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Stories: Always Stay Positive
Once upon a time there was a bunch of baby frogs....… participating in a competition.The target was to get to the top of a high tower. A crowd of people had gathered to observe the race and encourage the participants..... The start shot rang out.......
Quite honestly, None of the onlookers believed that the baby frogs could actually accomplish getting to the top of the tower.
Words like "Ah, it's too difficult!!! They'll never reach the top." Or "Not a chance... the tower is too high!"
One by one some of the baby frogs fell off…... Except those who fastly climbed higher and higher.. The crowd kept on yelling "It's too difficult. Nobody is going to make it!" More baby frogs became tired and gave up... ...But one kept going higher and higher..... He was not about giving up!
At the end everybody had given up, except the one determined to reach the top! All the other participants naturally wanted to know how he had managed to do what none of them others had been able to do!
One competitor asked them winner, what was his secret?
The truth was....... The winner was deaf!!!!
The lesson to be learned - Don't ever listen to people who are negative and pessimistic... … they will deprive you of your loveliest dreams and wishes you carry in your heart! Always be aware of the power of words, as everything you hear and read will interfere with your actions! Therefore - Always stay… POSITIVE!
And most of all Turn a deaf ear when people tell you, that you cannot achieve your dreams!
Always believe - You can make it!
#'Forwarded' label refers to stories and anecdotes send to me by friends or the ones I came across in net. I neither know the source of these stories nor its correctness. Being said that, I like the story and truly believe that readers will get inspiration/ motivation from these articles.
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Stories: Father, Gift and Patience
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.
Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" He then stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realizing his father was very old, he thought perhaps he should go to see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make the arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he was reading, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words….."PAID IN FULL".
How many times do we miss blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
Pakistan's Dilemma and a war in Yemen
Someone is fighting with someone in Yemen; rest of the world hardly noticed that. After all, there were scarcely much time when people of Yemen were at peace in past half a century. More than that, Yemen is neither a big supplier of oil nor that of gas. Apart from American drones and occasional Saudi interferences, Yemen was at war with itself.
However, the equations are quite different now. It's not only about two factions fighting with each other; but a Saudi backed one against an Iran backed one. It's a different matter whether Iran actually provide supplies to Houti's; after all Houti's land is located faraway from Iran borders. As a result, the wealthy coalition of Sunni Arab world took arms against a Houthi's backed by financially broken Iran.
So how Pakistan came in to this equation? In order to understand that, we need to look at the oil flow. Currently Saudi and other gulf monarchies are fulfilling the oil needs of Pakistan. As a fellow Islamic country they offer reduced price to Pakistan. In return they also expect support of Pakistan's military (probably one of the finest battle hardened military in Islamic World).
We can't blame Saudi for asking Pakistan's support, after all they supplies oil and aid (Saudi sent their Islamic affairs minister – Saleh bin Abdul Aziz - to Islamabad). Support here means – ships, fighter planes and ground troops. Pakistan already deployed major chunk of their Army at eastern border and for the operations in Afghan border. So in paper Pakistan can argue that, they don't have much troops to spare. But I hardly believes that is the case. After all Pakistan still contribute troops to UN Peace Keeping Missions.
So here comes the other probable reasons,
1. Thoughts like, why to take sides on a conflict (in a faraway country) which have strong religious undertones.
2. Operations against Houthi's, connected to Shia dominated Iran, may not go down well with country's minority – but significant – Shia population.
3. Pakistan shares a long border with Iran (During this time Iran sent their foreign minister to Islamabad).
4. Taking part in such an operation may send a message that their army is for hire. Which of course is not a good image for Pakistani Army.
5. This may jeopardize Iran – Pakistan pipeline project.
6. Possibility of more troubles in Baluchistan.
There may be multitudes of other strong reasons as well.
In this situation Pakistan Administration did what they could do the best – issuing statements. Will support Saudi's territorial integrity but no boots in Yemen (they didn't say the later part explicitly). As parliament passed the resolution, administration can easily market it as the will of the people. Will this decision go down well with Gulf Monarchies? I don't think so. After all they were propping up Pakistan economy for a long time with generous aid and subsidised fuel.
Whatever may be the reason, I appreciate their decision – not to put their nose on Yemen.
Sajeev.
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Fight for national Icons: The haves and have-nots
It is interesting to see how political parties are fighting for iconic figures form Freedom and social reformist movements. Was it started with M.K Gandhi (exclusively claimed by Congress)? Probably yes. In earlier days, congress had so many leaders to claim. However, the sudden swipe by BJP is creating ripples everywhere.
First it was Sardar Vallabhai Patel. All of a sudden he became BJP's popular icon. Then came Vivekananda. They successfully claimed ownership for him as well. I think in between someone tried for 'Bhagat Singh' too. Latest ones on BJP's list are P.V Narasimha Rao and B.R Ambedkar; claim on the later was patented and exclusively used by BSP till this day.
Interesting factor is, Congress woke up recently and now trying to reclaim Ambedkar. Mayavati's BSP probably stunned to see the new developments. After all, how could BJP and Congress can claim the legacy of Ambedkar?!!! I think Congress is currently working on a plan to stop the outflow of historical figures. Hope that the plan won't be as leaky as 2G auction.
I think the fight is heating up. That day won't be far, when Rajaram Mohan Roy and Jyotirao Phule will wake up from their graves, only to see their names on some party list!!!
Sajeev
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Stories: 14 Short Stories
1. Fall and Rise
Today, when I slipped on the wet tile floor a boy in a wheelchair caught me before I slammed my head on the ground. He said, "Believe it or not, that's almost exactly how I injured my back 3 years ago .
2. A father's advice
Today, my father told me, "Just go for it and give it a try! You don't have to be a professional to build a successful product. Amateurs started Google and Apple. Professionals built the Titanic
3. The power of uniqueness.
Today, I asked my mentor – a very successful business man in his 70's – what his top 3 tips are for success. He smiled and said, "Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing.
4. Looking Back
Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I'm working on for my Psychology class. When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, "Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile.
5. Try and U shall know
I am blind by birth. When I was 8 years old, I wanted to play baseball. I asked my father- "Dad, can I play baseball?" He said "You'll never know until you try." When I was a teenager, I asked him, - "Dad Can I become a surgeon?". He replied "Son, you'll never know until you try." Today I am a Surgeon, just because I tried!
6. GOODNESS & GRATITUDE
Today, after a 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug. When I tensed up, she realized I didn't recognize her. She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said, "On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center."
7. LOVE CONQUERS PAIN
Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying. And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face.
8. A DOOR CLOSES TO OPEN ANOTHER
Today at 7AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3PM I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.
Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother's hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, "I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often."
10. AFFECTION
Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy.
11. INNOCENCE
Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling. I chuckled and asked, "Why?" She replied, "So you can help me save the planet." I chuckled again and asked, "And why do you want to save the planet?" "Because that's where I keep all my stuff," she said.
12. JOY
Today, when I witnessed a 27-year-old breast cancer patient laughing hysterically at her 2-year-old daughter's antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it again.
13. KINDNESS
Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, "I hope you feel better soon.".
14. SHARING
Today, I was traveling in Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe. He said he hadn't eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating. The first thing the man said was, "We can share it."
Stories : How our Inner Ego Sometimes Misjudges a Person - The Stanford Story
A lady in a faded grey dress and her husband, dressed in a home-spun suit walked in timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Harvard.
"We want to see the President "the ma n said softly.
"He'll be busy all day "the secretary snapped.
"We'll wait" the lady replied.
For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president..
"Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave" she said to him. The President, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple.
The lady told him "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus."
The president wasn't touched....He was shocked. "Madam "he said, gruffly, " we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."
"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly" We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard."
The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, and then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard."
For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now. The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university ? Why don't we just start our own?"
Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment. Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the University that bears their name: Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.
Most of the time we judge people by their outer appearance, which can be misleading. And in this impression, we tend to treat people badly by thinking they can do nothing for us. Thus we tend to lose our potential good friends, employees or customers.
In our Life, we seldom get people with whom we want to share & grow our thought process. But because of our inner EGO we miss them forever.
Stories: A few Interesting Ironies of India
Indian moms want their daughter to control their husband and expect their son to control their wives.
Parents want their children to stand out in a crowd but expect them to do what everybody else is doing.
Everything that is run by government looks very bad except government jobs.
While we criticize Maria Sharapova for not knowing who Sachin Tendulkar is; but we are been caught napping as we desperately Google our Nobel prize winner or Sita Sahu (double special Olympics medalist who now sells Golgappa in Delhi for survival.
National animal - Endangered
National pledge - Unintended
National river - Heavily polluted
A huge country of 1635 languages..... united by a foreign language.
Government talks about removing the caste system but you are required to mention your caste on every damn form you fill.
Seeing a policeman makes us nervous rather than feeling safe.
We often say "Atithi Devo Bhava" but we do not allow visitor parking in our residential societies...
Last and good one...
We are Always in a hurry but never on time..!
Stories: Selecting which battle to fight
There once lived a great mathematician in a village. He was often called by the local king to advice on matters related to the economy. His reputation had spread as far as Taxila in the North and Kanchi in the South. So it hurt him very much when the village headman told him, "You may be a great mathematician who advises the king on economic matters but your son does not know the value of gold or silver."
The mathematician called his son and asked, "What is more valuable - gold or silver?" "Gold," said the son. "That is correct. Why is it then that the village headman makes fun of you, claims you do not know the value of gold or silver? He teases me every day. He mocks me before other village elders as a father who neglects his son. This hurts me. I feel everyone in the village is laughing behind my back because you do not know what is more valuable, gold or silver. Explain this to me, son."
So the son of the mathematician told his father the reason why the village headman carried this impression. "Every day on my way to school, the village headman calls me to his house. There, in front of all village elders, he holds out a silver coin in one hand and a gold coin in other. He asks me to pick up the more valuable coin. I pick the silver coin. He laughs, the elders jeer, everyone makes fun of me. And then I go to school. This happens every day. That is why they tell you I do not know the value of gold or silver."
The father was confused. His son knew the value of gold and silver, and yet when asked to choose between a gold coin and silver coin always picked the silver coin. "Why don't you pick up the gold coin?" he asked. In response, the son took the father to his room and showed him a box. In the box were at least a hundred silver coins. Turning to his father, the mathematician's son said, "The day I pick up the gold coin the game will stop. They will stop having fun and I will stop making money."
Point: Sometimes in life, we have to play the fool because our seniors and our peers, and sometimes even our juniors like it. That does not mean we lose in the game of life. It just means allowing others to win in one arena of the game, while we win in the other arena of the game. We have to choose which arena matters to us and which arenas do not.
Satyam Scam and Lessons Learned
After long legal battles, finally multi-crore infamous saga of 'Satyam' came to an end. CBI special court awarded 7 year Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) to Ramalinga Raju, his brother and 8 others. Apart from RI, Ramalinga Raju and his brother was also slapped with a fine of 5 crore each and eight others with 25 lakh each.
It is indeed true that Satyam Scam drastically changed the way accounting and auditing systems works in India. It also introduced so many checks and balances in the system. But, did we really fill gaps in the super-structure exposed by Satyam Scam?
