It is not just that Republicans cannot govern; there is an element of guerrilla warfare to the legislative process over which every party stumbles. Gridlock, though tedious, is a net positive. It is another check upon a government dedicated to impeding the momentum of an impassioned majority from steamrolling the rights of the minority.
The truly catastrophic embarrassment of the healthcare imbroglio is the lack of unity around opposition to a policy when, as recently as July 21, 2016, ending freedom-crushing government-controlled healthcare was seemingly an existential belief for the party.
Unsurprisingly, many on the right are looking to distract from their failures and exorcise their demons by assigning blame, as if internecine bickering about who betrayed whose campaign promise will somehow unite the splintering party.
Congress would like to blame President Trump, who many pundits argue is disconnected from the policy, which he sees only as another box to tick on the Make America Great Again checklist. He could have used his inimitable style to stir up the base at rallies and on social media and create a grassroots groundswell of support for the bill. President Trump has, not unsurprisingly, taken to bullying members of Congress for their supposed disloyalty to him.
The truth is, they're all guilty. It's truly astounding to watch the president walk the line between being head of the party, and thus deserving of the loyalty of a supplicant Congress, and also being a helpless victim.
Trump's self-serving fecklessness is grotesque, but it is also superficial, and therefore dull.
But the polity is partly to blame, for they sat through the whole disastrous play instead of rising up en masse and walking out in protest of its sheer awfulness. Voters who bought into the trap of binary morality and listened to fast-talking politicians who drawled, "It's us or them, and have you seen the other guy?" are as guilty of defaulting on a politics of veracity and principles as are members of government.
This political abattoir, however, is made no better by those calling on the president to cajole Congress into gaining the requisite votes to pass anything that bears even a passing resemblance to healthcare reform.
Much like the president, they assume that the executive, as the functional head of the party, is owed the loyalty of its other members. This attitude, though, is dangerous when it is exercised to influence the Congressional agenda. Trump may be the default leader of the Republicans by virtue of his prominent position, but this leadership is purely symbolic. He is the president, that is to say, the head of the executive branch. Members of Congress are part of the legislative branch, an independent and co-equal part of government. The president is not a prime minister; he has no authority over Congress.
When President Obama insinuatingly threatened the Supreme Court as they were debating the constitutionality of his signature healthcare bill, he caused something of a scandal, and rightfully so for it degraded the separation of powers. Trump's threats towards Congress are equally damaging.
Critics might argue that the Supreme Court is a more autonomous branch in regard to the legislative process, whereas Congress and the president must work in tandem to pass bills. But ever since John Marshall ruled in Marbury v. Madison and established the process of judicial review, the Court has been an integral part of the legislative process. If the president cannot exert pressure over the domain of the justices, he should not be exerting pressure over members of Congress, even if they are more overtly partisan.
The working assumption that the president has some inherent right to have his agenda passed is pure fiction. Congress, if it is otherwise inclined, does not even need to consider the president's pet projects. Yes, there needs to be a working relationship between the legislature and the executive, but one that is built on the recognition that Congress is an independent branch of government equal in stature to the presidency; it is not a lackey.
Rather than making veiled threats against members of the legislature when they violate some imagined loyalty oath, the president would be better served using his position to more constructive and legitimate ends. For though it is inappropriate for Trump to pressure members of Congress, he is the president of all the people, and it is wholly appropriate for him to use his rapport with his supporters to lobby their members of Congress to pass legislation that is to their benefit.


So thank God for this! WD MY CLOUD! Ok, para sa non-techy like me… it took me awhile to get the concept.A cloud is a storage place that you can connect thru your wifi. Some clouds like yung Apple cloud and DropBox you need to pay monthly. Parang may rent ka. But this one it's with you and no monthly!
So technically, the cloud stores your files. yes, kahit ano pa yan. Kahit yung mga kinakahiya mong throwback photos! haha! And the nice thing about it is that kahit anong gadget ang andar mo. You can access it.
It also automatically backups your file! So bongga, wala kang fear na mawaley lahat pag hindi ka nagbackup!
Super duper easy set up! Actually kahit hindi ako techy I can do it!
For techy friends, eto ang specs!
Sorry magulo! But check out how we installed it!
Àkala ko nasa yugatech ako hahaha push mother!!!


