Previously mentioned in these reports, a Slovenian expedition has made the highly-coveted first ascent of the outstanding prize in the Western Kokshaal-too; 5,697m Pik Byeliy.
As noted in British first ascents in Kyrgyzstan, Byeliy is a well-defended mountain that has been the goal of many expeditions since first being attempted in 2000 by a strong American team.
Byeliy was the highest major unclimbed summit in the Western Kokshaal-too, a spectacular range of alpine peaks that straddles the Kyrghyzstan-Chinese border. Much of the central and western parts of the chain are composed of largely excellent granite.
Prime developer of the central sector has been Pat Littlejohn, who over the years has organized many successful ISM expeditions to the region, some with the aim of climbing Byeliy.
A number of probes had been made on Byeliy from various directions but by far the most significant took place in 2008, when Arne Jeglic and Jaka Ortar, from a large Slovenian expedition that climbed a number of new routes in the Fersmana Glacier basin, discovered a reasonable line up the South Ridge.
These two made a long ski ascent to the head of the glacier and climbed the ridge to the summit snow slopes, where 300m below the top they were stopped by avalanche conditions.
Given stable snow and weather, this appeared to be the most logical route to the summit. But the approach is very long and subsequent parties to the Fersmana have found the moraines particularly hard going.
This year's Slovenian team comprised climbers with a wide variety of age and experience, and had multiple aims.
The main goals were: to give younger members their first experience of higher altitude glaciers and mountains; to ski from summits up to 5,000m; to climb new routes up to 5,000m; and to make the first ascent of Byeliy.
On their first outing, a day after setting up base camp north of the Kotur Glacier, Peter Bajac, Ursa Erman, Alenka Klemencic, Miha Lapanja and Tina Leskosek climbed Pik Alpini (4,578m) on the east side of the entrance to the Kotur, and continued south to Pik Lvitsa (4,631m). Klemecic and Lapanja skied from the summit.
In the meanwhile the experienced Tajek Golob with Blas Grapar ascended the easy Pik Lyev (4,710m) and camped the night on the summit for acclimatization.
With this first phase complete, Klemencic and Lapanja walked into the next glacier system east, the Nalivkin, and set up camp below the east flank of Pik Obzhorny (5,156 m). At the same time Bajac, Erman and Leskosek skied up the Kotur to a camp on the west side of Obzhorny.
Over the next few day various members from both parties made ascents, and often ski descents, of Pik Greta (4,725m), Pik Lencka (4,621m), a likely new route on Pik Oleg (4,859m) dubbed Arbuz (450m: 60°), and Obzhorny.
They returned to base camp at around the same time that Grapar and Golob had completed a taxing two-day, 30km walk (with 2,000m of height gain), at first east along the top of the range and then south up the arduous Fersmana Glacier, to the Chinese border. There, they established a camp at c4,900m on the col immediately south of Byeliy.
Next day they completed the line up the South Ridge attempted in 2008. On only two pitches did they belay. Although much of the climb was relatively straightforward, there is significant climbing below a large serac barrier. The 600m route was grade V/4.
Bad weather then settled on the range, and despite one or two attempts, the only subsequent successful ascent was another (and ski descent) of Pik Alpini.
However, in brief gaps of sunshine the team did find excellent bouldering before their six-wheel Ural truck arrived to transport them back to Bishkek.


You can now follow the Swedish royal and his adorable family.
Now you can get to know the Swedish royal family on a whole new level: Prince Carl Philip of Sweden quietly made his Instagram account public earlier this month.
On May 12, Carl Philip posted a selfie on Instagram alongside his wife, Princess Sofia, to announce their newly public profile. "Welcome to our official Instagram account," the caption reads. "As you can see, we have already posted photos for a while to give you an insight into our work." In fact, the earliest post on the Instagram feed dates back to June 8, 2017, showing Carl Philip working on a speech about dyslexia.
But Carl Philip isn't the only Swedish royal to develop his own social media presence. In March, his sister Princess Madeleine joined Instagram, where she posted a photo of her newborn daughter.
Despite the fact that Meghan Markle famously had to delete her social media accounts as she prepared to join the British royal family, it's clear that other royals are happily sharing snaps of their daily lives on Instagram. Earlier this year, Princess Eugenie joined Instagram, posting a never-before-seen photo from her engagement shoot taken in January. And, there's even an actual Queen on Instagram: Queen Rania of Jordan has her own account with a whopping 4.5 million followers. Here's hoping Queen Elizabeth joins the 'gram next.


text:
Paul A. Green
Home Authors Paul A. Green Tweet
Paul A. Green grew up in South London, and studied at Oxford and the University of British Columbia.
His plays have appeared on BBC Radio 3, CBC Radio Canada, RTE Ireland, Capital Radio and
Resonance FM London. His poetry has been disseminated in magazines, anthologies and,
increasingly, in audio formats via alternative radio stations, podcasts, and on-line journals like
www.culturecourt.com.
The enigma of the paranormal has been a constant theme in his work, exemplified in plays like Ritual
of the Stifling Air, The Voice Collection, and Babalon, his speculative drama about occult rocket
scientist Jack Parsons, recently performed by Travesty Theatre in London. The Qliphoth probes still
further into these eldritch realms...
This author has been recommended by 1 other readers.
The Qliphoth n/a 2007 10/10
Libros LIbertad Publlishing
Radio QBSaul
QBSaul Hypertexts
The Qliphoth

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
John Wayne's Hat, Disney's Mickey Mouse Ears Up for Auction
The auction will take place April 2 at Maine-based Saco River Auction
By David Sharp • Published March 20, 2016 • Updated on March 22, 2016 at 7:14 am
A collection of memorabilia including Babe Ruth's baseball glove and Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse ears is coming up for auction off the beaten path in Maine, far from the Big Apple where Ruth smacked home runs and the theme park and studio Disney created in California.
The items that once belonged to the late New York TV and radio personality Joe Franklin include several dozen hats from a bygone era such as Frank Sinatra's fedora and John Wayne's Stetson.
The auction will take place April 2 at Maine-based Saco River Auction, a small auction house far from the entertainment hubs of New York and Los Angeles.
Auctioneer Troy Thibodeau said the items came from a collector who wishes to remain anonymous who spent years purchasing items from the collection of Franklin, a talk show host who encouraged his famous guests to leave a souvenir after appearing on his show.
The items include leather jackets belonging to Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando, Laurel and Hardy's boxing gloves, a baseball glove used by Joe DiMaggio and a harmonica used by Janis Joplin. In addition to John Wayne's Stetson, the collection includes the actor's cowboy boots and spurs.
Franklin's era included the heyday of hats. The collection includes pillbox hats that belonged to Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, Charlie Chaplin's derby, Babe Ruth's Gatsby, a leather hat belonging to Jimi Hendrix, a tattered straw hat worn by Buddy Ebsen and a sombrero owned by Slim Pickens.
Others who donated hats included Grace Kelly, Judy Garland, Walter Matthau, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Ray Charles, Mae West, Johnny Carson, Burt Lancaster and Vincent Price.
Franklin, who died in January 2015 at age 88, was a talk show institution in New York. He amassed so much memorabilia — either as gifts or through his own purchases — that his office was a cluttered mess. He even rented expensive storage units to handle the overflow, said Steve Garrin, longtime producer and friend.
"His office was floor to ceiling with stuff," said Garrin.
Though Franklin never had the national exposure of talk show hosts who followed, he was an icon in New York where he hosted radio and TV shows for decades. Garrin and Franklin joined a restaurateur to open "Joe Franklin's Memory Lane Restaurant" in Manhattan's theater district.
Franklin, who logged more than 300,000 guests during his career, auctioned off some of the items himself in 2002. Some of those items including Jack Benny's stage violin are back up for sale again as part of the collection in Saco, Thibodeau said.
The small auction house made a name for itself in recent years with some high-profile items, including the oldest known recording of black vocal group and a rare baseball card from 1865.
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" Alchemical healing" is based on the principle of alchemy ( a simple process of transforming lead into gold). It is a process by which each of us moves from our state of primal unconsciousness through various alchemical stages ( represented by our experiences ) to the realisation of full awakening. This journey embarks on a path taking one deep within oneself to discover the hidden treasures that each one of us has been blessed with. Healing is a beautiful process , an incredible journey of getting in touch with our own divinity, realising that deep down, all things are just ONE.
Chopta, popularly referred to as the Mini-Switzerland of India because of its undulating green meadows (carpets of snow in winter!!) and a breath taking view of the majestic Himalayan peaks. Camping here is a totally enjoyable experience. From here we will trek up to the Tungnath temple, which at an altitude of 3680m is the highest Shiva shrine in the world. All along the route, in addition to the abundant flora and fauna, one gets wonderful views of the Himalayan giants including Bandarpoonch, Kedar, Chaukhamba peak and many more. From Tungnath you can trek up a further 1 kms to the summit of Chandrashilla peak at about 4000 m. The 180 degree view of the snow-capped peaks and the underlying valleys all around make this trek well worth it.
A formal introduction amongst participants and some life sharing.
Drive from Rishikesh to Sari – 4hrs: You will, for most part of the journey drive along the Ganga & Alaknanda River before turning into the Mandakini valley. Enroute you will be crossing the holy towns of Devprayag and Rudraprayag.
Trek from Sari to Deorital – 2hrs: Trek to Deoriatal is a gradual uphill all the way up to the beautiful lake of Deoriatal. Don't miss the sunset view of the Chaukhamba peak. Deoriatal tal is surrounded by dense temperate forest and greater Himalayas seems just in hand distance.
Chopta - Widespread meadows of about 50 km. Gangotri greater Himalayan range just In front of you. The evergreen forest of Chopta seems different in every season.
Meditation to connect with a lost ancestor or loved one.
Chopta – Tungnath (3400m) trek 2hrs: The climb is demanding but short and extremely scenic. It will take about 02 hours to reach Tungnath temple. Religious or non-religious does not matter; just sit by yourself for a few minutes in the courtyard of the temple with eyes closed you will feel the positive vibrations.
Post the session, 01hr walk back to base camp at Chopta. Overnight in Tents.
Day 6: Drive to Rishikesh, followed by a session of rafting (optional). Trip ends here.


text:
Q: How do I count cells with values in a Google Sheets column? I am able to get the number of cells in a range using .getValues().length. I am having hard time trying to figure out how many cells are not blank in a column. Lets say the entire column. Here is an example of a sheet. It has a header and I would like to count how many cells have values not including the header:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X3b59rveavE9LHn4Wt8vgzGTvQ7mkbKGDKOUO_IjXG0/edit?usp=sharing
A small sample function on how to do this would be appreciated.

