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Government control of temples weakening Hinduism
Falgun Shuddha Saptami
By J G Arora
Though India is a Secular Republic, and though secularism commands separation of state and religion, State governments have taken over all prominent Hindu temples and shrines which is an anti-secular act. The best part is that only Hindu temples have been targeted for government control whereas no Christian church or Muslim mosque has been touched.
A Part from Pak-Bangla terrorists and demographic invasions, another problem tormenting India and its heritage is the outrageous government control of all prominent Hindu temples. It is shocking that though India is a Secular Republic, and though secularism commands separation of state and religion, State governments have taken over all prominent Hindu temples and shrines which is an anti-secular act.
All wellknown Hindu temples including those at Puri, Tiru
pati, Guruvayoor, Kashi, Mathura, Ayodhya, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Vaishno Devi, Mumbai (Shree Siddhi Vinayak Temple), Shirdi, Amarnath, Srisailam, Madurai and Rameshwaram are under government's control. And in the latest of such takeovers, the ancient Shiva temple at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu is being grabbed by the government.
The best part is that only Hindu temples have been targeted for government control whereas no Christian church or Muslim mosque has been touched.
This is not to suggest that churches and mosques should be taken over by the government. This is just to stress that Hindu temples also should enjoy the same freedom from government control as enjoyed by churches and mosques, and that Hindus too should have the same liberty to manage their places of worship as given to non-Hindus.
Moreover, as discussed hereunder, the State governments are not using the income from Hindu temples for the cause of Hindus or Hindu religion. Rather, the State takeover has resulted inappropriation of temple funds by government. Besides, State takeover has resulted in gross mismanagement and embezzlement of temple funds, closure of many smaller temples, encroachments, sale and alienation of temple lands, and dismantling of temple infra-structure which is leading to gradual demolition of Hindu religion.
Anti-secular and discriminatory
Government control of Hindu temples is anti-secular and anti-Hindu. It amounts to suppression of Hindus' right of religious freedom guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India. Besides, it is discriminatory since only Hindu places of worship have been targeted for control.
Due to government takeover, persons with no devotion and no knowledge about Hinduism, and even non-Hindus are governing Hindu temples.
Though as per Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, all persons are equally entitled to the right to profess, practice and propagate religion, and though as per Article 26, every religious denomination "shall have the right (a) to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes; (b) to manage its own affairs in matters of religion; (c) to own and acquire movable and immovable property; and (d) to administer such property in accordance with law", various State governments are controlling all prominent Hindu temples and their estates thereby depriving Hindus of their Fundamental Rights guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26.
Devastation of infrastructure
All over the country, there are serious allegations of mismanagement and embezzlement of income and assets of the government controlled temples. Only a few illustrations are given here.
In State like Andhra Pradesh, the devotees' offerings to temples are appropriated as government revenue; and are not used for Hindu community, or to promote Hindu religious activities. Besides, in several districts of Andhra Pradesh, thousands and thousands of acres of land owned by government controlled temples have been sold, alienated, gifted and permitted to be grabbed by land grabbers though the government has no right to do so since it is not the owner of temple lands.
In Bhadrachalam and Simhachalam, hundreds of acres of temple land have been given to Christian organisations. Moreover, the Endowment department has sold over 1,600 acres of Srisailam Temple land to various missionary organisations. And in 2005, 245 acres of prime land belonging to Seetharama Chandra Swamy temple at Devarayamjal was sold at throwaway price causing huge loss to the temple. And in 2006, the centuries old, 1,000 pillar Mandapam in Tirumala complex was demolished.
Situation in other states is equally appalling. As reported in a section of the Press, for the years 1997-98 to 2002-2003 for which figures are available, major portion of temple income in Karnataka was allocated to madrasas, mosques and churches; whereas temples got only a little amount.
In Kerala, State control has rendered innumerable temples dysfunctional. Besides, under the Kerala Land Reforms Act, over 12,000 acres of Guruvayoor temple's land has been reduced to a few hundred acres only. And in Sabarimala, 2,500 acres of temple land has been sold by the government's board. In Orissa also the administration has been selling Jagannath temple endowment lands. In Jammu and Kashmir, even Mata Vaishno Devi Temple University created with the funds of Vaishno Devi Temple does not have Hindu religious studies in its curriculum. Tamil Nadu's position is equally dismal because of the problems inherent in government control of temples.
And though the church is the largest real-estate owner in the country, no church land has been controlled or alienated by the government.
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Cultivating bargains in the garden
Part of the fun of visiting Jules Vassalluzzo is knowing he's created beautiful gardens out of bargains.
He buys a lot of plants at Produce Junction, and he takes advantage of end-of-season sales and friends and family members willing to share or trade.
He also collects seeds.
"The price is right," he says.
Mainly, Vassalluzzo plants what he likes, where he likes. He doesn't favor a particular style, though he says he does a mental plan before he plants.
Somehow, it works. You'll admire and enjoy these gardens, but you won't feel intimidated. "Dr. V" will gladly identify every single plant. Heck, he might even give you one.
Clearly, he's having a ball.
Many of his "planters" began life as something else. He seems tickled by his visitors' surprise when they realize, say, that those pansies and Arabis (rockcress), wild columbine and strawberries are growing in old metal washtubs.
Or that the water pitcher's full of rosemary and the watering can with parsley. Even his father-in-law's wheelbarrow is a planter.
Vassalluzzo bought parts of a fountain at a Hechinger's going-out-of-business sale and turned them into a table. He paid $1 for a pile of slate that used to adorn a mantelpiece.
"Bargains come up. People move. There are sales all the time," he says.
His father-in-law's wine press decorates the back garden. So does a flea-market wagon wheel and a table loaded with shells - for the grandchildren to play with.
He collects rocks and bricks, with permission, from dumping areas and construction sites. "I never met a rock or a brick I didn't like," he says.
And let's hear it for friends. While visiting some in the Poconos, Vassalluzzo bagged up a heap of moss and brought it home to plant.
How about that 19th-century wrought-iron fencing he snagged at a flea market? Fantastic. And are those upright curtain rods on either side of the path?
But, of course!
"I try to make it interesting," he says.
- Virginia A. Smith
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Jessica Sieff: It could be worse — you could be a lumberjack
Published 9:10 pm Wednesday, April 18, 2012
A recent survey by CareerCast.com made headlines, ironically enough, when it listed being a reporter as the fifth worst job one might have in 2012.
The fifth worst job?! How can this be? The same profession held by Cronkite? Murrow? Gellhorn? Jennings? Brokaw? Wallace? Nellie Bly? Winchell? Woodward? Bernstein? Hearst? Pulitzer? Hunter S. Thompson? Seymour Hersh? Maureen Dowd?
The worst job a person could have is that of a lumberjack. A lumberjack, people.
That means that if being a lumberjack is the worst job a person could have … being a reporter is pretty damn close.
Hearing that news wasn't great news, personally speaking. Especially after recently picking up "The Death and Life of American Journalism" by Robert W. McChesney and John Nichols. I've only started reading the book and the first handful of pages is a lot like reading "Little Women." You know, the chapter where you realize Beth is really, REALLY sick. And it's not looking good.
McChesney and Nichols claim that journalism will rebound, however, so there's hope for the hundreds of pages I have yet to read.
What does all of this mean and why does it matter if it sucks to be a reporter?
I realize I write about journalism a lot. I romanticize it because I love it so much. My dream dinner party would be sitting around a table in a pub with Brokaw, Koppel, Sawyer and Amanpour drinking bourbon and smoking cigars and discussing everything from the greatest generation to Mideast peace. But I've learned that if you don't talk about what's important, it stops being important. And journalism is important.
I can't help but wonder, with shrinking budgets and lack of readership, is there anybody out there getting paid to really investigate what happened between Martin and George Zimmerman in a non-bias way? Because reporters used to get paid to do that. To put in the time, invest their lives into their stories and bring to light what remained in the dark.
I can hear the laughter. Reporters aren't looked at as objective anymore, is that it? Maybe that's a matter of circumstance. Maybe it's nature; maybe it's nurture. A lot of emphasis is put on the technological challenges faced by our industry today. Nobody wants to pick up a newspaper; nobody can afford to print one.
But what we're overlooking is the challenges rooted in the American habit. People also don't behave or think the same way we used to. And that affects us. I trust reporters — the ones that are good and you know it. I trust them because I know they're going into a story looking to observe from all angles. That they're not here to play to a partisan line or even a company line. You may not believe it, but it's true.
But the day will come, like they've come before. When injustice goes unnoticed until someone with a pen or a pencil, or an iPhone or an iPad isn't just interested in getting exposure — but rather in getting the whole story. And getting it right. And when that day comes again and everyone looks up from the Kardashians to notice — maybe things will change for the better.
In short — mark my words, journalists will rebound.
And for the record, I politely disagree with the aforementioned survey. Being a reporter is not one of the worst jobs a person could have. It's friggin' awesome.
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Monkey Knuts monkey fist mini keychains are about half the size and weight of THE ORIGINAL, but not any less enjoyable! A pair of monkey fist MINI-ME Keychains are the ideal zipper pulls to attach to backpacks, luggage and gear bags for that added grip and comfort. My momma always said, "Two Knuts are better than one!"
If you are looking for a much lighter weight and inexpensive zipper pull please see our paracord zipper pulls.
No complaints. Quick , easy and priced correct.
I purchased this item intending for a zipper pull for my jacket, I miscalculated the size and weight (approximately a quarter's diameter around and a solid few ounces. So I don't use it for my jacket, but for my keys and key fob.
Although, larger than expected, it is of remarkable craftsmanship and proves invaluable for my motorcycle keys. My Key Fob has always been light, and sometimes hard to notice in a jacket pocket. This product does everything as advertised, making it easy to find and grasp my keys, or when placed in my front pocket easy to draw the keys but secure when not needed.
I would imagine the larger version of the MonkeyKnuts would be a formidable item.
I LOVE MY Monkey Knuts. I ordered them for my keys (one per set, per car). Now my husband wants them for his sets of keys...including his motorcycle, (they won't scratch his bike). We are also going to order for his Motorcycle Jacket & Ski Jacket. They will help unzip with thick gloves on. I will be getting more for our Luggage...it will make finding our luggage after a flight much easier! Get your Knuts today...they're awesome!


