text:
Doorstep statement
by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a meeting of the European Council
28 Jun. 2018 -
Last updated: 29 Jun. 2018 11:05
Good afternoon.
I look forward to meeting the EU leaders and to discuss NATO-EU cooperation.
And NATO and the EU, we are working together in many different areas. We work together on migration. We address the root causes through our presence in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, helping to stabilise our neighbourhood.
But we also work together in the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean. Currently NATO has 10 ships and maritime patrol aircraft helping to implement the agreement between Turkey and the EU to curb the flow of migrants over the Aegean Sea.
And we also provide help to the EU Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean.
We work together on military mobility, infrastructure, legal hurdles, to make sure that we are able to move forces quickly through Europe if needed.
And we are also working together in the Western Balkans, we have been working together there for many many years. And it is really encouraging to see that there is progress, there is some hope and later on today I will meet with Prime Minister Tsipras, tomorrow morning I will meet with Prime Minister Zaev. And I will commend them both for their courage, for their leadership, agreeing on the agreement on the name issue. And I'm confident that when the NATO leaders meet at the Summit next month in Brussels they will decide to open accession talks with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia¹.
And then I will also discuss transatlantic issues, the importance of the transatlantic relationship. We should have no illusions, Europe and North America need each other especially now when we see security threats, challenges we haven't seen for many decades. We have to stand together, Europe and North America. And NATO-EU cooperation is part of this transatlantic relationship, and therefore I also look very much forward to signing a joint declaration between President Juncker, President Tusk and me before the NATO Summit.
Question: Secretary General, … [inaudible] reporting this morning that at the G7 Summit, President Trump said to his G7 counterparts here that it will be an interesting Summit, referring to the upcoming NATO Summit, because NATO is as bad as NAFTA, it's much too costly for the US. You've heard the reports about the worry leading up to this Summit. What's your reaction to this quote from the US President?
Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: I'm absolutely confident and certain that President Trump is committed to NATO. He has stated that in many meetings with me, but also publically. But more importantly, he has proven his commitment to NATO not only in words, but also in deeds. After Trump became President of the United States, the US funding for US military presence in Europe has increased by 40%. So, the United States is increasing its military presence in Europe, with more troops, more exercises, more prepositioned equipment. So, what we see is that both Canada and North America are stepping up their presence in Europe, and European Allies are also doing more together. So, I'm confident that at the Summit, with President Trump and all the other leaders, next month in NATO, will make important substantive decisions on how to strengthen the transatlantic bond within NATO.
Question: About the Putin-Trump Summit, what's your reaction to that?
Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: I welcome the upcoming meeting between President Trump and President Putin because I believe in dialogue and NATO's approach to Russia is what we call a dual-track approach. It is defence and dialogue. For me, dialogue is not a sign of weakness; dialogue is a sign of strength. And, after two years with no meetings in what we call the… or in the NATO-Russia Council, we have been able to reactivate that Council as a platform for dialogue between NATO and Russia. And therefore, I think it's absolutely, totally in line with NATO policies to talk to Russia, to meet with Russian leaders. We don't want a new Cold War, we don't want to isolate Russia, we want to strive for a better relationship for Russia and therefore I welcome the meeting between… [interrupted by question]
Question: About immigration, do you have any proposal today?
Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: Well, we will discuss how we can work even closer together on addressing the migrant and refugee crisis. What NATO does is that we are addressing the root causes, trying to stabilise the countries in our neighbourhood. We are going to launch a new training mission in Iraq, helping the Iraqi government to stabilise its own country. That's the best way to help also to deal with the migrant and refugee crisis.
And then of course we are constantly also discussing with the EU what more we can do to, for instance, help implementing the agreement between Turkey, a NATO Ally, and the European Union, regarding the flow of migrants through the Aegean Sea.
Question: What can Georgia expect from the upcoming Summit as …? [inaudible]
Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: I expect that the NATO leaders, when they meet in July at the Summit, will recognise the progress Georgia is making and strongly commit to continue to provide political and practical support for Georgia.
[Question and Answers in Norwegian]
Question: How can NATO support EU to support Middle East peace in order to stop the migration flow?
Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: Well, NATO is helping to address the root causes for the migrant and refugee crisis, through our presence in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. I expect that NATO leaders, when they meet in Brussels at the Summit in July, next month, that they will decide a new training mission in Iraq and the main purpose of that training mission is to help the Iraqis stabilise their own country. And that's a way also then to address the root causes of the migrant and refugee crisis.
Question: … [inaudible] conversations that you think, with Russia, is important. Seemingly, that is now going to happen face to face with the leader of the United States. After his meeting with Kim Jong-un, there was a lot of criticism that he got nothing concrete, in terms of assurances from the North Koreans. Can you give me something from NATO's perspective that you would consider to be concrete from Mr Putin's meeting?
Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: First of all, I believe we just have to talk to Russia. Because Russia is our neighbour, Russia is there to stay, we have to talk to Russia partly to try to strive for a better relationship, but even without a better relationship we need to manage a difficult relationship. Because we have more military exercises, we have more military presence along our borders, so anything related to transparency, reciprocal briefings on exercises, mechanisms for risk reduction to prevent any incidents or accidents, will be very helpful. This is something NATO is very focused on, and I also know that the United States is focused on how can they manage the relationship with Russia in a way that prevents any incidents or accidents.
Question: Are you worried that it's going to be a symbolic meeting?
Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: I think it is important to meet because, since Russia is our biggest neighbour, we need to work for a better relationship with Russia. And there is no way we can improve the relationship with Russia without meeting Russia. Dialogue is not a sign of weakness; dialogue is a sign of strength. And NATO's approach to Russia is what we call a dual-track approach, meaning defence and dialogue. And as long as we are strong, as long as we are united, we can talk to Russia. That's also my experience as Norwegian politician. I was Prime Minister of Norway, a small country bordering Russia. We were actually able to work with Russia on many issues: on border issues, military issues, environment, energy, not despite NATO but because of NATO, because as long as we were part of a strong military alliance we were able to talk to Russia.
Question: Thank you so much.
Question: I have a question on Germany particularly … [inaudible] focus. At the upcoming NATO Summit, how will you mend the disarray between the US and Germany's underspending?
Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: There are differences and disagreements between NATO Allies on different issues, like for instance trade, the Iran nuclear deal. But at the same time, what we have seen again and again is that, within NATO, we have been able to overcome these differences and then unite around our core task, to defend and protect each other. And I am absolutely certain that we can manage this also this time, because it is in our interests to stand together and we should have no illusions. Europe and North America, we need each other, so we have to stand together.
On defence spending, I welcome the fact that Germany has actually started to increase. Last year, we saw almost 6% real increase in German defence spending, and Germany has announced plans to further increase defence spending significantly. So, we are moving in the right direction. All Allies have started to increase defence spending, and Germany is part of that.
Question: Thank you very much.
Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: Thank you.
Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.
NATO Secretary General - Doorstep statement at European Council 28 Jun. 2018
Doorstep statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a meeting of the European Council
28 Jun. 2018 | download mp3
Relations with the European Union
NATO Secretary General meets European leaders at EU Council in Brussels 28 Jun. 2018


Lakers forward Derrick Caracter, right, was arrested early Sunday in New Orleans.
Derrick Caracter was arrested early Sunday morning on assault charges outside the Lakers' hotel in New Orleans. Details are few and we are awaiting more information from the New Orleans Police Department.
Caracter was a second-round draft pick for the Lakers. He was spent time this season in the team's Developmental League to get more playing time and experience. He was listed as inactive for Sunday's Game 4 of the Lakers first-round playoff series against New Orleans.


This is a obviously a critically important poll. So, let's get down to business. On last night's episode of Keeping up with the Kardashian, the focus was on Kim's wedding.
During one moment of the episode, Kim had summoned Bruce to the Jenner house (he doesn't live there, natch) and it was a pow-wow meeting with Kris and Kim. More like an ambush, though. Man.
The meeting was about something very important. Bruce's ponytail.
Everyone but Joel McHale wants it gone, because he enjoys talking about it on The Soup.
Bruce held up to the pressure, though. (I was proud.) He said he'd consider it, but he wasn't quick to agree to the change.
What do you think? Take the poll and see how your judgement measures up with the popular vote.


text:
Designer issues a powerful call to the fashion industry not to dress Melania Trump
By Rachel Lubitz
Designer Sophie Theallet's ornately printed dresses have been worn by Anna Wintour, Gabrielle Union, Ashley Graham, Alicia Keys, Leslie Jones and even Michelle Obama. Seemingly, Theallet's designs are for and have been worn by various types of women, whether they be tall or small or straight sized or plus sized or movie stars or musicians or models or first ladies.
But now Theallet wants to make sure one woman never, ever wears her clothes: Melania Trump.
In a letter posted on her Twitter account, the designer announces her refusal to dress the incoming first lady, and calls on her fellow designers to pledge to do the same.
"The Sophie Theallet brand stands against all discrimination and prejudice. Our runway shows, ad campaigns, and celebrity dressing have always been a celebration of diversity and a reflection of the world we live in," the letter reads.
As an immigrant herself, born in France, Theallet says she had no problem dressing Michelle Obama, because she has "contributed to having our name recognized and respected worldwide. Her values, actions and grace have always resonated deeply within me."
But in the case of Melania Trump, things are different.
Melania Trump Mic/Getty Images
"As one who celebrates and strives for diversity, individual freedom and respect for all lifestyles, I will not participate in dressing or associating in any way with the next first lady," Theallet writes. "The rhetoric of racism, sexism and xenophobia unleashed by her husband's presidential campaign are incompatible with the shared values we live by."
She concludes the letter by pushing for her peers in the fashion industry to act accordingly: "I encourage my fellow designers to do the same. Integrity is our only true currency."
Trump finds herself in an odd situation. First ladies have had a history of being adored by the fashion industry. Vogue went so far as to endorse Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama has not only launched the careers of young designers like Jason Wu, but designers have rushed to create her custom gowns.
Now though, because of her husband's rhetoric, Trump is facing hostile members of the fashion industry who are actually concerned that being associated with the Trump White House could mar their careers. The way in which she's avoided any real conflicts with designers thus far is because, while she obviously has obviously worn many a designer ensemble on the campaign trail, she has opted for buying the clothes herself, not working with the designers.
Although Theallet is the first designer so far to specifically speak out against working with the future first lady, we doubt she'll be the last.
Mic has reached out to Sophie Theallet for further comment.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Zawodowiec (wł. Il mercenario, hiszp. Salario para matar, ang. The Mercenary lub A Professional Gun) – hiszpańsko-włoski spaghetti western w reżyserii Sergia Corbucciego z 1968 roku.

Zawodowiec został nakręcony przez Corbucciego w stylu parodystycznym, cechującym również jego wcześniejszy film Django. Obraz włoskiego reżysera, będący klasycznym przykładem tzw. westernu zapata (odmiany westernu koncentrującego się na czasach meksykańskiej rewolucji), stanowił polityczną satyrę wymierzoną w katolicką obłudę oraz niesprawiedliwość społeczną, przy czym reżyser uciekał się nawet do parodii Niech żyje Meksyk! Siergieja Eisensteina. Zawodowiec nie był chwalony przez krytyków; Christopher Frayling umiejscawiał go wśród filmów klasy B, a zdaniem Drew Hunta z "Chicago Readera" film był dziełem nierównym. Mimo że Zawodowiec został niepochlebnie przyjęty, wywarł wpływ na Quentina Tarantino; utwór z filmu skomponowany przez Ennia Morricone – "L'Arena" – został wykorzystany w dziele amerykańskiego filmowca Kill Bill II.

Opis fabuły
Akcja Zawodowca rozgrywa się podczas rewolucji meksykańskiej. Głównym bohaterem utworu jest Siergiej Kowalski, płatny zabójca pochodzenia polskiego, wynajęty przez meksykańskiego rebelianta Paco Romana, który w zamian za udział w rewolucji i likwidację brutalnego oficera Alfonsa Garcii proponuje mu sowitą płacę. Kowalski żąda jednak coraz większych opłat za swoje usługi, co rozsierdza Romana i powoduje zerwanie umowy, skutkujące krótkotrwałym uwięzieniem najemnika. Kowalski wydostaje się jednak z więzienia, a Roman próbuje uciec w przebraniu klauna przed ludźmi wynajętymi przez bogacza Ricciola, przeciwko któremu Paco się zbuntował. Pojmany przez siepaczy Ricciola Paco, zostaje ocalony w ostatniej chwili przez Kowalskiego, dzięki czemu w pojedynku na arenie zabija znienawidzonego bogacza.

Obsada
 Franco Nero – Siergiej Kowalski
 Tony Musante – Paco Roman
 Jack Palance – Ricciolo
 Giovanna Ralli – Columba
 Franco Giacobini – Pepote
 Eduardo Fajardo – Alfonso Garcia

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne

Hiszpańskie spaghetti westerny
Włoskie spaghetti westerny
Filmy w reżyserii Sergio Corbucciego
Hiszpańskie filmy z 1968 roku
Włoskie filmy z 1968 roku

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


There's a new kind of killer drone. Called TIKAD, it isn't like any lethal drones you're seen before. Because unlike the effective-yet-cumbersome MQ-9 Reapers, these multicopters can carry a sniper rifle, a grenade launcher, or a machine gun—the inevitable convergence of hobby drones and military weapons.
Big drones like the Reaper and its predecessor, the Predator, are controlled from thousands of miles away, orbit at five or ten thousand feet, and watch everything happening below. They strike with laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, which are precise but hardly surgical, causing collateral damage and loss of life. Urban combat requires something with more finesse, something that can take out a sniper without destroying a building and doesn't require an entire team to do it.
Although this new drone, purchased by Israel, could be the first of its kind used in the field, the idea of arming small drones has been around for a few years. Back in 2012, the U.S. Navy experimented with arming quadcopters with shotguns as counter-sniper weapons but eventually halted the project. Meanwhile, the U.S. military fielded the SwitchBlade, a portable, tube-launched kamikaze drone with a small explosive warhead and a range of several miles.


The 2019 Mazda CX-9 didn't come with too many updates. But you'll still be pleased with some of the features that it's packed with. If you're looking for an affordable vehicle that looks like luxury and drives like a sports car, then you'll be pleased with this make and model. It also has plenty of safety if you're towing precious cargo around.
It has plenty of advantages such as a good fuel economy, great handling, a beautiful interior, and superior acceleration. Other promising features of the 2019 Mazda CX-9 include its quiet yet sporty handling. People won't hear you zooming past their neighborhood. It has an upscale interior with its signature trim that makes it look like a luxury vehicle.
While it has great speed and power, it's quiet enough to use on the highway. You won't attract the attention of the police, which makes this vehicle a plus if you like the look of a sports vehicle without the added sound effects.
The Mazda CX-9 comes in four trim options: Sport, Touring, Grand Touring, and Signature.
Each of these trim offerings come with a choice of FWD or AWD, while only the AWD is available on the Signature. It's a vehicle with luxurious features such as leather seats and steering wheel, rosewood interior trim, and LED accent lighting.
The 2019 Mazda CX-9 comes with high performance. It has a 2.5-liter I4 that produces 250 horsepower and 310 pounds of torque. This automatic vehicle can max out to six speeds. This is a desirable vehicle for the sports car enthusiasts.
The 2019 Mazda CX-9 also has high ratings for its safety equipment, which includes lane-departure warning and lane assist. It comes with many safety features such as smart breaks, front-collision warning, traffic alerts, blind spot monitoring, stability control, and anti-lock brakes.
In various crash tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the CX-9 high praise and superior rating for its crash avoidance and mitigation tests. The IIHS also gave this vehicle a Top Safety Pick rating.
The CX-9 is one of the smoothest rides you'll ever have. While the seating is comfortable, the third row seats may not be spacious enough for adults. It's a small vehicle that packs a lot of power and boasts plenty of safety on highways and backroads.
Contact us for more information on the 2019 Mazda CX-9 or visit Reliable Mazda, your Springfield dealership, to test drive this versatile SUV.


text:
SOAP analysis at news.com
19:16, 15 Oct 1999 UTC | Simon St.Laurent
The CNET article SOAP could slip up Microsoft rivals explores the impact that Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) might have on the raging battles between COM and CORBA and Microsoft and Sun, as well as the implications of an open XML standard for interapplication communication.
For background, Microsoft provides an overview white paper of SOAP, positioning SOAP as a relatively simple mechanism for passing information (even through firewalls) using the well-understood HTTP protocol. SOAP extends the simple XML-RPC protocol with more support for object information rather than simple procedure calls.
Most of the fun in the article is watching companies foam at the mouth and analysts argue whether this is the 'right approach' or 'nothing new'. Also interesting are the battles over which standards organization (SOAP is currently available as an Internet-Draft at the IETF) would be an appropriate forum.
If you'd rather just see the technical information, visit the specification or work with an implementation.
Update: Slashdot has a discussion of the story underway.
Front page | Search | Find XML jobs
Copyright © xmlhack 1999-2004. info@xmlhack.com. A Useful Production. Privacy policy.


Feel ultra feminine this season with this gorgeous crop top; ideal for adding a bit of detail to a simple outfit. We love the floral crochet design on the back, a flirty twist on an otherwise basic top. Team yours with a high waisted skirt for the perfect Saturday night style.


BOX can be used as seating or handy storage. Thoughtfully designed, this product is ideal for both residential and commercial use. Available in various colours making it an easy addition to any environment. It's ideal to store items you do not want to leave at sight.
Armchair partially made from recycled plastic.
Chair indoor / outdoor plexiglass with self-supporting structure, from small-scale folding a single sheet of plexiglass.
Delightful POUF turned upside down can also be used as a pot or handy storage container. Thoughtfully designed, this product is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. Available in various colours making it an easy addition to any environment.
Ottoman / stool plastic melted when a part from recycling process; It is available in white or multicolour.
The clean form, adaptability to indoor and outdoor environments and stackability make the Snow chair a new classic. Made in polypropylene reinforced with glass fibers and injection moulded by the use of air moulding gas technology, the chair is solid and light at the same time.


text:
Q: Myeclipse - mysql driver problem I have generated a CRUD application (in the trail version).
When I run it (in myeclipse tomcat) i get JDBC Exception:
org.apache.commons.dbcp.SQLNestedException: Cannot load JDBC driver class 'com.mysql.jdbc.Driver'

I have the dependency in my pom:
<dependency>
    <groupId>mysql</groupId>
    <artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId>
    <version>5.1.17</version>
</dependency>

I also see the jar in myeclipse tomcat:
/home/username/Workspaces/MyEclipse for Spring 9/.metadata/.me_tcat/webapps/Test1/WEB-INF/lib
This is my tomcat TREE
http://pastie.org/2464591

A:
org.apache.commons.dbcp.SQLNestedException

You're apparently using Tomcat's builtin DBCP connection pooled datasource by a <Resource> configuration in context.xml. That's perfectly fine. But since it's Tomcat who is managing the datasource (and thus not your webapp!), the JDBC driver JAR file needs to be supplied to Tomcat (and thus not to your webapp!).
Drop the JAR file in Tomcat's /lib folder and this exception should disappear. If you can't afford moving the JAR due to some (silly) business restrictions or something, then you should create the datasource yourself in the webapp. A ServletContextListener is a good place.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Fido and Friend in Five: Cynthia Lord and Milo!
In 2006, a new name and extraordinary talent burst on the children's book scene when Cynthia Lord published her first book, Rules. This beautiful, heart-wrenching and heart-warming story of a young girl and her autistic brother went on to win the coveted Newbery Honor award, the Schneider Family Book Award and just about every state's children's book award there is. I must say, it's got to be hard to start out with a debut book that garners that much acclaim. Where's an author to go from there with their next book? Obviously, Cynthia was undaunted because in 2010 she gave us another splendid story in Touch Blue, which of course, went on to win a bucket full of awards. She's also the author of the hilarious picture books, Hot Rod Hamster and Happy Birthday, Hamster.
1. How did you and Milo find each other? Our dog before Milo was named Flurry. He was a lovely, gentle Bichon Frise, but he became diabetic and eventually was so sick that we had to have him put to sleep. So we had our hearts broken in June of 2007, just a week or two before I had to get on a plane and go to ALA to accept a Newbery Honor and Schneider Family Book Award for Rules. When I came back home, our house felt hollow without Flurry. A dog is so "present" in our households--our days are marked by feeding them, letting them in and out, making room for them beside us, etc. I was reminded of Flurry a hundred times a day that summer, and it was like losing him again, in little pieces. In August, I said something to my husband about that loss, and he said, "Well, maybe we're just dog people."
In Maine there's a little magazine and online site where people offer things for sale. It's called "Uncle Henry's", and I looked on line at photos of puppies. Milo was in a litter of Maltese-Pomeranian mix puppies at a breeder three hours away from us. I fell in love with his little face. My husband was hoping for a more "manly" dog this time, but I showed him Milo's photo and said I wanted to just go "look." My husband rolled his eyes and told me to be sure to bring everything I needed to drive home with a puppy (smart man).
2. What makes Milo's tail wag? Milo loves his people. I do a lot of school visits, and I have a daughter in college. When Milo sees us come home after being away, he stands completely still, like he can't quite believe his eyes. Then we say his name and he turns into 7 pounds of of wiggly-waggly joy! He just explodes into action--he'll hop into our lap and then hop off and grab a toy and then lick us and...it's like he's trying to cram everything we've missed together in five minutes.
He also likes cheese, cuddling up next to us, and his stuffed toys (sheep being his favorite!). If I want him to drop something he isn't supposed to have, I pick up one of his toys and pretend I'm playing with it. He can't stand it! He'll drop everything to get it back.
3. What's your all-time favorite dog story? When I was in third grade, my teacher read to us aloud Hurry Home, Candy by Meindert De Jong and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. It was about a dog who is separated from his owners and tries to find his way back. It was a powerful story for me because, at one point, my teacher stopped reading mid-sentence. I can still see my desktop and the paper I was doodling on. I looked up to see why she had stopped, and she was crying. It was a powerful moment for me. I couldn't believe a book could do that. I think it was one of the defining moments that helped me become a writer. I also love the Henry and Mudge stories by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson. There's such warmth and love between those characters--it's how I feel about all the dogs I've had in my life, too.
4. If Milo could change just one thing about you, what would it be? Milo is one of the more dominant dogs I've ever owned--which is a funny contrast, given his size. But Milo would like to be the one in charge! So if he could change one thing about me, I suspect it would be for me to be his pet and give him everything he wants!
5. In five words, tell us what Milo means to you: My tiniest, goofiest, kindred spirit.
Thank you so much to Cynthia and Milo for taking time out to visit this little blog--it was worth every bit of the wait! Be sure to check out Cynthia's website for her latest book news and to follow her blog, too!
Blog Tour Continues: New York, Oregon, Canada, and Texas!
In New York state, I visited with Reader Girls. Check out this link for a review of A Dog's Way Home, a guest post by me on writing across the spectrum, and a give away!
From Oregon, I went up to Canada to visit with my friend and fellow WestSide author, Cheryl Rainfield, where we chatted about why I wrote A Dog's Way Home. BTW, Cheryl has one of the cutest dogs ever!
And then it was back to The Great State of Texas and a review of A Dog's Way Home on Book Twirps !
Whew! I'm worn out, and we're not even done! I also wanted to post a link to another blog (not part of the tour) I had the great good fortune to be a part of. It's a wonderful little blog called From Alone To Home that posts inspiring, heart warming, funny stories about people and their adopted pets. Here you'll get to read all about my pack. You'll have to scroll down a ways to see our posting, but you'll get to read some great stories and see wonderful photos along the way.
Fido and Friend in Five: Marianne Mitchell and Misty!
As most of you know, my day job is as a librarian for the Salt Lake County Library System. Like many public libraries, we have therapy dogs come to our library most every Saturday for the kids to read to. All of us who work in the library are so excited when the dogs come! And the kids are so earnest in their reading to the dogs--and of course, the dogs are non-judgemental. So I'm particularly pleased to have in the spotlight this week author Marianne Mitchell and her therapy dog/Read Dog, Misty. Marianne and Misty are quite a team, volunteering in many different capacities to help homeless pets, and share their love of books with kids. As if she isn't busy enough, Misty--yes, Misty the dog--has her own blog! She not only talks on her blog about their volunteer exploits, but also shares dog treat recipes and talks about her favorite books. Sign up because, I mean seriously, how many dog's blogs do you follow?
Marianne is a busy, busy author. She's the author of numerous books, ranging from mysteries for middle-graders to folk tales for the young-uns. Her novel, Finding Zola, is a riveting mystery about a 13-year-old wheelchair-bound girl determined to solve the mystery of her neighbor's disappearance. Her lovely picture book, Maya Moon, is a re-telling of the folk tale from Mexico that explains why the moon changes shape.
1. How did you and Misty find each other? I was a volunteer at the Larimer Humane Society in Fort Collins, Colorado, when Misty (then called "Mystique") showed up on their website. My first words to her were, "Hello, gorgeous!" She was five years old then and her previous owner had become too sick to keep her. I wish that lady could know how happy Misty and I are to have each other. After her adoption, I had a t-shirt made up with our picture on it saying, "We found each other at Larimer Humane." We celebrate her adoption date each year with a donation to Larimer Humane.
2. What makes Misty's tail wag? When we lived in Colorado, it was chasing squirrels along the fence. Now in Arizona, it's chasing lizards as they scurry from bush to bush. She never catches them, but she loves the hunt and wags her tail the whole time. She also wags and jumps when it's time for us to go listen to kids read to her at the library or at a school.
3. What's your all-time favorite dog story? My favorite picture book featuring a dog is My Big Dog, by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel. I once had a golden retriever like the dog in that story.
4. If Misty could change just one thing about you, what would it be? She'd like me to be smart enough to teach her something really hard, like astrophysics. She loves the challenge of learning new things and the biscuit rewards that follow.
5. In five words, tell us what Misty means to you: Love. Comfort. Friend. Motivation. Inspiration.
You are so right, Marianne. Thanks so much to this inspiring, motivating duo for visiting Fido and Friend! Check out both Marianne and Misty online to find out their latest adventures!
I'm just back from the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, Tennessee! Besides seeing my sweet cousin and eating lots of good Southern food (fried green tomatoes, collard greens, fresh shrimp from the Gulf coast, lots and lots of barbeque), I spent Saturday at the book festival. There were tons of amazing authors there--it was a librarian's dream! I heard Alexandra Styron read from her touching memoir about her famous, tortured father in her book Reading My Father: A Memoir. Then I raced over to another venue to hear two of my favorite Southern authors, Clyde Edgerton and Josephine Humphreys talk about their work and read. Edgerton is the master of southern dialogue. And he's so funny!
Next I dashed over to the Capitol Building to hear my good friend Ruta Sepetys give an amazing and heartbreaking presentation on the story behind her best seller Between Shades of Gray. I was so proud of her and the success of that book. It deserves it.
After Ruta, Charles Frazier (author of the award-winning Cold Mountain) talked about his latest book, Nightwoods. Another one I must get my hands on.
Oh, and yes, I was there as an author myself! Roger and I each read bits from our books, talked about why we like writing for kids and teens, and answered lots of questions from a small but enthusiastic audience. I was so thrilled to be in Nashville since part of A Dog's Way Home takes place in the city. And I'll take any excuse to go "back home" to the South.
Blog Tour Stops: Mass. to Virginia to Nebraska!
I've make a couple of quick stops on my blog tour! Mia, in Mass., just posted a list of the Ten Best Dog Books on her blog Pragmatic Mom. I'm honored A Dog's Way Home is included with books such as Because of Winn Dixie, Love that Dog, Shiloh, and How to Steal a Dog. I'm not quite sure how I feel about Walter the Farting Dog being on that list. Seriously?
Then on to Nebraska! Although my "official" visit with Allison's Book Bag isn't for a week, she posted a lengthy teaser on her blog in anticipation of my visit. Allison asked me some of the best questions I've ever been asked in an interview, so be sure to check back in a week when the review and interview are up!
Being the jet setter that I am, I also popped in to visit with Amanda in Virginia and her blog A Patchwork of Books. She's also doing a give away of my book, so check it out and leave a comment!
Whew! What a busy week's this has been!
Fido and Friend in Five: Ellen Booraem and Callie!
Okay, confession time: I am a total Newbery Geek. I love the anticipation and announcement of the annual Newbery Awards! To me, it's the Oscars of children's literature. Last year, I actually got to check off my "bucket list" attending the announcement of the Newbery winners at the American Library Association's midwinter conference in San Diego. My wonderful editor of The Ring, Evelyn Fazio, is also a Newbery Geek, so we attended the award announcements together. It was so much fun!
About this time of year, I start trolling the internet to see what books are getting "Newbery Buzz." One title that kept coming up was Small Persons With Wings, by Ellen Booraem. Intrigued, I read the book. Although I'm not a big fantasy reader, I loved this book! In Booraem's funny, beautifully written story, thirteen-year-old Mellie Turpin discovers she and her rather ordinary family are actually bound (through many generations) to tribes of fairies--or as they'd rather be called "small persons with wings." This association proves not only proves very troublesome but deadly too. Ellen is no stranger to fantasy. She also wrote the popular novel The Unnameables, introducing the unforgettable Goatman--a nameless, smelly wanderer who calls the wind but can't control it and who can't keep a secret to save his life.
2. What makes Callie's tail wag? We have a 7:00 am neighborhood dog walk involving one or two or sometimes three other dogs. Callie adores it--she loves hobnobbing with the other dogs. But also, the road sees a lot if carpenter and fisherman traffic, which means lots of discarded pizza crusts. When I reach for my shoes at 6:50, her tail goes helicopter!
3. What's your all-time favorite dog story? This is obscure, but there's a Georgette Heyer novel called Arabella in which the heroine causes the elegant Regency hero to adopt a scruffy street mongrel. The evolving relationship between man and dog is the most adorable thing I ever read.
4. If Cassie could change just one thing about you, what would it be? She would want to agree that eating copious amounts of grass were good for her. I would have to ignore the fact that, at best, she ferments the grass in her stomach for three weeks before upchucking it at the foot of our bed at three in the morning. At worst, she get a blockage and has to go to the vet for relief. She particularly loves tall, thick grass after rain. We often have words about this.
5. In five words, tell us what Cassie means to you: Comic relief, partner in crime.
We all need both! Thanks so much to Ellen and Cassie for dropping by Fido and Friend. And a very heartfelt thanks to Ellen for giving Callie such a wonderful life after such a terrible start (sniff, sniff). Be sure to check out Ellen and her books on her website and follow her blog. It's a lot of fun!
During the month of October, I'll be going on tour--blog tour, that is! I'll be stopping in to visit with ten different bloggers who'll be reviewing my books. Some will also interview me, offer a signed copy of my book(s) and have me do a guest post. It's going to be a lot of fun!
The first stop on my tour is with Bev's blog, The Wormhole. Bev lives in Minnesota. She's posted a wonderful review of A Dog's Way Home, plus a guest post of mine. She's also doing a giveaway of a signed copy of my book! Pop on over and visit!


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BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme from a press conference at its Nayapaltan central office on Thursday.
He said the party leaders and activists will stage demonstrations across the country in a peaceful manner as per directive of their chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Fakhrul said Khaleda asked the party leaders not to take any imprudent programme and register their protests peacefully.
UNB said, Khaleda Zia was taken to old Dhaka central jail from Special Court-5 at Bakshibazar in the city as the court sentenced her to five years' jail in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.


The science is clear: We have a critical opportunity to reach young children during a period of rapid development, with the brain forming one million new neural connections every second. These earliest years are full of possibilities equally as powerful as the vulnerabilities that greatly influence children's lifelong trajectories. Anyone who's had the pleasure of chatting with me the past two years knows my soapbox: To unlock these possibilities, we must do more to prioritize the needs of young children and their families in Medicaid.
The renowned Dr. Jack Shonkoff of Harvard's Center for the Developing Child has said (paraphrasing here): The brain science is screaming at us. And…the future of improved outcomes young children rests in the healthcare system. This makes sense. A doctor's office or health clinic is a key touch point for nearly every young child and their family before they enter school. But— with nearly half of ALL children under age 6 served by Medicaid or CHIP—I would revise this point to suggest that better outcomes for young children lie more specifically in Medicaid and CHIP.
While we know Medicaid is a key player, it can be challenging to get our hands around a direct path forward. As a policy ask, expanding income eligibility is relatively simple. Ensuring children get the right care at the right time? Not as clear. Medicaid is state-specific, complex, and has all that healthcare jargon to navigate. And while they're the largest population served, children are the least expensive compared to other groups in a program often necessarily focusing attention on curbing costs. And of course, this is made all the more difficult in a tricky political environment where Medicaid is a popular punching bag. But young children have the most to gain from better access to preventive care and the right supports that can stave off bigger, more costly challenges as they age. Where can early childhood leaders begin?
Prioritizing the health care of parents, future parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators as essential contributors to children's healthy development. Quality of caregiver-child relationships is paramount. An obvious step here is expanding Medicaid to parents in states that have yet to do so (WITHOUT new barriers that undercut access to care, ahem). But it also means making sure all eligible parents are actually signed up—more than one in four eligible parents nationally is unenrolled.
Maintaining continuous, consistent health coverage for young children and their families. We can't take coverage itself for granted—it's not a box to check, ongoing effort makes a difference. Our initial look at 2017 Census data underscores this point: The uninsured rate for children under 6 went up significantly in just one year (2016 to 2017). That's tens of thousands more young children missing check-ups and screenings. With the majority of uninsured children already eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, it is not time to scale back efforts to ensure all children get signed up and stay enrolled as long as they remain eligible. As Say Ahhh! readers may imagine, this recommendation has many options for federal and state policymakers, thanks to our annual enrollment survey with Kaiser.
Measuring and ensuring that young children receive the full range of services they need under EPSDT. Medicaid's pediatric benefit (EPSDT) is comprehensive—much more so than for adults– and intended to ensure children get the preventive care and all medically necessary treatment required to prevent or improve their health. The first step is measuring whether children are getting what they need, when they need it. States should report the Child Core Set, seek to improve access to universally recommended preventive services (e.g. developmental screenings), and hold Medicaid managed care organizations accountable for performance standards that prioritize young children's care.
Supporting expert-recommended, research-based interventions that meet the developmental needs of young children. Does the state fully integrate AAP's Bright Futures preventive care standards into Medicaid EPDST? Does the state make reimbursement policies and procedures clear for interventions linked to healthy child development (e.g. maternal depression screenings, home visiting, child-family therapy, care coordination, etc.). Federal guidance and state policy should reflect EPDST's comprehensive benefit and also signal support for services that aid children's development by also supporting their parents' health.
Investing in prevention and pediatric care innovation as a key component of health reforms. States can take a comprehensive approach to serving young children in Medicaid by linking it to larger state reforms (see: New York's First 1000 Days). Federal and state policymakers can do more to promote and test approaches that use the health system as the hub for families with young children—one important way to help Medicaid address social determinants of health. Medicaid can serve to both apply what we know and to also test new approaches to expand and apply our knowledge base.
These broad recommendations just scratch the surface—you can see more details in the paper, including a summary table on page 14 that outlines steps by federal and state actions. We hope this furthers the many national, state, and community-level conversations underway on the best ways to effectively serve young children and their families. Embracing Medicaid is not easy. And doing this effectively requires that Medicaid enter into authentic partnerships with other child-serving systems with a move toward cross-system accountability—also not easy. But unlocking Medicaid's potential for young children is essential to put them on the best path for lifelong success. Let's get started.


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Herva
"My music doesn't change for better or worse, but it's made with a different perception of the moment, and it's always in flux." This is how the brilliant young Italian music maker Herve Atsè Corti, aka Herva, new hire of the legendary Planet Mu, explained the title of his album "Hyper Flux", an excellent album that will delight all the fans of the declension of electronic music that Paradinas' label typically pushes. Let's get to know this smart guy better.
Chain D.L.K.: Hi, Herva… or Hervè! How are you? How do you prefer to be designated?
Herva: Hi, guys, nice to meet you. I'm fine, and feel free to call me Herva.
courtesy of Chiara Sinatti
Chain D.L.K.: You might be the first and only Italian in the renowned Planet Mu squadron, right?
Herva: Nope, actually, I'm the second one. Check for Polysick; he's made some really great music, some of released by Mu.
Chain D.L.K.: You're Italian, then, but your name doesn't seem to be Italian…
Herva: It has francophone origins.
Chain D.L.K.: I read that the very first approach to electronic music came after the squeezing of Fruity Loops, is that right? Can you tell us something about that stage of your path?
Herva: Yes, you're right, FL was the very first program I put my hands on. It has been a while, but I remember that I liked smashing some hardcore and trance on that piano roll, ahaha. I had that vision of music, but I was having a lot of fun!
Chain D.L.K.: Do you keep on using the FL Studio? Are there any software tools you'd like to recommend to folks who would like to start playing with electronic grooves?
Herva: No, I quit FL many years ago… Anyway, I don't feel right recommending anything; it really depends on your workflow. Every day has its key points and weaknesses, but at this point differences are minor and it's just a matter of taste.
If I should recommend something, I would suggest keeping an eye on open source software, too. They may be less fancy and with shitty GUI, but most of them are really good and communities around them are always willing to help each other.
Chain D.L.K.: Before Planet Mu, your releases came under other excellent labels… Do you think it depends on the fact that your music could fit many of them, or did the labels you were signed into influence your sound somehow?
Herva: I produced a wide range of music during these years, from downtempo/hip-hop stuff on Bosconi to nasty techno on Delsin, to what I'm up to now and so on… I always have been free from being influenced by labels.
Which tracks they decided to use for a release really depended on their personal tastes; I keep on my path.
Chain D.L.K.: We focused on software in the previous questions, but were there any artists whose listening pushed you towards what you forged in recent years?
Herva: Of course, a lot of artists have helped to shape who I am. Back then, I used to listen to a lot of music, but in the last years I've mostly listened to my music.
Chain D.L.K.: Can you explain to our readers your randomness-driven compositional approach?
Herva: It's difficult, since the randomness order people feel, to me, it's order. Anyway, I haven't a modus operandi; I like to experiment. I use to change my set up a lot, to trick myself, to hack my stuff, etc., just to have fun, but of course, it reflects on what I produce. Sometimes I use generative techniques, and this may be considered random-driven too, but it's not.
Chain D.L.K.: Did it change over years and albums?
Herva: Yes, a lot.
Chain D.L.K.: You used some samples from African chants and traditional music in Kila, whose title itself is the word for 'Everything' in Swahili. Someone keeps on considering the interbreeding of African music and electronics as a somehow forced process… Any words against such an opinion?
Herva: No, anyone is free to express his opinion. No problemo!
Chain D.L.K.: Did you use samples in Hyper Flux as well? If so, are there any that are pretty unrecognisable?
Herva: I must have used some samples, but I really don't remember sources, sorry.
Chain D.L.K.: Many moments of Kila and Hyper Flux reminded me of the sonic strategy of an album I adore, The Orb's Orblivion, to me… Do you know that release? If so, would you say my musical memory is pulling a prank?
Herva: I'm sorry, but I've never listened to that album.
Chain D.L.K.: Any track(s) in Hyper Flux that made you break a sweat during editing? If so, why?
Herva: I figured out a nice workflow, so editing is quite smooth at the moment.
Chain D.L.K.: Some tracks have somewhat bizarre titles… Can you comment on some of them and the relation to their aural content?
Herva: They have encrypted meaning, but I'll keep it for my self (:
Chain D.L.K.: Have you performed Hyper Flux on a live stage yet? Any chance of seeing you around on the stage of some summer festivals?
Herva: Replicating it live would involve my set up, and I don't like to travel with my gear, especially custom stuff, since it's not designed to travel and it's quite fragile. I'll work on my live show later this summer, but I won't definitely stick with the past… Replicating album tracks live is not fun to me. Anyhow, I'll play some festival as a DJ, and you can catch me at Dancity and the Lattex+ festival in July.
Chain D.L.K.: Any work in progress?
Herva: Yep, I'm building my new mixing console. It has been a heck of a lot of work, but I'm almost there…
I hope I designed it right!
visit Herva on Bandcamp at: herva.bandcamp.com
GIW Haco
Acid Washed: We got so positively impressed with the new album "House Of Melancholy" by this French duo Acid Washed, consisting of Andrew Claristidge and Richard d'Alpert, that we decided to creep into their house in order to have a quick chat with one half of this project. Acid Washed's "House Of Melancholy"...
Roshi Nasehi (Roshi ft.Pars Radio): We were still flowing on the enchanting voice, the absorbing experimental soundworlds and the wise lyrics (full of many hints and references to David Lynch films) by Roshi Nasehi. Welsh with Iranian background, her second album "3 Almonds and a Walnut", which follows the critically acclaimed debut...
Equipo: Roger Benat described his feeling while being behind the wheel and listening to "Simulaciones", the album by the Barcelona-based producer Juan Cristobal Saavedra a.k.a. Equipo that was released by clang some months ago. He stated: "It is a perfect simulation of its source; it has lost all referenc...
Nimh:
Ross Manning: The inventive Australian experimental producer Ross Manning recently dropped "Reflex In Waves", which is more a co-production between Lawrence English's imprint Room40 and Brisbane's Institute of Modern Art, related to Manning's first survey exhibition, titled Dissonant Rhythms. Before R...


text:
De Mexicaanse ral (Rallus tenuirostris) is een vogel uit de familie van rallen (Rallidae).

Verspreiding en leefgebied
Deze soort komt voor in het midden van Mexico.

Status
De grootte van de populatie is in 2019 geschat op 15 duizend volwassen vogels. Op de Rode lijst van de IUCN heeft deze soort de status gevoelig.

Externe link
Avibase

Rallen
IUCN-status gevoelig
Endemisch dier uit Mexico


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Main Group Chemistry - Volume 1, issue 4
Impact Factor 2022: 0.641
Main Group Chemistry is intended to be a primary resource for all chemistry, engineering, biological, and materials researchers in both academia and in industry with an interest in the elements from the groups 1, 2, 12 - 18, lanthanides and actinides. The journal is committed to maintaining a high standard for its publications. This will be ensured by a rigorous peer-review process with most articles being reviewed by at least one editorial board member. Additionally, all manuscripts will be proofread and corrected by a dedicated copy editor located at the University of Kentucky.
The journal will publish rapid, short, communications, full, detailed articles, and shorter, less developed notes. Periodically, the editors will solicit reviews on the latest main group developments. In particular, we would like to eventually publish reviews covering every column of the main group elements, and some that are focused on single elements. This will advertise and showcase the beauty and breadth of main group chemistry.
Theoretical Study of the Rotational Isomerism and Vibrational Spectra of Methyl Vinyl Sulfide
Authors: Frolov, Yu. L. | Chipanina, N.N. | Sapoznikov, Yu. M.
Abstract: The methyl vinyl sulfide (MVS) molecule is investigated by means of the nonempirical HF SCF calculation with full optimization of its geometry (basis sets 6–31G* for sulfur and 6–31G for other atoms). Energy difference for the cis (θ = 0°) and gauche (θ = 134.4°) rotational isomers is 207.2 cm−1 . The most conformationally sensitive MOs are determined. Dipole moments and vibrational spectra for MVS are measured and also calculated for both isomers.
Citation: Main Group Chemistry, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 445-450, 1996
Issue 3, 4


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Count Zinzendorf's Weird Help/Hurt Relationship With the Moravian Church
Joshua Nickel	Church History, Moravian Church	 6 Nov 2017 6 Dec 2017 3 Minutes
One of the most interesting aspects of Joseph Hutton's History of the Moravian Church is his portrayal of Count Zinzendorf. As Hutton tells the story, Zinzendorf is both the good guy and the bad guy. His quirks and faults were as big as his virtues.
No doubt his generosity and wisdom was essential for the renewal of the Moravian Church in the 1720's.
His generosity continued for the rest of his life. He funded them. But he also mismanaged his money and accumulated debt.
His help was essential, but it was a mixed blessing. In many ways he held them back even while helping them move forward.
He started a controversy in the 1740's when he introduced his "Blood and Wounds Theology." This steered the Moravian worship into an emphasis on the physical wounds of Jesus. The controversy became known as "The Sifting Time."
Other historians have more or less exonerated Zinzendorf of the more extreme abuses of the Sifting Time. Joseph Hutton recognized this, but he himself laid the blame at Zinzendorf's feet.
Hutton also blamed Zinzendorf for the failure of the Moravians to flourish in England. When they set up in England, they did not seek to plant congregations throughout the land. Instead, they had a single community, based on the Herrnhut model. It was difficult to join. Even if you were willing to submit to the regulations, you had to be approved by lot.
Zinzendorf introduced the Moravians to the practice of consulting the lot. This meant pulling a piece of paper out of an envelope. All decisions were finalized this way.
Fully qualified and motivated missionaries were not sent anywhere simply because they pulled the wrong piece of paper out of the envelope.
If two young Moravians wanted to get married, and they had the approval of their elders, they still only had a 50/50 chance. The lot either said "yes" or "no" and that was the last word.
When reading Hutton's History of the Moravian Church one can't but wonder if Zinzendorf really wanted to help them after all. The answer was yes, he wanted to help them to thrive, but only according to his own peculiar vision for them.
This is illustrated by the Moravians' first church-wide convention. It was Zinzendorf who called this convention. He gathered the Moravian Church to strengthen and encourage it — and to announce that in fifty years it would cease to exist!
Here is how Hutton describes it. ("Geimeine" is a word that Zinzendorf made up to refer to a movement or denomination or something.)
At the first Synod, held at Ebersdorf (June, 1739), the Count expounded his views at length. He informed the Brethren, in a series of brilliant and rather mystifying speeches, that there were now three "religions" in Germany — the Lutheran, the Reformed and the Moravian; but that their duty and mission in the world was, not to restore the old Church of the Brethren, but rather to gather the children of God into a mystical, visionary, ideal fellowship which he called the "Community of Jesus."
For the present, he said, the home of this ideal "Gemeine" would be the Moravian Church. At Herrnhut and other places in Saxony it would be a home for Lutherans; at Herrnhaag it would be a home for Calvinists; and then, when it had done its work and united all the children of God, it could be conveniently exploded.
He gave the Moravian Church a rather short life. "For the present," he said, "the Saviour is manifesting His Gemeine to the world in the outward form of the Moravian Church; but in fifty years that Church will be forgotten." It is doubtful how far his Brethren understood him. They listened, admired, wondered, gasped and quietly went their own way.
Joseph Hutton
Published 6 Nov 2017 6 Dec 2017
Previous Post The Unexpected Advice That May Have Saved John Wesley's Ministry
Next Post A Scientist and a Poet Discuss Roses (When Wesley Met Zinzendorf)


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Festive Fortunes
Slingo is inviting you to an Instant Win Christmas party in the form of new game Festive Bonus. On the Christmas tree of prizes, the £150k jackpot sits right on top like a gleaming star - will you hit PLAY to RSVP and climb all the way to the top prize? Let's find out
In this absolute gift of a game there are three mini games wrapped up and waiting for you to play. Festive Bonus combines the adrenaline of a scratch- card experience with the fun of online casino and the joy of Christmas to give you a truly buzzing game. Don't believe us? See for yourself!
Setting your bet couldn't be easier, and the (+) and (-) buttons are right in the centre of the home screen. Use these to increase/decrease your bet, and click PLAY to make your dramatic entrance to the party. Fingers crossed you'll be (snow) balling by the end of your game!
If you're looking for a quick, simple game to play then this is the game for you. All you have to do is click on the icons on your game grids to reveal their symbols. The different games are:
Game 1: Reveal the bell symbol + win the prize amount for that row
Game 2: Match up 3 of the same prize amount + win that amount
Game 3: Match 2 symbols in a row + win the prize for that row
Plenty to get stuck into, and you can play it while you're waiting under the mistletoe. Good luck, and Merry Christmas!
This game has a theoretical RTP of 90.09% which means for every £100 wagered it will pay out £90.09


Case Name : State Bank of India Vs. MBL Infrastructures Ltd. & Ors.
Respondent(s) : MBL Infrastructures Ltd. & Ors.
From a plain reading of the provision it is manifestly clear that the appeal has to be preferred within 30 days but delay not exceeding 15 days can be condoned in preferring the appeal provided the appellant is able to satisfy this Appellant Tribunal that there was sufficient cause for not filing the appeal within the prescribed period of 30 days. This provision unambiguously provides a maximum time frame of 45 days for filing of appeal, which is not further extendable on any ground whatsoever.
Section 61(2) of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (hereinafter referred to as 'I&B Code') prescribes period of 30 days for filing of an appeal by a person aggrieved by the order of the Adjudicating Authority. The proviso to the sub-section provides that the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal may allow an appeal to be filed after the expiry of said period of 30 days if it is satisfied that there was sufficient cause for not filing the appeal but such period shall not exceed 15 days. From a plain reading of the provision it is manifestly clear that the appeal has to be preferred within 30 days but delay not exceeding 15 days can be condoned in preferring the appeal provided the appellant is able to satisfy this Appellant Tribunal that there was sufficient cause for not filing the appeal within the prescribed period of 30 days. This provision unambiguously provides a maximum time frame of 45 days for filing of appeal, which is not further extendable on any ground whatsoever.
2. Admittedly, the instant appeal has been filed under Section 61 of I&B Code well beyond the maximum prescribed period of 45 days. Same being hit by the limitation clause under the said provision is not maintainable. Submission of learned counsel for the Appellant that the appeal could not be preferred within extended period of limitation due to the intervention of vacations spanning the month of June has no merit as the Registry of this Appellate Tribunal was functioning throughout the vacation period and Vacation Bench was available.
3. The appeal is accordingly dismissed as barred by limitation.


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Military analysts predict PLA maneuvers in potential Taiwan takeover
By Liu Xuanzun and Guo Yuandan Source: Global Times Published: 2020/9/18 20:32:57
Two fighter jets attached to a naval aviation brigade under the PLA Eastern Theater Command fly in line-abreast formation above the clouds during a recent flight training exercise in East China's Zhejiang Province. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Liu Yaxun)
Amid US Undersecretary of State Keith Krach's visit to the island of Taiwan, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is holding joint maritime and aerial exercises and combat-readiness patrols in the Taiwan Straits starting Friday, as media on the Taiwan island reported concentrated PLA warplane activities near the island's "airspace" in four directions around the island on Friday morning.
Starting Friday, the PLA Eastern Theater Command is conducting real combat-oriented exercises near Taiwan Straits, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson at the Ministry of National Defense, told the Global Times at a press conference on Friday.
The PLA operations have multiple dimensions that make secessionists on the island a turtle in a jar, and the PLA can turn the exercises into real action any time if Taiwan secessionists insist on their obduracy, Chinese mainland experts said on Friday.
The move, which targets the current cross-Straits situation, is legitimate and necessary action the mainland has taken to protect its sovereignty and integrity, Ren said.
The news on the PLA's live-fire exercises came when US Undersecretary of State Keith Krach is paying a visit to Taiwan island to attend the memorial service of Lee Teng-hui, known as the "Godfather of Taiwan secessionism."
Recently, the US has ramped up efforts in playing the Taiwan card and escalated provocations on military and diplomacy - sending reconnaissance planes across the Taiwan Straits, sending senior officials to visit Taiwan and intending to expand arm sales to the island.
Combat-orientated exercises
Chinese mainland military expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times on Friday that the mainland military spokespersons used three different expressions in describing the operations, namely real combat-oriented exercises, combat-readiness patrols and joint aerial and maritime drills, which showed the exercises this time are multidimensional.
Taiwan media cited the island's defense authority as saying 18 PLA warplanes - two H-6 bombers, eight J-16 fighter jets, four J-11 and four J-10 planes - were involved in the operation, and some of them crossed the "middle line" of the Taiwan Straits.
The real combat-oriented, joint aerial and maritime drills mean that the PLA is practicing in key areas of a real battle, while the combat-readiness patrols are operations aimed at preparing for combat anytime if anomalies occur on the island, Song said.
The drills also demonstrated the PLA's strong capability to mobilize for combat and a fast reaction when missions are called for, a Beijing-based military expert who asked not to be identified told the Global Times on Friday.
File Photo:China Military
When US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar visited Taiwan on August 10, in addition to PLA fighter jet sorties on that day, the PLA announced drills in the Taiwan Straits on August 13. When US Undersecretary of State Keith Krach came to visit Taiwan on Thursday, the PLA immediately started real combat-oriented drills the next day.
These have shown that the PLA are well-prepared to deal with any situation in the Taiwan Straits, including mobilizing for a large-scale military operation on the island of Taiwan, in a very short period of time, the anonymous expert said.
Main battle forces of the PLA are always ready to join combat, and the recent drills have tested it, the expert said, noting that this also showed the US forces will not have time to come to Taiwan's aid, and the military on the island would not be able to stand up to the PLA's lightning quick, thundering powerful attacks, if a reunification-by-force operation is to occur.
According to computer simulations run and published by the Chinese mainland's Naval and Merchant Ships magazine in May, as well as many other military analysts, the PLA could launch intensive waves of missile and rocket attacks that would neutralize most of Taiwan's air defense capabilities and airfields within five minutes after the operation starts, and PLA warplanes would then seize air superiority and sweep enemies, with PLA warships, including two aircraft carriers, also engaging in naval battles. General air and sea superiorities are expected to be gained in about two hours, with most stationary ground military facilities destroyed.
Two PLA aircraft carriers would then group up to the east of the island and prepare to counter foreign intervention, and after 24 hours of continuous suppressive attacks, amphibious landing forces would start the landing operation that would eventually see the entire island under control, according to the simulations.
Media on the Taiwan island reported early on Friday that a large number of PLA warplanes were spotted in the "airspace" of Taiwan in four different directions, namely southwest, west, north and northwest, at altitudes ranging from 5,700 meters to 8,400 meters, within just one hour on Friday morning.
The report claimed that the military on the island attempted to use radio broadcast to drive away the PLA aircraft, and according to the broadcast, the PLA operations approached Taiwan's "airspace," instead of "air zone" or "air defense identification zone" that include regions farther away from the island.
This means the PLA has the capability to attack the secessionists on the island from multiple directions at the same time, making them "turtles in a jar" that are easy to catch, Chinese mainland observers said.
Not only in these four directions, the PLA should also surround Taiwan from its east, Song said, noting that this training showed the PLA is practicing realist tactics that can be turned into the real thing when necessary.
Taiwan is a part of China, and the PLA has the right to approach its "airspace," Song stressed.
Some military observers said that by normalizing large-scale exercises, the PLA can assemble troops near Taiwan and launch a sudden attack during the exercises. But Song said that while the PLA has that capability, it will likely not use this method, but rather give an ultimatum to the Taiwan secessionists before doing it.
If the secessionists insist on their obduracy, then the PLA could turn the exercises into real actions and reunify the island, Song said, noting that the PLA is a force of peace, and will only use military means to solve the "Taiwan question" when all other approaches have failed.
In early September, both the PLA's two aircraft carriers were spotted carrying out training exercises out in the sea for the first time, leading to fears on the Taiwan island that the PLA could conduct island encirclement patrols with the aircraft carriers. Two aircraft carriers could be used to squeeze the island of Taiwan from different angles, and deny any possible US intervention, mainland analysts said.
China's second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, is reportedly conducting training missions in the Bohai Sea, and has stayed in the Dalian Shipyard in Northeast China for the majority of this year. When it eventually returns to its home port in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, it will likely pass through the Taiwan Straits again, observers said.
Citing satellite photos released by the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that China's third, larger and more advanced aircraft carrier is taking shape and expected to be launched into the water in the coming months.
If it comes to using military means to solve the Taiwan question, the more aircraft carriers the PLA has, the better. Indeed, three aircraft carriers would result in a significant capability boost to deter possible foreign intervention, Song said.
Some people say the PLA is mighty enough to reunify the island without aircraft carriers, not to mention a third one, but Song said that the PLA should use this overkill capability so as to finish the mission at the lowest cost possible.
"There is no middle line of the Straits," PLA pilots responded when flying across the so-called "middle line of the Taiwan Straits" on Thursday as the island's military called them to turn around, Taiwan media reported on Friday.
PLA Friday drills not warning, but rehearsal for Taiwan takeover: Global Times editorial
PLA starts real combat-oriented drills in Taiwan Straits amid Krach's visit, approaches island from four directions
Posted in: MILITARY


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