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What we know (and don't know) about when California theme parks will reopen
August 24, 2020, 11:30 PM ET
By Carlye Wisel
Credit: Disneyland Resort
Welcome back to Theme Park News. We're going to head westward this week, casting a gaze upon the future of Los Angeles and Anaheim's famed theme parks as we lean into a major California update.
So let's all soak in the coastal spirit as we unpack the future state of West Coast theme parks during this coronavirus pandemic.
LET THE OPENING BUZZ BEGIN
A post shared by Disneyland (@disneyland)
For a moment this summer, it looked like Disneyland would open on its iconic 65th birthday, with two of its hotels — Disney's Grand Californian and Paradise Pier — welcoming back guests one week later. Those July 17 and July 23 dates would not come to fruition due to governmental-related delays, canceling the park's would-be quarantine birthday as the COVID-19 caseload in California became significantly worse.
It's hard not to feel like there's a cool breeze in the air, signaling the coming of fall and the possibility that the parks could, in fact, reopen in the coming months. This is partially conjecture, but it's nonetheless fueled by something very, very real: that Orange County, California, has officially been removed from the state's coronavirus watch list. If Orange County maintains its numbers for two weeks, according to the Orange County Register, it could lead to schools reopening with new distancing protocol — which easily infers that other measures could shift, including closure ordinances from July being lifted. (Knott's Berry Farm, on the other hand, has explicitly mentioned being unsure if a full reopening is on the horizon for 2020.)
The first park to open will, unexpectedly, be SeaWorld San Diego, as it falls under the zoo reopening protocol and can return to operations this weekend. Indoor spaces, as well as attractions, will remain closed, so it's a debut cloaked in technicalities — but the first step toward these parks' eventual reopenings nonetheless.
Universal Studios Hollywood, located in Los Angeles County, was rumored to have its eyes on a June reopening date — which also got scrapped — but there's little intel on when it may open again. Just like SeaWorld San Diego, the nearby Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association has also been granted approval to reopen with a reservation system. But while the city itself holds similar restrictions on indoor dining and businesses as Orange County, L.A. County proper hasn't been knocked off the watchlist yet.
Furloughed Disney Parks employees at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World received an email yesterday indicating their furloughs could possibly last longer than six months. This notice doesn't signal toward Disneyland opening earlier or later than Monday, Oct. 19, the six-month mark from furloughs beginning April 19, but I'm pleased either way to hear employees will continue to receive company benefits and are eligible for unemployment benefits — and, above all, wish all Disney cast members and theme park employees safety and the best in this troubling time.
In the meantime, California's theme parks resorts have done their best to keep fans safe and satiated despite Halloween events that would have energized a post-summer crowd now being widely canceled. Knott's Berry Farm's Taste of Calico event and its subsequent Taste of Knott's outdoor mini food festival takes place on the park's grounds as surrounding coasters remain at a standstill, while Legoland California is flexing its park muscle by allowing guests to walk the outdoor Miniland USA with a hotel stay, annual pass, or gift shop purchase minimum. Disneyland also expanded its Downtown Disney offerings earlier this week with a reservation-only shopping event this weekend offering exclusive merchandise and collectible pins.
IS AVENGERS CAMPUS ... ON ITS WAY TO COMPLETION?
Another reason I'm hypothesizing California parks could open later this fall is from a recent photo set shared on Instagram by Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products:
A post shared by Josh D'Amaro (@joshdamaro)
When I toured Avengers Campus for SYFY WIRE days prior to the park's pandemic shutdown, the land wasn't far enough along yet to place the Quinjet atop the central structure. The jet's placement in this new picture signals that construction has progressed, even if the exterior isn't done. Furthermore, note that this isn't a casual photo — it's a pivotal point in the construction process that required a photographer and advanced scheduling to coordinate the schedules of Josh D'Amaro and Marvel's Kevin Feige to make the images a reality.
This photo is only made public on D'Amaro's consumer-facing account because Disney wants us to see it — and, in my loose interpretation, remind fans that Avengers Campus is on its way so it doesn't slip their mind or future vacation plans. Am I reading the tea leaves a bit too closely? Sure, but it's a pandemic and my closest parks are closed. What else is there to do? I just think, all things considered, it's worth noting that Avengers Campus could possibly be closer to completion than had previously been made public — especially since, right after I wrote this column, Disneyland posted job openings for Avengers Campus stunt performers.
ORLANDO PARK STATUSES AND HOW THEY MAY AFFECT THE WEST COAST
A post shared by Kethellyn Corrêa (@kethellyncor)
Though crowd patterns can be different, there are some worthy comparisons between the California and Florida resorts. Even with capacity limitations, Universal and Disney's Orlando theme parks didn't hit reservation or full capacity at the start. (The Orlando Sentinel reported that Deutsche Bank evaluated Disney as operating at 80 percent less than last year, while Universal admission has picked up, but is still down over half of what it was in 2019.) This could differ on the West Coast, where audience patterns differ significantly, as parks are more regional and rely less on guests traveling from a far distance and staying overnight, but shows that some theme park fans are disinterested in visiting any park at the moment.
The Walt Disney World Park Pass reservation system, which has proved problematic for Annual Passholders, could be even trickier to navigate when likely put into place for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. There are fewer locations to choose from, and as stated above, these parks rely more on a large, local audience, where visits can be a casual day trip and don't necessarily correlate with booking an entire vacation.
Orlando's theme parks have been resilient in adapting their COVID-19 protocols to guest behavior, and we hope some of those new processes will be utilized from day one when California's parks open. Social distance markers were recently added to Magic Kingdom's Main Street USA, empty spaces are being utilized to lessen crowding, and additional cast members and overhead announcements were added to remind guests to step to the side when eating — all of which weren't in place when Disney World first reopened. We'd love to see even more of these changes, including cast members directing traffic in pinch points like at the front of Diagon Alley or by the Odyssey Pavilion, which has become a main thoroughfare due to Epcot construction. Regardless, we're glad to see theme parks continue to be devoted to guest safety.
"Welcome to Jurassic Park" – us to the colossal, 🦖-shaped package that just appeared near the unannounced coaster in Islands of Adventure. pic.twitter.com/QMRjZrWGL9
— Orlando Informer (@OrlandoInformer) August 24, 2020
The comedic factor of Universal's Islands of Adventure building an entire roller coaster while pretending it's not happening reached a new apex (predator, heh heh) this week when, well, that situation was captured above.
It's the ultimate Christmastime hack of wrapping a bike and leaving it under the tree in hopes that no one will recognize what the gift is, only it's a whole DINOSAUR heading to the new Jurassic coaster because CLEARLY, IT IS A DINOSAUR.
Thankfully, Universal is in on the joke, but my sentiment remains:
what do you think will come first, the end of the pandemic or a confirmation about Universal's Jurassic coaster
— 🍓✨ carlye wisel (@carlyewisel) August 24, 2020
I cannot choose!
LINKS! LINKS! LINKS!
- Absolutely cannot wait for this documentary on New Jersey's Action Park.
- The Halloween Horror Nights tribute store at Universal Studios Florida expanded even further last week, and the result is exceptional, as is the themed food.
- Cirque du Soleil's opening date has been pushed to February 2021.
- There's a new luxury hotel at Disneyland and it looks nice.
- The basketball players have vacated Disney's Yacht Club, which is now open to the public.
- Dollywood's Homeschool Days, through Sept. 21, offers $37 student tickets and $47 adult tickets purchased in advance as well as $129 nightly DreamMore hotel rates (Sunday-Thursday, through Sept. 24) and a downloadable Science in the Park workbook to learn about velocity and momentum while having fun in the park.
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Cursed - Marissa Meyer
New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer concludes her young adult retelling of Rumpelstiltskin in this breathtaking sequel!It isn't true, she wanted to whisper. To lean forward and nuzzle her cheek against his temple. To press him against the wall and mold her body to his.
I am not his. I will never be his. Serilda and Gild cannot break the curses that tether their spirits to Adalheid's haunted castle.
There they remain trapped for eternity. On the night of the Endless Moon, the Erlking means to capture one of the seven gods and so be reunited with his lover, Perchta, who has been banished to the underworld. But it soon becomes clear that the Erlking's hunger for vengeance won't be satisfied with a single wish, and his true intentions have the power to alter the mortal realm forever.
Serilda and Gild have no choice but to thwart his plans, all the while solving the mystery of Gild's forgotten name, and freeing all the ghosts kept in servitude to the dark ones. As the evil forces gather, it seems only their love is strong enough to sustain them . .

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Hi babes! Today I'm showing the photos taken with my phone from our vacation.
Tsau armsad blogi lugejad! Täna näitan ma teile oma telefoniga tehtud puhkusepilte.
The first photo is so fun and pretty! I love the all flower printed outfit!


