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Tag Archives: 24E
Major Hurricane Willa Makes Landfall in Mexico
Major Hurricane Willa made landfall on the coast of Mexico between Teacapan and Mazatlan on Tuesday evening. At 8:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Willa was located at latitude 22.6°N and longitude 106.0°W which put it about 50 miles (80 km) south-southeast of Mazatlan, Mexico. Willa was moving toward the north-northeast at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 140 m.p.h. (220 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 965 mb.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from San Blas to Mazatlan, Mexico. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portions of the coast from Playa Perula to San Blas and from Mazatlan to Bahia Tempehuaya, Mexico.
An eyewall replacement cycle occurred in the core of Hurricane Willa on Tuesday. When the original inner eyewall dissipated, the core of Willa was larger even though the maximum sustained wind speed was slower. Winds to hurricane force extend out about 35 miles from the the center of Hurricane Willa. Winds to tropical storm force extend out about 100 miles from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Willa is 22.1. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 12.7 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) s 34.8. Hurricane Willa is capable of causing regional major damage.
Hurricane Willa will produce hurricane force winds along the coast between Tecuala and Mazatlan. Those winds will be capable of causing major damage. The winds will also push water toward the coast and a storm surge of 10 to 12 feet (3 to 4 meters) is possible. Hurricane Willa will dissipate fairly quickly when it moves over the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains. However, Willa will drop locally heavy rain over the southern part of Sinaloa and over Durango. The locally heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.
This entry was posted in Eastern and Central Pacific, Tropical Cyclones and tagged 24E, Durango, EP24, Hurricane Willa, HWISI, Mazatlan, Mexico, Sinaloa, Teacapan, Tecuala, Willa on October 24, 2018 by jay_hobgood.
Hurricane Willa Strengthens to Cat. 5, Poses Imminent Threat to Mexico
Hurricane Willa strengthened Monday morning to Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale and Willa poses an imminent threat to Mexico. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Willa was located at latitude 19.1°N and longitude 107.2°W which put it about 135 miles (215 km) southwest of Cabo Corrientes. Willa was moving toward the north at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 160 m.p.h. (260 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 190 m.p.h. (305 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 925 mb.
A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from San Blas to Mazatlan, Mexico. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portion of the coast from Playa Perula to San Blas and from Mazatlan to Bahia Tempehuaya, Mexico.
Hurricane Willa strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in 36 hours. Willa is a small, very well organized hurricane. There is a small circular eye at the center of circulation. The eye is surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds are occurring in that ring of storms. Several bands of showers and thunderstorms are revolving around the core of Hurricane Willa. Storms near the core are generating strong upper level divergence which is pumping mass away from the hurricane.
Hurricane Willa is a small hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extend out about 30 miles ( 50 km) from the center of Willa. Winds to tropical storm force extend out about 100 miles (160 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Willa is 35.0. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 9.7 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 44.7. The core of Hurricane Willa is capable of causing catastrophic damage.
Hurricane Willa will remain in an environment capable of supporting strong hurricanes for about another 24 hours. Willa will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C. It will move through an environment where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. If an outer rainband wraps around the existing eye and eyewall, then an eyewall replacement cycle could cause Hurricane Willa to weaken. An upper level trough near the West Coast of the U.S. will produce southwesterly winds which will blow toward the top of Hurricane Willa on Tuesday. Those winds will cause vertical wind shear and the shear will start to weaken Willa. Since Willa is a small hurricane, it will weaken faster than a larger hurricane would weaken.
Hurricane Willa will move around the western end of a ridge of high pressure over Mexico. The ridge will steer Willa toward the north for another 12 hours or so. Then the upper level trough will turn Hurricane Willa toward the northeast. On its anticipated track Hurricane Willa will move over the Islas Marias on Tuesday morning. Willa will reach the coast of Mexico between San Blas and Mazatlan on Tuesday afternoon or evening.
Hurricane Willa could still be a major hurricane when it reaches the coast of Mexico. Willa will be capable of causing major damage. The core of Hurricane Willa will bring damaging winds. It will also produce a storm surge of 10 to 13 feet (3 to 4 meters) near where core of Willa makes landfall. Hurricane Willa will drop heavy rain over Nayarit, Sinaloa and Durango. The heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.
Elsewhere over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, upper level divergence from Hurricane Willa appeared to be causing wind shear which was weakening Tropical Storm Vicente. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Vicente was located at latitude 14.9°N and longitude 100.8°W which put it about 365 miles (590 km) southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico. Vicente was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.
This entry was posted in Eastern and Central Pacific, Tropical Cyclones and tagged 23E, 24E, Baja California, Eastern North Pacific, EP23, EP24, Hurricane Willa, HWISI, Mazatlan, Mexico, Sinaloa, Tropical Storm Vicente, Vicente, Willa on October 22, 2018 by jay_hobgood.
Willa Rapidly Intensifies Into a Major Hurricane, Warnings Issued for Mexico
Hurricane Willa intensified rapidly into a major hurricane on Sunday and Warnings were issued for Mexico. At 11: 00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Willa was located at latitude 17.7°N and longitude 107.2°W which put it about 210 miles (340 km) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. Willa was moving toward the north-northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 145 m.p.h. (230 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 170 m.p.h. (275 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 941 mb. Hurricane Willa was a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from San Blas to Mazatlan, Mexico. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Playa Perula to San Blas. A Tropical Storm Warning was also in effect for the portion of the coast from Mazatlan to Bahia Tempehuaya.
Hurricane Willa intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in 24 hours. A small circular eye formed at the center of Hurricane Willa. The eye was surround by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Several bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Hurricane Willa. Storms near the core were generating strong upper level divergence which was pumping large quantities of mass away from the hurricane. The strong divergence allowed the surface pressure to decrease quickly and that caused the wind speeds to increase rapidly.
Willa is a small hurricane. Winds to hurricane force only extend out about 25 miles (40 km) from the center of Hurricane Willa. Winds to tropical storm force only extend out about 90 miles (145 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Willa is 29.9. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 8.2 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 38.1.
Hurricane Willa will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 12 to 24 hours. Willa will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will not be much vertical wind shear. Hurricane Willa could strengthen to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale during the next 12 hours. An upper level trough near the west coast of the U.S. will produce southwesterly winds which will start to affect Hurricane Willa in about 24 hours. Those winds will cause vertical wind shear, which will cause Willa to start to weaken.
Hurricane Willa will move around the western end of a ridge of high pressure over Mexico. The ridge will steer Willa toward the north on Monday. The upper level trough near the west coast of the U.S. will turn Hurricane Willa toward the northeast on Tuesday. On its anticipated track Hurricane Willa could make landfall on the coast of Mexico on Tuesday night. Willa could be a major hurricane when it approaches the coast. It will be capable of causing major wind damage and a significant storm surge along the coast. Willa will also drop locally heavy rain and it could flash floods when it moves inland over Mexico.
Elsewhere over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean Tropical Storm Vicente was moving near the southeastern periphery of Hurricane Willa. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Vicente was located at latitude 13.9°N and longitude 98.7°W which put it about 220 miles (355 km) south-southeast of Acapulco, Mexico. Vicente was moving toward the west at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.
This entry was posted in Eastern and Central Pacific, Tropical Cyclones and tagged 23E, 24E, Acapulco, Baja California, Eastern North Pacific, EP23, EP24, Hurricane Willa, HWISI, Mazatlan, Mexico, Tropical Storm Vicente, Vicente, Willa on October 22, 2018 by jay_hobgood.
Tropical Storm Willa Strengthens Quickly Southwest of Mexico
Only one day after the formation of Tropical Storm Vicente, Tropical Storm Willa strengthened quickly southwest of Mexico. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Willa was located at latitude 15.2°N and longitude 105.8°W which put it about 280 miles (450 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Will was moving toward the west-northwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 999 mb.
Several bands of showers and thunderstorms wrapped tightly around a distinct low level center of circulation on Saturday and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Willa. Willa continued to organize quickly on Saturday afternoon. Bands of showers and thunderstorms formed and began to revolve around the core of Tropical Storm Willa. Storms near the core started to generate upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the tropical storm. The circulation around Tropical Storm Willa was still compact. Winds to tropical storm force only extended out about 35 miles (55 km) from the center of circulation.
Tropical Storm Willa will move through an environment favorable for intensification. Willa will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C. It will move through an area where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Willa is likely to intensify into a hurricane during the next 24 hours. It could intensify rapidly and there is a chance Tropical Storm Will could strengthen into a major hurricane during the next two or three days.
Tropical Storm Willa will move around the western end of a ridge of high pressure over Mexico during the next two or three days. The ridge will steer Willa toward the northwest during the next 24 to 48 hours. An upper level trough west of California will turn Willa toward the northeast in about 48 hours. On its anticipated track Willa could approach the coast of Mexico in about fours. Willa could be a hurricane when it nears the coast.
Elsewhere over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Vicente also strengthened on Saturday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Vicente was located at latitude 14.6°N and longitude 94.3°W which put it about 120 miles (200 km) south-southeast of Salina Cruz, Mexico. Vicente was moving toward the west at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.
This entry was posted in Eastern and Central Pacific, Tropical Cyclones and tagged 23E, 24E, Baja California, Eastern North Pacific, EP23, EP24, Mexico, Tropical Storm Vicente, Tropical Storm Willa, Vicente, Willa on October 20, 2018 by jay_hobgood.