A: COUNTIF is your friend!
To count non blank cells in the entire column B:
=COUNTIF(B:B,"<>")

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text:
Three face sentence after sickening Mariam Moustafa attack which killed Egyptian student
Mariah Fraser, 20, Britania Hunter, 18, and a 16-year-old girl, who cannot be named, admitted their part in the attack
James RodgerHead of Trends
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Three members of a girl gang who attacked an Egyptian student at a bus stop are set to find out if they will face jail time.
Mariam Moustafa suffered a stroke which left her in a coma after the "unpleasant incident" on February 20 last year and died almost a month later on March 14.
Mariah Fraser, 20, Britania Hunter, 18, and a 16-year-old girl, who cannot be named, admitted their part in the attack which saw the 18-year-old victim punched several times and slammed against a bus stop.
Mariam became subject to threats and violence during a confrontation "fuelled by social media" near a bus stop in Parliament Street, Nottingham, at 8pm, while the victim's friend Pablo Jawara tried to protect her.
Six people were charged after the incident, including three other teenager girls aged 18, 17 and 16, who will be sentenced later this month.
Opening the facts of the case on Thursday, prosecutor Luke Blackburn said the six defendants were not charged with manslaughter because pathologists could not "legally link" the attack and her death.
Fraser, Hunter and the 16-year-old girl will be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday.
After her death, her father paid tribute.
Mr Moustafa, 50, said: "I want justice for my daughter, not just my daughter but also so this doesn't happen to another girl or another boy.
"My daughter was like an angel. She would do anything for anyone - a very kind girl.
"She meant the world to me. She tried to help anyone - if they needed money or anything - she would always help.
"All of my family - my son, my daughter - they have all been crying after what happened. It's not fair.
"I needed some help and it came after, when she died."
AmazonIf you receive this phone call hang up immediately, police urgently warnPotential victims receive an unexpected phone call and can be left thousands out of pocket as a result of the scam, which is being widely circulated


Thank you for visiting the Frederick County Music Teachers website. We are an affiliate of MSMTA (Maryland State Music Teachers Association) and MTNA (Music Teachers National Association). We are primarily private music teachers who meet together regularly to learn new and effective teaching strategies, as well as offering student events, such as our Halloween recitals, Fall Festival and Sonatina Festival. We also sponsor MSMTA events, such as Keyboard Musicanship Testing and Theory Exams.
This website is updated regularly. Please check back often for up-to-date information.
Feel free to contact any member for information, or contact Sheila Rose Jones, President, here.


text:
Q: C# Web API Sending Body Data in HTTP Post REST Client I need to send this HTTP Post Request:
 POST https://webapi.com/baseurl/login
 Content-Type: application/json

 {"Password":"password",
 "AppVersion":"1",
 "AppComments":"",
 "UserName":"username",
 "AppKey":"dakey"
  }

It works great in RestClient and PostMan just like above.
I need to have this pro-grammatically and am not sure if to use
WebClient, HTTPRequest or WebRequest to accomplish this.
The problem is how to format the Body Content and send it above with the request.
Here is where I am with example code for WebClient...
  private static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        RunPostAsync();
    }

    static HttpClient client = new HttpClient();

    private static void RunPostAsync(){

            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Clear();
            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(
                new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"));

            Inputs inputs = new Inputs();

            inputs.Password = "pw";
            inputs.AppVersion = "apv";
            inputs.AppComments = "apc";
            inputs.UserName = "user";
            inputs.AppKey = "apk";

            var res = client.PostAsync("https://baseuriplus", new StringContent(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(inputs)));

            try
            {
                res.Result.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();

                Console.WriteLine("Response " + res.Result.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result + Environment.NewLine);

            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Error " + res + " Error " +
                ex.ToString());
            }

        Console.WriteLine("Response: {0}", result);
    }

    public class Inputs
    {
        public string Password;
        public string AppVersion;
        public string AppComments;
        public string UserName;
        public string AppKey;
    }

This DOES NOW WORK and responses with a (200) OK Server and Response

A: You are not properly serializing your values to JSON before sending. Instead of trying to build the string yourself, you should use a library like JSON.Net.
You could get the correct string doing something like this:
var message = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(new {Password = pw, AppVersion = apv, AppComments = acm, UserName = user, AppKey = apk});
Console.WriteLine(message); //Output: {"Password":"password","AppVersion":"10","AppComments":"","UserName":"username","AppKey":"dakey"}

A: Why are you generating you own json?
Use JSONConvert from JsonNewtonsoft.
Your json object string values need " " quotes and ,
I'd use http client for Posting, not webclient.
using (var client = new HttpClient())
{
   var res = client.PostAsync("YOUR URL",
     new StringContent(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(
       new { OBJECT DEF HERE },
       Encoding.UTF8, "application/json")
   );

   try
   {
      res.Result.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
   }
   catch (Exception e)
   {
     Console.WriteLine(e.ToString());
   }
}

A:             var client = new RestClient("Your URL");
            var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
            request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
            request.AddHeader("apk-key", apk);

            //Serialize to JSON body.
            JObject jObjectbody = new JObject();
            jObjectbody.Add("employeeName", data.name);
            jObjectbody.Add("designation", data.designation);

            request.AddParameter("application/json", jObjectbody, ParameterType.RequestBody);

            try
            {
                var clientValue= client.Execute<Response>(request);
                return RequestResponse<Response>.Create(ResponseCode.OK, "", clientValue.Data);
            }
            catch (Exception exception)
            {
                throw exception;
            }

A: I made a tools to do it quick and easy:
Install-Package AdvancedRestHandler

or
dotnet add package AdvancedRestHandler

AdvancedRestHandler arh = new AdvancedRestHandler("https://webapi.com/baseurl");
var result = await arh.PostDataAsync<MyLoginResponse, MyLoginRequest>("/login", new MyLoginRequest{
  Password = "password",
  AppVersion = "1",
  AppComments = "",
  UserName = "username",
  AppKey = "dakey"
});

public class MyLoginRequest{
  public string Password{get;set;}
  public string AppVersion{get;set;}
  public string AppComments{get;set;}
  public string UserName{get;set;}
  public string AppKey{get;set;}
}

public class MyLoginResponse {
  public string Token{get;set;}
}

Extra:
One other thing you can do is to use ArhResponse:

*

*Either this way, in the class definition:

public class MyLoginResponse: ArhResponse
{
...
}

*

*Or this way, in the API call:

var result = await arh.PostDataAsync<ArhResponse<MyLoginResponse>, MyLoginRequest> (...)

and instead of try or cache, check your API call state using simple if statements:
// check service response status:
if(result.ResponseStatusCode == HttpStatusCode.OK) { /* api receive success response data */ }

// check Exceptions that may occur due to implementation change, or model errors
if(result.Exception!=null) { /* mostly serializer failed due to model mismatch */ }

// have a copy of request and response, in case the service provider need your request response and they think you are hand writing the service and believe you are wrong
_logger.Warning(result.ResponseText);
_logger.Warning(result.RequestText);

// Get deserialized verion of, one of the fallback models, in case the provider uses more than one type of data in same property of the model
var fallbackData = (MyFallbackResponse)result.FallbackModel;

Header Possible Issue
There are cases that the Server does not accept C# request due to the header that the HttpClient generates.
It is because HttpClient by default uses the value of application/json; charset=utf-8 for Content-Type...
For sending only application/json part as Content-Type and ignore the ; charset=utf-8 part, you can do as following:
For HttpClient you can fix it by looking into this thread: How do you set the Content-Type header for an HttpClient request?
As for (AdvancedRestHandler) ARH, I fixed it due to integration with some company, but I don't remember fully... I did it, either  through options like of requests or through resetting the header value.

A: we will use HttpPost with HttpClient PostAsync for the issue.
using System.Net.Http;
    static async Task<string> PostURI(Uri u, HttpContent c)
    {
    var response = string.Empty;
    using (var client = new HttpClient())
    {
    HttpResponseMessage result = await client.PostAsync(u, c);
    if (result.IsSuccessStatusCode)
    {
    response = result.StatusCode.ToString();
    }
    }
    return response;
    }

We will call it by creating a string that we will use to post:
  Uri u = new Uri("http://localhost:31404/Api/Customers");
        var payload = "{\"CustomerId\": 5,\"CustomerName\": \"Pepsi\"}";

        HttpContent c = new StringContent(payload, Encoding.UTF8, "application/json");
        var t = Task.Run(() => PostURI(u, c));
        t.Wait();

        Console.WriteLine(t.Result);
        Console.ReadLine();


What, You Don't Remember L.A.'s Swing Dance Phase?
Mid-90s Los Angeles was truly a magical place: watches connected by chains, zoot suits, dudes that call each other "Daddy." And thanks to Swingers, it's a time that will be forever documented by a young Vince Vaughn and a fated road trip to Vegas.
Join MEL's Lindsey Weber and Vulture's Kyle Buchanan as they journey back to 1996 and rediscover if Swingers has that magic.
For more Rewatch — The Land Before Time! Now That's What I Call Music! Starship Troopers!— check us out on Soundcloud or subscribe on iTunes.