text:
Leah's Updates
Ami's Story
About Ami Ortiz
The Damage
The Miracles
The Suspect
Jerusalem Institute of Justice Report
Jack Teitel Conviction
Yesterday Jack Teitel, a self-confessed long-time volunteer for the Yad L'Achim anti-missionary organization, was finally convicted by the District Court in Jerusalem on two accounts of murder and two accounts of attempted murder including the bombing of Ami Ortiz, the Messianic Jewish young man from the town of Ariel.
Nearly five years ago, during the 2008 Purim holiday, Teitel left a pipe bomb disguised as a gift package on the doorstep of the Ortiz family. When Ami, then 15 years old brought the package inside and opened it, he detonated the bomb which critically wounded him filling his body with hundreds of pieces of shrapnel.
Ami has miraculously recovered from this attack, but is still undergoing a serious of painful plastic surgeries to remove his scars. During the opening of his trial, Teitel said, "it was a pleasure and honor to serve my G-d, G-d is proud of what I did. I have no regrets".
It is a relief to know that this cold-blooded murderer will spend the rest of his life behind bars. Over the past five years, JIJ has supported the Ortiz family offering pro-bono legal representation, raising donations to renovate their bombed apartment and care for Ami's special medical needs, as well as helping them manage the Israeli media's treatment of the attack, investigation and trial.
Yesterday Ami's parents, David and Leah Ortiz, sent JIJ the following note: "we know you heard the good news of the guilty verdict, but we just want to thank you for standing by us for these years, and for supporting us in every way". JIJ is honored to have played a part in bringing justice to this case. Indeed, the mills of justice grind slow, yet they grind fine.
Below is a revealing article. We would not have known that our hearing tomorrow is cancelled if David hadn't felt impressed to look on the internet to see if there were any articles about Jack Teitel before the hearing. He found this!
We were involved in the case with the FBI from the very beginning, even before the Shin Bet and the FBI got together. The Shin Bet were supposed to contact the FBI and tell them that American citizens were involved in the attack, but they didn't inform them officially until January 2009 , almost a year later. There are other things that we're not at liberty to say yet, but the Lord has taken that which has been spoken in secret and gradually it is being shouted from the housetops!
The State Prosecutor failed to inform our lawyer and ourselves that a hearing was held on Monday instead of tomorrow, and therefore the hearing for tomorrow is cancelled. This is the second time that they failed to inform the victims that the hearing date was changed. Another hearing is supposed to take place in a few weeks.
http://www.haaretz.com/misc/article-print-page/fbi-and-shin-bet-began-tracking-jewish-terrorist-year-before-arrest-1.261271?trailingPath=2.169%2C2.225%2C2.226%2C
Published 02:23 12.01.10
FBI and Shin Bet began tracking 'Jewish terrorist' year before arrest
Teitel refuses to cooperate with his attorney, saying he does not recognize court's authority.
By Chaim Levinson
A year prior to Yakov "Jack" Teitel's arrest, the Shin Bet and the FBI were in close contact as part of an investigation into bombings targeting homosexuals, messianic Christians and left-wing figures, Haaretz has learned.
Teitel was arrested on October 7. However, the initial exchanges on the case between the two security services on the case began in October 2008, when a Shin Bet officer, code-named Ariel, contacted the FBI with a request for assistance in the investigation. Eventually, the authorities would come to suspect Teitel as the person behind the bombings.
Meanwhile, deliberations were held at the Jerusalem District Court Monday on Teitel's case. Teitel has refused to cooperate with his attorney, saying he does not recognize the court's authority and Monday it appointed two new defense lawyers, who are to respond to the charges against Teitel by next month.
The Shin Bet and the police were building a profile of the bomber as avenues of investigation had reached a dead end. One of the conclusions in the investigation was that the bomber probably was an American, which led to the cooperation with the FBI.
The Israeli authorities considered translating the pamphlets on how to make explosive devices the bomber had made for dissemination to other intelligence services in the hope of possibly finding a link through their data bases.
Haaretz has learned that in May 2009, two FBI agents visited Israel to assist in the Teitel case. The Shin Bet investigators were becoming increasingly convinced Teitel was the prime suspect. The FBI agents shared the information they had on Teitel's activities in the U.S.; he had a police record.
Teitel himself told the Shin Bet that in 2000, he fought with his landlord, who threw him out of the apartment. As he fled, Teitel used his car to hit the landlord's dog, and he reportedly carried an unlicensed pistol, fearing trouble with the police. He then fled to Israel.
The FBI played a two-fold role. It had information on Teitel but also probed cases involving Americans who have been targets of terrorism. The FBI began investigating such instances in the 1980s with the help of local authorities, and its office in Tel Aviv covers incidents in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The head of the office met with Lea and David Ortiz, whose son Amiel was badly injured in a Purim package bomb believed to have been sent by Teitel in March 2008.
This story is by: Chaim Levinson
I am attaching an article from the Israeli news which speaks for itself as to what went on this morning in court:
http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3949488,00.html
Teitel calls court 'a whorehouse'
'Jewish terrorist' declares court not authorized to try him, says accepts Torah judgment only. Medical opinions differ on his fitness to stand trial
-Aviad Glickman
Yaakov (Jack) Teitel disrupted Jerusalem District Court on Sunday when he stood up suddenly and told the judges in English that he opposes "this whorehouse" which he said had no legitimacy to try him. Teitel is accused of various acts over a period of many years which have earned him the title of "Jewish terrorist."
Teitel told the judges he accepts the Torah judgment alone, reiterated that the court was not authorized to try him, and said "God is king."
Last November an indictment was submitted against him, including 14 paragraphs detailing 12 years of terror. According to the allegations against him, in 1997 he murdered taxi driver Samir Akram Balbisi in Jerusalem, and shepherd Issa Jabrin near Susya. He then returned to his country of birth, the United States, before coming back to Israel where he tried to harm police officers and Palestinians a number of times.
According to the indictment, he also placed an explosive device in the house of Prof. Ze'ev Sternhell who was lightly wounded, and sent a booby-trapped gift to a family of Messianic Jews in Ariel, seriously wounding their teenage son Ami Ortiz.
The court debate centered round contradictory medical opinions regarding Teitel. One asserted he was not fit to stand trial, while another said he was fit to stand trial and responsible for his actions. During the debate, Teitel's attorneys Michael Ironi and Asher Ohayon requested the raw material on which the medical opinions were based so they could fully understand the second opinion.
Representative of the State Prosecution Sagi Ofir agreed to the request, and the court ruled that the two sides would submit a joint injunction permitting the psychiatrists to submit the raw material.
Ohayon also said Teitel would not agree to cooperate with the court. "The most he is willing to do, after much effort, is to be passive," Ohayon said, referring to "higher" orders which would not permit Teitel to do more than this.
Our lawyer said that we need to understand that the due process of law is going well, and that the issue of insanity has to be resolved so that if the trial will go forward, Teitel's lawyers can't claim insanity later on.
December 2nd will be very dramatic, and will determine whether Teitel will stand trial at this present time, or ever. faith in my spirit, that the Lord is going to touch this man. It might take time, but I believe it will happen.
This article appeared today on Ynet.co.il:
http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3946310,00.html
Teitel deemed fit to stand trial
New psychiatric evaluation contradicts initial evaluation which determined that 'Jewish terrorist' is mentally ill. 'Teitel was responsible for his actions when he committed them,' district psychiatrist rules
A psychiatric evaluation submitted to the Jerusalem District Court determined that "Jewish terrorist" Yaakov (Jack) Teitel, who was indicted for murdering Arabs and attempting to hurt Prof. Ze'ev Sterhell is fit to stand trial and was responsible for his actions, Ynet learned Monday.
This evaluation contradicts an initial evaluation submitted to the court three months ago, which stated that Teitel's mental state may not allow for trial to proceed. He was later sent to a different hospital for another evaluation.
Teitel has been hospitalized at the Magen hospital for the past three months, and a hearing on his matter is expected to take place next week.
His lawyer, Attorney Asher Ohayon, said in response to the new evaluation: "We will study the evaluation and respond to it as part of the court discussions.
After the first evaluation was submitted, Teitel said upon entering the courtroom, "I don't know if I'm insane. I don't recognize this court's authority."
Teitel was indicted in November 2009 on 14 different counts. The 37-year-old resident of the settlement of Shvut Rachel was indicted for the murder of Palestinian taxi driver, Samir Balbisi, in June 1997, and the murder of a Palestinian shepherd a few months later. He was also charged with laying an explosive device next to a Palestinian home near the West Bank settlement of Eli.
The indictment also charged that Teitel attempted to poison Palestinian residents of an isolated village near Eli. He was also indicted for attempting to murder Ami Ortiz, the son of a Messianic family living in Ariel, when he sent an explosive device disguised as a Purim gift to their home. In addition, he was charged with placing a bomb next to Prof. Zeev Sternhell's home.
We are still in a holding pattern concerning the trial of Jack Teitel. The trial has not begun yet because of the psychiatric testing.
In the case of Chaim Pearlman, suspects are continuing to be arrested, questioned and released, all members of the Kach movement who are followers of the now deceased Rabbi Meir Kahane. (Website on Kahane - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbi_Meir_Kahane)
One Rabbi that was arrested and interrogated was the author of the book "King Torah" which we've spoken about before - which condones the killing of the Jews' enemies by regular citizens, and even the murdering of their children.
CHAIM PEARLMAN
In my last update I wrote, concerning the postponement of the hearing - "We pray that what needs to be brought out into the light will be revealed, because we believe that the Lord wants to do something bigger than what we can see at this time."
The next day Chaim Pearlman was arrested. He is accused of murdering at least two Palestinians in East Jerusalem in 1998 and wounding others. He is a member of an ultra- right wing outlawed organization called the Kach movement whose founder was Rabbi Meri Kahane. Pearlman has been arrested on minor misdemeanours in the years since the murders. He was very smart though – when he began to be visited by the Shin Bet (Israeli secret service) in the months before his arrest, he had the feeling he was about to be apprehended, and so he secretly recorded the meetings. He recorded 20 hours of alleged conversations with Shin Bet agents, and if nothing else, to us they have revealed a certain modus operandi which is exactly the same as the secret services dealings with Jack Teitel, and interesting similarities between Teitel's and Pearlman's activities.
Teitel allegedly murdered two Palestinians in 1997
Pearlman allegedly murdered at least two Palestinians in 1998
Teitel was interrogated by the Shin Bet on his involvement and released because of lack of evidence. This happened in 1997. Upon his return to Israel to make aliyah in 2000, he was again interrogated by the Shin Bet who asked him to be an informer of the far-right radical Jewish factions. He agreed, but later ties were cut because of lack of cooperation on his part.
Pearlman was interrogated in 2002 by the Shin Bet in connection with the murders that he carried out, but couldn't be arrested because of lack of evidence. He was offered money in order to become an informer of the same, but later on ties were cut because of lack of cooperation.
Twelve years passed until Teitel was arrested during which time he committed the rest of his violent crimes, including two attempted murders (one of which was planting a bomb in our house resulting in the critical wounding of Ami), and a string of other violent attempts on people's lives. During that time he collected a large weapons cache, ostensibly taught himself to manufacture bombs, got married and had 4 children.
Twelve years passed from the time Pearlman allegedly carried out his murders until he was arrested during which time he was active in right-wing radical groups and activates, got married and had 3 children.
Teitel was held in the Shin Bet's prison for several weeks after his arrest. He was denied access to a lawyer and a gag order was placed on the arrest details.
Pearlman is being held in the same prison, also has been denied visits by his lawyer but the judge denied the gag order request. Because of this, and because partial contents of the secret tapes were released to the press, we have this information.
A secret letter was delivered to the judge by the Police and Shin Bet in the case of Jack Teitel when we took the police to court to get back our confiscated security camera hard disc.
A secret letter from the same security agencies has been delivered to the judge presiding at this time over the Pearlman case.
MEDIA WAR
The Pearlman case is confusing to the Israeli public, as no one knows who is telling the truth-Pearlman or the Shin Bet! All we know is that there is always more than what meets the eye, and we are questioning more each day why Teitel has been hidden away in a mental institution for the past six months, with postponement after postponement by the district court psychiatrist, and why we haven't had the full cooperation or information sharing of any government legal or security service since the bomb went off in our house on March 20, 2008, critically wounding Ami.
Here is a link to an article concerning the Pearlman case:
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/mess-report-shin-bet-challenged-by-cases-of-jewish-terror-1.302009
We were informed today by our lawyer that the hearing scheduled for tomorrow to determine Yakov Teitel's ability to stand trial has been postponed again by the psychiatrists until the beginning of September! There could be many reasons for this, but at any rate it is clear that the court psychiatrist is continuing to re-evaluate. Our lawyer said that the term - "psychotic state" which is what the psychiatrist has determined that Teitel is in, is like the flu in psychiatric terms - something that comes and goes, easily. All we can do is wait - since God is always working, we will give Him the glory and assume that it is all in His hands, and that no matter what the plan or scheme of the enemy of our souls, all things will work together for good. We pray that what needs to be brought out into the light will be revealed, because we believe that the Lord wants to do something bigger than what we can see at this time.
We were informed by our lawyer today that the District Court Psychiatrist who is examining Yakov Teitel's mental ability to stand trial has asked for an extension until July 14th. The State Prosecutor says that it is an encouraging sign - maybe they are re-evaluating their initial evaluation?
May 5th, 2010 was a momentous day. We had another hearing in the Jack Teitel case. As you know he has been undergoing psychiatric testing for the past three months, and yesterday the defence came back to court with the suggestion of the district psychiatrist that Teitel is currently in a psychotic state and not fit to stand trial at this time. This is the third team of lawyers that Teitel has had and the reason they're doing this is because it is literally the only line of defence that they have, as Teitel has confessed to all his crimes and has done re-enactments of several of them as well. The psychiatric evaluation is not a decision - but the media have portrayed it as a decision and so most Israelis believe it is already a done deal, and that at this time Teitel will not stand trial. However, the judges have the power to either accept this evaluation or to reject it, and that decision will be made final on June 1, 2010. The State prosecutor asked for a postponement of the decision for a few weeks to look over the psychiatrist's evaluation in order to be able to respond effectively as the State representative. If the judges accept the evaluation, the trial will be "frozen "and Teitel will remain in a psychiatric hospital under treatment until he is deemed mentally stable enough to be tried, which is unacceptable to us, the victims, as this can take an undetermined amount of time.
The courtroom is always packed with reporters. Cameramen, who are not allowed into the courtroom are lined up outside. After the hearing we went out to "meet the press". We told the media and therefore the nation that to us this evaluation is strange and illogical - for 12 years Teitel was active, working out his attacks to the last detail , built complicated bombs and stored a hidden cache of illegal weapons, covered his tracks and outwitted the police and the Shin Bet for more than a decade, learned how to lie on the polygraph test and succeeded when brought in for questioning after murdering two Palestinians twelve years ago, started a family and had children, worked for Y'ad L'achim for five years, worked and even had a business to support his family,and now when he is finally arrested, he is deemed unfit to stand trial because of mental illness.
Here is an article from YNET, which is the most widely read Hebrew news website in Israel. They have an English site a well.
As first published in Ynet, professional opinion filed in court that alleged Jewish terrorist is not fit to stand trial. Hearing postponed so prosecution can review material. Teitel tells Ynet, 'I don't know if I'm sane. I don't recognize court's jurisdiction'
Aviad Glickman
Published: 05.05.10, 12:03 / Israel News
After escaping the law for 12 years, the Jewish terrorist is also escaping a court date in the meantime. A professional psychiatric opinion was submitted Wednesday to Jerusalem District Court ruling that Jack Teitel is not fit to stand trial. The judges agreed with the State Prosecution's request to delay the hearing so that they could study the material.
Teitel, accused of a string of terrorist attacks against Arab and Jewish civilians, told Ynet, "I don't know if I'm sane. I don't recognize the jurisdiction of this court. I feel good."
Judges Zvi Segal, Moshe Drori, and Moshe Hacohen postponed the hearing on the psychiatric evaluation performed in Sha'ar Menashe Hospital, which has been accredited by the district psychiatrist. They also ruled that the district psychiatrist must confirm the professional opinion submitted by the hospital.
During the hearing, Teitel's legal counsel, Attorney Asher Ohayon from the Public Defender's Office, said that he intends to send a psychiatrist of their own to the hospital to write a professional opinion for the defense.
In court, Judge Segal asked the State Prosecution whether there was any indication of any additional illness or previous hospitalization in Teitel's past. Representative of the State Prosecution, Sagi Ofir, said that the matter was raised during investigations, but that this apparently the first time Teitel has been to a psychiatrist.
Teitel's mother and relatives of his alleged victims - Samir Akram Balbisi and Amiel Ortiz - were present during the hearing. Amiel's father, David Ortiz, said, "Teitel is a very intelligent guy who carried out his crimes intelligently. It is a test for the judges and the State of Israel not to allow this murderer to get away."
The families' representative, Attorney Yossi Greiber said that he was encouraged by the postponement granted in order to study the psychiatric evaluation. "We are stunned by this blatant attempt by one of the most sophisticated criminals to operate in Israel in the past decade who was of sound enough mind to plan the terrorist attacks."
Greiber reiterated claims that Teitel conned the psychiatrist or that his mental state is a result of personal circumstances unrelated to the trial.
12 years of terror
The opinion is based on a month-long psychiatric observation of Teitel performed in Shaar Menashe Hospital in Jerualem. The psychiatrist in charge of the case ruled that Teitel is in a psychotic state. Another opinion will be provided.
In the meantime, Teitel will apparently continue to undergo in-patient hospital treatment. Periodically, a committee will deem whether his status has changed and whether he is fit to stand trial or not.
It should be noted that the psychiatric evaluation refers only to Teitel's current psychiatric condition and whether he is currently fit for trial. It does not address his mental state when he allegedly committed the crimes being ascribed to him. It is likely that should his mental state change, his trial will continue.
Last November, an indictment was filed against Teitel on fourteen counts of terrorism over the court of 12 years. In 1997, he allegedly murdered taxi driver, Samir Akram Balbisi in Jerusalem and shepherd Issa Jabrin near Sussia.
After returning to the US, his country of origin, he returned to Israel and tried to harm police officers and Palestinians. He later planted a bomb at the home of Prof. Ze'ev Sternhell, who was only lightly wounded in the incident. Teitel is also suspected of sending a booby-trapped Purim gift basket to a Messianic Jewish family living in Ariel that seriously wounded teenager Amiel Ortiz.
The last court hearing which was supposed to take place in March was cancelled because Yakov "Jack"Teitel, the perpetrator of the crime against our family, is in psychiatric testing in a psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. He is still there, and will undergo testing until May 2nd – at which time we have a tentative hearing on May 5th at 9:30 AM Israel time to hear the results and the decision of the court – whether he is psychologically capable of standing trial. Our lawyer said that if he is deemed incapable, that he will be in a jail for the criminally insane, and treated until he can stand trial. He will stand trial one day – we know, before the King of Kings and Lord or Lords – Please pray that this trial will be able to proceed, and for Teitel himself, and his family, to be redeemed and to come to repentance.
© 2013 Ami Ortiz. All Rights Reserved.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Swimming pool fountains with LED lights are an affordable way to add colorful ambiance to any pool. Floating pool fountains with LED lighting attach to a pool return.