Who comes on your holidays?
experience and open up more options.
If in doubt just ask us, we are always more than happy to offer help and advice.
Do I need to be an accomplished cyclist?
amazed at what you can achieve.
What's the difference between a Tour and a Day Ride?
can travel in a few days under your own steam.
all taken care of so all you need to do is pedal and take in the surroundings.
What type of bikes are used?
someone on a traditional Road Bike.
I don't like descending, will this be a problem?
variety of speeds within a group whether going uphill or down, it's something we've become accustomed to and adept at managing.
What happens if there are mixed abilities within my group?
whilst keeping your day flowing.
Are the Holidays on or off road?
recommended add on activity. We are very happy to share our local knowledge, arrange bike and equipment hire or recommend a fully qualified guide or instructor.
YES!! all of the time. With modern cycling helmets being as light and as well ventilated as they are there is never a good reason not to wear a helmet. While you are riding with us we have a duty of care and we take our responsibilities for your safety very seriously.
Do I have to stay with the group all the time?
No, for the vast majority of the time you are free to ride at your own pace. We are well accustomed to managing a range of abilities within a group.
What should I carry with me on the bike?
Mechanical assistance is never far away and we can carry as much spare clothing as you like in the minibus. We would suggest however that it is wise to carry a spare tube, pump and maybe a gilet or lightweight jacket depending on the weather. Water is always essential and a small snack or energy bar is never a bad thing to have close to hand.
Can my non-cycling partner come on the holiday too?
bus and join in with the post ride activities. If your partner is happy to come along for the ride, soak up the scenery and enjoy a great picnic they are always welcome. Contact us for more information.
Are you able to run custom trips?
Absolutely. We love organising and planning custom tours. Let us know what you're looking for or where you would like to go and we will work with you to put together your perfect package. We can adjust the level of accommodation to suit your needs, budget, find the best restaurants and arrange any add on such as massages or extra activities.
upon request. Contact us for more information.
You'll need a little bit of money to buy any souvenirs you want to buy. All meals are covered within the price of the tour (unless stated otherwise in your tour information) there will be wine with the evening meals but if you would like extra drinks, laundry service, massages etc, these will be at your own expense. We advise that you carry a small amount of cash with you at all times in case of an emergency.
Can I get money while I'm on tour?
Some of the places we stop are often small towns and villages, while it is generally possible to find a cash machine we cannot guarantee it all of the time. During the course of a tour we will inevitably pass cash machines at various times. We suggest that you always have enough money to tide you over until the next available cash machine.
Is there massage available on route?
This depends on the route, hotels and the places we stop. If you require massages let us know and we will do our very best to organise this. Some hotels may be able to provide in house massages at short notice but it is always advisable to arrange in advance to avoid disappointment.
Yes. All of our day rides are built specifically to suit your requirements. You'll find suggested route options on our Day Ride page, these are sample ideas to give you an idea of what's possible.
an option, please contact us for pricing information.
7 is the maximum we can take with a single support vehicle, but larger groups can be catered for upon request.
From our location in Morzine we can offer routes that cross into either Switzerland or Italy (both if you fancy a really big day). While it is unlikely that you will be asked to show your passport it is necessary that you carry it for these trips just in case.
Picnic Lunches, soft drinks and constant water top ups are all included in the price. You will need a small amount of money to cover any ice cream or drinks at the end of the ride. We can arrange restaurant reservations or other activities such as thermal baths at the finish of selected routes, while we will take care of arranging and booking these options the cost is not covered by the price of the day ride.
Yes. generally bikes are classed as sporting goods. Check with your airline for charges and weight limits. Your bike will need to be packed in either a hard plastic bike case or a bike bag. You can also transport your bike in a cardboard box, easily available and generally free from your local bike shop. Do however consider that cardboard boxes do not offer the same level of protection as a bike specific case, they tend to get quite battered in transit and also fall apart when wet. It is unlikely that we will be able to find you a replacement box if yours isn't in a fit state for the journey home.
Check your baggage allowance with your airline. Once you are on tour we recommend that you have one large suitcase for your main luggage (this will be transported in our trailer and not accessible during the ride) and a smaller day bag containing spare clothes, a waterproof jacket and anything else you may need during the day.
Do you arrange my flights?
Flights are not included in the price of the tour. We do not book flights on your behalf.
We have listed suggested airlines and recommended airports for the relevant tours on our Getting Here page. Please check the Airport details of your chosen tour when booking flights.
be at your own cost.
possible we will inform you in advance if this is the case.
For Morzine arrivals we will use our trusted friends at Skiidygonzales to bring you up to resort.
Will you transport my bike box on the trip?
duration of the tour to transport your clothing and belongings. Once packed into the trailer it is hard to access the boxes and often the hotels do not like them in your rooms.
Does it matter what type of bike box/bag I have?
No. We have a large trailer with plenty of space for transporting bike boxes and bags for the whole group.
How do I get to the start of the day ride?
drop everyone back to their own accommodation.
When meeting in town please be prepared and arrive in good time. We will only wait for 15 minutes. If you are running late please let us know as soon as possible, we may be able to arrange an alternative meeting point so as not to keep the rest of the group waiting.
Can I arrive a day early/leave a day later?
but this is additional to the tour price and must be paid in advance.
Can I arrive late onto a trip or leave early?
Whenever possible but because of the location of many of our tours and the distances covered day to day, we often find ourselves a long way from the nearest airport. However if you need to arrive late or leave early we will certainly do our very best to cater for this. We can arrange transport to the nearest airport or station but this will be at your own expense.
Our custom tours and day rides can be designed for any level of fitness.
enjoyable. You don't need to be an experienced cyclist either, If you participate regularly in another sport such as running, rowing or any cardio based activity you are in a great position to make the crossover into cycling. If you have any doubt please give us a call or email, we're very happy to point you in the direction of the best tour or ride to suit your ability.
Can I choose to have a day off from the bike if I want to?
Yes. You are always welcome to rest your legs and join one of our team in the support bus.
Alternatively, If the location allows we are happy to arrange transport to the next hotel but this will be an extra cost to be covered by you.
make the most of one of our tours.
This is entirely up to you. The fitter and stronger you are the more we can show you. Do remember that we are based in the mountains so a bit of climbing is inevitable. A little base fitness will go a long way to making your experience with us as enjoyable and fulfilling as possible.
What do I do if there are no hills near where I live?
Depending on where you live in the UK it can often be difficult to find long climbs. This isn't necessarily a problem, it's possible to train for the mountains even on flat terrain. If you are feeling very motivated, find a hill with a consistent gradient, ideally 5-7% and do hill reps. Push hard on the climb and then use the descent as a recovery period. Stay in the saddle on the climb as much as possible, this is far more efficient when it comes to long alpine routes.
momentum you have and forces you to keep pushing unless you want to go backwards. It's no coincidence that Dutch and Belgian riders often make good climbers.
The most important thing though is just to ride regularly and learn to use your gears efficiently.
Keeping your cadence high is generally considered to be the most effective way to sustain a long effort on an alpine climb. Saving that last sprocket for emergencies is often a false economy.
Pushing a gear that is too big for the situation is just burning energy that you want to save.
What happens if I have a bad day in the mountains?
Every day in the mountains is a good day!
seat in the support bus. Feel free to jump in when you need and then carry on riding if and when you feel recovered.
and leg warmers or longs. Overshoes are a great addition if you suffer from cold feet.
refreshing dip can be the perfect end to a hot, long day in the saddle, so bring a towel and something to swim in.
Be prepared for anything. The weather in the mountains can change rapidly; it is always best to be prepared for the worst. This is one of the areas where having the support bus really comes into its own. There's plenty of space to carry all your kit so bring everything! Even on hot midsummer days the descents can feel chilly after the exertion of a climb. We recommend arm warmers and a windproof gilet or jacket. If we're unlucky and the weather turns bad the descents can turn from refreshing to very cold. In this situation you may well want to turn to winter kit to keep you comfortable, Thermals, long fingered gloves, warm hat and leg warmers or longs. Overshoes are a great addition if you suffer from cold feet. A clean pair of shorts for each day is vital to keep you comfortable. Either bring enough for each day or pack some travel wash to freshen up dirty kit.
You don't need to bring a huge amount with you but it can be nice to have a few items to help you relax and make the most of your time off the bike.
Casual clothes for warm and cool conditions. We stop in some lovely towns and villages, it's nice to have some comfortable clothing to go exploring.
Smart Casual clothes. During the tour we'll often take you to local restaurants and whilst this is never formal it's always good to have something relatively smart so you can enjoy your evening out.
Swimming. Many of the hotels we use have a pool or sauna or there could well be a lake nearby.
At the end of a long day a quick dip is a great way to refresh tired muscles so come prepared.
you bring your own saddle. Saddles are a very personal choice so if you have one that works for you it's well worth the effort of bringing it along.
Do I need to bring bike lights?
Yes, lights are essential for a lot of our routes. Small light weight LED lights are all you need. There are often tunnels on the mountain roads, generally they are lit but it is important to have lights for your own safety.
Can someone help me put my bike together on arrival?
Yes, there will always be a professionally qualified mechanic on hand to help reassemble your bikes. Tools, torque wrenches and a bike stand will also be available.
What spares should I bring for my bike?
We recommend that you bring 2 or 3 spare tubes, a tyre and if possible a couple of spare spokes for your wheels. There are so many variations of spokes, specific to individual wheels and brands that it is just not possible for us to carry all of them. If you are running electric shifters then please bring the correct charger.
We carry a comprehensive range of spares in the support bus that will allow us to fix most reasonable problems at the side of the road. Extra tubes, tyres and spares are available for you to purchase.
our best to fix any problems it would be a real shame to have your trip spoilt by a faulty bike.
Are you able to look after the mechanical side of my bike?
What happens if I suffer a mechanical?
If you are not with a member of our team then either wait with your bike if you know one of us is following, or call the emergency contact number provided on arrival. We will be with you as soon as possible to get you back on the road.
Make your life as easy as possible! A compact chainset (50/34t) and a large rear cassette (11/28t or 11/32t) will see you comfortably over the vast majority of alpine passes.
Yes. We can arrange high quality, well equipped and well maintained bike rental. We do not have our own fleet of bikes as we feel your needs can be better met by sourcing the best equipment from local suppliers who specialise in providing this service.
To avoid disappointment please let us know in advance if you require a bike. We need a little time to source the most suitable and correctly fitting bike.
When is the latest I can book a hire bike for the trip?
arrange the most suitable bike for your needs. While it is often possible to arrange last minute hire it is dependent on availability.
What pedals do you provide with hire bikes?
Hire bikes are not supplied with pedals due to the huge number of manufacturer/cleat variations on the market. If you are hiring a bike you will need to bring your shoes and pedals with you.
Do you provide mounts for GPS on hire bikes?
No, if you are bringing a GPS unit or any other form of bike computer please bring the mounts with you.
This is dependent on individual hotels. We will do our best to arrange this but cannot guarantee it will be possible at every hotel. Due to the delicate nature of cycling clothing drying is sometimes an issue so please bring enough changes of clothes to allow for this.
We would also recommend that you bring a small bottle of travel wash in case of emergencies.
lunches will be provided by us and evening meals will either be at the hotel or a local restaurant. Water and refreshments will be available throughout the day along with a selection of fruit and snacks.
We provide picnic lunches as well as water, soft drinks and refreshments. Food drinks will be available throughout the day along with a selection of fruit and snacks.
Do you provide energy gels and electrolyte tabs/powders?
I have specific dietary requirements, can you cater for me?
Yes of course but you need to let us know in advance.
responsibility or liability for any loss or damage to persons or their personal effects, or for any injury or loss sustained during the tour.
Collection of day bags from your accommodation.
Constant supply of water and snacks.
Transport home from the end of your ride.
A comfy seat if you fancy a rest.
The support vehicle will be on hand at all times providing easy access to clothing, food or spares.
always do our best to be waiting for you at the top of climbs, ready to give you extra clothing to keep warm. Often you'll want to shed some layers after a descent, we will stop at the first safe place to allow you to readjust your clothing.
Transport of luggage and day bags.
The support vehicle will be on hand, providing easy access to clothing food or spares.
first safe place to allow you to readjust your clothing.
support vehicle will always be there to mark the route and junctions along the way. GPS files will be made available to you prior to your day ride or tour.
Do you provide GPS units?
No. Please bring your own GPS unit, mounts and charger.
Do I need to bring a GPS?
You do not need a GPS unit but it is always nice to have one if possible.
Will someone be able to help upload GPS files?
Yes. We are very happy to help you load your routes. We are familiar with most GPS units.


