimmel, Al Roker and Ari Emanuel, the head of powerhouse agency William Morris have become enthusiastic users.
Treadmill desks can range from about $800 to $5,000 or more, depending on the manufacturer and model. They're not cheap. But Wiener says they're a lot less expensive than a heart attack.
"Yeah, the equipment is expensive, there's no question, but the returns are unbelievable," he says. "Talk to anybody who's been doing it for awhile and they'll tell you it's been a massive change in their energy level and their overall health."
Learning to work and walk takes some practice. You can try out a number of models to get the feel for it at the retail store, where coaches are on hand to dial in optimal ergonomics and techniques to help you get comfortable.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Corrections Department pays $600,000 settlement in sexual harassment lawsuit
Washington's Corrections Department has agreed to pay $600,000 dollars to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a former student intern.
The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge eased further in December, and consumer spending fell -- the latest evidence that the Fed's series of interest rate hikes are slowing the economy.
A Seattle attorney representing 50 of the families of victims of the Boeing 737 MAX crashes gives his take on the fraud charge against Boeing.
Frank Sumrall
Seattle finally experiences first 5 p.m. sunset of 2023
Ninety days have passed since Seattle saw a sunset at or later than 5 p.m., but the city will enjoy its first 5 p.m. sunset this week.


I'm in recovery from bulimia at the moment (go me!), but I'm finding that I'm ALWAYS hungry. However much I eat, I never feel satisfied!
Breakfast today: an apple, an orange, two slices of watermelon, two cups of tea, eight crisp bread things, two handfuls of almonds, and four falafels... HOW AM I NOT EXPLODING?? And WHY do I feel like I could still eat more? Sure, I'm slim, but I'm not underweight... I don't over-exercise... I try to eat foods that are high in fibre... I guess bulimia must have stretched my stomach!
Did you experience this when you were in recovery? If so, how did you deal with it? Any advice??
3) When you're lucky and feel absolutely fine!
I fell into category two... I had terrible bloating and a shot metabolism... I felt extremely full for the first month of my recovery - then it gradually began to improve.
The first - which I think could possibly be yours - is that you're not eating enough fat. Fat doesn't necessarily mean you need to stack up on the chips and dip... You can get healthy fats which help to increase your levels of fullness and satiety (satiety meaning 'just right') Perhaps try to add even more nuts into your meals, avocados, some cheese and some sort of meat - perhaps chicken? If you're a vegetarian, scratch the meat and bulk up on vegetable fats.
I know that now when I eat a meal without enough fat - within 30 minutes I'm back in the pantry... with my tummy rumbling. I need fat in every single meal... And that's common with most people.
Eat your meals really slowly, putting your knife and fork down after each bite... this will allow your body time to register food. Try not to eat in front of the TV or while at the computer... Eat in a calm and relaxing place where you can enjoy your meal. If you're still hungry after your meal, wait 30 minutes, drink a glass of water (To make sure your hungry not thirsty) and, if 30 minutes later your still hungry, eat again (in the same relaxing, calm way) If you are truly hungry, allow yourself to eat.
It can take a while to regain the intuitive eating that you used to have before bulimia set in... but in time you'll learn how to listen to your body to figure out exactly what it needs.
You're doing superbly so far - give yourself a high five - because if I was with you right now I'd give you one :) You deserve it!


Inspired by the beach clean-ups volunteers have been doing around New Zealand for many years, NIWA scientist Amanda Valois is on a mission to stop that rubbish accumulating in the first place.
"There's a lot of interest in New Zealand about the amount of plastics on beaches and in marine animals, but the rubbish is coming from the land and it's carried there by rivers. Picking it up when it gets to beaches is a very inefficient way to stem this problem," she says.
That's why Dr Valois will spend the next three years studying rubbish collected from the Kaiwharawhara catchment in Wellington – every plastic bag, bottle, container, tag and fragment - in order to study the role of rivers in carrying plastics to the ocean.
The source of the Kaiwharawhara Stream is near the Zealandia wildlife reserve in Karori. The stream source is a pristine site, but the stream then weaves its way through suburban Wellington, emerging in the harbour where the water contains rubbish and contaminants.
"We'll be trying to figure out where the stream is picking up all this plastic, and what it is doing to it. In many ways, Wellington is an ideal location for this research because its windy conditions and steep gullies provide opportunities for plastic to accumulate in waterways," says Valois.
Dr Valois says people are often mystified about how much rubbish ends up on beaches, but she says it only takes a sudden gust of wind for something to blow out of a recycling bin on the side of the road to start the process.
Dr Valois will also be sorting the plastic rubbish at key locations to identify the major sources and types in the hope of coming up with interventions before the plastic gets into waterways.
She will be working with community groups and iwi in the first study of its kind. This research will also assess the impacts of plastics on Māori cultural values.
The project is funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's Endeavour Fund.


Mayor President Joel Robideaux officially has a challenger in his bid for re-election in the Fall. Carlee Alm-LaBar made her announcement at an event in Downtown Lafayette on Friday. She was an assistant to former Mayor-President Joey Durel and oversaw the planning efforts of his administration. In an interview with Rob Kirkpatrick and Bernadette Lee, she said her focus will on the transition to the new government approved by voters in 2018. Listen to the full interview below.


text:
How Can Transit Agencies Get Bus Stops Right?
By Angie Schmitt
A dignified place to wait for the bus is an essential part of any well-functioning transit system.
But transit agencies — many of them — have neglected this infrastructure, as we've seen in our Sorriest Bus Stop Competition.
The advocacy group TransitCenter explains in a new report [PDF] that transit agencies are still overwhelmingly focused on rail, rather than bus, amenities. In 2016, transit agencies spent just 6 percent of their station capital funds on bus stop amenities, like benches and shelters. The other 94 percent went to rail stations.
There are two main problems with that disparity. For one, it's discriminatory. Bus riders are more likely to be low-income. And it's bad business: about 50 percent of transit trips in the U.S. are still made by bus.
Bus riders are poorer and less likely to be white than rail transit riders. Image: TransitCenter
Research has shown when bus riders have amenities like benches, shelters and trash cans, they perceive waits to be shorter. And bus stop amenities may even help improve ridership.
According to Streetsblog's very rough estimates, it would cost between $2.8 and $5.2 billion to put a bus shelter at every stop in America.
Across the nation, transit agencies vary a great deal in their responsive they are to making sure their bus stops are safe and comfortable. Here is a good example, and a bad example from TransitCenter's new case study.
The Good: Minneapolis
The Twin Cities' Metro Transit is an example of an agency that is being thoughtful about how to ensure bus riders have a safe and comfortable place to wait. The agency, TransitCenter reports, takes responsibility for bus stops across the system, rather than leaving it to a patchwork of different municipalities.
This also makes the process much easier from a permitting perspective. Metro is able to secure approvals simply by drafting the shelter and site plan and sending it to the appropriate Public Works department for approval.
Metro Transit uses a private advertising partner that provides about $4 million a year for the right to advertise at rail and bus stations. But the agency maintains its contractual authority over stop planning.
In 2014, Metro Transit applied for an Obama-era grant program called Ladders of Opportunity, aimed at improving mobility for low-income populations. The agency received a $4-million grant for a Better Bus Stops program. The goal was to improve ADA accessibility, lighting, shelters and route information at bus stops, particularly in low-income neighborhoods of color.
Metro put 10 percent of the funding aside to hire local organizations to conduct outreach with riders about what amenities they valued and where they wanted to see them. The agency used 30 boardings a day as a guideline for which stops should receive shelters. It also considered site factors: is there enough clearance? As well as demographics: Is the stop in an area with a high number of carless households?
The result was 200 additional shelters in neighborhoods with concentrated poverty. Metro takes responsibility for maintaining the stops itself.
Bad: Los Angeles
Photo: TransitCenter
In contrast, L.A. Metro leaves responsibility for bus stops and shelters almost entirely to the local authorities. Each bus stop change requires negotiations with the corresponding municipality. The result, says TransitCenter is a "complex ownership and an elaborate approval process hamstring widespread improvements to bus stops."
The agency does not even have a set of criteria it uses to evaluate bus stops, TransitCenter writes. That is true even though L.A. has been pouring hundreds of millions into improve transit service throughout the region.
Metro, for example, has $361 million in Measure M funding to devote to first- and last-mile connections to transit. But the agency has only committed to making improvement at its 100 busiest bus stops.
L.A. contracts with a private advertising company for street furniture and bus shelters. But the complicated approval process means that 640 fewer shelters were provided than the contract promised (2,500).
Following a lawsuit about bus stop accessibility, however, L.A. Metro has recently taken a few steps toward systematic improvements. The agency is building a database that carefully catalogues the amenities available at each stop, so at least it will have a good understanding the current conditions.
For more best practices, check out the full report [PDF].
Filed Under: Bus Stops, Public Transportation, Streetsblog USA
One Neat Trick to Speed Up Bus Journeys
By Angie Schmitt	| Jun 28, 2019
It's called "bus stop balancing." It's cheap and it's one of the most effective ways to speed up bus journeys.
Five Things People Want From Transit as They Grow Older
By Angie Schmitt	| Aug 7, 2017
America is aging -- by 2030, 20 percent of the population will be 65 or older, up from 14 percent today. It's a demographic shift with big implications for urban transportation. Older Americans drive less but still want to get out and experience their cities.
Six Principles for a Transit System That Makes Your City More Fair and Just
By Angie Schmitt	| Jul 18, 2018
Transit should be a great social equalizer. In many cities, however, transit's potential to advance economic fairness is held in check because resources are distributed inequitably.
Meet the Final Four in Our "Sorry Bus Stops"™ Contest
By Angie Schmitt	| Sep 4, 2018
The the winners (losers) are: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, New Orleans and Vancouver.
OPINION: We Should Put a Bus Shelter at Every Stop in America
By Angie Schmitt	| Oct 2, 2018
It's not okay to make elderly people with arthritis wait in the rain and mud. We estimate we could install a bus shelter at every stop in America for between $2.8 and $5.2 billion.
Boston Identified Its Most Dangerous, Degrading Bus Stops. Now What?
By Angie Schmitt	| Feb 9, 2017
The MBTA is evaluating all 7,600 of its bus stops for safety and accessibility, and it will either improve or eliminate 200 of the worst ones.


