A big part of travel management is traveler management, or it should be. Our sixth teleconference featured four practitioners discussing the tools, metrics, benefits and challenges of traveler engagement. Speakers: Festive Road associate Mia Andersson, Shire senior global travel procurement manager Mary Batal, Microsoft global employee engagement and user experience lead Julia Fidler and Advito principal and vice president Lesley O'Bryan.
We all have access to more information than ever, and we are as finicky as ever. For corporate travel managers, this presents a big challenge. Keeping travelers compliant, productive and healthy — and making sure they don't jump ship for a job with cushier travel — requires two-way communication across various channels.
This gets into the culture of an organization and the methods it and its suppliers use to interact. Social networks. Mobile communications. Crowdsourcing. Surveys. Focus groups. Travel councils. Travel program marketing. A lot goes into effective traveler engagement. Once feedback is collected, travel program managers can do all kinds of things with it.


text:
Want to Integrate I&E on Campus? Adopt a "Principle of Inclusiveness"
"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things." — Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
Change is hard. Leading change efforts is even harder, and not for everyone. Yet as part of the Pathways in Innovation program, I have the luxury of working with dozens of faculty and administrators who, on a daily basis, lead their campus in the integration of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Working with these visionary, passionate change agents has taught me a lot about how to approach change. The most successful approaches consider the whole ecosystem, on and off campus, as recommended by Ruth Graham in her report, "Creating university-based entrepreneurial ecosystems: evidence from emerging world leaders".
Last week I spoke with two Pathways in Innovation team leaders: Steve Tello, Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Marc Sedam, Associate Vice Provost of Innovation and New Ventures at the University of New Hampshire, about their perspectives on campus change. Their success indeed hinges on a holistic approach.
For Steve, the key to a holistic approach is leadership engagement. He explains, "In order to build the broad bridges across disciplines, faculty and staff need the support—moral and financial—of campus leadership. Departments or department alumni may fund a department or college-based competition, but they are unlikely to fund a cross-campus effort unless campus leadership helps deans and chairs to understand the importance and value of these activities." Prior to being appointed Senior Associate Vice Chancellor, Steve, in his faculty role, worked to foster change and met with modest success. "However when the Chancellor reached out, integrated entrepreneurship into 3 of our 5 strategic pillars, and created the position of Vice Chancellor for Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, the tide turned."
Top-down, bottom-up
At UNH they focused on what Marc describes at the "principle of inclusiveness," along with a top-down and bottom-up approach. "We engaged engineering, business, and the senior leadership with the goal of approaching I&E from two fronts—the Tech Transfer Office would work directly with our I-Corps program to bring Lean LaunchPad principles to the faculty and staff, while the ECenter (our entrepreneurship center) would help drive co-curricular activities with the students and work through its Faculty Fellows program to seek out ways to incorporate I&E more directly into the classroom, as led by the faculty. Effectively the TTO was going top-down and the ECenter was going bottom-up. We hope we'll meet in the middle in 1-2 years!"
Wondering how you can begin this change process? Steve and Marc provided some low cost, high impact recommendations that can help catalyze change on your campus.
Identify a core team to work on this effort, along with a high-level champion.
Identify a faculty champion in each academic college or school.
Adopt a common set of tools and techniques. For example, Marc emphasized the Business Model Canvas and Lean LaunchPad pedagogy.
Work on a shared campus ethos. At UNH this was "entrepreneurship benefits everyone."
Engage students and alumni. Have these groups reach out to senior leadership on a regular basis.
Look for low hanging, but high profile opportunities.
Consider an extra-curricular effort to move outside the B-School. At UMass Lowell Steve worked with his Student Activities & Leadership staff, which can turn 1,000 students out to an event easily.
Leverage programs and funding from organizations like VentureWell.
Reach out to commercialization groups (such as a tech transfer office) for student support.
Include the Deans in your events, ask for their help, and let the administration know when they are supportive. Ask Deans how to engage their students and faculty.
Finally, Marc recommended, "Have someone in senior leadership contact a Pathways team to see how quickly (and with relatively small financial efforts) change can be made. Our President readily acknowledges how much more vibrant a community we have versus a year ago and much of that can be attributed to the cross-campus work of our Pathways team!"
Inclusive entrepreneurship
pathways in innovation

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


2:1 And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.
2:2 And I said, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.
2:5 and I, saith Jehovah, I will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
2:6 Ho, ho! flee from the land of the north, saith Jehovah; for I have scattered you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, saith Jehovah.
2:7 Ho! escape, Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.
2:8 For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: After the glory, hath he sent me unto the nations that made you a spoil; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
2:9 For behold, I will shake my hand upon them, and they shall become a spoil to those that served them: and ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me.
2:10 Sing aloud and rejoice, daughter of Zion; for behold, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith Jehovah.
2:11 And many nations shall join themselves to Jehovah in that day, and shall be unto me for a people; and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
2:12 And Jehovah shall inherit Judah [as] his portion in the holy land, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
2:13 Let all flesh be silent before Jehovah; for he is risen up out of his holy habitation.


text:
How did athleisure become the go-to outfit during COVID?
the pandemic has changed us. one day we woke up and going out was not an option. going out for a workout or sitting in our favourite café. it was all gone. all too suddenly, our traditional work clothes gave way to more comfortable clothes. some of us just started pulling morning to night in pyjamas because comfort and warmth became more important.
the rise of athleisure
people realized that they do not need to let go of comfort if wanted to look stylish and they certainly did not need to sacrifice their flair for style to feel comfortable. after all, feeling comfortable in what we wear should be basic. this boosted the trend towards wearing athletic wear or what we now call athleisure. it is functional all hours of the day whether you want to attend a morning zoom meeting or a Netflix-n-chill session with friends on the weekend.
even before the pandemic had hit, Refinery29 had stated in 2020 that people will prioritize comfort and cosiness in the coming year. the shift in the trend wasn't only about the pandemic, but also because people wanted their clothes to resonate with the values they stood for values like sustainability and wellness. athleisure wear perfectly aligns itself with these values.
it's a woman's world
even though athleisure wear is made for men and women, it has become the go-to for today's women. the trend has been a monumental step forward in defining gender identities, especially when it comes to popular cultural values related to "femininity"
women began to choose athleisure and activewear because it gave them more freedom to move while being functional all throughout the day. however, while the athleisure industry did bring forward the value of comfort above all, it is still struggling in many areas like size inclusivity. many women are still stigmatized when they wear athleisure because of the way they look. for instance, in 2013, lululemon founder chip Wilson stated that their brand's leggings did not work for larger body types.
at aastey, we don't just want to commit to making the most comfortable and sustainable athleisure but also make sure it is available for all sizes. because we cannot let society dictate how we should look and feel.
because you deserve better.
be you! live aastey!
2022, aastey, activewear, athleisure, body positivity, covid-19, fitness, pandemic, size inclusive