Destination: Mumbai - Hyderabad - Secunderabad - Hyderabad - Vishakapatnam - Tirupati - Bangalore - Mysore - Hospet - Hampi - Hospet - Badami - Hospet - Bellary - Bangalore - Mumbai.
Your Andhra Pradesh tour starts from the financial capital of India, Mumbai. After you get down at the airport, you will be transferred to your hotel in Mumbai suburbs. If time permits, you can step out of the hotel and tread through the busy market streets and get the feel of the Indian atmosphere.
Early Morning, a mouthwatering breakfast starts off our tour. First we visit Prince of Wales Museum. The museum is more famous for its grand dome and Indo Saracenic style architecture than its collection on art and history. Afterwards, we drive past the world heritage site Chattrapati Shivaji Terminal to the famous Gateway of India which is undoubtedly the most grand structure in Mumbai. From we take a boat ride to another World Heritage Site Elephanta Caves. The ride will take around 1 hr before terminating at an island. These historical sites have the center of attraction for all tourists coming to Mumbai. After exploring the magnificent 5th century caves, we head back to Mumbai mainland. In the evening, we spent some rejuvenating moments on the lively beaches of Mumbai. Get the taste of delicious paani puri and vada pau, which are a specialty of Mumbai, from the many snack shops lined up on the beach. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Wake up early as we have to catch an early morning flight to Hyderabad, our first stop in Andhra Pradesh. Within hour and a half, we reach our destination. Directly we take you to your hotel. Waiting for you in the hotel is a splendid Hyderabadi breakfast. Rest assured, you wouldn't have tasted anything as delicious as this before. In the second half of the day, we start our city sightseeing tour from Salar Jung Museum. Here you will see the largest one man collection in the world. Although every item is a masterpiece, you just can't miss out on Veilled Rebecca (a marble statue), weapon section and the many paintings callected from different countries. After spending ample time in the museum, we head for Birla Temple. Completely build of white marble, it is located on top of a hill. You will be enthralled by the beauty of the statue of the presiding deity that stands 11 feet tall and is made of granite. We leave Birla Temple for Golconda Fort in the evening. We reach there on time for Light and sound show in the fort. We will not be able to explore the fort much as it is already late in the evening. But don't get disappointed. We do return to Golconda Fort with enough time to explore this grand fortress. Overnight stay at hotel.
Start your day with a special breakafast, exclusive to Hyderabad. We then resume to our unfinished monument sightseeing, Golconda Fort. Today you can take your time in this historical place, exploring it at your own pace. It is situated on top of a hill giving it an advantage of high grounds during wars. It was considered an impenetrable fort. The main attractions in the fort is the dome at the entry which is famous for its accoustic effects. It is said that if you clap inside the dome, it can be heard right at the top of the hill. We then move onto Nehru Zoological Park. It is a one of a kind zoo in India which is famous for lion safari. The animals here are kept in captivity but in areas that hugely resemble their natural surroundings. After a mouth watering Hyderabadi cuisine consisting of different biryanis and sea food in a famous hotel, get ready to enjoy yet another round of shopping. Many of you would have been craving for this since time spend on shopping last everning was not enough. With setting sun, comes the time far a cruise experince in Hussain Sagar Lake. It is a huge lake and is a must visit for its unique cruise experience. Enjoy the calming effect of the cruise, soaking in the evening atmosphere. Overnight stay at the hotel.
After a quick breakfast full of famous dishes like Dosa and Pesarattu and Upma, we head to airport to catch a flight to Visakhapatnam which will take around an hour to cover the distance. For a short rest and to keep the luggage, we transfer you to a hotel. Then move on to the major attraction of the city, the pristine beaches. The beaches are astoundingly beautiful, yet surprisingly empty, specially Rishikonda Beach which is considered to be among the best on Eastern Coast of India. It is a great setting to enjoy the beauty of the beaches to its best. After a quick breakfast full of famous dishes like Dosa and Pesarattu and Upma, we head to airport to catch a flight to Visakhapatnam which will take around an hour to cover the distance. For a short rest and to keep the luggage, we transfer you to a hotel. Then move on to the major attraction of the city, the pristine beaches. The beaches are astoundingly beautiful, yet surprisingly empty, specially Rishikonda Beach which is considered to be among the best on Eastern Coast of India. It is a great setting to enjoy the beauty of the beaches to its best.
We reach Tirupati early in the morning. There we shift to a comfortable lodge to get ourselves ready for a tour in the city. In Tirupati, all you get to see is temples. Although the temples don't allow non Hindus to enter the premises, you can admire the magnificent temple architecture from the outside itself. Tirupati is situated on a hill called Tirumala. If you wish, you can also opt for trekking to the top of the hill from its foothill called Gudur. In fact, from the moment one enters Tirupati, you get the feel of the devotion in the atmosphere. You will instantly notice that every soul in the town is completely immersed in religion. Rest of the day is at you leisure. Explore the many street markets which mainly sell religious and traditional items. From these markets, you can get yourself a small replica of Tirupati temple. At night, we take a train to Bangalore. Overnight in Train.
Before sunrise, we would have reached the IT city of India. Right away we Check into a hotel and get ready for a long day. After a delicious Karnataka cuisine breakfast, we start the day's travel by visiting the famous Bangalore Palace. Notice the similarity of Bangalore Palace architecture with that of Windsor Castle in England. You also get to see the well kept and royal interiors of the palace. Then we visit the grand Vidhana Soudha, which truly is an imperious structure. Tipu Sultan's Fort and beautiful Cubbon Park are our next two travel destinations. We return to our hotel in the evening for overnight stay.
Wake up early as we intend to start our journey by enjoying the freshness in the morning air and reach Mysore before temperature reaches its peak. Though, the climate in Bangalore and Mysore are known to be quite pleasant and even at peak temperature, you will not feel any discomfort. We will cover the 127 Km journey in just over 3 hrs. As soon as we reach Mysore, we transfer you to a hotel. The first half of the day is for rest. In the second half of the day after lunch, we head out for Mysore sightseeing. Our first stop is Mysore Palace. It is better to prepare yourself for the surprise, before you get the glimpse of Mysore Palace. The first look of the palace will leave you spellbound. It is huge and Magnificent. There is more to Mysore Palace than grand architecture; the lavish interiors perfectly compliment the exteriors. Walk through the exaggeratedly ornated gates, into the richly decorated hallways, with walls covered with portraits and stills of former kings and queens. Though it is tough to leave behind Mysore Palace, we have to move onto other attractions of the city like St. Philomena's Church, Brindavan Gardens and Rail Museum. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Wake up to a glorious morning and get set for the most mesmerizing day of this tour. Today we visit the great ruins of World Heritage Site Hampi that have impressed one and all. Hampi is just 13 Km from here so no big traveling and we can spend most of our time among the magnificent structures. We visit many temples among which Vithala Temple will be the most intriguing with intricate carvings on walls and pillars. There is hall with 56 pillars that are said to produce rhythmic sounds when tapped slowly. Do not forget to try your hands on these peculiar instruments. After spending ample time in the timeless wonders, we head back to our hotel in Hospet.
Another day and yet another famous place to visit. Today, you will be taken to the major Karnataka attraction, Badami Caves. The caves are around 103 km from Hospet and can be covered in little more than 2 hrs. There are four main caves that constitute Badami Caves. Notice the intricate carvings done of the walls and roofs that clearly suggest that they are religious in nature. The caves are also considered a pilgrimage place by Hindus and Jains as there are images of Hindu and Jain Gods drawn inside the caves. Cave 1, 2 and 3 are dedicated to Hiindu gods and Cave 4 is a Jain pilgrimage center. In the evening, we return to Hospet for overnight stay.
AToday is your last day in the magical state of Karnataka. We leave for Bellary airport in morning to catch a late afternoon flight to Bangalore. Just after 1 hr we will reach Bangalore. Same day we will take a connecting flight to Mumbai. Another 2 hrs of flying, and you are in Mumbai. We transfer you to hotel for overnight stay.
Day 13 concludes this entertaining tour to Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. You will transferred to airport on time for your onward flight.