Why fines are so low? As far as I remember, amount involved in scam involves thousands of crores. But the total fine was just 12 crore. I think even the prosecutor might have spent more than 12 crore to prove the case. What about then shareholders? It was a nightmare and bog loss for them as well. Fine shouldn't have been such a small number.
I am still not clear whether independent directors in company boards are doing or able to do the job they are supposed to do.
FTIL and other scams indicates that cooking up books and dubious transactions are still there. What we are going to do with that?
What about whistle-blower system? Do we provide enough incentive and protection to the whistle-blower to come out and provide evidence?
Satyam scam definitely improved a lot of things. But still there are lot more things to do.
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Greatest Paper Tiger of all time.
Anyone recently read Mint article on National Green Tribunal's verdicts? If not, its here - 'National Green Tribunal: Orders galore, but what then? - Mint'
I don't think who coined the word Paper Tiger. But that person might be knowing that, a certain entity called 'National Green Tribunal' is going to form in India. My only plea to government is, if it can't provide tooth and nail to NGT, then please dismiss them and save those sitting in the tribunal from further embarrassment.
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The Return of Janata Party
An interesting political movement India currently witnessing is the consolidation of political parties to a particular group called Janata Parivar. By the way, there is hardly any ideology which brings them together. As often happens, the one fact which all of them have in common is the fear about the rise of BJP and protecting their base.
I wonder how long the Parivar will stay together. It is altogether different matter, whether Samajwadi Party (SP) – which hardly stands for 'Samaj' except in name; Rashtriya Janata Dal – which hardly ever cared about 'Rashtriyata'; Janata Dal (United) – which showed some hope in the beginning and then went on a path about which one have any idea; Janata Dal (Secular) – which is more about a family and its affairs; Indian National Lokdal (whose leaders are in Jail over Recruitment scam) etc. will come together even for their own good.
What, leaders of these parties failed to understand is, India changed. The country is no longer the one, where they could supress people in the name of caste and religion. When Indians want their country to reach the level of Korea, Singapore and Japan; there is hardly any place for their narrow vision. More than coming together under a different a name, what they need to do is an introspection. Be the agent of modern Indian and try to do something for people.
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Ola, Money and the Business Model
Ola and start-ups similar to that, attracted (and continues to attract) big ticket investments from foreign and domestic investment vehicles. Backed by IT infrastructure and GPS, Ola is riding on traveller's need for economical, reliable, comfortable and safe travelling options. One of the big factors working on their favour is the absent state machinery (read traffic police and other related departments). After all who don't want to escape from auto drivers' hands, most of whom won't ply by meters and says the first imaginary number coming to their mind as fare?
However, after seeing global funds' hunger for picking up these stocks I am a bit confused. Do these companies business model really have such sky high valuations or are we going to see a 2000's type IT boom and bust cycle?
My worries are,
1. The amount of money they burn each month. After all, the company is paying the difference to the driver (User is paying some 10 INR/km, which is lower than the amount Ola pays to the driver)
2. Driver don't need to feel any loyalty towards Ola. If Uber or Maxicab is offering higher discounts, they can simply switch to the other one.
3. User also may not feel any loyalty towards Ola. They can also make a switch to other one, if it offers a better deal. This trend is already there, while buying electronic equipment, recharging mobile, buying books etc.
4. Unlike Flipkart or Amazon, which are also building up infrastructure, physical infrastructure is absent in Ola's case.
5. It is still not clear how long it will take to witness a consolidation in market.
Even though this article is talking about Ola, it is not limited to Ola but applicable for all those service companies who offer services but don't have any control over underlying assets/infrastructure.
I hope that all those companies do have a great business model and become profitable very soon.
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Konkon Reise - Netravati to Sabarmati: Part X - Konkan Coast, Wild West of Western Ghats
On the way to Mumbai from Mangalore and while coming back to Udupi from Mumbai I travelled through Konkan Railways(KR). So I am dedicating this article to one of the finest engineering project independent India ever undertook.
Konkan is a narrow stretch of land between Western Ghats and Arabian Sea.This separation enabled Konkan Coast to develop its own culture over centuries. Nature blessed this beautiful land with many rivers, pristine beaches and wide forest cover.
I think I can rightly say Konkan railway project is one of the most challenging railway engineering work conducted in last century. To understand the importance of Konkon like, one need to look in to pre-Konkan railway map of India.
Just look at the alternate routes for a from Cochin/Mangalore to reach Mumbai in the 70s and 80s? One need to go faraway places like Chennai and Vijayawada to reach Mumbai. Its not only increase the journey time dramatically, but also the transportation of goods. By the way, road network connecting Mangalore to Mumbai was not in a good shape in those days.
Konkan is also probably one the handful of railway project undertook by Independent India. Majority of other rail routes were there from British time itself.
This 741km long train line - passes through Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka - connects Mumbai with Mangalore. Kerala is also one of the states benefited by this railway line. Commissioning Konkan rail significantly reduced the journey time from Malabar and Konkan coast to Mumbai and beyond.
You may be thinking what is the herculean challenge in creating a 741km broad gauge single line. In order to understand the complexity of the project, we need to look in to the geographic parameters.
Konkan Rail - Facts
This coastal strip is a narrow geographic area bounded by Western Ghats on the east and Arabian Sea on the west. Entire stretch is dotted with numerous fast flowing rivers, dense forest, paddy fields and mango trees.
Total route length - 760 KM
Number of Curves - 320
Deepest Cutting - 28 metres
Total Earth Work - 388.77mn cubic metre
Number of Stations - 59
Major Bridges - 179
Minor Bridges - 1819
Total No. of Road Crossings - 300
Longest Bridge - Across Sharavati River @ Honnavar - 2065.8 metre
Initial steps for this project was started in the early 70s. In fact first survey was conducted in between 1971-73; another one(Dasgaon to Ratnagiri) was completed in between 1975 and 1977; followed by another one (Roha to Mangalore) on 1984. In 1985 the scope was increased to cover the remaining length.
In 1977, then Railway minister Prof. Madhu Dandavate sanctioned the first stage from Apta to Roha, which was opened in March 1986. Then we saw further developments in completing the project when George Fernandes became Railway Minister in 1989.
Based on the suggestions of then Economic Adviser in the Finance Ministry - Bimal Jalan - Konkan Railway Corp become a reality by including it in 1989 railway budget. E Sreedharan then Member Engineering and about to retire become the head of Corporation as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD). This time GoI let the beneficiary states - Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala - as partners in the project.
Konkan Rail Corp got four and half years to complete the project. Entire project was divided into seven (Mahad, Ratnagiri (north), Ratnagiri (south), Kudal, Panaji, Karwar and Udupi) sectors each having a length of approximately 100km under a chief engineer.
In Goa, were KRCL engineers went out of their way to save maximum number of houses. It is because of this reason Goa has the maximum number of curves on alignment (even the Mandovi bridge is on a curve).
There are multiple interesting stories related to the project. For e.g. near Dasgaon (at the confluence of the Savitri, Kal and Nageshwari rivers) there was a burial ground, exactly on the Railway alignment between Dasgaon Tunnel (South face) and Savitri bridge. There was no way that the alignment could avoid this route, so Konkan Railway built another cremation ground for the villagers with a wide approach road, transplanting bones to the new location after conducting appropriate rites.
Anyone who worked on land acquisition project in India will understand how difficult to acquire land in populated areas. Here, Konkan Corp have to acquire a total of 4,850 hectares spread over 760 km. Many gave the land voluntarily; in return KRCL offered first preference to the land losers while recruiting or awarding commercial contracts.
Another problem was obtaining clearances for vast forest lands in Karnataka from MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forests) and from other state and Central government agencies.
I boarded Mumbai Express from Mangalore. For most of the time, I stood in the doors so as not to miss anything. Numerous rivers - small and big, paddy fields, bridges etc. However, by the time we reached Goa it was very much dark. So while coming back, again I stood on the doors so as not to miss anything on the Maharashtra side of Konkan.
As it was January end, temperature was high and most of the places were dry. I think I need to travel through Konkan once again - during Monsoon time.
1. Konkan Railway Corp
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Konkon Reise - Netravati to Sabarmati: Part IX - Uduppi, The Krishna Town
Udupi is one of the major cities in Karnataka and is famous for Sri Krishna Temple and Udupi cuisine.
When I reached the station, time was too early to visit the temple. Hence I went to second class waiting room and tried to sleep there itself (in sitting position). Here I met a guy from Alleppey, who came to Udupi to attend an interview. He had nothing else to do till interview, which was scheduled at 10 in the morning. So he was also interested in coming to the temple with me. So we hired a prepaid auto from the station to the temple (temple is is some 3 kms away).
Sri Krishna Temple and Mutt
Established by Madhvacharya in 13th century; this is a complex of temples and monasteries located near Madhva Sarovara, or Madhvacharya's pond.
Main temple is constructed in an architectural style typical to Kerala and Dakshina Kannada, with multiple layers around the inner sanctum sanctorum, with no massive sikhara over it; as the case in elsewhere in South India.
Unlike other temples, deity in this temple faces west and is away from devotees. It is believed that, a lower-caste devotee named Kanakadasa was denied entry into the temple, so he tried worshiping from a small window outside it. The Lord was so pleased at his devotion that He turned around to face the window. The window is now known as Kanakana kindi, or Kanakadasa's window.
Like temples in Kerala here too men have to take off their shirts and vests to go inside.
After temple, my next destination was Malpe Fishing Harbour. As my new friend had to attend the interview, I said good-bye to him and walked towards bus stand. From this bus stand buses are available to Malpe.
Malpe Fishing Harbour
After some thirty minutes in bus I reached Malpe and walked towards fishing harbour. The place was very much alive with fishing boats, and people roaming around. A building on the right was manufacturing dry ice, small tipper lorries were carrying it to fishing boats. At one place fishermen were busy with fixing their nets. Further down, a small crane was pulling a small boat out of water.
It was an interesting place. In the end, I reached boat jetty from where I can catch a boat to St Mary's Island. On its side there is a small ship manufacturing centre. Police's patrol boats are also located here.
St Mary's Island
Now the problem is, the boat is somewhat big and is not going to start unless it's filled. They assured that by 9.00 more people will come. Well, another 30 minutes to go. Finally one school excursion party from Maharashtra's Sangli came and I also joined with them. It took a while to reach St Mary's Island. Its a small Island, if you walk for some 10 minutes you can reach the other side of the island.
The speciality of the Island (Coconut Island, St Mary's Islands) is its rocks. We walked through the rocks and waters for some time, the structure of rocks looks very much interesting. After some 40 minutes we returned from the island.
There were hardly anything remained in the list. So I simply roamed around the city, drinking sugarcane juice. It was at this time, I remembered about Manipal - a nearby city which is very famous for its excellent (but costly) educational institutions. Bus to Manipal is available from City stand. After roaming here and there and talking to some of aluminis I headed to the planetarium. Unfortunately, I was closed for maintenance.
Now back to the city, and went to SeaBird office to catch the bus back to Bangalore.
Konkon Reise - Netravati to Sabarmati: Part VIII - Gandhi Nagar, The Capital
It was my last day in Ahmedabad. After having some juice and tea in the morning, I went to Sidi Sayed Mosque.
Sidi Sayed Mosque
This mosque is unique for its exquisite screens, which are praised for their amazing Jhali screen, framed, in the ten semi-circular windows. From a distance this screens looks wonderful. Apart from these screens there were hardly anything else to see.
From mosque I came back to railway station. Here I met one guy who was also on the way to Sita Mandir. He studied in Ahmedabad and spent much of his youth in the city. The moment I started talking about Ahmadabad, he was more than happy to tell me the about the city and its history. Soon we reached Sita Mandir and boarded a direct bus to 'Gandhi Nagar'
Gandhi Nagar - An Overview
Located 23 km from Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar is the capital of Gujrat. Gandhi Nagar is a planned city, designed by Prakash Apte and H.K. Mewada. City is divided into multiple areas like 'Capital Complex and Government Offices'; 'Light Industries Areas'; 'City Centre'; 'Public Institutions Area'; 'Shopping', 'Commercial and Warehousing' area; IT Parks etc.
On the way Narmada canal also crossed our way. After travelling for while we entered the city limits and continued towards Akshardham temple.
Akshardham Temple
Swaminarayan Akshardham temple is one of the largest Hindu temples in Gujarat. Spreading over an area of 23 acres, this temple complex is dedicated to 'Bhagwan Swaminarayan'. I think I never saw a security check stricter than the one at these gates in anywhere in India (except probably at Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram). No one can carry bags or camera (except wallet) inside the temple complex.
By the way this temple came under terrorist attack in September 2002.
