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Will Greece Ever Be Modernized?
I am returning to a year-end practice which I started back in 2012. On New Year's Eve 2012, I published the article "Make 2013 'The Year of the EU Task Force for Greece!'" By that time, the EU Task Force for Greece (TFGR) had already been in operation for over one year but, apart from detailed periodic reviews, one didn't really hear a lot about it.
A year later, on New Year's Day 2013, I asked the question "Was 2013 "The Year of the EU Task Force for Greece?'" I am afraid my answer was not a positive one. Perseverant as I am, I suggested one more time that the TFGR should be a top objective for 2014. Still, things remained rather quiet around the TFGR. Yes, there were some success stories like increasing the utilization rate of EU subsidies but I, for one, could not identify anything Earth-shaking facts that the TFGR had accomplished. For sure, Greece had not become a modern country as yet. The TFGR finally expired in June of 2015.
In October of this year, I happily reported on the birth of a replacement for the TFGR. First of all, there was a significant improvement in the acronym: a boring TFGR now became a flashy SRSS. Somewhat reminiscent of an interballistic missile. It stands for Structural Reform Support Service.
And only a few days later the bombshell: "France will modernize Greece!"
I have not heard yet about any progress France has made so far. Let's be hopeful that there will be progress this time around. Meanwhile, let me repeat the Mission Statement of the original TFGR:
The Task Force is a resource at the disposal of the Greek authorities as they seek to build a modern and prosperous Greece: a Greece characterised by economic opportunity and social equity, and served by an efficient administration with a strong public service ethos.
What a wonderful mission! Will it ever be completed?
Eingestellt von kleingut um 6:05 PM
S.K. December 29, 2015 at 3:49 AM
what a pity...
Hi Mr. Kastner,
Just wanted to wish you a happy and healthy new year.
Thanks always for your efforts.
See You in the new year.
kleingut December 31, 2015 at 3:47 PM
The same to you, and to everyone else who is following this blog.
Jim Slip January 4, 2016 at 4:55 PM
Greece modernizes very slowly, badly lagging behind other European countries.
When will we be able to say that Greece has modernized itself to a sufficient degree? When you won't need an accountant to do your tax papers. When you won't need paperwork to do simple things in Greek public services. When Greek public services won't treat you like an enemy of the state.
Until then, we may as well enjoy our myth in Greece.
It seems like Germany does not have a lot of patience with France in modernizing the Greek tax system. According to DW, the German federal state of NRW has sent a bunch of tax inspectors to Greece. Now, I don't know of any country where tax inspectors would win popularity contests, and German ones in Greece are not going to change that.
kleingut January 14, 2016 at 6:04 PM
I would guess that this is unrelated to the French project. The state of NRW made history a few years ago for buying stolen data of Swiss bank accounts and using them for pursuing German tax cheaters. Since then, they have acquired significant expertise because they bought a lot more data. While these actions are, in my opinion, legally dubious (should a state buy stolen data from a thief?), they were a tremendous business success: for every million spent on the data, several hundred million could be collected. Total collections are now into the billions, I believe.
The state of NRW was kind enough to pass on data about other countries' citizens to the authorities of those countries. Free of charge, I believe. And I read that they recently passed on data to Greece. So I would imagine that they are sending their experts with great experience with stolen bank data to Greece to show the Greeks how to best take advantage of those stolen data...
kleingut January 15, 2016 at 12:06 PM
I just read that the Greek authorities are already moving and sending out 20-30 letters every day to people on the NRW list. Well, it seems the NRW consultants pay off. Apparantly, they could convince their Greek colleagues that only quick action (instead of long debates) brings results.
http://www.ekathimerini.com/205082/article/ekathimerini/news/financial-prosecutors-call-depositors-named-on-swiss-bank-list
NRW most likely have their experts on site to ensure that the information is used, and used in the right way.
You do raise a much more intriguing question about the legality and morality, not much to do with Observing Greece, but never the less interesting.
A crime has been committed (theft of the info, intellectual property). Values are being returned to their lawful owners (the German or Greek state). There are no victims. Is NRW legally and morally dubious because they paid for the information? Are the Greeks innocent because they did not pay for it? Is whistle blowing OK? Is it OK when you are paid for it? Lots of stuff to ponder, not simple at all.
Lennard
Some years ago, a German policeman was convicted of a crime. He had tortured a kidnapper so that he would reveal the location of the kidnapped boy. To no avail because the boy had already been killed. The defense argued that the ultimate goal (saving the life of a boy) justified the policeman's crime of torturing. The defense failed.
The ulterior good of collecting taxes was ruled to justify the crime of stealing bank data. A layman could conclude that money is worth more than the life of a boy.
Yes, this is complex. In the US, I believe, the matter would be crystal clear: evidence obtained illegally would be thrown out by the court.
The program was a big success in NWR, not a big surprise, the citizens, by and large, respect the legal system. When faced with a tax inspector who threatens legal steps a citizen will normally volunteer to pay up. Imagine the same situation in Greece, the offender will say "your legal steps will be so small and slow that you can never catch up with me". He may add "see you in court, in a few years time". He will also rest assured that should it go to court, then there is an election with an amnesty before that.
All the above is of cause only if the tax inspector has not made his own private deal with the offender from the very beginning.
A layman could conclude that, if he was shooting from the hip.
He could also conclude that the kidnapper was also a victim, in as much as he had been punished (the torture) without any ruling by the legal system. Further, that even criminals enjoy the protection of the law.
In the case of the data theft it could be argued that there is no victim(s), no punishment has been metered out, no unjust suffering or losses. further actions are left to the legal systems.
Both are breaking the law, but only one is taking it into his own hands.
Attractiveness Of Doing Business In Greece (rankings)
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Two-Year Anniversary of the McKinsey Report!
An Intelligent Foreign Investment
Non-Performing Loans And Fairness
Now Argentina. Greece When?
Ten Tips About Greece!


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Hertfordshire County Council seeks views on 20mph speed limit restrictions
Chandni Tanna
Published: 9:57 AM October 26, 2013 Updated: 3:43 PM November 1, 2020
- Credit: Archant
Speed limits could be reduced across Hertfordshire.
Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) has launched a public consultation on a proposed new speed management strategy. The council wants your views on how speed limits are set on the county's roads.
The new strategy has been proposed following a review carried out in partnership with Herts Police.
If approved, it would make it easier for 20mph zones to be created in residential areas - where appropriate, and if the idea is supported by the local community.
It would also mean that zonal rural speed limits, usually for 40mph, in areas where speeds are already in line with such a limit could be introduced.
Terry Douris, Cabinet member for highways at HCC, said: "We know people are concerned about speeding traffic and we want to make sure that we can put appropriate limits in place. But first we want to hear people's views. We'll propose a final strategy for the county in February, once we've had the opportunity to listen to residents' feedback."
Councillor Lisa Courts, who represents Hitchin Bearton on North Herts District Council, has been campaigning for 20mph zones in Hitchin.
She said: "I have to say I am disappointed in the document as I feel they have overlooked certain aspects.
"As for some roads being in 20mph zones and some not, it will just push the speeding down other roads. I believe all residential roads, regardless, should be 20mph.
"Speeding regardless of whether it is 31mph or 35mph will cause more damage to a person than someone travelling at 20mph, also the long-term benefits are a lot better. Cyclist and walkers will be safer, thus promoting healthier ways of travel.
"I am not against car travel, but would prefer to have safer residential roads than the ones we have at present. In the short time I have been involved with the Drive Safe campaign down one road in Hitchin, we have caught 47 drivers going over the 30mph speed limit outside a school."
Chief inspector Richard Hann, from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Road Policing Unit, said: "We have been consulted by Herts County Council during the development of these proposals which could change how speed limits are set in the future. Getting speed limits right is crucial to making roads in the county as safe as possible."
The consultation will close on November 22. To give your views, visit www.hertsdirect.org/ltp32013

