So I have a confession to start this Monday–all of my herbs from my little potting bench on the back patio have died. Every last one of them. They're all gone. It's kinda sad, but I can't say I'm surprised. They were doomed from the get-go, even though I started out the summer completely convinced that I could do it. And I had a good run there for a while, but I'm seriously the worst plant person in the whole world. And yes, plant person is the correct lingo. I was either watering them too much or not at all, which isn't so good for herbs apparently. Anyway, they're long gone which means the vintage cubby I used for my potting bench was no longer serving much of a purpose other than housing dead plants. So this past weekend we cleaned it up, brought it inside and put it in our front room. I actually turned it into a little mini library for my old books and of course I had to add some fall decor in just for fun. It turned out super cute and I'm excited to show you guys how it looks!
Believe it or not, this doesn't even include all of the old books I own. My obsession is real, folks. But they sure do come in handy when it comes to styling things like this. Or anything really. I use old books in every single room in our home and I never pass them by when I see them at thrift stores or garage sales. ALWAYS BUY THE BOOKS. That's my motto and I'm sticking to it.
The antique scrolling on this vintage inspired chalkboard is just gorgeous. I seriously love this thing, it has so much character and charm.
I've gotten so many questions about my faux pumpkins and they're all from Michael's. I loved their Fall decor this year and that's where I always stock up on pumpkins. I'll definitely buy some real ones soon too. But to be honest, I would much rather spend my money on the faux ones because then I can use them year after year.
Well I think this vintage cubby is much more suited for indoor use than it was for plants on the back patio. And I was so surprised to see how well it fit in this spot in our front room. I mean, it kind of makes the perfect little library for old books. I actually thought about hanging it on the wall, but that sucker is super heavy. Then you pile a bunch of books in there, a vintage scale and some pumpkins and this thing weighs about a gazillion pounds in no time. So sitting it on the floor was the way to go with this guy. Definitely.
Thanks Jenny! Hope you have a great Monday.
LOVE IT!!!! Wouldn't change a thing, oh and with the holidays coming up it will look great! I also put out all my fall decorations this weekend, and am taking it more the natural looking route this year without using all of it….less is more for me this fall season.
I thought of that same thing Tammy, it will be so fun to decorate this cubby for Christmas. Can't wait! Hope you have a great week and have fun playing with your fall decor!
I love the cubby in the house! Nothing better than a piece that you can move around. So did you find your faux pumpkins in these pretty colors?
Thanks Rachel! All the faux pumpkins are from Michael's.
Love it, Sarah! As much as I love orange, esp. since it's our favorite college team color, I'm inspired to use more neutral colored pumpkins in my decor this year, so need to get to Michaels. Just got an email that they are on sale this week! Will still use more orange fall decor outside, but looking forward to changing things up inside this year. Autumn is truly my favorite season. Your vintage cubby looks fabulous with the old books, I also have an affinity for old books and they are so inexpensive at thrift stores and garage sales. Just an idea, but have you thought about adding some wooden feet to the cubby to raise it up off the floor a bit? You could buy new ones to paint and distress to match, or maybe find old ones, or cut some from sections of large spindles. For some reason I love heavier wooden furniture pieces up off the floor a bit, but that's just me, it is charming either way!
We actually thought about doing that exact thing Vicki! I even have four pedestal legs from Home Depot that would work perfectly and they are ready to go. Just not enough time in the day to do it all, but hopefully I can soon!
That looks just perfect there! I love the way that you've accessorize it with the books and fall decor! Very vintagey!!
Thanks Deedra, it's a fun piece to style!
LOVE all the old books! i have been finding a bunch at our local library in the free section. quick question: do you always take the covers off the books??
Hi Mary! Yes, I usually do take the covers off the old books if they're too bold for my taste. But if the covers are really worn and have lots of character or more of a neutral tone I will leave them alone.
Love your style! I am going to have to make a trip to Michael's! What is the name of the greenery you have used in this display? Thank you so much for sharing you beautiful home!!
Hi Carol! That greenery is called dusty miller or lamb's ear. It should be in with the fall florals at Michael's. Have fun decorating!
LOL – sounds like we both have brown thumbs. Oh well, the potting bench is still adorable! Love what you've done with it.
ha! Those poor plants never stood a chance!
Love it all! You're so good at styling your house and such great ideas! Thanks as always for sharing!
I read your blog everyday, it's my favorite! Have a great day!
Love love love your vintage cubby!!!!! You inspire me everyday!! I was planning on painting some vintage books I have that don't fit in with a neutral palet, but you've saved me hours of time, going to take off the covers/bindings. Thank you!!
Heck yes Cynde, just rip off the covers! You will love them that way!
I just love your blog!! I love the softer side of Fall also. I have just started my decorating, but I also used mostly white pumpkins and some dried flowers from the yard. I found a few blue pumpkins to add to the mix.
Your blog is always so inspiring. Your photographs are beautiful.
Sarah..you come up with the cutest designs..I loved the potty bench and now I love yr bench inside. Im sure it is going to look amazing for the different seasons. You know I love decorating with real pumpkins but maybe I should invest in some faux pumpkins..the problem is ..where to store after u r finished with them. With real when they r done I just put them in the compost.
Thank you so much Lorri! And you know what, I actually just store my faux pumpkins in a large plastic bin in our basement. I have a few just for fall decor. They take up space for sure but it's worth it to me!
That is stinkin' cute!!! Never cease to amaze me with your creativity! I was at Joanne's today and they didn't have the same white pumpkins. Michaels is now on my list to stop by. Thanks for the inspiration!


Tennessee residents may want to know about a new research study showing that drivers who take their eyes off of the road for as little as two seconds could increase their chances of an automobile accident. The results were announced in April by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety.
Currently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends drivers limit glances from the roadway to two seconds or less for maximum safety. However, Liberty Mutual researchers found that a driver's vision undergoes a moment of readjustment when they return their eyes to the road, and that the extra time lowers their ability to react to hazards.
By using driving simulators and eye-tracking devices, the researchers monitored the performance and reaction times of participants as they were subjected to a series of driving scenarios. The results indicated that visual interruptions of two seconds lowered the reaction times of drivers when they faced hazardous conditions when compared to drivers who experienced no visual interruption. Participants of the study were also asked to evaluate their performance after completing the simulation. On average, the participants who were distracted during the simulation rated themselves at 70 percent, meaning they may not have been aware of how much the interruptions impacted their driving performance.
Distracted driving, such as texting and driving, causes thousands of motor vehicle accidents each year. The victims of these accidents often suffer catastrophic injuries that can take weeks or months to recover from. In some cases, victims are left with a permanent disability that requires a lifetime of medical care. Anyone who has been injured by a distracted driver may wish to seek the guidance of an attorney in order to determine the remedies that may be available.


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Q: Hot Big Bang vs. Big Bang This should hopefully be a quick one.
Is there any difference between the Big Bang Theory and the Hot Big Bang Theory?
Around Cambridge I hear everyone using "Hot Big Bang Theory", for example ther first line here of the pages of the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology.
In my undergraduate university it was referred to as the "Big Bang Theory".
I have tried searching online, and there does not seem to be much more mention of a "Hot Big Bang Theory" theory anywhere else on the internet. For example, wikipedia returns no results for the term.
I am almost certain that they are one and the same theory, and that this is simply a case of nomenclature, with Cambridge trying to be different as usual, but I just want to make sure. It's terribely unnecessiarly confusing!
So can someone confirm that there is no difference between these two theories for me please?

A: They are one and the same, and the opposing model is the Cold Big Bang.

Cold big bang is a designation used in cosmology to denote an absolute zero temperature at the beginning of the Universe, instead of a (hot) Big Bang.

Also see the Big Bang page of wiki, it also has clues to why it may be called hot.
Cold Big Bang

A: Of course Hot  big bang just seems to make more sense because when the universe was much smaller the energy content of all the universe came together. That means all the universe's energy and matter content got squeezed together and formed a singularity that was extremely hot. Of course the hot big bang and regular big bang are the same because it is what physicists now agree happened at the beginning of the universe.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Do Lizards Dream of Guitar Riffs?
Call it Animal Kingdom Rock.
Apparently, even nature's little creatures sometimes daydream about firing off blazing riffs like Jimmy Page or Jeff Beck.
The documentary shot of an Indonesian dragon lizard contemplating his or her inner rock star is allegedly no joke. Photographer Aditya Permana, 33, had watched the lizard for an hour or so before it got into a strumming position with a leaf and started "jamming" like, well, let's say "Ed Sheeran." After all, the lizard seems pretty laid back.
Caters News Agency ran with the original story, and Guitar Player associate editor Matt Blackett found it at grindtv.com.
What song do YOU think this forest creature is dreaming of playing?


text:
Інтенсивність землетрусу () — міра впливу землетрусу на об'єкти, що виражається балами сейсмічної шкали в залежності від ступеня руйнування типових будівель і споруд, відчуттів очевидців, змін земної поверхні.