This place looks more like a theme park if we exclude the main building which houses the deity. Main building also have carefully preserved personal belongings of Swaminarayan. One need to appreciate the length to which the followers went to acquire and preserve the things used by Swaminarayan.
After visiting the temple, I bought the ticket for shows. This took some two to three hours to complete. During each phase of the show, they will show various phases of Swaminarayan's life; and concludes it by showing a documentary. This carefully crafted areas (forests, water flow, moving life size statues etc) tries to give a close to real life experience to the visitor.
By afternoon, I went outside the temple and spend close to 30-40 minutes on road and then boarded a bus back to Ahmedabad. Planning is good - straight roads, proper crossings, well planned buildings etc.
Ahmedabad - Old City
After reaching Ahmedabad, I had some more time to spend before boarding the train to Surat. Hence I went to old city by catching a shared auto. For next two hours I roamed around old city and paid a visit to local markets and spend quite some time there. Main market was in an open area, where a lot of vendors were selling their goods.
It is improper to end this article without saying something about traffic police. Whenever I was in front of railway station, there were four uniformed personals standing at the junction. However, they hardly did anything to control the traffic. If you wait for the vehicles to stop before crossing the road, its never going to happen.
In fact I boarded a shared auto while returning to railway station. Those roads were not so wide and a lot of people were there on the roads. Our driver, was not so interested in driving either careful or slowly. In fact his rear view mirror even hit a lady. I think he knowingly did it. When one of my co-passengers questioned him for that action, his reply was simple. He don't care whether he hit the pedestrian or not. It's better if someone fell down and die. Then atleast from next time, they will be careful while walking!!!
I am not saying all drivers were like this, he may be an exception. But, it also shows the attitude towards obeying traffic rules.
Another good feature Ahmedabad have is its reserved lanes for public buses. I am yet to visit any other city which have this dedicated bus corridor. It's indeed a novel idea.
Finally it was time to say goodbye to Ahmadabad and I started my return trip. My next destination was Udupi. However, I didn't have a confirm ticket straight to Udupi. So I first had to board a train to Surat. Then to Mumbai.
I reached Mumbai by 6 in next morning. After taking a bath from Ammu Chechi's home I went to Kurla to board a Konkon train.
After spending rest of the day and most of the night on that train, finally I reached Udupi on Monday morning.
PS: Some of the places I missed in Ahmadabad are was Hathisingh Jain Temple, Dada Hari ni Vav (step well) in Asarwa, Juma Masjid (Built by Ahmad Shah in 1423, this yellow sandstone mosque stands on 260 pillars which support 15 domes at varying elevations), Kanaria lake, Calico textile museum etc.
Konkon Reise - Netravati to Sabarmati: Part VII - Ahmedabad, Manchester of the East
I reached Ahmedabad by 9.30 in the same night and spent rest of the night in railway retiring room. Irony is, even the system in railway retiring was not getting connected to railway intranet. Can you imagine, a system located in one of major railway station is not able to connect to the network!!! If this is the case here, then I wonder what is happening in real time command and control systems of Indian Railways. IR need to make sure that, all systems located at their premises can connect to CRIS and other railway networks.
By the time I reached Ahmadabad, I almost lost my sound due to throat infection. As a matter of fact if I spoke one sentence, only a couple of words were audible. This took its toll in Ahmadabad trip.
History of Ahmadabad
This is the largest city in Gujrat and its former capital (Gandhi Nagar is the new one). Located on the banks of Sabarmati River, this city is probably the sixth or seventh largest city in India.
In 11th century AD, Karandev I of Solanki dynasty established a new city called Karanavati near Sabarmati River. After Solankis, this area came under the control of Vaghelas. During the rise of Delhi Sultanates, this city came under the firm grip of Sultanates. Later one of their governor's - Zafar Khan Muzaffar – established his independence and started ruling on his own(Muzaffarid dynasty).
"his grandson Sultan Ahmed Shah in 1411 A.D. who while at the banks of Sabarmati liked the forested area for a new capital city and laid the foundation of a new walled city near Karnavati and named it Ahmedabad after the four saints in the area by the name Ahmed" – Wikipedia.
In 1487 Ahmad Shah's grandson - Mahmud Begada - fortified the city with an outer wall having 12 gates and a circumference of 10km (It's not actually 12 gates, there are more gates).
During my two days in Ahmadabad I visited a lot of places on vehicle and on foot. Some of these darvazas(gates) are still there and places (bus stops) still carry old names. However the wall is no longer there. Lal Darwaza (Red gate), Theen Darwaza, Delhi Gate, Kalupur Gate, Dariyapur Gate, Prem Gate etc are some of the famous gates.
Humayun briefly occupied the city in 1535 AD, but lost to Muzaffarids. Finally Akbar captured it and transformed the city to a major trading centre of Mughal Empire.
When Mughal rule weakened, the city fell into the hands of Marathas. During this time, Ahmedabad became a point of conflict between 'Gaekwad of Baroda' and 'Peshwa of Poona'. During First Anglo-Maratha war Ahmadabad fell into the hands of British. But they had to give it back to the Marathas. However, after 3rd Anglo-Maratha war city firmly came under British rule.
Over the period of time, Ahmadabad became a centre of textile industry and earned the name 'Manchester of East'.
Nalsarovar Lake
I woke up early in the morning, but was not in a condition to speak. First thing I had was a couple of glasses of Apple Juice and tea. Instantly I liked it and remained as my favorite diet for next two days.
It was still very early and temperature was low. There were hardly much people in the road. One of them informed me that the bus to Nal Sarovar would start from Sita Mandir. He told as if it Sita Mandir is around the corner; I walked and walked, but Sita Mandir never came.
Anyway, finally I reached the place. There were not much buses which directly goes to 'Nal Sarovar' and I was not even able to pronounce the word 'Nal Sarovar' then (thanks to throat infection). After walking here and there, finally I got a bus which goes there.
Nal Sarovar (largest wetland bird sanctuary in Gujarat, and one of the largest in India) is located 64 km to the West of Ahmedabad (40km from Sanand). It is mainly inhabited by migratory birds in winter and spring.
The lake measures 123 km², attracts over 210 species of birds in the winter, and harbors a variety of flora and fauna. Thousands of migratory waterfowl flock to this sanctuary just after every Indian monsoon season. The shallow area and ponds on the outer fringes of the lake attract the birds that feed in the shallow waters. Besides a few mammalian species including the endangered wild ass and the black buck, its migratory bird population includes Rosy Pelicans, Flamingoes, White Storks, Brahminy Ducks and Herons.
Once I left the borders of Ahmadabad, most of the place looked like village only. The road was good but there were hardly any infrastructure or modern facilities. Especially in the road from Sanand Bus Depot to Nal Saraovar. People were working in their fields vast fields. By the way road sides were also dotted with modern houses (probably farm houses for tourists or industrialists from the city).
It's better to go to this place in a group. If you travel alone it's costly to get a boat. First some people approached me and offered me to show the entire place for 900. Normal boat costs around 220 INR, though it will show very limited area. Finally, I opted a small one and after paid some extra to go for an additional distance. He showed me a place where a lot of birds were standing in circle as of to attend a conference!!!
After roaming around sarovar for some time, I got a shared auto to Sanand and then a bus to Ahmadabad.
Jhulta Minara
This is located in Ahmadabad Railway Station itself.
This pillers will move back and forth by applying a little force at the topmost arch. One of the minarets was partly demolished by an Englishman while trying to resolve the secret behind the structure. The mechanism that leads to this vibration is still a mystery.
Old people in the area had very fond memories of climbing to the top of the arch. There are some days in a year, when common people can go to the top of the pillars and enjoy the movement.
Next in list was Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram. Ashram complex is located in the sides of Sabarmati Station. Shared autos are available to the Ashram from Kalupur (railway station is located in Kalupur area of Ahmadabad).
This ashram was founded by M.K Gandhi in 1915. Famous Dandi March of Salt Satyagraha campaign started from here in 1930.
Sabarmati River
Unlike many other rivers flowing through the cities of India, Sabarmati is in good shape and flowing. By the way thanks goes to the water coming from Narmatha River and administrators.
Before the waterfront project, the average width of Sabarmati channel was 382m and the narrowest cross-section was 330m. To develop the riverfront, authorities had uniformly narrowed the channel to 275m.
Water flowing in the river channel is a 10.5-km artificial canal with water diverted from Narmada river canal. Many environmentalists say this is not the way to rejuvenate a river. Of course it is not. At the same time, Sabarmati looks good and government saved it from becoming a sewage channel. Hyderabad, Pune and good number of Indian cities have something to learn something from this project.
Amusement rides including speed boat and motor boat are also available here.
By the time, I left Ashram it was already night. So I had Dosa from a near by Dosa Express stall and then headed towards Railway Station for spending the night. Another night at railway retiring room.
Konkon Reise - Netravati to Sabarmati: Part VI - Vadodara, India's Chemical Capital
I reached Vadodara early in the morning. It's was dark outside; so I went to second class rest room and sat there for some time. Here I met Shiva. He was on his way to Delhi to write UGC GATE exam and then to UP to celebrate his birthday with parents. He was sitting in a chair next to me and was quite restless. Later I came to know that, his ticket to Delhi was still in waiting list. So for rest of the night we talked and in between checked the status of his train ticket.
I had one full day in Vadodara. My plan was to see Laxmi Vilas Palace first, Fateh Singh Museum and then to simply roam around the city. The problem was, Palace wouldn't open before 10 or 10.30.
Anyway, it was better to roam around rather than simply sitting in the steel chairs of Railway station. Hence I went to clock room, unloaded all luggage (except camera bag) and then went outside with Shiva to have some breakfast. By the way he was quite unwilling to use the clock room facilities and carried all bags, which later proved to be a bad choice.
We went to the make shift stalls located outside the station and had some pakoda and tea. Now it's time to go to the palace. Unfortunately, we missed the bus stop and got down at a different gate. So we had to walk back towards palace's main gate. Sun was in his early innings and was not fully in form, so the fog stayed in the air for a while. As there nothing much to do, we sat in the benches placed in road sides. Road, its side and the benches were very much neat and clean. We killed the time by talking about quite a lot of things.
I think helmets are not compulsory in Baroda. Most of riders were not wearing that.
Vadodara is the third largest city in Gujarat, after Ahmadabad and Surat. In the beginning of the millennia, Guptas established control over the region. Later it was taken over by Chalukyas. Then Solankis gained power and established their dynasty.
During the rise of Delhi Sultanates like many other places, this region also came under the tight grip of Sultanates. After the fall of Sultanates this region was conquered by Mughals.
When power tilted in favour of Marathas, Gaekwads got this area and Baroda became their capital. In those days, Gaekwads were under Pune's control. However 'Third Anglo-Maratha War' changed the equation and Pune's control over Gaekwad's weakened considerably. Then onward till India's independence Baroda remained as princely state.
Lakshmi Vilas Palace
Finally it was time to enter Lakshmi Vilas Palace. Entry fee was 170 INR and photography was prohibited inside. Shiva was not ready to spend 170INR just for seeing a palace. So he told bye and left for station.
Palace was big and beautiful; there was a working golf course located next to it. From front room audio guide was available. For next two and half hours, I spend my time in that building.
Main attractions in the palace were armoury (guns, knifes, spears, poisoned swords, chakras etc), throne room (some of Ravi Varma pics are displayed here), elephant hall, banquet hall) etc.
Fateh Singh Museum
This museum is located in the palace complex itself. However we need to go through a different gate. Entry fee was 60INR and another 30 INR for audio guide. By the way, this museum hosts a lot Raja Ravi Varma paintings. I spend quite a lot of time in front of Raja Ravi Varma's works; original and copy of many other artists.
Ranji Match
Cricket ground is located beside the museum. On that day 'Vadodara Vs Mumbai' Ranji match was going on in that stadium. Unfortunately, common people can't go through the gate located next to museum; hence I had to take a long path to reach the other side of the ground. There were not much viewers, some were standing here and there. A small group was near to fence and shouting. I was a bit tired and sat on the grass and watched the match till the end.
By the way, Irfan Pathan was fielding at that end.
After the match I took a shared auto to railway station. Next destination was Ahmadabad. Soon Ahmadabad Double Decker train came. I heard about the introduction of double decker trains in some routes. However, it was the first time I was travelling in it.
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Mutingi, M., Mapfaira, Herbert, Moakofi, N. P. K., Moeng, S. A., Mbohwa, Charles. Simulation and analysis of a bank queuing system. 2015-03-03.
Improving service quality in the banking sector is essential for customer satisfaction. Decision makers are especially concerned about the time that customers wait before receiving their service. To stay competitive, decision makers have to continuously improve their service quality, measured in terms of suitable performance indicators. In this study, we focus on modelling and analysis of bank queuing systems. The study comprises three phases: (i) identify suitable performance indicators that influence customer perception with regards to service quality, (ii) simulate the behavioral performance of bank queuing systems, and (ii) evaluate and improve the service quality of the system. An illustrative case study is presented, showing the utility of proposed simulation approach.