text:
Q: Targeting Glass as well as tablets. Are multiple intent-filters required? My current Android application defines its intent filter as:
<intent-filter>
   <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
   <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>

In order to extend the application to run on Glass, I understand that I need the following intent filter:
 <intent-filter>
     <action android:name="com.google.android.glass.action.VOICE_TRIGGER" />
 </intent-filter>

If I replace my existing intent-filter with the one for Glass, would my application still work for tablets and other Android devices? Or, should I leave my existing filter as is and add a new filter for Glass? Regards.

A: Few existing applications (any?!) have the user interface design and presentation required to be good GlassWare. I would recommend that you create a separate application, but share the underlying code as it makes architectural sense.

A: For those interested, my testing shows that you can support Google Glass as well as other Android devices by adding both the intent filters.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Hi , the hotel rooms may, may not have sockets that support international plugs however the hotel provides Multi-plug where ever possible to the guests. The buffet costs around Rs. 899* . Hope that helps. thanks.
We have 51 rooms comprising of Deluxe and Suites.
Yes, they do service our location and they are quiet easy to get.
Can unmarried couple stay at this hotel?
Hi, The hotel does not require guests' Marital Status. But as per the Government directives it is Mandatory for all the guest (Foreign Nationals, NRI's and Indian Nationals) to present their Photo Identity and Address proof at the time of Check-In which can be in form of 'Passport and Visa Copy, Driving License, Voter ID Card or Aadhar Card, failing which the hotel reserves the right of refusal.
I wish to know the Distance between Hotel and IG International Airport Delhi. Does the hotel have arrangements for to and fro airport travel for air passengers ?
Ya they do provide cabs but the fares are like bomb.you should prefer radio taxi like uber or ola etc.or u cn go by metro if time is nt a constrain.


Submitted by BrianB on 11/17/2016.
The Brexit vote in the United Kingdom was perhaps the first warning shot of the rising populist sentiments across the West. Analysts were stunned, polls were proven wrong, and world geopolitical stability took a serious hit. Then came Donald Trump, and his shocking victory over career politician Hillary Clinton.
With anti-globalisation sentiments rising across the West, long-standing alliances and relationships are coming under fire. Perhaps none of these is more important than the alliance between the European Union and the United States of America.
Now, with just weeks left in office, President Barack Obama is conducting one last tour through Europe. What was once expected to be more of a farewell tour and curtain bow on the world stage, has instead became an essential effort to shore up fraying relationships.
Perhaps the highest stakes meeting are the current talks between Angela Merkel and President Obama. Merkel is one of only a few internationally-liberal politicians still enjoying considerable support at home and political clout abroad. Yet Merkel too has been coming under pressure in recent weeks.
Obama and Merkel also published a co-authored opinion piece entitled "The Future of trans-Atlantic Relations", which was published in the German news magazine Wirtschaftswoche. In the article, the two leaders acknowledged that European and American relations are at a crossroads and also admitted that globalization itself needed to be reshaped.
Obama and Merkel also cited the many common goals shared between Germany, Europe, and the United States. Fighting the Islamic State, maintaining the strength of NATO, and dealing with global issues, like the ongoing refugee crisis, and numerous other issues can be common grounds for future cooperation.
The elephant in the room, or more in Eastern Europe, is big, ornery, and obvious: Russia. Donald Trump has so far proven to be quite receptive and warm towards Russia and Vladimir Putin. Trump has even hinted that the two countries could move quickly to restore relations, which have been frayed by the on-going conflict in Ukraine, and the buildup of Russian troops on its western borders.
With American support potentially waning, the European Union may be forced to burden more of the responsibility. Given the current lack of strength and political unity within the EU itself, this means that Germany may be forced to rally Europe and lead the way in challenging Russian aggression.
Earlier in November, the American military did send a huge shipment of ammunition to NATO forces across Europe. This shipment marked the largest such shipment in over twenty years. Still, while ammunition stores may have been repleted, the threat from Russia remains real and present.
Add in the United Kingdom's slow drift away from continental Europe, and the need for strong, new leaders to move into the forefront only becomes all the more obvious. For now, the next likely leader appears to be Germany, but Merkel's approval ratings have been slipping in the wake of Islamic terrorist attacks and issues with the million plus illegal migrants now staked out in Germany.
If Germany were to falter, who would be left? The risk of a collapsing European Union cannot be ruled out.