The Impact of Peer Support Program on Adherence to the Treatment Regimen in Patients with Hypertension: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study | Haidari | .
Background: High blood pressure is the greatest risk factor of death, and patients should manage to control it. Peer support program is used to control chronic diseases. This study aims to determine the effect of peer support program on adherence to the regimen in patients suffering from hypertension.
Materials and Methods: This study is a clinical trial conducted among 64 patients with hypertension referring to the Hypertension Research Center (Isfahan. Iran). The information was collected in three stages – before the start of intervention, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention using a questionnaire of adherence to the treatment regimen for high blood pressure. The questionnaires were filled using a questioning method by patients who were not aware of the study. The experimental group attended 6 sessions of the peer support program (1 hour), and the control group attended two sessions held by the researcher. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 18 software, and statistical tests were analyzed using independent t‑test and analysis of variance with repeated measures.
Results: Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in adherence to the treatment regimen score between the two groups regarding the three aspects of medication regimen, diet, and activity program. Increase in scores of control group immediately after and 1 month after peer support program was higher (p < 0.001) compared to before the intervention. Conclusions: This study showed that peer support programs had a positive impact on adherence to the treatment regimen in patients suffering from hypertension.
Alidosti M, Hemati Z. Educational Intervention on Peers Knowledge and Behaviors of Students with Diabetes Type I. Prev Care Nurs Midwifery J 2013;3:12 21.
Kronish IM, Goldfinger JZ, Negron R, Fei K, Tuhrim S, Arniella G, et al. Effect of Peer Education on Stroke Prevention. Stroke 2014;45:3330 6.
Sachmechi I, Wang A, Kim P, Reich D, Payne H, Salvador VB. Impact of diabetes education and peer support group on the metabolic parameters of patients with diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2). Br J Med Pract 2013;6:635 41.
Sadeghi R, Mohseni M, Khanjani N. The effect of an educational intervention according to hygienic belief model in improving care and controlling among patients with hypertension. J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci 2014;13:383 94.
Azizi K, Sharifi Rad Gh, Mahaki B, Iranpour S, Abdoli R, et al. Psychometric assessment of nutritional knowledge, illness perceptions and dietary adherence in hypertensive patients. J Health Syst Res 2013;2 1774 85.
Dehghani A, Mohammadkhan Kermanshahi S, Memarian R, Baharlou R. The effect of peer group education on anxiety of patients with multiple sclerosis. Iran J Med Educ 2012;12:249 57.
Mosack KE, Patterson L, Brouwer AM, Wendorf AR, Ertl K, Eastwood D, et al. Evaluation of a peer led hypertension intervention for veterans: Impact on peer leaders. Health Educ Res 2013;28:426 36.
Baumann LC, Frederick N, Betty N, Jospehine E, Agatha N. A demonstration of peer support for ugandan adults with type 2 diabetes. Int J Behav Med 2015;22:374 83.
Mohr DC, Burke H, Beckner V, Merluzzi N. A preliminary report on a skills based telephone administered peer support programme for patients with multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2005;11:222 6.
Heisler M, Halasyamani L, Cowen ME, Davis MD, Resnicow K, Strawderman RL, et al. Randomized Controlled Effectiveness Trial of Reciprocal Peer Support in Heart FailureClinical Perspective. Circulation Heart Fail 2013;6:246 53.
Ghods R, Gharuni M, Amin Gh, Nazem E, Mokaberinejad R, Nikbakht Nasrabad A. A rapid overview on the causes of hypertension and relationship between Imtila and hypertension in Iranian Traditional Medicine. Journalssbmu 2011;2:11 36.
Masror Roudsari D, Dabiri Golchin M, Haghani H. Relationship between Adherence to Therapeutic Regimen and Health Related Quality of Life in Hypertensive Patients. Iran J Nurs 2013;26:44 54.
Chan Q, Stamler J, Elliott P. Dietary factors and higher blood pressure in african americans. Curr Hypertens Rep 2015;17:1 8.
Sharif F, Abshorshori N, Hazrati M, Tahmasebi S, Zare N. The Effect of Peer Education on Quality of Life in Patient with Breast Cancer After Sergery. Payesh J 2012;11:703 10.
Daugherty SL, Powers JD, Magid DJ, Masoudi FA, Margolis KL, O'Connor PJ, et al. The Association Between Medication Adherence and Treatment Intensification With Blood Pressure Control in Resistant Hypertension Novelty and Significance. Hypertension 2012;60:303 9.
Tang TS, Funnell M, Sinco B, Piatt G, Palmisano G, Spencer MS, et al. Comparative effectiveness of peer leaders and community health workers in diabetes self management support: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Care 2014;37:1525 34.


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Ditto Open Beta
Sun, 23 Jun 2019 / projects / asana / ditto
Ditto is a tool for transferring Asana projects between workspaces. It is a complete rewrite of an earlier project with the unwieldy title 'Organise Asana Projects' but colloquially known as 'Kothar' by the Asana community.
Ditto, or 'Kothar 2', fixes a number of longstanding issues with the original implementation, allowing faster and more accurate project copies to be created. It's also much more pleasant to work with from the development side, which means I am more inclined to spend time updating and improving it.
The original tool was started in 2013, and was based on a script posted to GitHub by AWeg, which in turn was based on an earlier version by MhdHejazi.
My code took that script and added a web-based UI to choose projects, and later made the changes necessary to support new features launched by Asana such as Teams and Custom Fields.
The original tool became extremely popular, in no small part due to Asana support referring people looking to transfer projects between workspaces. This has resulted in great feedback from users, which has motivated me to keep the tool up to date and fix problems. This new version provides all the original features, plus several improvements. I hope all the existing users will find the switch painless and possibly even enjoyable :)
Previously the tool was supported entirely by donations. People's generosity in this regard was completely unexpected, but very welcome. Over the last six years the costs of running the service have just about broken even with donations.
With Ditto I've decided to try something different, and will be adding the option to upgrade to a Pro account. The basic features of the tool (everything in the original tool, plus fixes) will remain free, but more complex features will require the upgrade.
Ditto works by taking a 'snapshot' of the projects you wish to copy. This is accomplished by reading all the tasks, then downloading attachments, looking up tags and custom fields which have been used, users who have been assigned tasks, etc.
Once this snapshot is complete, it is then compared to the destination workspace. In particular, the common features such as tags and custom fields need to be lined up so that there are no duplicates or missing data. Once this step is complete the user is presented with a short report of the status of the copy, and whether there are any problems detected such as naming collisions or users present in one workspace and not the other.
Finally, when the user confirms they want to proceed, the new projects are created and tasks are copied into them. This process takes into account multi-homed tasks and is able to correctly place a single copy of the task in two or more projects, or as a subtask.
The copy operation is extremely efficient, and creates tasks in parallel as much as possible. Within a project, section or parent task, new tasks are first created in batches before being moved into the correct order, which is much quicker than creating them one by one in the correct order from the start.
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How to Love Like Jesus Children's Book Now Available on Amazon Kindle!
self control and not giving in to temper tantrums (our 2 middle boys).
Now there are books all over the place on each one of these issues, but none of those get to the heart of the matter. In the end, all of these are the effects of not having a naturally loving heart. No, I don't think its just my kids. No I don't think this makes my kids and other kids any more "bad" then the next. I think it is natural to be selfish and unloving for the most part. I certainly think every kid has issues with it to some degree, (some more than others of course). But the truth is, truly having a loving heart is something that has to be nurtured and cultivated. And in my opinion, without the help of God's spirit, it is impossible for mankind to be perfect at it. Even with the help of God, for many it takes a concious effort. I work on this with my children daily. And God is working on me in many of my adult versions of "temper tantrums" etc. And as I cultivate in my children a love and reverence for God as well, I can trust that God will work on them as well. And ideally, when they become adults, and no longer have my husband or myself to be consistently there to teach them, they will be just fine on their own with God as their teacher because their love for God will be authentic and real.
Through out the book, I give examples that are applicable to kids in how they can be loving or unloving in their actions. Most of the images are appropriate for children ages 2-8. Although the written content is appropriate for children of all ages. Here is a chart I offer as well to help kids check themselves if they are behaving with a loving heart or not. This is good for us parents too!
So I encourage you to go to Amazon and check out the book!


Below, we investigate the qualities of each.
The main function in this marriage stage is to form attachment with our partner. In order to do this, we subconsciously do two things: we overemphasise our commonalities, and we minimise our differences.
Similarities can emerge from our physical, emotional, psychological, environmental and spiritual features. When we overemphasise our commonalities, we make our similarities greater than they are in actuality. This is not intentional, and is not 'lying'. On the contrary, it is pivotal during the attachment development phase.
Likewise, in this marriage phase, we minimise our differences. The intimacy between our partners and us enchants us, and we immerse ourselves in our shared experiences. Here, we focus on what we share; in this way, we disregard our individuality.
-There is heightened passion, absorbing emotions and intense sexual urges.
– We reciprocate equally. That is, we give the same amount as we take. We feel satisfied with the nurture, attention and love that we receive. At this point, this support and nurturance is the root of our mutual attraction; we receive it on various levels.
– We do not ask our partner to change. Instead, we accept them as they are, and we compromise in order to please both of us. Without any effort, we ask the four integral questions: What do you want, feel, need and think? This marriage stage is a sort of honeymoon-type phase.
Through all of this, we create a concrete foundation. This enables the second marriage stage. Marriage counselling is an excellent way in which to gain insight into which marriage stage we are in.
In this marriage stage, differences become apparent. We see our partner more objectively than we did before – this is normal. It does not automatically mean that the relationship cannot work. Counselling allows us to ease into this stage.
At this point, we may require more space from each other. Similarities seem to decrease and differences seem to increase. This is natural, and it is now when we re-examine and reconstruct our boundaries. This boundary reconstruction is essential for the relationship.
In some cases, when the differences are too big or overwhelming, the relationship cannot survive. In other cases, the differences become irreconcilable – but slowly. Here, communication is very important, but it is also difficult. We must understand what we want and what we need, before we can articulate it to our partner. This is why marriage counselling is so pivotal during this marriage stage. It allows us to come to terms with our emotions during the transition from stage one to stage two.