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Home History of Medicine Presidential helicopter.
Description Photograph of the Presidential helicopter on the parade grounds of the Fort Ringgold Complex in Rio Grande City, Texas. Photograph taken September 28, 1967 shortly after Hurricane Beulah. Part of the Dr. Mario E. Ramirez Hurricane Beulah Photograph Collection.


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site: media | arena: nba | pageType: stories | section: | slug: 2020-nba-free-agency-takeaways-day-3-lebron-james-has-never-played-with-anyone-like-marc-gasol | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | 6-keys: media/spln/nba/reg/free/stories
2020 NBA free agency takeaways, Day 3: LeBron James has never played with anyone like Marc Gasol
The Lakers are getting the type of center they need, and you have to wonder what Giannis thinks about the Bucks' roster
By James Herbert
Nov 23, 2020 at 9:46 am ET 9 min read
The party isn't technically over, but it's getting a little awkward for everybody who has stuck around. On Sunday evening, Marc Gasol left the Toronto Raptors for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Aron Baynes immediately stepped into his spot. Earlier in the day, restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanovic signed an offer sheet with the Atlanta Hawks, giving the Sacramento Kings 48 hours to match it. With that, just five players remain unsigned out of the top 45 free agents on our free agency tracker.
Even that is overstating it. Two of the five are right at the top of the list, Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram, who are both expected to re-sign for max money with their respective teams. Then there is restricted free agent big man Dario Saric and guards Langston Galloway and Shabazz Napier.
To follow up my takeaways from Friday and Saturday, here are five thoughts on Day 3 of free agency.
1. In Season 2, a new character on the LeBron and A.D. Show
I'll never forget the first game Gasol played for the Raptors. It was at Madison Square Garden in February of 2019, and he came off the bench. Immediately, Toronto's offense had more life. His teammates weren't always ready for his passes, but they would get used to them quickly.
A giddy Danny Green told me afterward that the Raptors wouldn't even have to alter their playbook with Gasol on the court for them to score in new ways. Gasol's vision opened up different options on their regular plays.
Kawhi Leonard made Toronto a legitimate contender, but Gasol's superlative feel for the game took the team up a notch. Those Raptors wouldn't have won the title without his post defense against Joel Embiid, his 3s against the Milwaukee Bucks and his passing against everybody. Now his job is to elevate the team that just won the title.
In LeBron James' 17 seasons, he has played with 173 teammates, none of them quite like Gasol. He will make the Lakers' devastating defense even better, but the offensive end is where he can be transformative. For a championship team, Los Angeles was pretty predictable in the halfcourt. Sometimes it was stiff and stagnant, leaving James to make something out of nothing. A career-low 29 percent of James' made shots were assisted last season, including a career-low 26 percent of his made shots at the rim, per Cleaning The Glass.
In 2013-14, the most efficient season of James' career, 42 percent of his made shots were assisted, including about half of his made shots at the rim. The Lakers' stated plan when he arrived was to turn him into more of a finisher again, but they deviated from it when their shooting-starved roster flopped and their top-heavy roster needed him to run point. They can revisit that now, with Gasol finding open cutters and shooters from the high post.
Playmaking 5s force defenses to worry about more angles of attack than they would otherwise. Gasol, however, is not your average playmaking 5. He is one of a handful of players in the league who reads the game as fast as James does, and their skills naturally complement each other. Before long, their chemistry could rival the borderline telepathic connection that took James years to build with Dwyane Wade.
For this to work the way I'm describing, Los Angeles needs to commit to a more unpredictable offense when training camp opens on Dec. 1, the same way it pledged to play championship-caliber defense at the beginning of Year 1 of the James-Davis era. James is used to controlling the game and manipulating the defense, and it will be obvious early on whether or not he is OK with a less ball-dominant rule.
Beyond the Gasol signing, the Lakers' approach to the offseason suggests that James is happy to cede some playmaking responsibility after the shortest season-to-season turnaround of his career, shortly before his 36th birthday. If he were not, why would they have targeted Dennis Schroder and Montrezl Harrell? James' Cavaliers never gave Kevin Love enough elbow touches for my taste, but this could and should be different.
Even if the presence of Gasol, whose 36th birthday is a month after James', doesn't change the offense as much as I'm anticipating, it will make the old stuff work better. His ability to shoot 3s allows James and Davis to run virtually unguardable pick-and-rolls without making Davis play more center than he wants to. Don't be fooled by Gasol's shaky performance in the bubble, where he was uncomfortable and uncharacteristically out of rhythm. He has plenty left to offer, and he is on just the team to show it.
2. Regarding the Bucks
Milwaukee added sharpshooter Bryn Forbes and wing defender Torrey Craig on Sunday, following agreements with score-first big man Bobby Portis and floor general DJ Augustin. The Bucks' biggest move remains the Jrue Holiday trade, which cost them Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, three first-round picks and two pick swaps.
Looming over this offseason are Giannis Antetokounmpo's still-unsigned supermax extension, their failed sign-and-trade for Bogdan Bogdanovic and a series of blunders (source) that turned retaining guard Pat Connaughton into a salary-cap catastrophe. It is not clear how the first item on that list is affected by the ones that follow.
If Antetokounmpo is pleased enough with the direction of the team to sign an extension, that is all that matters. Milwaukee would not be the championship favorite, nor would it be without pressure to perform better in the playoffs, but having the back-to-back MVP under contract beyond this season would turn down the temperature immensely.
If he doesn't sign, every transaction and every missed opportunity will be under heightened scrutiny. The Bucks' season will serve as a referendum on the franchise itself, as well as its chances to retain Antetokounmpo.
I am skeptical that they've done enough to address the shortcomings that showed themselves in the last two postseasons. Milwaukee needed more playmakers, more defensive versatility and, above all else, more players who can space the floor and stay on the floor come playoff time. As currently constructed, Milwaukee is not as deep as it was last season, and it has not fundamentally fixed these flaws.
Augustin will run pick-and-rolls capably and Forbes might be able to replace Hill's shooting, but they're both small guards who can be exploited on defense. Portis will ideally feast on the open looks Brook Lopez enjoys, but there is nothing about his defensive track record that suggests he could have held his own against the teams that eliminated the Bucks. Craig absolutely can, but opponents will give him the Bledsoe treatment on the other end.
Milwaukee is again going to win a ton of regular-season games. It will again be measured on what happens afterward. Even with Holiday on board, I'm not sure that the Bucks roster is meaningfully more prepared for that. But my opinion isn't the one that matters.
3. New York was quiet, but …
For a second straight offseason, the Knicks entered free agency with a boatload of cap space and came out of it with a bunch of non-stars on short-term deals. They have, however, learned a lesson or two from last season.
The most successful move New York made the summer of 2019 was the signing of Marcus Morris. The forward played the best basketball of his career for a few months, then the Knicks traded his $15 million expiring contract to the Los Angeles Clippers and picked up a first-round pick. Their other short-term additions didn't add up to much on the court or the trade market, and they would have been better off using their space to absorb contracts in exchange for draft picks.
This time around, New York got two second-round picks from the Utah Jazz to help them clear Ed Davis' $5 million salary, then it traded Davis to the Minnesota Timberwolves for another one. It could very well flip the newly signed Austin Rivers (three years, $10 million, Years 2 and 3 non-guaranteed), Alec Burks (one year, $6 million) and Nerlens Noel (one year, $5 million) for more stuff. The same is true for the re-signed Elfrid Payton (one year, $5 million).
In this sense, the Knicks have done fine. They didn't sign any negative-value deals or sacrifice an ounce of future flexibility. Despite hiring win-now coach Tom Thibodeau and being linked to Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony, they have not made any wild, overly ambitious or headline-grabbing trades. Or at least they haven't yet.