How do you store Jamón Ibérico? How long does Jamón Ibérico last?
Now that you have Spain's proudest gastronomic delicacy in your home, you need to give it some tender love and care to keep it fresh and delectable. So how and where do you store Jamón Ibérico? How long will it last once it arrives at your home? How does a leg of jamón last for so long? We've got the answers to your pressing ham questions.
How long does Jamón Ibérico last?
A whole leg of Jamón Ibérico will last up to 9 months unopened from the time it arrives at your doorstep. Once you open up the vacuum seal, it will last for 6-8 weeks, as long as you store it properly. One of our 16 lb whole Jamón 100% Ibérico de Bellota will yield around 45 to 50 plates of 2.5oz/each.
A vacuum sealed package of hand-carved Jamón Ibérico, on the other hand, will last up to 5 months in the refrigerator. An opened package, however, should be enjoyed the same day. But we doubt that will be too much of a problem—we dare you to make it last more than a few hours!
Where do I store Jamón Ibérico?
A whole leg of Jamón Ibérico doesn't need to be refrigerated. It should, however, be stored on its jamonero, or ham-holder, away from a direct heat source or sunlight. The kitchen counter is an accessible place for it, as long as the counter isn't next to the oven or stovetop. It stores best in cool and dry places like a wine cellar or a clean basement, as this particular climate mimics the specialized curing rooms of Spain.
A vacuum-sealed pack of hand-carved Jamón Ibérico should be stored in the fridge. Never freeze jamón! It's far too delicate and lasts long enough that you shouldn't ever need to freeze it. Spaniards cured ham as a means of preservation before refrigeration or freezers. No need to double up on the preservation methods.
How do I store Jamón Ibérico?
After you've cut into your Jamón 100% Ibérico de Bellota, make sure to store it properly. Cover the exposed meat surface with those slices of fat you removed when you first cut into the jamón. Then cover the whole leg with a dry kitchen towel or cheesecloth to keep out the sunlight and air. When it's time to carve again, simply remove the towel, set the pieces of fat aside, and carve away!
Later on, if you see that that top layer of meat has dried out because of a bit of air exposure, don't worry. Just slice off the first dried layer and discard it. The rest of the jamón will still be in perfect condition.
Does Jamón Ibérico need to be refrigerated?
Only sliced Jamón Ibérico needs to be refrigerated. Make sure you pull it out of the fridge about an hour before serving so it can come up to temperature. If it's not room temperature, the texture will be chewy and the flavor muted. Eating cold Jamón Ibérico is basically like drinking warm champagne.
Can't wait an entire hour to dive into those delicate slices of umami-laced perfection? Place the vacuum-sealed package in a bowl of warm water for two minutes and you'll be good to go.
What if I carve off too much Jamón Ibérico and want to save it for later?
If you get a little crazy with your new jamón carving skills and have some leftovers, put the slices on a plate and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to prevent air flow. Then place it in the fridge and it will last for 2-3 days. On the other hand, you could also vacuum seal sliced jamón yourself. If properly sealed, it will last for 2-3 months in the fridge.
Why does a whole leg of Jamón Ibérico last so long?
Jamón Ibérico is a cured meat, meaning it is preserved using salt and time. Curing is one of the oldest preservation methods and has been used for centuries to keep food from spoiling without refrigeration. The process is slow and methodical and necessitates a lot of care.
After butchering, artisans submerge the hams in salt, rinse them carefully, and place them in a refrigerated space during a 60 to 90 day period. During this time, the salt distributes itself evenly and the meat begins the rehydrate and preserve. The jamón artisans monitor the conditions rigorously throughout the curing process, increasing the temperature and humidity over time. Once the ham reaches an ideal temperature and humidity level, the artisans move the them into a natural drying cellar called a "bodega." They stay in there anywhere from six months to a year before they reach a specific texture, cure, and flavor. Later, they hang the jamón in a curing cellar to age until the Maestro Jamonero, or "ham master" decides, through a series of aroma and touch tests, that the jamón is perfectly cured. All said and done, the curing process alone can take up to four whole years.
There's nothing like proudly displaying four years of cured Spanish greatness in your home, or opening up a package of hand-carved slices for a pre-dinner tapa. If you care for Jamón Ibérico properly, it will give you days and days of deliciousness. Just remember: carved goes in the fridge but the whole leg can be on the counter. Store it right and it'll be all the better.


text:
import path from 'path';
import webpack from 'webpack';
import HtmlWebpackPlugin from 'html-webpack-plugin';
import ExtractTextPlugin from 'extract-text-webpack-plugin';

const inExamples = loc => path.resolve(__dirname, loc);

const env = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development';
const __DEV__ = env === 'development';

const config = {
  entry: {
    app: [
      inExamples('src/index.js'),
      inExamples('src/example.css')
    ]
  },
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: /\.js$/,
        exclude: /node_modules/,
        loader: 'babel-loader'
      },
      {
        test: /\.css$/,
        loader: ExtractTextPlugin.extract({
          fallback: 'style-loader',
          use: 'css-loader'
        })
      }
    ]
  },
  resolve: {
    alias: {
      'react-chartjs-2': '../../../src'
    }
  },
  output: {
    path: inExamples('dist'),
    filename: '[name].js'
  },
  plugins: [
    new webpack.DefinePlugin({
      'process.env': {
        NODE_ENV: JSON.stringify(env)
      },
    }),
    new ExtractTextPlugin({
      filename: '[name].css',
      disable: __DEV__
    }),
    new HtmlWebpackPlugin({
      template: inExamples('src/index.html'),
      inject: true,
      minify: {
        removeComments: true,
        collapseWhitespace: true,
        removeRedundantAttributes: true,
        useShortDoctype: true,
        removeEmptyAttributes: true,
        removeStyleLinkTypeAttributes: true,
        keepClosingSlash: true,
        minifyJS: true,
        minifyCSS: true,
        minifyURLs: true
      }
    })
  ],
  devServer: {
    contentBase: path.join(__dirname, 'src'),
    historyApiFallback: true,
    hot: true,
    inline: true,
    port: 8000,
    stats: {
      cached: false
    }
  }
};

if (__DEV__) {
  config.plugins.push(
    new webpack.NoEmitOnErrorsPlugin(),
    new webpack.HotModuleReplacementPlugin()
  );
}
else {
  config.plugins.push(
    new webpack.optimize.ModuleConcatenationPlugin(),

    new webpack.LoaderOptionsPlugin({
      minimize: true,
      debug: false,
    }),

    new webpack.optimize.UglifyJsPlugin({
      comments: false,
      compress: {
        warnings: false,
        screw_ie8: true,
        conditionals: true,
        unused: true,
        comparisons: true,
        sequences: true,
        dead_code: true,
        evaluate: true,
        if_return: true,
        join_vars: true,
      },
      mangle: {
        screw_ie8: true
      },
      output: {
        comments: false,
        screw_ie8: true
      }
    })
  );
}