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Children In Custody (10290/19)
July 1, 2019 Incident and Crime Statistics
We would like separate figures for each of the 4 months please (i.e. the number of detainees for March 2017; the number of detainees for September 2017; the number of detainees for March 2018 and the number of detainees for March 2018). She does not want the numbers totalled across or between months – we would like the snapshot of time for each of the four months please.
We would like to request the following information according to the Freedom of Information Act concerning the treatment of detainees during their time in detention. The information requested is to be drawn anonymously from electronic custody records for all custody suites in your police force area for the months of March and September 2017 and for March and September 2018 broken down into the custody suites involved.
1) Age of young detainees and requests for legal advicea)
a)The total number of detainees aged 10 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018.
b) The total number of detainees aged 10 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018 who requested legal advice.
c) The total number of detainees aged 11 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018.
d) The total number of detainees aged 11 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018 who requested legal advice
e) The total number of detainees aged 12 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018.
f) The total number of detainees aged 12 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018 who requested legal advice.
g) The total number of detainees aged 13 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018.
h )The total number of detainees aged 13 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018 who requested legal advice.
i) The total number of detainees aged 14 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018.
j) The total number of detainees aged 14 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018 who requested legal advice.
k) The total number of detainees aged 15 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018.
l) The total number of detainees aged 15 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018 who requested legal advice.
m) The total number of detainees aged 16 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018 who requested legal advice.
n) The total number of detainees aged 16 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018.
o) The total number of detainees aged 17 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018.
p) The total number of detainees aged 17 years of age during March and September 2017 and March and September 2018 who requested legal advice.
Please note that these data should be interpreted with caution.
If you decide to write an article / use the enclosed data we would ask you to take into consideration the factors highlighted in this document so as to not mislead members of the public or official bodies, or misrepresent the relevance of the whole or any part of this disclosed material.
10290_ATTACHMENT
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Earthquake Science Center Seminars
A new (time-domain) approach for earthquake source parameter inversion
Itzhak Lior, Tel Aviv University
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at 10:30 AM
Building 3, Rambo Auditorium
Annemarie Baltay
Determining earthquake source parameters is a challenging task, in part due to the biases and artifacts introduced when transforming the data from the time- to the frequency-domain. In addition, separating the effects of source and attenuation is difficult, especially for small earthquakes. In this study, a new approach for determining the source spectral parameters using the signals in the time domain is presented. Theoretical equations relating source spectral parameters to the root-mean-square of the ground motions (displacement, velocity and acceleration) are derived using the omega squared model of Brune. These relations constitute a set of three independent equations with three unknowns: the displacement low frequency spectral plateau, the source corner frequency and the attenuation parameter. The spectral parameters are obtained in the time domain, and the trade-off between the effects of the corner frequency and the attenuation parameter is quantified and addressed. The results of the new method are compared with those of the standard frequency-domain approach. It is concluded that the new scheme is more stable than the frequency-domain method, resulting in considerably reduced intra-event source parameter variability.
Closed captions are typically available a few days after the seminar. To turn them on, press the 'CC' button on the video player. For older seminars that don't have closed captions, please email us, and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
Earthquake Seminars
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Lombard, Latin Langobardus, plural Langobardi, member of a Germanic people who from 568 to 774 ruled a kingdom in Italy.
The Lombards were one of the Germanic tribes that formed the Suebi, and during the 1st century ad their home was in northwestern Germany. Though they occasionally fought with the Romans and with neighbouring tribes, the main body of the Lombards seems to have pursued a settled, pastoral existence until the beginnings of their great southward migrations in the 4th century. By the end of the 5th century they had moved into the area roughly coinciding with modern Austria north of the Danube River.
In 546 a new Lombard royal dynasty was begun by Audoin. At that time, it seems, the Lombards began to adapt their tribal organization and institutions to the imperial military system of the period, in which a hierarchy of dukes, counts, and others commanded warrior bands formed from related families or kin groups. For two decades the Lombards waged intermittent wars with the Gepidae, who were finally destroyed (c. 567) by Audoin's successor, Alboin.
About this time the Lombards decided to migrate into Italy, which had been left almost defenseless after the Byzantine Empire's armies had overthrown the Ostrogothic kingdom there. In the spring of 568 the Lombards crossed the Julian Alps. Their invasion of northern Italy was almost unopposed, and by late 569 they had conquered all the principal cities north of the Po River except Pavia, which fell in 572. At the same time, they occupied areas in the central and southern parts of the peninsula. Shortly afterward, Alboin was murdered, and the 18-month rule of his successor, Cleph, was marked by the ruthless treatment of the Italian landowners.
On the death of Cleph, the Lombards chose no successor; instead, the dukes exercised authority in their particular city-territories. The 10-year "rule of the dukes" was later viewed as one of violence and disorder. In 584, threatened by a Frankish invasion that the dukes had provoked, the Lombards made Cleph's son Authari king; when he died in 590 he was succeeded by Agilulf, duke of Turin, who was able to recover most of those portions of Italy that had been lost to a Frankish-Byzantine alliance.
When Authari became king the dukes surrendered half their estates for the maintenance of the king and his court. Pavia, where the royal palace was located, became the centre of administrative organization. The Lombards converted from Arianism to orthodox Christianity in the latter part of the 7th century.
After the brutal Aripert II (reigned 700–712), a new dynasty took the Lombard throne. Its second representative, Liudprand (reigned 712–744), was probably the greatest of the Lombard kings. Until 726 he seems to have been concerned exclusively with the internal condition of his kingdom. Later, however, he steadily reduced the area of Italy still under Byzantine rule. Coins and documents from his court confirm the impression of a strong and effective monarch.
The invasion of papal territories by the Lombard kings Aistulf (reigned 749–756) and Desiderius (reigned 756–774) compelled Pope Adrian I to seek aid from the Frankish king Charlemagne. The Franks entered Italy in 773, and after a year's siege Pavia fell to their armies. Desiderius was captured, and Charlemagne became king of the Lombards as well as of the Franks. Lombard rule in Italy thus came to an end.
The Lombards gave their name to the northern Italian region that was their stronghold, now known as Lombardy.