Загальна характеристика
Інтенсивність прояву землетрусів на поверхні вимірюється в балах і залежить від глибини осередка і магнітуди землетрусу, що служить мірою його енергії. Максимальне відоме значення магнітуди наближається до дев'яти. Магнітуда пов'язана з повною енергією землетрусу, але ця залежність не пряма, а логарифмічна, зі збільшенням магнітуди на одиницю енергія зростає в 32 рази, тобто при поштовху з магнітудою 6 вивільняється в 32 рази більше енергії, ніж з магнітудою 5, і майже в 1 000 разів більше, ніж з магнітудою чотири. Часто в засобах масової інформації, що оповіщають про сейсмічні катастрофи, ототожнюється шкала магнітуд (шкала Ріхтера) та сейсмічна шкала інтенсивності, вимірювана в сейсмічних балах, оскільки журналісти, що сповіщають про землетрус у 12 балів «за шкалою Ріхтера» плутають магнітуду з інтенсивністю. Інтенсивність тим більша, чим ближче до поверхні розташований осередок, так, наприклад, якщо осередок землетрусу з магнітудою, що дорівнює 8, знаходиться на глибині 10 км, то на поверхні інтенсивність складе балів 11—12; при такій самій магнітуді, але на глибині 40—50 км вплив на поверхні зменшується до 9—10 балів.

Сейсмічні рухи складні, але піддаються класифікації. Існує велика кількість сейсмічних шкал, які можна звести до трьох основних груп. В Україні та інших країнах колишнього СРСР застосовується найбільш широко використовувана у світі 12-бальна шкала MSK-64 (Медведєва-Шпонхойера-Карніка) висхідна до шкали Меркалі-Канкані (1902), в країнах Латинської Америки прийнята 10-бальна шкала Россі-Фореля (1883), в Японії — 7-бальна шкала. Оцінка інтенсивності, в основу якої покладені побутові наслідки землетрусу, яку легко розрізняти навіть недосвідченим спостерігачем, в сейсмічних шкалах різних країн різна. У найбільш простому і зручному вигляді відчуття і спостереження представлені в схематизованій короткій описовій шкалі (варіант MSK), якою може користуватися кожен.

Див. також
 Європейська макросейсмічна шкала
 Плейстосейста
 Шкала Медведєва–Шпонхоєра–Карніка

Джерела

 Землетрясения
 Цифровая сейсмическая сеть Узбекистана

Посилання

Сейсмологія
Шкали

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Dear KeepCalling, My mother lives in England, I live in the Caribbean. Circumstances prevent me from visiting her on a regular basis. She is very old and unable to comprehend computers, smart phones etc. I tried an account with KeepCalling so we can enjoy simple old fashioned phone calls - which she does comprehend. KeepCalling has fitted the bill perfectly - very reasonably priced, and good quality calls every time. Thank you so much!
Very competitive pricing combined with an excellent APP for the mobile phone adds simplicity to your calls. You set the usual numbers you call and all you do is select the particular number and... keep talking!


text:
2. Mrs. Phillips
is Lady of the Manor of Caversfield, and Patron of
2 livings. - Caversfield House, Bicester.
PHILLIPS, Samdel, Esq., of Gaile, co.
Tippei-ary.
Eldest son of Richard Phillips, Esq., D.L., of Gaile
House, who d. 1894, by Mary Elizabeth, who d. 1885,
only child of the late Fitzmaurice Hunt, Esq., of
Cappagh House, co. Tipperary ; b. 1849 ; m. 1885 Helen
Clementina, dau. of John Gilchrist, Esq., and widow of
Colin Alexander Fraser, Esq., and has, with other issue,
a son, * Richard Ernest Gilchrist, Capt. and Brevet
Major (temp. Major) R. Irish Regt. ; educated at the
E. Mil. Coll., Sandhurst; b. 1887. Mr. Phillips was
formerly Major R. Irish Regt., and is a J.P. and D.L.
for CO. Tipperary (High Sheriff 1902).- Gaile, Cashcl,
PHILLIPS, of Stoke d'Abernon Manor,
Surrey. See Buscarlei.
PHILLIPS. See Faudcl-Phillips. Lort Phillips, and
Spencer -Phillips.
PHILLIPS BROCKLEHURST. See Brockle-
hurst.
PHILLIPS-CONN, Thomas Haert Meredith,
Esq., formerly of Mount Ida, co. Kilkenny.
Only son of Highgatc Henry Phillips-C!onn, Esq.,
M.D., J. P., of Mount Ida, who d. 1917, by Fanny, only
dau. of the late Henry Meredith, Esq., of Edgbaston ;
b. 1881; m. 1913 Edith Muriel, younger dau. of
Jonathan Nowell Withers, Esq., of Rookwood, Birkdale,
Lanca.shire. Mr. Phillips-Conn, who was educated at
Bradfield Coll. and at Clare Coll., Cambridge (B.A. and
LL.B. 1902), was called to the Bar at King'.s Inns,
Dublin, 1905.— 28, Leinster Square, w.
PHILLPOTTS, Capt. Arthur Stephens, of
Phillpottstown, co. Meath.
Eldest surviving son of Capt. Henry Phillpotts, of
Torquay, formerly of the 29th Regt, who

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Un taxi color malva (Un taxi mauve) è un film del 1977 diretto da Yves Boisset.

Basato sul libro del 1973 Un taxi mauve di Michel Déon, venne coprodotto da Francia e Italia e fu presentato al Festival di Cannes 1977.

Trama
Una famiglia ricca, composta da fratello e sorella, vive un periodo a Eyeries sulla penisola di Beara in Irlanda.

Colonna sonora
La colonna sonora è dei The Chieftains.

Note

Collegamenti esterni

Film ambientati in Irlanda
Film drammatici


text:
on November 30, 2022 December 1, 2022 by admin
Throughout history, toto hk have been used to entertain, fund important government projects, and provide relief for the poor. Today, lotteries are used in many countries around the world. They offer people the chance to win huge sums of money. These lottery games are typically operated by a state, which provides the lottery tickets and ensures that the games are safe and legal.
A lottery has several different formats. The most common is a lottery with a prize of at least $1 million. The jackpot can be won by either an individual or a syndicate. There are also many online lotteries. These tickets are usually sold through an official lottery website. These sites provide the same ticket prices as land-based distribution points. Buying lottery tickets online is not common, but it has been approved by a handful of US states.
The US lottery has 177 different games. The US lottery draws 1,000 drawings every week. The jackpot grows with time, but there is a rolling over period when the jackpot is reset to a predetermined minimum. Often, lottery winners split the jackpot with another lottery participant.
In some Lotto games, the winner is given a bonus number. These lucky numbers are usually birthdays. In addition, there are many other kinds of lotteries. For instance, there are lotteries in Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. There are also lotteries in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. Most of the money from the lottery goes to public schools, colleges, and public good causes.
Most states require that people who wish to play lottery tickets must be at least 18. There are also state-run lotteries in most states. The state lotteries are popular in almost every state in the US. The first lottery in the US was offered in New Hampshire in 1964. In addition, many states offer lottery apps that allow players to purchase tickets. These apps are similar to scratch cards, but offer players an instant payout of several million dollars.
A popular lottery format is the Powerball. The Powerball is a lottery played in 21 states and the US Virgin Islands. Powerball requires players to select five numbers from a pool of 69. Powerball costs $2 per ticket. Once a player has won the jackpot, the prize is divided among all syndicate members https://nekcatholic.com/.
Another popular lottery format is Mega Millions. The Mega Millions jackpot is also worth a lot of money. The jackpot increases with time because there are not as many winners as there are tickets sold. In addition, Mega Millions has a very low house edge, which means the chance of winning the jackpot is much lower than in other lotteries. The jackpot also resets to a minimum amount once a winner has claimed it.
The US lottery also offers online lottery ticket sales in seven states. Pennsylvania iLottery launched in 2018. It started with a small collection of instant win games. Then, it expanded to include tickets for real-world drawings. The online lottery sales in Pennsylvania have grown over the past year. The total game sales have exceeded $4 billion.