export default config;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
All The Ways You Can Earn Royalties From Your Songs
The Tunedly Team, 2019-05-01
Do you write songs with the intention to make money from your music? In the past, we have talked about different earning options available to songwriters who don't want to perform, as well as various ways you can make money from your songwriting skills (in terms of jobs you can do).
However, we have come to the realization that many songwriters are unaware of all the ways their songs can earn royalties. This is partly due to the vastness of the music industry and how it is layered. For example, people might be unaware that royalties can be generated from both the original recording of a song, as well as subsequent cover versions. We wouldn't want you leaving money on the table so it seems a good idea to give you some pointers in this area.
First off, royalties can be generated in two main categories:
-	From digital sources, which includes downloading, streaming etc.
-	From physical (analog) sources, which is pretty much the traditional way, before the advent of selling music online.
Now that you're aware of the two categories, let's look at all the ways you can earn royalties from both.
-	Interactive and streaming
Streaming has become the dominant revenue-generating format from music consumption in recent times. Many music creators and artists submit their music to various streaming services with the hopes that music consumers will 'stream' their songs. The more streams they are able to rack up, the more revenue they are able to generate, but even within this simple structure, there are different ways royalties can be generated.
For starters, royalties can be generated from interactive streaming, which involves listeners being able to play, pause, rewind songs, and create playlists. As a songwriter who has a part in a piece of music that gets used in any of these ways, you are entitled to mechanical royalties. While there is a variation among the different platforms, the stipulated average per the government is $0.005 per stream. For countries outside of the U.S., the payout is usually about 10% of the listed price.
There is another form of royalty due to songwriters from interactive streaming. Streaming a song via any of the popular platforms, including YouTube, also counts as a public performance (since music can be streamed directly from these sites at parties, gyms or other public gatherings, for instance). This royalty, however, is determined by a performance rights organization (PRO) such as BMI or ASCAP, so you'd need to have your works registered with one in order to earn this type of royalty.
-	Non-interactive streaming
There are other streaming platforms that don't allow users to choose songs or have the ability to pause, rewind, or create playlists. They only make it possible to listen and include Pandora, Sirius XM, cable stations that stream music, and other services that operate similarly to a traditional radio station. Streams on any of these services are counted as public performances and, therefore, would result in royalties for songs played. The rates for such royalties, similarly to public performance royalties on interactive streaming platforms, are determined by PROs. In this case, the rates are determined on a case by case basis and usually calculated on gross revenue of the streaming platform.
-	Digital downloading
In the earlier days of buying music online, digital downloads were all the rage. While this source of revenue has been declining, in line with the rise of streaming, people still download music, and your music can generate royalties anytime this happens. People download music from a range of legal sources, including iTunes (soon to be defunct), Amazon, and even Spotify. Such royalties are governed by the reproduction and distribution portion of copyright laws. As a result, the royalty payouts are similar to those per physical reproductions (more on that later), which are about $0.091 and up to 10% of the price of the song in countries outside of the U.S.
-	Digitally printed music
There are tons of websites that display the lyrics of songs, as well as sheet music and tabs for use by people interested in that type of music resource. Although the piece of work isn't necessarily being played on these sites, public display of its contents (lyrics, etc.) constitutes a public display, which, you guessed it, entitles a songwriter to getting royalties. Here, the payout is determined on a case by case basis and can be based on a period of time the content is displayed or calculated from gross revenue of the company displaying it on their website.
-	Ringtones and ringback tones
Many people still customize their phone ringtones and ringback tones. These are also governed by the reproduction and distribution copyrights, which means you should earn a royalty every time someone uses your song for such purposes. Ringtones and ringback tones generate revenues for many telephone companies such as AT&T and Cricket. In the U.S., the mechanical royalties generated are paid out at a rate of $0.24 per ringtone/ringback, and a percentage of gross income elsewhere.
Royalties from ringtones and ringback tones don't stop there. If these tones are played in countries outside of the U.S., it is counted as a public performance and, therefore, liable for royalty payouts by the telecoms company and music service from which the tone is taken from. Rates here are not across the board but on a case by case basis with the PRO.
Physical sources
-	Traditional selling
The old way to sell music involves having your songs recorded on vinyl LPs, CDS, and cassettes. Although these formats only make up a small portion of music revenues these days (due to the rise of streaming), there are still people out there buying them, and if you were to sell music this way, you would earn mechanical royalties. Since they are physical reproductions, these types of transactions are governed under the reproduction and distribution copyrights mentioned earlier. Like digital downloads, you would earn approximately $0.091 every time a record company or other entity generates a copy of your song for sale. That's actually for songs that are under five minutes; a special calculation comes into play for creations that are over five minutes. In regions outside of the U.S., the overall mechanical royalty payout is between 8 and 10% of the price of the work.
-	Public performances from analog sources
Another traditional form of music consumption is via good old AM/FM radio, as well as when songs are played on turntables and music players in restaurants, stores, clubs, bars, etc. In any case, these are all public performances, which command royalty payments. As with all public performances, a PRO comes into play, negotiating on your behalf to get payment from any establishment that plays your music. The actual rates are not across the board, instead they are determined on a case by case basis.
-	Sync royalties
A TV or film company might want to use your song in a production they are creating for their audience, including commercials, TV shows, and movies. In either case, they will need to purchase a sync license from your music publisher in order to use your work legally. The royalty payout for this kind of license can vary greatly, from a few hundred bucks to tens or even hundreds of thousands. The actual amount is determined by a range of factors such as how long the work will be used, how popular it already is, and where it will be placed in the production.
Syncing can also be paid out mechanically per unit under the reproduction copyright laws. For instance, if your song gets added to a game or greeting card, you are due a royalty payout, each time a unit is sold. The amount here is often determined based on an initial agreed-upon amount of unit sales.
-	Physically printed music
Similarly to lyrics and sheet music being housed on websites, people may also physically print these for commercial purposes. For instance, an apparel company or individual designer may want to include lyrics from your song on a t-shirt they are selling. There are also music companies that print sheet music and tablatures for people who might want access to these resources. Either way, they count as public displays and warrant royalty payouts to the songwriter. Print royalties vary by case, with the exception being sheet music, which can command 15% of the sale price of each unit or a fee based on how many units are printed for retail.
We hope this has been an eye-opening read for you if you weren't already aware of the different ways you can earn royalty. If you appreciate the information and believe it could be of help to others in your circle, please share. Wishing you much success.
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I found two little issues with the top buttons at the top (Search, Play, ..).
Another problem (which is just a minor flaw but as I am working as a graphics designer I always see this ) is the height of the buttons and the height of the search area. I'd suggest changing the height of all control-elements so it's all the same height which looks a bit more professional.


text:
A lag between when larvae and birds hatch because of warming weather could be catastrophic for bird hatchlings.
(photo: Pixabay)
A warming climate could cause baby birds to go hungry
By Sustainability Times on November 12, 2020
Climate Change Wildlife
Some species of birds are facing a "ticking time bomb" because climate change is set to disrupt traditional interactions between various animals, causing their young to go hungry, a team of experts warns.
As the climate warns, birds like great tits that depend for their survival on stable sources of food in spring might end up going hungry because those sources of food might not be readily available.
In the end, they could even go extinct, says Emily Simmonds, an associate professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's Department of Biology. Simmonds is an author of a paper that demonstrates that changes to the supply of larvae in spring can greatly affect great tits, a small bird with a fairly wide range, and other species of birds.
Several species of birds need an abundant supply of larvae for their newly hatched young in spring, and if the larvae supply peaks earlier than normal because of warmer weather, hatchlings might wind up with too little food during a critical stage in their lives.
If spring comes earlier than normal, trees begin to erupt in leaves earlier too, causing larvae that feed on these leaves to hatch earlier. "When the climate changes, the interactions between different species changes too," says Simmonds, who teamed up with researchers from the University of Oxford to map out the effects of different climate scenarios on the supply of food for birds like great tits.
Great tits can respond to such changes in the behaviors of their prey, but only up to a point. "An earlier larvae hatch can be advantageous for the great tits whose young also hatch earlier in the spring. This advantage can be transferred to the next generation of birds, which can in turn become early birds," the scientists explain.
"For this advantage to persist, however, the great tits have to evolve fast enough and be flexible enough to keep up with the genetic variation in their prey," they add.
If there is a lag of three weeks or so between when larvae and birds hatch because of warming weather, the results could be catastrophic for bird hatchlings.
"Once predator phenology lagged behind prey by more than 24 days, rapid extinction was inevitable, despite previously stable population dynamics," the scientists write. "Our projections suggest that current population stability could be masking a route to population collapse, if high greenhouse gas emissions continue."
In the worst-case scenario, whole populations of great tits will simply disappear by the end of the century, Simmonds warns. "This could happen even if great tits also modify their behavior more quickly in a rapidly changing environment," she says. "The larvae might be changing even faster than the great tits."


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White paper: Making the unpiggable safe.
Despite advances in technology, a large percentage of pipelines remain difficult to pig or are deemed "unpiggable", which means they cannot be inspected via inline inspection (ILI). There are also various reasons why pigging would not be required, or feasible, on a pipeline.
But how can you meet the strict legislative and environmental requirements, and demonstrate the safe performance and integrity of a pipeline without pigging?