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Roto Roundup
Roto Roundup: Jimmy Nelson, Alex Guerrero, Masahiro Tanaka, and others
Ray offers his thoughts on some of the top fantasy performers from Wednesday's MLB action, including Jimmy Nelson, Mike Moustakas, Alex Guerrero and others.
By Ray Guilfoyle@faketeams Apr 24, 2015, 7:00am EDT
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FanDuel: SB Nation One Day Fantasy Leagues
Many of you play in season-long leagues, while more and more of you are playing one day fantasy leagues. If you like the action of the one day leagues, make sure you join the FanDuel/SB Nation one day fantasy baseball leagues. All you need to do is click on the link below and join a league.
FanDuel/SB Nation One Day Fantasy League
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Click the link above to learn more and get started
On most days, our own Tim Finnegan (@TimFinn521) on Twitter) offers his picks for your daily FanDuel rosters. His articles post at 6am daily.
Albert Pujols struggling out of the gate
When I took a look at the Angels boxscore from Tuesday night, a night where their offense put up 14 runs, I expected to see that first baseman Albert Pujols had a good night at the plate. His boxscore line was a disappointment though: 0-5 with 2 strikeouts. On Wednesday night, Pujols came up with the bases loaded early in the game, and from one account, he looked like Josh Hamilton at the plate, flailing at pitches from Athletics pitcher Sonny Gray. He went 1-4 with a run scored in the Angels 9-2 loss on Wednesday, and 0-2 with a walk on Thursday, and is now hitting just .190-.277-.379 with 3 home runs, 8 runs scored and 7 RBI in 62 plate appearances.
His power appears to still be fine, as his isolated power (ISO) currently sits at .196, up from .194 last season. Of course, we are only talking about 65 plate appearances. His slugglng percentage, though, is down from .466 last season to .379 early in 2015. His low batting average can be directly correlated to his extremely low .174 batting average of balls in play, so it should return to the .270 range before long.
This season I was willing to draft Pujols in drafts as I felt that he wasn't being over-drafted based on his name, unlike previous seasons where his ADP was living off of the Pujols of old. Pujols is struggling at the plate to start the season, but all he needs is a couple good weeks at the plate, and his average, on base percentage and power should be back to expected levels. Granted, his age and nagging injuries could impact his overall numbers, he should be able to come close to repeating his 2014 performance, where he hit 28 home runs and drove in 105 runs. If you have an owner in your league who is ready to give up on Pujols after his slow start, by all means make an offer of 80 cents on the dollar and see if he bites.
For more on Pujols and the Angels, make sure you check out Halos Heaven, SB Nation's Angels fan site.
Mike Moustakas: Building on his strong playoff performance
It is no secret that Royals third baseman has power, as he led the minor leagues with 36 home runs way back in 2010. But, since that time, Moustakas has been a disappointment at the dish for the Royals, as he has never hit more than 20 home runs or driven in 73 runs in a season, and he did that in his first full season in the big leagues in 2012. Since then, he has hits just 27 home runs and struggled at the plate, hitting in the .210-.235 range. Not good.
But something seemed to change with Moustakas in the Royals surprising playoff run last season that ended with a loss in game 7 of the World Series. Moustakas came up big for the Royals in the playoffs last season, hitting 5 home runs. This season, he appears to be building on that playoff performance, as he has begun to hit the ball the other way according to his spray charts over at FanGraphs.
Through his first 15 games this season, Moustakas is hitting .305-.388-.508 with 3 home runs, 13 runs scored and 5 RBI hitting in the top third of the Royals lineup. He is hitting more fly balls in the early going, so we could see a 20+ home run season from Moustakas this season. He has cut his strikeout rate in half in the early going as well. If he can keep his batting average in the .260-.270 range, and maintain the solid plate discipline, we could see a breakout season from him in 2015.
For more on Moustakas and the Royals, make sure you check out Royal Review, SB Nation's Royals fan site.
Jason Heyward: Bust Candidate?
I have said more than a few times here on these pages that I am not a fan of Cardinals outfielder Jason Heyward. Without looking, i might have been the low man on him in our consensus outfielder rankings in the preseason. Since his breakout season in 2012, where he hit .269-.335-.479 with 27 home runs, 93 run scored, 82 RBI and 21 stolen bases, Heyward has disappointed his fantasy owners looking for him to repeat that power breakout.
He dealt with a shoulder injury in 2013, limiting him to 104 games, and it appears there have been lingering affects of that injury as he has had to work on his swing mechanics in each of the last two seasons. This offseason, he was traded from the Braves to the Cardinals in the deal that sent Shelby Miller to the Braves. Many felt the trade to St. Louis would benefit Heyward, but he is disappointing those who had faith in him once again. The fact that the Braves traded him a year before he becomes a free agent, and after signing several core players to long term deals should tell you how much confidence they have in him returning to the hitter he was back in 2012.
Through 14 games and 62 plate appearances, Heyward is struggling in a big way, hitting just .213-.226-.328 with one home run, 5 runs scored, 3 RBI and one stolen base. His strikeout rate has increased from 15% to 19% while his walk rate has nose-dived from 10% to just under 2% thus far. Heyward is penciled in at the two hole in the Cardinals lineup presently, but with Kolten Wong hitting .325-.396-.475 out of the eighth spot in the Cardinals lineup, we could see manager Mike Matheny move Wong into the second spot in the lineup, where he belongs in my opinion, and moving Heyward down to the sixth or seventh spot.
This could just be an early season slump, but I think we will look back at Heyward's 2012 season as his career year. If he doesn't start hitting in the next month or so, we could slap an early season bust label on Heyward for 2015.
For more on Heyward and the Cardinals, make sure you check out Viva el Birdos, SB Nation's Cardinals fan site.
Jimmy Nelson: Underowned in most leagues
I have to say I whiffed on not including Nelson in Wednesday's Streamer report, as I just assumed he was owned in more than 50% of leagues, but that is not the case.
And that is a mistake. Grab him off of your league waiver wire now. Now.
In a season where the Brewers are off to their worst start ever, Nelson has been one of the only bright spots. On Wednesday night, Nelson limited the Reds, fresh off scoring 16 runs the previous night, to just one run on 3 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 8 ground ball outs in the Brewers 2-1 loss. On the season, Nelson is now 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA, 2.27 FIP, a 0.70 WHIP and is holding opponents to a .161 batting average. He is striking out around 8 batters per nine, walking less than two batters per nine, and is inducing ground balls at a near-elite 57% rate. Nelson has all the skills you look for in a starting pitcher, and if he can keep this up, he could put his name in the conversation for top 30-40 starter by mid-season, and should get plenty of National League Rookie of the Year votes, except there is that guy named Kris Bryant over in Chicago.
Have you picked him up off of your league waiver wire yet? What are you waiting for?
For more on Nelson and the Brewers, make sure you check out Brew Crew Ball, SB Nation's Brewers fan site.
One of the more shocking trades this offseason saw A's GM Billy Beane deal his cost controlled third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Blue Jays. After the deal, I ranked Donaldson as my #1 fantasy third baseman for 2015, and he has not disappointed in the early going this season. Yesterday, he went 2-4 with a double and a home run, with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI in the Blue Jays 7-6 win over the Orioles, raising his slash line to .349-.400-.635 with 4 home runs, 13 runs scored and 13 RBI in 68 plate appearances. He has hit all four of his home runs in his last six games, and has a good shot at 30+ home runs this season.
The Pirates probably have the best outfield in baseball with Andrew McCiutchen, Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte, but all three have struggled at the plate to start the season. But, over the last week, Polanco has caught fire raising his average from .200 to .300. Yesterday, he went 3-4 with a double, run scored, 2 RBI and a stolen base in the Buccos 5-4 win over the Cubs. On the season, he is now hitting .300-.323-/450 with a home run, 7 runs scored, 6 RBI, 5 stolen bases and a 19-5 strikeout to walk rate in 62 plate appearances. The stolen bases are great, but the low walk rate and high strikeout rate are troublesome, especially since he had much better plate discipline in the minors.
After hitting a pinch-hit 2 run home run off of Giants ace Madison Bumgarner on Wednesday night, Dodgers utility hitter Alex Guerrero earned the start at third base on Thursday afternoon, and proceeded to show that he deserves more playing time, either at third base over Juan Uribe, at second base to give Howie Kendrick a day or two off at some point, or in left field. Guerrero went 2-3 with a solo home run in the Dodgers 3-2 loss to the Giants. He has just 19 plate appearances, but has done nothing but hit when he does get a chance to play or pinch hit. He raised his slash line to .474-.450-1.211 with 4 home runs, 4 runs scored and 12 RBI.....all in 19 plate appearances. With starting third baseman Juan Uribe hitting .250-.289-.278 thus far, the Dodgers should do the right thing and see what Guerrero can do in a starting role. They know what they have in Uribe, a good fielding third baseman with a little bit of pop. They don't know what they have in Guerrero, but we know he isn't that good in the field, but he appears to be the better option due to his bat.
It was just a few weeks ago when many were saying that Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka looked so bad that he should go ahead and have Tommy John surgery now as he won't be able to escape the inevitable. After giving up 4 runs on 5 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts vs the Blue Jays in his first start of the season, he has given up just four runs over his last three starts, and is looking more and more like the ace starter he was before his injury last season. Tanaka stated before the season began that he will be changing his approach on the mound due to his partially torn UCL, and he appears to be just as dominant as he was last season. Yesterday, he limited the stacked Tigers lineup to just one run on 3 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts in 6.1 innings in a game the Yankees eventually won 2-1. Tanaka is now 2-1 with a 3.22 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and a 24-7 strikeout to walk rate in 22.1 innings. So much for the Tommy John surgery talk.
Fantasy Rundown
If you are looking for more fantasy advice, make sure you check out Fantasy Rundown for all your fantasy baseball and football needs.


I have FM Pro 8.5 for PC and I would like to create a searchable online library catalog for my department's library. I'm a newbie to FM so I'm not sure how to go about creating the database and search page and making it available online. Anyone out there able to help?
Before you start, you should ask yourself some questions, such as below.
What's the size of your department? What network traffic (searches per hour) would you expect?
Would IWP (Instant Web Publishing, see http://www.filemaker.com/downloads/pdf/fmp85_instant_web_pub.pdf) already be a solution, considered that you can display only 25 records per screen in list view? Or do you have to use FileMaker Server Advanced?
What's the size of the library? Who catalogs the documents, and how much time is reserved for that? Did you evaluate commercial library information systems which would may be cheaper than the total cost of hardware, developing the DB and the website, setting it up and maintaining it (including regular backups). Did you talk with a librarian about his experiences with library information systems and usage of library standards? Is there already a professional library information system available in your organization?
This site might be of interest. My friend is head librarian at our HS and she has mentioned this to me when I was thinking of building a library system for a local school district.