Comprehensive list of Pomona, California based pet food supply stores and service providers - sitting, training, grooming & boarding.
Little Rascals is dedicated to the personalized care of your pets. I am Phyllis Ramella, owner of Little Rascals, and I will be responsible for the care of your pets, no employees, no middleman. I have been formally trained in pet care and I have a great love and affection for all animals.
Pets are very relaxed & comfortable. Our primary purpose is the well-being of the pets in our care. From anecdotal evidence we currently have found that most of the dogs and cats that stayed with us experienced long term benefits such as better emotional stability and an improved social behavior toward other pets they subsequently encountered.
LOVE this place! They offer doggy day care for $20 (9am-4pm) and boarding for $27/night.
By using only positive reinforcement and gentle but assertive methods, I will teach you how live in harmony with you dog. By working with you and your pet you will understand how your dog thinks and why he or she may act out in certain ways. I believe that each owner and their dog are an exceptional partnership and not in one size fit's all training.
Please enjoy viewing our customers' pictures to give you some idea of what we're all about. We pride ourselves on our grooming excellence and customer service. We're proud of the shop we've put together, all under the guidance of Michelle Fisher, serving the canine community for over 19 years!
Pet Bath USA provides the following services Self Service Bath. Special area for cat privacy Sharon Jones will assist you get began. We supply the Tub with warm water, tearless shampoo and dry towels. Bath including special medicated or flea baths Drying, Brush out, clipping, ears cleaned, nails cut, glands, Bows and Cologne, nails painted on request.
We strive on the eagerness to suit every client and supply only the best quality reptiles and provides. It is our mission to supply our clients with the satisfaction, expertise, and professionalism they deserve. We promote proper care, responsible ownership, and our team is always available to answer your questions.
W e are Southern California's biggest import / export wholesale distributor of the best products sold to the retail industry. With facilities across the US and soon to open in Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the UK, our firm has speedily become the choice of pet centers, service firms and other resellers worldwide.


text:
CEFC welcomes publication of the independent statutory review of its operations
The CEFC has welcomed publication of the independent statutory review of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Act. The review found that the CEFC has facilitated the flows of finance into the clean energy sector, with CEFC's investments successfully enabling projects that would not have otherwise proceeded, attracting substantial private co-investment to projects.
Read the statutory review.
The statutory review was conducted by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and tabled in Parliament on 14 December 2018.
CEFC CEO Ian Learmonth said: "The review examines the CEFC's activities since we began investing. It finds that we have been effective at facilitating increased flows of finance into clean energy projects across different sectors of the Australian economy. It also finds that the CEFC has been effective at leveraging private capital, leveraging between $1.80 and $2.90 in private capital for every $1 invested since its inception."
Mr Learmonth said the CEFC was encouraged by the number of submissions considered in the review process, and the recognition of the knowledge, expertise and experience of the CEFC in building market capability with respect to financing clean energy projects.
"As we discussed in our most recent Annual Report, in the year ahead, we will sharpen our focus on the emissions impact of our investments – from the direct carbon reductions of projects we finance, to the indirect demonstration benefits of the projects and companies we invest in, and our increasing focus on biocarbon," Mr Learmonth said.
"While the pace of the clean energy transition varies from year to year, our investment pipeline is robust. We look forward to expanding our work alongside market leading businesses, entrepreneurs and developers for the benefit of the Australian community."


The Argentine international was close to moving to Spain but Porto's demands were too much for financially challenged Valencia.
Jose Mourinho is thought to be a fan of the player, while Manchester City were linked with a double swoop for Otamendi and Porto teammate Eliaquim Mangala as Manuel Pellegrini sought to strengthen his rearguard with Joleon Lescott eyeing the exit.
It seems both clubs have now decided against a move but Manchester United are also thought to be interested and could yet try and offer the player a move before Friday.
However, United will now have to move quickly if they are to sign the 25-year-old with reports in Portugal suggesting that Valencia are the only club to have entered formal negotiations so far.
And while the collapse of the deal opens the door for United, reports in Portugal suggest that other clubs from England and Italy could also try and make a late swoop, with AC Milan, Monaco and Barcelona all previously linked.
Otamendi is particularly keen on a move as he seeks to cement his place in the Argentina national side ahead of next summer's World Cup.
Otamendi started his career in his homeland with Velez Sarsfield before making a £3.5m move to Porto in 2010.
The centre-back has played 16 times for his country after first making his debut under Diego Maradona back in 2009.


T-shirts are all in the same when it comes to the reality on how people wear it because there are three holes sufficient for the hands and head to match. Shirts vary in material, color, style, match, really feel, and size. Creating a shirt that can stand out amongst the relaxation is what every producer intends to do and what Youstar Clothes intends to be – a reduce over the relaxation.
A shirt – Soon as you give them these shirts as celebration favors, do not be surprised if some of the attendees would outcome to instantly wearing them as they get it. It would be very best to have some knowledge of the sizes that the attendees would be in. You can select to both have the shirt goodies in different measurements or have it in totally free dimension. But the very best way you can do this is by asking the confirmed attendees for their xxxl chest size. What you can keep as a secret or surprise is the design itself.
Assume that your buddies and family members members are totally engaged in helping you. There are nonetheless numerous other kinds of individuals who can help you to total your subsequent large race. Right here is a checklist of seven of them, as well as the methods in which they might be able to assist.
If your cheeks have a 5 o'clock shadow instead of a rosy glow, or you nose hairs can be braided, extra disguise work is needed. If you can't walk in the heels, and your toenails are not painted, it is a certain give absent. I recommend a great leg waxing and a nice pair of taupe pantyhose. Believe in me that furry legs are a no no unless you are living next to some retro commune or are impacting a radical feminist look. You may include arms and fingers in the waxing just to be on the safe side.
With the Ahh Bra, you don't have to be concerned about any uncomfortable hooks or clasps. It also has no seams or bra lines and gained't have you twisting or pulling at it all throughout your working day. The Ahh Bra gained't create bulges below your arms and definitely won't fade or pile up.
Sylvan Learning Facilities sponsor Guide Adventure, a plan developed to get children to study and to practice studying comprehension. College students can sign up for an account via their teacher at college, or through a house account that is monitored by a parent.
Men might chuckle at our obsession with purses. Yet, we know that the correct purse not only makes our outfit even better searching, it tends to make us feel great, too. (Plus, it is so a lot enjoyable buying for them).