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"Zero Year" redirects here. For the year in the Anno Domini system, see 0 (year).
"Zero Year" was a yearlong comic book crossover event published by DC Comics that began in June 2013 and ended in July 2014, featuring the superhero Batman. The series is written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV with artwork by Greg Capullo, Danny Miki, and Rafael Albuquerque.
The story is intended to redefine the origin of Batman in The New 52, being a fresh story unconnected to other interpretations such as Batman: Year One. The story does, however, incorporate several elements from Batman: Year One, such as Bruce Wayne's long absence from Gotham City and his first attempts at vigilantism.
Initially conceptualized as a Batman storyline, it was announced that in November 2013, various titles would tie in directly to the "Zero Year" story line. Writers of various titles in The New 52 were given the option of writing a tie-in to the storyline, which would include their connections to Gotham City and first encounter with Batman.
Snyder announced in December 2013 that issue 28 would no longer be a part of the event, as he had written a lot of material that felt "too cramped" and extending the issue at this point would not give Capullo ample time to properly draw the new scenes. Thus, the original story from issue 28 was moved to issue 29, with issue 28 becoming a preview issue to the future storyline in Batman and the weekly, Batman Eternal. Issue 28 was written by Snyder and Tynion, with Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs providing the artwork.
The story begins with Gotham City being destroyed in a flood, and Batman believed to be dead. The first arc of the event, titled 'Secret City', is set five months before the flood, and begins with Bruce Wayne's return to Gotham City after being away for so long that he has been declared dead. He dons a disguise and fights Red Hood One, and discovers he has much to learn if he wants to fight the new breed of costumed criminals plaguing Gotham. Bruce meets with his maternal uncle, Philip Kane, but refuses to take over Wayne Enterprises. In a flashback, Bruce's father shows him a black orb, used for showing a three-dimensional map from inside a building. Edward Nygma, Philip's strategist, tries to get Philip to arrange Bruce's murder, in order to gain public sympathy and avoid a power struggle. After Philip refuses, Edward hires the Red Hood Gang to murder Bruce. In disguise once again, Bruce rescues Oswald Cobblepot from Red Hood One and takes a sample of the gang leader's blood, but fails to find who it belongs to. After Bruce has an argument with his butler Alfred Pennyworth, the latter leaves and Bruce meets with Philip, who against Bruce's will, debuts him to the public. After Bruce retreats from the media, he meets with Nygma. He then goes to his brownstone, where he is attacked by the Red Hood Gang. The gang beats Bruce to a pulp, and the leader tells him that the Waynes' deaths changed him too. Bruce then retreats to Wayne Manor, where Alfred treats his injuries. Using the camera orb, Bruce finds the cave of bats he fell into as a child. Bruce finds his destiny as the orb falls and breaks.
The second arc was titled 'Dark City', and was about Bruce's first months as Batman. It begins with Bruce, as Batman, stopping another Red Hood robbery, and soon after learning Red Hood One's plan. Bruce reveals to the media that the Red Hood gang is planning to rob Ace Chemicals, so the gang tries to kill him. Bruce goes into Ace Chemicals as Batman, and begins fighting the gang. Philip, who was blackmailed into joining the gang, tries to shoot Red Hood One, but misses. Red Hood One shoots and kills Philip. Sergeant Jim Gordon raids Ace Chemicals with SWAT officers, intent on arresting both Batman and Red Hood One, but the building catches on fire. Red Hood One tries to escape on a helicopter, but Batman pulls him back into the building. Batman tries to capture Red Hood One, but the masked criminal escapes by jumping into a vat of chemicals. Bruce and Alfred study data on the gang when Edward Nygma, as the Riddler, shuts off the power in Gotham, challenging Batman to turn it back on. Soon, the police find a body with its bones twisted and grown out of its skin. Batman finds out a scientist working with Lucius Fox had created a program that had similar effects. Bruce goes to visit Fox, but Fox stabs Bruce with the toxin, stating that the program was also his, and that Doctor Death is coming. Bruce wakes to seeing Fox being attacked by Doctor Death. Bruce stops him with the help of Gordon and Fox informs him that the substance he injected him with earlier was an experimental antidote for Dr. Death's bone toxin. However, the fight with Doctor Death puts Bruce in the hospital. Bruce is confronted by Gordon at the hospital, but Bruce feels he cannot trust him. Bruce as Batman searches for Dr. Death's next victim, but is too late, as Doctor Death had already reached them. The police corner Batman and open fire, mistakenly believing that he is the murderer. Batman is badly wounded, but Gordon helps him escape. Gordon and Batman then begin a tenuous partnership. Batman then goes to Gotham's catacombs, a popular tourist attraction, to find Doctor Death and the Riddler, having deduced that the two criminals are working together. Doctor Death and the Riddler then flood the catacombs. Batman uses his Bat blimp to stop the Riddler's airship and bomb. Batman arrives at his airship and tries to use a jammer device to stop the bomb. As his blimp explodes, Batman jumps onto the airship, where Doctor Death is waiting to fight him. Gordon arrives at Wayne Tower only to find the Riddler there, and falls into one of his traps. Doctor Death and Batman fight briefly, but the villain drops the jammer off the airship. After subduing Doctor Death, Batman sets off a bomb that destroys the inside of the airship; Dr. Death is killed in the explosion. The police then turn the power back on, only to find out the Riddler still has the power to flood the city by blowing up the reservoir. Batman destroys the airship, but fails to stop the Riddler from flooding the city.
The third and final arc was titled 'Savage City', and was about Bruce's efforts to save his city from the Riddler's control. It begins with Bruce Wayne awakening in the Duke residence, having removed the Batsuit before falling asleep. A young boy whose life he had saved informs him that the Riddler has taken control of Gotham. Alfred tells Batman to return to Wayne Manor through the secret entrance in the now dilapidated Crime Alley, the site of his parents' murder. Meanwhile, the military sends special forces soldiers to Gotham to help Gordon restore the peace. The Riddler uses a jumbotron every day to tell the people of Gotham that all he wants is a worthy opponent. The Riddler spots Gordon and the men on the rooftop, sending drones to stop him. The Riddler tries to destroy the building, but Batman stops him. Batman, Gordon, Fox and the soldiers plan a way to stop the Riddler. The next day, the Riddler appears on screen again to say that he will dedicate this "Zero Year" to the people of Gotham. Batman in a new costume comes driving in on a motorcycle and accepts the Riddler's challenge in order to buy time so Fox can discover their location. The Riddler drops Batman into a pit of lions. Batman fights and tames the lions, allowing Fox to find the Riddler's hiding place. Batman, Gordon and Fox try to attack the Riddler, only to fall into a trap. Fox is injured, but Batman saves him. The soldiers call in an airstrike to level Gotham while Batman finds the Riddler, as they play his last game. The Riddler challenges Batman to solve his riddles, allowing him one step closer to him on every answer he gets right. Gordon and Fox find a way to stop the jets from destroying Gotham. Batman grabs the Riddler, stopping his game. Gordon creates a Bat signal and successfully stops the jets. The Riddler reveals that to save Gotham, Batman must use his heart to turn the city's power back on; he must attach himself to an electrode. Batman successfully turns Gotham's power back on with the force of his own pulse. One month later, Gotham is back to normal, while the Riddler is put in Arkham Asylum. Bruce gets a visit from Julie Madison, an old flame, and Alfred tells him he has two choices: lead a normal life as Bruce Wayne, or protect Gotham as Batman. When Bruce chooses the latter, Alfred tells Julie that Bruce is "spoken for" as Batman disappears into the night.
Parts of the storyline were adapted for the fifth and final season of the television series Gotham.
^ Robinson, Iann (August 14, 2013). "Batman #23: Becoming The Bat". CraveOnline. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
^ Greenfield, Dan (June 10, 2013). "Zero Week EXCLUSIVE: 'Batman: Zero Year' event in November". New York Post. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
^ a b Snyder, Scott (December 10, 2013). "A bat-announcement!". TwitLonger. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
^ Ridgely, Charlie (May 21, 2018). "Exclusive: 'Gotham' Season 5 to Adapt 'Batman: Zero Year'". Comicbook.com. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
This page was last edited on 24 March 2019, at 09:47 (UTC).