I'm a Northern California-based actor and model. However, my background is in screenwriting, which I have remained active.
-Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project (2009-2013): Awarded "Best Use of Character" in 2012.
-San Francisco 48 Hour Film Project (2017): Awarded "Audience Choice Award".
-NYC Midnight Screenwriting Competition (2015- 2018): Placed top 200 in 2016.
I'm available for travel with proper notice.
Due to my schedule, I'm only on this site every so often. If you'll like to reach out, please follow and message me on instagram @kirstenspalding.
Film (Short) Actress After college, perpetuated by what the media told Chase on how to get girls, he thought he had to have a lot of money & swagger to land the type of girls society told him would make him feel like a man. As a result, he finds himself in the rat race slaving away at a job that slowly eats away at his soul all the while hooking up with girls that only leave him feeling empty. It isn't until he meets Melody that he gets back in touch with pursuing his dreams & learns about the true meaning of love along the way.
Film (Short, Comedy and Drama) Production designer A failed athlete, determined to give her son more opportunity, bends the rules of an International yoga competition to qualify him in a neighboring state, only to realize her choices might be taking away his innocence.


There may be occasions where a pupil needs to attend a hospital appointment. Generally if these are booked in advance you can request an appointment which does not interfere with the school day. We would request that dentist and doctor's appointments are also booked out of the school day unless they are emergency appointments. The school will not authorise time taken out for appointments which need not take place during the school day.
We cannot also authorise pupils to be out of school if another family member has an appointment.