text:
package com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.activies;

import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.content.SharedPreferences;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.preference.PreferenceManager;
import android.support.design.widget.CheckableImageButton;
import android.support.design.widget.FloatingActionButton;
import android.support.design.widget.Snackbar;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.MenuItem;
import android.widget.AdapterView;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
import android.widget.ListView;
import android.widget.Spinner;
import android.widget.Toast;

import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.R;
import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.adapters.CidadeAdapter;
import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.constants.Constants;
import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.interfaces.ServerResponseListener;
import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.model.Biblioteca;
import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.model.Cidade;
import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.model.Livro;
import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.model.User;
import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.server.Response;
import com.deolino.neto.bibliotecalivre.server.ServerRequest;
import com.google.gson.internal.LinkedTreeMap;

import java.util.ArrayList;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements ServerResponseListener, AdapterView.OnItemSelectedListener {

    private Livro livrao;
    private ArrayList<Cidade> cidades = new ArrayList<Cidade>();
    private ServerRequest request;
    private Spinner spinner1;
    private ListView cidadesLista;
    private Context context;
    private int cidadeCodigo;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        Toolbar toolbar = (Toolbar) findViewById(R.id.toolbar);
        setSupportActionBar(toolbar);
        this.cidadesLista = (ListView) findViewById(R.id.lvCidades);
        this.spinner1 = (Spinner) findViewById(R.id.spinner1);

        this.request = new ServerRequest(this, this);
        this.context = this;

        ArrayAdapter<CharSequence> adapter = ArrayAdapter.createFromResource(this, R.array.states_array, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item);
        adapter.setDropDownViewResource(android.R.layout.simple_spinner_dropdown_item);
        spinner1.setAdapter(adapter);
        spinner1.setOnItemSelectedListener(this);

        this.cidadesLista.setOnItemClickListener(new AdapterView.OnItemClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position, long id) {
                Log.d(Constants.LOG_TEST, "Item " + position + " clicked");

                cidadeCodigo = cidades.get(position).getCodigo();
                Intent intent = new Intent(context, CidadeDescriptionActivity.class);
                intent.putExtra("cidadeCodigo", cidadeCodigo);
                startActivity(intent);
            }
        });

        FloatingActionButton fab = (FloatingActionButton) findViewById(R.id.fab);
        fab.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                Snackbar.make(view, "Replace with your own action", Snackbar.LENGTH_LONG)
                        .setAction("Action", null).show();
            }
        });
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
        // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
        getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.menu_main, menu);
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
        // Handle action bar item clicks here. The action bar will
        // automatically handle clicks on the Home/Up button, so long
        // as you specify a parent activity in AndroidManifest.xml.
        int id = item.getItemId();

        //noinspection SimplifiableIfStatement
        if (id == R.id.action_settings) {
            return true;
        }
        if (id == R.id.action_logout) {
            SharedPreferences.Editor editor = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(this).edit();
            editor.remove("user_pass");
            editor.apply();

            Intent intent = new Intent(this, LoginActivity.class);
            startActivity(intent);
            finish();
            return true;
        }

        return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
    }

    public void getTeste(View view) {
        //request.get(ServerRequest.FIND_LIVRO_BY_NAME, "celular"); // para teste
        //request.get(ServerRequest.ALL_LIVROS, null); // para teste
        //request.get(ServerRequest.REMOVE_LIVRO_BY_NAME, "limoeiro"); // para teste

        /* Para teste
        Biblioteca biblioteca = new Biblioteca();
        biblioteca.setNome("Municipal de Russas");
        biblioteca.setEndereco("Centro, Rua de trás");
        biblioteca.setCidade(2);
        biblioteca.setCodigo(1);

        request.post(ServerRequest.SAVE_BIBLIOTECA, biblioteca);
        */

        /* Para teste
        Cidade c = new Cidade();
        c.setCodigo(4);
        c.setNome("Chorozinho");
        c.setEstado("CE");

        request.post(ServerRequest.SAVE_CIDADE, c);
        */

        /* Para teste
        Livro l = new Livro();
        l.setNome("Meu limão, meu Limoeiro");
        l.setAno(1975);
        l.setISBN("123-456-789");
        l.setAutor("Dom Aureliano Matos");
        l.setCategoria("Bibliografia");
        l.setBiblioteca(0);

        request.post(ServerRequest.SAVE_LIVRO, l);
        */

        /*
        User novo = new User();
        novo.setNome("Neto Deolino");
        novo.setEmail("netodeolino@email.com");
        novo.setSenha("123");
        request.post(ServerRequest.SAVE_USER, novo);
        */

        //Intent intent = new Intent(this, LoginActivity.class);
        //startActivity(intent);

        //String email = "netodeolino@outlook.com";
        //request.get("email/", email);
    }

    @Override
    public void onSuccess(Response response, String requestUrl) {
        if (requestUrl.equals(ServerRequest.FIND_LIVRO_BY_NAME)) {
            if (response.getResult()) {
                ArrayList<LinkedTreeMap<String, Object>> data = (ArrayList<LinkedTreeMap<String, Object>>) response.getData();
                try {
                    for (LinkedTreeMap<String, Object> mp : data) {
                        Livro livro = new Livro();

                        livro.setNome(mp.get("nome").toString());
                        livro.setAno((int) Double.parseDouble(mp.get("ano").toString()));
                        livro.setISBN(mp.get("ISBN").toString());
                        livro.setAutor(mp.get("autor").toString());
                        livro.setCategoria(mp.get("categoria").toString());

                        this.livrao = livro;
                    }
                } catch (Exception e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                    Log.e(Constants.LOG_TAG, "LOL--> " + e.toString());
                }
            } else {
                Toast.makeText(this, "Não foi possível realizar a operação!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
            }
        } else if (requestUrl.equals(ServerRequest.ALL_CIDADES_BY_ESTADO)) {
            if (this.cidades.size() > 0) {
                this.cidades.clear();
            }
            if (response.getResult()) {
                ArrayList<LinkedTreeMap<String, Object>> data = (ArrayList<LinkedTreeMap<String, Object>>) response.getData();
                try {
                    for (LinkedTreeMap<String, Object> mp : data) {
                        Cidade c = new Cidade();

                        c.setNome(mp.get("nome").toString());
                        c.setCodigo((int) Double.parseDouble(mp.get("codigo").toString()));
                        c.setEstado(mp.get("estado").toString());

                        this.cidades.add(c);
                    }
                    populateListCidade();
                } catch (Exception e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                    Log.e(Constants.LOG_TAG, "LOL--> " + e.toString());
                }
            }
        } else {
            Log.d(Constants.LOG_TEST, "REQUEST NÃO TRATADO AINDA :)");
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onFailure(Response response, String requestUrl) {

    }

    @Override
    public void onItemSelected(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position, long id) {
        String item = parent.getItemAtPosition(position).toString();

        if (!item.equals("")) {
            request.get(ServerRequest.ALL_CIDADES_BY_ESTADO, item);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onNothingSelected(AdapterView<?> parent) {

    }

    private void populateListCidade() {
        Log.d(Constants.LOG_TEST, this.cidades.size()+"");