text:
Q: Fine-tune lstm in Keras I would like to compare the performance of a baseline LSTM and a fine-tuned model. I found many examples online, but all of them use pretrained networks, such as VGG16, ResNet50, and I was wondering if anybody can help with a language model.
My network is the following:
model = Sequential()
model.add(Embedding(vocab_size, embedding_size, input_length=5, weights=[pretrained_weights]))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size, return_sequences=True)))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size, return_sequences=True)))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size, return_sequences=True)))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size, return_sequences=True)))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size, return_sequences=True)))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size, return_sequences=True)))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size, return_sequences=True)))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size, return_sequences=True)))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size, return_sequences=True)))
model.add(Bidirectional(LSTM(units=embedding_size)))
model.add(Dense(2000, activation='softmax'))

model.compile(loss='categorical_crossentropy',
          optimizer = RMSprop(lr=0.001),
          metrics=['accuracy'])

# fit network
model.fit(X_train, y_train, epochs=100, verbose=2, batch_size=16)

I tried to fine-tune it by freezing the first layers, by adding:
for layer in model.layers[:3]:
    layer.trainable = False

before compiling, but the accuracy drops, with the baseline I have around 10% accuracy (I want to test on a corpus that is totally different from the training and evaluate the performance), while if I freeze the layers I get something like 0.002.
Can somebody help me understand what I am doing wrong or suggest me a different fine-tuning method?
Thank you in advance!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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The 'No Pasaran!' conference in London on 2 March has been called in response to the growing wave of far-right breakthroughs internationally. Phil Hearse investigates.
Diane Abbott, John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn are distinguished by political careers devoted to anti-racism and defending migrants' rights writes Andy Stowe.


text:
Q: Copy command in Ubuntu without replacing existing content? Hi how do I copy a folder from source to destination in Ubuntu without replacing the existing contents in the destination folder?
I tried cp -r -u and cp -r -n, and neither one worked.

A: I believe that if you're copying a directory using -r, the -n will only take effect against the directory being copied, not individual files, leaving you with -i which is interactive though, which means you have to stick around to watch it go.  Not useful if you're scripting I suppose.
What can work instead if you're copying a source which has multiple directories within, is rsync with the --ignore-existing flag.  rsync can also work for local transfer, in fact, I prefer it for copying entire directory/subdir's..

A: It is cp -i for interactive queries before overwriting. You can find more with man cp.


text:
Apple's growth strategy is a textbook case of antitrust abuse
Cory Doctorow 10:48 pm Mon May 6, 2019
Apple bought between 20 and 25 companies in the past six months, according to CEO Tim Cook, who also said that this was business as usual for the company.
Growing by acquiring nascent competitors was the kind of tactic that antitrust regulators strictly limited…until the Reagan years, when a fringe economist (and Nixon-abetting failed Supreme Court nominee) named Robert Bork began a very well-funded campaign to push a fanciful (and fabricated) version of the legislative history of US antitrust laws like the Sherman Act, insisting that these laws were not meant to prevent monopolies. Instead, Bork argued that the purpose of antitrust was to prevent "consumer harm" in the form of higher prices. The result has been 40 years of mergers and acquisitions that have led to monopolies in every sector, from internet companies to pro wrestling.
Apple, of course, launched the first successful home computer — the Apple ][+ — while Reagan was on the campaign trail, and the tech industry grew up just as antitrust enforcement was shrinking, making it patient zero in the epidemic of monopolization.
Apple's strategy of buying up nascent potential competitors before they can grow too big to threaten it is by no means unique to the company — every tech giant is on an acquisition spree, though often the companies they acquire are subsequently run into the ground, because of "diseconomies of scale." But since the value of acquisitions isn't merely to grow (it's also to prevent other companies from growing to challenge yours), there's still a silver lining for the acquirer.
Apple doesn't always tell the world when it buys another company — but in reality, it's quietly snapping up startups all the time. This weekend, CEO Tim Cook told CNBC that Apple purchases a new company every two to three weeks on average, and has bought between 20 and 25 companies in the last six months alone.
Apple buys companies at the same rate you buy groceries [Sean Hollister/The Verge]
cronus growth
late stage capitalism


text:
Q: Buttons styled to look like app bar buttons Is it possible to style a xaml button tag to look like an application bar button by changing the style? and how can it be done.

A: Hope this Helps.
<Page.Resources>
    <Style x:Key="RoundedButton" TargetType="Button">
        <Setter Property="Template">
            <Setter.Value>
                <ControlTemplate TargetType="Button">
                    <Grid>
                        <Grid.RowDefinitions>
                            <RowDefinition Height="Auto"></RowDefinition>
                            <RowDefinition Height="30"></RowDefinition>
                        </Grid.RowDefinitions>
                        <Ellipse Name="Ellipse" Grid.Row="0" StrokeThickness="1" Fill="{TemplateBinding Background}" Height="40" Width="40"  Stroke="White"></Ellipse>
                        <ContentPresenter Name="Content" Grid.Row="0" FontSize="{TemplateBinding FontSize}" FontFamily="{TemplateBinding FontFamily}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"></ContentPresenter>
                        <TextBlock Text="{TemplateBinding Tag}" Grid.Row="1" Margin="0,-2,0,0" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" FontSize="12" Foreground="White" FontFamily="Segoe Ui"></TextBlock>
                        <VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
                            <VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates">
                                <VisualState x:Name="Normal"/>
                                <VisualState x:Name="PointerOver">
                                    <Storyboard>
                                        <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity" Storyboard.TargetName="Ellipse">
                                            <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="0.8"/>
                                        </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                    </Storyboard>
                                </VisualState>
                                <VisualState x:Name="Pressed">
                                    <Storyboard>
                                        <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="Fill" Storyboard.TargetName="Ellipse">
                                            <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="White"/>
                                        </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                        <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="Foreground" Storyboard.TargetName="Content">
                                            <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="Red"/>
                                        </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                    </Storyboard>
                                </VisualState>
                            </VisualStateGroup>
                        </VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
                    </Grid>
                </ControlTemplate>
            </Setter.Value>
        </Setter>
    </Style>
</Page.Resources>
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Center">
<Button Content="" Style="{StaticResource RoundedButton}" FontSize="19" FontFamily="Segoe Ui Symbol" Tag="Delete" Background="RoyalBlue" />
<Button Content="" Margin="10,0,0,0" Style="{StaticResource RoundedButton}" FontSize="16" FontFamily="Segoe Ui Symbol" Tag="Mail" Background="ForestGreen" />
<Button Content="" Margin="10,0,0,0" Style="{StaticResource RoundedButton}" FontSize="17" FontFamily="Segoe Ui Symbol" Tag="Back" Background="Red" />
</StackPanel>

Output

A: Check this page for existing styles which you can reuse to create a similar button.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/ff769552(v=vs.105).aspx
But there is no style that renders a button to look like an app bar button (e.g. a circle instead of a rectangle). You will have to render this on your own using this brush:
PhoneChromeBrush
or this color:
PhoneChromeColor
But you should first check the Microsoft style guidelines whether this is a good idea or not. I am not aware of a limitation to not mimic app bar buttons, but the user would probably not expect to see such buttons somewhere else than on the bottom.