text:
Det svenske mesterskab i ishockey 1937 var det 16. svenske mesterskab i ishockey for mandlige klubhold. Mesterskabet havde deltagelse af 15 klubber og blev afviklet som en cupturnering med afslutning den 26. marts 1937.

Mesterskabet blev vundet af Hammarby IF, som blev svenske mestre for anden sæson i træk og fjerde gang i alt. I finalen vandt Hammarby IF med 1-0 over Södertälje SK foran 1.500 tilskuere i Ispaladset i Stockholm i en kamp, hvor Hammarby IF egentlig var storfavoritter men alligevel kun formåede at score én gang. Det afgørende mål blev scoret i anden periode af Sven Bergquist, som inden denne sæson var vendt hjem til Hammarby efter en sæson hos AIK. Bergquist scorede også kampenes eneste mål i semifinalen mod Södertälje IF, som Hammarby ligeledes vandt 1-0.

Hammarby IF var i SM-finalen for syvende sæson i træk, og ottende gang i alt. Södertälje SK havde kvalificeret sig til slutkampen for femte gang, og det var fjerde gang at holdet måtte nøjes med sølvmedaljerne.

Resultater

Første runde

Anden runde

Kvartfinaler

Semifinaler

Finale

Spillere

Hammarby IF's mesterhold bestod af følgende spillere:
 Stig Emanuel "Stickan" Andersson (3. SM-titel)
 Åke "Plutten" Andersson (2. SM-titel)
 Sven "Svenne Berka" Bergquist (2. SM-titel)
 Lennart "Joe" Hellman (2. SM-titel)
 Ragnar "Ragge" Johansson (2. SM-titel)
 Bengt Liedstrand (3. SM-titel)
 Erik "Fimpen" Lindström (1. SM-titel)
 Bertil "Berra" Lundell (4. SM-titel)
 Sigfrid "Sigge" Öberg (4. SM-titel)

Se også
 Svenska Serien 1937

Kilder
 Hockeyarchives - Championnat de Suède 1936/37
 Svenska Ishockeyförbundet - Historik - Nationellt
 Svenska Dagbladets Årsbok - 1937 - s. 222
 Hammarby IF - Historia - 1936/37
 AIK Hockey - Vår historia - Storhetstid 1934-1949
 Svenskhockey.com - Svenska Serien 1936/37

Noter

1937
Sport i 1937

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
The DTA Team
DTA History
Organization and Process Design
Coaching Leaders and Teams
Nonprofit Capacity BuildingDTA Team2020-06-24T16:49:44-04:00
Nonprofit capacity building is the process of developing an organization's strength and sustainability. More than just important, it's essential for your nonprofit's health and longevity. Capacity building enables you to focus on your mission — not simply on survival. With capacity building, you'll maintain focus and determine the best ways to deliver your vision and mission.
The Nonprofit Lifecycle
We support Susan Kenny Stevens' theory that healthy non-profit organizations go through a lifecycle from startup to maturity. We will work with your organization to assess where it is in its life cycle and where improvements are needed.
We work with non-profit organizations to help them assess their stage of development in five critical areas and determine how to build capacity in each area to ensure they reach and sustain maturity. Below are some critical questions that support diagnosis.
Programs—How well are they organized? Are they fulfilling the organizations mission? Do they meet the needs of the people they want to serve?
Management—Does the executive director exhibit strong leadership qualities? Is the leadership team aligned? How well does the staff support the work of the organization and manage their responsibilities?
Governance—Does the board understand and fulfill its legal and fiduciary responsibilities? Is it representative of the community it serves? Are there bylaws that guide board structure?
Resources—Is there a diversified appropriate balance between earned and unearned income? Are there sufficient sources of income to ensure sustainability? Are the resources expended in a way that best supports the mission of the organization?
Systems—Are there appropriate bookkeeping systems in place to ensure the finances are well managed? Do the communication systems ensure that necessary information is disseminated to staff and to other key stakeholders? Are the personnel policies sufficient and effective?
Capacity Building Services
We work with nonprofit boards and executive leadership to build capacity in the following areas:
Mission, Vision, and, Strategy
System Engagement in Planning
Leadership Coaching and Development
Board Training and Development
Business Planning for Revenue Generation
Program Design and Development
Outcomes Measurement
One Client's Nonprofit Capacity Building Story
The Client: A small social service nonprofit organization providing a variety of safety net services to its community.
The Challenge: When the founder who served as the executive director for 20 years suddenly died, the Board was at a loss as to how to keep the organization running. The Board was made up of well-meaning local residents with little or no other experience serving on boards. Their basic role had been to "rubber-stamp" whatever the trusted founder put in front of them, and they had very limited knowledge of the overall operation. They did not really understand that many of their critical areas were still in the "start-up" lifecycle stage.
The Process: We were engaged to help the Board grapple with their current situation and determine next steps for ensuring the agency did not go under. Our work included educating them on the lifecycle of non-profits and supporting their assessment of their lifecycle stage in each of the five critical areas. We also provided training on Board roles and responsibilities. They embraced these new concepts and committed to stabilizing the organization. The board developed a short-term transition plan.
Results after Six Months
Programs–Developed community needs assessment and began eliminating non-essential programs
Management–Drafted job descriptions for leadership, staff, and volunteers and hired interim executive director
Governance–Updated bylaws and put committee structure in place
Resources–Created financial reporting procedures and drafted a development plan to help ensure greater financial sustainability
Systems–Began documenting improved personnel and communication procedures
To learn more about our approach to change, see these related topics:
© Dannemiller Tyson Associates