        CidadeAdapter cidadeAdapter = new CidadeAdapter(getApplicationContext(), this.cidades);
        cidadesLista.setAdapter(cidadeAdapter);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Climate War: True Believers, Power Brokers, and the Fight to Save the Earth
Book Review: The Climate War: True Believers, Power Brokers, and the Fight to Save the Earth by Eric Pooley (Hyperion 2010)
This is a well-written journalistic account of the history and dynamics of climate politics, particularly in America. All the players and factions are represented in a fairly non-biased approach. This book shows the pragmatic power of a moderate, less radical environmentalism that can work with less biased business interests and get results. It is a riveting tale, as Bill Clinton said. It is a big book but makes a compelling narrative. Climate politics is all about negotiation, concession, and consensus and the author narrates the tale like you are right there watching things unfurl. It mainly portrays the years 2007-2010 but refers much back to earlier times for background.
The three biggest players in this tale are probably Al Gore, Fred Krupp –president of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers. There are many others including President Obama. The motivations and influence of the more fringe elements are sometimes involved as well – the Climate deniers and skeptics as well as the more radical environmental groups and activists.
The book begins with the Bali Roadmap in 2007 where eleven thousand people from 190 countries convened to discuss climate. The conference was intended to lead to an agreement in 2009 (in Copenhagen) that would be a successor to the ailing and mostly failed Kyoto Protocol where countries, excluding the U.S., committed to emissions reductions. George W. Bush was still president and Al Gore had just won a Nobel Prize – though he was by no means satisfied with his influence on commitments to emissions reductions. Hurricane Katrina was still fairly fresh in people's minds and the IPCC and climate scientist James Hansen were saying that the climate situation was more pressing than previously thought – but not all climate scientists agreed. The main obstacles to emissions reduction commitments were/are political but psychological as well. Such reductions would be good for society in the long run but there would be hardships in the short-term. By nature politicians don't think beyond the next election and many people have a hard time thinking beyond the next paycheck. The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act ended in a stalemate and did not pass.
The idea of cap-and-trade came about from academic economists in the 1960's. In the 1980's the policy people at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) adopted the idea and by the 1990's they helped pass through a version of it to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) from coal-burning power plants. It was fairly successful, with costs less than predicted. One help was the availability of low-sulfur coal from western North America. Reductions in SO2 led to reduced problems with acid rain in Canada and the northeast forests. Cap and trade is a market-based approach to reducing pollution and has some advantages over a carbon tax. The key part of cap and trade is the cap on pollution, or on CO2 emissions in the newer proposals such as in the Lieberman-Warner bill. Any cap, whether through a tax or a carbon market, establishes that industries will have to pay to pollute or emit greenhouse gases. The difficult part is how to allocate allowances to the various polluting/emitting entities without incurring undue costs to those who buy their products. Cap-and-trade for CO2 emissions would aid investment in clean energy. Climate activists and others argue that this would balance the playing field so that clean energy tech could compete. Business interests and fossil fuel related companies argue that it would be a financial loss and electricity prices would skyrocket as clean energy technologies are barely economically feasible at best. But cap and trade also has some complexities – mostly related to allocation of allowances – that leaves many policy people suspicious. Implementation of cap and trade in Europe showed that allowances could be allocated unfairly and certain companies profit at the expense of others. In future U.S. proposals there would be much negotiation and analysis about how to allocate allowances. A fair amount of this book details these negotiations. In many ways the climate conflict is one of short-term gain against long-term pain. As time progresses and that long-term pain gets closer, that pain will be far more expensive to relieve than it would if we made a stronger effort now.
One formidable force in the climate debate is the "unofficial" Green Group, which consists of a number of American environmental organizations. These groups include the Sierra Club on the "left," Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in the middle and EDF on the "right." It was EDF that championed the caps at Kyoto. Carl Pope, the leader of the Sierra Club, considered the Lieberman-Warner bill too weak, but as time would show, such bills were too strong for Congress – so the environmental left's inability to compromise could be problematic. Al Gore had just written his book – The Assault on Reason – which considered the powerful effects of advertising and media persuasion on American politics. Gore and left-leaning environmentalists were often at odds – he being more centrist and more willing to compromise. Gore had started the Alliance for Climate Protection as a well-funded advertising arm meant to influence public opinion. He envisioned a large global populist movement for climate action. He wanted to balance against pro-fossil fuel advertising but in the coming years he would have to contend with an upswing in far-right climate change denial advertising. Gore sought to consolidate the message of climate activists of all types.
Meanwhile on the other end, the more extreme end, of the media-hype spectrum are the climate skeptics – many, believe it or not, with ties to the tobacco companies and with contrarians who argued against the dangers of cigarette smoking. They also refuted the notion that CFCs contributed to the hole in the Ozone layer – which is fairly well-established. The Heartland Institute, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, the Frontiers of Freedom Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), and other anti-tax groups are the key purveyors of climate skepticism in the media. These groups were depicted more recently in a news documentary called – Climate Denial – which is definitely worth a watch. Basically, this is the sad and rather disgusting face of media hype. Many of these groups hype their numbers, make outrages claims like climate change being an orchestrated hoax, skew the science any way they can, and rely on junk science as much as possible. Even so, they are a powerful force and there is likely to be significant amounts of "dark money" headed their way from those who stand to benefit if their views are accepted by more of the mainstream. They once enjoyed open contributions from the likes of Exxon-Mobil but the science got too strong and Exxon-Mobil pulled away. The mainstream media may well be an accomplice in that they tend to like to show two sides of a story – which inadvertently strengthens the weaker side in this case. The author notes three stages of "climate denial" that have been predominant as the science has become more solid: 1) it's not happening, 2) it's happening and it's unstoppable, since we're not the cause, and 3) it's happening and we're the cause but it won't be so bad. In any case, their policy is the same – that nothing should be done. They are mostly ideologues that paint climate activists of any sort as part of an eco-socialist conspiracy. They might be right-wing paranoid extremists who excel at media hype and junk science. People like Siegfried Frederick Singer, Myron Ebell (leader of CEI), and Steve Milloy are characterized. Ebell, often portraying himself as a scientist, was a political science major. One of the main functions of these climate deniers was/is to sow uncertainty. They are helped by the likes of senator James Inhofe, Rush Limbaug, and the biased but media-savy gang at Fox News.
Fred Krupp, executive director of EDF, is a firm believer in market-based solutions to environmental problems. EDF scientists pioneered the field of environmental economics. Indeed EDF was founded by scientists. Quantifying pollution per industry and allowances allotted based on that, is a key part of these economics. As an example- it might be cheaper for some industry to pay others to reduce deforestation to keep carbon sinks intact (in an equivalent manner) than to reduce their own emissions. Hardcore environmentalists tend to abhor the market-based approach of EDF – some even calling them a "corporate front group," yet they have gotten more policy established than any other group. They got DDT banned, got lead out of gasoline, helped get McDonalds to drop its styrofoam packaging, not to mention the SO2 cap-and-trade deal that reduced pollution and acid rain. But like the NRDC and Sierra Club's legal defense arm, Earthjustice – EDF was adept at suing, often citing the 70's Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act and working with or influencing the EPA and public policy. Legal victories based on oppositional tactics helped solidify the environmental movement. However, as time went on those brought diminishing returns and groups like EDF favored a more pragmatic and less oppositional approach. EDF was instrumental in persuading California's energy giant, PG & E, to halt building more power plants and instead focus on efficiency, networking, and renewable energy. It was a success and a model for the benefits of industry-supported energy conservation. EDF's economic environmentalism was interested in building coalitions – with business, with organizations, with politicians, and with demographic groups. A market-based approach is one that unleashes creativity. The ideology that says capitalism and the profit motive are evil would not accept a green-based profit motive. One might see it as eco-capitalist but the emphasis is on what could work for that specific situation rather than adherence to any ideological model. Krupp went bipartisan and dissuaded such unspoken ideological demands from the group. The phasing out of CFCs also involved a cap-and-trade approach where the cap was decreased through time and emissions were traded. It was said to be quite effective. EDF's Michael Oppenheimer collaborated with Boyden Gray and the G.W. Bush administration in order to pass the market-based SO2 scrubber legislation. They took a lot of flack from other environmental orgs for both working with/for Republicans and for favoring a market-based solution over a command-and-control format.
"If you took a step back, having different factions within the movement was a good thing: EDF and NRDC and others could push for results inside the dysfunctional system, and Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth and others could stand outside and argue for more and better. They complemented one another. But up close it didn't feel that way."
EDF was apt to take a weaker deal that they could strengthen later – as occurred in the Montreal Protocol on ozone depletion and in the acid rain situation. Other groups were not likely to agree to weaker rules or compromise. Anti-corporatism could also be problematic for relations among groups.
A quick history lesson regarding Al Gore's failed 1993 BTU tax is given. This early try at an energy tax was defeated on the basis of economics and spurned more anti-tax and industry groups to lobby against it. EDF was also against it – preferring cap-and-trade. It should be noted that in some places both are in effect. Various early climate bills are discussed as well including the McCain-Lieberman bill – the second version of which was killed in the Senate in 2005. Lieberman (an orthodox Jew) sees his climate advocacy as a duty of stewardship. Al Gore believes climate protection is a moral duty. Gore encouraged the Sierra Club to focus on climate. Gore's 2006 documentary – An Inconvenient Truth – introduced more people to the climate issue and its science. For the next few years he went around the country doing slide shows and a big advertisement campaign in order to promote the seriousness of the climate issue in the hopes that climate action would be mandated by a vast majority of people. 2008 saw Gore's ad campaign and a counter-ad campaign by the climate skeptics through Myron Ebell's CEI group. Europe had implemented cap-and-trade in 2005 but problems with accurate assessments of emissions and subsequent rewarding of allowances made it inequitable and the carbon market price even crashed at one point. However, by the end of 2008 the Europeans were beginning to hit their emissions reduction targets. Ebell used the early European problems as proof that it would not work.
Part of Fred Krupp's job at EDF was to meet with CEOs and make the case for climate action. He landed several CEOs who agreed that it was a problem. Among them were Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers and GE CEO Jeff Immelt. Several CEOs and EDF and others formed an unofficial informal climate group. CEOs from Alcoa, BP, and DuPont would also be involved. Several companies in the group were involved in renewable energy projects including wind turbines and carbon sequestration design. Duke Energy was the third largest CO2 emitter in America due to their twenty coal-fired power plants. Later they would also become the 4th largest producer of renewable energy in the Western hemisphere. Rogers kept a desire to fix the climate along with his desire to make money for his company and shareholders. Activists protested his latest proposed coal-fired power plant. He also proposed early Carbon Capture coal-fired plants. Rogers worked with Krupp on climate issues even though EDF and Duke had been on the opposite side of legal battles. Rogers previous company Cinergy merged with Duke. Both received SO2 allowances but delayed action on installing SO2 scrubbers. They waited and finally complied years later after using the initial allowance money as a capital influx. Duke made out a bit on their delay tactics but eventually came into compliance. The rather confidential group of CEOs and entities became known as the Climate Change Initiative (CCI). Rogers was also a member and leader of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). Other energy CEOs like those of Peabody Coal and Massey Energy's rather extremist Al Blankenship considered Rogers to be a traitor to the environmental communists. Many of Roger's colleagues at the new Duke Energy did not generally share his views about climate change so his role was difficult. Among environmentalists there was the informal confederation of groups known as the Green Group. The left wing of the group – Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace, had no interest in a corporate-involved group but Francis Beinecke, president of Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) was invited. Think tank leaders were also invited. It seems that part of the CCI group purpose was to hash out the details of initial allowances and cap targets through time. In January 2007 the CCI group re-launched more publicly as USCAP – the U.S Climate Action Partnership. They released a Call to Action which ruffled some feathers. EEI was furious at Rogers, the chairman of EEI, for being involved. Rogers' main point was that legislation to regulate carbon emissions is inevitable – either "we" help shape it or let someone else – like the EPA – shape it. Later, some USCAP CEOs met with senator Barbara Boxer and her Environment and Public Works Committee. Republican senator John Warner was part of that committee. He would later be a co-creator of the Lieberman-Warner bill to adopt cap-and trade. Steve Milloy, a climate change denier of junkscience.com would also refer to the traitors within the business community. Climate change denier senator James Inhofe would call them "climate profiteers." Though most coal industry executives saw cap-and-trade or a carbon tax as an industry killer, a few saw the potential of a rebound after carbon capture and storage projects came on line. One of these companies was USCAP member Caterpillar who lost contracts due to the position of the CEO in USCAP.
In December 2007, a radical environmental group called Rising Tide North America launched a fake USCAP website with much higher reductions mandates. In 2008 they protested the building of Duke Energy's new Cliffside coal-power plant, depicting Rogers as a greedy energy CEO even though he was one of the few that actually endorsed a carbon cap. Site blockades, trespassing, and vandalism are also methods that are used. Such "direct action" as it is called, is designed to inspire others through the tale of it – perhaps a kind of passionate and creative propaganda. One might also see it as a fanaticism of the cause. Earth First is a similarly radical group that uses such techniques. It is unclear and debatable actually how useful they are to the cause of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Much of the body of the book deals with the development of the Lieberman-Warner bill in late 2007 and early 2008. New pro-coal groups posed as business groups and re-oriented from an anti-climate change stance to one of knowing the best way to deal with it. Climate activists called them professional delayers. Indeed, delay is a tactic of coal interests who see their eventual extinction (without CCS). One group, Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) launched a high dollar advertising campaign so again much of the climate war has been waged by the ad media. Clean coal propaganda adorned the Democratic National Convention. The idea of clean coal – now considered to be an oxymoron – was a frequent phrase in the 2008 election. The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) was another group that waged an ad war against the Lieberman-Warner bill. Lieberman and Warner both realized that their bill was unlikely to pass. The idea was to work a carbon cap bill of some kind into the political landscape. This had been done before with McCain-Lieberman but this new one had more detail and longer debate among more potentially affected factions. In that sense, it was a refinement of the process. The polluter pays philosophy was countered by the argument that the taxpayers were demanding the cheaper energy. Those to the "left" considered the large sellable allowances granted to the utilities in the plan as a "windfall" while the utilities insisted the cash influx was needed to get to compliance and keep rates down. Climate became a "wedge issue" on the right as well as on the left with those in the middle being the only ones willing to negotiate. Many groups, left and right, climate activists and climate skeptics, formed specific opinions about the bill – some on the right touting discredited studies and some on the left saying it did not go far enough. Meanwhile EDF attempted to calculate the cost of implementing ghg emissions reductions. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) made a similar study, also endorsed by the US Chamber of Commerce, that was grim – and apparently short-sighted and discredited. The EDF study was wider and more thorough but both were given even weight in news stories. Along with how to allocate allowances, another problem for cap-and-trade is where to set the carbon price and how to reduce it through time. Krupp and EDF preferred to keep it low and only bring it down when renewables began to make headway. The environmental left tended to despise the idea of carbon offsets but some form of cost containment would be needed. Some groups favored a safety valve approach where if carbon would reach a ceiling price, there would be new permits issued. EDF did not favor that approach at all. They sought instead the ability to offset the inability to reduce emissions by buying reductions – even outside the U.S. system. Some thought that idea invited corruption.
Much of the next sections go into politics: negotiation, concession, being true to constituents, the influence of special interests, media campaigning, etc. Meanwhile Hansen had upped alarmism in noting NASA data that ten of the planet's hottest years on record were between 1997 and 2008. Gore met with Obama before the election but Hansen declined to join him, not wanting to be associated with either party. Hansen began a bit of activism – advocating for a moratorium on new coal-power plants. Rogers even slipped in to hear him speak in Charlotte. Rogers also wanted to slip in one last pre-planned coal-power plant without carbon capture and storage. He wanted to do this with offsetting in mind – increasing renewables and shutting down more polluting inefficient capacity (which would have to be done soon from aging anyway.) Rogers thought that Hansen was convincing about the threat but weak on solutions. He saw even the modest near-term emissions targets as unrealistic without major expense. CCS technology is still largely untested and unperfected large-scale. In fact, several estimates suggest CCS to be do-able for only about 10-20% of coal burnt due to expense, logistics, reservoir availability and capacity, etc. Another issue is what the price coal would have to be for CCS to be economically viable even with initial support. Early CCS needs to be incentivized and generous carbon allowances and offsets to utilities could do that. Rogers and Hansen met for dinner in New York in the summer of 2008 and discussed climate change – Hansen's recent dial-back from 450 to 350, the feasibility of CCS, carbon offsetting possibilities, and nuclear energy, which Hansen advocated to the horror of many environmentalists. Both agreed that a carbon cap was needed. Rogers did not like Obama's idea of 100% auctions on carbon offset allowances as he thought it would over-penalize electricity rate-payers in Midwestern states where much of the electricity comes from coal. Obama proved eventually to be flexible on that. Rogers also met with Obama on the campaign trail and then again with Obama and a group of energy and climate experts for a 3hr brainstorming session. Obama realized that the climate issue would have to be embraced by the masses before solutions would come to be accepted. He clothed the issue as an investment in jobs. Later these would be called "green-collar "jobs. Krupp met with Van Jones, a former activist turned pragmatist who had a flair for bringing the issue to the working class in a positive way. Green jobs became the battle cry.
Sierra Club leader Carl Pope advised against cap-and-trade. He also preferred to wait until after the election. He stated that two thirds of the climate change solution could get done without a price on carbon. The then high price of gasoline was also an issue with some echoing Newt Gingrich's – Drill Baby Drill.
Lieberman-Warner legislation had died. Obama aides had sought to pair cap-and-trade with the stimulus bill. Hansen was convinced cap-and-trade would not work and favored stiff carbon caps as part of a fee and dividend system. Gore favored 2009 action on cap-and-trade as part of an energy bill rather than splitting the bills up. Certain emissions targets were agreed to by members of the Green Group in a document called Transition to Green. Targets by 2020 were to be 25 to 40% lower than 1990. Obama instead called for 2020 levels to be at 1990 levels with more reduction afterward. Rogers felt that utilities required 40% of allowances for free instead of the 100% auction the Green Group wanted. National Wildlife Federation pulled out of USCAP. Rising Tides North America had invaded a USCAP meeting and wrapped tape around stuff saying – Global Warming Crime Scene. Their main point was to paint EDF as traitors to the cause.
In 2009 there was development of the Waxman-Markey climate bill. Much negotiation ensued with formulas for allowances and offsets put forth. Big Oil was not negotiating much and Waxman and Markey sought to give them less allowances – figuring higher gasoline prices would be easier to deal with than higher electricity prices. The Senate passed a resolution that any climate bill must achieve its goals without increasing gasoline or energy prices. Projected costs for Waxman-Markey varied according to who made the study. The EPA projected lower costs. Climate skeptics said it would be very costly. GOP "wingnuts" like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck painted it as an evil conspiracy by the left to control the prosperous as slaves. Negotiations about allowances and targets came to be portrayed as buying votes. Most of these were among utilities represented by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). Bjorn Lomborg, author of The Skeptical Environmentalist, advocated inaction on climate, saying it would be best to leave it to future generations that would have better technology – to the delight of the delay and deny crowd – but seemingly against common sense. Hansen called Waxman-Markey a "counterfeit climate bill." He wanted a moratorium and immediate beginning of a phase-out of coal. Gore favored an eventual adoption of both cap-and-trade and a carbon tax. Such was the case in places like Denmark, a country that has had success with renewable energy and efficiency. Although some coal groups agreed to many concessions in Waxman-Markey there was the problem of a cap being in effect before (large-scale) implementation of CCS was ready – so others did not endorse it. Some Republicans like John Boehner liked the bill being around because they thought it would be seen as another failed BTU tax and make the party stronger. Krupp and Gore liked to emphasize the cap of cap-and-trade while naysayers depicted the trade part as some sort of "Madoff or Ponzi scheme." Others pointed out the current and future costs that climate change would exact as an important "true cost" factor. Limbaugh and Beck called it a wealth redistribution scheme. Others pointed out that the Great Energy Transition (to renewable energy) would inevitably need to be funded and cap-and-trade and/or a carbon tax were a means to this end. Steve Milloy referred to it as the beginning of Green Big Brother in his book – Green Hell. McCain called the bill a farce because it bought off energy, steel, and agriculture. With quite a bit of wrangling Waxman-Markey passed the house. But it would die in the Senate. Some say Obama did not advocate enough, that he was more committed to the Health Care act. The Tea Party was rising to power and held cap-and-trade as an ideal example of government control through taxation. The propaganda and ad wars continued, and continues today. Apparently, Glenn Beck accused Van Jones of being a Communist and part of a conspiracy due to his radical past experimenting with Communism, Anarchy, and Libertarianism. He was defamed enough to resign as a member of Obama's staff. Beck was boycotted somewhat at the time for calling Obama racist against white people. The distant hope was that the bill would pass the Senate before the 2009 U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen – now attended by 27,000 people, but that was not to be. Soon thereafter, so-called "climategate" happened where climate skeptics claim to have found evidence that climate scientists had "cooked data." Apparently, there had been some errors and omissions but nothing that changed any conclusions but typically those with a bias will use any info to try and validate their view, which is the real goal of most opinion zealots. Basically, climategate was insignificant difference changed into fluffed up B.S. Of course, in a media war – the truth can get hidden.
Senator James Inhofe, came to Copenhagen to announce that climate change was a hoax. A reporter asked him: "If there's a hoax, then who's putting on this hoax and what's the motive?" He mentioned something about the U.N., the U.S., and the Hollywood elite. A German reporter just scoffed, "You're ridiculous." Nothing much got resolved at Copenhagen, much like Bali. The U.S., China, India, and other developing countries are still running without officially planned emissions reductions. China did agree to a reduction of "carbon intensity" or emissions per unit of GDP. Some said/say that U.S. emissions reductions are irrelevant if China (now the world leader in carbon emissions) did not commit to reductions. Others stressed that if the U.S. would commit it would force these other countries to follow suit faster that they otherwise would. Obama was adamant and insisted on confronting the Chinese on this issue – to the point of bursting into Copenhagen meetings uninvited. He did get some Chinese concessions – with future verification to be worked out later.
On Feb. 26, 2010, Lindsay Graham announced in the Washington Post that "Cap and trade is dead." Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman tried a plan B approach but not much came out of it and so a U.S. carbon cap remains elusive. Since the publication of this book, cap-and trade apparently has been adopted at the state level in California with success touted by EDF. Obama and the EPA are pushing for executive order requirement for power plants to reduce carbon. Hansen and Bill McKibben continue to insist on the need to scale back to 350 PPM of CO2 in the atmosphere. CCS has yet to catch on but there are several projects running and in varying stages of running. Germany, Spain, Denmark, and a few other countries have made the committed dash for renewable energy with variable success. Natural gas availability as a power-plant replacement for coal as well as decreased demand and a few warm winters has allowed the U.S. to reduce carbon emissions rather unexpectedly to mid-1990's levels. Meanwhile atmospheric global CO2 has increased beyond the 400 ppm threshold.
Basically, anyone who is into climate policy should read this book as it really gives the breadth of the ideas, hopes, and fears of those factions and their individual representatives that will be impacted by climate legislation.
The Climate War: True Believers, Power Brokers, an...
Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are Keys t...
Hypatia of Alexandria