Another thing New York hasn't done, though, is put together a particularly coherent team. I would've liked to see the Knicks do the rebuilding-phase version of what the Philadelphia 76ers have done: find more shooting and make life simpler for RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson. If the front office is more or less finished, it's still not going to feel like New York is really building anything.
4. Look at Portland!
It was mildly surprising to see 22-year-old center Harry Giles come to terms with with the team that employs Jusuf Nurkic, Zach Collins and Enes Kanter. In Giles' two healthy seasons in Sacramento, he competed for minutes with Willie Cauley-Stein, Marvin Bagley III, Nemanja Bjelica, Kosta Koufos, Caleb Swanigan, Skal Labissiere, Dewayne Dedmon, Richaun Holmes, Anthony Tolliver and Alex Len. You'd think his first priority would be playing time.
From this vantage point, it's impressive that the Portland Trail Blazers were able to get him. (Alternative theory: Compared to his previous situation, this might as well be a starring role.) Giles has more upside than his confusing Kings tenure suggests, and while the center market was crowded, there weren't many comparable young players available.
The Blazers kept Carmelo Anthony around on the cheap, too, and I'm not sure how they're going to keep all of these frontcourt dudes happy when everybody's healthy. The other side of that, though, is that this is their most injury-resistant roster in years.
5. Nice save
The Raptors failed to re-sign Gasol or Serge Ibaka, but they were ready with a backup plan. Aron Baynes used to be regarded as a bruiser, but his game has never looked more well-rounded than it did last season in Phoenix.
The Suns empowered Baynes to stretch himself as a facilitator and go from an occasional 3-point shooter to an enthusiastic one. He still sets crushing screens and is one of the strongest and most physical players in the league, too. He's not Gasol, but he is a bit younger and allows the Raptors to play the same style. They pivoted perfectly.
Toronto also re-signed restricted free agent big man Chris Boucher, and it did so without giving up any of its 2021 flexibility. The whole league is monitoring what's happening Milwaukee, but clearly the Raptors, Mavericks and Heat are paying particularly close attention.
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Fair warning: I am highly prejudiced in favor of this book! Why? Because not only does it contain the very best explanation and practical plan for critiquing your own work that I've ever found, but also because I am absolutely in awe of Nancy Reyner's personal painting work. Fear not, though. You can paint (or color, or collage) in a totally different style from Nancy and still learn everything you need from Create Perfect Paintings, because the subtext is to create perfect paintings for YOU.
This is not a painting techniques book. Instead, it focuses on teaching you how to look deeply into an image (yours or someone else's) and to analyze the effects that it has on you as a viewer. Technique is important, but being able to manipulate your viewer's eye movements and perception is what Nancy says separates an amateur from an experienced artist.
The book starts with a short but necessary section on "Essentials," that is, the definition of artistic terms and concepts. Section two discusses the "Play Phase" of painting, in which you work from your right brain, shut off the inner critic for a spell, and avoid falling into the same old-same old trap.
Section three is my favorite. I have never been exactly sure what I should be looking for when I critique my own work. Yeah, I know that I need to look at the composition, the lines, the color, etc, etc...but so what? Nancy teaches you how exactly to look for opposites and contrast, entrances and pathways, dead zones, hot spots, spatial depth, and how to know when it's finished. She calls this The Viewing Game...which I find much less scary than the word critique!
This queen of all sections is followed by two more, which focus on check lists, color information, framing, freeing creative blocks, discovering new ideas, and forming a critique group. You just won't believe how much Nancy has managed to pack into this book!
This piece started with a piece of watercolor paper that was wet. I used dilute acrylics to paint a watercolor-type of background: Hansa yellow light, Cerulean blue, Pyrrole red. When dry, I figured out where the central shape was going to be and I added some lines with Fineline resist fluid.
1. Create a mask from card stock and painter's tape. Roll over the exposed painting with a light coat of white gesso on a small foam roller.
2. Use painter's tape to create an outer frame which will be rolled with black gesso.
3. Remove the masks and tape, and remove the resist from the lines.
4. Use painter's tape to position black bars across the central shape. Use black gesso.
5. I liked it on end the best of all the orientations.
Here is another example of a piece that almost got abandoned, ripped in two, or just plain thrown out. I started with colors and techniques that had served me well in the past, but just didn't seem to work this time.
1. I failed to write down the colors that I used for the background, but I think they were probably Cobalt teal, Ochre and Hansa yellow medium, and Red oxide. I used black India ink to create some directional lines, and then rolled a mixture of White gesso and Titan buff over a paper mask. I was a bit underwhelmed.
3. I used Ochre mixed with glazing medium to unify the colors a bit. Now we're getting somewhere.
Over that, I added more black ink lines. There's a certain freedom you feel when you believe that a piece is ruined anyway!
I neglected to take a whole lot of step-out photos for this piece, mostly because at one point it went terribly wrong and I almost abandoned it. Instead, since I had nothing to lose, I gambled on a new direction, and it is now easily one of my favorite pieces from the past few months! It was honestly not until I got to step 7 that I realized what it was, because I had it turned on it's side the whole time I was working on it.
1. The substrate is wide vinyl tape in a brushed steel finish, over stiff paper. I sandpapered it lightly.
2. Acrylics used: Turquoise phthalo, Cobalt teal, Titan buff, and Quinacridone gold.
3. Mark out where the shape will go, and use black ink and tar gel to outline some random shapes.
4. Cover the entire piece with dilute white gesso, and scrape it off with a plastic card.
5. Flood the line area with dilute colors, letting them mingle.
6. Cover the background areas with polymer medium, and embed kosher salt in it. Add a wash of dilute blue interference and allow to dry. Brush away the salt.
7. Add black ink lines with a razor blade.
8. Strengthen and adjust colors in the line area.
Books: fabulous color for Spring!
I am tired of the browns and grays and blacks and whites in my New England landscape. I want COLOR!! These two new books from C&T Publishing are just what the doctor ordered!
Take the first steps to becoming an art quilter with popular teacher and best-selling author Katie Pasquini Masopust in her new book, Artful Log Cabin Quilts. Starting with an inspiration photo or painting, choose fabrics to create your own artistic log cabin quilts.
Learn to navigate visual pathways and composition, applying easy techniques and experimenting with color. Student work is presented, showing that anyone can create an art quilt! Design and make your masterpiece with freeform log cabin blocks using this versatile method.
Become a skilled foundation piecer with New York Beauties and Flying Geese blocks that amaze! Carl Hentsch simplifies a technique loved by many with his straightforward approach to curved piecing, foundation piecing, and simple machine appliqué.
Stitch your way through 31 architectural block patterns, ideal for advanced beginners and intermediate quilters. Then it's time to practice on 10 full-size quilts and 27 bonus pillow projects with lively color combinations to provide movement and drama.
Late last fall, I visited the Boston Museum of Science with some friends. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that my two favorite things were the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit (the intersection of art and science) and the large glass wall looking out over Boston Harbor. Especially the view from the second floor. I probably took more pictures of that view than of anything else.
This piece is pretty obviously not an exact representation of what I saw out the window, even though most of my pictures were enlarged past the point of blurriness (deliberately). I did a black marker "sketch" of the major shapes and textures to start off with. Then, I did some acrylic pours with Hansa yellow light, Turquoise phthalo, and Quinacridone violet.
Less than satisfied with the look of the pours, I tried making glazes of some of the colors and painting them in window pane sized blocks. Still not thrilled, although I did like it better when I tipped it vertically.
What finally brought it together was deciding that since it was ruined anyway, why not...?? I strengthened the color blocks, and then mixed a glazing medium with white gesso and a touch of Quinacridone violet. This mixture was applied all over the piece with a foam roller. I spritzed it lightly with rubbing alcohol to texture it and blotted gently. As a final touch, I added a few India ink lines, using a tiny pipette.