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Il singolare del torneo di tennis Hypo Group Tennis International 1991, facente parte dell'ATP Tour 1991, ha avuto come vincitore Carl-Uwe Steeb che ha battuto in finale Jordi Arrese 6-3, 6-4.

Teste di serie

 Ronald Agénor (quarti di finale)
 Mark Koevermans (secondo turno)
 Jordi Arrese (finale)
 Fabrice Santoro (secondo turno)

 Renzo Furlan (secondo turno)
 Javier Sánchez (primo turno)
 Carl-Uwe Steeb (campione)
 Jean-Philippe Fleurian (quarti di finale)

Tabellone

Finale

Parte alta

Parte bassa

Collegamenti esterni

Hypo Group Tennis International 1991
ATP Tour 1991

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Recognition and Responsibility
I've made fun of the "EVE famous" in this blog before, but now I find myself starting to slide into the fringes of that group, which is unsettling. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but suddenly I feel mildly popular, at least in the EVE universe, which is a new experience for me.
First, the readership of this modest blog has increased steadily since I started it seven months ago, though I'm sure my page view counts are just a small fraction of what TheMittani.com or Jester's Trek sees every day. Still, it's nice to see the graph curve up and to the right every month. My sincerest thanks to all who helped push that line in a healthy direction.
That trend must have been good enough for CCP Games, because they recently added me to their official list of EVE Online fansites - which means I get a free subscription. Yay! My charming bride will be delighted, since she pays the bills and always grumbles about payments for "that game."
Ripard Teg also added me to his "Infrequent but Important" blogroll list, which I find very flattering. I have a lot of respect for his prolific robo-blogging talents, so being included in his list is humbling. His definition of "infrequent" is anything longer than once per day, I think - I'll never match that pace, but I'm very pleased to be considered important enough to warrant a link. Thanks, Ripard!
With Great Recognition, Comes Great Responsibility
I was conducting a "Gallente Ships 101" class recently, and I was shocked to see over 120 people listening intently to my lecture on our public Mumble server. Since EVE University opened virtually all classes to all EVE Online players, attendance in our classes and lectures has been on the rise. If you've not checked out the E-UNI calendar of classes yet, please do, and feel free to join us - all are welcome!
A typical turnout for one of Nev's classes... at least in his own mind. :-)
"Wow, there sure are a lot of people interested in Gallente ships," I said to my large class. One of the attendees replied, "No, Nev, there are a lot of people interested in what YOU have to say about them." That definitely gave me pause - I know I'm a decent instructor, and I love doing lectures on EVE Online, but I never thought I'd ever have anything like "fans." That was perhaps one of the most flattering compliments I've ever received, in EVE or in Real Life.
I never started playing EVE Online with the intent of cultivating in-game fame. There are those who do, and they do it very well indeed. Like any social group, the EVE Online community has its share of celebrities, and we all love talking about them. I don't pretend to think that I belong in that classification, nor am I sure I want to be. Regardless, I do seem to be picking up a certain amount of recognition in EVE circles, and I find it gives me a sense of growing responsibility that I had not anticipated.
The Urge to Give Back
I love playing this game. It's my primary hobby. It seems the more I put into it, the more EVE Online fascinates me.
I remember when I put together a plan to construct my own POS. Three months later, I had one, operating smoothly in empire space, cranking out blueprint copies and inventing Tech II BPCs. That sense of accomplishment was very satisfying.
I remember so many UNI fleets, especially the carrier-killing "dragonslayer" operations, with great fondness. Being part of a group united in a common cause, even if it's just wreaking havoc together in a virtual universe, is always fun.
I remember discovering that the thing I liked most about EVE Online wasn't anything related to any in-game feature, but rather, from the satisfaction I received by teaching classes for EVE University. That's when I finally understood what the game was really all about - the community, and how to be a contributing part of it. At least, that's how it feels to me.
And so, I now find myself wondering if there are other ways I can give something back to the game and the community that I have found so enjoyable. And more than a few people have suggested: "Nev, why don't you run for the CSM?"
To CSM, or Not to CSM, that is the Question
As an elected player group, who are stakeholders in CCP Games' plans for game direction and development, the Council of Stellar Management is unique in online gaming communities. I don't know of any other MMO game that has anything like it. They provide reactions to CCP Games' plans for features for EVE Online, and represent the interests of the EVE Online community. They get some unique glimpses into the future direction of the game, and can help shape and influence the evolution of it.
I admit that I would love to be part of that. And I think I have enough experience in the game to understand and appreciate the implications of new capabilities under consideration. More importantly, I would bring a certain point of view, as someone who is passionate about new player interests, and as someone who plays primarily in high-sec space - two groups that I think are under-represented on the current CSM, but are vitally important constituencies to the future success of EVE Online.
So, I must confess that I have seriously considered running for the CSM. But then I sobered up.
One thing that I admire about the members of CSM8 is that they, as a group, have been very dedicated to keeping the EVE Online community informed about what they are doing. We've never seen a CSM this open about sharing what's going on in their dealings with CCP. Thanks to the CSM8 website, Ripard Teg's weekly updates, Ali Aras' online "space hangouts", the regular Town Hall open meetings and Q&A sessions, the forum postings, the blog updates - all from multiple representatives of the CSM - no one can say that they don't know what CSM8 has been doing. It's the most visible and transparent CSM group ever, by far.
And that openness has revealed some important things about the CSM:
Most of the CSM representatives, with only a couple of exceptions, work hard and put a lot of time and effort into chats and meetings and forum exchanges with CCP Games. For many of them, it's literally a second job.
They do make a difference, but sometimes they have to wrestle CCP Games to the ground to get the player perspective across. And sometimes, it ain't easy.
CCP increasingly depends on the CSM to be available and provide rapid feedback to ideas, as they engage in fast agile development cycles.
In summary: being on the CSM is hard work, and requires a lot of time.
I have developed a lot of respect for CSM8. I think they represent the EVE player base well, and they have influenced the direction of the game positively. I'll be very interested to see what they can achieve with the planned summer expansion. If Rubicon is any indication, it should be a good one, thanks in no small part to CSM8's input and guidance.
But I also realize that to do it well, one must make a real commitment to being on the CSM. It should not be approached lightly.
And I honestly do not think I am willing to make that kind of commitment. At least, not yet. I won't be on the CSM9 primary ballot.
Maybe I'll be ready by the time the CSM10 elections roll around. We shall see.
Besides, I suspect that new player interests will be well represented on CSM9. But more on that in a future post. ;-)
So, I will give back to the EVE Online community as I have been doing - by blogging here, conducting classes and lectures, and doing what I can to help EVE University. And that will have to be enough - for now.
Posted in Commentary and tagged with Eve Online, EVE famous, CSM.
December 10, 2013 by Neville Smit.
EVE famous
Flirting with the EVE Famous
In every culture, there exist people who are either known or unknown. Most of us prefer to live in relative anonymity, but every social group needs a few who stand out. We celebrate them, in fact, because celebrities do something more important than just demonstrate aspects of leadership in various fields of human endeavor - they give the masses some interesting things to talk about. The famous entertain us.
In New Eden, most capsuleers prefer to remain in the shadows. Standing out can lead to all sorts of unpleasant side effects: wardecs, ganks, bounties and ravenous blobs of ships looking for a tasty pod snack. In namelessness, there is a degree of security in EVE Online.
But there are some who have cast off their dark cloaks of blandness, and who have stepped forward out of the shadows to declare boldly, "I am here, New Eden - hear me and see me!" And there are a few who, through their own actions, have been thrust into the spotlight, despite their reluctance to draw attention to themselves.
These are the "EVE famous" people.
There are various types of EVE fame. To become "EVE famous", you need to:
Do something noteworthy in EVE Online - good or bad. An example of this is Chribba, who I talked about in my last post, and who is known as the prototype example of EVE virtue. Another example is DBRB (dabigredboat), whose fame exploded simply because he clicked "jump" instead of "bridge", and thus kicked off one of the biggest EVE battles of all time.
Lead a big EVE group - visibly. The archetype for this class of EVE fame is, of course, The Mittani, otherwise known as "The King of Space", and the celebrated leader of the Goons. He is the embodiment of the old adage: any publicity is good publicity. He even runs his own (rather excellent) EVE news site: TheMittani.com. In contrast, Azmodeus Valar, the CEO of EVE University, leads one of the largest groups in EVE, but most have never heard that name. Az prefers to just manage quietly in the background, and will probably never become "EVE famous". Az's predecessor, Kelduum Revaan, was far more visible, but he's since faded into the background after turning the reins of the UNI over to Az.
Get elected to the CSM. Usually linked to the previous point, getting elected to the Council of Stellar Management guarantees some degree of EVE fame. I didn't really know who Trebor Daehdoow was until I read the CSM summit meeting notes last year, and now he's the well-known Chairman of CSM8. I used to think that just running for CSM helped, too - but that isn't true. Does anyone really remember Travis Musgrat?
Write an EVE-related blog - very well or very controversially. Ripard Teg's blog, Jester's Trek, is one of my favorites - it's consistently engaging and useful. He's built a substantial audience with his insightful (and prolific) prose. So much, in fact, that it helped him win a seat and Vice-Chairmanship on the CSM. On the far end of the controversial scale is James315, whose blog is virtually guaranteed to provoke an emotional response in anyone who reads it.
Become a consistently good EVE podcaster. Xander Phoena's EVE fame has been rising rapidly, due to the excellent job he does on the Crossing Zebras podcast, with his sidekick, Jeg. Xander isn't afraid to ask difficult questions - just listen to his interview with CSM8 candidate, Fon Revedhort. Alekseyev Karrde's Declarations of War podcast just celebrated its 50th episode. He was also a very active member of CSM7.
Be consistently good at one EVE thing. Shadoo, a leader of Pandemic Legion, is known - for good reason - as the quintessential fleet commander. He's also eager to share his experience with new pilots, and often is a guest FC for UNI fleets. Azual Skoll is the master of all things PvP - his blog, The Altruist, is an excellent guide to success in combat, and he shares his experience in private lessons, too.
Exhibit creativity in EVE-related things. Roc Weiler and Sindel Pellion are not only well-regarded EVE players, but also talented authors of EVE-related music, too. Check out their tunes here and here.
The Universe of EVE Players
I have met, conversed, and interacted both in game and out of game with some EVE famous people. This alone makes me semi-famous, of course, which is worth practically nothing, except it allows me to say offhandedly, "Oh, I know some people...", in UNI Mumble conversations whenever I want to impress someone. (This never works, by the way, but it doesn't stop me from trying.)
The thing about EVE fame is that if you try to pursue it purposefully, it will either elude you completely or end badly. I'm certain that Chribba didn't get up one morning and say to himself, "I'm going to become EVE famous today." He just did good stuff in and for EVE, and then EVE fame came to him.
Some might say that Mittani actively cultivated his EVE fame - I would say instead that he put himself in a position to cultivate it, by doing noteworthy EVE-related things: building the Goon membership, developing the Goon culture, running and winning CSM posts, starting a news site, etc.
Is there value in being EVE famous? Not really, other than the rush that comes from being recognized - I can understand how addicting it could become. I had a minor brush with EVE fame at Fanfest last year, and I'll never forget it. I was at dinner with some other UNIs, and someone came up to our table and asked me, "You're Neville Smit, aren't you?"
"Uh, yeah," I stammered, rather ungraciously, my mouth full of pasta. "Do I know you?"
"No," said the inquirer, now all smiles. "But I recognized your voice. I've listened to all of your classes on the EVE University recorded library. They're great. I just wanted to say thanks."
We shook hands, and he went away happy. I remember thinking, "Wow, that was weird." But also feeling really, really pleased with myself.
I doubt that I'd ever become "super-EVE-famous" like the Mittani, nor do I think I'd want to. But it is nice to be appreciated. Perhaps a drop of minor fame from time to time wouldn't be so bad. Just as long as it doesn't swell my already overcharged ego out of all proportion.
Now, where's my entourage?
Posted in Commentary and tagged with EVE Online, EVE fame, EVE famous.
June 8, 2013 by Neville Smit.
EVE fame