A: You can get the ready to use class for round button here: Create a round button control for Windows Phone.


text:
«Proud as demons»: the rebellious nuns of Port-Royal
Silvana Bartoli Università di Torino
Port-Royal, cloistered nuns, obedience, monastic veil, Angélique Arnauld, Angélique de Saint-Jean, Jacqueline Pascal
The text starts from the question posed by the nuns of Port-Royal: can the monastic condition ignore the voice of conscience? The dramatic results triggered by the questions had their roots in a book published in 1640: Augustinus by Cornelis Jansen who proposed uncompromising religiosity by appealing to the thought of the holy bishop. That book created around itself a spiritual movement that marked the seventeenth century with a brand of diversity and opposition to the ruling power, political and religious. But perhaps Jansenism would never have been such an attractive ethical reference without Port-Royal, which the king wanted to destroy precisely to disperse the movement.
The Cistercian abbey, however, was first of all a community of women consecrated to prayer and yet, the extent of the theological controversies of which it became the center and the vast literary production that surrounded it, ended up eclipsing that primacy of the conversation with God that was the highest ambition of the religious group. On the other hand, it was difficult for a group of austere nuns who refused blind obedience not to cause scandal, in seventeenth-century France and beyond. However, the destruction of the abbey did not manage to silence the voices of its inhabitants and their behavior still challenges us.
Bartoli, S. (2021). «Proud as demons»: the rebellious nuns of Port-Royal. Montesquieu.It, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2421-4124/12593
Copyright (c) 2021 Silvana Bartoli


have one here!" says Clifton.
Gavin Smith talks about the Chewstick Foundation and the impact of the tragic fire, Jimmy Spithill shares his experience of the America's Cup, Sophie Grewel is pictured wearing a carnival costume for the Bermuda Hero's weekend celebration, and PLP MP Kim Wilson was photographed after the week of the labour withdrawal over the government's proposal of a bill regarding pathways to obtaining Bermudian status.
feature in it has been overwhelmingly positive.
am. I love doing DIY".
Temple has also included photographs of her own family and some of the houses she lived in while growing up in Bermuda. Her niece, Indigo, playing and resting with her cuddly toys, her father enjoying his passion for wine, and herself with her beloved chicken, Saturday.


Im going to have a leader for each sqaud and ranks in that sqaud.The leader will take charge and care of the sqaudrian.If the leader disobays he will be kicked from that sqaud. The secret teams is of course a secret!!
Our server is England Iceland for now in the dojo.
My friend just became a beta tester and guess what he showed me what rockhopper will bring!!
But he said to me clubpenguin might not relise it because of spiderman copyright.So if it dont come out do not blame me.
One of my new best friends who is very nice to me.
1.)First open up cheat engine.
2.)Press on the flashing computer to selcet your target select Iexploxer if you are using internet explorer or cptrainer3easfit if you useing the trainer.
3.)Once selected play ballastic biscuit and finish the first level.
4.)Times your score by 8 (use a calculator if needed).
5.)Then play the second level normally and times that score my 8 (your new score) then press next scan once you entered it in cheatengine.
6.)One result should be rfound double click it and it will go in the box bellow then type in the new value (by clicking it) to 100000 thats one hundred thousand.
7.)Play level 3 and loose all your lives and you should go away with about 1250.


In a path-breaking move, the Government of India has approved the induction of women pilots into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
A press release of Ministry of Defence stated that the first women pilots would be selected from the batch which is presently undergoing flying training at Air Force Academy. After completion of training, they would be commissioned in the fighter stream in June 2016. Thereafter they would undergo advanced training for one year and would enter a fighter cockpit by June 2017.
The IAF had in the past shown reservations about inducting women in front-line combat roles. The Indian Army and Navy have so far not allowed women in combat roles. With this decision, women have now become eligible for induction in all branches and streams of the IAF. The air force has about 1,500 women, of which about 100 are pilots in the helicopter and transport units.
The decision means women would soon be flying fighter jets of the Indian Air Force.
"This progressive step is in keeping with the aspirations of Indian women and is in line with contemporary trends in armed forces of developed nations," the press release said.
Many countries allow women to be fighter pilots. The USA got its first female fighter pilot in 1993 and the UK in 1994. Women are successfully flying fighter jets in France, Turkey, Israel and some other nations.


text:
Amazon kills its European DVD rental biz, Lovefilm
Amazon is getting out of the DVD rental business with the closure of Lovefilm, the so-called "Netflix of Europe" that Amazon bought in 2011 for a reported $312 million valuation. The company, which operates in the U.K. and Germany, is a subscription service that lets consumers rent DVDs that are sent out by mail – similar to Netflix's original business model before it became the streaming powerhouse it is today.
According to Amazon, however, DVD rentals by mail are no longer in demand.
"Over the last few years we've seen a decreasing demand for Blu-ray and DVD rental as customers increasingly move to streaming," Amazon explained in an announcement posted to its website, detailing Lovefilm's closure.
The company says it will shut down the "Lovefilm By Post" service on October 31, 2017, as a result. Customers won't be billed for the last month, either, Amazon says.
The company also points to Amazon Prime Video as an alternative going forward, and even offers Lovefilm subscribers a £15 discount on a new Fire TV Stick, taking it down to £24.99. (A code that provides the discount is emailed during checkout from the page at amazon.co.uk/firetvstick.)
Amazon is planning to transition Lovefilm's staff – there are around 50 people there, Variety reports – to new roles at the company, instead of letting them go.
It's not surprising that Lovefilm By Post is shutting down. Streaming is rapidly eating away at the number of customers interested in "renting" movies by mail.
Though Netflix, too, still operates a DVD business, its numbers are dropping. There are some 4 million-plus DVD customers left, and they even have their own app for managing their rental queue. But it's streaming that's seeing growth – with Netflix beating industry expectations for the last two quarters, adding 5.2 million new customers in the last quarter, typically its weakest. The company now expects 108.3 million subscribers by the end of the current quarter in September.
Amazon's Lovefilm does not share its numbers, but at its peak it had some 3 million subscribers across both its DVD business and streaming arm, Lovefilm Instant – which was integrated into Amazon Prime Video several years back.
Image credit: Wikimedia