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text:
SONY >
About the Dslr-a550
The Sony Alpha a550 (DSLR-A550) is a midrange-level digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) marketed by Sony and aimed at enthusiasts, it was released in August 2009. The camera features a 14.2 megapixel APS-C Type CMOS Exmor Sensor and features Sony's patented SteadyShot INSIDE stabilisation system which works with any attached lens.
The Sony Alpha a550's main selling point is its dual Live View mode's, Sony's normal secondary; smaller sensor based Live View mode and another which uses the main sensor with no autofocus. The a550 also features a maximum of 7frame/s continuous shooting speed when operating in speed-priority mode and a maximum ISO of 1600 when in auto mode and 12800 ISO when in manual mode.The Sony Alpha a550 is "big brother" to the Sony Alpha a500, an almost identical DSLR with a smaller 12.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, no 7frame/s continuous shooting and a lower resolution LCD.
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The text above came from the DSLR-A550 article on Wikipedia, licensed under the CC-BY-SA license.
Images taken by the Dslr-a550


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Rights advocates in M'sia should enlarge their minds and hearts
Ronald Benjamin
22 Nov 2015, PM 8:00
It is quite interesting to note as reported in online media, that Bersih has called the United States hypocritical in supporting authoritarian leaders. It is surprising that Bersih has taken a long time to understand that in reality, the US is more concerned about geopolitical and economic designs rather than democracy and human rights.
While US President Barack Obama and British PM David Cameron may come from democracies that practices transparency, it is their forefathers of democracy who created democratic foundations, and certainly not these leaders who are global authoritarians and imperialists that one should seek support to pressure Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to come clean on human rights and corruption.
One has to congratulate Cynthia Gabriel from anti-corruption watchdog C4 for at least discussing the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).
Human rights advocates such as Bersih should understand that there is something called hegemonic politics where leaders, whether authoritarian or democratic, will be targeted for regime change if they are not part or supportive of exclusive self-seeking imperial designs of the West or regional powers associated with it.
Saddam Hussein was toppled because of oil and he could not fit into the hegemonic politics of the US, Israel and US corporate lust for oil. Bashar Assad seems to be too close to Iran so he had to be disposed off, using his flaws as a dictator as a premise for regime change. Authoritarian Iran seems to be the consistent target of hawks in the US and Britain for its anti-Israel policies.
If one looks at the situation in West Asia, America and Britain are basically on the side of authoritarian leaders who have oppressed their own people, and paradoxically trying to topple authoritarian leaders who do not sing to their tune.
If the United States and Britain really care for human rights, they will not have Saudi Arabia as its ally, which is the greatest violator of human rights such as freedom of religion and expression, besides being an extremist nation which is the bedrock of the Sunni extremist movement in the Middle East.
Currently the US is providing weapons and military support for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen. Thousands of people are dead due to this war. The US, Britain and Saudi Arabia, in their endeavour to topple Bashar Assad at all costs, increased the sale of weapons in Syria, resulting in the growth of the uncontrolled barbaric organisation called IS or Islamic State, that has killed scores of Christians and Shiites in that country.
Today this brutal organisation has turned global without borders. Aren't the rights to life and dignity the cornerstone of human rights? Is it not right to assert that narrow domestic focus of human rights could play into the hands of hypocrites like Obama and Cameron as they strategise the imperial design for Asean?
This clearly shows issues are indeed complex and not just about whether a leader is democratic or not. It is obvious that advocates of human rights in Malaysia should enlarge their minds and hearts to complexities of issues, so that they could appear credible and consistent in opposing both authoritarianism and imperialism which are antitheses to human rights.
Islamic ideology and its desire to control and dominate are linked to these twin forms of oppression that we see in the world today.
PGA Parliamentary Roundtable and Consultations on the Abolition of the Mandatory Death Penalty in Malaysia
November 23, 2015 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Roundtable, co-hosted on Tuesday, November 17th by H.E. Min. Dato Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz (Malaysia), Chair of PGA National Group and Minister of Culture and Tourism, was organised in the framework of PGA's Global Parliamentary Platform for the abolition of the death penalty, created to support, enhance and maximise the impact of individual initiatives of parliamentarians worldwide on the abolition of the death penalty. Through the Parliamentary Platform, PGA also launched targeted campaigns in selected countries, including Malaysia, to raise awareness among Parliamentarians, strengthen political will and provide technical assistance for parliamentary initiatives on this issue
The Roundtable organised on 17 November 2015 was the outcome of several consultations held with PGA Members in Malaysia, as well as other parliamentarians, who helped conducting a first assessment of the death penalty situation in Malaysia as well as challenges to abolition. As such, in early June 2015, PGA had organisedConsultations on the abolition of the death penalty and the fight against impunity to present the PGA Parliamentary Campaign against the death penalty and elaborate strategies with PGA members to launch the abolition process. During the meeting, PGA Members, including H.E. Min. Nazri and H.E. Hon. Min. Nancy Shukri (Malaysia), Vice-Chair of PGA National Group and Minister of Law, highlighted their interest and support to work on this important issue and committed to organise a Parliamentary Seminar on this topic in November.
The Roundtable which took place in the Parliament of Malaysia on 17 November gathered more than 60 participants, in particular Malaysian and international MPs, high-level national authorities and stakeholders as well as experts and representatives of the international community. The roundtable aimed to analyse the situation of the national and international legal frameworks of the death penalty, as well as the particular situation of the mandatory death penalty for drug-related offences and firearms offences. The Roundtable was also designed to identify the role and contribution of Parliamentarians on this important issue, as well as strategies and measures to overcome any identified obstacle and challenge to abolition of the death penalty.
During the Opening Session, Hon. Nazri, MP (Malaysia), Minister of Tourism and Chair of the PGA National Group, welcomed all the participants and expressed his support to PGA Campaign on the abolition of the death penalty. He highlighted that such issues should be discussed openly within Parliaments, and noted that there was a growing movement towards abolition in Malaysia, among parliamentarians but also the public and State officials, recalling his own support to the abolition of the mandatory death penalty when he was the Law Minister in 2011. Hon. Nazri said that one of the most important challenge at the political level was the public opinion, and added that it was now the State's responsibility to show compassion and forgiveness to offenders, considering that the crimes are considered offences against the State. He underlined the responsibility and role of parliamentarians to have a concrete impact towards a society more respectful of human rights and human dignity, and declared that he personally believed that the mandatory death penalty should not be maintained and that he would introduce or support any bill introduced in this regard.
Hon. Shukri, MP (Malaysia), Minister of Law and Vice-Chair of the PGA Malaysia Group informed the participants that a draft amendment to the law on the death penalty had been prepared in order to remove the mandatory death penalty, an objective she could fully commit to. She considered that the aforementioned bill could be presented next year, and welcomed the organisation of the Roundtable, which provided a key forum to exchange and gather support on this issue.
Hon. Melissa Parke, MP (Australia), Chair of PGA Australia Group, presented PGA and its Global Parliamentary Platform for the abolition of the death penalty. She underlined the already existing movement towards abolition in Malaysia, particularly under the leadership of PGA Members who repeatedly expressed their strong interest and political will in achieving abolition of the death penalty. She also reminded the role of Parliamentarians in drafting and amending legislation and shaping national policies.
As the final remarks of the Opening Ceremony, H.E. Luc Vandebon, Head of the EU Delegation to Malaysia, recalled the position of The European Union on the death penalty, which is one of the main objectives of its human rights policy worldwide as it considers it to be a cruel, inhuman and irreversible punishment and thus has made its abolition. He welcomed initiatives involving parliamentarians who should be at the forefront of abolition reforms in order to secure ownership and meaningful support to achieve the process.
The first session, dedicated to the Situation of the mandatory death penalty in Malaysia, was chaired by Hon. Nazri and focused on the relevant legal framework, the impact of the mandatory death penalty, the challenges to abolition and the role and contribution of Parliamentarians.