text:
Closing Guantanamo -- The Right Thing Done The Wrong Way
January 26, 2009 10:51 GMT
By Brandt Goldstein
Night falls at Guantanamo Bay detention center's Camp Delta in February 2006.
President Barack Obama is shutting down Guantanamo, but the way he has done it is only a beginning. If he and Congress do not take additional measures, the United States will have shut down Guantanamo the wrong way.
I'm not focusing here on the practical matters involved: where to put the detainees, how to prosecute them, whether to send some to other countries, and so forth. Those are all thorny questions, and they must be answered. But there is another dimension to putting an end to Guantanamo that doesn't seem to be getting the attention it deserves, and that is the legal dimension.
Obama has issued an executive order -- a directive from the president -- to shut down the prison. That alone is not enough. What Obama must do now is work with Congress to enact a federal statute that outlaws forever the use of Guantanamo as a detention facility.
The problem with an executive order is that it can be changed -- easily. Obama himself could reverse his new order tomorrow. That's almost certainly not going to happen, of course. But if Obama's out in four years, or eight, and a new president -- say, Mitt Romney -- wanted to reopen Guantanamo as a detention facility, he could do so the moment he takes office. (Recall that Romney said he wanted to double the size of Guantanamo.)
Deja Vu?
History provides a warning here. Guantanamo was a detention camp once before, in the early 1990s. President George Bush used it to warehouse about 300 innocent Haitian political activists who'd fled their homeland after a military coup in 1991. The Haitians' crime? They were HIV-positive, and at the tail end of an era of fear and ignorance about AIDS, the White House didn't want them in the United States. The Justice Department cooked up the legal defense for the camp: The U.S. Constitution doesn't apply at Guantanamo, nor does any federal statute that might protect the Haitians. As a result, said Justice, we can do whatever we want to them. Not surprisingly, the camp was a disaster. Innocent people got hurt, and we were the target of international criticism. (Any of this sound familiar?)
On the campaign trail in 1992, Bill Clinton said in so many words that he would close the camp if elected. After becoming president, Clinton flip-flopped on the issue, but finally released the last of the Haitians in June 1993, in response to a federal court ruling. That ruling held that constitutional due process applies at Guantanamo, meaning the government could not simply imprison someone there indefinitely with no explanation. The Clinton Justice Department didn't like the idea of a court order that limited the uses of Guantanamo, so Justice lawyers appealed the case, and ultimately negotiated a settlement with the Haitians' lawyers. Part of the settlement was the lower-court decision was vacated -- that is, erased from the books.
Jump to late 2001. With no legal limitations in place, the George W. Bush administration reopened Guantanamo as a detention camp, this time to hold terrorist suspects rounded up from Afghanistan and Pakistan. We all know what happened next. Lies. Torture. Kangaroo courts. International condemnation. And so on. Guantanamo didn't make us safer. It represented a betrayal of our deepest values and gave Al-Qaeda a ready-made recruiting video.
Taking Gitmo Off The Table
So twice in recent times, the temptation to use Guantanamo as an offshore, extralegal prison camp has mired a presidential administration in legal and moral muck. It's high time we cut off Guantanamo as an option for this sort of mess -- forever. An executive order won't do that. And while the Supreme Court finally ruled last summer that foreign detainees at Guantanamo have the right to challenge their detention in court, that still might not be enough to persuade someone like Mitt Romney to leave well enough alone. We have to go another route.
The answer is a federal statute prohibiting forever the use of Guantanamo as a detention facility. If Congress passes such legislation, and President Obama signs it into law, then not only will he be bound by its prohibitions, but future presidents will be bound by it as well. The political will is there to deal with this issue. Now is the time to do it.
A Guantanamo trial venue shortly after its opening in June 2008
Some conservative policy scholars won't like this idea. They'll wring their hands about closing off options regarding situations we cannot foresee. The answer to that is simple: Some options should be off the table, and experience indicates that using Guantanamo as a prison camp is one of them. Of course, if a future president believes that new circumstances make it truly necessary to use Guantanamo as a detention facility, that future president can go to Capitol Hill and try to convince the House and Senate to change their minds on the matter.
Certain conservative legal academics also won't like the No Detention at Guantanamo Law. The president, they'll argue, is commander in chief and the "sole organ" of power in foreign affairs; a statute of the sort I'm suggesting might improperly impinge on his authority. But that view ignores the checks and balances of our constitutional structure. And the last eight years have been a disastrous demonstration of what happens when we try to convert our system of government into a one-branch entity when it comes to foreign affairs. The wiser, better view was expressed by Justice Robert Jackson, who in 1952 wrote that the president's powers are at their lowest ebb when Congress has exercised its own constitutional power and passed valid legislation in a particular area.
There's nothing wrong with an executive order that finally begins to undo the mess that Bush created down on the southern tip of Cuba. Indeed, President Obama is to be praised for his swift, decisive action in ordering Guantanamo closed. But his executive order is only the start of the job; Congress now has to join President Obama and lock up Gitmo for good.
Brandt Goldstein is a visiting professor at the New York Law School and the author of "Storming the Court." A version of this commentary originally appeared on "The Huffington Post." The views expressed in this commentary are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL
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Forest blazes hit Turkey's west
MUĞLA – Doğan News Agency
Forestry and Water Affairs Minister Veysel Eroğlu said the burned areas would never be open for development. AA photo
Fires which broke out at 23 points across Turkey reduced hundreds of hectares of forests to ashes over the weekend.
Forestry and Water Affairs Minister Veysel Eroğlu said the burned areas would never be open for development and they would never be used for any other reasons negating the widely circulated rumors about the source of the fires in popular forested parts of the country.
Bayraktar said those areas of burned forests were required to be re-forested in a year according to the applicable law.
Nine helicopters and land forces worked to put out the fire in Muğla's Fethiye and Dalaman districts. The cause of the fire has not yet been established.
"The fire has been brought under control in Dalaman. It is not possible to make comment on a possible torching issue. It may be caused of the electricity cables in the region. It is being researched," Bayraktar said in Dalaman, which he visited along with three Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies.
Eroğlu also said Turkey owned 50 air and more than 100 land anti-fire forces.
"Intervening in the Dalaman fire on time saved the forests' neighboring residential areas, we got off that possibility slightly," he said.
There were fires in 23 points of the country as of Aug 18, Bayraktar said.
An area of 300 hectares in Dalaman and 70 hectares in Fethiye were burned down in a day.
The first fire started in Ören Village's Dönen Neighborhood in Fethiye's Kemer district at 11 p.m. and was fanned by strong winds.
The fire threatened the residential area and some nine houses were evacuated as a precaution forcing villagers to spend the night out of their houses.
Officials said nearly 70 hectares of forested areas were damaged in Fethiye.
The other big fire erupted in Muğla's Dalaman at 1 a.m. the same night.
Fire in Turkey's Syrian refugee tent kills 1 child
Meanwhile, a fire from an electrical device's short circuit broke out on Sunday in a tent housing Syrian refugees in Hatay, killing one child and injuring two people.
A fire broke out on Sunday in a tent housing Syrian refugees in Hatay, killing one child and injuring two people.
After the event, the governership of Hatay stated that the fire broke out because of the short circuit on an electrical device.
The governorship opened a detailed investigation into the incident.
Court rules to keep Osman Kavala behind bars
Virus cases spike in large cities
Erdoğan inaugurates Turkish-built residences for earthquake victims in Albania
Drug-related deaths down nearly 9 percent in Turkey in 2021
Invasive species in Mediterranean Sea rising
Travel aficionados choose Ekincik as best camping site in winter
Turkish baby boomers catch up to Gen Z in internet usage
Minister pleads with public to stick to anti-virus rules
Antalya hosts over 9 million tourists in 2021
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NewsNewsA "Pension Crisis" Mentality Won't Help: Thinking Differently About Illinois' Retirement Systems
Source: Government Finance Research Center
A "Pension Crisis" Mentality Won't Help: Thinking Differently About Illinois' Retirement Systems
March 11, 2019 Ken Sarni News
The near ubiquitous claim that Illinois is facing a "pension crisis" has rarely been challenged. The failure to examine this customary framing of the fiscal condition of Illinois' five state pension systems limits how policymakers conceptualize their funding strategy. This white paper, jointly authored by researchers from the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the School of Labor and Employment Relations, the Government Finance Research Center and the Institute of Government and Public Affairs (all at the University of Illinois), argues that the "pension crisis" framework negatively influences discussions of policy options.
Our goal with this paper is to rethink the conversation about pensions and the state's finances in several ways. First, we argue that the funded ratio and unfunded liabilities, conventional ways of assessing a pension system's fiscal health, are inadequate metrics that reinforce short-term thinking. We argue that the focus should be on long-term trends and peer comparison. In addition, attention should be paid to identifying what the drivers are of negative trends and carefully assessing whether action is needed.
Second, we argue that a "pension crisis" is a situation in which the pension system is insolvent and unable to make benefit payments to current retirees. This is not the present scenario in Illinois. Nonetheless, we recognize that both the state and the pension systems face significant fiscal challenges. Third, rather than a singular problem, we contend that there are actually two, interrelated and in-conflict issues:
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NOTICE: Board of Trustees of the Illinois Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund will conduct a meeting on Friday, January 8, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.
Election of the Permanent Board of Trustees' for the Illinois Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund
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Machine_Logic Pt. 2 on The DJ Sessions "Silent Disco Saturday's" at Golden Gardens in Seattle, WA 5/18/19
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/yhrs7f/TDJS051819St1b.m4v
The DJ Sessions - Featuring the best local, national, and world renowned DJ's playing live sets. Machine_Logic Pt. 2 on The DJ Sessions "Silent Disco Saturday's" at Golden Gardens Park in Seattle, WA 5/18/19 About Machine_Logic machine_logic, a curator of deep, hypnotic, progressive dance grooves with a delicate, ethereal chemistry. Always digging deep, his emotive selections tell his story. He cut his teeth in 1999 at KGRG-Auburn as both music director and host of their industrial radio program, Propaganda Department. From there came a spattering of one-off gigs and club nights, wandering through a variety of styles, before amassing a collection of the emotive and uplifting side of techno, house and breaks. While the music he plays is happy and soulful, he's never afraid to reference his dark roots and heat up the dance floor. He's played throughout the Pacific Northwest, with jumps down the West Coast. He loves playing nightclubs, rooftops, outdoors, and festivals. About The DJ Sessions - We go LIVE every Wednesday at 6 p.m. PST. Be sure to follow us to watch our Silent Disco Saturday's and Sunday's in addition to our "Rooftop", "On Location", "Mobile" and "Secret Studio" Sessions happening every month. You can find out more information about our shows at www.thedjsessions.com/events. "The DJ Sessions" is an online/downloadable series featuring the hottest electronic music DJ's with live mixes and interviews, streamed live to a global audience. Check out the website: www.thedjsessions.com With over 1,500 episodes produced over the last eight years "The DJ Sessions" has featured international artists such as: BT, Simon Patterson, Darude, Morgan Page, Thievery Corporation, Sander Van Dorn, Jody Wisternoff, Benny Bennasi, Christopher Lawrence, Oliver Twizt, Sunshine Jones, Elite Force, Revolvr, Kenneth Thomas, Paul Oakenfold, George Acosta, Reid Speed, TyDi, Donald Glaude, Mr. Sam, Steve Aoki, Funtcase, Dirtyloud, Kalm Kaoz, Marco Bailey, Dirtmonkey, Beltek, Dyro, Darin Epsilon, Kyau & Albert, Kutski, Vaski, Moguai, Blackliquid, Joop, Angry Muffin and many more. In addition to featuring international artists "The DJ Sessions" features local top talent from the home location of Seattle. Hundreds have been featured on the show such as: Pezzner, Johnny Monsoon, Fraktured, Karl Kamakahi, Sean Majors, Ramrio, Uniting Souls, 1LUV, De La Creme, In Motion Productions, Soft Option, Ocean Grooves, Keano Martinez, Darrius Washington, Micahel Mannahan, Compound Records, Tony Rockyhorror, and many more. We have also undergone a massive upgrade in our ITV LIVE studios and to our ITV LIVE Mobile Studio to full HD streaming and HD audio to make the quality of the shows even better than before. Along with that, we have launched a new website in Jan. of 2019 that now features our current live streams and past episodes in a much more user-friendly social environment. About "The DJ Sessions" Distribution - "The DJ Sessions" is a Featured Partner on Twitch, their only regularly scheduled featured live streaming DJ show. The series has also been recognized by Apple twice as a "New and Noteworthy" podcast and has been featured three times in the iTunes store video podcast section. UStream and Livestream have also listed the series as a "Featured" stream their platforms since its inception. The DJ Sessions is also streamed live to multiple other platforms and hosted on several podcast sites. The series has a combined live streaming/podcast audience is over 90,000 viewers per week. For all press inquiries regarding "The DJ Sessions", or to schedule an interview with Darran Bruce, please contact us at [email protected]