text:
Leadership in Film&nbspEssay
Length: 7 pages Sources: 3 Subject: Leadership Type: Essay Paper: #53942148 Related Topics: Intercultural Communications, Intercultural Communication, Behaviorism, Football
Change leaders are defined as "individuals with innovative solutions to society's most pressing social problems," (Reach for Change, 2012). As such, change leaders undertake roles that are greater than the job itself. The role of the change leader is not only to achieve the goals of the team, but also to affect normative changes that can represent paradigm shifts. Coach Herman Boone of the Williams High football club in Alexandria, Virginia was one such change leader. Depicted by Denzel Washington in the 2000 film Remember the Titans, Coach Boone motivated his team to an undefeated season and the championship. He did so not only through effective coaching leadership, but also through the change leadership required for changes to broader social norms related to race and power. When he became coach, Boone found himself working in an environment that remained hostile to change. The community was legally integrated, but completely segregated in practice. With little impetus for change, the community remained stagnant. Boone's change leadership transformed community norms and behaviors through his effective efforts as a football coach.
Boone's leadership can therefore be broken down into its two core components: his leadership as a coach, and his leadership in the community. The former type of leadership represents Boone's official position and title as the school's new head coach. The second type of leadership was an unofficial, tacit position that paralleled his role as a coach. Without serving as a catalyst for change in the community, and without recognizing the social and political context in which he operated, Coach Boone would never have understood how to reach out and motivate the players. Yet without having an arena within which to demonstrate his leadership skills, such as football, Coach Boone might not have been able to affect change in his community. Boone succeeds because he integrated two distinct types of leadership.
As a coach, Boone develops a synthetic leadership style appropriate for the coaching situation. When he first speaks with the players, he states, "This is not a democracy. This is dictatorship. I am the law." An authoritarian leadership style such as this might be counterproductive in some organizations, but it works well within the context of a high school. The team members are still adolescents who have yet to develop their own strengths as players, let alone their ability to participate in a democracy. Therefore, the style of leadership Boone exhibits on the outset helps to garner respect from the teammates. He comes across as being a strong and assertive leader, and his authority is only questioned on the grounds of his race.
Later, it becomes apparent that Boone's seeming authoritarianism is reserved only for working with the kids. When Boone works with his colleagues, he comports himself differently and reveals his ability to take situational variables into account. Boone actively solicits advice, input, and support from the former coach, Bill Yoast (Wil Patton), who also happens to be white. With Yoast's support, Boone creates a tight team that would never have formed had Boone cultivated mistrust, resentment, or antagonism. The difficulties Boone faces in the early weeks of his position seem insurmountable, as the white players have deeply rooted prejudices. Boone is wise enough to recognize that those prejudices can be erased, and serves as a change leader in order to reveal the root causes of those racist beliefs. Boone knows that the students are not bad individuals, but victims of dysfunctional patterns of social learning that have taken place over the course of several generations of norming. The community itself needs transformation, and Boone becomes the inadvertent change leader.
Boone's style of change leadership reflects core principles including
Coach Boone demonstrates what is known as "impressive empathy," defined as the ability and willingness to understand those who disagree with or even oppose. Faced with tremendous opposition on the part of the white players, Boone musters all the dignity he can to respond with empathy. Boone recognizes that their racist beliefs come from their parents, and not from their character. Yet Boone was not hired to solve the problem of racism; he was hired to win games. Therefore, Boone seeks only to cultivate a team spirit on the Titans. Cultivating team spirit depends absolutely on social harmony, and to achieve that goal, Boone serves as a change leader with impressive empathy. Boone discovers the higher purpose to which all teammates can believe in -- winning -- and uses that as the common ground to motivate white and black alike. Motivating the team to win requires the use of both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards: the cornerstones of basic behaviorism. As Fullan (2011) points out, intrinsic rewards are far more effective than extrinsic rewards. This is why Boone's motivation of the team to win had to depend on their intrinsic motivation to be honorable, mature young men.
Dealing with conflict and adversity with grace is a hallmark of an effective change leader. Coach Boone greets conflict and adversity with veritable enthusiasm, rising to every occasion with clever methods that never require the surrender of his dignity or principles. For example, when he takes the position, the racist white boys confront Boone almost immediately. Gary states, "We don't need any of your people on defense, we're all set." Instead of reacting with anger, Boone reacts in a creative way. He gathers all the boys together and states, "I don't care if you're white, green, black, or orange." The key is to work together as a team, because a segregated team cannot possibly win games. Thus, Boone pairs white with black team members as roommates. Boone's creative solutions amount to a sort of forced integration that had never occurred before in the boys' lives. Legal integration had never manifested in the community, because the community had never before had a change leader to guide them toward common goals. Motivated to win, Boone was also motivated to overcome racism in the community. These mutual goals depended on one another. When racial tensions seemed to be at their highest, Boone takes the team to Gettysburg, the graveyard of the dead who fought during the Civil War. He lectures the team: "take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together, right now on this hallowed ground, then we too will be destroyed." The message gets through to the kids. Boone continues, "I don't care if you like each other or not, but you will respect each other."
Respect becomes a keynote of Boone's change leadership style. He respects everyone on the team. He does not use petty insults to discourage them, or silly treats to motivate them extrinsically. Instead, Boone relies almost exclusively on intrinsic motivation. "We are going to change the way we run, the way we eat, the way we tackle," so as to work like a team and ultimately, "change the way we win." Winning provides intrinsic, internal motivation for students driven to prove their merits and become heroes. As the team starts to work together, some of the older members grow visibly more mature and take on leadership roles of their own. One team member balks when Coach Boone tells them to "just do your best" after being down after the first half of the championship game. "You demanded more of us," the player states. "You demanded perfection." Pointing out that Boone had always been able to motivate them intrinsically, the players proceed to win. When the Titans win, their victory becomes a symbolic win for the community. A racially integrated team was required to change the social dynamic in Alexandria.
A core principle of change leadership is learning the balance between confidence and humility. As Fullan (2011) points out, change leaders are "more confident than the situation warrants but more humble than they look," (p. 111). This description fits Coach Boone to a tee. Boone comes across as being supremely confident, but deep down retains a sense of humility that guides his decision-making, communication style, and leadership style. Nowhere is his subtle humility more noticeable than with his relationship with Bill Yoast. Yoast and Boone could have clashed more than they did, but both men emerge as powerful change leaders who pool their resources to reach common goals. Yoast gladly accepts the position as assistant coach, even though he was Boone's predecessor. Instead of being resentful, Yoast becomes an integral part of the team and helps to motivate the players in key situations. At the same time, Boone could have shunned Yoast out of spite, jealousy, or both. Boone instead immediately invites Yoast to help him, knowing that the experienced coach would help him gain insight and understanding of the white players, what motivates them, and their team dynamic. Armed with a comrade, Boone becomes the change leader the Titans needed most. Yoast recognizes Boone's greatness, and vice-versa. When the team makes it to the…
Clay, B. (2010). Six characteristics of highly effective change leaders. Retrieved online: http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2010/08/20/six-characteristics-of-highly-effective-change-leaders/
Fullan, M. (2011). Change Leader. John Wiley.
Reach for Change (2012). What is a change leader? Retrieved online: http://reachforchange.org/en/about-us/social-entreprenurship/
Yakin, B. (2000). Remember the Titans. [Feature Film].
"Leadership In Film" (2015, March 18) Retrieved January 17, 2022, from
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/leadership-in-film-196889
"Leadership In Film" 18 March 2015. Web.17 January. 2022. <
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/leadership-in-film-196889>
"Leadership In Film", 18 March 2015, Accessed.17 January. 2022,
Leadership Film Project: Dead Poets
Words: 2105 Length: 6 Pages Topic: Leadership Paper #: 89185782
"An older, more experienced teacher questions whether 15- to 17-year-old kids are really ready yet to handle Keating's brand of freedom. 'Gee, I never pegged you for a cynic,' says Keating. 'I'm not,' says the other teacher. 'I'm a realist.'… Although there's a carefully placed scene in which Keating tries to make the distinction between unfettered self-expression and self-destructive behavior, the principles behind the re-formation of the Dead Poets
Leadership Movie Organizational Leadership According
Indeed, this seems a direct response to the prevailing understanding of how one must ultimately achieve organizational effectiveness by seizing on common ground. As our research denotes, "humans are primordial team players. Our uniquely complex social relationships have been a crucial survival advantage. Our extraordinarily sophisticated talent for cooperation culminated in the modern organization." (Goleman, 199) Indeed, this is the very premise by which the judicial system is allowed
Leadership I Have Grown Fond of Mr.
Words: 897 Length: 3 Pages Topic: Leadership Paper #: 36357745
Leadership I have grown fond of Mr. Joe Scott because of his ability to inspire his followers to do more than they would have expected to do. He has the capability of engaging his staff's commitment in a context of shared values and vision. He is capable of aligning the interests of the organization and its members. Those who have worked closely with him attest to his ability to inspire and
Leadership Profile One: A Rising
One day, the regular leader of the club was not there, and no one knew what to do. Andrea took charge of the meeting, showing a video that she found on the Internet about bullying and sharing some of her experiences. This was followed by a Q&a session with the group. Outcome of the Situation As a result of stepping up to the plate to lead the LGBT meeting, Andrea is
Leadership to Most People in
When a rumor reaches the Persians that warriors from the city of Alamut are selling weapons to the enemies of Persia, Dastan's step brothers (who have royal blood, unlike Dastan) and Dastan's uncle (Ben Kingsley) Nizam plan to attack Alamut. Showing leadership in this wild world, Dastan leads a surprise attack on Alamut and opens the door for the rest of the Persians to come thundering into the walled city.
Leadership in Apollo 13 at
The leadership concepts as defined by Bolman & Deal (2006) are also illustrated in this movie, where leaders don't try to squelch conflict; they respect it and use it as a means for gaining creative insights into solving problems. These leaders also don't necessarily care about being popular, they care about getting each member of their team to concentrate on their perception of the problem and quickly developing a
Case Study / 2 pages


text:
Ej att förväxlas med Svarta september (organisation) eller Septemberalliansen.
Septembergruppen, även känd som No-Bullshit Marxism Group, (för sitt avvisande av den dialektiska metoden) är ett litet sällskap av samhälls- och humanioraforskare som intresserar sig för analytisk marxism.

De ursprungliga medlemmarna var G.A. Cohen, Jon Elster, Adam Przeworski, Erik Olin Wright, Robert Brenner, Hillel Steiner, Philippe Van Parijs, Robert Van Der Veen, Samuel Bowles och John Roemer. Gruppen tog sitt namn efter den månad som de varje år träffades under, ursprungligen i Paris. Deras möten gästas oftast även av en forskare som inte är en permanent medlem av gruppen.

Även om alla medlemmar delar intresset marxism har vissa av dem, som exempelvis Van Parijs och Steiner, aldrig kallat sig själva marxister. Två kända figurer som i mitten av 1990-talet lämnade gruppen var Elster och Przeworski. Två personer som sent blev medlemmar är Thomas Piketty och Joshua Cohen.

Verksamhet
Gruppen, som bildades 1979 på Jon Elster och G. A. Cohens initiativ höll ursprungligen sina möten årligen. Under gruppens tredje träff i London 1983 diskuterades van Parijs text The Capitalist Transition to Communism: A Radical Alternative. Texten innehåller idéer om begreppet grundinkomst samt transformationen från socialism till kommunism.

Deras möte inställdes år 2001 på grund av 11 september-attackerna och därefter bestämde de sig för att träffas på olika orter vartannat år, med början år 2002.