text:
China Detains Suspect In Tainted Milk Case
Investigators have found that a tainted milk incident that killed three children appears to be a case of intentional poisoning and have detained a suspect.
Alexa Olesen, Associated Press
BEIJING (AP) -- Investigators have found that a tainted milk incident in northwest China that killed three children appears to be a case of intentional poisoning and have detained a suspect, state media said Monday.
Investigators found that nitrite, an industrial salt that can be deadly, was added to fresh milk from two dairies last week in northwest China's Gansu province in order to harm people, the China Daily newspaper reported. A suspect in Pingliang city, where the poisoning took place, has been taken into custody, it said, without elaborating.
The three children who died were under all 2 years old, with the youngest 36 days old, the China Daily said. An earlier report in the Pingliang News, a local government-run paper, said 36 other people, mostly children, were sickened in the incident.
China's worst food safety scandal in recent years involved fresh milk, infant formula and other dairy products tainted with the industrial chemical melamine, which can cause kidney stones and kidney failure.
Melamine was widely used by Chinese dairy manufacturers to artificially boost protein levels and profits. It ended up killing six children and sickening more than 300,000 others in 2008.
Much of the food in China is still produced by countless backyard farms and small-scale manufacturers, which makes enforcing food safety standards difficult. A series of embarrassing problems, including the 2008 tainted milk scandal, prompted China to pass tougher food safety regulations and step up inspections, though many problems still exist.
In a separate report Monday, the China Daily said authorities in the central province of Henan have detained 95 people involved in a profit-seeking tainted pork scandal. The detainees allegedly made, sold or used pig feed laced with clenbuterol, a banned drug that causes pigs to convert fat to muscle quickly.
Clenbuterol is illegal because it can cause nausea, dizziness, headaches and heart palpitations in humans, but pig farmers like to use it because it helps yield more lean meat, which is costlier than fatty meat.
The investigation was launched after tainted pork was found being sold by Shuanghui Group, China's largest meat processor, the China Daily said. Authorities traced the contamination back to an illegal chemical factory that sold raw clenbuterol to middle men who mixed it with starch and resold it to farmers, who mixed it into their feed, it said.
Authorities found 18 tons of clenbuterol-tainted feed in Henan, and a random check of nine farms in the province found that 52 out of 1,512 pigs tested positive for the drug, the paper said.