text:
Passenger flying first-class gave up his seat for a mom with a sick baby
Published by Pauline R. | Positive Outlooks on December 14, 2018
Random acts of kindness happen all around the world. And when we say all around the world, we literally mean in every corner of the world, for instance, even inside an airplane. A first class passenger decided to give up his seat for a mother and her sick baby. Kelsey Rae Zwick, was travelling with her 11-month old child Lucy, as economy passengers. These two were heading from Orlando to Philadelphia for Lucy's medical treatment for her lung disease. With Lucy's condition, Kelsey had to bring with them an oxygen tank along with Lucy's other necessities like a stroller, and a diaper bag.
YouTube | Inside Edition
This is not the best setup for an economy passenger. An oxygen tank can crowd up their seats. That is why Kelsey was overwhelmed when the flight attendant came to her and told her that a man wanted to swap seats with her. Feeling all sorts of grateful, she shared the story on social media.
"You were giving up your comfortable, first class seat to us… Thank you. Not just for the seat itself but for noticing. For seeing us and realizing that maybe things are not always easy. For deciding you wanted to show a random act of kindness to US. It reminded me how much good there is in this world. I can't wait to tell Lucy someday. In the meantime… we will pay it forward. AA 588 passenger in seat 2D, we truly feel inspired by your generosity." She added.
Kelsey wasn't able to thank the man properly for his generosity, that is why, at the latter part of her post, she expressed her desire to spread the post so it can hopefully reach the man who helped her.
The post is close to reaching 800,000 reactions and almost 500,000 shares. Many have also expressed their feelings about the story through the comments.
Meg Mckinley said: "Can't help but to keep scrolling through and reading these comments. I've cried at EVERY. single. one. of them. My heart is so touched. Kelsey emulates kindness and positivity and will forever deserve those two qualities back from others."
Below is Kelsey's Facebook in it's entirety:
"To the man in 2D. Today you were traveling from Orlando to Philly. I don't know you, but I imagine you saw us somewhere. I was pushing a stroller, had a diaper bag on my arm and also lugging an oxygen machine for my daughter. We had smiles on our faces as we were headed to see her "friends" at CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia).
We pre- boarded the plane, got cozy in our window seat and made jokes to those around us about having to sit by my yelling-but-happy baby. The flight attendant came over and told me you were waiting to switch seats. You were giving up your comfortable, first class seat to us.
Not able to hold back tears, I cried my way up the aisle while my daughter Lucy laughed! She felt it in her bones too… real, pure, goodness. I smiled and thanked you as we switched but didn't get to thank you properly.
Sooo… thank you. Not just for the seat itself but for noticing. For seeing us and realizing that maybe things are not always easy. For deciding you wanted to show a random act of kindness to US. It reminded me how much good there is in this world. I can't wait to tell Lucy someday.
In the meantime… we will pay it forward. AA 588 passenger in seat 2D, we truly feel inspired by your generosity. Please share so we can say thanks! " — Kelsey Zwick
Fortunately, American Airlines was able to reach out to Kelsey with a goal of connecting her to the first class passenger named Jason Kunselman. Jason is an industrial engineer who frequently travels on business trips.
According to him, he saw Kelsey and Lucy while waiting to board the same flight and it immediately came to his concern that it would be better if they sat on a more comfortable seat. Seeing them made him emotional, he said in an interview by Inside Edition. Because of this, Kelsey was able to thank him again.
After being connected with the help of American Airlines, Kelsey and Jason have been in touch through private message.
An interesting fact about the story is that when the incident happened, it was also Jason's birthday. He expressed this to Kelsey and thanked her for giving him a birthday to remember to the point that it made him and his wife cry.
"He's thanking me for something that I'm thanking him for! There's always good people in the world, and that's why I felt compelled to share." Kelsey said to Yahoo! News.
These two were already paying it forward to each other and they had no clue. It is truly inspiring to see people do acts of kindness not only to each other, but also the one that spreads.
Watch a video of the story below via Inside Edition:
airline airplane american airlines baby good samaritan health health insurance kindness medical Mother transportation
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I want the world to know that even if you're going through a hard time right now, good times will come. I was bullied at school because of my appearance. I lacked confidence and self-esteem, and I didn't accept the way I looked. Fast forward to high school—I decided to change my mindset and love myself the way I was, because if I didn't accept myself, others wouldn't either. I am happier than ever in a school that I love and feel a part of, where I feel accepted by the teachers, staff and students. I overcame self-doubt and bullying, and I truly believe that others can, too!
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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How Rural Poverty Fuels Instability in Pakistan
By: Mark Leon Goldberg on February 17, 2009
By Eriposte
Discussions on the precarious situation in Pakistan today tend to be focused mostly on the threat from fundamentalist or "jihadi" militants. The focus on that threat is absolutely critical, however, there are underlying structural factors that also play a key role in Pakistan's instability. Rural poverty is a major factor that, so far, has not garnered the attention is deserves.
Eriposte is a regular contributor to The Left Coaster, where he frequently writes on issues pertaining to the Indian sub-continent. Below the fold is an in-depth post that explores the relationship between rural poverty and state security in Pakistan. For more on the relationship between poverty and terrorism see this post from UN Ambassador Susan Rice.
[Cross-posted at The Left Coaster]
In my previous post at The Left Coaster, I provided an overview of the dangerous situation that Pakistan finds itself in today and the increase in terrorism-related violence in Pakistan over the past several years. As I pointed out the current turmoil in Pakistan is not just restricted to its Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) – other regions of Pakistan are also under the grip of violence. There are many reasons for this – some are unique to the provinces/regions in question and others are somewhat more generic in nature. One of the commonly known "generic" reasons for Pakistan's current state is the blowback from the support that previous Pakistani governments (especially those that were military-dominated) provided to fundamentalist or "jihadi" militants to help Pakistan in its proxy wars – on the eastern frontier against India in Kashmir and on the Western frontier in Afghanistan (initially against the Soviets and subsequently to fight Afghan factions deemed unfriendly to Pakistan). However, another important "generic" reason for the state of affairs in Pakistan is not as commonly discussed and I will focus on that in today's post – a sharp rise in Pakistan's rural poverty since the late 1980s, which is in striking contrast to a significant decrease in rural poverty in India during the same time period.
For clarity, this post is separated into the following sections (all emphasis in this post is mine):
2. Insurgency in Balochistan
3. The Link Between Landlessness and Rural Poverty in Pakistan
4. Rural Poverty Trend (1987-2002): Pakistan v. India
5. Economic/Monetary Policy and Rural Poverty in Pakistan
6. Lessons for Pakistan and the U.S.
Discussions on the precarious situation in Pakistan today tend to be focused mostly on the threat from fundamentalist or "jihadi" militants. The focus on that threat is absolutely critical, however, there are underlying structural factors that also play a key role in Pakistan's instability. Rural poverty is a major factor. Approximately two-thirds [1] of Pakistani people live in rural areas. Studies by leading Pakistani economists [2] have established that higher rural poverty in Pakistan is positively correlated with higher landlessness – a long-standing problem due to minimal land reform in post-independence Pakistan. Approximately 67% of Pakistani households don't own any land [2]. However, landlessness is not the only major determinant of poverty in Pakistan's rural areas [2-4]. Unlike India's declining rural poverty in the 1987-2000 time period [5], rural poverty in Pakistan increased dramatically since the late 1980s [2, 4] in part due to misguided economic/monetary policy, some of which was driven by the IMF/World Bank. The increase in rural poverty was also accompanied by a further skewing of Pakistan's income distribution in favor of the wealthy [6] – in contrast increased income inequality in India was largely an urban phenomenon in the comparable time period, with rural income inequality either declining or stagnant [5]. Owing to a confluence of such conditions, Pakistan was not able to adequately protect the real income of its rural citizens during a period of modest GDP growth. Pakistan has also faced balance of payments challenges and given its largely self-inflicted, unstable, and risky profile, has not had the luxury of being able to run large fiscal deficits during times of economic distress – as a result, countercyclical policy actions compounded already flawed policy, thereby worsening the rural poverty situation.
Any solutions aimed at stabilizing Pakistan should focus not just on the internal security threat from "jihadi" or fundamentalist militants, but address long-standing socio-economic issues (especially the factors leading to high rural poverty) and governance issues (these are not really discussed much in this post but pertain mostly to demands of better and more autonomous local/provincial governance that have been a major reason for internal ethnic conflicts in Pakistan, as well as in other South Asian countries like India [7] and Sri Lanka [8]). It is highly unlikely that focusing on any of these facets in isolation would substantially address Pakistan's deep-seated problems. It is hard to overstate this fact because much of the U.S. foreign policy establishment discourse around Pakistan tends to revolve around security issues and terrorism. For example, the recent writings and interviews of Bruce Riedel [9], who has been tapped by the Obama administration to lead an interagency review of U.S. policy towards Pakistan and Afghanistan, reveal content that is heavy on security issues and very light or negligible on socio-economic and governance issues that often create fertile conditions for the proliferation of militancy or terrorism. It is also instructive that even U.S. establishment foreign policy think-tank coverage of Pakistan [10] often tends to be heavy on military/security issues and very light on socio-economic and governance issues, despite the fact that militants and terrorists often thrive by exploiting the vacuum created by poverty and poor governance.
The lessons for Pakistan are clear, but it is also important that both the U.N. and the United States develop a more enlightened policy framework vis-a-vis Pakistan that considers all of these factors. In particular, I would encourage the U.S. State Department to work closely with U.S./U.N. agencies in playing a more active role in helping the current Pakistani government address some of these internal issues more effectively, and thereby develop a truly transformative foreign policy framework along the lines that I have outlined previously [11].