Referenser

Noter

Marxism

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
About AIJAC
Australia/Israel Review
Australia / Israel Review
Home » Noted and Quoted – November 2020
Noted and Quoted – November 2020
Nov 3, 2020 | AIJAC staff
Twenty years on, Ariel Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount is still the subject of myth-making
A day off
The 20th anniversary of the start of the Palestinian campaign of terror against Israel known as the "Second Intifada" was marked by the Daily Telegraph's "On this Day" column (Sept. 28) which stated:
"2000 – Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon visits the al-Aqsa mosque site in Jerusalem, known as Temple Mount, affronting Palestinians and causing a revolt in which more than 6,500 die."
Even allowing for the brevity of the section, this is grossly simplistic and biased.
Many Palestinian leaders have admitted that after rejecting an Israeli offer at the Camp David peace summit in July 2000 to establish a Palestinian state, then-Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat issued orders to prepare for a campaign of terror and incitement. Sharon's visit was an excuse. And what followed was not a "revolt" but a campaign of terrorism supported by the elected Palestinian Authority government.
Not so sweet reconciliation
The Australian's report (Sept. 26) on Hamas and Fatah announcing an agreement to hold parliamentary and presidential elections in the next six months offered clues as to why the Israel-Palestinian conflict endures.
The AFP-sourced report noted that the last Palestinian parliamentary poll in 2006 "resulted in a brief unity government, but it soon collapsed and in 2007 bloody clashes erupted in the Gaza Strip between the two principal Palestinian factions. Hamas has since ruled Gaza, while Fatah has run the Palestinian Authority based in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Numerous attempts at reconciliation, including a prisoner exchange agreement in 2012 and a short-lived coalition government two years later, have failed to close the rift. Including PLO elections, the agreement paves the way for Hamas to join the organisation, which unites various Palestinian factions under Fatah."
Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi was quoted saying new elections were a "long overdue" move to "revitalise and unify Palestinian ranks" whilst Saleh al-Arouri, a top Hamas official, said, "Divisions have damaged our national cause and we are working to end that."
It is obvious that political divisions have rendered a single Palestinian position for peace talks with Israel impossible, so the question of what might follow any election process, if it actually eventuates, is unclear.
SBS TV "World News" reporter Omar Dehen's story (Sept. 25) on the Fatah-Hamas election announcement included Fatah senior official Jibril Rajoub saying, "restoring our national unity is a strategic end. Dialogue is the only course to take."
Rajoub – who infamously said he would drop a nuclear bomb on Israel if given the chance – was clearly not referencing trying to end the conflict by talking to Israelis at the negotiating table.
Dehen said, "the rivals have united in their opposition to Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, and its deals with Arab states Bahrain and the UAE to normalise relations."
Although Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu has insisted that plans to extend Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank have only been suspended, it is widely understood that they are very unlikely to happen anytime soon, if at all.
Stop catering to the Palestinians
In the Australian (Oct. 12), Menzies Research Centre executive director Nick Cater highlighted the need to stop funding the Palestinian leadership which refuses to end the conflict with Israel.
Increasing the number of Arab countries that make peace with Israel "ill suits" the Palestinian leadership, "which has turned a historical grievance into a successful business model. Their vested interest in perpetuating resentment has been one of the largest obstacles to peace. Now it finds itself out in the cold."
He highlighted media reports that "financial aid [to the Palestinians] from Arab Gulf states has dried up since March," whilst "Ramallah's total revenues are said to have fallen about 70 per cent this year to $US255m from $US500m."
In contrast, left-leaning Western political parties "are loath to recognise the significance of Trump's initiative… unless an incoming Democrat administration… adopts" Trump's approach, Cater argued.
A gulf apart
An SBS TV "World News" report (Sept. 23) on the annual world leaders' speeches to the UN General Assembly focused on the ongoing conflict over the 2015 Iran nuclear deal which the US left in 2018.
After featuring critical comments at the UN by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and French President Emmanuel Macron directed at the US stance, SBS reporter Matt Connellan pointed out that, "the UN General Assembly has long been a forum for taking a pot shot at the US."
On Sept. 25, an Australian report noted Saudi Arabia's King Salman's comments to the UN, citing Iranian attacks on its oilfields in 2019, whilst the "kingdom's hands were extended to Iran in peace with a positive and open attitude over the past decades, but to no avail."
A bit of an imposition
On Sept. 27, the Daily Telegraph reported on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' speech to the United Nations General Assembly in which he called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to convene an international conference in 2021 that will "have full authority to launch a genuine peace process based on international law."
For a decade, Abbas has attempted to internationalise the conflict in the hope an imposed solution – preferably involving the automatic pro-Palestinian majority at the UN – will force Israeli withdrawals from the West Bank without the need for the Palestinians to actually make peace.
Coming Up Trumps
A number of media commentators argued US President Donald Trump has not been given the credit he deserves for his foreign policy achievements.
In News Corp papers (Oct. 1), columnist Andrew Bolt wrote that, "List some of his achievements and you'd swear they were of some peacenik president — a Jimmy Carter, but with talent… Trump is the first president since Carter not to send US troops to a new war, and has pulled them out of Syria. He's helped to negotiate many more peace deals than most other presidents – between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, between Israel and Bahrain, and between Afghanistan and the Taliban.
"He's also just brokered a deal between Serbia and Kosovo, which fought each other in a savage ethnic war just 21 years ago. How could the left not applaud this? No wonder Trump now has three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize, which he won't get, of course, because he's well, Trump."
Elsewhere, in the Australian Financial Review (Oct. 2), Lowy non-resident fellow Thomas Wright said, "Trump's re-election would initially be broadly welcomed in Israel and the Arab world, where leaders accept his maximum pressure campaign on Iran, his indifference towards democracy and human rights, and his transactional nature. However, Trump has made it clear that he hopes to strike a deal with Iran on its nuclear program and that he has little commitment to supporting the regional order."
Trump wins religious vote
Australian Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan noted (Oct. 17) the paradox that the "vast majority of churchgoing Christians, Protestant and Catholic, and the overwhelming majority of Orthodox Jews, will vote for Donald Trump on November 3, just as they did four years ago," despite the "ethical case against Trump" being "substantial".
Sheridan said, "most surveys suggest Trump will win the votes of nearly 90 per cent of Orthodox Jews, though he will lose among Jews overall."
Leftist opposition to the Supreme Court nomination for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a practising Catholic, is an example of why Trump has the backing of these different religious groups despite his ethical shortcomings, Sheridan said.
Barrett, he said, is "an immensely distinguished legal academic" and "a legal conservative" whose "approach is to interpret the constitution, and the law, as it is written" and more likely to respect the principle of religious freedom, rather than to "discover secret, hidden, implied new rights in the Constitution which accord with contemporary left-liberal ideology and compel people and institutions to abide by that ideology."
Ida knows
In the Spectator Australia (Oct. 10), Ida Lichter detailed how the EU, China and Russia have refused to hold Iran accountable for its "egregious" human rights abuses, arming foreign proxies and the breaches of the 2015 nuclear deal.
Lichter said Iran's development of missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead has accelerated since the 2015 deal, with the signatories "averse to penalising Iran or renegotiating a tighter agreement."
Recently, she said, "the UK, France and Germany (E3) abstained [on voting at the UN Security Council to extend the conventional arms embargo on Iran], despite being targets of Hezbollah terrorism and depots for the militia's weapons and ammonium nitrate explosives."
These stances have contributed to a "prudent alliance against Iran… formed between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain," she wrote.
Sanction junction
On Sept. 23, the Australian's report on US moves to impose secondary sanctions on companies that sell dual-use equipment to Iran "that has civilian applications but that might be used for military purposes" quoted US special representative for Iran and Venezuela and past AIJAC guest Elliott Abrams warning countries "to think twice, the penalties are right around the corner."
An Oct. 10 Australian report noted further sanctions on Iran's banking industry and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statement that Iran's COVID-19 response will not be hampered because the new measures do not affect humanitarian aid.
Chewin' the fatwa
On ABC Radio National "Religion and Ethics Report" (Sept. 23), Monash University lecturer Dr. Ali Alizadeh expressed doubt that increased US sanctions on Iran will make it easier for hardliners to portray President Hassan Rouhani's tenure as ending in failure.
"I don't know how much resonance it would have with the average Iranian voter, because many of them would have never expected for any regime in Iran to be able to normalise relations with the US or, in fact, for any regime in the US to be favourable to Iran," Alizadeh said.
Host Andrew West asked if it was naïve to believe in a fatwa Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei allegedly issued on acquiring nuclear weapons.
Dr. Alizadeh said, "if the nuclear weapons exist, they exist to be used not in order to bomb people, but to intimidate people…. that's why all sorts of people from all sorts of religious backgrounds have developed nuclear weapons because it can be used to pressurise and coerce one's regional rivals, especially in economic and trade matters. And the regime feels that if they become a nuclear power, then their position domestically will be stabilised and that regionally also they will be able to further intimidate the regional rivals. First and foremost, the Saudis."
The truth is that the assertion that Khamenei issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons is unsupported by any solid evidence – it is nowhere in his official list of fatwas – and is an Iranian propaganda claim pushed by those wanting to pretend Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons despite truly overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Political Saikal
On ABC Radio National "Drive" (Oct. 12), academic Amin Saikal suggested that a recent order by Iran for Iraqi Shi'ite militias to "lay low" was meant to deny President Trump an excuse to confront Iran for political gain ahead of the Presidential elections.
According to Saikal, "I wouldn't be surprised if Iran has instructed its affiliated Shia militias in Iraq to lay low and don't cause major obstructions, which could possibly result in a confrontation between Iran and the United States. And of course, this would be at a time when the United States or the Trump Administration may well seek some sort of confrontation with Iran given the forthcoming elections in the United States."
In fact, the record shows that Trump has spent his whole term of office studiously avoiding any direct, large scale military confrontations with Iran, preferring economic sanctions and small targeted actions such as the hit on Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad early this year.
The Wing Thing
In the Australian (Oct. 12), Swinburne academic Jason Thomas called on Australia to follow the UK and proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety, saying "it's a pipe dream to believe there is a difference between the political and military wing."
Just as AIJAC has done for many years, Thomas quoted Hezbollah leaders to support this point, including the head of its parliamentary bloc Mohammad Raad, who said in 2013, "the Hezbollah military wing is a lie invented by the Europeans because they feel a need to communicate with us" and Hezbollah's second-in-command, Naim Qassem' statement that "The same leadership that directs the parliamentary and government work also leads jihad actions in the struggle against Israel."
Possessing an "arsenal" that would be the "envy of any small nation", Hezbollah is responsible for attacks on Jews, Israelis and Americans and "for years the group has been making plans and stockpiling weapons for attacks across the globe, including in Africa, Asia, Europe and North and South America," he wrote.
Meanwhile, the Australian's report (Oct. 16) that Israel and Lebanon held unprecedented negotiations to demarcate the countries' maritime borders noted that "Hezbollah and Amal issued a statement… bemoaning the presence of civilians in the Lebanese negotiating team."
ABC Radio National "Breakfast" (Oct. 19) asked Stockholm International Peace Research Institute senior researcher Pieter Wezeman about the significance of the arms embargo on Iran ending.
Wezeman said even before the COVID-19 crisis, Iran's economy was in bad shape, so there is little prospect for large spending.
Iran would most likely continue to develop its native arms industry, particularly missiles which "don't have to be hi-tech to be effective if you want to threaten your neighbours," he explained.
Rah! Rah! UNRWA!
An online Guardian Australia story (Oct. 12) claiming people in Gaza are so desperate for food they have taken to rummaging through garbage was a puff piece spruiking the controversial United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) – which has provided free aid, medical assistance, education and employment to Palestinians since 1949, but has also become a major obstacle to peace.
According to the report, UNRWA is facing a myriad of challenges, including, "seemingly permanent threat of financial ruin…[a] breakdown in the relationship with its former largest donor, the US… the threat of coronavirus ripping through refugee camps… home to many of the 5.6 million Palestinians supported by UNRWA."
The reality is that, since 1949, instead of fulfilling its original mandate to resettle Palestinian Arabs displaced in the 1948 war, UNRWA has let millions of their descendants inherit refugee status, even when they have citizenship in countries such as Jordan or live under Palestinian Authority rule. It also shamelessly promotes the legally baseless and politically impossible Palestinian "right of return" to Israel, thus becoming a major obstacle to a two-state peace, and has a history of facilitating terrorism and incitement via its institutions.
The ABC has confirmed it does not consider Tel Aviv to be Israel's capital after AIJAC pointed out to the national broadcaster cases where the national broadcaster said it was.
Writing to the ABC, AIJAC pointed out two instances.
A newsreader on the ABC TV 6pm news bulletin (Oct. 4) covering anti-government protests in Israel had claimed "the biggest demonstrations have been held in the capital, Tel Aviv." In addition, a similar claim had been on the ABC website since December 2018 when Australia recognised west Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
AIJAC's letter pointed out that, "Tel Aviv is not Israel's capital and no Israeli government has ever designated the city as the country's capital," adding that, "Although the overwhelming majority of countries keep their embassies in Tel Aviv, none of them classify the city as Israel's capital either."
The ABC apologised and said the incorrect references were removed from the online version of the Oct. 4 TV news bulletin and the 2018 webpage.
Tags: Australia, Media/ Academia
World of Webinars
The Palestinian split with the Arabs
Biblio File: A Novel Approach
Dec 24, 2020 | Australia/Israel Review
Israel, Biden and Iran
Implications of the Fakhrizadeh assassination
Noted and Quoted – January 2021
Media Microscope: Death of a "scientist"
Asia Watch: Not Ready Yet
SIGN UP FOR AIJAC EMAILS
Fresh AIR Update from AIJAC
EDITIONS BY YEAR
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) is the premier public affairs organisation for the Australian Jewish community.
Contact us: aijac@aijac.org.au
© 2017-2021 AIJAC. All Rights Reserved. Site by ASCET Digital