text:
Lesotho > Specific categories of workers
27 results 50 per page100 per page200 per page
Country: Lesotho - Subject: Specific categories of workers
Lesotho - Specific categories of workers - Miscellaneous (circular, directive, legal notice, instruction, etc.)
Codes of Good Practice 2008 (L.N. No. 194 of 2008). -
Adoption: 2008-12 | LSO-2008-M-81644
Provides for a code of conduct for public officers
PART I - CODE OF CONDUCT
PART II - GRIEVANCE CODE
Division 1 - General
Division 2 - Grievance Procedure
PART III - DISCIPLINARY CODE
Division 1 - General Principles
Division 2 - Disciplinary Procedure
PART VI - CODE ON DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Lesotho - Specific categories of workers - Law, Act
Public Officers' Defined Contribution Pension Fund Act. 2008 (No. 8 of 2008).
Adoption: 2008-08 | LSO-2008-L-81642
Part I - Preliminary
Part II - The Fund
Part III - Membership of the Fund
Part IV - Board of Trustees
Part V - Administration
Part VI - Investments and Financial Matters
Part VII - Benefits
Part VIII - Miscellaneous
Lesotho - Specific categories of workers - Regulation, Decree, Ordinance
Public Service Regulations, 2008 (L.N. No. 78 of 2008). -
Adoption: 2008-06 | LSO-2008-R-81641
Chapter I - Preliminary
Chapter II - Appointments, Mobility and Termination of Service
Chapter III - Remuneration, Benefits and Allowances
Chapter IV - Leave of Absence
Chapter V - Performance Management System
Chapter VI - Organisational Development
Chapter VII - Training and Development
Chapter VIII - Foreign Service
Chapter IX - Miscellaneous
Chapter X - Repeals [Repeals the Public Service Regulations 1969 (L.N. No. 16 of 1969)].
Public Service (Amendment) Act, 2007 (Act No. 3 of 2007).
Adoption: 2007-12 | Date of entry into force: 2007-12-28 | LSO-2007-L-81637
Amends the Public Service Act 2005, section 18(4) by deleting the words " but reviewable in the courts of law". Also amends section 20 by deleting subsections (1) to (4) and replacing them with new subsections concerning the Public Service Tribunal. Deletes section 30 and replaces it concerning the extent of application of the Labour Code: "30. The Labour Code Order 1992 shall not apply to public officers, except in relation to appeals to the Labour Court in pursuance of section 20 of this Act."
Statutory Salaries (Amendment of Schedule) (No. 2) Regulations, 2006 (L.N. No. 78 of 2006).
Amends Category A of Schedule 2 of the 1972 Act by adding the words "Utility car in respect of Chief Justice" after the last term and in Category B concerning certain privileges.
Statutory Salaries (Amendment of Schedule) Regulations, 2006 (L.N. No. 78 of 2006).
Adoption: 2006-04-01 | LSO-200-R-77844
Repeals and replaces Schedules 1 and 2 of the Statutory Salaries Act 1972.
Repeals and replaces Schedule 1 and 2 of the Statutory Salaries Act 1972 concerning salaries, allowances and privileges in the public service.
Public Service (Amendment) Act, 2005 (Act No. 7 of 2005). -
Amends the principal Act by inserting a new section 6A concerning disciplinary powers.
Public Service Act 2005 (Commencement) Notice 2005 (L.N. No. 31 pf 2005).
Adoption: 2005-03-23 | LSO-2005-M-73253
Appoints day of 1st April 2005 as the day the Act is to come into force.
Public Service Act 2005 (Act No. 1 of 2005) -
Adoption: 2005-01-01 | Date of entry into force: 2005-04-01 | LSO-2005-L-71729
Part II - Conditions of employment and conduct of public officers
Part III - Settlements of disputes (conciliation, arbitration, strike, etc.)
Part IV - Public staff association (freedom of association, etc.)
Part V - Retirement of public officers
Part VI - Miscellaneous
Mines and Minerals Act 2005 (Act No. 4 of 2005). -
Adoption: 2005 | LSO-2005-L-73255
Repeals the Mining Rights Act 1967.
Part II - Ownership of Mineral and Acquisition of Mineral Rights
Part III - Adminstration
Part IV - Prospecting Licences
Part V - Mining Leases
Part VI - Mineral Permits
Part VII - Mineral Concession and Surface Rights
Part VIII - Environmental Obligations
Part IX - Financial
Part X - Withdrawal of Applications, Surrender and Termination of Mineral Concession, etc.
Part XI - Miscellaneous
Teaching Service Regulations 2002 (Legal Notice No. 3 of 2002).
Part I: Preliminary. Part II: Registration of teachers. Part III: Educational qualifications. Part IV: Conditions of employment. Part V: Filing of vacancies. Part VI: Conditions of service. Part VII: Leave (annual leave, paid leave, sick leave, maternity leave, educational leave, leave without pay). Part VIII: Retirement. Part IX: Discipline. Part X: Inspection. Part XI: Miscellaneous. Repeals the Teaching Service Regulations 1986.
Lesotho College of Education Act 1997 (Act No. 2 of 1998). -
An Act to establish the Lesotho College of Education and to provide for incidental matters.
Lesotho Defence Force Act 1996 (Act No. 4 of 1996).
Adoption: 1996-08-08 | LSO-1996-L-45793
Provides for the Lesotho Defence Force, which shall have the function of defending Lesotho and supressing terrorism and internal disorder. Part IV governs enlistment and terms of service for soldiers. Inter alia, sets forth death penalty for offences such as aiding the enemy or "cowardly behaviour" and prison terms for absence without leave.
Labour Code (Exemption) Regulations 1995 (No. 108 of 1995).
Exempts persons engaged as watchkeepers from the Labour Code. Normal hours of work shall be 12 hours a day, 5 days a week.
Labour Code (Exemption) Order, 1995 (No. 22 of 1995)
Provides that Part III, Division D and Part V of the Labour Code Order 1992 shall not apply to a public officer and revokes the Labour Code (Exemption Order, 1995 (L.N. No. 9 of 1995).
Labour Code (Exemption) Order, 1995 (No. 9 of 1995)
Provides that the Labour Code Order, 1992 shall not apply to a public officer.
Teachers' Pensions Act 1994 (No. 9 of 1994) -
Sets out criteria for entitlement to pensions of teachers whose salaries are paid by the Government. Also provides for the application of the Pensions Proclamation 1964, with necessary modifications, to the grant of pensions, gratuities and other allowances to teachers.
Judicial Service Commission Rules 1994 (No. 102 of 1994).
Provides regulations governing appointments and disciplinary procedures for the Judicial Service Commission.
Pensions (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 1992 (No. 27 of 1992)
Adoption: 1992-12-04 | Date of entry into force: 1992-12-08 | LSO-1992-R-32357
Provides for rules in respect of pension to dependants when an officer dies as a result of injuries received or a disease contracted in the course of his duties, officers injured or contracting diseases in the course of their duties, and claims by officers for compensation.
Teaching Service Commission (Amendment) Order, 1990. No. 12.
Provides for the insertion in the Teaching Service Commission Act, 1983, of a new section specifying circumstances in which a teacher may be dismissed summarily.
Government Notice No. 101 of 1990. Appointment of a Salaries Revision Commission.
Adoption: 1990 | LSO-1990-M-20783
Establishment of a Commission to revise the remuneration of public servants, teaching service, the disciplined forces, statutory positions and chiefs.
National University (Amendment) Order 1989. No. 21.
Adoption: 1989-10-13 | LSO-1989-R-8628
Makes amendments in relation to the authority to terminate the appointment, or dismiss any member, of the academic staff or other officer or servant of the University.
Public Service (Amendment) Order 1989. No. 9.
This Order amends provisions relating to the functions and responsibilities of the Government Secretary and Principal Secretary and other matters connected therewith.
Removal of Public Officers (Validation) Order 1988. No. 5.
States that, notwithstanding the provisions of the Public Service Order 1970, any public officer removed from office for any reason during the period 20 Jan. 1986 and 31 May 1988 shall be deemed to have been lawfully removed from office. Bars proceedings to challenge this.
Teaching Service Regulations 1986. Legal Notice No. 180.
Adoption: 1986 | LSO-1986-R-4700
The Regulations govern appointment of teachers, temporary and permanent contracts, conditions for the payment of wages and allowances, leaves, retirement age (65) and discipline. The Teaching Service Regulations 1974 are repealed.
Mine Safety Act 1981 (Act No. 4 of 1981).
Act to make provision for the purpose of preventing the occurrence of accidents at mines; for securing the safety, health and welfare of persons employed at mines; and for connected purposes.


I know the Buddha can not bless each of us, only their own heart to clarify, is the only way to save their own. However, I reverently went to the temple again, to make up for the rush in lingyin temple. The qianlong temple on the shaohua mountain is popular all the year round in April and may of the spring.


"I don't have any comments right now," said a male who answered the telephone at the child's home Sunday afternoon.
Police reportedly went to the day care center at 10:19 a.m. on Wednesday after paramedics were called because of a baby not breathing and not awake, said Hoffman Estates Police spokesman Darin Felgenhauer. Police are investigating Anna Belle's death, but Felgenhauer declined to say anything else about the circumstances because it is under investigation.
Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod said the child was unconscious inside the private residence which is also a daycare facility."There was no outward signs of trauma'' on the child, McLeod said.
The mayor reportedly said he did not know who found the child or where in the residence she was found.
No one else reportedly was hurt, McLeod said.
An autopsy was reportedly not performed Sunday but is scheduled for Monday, according to a spokesman for the medical examiner's office.
Department of Children and Family Services spokesman Jimmie Whitelow said the agency is investigating allegations that the child was abused at an unlicensed daycare center at the Crimson Drive address.
"DCFS has had prior contact with the alleged perpetrator on an unfounded allegation of abuse in May of 2010 for a different child," Whitelow said.


text:
Gerald Dreyer est un boxeur sud-africain né le 22 septembre 1929 et mort le 5 septembre 1985 à Pretoria.

Carrière
Il devient champion olympique aux Jeux de Londres en 1948 dans la catégorie poids légers après sa victoire aux points contre le Belge Jos Vissers. Stevens passe professionnel la même année et remporte le titre de champion d'Afrique du Sud des poids légers en 1950.

Parcours aux Jeux olympiques
 Jeux olympiques d'été de 1948 à Londres (poids légers) :
 Bat Ernesto Porto (Philippines) aux points
 Bat Oivind Breiby (Norvège) aux points
 Bat Svend Vad (Danemark) aux points
 Bat Jos Vissers (Belge) aux points

Référence

Liens externes

Boxeur sud-africain
Boxeur aux Jeux olympiques d'été de 1948
Champion olympique de boxe
Champion olympique sud-africain
Naissance en septembre 1929
Décès en septembre 1985
Naissance à Pretoria

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


House Democrats announced a plan yesterday that would force the richest 2 million U.S. taxpayers to shoulder much of the cost of an expansion of the nation's health-care system, by imposing a surtax of as much as 5.4 percent on income above $350,000 a year.
The House proposal aims to extend insurance coverage to 37 million Americans over the next decade, covering more people through Medicaid and providing subsidies to help others meet a new federal mandate to purchase insurance. Democratic aides said the proposal would cost more than $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years, and would ensure that 97 percent of Americans were enrolled in a health plan by 2015.


Despite solid results and strategic changes last year that pushed a number of Top 200 Environmental Firms higher on the 2018 list, some uncertain signals on the U.S. and global political fronts injected caution into the environmental marketplace, with total list revenue falling 2% to $53.37 billion from the previous year's tally. But nearly three-quarters of this year's listed firms see better signs for 2018 and ahead, with markets strengthening and projects on the move.
Firms are ranked based on the % of their 2016 gross revenue from environmental services. Figures are in $ millions; percents are rounded and may not add up to 100. A company update or clarification is marked by number in red, with a detailed footnote on the side of each list page.
Two asterisks (**) indicate a firm not ranked on the 2017 Top 200 list.
DES Engineering and/or design; CSL Consulting and/or studies; CON Construction, contracting and/or remediation; CM-PM Construction management and/or program management; EQP Equipment or device manufacture; OPS Contract operations; R&D Technology and/or research and development, OTH Services not already designated.


text:
Myanmar May Flower Bank was a bank of Myanmar. Founded in 1994 by Kyaw Myint, it was formerly the third largest bank in the country with ten branches.  It has, like Banco Delta Asia, been designated as a "primary money laundering concern" by the United States Treasury and thus is subject to very strict regulations in its dealings with American banks. The bank's license was revoked by government authorities in March 2005 following a money laundering investigation.

References

Banks of Myanmar
Banks established in 1994
Banks disestablished in 2005
1994 establishments in Myanmar


It's tax time once again and it seems that this year with regulatory changes in effect there are more questions than ever. Our friends at Firley, Moran, Freer & Eassa, CPA, P.C. ("Firley Moran") have provided an easy way to understand some of the changes and what this may mean for you. Check out their guest blog below. As always, your individual situation may vary and you may wish to consult a tax professional of your choosing to discuss your circumstances.
Late in 2017, the new tax reform law was passed (referred to as the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA)." The TCJA brought about the most significant changes we've seen since the 1980's. The changes affect both individual and business tax, with significant changes to credits, deductions, and tax rates. Although everyone's situation is different, the following is a summary of important items that could affect your 2018 tax return.
What Changed in Tax Rates and Brackets?
The US taxes income under a graduated tax system, meaning tax rates increase as your income increases. Your "tax bracket", roughly speaking, is the tax rate you pay on your highest dollar of taxable income. Under the TCJA, the maximum tax rate was reduced from 39.6% to 37%. The number of tax brackets did not change. However, the rates at many of these brackets were reduced. Many of the income thresholds needed to reach the next bracket were increased. This could result in more income being taxed at a lower tax rate as compared to previous years.
What are the Changes to Form 1040?
In an effort to simplify Form 1040, the IRS replaced the old two-page form with a new form marketed as being postcard-sized. The Form 1040 is now essentially a summary form that can require up to seven additional supporting pages to calculate your income tax for the year. Shorter forms 1040A and 1040-EZ were not updated for 2018, meaning that all taxpayers will be using the same form in 2018.
What is the Suspension of Personal Exemptions?
The TCJA suspended the personal exemption deduction for eight years beginning with 2018. Taxpayers can no longer claim the $4,050 personal exemption for each of their dependents.
What Are the New Standard Deduction Levels?
Can I Still Itemize Deductions?
If your itemized deductions total more than the new standard deduction, you can, and should, still claim your deductible expenses on your return.
Were Any Itemized Deductions Changed or Eliminated?
Miscellaneous itemized deductions were eliminated. Such deductions include investment management fees, unreimbursed employee expenses, and tax preparation fees. Prior to 2018, you could have deducted these to the extent the total exceeded 2% of your adjusted gross income.
Home equity loan interest is deductible only if the proceeds of the loan were used to buy, build, or substantially improve a main home (or second home) that is secured by the loan.
Casualty or theft losses are no longer deductible, except in certain disaster areas.
The total deduction for state and local income taxes is now limited to $10,000 per return ($5,000 for "married filing separate return" filers). This limitation applies in total to all state and local taxes paid including income, real estate, and personal property taxes.
Mortgage interest is still deductible. However, beginning with mortgages originated in 2018, individuals can only deduct interest on home mortgage loans up to $750,000 (previously, the limit was based on $1,000,000 of debt).
Medical and dental expenses can still be deducted to the extent they exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. Prior to the new law, this threshold was 10% which may mean more medical and dental expenses could be deductible this year.
The new tax law preserves the deduction for charitable contributions.
Due to the reduction and elimination of the itemized deductions highlighted above, many individuals may find that it makes more sense to take the standard deduction rather than itemize deductions on their federal income tax returns.
What Is the New Deduction for Qualified Business Income?
As a benefit to small business owners, the IRS enacted a new deduction for qualified business income. The deduction is calculated as 20% of the taxpayer's qualified business income – subject to certain limitations. Taxpayers who own their own business, own interests in partnerships, or own stock in an S corporation should talk with their tax advisor to see if they qualify for this deduction.
What Does the Repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Individual Mandate Mean?
Taxpayers without healthcare coverage for a full year will no longer be subject to a penalty. This takes effect in 2019.
What Is the Increase in the Child Tax Credit?
Good news if you have kids or other dependents. Under the TCJA, the child tax credit increased from $1,000 to $2,000 per child. Also, the TCJA introduced a new credit of $500 for each non-child dependent of a taxpayer.
Are There Any Last-Minute Tax Savings Tips I Should Consider?
If you were covered by a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) in 2018, you are eligible to contribute to a health savings account (HSA). For self-only coverage, you may contribute up to $3,450 to the account, and for family coverage, you may contribute up to $6,900 (individuals 55 and older can contribute an additional $1,000). These contributions need to be made into the account by April 15, 2019, and must be designated as a contribution for the 2018 tax year.
Self-employed individuals may deduct contributions to certain retirement plans (self-employed pension and SIMPLE plans), provided the contributions are made by the extended tax return filing date.
You may be able to claim a deduction for contributions made into a traditional individual retirement account (IRA), provided you meet the criteria for the deduction.
Should I File My Own Taxes or Work With a Tax Advisor?
Everyone's situation is different and you'll of course need to do what works best for you. Best practice suggests that if you have a basic return including W-2 wages, simple investments, and itemized deductions, and you can navigate tax software, you could most likely file yourself. Once your situation includes more complex investments, business ownership, filings in multiple states, etc. it may be best to enlist the help of a CPA.
First Source members that choose to file on their own can get a discounted rate on Turbo Tax here.
This document contains general information, may be based on authorities that are subject to change, and is not a substitute for professional advice or services. This document does not constitute audit, tax, consulting, business, financial, investment, legal or other professional advice, and you should consult a qualified professional advisor before taking any action based on the information herein. Firley, Moran, Freer & Eassa, CPA, P.C. and First Source Federal Credit Union are not responsible for any loss resulting from or relating to reliance on this document by any person.
Any tax advice contained within this presentation, either written or spoken, is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or applicable state or local tax laws.
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is a safe, fast and effective ear drying aid to relieve water-clogged ears and keep you in the water!
CONSUMER: Limit one coupon per purchase on product(s) indicated. Good only in U.S.A. Coupons cannot be combined. Consumer pays sales tax. Void if altered, transferred, sold, reproduced, or exchanged. RETAILER: We will reimburse you the face value of this coupon plus $.08 handling provided you and the consumer have complied with the terms of this offer. Invoices proving purchases of sufficient stock to cover presented coupons must be shown on receipt. Any other application may constitute fraud. Coupon void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted. Cash value 1/20¢. Reproduction of this coupon is expressly prohibited. MAIL TO: INSIGHT Pharmaceuticals, CMS Dept. #63736, One Fawcett Drive, Del Rio, TX 78840. Expiration date 12/31/12. © 2012 INSIGHT Pharmaceuticals, LLC. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Bride's unusual call out to help create 'hay urinal' for her wedding
By Emily Lefroy| 11 months ago
A bride has taken to social media to ask for advice about her upcoming nuptials- specifically, how to create a DIY urinal.
The bride-to-be included a snap of what she had in mind- showing a round hay bale with funnels attached. The bride to be asked if anyone had a hay bale that she could use for the occasion.
The woman posted her request on social media which was then shared to Reddit. (Reddit)
The bride wrote "I am hoping to create a 'hay urinal' for my wedding in a few weeks."
"Hence I am chasing one round of hay roughly the size in the picture.
"Obviously the type of hay and quality aren't important just looking for something cheap."
The post was screenshot and posted to Reddit, with people slamming the idea calling it "unsanitary" and "gross".
"I don't see a hand washing station." a user commented. "And you know there will be lots of handshaking, probably eating from communal bowls of crap like potato chips at a shindig like this...pretty unsanitary".
The urinal that the bride had in mind for her wedding. (Reddit)
A second commented on the smell that the 'pee-bale' was sure to make.
"You could probably smell that thing from a distance too" they said. "Like during the first dance at the reception."
"What will they do with it after the wedding?" another pointed out. "Just leave it in place to smell all summer long? I can't imagine how they would move it without making a disgusting mess".
Although mostly branded as unhygienic and a bad idea, one person did have a good point. "To be fair if the options are that or a portaloo I'd go hay" they said.
The most iconic royal weddings of the decade: 2010-2019
Property News: A stunning Gordon's Bay home with an epic ocean outlook - domain.com.au


text:
package com.cakecatalog.srv.auth.client.model;

public class PortalUserResponse {

  private Long id;
  private String name;
  private String email;

  @Override
  public String toString() {
    return "PortalUserResponse{" +
      "id=" + getId() +
      ", name='" + getName() + '\'' +
      ", email='" + getEmail() + '\'' +
      '}';
  }

  public Long getId() {
    return id;
  }

  public void setId(Long id) {
    this.id = id;
  }

  public String getName() {
    return name;
  }

  public void setName(String name) {
    this.name = name;
  }

  public String getEmail() {
    return email;
  }

  public void setEmail(String email) {
    this.email = email;
  }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Roulette pattern is used. Hunslet Tableware is inspired by the utilitarian crockery produced in the 18th century for use below stairs. Simple bold shapes decorated with a single band of herringbone moulding.


text:
King names home-based Ireland Under-21 squad
By Ronan Murphy
Noel King has named a 19-man panel for the upcoming friendly with the Republic of Ireland Amateur team on February 21
Republic of Ireland Under-21 manager Noel King has announced a home-based squad to play against the Republic of Ireland Amateurs.
The Boys in Green will take on Gerry Smith's amateur side before they depart for the Uefa Regions Cup, with King using the friendly to assess domestic talent ahead of the Uefa European Championship squalifying campaign.
"This is the third time we've played a game against Gerry's sides and they are always excellent matches for our players to make an impression," King told the FAI''s official website.
"The Amateurs are all men and are a very well-organised outfit with a manager who has been one of the most successful of all the international teams in the association.
"For us, we are always looking for players capable of stepping up to U21 level so this game gives us an opportunity to work with many of the players we've seen with their clubs in the SSE Airtricity League."
Ireland Under-21 squad:
Conor O Donnell (Limerick)
Stephen McGuinness (Bray Wanderers)
Colm Horgan (Galway United)
John Kavanagh (Cork City)
Robert Lehane (Cork City)
Darren Murphy (Cork City)
Sean Hoare (St Patrick's Athletic)
Lee Desmond (St Patrick's Athletic)
Ruairi Keating (Sligo Rovers)
Jake Dykes (Sligo Rovers)
Gary Armstrong (Sligo Rovers)
Dylan McGlade (Shelbourne)
Ryan Robinson (Shelbourne)
Mark Timlin (Derry City)
Ayman Ben Mohamed (Longford Town)
Luke Gallagher (Bray Wanderers)
Rob Cornwall (Shamrock Rovers)
Brandon Miele (Shamrock Rovers)
Mikey Drennan (Shamrock Rovers)
Copyright © 2021 Goal (Ireland) All rights reserved. The information contained in Goal (Ireland) may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Goal (Ireland)