Buying of the property is the among the top way of investing for the future. The location of the place should be pleasing as well. Having the location as a significant factor, many people feel it better to buy their property in Florida since it has got the various exciting place to get involved in. Florida is associated with better properties that have acquired interesting feature. To read more about the florida real estate, follow the link.
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Take time to seek for the most appropriate seller for the house. With the wide variety of the realtors, it is important to compare their services before buying the home. Have the various realtors who have worked in this section for an extended period. This real estate developer will give the best services that are of professionalism as well. Go to the reference of this site for more information about florida real estate now.
After market research, it is the best time to go to the market for the purchase. Consider the target amount for the particular home before purchasing. There is a need of having all the inquiries of the probable prices for the inspection and any other relevant fee to be encountered. Get the most convenient financial supporter and make the agreement signed that the purchase is due. Coming into an agreement will mean that everything has been accepted by the buyer. Pay for the property needed to the responsible realtor.
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text:
from django.test import TestCase
from threading import local
from cid.locals import get_cid, set_cid

_thread_locals = local()

class TestCidStorage(TestCase):

    def setUp(self):
        self.clear_cid()
        self.cid = 'test-cid'

    def tearDown(self):
        self.clear_cid()

    def clear_cid(self):
        try:
            delattr(_thread_locals, 'CID')
        except AttributeError:
            pass

    def test_get_empty_cid(self):
        self.assertIsNone(get_cid())

    def test_set_cid(self):
        self.assertIsNone(get_cid())
        set_cid(self.cid)
        self.assertEqual(self.cid, get_cid())

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Next-Gen Bajaj Pulsar 150 to debut in India next-month
Mohammed Asrar April 1, 2015 Bajaj Auto, News, Spyshots, Upcoming Bikes No Comments
The Pulsar RS200 wasn't the only new motorcycle from Pulsar brand to be launched in 2015. There are three more unannounced models yet to be launched in India under Pulsar moniker this-year – the Pulsar 200AS, next-gen Pulsar 150NS and Pulsar 150AS.
The new Pulsar 150NS will replace the existing Pulsar 150 DTS-i model.
As per MotorOctane, Bajaj Auto is all-set to launch the next-gen Bajaj Pulsar 150 in India next-month, however, the folks have no idea which Pulsar 150 variant is due for a launch NS or AS variant. Furthermore, they reveal the next launch will be the Pulsar 200AS. Having said the Pulsar 200AS will be followed by the launch of next-gen Bajaj Pulsar 150, we assume it to be the Pulsar 150NS.
Although we aren't sure or confirmed on which Pulsar 150 variant is slated for a launch next-month. We believe it's a Pulsar 150NS because it has been on-test since a long time and it makes little sense for the manufacturer to launch the bigger Pulsar 200AS followed by the launch of smaller Pulsar 150AS, thus, the new Pulsar 150NS designed similar to the 200NS will be launched next-month.
Note the kick-starter, under belly exhaust and monoshock suspension at the rear.
As said above, the new Pulsar 150NS would share some features with 200 NS such as headlamp design, mono suspension, under belly exhaust, speedometer console design, fuel tank, new alloy wheels, grab rails, tail lamp cluster and split seats. Additionally, the Pulsar 150NS would get a kick-starter which is not found on the 200NS. The rear tyre hugger and disc brake will be omitted on the Pulsar 150NS.
Powering the Pulsar 150NS will be a 149.5cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, 4-valve, triple-spark engine fed by a carburetor churns-out 16.7 BHP of power @ 9,000 RPM and 13 Nm of torque @ 7,500 RPM mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The 16.7 BHP of power is a best-in-class figure by premium 150cc naked motorcycles, but the 13 Nm of torque is less compared to the Yamaha FZ V2.0 and the Suzuki Gixxer.
To read more on Bajaj Pulsar 150, Click here
Also see: Next-Gen Bajaj Pulsar 150 – could be called 'Pulsar 150′ & not 160 NS
GALLERY: Next-Gen Bajaj Pulsar 150
Source: MotorOctane
Image Credit: Shifting-Gears
Mahindra's XUV500 grabs title at Maruti Desert Storm Rally 2012 (video)
Tata Motors will add a compact SUV in 2017, code-named 'Osprey'
REPORT: Mitsubishi Pajero to be phased-out of production


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text:
Swampton is an unincorporated community in Magoffin County, Kentucky, United States.  It lies along Route 7 southeast of the city of Salyersville, the county seat of Magoffin County.  Its elevation is 919 feet (280 m).