Need advice on SBA 504 loan. Would you pad your numbers?
We are currently about to apply for a 504 type SBA loan. We are trying to get our numbers together but not sure about this suggestion given to us by a friend that owns several restraunts. They said to pad your expense numbers. It will help cover the rise in prices during the application-closing periods. That I can deffinatly see as necessary. If you dont end up using the funds can you keep it for capital or put it towards making up the money you had to round up for your down? Maybe pay back some invetors? They did it to the point where it covered about 3/4 of thier down payment.
Is this a common thing to do? It is hard as heII to come up with 70K, like we could end up needing when your just a common person just trying to get a start in business. I dont see to much difference between this and using a silent investor the bank doesnt know about. Little easier to swallow a little higher payment when your not paying as high of interest to an investor.
Ok that aside, Once the loan is done, how do they divide the funds? Like were buying a building, the existing business, pluss adding another business to the building that will require many different suppliers, contractors, ect. to be paid. Do they give you the money up front or do you have to give them your reciepts or what?
Re: Need advice on SBA 504 loan. Would you pad your numbers?
Would you pad your numbers.
You might need the Accountant if you are applying for a loan.
You definitely will need a lawyer if you pad your numbers.
told the IRS that you have committed FRAUD somewhere.
Talk to your Lawyer, your Accountant, NOT FRIENDS. They are not going to jail in your place.
Ok well that answer's most of it. Wont be doing that and thats why I asked. But how do you compensate for price increases, this has me worried now!? Since we have put the numbers together, I have already got notifications from a few different vendors that the prices are going up and were not talking just a few bucks here and there. Also there is NO WAY to tell what shipping costs are going to be (very much so with the gas price insaneness) until they are about to head down the road. You cant have them going down the road till you pay for them, cant pay for them till you have the money. again were talking in the $25,000 range in just shipping so it can vary ALLOT. So tell me how you can be accurate to the exact dollar?????
Yes I have a lawyer (not at work on a holiday weekend) and no I don't have an accountant because I cant find one that has helped me make more money than what they cost me for their services.
Are silent investors legal then?
When I am talking about padding the numbers, I am meaning expenses only, definitely not the income numbers or income projections.
We are buying an existing business that is on one floor of the building we are buying. Then adding a start-up business on the now empty second floor. Neither is a restaurant, my friends own the restaurant.
In your financial projections you want to allow for cost increases either based on something like the CPI or other inflation index specific to what you are buying. Your vendors for those products/services should be able to give you their outlook for future price increases for your planning purposes. Take that inflation index number and use that in your pro forma spreadsheet calculations. Before you present your pro forma's to anyone make sure that you formulas and calculations are accurate.
There can be a lot of moving parts to an acquisition and a lot of ways to structure/fund the buy-out. But all business closings and disbursements (from lenders, funding sources etc.) should be handled within escrow and handled by a competent business attorney (yours of the sellers).
If you plan to raise capital from investors your business plan should have the components of what is called a Private Placement Memorandum. Otherwise you could be violating securities laws and could be exposing your self to some serious legal liability if the investment does not work out. Check with a competent lawyer or professional to make sure that your plan is investor-ready before you present it to any private investors if you raise capital that way.
Is this loan for a start-up business or are you buying one? Whether to pad your numbers are not depends on a several things. It is better to construct your pro forma financials on somewhat higher expenses so padding should be OK there; but never pad your revenue projections or build up numbers that are not realistic or achievable. The way that I do it is to model the pro forma financials and build the business plan around existing information and data on the business being acquired. If it is a start-up then you have to establish a representative example of the financials based on similar restaurant operations.
It's very important to get your plan and projections put together accurately and in the right way. If your presentation to lenders/funding sources is not what they call "investor-ready" ... you will fail to make a good first impression and that is critical.
Does your business plan have all the above components? Feel free to look at my profile to learn more about my experience and contact me if you would like some feedback on your plan.