text:
package de.hpi.asg.breezetestgen.domain.components.brzcomponents

import de.hpi.asg.breezetestgen.domain.components.{BrzComponent, BrzComponentBehaviour, HandshakeComponent}
import BrzComponent._

class Call(id: HandshakeComponent.Id,
           inps: Set[SyncSpec],
           out: SyncSpec) extends BrzComponent(id) {
  type Behaviour = CallBehaviour
  type C = CallBehaviour.ControlState
  type D = Option[SyncSpec] // calling input

  def behaviour(state: Option[HandshakeComponent.State[C, D]]): Behaviour =
    new CallBehaviour(state getOrElse CallBehaviour.freshState)

  object CallBehaviour {
    sealed trait ControlState
    case object Idle extends ControlState
    case object Called extends ControlState

    val freshState: HandshakeComponent.State[C, D] = HandshakeComponent.State(Idle, None)
  }

  class CallBehaviour(initState: HandshakeComponent.State[C, D]) extends BrzComponentBehaviour[C, D](initState) {
    import CallBehaviour._

    info(s"$id: CallBehaviour created in state: $initState")

    when(Idle) {
      case Req(inp, _) if inps contains inp =>
        info(s"$id Requested on channel $inp!")
        request(out)
        goto(Called) using Some(inp)
    }

    when(Called) {
      case Ack(`out`, Some(inp)) =>
        info(s"$id: Got ack from out, forward it to $inp")
        acknowledge(inp)
        goto(Idle) using None
    }

    initialize()
  }
}


The Briscoe Library in collaboration with the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics has chosen God's Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine as a 2016 One Community/One Book selection. The book's author Victoria Sweet, MD, PhD will present the Ewing Halsell Distinguished Lecture on the evening of March 17, 2016 in the Holly Auditorium. A reception will be held at 5:30 pm with the author's presentation at 6:00 pm and a book signing to follow at 7:00 pm.
Dr. Sweet is an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. Following her BS in Mathematics from Stanford University and her MD from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Dr. Sweet earned an MA and a PhD in the History of the Health Sciences from the University of California, San Francisco. Her research focuses on the 12th-century German abbess, composer, theologian, visionary, and medical practitioner Hildegard von Bingen.
In God's Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine, the author weaves stories of her experiences caring for patients at Laguna Honda Hospital in San Francisco, the last almshouse in the country, with her studies of medieval medicine. In the process, Dr. Sweet comes to appreciate the importance of slow medicine and the efficiency of inefficiency.
The Briscoe Library will hold a kick-off event and workshop on February 2, 2016 at 12 Noon in the Howe Conference Room, Briscoe Library 5th floor, to support book discussion group leaders and to encourage conversation. This event is open to faculty, staff, and students of the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, as well as members of the broader community, who are interested in planning a book discussion opportunity. Register Here. Book discussions will then be held throughout February and March, leading up to Dr. Sweet's visit to campus on March 17, 2016.
For more information, please visit the One Community/One Book 2016: God's Hotel website or contact Lisa Matye Finnie, Special Collections Librarian, at finnie@uthscsa.edu or 210-567-2406.


Asides a glowing skin and nice outfits one thing any individual would should never compromise on is a perfect hairdo, one which suits your face and gives you that perfect feel when you gaze at the mirror.
No matter how well dressed you are, have the right face glam on with a glowing skin, there's just this finishing that a right hairdo gives to your total outfit, it makes you go Bingo!
Viola! Worry less, we are here to help you and show you how to style your natural hair to suit your face. It's not enough to tend to your natural hair using the essential oil, conditioner and other hair nutrients but knowing the exact way to style it to give you your desired look.
We enlisted a couple of pretty looks that are perfect for your natural hair styling and we tapped three Nigerian celebrities; Beverly Naya, Nse Ikpe Etim who are both prominent Nollywood actresses and Ex Big Brother housemate, Ifuennada whose stunning natural hair would give you inspiration on the perfect natural hairstyle look you could rock .
Scroll down to view various hairstyles that best suits you.