References

Unincorporated communities in Magoffin County, Kentucky
Unincorporated communities in Kentucky

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I don't know about you, but when I need to draw, I'm faced with an artblock. You want your products on Printcious but you just don't know where to start! Here's a few themes and ideas of what to draw.
First of is types of designs. There are three popular types of designs; photographs, drawings/doodles as well as vector images. Once you've chosen the type of your design, you can now decide what theme you might want follow!
Here's a few of our popular themes; occassion (like Christmas or Chinese New Year), couple and gifts for him or her. If you're unclear of what designs might be related to these themes, check out what we've done in the past!


Preparation for the holidays to prevent behavior problems. Prepare for the food, gifts and to prevent childrens problems.
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5. Take small games or activities to use during time they are not occupied during the trip or vacation time.
The extra effort to prepare for the holiday will make it much more enjoyable for you, your relatives and the children too!!


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Fragrance notes: Chinese Mandarin, Sandalwood, Mimosa, Honeyed Musk, Whitewood Notes.
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text:
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'We acted too late': How Spain became a coronavirus hotspot
more infections than the place where the epidemic began.
Political inaction, the fabric of Spanish society and a historical background of deep cuts to public health budgets have allowed the outbreak to grow at alarming rates.
As the coronavirus spreads with lethal haste around the world, Rafael Bengoa insists the same phenomenon is repeating itself in Spain and other countries: politicians are reacting late to scientific advice.
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"It is called denial of normalcy – refusing to believe that something is happening. It is the same now as happened in London 150 years ago," Mr Bengoa, a former adviser to Barack Obama and the World Health Organisation and a health minister in the Basque regional government, tells The Independent.
"We all acted late – in Spain, Italy, and China when the virus first hit."
On 6 March, a report from Spain's Health Emergency Coordination Centre warned the government of the dangers of the spread of the virus as deaths were mounting in nearby Italy.
At this point, there were 280 cases and four deaths in Spain.
When can we really expect coronavirus to end?
Everything you need to know on supermarket delivery slots
The dirty truth about washing your hands
Which countries around the world has coronavirus spread to?
Listen to the latest episode of The Independent Coronavirus Podcast
The report said: "The way of transmission between humans is similar to other coronavirus types, through secretions from infected people principally by respiratory drops which can be transmitted at distances of up to two metres, on hands or contaminated material from the mouth, nose or eyes."
Among those involved in compiling the report was Fernando Simon, the health emergency coordinator, who on Monday tested positive for coronavirus. The report came two days before tens of thousands took part in huge marches across Spain to mark the International Women's Day on 8 March. The same weekend scores of football matches took place, and the far-right party Vox staged a large rally.
Despite its findings, Spain's left-wing coalition government refused to ban the public gatherings.
Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister, tweeted at the time: "We are with you on this fight to win equality between women and men. Without rest. Without feminism there is no future, without equality there is no democracy."
Since then two cabinet ministers who joined the Women's Day march have been diagnosed with the pathogen.
Last week, Victor Valladares, a Spanish lawyer, launched a case against Mr Sanchez in the Supreme Court, claiming he is guilty of administrative malfeasance for allowing the public gatherings in defiance of advice from another report from the European Centre for Control of Diseases. The court has yet to decide on the case.
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An independent scientific inquiry is to be launched into whether this decision might have proved reckless.
"Most people are critical of the decisions of those days. In a month from now an independent expert panel must be set up. I believe then we will have the elements and learn exactly what happened. At present we must concentrate on managing the crisis," says Mr Bengoa.
Despite the unrelenting fatalities, he applauds the Spanish government's strategy, which he believes will bear fruit in about 10 days when it reaches the peak of the crisis.
"Spain has not changed its policy. This is important. Other countries like the US have zig-zagged with policy," Mr Bengoa said.
When something like this happens, you are starting from behind. It is not very different from what has happened in the UK after cuts to the NHS
Manuel Franco, professor of epidemiology
He insists another factor which explains the country's high infection rate is how Spaniards live.
"In Sweden, 60 to 70 per cent of people live alone whereas in Spain only 20 to 30 per cent live on their own. Most live with extended family, which also helps the spread of the virus."
Mr Sanchez announced a state of emergency on 14 March, which meant the country's 46 million citizens could only leave their homes to see a doctor, buy food, for emergencies or to go to work.
However, as the grim death toll rose day by day, Mr Sanchez introduced tougher restrictions from Monday, confining all but essential workers to their homes until 9 April.
Doctors in Spain 'totally overwhelmed' as hospitals at breaking point
Alex Arenas, an epidemic modeller at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, is among 70 scientists who has called for tougher measures of confinement in an open letter published last week.
"We have been so badly affected because we acted too late, and because of all the links with Italy.
"Valencia played a football match against Atalanta, for example, a club from the area in Italy [Lombardy] which was worse affected. Lots of Erasmus students returned from Italy to Spain. And when the government closed the schools in Madrid, lots of madrilenos went to their cortijos (country houses). It was a combination of factors."
Doctors and nurses have complained they are hampered because the Spanish health service is overwhelmed. The lack of testing kits, protective clothing for medical staff and a paucity of beds in intensive care units are the result of years of cuts in Spain's public health service, say experts.
After the 2008 financial crash, Spain was only able to stave off a full bailout from international lenders by making deep cuts to public services, including health and education.
Intensive care specialists in Spanish hospitals tell The Independentthat units are overwhelmed with a high volume of patients being admitted but without the resources to cope.
"The Spanish health system is not designed in terms of buildings, human resources and material to deal with so many patients at a time," said Dr Juan Garcia, an intensive care specialist at La Paz Hospital in Madrid.
Spain is one of Europe's most devolved countries where regional governments provide healthcare. At least six of the 17 regions are at the limit of intensive care beds and three more are close to it, according to the Spanish health ministry. The Ifema exhibition centre in Madrid has been reconverted into a field hospital to house 5,000 patients and others are being built.
Nearly 15 per cent of all those infected in Spain – almost 13,000 people – are among the 646,000 health professionals, making treating patients even more difficult.
Against this background, deep cuts in healthcare budgets in recent years have reduced the capacity of Spain's public health system to cope.
In 2009, Spain spent 6.8 per cent of GDP on health provision but this had fallen to 5.9 per cent by 2018, the last year figures were available.
"There is little doubt that the cuts over successive years have left Spain's public health system less able to deal with a global crisis like this," says Manuel Franco, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Alcala de Henares and Johns Hopkins University in the US.
"When something like this happens, you are starting from behind. It is not very different from what has happened in the UK after cuts to the NHS."
Tags: 000 on Monday As the number of coronavirus cases in Spain passed 85 experts say a complex series of factors explain why the country now has outstripping China
Previous Coronavirus: Patients evacuated using military aircraft and high-speed trains from worst-hit areas of France
Next Coronavirus: Federal government sends California broken ventilators
Not-guilty plea entered in murder-for-hire case targeting Iranian journalist in Brooklyn
Ban on Rice Imports Not Lifted
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A look at Iran's space technology achievements
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text:
GM to boost EV and AV investments to $35 billion through 2025
General Motors Co. has announced it will increase its electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle investments from 2020 through 2025 to $35 billion, representing a 75% increase from its initial commitment announced before the pandemic.
This announcement builds on GM's initial commitment announced in March 2020 to invest $20 billion from 2020 through 2025, including capital, engineering expenses, and other development costs, to accelerate its transition to EVs and AVs. In November 2020, the company increased its planned investment over the same period to $27 billion.
Triple-S Steel Holdings acquires Rolled Steel Products
Six major sponsors join latest Australian Ninja Warrior season


FiberFix - Now you can repair anything!
FiberFix is a fast-growing, innovative young company with a passion for developing unique products for the retail do-it-yourself market.
Allfix has teamed up with Fiberfix to bring you some of the best fixing and repair products on the market.


The Stortford armchair boasts a simple style that is guaranteed to be welcomed into any home. With a choice of two wonderful fabric finishes, this chair features metal stud detailing along the stylish scroll arms and has complementing dark wooden legs – guaranteed to suit all interior settings. The Stortford Fabric Armchair is available in charcoal and beige.
The Stortford fabric armchair is also available in a faux leather option.
PLEASE NOTE: First image shown in charcoal.


Dec 23, 2015. Rare Full Moon on Christmas Day Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas. But this year, a bright full moon will be an. For the first time in 38 years, Christmas Day will host a full moon. Christmas won't get another full moon until 2034. A NASA spokesperson told ABC News the full moon will peak at just after six.
A full moon on Christmas won't happen again until 2034, nearly two decades from now, NASA said. So, unless you have a very good memory, you might want to look up at the sky on Friday and marvel at. In 2015, with glad Christmas tidings come with the full moon.
This year, December's moon reaches peak size on Christmas Day, at 6: 11 a. m.but the fullest nighttime moon might be best viewed on. Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas. But this year, a bright full moon will be an added gift for the holidays. Rare full moon on Christmas Day NASA/Goddard Space.
Photo: Courtesy of NASA. The last time this happened was in 1977, and there won't be another Christmas full moon until 2034. So if you're an astronomy buff, this is one event you don't want to.
Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas. Date: December 17, 2015; Source: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center; Summary: Not. A full moon will light up the skies this Christmas, a rare event which has not occurred since 1977 and will not happen again till 2034, according to NASA. December's full moon, the last of the year, is called the Full Cold Moon because it occurs during the beginning of winter.
"This rare event. Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas. But this year, a bright full moon will be an added gift for the holidays. Rare full moon on Christmas Day NASA/Goddard Space. There will be a full moon this Christmas Day (Credit: Shutterstock) For the first time in 38 years there will be a full moon shining down on us this Christmas.
How the moon will appear on Christmas, 2015. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas. But this year, a bright full moon. A full moon on Christmas won't happen again until 2034, nearly two decades from now, NASA said. So, unless you have a very good memory, you might want to look up at the sky on Friday and marvel at. In 2015, with glad Christmas tidings come with the full moon.
This year, December's moon reaches peak size on Christmas Day, at 6: 11 a. m.but the fullest nighttime moon might be best viewed on. December's full moon, the last of the year, is called the Full Cold Moon because it occurs during the beginning of winter. "This rare event won't happen again until 2034. That is a long time to wait, so make sure to look up to the skies on Christmas Day, " NASA said in statement. CHRISTMAS Day will be lit up by a rare full moon this year for the first time in 38 years – but will it bring festive fear?
How the moon will appear on Christmas, 2015. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas. But this year, a bright full moon. Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas. But this year, a bright full moon will be an added gift for the holidays.
Photo Of The Day: NASA. A year of unusual lunar activity will be capped with a full moon lighting the sky on December 25. The last festive full moon was in 1977 and the next is not due until 2034, Nasa, the American. This image of the Moon was created with images taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. While you're scanning the evening sky for Santa's sleigh, notice the full moon.
According to Discovery. com, NASA has confirmed that there will be a full moon on Christmas Day this year for the. A Complete List of Full Moon Christmases for the Last 2, 000 Years.
If everything goes according to NASA's. George Washington crossing the Delaware on Christmas Day, with the full Moon in the. Rare Christmas Full Moon Will Add to Holiday Light. according to NASA. This will be the first time a full moon has graced the skies on Christmas Day in 34 years, and it won't happen again.
For the first time in nearly 40 years, there will be a full moon on Christmas. It will hopefully satisfy holidaymakers in places like the Northeast, who are enduring a balmy holiday without any.
Rare Christmas Full Moon Will Add to Holiday Light. according to NASA. This will be the first time a full moon has graced the skies on Christmas Day in 34 years, and it won't happen again. Dec 17, 2015. Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas.
But this year, a bright full moon will be an added gift for the holidays. BLESSED CHRISTMAS ON FULL MOON DAY On this 2015 Christmas Day, I am specially blessed for it happened on Full Moon Day. According to NASA, there won't be. This last occurred in 1977, with a Christmas Eve full moon between in 1996 and a full moon the day after Christmas in 2004 and before Christmas Eve in 2007 (both not shown here).
A small horizontal libration is visible comparing their appearances. Rare full moon on Christmas Day Date: December 17, 2015 Source: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Summary: Not since 1977 has a. It is the first full moon on Christmas Day since 1977. Rare Full Moon on Christmas Day | NASA; Share or comment on this article: Rare Full Cold Moon brightened the sky on Christmas Day 2015.
Dec 18, 2015. As you gaze up at the Christmas Moon, take note that NASA has a spacecraft currently orbiting Earth's only natural satellite.
NASA's Lunar. This image of the Moon was created with images taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Rare full moon on Christmas Day Date: December 17, 2015 Source: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Summary: Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas.
Dec 22, 2015. On Christmas Day, a full moon will light up the sky. It's the first. Credit: NASA/ Goddard/Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Holiday lights will.


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This Restored 1967 BMW R50/2 Is Among the Cleanest Retro Beemers We've Ever Seen
1 year, 2 months ago - 20. November 2021, autocar
bikeBMWBMW R50restoration
An unblemished classic like this R50/2 is sure to fill any moto-loving gearhead's soul with sheer joy.
Inside its tubular steel double cradle skeleton, BMW Motorrad's 1967 MY R50/2 houses a four-stroke 494cc boxer-twin mill, which is paired with a four-speed gearbox and a cable-operated dry single-plate clutch. The air-cooled powerplant comes with a compression ratio of 7.5:1, dual Bing carburetors and two valves per cylinder.
When prompted, this bad boy will feed its oomph to the rear wheel by means of a shaft final drive. At around 5,800 revs per minute, the engine is capable of spawning up to 26 hp, resulting in a modest top speed of 87 mph (140 kph). Weighing in at just 430 pounds (195 kg) wet, the antique Bavarian is supported by leading-link Earles forks and twin oil-pressure shock absorbers.
Braking is taken care of by a duplex drum setup at the front and a simplex module on the opposite end, both of which feature a diameter of 200 mm (7.9 inches). So far, we've only discussed the R50/2's general specifications, but there's actually a lot more to cover for this particular specimen. The Beemer presented above underwent a thorough restoration over the course of several years.
For starters, the bike's bodywork was repainted to keep things looking nice and clean, while its 18-inch hoops received a modern pair of Elite S/T tires from Dunlop. In terms of powertrain upgrades, the machine's twin-cylinder engine, transmission and driveshaft have all been rebuilt under prior ownership. If you're finding this immaculate R50/2 as tasty as we are, you'll be enthralled to learn that it could, in fact, be yours!
As you're reading these paragraphs, the reconditioned classic is making its way to the auction block on Bring A Trailer, where it will be listed for another five days (until Tuesday, November 23). For now, the top bidder is willing to spend a generous $12,500 on BMW's pearl, and we wouldn't be surprised to see this amount go past fifteen grand before the bidding deadline is reached.
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Rediff.com » News » PM inaugurates Sethusamudram project amidst protests
PM inaugurates Sethusamudram project amidst protests
By S Ramaswamy in Madurai
July 02, 2005 20:59 IST
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday inaugurated work on the Rs 2,427 crore Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project that would cut the sailing distance between the east and west coasts, amidst protests by fishermen and environmentalists.
While United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi attended the function, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa boycotted it, accusing the Centre of subverting environmental clearances and not addressing the concerns of fishermen and environmentalists.
Allaying fishermen's apprehensions that the project will cut into their livelihood, Dr Singh pressed a button that started dredging at a site off point Calimere coast in Nagapattinam district, 250 km from Madurai.
Dr Singh also announced the Centre's decision to set up a 'world-class' automobile testing facility near Chennai, which, he said, will attract huge investments both directly and indirectly.
"It will give a boost to Tamil Nadu's already developed automobile sector. Let Tamil Nadu be a rival to Detroit in future," he said.
The inauguration of work marks the fulfillment of a promise made by the UPA government in its Common Minimum Programme, and a long-cherished dream of the Tamilians.
The project will create a navigable sea route between the Gulf of Mannar and the Bay of Bengal and cut travelling time between India's west and east coasts by over 30 hours.
Speaking after the inauguration, Sonia said the Centre will implement the project in a manner that 'protects and preserves the local ecology', as the tsunami had already taught the government the need to care for the fishermen.
Noting that environmentalists had raised some issues about the impact of the project, she said the fishing community will be paid due attention. "We will make sure their interests are protected and their welfare will be central in all our endeavours," she said.
In her short speech, Sonia said it was only the UPA government that had 'decisively' come forward to realise the dream of the people on this 'technologically and economically vital project'.
The project will benefit lakhs of people in the country, particularly in Tamil Nadu. It will also stimulate trade and encourage tourism and other economic activities.
Congratulating Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu and others on launching this 'historical project', she said, 'today is a day of satisfaction' and a historical moment for the people of Tamil Nadu and the country.
S Ramaswamy in Madurai
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The Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a bill that would allow patients to get medication to end their lives. The so-called "death with dignity" bill has been controversial in the Statehouse, and its prospects for passage remain uncertain.
Vermont is once again facing a debate over whether terminally ill patients should have the right to end their own lives with help from a doctor. Supporters of legislation being considered in the House call it "Death with Dignity", while opponents call it "physician-assisted suicide."
Supporters call it "Death With Dignity" and opponents call it "Physician-Assisted Suicide." For both sides, the debate over whether physicians should be able to help people die is emotional and contentious.
Legislation has been introduced at the Statehouse that will allow doctors to prescribe life ending medications to terminally ill patients. Supporters refer to it as "the Death with Dignity" bill, while opponents call it "physician assisted suicide."
A New Hampshire House committee is starting work on legislation to legalize assisted suicide for the terminally ill.


I'm Emanuel, founder & CEO of HIPPOS (www.hipposgroup.com), a Romanian advertising company with 20 employees, founded in 2004. We have been using AIO since 2012.
When i was in research for an ERP to better track my company performance, i had the chance to test and review about 4 softwares. Between all, the guys at AIO were the only one who said they would come down for a visit, to better understand our company way of work. The others were more interested in an over-the-internet sale, than a business understanding.
The first presentation pointed out most of our business reporting deficits at the moment. The only concern was about the first payment, which was a kind of set up fee. In comparison to the others which were only SaaS. Probably today AIO is only SaaS with monthly payment.
- it has a very business oriented workflow, which is identical with the day by day workflow in the agency, from the client service department to the financial one.
- all operations are included in the software, from defining budgets to introducing time sheets and tracking clients profitability. It reduced by 90% the use of excel charts.
- the main issues that we managed to overcome with AIO is with the rework we need to do on projects. Rework is usually the advertising profit enemy, but the first step is to best control it.
- still not a web-browser version so far.
Out of all the ERPs i've tested i recommend AIO for growing the business reporting and performance.


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Tag Archives: founders
Lessons from Stan & Ollie for startup founder duos
I went to the cinema Friday evening for the first showing of Stan & Ollie, a biographical comedy-drama based on the lives of the comedy double act Laurel and Hardy. Starring Steve Coogan and John Reilly, the film pays tribute to the beloved entertainers with an affectionate recreation of their final, ill-fated UK tour of 1953.
A moving look at the burdens and blessings of a creative bond between the two, for much of the time watching the film you feel it's the real duo, so thoroughly conceived are the actors' physicality and performances. The film is sincere, reaffirming the charm and inspiration of the greatest comedy duo of all time, the simplicity of their slapstick humour and routines is just so funny – time after time!
Watching their films with a child's optimism, I always think everything would work out well for the duo, and they wouldn't get pied or smacked in the face, or poked in the eye. Their catchphrase – well, here's another fine mess you've gotten me into – seems to sum up a pair whose friendship survives the severest trials. There is a warmth and companionship to them that is universal and as emblematic of the duo as their bowler hats and their Dance of the Cuckoos theme song.
After a long spell in separate acting careers, they made more than 100 short and full-length films together. Stan and Ollie created a weird, beautiful ballet of physicality and humour. I marvel at Stan's quiet grace and Ollie's perfect timing. Their film partnership lasted from 1927 to 1951, but at their very best – with masterpiece shorts such Towed in a Hole, Tit for Tat and Big Business and longer movies such as Way Out West and Sons of the Desert – they created sublime and timeless works of art.
The Music Box, which won the 1932 Oscar for best short comedy, sums up the futility of much of human endeavour. It is a modern-day Sisyphus tale, as two men, totally unsuited for the task, have to move a heavy mechanical piano from the bottom of a steep hill to the top. Each time the piano slips away and goes bouncing back down the 147 steps you laugh as much as you cry. Do they succeed? Well, of course not!
Ollie had a superb repertoire of close-up expressions: his eyes speak of his stoicism amid the despair, registering disgust and frustration at Stan's blunders. Hardy's skill was no accident: it was founded on paying close attention to fellow humans. As a youngster, he had helped his single mother run a hotel and liked to sit in the lobby and watching people walk by.
My favourite scene is the epic custard-pie fight in The Battle of the Century. They bought 4,000 pies – genuine cherry, blueberry and banana –and devised a stunning sequence, which brought pie-throwing to apotheosis. There was nothing but pie-throwing in it, nothing but thousands and thousands of pies.
The modern comedy double act has its origins in C19th music hall and vaudeville. Initially, a man would 'stand up' with a comedian, and simply repeat the comic's lines, developing into what we know as a straight man today.
When Weber and Fields emerged in the late 1800s, the first famous comedy duo, the dynamic had evolved into two individuals bantering and cross-talking. Often, things got rowdy between them and slapstick violence featured. Indeed, Weber and Fields were particularly adept at arguing, and this became a common element of double act routines. The characters on the stage just never got along no matter what, and audiences loved it.
In the early C20th, things took a shift, with Gallagher and Sheen the leading duo emphasising less slapstick and more singing. Then along came Stan and Ollie, initially paired together in 1927 and the inter-play of their double act reset the format.
Their characters were clearly friends, and as unintentionally destructive as they were, you knew their friendship would be intact at the end of every film, despite the frequency with which their efforts met with failure, resulting in many a 'fine mess'.
The Stan and Ollie model stuck, for Abbott & Costello, Morecambe & Wise. They set the formula for those duos we've latterly grown up with – Mel Smith & Griff Rhys Jones, French & Saunders, Dan Akroyd & John Belushi, to Vic Reeves & Bob Mortimer.
I've always enjoyed comedy-duo double acts, and I've recently been researching the psychology and relationship in them, and parallels with startup co-founder dynamics. Will it be bonding, soul mates for life and success, or the start of melancholy, cold winters of recriminations, slammed doors and sending emails in a cold silence?
Hooking up with a partner launching a new business is just like a comedy duo, you embark on a joined-up hope-fuelled journey towards a bright and optimistic future. Great co-founders can make even the worst times feel fun and bearable, they will sit with you at the bottom of the pit on your lowest day and tell you that it's going to be okay. This relationship can determine the success or failure of your business.
Many successful companies were built by productive co-founder relationships, their combined skill-sets a successful collaboration. Many were long-time friends, but there is a common trend: the most well-rounded co-founders recognised their individual limitations and respect what the other brings to a partnership. Let's look at a few examples.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google (1998), meeting at Stanford's PhD program in 1995, but they did not instantly become friends. During a campus tour, Brin was Page's guide and they bickered. Despite their quarrel, they worked on a research project together, The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine, which became the basis for Google.
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple (1976). They became friends at a summer job, Woz was busy building a computer, and Jobs saw the potential to sell it. Why did their partnership work? Woz admits that he never thought to sell his computer model, that was all Jobs. Woz's technical skills paired with Jobs' business foresight makes the two an ultimate business match.
Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard came together in 1939. Classmates at Stanford, following graduation, they went on a two-week camping trip, and became close friends. Shortly after they started HP. Why did their partnership work? They were best friends that clicked because they had complimentary strengths and were driven by joint-achievement, not personal success.
Francis Jehl was Thomas Edison's lab assistant at the Menlo Park research facility as an eighteen year old, straight from school. After the completion of Jehl's first assignment, Edison noticed Jehl's work ethic and was so impressed that he started to work collaboratively. Whilst Edison regarded Jehl as a co-founder, not all entrepreneurs need an ally.
Research shows start-ups with co-founders are four times more likely to be successful than those going solo – a strong case for forming a double act. Going it alone it's easier to make decisions quickly and go for it, and generally you can't fall out with yourself, and you also learn more – by necessity.
Alternatively with a co-founder you have the benefits of 'two heads are better than one', improving decision making and being more likely to reach the right outcome faster. With a co-founder, you're also not spreading yourself too thinly, taking responsibility for everything, and working with complimentary skills and doubled bandwidth, more gets done.
So, everything considered, what are the attributes you should consider when seeking a co-founder for your startup, and why will it work?
Aligned motives If one founder wants to build a cool product, whilst the other wants to make money only, it won't work. Pay close attention and unearth true motivations, which are revealed, not declared, it's better to get that out in the open early and talk it through.
Personal compatibility Play a couple rounds of monopoly together, just to see how they react to opportunity and adversity – and if there is humour in the relationship. There are of course other such ways to gauge this but don't co-habit without dancing together socially first, doing something outside of work with your potential future partner may be eye-opening.
Future skills matter more than present skills It's impossible to judge the potential skills of a person day one. So instead, while we don't predict future skills, avoid giving too much importance to current skills. Startups demand different sets of competencies at various stages in their journey – being a CEO of a startup means being the Chief Everything Officer initially – co-founders need to be fast learners in order to acquire new in-demand skills.
How will decisions get made? This is a fundamental tenet of the relationship and operating model. If it's tied to voting the number of shares, you're on dangerous grounds. Common areas to address are decisions around hiring/firing, pricing and employee salaries. If it's by discussion and logic, things will work, it one wants control, it won't
Focus on what you're good at Dividing workload based on complimentary yet different skills gives focus and productivity, effort based on mutual strengths means you're able to progress the day-to-day work while continuing to evolve many aspects of the business. A co-founder can help complement your skills and fill in the skills gaps in a way you'll never be able to do on your own. It's just one more weapon on your arsenal.
Double your odds Having a business partner doubles your odds of being in the right place at any given time. Whether it's an important event where you need to talk to dozens of people or simultaneous meetings on opposite sides of town, having someone you can trust with the same level of integrity and passion as you is a huge advantage and enables a 'I'll work on whatever you're not working on' philosophy to getting two things done at once.
Provide you with a sounding board Starting a business means a bumps may appear on the horizon at any point, and it can be a lot easier to handle unexpected hurdles and have more fun with a co-founder. Advisors and mentors are great, but there is nothing like being able to talk to someone that is going through the exact same process as you are, facing the same risk, the same problems, and the same potential upside.
Serve as a backstop when you have an off day We all have days when we are just not at the races, having a co-founder provides a backstop for those days, even for the simplest of matters. Sharing both the physical and mental workload with someone you can trust, and is just as invested as you, makes the journey slightly less frantic.
Balance the extremes and point out the blindspots Entrepreneurs just want to get things done, often in a hurry and always moving forward, but they can also face obstacles. It helps to have someone to balance the extremes we all face along the way. We all have blind spots in how we manage and implement projects. Having a co-founder gives you a peer that can point out these blind spots so you can improve, opening your eyes to things you might not see.
What it's like to share the highs and lows, the successes and the failures, and the feeling of having someone alongside you, shoulder-to-shoulder all the while confident they think the same way? By merging their disparate talents and idiosyncrasies, effective co-founders sync when it comes to the course they co-charted. That kind of strategic cohesion is often behind successful startups, so try to create that serendipity in your own startup enterprise.
In reality it is the shared mind-set that captures the essence of what makes entrepreneurial duos work – in comedy or in business. Everyone talks about the 'one builds, one sells' complimentary skillset, but it's really about the mind-set.
You may not want the tomfoolery of Laurel & Hardy, the anarchy of Reeves & Mortimer, the frenzy of Morecambe & Wise nor the jukebox antics of Akroyd & Belushi in your co-founder business relationship, but if the strength and purpose of startup co-founder relationships is as innovative and productive as these comedy duos, then you'll have created something special.
Posted in People, Startups	| Tagged founders, Laurel & Hardy, Stan & Ollie, startups


First time homebuyers often feel inundated with decisions to make, and each choice is one that you will be dealing with for many years. Consulting with a real estate professional has its advantages, particularly if this is your first experience buying a home. Here are a few considerations that you should be prepared to discuss with your agent.
Begin by deciding what type of real estate you want to buy; single-structure, condominium, townhome, duplex, or a semi-detached home. Each type of home has its own benefits and drawbacks, and you'll need to make an assessment of which one will work best with your lifestyle. Many planned communities like townhomes and condominiums require monthly dues; however, these fees allow for much of the exterior maintenance to be handled by other parties instead of you. In retrospect, if you enjoy your space and privacy more than neighbors, a single structure is ideal.
You can find mortgage calculators online through local realtors, mortgage brokers, and agency websites. This handy tool will let you enter basic information, and it can give you guidelines on how much house you can afford by calculating a mortgage amount that will fit your budget. Once you know how much mortgage you afford, you'll want to figure out how much up-front cash you will need for a deposit, closing costs, insurance premiums, and necessary inspections.
If terms like amortization period, variable rates, and accelerated payments bewilder you, a qualified real estate agent or broker will be able to help you navigate through the complex process of obtaining a mortgage. Here is a mini-lesson to get you started.
Refers to how long you have to pay off a mortgage. A typical amortization period is 25 years.
How often you will pay on the mortgage; monthly, biweekly, or on an accelerated payment schedule, which will help lower you both your interest and amortization period.
Closed, open, fixed, and variable rates each have pros and cons. You'll want to discuss these options with a real estate professional to decide which option fits your budget, as certain types will increase the amount of interest you pay overall.
Refers to the length of the contract loan.
Again, first time homebuyers will benefit tremendously from the experience of a qualified real estate broker or agent, such as Performance Realty. Local agents know the area, neighborhood specs, market conditions, and how you can save money through government incentives for first time homebuyers. Beyond the complex contractual issues, the experts can help you find the right home, the right mortgage, the best interest rates, qualified inspections, and they will assist you every step of the way through closing on the property.