text:
Jonathan Jones on art
The cardinal, the prostitute and the painter: the strange story of Titian's most erotic masterpiece
It was considered a fake for a century, but now one of the UK's greatest art treasures is back on show. So how did the Duke of Wellington get his hands on it?
Thu 2 Jul 2015 11.34 EDT Last modified on Thu 22 Feb 2018 12.20 EST
Class-A art … Titian's Danaë. Photograph: Stratfield Saye Preservation Trust
Britain's sexiest art treasure is the centrepiece of a new exhibition at Apsley House, home of the Duke of Wellington and now in the care of English Heritage. This is a painting about love and money – and it is priceless. But until recently, it lay almost unnoticed among Wellington's paintings.
The story of this erotic masterpiece begins with a cardinal, a prostitute and a painter. In the 16th century, the great Venetian artist Titian set up his studio in Rome. He was there to paint a lavish nude for the pleasure of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, one of the richest men in Italy and someone who didn't let clerical office restrain his libido. In fact, the model for Titian's painting has been identified as Farnese's mistress, Angela, a famous courtesan.
That would make sense, for the painting Titian created is, among other things, a joke about prostitution. It is a picture of Danaë, mother of the Greek mythical hero Perseus, receiving her lover Zeus. In one of his trademark transformations, Zeus takes the form of a shower of gold. As Danaë reclines on her richly furnished bed, displaying a body that Titian makes both grand and sexy, gold coins fall from above. Is this the money Farnese paid his professional lover?
This painting was intended to be erotic. A report to Farnese assured him it would make Titian's famous nude, the Venus of Urbino, "look like a nun".
'This erotic painting was intended to make Titian's famous nude, the Venus of Urbino, look like a nun'
Danaë was so famous – even Michelangelo paid a visit to Titian's studio to see it, although he sneered on the way home that Titian could not draw – that other wealthy art lovers paid Titian to create more versions of it. The first version, the one for Farnese, is in the Museo di Capodimonte, in Naples. Another is in the Prado, in Madrid, and yet another in Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum. Arguably, the most significant of them all is in Apsley House, at 149 Piccadilly, London.
Titian's greatest achievement is a cycle of paintings he created in Venice to send to Philip II, king of Spain and the architect of the Spanish Armada. These "poesie", as Titian called them, are simply the most beautiful paintings of classical mythology. They include The Rape of Europa in Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Diana and Actaeon and Diana and Callisto, which were bought for the UK after a popular appeal and are shared by the national galleries in London and Edinburgh.
We are talking class-A art.
The first mythological picture Titian sent Philip II was a new version of Danaë. This was once thought to be the work in the Prado. But one art historian – Paul Joannides of Cambridge University – suggested it was a later work by Titian, and that the one he sent Philip is in Apsley House. This was dismissed as eccentric. Then, in 2013, the Prado borrowed the Apsley House painting, cleaned it, analysed and proved it actually is Titian's original. A painting regarded for the whole of the 20th century as a fake is now considered one of Titian's key works, and therefore one of Britain's greatest art treasures.
But how did the victor of Waterloo get his hands on it? Wellington's first great victory was in the war to drive Napoleon's forces out of Spain. When Joseph Bonaparte, delegated by his brother to rule Spain, finally had to flee, he took a load of paintings from the Spanish royal collection. Abandoning this heavy artistic baggage, he left it to the English. Rightly or wrongly, a grateful Spanish king said Wellington could keep these paintings.
That's why Apsley House is one of Britain's great, if lesser known, art museums. Wellington's stash included The Water Seller of Seville, by Velázquez, and now Danaë, the most glamorous of old master paintings.
If looking at naked women is not your thing, you may prefer Canova's colossal nude statue of Napoleon in the Apsley stairwell. Wellington knew his art. He also knew his enemy – in explicit detail.
See Titian at Apsley House until 1 November 2015.