Have you ever studied ants? They are fascinating! Did you know there are more than 12,000 species of ants all over the world? Although it can be frustrating when ants come into your home or invade your picnic, ants do help the environment. By digging tunnels, ants aerate and overturn dirt, bringing nutrients closer to the surface and preparing the ground for rain. Ants prey on the eggs and larvae of unwanted household insects such as flies, fleas, bedbugs, and even cockroaches. If left in your yard, ants can also be a barrier to termites.
Ants are social; they live in large groups called colonies. Depending on the species, ant colonies can consist of millions of ants. There are three kinds of ants in a colony: the queen, the workers, and the male ants. The queen's role is to lay eggs, while the male's job is to mate with the queen. The queen can live for many years and have millions of babies. When she dies, the colony can only survive a few months. She doesn't rule the colony, but she is certainly an important member. Worker ants work, and they work hard—they can carry over 20 times their body weight! They rarely become queens or reproduce. Worker ants may have one or several jobs. Among those jobs are caring for the queen and her young and gathering food for the colony. They store food in special chambers and build chambers and tunnels. They even use their saliva to make the dirt walls hard. Some worker ants are soldiers. They are larger than the other workers, and their main role is to defend the colony and fight off enemy ants or insects. They use their large heads to block the entrance to the nest. Another fascinating fact, ladies, is that all workers are female.
Proverbs 6:6 says to go to the ant, consider her, and be wise. She works hard; she doesn't stop gathering and working for the family within the colony. She protects, raises young, organizes the nest, and puts things in their proper order. She fights to protect against those who want to harm her family.
In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus said that they harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. He encouraged us to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out more laborers. Jesus spoke these words because He was moved with compassion as He looked around and saw the great multitude of people who were weary and needed healing, like sheep having no shepherd (see v.36). Like Jesus, we should be moved with compassion as we discern the needs of others. As children of God, we are the laborers.
As a laborer, and like the ant, are you protecting the environment around you? Though our environments may differ, we can all learn to protect those around us. To start, begin each day in the Word of God. The more we learn who He is, the stronger and more compassionate we become to do the work marked out for us and to be used in the lives of others (see Psalm 119; Matthew 6:33; James 1:22-24).
Like the ant, are your working hard, to further the colony—the kingdom of God? As we dig deeper into Proverbs 6, we are basically told if we are not like the ant, we are lazy. Ouch. Examine yourself. Ask the Lord if laziness prevents you from making an impact for the kingdom of God. Jesus came to work and to serve. He finished the work and, therefore, glorified the Father (see John 17:4).
Let's get motivated and work together ladies. We have been called to work hard, to protect, to raise up our young, to fight. So, my dear sisters, "Be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless" (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT).
National Pest Management Association, "Pest World for Kids: Ants," 2014, http://www.pestworldforkids.org/pest-guide/ants, accessed 5/24/15.
"What good are ants? (David, Panama City, Florida, USA)," AntAsk, August 26, 2012, http://www.antweb.org/antblog/2012/08/what-good-are-ants-david-panama-city-florida-usa.html, accessed 5/24/15.


A man has been charged with a string of offences in connection with an incident in Hull city centre.
Mohammed Ahmed was charged late last night with attempted robbery, arson with intent to endanger life, attempted arson, three counts of possession of an offensive weapon, criminal damage and affray.
Images of police responding to the incident in King Edward Street, Hull.
The 24-year-old, of Innsworth Garth, Bransholme, was remanded in custody yesterday and is due to appear at Hull Magistrates' Court today.
Reports were received shortly after 1pm on Tuesday about a man in possession of a machete and a canister containing petrol inside Santander bank on King Edward Street.
Petrol was poured and set alight causing a small fire inside the bank, which was quickly extinguished by fire crews.
The man then entered Barclays bank where petrol was again reported to have been poured inside the bank.
He left the bank and was later arrested at 1.12pm at Paragon Interchange by officers.
Detective Inspector Allison Sweeting, of Humberside Police, said: "We are still in the very early days of the investigation, however extensive enquiries carried out since the incident further confirm our initial indications that this was an isolated incident of a potential robbery, with no evidence to suggest any terrorism connection or links.
Anyone with information is asked to call on 101, quoting incident number 237 of 11 September 2018.