To separate out the problem of fundamentalist or "jihadi" militants from some of the other structural issues in Pakistan, it is instructive to consider the Pakistani province of Balochistan – situated in the south-west of Pakistan and bordering both Afghanistan (north) and Iran (west). Since the 1950s, Balochistan has seen multiple, usually ethnically-driven, insurgency movements [12, 13] against successive Pakistani governments, and generally these were strongly put down by the latter, sometimes with help from Iran which has a significant population of ethnic, Iranian Baloch [14]. Akhtar [15] has discussed some of the history behind the Balochistan insurgencies. He points out that the major insurgency in the 1970s that was crushed by the Pakistani military had fairly broad-based support within Balochistan with significant ethno-nationalist hues and was also tied to issues of provincial governance and autonomy. In contrast, the most recent and ongoing insurgency is not as broad-based, although it is partly attributed to the previous government's handling of Balochistan's key natural resources, with questions surrounding the voice that ethnic Baloch have or don't have in these types of decisions. Per Akhtar [15]:
Needless to say there are considerable differences between the present movement and that of the 1970s. The confrontation this time appears to be between a much more amorphous band of militants and the authorities over the fate of Balochistan's natural resources, the building of military cantonments in the province, and so-called "mega development" projects, including the soon to be completed Gwadar port on the south-western tip of the province. While the broader demand for provincial autonomy continued to inform the ethno-nationalist discourse, it is clear that the present phase of the struggle has emerged in response to the current military regime's initiatives to establish greater control over the resources and territory of Balochistan.
Balochistan's vast land mass – comprising over 40 per cent of Pakistan's territory – and its reasonable endowment of natural resources including land, gas, minerals, as well as a highly strategic coastline, mean that it is a viable target for spatio-temporal fixes. The fact that the regime plans to construct military cantonments in Sui, home to Pakistan's largest known supply of natural gas, Gwadar, a highly strategic coastal city, and Kohlu where there are reportedly major deposits of untapped energy reserves, would seem to corroborate this "territorial imperative". This also seems consistent with the increasingly blatant resource-grabbing antics of the dominant state actor, the military, which has in recent decades built up a huge corporate empire, with capture and commercialisation of land as one of its major components [Siddiqa 2007].10 The establishment of territorial control has also facilitated the expanding interests of multinational capital which has substantively increased its presence in Pakistan during the tenure of the present regime. Most importantly, Chinese companies were given almost exclusive contracts to undertake construction of the Gwadar port,the first phase of investment totalling $ 248 million of which the Chinese provided $ 198 million [GoP 2005].
…The nationalist discourse surrounding Gwadar indicates the broader fears of cultural extinction that remain embedded within Baloch politics. Alongside the demand that "development projects" benefit the Baloch, including but not limited to the provision of employment for Baloch youth, nationalists have also protested that Gwadar is likely to precipitate an influx of non-Baloch into the province – for jobs, and due to broader multiplier effects – that will further skew the demographic imbalance in the province. For at least two decades the Baloch have claimed – the Sindhis have been at it for even longer – that they are being turned into a minority in their own province due to successive waves of in-migration.
Factors such as the ones discussed above, especially fears of ethnic domination or suppression, have been a significant factor in the relationship between some of Pakistan's provinces and the Pakistani government. In fact, linguistic, provincial rights and ethnicity were a major factor in the violent creation of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971 [8]. In the case of Balochistan, issues of ethnic rights and provincial autonomy are superimposed on the problem of grinding rural poverty, in a province that is substantially rural. Rural poverty in Balochistan was estimated to be ~42% in 2001-02, a bit lower than in Sindh and the NWFP [2]. However, as of 2001-02, 78% of households owned no land in Balochistan and among the landless, Balochistan's rural poverty rate was the highest in Pakistan, at nearly 70% [2]. As it stands today, not only is the Taliban increasingly using Balochistan (and its capital city Quetta) as a base to fund and manage their operations against the U.S., Pakistan and Afghanistan [16], at the same time, a largely unrelated anti-government insurgency driven by different guerilla groups has resumed after a hiatus [17]:
A separatist group in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province set a 72-hour deadline Friday to kill John Solecki, the local head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, if 141 women held in the torture cells of the country's intelligence agencies were not freed.
The Baloch Liberation United Front (BLUF), a secular and nationalist guerrilla organisation seeking independence from Pakistan, also demanded the release of 6,000 more political prisoners.
The takeaway from the story of Balochistan is simple. Ultimately, one cannot solve Pakistan's security problems without adequately addressing issues of rural poverty and provincial/local governance and rights. In the remainder of this post, I will focus on Pakistan's rural poverty.
The following chart from Anwar et al. [2] shows the trend in rural poverty in Pakistan (red line). The absolute numbers are not as relevant since those are subject to the assumptions and methodology used, but the relative trend is alarming. After decreasing steadily through the 1970s and early 1980s, Pakistan's rural poverty rate has sharply increased through the 1990s.
Anwar et al. point out that [2]:
The landless households are substantially high in Pakistan. About 67 percent households own no land (landless plus non-agriculture, see Table 6). In contrast, about 18.25 percent household own under 5 acres of land and 9.66 percent household own 5 to 12.5 acres of land, which merely provide subsistence level of living standards. A very small proportion of households hold large farm sizes in the country. Strikingly, barely 1 percent (0.64 percent plus 0.37 percent) households own greater than 35 acres of land suggesting a highly skewed landownership pattern. This is also confirmed by the Gini coefficient of land holding which was very high at 0.6151 in 2001-02 (see Table 8). Thus, highly unequal land distribution is the main manifestations [sic] of poverty in rural Pakistan.
However, poverty levels generally decrease with increases in land holding and eliminates with 55 acres and above. Thus, distribution of landownership seems to be one of the most important determinants of rural poverty in the country.
Distribution of land holding at province level indicates that about 86 percent households own no land in Sindh (landless plus non-agriculture), followed by 78 percent in Balochistan and 74 percent in Punjab (see last column, Table 7). The unequal landownership pattern is clearly reflected by the fact that a very small portion of all households holds large farm size in all provinces.
It appears that landlessness to agricultural land is one of the most important contributors to rural poverty in Pakistan. A high concentration of landownership and unfair tenancy contracts are major obstacles to agricultural growth and alleviation of poverty. Thus both agricultural growth and poverty alleviation can be achieved, if land inequality is reduced and the tenants are protected by well-enforced tenancy contacts.
Accompanying the increase in rural poverty has been a trend towards greater income inequality. Per Anwar [6]:
The Lorenz curve of 2001-02 for Pakistan lies below the 1984-85 (see Figure 4). Thus, it can be concluded that income distribution worsened resulting in higher income inequality in 2001-02 relative to 1984-85. More changes in income distribution occurred in the higher part of income distribution than the middle and lower part of income distribution. Consequently, the Lorenz curve for 2001-02 became more skewed at upper part of income distribution implying a gain in income share to the richest 20 percent at the expense of the poorest 20 percent and middle 60 percent resulting in increased hardship of these income groups during this period (also see Table A2 at Annexure II). Notably, the kink at upper part of income distribution is indicative of the fact that 1 percent richest who used to gets 10 percent of total income in 1984-85 now get almost 20 percent total income in Pakistan in 2001-02.
4. Rural Poverty Trend (1987-2002): Pakistan v. Indiab
It is instructive to compare the trajectory of rural poverty in India and Pakistan during similar time periods by comparing the chart shown above for Pakistan to the one below for India, based on data from Panagariya [5]. The absolute poverty rates are not directly comparable between Pakistan and India due to different methodologies and assumptions used for estimation (for a chart showing adjusted estimates for India's poverty rates that provide more of an apples-to-apples multi-decadal comparison than the official poverty estimates from the Indian government, click here). It is the relative trend that is illuminating. In comparison to Pakistan's dramatic worsening of rural poverty since the late 1980s, India's rural poverty, that had largely stagnated until the mid-1970s has seen a significant reduction since the early 1980s. Additionally, while Pakistan's income inequality worsened in this time period, the income inequality worsened mostly in urban India, whereas the trend in rural income inequality in India was largely unchanged or may have even declined [5].
[NOTE: Panagariya [5] provides a detailed overview of various factors involved in India's relative success and that is beyond the scope of this post. However, land reform has not played a significant role in Indian poverty reduction efforts and there is still a lot of room for reforming India's landholding and property rights laws, not to mention significantly improving socio-economic policies and human development indicators. The comparison provided here should not be interpreted as a sign that much more progress cannot be made in India – quite the contrary is true [18]. The purpose of the comparison is merely to discuss India vis-a-vis Pakistan.]
5. Economic/Monetary Policy and Rural Poverty
Pakistan's poverty trends have been a bit of a puzzle. As Amjad pointed out [4]:
Pakistan has witnessed over the last three decades periods of high economic growth, as in the 1960s, accompanied with increasing poverty levels, periods of low economic growth, as in the 1970s, accompanied by reductions in poverty levels, periods of high economic growth leading to a decline in poverty as in the 1980s and periods of low economic growth as in the 1990s accompanied by as we shall see by increasing poverty levels.
Our interest in this post is the last period, the 1990s. What are the factors that led to the sharp increase in rural poverty during this period?
There are numerous factors that have been invoked to explain Pakistan's increase in rural poverty rates since the late 1980s, including the decline in net capital inflows. Anwar observed that [6]:
It is noteworthy that the above period of last 15 years has been characterised as an era of stabilisation and adjustment programmes, which were undertaken within the framework of "Washington Consensus" of IMF and the World Bank. The main objectives of these programmes were to improve the efficiency in resource use, enhance economic growth and remove macroeconomic imbalances to a sustainable level. It is important to note IMF adjustment programmes put too much emphasis on removing structural rigidity and macroeconomic imbalances and pay no attention to the equity and welfare of the poor and the vulnerable. The policy reforms pursued under these programmes were the wage and employment restraint policies,6 cut in pro-poor subsidies, cut in development expenditure, increases in sales taxes and utility charges and frequent devaluations. Thus, worsening of distribution of income as well as the rise in both relative and absolute poverty was inevitable.
It may be noted that the adverse implications of adjustment reforms on poverty are suggestive and do not establish a causal link between policy reforms and poverty. To establish a causal link, one needs to develop a macro model. However, non-existence of time series data on poverty precludes establishing a causal link…
Amjad notes the difference in rural poverty trends between India and Pakistan [4]:
To conclude this section on balance we can state that the dominant view that has now emerged from the analysis and review of the data is that poverty levels increased in the 1990s and that there was significant and large increase in poverty in rural areas during this period. This view is now openly acknowledged by the Jamali government which set up in December 2003 a Task Force to come up with policy measures to reverse this trend of rising poverty and unemployment levels in the country. This view is also supported by the latest Human Development Outlook 2003 published by the CRPRID (2003), studies by PIDE , the SPDC in its annual survey last year [SPDC (2002)] and the Asian Development Bank, the ILO, and the UNDP.
For those who may argue that given India's size and economic diversity overall trends in poverty may mask regional differences for our study it is important to note that the Indian States bordering Pakistan also witnessed a decline in poverty in the 1990s in line with the overall national trend.
In India sustained agricultural growth in the 1980s and 1990s which translated itself into real wage increases for farm and non-farm labour in the rural areas was an important factor in leading to a decline in rural poverty. As mentioned earlier Pakistan witnessed on average an over 4 percent growth in agricultural production, albeit with a significantly higher growth rate of population, yet saw poverty levels significantly increasing. What were the structural features and changes in the 1990s in the rural economy which can explain rising rural poverty with a respectably high rate of agricultural growth?
He then goes on to identify several major factors [4] that he believes are mainly responsible for Pakistan's poverty dilemma:
(a) Mistimed financial/monetary reform: Amjad writes: "A striking example of this is the financial sector reform programme adopted in the late 1980s as part of the Banking Sector Adjustment Loan from the World Bank which some have termed as the single biggest disaster in terms of economic decision making in this period. By drastically raising interest rates to market prices on government borrowing it increased many fold the interest payment burden of the government which increased from Rs 33.2 billion or 4.9 percent of GDP in 1987-88 to Rs 243.3 billion or 7.7 percent of GDP in 1999-2000. Clearly the sequencing of the financial sector reform was wrong. The fiscal deficit should have been reduced prior to the financial reforms so that the government did not have to borrow at such high rates of interest. This seriously constrained public sector development expenditures in the 1990s. The same could be said of the sequencing of the tariff reforms and changes in the taxation structure which led to the closing of a very large number of industrial units (around 3000) increasing unemployment and a regressive taxation structure which increased the burden of taxes on the poor and was an important contributory factor in increasing income inequality in the 1990s."
(b) Countercyclical fiscal actions: Amjad observes that the "targeted lowering or the capping of the fiscal deficit as part of the IMF stand by loan agreements at a level during the 1990s … seriously constrained the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) which declined sharply from around 6.4 percent of GDP in 1992-93 to only 2.8 percent in 2000-01. Part of this decline was the result of the government's decision not to participate in commercial activities but this dramatic decline at a time when private investment was also falling further slowed down the growth of the economy with an adverse impact on poverty and employment in the economy."
(c) The erosion of the safety net for the poor: He discusses "the failure to effectively protect real incomes of the poor and the vulnerable segments of the population against rise in prices of essential items. Of this a pertinent example is the removal or the phasing out of poverty related subsidies in the 1990s particularly on food and essential items." He also mentions the lack of protection against increasing energy prices and that "the safety nets for the vulnerable and the poor proved grossly inadequate, to deal with the deteriorating economic, employment and poverty situation in the 1990s. This is not to underestimate the dedicated work done by NGOs and other welfare bodies in this period the absence of which would have matters worse but a stark recognition of the fact that productive employment is the only real safety net for the majority of the working population in a developing country like Pakistan."
(d) Public spending not optimized for employment creation: Per Amjad, the "special public works programmes started were clearly neither sufficient nor well targeted to halt the rate of rising unemployment and underemployment in the economy. To make matters worse little protection was afforded to workers against falling real wages and deteriorating employment conditions as more and more employment was made precarious in the form of parttime, daily or on contract basis. The weakening bargaining position of workers was dealt a very serious blow with the passage of the Industrial Relations Ordinance 2002 which both curbed workers' rights for collective bargaining and provided enormous leeway to convert permanent workers into contract workers a practise which has become very common in many of the large scale units in the country."
(e) Poor development of Pakistan's human development indicators: Amjad says that the "efforts to improve the country's very low human development indicators were on the whole disappointing in terms of results achieved and resources allocated for this critically needed improvement."
(f) Foreign exchange freeze and economic sanctions: Amjad writes that "the freezing of the foreign exchange accounts in the aftermath of the nuclear explosion in May 1999…. not only adversely affected the deposit holders but shattered business confidence from which the country has not yet fully recovered. It can be disputed whether there was any alternative in the wake of economic sanctions (although it may have been worth playing it out for some more time before freezing the accounts) the simple fact was that this situation should never have been allowed to develop."
The lessons for Pakistan are pretty clear. Fighting militants is probably the most challenging task ahead for the nascent Pakistani government, given that past governments and the Pakistani military have long encouraged and supported militants as long as their target was not Pakistan itself. However, an equally big – and in some ways more daunting – challenge is to drive sound economic/monetary/fiscal policies and adequate land reform that address the root cause of poverty and simultaneously create the conditions for more representative provincial governments that provide an adequate level of provincial autonomy without requiring secession from Pakistan.
Any solutions aimed at stabilizing Pakistan should therefore focus not just on the internal security threat from "jihadi" or fundamentalist militants, but address long-standing socio-economic issues (especially the factors leading to high rural poverty) and governance issues. It is highly unlikely that focusing on any of these facets in isolation would substantially address Pakistan's deep-seated problems. It is hard to overstate this fact because much of the U.S. foreign policy establishment discourse around Pakistan tends to revolve around security issues and terrorism. For example, the recent writings and interviews of Bruce Riedel [9], who has been tapped by the Obama administration to lead an interagency review of U.S. policy towards Pakistan and Afghanistan, reveal content that is heavy on security issues and very light or negligible on socio-economic and governance issues that often create fertile conditions for the proliferation of militancy or terrorism. It is also instructive that even U.S. establishment foreign policy think-tank coverage of Pakistan [10] often tends to be heavy on military/security issues and very light on socio-economic and governance issues, despite the fact that militants and terrorists often thrive by exploiting the vacuum created by poverty and poor governance. It is important that both the U.N. and the United States develop a more enlightened policy framework vis-a-vis Pakistan that considers all of these factors. In particular, I would encourage the U.S. State Department to work closely with U.S./U.N. agencies in playing a more active role in helping the current Pakistani government address some of these internal issues more effectively, and thereby develop a truly transformative foreign policy framework along the lines that I have outlined previously [11].
1. "Rural Poverty in Pakistan", Rural Poverty Portal (IFAD).
2. T. Anwar, S. K. Qureshi, and H. Ali, "Landlessness and Rural Poverty in Pakistan", The Pakistan Development Review, Issue 43, #4, Winter 2004.
3. S. Malik, "Determinants of Rural Poverty in Pakistan: A Micro Study", The Pakistan Development Review, Issue 35, #2, Summer 1996.
4. R. Amjad, "Solving Pakistan's Poverty Puzzle: Whom Should We Believe? What Should We Do?", The Pakistan Development Review, Issue 42, #4, Winter 2003.
5. A. Panagariya, "India: The Emerging Giant", Oxford University Press, 2008.
6. T. Anwar, "Prevalence of Relative Poverty in Pakistan", The Pakistan Development Review, Issue 44, #4, Winter 2005.
7. Eriposte, "Developing A Framework to Understand and Develop Working Solutions to Major Conflicts: The Case of Mizoram (India) – Part 4", The Left Coaster, Jan 2009.
8. Eriposte, "Language and Ethnic Conflict in South Asia", The Left Coaster, Feb 2009.
9. B. Riedel, "Pakistan and Terror: The Eye of the Storm", Annals of the AAPSS, 2008; T. Rubin, "Bruce Riedel: We need to make the war against al Qaeda Pakistan's war, not just America's war", Academy Blog, 2008; B. Gwertzman interview of B. Riedel, "Riedel: U.S. Needs to Tread Carefully in Pakistan", Council on Foreign Relations, 2008.
10. Council for Foreign Relations, Pakistan Archives.
11. Eriposte, "The State Department and Transformative Foreign Policy", The Left Coaster, Dec 2008.
12. A. Bansal, "Why Balochistan is Burning", Rediff.com, Jan 2006.
13. "Baluchistan Insurgency", GlobalSecurity.Org.
14. "Baloch People", Wikipedia.
15. A. S. Akhtar, "Balochistan versus Pakistan", Economic and Political Weekly, Nov 2007.
16. E. Schmitt and M. Mazzetti, "Taliban Haven in Pakistani City Raises Fears", New York Times, Feb 2009.
17. "UN hostage: Pak dismisses demands as unrealistic", Sify News, Feb 2009.
18. J. Dreze and A. Sen, "India: Development and Participation", Oxford University Press, 2002.
Delegates' Lounge
Pakistan strikes deal with Taliban on Sharia law
Afghan Civilian Casualties Up 40%
Audio: Hermann Scheer Interview
Tackling Proliferation, Multilaterally
National Malaria Awareness Day
Matthew Cordell
Video: Former Head of UNFPA Nafis Sadik