text:
Debate Dissent Deliver
Notes for Contributors
Tag Archives: Caste
Cricket, Caste and the Nation State
Posted on March 29, 2015 by Routes	One comment
It was curtains for South Asia when the Indian cricket team lost to a formidable Australian team at the semi-finals of the International Cricket Council's World Cup championship on Thursday. It is an irony that the tournament is called "World Cup" considering only 14 countries participate in the game that is followed fanatically only in the sub-continent. However it is now a final, where the the two teams Australia and New Zealand from the same continent will clash against each other on Sunday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The defeat of the Indian team against the mighty Australian team saw emotions outpouring from the Indian fans who took both to social media and to the streets to vent their frustration and anger. And when no one paid attention to their madness, the frantic fans started heckling not the 11 players of the team or its team management, but a woman named Anushka Sharma for the team's loss. Sharma is not a ground staff of the team, not a coach nor a player. She is a popular Indian actress who is dating Virat Kohli, the next in line captain of the Indian cricket team. The fact that Kohli consistently failed to put a decent score in the entire tournament seemed less daunting for the Indian fans, than the fact that his partner – a successful, beautiful and famous woman who had an identity of her own – was in the stadium cheering for him, without the baggage of being his wife. It was not surprising that the predominantly male cricket fans seeped in the patriarchal system of the country couldn't handle this modern relationship. Cricket though is not only India's national sport. In more ways than we might imagine it is a mirror to the Indian society. The heckling of Anushka Sharma brought out the misogyny of the society.
Filmstar Anushka Sharma at the Sydney Cricket Ground watching the Semi-Finals of the World Cup clash between Australia and India.
The Indian team's loss saw social media being abuzz with misogynyst and sexist comments against the actor, and apart from that, the loss also brought out arguments and counter-arguments about the social nature of Indian cricket and how democratic it is. For a sport which has become the symbol of national importance and is strongly associated with feelings of patriotism, a loss is considered to be a national disaster and that too in the semi-final of a world cup. The composition of the Indian team is a reflection of how long the country is taking to establish an equitable and just nation. A colonial sport, which was brought to India by the British colonizers, has evolved to become a symbol of the nation and an integral part of everyday Indian culture. Cricket is a sport that is watched and followed by millions in India and goes beyond the rubric of sport and is contoured with nationalism and communalism. Cricket indeed shapes Indian nationalism in many ways, though gendered in nature; it has become the site where one's patriotism is put under test and especially during the team's clashes with Pakistan. More than a sport, thus cricket here becomes a symbol of nation's sentiment and it also enjoys political sanctity as one saw the sport being used as a means to negotiate political diplomacy with the Pakistan state.
An important question which needs to be addressed here is this: Is the sport, which has followers across religion, class and caste and is followed in all parts of the country, really representative of the nation-state and its people? A related question is this: how democratic is it in its representation? Unlike football, cricket emanated from top to bottom in India, the sport played by British colonizers in Bombay (Mumbai) among themselves, which was later imitated by upper class Parsis, then by the Hindu and Muslim elites who had their own clubs and teams; at each stage of its evolution the sport excluded sections of the society. Does the Indian cricket team represent the social fabric of the Indian society?
Urban poor kids playing cricket on the beach in Mahabalipuram near Chennai
Ramachandra Guha [1] argues that cricket as a sport cannot be understood in isolation and is strongly connected to the overarching themes of Indian history :race, caste, religion and nation. He gives us an idea how exclusive the sport was: "through its communal representation the Indian Christians were left out as they were rejected by Europeans as they were not white and the Hindus and Muslims too rejected them as they were not one among them." The discriminatory nature of Indian cricket is exemplified through the figure of Palwankar Baloo. A Chamar [2] by birth, he was easily the most successful bowler of his era, but despite that he could never gain upward mobility in the sport and never became captain of his side. The main reason was he was a Dalit, or Untouchable.
During his playing days, Baloo faced discrimination. His colleagues, the upper caste cricketers, touched the same ball as he, but off the field they observed the ritual taboos. At the drinks break, Baloo was served tea outside the pavilion, and in a disposable clay cup, while his colleagues drank in white porcelain cups inside. If he wished to wash his hands and face, an "Untouchable" servant of the club took a kettle out into a corner of the field and poured water from it. Baloo also had his lunch in a separate plate, and on an earmarked table. Guha compared Baloo's achievement on the cricket field to that of Jackie Robinson in American baseball, who was likewise the first player in his game to break through what had formerly proved to be an impenetrable social barrier. The comparison is not at all far-fetched, for caste is, if anything, a more rigid and total system of social exclusion than race.
More like South Africa, a predominantly Black populated nation whose national cricket team is always represented chiefly by Whites with a tokenist representation of Blacks and Asian ethnic minorities, the Indian cricket team is represented largely by the Brahmins and other upper caste non-Brahmins. Boria Majumdar[3] in his study demonstrates that postcolonial Indian cricket, as played at the national level, was largely a preserve of the social elite, and far from being 'democratized' in independent India, it has become more than ever before a monopoly of the affluent upper castes. Majumdar shows how for almost three decades, from 1950s through to the '80s, the Madras-Bombay Brahmin axis dominated Indian cricket. "In the 1978 team that played against the West Indies, only two players were non upper-caste Hindus and the 1982 team that played England at Lord's all players except Kirmani (Muslim) were Brahmans or other caste Hindus."
As a known case, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), which is dominated by the Tamil Brahmins, is also riven by the constant bickering between the Iyer and Iyengar subcastes among them. TNCA has over the years become a common property of the Brahmin males in the city of Chennai (formerly Madras), and going well beyond the aspects of sport, cricket is a field for pursuing modern forms of caste discrimination, gatekeeping and social exclusion.
Cricket as a sport as mentioned earlier functions as a site of construction of nationalism and in the Indian case, more like other sports it acts as a masculine domain where concepts of hegemonic masculinity and nationalism overlap. Here the fact that in the colonial era as inferiorized selves, cricket served as a measure to overcome that marginality. This long tradition where the sport became a marker of nationalistic aspirations to overcome inferiority formed the construction of Indian nationalism.
Cricket, being followed by millions of fans across the sub-continent, largely remains a sport that defines masculinity in its hegemonic form, and interestingly the history of cricket in India shows us how the sport in colonial Bengal was taken up by the upper caste elites as a form of counter-hegemonic measure towards the construction of the Bengali male as effeminate by the British. This being the case, the sport which is followed mostly by males who in a sense have subordinated masculine identities see the sporting heroes as symbols of hegemonic masculinity, and through them they imagine a way out of subordination. That is why there was such an outrage when one of their masculine icons failed; they targeted the woman, thus defining an inherent characteristic of female subordination in the construction of masculinity. In another case of subordination, the caste exclusivity in cricket also defines the being of an upper caste male as a prerogative in the construction of nationalism.
1 Ramachandra Guha (1997) Cricket, caste, community, colonialism: the politics of a great game, The International Journal of the History of Sport, 14:1,
2 Chamars are members of Scheduled Castes a formerly untouchable caste that was involved in leatherwork, so was considered by the orthodox Hindu society as polluting.
3 Boria Majumdar (2006) Cricket in India: Representative playing fields to a restrictive preserve, The International Journal of the History of Sport, 23:6, 927-959
This post was written by Karthikeyan Damodaran and Divya Rajagopal
Karthikeyan Damodaran is a doctoral candidate at the University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on caste processions and commemorations in Tamil Nadu, and his interests include, identity politics, social movements, caste and class, film studies and urban studies.
Divya Rajagopal is a Special Correspondent with Economic Times newspaper based in Mumbai, India.
Image 1 Courtesy : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/150326/entertainment-bollywood/article/didnt-see-anushka-sharma-during-india-australia-semi-finals
Image 2 Courtesy : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beach_Cricket_Mamallapuram_Tamil_Nadu_India.jpg
Hindutva and the Politics of Cleaning
Posted on October 9, 2014 by Routes	4 comments
Before the Hindu Führer (read Narendra Modi) falls back to his usual, even inevitable, 'politics of cleansing', he strayed to a 'politics of cleaning'. Just as Hindutva is a project of purging Hinduism of its constitutive divisions, its long-standing tendency to be above the rough and tumble and the reach of temporal power, its reflective cowardice, the dynamics of which were detailed in the work of probably the greatest of Indian historians D. D. Kosambi, who is not much known even within the country.
Another way is to see Hindutva as a sincere attempt to model Hinduism after Sangh's own distorted picture of global Islam. The latest move of Führer's might as well be an attempt to address the Hindu civilization's most glaring paradox: the inversely proportional relation between its ritualistic obsession with purity and its spectacularly ghastly uncleanliness for all the world to see and smell. Hindutva is a sort of public-spirited Hinduism. As sociologists have long known and even can be accused of making a fetish of it, purity is central to Hinduism, just as it is for fascism. Hindutva, a murderous mixture of both, obviously will have to resolve the issue of purity, in new ways for new times of accelerated tourism and globalization, future war and ongoing genocide.
This apparently pseudo gesture with the broom would invariably go beyond the Führer's initial and limited intentions, which, I guess, include, bringing back to his fold, the estranged kin of Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man's Party), with a propaganda (arm) twist—with this, the surprising anomaly of Arvind Kejriwal (Leader of Common Man's Party whose election symbol is broom) being the only heroic fighter against Modi is smoothed out (I am borrowing here from a wit named Uday Chandra (a scholar based in Gottingen), minus his laconic brilliance; appealing to the international community's image of Gandhi and releasing Gandhi from the hijackers of Nehru Family and restoring him to where he properly belongs (Sangh), and addressing something real which strikes every Non-Indian or Non-Resident Indian upon hearing the word 'India', but rarely uttered, either out of politeness or apathy, in that order: the inhuman, barbaric state of Indian public places.
Image 1: Narendra Modi during a 'Clean India' campaign launch in New Delhi
If traditional Hinduism and its colonial and post-colonial accomplice states forced particular region-specific castes with the burden of cleaning all the filth that cannot be left in private and public spaces, the Führer, for a moment, nationalised it before international cameras turned away from him. There is a certain fakery, dishonesty, even mockery in this spectacle, which will any way be exposed and ripped apart by critical observers and social media. Such work is absolutely important. But, who is not a hypocrite when it comes to the question of manual scavenging and sanitation labour? Not even Dalits (former untouchable castes) and Dalit champions, if one observes critically.
I am yet to come across a fellow Dalit or Marxist activist from Mala, Mahar, Madiga, Paraiyar, Chamar or Paswan who has fallen in love with a person from Safai Karamchari community. My own community is into manual scavenging in Chennai, where I studied and worked, even as we back in Andhra had been liberated from it more than a generation ago. In the mainstream or even radical Dalit discourses and politics, focus on this inhuman institution is as marginal as the very important issue of the Hindu state of India's war on Tribals.
However, this state of affairs doesn't stop individuals from relatively advanced Dalit castes, such as mine, from invoking the institution of 'manual scavenging' to convince the skeptics, apologists and denialists, routinely. Still, none of the rights thus achieved, by convincing or coercing those in power to spare some meager resources, have served to address the forced sanitation work in subhuman conditions.
Few Ambedkarite associations care to take up even symbolic struggles, either against this inhuman institution or for the welfare of those stuck in the profession concerned. Let alone the actual work, there isn't even as much as serious discussion about it as an important responsibility of organizations. No wonder then, that the pressing task of welfare of the cleaning workers, before the eradication of such work, is left with NGOs who are alleged to be among the most corrupt where the biggest of such organisation ironically operates from Gujarat, and which is in cahoots with the Führer, during 2002 and since.
Though these funded reformers roped in the greatest activist for this cause, Bezawada Wilson (a well-known Dalit activist working to eradicate manual scavenging), they succeeded in keeping Dalits away from any anti-fascist politics and surely from the stated task of improving the lot of manual scavengers and eradication of the repugnant vocation.
Image 2: A Conservancy worker cleaning a choked drain by manually entering a manhole in India
So, nobody is clean as far as this institution of compelling one community to clean up everybody's filth goes. Modi is not the only hypocrite in this. There is only one ultimate solution for the twin problems of ubiquitous filth in our habitats, and one people being laden with the task of cleaning it, based on their birth. That is, ensuring that the cleaning job is not unclean either in its process or the society's perception of those involved in it.
Before this is achieved, conditional as it is upon changes in infrastructure, attitudes and Dalit activism's priorities, the work of cleaning is to be universalized. Smart-sounding solutions that each must take care of the filth they create do not always work in the prevailing conditions. Let there still be the practice of some people cleaning the filth created by society, but those some people need not be the same ones always. This responsibility can rotate.
Cleaning service should be made compulsory for everybody irrespective of their regular profession. Trust me, once non-Dalits are compelled to do it, working conditions, workers' rights, technological interventions, and funding will dramatically improve. For this to happen, the communities confined to, or forced into this profession are to be targeted for alternative employment, through education and cultural change, not just among these communities, but also among those forcing them into such condition.
This is possible only through sincere work by Dalit organizations, which is again conditional upon such organizations ceasing to be the exclusive preserves of government employees from single better-off castes of respective regions. So, first universalize sanitation work, before its final eradication. One might think it is unrealistic suggestion, or, at least, a distant dream. If this doesn't happen– sure it will not, even through the most serious exertion of dictatorial powers of the Führer (who is going to only tighten screws on the polity and bureaucracy)– if not accompanied by Dalit activism.
If not diverted to the real purpose and challenges of sanitation, the theme of purity will only grow to its sanguinary overtones, from further sexual repression of all women to younger generation in general, to further vilification of Muslim slum dwellers, to war on Love Jihad (an alleged campaign against Muslim youth that they force conversion of non-Muslim girls to Islam feigning Love), to cleansing streets of the unsightly populations, mono-religious gated communities, stigmatization of meat-shops and many more such countless ways of branding, to a radical cleansing of a people.
This feature was written by Chittibabu Padavala.
Chittibabu Padavala is a Dalit activist based in Hyderabad. He can be contacted via email at dalitsociologist@gmail.com
Image Source: Image 1 via NBC; Image 2 via The Hindu
Recent Entries »
Follow Routes via Email
Unless otherwise stated, all content published on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