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When you think of the state of Oregon you may conjure up images of the city of Portland, known for hipsters and craft beer. Or maybe you think of lumberjacks sporting denim coveralls while chopping down old growth timber. Well, we have all of that… and so much more.
Oregon has gorgeous waterfalls, arid deserts, snowcapped mountains, cascading rivers, steaming hot springs, a beautiful coastline, and the friendliest of locals. I could go on and on about this amazing state. And I will, below. So read on to learn all about my favorite places in the great state of Oregon!
Crater Lake is located in Central Oregon and is a part of the US National Parks system. Several thousand years ago Mount Mazama collapsed after a massive eruption and formed this volcanic caldera. The lake is estimated to be just over 2,000 feet deep – the deepest in the entire US and the 3rd deepest in the world. Although some people believe it has no bottom.
The lake has an intense blue color and is unbelievably clear. Floating at the surface is the "Old Man of the Lake", a tree log that has been bobbing vertically for 100 years.
There are many hiking trails around Crater Lake. And weather permitting you can even hike down to the rim of the lake and have a swim in the frigid water. There are several campsites in the park (beware, they close in the winter) and a gorgeous lodge.
Hood River is a quaint little town about an hour east of Portland in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. It draws hundreds of kiteboarders from around the country due to its ideal windy conditions.
But even if you don't kiteboard or windsurf, Hood River is an ideal place to spend a long weekend. With delicious brunch spots, lively breweries with industrial-style tasting rooms, cute boutiques, and art galleries lining the pedestrian-friendly downtown, you'll have plenty to fill up your days. It's a perfect stop to add your Pacific Northwest road trip itinerary.
East of John Day, Oregon, in the Malheur National Forest, you'll find 68,700 acres of beauty called the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness. The aptly named Strawberry Mountain Range providse a picturesque backdrop to the lush vegetation you'll find here.
And Strawberry Lake is in this area as well. The trail is a 6.2 heavily trafficked out and back that is moderate in difficulty. You'll get to see both Strawberry Lake and Little Strawberry Lake. The reflection off of this amazing high-elevation, shallow lake is quite spectacular.
If you're a fishing enthusiast, you'll be happy to know that the lake is stocked with trout and fishing here is permitted. And in the winter you can reach the frozen lake with cross country skies or snowshoes.
The idyllic Strawberry Camp sits along Strawberry Creek and this is where the hike to the lake begins. This area is not a popular tourist destination so you'll find a good amount of peace and quiet here. It's the perfect place to spend a weekend camping and hiking in the beautiful Oregon wilderness! Plus how cute is it that everything here is named after a piece of fruit?
Most people don't know that there is a massive dry lakebed in Southeastern Oregon, in the shadows of the Steens Mountains. The playa here is similar to Black Rock City, where Burning Man is held every year, but smaller and far less crowded. This 12×7 mile desert wasteland is the perfect place to go if you want to camp in the middle of a giant playa or set land speed records.
There are no real rules here other than "leave no trace". You can just drive onto the lakebed, camp anywhere, and drive as fast as you want. And right on the outskirts of the playa is a privately owned hot springs, general store, toilet (you'll probably need this at least once during your stay), and a campground with a few more amenities.
It's awesome to have a soak in one of the pools, temperatures are "hot" and "scalding", and then drive onto the playa and find your own little private spot to pitch your tent. And when you wake up in the morning you can cruise around the playa, testing the limits of your car.
Be sure to fill up on gas in the nearest town of Fields (population 86) since the Alvord is literally out in the middle of nowhere.
A visit to the Painted Hills is like a trip back in time. The hills contain colored stratifications in the soil and the colors of yellow, black, and red appear to have been painted on in long, horizontal brush strokes. The colors are most vibrant in the late afternoon. You'll want to spend a few hours here, admiring how the colors look different depending on the sun, and wandering along the trails.
There are several well-maintained trails in the area if you'd like to get out and stretch your legs. You can also see the hills from your car if you'd prefer. The Journey Through Time Scenic Byway takes you through a ghost town and the town of Fossil which has some fun activities for kids.
The Painted Hills are one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon (a few others are listed here as well). They are also a part of the John Day Fossil Beds so there are plenty of other amazing landscapes to explore nearby. We especially loved the Blue Basin – walking through the bright blue canyon was like being on another planet!
The Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge is a rugged, backcountry area of land in Southern Oregon that protects over 300 species of wildlife. There are some primary maintained roads, as well as some bumpy, off-roading style roads. You'll want 4-wheel drive and high clearance here.
This is also an area that is open to hunting during designated seasons to keep the population controlled. Fishing is another popular recreational activity in the area. Most people like to do some wildlife observation and photography as the opportunities here are endless!
The real draw to this area, at least for us, was the natural hot springs that is located right near the campground. You can soak in this natural pool while watching the sun sink below the majestic mountains that tower above you. And if you're lucky, you may spot some wildlife grazing nearby.
Located about 3 hours southeast of Portland, Bend is the perfect adventurous town to spend a weekend exploring. The people who live here tend to love the great outdoors and spend their weekends kayaking in the river that runs through the center of the city, hiking on one of the countless trails nearby, or snowboarding on Mt Bachelor that is just outside of town.
Not only does Bend offer a plethora of outdoor activities, it also has a bunch of craft breweries, cute boutiques, delicious restaurants, fancy mountain lodges, hot pools for lounging, the list goes on and on. It's definitely a town that you must visit during your trip to Oregon!
And, of course you must check out Smith Rock State Park during your visit. It's another of the Seven Wonders of Oregon!
The Columbia River cuts through the Cascade Mountains and now provides a natural barrier between Oregon and Washington. Here you'll find spectacular scenic views and plenty of spots to stop along the way for short or long hikes or just to view the spectacular waterfalls.
The Historic Columbia River Highway follows the river and you'll enjoy the cliffs rising above you, the lush vegetation lining the road, and the many waterfalls cascading from above. Multnomah Falls is crowded but is a must-visit during your drive. Bridal Veil and Latourell Falls are also worth a stop.
And if you want to spend a few hours hiking, Dog Mountain Trail, Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail, and Angel's Rest are all well-maintained and popular trails. And the Vista House provides the most spectacular view of the gorge, it's a must-stop!
Located in northeastern Oregon, near Hells Canyon, are the spectacular Wallowa Mountains. They are popular for outdoor enthusiasts looking to hike and explore the beauty of Oregon.
Even if hiking isn't your activity of choice, you can still enjoy the Wallowa Mountains. The Wallowa Lake Tramway will transport you 3,700 vertical feet to the top of Mount Howard, which is over 8,000 feet tall. Views of the entire area from here are absolutely stunning. There are two miles of relatively easy hiking trails at the top for you to explore.
Be sure to stop in the quaint town of Joseph nearby. They have an up-and-coming art, food, and beer scene and a cute downtown area. It's the perfect place to use as your base before heading into the wilderness for a day of trekking.
Oneonta Gorge is located in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge and is a popular hiking area for locals and tourists alike. But unlike most hiking trails, there isn't actually a path. You'll park, walk down to the water, and start hiking through the creek. Almost immediately you'll come to a large log jam that you'll need to scramble over so be careful. There tends to be a bit of a pileup of people here, especially on weekends.
You'll walk upstream through the water for about a mile until you get to Lower Oneonta Falls. Depending on the season, at times you'll be wading through chest-deep water which may be difficult for small children unless they can swim. Be sure you are dressed to get wet and wear shoes that have good traction.
The waterfall at the end is a nice treat but the adventure of getting there is what you'll enjoy the most!
To reach this little piece of bright blue paradise, you'll need to hike the McKenzie River Trail. It's kind of on the way to Bend if you're taking Highway 22 through Salem. The trail is a 3.7 mile well-maintained, heavily trafficked out and back trail that is fairly flat the whole way.
Once you reach the end of the hike, you'll understand what all of the hype is about. Tamolitch Falls (aka "Blue Pools") is a body of water so blue, and so crystal clear, you won't even believe that it is real. This was once a waterfall but the river changed course so now this area contains a dry waterfall ledge and a pool beneath that is so clear and so still that it resembles glass.
It's an idyllic place to swim on a hot summer day. And the waterfall ledge is perfect for jumping (check the depth before you leap of course). You'll love spending an afternoon swimming in this pool of bright blue water!
Located in northwestern Oregon, right across the Columbia River from Washington state is the darling little port city of Astoria. You may know it as the setting of the classic movie Goonies. Astoria is the oldest city in the state of Oregon and is a good mix of history with some modern touches that make it an ideal tourist destination.
The downtown area is full of restaurants and cafes with dishes that are sure to please any foodie. And the Fort George Brewery, located in an old auto dealership, is a great place to grab a craft brew and sit outside in the sun. There are also a few food trucks here if you need a snack.
Camping is available at the nearby Fort Stevens State Park where the famous Peter Iredale shipwreck remains still sits on the beach. Fort Stevens was once a military defense area that was in service for 84 years. And today it is a large park with campgrounds, hiking and biking trails, a military fort, and plenty of opportunities to see wildlife.
Spend a few days enjoying the state park, the coast, and the cute little town of Astoria!
Haystack Rock is a giant rock that sits right on the coast in Cannon Beach. It is one of the most recognizable and popular landmarks in the state of Oregon. Rising 235 feet from the sand, this large rock is home to some interesting sea life and bird species. You can walk right up to it at low tide.
Cannon Beach is located in northwestern Oregon, not far from Astoria. The beaches in Oregon are often referred to as "the coast" as opposed to "the beach" because both the air and the water are generally pretty chilly. So you may not want to come here for the sunbathing opportunities, but you will want to visit Cannon Beach for the beautiful views of the sea, the soft sand, and the cute little town with shops and cafes galore!
If you have some extra time, the entire stretch of Highway 101 is quite spectacular and worth the drive.
Mt. Hood is another of the Seven Wonders of Oregon, and for good reason. At over 11,000 feet, you can spot this behemoth all the way from Portland's city center! It is the tallest mountain in Oregon and the 4th tallest in the Cascade Mountain Range.
Located just about an hour outside of Portland, Mt. Hood is a popular destination for weekend warriors looking to do some skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, or tubing during the cold winter months. There is a cozy mountain lodge here, perfect to warm yourself with a hot toddy after a long day in the snow.
In the summer months there are popular trekking opportunities on Mt. Hood. The trek to the summit is difficult and not for the faint of heart. There is also a ring trail called the Timberline Trail that allows you to hike around the base of the mountain. It takes a few days so you'll need to carry all of your camping gear and food. But the landscape is absolutely breathtaking!
And last but not least… no trip to Oregon is complete without a few days in Portland! This weird wonderland is full of hipsters drinking overpriced brews (coffee and beer) while talking about how great Portland used to be. You'll find the craziest donut concoctions, lively outdoor markets, some of the best cuisine in all of the US, a gorgeous city skyline, and more.
We love Portland so much that we've written several complete posts about it! Start here and work your way through all of them.
Planning a trip to Oregon? Check out our favorite travel guides for more inspiration!
Amazing Post, maybe someday can I visit one of this magical places!


In case you missed it last night, Christmas is coming! Yes, head to your App Store right now and download the newest version of TSTO…the Christmas version!
This entry was posted in Updates and tagged Simpsons Christmas Special TSTO, Tapped Out Tips and Tricks, The Simpsons Tapped Out, TSTO Addicts, TSTO Christmas, TSTO Christmas 2018, TSTO Tips and Tricks, When does the Christmas event hit. Bookmark the permalink.
I love the picture for this new event. I saved it!
I've been playing since the game came out and I get excited so excited when updates and holidays come. However I'm very disappointed with this update it's just a mini one like for thanksgiving. I was looking forward to the normal big holiday game like for Halloween not just a little one. Developers are phoning it in for this event hopefully something better will come out soon.
Lol so this is phoning it in but a 3 act rinse and repeat major event isn't?
It seem's that my previous comment has disappeared. Oo.
Isn't there something that "turns on" all your Christmas Decorations?
I mean the lights for houses and such.
I love the snow! I started the game in the snow, and to me, thats how all things should be!
I have done the update but no tasks has started for me yet?
awww 3 minutes, but I want it NOW..
Thanks for the update, I did read it. Looking forward to see what's in store, but not until 10:00 eastern.
Yes! No meetings till 10CST!
How do you unlock all the Christmas stuff? Usually there's some 6-second jobs that characters need to finish, but this time there's nothing. I have all the snow, but there's nothing new in the store, no new characters, no Christmas section, I see no Christmas quests or anything like it. Just the snow.
I apologize, I made a mistake in calculating the time, since I'm in a different time zone. I just googled it again, and yes, there's still more time. Thank you for the reply.
Keep patient Alissa !!! Must be a wind up surely.
I've updated the game but no quest line has kicked off for me as of yet, any ideas what's the problem?
Next time, label the post "Christmas Is Coming, But It's Not Here Yet, It'll Be Here At 10am EST".
I bet I'd still get asked lol.
Maybe you could include a short quiz on content after each post? With only a passing score allowing access the comments section?
as per normal with every event since christmas 2017 i cannot logon and am stuck with the login error screen. i've reinstalled the game multiple times which is a 50/50 login fix (so i have to redownload 1.1gb every 4hrs just login once. i've updated my phone, changed my password and have 36gb free. no point contacting ea as i've done so all year with every event and i get the standard "solution fixes" i've already tried to no success and am told they're working on the login fix but they never seem able to fix it.
Don't you have another device you could play on?
Always love Christmas but this one is huge, my device is complaining a lot! I hate to have to upgrade for a game, but might have to….
Not seeing many interesting new characters, though Young Marge is nice.
I love seeing the snow in Springfield, it always brings a smile to my face! From the splash screen it looks like we may be in for a more "normal" Christmas than those of the past few years. Excited to see what it brings.
I hope you go OK at the doctors. Am so excited for the update!
So excited , the snow is falling the Christmas lights are on. I love the Christmas season…I'm leaving Sunday for the most magical place on earth, Disney World. I'll be playing as I stand in lines for rides..
First time I've downloaded an update for an event and has a delayed start time. Of course I will be in the middle of something as well, when it goes live.
Not played long then ?
So excited!! Started playing early this year and have been eagerly waiting for my first Christmas event ever since. I love Christmas and have found lots of peace and enjoyment from TSTO. Don't think I'll be able to sleep until it's here!
Argh! Soooooo bright! I've turned down screen brightness so at least it'll save some battery power. Harder to find Maggie on the snow covered roofs though.
So excited!! Started playing early this year and have eagerly waiting for my first Christmas event. I love Christmas and have found lots of peace and enjoyment from TSTO. Don't think I'll be able to sleep until it's here!