From printed coffee bags to packaging for tea to dog food packaging, the packaging and labels in our world make an impact, even if we don't consciously realize it. From walking down aisles of the grocery store to shopping on an online platform, we need labels. we need them to advertise to us and to explain details of a product for us. Things like nutrition labels are helpful as well, as dog food packaging often lists the ingredients included in said dog food, allowing the owner to survey the quality of the food that they are giving their dog.


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Introduction to Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) Suppliers
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Exchange-Traded Funds For Dummies, 2nd Edition
By Russell Wild
Fewer providers of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) exist (currently 48) than mutual fund providers, they tend to be larger companies, and the top four providers (BlackRock, State Street, Vanguard, and Invesco PowerShares) control 92 percent of the market.
In large measure this is because ETFs' management fees are so low that a company can't profit unless it enjoys the economies of scale and multiple income streams that come from offering a bevy of ETFs.
While picking a single brokerage house to manage your accounts makes enormous sense, there is no reason that you can't own ETFs from different sources. Like your favorite professional sports team or clothing store, each supplier of ETFs has its own personality.
A portfolio with a combination of BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street ETFs can work just fine. In fact, you may have more success not wedding yourself to a single ETF supplier but being flexible and picking the best ETFs to meet your needs in each area of your portfolio.
Note that brokerage houses typically do not sell every available mutual fund. But rarely will a brokerage house limit which ETFs it will sell. The reason is simple: When you buy or sell an ETF, you pay a trading fee directly to the brokerage house. The more ETFs they can offer, the merrier.
When mixing and matching ETFs, beware that you don't want holes in your portfolio, and you don't want overlap. Mixing and matching, say, a total U.S. stock fund from one ETF provider with a European stock fund of another provider would be just fine because there's virtually no chance for either overlap or gaps.
However, in putting together, say, a U.S. value and a U.S. growth fund, or a U.S. large cap and a U.S. small cap fund, in the hopes of building a well-rounded portfolio, you may want to choose ETFs from the same ETF provider, using the same index providers (Russell, Morningstar, S&P, and so on).
That's because each indexer uses slightly (and sometimes not so slightly) different definitions of "value," "growth, "large," and "small." So mixing and matching funds from different providers may be less than ideal.
Number of ETFs
Average Expense Ratio
BlackRock iShares 222 0.42 Biggest variety of funds
State Street Global Advisors 100 0.35 Oldest and single-largest ETF
Vanguard 65 0.18 Sensibility and economy
Invesco PowerShares 120 0.60 Quirky indexes
ProShares 119 0.95 Woooeee . . . High volatility with leveraged and inverse
Van Eck 35 0.60 Alternative investments galore
WisdomTree 50 0.52 Dividend mania


Every year for Fall Break, we pick somewhere to go as a family. Last year we went to the Great Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg and the year before that was Breckenridge. This year we decided to road trip to spend fall break in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Read more about Breckenridge and Oktoberfest 2017!
Instead of leaving Thursday and arriving late afternoon, we decided to leave Wednesday and stay overnight in Amarillo. What better way to have a little road trip fun that to eat at The Big Texan?
You couldn't miss this old Route 66 joint if you tried. Billboards start hundreds of miles out and even if you weren't paying attention, these ole' boys are a solid reason to stop! I'm pretty sure the kids thought we were pulling into some kind of amusement park. I was just excited that the whole car was in agreement on where to eat for dinner. I know all you moms out there can here me. Holla!
I have to give The Big Texan their credit. All of our meals were really good! In fact, if I find myself in Amarillo around dinner again, I will totally go back and order one of their Chicken Fried Steaks. Big Sis ordered one and I tried a bite… Oh man! Let's just say it disappeared before I could even think about asking for a second bite. I had a darn good ribeye though (The Duke's Cut!) so it's not like I left hungry!
I just can't wait to be on the… ok, sorry. I got a little carried away. It is looking like we might become the next family in a sequel for The Hills Have Eyes and listening to me sing Willy Nelson isn't how anybody needs to go out.
On the way up, we decided to take the route up through Las Vegas and Pecos. Let me tell you about what is between Tucumcari and Las Vegas. Nothing. There is nothing. I swear, the only life form we saw in that two hour stretch were two tarantulas crossing the deserted highway. We passed maybe two or three cars coming from the other direction. Aside from that, nada. Of course there was no cell service either. Seriously, if we had broken down, we might still be there.
Finally, we made it! We rented a little two bedroom casa situated off of Canyon Rd that was about a 15 minute walk from the plaza. We headed out pretty quickly. After about 4 hours in the car, it was definitely nice to be on our feet! One of our first stops in town was the Santa Fe Tourism Office. They kindly provided our family tickets to several museums in town to help us get the most out of our visit. All of us enjoy visiting museums and Santa Fe definitely has a lot to offer! We ended up visiting three museums around town over the weekend and the kids had fun learning a bit about New Mexico and Native heritage.
We spent another good portion of our time around the Plaza. This is the main area in town and is both peaceful and busy. You can relax on a park bench and read a book or chat, but you can also walk in and out of all the local shops, visit some of the local artisans set up outside the Palace of the Governors. There are so many unique and beautiful things you can find in Santa Fe!
When you are worn out from shopping, you can grab a bite at one of the many popular eateries. New Mexican cooking is delicious and my personal favorite meal was at The Shed. Spicy, but SO good.
Saturday was our last full day and we decided to drive out to Bandalier National Monument. You might recall my mentioning that we took a road trip to Gatlinburg last year. While there, we visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (BEAUTIFUL, by the way). That was the first time the kids had visited a National Park and they commemorated it by getting their first National Park Passport stamps. Since we were near (about 45 minutes away) another National Park, we obviously had to visit!
Order your own National Parks Passport here.
I hesitated on this because it is a little ways away from Santa Fe and we were only going to be in town for a couple of days. However, the kids really wanted to go and we were interested too so we decided to check it out. I am so glad we went! Let me tell you, this park was STUNNING, especially with the fall colors! The kids had a ton of fun climbing the ladders into the caves and my youngest decided to earn herself a Junior Ranger badge. Bandelier is definitely a "Must Do" whether you are visiting the area solo or as a family.
Deciding where to go in the fall can be challenging when there are so many amazing places to choose from. Where you head off to can also depend on whether or not you will have children coming along. For our family, Fall Break is opportunity to enjoy a few days with the kids in a place that isW just far enough away to relax and disconnect. We are fortunate enough to have kids that aren't too hard to please and who enjoy the outdoors.
Santa Fe is a great choice for a quick Fall get-away whether you just want to hang out or if you want to get outdoors for some hiking or cycling. Shopping, museums and other family-friendly activities make it easy to take your kids to enjoy some pretty incredible scenery. It is also a fantastic place to go to spend a romantic weekend. There are some beautiful hotels and amazing restaurants to enjoy! Check out booking.com for some great deals on lodging.
Where is your favorite Fall destination?!
To read about more USA and International destinations that I have visited, click here.
Looks like y'all had a fun time, great post!
We recently visited Gatlinburg too, and loved it! We are trying to make it to all of the National Parks in the U.S. and Bandalier has moved up on the list now! This looks like a great family road trip destination!
I would love for our family to take a fall vacation, but being a teacher, we usually take summer vacations because I already have the time off. One day though. I loved reading about your trip and those fall leaf colors! Wow! Nothing like that in Florida!
What a fun getaway! Santa Fe has always been on my "must visit" list, but just haven't made it yet. Thank you for all your thorough recommendations and ideas for a memorable family trip!
I love this adventure trip. The leaves look amazing. I love anywhere that has those fall colors. So fun!
One of my absolute favorite places to visit! I can't wait to take my son there.
I love Santa Fe so it was fun revisiting it by reading your post. Next time you'll have to go a little further up the road to Taos!