text:
'My Story' by Com. Jyoti Basu
Settlement of Medical Bills of Pensioners
Historic Victory!
VAN Namboodiri's Blog
~ Welcome to V.A.N. Namboodiri's blog…
Category Archives: India Left
"Our Struggle, the struggle for unity of the Working Class" – Com.BTR
Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in India Left, TU News - India, Uncategorized
"Our struggle is the struggle for the unity of the working class, unity of trade union movement….. It means every worker must be rallied to join the common class struggle. … Unless it is united, the offensive cannot be met."
B.T.RANADIVE,
Fight the twin menace of Communal BJP and Corrupt Trinamool – CPI(M) WB
Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in India Left
CPI(M) WB Conference
Kolkata, Mar 10 Calling upon Left, progressive and secular forces to unite for fighting the twin menance of 'communal' BJP and 'corrupt' Trinamool Congress, the CPI-M today noted that ever since the BJP came to power, RSS and Hindutva forces became active in India and Bengal.
In a draft resolution placed in the 24th CPI(M) state conference, the party stated, "……RSS and Hindutva forces are trying to divide the country on communal lines. The BJP and RSS in Bengal are also trying to destroy the Secular fabric of the state, which has been safeguarded and nourished by the Left in the last 34 years."
The resolution also stated that it was due to the commual politics and policies pursued by the TMC government that the RSS, BJP were gaining ground in the state.
7 Left Parties will jointly contest in Delhi Elections
16 Friday Jan 2015
Delhi Elections, Left Parties
The following seven Left Parties will jointly contest in the Delhi State Elections: CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML)-Liberation, Forward Block, SUCI (Communist),RSP, Socialist Party-India.The seats to be contested will be decided later.
This is a good sign. Instead of dividing the votes of the Left, let it be combined together.
Joint Statement by Left Parties
Left Parties, Statement
Press Statement by CPI(M)
A meeting of six Left parties – Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party, All India Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation and Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) was held today at New Delhi. They have issued the following statement:
With the advent of the Modi government in power there is a concerted rightwing offensive fueled by the corporate-Hindutva forces. There is a growing onslaught on the people through the imposition of neo-liberal policies which is going to adversely impact the livelihood of the people. There is no respite for the people from price rise, unemployment and corruption.
The Hindutva forces are resorting to aggressive communal activities. The Modi government's patronage of the RSS and its outfits is aimed at communalising the educational, social and cultural institutions. There is rise in communal tensions in different parts of the country.
The Left parties decided to conduct a week long protest campaign between December 8 to 14, 2014 on the following issues:
(i) Against steps to curtail and dilute the MNREGA
(ii) Curb price rise; control exorbitant price of medicines and drugs
(iii) No increased FDI in insurance.
(iv) Take firm action to unearth black money
(v) Stop infiltration of the RSS and Hindutva ideology in education, public broadcasting media and other institutions of the State.
(vi) Stop the "love jihad" hate campaign and other forms of communal propaganda
(vii) Stop attacks on minorities and their rights
(viii)Fight violence against women and all forms of gender oppression
(ix) Fight against atrocities on dalits and caste oppression
Those who attended the meeting were:
Debabrata Biswas {AIFB}; Kshiti Goswami & Manoj Bhattacharya {RSP}; Swapan Mukherjee & Kavita Krishnan {CPI(ML)-Liberation}; Manik Mukherjee & Ranjit Dhar {SUCI(C)}, A.B. Bardhan & D Raja {CPI} and Prakash Karat & S Ramachandran Pillai {CPI(M)}
Formation of Communist Party of India, 17 October 1920
CPI formation, CPI(M)
Communist Party of India has crossed 94 years after its formation on 17th October 1920. It was in Tashkent that the CPI in exile was formed.The founding members of the party were M.N. Roy, Evelyn Trent Roy, Abani Mukherji, Rosa Fitingof , Mohammad Ali , Mohammad Shafiq Siddiqui, Rafiq Ahmed, M.P.B.T. Acharya and Sultan Ahmed Khan Tarin.
During the last 94 years much has happened. The Party started its units in India. The British Government was much worried it took all actions to finish the party. Conspiracy cases were foisted on the Communists and cruelly punished. But this crisis was utilised by the party comrades to propagate the message of communism.
Party had to face several challenges at each and every stage. It was victimised by both the British and Congress Governments.
The internal crisis resulted in the party being divided, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was formed in 1964. CPI(M) became the leading Communist Party which became the ruling party in 3 states viz. Kerala, W.Bengal and Tripura now and then.
The party Congress of the CPI(M) is going to be held in 2015 at Visakhapatnam which will review the present situation, the defeat in the 2014 elections and organisational matters. Despite several backlashes, the party has bounced back, and it is sure that the CPI(M) come to the forefront politics again.
Com. Basavapunnaiah Birth Centenary
Birth Centenary, M.Basavapunnaiah
The CPI(M) as per the decision of its Central Committee meeting held at Kolkata from 13-15 December 2013 will be observing the Birth Centenary of Comrade M.Basavapunnaiah from 14th December 2013 for one year. Com. Basavapunnaiah was one of the Politburo Members of CPI(M) since its formation in 1964 till his death. He was one of the ideologues of the party.
Meetings, discussions, Seminars etc. will be organised all over the country on the ideological issues as also application of Marxism-Leninism to the concrete conditions in the society.
The CC has also decided to publish a book-let on the life and work of Com. Basavapunnaiah during the period.
CPI(M) opposes FDI in Insurance, Pension Sectors
CPI(M) - FDI- Pension
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
The UPA government has decided to raise the cap for foreign direct investment in the insurance sector from the current 26 per cent to 49 per cent. The Cabinet has also decided to allow 49 per cent FDI in pension funds. These measures announced by the Union Cabinet will make India's finance sector more vulnerable to speculative finance capital.
The decision to allow FDI in pension funds will jeopardize the savings of millions of employees in the country.
The Polit Bureau appeals to the people to oppose these anti-people measures. The PB also appeals to political parties to defeat these measures when they are brought before parliament.
Left Parties decide struggles against Corruption
Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in Corruption, India Left
India corruption
The four left parties viz. CPI(M), CPI, AIFB and RSP has jointly called upon the people to continue the struggle against the rampant corruption. The demands raised by the Left Parties are:
1. Adoption of an effective Lok Pal Bill.
2. There should be a National Judicial Commission to curb corruption in high judiciary.
3. Stringent action against the rampant corruption fostered by the big business-politician-bureaucratic nexus which has led to scandal such as 2G Spectrum case.
4. Implementation of electoral reforms including introduction of proportional representation system to check money power in lections.
5. Steps to unearth black money stashed abroad.
The Left parties have called upon the people to participate massively in the anti-corruption movement programmes being organised from 15th to 21st July. A Parliament March during the coming session is also decided.
Left Parties decides movement against corruption
The four Left Parties viz. CPI(M),CPI, AIFB and RSP, has decided to organise a countrywide movement against corruption demanding immediate measures to curb corruption in all spheres of public life. The demands of the Left parties are:
1. Adoption of an effective Lokpal legislation
2. National Judicial Commission to curb corruption in high judiciary
3. Stringent action against the rampant corruption fostered by the big business-politician-bureaucratic nexus which has led to scandal like 2G spectrum
4. Implementation of electoral reforms including introduction of proportional representation system to check money power in elections.
5. Steps to unearth black money and repatriation of the illegal money stashed abroad.
A massive movement will be organised on these demands from 15th to 21st July 2011 all over the country. During this period the Left parties will picket central government offices, hold demonstrations, dharnas and rallies. A demonstration outside parliament also will be organised during Parliament session.
102nd Birth Anniversary of Comrade EMS
Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in History, India Left, Obituary, Tributes
13 June 2011, today, is the 102nd Birth Anniversary of comrade EMS Namboodiripad, former General Secretary, CPI(M), former Chief Minister of Kerala and one of most respected ideologue of the Communists. His political life extending about eight decades were closely interlinked with the growth and progress of Kerala. A voracious reader, comrade EMS also wrote many books, articles, reviews, pamphlets etc. which have now been compiled and published in 100 volumes.
He was closely connected with the P&T movement and attneded many conferences of the union, including the All India Conference of the AITEE Unin Class III held at Thiruvananthapuram in 1994, where I was elected as the General Secretary for the first time.
We cherish his mwmory and our close association with him.Red Salute to Corade EMS!
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Installing safety bollards are beneficial when it comes to safety. Safety bollards provide a border and help to guard pedestrians against dangerous work areas and traffic. You've often seen these before but may not have known what they're called.
Installing safety bollards are beneficial when it comes to safety. Safety bollards provide a border and help to guard pedestrians against dangerous work areas and traffic. You've often seen these before but may not have known what they're called. Think about the parking lot of your local park. Not only does grass create a visible barrier but safety bollards are highly-visible and create a barrier between people freely running around and the people arriving in vehicles. They also help to section off a property. Keep reading for more detail about the safety benefits of safety bollards.
When there is traffic detours, road closures, or traffic diversion in any way, shape, or form, bollards help to alert drivers of what direction to go and how to safely proceed.
Narrow roads, sharp turns, and a high volume of traffic, especially on the highway can give new drivers anxiety. Highly-visible safety bollards help to guide their driving so that they don't hit a curb or cause a collision.
Safety bollards come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes. They even come in yellow! Variety matters because driving does not only occur in the daytime. If a bollard is too small or too dark, a driver may not be able to see it during the night time. Strips that reflect light are especially crucial during lowlight conditions or when the weather's bad. While safety comes first, this investment can match or add to the architectural design of your establishment.
Depending on your needs, there are a lot of options and finishes that prove their durability. Steel and stainless steel are popular options. Safety bollards have indoor and outdoor functions. A powered coating will reduce rust and help aid in visibility.
Installing these safety mechanisms don't require core drilling or excavation of any sort. It doesn't matter if the area uses new or old concrete; the installation won't be difficult. Safety bollards involve built-mounting or drop-inserts. With new concrete, anchor castings or embedded posts are best.
This entry was posted on Thursday, March 28th, 2019 at 10:26 am. Both comments and pings are currently closed.