text:
New Year, New Appellate Rules.
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Print Archive – 2016-2020
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Jan 4, 2021 | Featured Articles
By: Christopher D. Donovan
Happy New Year! We made it out of 2020, which saw many changes to how we practice that will likely stay with us in the New Year, including remote working and Zoom hearings. There were also many important amendments to the Appellate Rules of Procedure, including changes in jurisdiction, the font style of filings, and a move from page limits to word limits. Most of these changes became effective on January 1, 2021. Here's a summary of them:
Circuit courts lose jurisdiction over county appeals.
The legislature enacted the first significant change to jurisdiction in 40 years by amending section 26.012, Florida Statutes (2019), and repealing section 924.08, Florida Statutes (2019), thereby removing circuit court jurisdiction over county court appeals—both civil and criminal. After January 1st, most final county court appeals must now be filed in your areas' District Court of Appeal, and those that are currently pending will be transferred to the District Courts. Look for a more detailed article covering the impacts of this jurisdictional change to be published in the Record in January, 2021.
Appellate filings must use either Bookman Old Style or Arial font.
The Supreme Court also moved the technical requirements for petitions and briefs in rules 9.100, 9.120, and 9.210 to newly created rule 9.045. For the most part, this rule contains all the same technical requirements, but with one very important difference: The Court removed the option to file appellate documents in either Times New Roman or Courier New font. Now all filings must be in either 14-point Bookman Old Style or 14-point Arial.
Petitions, briefs, and other documents now have word limits, not page limits.
Because Arial and Bookman Old Style take up more room on a page, the Supreme Court also did away with page limits on computer-generated briefs and replaced them with word limits. Although this applies to all brief-like documents—i.e., initial brief, answer brief, reply brief, petitions and responses, amicus filings, and supreme court jurisdictional briefing—it does not appear to apply to motions under rule 9.300 because that rule was not amended.
For those regularly appearing in the Federal Eleventh Circuit or other federal appellate circuit, the word limit will not be a dramatic change in practice. And like federal courts, you must include a certificate of compliance identifying the number of words in the document (less the usual parts that do not count against you) and certifying that the font requirement was complied with.
Here's a quick chart of the new page limit for each relevant document:
Document Word Limit
Initial or Answer Brief 13,000
Petition or Response Brief 13,000
Answer and Cross-initial Brief 22,000
Reply and Cross-answer Brief 13,000
Reply Brief or Cross-reply Brief 4,000
Capital Cases Initial or Answer Brief 25,000
Capital Answer and Cross-initial Brief 40,000
Capital Reply Brief or Cross-reply Brief 10,000
Briefs on Jurisdiction in the Supreme Court 2,500
Amicus Briefs 5,000
Amicus' Notice of Intent 250
Pass-through Jurisdiction Suggestions (9.125) 1,300
New appealable nonfinal order and some other tinkering to Rule 9.130.
The Florida Supreme Court added new rule 9.130(a)(3)(C)(x), which allows for appeal by right of a nonfinal order for permanent guardianship of dependent children under section 39.6221, Florida Statutes.
The Court also tinkered with appealing orders concerning various government immunities, including sovereign immunity, absolute and qualified immunity in federal civil rights cases, and immunity under section 768.28(9), Florida Statutes. It moved appealing orders on these immunities to new rule 9.130(a)(3)(C)(vii). The Court also fixed an ambiguity in the rule's prior version to make it clear that orders denying these immunity defenses are immediately appealable regardless of whether they are denied on factual or legal grounds.
A buffet of other changes:
Creating rule 9.040(j) to require every appellate court or circuit court sitting in an appellate capacity to publish its written opinions on its website in a searchable PDF unless confidential under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420. The Supreme Court and District Courts have been doing this for years, but the circuit courts sitting in their appellate capacity were not.
Amending rule 9.110(d) to require notices of appeal to indicate whether a motion for rehearing or other tolling motion is still pending in the lower tribunal. Recall a few years ago, the Court changed the rules to make it clear that an appeal filed while a rehearing is pending no longer results in the rehearing's abandonment, but causes the appeal to be held in abeyance until the rehearing is resolved. This revision gives notice to the appellate court of the pending tolling motion. The appellate form has been updated as well. The rule also requires giving the appellate court notice within 10 days after the tolling motion is resolved or withdrawn.
Creates new rule 9.120(f) to require parties to include a statement of the issues section in their jurisdictional brief to the Supreme Court if they intend to raise issues independent of those triggering jurisdiction.
Amending rule 9.130(a)(4) to clarify that orders resolving rehearing are not separately appealable. They can be reviewed with a final order—if timely—but are not themselves separately appealable.
Amending rules 9.170(b)(23) & (24) to clarify that in probate and guardianship proceedings, orders either denying or awarding entitlement to attorney fees and costs are immediately appealable.
Amending rule 9.200 to enable attorneys to direct the clerk to send unredacted records on appeal to the appellate court without an order from the district court in every case.
Deleting rule 9.300(d)(13), which had originally said that no motion filed in the Supreme Court tolled other deadlines—like briefing deadlines—unless also accompanied by a motion to toll deadlines. For years, the opposite has been true in circuit and district courts where most appellate motions toll deadlines. This trap for the unwary at the Supreme Court has now been removed.
Amending rule 9.320(a)(4) and (d) to require requests for oral argument in the Florida Supreme Court to be made by the due date of the party's jurisdictional brief, except when jurisdiction is based on a certified question and then it is due five days after filing the notice to invoke discretionary review. These requests must explain why oral argument would enhance the Court's review of the issue, and the opposing party has five days to respond. Again, this amendment only applies in the Florida Supreme Court.
Creating new rule 9.425, which requires parties to provide notice to the attorney general in any appellate proceeding where the constitutionality of a state statute or constitutional provision is challenged. The exception is cases involving criminal, collateral criminal proceedings, or where the attorney general is already a party. The rule applies regardless of the document raising the constitutional challenge and must be filed and served simultaneous with that document. New rule 9.900(m) provides a form for your convenience.
Amending rule 9.440 to include two new subdivisions allowing for limited-scope appearances and providing that unless the notice of appearance says otherwise, the attorney filing it will be deemed the attorney of record.
These are just a few of the notable rule changes that became effective in the New Year. Check out the following Supreme Court opinions for others and further explanations: In re Amendments To Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure 9.120 & 9.210., SC20-597, 2020 WL 7062711, at *1 (Fla. Dec. 3, 2020); In re Amendments To Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure 9.120 & 9.210., SC19-884, 2020 WL 7062674, at *1 (Fla. Dec. 3, 2020); In re Amendments to Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure-2020 Regular-Cycle Report, 45 Fla. L. Weekly S282 (Fla. Oct. 29, 2020); In re Amendments to Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.130, 289 So. 3d 866, 867 (Fla. 2020); In re Amendments to Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure 9.130 & 9.200, 288 So. 3d 1187 (Fla. 2020).
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text:
#include "tclInt.h"

/*
 * The following variable holds the network name of this host.
 */

static TclInitProcessGlobalValueProc InitializeHostName;
static ProcessGlobalValue hostName =
	{0, 0, NULL, NULL, InitializeHostName, NULL, NULL};

/*
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------
 *
 * InitializeHostName --
 *
 * 	This routine sets the process global value of the name of the local
 * 	host on which the process is running.
 *
 * Results:
 *	None.
 *
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------
 */

static void
InitializeHostName(
    char **valuePtr,
    int *lengthPtr,
    Tcl_Encoding *encodingPtr)
{
    CONST char *native = NULL;

#ifndef NO_UNAME
    struct utsname u;
    struct hostent *hp;

    memset(&u, (int) 0, sizeof(struct utsname));
    if (uname(&u) > -1) {				/* INTL: Native. */
        hp = TclpGetHostByName(u.nodename);		/* INTL: Native. */
	if (hp == NULL) {
	    /*
	     * Sometimes the nodename is fully qualified, but gets truncated
	     * as it exceeds SYS_NMLN. See if we can just get the immediate
	     * nodename and get a proper answer that way.
	     */

	    char *dot = strchr(u.nodename, '.');

	    if (dot != NULL) {
		char *node = ckalloc((unsigned) (dot - u.nodename + 1));

		memcpy(node, u.nodename, (size_t) (dot - u.nodename));
		node[dot - u.nodename] = '\0';
		hp = TclpGetHostByName(node);
		ckfree(node);
	    }
	}
        if (hp != NULL) {
	    native = hp->h_name;
        } else {
	    native = u.nodename;
        }
    }
    if (native == NULL) {
	native = tclEmptyStringRep;
    }
#else
    /*
     * Uname doesn't exist; try gethostname instead.
     *
     * There is no portable macro for the maximum length of host names
     * returned by gethostbyname(). We should only trust SYS_NMLN if it is at
     * least 255 + 1 bytes to comply with DNS host name limits.
     *
     * Note: SYS_NMLN is a restriction on "uname" not on gethostbyname!
     *
     * For example HP-UX 10.20 has SYS_NMLN == 9, while gethostbyname() can
     * return a fully qualified name from DNS of up to 255 bytes.
     *
     * Fix suggested by Viktor Dukhovni (viktor@esm.com)
     */