Hon. Justice Datuk Mah Weng Kwai, a retired Judge of the Court of Appeal, first reminded all participants that the aims of justice should not be vengeance. He then proceeded with a comprehensive presentation of the legal framework of the capital punishment in Malaysia, including both mandatory and discretionary death penalty. Under Malaysian law, the death penalty is thus mandatory for treason (Article 12A, Penal Code), murder (Article 302, Penal Code), firearms offences (Articles 57(1) and 59 of the Internal Security Act, as well as Articles 3 and 3A of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act) and drug-trafficking (Article 39B, Dangerous Drugs Act). He also presented the crimes punishable with discretionary death penalty, that is some offences linked to treason (Article 121, Penal Code), mutiny (Article 132, Penal Code), giving false evidence to procure conviction of a capital offence (Article 194, Penal Code), abetment of suicide (Article 305, Penal Code), offences resulting in death or with intent to kill (Articles 307(2), 364 and 376(4), Penal Code), gang-robbery with murder (Article 396, Penal Code) and trafficking in firearms (Article 7(1), Firearms Act). With regards to the impact of the mandatory death penalty in Malaysian courts, Hon. Justice Datuk Mah Weng Kwai stressed that as a recently retired Judge, his experience was that most judges are in support of the reintroduction of their powers to decide on the relevant sentence.
The subsequent presentation by Hon. Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, MP (Malaysia) and PGA Member, stressed that the irrevocable character of the mandatory death penalty was a major issue considering the possibility for judicial mistakes, and declared that he personally did not believe that the mandatory death penalty had a deterrent effect. He thus recommended a Human Rights approach to the death penalty, while moving away from the idea of retribution and revenge.. He added that public policies should not be dictated by public opinion only and that it is the role of parliamentarians to act as visionaries and lead the society away from revenge and retaliation. Hon. Iskandar declared that he would support and promote the adoption of a bill abolishing the death penalty for drug-trafficking and firearms-related offences.
Lord Jeremy Purvis of Tweed, MP (United Kingdom) and Member of the UK All Parliamentary Group on the abolition of the death penalty, welcomed in his intervention the initiative to discuss the issue of the death penalty in the Parliament, underlining that it is the role of Parliamentarians to represent the best interests of the public, even when the issue seems to be contrary to the public opinion. He explained to all participants the abolition process in the United Kingdom, which was the result of long parliamentary campaigns, examining best practices and lessons learnt. He notably underlined that the process had been carried out in several stages, as discussed for Malaysia, and that abolition of the death penalty was achieved after a first reduction of the capital offences and two attempts in Parliament. Lord Purvis also recalled that at that time the public opinion was still in favour of retention and thus encouraged parliamentarians to focus on leading public opinion rather than following it.
Finally, Mr. Parvais Jabbar, Co-Executive Director of the Death penalty Project, emphasised that although there is a general trend to abolish the death penalty in Malaysia, the punishment still exists and there are many challenges to its abolition. He also mentioned the survey conducted in 2013 on the public opinion in Malaysia by the Death Penalty Project, with the support of the Malaysian Bar, SUHAKAM, HAKAM and the University of Malaya. Interestingly, he explained that when asking the question regarding the most effective way to deal with offences committed in Malaysia, the respondents generally put the death sentence as their last choice, after a better moral education and more effective policies.
The second session was entitled Towards the abolition of the mandatory death penalty for drug-related offences and chaired byHon. Kula Segaran, MP (Malaysia) and Secretary of PGA National Group.
Hon. Liew Chin Tong, MP (Malaysia) introduced the session by reaffirming his strong commitment to abolition of the death penalty in Malaysia. He underlined his concern regarding the lack of transparency on the number of convicted persons as well as on those in death row. As a parliamentarian he highlighted the necessity to use their prerogatives of parliamentary control of government to ask questions on the situation of the death penalty in Malaysia and encourage relevant reforms.
Mr. Philipp Hadorn, MP (Switzerland) gave a comprehensive presentation on the arguments generally invoked to retain the mandatory death penalty for drug-related offences, while presenting counter-arguments.He also presented a comparative analysis of drug-related offences and their punishment in South-Eastern Asia, revealing that the amount of drugs that established a presumption of drug-trafficking – and thus punishable with death penalty – was generally lower in Malaysia compared to the others countries.
The last intervention of this session was given by Datuk Dr. Khaw Lake Tee, Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), who reaffirmed the right of every individual to life, to be free from torture as well as from cruel and degrading treatment, in particular for those waiting for years to be executed. She presented the position of the SUHAKAM, which opposed the death penalty but as it is a long process, strongly advocates for the instatement of a moratorium on executions pending abolition of the death penalty. SUHAKAM has also requested the commutation of death sentences for prisoners that have been in death rows for more than 5 years, considering that it is in line with many international human rights guidelines, standards and instruments
The last session was chaired by Hon. Thomas Su, MP (Malaysia) and Treasurer of PGA National Group, and dedicated to the abolition of the mandatory death penalty for firearms offences.
The session started with a presentation given by Mr. Steven Thiru, President of the Malaysian Bar. He started by mentioning the successive resolutions passed by the Malaysian Bar calling for the abolition of the death penalty, including mandatory. He then comprehensively explained the national legal framework on the death penalty for firearms offences, reminding that the capital punishment for firearms offences does not need them to result in death. He declared this fact unacceptable; as individuals can be convicted for offences where there was no intention to kill and that did not result in any death. Mr. Thiru thus called for, at least, the abolition of the mandatory death penalty so as to leave the appreciation of the facts to the discretion of the judges, even where there was intention to kill.
Hon. Kasthuri Patto, MP (Malaysia), Secretary of the Women's Caucus of the Malaysian Parliament and PGA Member, gave the last presentation and underlined the unfairness of the mandatory death penalty, stating it did not leave any space for justice and discussions in courts and adding that State-killing would never solve the problem of firearms offences. She welcomed Hon. Nazri's commitment to ensure that the mandatory death penalty is abolished, and deplored the current status of the law, which provides for a very high burden of proof on the accused.
During the roundtable, the participants and panellist presented several argument in favour of abolition, namely the irreversibility of the punishment, the fact that it is contrary to shared human values of respect for human life, that it can be considered as torture and that the mandatory death penalty excludes all possibilities of redemption and rehabilitation. All panellists and most of the participants, in particular Hon. Tian Chang Chua, MP (Malaysia) thus called for a moratorium on executions, stating that it would otherwise be unfair for people to be executed while there were consensus and intentions among the Government, the Parliament and the public that the death penalty should be removed.
Similarly, they all declared that the issue of the public opinion was one of the main argument to retain the death penalty, but considered that there would actually be no strong public objection to the removal of the mandatory death penalty, in particular in light of the Death Penalty Project's Survey, which showed that respondents were prone to take mitigating and aggravating circumstances into account. In this regard, all participants recommended to raise awareness among the general public and educate the youth on the mandatory death penalty. They also strongly condemned the mandatory death sentence for firearms offences, considering that the mandatory death penalty for these offences was a formal preventive punishment, as people could be convicted without the actual commission of a crime and without established intention to commit such crime.
In general, during the roundtable, all participants agreed that the abolition of the death penalty altogether was the main objective, and that abolition of the mandatory death penalty for drug-related offences and firearms offences was only a first step that would start the abolition process in Malaysia. They considered that the failure to take into account different circumstances and characteristics of each case rendered the capital punishment arbitrary and disproportionate, whereas it was necessary to protect the individuals from the arbitrary deprivation of life, considering it would otherwise amount to a violation of due process. They thus all acknowledged the importance for the judges to exercise discretionary powers should the death penalty not be fully abolished, as well as the necessity to halt all executions of inmates currently on death row until a review of the mandatory death penalty was conducted and achieved. The necessity for discretionary sentencing was particularly highlighted, as they emphasised that the mandatory death penalty had strong impacts on vulnerable individuals such as women and migrant workers. The participants expressed as well their opinion that the death penalty was a cruel punishment – even more so when mandatory – contrary to international Human Rights standards, particularly considering that drug-related offences and firearms offences did not meet the threshold of the 'most serious crimes' as set out in the ICCPR.
The participants all acknowledged that the death penalty had no deterrent effect, whatever the crime, as there was no empirical evidence that it prevented the commission of crimes and that it was a stronger deterrent than imprisonment sentences. Furthermore, they added that it was costly for the criminal justice system, considering that there were additional expenses such as pre-trials and appeals, lengthy incarcerations, retrial and resentencing. They admitted that, as a leading country in the region, Malaysia should move away from it.
The participants thus highlighted the necessity for parliamentarians to act as leaders, use their political and legislative prerogatives to raise awareness, inform and educate on this issue to overcome the obstacles and challenges identified and to take the necessary measures to definitely abolish it.
As a result, during the Strategic Discussion on priority topics andAgreement on Strategies and Actions, a Declaration was adopted by the participants, including Pledges and an Action Plan was suggested as the way forward, which includes the following points:
To support the introduction by H.E. Hon. Nancy Shukri of a bill aiming at the abolition of the mandatory death penaltyfor all offences and maximum term of life for drug related offenses and to consider a review of existing death row cases which resulted from the imposition of the mandatory death penalty;
To create a working group under the leadership of the PGA National Group Chair in order to proactively engage with their fellow parliamentarians and other stakeholders to achieve national and multi-partisan consensus to remove the barriers towards abolition and ensure better standards for its use as well as to promote the drafting a study on the effectiveness of the death penalty;
To generate support and request our Government to instate an official moratorium on executions pending the assessment of the report on effectiveness of the death penalty;
To urge the Malaysian Government to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in particular its Second Optional Protocol and to remove the reservation to the Convention on the Rights of the Child allowing for capital punishment for children to properly reflect the position of the law under the Child Act of 2001.
At the end of the roundtable, the situation of Mr. Kho Jabing, a Malaysian national sentenced to death in Singapore was presented by his legal representative and his family. Mr. Kho Jabing was to be executed on November 6 as his clemency petition was denied by the President but benefitted from a last minute postponement. His mother and sister, with the assistance of an MP from their constituency exposed their situation and exchanged with participants on the actions to be taken to save his life. Take action to stop his execution.
'Delay in joining ICC, Arms Trade Treaty insensible
Malaysia's delay in signing on to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Arms Trade Treaty makes no sense in an evolving international schema in which the writ of the big powers can only be curtailed by transnational bodies flaunting international statutes.
DAP MP for Ipoh Barat M Kulasegaran, who is secretary of Malaysian chapter of Parliamentarians for Global Action, told Parliament that all the excuses trotted out by the government in explanation of its reluctance to sign on to the ICC and the Arms Trade Treaty have been dismissed as "unsustainable and insensible".
"After the downing of MH17 in Ukraine in July last year our continued evasions on enlisting with the ICC and the Arms Trade Treaty are not just unsustainable and insensible, our refusal to join renders us prostrate before marauding big powers," argued the lawyer-legislator.
"If we had been a member of the ICC as the government signalled it had wanted to do four years ago, the Russian veto of the move in the United Nations to set up an international tribunal would have availed us recourse to the ICC, which upon our application for such a move as a member would have instituted its own investigation," he expatiated.
Kulasegaran (photo) said the argument that joining the ICC leaves exposed our Agong as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to prosecution in the event of a filing by a complainant-nation was threadbare because it was easily demonstrable that our monarch's hold on the role is ceremonial, not substantive.
"Therefore our monarch would not be liable under the terms of the Rome Statute of the ICC," he said.
Kulasegaran said the wisdom and pragmatism that has prompted 12 nations to sign up with the ICC is not negated by the refusal of the United States Russia and China to sign.
"They are the big powers that feel their militaries needed to be protected from complainant-member nations of the ICC. Malaysia is not in that league and in fact, our small size is better protected as an ICC member than from being outside its ambit," he said.
He said joining the Arms Trade Treaty, which has been ratified by 78 countries, with another 54 signed on though not ratified, will provide Malaysia with protection from leakages in the trade in conventional weapons.
"These leakages pose a threat particularly in this era where non-state actors like the Islamic State are active and pushing for expansion of their reach and influence," he noted.
"In these precarious times Malaysia must avail itself of the shields and protection provided by international conventions and treaties that have been formulated for precisely the protection of the small and marauding powers and lawless non-state actors," he said.
MPs' roundtable to push for death penalty abolition
An international lobby composed of MPs will hold a roundtable discussion in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday to push for the abolishment of the death penalty.
The discussions will be headed by Culture and Tourism Minister Mohamed Nazri Aziz, with de facto Law Minister Nancy Shukri and attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali participating in sessions pertaining to offences that carry the death penalty.
Secretary of the Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) Malaysia Group, M Kulasegaran, MP for Ipoh Barat, told Malaysiakini yesterday the roundtable was being held at an opportune moment because of the opinion aired by Apandi that the government is thinking of abolishing the mandatory death penalty requirement for offences such as murder, certain firearm offences, drug trafficking, and treason.
PGA is a network of more than 1,100 parliamentarians from 140 Parliaments across the world, who in their personal capacity, support international justice, rule of law, democracy, and human rights.
"PGA welcomes the intention of the AG to shift to discretionary the current mandatory stipulation on judges that they impose the death penalty with respect to certain offences," said the Perak barrister.
"The roundtable will seek to fortify opinion that he should go the full distance and abolish capital punishment altogether," he added.
Kulasegaran said that previous roundtables held by PGA, with Nazri Aziz in attendance, had obtained a consensus that Malaysia is headed towards abolishment of the death penalty.
"But there have been doubts about the advisability of this measure from sundry quarters within the country which of course is at variance to the thrust of global opinion which tends to regard capital punishment as obsolete and cruel," he opined.
The roundtable discussions will see the participation of MPs from both sides of the political divide in Malaysia.
Also participating would be retired Court of Appeal Judge Mah Weng Kwai, president of the Malaysian Bar Steven Thiru, and Suhakam deputy chairperson Khaw Lake Tee.
Also, MPs from Australia, Britain and Switzerland will bring their expertise to bear, with the head of the European Union delegation to Malaysia, Luc Vandebon, also taking part.
Parvais Jabbar, the death penalty expert in the PGA project to abolish capital punishment, will render a global overview of the initiative.
Kulasegaran said past PGA-organised roundtables on the International Criminal Court and the Arms Trade Treaty in Malaysia have succeeded in raising public consciousness on the need for Malaysia to accede to both initiatives so that the country can be more fully integrated into the comity of nations for the rule of law and peace.
Case regarding human trafficking
Today's matter at the Sessions Court went on with the 7th witness a doctor where the trial was regarding anti~trafficking. A girl was charged with trafficking. Unfortunately at that material time, the girl was working in the premises. The girl was charged together with the owner. Another material witness was also supposed to attend court today but since the witness failed to attend court therefore the hearing had to be postponed after hearing the doctor's formal testimony.
PAS being led by presidential whim, says DAP leader
PAS is being led by presidential whim and fancy, not by ideology and principle, said DAP national vice-chair M Kulasegaran.
The MP for Ipoh Barat said the announcement by president Abdul Hadi Awang that PAS MPs will not vote down Budget 2016 was the latest in a series of declarations by the chief that was at odds with positions intimated by lesser lights in the party.
"By now this variance has happened often enough and on issues grave enough to raise questions on what is it that has been making the PAS positions on issues of national importance a guessing game for others," queried the federal legislator.
He observed that a consensus was firming up among opposition MPs that the best way to remove Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was to vote down the Budget he has tabled for 2016.
"This is being contemplated on the reasoned assumption that since the Budget is silent on the RM2.5 billion donation to his personal accounts, there is a lacuna too big for the opposition to ignore and therefore it has to be voted down," rationalised Kulasegaran.
"Further, the speaker is not likely to make space for the tabling of the no-confidence motion against the PM that the opposition leader has filed and so a vote against the Budget is an imperative recourse for MPs opposed to the shenanigans surrounding 1MDB," he argued.
Kulasegaran said it was sad that an opposition party of PAS' durability and standing has reduced its positions and policy making to a guessing game in which the lesser lights of the party intimate that it will go one way, only for the president to interpose for a change of tack.
"We can understad if the issues before the country are hazy and a blur and on that score, there is doubt and hesitation at what the proper position to be adopted should be.
"But when the basic issues - of corruption and mismanagement - are the same and that only their forms and manifestations are different, position and policy making by a major politcal party cannot be a guessing game without casuing the same party suffer in the eyes of its appraisers," he expatiated.
Kulasegaran said he was puzzled why PAS was allowing such a situation to develop when the instincts of politicians in the second tier of its leadership were consonant with the general thrust of opinions among the rest of the opposition.
"This situation diminishes confidence rather than builds it, so why this is not troubling to the party is a question that is extremely puzzling.
"The party has got to wake up to the reality that its governance by presidential whim and fancy is inviting public mistrust and suspicion," said the lawyer-legislator.
Rights advocates in M'sia should enlarge their min...
PGA Parliamentary Roundtable and Consultations on ...
'Delay in joining ICC, Arms Trade Treaty insensibl...
MPs' roundtable to push for death penalty abolitio...
PAS being led by presidential whim, says DAP leade...


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