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Meeting The Duty To Accommodate – A Success Story
The duty to accommodate is a difficult process because it is uncertain. Whether an employer has met its duty to accommodate under human rights law requires an individualized assessment on a case-by-case basis. In addition, the standard of "undue hardship" is a high and moving target, and will depend on the employer's size, nature of operations, resources and other relevant factors. A recent decision, however, may have moved the target closer to "reasonableness" than "the point of undue hardship".
In Wilcox v. University of British Columbia, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal dismissed a human rights complaint from a former research assistant who had developed a severe mouse allergy and was unable to perform the duties of her position. Dr. Wilcox was employed as a research assistant at the University's Rederivation Facility and Animal Care Services. A core part of her duties (about 50%-70%) was to perform daily work with live mice, including maintaining colonies, administering hormone treatments, and testing blood samples. Unfortunately, Dr. Wilcox developed a severe allergy to mice and could no longer work with or around mice. The University was initially able to accommodate her in a temporary assignment which did involve any work with mice; but when that work, and subsequently her paid sick leave, ran out, she was placed on an unpaid leave of absence.
While Dr. Wilcox was on leave, the University searched for alternate vacant positions for which she was qualified and which did not involve working with or close to mice, including positions which would have been considered a promotion. The University only identified two positions during Dr. Wilcox's leave that met these criteria, and provided these job postings to her. However, Dr. Wilcox did not apply for either one because she felt she was not qualified.
The University eventually decided to close the Rederivation Facility for financial reasons. It provided affected employees with notice of termination and, since Dr. Wilcox was on a leave of absence, she was provided with pay in lieu of notice of termination.
Dr. Wilcox alleged that she had been discriminated against on the basis of a disability when she was placed on an unpaid leave of absence and also alleged that the University did not meet its duty to accommodate because it conducted an unduly restrictive search for alternate positions. Dr. Wilcox also took the position that it was discriminatory for the University to provide her with pay in lieu of notice rather than working notice, as other employees were provided.
The Tribunal disagreed with Dr. WIlcox and dismissed the complaint. It found that Dr. Wilcox had no reasonable prospect of success in showing that she had suffered discrimination by being placed on an unpaid leave of absence after the end of her temporary accommodation. Since she was unable to work (and not otherwise eligible for any other paid leave of absence), continuing her employment on an unpaid leave of absence was not adverse treatment. The Tribunal also found that the University conducted a reasonable search for accommodations and was not obliged to displace another employee to create a vacancy for Dr. Wilcox or to create a tailor-made job for her. Simply put, an employer does not breach the Human Rights Code because it seeks to accommodate an employee with an available job. Further, the Tribunal found there was no reasonable prospect of Dr. Wilcox showing that the termination of her employment was related to her disability. The Rederivation Facility closed for financial reasons and all employees were affected. There was no adverse treatment in providing Dr. Wilcox with pay in lieu of notice instead of working notice, since she was unable to work at the facility at the time of the closure.
The most valuable part of the Tribunal's decision, for employers, is the emphasis on "reasonableness" over "undue hardship". In paragraph 83, the Tribunal went to some length to explain that the duty to accommodate does not extend, technically, "to the point of undue hardship". Rather, the Supreme Court of Canada in Ont. Human Rights Comm. v. Simpsons-Sears, [1985] 2 S.C.R. 536 ("O'Malley") actually expressed the duty as a requirement for reasonableness "short of undue hardship". In other words, the employer is obliged to accommodate within a range of reasonableness, which may well involve a measure of hardship, but not "undue" hardship. As stated by the Tribunal, "[t]o state the duty to accommodate extends 'to the point of undue hardship' implies a precision of measurement incongruous with the reasonableness standard expressed in O'Malley."
This decision should give some hope to employers who make good faith and comprehensive attempts to accommodate employees with disabilities. While each case must be assessed individually and taking into account all relevant factors, an employer may meet its duty to accommodate if, after a comprehensive search, there are simply no available positions for which an employee is qualified and which fit with his or her medical limitations.
Last Updated: March 5 2015
Article by Kirsten D. Hume


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Contrast may refer to:

Science
 Contrast (vision), the contradiction in form, colour and light between parts of an image
 Contrast (statistics), a combination of averages whose coefficients add up to zero, or the difference between two means
 Behavioral contrast, a phenomenon studied in psychology (behavior analysis)
 Contrast agent, used to distinguish structures or fluids within a body, often shortened to just "contrast"

Technology
 Contrast ratio, a measure of a display system
 Display contrast, of electronic visual displays

Language
 Contrast (linguistics), expressing distinctions between words
 Contrast (literary), describing the difference(s) between two or more entities

Arts and entertainment

Music
 The Contrast (band), an English pop band formed in 1999
 Contrast (music), the difference between parts or different instrumental sounds

Albums
 Contrast (Conor Maynard album), 2012
 Contrast (Matt Fax album), 2017
 Contrast (EP), by the Features, 2006
 Contrast, by Emi Maria, 2010
 Contrast, by Klinik, 1992
 Contrast, by Signal Aout 42, 1990
 Contrast, an EP by Toru Kitajima, 2014

Other media
 Contrast (video game), a 2013 puzzle-based platform game
 The Contrast (play), a 1787 play by Royall Tyler
The Contrast (novel), an 1832 novel by Lord Normanby
 Contrast.Rip (fashion), a clothing brand

See also
 Contrastive (disambiguation)
 Contrasts (disambiguation)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


With beautiful 4mm bicone Swarovski Crystals and 6mm Sterling Silver Twists 4mm Bali Ring Twists and 4mm bali sterling silver daisy spacers. The gold filled beads are 4mm 20K gold filled satin rounds and 20K gold filled stardust rounds and 5mm 20K gold filled twist beads this beautiful family name bracelet is completed with all 20K gold filled; and bali sterling silver components making a lovely two toned bracelet. To accent we use beautiful twisted ring floaters between the bicone shaped Swarovski CrystalsTM and sterling silver 6mm twist and clear crystals also used in separation of the two names on the bracelet. However you can order the bracelet with either one or two names the choice is yours. If you would like two names please just type them below separate with a comma. The drop charm is also a 10mm gold vermeil puffed heart charm.
We do not use gold plated findings which is a lower quality of gold and is basically dipped in gold then the findings tend to chip flake and wear off after time. Often people with sensitivities to silver or other precious metals can usually wear gold filled beads they are usually free of skin sensitivities to the gold filled beads.
The name letter beads are 4.5mm size and are .925 sterling silver name letters with 20K gold filled saucers between the sterling silver letters. Or you can choose to have the 14K Gold Filled Vermeil name letters in order to keep the silver gold appeal to the bracelet we will use the sterling silver saucers added between the gold name letters - to give the bracelet a striking two tone effect of the precious metals. You select whether you would like "one" name added or you can select the "two" names and then enter both names in the 1st Strand Name Area above if adding TWO names please separate the names with a comma.
Gold filled beads have a greater content than electroplated gold and is virtually indistinguishable from solid gold. With good care and not to subject the bracelet to conditions such as chlorine swimming pools household chemicals and polishing with a soft cloth and detergent free soap - gold filled jewelry can easily last a lifetime. You can visit our FAQ's page of our website to read more about gold filled and vermeil jewelry.


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Europe! Save Polish Supreme Court!
Initiatives and campaigns>
Initiatives and campaigns
#EuropeDontGiveUsUp – info in English. Please share!
Polish CSOs pressure Jean-Claude Juncker to go to the EU Court of Justice over the unconstitutional law on Supreme Court in Poland. Over 100 NGOs signed the appeal.
Following an appeal from the former president Lech Wałęsa to Jean-Claude Juncker, over one hundred NGOs and citizens' movements from Poland appealed to the president of the European Commission, to refer the law on the Supreme Court to the EU Court of Justice (CJEU).
Soon, the destruction of independent courts in Poland will be completed. On July 3rd this year the unconstitutional law on the Supreme Court will come into force. Approximately 60 percent of judges in the Supreme Court will be exchanged. Those who are over 65 years of age will be unlawfully removed on the basis of retroactive provision. New judges will be selected by The National Council of the Judiciary of Poland, a body currently controlled by the government. Soon there will be no institution in Poland that could stop the destruction of the state, that is being done through the use of unconstitutional laws. The Constitutional Tribunal has already been made subordinate to politicians in power, and so – within a month – will be the Supreme Court.
Today, the only way to stop the destruction of judicial independence is the ruling of the EU Court of Justice. In representing civic organisations in Poland, we are calling upon the European Commission to take immediate steps to prevent the progressing dismantling of the independence of the judiciary in our country – says the appeal addressed to Jean-Claude Juncker. CJEU ruling could be a real way to stop the ongoing process of destroying rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Poland. In the same way, CJEU has already stopped logging in the Białowieża Forest, major primeval forest in Europe.
We appeal to the European Commission to take immediately the law on the Polish Supreme Court to the Court of Justice of the European Union, as provided for in Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and to file a motion for interim measures, until the CJEU settles the matter – said Michał Wawrykiewicz, attorney at law from the "Free Courts" initiative.
The authors wrote that the ruling of the CJEU will have to be respected by all parties to the political dispute in Poland – including the opposition. The document was submitted to the Representation of the European Commission in Poland on June 4, 2018.
June 4 is a symbolic date for the revival of democracy in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. On this day in 1989, the first partly free elections in Poland took place, which commenced the process of the demise of authoritarian regimes in our part of Europe – said Agnieszka Holland, film director. – European Union guarantees economic and civil liberties. We hope that the European Commission will help us defend them – she added.
Common actions are needed so that the Supreme Court law is filed with the CJEU – said Paweł Kasprzak from Obywatele RP – We ask our European friends for support. We appeal to citizens to join the protests. We now have a real chance to stop the destruction of democracy in Poland – he added.
The appeal has also been handed over to Manfred Weber, the leader of the Group of the European People's Party in the European Parliament. Apart from the appeal to the European Commission, the organizations are gathering citizens' signatures in support of the matter – almost 14 thousand have been gathered in a matter of days.
The appeal and a list of signatories can be found here:
https://europonieodpuszczaj.pl/sign-the-appeal/
Tags: Poland
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HUNGARY: Civil society organisations appealing to OSCE for "robust engagement" ahead of elections
GREECE: Founder of Team Humanity is getting arrested now in Lesbos: he is asking for help!
ITALY: Solidarity to Casa internazionale delle donne (International Women's House) evicted after more than 30 years of work


What can I do if my kids wants too be with me because me & mine kids daddy signed our kids over to his stepfather because his stepfather asked me to do it because he wanted my kid s to get this social security check in every since I did that the grandmother and Daddy tried to stop my kids for a long time from seeing me in telling them I don't want them and tell them I smoke weed I told my kids of I do that's my business in that wasn't anything for her to tell him and the reason I really don't do too much for mine kids is because when I use to buy them something she give their clothes and shoes to other peoples in that pisses me off now she hitting my kids with pool sticks broom sticks anything she get her hands on I said if she don't want my kids give me back my kids. What can I do About this she talks about me to everybody in they come tell me mens and womens.
Why would you sign your children over to someone else in the first place? They are your children and you fight for them, not hand them over.