It is generally believed that a Da'i is as infallible as an Imam. Such a belief is certainly wrong. As far as the Ismaili beliefs go, there is no such belief about the infallibility of a Da'i. Only an Imam after Nabi and Wasi is believed to be infallible.
But of late the powers that be have reinforced the belief that a Da'i is infallible or near infallible. In fact, those who are well conversant with the D'awat-e-Hadiyah literature very well know that in the whole history of the Fatimi D'awat a Da'i was never taken as m'asum (infallible).
Only much later after the seat of the D'awat was transferred to India from Yemen and some dispute arose between the Da'i and one of his likely successors (who in fact claimed to succeed as Da'i) that the doctrine of Da'i being kal-m'asum was invented to save the situation.
Now while inventing this doctrine they were aware that they cannot call a Da'i m'asum as Da'i officiates while Imam is in seclusion and Imam is m'asum so there will be two m'asum at one time which is improper. Therefore another doctrine of kal-m'asum ( i.e. like m'asum, though not m'asum) had to be invented. It is not integral part of Ismai'li belief at all. It is a later invention to suit the circumstances.
Today it has almost become part of our belief that the Da'i is not kal-m'asum but m'asum which is totally uncalled for. We, therefore, would like to throw light on the qualification laid down for a Da'i in the Risalah Al-Mujazah al Kafiyah fi Adab al-Du'at which has been compiled by Syedna Ahmad bin Muhammad Nishapuri.
This Risalah is not available but Syedna Hatim had included it in his celebrated work Tuhfat al-Qulub. So there cannot by any doubt about its authenticity. Also, Syedna Hatim was a Da'i of the period of satr (i.e. when imam is in seclusion ) and the fact that he thought it necessary to include this Risalah on the qualification of a Da'i itself shows that the Da'i must possess all these qualifications even during the period of satr.
It is also obvious that if a Da'i does not possess these qualities he is not fit to be a Da'i. It is of course not possible to recount all the qualities of a Da'i mentioned in the Syedna Ahmad bin Muhammad Nishapuri's Risalah in this short piece but we will mention only the most important ones.
Syedna Hatim says in his Tuhfat al-Qulub that we have included this Risalah at the end of the book so that all Huded i.e. D'awat's office bearers, including Da'i, Ma'dhun and Mukasir should acquaint themselves with these (qualities so that it may act as bridle (zimam).
It will seen that it is an important statement of Syedna Hatim. He wants to act these qualities as bridle for all the hudud of the D'awat. The first important quality mentioned in this respect is the way a Da'i calls people towards the D'awah. In this respect he refers to the Qur'anic verse (16:125) call to the way of the Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner. Surely thy Lord knows those who go aright. (emphasis added). It will be seen that in this verse the emphasis is on wisdom and goodly exhortation (hikmah and mawazatul hasanah).
This is extremely important qualification for any missionary in the world. You can convince people only with knowledge, wisdom and goodly way of exhortation. Also a missionary must argue, in the best possible manner. It would impress the respondent (i.e. mustajib) and incline him towards accepting the call.
But if the Da'i is harsh, ill-informed and throws tantrums or resorts to coercion, it will put off the respondent. He/she may even reject the call for D'awah. This qualification derived from the holy Qur'an has been laid down in the Risalah because a Da'i has to see that people are attracted towards the D'awah. It is basic function of a Da'i. We should remember that D'awah is not merely an establishment it is a movement a mission in the way of Allah. However, the present set up of the D'awah has become a powerful establishment flush with money.
The Da'i today is not at all accessible. He is more like a feudal monarch rather than a missionary. A monarch enjoys power and is always trying to add to his power whereas a missionary renounces power and arrogance associated with power and displays more and more humility.
The holy Qur'an also strongly denounces istikbar (i.e. arrogance of power). Firan is described by the Qur'an as from amongst the mustakbirin and the holy Prophet is described as da'iilal haq (caller to truth). Our present Da'i hardly behaves as a Da'i, as a missionary. He, therefore does not accepts the Qur'anic way of preaching and convincing the people with wisdom and goodly exhortations nor he argues in the best possible manner.
He, on the other hand, uses coercion like a feudal lord. His whole establishment called the Kothar is a feudal establishment rather than a religious D'awah. Each member of this establishment naturally behaves in a most arrogant way. All of us keep on experiencing it every day.
Syedna Ahmad as reported by Syedna Hatim in his Tuhafat al-Qulub maintains that if a Da'i does not call people by wisdom and goodly exhortations (but through coercion) then it would not be Allah's D'awah but the D'awah of shaitan. These strong words themselves show how necessary for a Da'i it is to use the Qur'anic way of preaching and calling people towards Allah's way.
Syedna Ahmad then goes on to say that one who does not use hikmah and maw'azatul hasanah (i.e. wisdom and goodly exhortation ) cannot be a Da'i at all. He fails to fulfill the most basic qualification of being a Da'i. Then he quotes the Qur'anic verses (33:45-46 ), "O Prophet, surely we have sent thee as a witness and a bearer of good news and warner, and as an inviter to Allah by his permission and as a light giving sun."
Here the Prophet is described as a witness and his Da'i, by this logic, is also a witness and a witness has to be just and trustworthy. Thus a Da'i who is not just (adil) and trustworthy (amin) cannot be fit for being Da'i. And one who cannot give good news for this and the other world (mubasshir) for the righteous through his profound knowledge and so he cannot act as a Da'i at all.
Syedna Ahmad bin Muhammad also draws our attention to one more important aspect: a Da'i who attributes to himself the attributes of God, he is guilty of shirk and is ignorant of tawhid I.e. belief in unity of God. Such a person cannot be fit to be Da'i. We know from our own experience that the preceding and the present Da'is (ie. 51st and 52nd) attributed themselves with attributes of Allah like Qadi al Hajat etc. and make their followers perform sajda-e-ubudiyat before them which is open shirk and hence they cannot be fit to be Da'i as per the Risalah of Syedna Ahmad bin Muhammad Nishapuri.
Further on it is said in the Risalah that one who is incapable of bringing up his followers in the knowledge of theology and knowledge of Allah (ulum-o-maarif) cannot claim to be Da'i. Needless to say, the present hierarchy of Fatimi D'awah calling itself the Kothar is totally unconcerned with such knowledge. It is wallowing in luxury and is preoccupied with accumulation of wealth and inculcating blind belief. Such people can hardly remotely qualify for the august office of Da'i who is summoner to the way of Allah his Prophet and his family (ahl al-bayt).
According to the Risalah under discussion, a Da'i must be properly equipped with three types of siyasat: siyasat-e-khassa, siysat-e-hamma and siyasat-e-amma.
Siyasat-e-khassa is control of one's self. One should abide by all the shariah injunctions, practice what is good and keep away from what is forbidden. One should refrain from evil and should imbibe all that Allah attributes to m'umin in the Qur'an. In fact a Da'i has to be much more than a m'umin as he is to lead all of them along the straight path.
Siyasat-e-hamma is the control over one's own household, one's staff and servants. A Da'i has to see that his staff is properly trained in all the good qualities, is cultured and refined in every way. It should have abiding interest in and knowledge should keep away from lowly things and turpitude of character. It should be exemplary in its behaviour towards others.
The messenger of Allah has also said that one who trains people of his household properly will go to jannah along with them. Thus it behoves a Da'i that he should train people from his household and his staff properly and cultivate interest in knowledge and refine their behaviour. Again we know from our experience how the members of the Kothar behaves with us and how knowledgeable and refined they are. In fact, they are rude and violent towards the m'uminin. Thus ultimately it reflects on the Da'i and his abilities.
Siyasat-e-amma pertains to control of common people. One who is successful in this type of siyasat takes care of common peoples' requirements, their material and spiritual well-being. A successful Da'i should give attention towards cultivating the common people, making them happy and fulfilling their economic needs and refining them spiritually. He should prevent them from what is forbidden by the shariah and induce them to acquire more and more spiritual merits.
A Da'i should be brave, generous, shrewd of sound opinion and capable of leadership.
A Da'i should be very just in managing the affairs of his people.
A Da'i should be mujahid completely in control of himself, as he is required to lead people in the way of Allah.
A Da'i should be like a doctor (tabib) with compassion towards the patient and he should be able to cure their (spiritual ) disease.
A Da'i is like a washerman as he removes the dirt of sins from people's soul. Thus he should have expertise of a washerman.
A Da'i should be capable of leading his people through darkness of night walking through thick forest since he is like a leader leading people along sirat-e-mustaqim.
It is highly necessary that a Da'i should be merciful and compassionate towards his followers as Allah says in the Qur'an that we have sent into thee (O Prophet) but as mercy for the world. Like the Prophet a Da'i should also be merciful. Allah also describes m'uminin in Qur'an as compassionate among themselves, thou seest them bowing down prostrating themselves seeking Allah's grace and pleasure( 48:29).
When the m'uminin are compassionate among themselves, a Da'i has to be compassionate. A Da'i must follow Allah for his mercy. The Prophet also despite people's refusal to follow him and his persecution at their hands did not give up mercy for them. Punishing others is not a good quality. Allah also does not punish to the fullest extent as the Qur'an says,"If Allah had punished people for their iniquities, no one would have been left on the face of earth, but he respites them till an appointed time" (16:16), thus Allah shows consideration towards sinners and Da'i should also show mercy towards them.
A Da'i according to Syedna Ahmad bin Muhammad Nishapuri, should be generous and not miserly. Allah does not like miserliness and he says that those who are miserly and advise others to be miser and try to hide what Allah has given to them with his grace, we have prepared painful punishment for them. Thus to be miserly is inviting Allah's punishment.
When ordinary man is required not to be miserly what of a Da'i who is to lead others. If a Da'i is miserly his followers will also become miserly and thus the needy and the poor will ultimately suffer. It is incumbent on a Da'i that he should spend generously on the needy and work for their welfare. The Prophet has also said that Allah has not created any Wali but on generosity.
A Da'i should also be truthful and courteous and lenient. If a Da'i is not truthful others will not be and whole system will be affected. Also courtesy and softness is part of one's iman. One must show these qualities. A Da'i should also be of sound opinion and a good administrator. The D'awah cannot be run without sound administration.
A Da'i should also fulfill his word. This too is very important for good behaviour. If a Da'i is found unfaithful to his words, his followers too would refuse to abide by their word and whole system will be corrupted. A Da'i should also be able to keep secrets because of running the system of D'awah through thick and thin one must be able to keep secrets.
It is also necessary for a Da'i that he should not be revengeful, prejudiced and quarrelsome. A respondent, for lack of sound knowledge and experience may be lacking in these qualities but a Da'i has to take care of such situations. A Da'i should also be capable of easily pardoning others.
A Da'i should have a sweet tongue and be highly courteous. He should also be an eloquent speaker, in order to influence others. Also, a Da'i should be very patient and capable of facing acute difficulties. If a Da'i has no patience and looses temper easily, people will run away from him. Thus Allah says in the Qur'an, "And hadst thou (ie. Prophet) been rough, hard-hearted, they would certain have dispersed from around thee. So pardon them and ask protection for them and consult them in (important) matters"(3:158), thus Allah requires his messenger also to be forgiving and patient, not rough and hard-hearted.
A Da'i should be courageous and independent. One who does not show courage in times of hardship and cannot take independent decisions in complex situation cannot be capable of running the affairs of D'awah. It is also necessary for a Da'i to have highest respect for the ulama from different fields of life. He should also be aware of their needs and requirements. He should be a great friend of the ulama. He should spend most of his time with them. It will benefit the Da'i and increase his own knowledge. Allah says in the Qur'an that he raises the status of those who believe and those who have been given knowledge. It is also in the interest of a Da'i to keep away from mischievous elements who can create severe problems for him.
It is also necessary that a Da'i should not be man of worldly temptations as temptation is root of many an evil. It is narrated from Amirul Mœminin Maulana Ali (A.S.) that when he was asked what is Din, he replied taqw and when he was further asked what is corruption of Din, he replied tama' (i.e. temptation). Thus a Da'i must keep away from all worldly temptations.
He should bind the respondent (mustajib, i.e. one who gives misaq) to belief in Allah, his angels, his apostles, the Prophet, the Imams and the Imamuz Zaman and that he would believe in Islam both manifestly and otherwise. And that he would not reveal the secrets of the faith to those who do not deserve it. And that he would not be untrustworthy to the faithful and that he should befriend those whom Imams befriend and should be hostile to those whom Imam declare hostile and keep away from enemies of Imams. (This was the text of the misaq).


Oh, hi. Didn't see you come in. Sit down, please.
First off, we have some paperwork... Oh, sure, take a look around. Get to know this place. It's not like you'll be spending eternity here or anything.
Alrighty then. This is just your average form. First name, last, religion. Oh, you're Jewish? Lovely. Then you'll enjoy this one. It's just hilarious. An old Jew is lying on his death bed... What? Too soon? Alright, alright.
Sure, sure, take your time, it's not like I have any souls to reap... Man, I gotta tell you, today was an interesting day for me. Had to pick one up in Seattle. You ever been in Seattle? Lovely place, a little too much rain for my liking. Long story short, the guy's name... John Smith. You know how many John Smiths live in Seattle? Needless to say, I got the wrong one. Had to make a second stop... Gotta keep the boss happy, am I right?
You know what I like about you Jews? You're always so understanding when you get here. That's life, you always say. You should see how most Christians act. The screaming, the wailing. Oh please, I am too young to be here! Send me back, I beg you! As if I have any power to do that. And then the bargaining begins. Like I care if you lived a good life or not. There's only one path after here anyway. Heaven, hell? Who came up with that gibberish?
Well, looks like we're done here. Welcome to eternity, sir. Do you have any questions for me? Make them quick, I really need to get to the next client.


Lucy Rose has unveiled the video for her latest single, "Nebraska". The video features some familiar faces such as Danny Dyer - who's the lead in the music vid - as well as Ghostpoet, Josef Salvat and Rae Morris popping up throughout the 4 minutes.
Speaking to The Independent, Danny Dyer said - "I was honoured to be asked by the maestro that is Lucy Rose to be part of her video…I think it's such a moving piece of work. I'm beyond proud to be part of it, I've always believed that people should be who they wanna be, regardless of race or gender. Freedom of expression is so important - I really hope that this video gets the recognition it deserves."


This wand is nice to have for the nature weak drakonids you'll encounter in BWL. Getting a group to quest for this wand may prove to be difficult.
You need about 10 - 15 people to take down blightcaller because he summons lots of skeletons that are immune to magic effects. This is the caster reward for the quest, which is a great pre-raiding wand.
This wands has one of the coolest graphics when shooting, a lightning bolt of blue lightning. The fight for Blightcaller, in Eastern Plaguelands, takes a little while to get down, but you should be able to take him down pretty easily with 14 other people.
As seen used by famous mages such as Trig and Alca, even at 70. The 1.3 speed on it makes it the best duel wand for causing spell pushback on frostbolts ( not so much anymore thanks to IV) when silenced.
Rofl what crap. No sane PvP caster uses this wand with its ****ty stats over an arena wand. And if you really want a 1.3 speed, there are 3 much better Outland choices.
As for Blightcaller, healing has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with him summoning adds. He will do that regardless how you engage him. Just aggro him and he will start summoning skeletons after a few seconds, no matter what you do.
Considering the nature damage and the name, this wand may be named after the mighty Malfurion Stormrage.