So the boys challenged me to do my makeup ASMR style! We had so much fun shooting this video! Please check it out and give us a thumbs up if you liked the video.
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This fresh and simple sweet potato salad is a light, healthy, and flavorful alternative to any traditional picnic potato salad. You won't even miss the mayo!
Sometimes-- as was the case with these tostadas-- I accidentally make a vegan dish. I'm not a vegan or even close to one (because cheese), but in the summer it becomes really easy to make a totally meatless vegan dish that's fresh and flavorful. Summer veggies are so colorful and full of flavor that they don't require a ton of additional manipulation to turn them into something really tasty. And a quick easy recipe that is satisfying is exactly what I want in the summer.
I made a huge batch of this sweet potato salad one Sunday to serve as a side dish for some spicy grilled salmon filets. With the combination of sweet potatoes, beans, and vegetables, this is really the only side dish you need. Just add meat! I made a huge batch of this though, so I portioned it up, added sliced avocado, and suddenly had a super filling vegan lunch to bring to work for the next few days.
I love the savory sweetness of a roasted sweet potato and that really makes the perfect base for this salad. Sweet red peppers and corn, spicy poblanos, crisp red onion, and hearty black beans all complement the potatoes nicely. This southwestern-inspired combination of flavors-- along with fresh lime juice and cilantro-- make for a really wonderful and simply seasoned salad. Add some creamy avocado to the mix and you've got one amazing salad in front of you.
So, put away the mayo and the hard boiled eggs when you're prepping for your next picnic and just bring this showstopper along instead.
In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes, peppers, canola oil, and salt and pepper until fully coated. Spread out on a large baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are lightly browned and fork tender.
Remove sweet potato and pepper mixture from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Add black beans, corn, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine.
Serve chilled or at room temperature with fresh avocado.
I often go through phases with my cooking and eating preferences. This summer it's all about the wrap.
I'm not really sure why I'm suddenly into wraps. They're not cool and new anymore (like they were when I was in college) and we all know now that a flour tortilla is no healthier than two slices of bread, but I bought a package of burrito size tortillas not long ago and I've been on a wrap kick ever since. And while I can't tell you why I decided to get into the wrap habit, what I can tell you is that they're delicious-- and the perfect way to make a portable satisfying summertime dinner.
This barbecue chicken wrap recipe has a lot of steps, but is actually quite low maintenance. The chicken comes together over a few hours in the slow cooker and then the only cooking left to do beyond that is sautéing the vegetables. I love the shredded barbecue chicken here because it's so moist and flavorful. You could really add anything else you wanted to these wraps, but I really like the sweetness of the corn, peppers and onions with the crunch of fresh lettuce. A little melty smoky cheddar plus it all together-- and keeps it all together too!
I made another version of these recently with sliced barbecued chicken, tomatoes, and guacamole instead of the pulled chicken, corn, and peppers combo. It was equally delicious and had a great summery feel and flavor.
Place chicken breasts in a small or medium slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper and layer in half of the sliced onions. Pour 3/4 cup of barbecue sauce in along with all of the broth. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove the chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Place the shredded chicken in a medium bowl and toss with remaining barbecue sauce.
Heat canola oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add remaining onions, the peppers, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables are golden and softened. Add the corn to the pan and saute for another 4-5 minutes.
Place the two tortillas on a plate and microwave for 30 seconds. Once warmed through, separate the tortillas and begin topping them. Sprinkle cheese evenly over each tortilla, leaving roughly a 2-inch border around the entire edge of each, but working slightly off center so the border is much wider on one side. You'll want this to be the top of the tortillas when looking down at them on your workspace.
Top the cheese-covered portion with the pulled chicken, pepper, onion & corn mixture, and then the lettuce leaves.
Fold the left and right edges of the tortilla snugly over the filling. While carefully holding those in, use your thumbs to bring up the bottom of the tortilla (side closest to you) and then fold over, rolling the tortilla as tightly as possible and continuing to tuck in the edges until the wrap is closed tightly.
Arrange the wrap so that it is lying flap side down on you work surface. Use a sharp (serrated is best) knife to cut the wrap across the center widthwise. Use toothpicks to secure each half, if desired.
Until recently, carrots didn't feel like a 'summertime' vegetable to me. I love them in soups on chilly fall days or slow cooked with a pot roast in the winter, but cooking carrots in the summer seemed wrong-- which is actually really silly. Today's recipe post is the perfect way to incorporate carrots into your summer menu!
It all began when the folks at Farmbox Direct asked me to give their service a try. Not familiar with Farmbox Direct? This food-focused startup began when one mom decided that it should be more convenient for everyone to have access to locally grown organic and seasonal produce. So she created a service where subscribers receive a regular shipment of in season produce sourced from local vendors right at their doorsteps! The schedule and the amount of produce is all customizable, so you can be sure that the service fits right into your eating and cooking routine.
When my Farmbox arrived and I started going through all of the produce I received, my recipe gears started turning. I love grilling in the summertime, but had never thought of grilling carrots until I pulled a lovely bunch out of the box and thought "Why not?" So I cut them into extra thick slices and added some red onion rings to the mix, marinating them in a sweet and tangy combination of balsamic vinegar, honey, fresh herbs, and a touch of pomegranate juice. Marinating the carrots overnight infused some great flavor before grilling them, which added a nice charred smokey quality to the tender carrots.
I finished these carrots and onions off with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves (which are also in the marinade) and with a drizzle of the reduced marinade. The great thing about a vegetable marinade (as opposed to one used for raw meat) is that it can be re-purposed later in a recipe. Slowly cooking the remaining marinade down turns it into a delicious honey balsamic syrup perfect for topping these veggies off.
This is a delicious and summery way to prepare carrots. And it's the perfect summer side dish to any grilled protein.
Place the sliced onions in a large zip locking bag. After peeling your carrots, cut them in half widthwise (so you have two long pieces). Place the narrow carrot halves (at the point, not near the stems) in the bag and then cut the thicker halves lengthwise down the center and add to the bag.
In a medium bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, honey, pomegranate juice, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper vigorously until fully combined. Pour into the zip locking bag and secure it shut, making sure to push out as much excess air as possible. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place the onions and carrots on the grill, reserving excess marinade. Cover and grill for 5-6 minutes (or until they begin to soften and grill marks begin to appear). Use tongs to turn the vegetables over and grill the onions for another 3-4 minutes and remove from heat. Continue grilling carrots for another 3-4 minutes, or until desired degree of softness is achieved. Remove from heat.
If desired, while grilling the vegetables pour the excess marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer the mixture, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (20-30 minutes). Drizzle over onions and carrots.
Editor's Note: I received a complimentary Farmbox Direct sample in order to facilitate this post. The opinions expressed herein are my own.
Seasons 52 is a grill and wine bar offering a seasonal menu inspired by local and seasonal ingredients. The chefs at Seasons 52 pride themselves on using ingredients at their peak and simple yet rustic cooking techniques like brick-oven roasting and open-fire grilling over oak and mesquite to bring out the natural flavors of food. The menu has a distinct focus on dishes that are fresher, more flavorful, and lighter than the average restaurant meal. I was recently invited into their Chicago location in the heart of River North to sample some of the new seasonal menu items here and I jumped at the opportunity-- and brought my friend Kerri (who happens to be Seasons 52's #1 fan) along-- for what was a night of great food, drinks, and service.
Our evening began with cocktails, several of Seasons 52's signature flatbreads (like the delicious seasonal chili-glazed duck or lobster & mozzarella options), and a short presentation by executive chef Brad Froelich. He walked us through some of his favorite items on the menu (several of which we tried and I'll tell you about below). It was also interesting to know that Seasons 52 serves more than 100 wines, with 52 available by the glass. They also serve some amazing signature handcrafted cocktails. Kerri and I both began our evening with the refreshing Meyer Lemonade cocktail made with orange Grey Goose vodka, Meyer lemon juice, pineapple juice, and a bit of agave for sweetness. It was a perfect summer cocktail-- and one of those perfectly mixed drinks that doesn't taste too strong of alcohol so it went down all to quickly!
Once we were seated and perusing the menu, chef Froelich came around to each table to deliver a bowl of the most gorgeous summery risotto. Risotto and sweet corn is slow cooked until creamy with a touch of truffle oil. It was topped off with shaved truffles, fresh Parmesan, and an herby chive oil. This risotto was lighter than the average, but filling enough to be a satisfying meatless entree.
We decided to order several more small plates to share and sample, beginning with the crab cake. The crab cake was nice and crunchy on the outside and an interior that was filled with lump crab-- not filler-- served with a tangy mustard dipping sauce. I would also mention that Kerri has a pretty serious butter intolerance. So when the crab cake arrived and we were notified that it was seared in butter, the staff was quick to accommodate her and whisked out a butter-free crab cake in a matter of minutes.
One of the highlights of our dinner was the ahi tuna tartare. This generous portion of ahi was layered in a beautiful presentation with some smooth and spicy wasabi avocado mousse and a beautiful tropical salsa filled with pineapple, mango, and peppers. The flavors here were super refreshing with a little sweet and a little heat and this is a perfect light appetizer to start any meal.
On the salad front, Kerri and I both loved this creative twist on a caprese salad. Thick slices of sweet heirloom tomatoes were layered with warm mozzarella lightly breaded and crusted in herbs. It's lightly drizzled with a flavorful 15-year aged balsamic vinegar. I love that Seasons 52 took one of my favorite flavor combinations and put their own creative twist on it for this delicious and hearty summer salad.
For entrees, Kerri opted for the Asian-glazed Chilean sea bass off of the Chef's Suggestion portion of the menu. The presentation of this fish was beautiful with a thick white filet plated on a bed of black rice with sliced shiitake mushrooms and snap peas. The sea bass was finished off with a little micro wasabi on top. This simple Asian-inspired preparation is exactly the kind of dish that Seasons 52 is known for: generous portions with big flavor that's still low on calories.
I opted for the caramelized grilled sea scallops for my entree. This dish was plated so beautifully with lots of bright colors from toybox tomatoes and snap peas. There were a ton of scallops on this plate and they were really simply seasoned and perfectly seared.
I'm just realizing now in looking back at what we ate that night that there was a lot of corn involved. I can't say I'm made about it though because corn is better in the summertime than in any other season. I couldn't help but order a side of this skillet of roasted corn with our entrees. The sweet roasted corn paired beautifully with crispy bacon, sweet caramelized onions, and Parmesan cheese for a side dish that felt decadent and delicious.
And speaking of decadence, dessert is definitely one of the highlights of dining at Seasons 52. At the end of your meal, your server will bring out an assortment of Mini Indulgence shooters to choose from. Each is a different flavor combination and perfect whether you need just a little something sweet or whether you want to select 2 or 3 (or 4...) for sampling of several different desserts. Kerri's go to order is always the rich Belgian Chocolate S'more with layers of chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and chocolate chips topped with a toasted marshmallow and a chocolate dipped graham cracker. She also took a mini carrot cake indulgence for the road too!
I loved the Bing Cherry Creme Brulee, one of Seasons 52's special summer desserts (pictured above). Sweet bing cherries were topped with a thick layer of custard finished off with a sugary crispy crust on top. It was so tough to choose between all of their delicious desserts, but this one was perfect for summertime... and the perfect size to end an amazing multi-course meal.
Seasons 52 is a perfect place for girls night, a date, or even a casual drink and snacks at the bar (since they have great happy hour specials via their Sunset at Seasons 52 drink and small plate menu). I love that you can have a big meal with tons of flavor and not feel as if you're in a coma when you're leaving. The chefs here are really adept at adding flavor through fresh ingredients and grilling techniques, which definitely sets them apart from other restaurants.
Editor's Note: While our meal at Seasons 52 was complimentary, all opinions expressed here are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support A Squared!
These baked Chinese five spice fries are a delicious Asian spin on homemade French fries... with a serious kick of heat from new Red Gold & Huy Fong Sriracha hot chili sauce ketchup.
French fries are such a guilty pleasure of mine. I have absolutely no willpower when the are around. So, when we go out I normally don't order them because I know I will pretty much inhale them. I also know that 9 out of 10 times, whatever Alex orders will come with a side of fries. And I will sneak several of them off of his plate over the course of a meal. It's a real problem.
So when we're grilling at home and making something like burgers or sausages that practically beg to be accompanied by fries, I usually give in. However, at home I like to make a flavorful baked variety that satisfies my need for French fries. Potato wedges are lightly tossed in canola oil and a savory combination of seasoning and then baked until crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside. I love to change up the seasoning every time I make these fries and recently, we made a soy and sesame marinated steak so it felt appropriate to give these fries a bit of an Asian flair. These fries are coated in a sweet and savory mixture of Chinese Five Spice (a traditional Chinese spice mixture of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds) with a touch of brown sugar. And by the way, I had picked up these gorgeous purple/red potatoes at the farmer's market that day, hence the unusual color of these fries. Any potatoes you like will work!
While these fries are already addictively tasty on their own, they are made even more delicious with the addition of some spicy Sriracha ketchup for dipping. This ketchup is perfect for the spicy food lover! It has the tang of ketchup that you love with the fiery heat of sriracha chili sauce. I was blown away by the heat of this ketchup, but loved how it kicked up plain old ketchup a few notches. It was great on these sweet and spicy (as in spices, not heat) fries, but would also be so delicious on simple grilled burger or even whisked into a marinade or glaze for roasted pork!
Scrub the potatoes until any excess dirt is removed and pat dry. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges. For most potatoes of this size, you can get 6 to 8 wedges out of each one.
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, brown sugar, five spice, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Add potatoes and toss to fully coat.
Spread the coated potatoes out on a large baking sheet, making sure to space the potatoes out (so they are not touching). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the wedges are browned, crisp, and fork tender inside.
Remove from oven and serve warm with Sriracha ketchup for dipping.
Editor's Note: A sample of sriracha ketchup was provided by my friends at Red Gold to facilitate this post. All opinions expressed here are my own.
TGIF. I've got a very special Friday post for you today. As you know, I don't often post on Fridays anymore unless it's something really good. Well, today I have something super fun to share with you: a giveaway!
I'm partnering with the Randolph Street Market to offer one lucky reader (and a guest) free VIP admission to this month's event! My girlfriends and I will be brunching in the West Loop and then heading over to the Market for a little shopping and girl talk... I can't wait to check it out!
What is the Randolph Street Market, you ask? It is the US's largest urban antiques market and it's right here in Chicago's West Loop. Held a few times throughout the summer, this market encompasses 8 acres and features over 3,000 vendors. So, from jewelry to furniture to cool vintage gifts, there is truly something for everyone here!
See you on Randolph Street!


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