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#TwitterBan
Respect Citizens' Right And Reverse Suspension Of Twitter, US Tells FG
Written by darling on June 11, 2021
The US has called on the Nigerian government to respect the rights of its citizens to freely express themselves by reversing its suspension of Twitter's operations in the West African country.
In a statement issued on Thursday evening by the spokesperson of the Department of State Ned Price, the US explained that freedom of expression and access to information are both essential ingredients in any democratic setting.
"Unduly restricting the ability of Nigerians to report, gather, and disseminate opinions and information has no place in a democracy. Freedom of expression and access to information both online and offline are foundational to prosperous and secure democratic societies," read a statement posted on the Department of State's website.
"We support Nigeria as it works towards unity, peace, and prosperity. As its partner, we call on the government to respect its citizens' right to freedom of expression by reversing this suspension."
In a move that has caused ripples across the nation, many Nigerians in the wake of the ban devised several means to bypass the blockade including using Virtual Private Networks (VPN).
Nigeria's Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami had in a swift reaction ordered the prosecution of people using the social media platform in the country.
But the US government has faulted the move as well as the National Broadcasting Corporation's order to broadcast houses in Nigeria.
"The United States condemns the ongoing suspension of Twitter by the Nigerian government and subsequent threats to arrest and prosecute Nigerians who use Twitter," it said.
"The United States is likewise concerned that the Nigerian National Broadcasting Commission ordered all television and radio broadcasters to cease using Twitter.
Nigeria has one of the largest social media users in Africa. Friday's ban by President Muhammadu Buhari's government has triggered a flurry of reactions from far and near.
Top diplomatic missions and rights groups have condemned the move and critics believe it is an attempt to cage the opposition.
While the government has met with foreign envoys following the heavy outcry that greeted the suspension, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama says the tech giant is negotiating with the Nigerian government.
"There are discussions ongoing with Twitter, we will see how that progresses, so I cannot say for now the duration of the suspension," Onyeama said after a meeting with diplomats over the issue.
Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed who is a leading figure in Nigeria's battle with the US-based technology firm on Wednesday maintained that social media platforms will be regulated in the country.
He explained that all social media platforms must be registered before doing business in Africa's most populous nation.
"What we are saying is that for all platforms, you must register in Nigeria. You must be a corporate entity before you can do business in Nigeria," the minister said after the weekly cabinet meeting in Abuja.
"Whether it is Netflix, Iroko, or Facebook…they are all doing business in Nigeria, making money and they are not paying taxes. This is in addition to being able to regulate them. They are making billions of naira out of this country and they are not paying tax. That can't be allowed to go on."
Evening Belt
The best of techno and electronic music
'We Are Not Unmindful Of The Anxiety:' FG Promises To Restore Twitter
Twitter Reacts To Nigerian Govt's Plan To Lift Ban
BREAKING: ECOWAS Court stops Buhari govt from prosecuting people for using Twitter
Bribery: Court Sentences Farouk Lawan To Seven Years In Prison
BREAKING: Senate President, Lawan presides over Tuesday's plenary under leaking roof [Photos]


SF writer Gary Gibson: And here's what it's about.
"Archivist Luc Gabion has finally achieved his life's goal — of bringing down Winchell Antonov, head of the Black Lotus terrorist organisation, and the scourge of the Tian Di's stellar empire for countless years.
But instead of feeling victorious, the encounter has left him scarred. Forcibly implanted with a technology far in advance of anything he's encountered before, Luc sees and hears things he knows he's not supposed to. Worse, the technology is killing him, slowly. So when he finds himself investigating the murder of one of the Tian Di's ruling clique, the Thousand Emperors, he knows he's in real trouble. Any one of them could be the killer, and any one of them could have him put to death on a whim.
Worse, the dead man is the architect of the coming Reunification: two great civilisations, separated for centuries by old enmities, are about to reunite in a new age of peace and prosperity. But it soon becomes clear that someone out there is willing to do anything to make sure that day never comes..."
Those two civilisations, as anyone who's read Final Days will guess, being those colonies originally controlled either by the Western Coalition or the Pan-Asian Congress (now the Tian Di). As I've said before, it's really a stand-alone set in the future of Final Days, than a direct continuation of FD, which means you don't have to have read the first (or so I believe) in order to read the second.


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Endotrichella elmeri är en bladmossart som beskrevs av Brotherus 1913. Endotrichella elmeri ingår i släktet Endotrichella, klassen egentliga bladmossor, divisionen bladmossor och riket växter. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Egentliga bladmossor
elmeri