Colorful Halloween Mantel Decor post sponsored by Shutterfly and contains affiliate links.
Who loves to decorate for Halloween?!?! THIS GIRL definitely does! It may stem from my childhood. My mom is a HUGE Halloween decorating fan, and I grew up with the house being decked out for Halloween! This Colorful Halloween Mantel Decor will be a favorite with the kiddos! At least my kids are obsessed with all of the fun Halloween colors. Personally my favorite is the Spooky Halloween Mantel Decor.
I have designed three different Halloween Mantel Decor Ideas for Shutterfly, and I can't wait to hear which one represents your Halloween style! Each Design comes with FREE Printables to help you create the look, or give it your own spin! The three ideas are; Spooky Halloween Mantel Decor, a Black and Gold Halloween Mantel, and this Colorful Halloween Mantel Decor.
These Acrylic Blocks are easy and gorgeous Colorful Halloween Mantel Decor! You can get your FREE download file at the bottom of this post; then use it to order your own Shutterfly acrylic blocks. You could also use the FREE Printable Files and insert in a picture frame instead! Spray paint a skull purple and place it on a candlestick holder.
I used paper bat cut outs for the bats on the stone. I used hot glue to stick them to the stone. Make sure if you use hot glue it peels off your stone or brick easily.
1.) Purchase a twig wreath online or from your local craft store.
2.) Spray paint the wreath the color of your choice.
3.) Purchase a skeleton and spray paint it purple.
4.) Use orange spider rings from Dollar Tree. Cut the bottom of the ring off and hot glue all over the wreath.
5.) After the skeleton dries you will hot glue it on the wreath.
6.) Next you can use a small bunting banner of your choice for the top corner. I used a bunting craft punch to cut out my pieces of glitter paper.
7.) Tie a ribbon around the top and you are ready to hang!
The Trick or Treat Banner is a FREE Printable Download at the bottom of the post! The spider webs came from Dollar Tree. I removed the spider that came on them, and then hot glued the banner pieces on the webs! Use twine to attach the webs and to hang the banner.
These Heidi Swapp Marquee Letters are AMAZING! I spray painted mine black, and added the glitter paper inserts I traced using the template that comes with the letters! They come with the lights, battery pack, and everything needed to assemble!
See this post HERE for how to decorate the Mason Jar! I just changed up the colors on this one.
You can order this Tiny Prints Pillow using the FREE Download available below. These pumpkins were fun to create. I used some Walmart Pumpkins that were already cute! Then some Dollar Tree Pumpkins that I spray painted purple! You can add buntings to the tops like cake toppers! Make the same way I explained above for the wreath, tie to paper straws, and insert in the pumpkins.
The marquee letters are so cool. I want to try!!
You so should try them! They are easy and so fun!
Yes Please!!!! I love the free printables and the tiny prints download files.


Flying to over 140 destinations across six continents, Emirates is a global connector of people and places. In 1985, it launched with only two aircraft. Today, its fleet of over 230 wide-bodied aircraft is one of the youngest in the sky. Emirates made civil aviation history at the 2013 Dubai Air Show by placing the largest-ever aircraft order – 150 Boeing 777Xs, 35 Boeing 777-8Xs, 115 Boeing 777-9Xs and 50 Airbus A380s.
In the financial year 2013-14, Emirates welcomed 44.5 million passengers on board.
Growing at an average rate of more than 20% a year, Emirates is one of the world's fastest growing airlines. It has achieved a profit for the last 26 consecutive years, declaring a net profit of US$887 million in the 2013-14 financial year.
Emirates has the biggest A380 fleet in the world, with more than 50 A380s flying to over 30 destinations. The fuel efficiency of this double-decker aircraft makes it one of the most environmentally advanced aircraft in the sky.
On board, extra room and custom lighting create a new class of Economy. The exclusive Onboard Lounge is the perfect space for First Class and Business Class travellers to make new friends over cocktails and canapés. In First Class, customers can retreat to their own Private Suite and take a shower mid-flight to arrive fully refreshed.
Emirates' multilingual cabin crew deliver world-class service from the moment the journey begins.
The award-winning ice entertainment system offers up to 1,800 channels of on-demand movies, TV shows, music and interactive games. It also allows customers to catch up on the latest news and stay connected to family and friends. Regionally inspired gourmet cuisine is available in every class. The menus are designed by master chefs to give tastes of new worlds in every bite.
There is plenty on board to keep tomorrow's explorers entertained. Young flyers can enjoy dedicated kids' channels, toys and special meals.
In First Class and Business Class, every journey starts before take-off. Chauffeur-driven transfers to the airport, priority check-in and exclusive lounges create a seamless experience from front door to destination.
Emirates has received over 500 international awards to date, including ten-time winner of Best Inflight Entertainment, awarded by Skytrax.
Terminal 3 at Dubai International airport is exclusively for Emirates customers. It has the world's first dedicated A380 hub, with state-of-the-art lounges, multi-level boarding and an impressive choice of shops and restaurants.
More than 11 million members of the Emirates Skywards frequent programme enjoy extra special treatment whenever they fly. With an extensive network of lifestyle partners around the world, members can earn Miles when they're in the air and on the ground.
Emirates Executive, a customised A319 aircraft, takes personalised travel beyond the First Class experience. This exclusive private jet can take up to 19 guests wherever they want to go, when they want to go. Emirates Executive offers exceptional service at the highest level, with an intimate dining area, lounge seats that convert into full-sized beds, ten Private Suites and a luxury Shower Spa.
Looking ahead to 2020, when Emirates' home city of Dubai will host the World Expo, the airline plans to more than double in size. It has 292 aircraft on order worth over US$138 billion in list prices.
Emirates will also continue to strengthen its worldwide sponsorships. From high-profile football matches to thrilling F1 races, Emirates connects fans to sports, arts and cultural events all over the world.