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Kayla Sebastian
The owner/chef of this Grand Forks bistro has a ton of community support—and for good reason
— March 01, 2016
Kayla Sebastian in Grand Forks was nominated by no less than 42 extremely satisfied customers.
Most of our 40 under 40 entrepreneurs were nominated by one or two people, but Kayla Sebastian in Grand Forks was nominated by no less than 42 extremely satisfied customers who (no exaggeration) rave about the quality of the food and the customer service alike at The Wooden Spoon Bistro.
Mind you, this doesn't come as too much of a surprise, since The Wooden Spoon Bistro won an impressive seven awards in the 2015 Best of Business Awards sponsored by Kootenay Business magazine.
Biatta Novokshonoff calls The Wooden Spoon "the best bistro in town. Kayla has fantastic customer service. Her food is to die for and the building is inviting and has a welcoming environment."
Wendy Butterfield agrees. "She (Kayla) runs the best restaurant in Grand Forks and she makes the best food I have ever tasted, " Butterfield said.
A number of the nominators liked that Sebastian emphasizes fresh, healthy choices on her menu and that she strives to use locally grown produce as much as possible.
Other nominators praised Sebastian's community spirit and business ethics. One nominator described Sebastian as "innovative, determined, forward-thinking and community-oriented." Another called her "an incredible employer and community member, contributing to community events and fundraising for important causes."
Several said that The Wooden Spoon is the "go-to" spot and the "must-stop" place on Highway 3 (soon to move to a larger downtown location on Market Avenue).Well, I'm convinced and I fully intend to stop for a bite (or three) next time I'm in Grand Forks.
Here are Kayla Sebastian's answers to our questions.
How did you come to choose this line of work?
I love the creativity. I've had a ton of jobs, but nothing quite seemed to keep me interested. With food, you're never bored. Plus, who doesn't love working ridiculous hours and on holidays and weekends?!
What is it about your work that has you excited to get out of bed in the morning?
My customers, my staff, and knowing that each and every person that walks through our door is always appreciative of the work, effort and love we put into each dish. Seeing people get together, laugh and enjoy each other's company over things we've created is truly rewarding. That's what food should be about.
What's your focus for 2016?
We are expanding. Soon we'll be opening a new, bigger spot down on Market Avenue. My focus is always seasonal, changing menus, sourcing local, and keeping things fun and exciting. We're really excited about bringing some life to our new Market Avenue building, which has been empty for a few years.
Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur in the Kootenays?
I'm a Kootenay girl! I moved with my family to Grand Forks when I was five, and after high school I moved away and tried several different careers. I ended up going to culinary school, then moving to Australia for two years and working in some of the most amazing places. Nine years later I brought what I love to do back to my hometown—it's paid off for me and all the locals that appreciate great food.
More comments from the nominators:
"Kayla Sebastian is a rising star for her hard work and dedication as a young entrepreneur. She started her little bistro two-and-a-half years ago with a determination to build something different for the people of Grand Forks that had healthy food and a bit of a different twist than the norm. She continues every day to bring fresh things and new ideas to her menu. She also caters to many functions in the community as well as donating her time and food for charity events. Most days going for lunch is standing-room-only. She has done a great job adding a new fresh business to our little town. Kudos to you, Kayla Sebastian. Keep up the great work!"—Robin Hartwick
"Her ambition and drive have already made her a prosperous pillar of our small community. The food and atmosphere at the Spoon are unreachable in comparison to other like businesses."—Riley Friesen
"Kayla and her business are the rising stars of the Kootenays because this young lady knows how to get it all done—and done right. She has worked her little butt off to put herself through culinary school and has learned and cooked at one of the best hotels in Perth (Australia). She really gives her all in what she does. I wish her all the best and success in the years ahead."—Karen Cummings
"Kayla works tirelessly to create a restaurant with a high quality and delicious menu, wonderful and welcoming atmosphere and great workspace for her employees. Even being someone who travels regularly through many small towns in B.C., it is hard to think of a spot that makes me feel more at home. You can see that the pride Kayla takes in her business is reflected through her staff and her food."—Billy Brown
"Kayla started The Wooden Spoon in a little location and in only a few years has grown it into a successful bistro (the No. 2 ranked restaurant in Grand Forks on TripAdvisor where the No. 1 is a business in Christina Lake, not Grand Forks, with 59 very positive reviews) and an immensely successful catering business. Kayla is only 28 years old and her bistro is moving into a much larger venue to accommodate increasing demands. People who visit Grand Forks are blown away by the food quality."—Mary Butterfield
"(The Wooden Spoon Bistro offers) healthy, fresh, tasty food with amazingly friendly staff that always go beyond your requests to ensure your experience is as yummy as possible—the only place where I thoroughly enjoy eating out in the Kootenays!"—Christine Van Boeyen
"Kayla is a rising star because she is helping showcase the community and its agriculture with a delicious, innovative menu that often includes local, seasonal foods . . . Kayla is creating excitement in an under-discovered town in the Kootenays . . . This young leader is adding a new energy to Grand Forks."—Monica Phillips
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HomeNewsFinancingsAdani Green Energy acquires SB Energy India for Rs 260 billion
Adani Green Energy acquires SB Energy India for Rs 260 billion
Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL), subsidiary of Adani Group, has completed its previously announced acquisition of SB Energy India for Rs 260 billion. In May 2021, AGEL signed share purchase agreements with SoftBank Group (SBG) and Bharti Group to acquire a 100 per cent interest in SB Energy India. SB Energy India was previously owned by SBG at an 80 percent stake, with Bharti Group owning the remaining 20 per cent.
SB Energy India currently has renewable assets with 5GW of total capacity located across four Indian states through its special purpose vehicles. The portfolio holds 1,700 MW of operational renewable assets, 2,554 MW of assets under construction and 700 MW of assets near construction. Solar capacity accounts for 84 per cent of the portfolio (4,180 MW), while wind-solar hybrid capacity accounts for 9 per cent (450 MW) and wind capacity accounts for 7 per cent (324 MW).This renewable portfolio consists of 15 projects totalling 330 MW with many of the assets being solar park-based projects.
AGEL's operational portfolio will grow to 5.4 GW, and its overall portfolio will rise to 19.8 GW, translating into a 4-fold growth lock-in. The company's counterparty mix for its whole portfolio of 19.8 GW is further strengthened by the fact that 87 per cent of its counterparties are sovereign rated. The organisation also adheres to internationally recognised principles such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Science Based Targets programme, and its ESG disclosures are in line with GRI standards, CDP disclosure, and TCFD recommendations.
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School administrators seeking serious growth or working through significant challenges are invited to apply for one-on-one support. You want to do great things in your school? Start here.
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Over the past few months I have been in conversation with Jeanette Calder, the executive director of the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP) and who are interested in promoting citizen engagement and accountability within the Jamaican government.
I hold a similar position at the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) which is a South African based organization established in 1999 that promotes accountability in the affairs of government, with a primary focus on southern Africa. We would like to encourage Jamaica to support this new initiative, as we share some of our experience, especially where we have used evidence and findings of the supreme audit institution (SAI) responsible for undertaking independent audits of government.
Between 1999 and 2004 the PSAM tracked 691 allegations of corruption within South African government agencies. Only 72 of the 691 cases (roughly 10%) were finalised with a finding of guilt or innocence or a decision not to proceed due to insufficient evidence. The total amount of money involved for all 691 cases was R6.9 billion. Of this amount, only R325 million (or 5%) was recovered and/or properly accounted for. These indicators and the PSAM's growing use of the findings and recommendations made by the Auditor-General of South Africa prompted a revision to the approach the PSAM had used to promote more open and accountable government. 1
The PSAM realized that in order to more meaningfully address service delivery challenges, maladministration and corruption within government, we had to focus on strengthening the public resource management system, in ways that would make it more socially accountable and responsive to the needs of the public. We needed to better understand and address the underlying causes that allowed corruption to occur and to advocate for systemic improvements to governance systems. By paying attention to and using SAI analysis, findings and recommendations, we have found that we can better solve governance challenges and strengthen citizen engagement so that governments are more responsive and accountable.
Pictured here is the current head of the South African SAI, Mr Kimi Makwetu and the writer following a public lecture delivered by Mr. Makwetu which the PSAM had arranged in consultation with the SAI.
From 2004, the PSAM began to routinely draw upon the findings of its SAI, which is called the Auditor-General (AG) in South Africa. We would use the SAI's findings to support more effective engagement with public servants, elected representatives and oversight bodies. In these earlier years, the PSAM set about to educate and encourage journalists and interested parties to better understand and more regularly use SAI results to support their work and engagements. For instance, in 2003 the PSAM issued a press release linking ongoing medical fraud being primarily due to non-implementation of SAI recommendations. The PSAM press release on this issue is available here with an example of media uptake accessible here.
In 2005, the PSAM drew upon SAI results and data to inform a detailed written submission followed by oral evidence before a commission of inquiry into public sector maladministration. The commission subsequently used the PSAM submission and testimony to cross-examine officials and implicated parties. The PSAM submission is accessible here.
In 2007 the PSAM drew upon SAI material to call for disciplinary and criminal charges against certain heads of departments of government entities. The PSAM issued a press release entitled "Taking the Auditor-General more seriously" which received widespread coverage and resulted in a national radio debate with the head of the SAI and numerous other radio interviews and television coverage. Not only did these engagements result in action by Parliament against implicated parties but it also promoted public knowledge and debate whilst improving the public's understanding of the SAI's vital role.
Another example of how the PSAM has used SAI results for advocacy purposes is explained as follows: In August 2007 South African President, Thabo Mbeki released a statement: "Anyone who may have evidence which demonstrates that any minister or deputy minister has acted in dereliction of duty is welcome to forward such evidence to the presidency". The PSAM responded with a press release entitled "Here is the evidence" which drew on SAI results and detailed why the then Health Minister should be removed from office by the then President. The press release received widespread media coverage.
Research during these earlier years by the PSAM, which drew upon SAI results revealed, amongst others:
Repeated failure by members of the executive to act meaningfully on the findings and recommendations of the SAI;
Government plans were often not responding adequately to SAI findings with resources and detailed turnaround plans.
Often budgets made to certain line departments were not aligned to tabled plans and did not adequately identify to whom tasks were delegated;
Weak financial management controls that created opportunity for maladministration;
Weak or non-existent performance management systems that negatively impacted upon accountability mechanisms.
Many government departments failed to account adequately to parliamentary oversight bodies and especially to the findings of the SAI.
The PSAM has witnessed how the South African SAI has taken steps over the past decade to make its audit reports more easily accessible and better understood by the public. This has included improvements to the SAI's website and to the visuals, data and the formats used in their reports to make content accessible to a wide audience of potential users. Staff of the SAI also set aside time to engage with the public through radio interviews, panel discussions and other forms of public engagement that promote education and greater understanding and access to the SAI's work.
Sustained multi-faceted auditing by the SAI, whose reports are used by civil society to advocate for improved governance, alongside parliamentary oversight and political leadership, have resulted in certain improvements to the audit outcomes of government departments in South Africa. We have however witnessed that improved audit results are not always sustained as it requires routine consequence management and the retention of public servants and members of the executive that are committed to bringing about improved service delivery. Political instability and conduct that serves private interests at the cost of the public can erode gains made, especially where parliament, the executive and law enforcement agencies do not investigate or act meaningfully upon findings made by the SAI.
For these and other reasons, it is critical that civil society, media, parliaments and the public more broadly pay regular attention to the work of the SAI and support calls for corrective action where that office makes adverse findings.
We look forward to supporting and collaborating with the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP) as they embark upon critical work to support their SAI and citizen engagement in Jamaica.
Corruption in Jamaica is akin to stage 4 metastatic cancer.
It is widespread, consuming and rotting away the body politic. The situation is dire. Transparency International, United States Department of State, and Jamaica's National Integrity Action (NIA) as well as a plethora of scholarly studies concede that Jamaica may be at a tipping point where the cancer of corruption results in the collapse of government institutions, instability and the rise in internal violence.
In the quest to find the sources of this cancer and how it can be rooted out, a noted civil society activist asked me recently to consider an overlooked feature of this systemic decay – what she calls the entrenched "bly mentality" in Jamaica's political culture.
What is the "Bly Mentality"?
In general terms, a "bly" means to get a favour or a chance. In Jamaica, a bly is commonly used to refer to favours on the road such as yielding to other motorists, but a bly also extends to offering the absence of judgement or penalty in situations of wrongdoing as well as the opportunity to prove your worth or ability in circumstances where your performance may be subpar. It is often embodied in familiar refrain in Jamaican parlance such as 'give 'em a "bly" or 'beg you a "bly".
This expectation that one should get a "bly" especially in cases where they have engaged in serious wrongdoing is pervasive in Jamaica, and wildly problematic. A bly not only fosters a lack of adherence to the rule of law, normalises negative behavioral norms, attitudes and values, and disrupts the genuine and collective desire for a more civil society, but also contributes to a culture of non-accountability and poor governance.
But what accounts for this "bly mentality'? Why do Jamaicans often lobby for a 'bly' for fellow citizens rather than demand accountability and the taking of responsibility?
I proffer three reasons below:
The Understanding that Laws and Rules are Not Enforced
One, the Jamaican people get a sense that rules are not rigidly enforced, that the law is not accessible or applicable to all, indeed that some citizens are above the law. A national Governance Survey revealed that 68.8% of Jamaicans believe that the administration of justice favoured the rich while 45% did not agree that crime was being addressed. Indeed, allegations of corruption made against varying suspects – government actors, political party officials, members of the security forces and private sector functionaries – are not usually followed up by prosecution, conviction or punishment. This leads many citizens to believe and expect that the system does not forster accountability and should therefore offer them the same allowances and entitlements it does connected powerful elites.
Promoting adherence to the rule of law is essential to eradicating corruption and building a culture of accountability, justice and rights in Jamaica. Yet the cold hard fact is that the police are only able to make arrests in 44% of homicides annually, and only convict perpetrators in 29% of homicide cases. Further, white collar crimes are rarely prosecuted. This alienates citizens and increases their apathy and disenchantment with the political process and the effectiveness of political institutions. When people doubt the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, for example, they feel more inclined to take matters into their own hand, leading to extreme actions such as vigilantism, which exacerbates the cycle of violence.
Culture of Bargaining Where Rules are Negotiable
Second, the "bly mentality" persists because a culture is fostered around bargaining that the Jamaica people are responding to. The Jamaican people get the sense that the rules are flexible and negotiable. Just as they can go to Coronation Market and haggle over prices or beg a bly in traffic, the Jamaican people have developed an understanding that the rules are negotiable, that things can modified or adjusted – if they know the right people, have the right amount of money, or the right level of charm.
[Drawing] They observe the friendship-based system that obtains in the Jamaican political culture whereby the rules are, at best, inconsistently applied, and worst, changed for others – where public officials are accommodated in clear cases of corruption, where journalists refuse to engage in objective reporting in stories involving their friends; where civil servants are willing to compromise the rules for an extra buck due to the indignity of low wages. As a consequence, Jamaican citizens learn to engage in bargaining practices to ensure that the system can be as cooperative, flexible and open-ended for them.
Problematic Filial and Emotional Bonds
Third, Jamaican citizens tend to demand a bly for fellow citizens with whom they have filial, kinship or other emotional ties. In small communal cultures such as Jamaica where people live and interact closely with each other, strong community bonds and affective ties are maintained among the citizenry. Individuals thus develop strong emotional attachments and sentiments towards others. Those individuals who are well-known or emerge as celebrities in the culture also have conferred on them a great deal of credibility, status, prestige and power in local communities, and in the wider society. These emotional bonds, however, tend to insulate individuals from taking responsibility for actions, whether illegal, immoral or simply inappropriate. The instinctive desire is to "give them a bly".
Reflects Weakness of Social and Political Institutions
Fourth, although the "bly mentality" is pervasive and pathological, exposing the deep rot at the core of Jamaican civil society, make no mistake, the bly mentality is a response to the nature of political and social institutions. Jamaicans maintain a deep and abiding mistrust of political and social institutions at all levels of the society, and have dangerously low levels of social capital. In a national Governance Survey, 84% of Jamaicans admitted to not trusting each other. Although democratic attitudes were strong and robust, a significant minority say they would support more authoritarian modes of governance. Societies that are economically depressed and that have weak institutions do not foster trust and will find it difficult or impossible to reshape political and social behavior.
Jamaicans must, first, demand accountability of their leaders. Accountability ensures that the actions and decisions taken by public officials are subject to oversight, government initiatives meet their stated objectives and are responsive to the needs of the community they are designed to benefit, provide value for money in the provision of public services and evaluate the ongoing effectiveness of public officials. To work, accountability has to involve citizens, mass media and civil society organizations seeking to enforce standards of good performance on officials, lobbying to redress grievances and intervene in the case of inappropriate or inadequate action by government.
The concept of accountability also involves answerability and enforcement. Answerability means the obligation of the government, its agencies and public officials to provide information about their decisions and actions and to justify them to the public and those institutions responsible for ensuring oversight. Enforcement suggests that the public or the institution responsible for accountability can sanction the offending party or remedy the contravening behavior. This is the only pathway to citizen confidence in the system and their own participation in being rid of the bly mentality.
Accountability is the opposite of the bly mentality, and among the cornerstones of good governance. Jamaicans citizens must understand that they cannot have both accountability and a bly. The two are incompatible.
Dr. Hume Johnson is Associate Professor of Public Relations at Roger Williams University, Rhode Island, USA. A political scholar and former broadcast journalist, she is the author of Challenges to Civil Society: Popular Protest and Governance in Jamaica. Her scholarship explores various aspects of governance; political participation and civil society in developing countries; the intersections between politics and the media, and the public relations of nation states. She can be reached at humejohnson@gmail.com
At Ciudadanía Inteligente we are pleased to see Jamaica embrace additional social accountability through the citizen-based initiative JAMP, a citizen initiative using technology to champion change via social accountability. Ciudadanía Inteligente was born in 2009 as a project in Chile: Vota Inteligente (Vote Smart), a project that promotes electoral participation through technology. The project developed into an organisation that seeks to strengthen Latin American democracies in the era of digital technologies. Since 2009, many things have changed. We transited from a project that informed citizens about their candidates, promoting an informed citizenry and vote, to an organisation actively thinking and acting to promote and secure meaningful citizen participation in public decisions. In the last years, we have sought to democratize the rules of the game (ie, advocating for crucial change at the institutional level), empower citizens (ie, training young activists), and opening public management (ie, through participatory policy making at the local level).
We work designing civic technology, that is, technology for the public good. The community of organisations working in this field has increasingly realised that it is not about building platforms, apps, and technology. It is about asking the right questions: what problem do we actually want to solve? Technology for what? Putting the emphasis on the "civic" side of these kinds of projects: the community of citizens and organisations that come together around and through a platform, whatever form it takes. Usually, this involves other kinds of approaches, such as research, articulation, advocacy, strategic communications, partnerships, facilitation, and methodologies that promote collaborative thinking, knowledge generation, and problem resolution.
We will soon change our name. From Ciudadano Inteligente (in Spanish, "ciudadano" signals a male citizen) to Ciudadanía Inteligente (a smart "citizenship"). It is not only a small or semantic change, but one that attests to deep changes in our organisation, societies, and in what we understand democracy needs today. In the digital era, technologies have become a double-edged sword. From a utopia of a connected, horizontal, distributed world, where access to information and connections would allow for a more efficient, democratic control of power and decisions, to a dystopian world where few corporations dominate the web, and thus information and knowledge production, concentrating power. We, citizens, have turned into digital services' consumers and data producers with little control over it, paying a high price for supposedly "free services" (ie, email accounts, social network platforms, browsers) that feed on our collective use, exchange of information, and data/knowledge production.
Democracy has not been left untouched. The promise of information, transparency, access, openness, and participation has not been fulfilled. On the contrary, citizens have confronted, now with increased evidence, that the economic and political systems and powers are imbricated and mostly at the service of private interests. Public faith and trust have declined. Authoritarian, populist, and extremist voices feed from fear, inequality, anger, and disenchantment. Using the same tools that promised to fulfill the democratic utopia, including technologies, these voices have won space in the political sphere, feeding already polarised debates, promising to secure rights for some, while shrinking the rights of many (vulnerable populations, migrants, women, sexual diversities, ethnic minorities, to name a few).
Democracies confront crucial challenges today, in the world and in Latin America. We change our name to point to a crucial one: inclusiveness. Democracy needs us all. It needs to secure and guarantee rights for all. It is about expanding rights and civic space. Ciudadanía Inteligente believes that democracies can change for the right reasons and in the right direction: a direction that balances power, and uses it to ensure that not only goods and services are distributed equitably but that ideas and knowledge are distributed equitably too.
Jamaica's democracy, like all others, is also in need of strengthening. Citizens play a crucial role. We therefore encourage you to collaborate and engage in this new space, participating in further developing Jamaica's democracy through the power of collective action, voice, information, and technology. As we say in Ciudadanía Inteligente: "juntxs somos más fuertes" (together we are stronger).
Cuidadania Inteligente facilitates a 200 women meeting to draft program proposals for Presidential and Parliamentarian 2017 elections in Chile.


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A-ROSA River Cruises
A-ROSA Luna
A-ROSA Luna river cruises 2023
A-ROSA Luna from the fleet of A-ROSA River Cruises provides a very convenient way to visit some of the most stunning sights in Europe in 2023. A-ROSA Luna departs from Lyon, depending on the route taken. The A-ROSA Luna sails on the Rhone, Saone River, offering luxurious cruises in a relaxed atmosphere. On your European river cruise with A-ROSA Luna, you have the opportunity to enjoy the landscape and bask in European culture without spending too much time on the ship. The service onboard A-ROSA Luna is professional and friendly, and the food and wine are of excellent quality. You will be able to see and do so much in such a short period of time as you cruise from one European place to another without having to pack and unpack in each city. A-ROSA Luna River Cruises range from 5 to 14 days. You can choose between 5-day cruise, 7-day cruise, 14-day cruise, depending on how much time you have and how much you want to see.
Browse the best European river cruise itinerary in 2023 onboard one of ships from A-ROSA River Cruises fleet. A-ROSA offers some of the best river cruises in Europe. A-ROSA itineraries, from 3 to 16 nights, are designed to offer as much time in each port as possible, balanced with spectacular daytime cruising. The A-ROSA fleet's contemporary ships are custom-built and carry an average of only 175 to 242 guests. Each A-Rosa River Cruise ship has a spa, gym, relaxation room, sauna, and steam room. A-ROSA itineraries are created specifically for active travelers seeking cultural adventures. Explore your passions with food, wine, art, music, and history-focused cruises and excursions.
The best time of year to take a river cruise with A-ROSA Luna
The A-ROSA Luna season for river cruising in Europe generally runs from March through December; however, the months of late spring (April-May) and early fall (September-October) are considered to be the finest times to take a river cruise in Europe. In the end, it all depends on the time of year you choose to explore European riverbanks. The A-ROSA Luna fleet will sail on European rivers in March 2023, April 2023, May 2023, June 2023, July 2023, August 2023, September 2023, October 2023, and any month you choose, you won't go wrong.


The Connecticut Creative Solutions Award Program was developed by the Technology Transfer Center to recognize the initiative and innovative thinking of public agency transportation staff in the development of tools, equipment modifications, and processes that increase safety, reduce cost, improve efficiency, and improve the quality of transportation.
Each year our winners are added to our "Connecticut Creative Solutions" guide. We hope sharing these innovations will help you identify solutions to challenges you are facing in your agency. To browse through our guide, click on the link: CT Creative Solutions Award Guide.
Do you have a creative solution you would like to share? Fill out the following submission form - we look forward to sharing your innovation with other agencies. Program Info/Submission Form.
The Build a Better Mousetrap Competition's purpose is to collect and disseminate real world examples of best practices, tips from the field and assist in the transfer of technology. The Build a Better Mousetrap 2017 National Entry Booklet is a compilation of all the entries from the FHWA LTAP/TTAP Build a Better Mousetrap: National Competition, representing LTAP/TTAP Centers from around the country. Each year, our Creative Solutions winners are entered into this National Competition.


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Q: Error: Could not resolve host: github.com during clone operation When I tried to HTTPS clone Odoo modules from git-hub, I got the following error message:
fatal: unable to access 'https://github.com/odoomrp/odoomrp-wip.git/': Could not resolve host: github.com

This is my ubuntu command:
git clone https://github.com/odoomrp/odoomrp-wip.git

Thanks for your help!

A: VM was not connected to network adapter. Right clicking on the network icon of the VM and selecting Connect Network Adapter resolved the issue.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In the third episode of The Deep End, Madison Stewart travels to Darwin in northern Australia. Unlike the rest of the country where tiger sharks are feared and hunted to protect beachgoers and surfers, in Darwin tiger sharks are respected and—though shark tourism—are slowly becoming a source of jobs for the region. Stewart speaks to one of the country's few shark tourism operators to learn about the benefits of saving the region's sharks.


About Professor Sponsel: Alistair Sponsel is Assistant Professor of History at Vanderbilt University. He specializes in the history of science and exploration since 1768. His current research is focused on two interrelated projects: Charles Darwin's early career and the history of ocean science. From 2009 to 2012 he managed the U.S. branch of the Darwin Correspondence Project at Harvard University. His book Darwin's First Theory will be published by University of Chicago Press. A second book will trace the cultural and environmental history of coral reefs, examining how a natural phenomenon once viewed as a menace to human activity came to be seen as inherently fragile.
Event: University of Houston Department of Computer Science Open House!


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The Wonderful Library & Islamic Resource Center
World of Islamic Dawah: Islamic Library & Resource Center
As-Salaamu alaikum and welcome readers. Please check our Portal for regular updates and news. Dear readers, you may have noticed that some of our graphics are not showing. We are busy updating broken links and would like to apologise for any inconvenience.
Why not try our Weekly Islamic Quiz?
The Wonderful Library & Islamic Resource Center :: Hadeeth Section :: Hadith-related information & Major Ahadith collections :: Riyadh-us-Saliheen
Chapter 23 - Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
Safiyyah
Bookroom Assistant
Subject: Chapter 23 - Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil Mon May 12, 2014 2:56 pm
Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
Allah, the Exalted, says:
"Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma`ruf (i.e., Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful.'' (3:104)
"You (true believers in Islamic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah) are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma`ruf (i.e., Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden)''. (3:110)
"Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish (i.e., don't punish them).'' (7:199)
"The believers, men and women, are Auliya' (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma`ruf (i.e., Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e., polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden)''. (9:71)
"Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawud (David) and `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds. They used not to forbid one another from the Munkar (wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief) which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do". (5:78,79)
"And say: `The truth is from your Rabb.' Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve". (18:29)
"Therefore proclaim openly (Allah's Message - Islamic Monotheism) that which you are commanded...'' (15:94)
"We rescued those who forbade evil, but with a severe torment. We seized those who did wrong because they used to rebel against Allah's Command (disobey Allah)". (7:165)
Hadith 184
Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri reported: Messenger of Allah said,
"Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of Faith". [Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith contains a very important prescription to prevent the Muslim society from all things which are forbidden in Islam. So long as Muslims adhered to it and ceaselessly and fearlessly performed their obligation of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong, their society was largely safe from many evils and sins.
The Introduction of this Section is explained in the
Video included with Hadith No 183 of the previous section
Subject: Re: Chapter 23 - Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil Mon May 12, 2014 3:03 pm
Abdullah bin Mas`ud reported: Messenger of Allah said,
"Never a Prophet had been sent before me by Allah to his people but he had, among his people, (his) disciples and companions, who followed his ways and obeyed his command. Then there came after them their successors who proclaimed what they did not practise, and practised what they were not commanded to do. And (he) who strove against them with his hand is a believer; he who strove against them with his heart is a believer; and he who strove against them with his tongue is a believer ; and beyond that there is no grain of Faith". [Muslim].
For an explanation of this Hadith by Dr Muhammad Salah view the video included in Hadith No. 184
`Ubadah bin As-Samit reported: We swore allegiance to Messenger of Allah to hear and obey; in time of difficulty and in prosperity, in hardship and in ease, to endure being discriminated against and not to dispute about rule with those in power, except in case of evident infidelity regarding which there is a proof from Allah. We swore allegiance to Messenger of Allah to say what was right wherever we were, and not to fear from anyone's reproach. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: It has been emphasized in this Hadith that even if a Muslim ruler is sinful and cruel, one should not disobey him unless he orders to go against the Divine injunctions. In that case, such rulers should not be obeyed. Similarly, it is not permissible to revolt against them until they commit clear-cut infidelity because there is a greater danger of loss in revolt and rebellion. It should be noted once and for all that the expression of truth and compliance with religious injunctions have top priority on all occasions. This should be done regardless of what people say on this account.
Nu`man bin Bashir reported: The Prophet said,
"The likeness of the man who observes the limits prescribed by Allah and that of the man who transgresses them is like the people who get on board a ship after casting lots. Some of them are in its lower deck and some of them in its upper (deck). Those who are in its lower (deck), when they require water, go to the occupants of the upper deck, and say to them : `If we make a hole in the bottom of the ship, we shall not harm you.' If they (the occupants of the upper deck) leave them to carry out their design they all will be drowned. But if they do not let them go ahead (with their plan), all of them will remain safe". [Al-Bukhari].
Commentary: We learn from this Hadith that the consequences of committing acts which are forbidden in Islam are not confined only to those persons who commit them, but the whole society has to suffer for them. It is, therefore, essential that the people who are in the habit of committing sinful acts and violate Divine injunctions, should be checked to save the whole society from destruction. If this is not done, the entire society will have to face the Divine punishment.
Subject: Re: Chapter 23 - Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil Mon May 19, 2014 12:33 am
Umm Salamah reported: The Prophet said,
"You will have rulers some of whom you approve and some of whom you will disapprove. He who dislikes them will be safe, and he who expresses disapproval will be safe, but he who is pleased and follows them (will be indeed sinful)".
His audience asked: "Shall we not fight them?'' He replied,
"No, as long as they establish Salat amongst you". [Muslim].
1. By qualifying the obedience of Muslim rulers with Salat, it has been made clear that what actually distinguishes between Kufr and Islam is Salat.
2. If a person has the power to stop the rulers from committing evil deeds, he must use this power for it. If he is incapable of it, he should at least condemn their evil deeds in his heart. To join or acquiesce in the evil deeds of the rulers is an extremely dangerous trend. From this angle, participation in political parties is a dangerous affair because when these parties come into power, all their members have to endorse and pursue their good as well as bad policies.
Zainab reported: The Prophet came to visit me one day frightened and he said,
"La ilaha illallah (There is no true God but Allah). Woe to the Arabs because of an evil which has drawn near! Today an opening of this size has been made in the barrier restraining Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog people). ''
And he made a circle with his thumb and index finger. I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Shall we perish while still there will be righteous people among us?'' He replied,
"Yes, when wickedness prevails". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith also tells us about the ominous of sin. It says that when vice becomes common, then in spite of the presence of some virtuous persons, that community will be destroyed. But on the Day of Resurrection, those noble persons who had done their duty of preaching virtue and checking vice will stand apart from the sinners. Thus this Hadith induces one to keep away from sins.
Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri reported: The Prophet said,
"Beware of sitting on roads (ways). ''
The people said: "We have but them as sitting places.'' Messenger of Allah said,
"If you have to sit there, then observe the rights of the way".
They asked, "What are the rights of the way?'' He said,
"To lower your gaze (on seeing what is illegal to look at), and (removal of harmful objects), returning greetings, enjoining good and forbidding wrong". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
1. This Hadith tells us that it is improper to sit on roadsides and passages in such a way which causes inconvenience to men and women who pass by. It is really very unfortunate that now we do not care about such things at all.
2. If sitting on roadside is indispensable at all, then it is essential to observe the requirements mentioned in the Hadith to justify the needful.
3. Some other Islamic etiquette mentioned in this Hadith have also been stated in other Ahadith. For instance, politeness of speech, sharing of someone's burden, helping the oppressed and the troubled, guiding the wayward person to the right path, answering (in the prescribed manner) one who sneezes, etc.
`Abdullah bin `Abbas (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) reported: Messenger of Allah saw a man wearing a gold ring. So he (the Prophet ) pulled it off and threw it away, saying,
"One of you takes a live coal, and puts it on his hand.''
It was said to the man after Messenger of Allah had left: "Take your ring (of gold) and utilize it,'' whereupon he said: "No, by Allah, I would never take it when Messenger of Allah has thrown it away". [Muslim].
1. We learn from this Hadith that wearing of gold ring is prohibited for men and so is wearing of golden ornament by them. It is very unfortunate indeed that nowadays it has become a popular fashion to present men gold ring on their marriage and they wear it with great pride. It is a very dangerous custom and must be altogether shunned for two reasons. Firstly, it is an unnecessary formality and burden to exchange presents and hold big feasts on betrothal ceremony. It is also open to objection in Islamic law. Secondly, to give and take unlawful things is all the more forbidden and is akin to building one sin over another.
2. The spirit of obedience mentioned in this Hadith is matchless.
Abu Sa`id Al-Hasan Basri reported: `Aidh bin `Amr (the Companion) visited `Ubaidullah bin Ziyad (the ruler) and said to him: "Son, I heard Messenger of Allah saying,
`The worst shepherds (rulers) are those who deal harshly in respect of supervision. Beware, Don't be one of them!'''
Ibn Ziyad said to him, "Sit down, you are but husk from among the Companions of the Prophet '' `Aidh bin `Amr retorted: "Was there any husk among them? Surely, husk came after them and among others than them". [Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith presents a model of courage and boldness of speaking the truth before a tyrant. It was displayed by `Aidh in the court of Ubaidullah bin Ziyad, governor of Basrah. The latter humiliated `Aidh for his straight forwardness and truth but he repeated his statement about the eminence of the Companions of the Prophet and said none of them could be called husk.
Hudhaifah reported: The Prophet said,
"By Him in Whose Hand my life is, you either enjoin good and forbid evil, or Allah will certainly soon send His punishment to you. Then you will make supplication and it will not be accepted". [At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: To abandon the practice of enjoining virtue and forbidding vice is likely to incur the displeasure of Allah. This trend is indeed fraught with the danger of rejection of prayers and supplications by Him.
"The best type of Jihad (striving in the way of Allah) is speaking a true word in the presence of a tyrant ruler.'' [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: Jihad has many degrees. Preaching of virtue is also Jihad. The most meritorious of all is the effort of communicating the Message of Allah to an unjust ruler. Similarly, if a society is so much given to a vice that no one can dare to utter a word against it, then to protest against it can also be reckoned as the best Jihad.
Abu `Abdullah Tariq bin Shihab reported: A person asked the Prophet (when he had just put his foot in the stirrup): "What is the highest form of Jihad?'' He said,
"Speaking the truth in the presence of a tyrant ruler". [An-Nasa'i].
"The first defect (in religion) which affected the Children of Israel in the way that man would meet another and say to him: `Fear Allah and abstain from what you are doing, for this is not lawful for you.' Then he would meet him the next day and find no change in him, but this would not prevent him from eating with him, drinking with him and sitting in his assemblies. When it came to this, Allah led their hearts into evil ways on account of their association with others.'' Then he recited,
"Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawud (David) and `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds. They used not to forbid one another from the Munkar (wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief) which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do. You see many of them taking the disbelievers as their Auliya' (protectors and helpers). Evil indeed is that which their own selves have sent forward before them; for that (reason) Allah's wrath fell upon them and in torment will they abide. And had they believed in Allah and in the Prophet (Muhammad ) and in what has been revealed to him, never would they have taken them (the disbelievers) as Auliya' (protectors and helpers); but many of them are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).'' (5:78-81)
Then he continued: "Nay, by Allah, you either enjoin good and forbid evil and catch hold of the hand of the oppressor and persuade him to act justly and stick to the truth, or, Allah will involve the hearts of some of you with the hearts of others and will curse you as He had cursed them". [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].
The wording in At-Tirmidhi is: Messenger of Allah said,
"When the Children of Israel became sinful, their learned men prohibited them but they would not turn back. Yet, the learned men associated with them and ate and drank with them. So, they were cursed at the tongues of Dawud and `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), because they were disobedient and were given to transgression.''
At this stage Messenger of Allah who was reclining on a pillow sat up and said,
"No, By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, there is no escape for you but you persuade them to act justly.''
Commentary: This Hadith tells us that the duty of `Ulama' is to check the people from vice and if, in spite of all their efforts people do not abandon them, they should avoid associating with them because it is a matter of religious reverence and vanity. If they do not do it, they will also be cursed like the disobedient lot. May Allah save us from this negligence.
Abu Bakr As-Siddique reported: "O you people! You recite this Verse:
`O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the (right) guidance [and enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden)] no hurt can come to you from those who are in error.' (5:105)
But I have heard Messenger of Allah saying:
"When people see an oppressor but do not prevent him from (doing evil), it is likely that Allah will punish them all.'' [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: What Abu Bakr As-Siddiq had stated was that the Ayah mentioned in this Hadith was generally understood to mean that if a person is on the Straight Path then it is not necessary for him to preach virtue and forbid vice because in that case he neither has the fear of being harmed by the disobedience and sins of others nor is he answerable to Allah for their misdeeds. Thus, what it implies is that Muslim Ummah is not responsible for the enforcement of Islamic Shari`ah in the world and all it is concerned with is its own improvement only. By narrating this Hadith, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq refuted this interpretation of the Ayah and made it clear that it is the duty of the Ummah and each of its member to make best possible efforts to check the vices prevalent in the society. So much so that if a Muslim has the ability to check the vices by means of force or speech but he does not do it, his negligence in this regard will become a cause of Divine wrath and punishment. The true significance of this ayah is that if, in spite of the best efforts on the part of the pious ones there is no improvement, and people do not abstain from sins and disobedience of Allah, then the pious persons will not be held responsible for what the defaulters do, nor would they suffer on this account. This interpretation of the Ayah removes the conflict that seems to exist between the meaning of the Ayah and the Hadith.
» Part 39 : Ordering Good and Forbidding Evil
» Chapter 24 - Chastisement for one who enjoins good and forbids evil but acts otherwise
» Chapter 73 - Good Conduct
» Chapter 294 - Forbidding to Dye Hair Black
» Chapter 20-Calling to right guidance and forbidding depravity
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"Human history is in truth nothing but the history of the slow, uncertain, and surprising fulfillment of the Promise."
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G.O.Ms.No.307 Revision of Rates of Travelling Allowance - Orders - Issued.
OFFICIAL COMMITTEE, 2017 - Recommendations of the Official Committee, 2017 on a revision of pay and allowances – Revision of Rates of Travelling Allowance - Orders - Issued.
G.O.Ms.No.306, Revision of Rates of Allowances - Orders - Issued.
OFFICIAL COMMITTEE, 2017 - Recommendations of the Official Committee, 2017 on a revision of pay, allowances, pension and related benefits – Revision of Rates of Allowances - Orders - Issued.
OFFICIAL COMMITTEE, 2017 - Recommendations of the Official Committee, 2017 on a revision of pay and allowances – Revision of Rates of House Rent Allowance and City Compensatory Allowance - Orders - Issued.


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Featured News/ Latest
Initiative 1634 aims to stop local taxes on groceries
Brandon Hansen October 2, 2018
(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)
Ballot initiative looks to stop things like Seattle sugary drink tax…
Going to the grocery store is something we do with little thought to political ramifications. Come this November, however, Washington Initiative 1634 will bring this everyday activity onto the ballot.
The Initiative, which has the support of numerous unions and corporations, would prohibit local government entities from imposing any new tax, fee or other assessment on grocery items. Seattle enacted a 1.75 cent per ounce tax on sugary beverages, raising the cost of a case of soda from $9.99 to $17.55. The tax raised $10 million in six months, according to King 5 news.
The Spokane City Council toyed with the idea as a way to hire more police officers, but dropped it in the face of public opposition. Berkeley, San Francisco, Albany and Oakland in California have passed similar taxes, along with Boulder, Colo. and Philadelphia.
The initiative would still allow the state to impose taxes on groceries, a sticking point for the opposition group to the initiative.
"Initiative 1634 takes away local control and gives it to the state," the WA Healthy Kids Coalition said on their website. "This confusing measure imposes a one-size-fits-all state law that takes power away from voters and hands it to the state, silencing our voice in local decision-making. Corporate special interests are spending millions to strip away voter choices and protect profits. I-1634 has nothing to do with keeping our food affordable. In fact, tax prohibitions on everyday food items — from fruits and vegetables to milk and bread—are already reflected in voter-approved state law."
However, supporters feel differently and point to the Seattle tax as an issue.
"We think people are fed up with regressive taxation," Peter Lamb, a senior business agent for the Teamsters Local 174 Union said. "We think citizens of Washington have clearly seen what's taken place in Seattle and are not okay with this type of tax. This initiative gives the citizens of the State of Washington and our workers the ability and the right to vote on this because they are the ones shouldering the burden predominantly."
Grocery items are defined in the initiative as "any raw or processed food or beverage, or any ingredient thereof, intended for human consumption." Groceries include meat, produce, grains, dairy, seasonings and condiments. Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and marijuana products do not qualify as grocery items and would not be protected from new taxes.
The initiative, supported by the committee "Yes! To Affordable Groceries" has received $8.01 million in cash donations from companies like Coca-Cola ($3.8 million), PepsiCo ($2.8 million), Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (1.1 million), Red Bull North America ($93K) and the Washington Grocery Association.
"Local governments across Washington are looking to raise revenues and one idea they're looking at is new taxes on foods and beverages," the Yes! To Affordable Groceries statement read. "People feel taxed enough and can't afford new taxes on what they eat and drink. Washington's tax structure already places a greater burden on working families than any other state in the country. Heaping taxes on everyday grocery items will raise our cost of living and make it even harder for working families, small businesses and their workers to get by. That's why Yes! To Affordable Groceries is exploring ways to prevent new burdensome grocery taxes from advancing in local communities across Washington. We appreciate the budget issues that communities face. But there is a better way to handle the challenge than targeting grocery carts for more taxes that will only hurt working-class families, small businesses and their employees the most."
Supporters of the Initiative also include the Teamsters Local 174, Joint Council of Teamsters No. 28, Korean-American Grocer's Association of Washington, Washington Food and Beverage Association and the Washington Farm Bureau.
Likewise, the one committee to opposed Initiative 1634 is the "Healthy Kids Coalition" which has reported $250 in gathered funds. Those also opposed to the initiative include the Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition and the Permanent Defense PAC.
"[Initiative 1634] is a proposed law funded by the soft drink industry (Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and Red Bull)," stated No1634.org which the Permanent Defense PAC sponsors. "The measure seeks to prohibit local communities from raising money for public health services by levying taxes on sugary beverages like soda, but it would allow the state's largest city, Seattle, to keep its existing sugary beverage tax. Essentially, what the soda companies want to do is deny every other community the freedom to raise money for public health by taxing sugary beverages, and prevent Seattle from ever raising its tax. They're spending millions to convince Washingtonians to pass their self-serving scheme."
There is a similar measure on the ballot in Oregon. If voted in, the measure would take effect after January 15, 2019.
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she sang this from her heart that what make all her music great!! no one will be like patsy cline she was one of a kind not my time but i love her music!!
I love you forever Patsy Cline.
Simply the best. Rap killed romance. Dark times.
Such a beauty, an angelic voice. Why do they always seem to die in plane crashes ? What a waste... RIP Patsy.
I blame my love of Patsy on my Aunt Irene, Grandma .
I could not agree with you more TheGoldcountry she was a class act.


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New Report Reveals Why Universities Fail To Protect Jewish And Zionist Students
The AMCHA Initiative discovered that such policies are not as robust in their protections as policies to protect minorities.
By JNS Reporter December 22, 2022
Members of the Jewish community and their allies protest anti-Semitism and the upcoming National Students for Justice in Palestine conference at the UCLA campus in Los Angeles, California on November 6, 2018. The report reveals that nearly one-quarter of schools' codes of conduct do not include verbal abuse in their descriptions of prohibited behavior. RONEN TIVONY/JNS
A new report released on Wednesday found that American universities fail to protect Jewish and Zionist students from harassment.
The report was published by the AMCHA Initiative, an organization focused on documenting and combating antisemitism on college campuses.
For a report titled "Falling Through the Cracks: How School Policies Deny Jewish Students Equal Protection for Antisemitism," AMCHA researchers reviewed how the 100 colleges that are most popular among Jewish students handle antisemitic harassment. The report noted that most schools have two mechanisms available for students experiencing a hostile learning environment: non-discrimination and harassment policies, and student codes of conduct.
The report claims that harassment policies frequently fail to protect Jewish students.
"Jewish students who fall victim to anti-Zionist motivated harassment, the predominant form of antisemitism on campuses today, are often deemed ineligible for coverage under this policy, since many university administrators do not consider support for Israel an expression of a Jewish student's religious beliefs or ethnicity," the report states, adding that for a student to take action against harassment, they must rely on the school's general code of conduct instead.
AMCHA discovered that such policies are not as robust in their protections as policies designed to protect "protected identity groups."
A sticker from the white supremacist, anti-immigrant, antisemitic group Patriot Front is seen on the campus of Bloomsburg University during move-in week for the fall 2021 semester. A new policy planned by the school would guarantee "unprotected" students the same administrative protections regarding harassing behavior as is granted to protected identity students. PAUL WEAVER/JNS
The report reveals that nearly one-quarter of schools' codes of conduct do not include verbal abuse in their descriptions of prohibited behavior.
As most universities design their discrimination policies based on federal guidelines, they do not see anti-Zionist harassment as comparable to classically antisemitic or racist harassment, the report explains. As a result, Zionist students who allege harassment do not receive a response to their complaints in the same manner as other students with "protected identities."
According to The Jerusalem Post, Virginia Attorney-General Jason Miyares sent a letter to the Council of Presidents and board members at all Virginia public colleges regarding the rise of antisemitism at universities nationwide.
"The Attorney-General is dedicated to the fight against antisemitism and ensuring that Virginia students don't feel discriminated against because of their faith," his office said in a statement.
The report also offered a solution to Harvard University, the school named number one in antisemitic incidents this year in another AMCHA report. A new policy planned by the school would guarantee "unprotected" students the same administrative protections regarding harassing behavior as is granted to protected identity students.
AMCHA Initiative's co-founder and director, Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, told JNS that Harvard has been working to find solutions.
"Yes, we were very surprised, and pleasantly so, to find that Harvard has been working on the problem of inadequate protections for students not covered under the school's harassment policies," Rossman-Benjamin said. "Perhaps it was Harvard's troubling history on Jewish and Zionist issues that actually motivated them to think about how to provide equal and adequate protections for Jewish students—and all students—who don't fit neatly into a 'protected class' identity box, and their proposed anti-bullying policy is the result."
Rossman-Benjamin continued, "But regardless of the motivation, Harvard's proposal is strong and important, and it should serve as a model to other universities…Students deserve an educational environment free from harassment, regardless of the identity of the victim. Harassment is harassment, and it is only fair and right that behavior prohibited against some students be prohibited against all students. Harvard has done an excellent job of recognizing the problem and proposing a solution to fix this inequality."
(Additional reporting provided by Alberto Arellano)
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Grammy Producer Ken Ehrlich Talks Kendrick Lamar's 'Provocative' Performance, Smacks Down 'All-White Tribute' Criticism
Ehrlich and Grammy CEO/chairman Neil Portnow discussed Lamar's forthcoming performance on Monday night's show, addressed criticism that the shows tributes are "all white," and broadly hinted that…
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Kendrick Lamar performs at Terminal 5 on Nov. 2, 2015 in New York City. Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images
In the days leading up to the 2016 Grammy Awards on Monday night (Feb. 15), the issue of race has been at the forefront of the conversation around the ceremony: LL Cool J said Kendrick Lamar's performance will be "very controversial," and a New York Post report claimed that the show is under "huge pressure to diversify its all-white tribute lineup and honor the late Maurice White," founder of the legendary R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire, who died Feb. 4 at 74.
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It doesn't take a leap of imagination to conclude that Lamar, whose second full-length album, To Pimp a Butterfly, is nominated for 11 Grammys, and whose songs have been embraced by the Black Lives Matter movement, will be addressing racism forcefully in his Grammy performance. Just how comfortable the Grammys and their network partner, CBS, might be with it was a question Billboard posed to show producer Ken Ehrlich and Recording Academy CEO/chairman Neil Portnow separately on Sunday night.
Billboard: LL Cool J has described Lamar's performance as "very controversial." Do you think that's accurate?
Ehrlich: Controversial… I'm not sure that's the right word. Certainly it's provocative. One of the things that's important to us with the show and I think to the Academy is that we encourage artistic freedom and artistic license. Two years ago we had Macklemore and Ryan Lewis perform "Same Love" while we married 35 couples of varying genders. That was a pretty good example of the freedom that we encourage artists to exhibit on the show. In this case, Kendrick came to us and said that we live in a time where these issues confront us every day and that it's important that they be given a public forum, and he would like to use his x number of minutes to create a great performance that is consistent with his this year. It is overtly political and it is overtly provocative, and I think if nothing else it's going to give people something to think about and talk about.
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Portnow: I don't know that I'd say controversial; I'd say powerful. There are some artists that have a point of view in terms of bringing things to the public for conversation and creating awareness and a dialogue, and we happen to think that's healthy. Obviously we're on primetime TV and we have to be respectful of the laws, but I think it's going to be a very powerful performance.
So Lamar's statement is one that you don't necessarily support but are comfortable providing with a platform?
Ehrlich: That's a very important difference. It's not necessarily that we endorse what's being said, but we believe that it's our right and responsibility to allow artists to express their visions.
Do you think a certain percentage of the audience will be offended by the performance?
Ehrlich: I suspect there will be a portion of the audience that… I don't know that I'd use the work "offended," but certainly will be provoked by it.
Is he performing "The Blacker the Berry"?
Ehrlich: Yep, "The Blacker the Berry" and "All Right" — obviously very provocative songs. Now, I made a point with a writer I spoke with the other day and I'd almost like to reiterate it because I think it's important, especially for Billboard. A lot of attention is being focused on this issue of race as it applies to awards shows, certainly with regard for the Oscars [which have been widely criticized for a lack of diversity], which certainly lit the fuse for a lot of this [discussion] this year, not that it didn't exist before. I think it's important to understand that at its root, film and its relationship to the African-American culture is significant but it is not a dominant from its roots, from the beginning, whereas popular and contemporary music is rooted in African-American culture as much as anything. So when we do a music show we by definition reflect multiculturalism maybe more than a film awards show. I'm not speaking of where things stand today, but just the foundations. I'm looking at the rundown of our show and I see incredibly vivid examples of multiculturalism that we can be very proud of — the Hamilton segment, the Kendrick performance, The Weeknd. I think it's important that the public understand that it's more to do with the roots of these particular art forms.
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There's been criticism that the show's tributes are "all-white." What do you say to that?
Ehrlich: I'd rather speak generally about this subject. It's very unfounded. We're doing a B.B.King tribute; the last I looked he wasn't an old white man. We're doing a Natalie Cole tribute that happens to be part of the "In Memoriam" segment, but people will understand when they see the clip why we chose it and why we didn't do a live performance. And there's a live performance component to the Maurice White [tribute], and I can tell you that the members of the group are really pleased and happy we're doing it. I'm looking at [the show lineup] now, and of course we have Lady Gaga paying tribute to David Bowie, and of course three hours ago I rehearsed the Eagles singing "Take It Easy" for [founding member] Glenn Frey. There just isn't any kind of basis in fact for people who don't know what we're doing to speculate about what we're doing. There are probably four to five segments at least where … we have Andra Day and Ellie Goulding performing together; Bonnie Raitt and Chris Stapleton with Gary Clark Jr.; we have Stevie Wonder and Pentatonix — again, we're not being reactionary, this is what we do every year. We believe that music brings people together.
Stevie Wonder and Pentatonix are performing together?
Ehrlich: Yes.
Is that the Maurice White tribute?
Ehrlich: I'm gonna let you guess on that one.
ken ehrlich
neil portnow