#    if defined(SYS_NMLN) && SYS_NMLEN >= 256
    char buffer[SYS_NMLEN];
#    else
    char buffer[256];
#    endif

    if (gethostname(buffer, sizeof(buffer)) > -1) {	/* INTL: Native. */
	native = buffer;
    }
#endif

    *encodingPtr = Tcl_GetEncoding(NULL, NULL);
    *lengthPtr = strlen(native);
    *valuePtr = ckalloc((unsigned int) (*lengthPtr)+1);
    memcpy(*valuePtr, (void *) native, (size_t)(*lengthPtr)+1);
}

/*
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------
 *
 * Tcl_GetHostName --
 *
 *	Returns the name of the local host.
 *
 * Results:
 *	A string containing the network name for this machine, or an empty
 *	string if we can't figure out the name. The caller must not modify or
 *	free this string.
 *
 * Side effects:
 *	Caches the name to return for future calls.
 *
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------
 */

CONST char *
Tcl_GetHostName(void)
{
    return Tcl_GetString(TclGetProcessGlobalValue(&hostName));
}

/*
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------
 *
 * TclpHasSockets --
 *
 *	Detect if sockets are available on this platform.
 *
 * Results:
 *	Returns TCL_OK.
 *
 * Side effects:
 *	None.
 *
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------
 */

int
TclpHasSockets(
    Tcl_Interp *interp)		/* Not used. */
{
    return TCL_OK;
}

/*
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------
 *
 * TclpFinalizeSockets --
 *
 *	Performs per-thread socket subsystem finalization.
 *
 * Results:
 *	None.
 *
 * Side effects:
 *	None.
 *
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------
 */

void
TclpFinalizeSockets(void)
{
    return;
}

/*
 * Local Variables:
 * mode: c
 * c-basic-offset: 4
 * fill-column: 78
 * End:
 */

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Dow Grobermann (he. דב גרוברמן; ur. 5 kwietnia 1965) – izraelski zapaśnik walczący w stylu klasycznym. Olimpijczyk z Seulu 1988, gdzie odpadł w eliminacjach w kategorii 48 kg. Dwukrotny uczestnik mistrzostw świata; dwunasty w 1991 i trzynasty w 1987. Zdobył srebrny i brązowy medal na MŚ juniorów w 1980 roku.

Turniej w Seulu 1988

Przypisy

Bibliografia

Izraelscy olimpijczycy
Izraelscy zapaśnicy
Urodzeni w 1965
Uczestnicy Letnich Igrzysk Olimpijskich 1988


Chicago Supplement- Is the universe really what we perceive it to be?
The last time I post this - Tufts supplements - "why Tufts?"
Chicago short question- "Intellectual Holy Grail"
My fascination for process of invention; Carnegie Mellon; Major?
Yale: Your choice essay. "My Gift"
Undecided: every success we achieve we owe.
Common app supplement to BUCKNELL, any suggestions?


text:
Kneron, Edge AI Startup, Raises $18M In Round Led by Horizons Ventures
By Sarah de Crescenzo
Edge artificial intelligence solutions provider Kneron says it has raised $18 million in a Series A1 financing led by Hong Kong-based Horizons Ventures.
Kneron CEO Albert Liu founded the company in San Diego in 2015. Kneron, which has also received investment from San Diego's Qualcomm Inc., has offices in San Diego, Taiwan's capital Taipei and the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai.
Edge AI refers to the relocation of computing power from the cloud to mobile devices, such as smartphones, allowing real-time AI recognition, inference and analysis to take place in the absence of a solid internet connection. Kneron says it has developed a processing unit dedicated to AI which provides high computing performance with low power consumption.
"Edge AI will be key to modern day AI applications by offering fast, efficient and safe AI processing solutions," said Horizons Ventures' Jonathan Tam, in a May 31 announcement by Kneron.
The venture capital firm, which manages the private investments of recently retired billionaire businessman Li Ka-shing, invested early in companies such as DeepMind (acquired by Google), Siri (acquired by Apple), Skype (acquired by Microsoft) and Facebook.
Liu said the money raised will be used to accelerate product development for smartphones and smart devices for homes and surveillance. He also said in the May 31 announcement that Kneron would launch a "breakthrough" 3D AI solution in the second half of the year.
It's the second round of funding the company has raised in less than a year. In November Kneron said it raised a Series A of more than $10 million led by Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, a nonprofit initiative launched by Alibaba Group in 2015, and CDIB Capital Group, the investment arm of Taiwan-based investment bank China Development Financial.
Reach reporter Sarah de Crescenzo at sarahd@sdbj.com.
Qualcomm launches $100M AI fund
Qualcomm Ventures Wins at Supporting Role Backing Tech Startups
UCSD Joining IBM-Led Initiative Working to Use AI for Healthier Living
UCSD Joins IBM-Led Initiative Working to Use AI for Healthier Living
2017 Newsmakers: Seals Are Businessman's Bet On San Diego Sports Fans
Anzu Partners Closes $128M Fund, Opens La Jolla Office
Startup Standouts Headed to Hera Venture Summit
Qualcomm Acquiring Dutch AI Company


text:
Alabama cities suffocated by a system designed for failure
Published: Jun. 09, 2019, 8:18 a.m.
By David Sher, Comeback Town
ComebackTown is published by David Sher for a more prosperous greater Birmingham.
David Sher is past Chairman of Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), ONB (REV Birmingham), and City Action Partnership (CAP)
Let's turn Birmingham around. Click here to sign up for newsletter. There's power in numbers. (Opt out at any time)
Today's guest blogger is Bill Ivey. If you'd like to be a guest blogger, please click here.
For a moment, let's assume a few things about the Birmingham metro area.
That the Birmingham mayor and council are the best we've had in generations.
That the Jefferson County Commission is in peak form.
And, finally, that cooperation among the many municipalities in our metro area is at an all-time high.
Things are better around here–and there are signs of hope. However, even in a perfect "metro" world we would collectively still have a huge millstone around our necks: A lack of home rule in Alabama. Our state is one of the few in the U.S. that gives up very little power to local governments.
As with most of Alabama's structural issues, we can trace this one back to the 1901 Constitution–an international embarrassment. It's one of the worst in the world and is by far the longest in the world (approximately three times longer than India's, the longest national constitution in the world). Our constitution is about twelve times longer than the average state constitution.
Alabama's constitution has been amended over 900 times in 118 years. By contrast, the U.S. Constitution has been amended only seventeen times since the first 10 amendments, the original Bill of Rights, were adopted in 1791 (almost 230 years ago).
Why and how is this possible in our state? Limited home rule is the main reason. About seventy-five percent of those 900+ amendments cover issues directly related to specific cities or counties. The 482nd Amendment provides just one crazy example: "The Limestone county commission is hereby authorized with or without charge to provide for the disposal of dead farm animals and the excavating of human graves".
Alabama voters are familiar with these countless obscure amendments that show up on their ballots, but I doubt that they understand the significance of such an irritant. The Alabama state government holds all the trump cards.
According to Dr. Wayne Flynt (Alabama in the Twentieth Century), "To accomplish virtually any change in a county, officials after 1901 had to hold a public hearing, gain the consent of the local legislative delegation, have a bill introduced in the legislature amending the constitution…"
And on and on. You get the picture. Elite Alabamians had codified their long-term dominance over local officials through the 1901 Constitution.
And, from PARCA (the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama): "Most state and national constitutions lay out broad principles, set the basic structure of the government, and impose limitations on governmental power. Such broad provisions are included in the Alabama Constitution. However, Alabama's constitution delves into the details of government, requiring constitutional amendments for basic changes that would be made by the Legislature or by local governments in most states…"
Also from PARCA: "Amendments establish pay rates of public officials and spell out local property tax rates. A recent amendment, Amendment 921, grants municipal governments in Baldwin County the power to regulate golf carts on public streets."
Many of you may remember that, in August 2015, Birmingham approved a new ordinance that would incrementally raise the minimum wage of city workers to $10.10. In early 2016 (about a week before the first increment would have kicked in), the Alabama legislature passed a bill to pre-empt the raise. It was fast-tracked and passed both houses within two weeks after it was introduced. No raise for 40,000 Birmingham workers. And our Birmingham mayor and council could do nothing about it.
For many generations, Birmingham-area leaders have been blamed for holding us back. And they usually deserve it because of their frustrating lack of vision and/or common sense. However, until the Alabama Constitution is replaced, ALL of Alabama–including the Birmingham metro region–will be suffocated by a system designed for failure.
It's pathetic and embarrassing that we've operated this way for 118 years. Will it ever end?
And I can't end any examination of the Constitution of 1901 without bringing up the saddest, most egregious aspect of the document: It is thoroughly racist. Upon being elected president of the convention, John Knox gave a speech in which he, with no hesitation or sense of irony, stated that one of the primary purposes of the new constitution was "to establish white supremacy in this State". I can't comprehend why no organization has challenged the document in Federal court on racist grounds. NAACP, SCLC, Southern Poverty Law Center, where are you? You could win this fight in federal court and force Alabama to adopt a new constitution.
Such a scenario would fit us perfectly: In Alabama, we only do the right thing when forced to by the Federal government.
Bill Ivey is a retired coach and History/Government/Economics teacher. He's currently president of the Birmingham Basketball Academy, which he founded in 2013.