text:
Cheney woman accused of molesting child on camera
Melissa Luck
by Melissa Luck
CHENEY, Wash — A Cheney woman is in the Spokane County Jail on the charge of Promoting the Commercial Sex Abuse of a Minor. Court documents say a convicted sexual predator tipped off investigators to her alleged behavior.
Cheney Police received a tip in early April through the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. According to court records, an investigation began in 2017 when two men were arrested in Minnesota. Court records say the men had been communicating through the app KIK and one of the men had offered the other the opportunity to have sex with his 14-month old daughter. Investigators say one man traveled to Minnesota for that purpose and they were arrested.
When questioning one of the men, Bryan Hogle, he told investigators about a woman he'd been communicating with in Washington. He said he would give information about that case and give investigators access to his cell phone in exchange for consideration at his sentencing.
Hogle told investigators he met the woman, identified in court documents as Hilda Emerson, through an ad on Craigslist. He said the two would communicate on Facetime and KIK in one of those KIK sessions, Emerson molested a young child on camera. According to the informant, this was happening in the summer of 2016.
Investigators describe finding "lengthy conversations" between Hogle and Emerson on Hogle's phone.
Investigators say in one conversation, Emerson asked Hogle for money to pay her rent. Hogle said she offered him a child to abuse in exchange for two thousand dollars. Investigators don't believe that transaction ever took place.
Investigators used a cell phone number to track down Emerson, who had lived in Wenatchee at the time of the conversations. She has since moved to Cheney. Investigators found a past child welfare complaint in which a child complained Emerson was physically abusive. According to the court documents, "At the time, there were no marks to corroborate the claim."
CPS later disclosed Emerson lost custody of two children in 2010.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Emerson's home and storage units. They seized a computer, two cell phones and a camera.
Emerson was booked into the Spokane County Jail on April 24th under the charge of Promoting Commercial Sex Abuse of a Minor.
Cheney Police Captain Richard Beghtol told kxly4 News Thursday investigators need to determine which county any crimes took place as they consider charges. Captain Beghtol said they have searched her electronic devices and that the investigation is ongoing.
Investigators told kxly4 News Emerson's two children are in protective custody.


text:
Big Iron Part 1 Big and powerful farm-machinery in the USA, DVD
See 62 minutes of these big four-wheel-drive machines at work in the fields of North Dakota, Montana, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Learn how farmers in the 1950's and 1960's designed the earliest of these tractors for their own use and how they evolved to what is used today. Hear the engines roar, see the dust bellow and watch the men and women who use these tractors on their big fields.
Featuring older production tractors which have worked in excess of 20,000 hours. Big Bud, Rome, Rite, Steiger and many more.
The enormous size of these tractors weighing up to 50 tons and their powerful engines producing up to 900 hp working one acre every minute.
Code No. 010597, $47.00


text:
Wilczynski, Krzysztof
Warsaw University of Technology - Warsaw, Poland
Title: Modeling for Single Screw Extrusion of Wood Plastic Composites
Symposium: Extrusion & Compounding
Krzysztof WILCZYŃSKI is full professor at Faculty of Production Engineering of Warsaw University of Technology, and head of Department of Plastics Processing. He received his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Bydgoszcz University of Technology, and Ph.D. and D.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Warsaw University of Technology. He was visiting professor at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Kitakyushu, Japan, Fulbright Scholar at the University of Akron, USA, IREX Scholar at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, USA, and DAAD Scholar at the Institute for Plastics Processing in Aachen, Germany. His scientific interests include rheology and computer modeling for polymer processing. He has published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and several books (in Polish). He has authored computer simulation software for single and twin screw extrusion. He is member of PPS, SPE, SO


The computers haven't really got smaller; they've got much, much larger, from the satellite relays we consult every time we get GPS directions to the vast server farms in windowless sheds on ring roads which we have chosen to call "the cloud".
CREATORS should be aware of the fact that the direction taken by the digital age refers to the spiritual world or at least our sheer perception ot it.
We are Divine beings, created in the image of God and therefore always on a path to becoming closer to the source.
The virtual world is shaping up to resemble spiritual life.
One sure possibility is the future all our actions, sounds, and probably emotions will be re4corded and stored in ….. the cloud.
The digital age has brought us a lot of clues regarding what spiritualties over the world have been teaching us for centuries.
. Computers are digital machines because at their most basic level they can distinguish between just two values, 0 and 1, or off and on. All data that a computer processes must be encoded digitally, as a series of zeroes and ones.
Thus, data transmitted or stored with digital technology is expressed as a string of 0's and 1's. Each of these state digits is referred to as a bit (and a string of bits that a computer can address individually as a group is a byte).
Spiritualisation is a process of transcending physical and mental limitations to experience oneness with Divinity, a personal union with God.


text:
The 300,000-sq.-ft. Taneja Center for Surgery's 18 operating rooms are some of the largest in Tampa Bay.
AdventHealth Tampa President and CEO Denyse Bales-Chubb.
Room for Robots
AdventHealth Tampa's Taneja Center for Surgery to lead efforts in robotic surgery
Art Levy | 11/30/2021
AdventHealth Tampa has opened its $256-million, 300,000-sq.-ft. Taneja Center for Surgery to lead the hospital's efforts in robotic surgery. The center's 18 operating rooms are some of the largest in Tampa Bay — most are more than 750 square feet and 300 square feet larger than some of AdventHealth Tampa's older operating rooms, allowing space for new robotic-surgery equipment, such as the Intuitive daVinci robotic-assisted surgical system and the Synaptive Medical BrightMatter Guide with the SurfaceTrace Registration 3-D brain-mapping system.
The rooms are equipped with disinfecting indigo-colored lighting and have ceiling-based air systems to ensure fresh airflow and contamination control. "The new surgical suites in the Taneja Center for Surgery at AdventHealth have been designed to create a premier surgical facility for the Tampa Bay area," says Denyse Bales-Chubb, president and CEO of AdventHealth Tampa. "We are now changing the face in how health care will be delivered for decades to come both in terms of expertise and advanced technology."
The six-story center also has 96 private patient rooms and space to add another 36 rooms.
Tampa General Hospital's inpatient services for children has been given an official name — TGH Children's Hospital. Along with the new name, the hospital is planning renovations to its pediatric facilities, including updates to patient rooms and nurses stations and lounges, as well as improvements to a children's playroom and therapy gyms. Work on the first phase is estimated to cost $7.5 million.
Endocrinology Center
HCA Healthcare West Florida plans to build a $50-million center for endocrine surgery as part of an expansion of Memorial Hospital of Tampa. The 75,000-sq.-ft. facility, which will consolidate HCA Healthcare's endocrinology services at Memorial Hospital with the chain's Medical Center of Trinity, is expected to open later this year. Endocrine surgery typically entails removing thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal tumors. Tumors and cancers of the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands are often identified during routine lab tests or X-ray scans, but an estimated 50% of parathyroid tumors and more than 75% of adrenal tumors typically go underdiagnosed. "This is a highly underserved patient population that will benefit greatly from surgery that leads to improved outcomes," says Dr. Ravi Chari, president of HCA Healthcare West Florida.
More Beds
Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor has a new four-story, 150,000-sq.-ft. building with more than 100 patient beds, bringing the hospital's total number of beds to 387. The addition, along with a parking garage, cost $156 million.
Read more in Florida Trend's December issue.
Select from the following options:
ACCESS NOW Instant Access for Existing Digital Subscribers DIGITAL ISSUE Purchase a single DIGITAL copy of this issue SUBSCRIBEPurchase a one year PRINT, DIGITAL or ALL ACCESS Subscription PRINT SERVICESPurchase single PRINT copy or ADD digital access to a PRINT subscription
Tags: Healthcare, Economic Backbone, Feature, Hospitals


My first interview for my 'Intervu Series' is with Bre Jennings from Fontana, Ca. She is very pro-organic. For this interview she wanted to discuss the government's role with food in America. In the interview she expresses what she believes is the government's role with America's food supply, what people should be aware of and altogether, her opinion on the situation.


Now, like three themes, it sounds at first glance but as soon as You access The Red Tea Detox program (which you can do immediately after purchase since it is an internet program), you'll quickly see that you're mistaken. The 3 elements have an list of themes within each, which I will reveal to you. More importantly, each component includes a number of tricks, tips, tools , exercises, directions and information that will assist you succeed. It may seem like a great deal, but it is laid out. Reading a weight loss program has never been pleasure. That's not to mention that you get a 60 Day Money Back Guarantee when you buy this system. Considering you may lose between 5 to 20 pounds in as few as 14 times, that's more than enough time to find out what The Red Tea Detox can perform for you.
Liz Miller is a naturopath, professional weight loss expert and Author on Amazon. She is highly renowned inside the wellness and fitness industry for her distinctive approach to helping women and men across the globe achieve their goals. She steers away from diet programs and exhausting physical fitness regimes, and concentrates on the stuff that functions — the natural remedies and techniques from yesteryear. Liz Miller has created a fresh strategy to purify your body, helping to burn off unneeded pounds by simply shifting from carbohydrate burning to burning . It is based on more than a decade of research round also the advantages of tea that was African and the cleansing of toxins.
within this booklet, you understand how toxins can hold your metabolism back and the advantages of cleansing your body with African red tea. Why detoxifying your body before your weight loss efforts is worthwhile and significant, it explains. Also, you get a clear outline on which energy-rich foods are beneficial to your body during its journey to some lean belly.
If you decide to do the workout, it is going to improve your metabolism and could possibly double the rate at which you lose pounds. Exercise that is good never goes amiss and weight is a matter of intensity, but not the time spent doing it. This booklet includes simple exercises that anybody should be able to perform.
Motivation and willpower are equally as important as the Path which you would like to follow. I have found that many people have problems remain excited till they reach their goals. That is a great guide on dieting, fitness or detox should include a segment on the ideal mindset. It speaks positively of this manual that you get you!
When you Get the Red Tea Detox program, you receive the Main guide, the 3 booklets, and qualify for all the bonuses if you here to receive your own Red Tea Detox application now! Liz believes what she is doing this much that you get a 60 day money back guarantee, which is something we always like to see.
We've begun to enjoy red tea per lot and this Manual did a great job of teaching us what we had to understand. So what exactly did we like about it?
Even ordinary foods contain toxins in Nowadays 1 manner or another. There is a lot of research that affirms our sense: Detaching yourself from those toxins and cleansing the human body as much as possible has effects that are favorable. Liz explains it so anybody can understand the problems and solutions.
The combination of exercise and Wholesome foods & Drinks can not fail. Even better, it solves one of the main food related problems today: the excess consumption of soda (especially in the USA). For a lot of people, it's the only thing they drink (instead of water). If you are like this, switching from carbonated sodas to red tea alone makes a big difference to your body. But you detoxify it, therefore the effects are even greater.
The Body is meant to be active and Reside on foods that are organic, but we normally don't do either of these! People drink beer, or soda, coffee, lie on our sofa or sit behind a desk. Not only is this ancient American tea recipe amazing, it also happens to be a healthy beverage. No caffeine or sugar! Together with the gym booklet, both of the fundamental problems are addressed and lead you to results that were positive.
Red tea Is Fantastic, as are the guidelines, foods, and Workout routines in this program. However, any such effort needs to be kept. Would you keep it up for a few months and change your behavior to stay being healthy? Or are you the kind gives up? The truth is that many of apps work well, although it. Any system needs area to keep doing this.
Odds Are you have more if you are really big Disorders than appears that need to be addressed and just your weight. Ensure you don't see any program for a solution that for all.