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3624 people living with HIV in Himachal, lack quality of life, are in need of financial assistance
SHIMLA- A delegation of MAMTA, HPVHA, CSC Shimla and People Living with HIV (PLHIV) community met with Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur to discuss the issues and needs of PLHIVs. The meeting was organized under project Vihaan which aims at bringing qualitative improvement in the life of PLHIVs.
The representative informed that at present 3624 people living with HIV (PLHIV) are living in Himachal Pradesh who are on Active care with Govt. ART centres of the state. Above mentioned 3624 people comprises of 36 % female, 55% male, 1% TG and 8% children below 15 years.
Sukhwinder Singh, HIV/TB Coordinator shared that People living with HIV (PLHIV) and their family has to undergo severe socio-economic stress like psychological , increased opportunistic infection , rise in medical expenses, loss of jobs and income, depletion of savings, food insecurity, stigma and discrimination, social exclusion and morbidity. In India many states are providing free transport, financial assistance and Subsidized ration to PLHIVs like Chandigarh, Punjab, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir etc.
Considering the hardship, of PLHIV the following issues were put forward for kind consideration of health minister
To implement HIV/AIDS workplace policy in the state. To provide subsidized ration to people living with HIV (PLHIVs) and their families through National Food Security scheme. To make provision of financial assistance (pension) to PLHIVs.
Ramesh Badrel, PO HPVHA shared the initiative taken by CSC team and PLHIVs shared their concern regarding financial and nutrition support. It was decided that Kaul Singh Thakur will chair the State level advocacy meeting for discussing the need of PLHIVs for nutrition and financial support in Himachal Pradesh. The date for state level advocacy meeting is proposed on 10th August 2016 at Hotel Holiday home, Shimla. Present in meeting were Parveen Kumar, Project Coordinator CSC Shimla, CSC staff and representative from PLHIV community.
Photo: The Better India/Representational Image
Related Topics:CSC ShimlahealthHimachal HIV CasesHIVHotel Holiday HomeKaul Singh ThakurNFSAPLHIVPLHIV HimachalSukhwinder SinghVihaan
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How sluggishness, poor governance aggravated water crisis of Shimla city
Shimla: The ongoing water crisis has not only highlighted the change in weather pattern due to environmental degradation but also exposed a lack of complete seriousness in government towards the welfare of the public in reality.
It applies not only to the current government but also to the previous governments of both Bhartiya Janata Party and Congress.
The Kol Dam water-supply project, which was a long-term solution, is confined to files and DPRs for at least five years. In 2014, the Union Government had rejected the DPR sent by the State Government citing several discrepancies. The SMC couldn't even fulfil conditions of the World-Bank for the funding of the project until recently. This project has a capacity to supply non-stop water to the town and its surrounding areas upto 2050.
The governments never prepared a contingency plan to deal with situations Shimla is facing currently.
BJP's Chain of Command Collapsed
Now, all major parties are playing politics over the crisis. It is a bad news for Himachal that even such urgency of matters could not unify the politicians. Rather, BJP's own chain of command appears to be collapsing.
BJP's own Councilors are questioning how the party or the government could allow the Mayor Kusum Sadret – the elected leader of the Ward Councilors and the citizens – to go on a tour with her private secretary at such a crucial time.
After a rucksack over Mayor's China tour, the Deputy Mayor and BJP's Ward Councilor had to slip away from the meeting the SMC had called today. When the party with the majority is walking out, it is not a healthy sign for the democratic mechanism.
It is not hard to realize that her presence could have hardly made any difference, but, as a leader, her team expected her to stand with them at least for the sake of their moral.
The Deputy Mayor of Shimla, Rakesh Sharma, who was left alone by the Mayor to face the wrath of the Ward Councilors and the people in times of, perhaps, most severe water crisis Shimla ever faced, had called an emergency meeting of the Councilors on Monday. However, several councilors didn't even show up.
Bhartiya Janata Party's own Councilors approached the Chief Minister with a complaint regarding the Mayor's official China tour when the city required all human sources from top to bottom.
VIP Culture Dominated Even in Times of Crisis
After widespread complaints of regular supply to VIPs and their near and dear, the High Court of Himachal Pradesh had on Tuesday taken cognizance of the patronage being given by the government to VIP culture.
It's perhaps the ugliest part of the ongoing crisis. Wealthy and influential are weighing heavy on commoners even in such hard times.
The Chief Minister held two consecutive meeting on Monday. Shimla was divided into three zones and water supply once in three days was assured from May 29. Some regions on Wednesday received a partial supply of water.
However, the residents complained that they did not receive supply despite issuance of the time-table issued by the SMC. They also complained that the numbers provided by the SMC were either switched-off or were not responding.
To make the situation more grave, the government used police to repress the protests, which could have led to a full-on war anytime. On Tuesday, police officials were seen thrashing protestors, who had gathered at the SMC's Office.
Transfers Backfire
The bulk re-shuffling of the staff and transfers of some officials from the Shimla Municipal Corporation have backfired at the government.
The government had to reportedly call back at least two of its officials, who were transferred by the Jai Ram Thakur-led Government. The new choice of the new government failed to respond to the situation entirely.
A Disparity in Water-Supply Statistics
A disparity prevails over the total amount of water being supplied to town as the government's figures did not match with those of the SMC.
While the Chief Minister claimed the water consumers of Shimla town were getting 28.93 MLD water per day as compared to 32.39 MLD in 2016 and 35.64 MLD per day in the Month of May 2017, the SMC claims the supply is has dipped upto 20 to 21 MLD per day.
However, on Wednesday, the Government claimed that about 21 MLD was distributed to the people of the town.
The former-Mayor of Shimla, Sanjay Chauhan, in a media statement, said that during his tenure, they were receiving less than 20 MLD water after the Ashwani Khad water-scheme was closed due to jaundice outbreak in 2015. He said, despite it, they had provided the city with a water supply on every third day.
There seems to be no coordination between the officials of the Shimla MC as well as with other departments.
Allegations of working in nexus with water mafia to create artificial scarcity have also surfaced on a national media channel.
Impacts of Water Crisis
The water scarcity has brought several set-backs for Shimla city during the peak tourist season. The restaurants have closed their toilets for customers. The hotels are paying anything between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 8,000 for a tanker of water. The hoteliers are charging their guests for additional water. The hotels had to cancell their reservations.
Tourists are disappointed as they are paying Rs. 100 to Rs. 200 per bucket at hotels.
Without water, the people had to start using disposables. The sale of disposables has also gone so high that shopkeepers are selling one disposable cup for as much as Rs. 5 to Rs. 10.
People using disposables as there was no water for washing utensils
The public is circulating messages of social media urging tourists not to visit Shimla and consume the share of their water amid scarcity. It is ironical because Shimla had been one of the most popular international tourist destination.
Dhabas and small restaurants are buying impure water from private tankers, which poses several health risks as this water is used in meals and washing of utensils.
The crisis has derailed the town completely.
Reforms on Social Level
Rain and snow deficient winter season, in fact, led to drying up of water sources on which the Shimla city had been depending since 1875 – the year town received its first water-scheme. This is the cause of the chaos created by severe drinking water paucity in the city, says the Government, Irrigation Public Health Department, and the Municipal Corporation in defence.
The rain and snow deficiency is the result of a change in weather pattern due to the o felling of thousands of trees in a short period of time for developmental works and to free encroachment of forest lands. Rohtang-Pass has aptly shown adverse effects of rising air pollution due to excess vehicular activity.
The Transport Department, Pollution Control Board, Municipal Corporations and Councils are still stuck at burning daily solid waste – one of the major causes of air pollution.
There is no sign of promotion of rainwater harvesting or water-recycling at large hotels and other public and private establishments. It is during the crisis when, on the macro level, the state government has proposed a Rs. 4751 crore project for funding to the union government for rain water harvesting in the state.
The natural water sources were ignored by modern Shimla, and now the public is rushing back towards them. However, these sources are also giving up as no one ever bothered to revive them.
The Government does take plantation drives, but there is no follow up regarding the survival rate of saplings. In addition, the suitability of plantation is ignored while plantation drives.
The masses needed awareness, which was not on the priority list of the government.
The public is also not interested in rectifying their attitude towards environmental protection and water conservation. It's astonishing that storage tankers continue to overflow and supply line can still be seen leaking. Again, it is a fact that government needed to work scientifically to de-condition the poor psycho-social condition of the public.
However, here we find that even our top leaders need de-conditioned first.
Bahra University and Siemens to run engineering course jointly
SHIMLA- Solan based privately owned Bahra University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with industrial giant Siemens Industry Software India Private Limited (SISW). The tie up will enable University to set up Siemens Certified Professional Learning Center at its campus.
Suman Bose, Managing Director & CEO for Siemens and Dr. SK Bansal, Vice-Chancellor Bahra University signed the MoU at University campus.
Elaborating on the benefits of the MoU Dr. Bansal said the University will start a new batch of 4-year integrated B.Tech, Mechanical with specialization in Design and Development program at their campus.
Dr. Bansal said the above course will be driven to produce industry ready engineers around broad specializations in industry 4.0 and Smart Factory, design and development, manufacturing and computer aided analysis. He said
Students successfully completing the course per stipulated guidelines will be awarded B.Tech Mechanical degree through the University and Certificate of Merit for the opted specialization in Design and Development through Siemens Industry Software India Private Limited,
Suman Bose assured to provide assistance to arrange for internship for students of University and also promised to assist in arranging industry projects for the students and endeavor to conduct conference and seminars in the University.
Ritanjali Hastir
SHIMLA- It is often said, every great dream begins with a dreamer. One must always remember that one has within self the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.
Keeping in mind the same talented Ajay Saklani hailing from a remote village Sihan, district Mandi of Himachal Pradesh, made the state proud not at national but even at international level by bagging two international awards during screening of his film Saanjh – a Himachali feature film at THE BORREGO SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL (held in California, USA) where it was chosen as the Best Feature Film among 750 other entries from around the globe was and "Award of merit" at Accolade Global Film Competition.
Ajay hails from a very humble background and showed people that one should be the flame and not the moth as having passed out from a government school his dream to achieve recognition not just for self but even for state and country.
Sharing his journey to fame he with Himachal Watcher's Community Member, Ritanjali Hastir, Ajay said,
My father was in army and he dreamt about me too following his footsteps. However, I was more inclined towards filmmaking that led me to taste the magic of theatre world.
As they say follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and, above all, don't let anyone limit your dreams so without any knowledge and guidance on filmmaking, Ajay shifted to Delhi in 2005.
There he joined RGB 4:3 Productions and learned the basics of filmmaking from Surender Sagar. He started his career as an editor and worked with some more production houses and few TV channels like Shakti TV, MH One Music, PTC Punjabi, Day & Night News to name.
His first documentary 'Dyalee – a fading glory' in 2006 in my village which helped him learn filmmaking basics. His second documentary 'Upaasmar – The Taste of Hunger' in 2011 was shot in the tribal areas of Maharashtra raising the issue of Malnutrition deaths in India and finally in 2014 after coming back to Himachal his own production company Silent Hills Studio in Hamirpur came into existence.
"With 'Saanjh' production I wanted to make a technical sound film that can compete with other films in the cinema halls. I hope that my work can inspire other filmmakers too and together we can promote Himachali cinema by providing with the quality work in future," he shared.
"I feel that it was a film that fell in Art as well as Entertainment genre that made it touch hearts at the international level. As normally if we talk about Himachali Cinema, there is no such Cinema as of today in Himachal. Only a few films were produced till now and because of poor technical and creative work, those films could not make it to cinema halls or any film festivals around the country or world", he expresses.
"Many people outside the state felt embarrassed considering the sad quality of music videos which fail to ravish visual or hearing senses; as they are also judged with the same rod. Recently some singers have given a ray of hope as they came forward with different music and quality videos. Many other singers from the state but they are all focused on Hindi and Punjabi music", Ajay added as he contemplated on the situations one has to face considering the previous track records.
He further feels, "Cinema on the other hand is still untouched. As in 2011 Sanjeev Rattan's 'Dil Ch Vaseya Koi' even won the National Award but due to the technical issues, the film failed to make it to cinema halls.Some filmmakers are coming up with great ideas for short films but again they are also focused on Hindi language. I believe until all these people don't start making Pahari(Himachali)language films, there is no support for any kind of cinematic development in Himachal. Recently Siddarth Chauhan made a mark with his latest work and I feel happy that his next project is in Himachali language. It seems like a beginning of a new era for Himachali Cinema that has been neglected from a long time."
"There is a great potential in Himachal and I receive a lots of calls everyday where people want to enter into acting or filmmaking and looking for guidance. But to their eagerness alone won't do wonders we do need government support as well like in other states. The only exciting announcement is the financial support upto 10 lakh for filmmakers but only for short films and documentaries which again needs running from pillar to post and I can say is a herculean task. Exempting new cinema halls from tax for first three years is not taking filmmakers anywhere but support for film production in the state is better option which will also help in generating more and more tourism revenue."
"Talking about my experience while making 'Saanjh' was a very difficult journey. Finding a producer or financier for a film in Himachali dialect was most difficult part. On the other hand our Himachal government doesn't provide any kind of support for filmmaking in the state but expect a lot for the youth. Making people believe in me our project wasn't easy," shared Ajay as he keeps his view on talent promotion.
"As per his message he says My upbringing gave me deep insight into our culture and after coming back I realized a drastic change people in my village were trying to talk to in Hindi and the kids were being taught the Hindi and English words and were given punishment for talking in their own language. All our festivals were in disappearing stage and people had surrendered their traditions in the name of development. Actors feel ashamed to work in a Himachali film so very few actors turned out for auditions and they are happy to become part of crowd when a director from Mumbai."
"I feel that as we don't have a recognized language and we don't have our own script to preserve the sounds of our language so there seems no way for the development of literature in our state. But yes, Cinema and Music can help in development of language & culture and it can take forward our traditional heritage. So this is very much important for us to have our own cinema and quality music. In all these years I learned the cinema, music and literature play a significant role in the development of language and culture and so we need to come forward and give Himachal its due respect," he concludes.


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Class Action to Force Companies to Reimburse Royalty Owners for Severance Tax Refunds – Coll v. Abaco
Recently some of my clients have received notices of class action settlements in Coll v. Abaco Operating, LLC, et al., in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, C.A. No. 2:08-CV-345 TJW. The case reveals a little-known aspect of royalty payments: many companies never reimburse their royalty owners for refunds of severance taxes.
Most royalty owners know little about severance taxes except that they are a deduction that regularly appears on their royalty check stubs. Texas imposes a tax on the value of all oil and gas produced in the state: 7.5% for gas and 4.6% for oil. Most producing states impose similar severance taxes. Pennsylvania has been debating whether to pass a severance tax in light of its budget problems and recent development of the Marcellus Shale in that state. Texas' severance taxes are paid into its "rainy day fund" that has been much in the news of late.
Over the past several years, the Texas Legislature, at the behest of producers, has passed various exemptions from the severance tax intended to encourage further exploration and production and avoid abandonment of low-producing wells:
The Enhanced Oil Recovery Incentive (Tex.Tax Code Sections 202.052, 202.054)
The High-Cost Gas Incentive (Tex. Tax Code Section 201.057)
The Two- and Three-year Inactive Well Incentives (Tex. Tax Code Sections 201.053, 301.058, 202.056)
The Incentive for Marginal Gas and Oil Wells (Tex. Tax Code Sections 201.059, 202.058
The Enhanced Efficiency Equipment Severance Tax Credit (Tex. Tax Code Section 202.061)
The Orphaned Well Reductoin Program (Tex. Tax Code Section 202.060)
The Advanced Clean Energy Enhanced Oil Recovery Reduction (Tex. Tax Code Section 202.0545)
The Incremental Production Incentive (Tex. Tax Code Sections 201.058, 202.057)
All of these exemptions serve to eliminate or reduce the severance tax on a particular well that qualifies for the exemption's requirements. The requirements to qualify for each exemption vary. Some exemptions apply only below certain price thresholds for oil or gas.
One of the most lucrative tax exemptions is the Texas High-Cost Gas Incentive. It reduces the severance tax on natural gas produced from a well that produces from a formation designated by the Texas Railroad Commission as a "tight formation." This exemption has become much more important with the increase in drilling of horizontal shale wells in the Barnett, Haynesville and Eagle Ford formations. The exemption was originally passed in 1991 and provided an exemption from all gas severance tax for qualified gas wells. In 1997 the Legislature amended the statute to provide for a reduced tax rate for a limited time, applicable for wells spudded after August 31, 1996. The reduced tax rate is based on a formula and depends on the drilling and completion costs for the well compared to the median cost of all high-cost gas wells drilled in the previous fiscal year. Using the comptroller's formula, if I completed a high-cost gas well in 2009 for $3 million, my severance tax would be reduced from 7.5% to 2.6%. The reduced tax rate applies for ten years or until the well accumulates tax savings of 50 percent of the actual drilling and completion costs for the well, whichever is first. The savings for companies (and the loss of severance tax revenue to the State) are huge.
In Texas, the severance tax is a tax on the production and it is borne by all owners of the well, including royalty owners. The law requires the operator or first purchaser to collect the tax and remit payment to the comptroller. Thus, royalty owners see the deduction for severance tax on their royalty check stubs.
The severance tax exemptions require an application process, and it can sometimes be months or years between the first production from a well and the well's qualification for the exemption. Until the exemption is granted, the producer or first purchaser collects and remits the full amount of the severance tax to the comptroller. Once the exemption has been granted, the comptroller reimburses the operator or first purchaser, either in the form of an actual payment or a credit against future severance taxes owed.
The plaintiffs' attorneys who filed Coll v. Abaco discovered that, when producers and first purchasers receive a severance tax refund, they do not always pass it on to the royalty owner (and sometimes do not pass it on to other working interest owners in the well). As a result, the operator receives a windfall equal to the amount of the refund that is attributable to the severance tax previously paid on behalf of the royalty owner. According to the pliaintiffs' complaint in Coll v. Abaco, over the four years 2004-2008 Texas has paid refunds totaling approximately $1.1 billion. If the royalty on those refunds was only 1/8th, there would be $137,500,000 in refunds owed to Texas royalty owners. Apparently, much of that money has never been paid back to the royalty owners.
Suppose that a high-cost gas well is drilled for $5 million and produces $3 million of gas in its first year of production. In year two, the operator applies for and receives a high-cost gas exemption reducing its severance tax on the first $2,500,000 of production equal to 50% of the severance tax paid, or $112,500. If the royalty on that production is 25%, then 25% of that refund, or $28,125, belongs to the royalty owner. If the operator simply pockets this money, then in effect the net reduction in severance tax paid by the operator is 62.5% instead of 50%!
The plaintiffs in Coll v. Abaco sued 117 producers and first purchasers on behalf of all royalty owners who received royalties from those 117 defendants from 2000 to 2008, alleging that the defendants had failed to pay their royalty owners their share of severance tax refunds received by those companies. Since the suit was filed in 2008, many of the defendants have settled, and only about 25 defendants remain. The court has not yet ruled on whether the case can proceed as a class action, but the settling defendants have agreed to refund to their royalty owners a portion of the severance taxes they received. The amounts of the settlements differ for each company, but generally the companies have agreed to pay all or substantially all of the severance tax refunds attributable to production from wells during the four years prior to filing suit, and a percentage (40% in one instance) of the severance tax refunds attributable to production from wells from 2000 to 2004.
All of the defendants, including big producers like Exxon Mobil, Anadarko, Apache, Shell, Newfield, Pioneer, Samson, Devon, BP, EOG, and Forest, and smaller producers like Abaco, Cimarex, Enervest, Noble Energy, and Vintage Petroleum, have vigorously denied that they have any obligation to pay royalty owners any refund. They have also denied that the case can proceed as a class action. (Practically, if the case cannot be brought as a class action, the companies have won, because very few royalty owners have a large enough claim standing alone to justify suing for their refund.) One of the arguments made by the companies is that their leases do not require them to pay the royalty owners any severance tax refund. Certainly, most oil and gas leases do not deal with refunds for severance tax exemptions — many of the leases were written before there were any severance tax exemptions. The companies also insist that they owe no royalties attributable to refunds more than four years prior to the suit, because of the four-year statute of limitations on bringing claims.
In order to protect royalty owners from being denied their share of severance tax refunds, an express provision should be included in their leases, something like the following:
The royalty paid under this lease shall bear its proportionate part of all severance taxes actually paid on production from the leased premises or lands pooled therewith. If Lessee applies for and obtains an exemption from or reduction of severance tax on such production, Lessor shall be entitled to its proportionate part of such exemption or reduction. If as a result of any such exemption or reduction of severance tax, Lessee receives a refund (either in the form of a payment or credit against future taxes) for severance taxes previously paid on such production, then Lessee shall reimburse Lessor for its proportionate share of such refund, including any interest thereon.
Posted in: Lease clauses, Legislation, Recent Cases and Severance Tax


GettyTheresa May, the British prime minister.
Politicians have uncovered evidence of a dark advertising campaign on Facebook, in which Brits were encouraged to lobby against Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan.
An influential group of politicians has uncovered evidence of a dark advertising campaign on Facebook, in which users were encouraged to lobby against Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan.
In findings published on Saturday, the Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee said an anonymous organisation called Mainstream Network spent £257,000 ($US335,148) on ads that reached up to 11 million people over a 10-month period.
The "sophisticated" campaign included a direct call to action for users to email their MP asking them to "chuck Chequers," short-hand for May's controversial Brexit negotiating position agreed at her Chequers retreat in July.
"Here we have an example of a clearly sophisticated organisation spending lots of money on a political campaign, and we have absolutely no idea who is behind it. The only people who know who is paying for these adverts is Facebook," said the committee's chairman Damian Collins.
It's the kind of activity that could be made public with Facebook's new political ad transparency tools, which were launched in the UK this week. But they have come too late to capture the Mainstream Network campaign, and a committee chairman said Facebook should release details of who is behind the adverts independently.
"On November 7, all advertisers will have new requirements before they can place political ads in the UK, including Mainstream Network. These advertisers will need to confirm their identity and location through an authorisations process and accurately represent the organisation or person paying for the ad in a disclaimer," said Rob Leathern, director of product management.
89upThe Mainstream Network Facebook ad on the left, and the website on the right.
The company also said Mainstream Network could be in breach of the EU's new GDPR privacy laws. This is because whenever a user emails their MP from the site, Mainstream's own address is copied, meaning that the user's email address could potentially be being stored by the organisation.


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Home zzz-Archive Reviews What a Girl Wants
by Kent Williams
From the director of Joe Dirt (you don't know how long I've waited to use that opening phrase) comes What a Girl Wants, a comedy from the other end of the social spectrum. And barring a copyright-infringement suit from Christina Aguilera, who may want her song title back, this latest Cinderella story may live happily ever after at the box office (for a week or two), despite turning into a pumpkin long before arriving at the ball. It'll make money because the filmmakers have squarely set their sights on what a girl wants. She wants a killer bedroom, rockin' clothes, a cute boyfriend and a daddy who bears a striking resemblance to Prince Charming. Oh, and she wants it all to happen in England, home of Princess Di and The Princess Diaries.
Nickelodeon star Amanda Bynes is Daphne, a 17-year-old Yank who heads to London in search of her father, Lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth), whom she's never met. Her parents would have gotten married if the Dashwood clan hadn't sent Daphne's American mother (Kelly Preston) packing. Now, Lord Dashwood is positioning himself for a run at prime minister, with a social-climbing fiancÃe (Anna Chancellor) and her snobby daughter (Christina Cole) in tow. But Daphne, who looks like a young Linda Blair channeling Jennifer Aniston, could spoil the tea and crumpets. She's just so damn American! Like a Henry James heroine (in hip-huggers), she keeps tripping over the British class system.
Then there are the times she literally trips ' the movie's clumsy attempts at slapstick. But, clearly, something had to be done, because Bynes doesn't have enough charm to get by on her own. She has a Disney sheen to her ' earnest even when she's trying to be jaded. The director puts her through a series of travel and fashion montages in an effort to pump up the volume, but it's the supporting cast that makes the most noise. "No hugs, dear, I'm British," says Eileen Atkins as Lady Jocelyn, an aristo with a taste for commoners. Firth is less successful as daddykins, if only because the role is conceived so romantically. Like the movie itself, Lord Dashwood is a figment of the average 12-year-old girl's imagination.