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Q: Returning object from callback in Swift I want to wrap the geocoder.geocodeAddressString in another method with other logic.
public func placemarkForSearchResult<T>(searchResult: T) -> CLPlacemark? {
        if let searchResult = searchResult as? String {
            let geocoder = CLGeocoder()
            geocoder.geocodeAddressString(searchResult, completionHandler: {
                (placemarks, error) -> Void in

                // Check for returned placemarks
                if let placemarks = placemarks where placemarks.count > 0 {
                    return placemarks[0] as! CLPlacemark // CLPlacemark is not convertible to void error message
                }
                return nil // Typd Void does not conform to protocol NilLiteralConvertible
            })
        }
    }

I have some other logic in this method that's not really relevant, but I was wondering how I can handle a situation like this where I want to return a CLPlacemark, but cannot because the completionHandler for the geocoder returns Void.  I cannot change the Void parameter of the geocoder callback.
Is that possible?  Or am I stuck with calling a delegate method that uses the found CLPlacemark from the geocoder?

A: You can never return a placemark from your placemarkForSearchResult function, because obtaining a placemark requires the use of an asynchronous function (geocodeAddressString). By that time that function has finished and calls back into your completion handler, your placemarkForSearchResult has already finished and returned long ago!
You need a strategy compatible with the asynchronous nature of the function you are calling. Instead of returning a placemark from placemarkForSearchResult, you need placemarkForSearchResult to accept a callback function parameter. When you have your placemark in the completion handler, you call that callback function. If that callback function is (cleverly) designed to accept a placemark parameter, you are now handing that placemark to whoever called you in the first place.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Home > Worlds News > President's rule was felt in Jammu and Kashmir
Breaking News Narendra Modi Kashmir India Jammu Varul News Worlds News
President's rule was felt in Jammu and Kashmir
After the break-up of the BJP-PDP coalition in Jammu and Kashmir, governor's rule has been imposed. In the last 40 years, the governor has been ruled in the state for the eighth time.
This is the fourth time in the tenure of the present Governor NN Vohra when the governor has been ruled in the state. Former bureaucrat Vohra became the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir on June 25, 2008.
On Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party said that it was difficult to remain in the government due to rising fundamentalism and extremism in Jammu and Kashmir. After getting in the coalition for nearly three years in the state with PDP, the support was announced.
Jammu Kashmir: First BJP-PDP alliance broke, then what happened
The Jammu and Kashmir government's ceasefire proposal is justified
Governor Why rule.?
The presidential rule is imposed in all other states of the country, in case of failure of the formation of the government of political parties or the failure of state governments, the case in Jammu and Kashmir is slightly different. Here the governor is governed, not the President's rule.
Under Article 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, governance is enforced for six months in the state, although this can only be done after the approval of the country's President.
Jammu and Kashmir have a special status in the Constitution of India. It is the only state in the country with its own constitution and act.
In other states of the country, the President's rule is imposed under article 356 of the Constitution.
After getting approval from the President in Jammu and Kashmir, Governor's rule is imposed for six months. During this time the assembly is either suspended or dissolved. If the constitutional mechanism is not restored in the state within six months, then the time limit of the Governor's rule is extended again.
For the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, the Governor was appointed in 1977. Then the Congress had withdrawn its support from Sheikh Abdullah-led National Conference.
Special status under section 370
Jammu and Kashmir received special status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
J & K was not included in India at the time of independence. There were options in front of him to join Pakistan or in Hindustan. The Muslim majority of Kashmir wanted to join Pakistan, but the last ruler of the state, Maharaj Hari Singh, was inclined towards India.
They signed the 'Instrument of Execution' document with India and after this, Jammu and Kashmir got special status under article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
After the merger of Jammu and Kashmir in India, instead of the Chief Minister, there was a Sadar-e-Riyasat instead of the Prime Minister and the Governor, and the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru made Sheikh Abdullah the Prime Minister. This cycle lasted till 1965.
Then the changes were made in Article 370 and since then it has become the Governor and Chief Minister of the country like other states.
Under Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir has its own flag and symbol.
When can the center interfere.?
Government of India can govern governance only in certain cases in Jammu and Kashmir. Emergency can be imposed in the state only in the case of war and outbreaks. If there is any internal disturbance in the state then the central government can not impose an emergency in Jammu and Kashmir. The central government can interfere in Jammu and Kashmir only in matters of defense, foreign policy, finance and communication.
Last year, after the demise of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, on January 8, 2016, Governor's rule was implemented in Jammu and Kashmir. During this period, PDP and BJP had decided to evade government formation for some time.
When was the eight times the governor's rule
First time: from 26 March 1977 to 9 July 1977. For 105 days.
Second time: from 6 March 1986 to 7 November 1986. For 246 days.
Third time: from 19 January 1990 to 9 October 1996. Six years for 264 days.
Fourth time: from October 18, 2002 to November 2, 2002. For 15 days.
Fifth time: from 11 July 2008 to 5 January 2009. For 178 days.
Sixth time: from 9 January 2015 until 1 March 2015. For 51 days.
Seventh time: from 8 January 2016 to 4 April 2016 For 87 days.
Eighth time: June 19, 2018 until now
Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi Hd 2019, Kangana Ranaut New Movie
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text:
Lumines PLUS close
Lumines PLUS
Lumines
Suitable for general audiences.
Lumines Plus is the PlayStation 2 adaptation of the original PSP smash-hit, Lumines. Widely regarded as one of the best puzzle-based video games of all time, Lumines enraptured gamers with its relentlessly addictive gameplay, quirky, cool, and hip Japanese pop-culture flavored presentation style. Now, Lumines Plus brings the Lumines experience to the PlayStation 2 with a host of added features,and allows fans old and new to experience the game "on the big screen" for the first time ever.
The critically acclaimed Lumines PSP game with brand new added skins for the PlayStation 2
Head-to-head battle mode against the AI or another player
Game Platform
Disney Interactive


text:
Spa, reflexology centres, MICE, travel fairs allowed from July 1
Jun 26, 2020 @ 15:44
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob
By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, June 26: The federal government has allowed spa, wellness, reflexology centres to resume their operations starting from July 1.
Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the federal government has also allowed the activities for tourism sub-sector which include meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions (MICE) as well as travel and trade fairs to be organised commencing from next month.
He disclosed that the decision was made following the Special Cabinet Ministerial meeting on the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) held earlier today.
"For spa, wellness and reflexology centres, we also allow the blind masseurs to reopen on July 1.
"The federal government is fully aware of the livelihood and income of the blind masseurs which were impacted by the Movement Control Order (MCO).
"Nonetheless, only reflexology centres or foot massage outlets with Malaysian workers are allowed to reopen and the workers are required to undergo the Covid-19 swab test before reopening," he said during a press conference on the implementation of the RMCO taskforce at Putrajaya today.
He said that only spa, wellness and reflexology centres registered with the local authorities are allowed to resume operations on July 1, adding that they must also comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) outlined by the Health Ministry and the National Security Council.
As for MICE and travel fairs, Ismail Sabri explained the decision to allow these activities to be organised was made following consultation with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC).
Nonetheless, he stressed that organisers must ensure all the SOPs are being adhered to.
For instance, limiting the number of visitors at any one time to 250 persons, controlling the crowd, providing body temperature measurement, hand sanitisers, implementing social distancing and so forth.
He disclosed that visitors who are going to travel and trade fairs are required to download the MySejahtera app for registration purposes while attending the exhibitions.
On another note, Ismail Sabri, who is Defence Minister, said the federal government has agreed to allow tuition centres, special education schools and private learning institutions to reopen.
However, he disclosed that the date of the reopening as well as the details on the SOPs would be announced by the Education Ministry in due course.
Ismail Sabri revealed that the Education Ministry has presented the SOPs for the reopening of tuition centres to the special ministerial cabinet meeting today. —DayakDaily
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text:
Robotics in STEAM Education
Training>
The speed of change in our society has been accelerating since the birth of the Internet. New technological tools are being introduced into our daily life more rapidly than ever before. Among a lot of various technological advancements, the speed of the changes that robotics technology has created has been drastically increasing in recent years. Despite all the drastic changes taking place in the world, public education has maintained almost the same system since its establishment in the middle of the nineteenth century. Although the requirements for an effective workforce have changed at the same speed as technological advancements, the majority of schools are continuing what was done in the past with little hope that they can adequately prepare students for the future. Some even state that if we could have teachers from the nineteenth-century time travel to our schools, they would have no problem teaching our students. Because current public education places a heavy emphasis on memorization, our schools and curriculum are astonishingly similar to those in the nineteenth century. When designing, constructing, programming, and documenting the development of autonomous robots or robotics projects, students not only learn how technology works, but they also apply the skills and content knowledge learned in school in a meaningful and exciting way. Educational robotics is rich with opportunities to integrate not only STEM but also many other disciplines, including literacy, social studies, dance, music, and art, while giving students the opportunity to find ways to work together to foster collaboration skills, express themselves using the technological tool, problem-solve, and think critically and innovatively. Educational robotics is a learning tool that enhances students' learning experience through hands-on mind on learning. Most of all, educational robotics provides a fun and exciting learning environment because of its hands-on nature and the integration of technology. This course aims to promote robotics in classroom by connecting robotics learning with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), an educational framework that brings reality into the classroom by connecting different subjects together in a way that they will relate to both the real and business world and to each other.
The main purposeof the course is to help teachers improve their knowledge in Robotics and STEAM education in their classroom.
Involve teachers in learning activities related to technology, engineering, math, art and science (STEAM).
Provide the theoretical background of STEAM.
Experience the STEAM content through hands-on activities, but also gain self-efficacy and a new view of their own capabilities as STEAM teachers.
Gain access to the benefits of project-based learning through robotics.
Discover the usefulness of Arduino in STEAM education.
Provide basic trainingon topics such as controls,automatisms, robots and programmable machines.
Get familiar with currentuse of roboticsand coding in nowadayseducation trends.
Course Language
Note: Participants must have at least a CEFR level B2 knowledge of English in order to be able to participate actively.
Teachers: primary, secondary,vocational, adult, special needs; – Teacher trainers; – Head teachers; Principals; Managers of schools.
Lectures, exercises, discussions, teamwork, role-playing, study visits.
Study Visitis
During the course, we also organize study visits to local schools. We discuss with participants their needs and we organize study visits to cover these needs. We usually organize study visits to:
Early education – Primary education – Secondary education – Adult education local schools.
Special needs education schools.
Museums.
In course fee includes
Coffee Breaks that include traditional products.
Guided tour of the Historical Center of the town.
Dinner in a traditional restaurant of the town.
Europass Mobility.
A small gift with traditional Cretan products.
Certificate of Attendance, for participants who attend at least 80% of the course.
For more information click here Robotics in Steam Education (PDF)
It was been a pleasant experience, with kind and patient teachers. A good opportunity to learn in a nice atmosphere and interactively with teachers from other countries.
Olga Coello VázquezSpain
I learned a lot from the way the instructors communicate with the students. Thank you for everything!
José Carlos Pinto MirandaPortugal
Robotics in Steam Education Heraklion 06 Mar 2023 1 week 560 € Confirmed PreRegister
Robotics in Steam Education Heraklion 22 May 2023 1 week 560 € Confirmed PreRegister
Robotics in Steam Education Heraklion 03 Jul 2023 1 week 560 € Confirmed PreRegister
Robotics in Steam Education Heraklion 07 Aug 2023 1 week 560 € Confirmed PreRegister
Robotics in Steam Education Heraklion 18 Sep 2023 1 week 560 € Confirmed PreRegister
Robotics in Steam Education Heraklion 15 Jan 2024 1 week 560 € Confirmed PreRegister
The Social Media Classroom
3D Printing and Robotics in Education
Digital stories in the classroom
ICT in Inclusive Education
Greek Language, History and Culture through ICT
STEAM Education
Modern Teaching Methods (2 WEEK)


Million Dollar Book Formula is the course we needed when we first started publishing (of course there was barely an internet at the time) but the basic building blocks for success are the same. We'll teach you everything you need to know to write a successful book that can not only make money on its own, but also something you can build a life-changing business around.
To help remove the roadblocks that keep most people from starting, writing and marketing a book, while SIMULTANEOUSLY providing a collection of ideas and information—a road map, if you will— that will help you navigate your way to self-publishing success.
We are so excited that you made the decision to join us and are confident that the value we personally provide you will be well worth your investment many times over.
Congratulations! Finally... you are ready to do this!
You will get immediate access to join the Million Dollar Book Formula. We will show you exactly what you need to know in order to achieve success with a non-fiction book. (And our personal favorite: all the tons of mistakes to avoid.) And the best part? Get access to the MDBF Private Facebook Community and receive answers from Richard and Andrea on any of your book writing, marketing, or publishing questions.
Our goal with this program is this: remove the roadblocks that keep most people from starting, writing and marketing a book, while SIMULTANEOUSLY providing a collection of ideas and information—a road map, if you will— that will help you navigate your way to self-publishing success.
Thank you for your interest in Million Dollar Book Formula!
We want to help you get your book out! Watch for an email soon to help you do just that. The course will be relaunching very soon.


You can register by clicking on Register Now button on the registration page, when registration opens in September 2018.
You may pay with credit card, check, or purchase order. A payment must be made prior to the event, or payment will need to be collected upon entrance to the event.
View all registration rates here.
Registration fee includes conference attendance for the package you selected, documentation, conference program, conference app access and participation to the Network Reception. Lunch is provided on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 and breakfast and lunch will be provided on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 and Thursday, December 6, 2018.
View the Government IT Symposium Terms & Conditions here.
Room blocks are available at the Holiday Inn in St. Paul. More information will be available soon. Reserve your room at the Holiday Inn St. Paul Downtown at a discounted rate of $145 +tax (single or double occupancy) during December 3-6, 2018. Rooms at this rate are based on availability and must be reserved by November 5, 2018. Attendees can book at the discounted rate by calling the hotel directly (651-225-1515) and mentioning "IT Symposium", or by booking online here.
The Golden GOVIT Awards Banquet and Networking Reception will take place on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Can I bring a guest to any parts of the Symposium?
Only to the Golden GOVIT Awards Banquet and Networking Reception on Wednesday, December 5. The other parts of the conference are for paid attendees only.
Yes. The request for proposal process is open until July 11, 2018.
What if I am interested in sponsoring the event?
You will need to speak with Terri Swanson, Director of Marketing & Communications for space availability and opportunities. You can contact Terri Swanson at tswanson@mngts.org.
Are there any speaking opportunities for sponsors at the event?
There are a few speaking opportunities available for sponsors of the event. If you are interested in sponsoring, you will need to speak with Terri Swanson. Contact Terri Swanson at tswanson@mngts.org.
Registered attendees will be informed via email as event documentation becomes available on the conference app and website.
Interested in speaking at the Symposium? Click here to access the form!


This essay originally was published on TruthDig.
The last question in the final presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama had to do with what moderator Bob Schieffer suggested might be the most important issue of all: education. Both candidates expressed a deep need to reform education, and both conceded–as did their vice presidential candidates in their own debate–that the federally mandated program No Child Left Behind, embraced by many Democrats and Republicans, was underfunded. While this may be the consensus of legislators, I could not help but be left with feelings of distrust and discouragement.
Rather than approach the challenge and reward of education with the promise of cooperation, the presidential contenders offered a recipe calling for charter schools and school vouchers and an incentive for parents to move their students out of "failing schools," a decidedly competitive approach to education. This divisive strategy can only lead to a greater divide between the haves and the have-nots. This is not what Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall had in mind when he successfully argued in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case fifty-four years ago that "separate but equal" can never truly exist in education–or in society.
Amid perhaps the most important presidential election since 1932, the statements about education by our presidential and vice presidential candidates, even in the face of our current economic crisis and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stuck with me more strongly than any other utterance in the debates. There is no secret why: I am a high school teacher. The night of the final debate, I was exhausted. My feet were aching–a consequence of standing on the job for the better part of ten hours every day as a teacher of United States history. I wanted to relax, but my mind was racing; there is a lot to think about these days.
We have seen a "bailout" of corporate and Wall Street swindlers, with the working class being forced to pick up the tab. The administration has continued to escalate defense spending while cutting taxes, never seeming to consider the dire social, international and economic consequences. With all the burdens being loaded upon Americans today, we deserve a break. Struggling homeowners deserve a break, not the devastation of foreclosure. Hard-working families deserve a break, not the shock of unemployment. And public educators deserve a break, not the damaging mandates of program improvement and the threats of state takeover that have fallen on my high school and countless others like it due to the draconian quotas of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Sadly, NCLB doesn't care about strong relationships in the classroom; NCLB cannot measure smiles, teamwork, camaraderie or the overcoming of adversity. It doesn't allow for creative and authentic assessments and engaging activities in the classroom. And, tragically, it has demanded that we educators check our hearts and souls at the classroom door.
I teach in Desert Hot Springs, a little-known California town of about 25,000 inhabitants. We are overshadowed by the neighboring desert community of Palm Springs, with its glamorous history, and the far wealthier towns to the southeast, Rancho Mirage and La Quinta, with their exclusive golf courses, country clubs and gated communities. Additionally, Desert Hot Springs High School is a Title I school, with approximately 84 percent of the student population using the program of free and reduced-cost lunches and an even higher percentage of students qualifying for the program.
Desert Hot Springs has the highest poverty rate, the highest dropout rate, the highest crime rate and the lowest per capita income of any city in the Coachella Valley and therefore the Palm Springs Unified School District. Moreover, the city and its high school are met with the challenges of increasing documented and undocumented immigrant populations, mostly from Mexico or elsewhere in Latin America, and transient populations, both struggling to assimilate into the community and the school system. I did not know any of this when I decided to become a teacher nine years ago and No Child Left Behind did not exist.
I was one of identical triplets born in August 1975 in Anchorage, Alaska; I later was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. I spent much of my youth unsure as to what career I might pursue. That is, until I walked into an educational foundations course at Northern Arizona University in the fall of 1999. I expected a mundane environment as I entered the auditorium filled with students, but then I heard Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" bellowing from the loudspeakers. I thought I had mistakenly entered a dance class as I glanced toward the auditorium's stage, where I saw a middle-aged woman dancing wildly to the music. Though she lacked rhythm she had me and nearly a hundred other students awestruck by her enthusiasm. Holding a mirror high and repeating the song's chorus of "Make that change!" her charisma lit up the room. Before I knew it, I and nearly all the other students were repeating, "Make that change!" The dancing woman's message was that, as future teachers, we would change ourselves, change the lives of our students and by doing so change the world. She was Dr. Rhonda Beaman. On that day, I was first inspired to change the world as a teacher. I have continued to strive to do that ever since.
My experience at Desert Hot Springs High School has been a series of ups and downs. I am fortunate to work among the most dedicated and collaborative professionals in the entire school district. I have always been treated fairly and with the utmost respect by everyone in the school and throughout the community. I have been honored as "Teacher of the Year" for the Palm Springs Unified School District (2006-07) and a Golden Apple Award recipient, and I have been listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers several times. Most rewarding of all, I have had the opportunity to touch the lives of thousands of teenagers and their family members throughout the community in my eight years as a teacher, and they have touched mine.
Sadly, however, the goal of changing the world as an educator has become increasingly unattainable as the metal vise of the NCLB machine and its iron-fisted standardized testing approach has begun to squeeze the life out of educators and the students we teach. Though I still do my best to smile in the classroom and bring students out of their adolescent shells, public education is being cruelly poisoned by NCLB. The only thing that seems to matter, from the state superintendent down to the district office and the school administration, are California Standardized Testing and Reporting data.
As a result of the federal government's industrial approach to education, my school must improve test scores in every major core class–math, history, science, English–and at increasingly high rates. Additionally, every student subgroup–including white, Hispanic/Latino, African-American, Asian, socially/economically disadvantaged, English-language learners, special education students–must meet these yearly growth targets regardless of the inherent obstacles. The tests must be taken by 95 percent or more of the students in each subgroup. If just one subgroup fails to meet the performance or test attendance standards of NCLB, the school is put into "program improvement." Moreover, these growth targets must be met or exceeded for two consecutive years. Though my school, amazingly, met its growth targets last year, we are in program improvement for the fourth year. In fact, the entire district is in program improvement.
NCLB is not only impacting certain minority populations; unattainable goals of NCLB are cutting across distinctions in class and race as more and more schools are being labeled as "failing schools." Finally, as many educators are aware, in just five years all students in all schools in every state in the nation must pass their standardized tests at a "proficient level." That's right; 100 percent of all students must be proficient by 2014. No Child Left Behind has not been adjusted in any way to fit the reality of education. I guess I should not only check my heart and soul at the classroom door but my sanity as well.
I am not suggesting we disregard the need for testing accountability, content standards and standards for the teaching profession. As in all professions and workplace environments, standards must be in place in the schools. I see nothing wrong with the California High School Exit Exam as a requirement for high school graduation. Students at the high school level (or perhaps even at the primary or middle school levels as well) should have to prove they are proficient in major subject areas to earn a diploma. However, expecting 100 percent of students to be "proficient" is much like setting a high-jump bar at four feet and mandating that every single student clear the bar. Not only would many students not clear the bar, they would not have been given coaches (teachers) who had the resources to adequately train them for the jump.
You can imagine how a disabled teacher like me sees the impossibility indicated by this high-jump metaphor. Now imagine what the learning-disabled or English-language learner faces when taking standardized tests. If we continue down this business-approach road, treating students as products and teachers as robots, we will see the tragic collapse of it all. Education will fall flat in humiliating defeat. It is my wish that our next president, be it Barack Obama or John McCain, as well as our federal legislators–whether Republican or Democrat–heed my call and that of many of my peers to end No Child Left Behind. For once, let us put partisanship aside so we can address an issue as important as our economy and our entanglements overseas: education.
At the local level, we can do something even more important. Educators, administrators and parents can breathe life back into education. We can–and must–re-emphasize the joy of learning, the rewards of teamwork, the unique qualities of performance, animation, humor, role-playing, individual and group-based projects, and the overall life skills, relationships and memories that students and teachers are exposed to every day in a truly high-quality classroom within a school that cares. After all, students are still kids. They must have fun and they must want to learn in order to compete, collaborate and achieve beyond secondary and post-secondary education.
In my years as a professional educator, I have never been inspired by the numbers of standardized tests or NCLB. And I have never met a fellow teacher or former student who truly has been either. Teachers are remembered by students because of how we make them feel. We educators must be the teachers we always wanted to have. We must not let the media's overemphasis on the "failure" of public education discourage us. I could not disagree with the media more. My school has not failed me. My community has not failed me. My students, most of all, have not failed me. Rather, No Child Left Behind has failed us all.
No matter, I still love teaching and I will never leave my inspiration behind. At the end of the day, students leave my class smiling because of a joke I have told. Or they are left sobered by the real-life experiences shared by other students in the classroom. Or they are changed by the indelible emotional experience of taking part in a three-day dramatic play on the Holocaust. This is proof to me that my students have been inspired and have grown stronger intellectually and emotionally because of that inspiration.
At year's end when students are promoted beyond my class and visit me with the sentiment, "I miss your class, Mr. Sinor," I realize that a relationship has been built that won't soon fade. Further, as those students graduate, go on to college, get married and share stories of classroom inspiration with their own children, I realize that my dream is no longer just that; it is real, a certainty that I have made a difference in students that will last a lifetime.
I never want this dream to end.
Demitrious SinorDemitrious Sinor has been teaching United States history for eight years at Desert Hot Springs High School in California. He was named Teacher of the Year for the Palm Springs Unified School District in 2007.


text:
Hindi Poetry Recitation
Hindi Diwas is observed on 14th September every year as the Hindi language was adopted in Devanagiri script as the official language in India. This day is also the birth anniversary of Beohar Rajendra Simha on September 14, 1949 for his efforts in adopting Hindi as the official language.On 14 September 1949, Hindi, written in Devanagari script, was adopted as the official language of Union of India. Hindi Diwas is celebrated every year on 14 September. As the name suggests, it is a day dedicated to Hindi.
As such Hindi is incredibly important in the historic development of the world's cultures and well worth not just honoring, but studying. Anyone with an interest in world history or languages would do well to do a little bit of intense reading on the subject of Hindi. India is also a rising power in the world.
Hindi is our mother-tongue, our national language. It is the language that most of the north Indians relate to. ... They converse in English to convey their ideas to the people who majorly know Hindi or English. Hindi is our national language, it was adopted by the constituent assembly after independence in 1947.
National language is a driving force behind unity of the nation's people, and makes them distinct from other nations – provided you give your language respect. Giving respect to your national language means that it should be one's primary language, as well as the preferred source of communication at every level.
Hindi became the official language of the Union of India in 1950. The Constitution of India provides for the use of Hindi in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Union. According to Article 343, "The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in the Devanagari script.
In 2010, a Gujarat court noted the false belief around India's national language: "Normally, in India, majority of the people have accepted Hindi as a national language and many people speak Hindi and write in Devanagari script but there is nothing on record to suggest that any provision has been made or order issued declaring Hindi as a national language of the country."
Adding to this misinformation and confusion, Article 351, a directive order, states that it is the government's duty to promote the spread of Hindi, so that it serves as a way to express India's composite culture.
On this day, Gajera Vidhyabhavan Sachin has conducted Hindi poetry Recitation Competition and the theme was the 'mother nature'. The students participated in this competition with enthusiasm and performed with action . The main purpose was to spread awareness about Hindi language and also to give importance to our national language.And Our tiny tods did well , they performed on the theme that is mother nature in hindi language. and expressed their ideas and thoughts about the nature through the poem which is really admirable for the us.
https://youtu.be/sBe3_yRn08g