On Wednesday, September 14th, I received a call at work advising me that our house was on fire. This is not something that I had ever envisioned that I would experience in my lifetime, nor was I prepared for the outcome.
Being that this event took place just days after the anniversary of 9/11, it made me realize how much we take our police and fire department employees for granted. Thanks to these dedicated individuals (and our wonderful neighbors), our home is still standing and our two beloved dogs are still there to greet us when we come home.
Had they arrived minutes later or they had not been able to confine the fire to our garage, the outcome of this incident would have been painfully different.
If the subject of outsourcing our Rolling Meadows Fire Department ever arises again, please support our firefighters. You may need them some day when you least expect it, and a matter of minutes or the lack of skills can make the difference between disaster and just some temporary inconvenience.


This Act may be cited as the "Delay Until Fully Functional Act of 2013".
SEC. 2. Delay in the individual mandate and exemption from penalty.
"(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning 6 months after the date on which the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services submits to Congress the certification described in paragraph (3).
"(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of the Delay Until Fully Functional Act of 2013, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study to determine whether the American Health Benefit Exchanges, including the Exchange administered by the Federal Government, and all other point of enrollment options (including telephone and postal options), are fully functional and operating in a manner consistent with the role envisioned for Exchanges under this Act, and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report concerning the results of such study.
"(B) SUBSEQUENT STUDIES AND REPORTS.—If, based on the results of the study conducted under subparagraph (A), the Comptroller General determines that the Exchanges are not fully functional and operating in a manner consistent with the role envisioned for Exchanges under this Act, the Comptroller General shall conduct one or more subsequent studies every 60 days (and submit reports based on the results of such studies) until the Comptroller General determines that the Exchanges are fully functional and operating in such manner.
"(3) CERTIFICATION.—Upon the submission of a report under paragraph (2) that determines that the American Health Benefit Exchanges are fully functional and operating in a manner consistent with the role envisioned for Exchanges under this Act, the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress a certification (in writing) of the results of such report.
"(4) ADJUSTMENT OF DATES.—In applying section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Secretary of the Treasury shall adjust the dates in such section accordingly based on the application of this subsection.".
"(h) Exemption.—The provisions of this section shall not apply to an individual who is unable to enroll in a qualified health plan because of the technical or customer service issues of an American Health Benefit Exchange, as determined by the Secretary.".


text:
Carrépuis este o comună în departamentul Somme, Franța. În 2009 avea o populație de 288 de locuitori.

Note

Vezi și
 Lista comunelor din Somme

Comune din Somme


text:
City board recommends apartments for approval
By SETH STRATTON The Dispatch
Members of the Lexington Planning Board unanimously recommended the city council approve a 68-unit apartment complex for elderly residents off Old Salisbury Road at its meeting Monday night.
Southland Partners submitted an application for a major development permit to build Lexington Green Elderly Apartments, a two-story development. It would include 40 one-bedroom units and 28 two-bedroom units on nearly 4 acres between The Reserve apartments off Regents Center Court and the Meadow Creek Apartments. The property backs up to an Interstate 85 Business Loop on-ramp.
Tom Honeycutt, a representative for Southland Partners, said the units would be occupied by tenants age 55 and older. Listed amenities include indoor and outdoor sitting areas, a multi-purpose room, a resident computer center, tenant storage, a covered drive-thru, a gazebo, raised garden plots and a paved walking trail.
Planning board member Mark Smith suggested the board recommend approval contingent upon the results of a study Honeycutt said is being undertaken by the state which would determine the need for elderly housing in the Lexington area. Rent would start at $450 for one-bedroom units, not including the cost of utilities, Honeycutt said.
Lexington Community Development Director Tammy Kepley said adjoining property owners were notified of the permit application. She heard no opposition to the plan.
Planning board member Frank Callicutt questioned the need for more rental units with the high percentage of rental properties already in the city. But Callicutt agreed with Smith that the study would determine the need. The Lexington City Council will likely call for a public hearing at its first meeting in March.
� The planning board amended its land development ordinance, removing the three-story maximum height limit on any properties zoned commerce center, commercial districts and employment center, industrial and manufacturing districts.
Kepley said the ordinance was likely adopted from another city's plan and didn't fit in with Lexington's ordinances. Kepley said the objective of cities is to become more dense so rural areas outside cities can be preserved. But tall buildings don't fit in every potential setting. The community development director said the city has a "safety valve" which states that a building must be compatible with surrounding structures.
� A proposed single-family development off Glenwood Drive by D.L. Bunce was tabled so the community development department could have more time to work with the property owner to meet land development ordinance standards. The proposed development, across from the Glenoaks townhomes, will be considered at the planning board's March 17 meeting.
Seth Stratton can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 226, or seth.stratton@the-dispatch.com.


Conveniently enough for me, a week after the completion of my third NaNoWriMo challenge, and the day after I decide to reboot this log, I am presented with a most unavoidable topic. Unfortunately, it is far from "fresh"--actually, it's spoiled and repugnant, but someone has to pick it up and hold it at arms' length before tossing it another 30 feet away to be reassessed at a later time.
Earlier today, it was announced (with a glaring typo, Globe and Mail) that "Ontario's high-school teachers are stepping up their job action, signalling that they won't participate in sports clubs or extra-curricular activities". For those active in the student body, this was the decision they had dreaded. This was the decision that everyone had planned for, that no one had really expected.
Whatever happened to the no-touch policy?
I'll admit to using school authority to my own advantage in the past, but lately, I feel as though we students are being used as a leverage object. I protest to being simplified and typecast, not used. I can deal with being used, but I cannot deal with being expected to submit to an dissolution of the primary methods which allow teenagers to avoid being typecast.
Certainly I'm not the lone student who invests an equal amount, if not, more effort in extra curricular activities than class. (Equally so, it could be argued that I don't invest enough time in class.) Most students would side with the union in a heartbeat, due to the common dislike for our infamous ex-premier, but for now, I will refrain from vilifying either party.
Shamefully, the immature child in me who lacks understanding of this issue at large is subduing her giggles. I can't help but think of this as the perfect case study of a workers' rights battle for Gr. 12 Canadian Law classes, as if it weren't real, and as if it weren't happening right now. I'm still viewing it from an outside perspective, thinking, "those poor kids". Putting myself back in my own shoes, students must think this is an abomination.
Whether sports teams and clubs were withdrawn at the start of the school year or not, it just "isn't fair". If they were withdrawn in September, job or college applicants have minimal merits under recent school involvement. If they were not withdrawn in September, students have lost three full months of invested time, effort, and planning. Athletes may have a substantially more difficult time impressing scouts or qualifying for scholarships, and music students in the Greater Toronto Area have already had their regional Musicfest competition cancelled.
But the union knows this action is at a risk. We're the sort of hostage with the short little knives, stowed away in our pockets next to the weed and attitude they failed to confiscate in our first eight years of school. If they are not already, teachers could very well find themselves taking the heat from both sides: the students and the politicians.


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;

namespace adventofcode2017.days.day04
{
    public class Day04
    {
        private List<string> _passphrases;

        private bool IsPassphraseValid (string passphrase)
        {
            var words = passphrase.Split(' ');
            return words.Length == words.Distinct().Count();
        }

        private bool IsPassphraseAnagramValid (string passphrase)
        {
            var words = passphrase.Split(' ');
            var numDistinctAnagram = words
                .Select(word => new String(word.ToArray().OrderBy(c => c).ToArray()))
                .Distinct()
                .Count();

            return words.Length == numDistinctAnagram;
        }

        public Day04 ()
        {
            // Setup input
            using (var sr = File.OpenText("inputs/day04/input.txt"))
            {
                _passphrases = new List<string>();
                var line = String.Empty;

                while ((line = sr.ReadLine()) != null)
                {
                    _passphrases.Add(line);
                }
            }
        }

        private int GetNumValidPassphrases(Func<string, bool> validChecker)
        {
            return _passphrases
                .Where(phrase => validChecker(phrase))
                .Count();
        }

        public int GetNumValidPassphrases ()
        {
            return GetNumValidPassphrases(IsPassphraseValid);
        }

        public int GetNumValidAnagramPassphrases ()
        {
            return GetNumValidPassphrases(IsPassphraseAnagramValid);
        }

        public int Test ()
        {
            _passphrases = new List<string> {
                "aa bb cc dd ee",
                "aa bb cc dd aa",
                "aa bb cc dd aaa"
            };

            return GetNumValidPassphrases();
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub