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Great Sinan
Mimar Koca Sinan, the "Great Architect Sinan", was born in Anatolia in a small town called Ağırnas near the city of Kayseri, Turkey in 1489. He was conscripted as a soldier into the Ottoman royal house by the Devşirme System in 1512. After he completed his primary education as a cadet(acemioğlan), he joined Belgrade(1521), Rhodes(1522), Mohacs(1526), Germany(1529), Iraq(1534), Corfu and Apulia(1537), Moldovia(1538) campaigns. During all these campaigns, he found an opportunity to identify many structures and he proved that he is able to be trained as an engineer and architecht. In 1538, he became the head of a whole Crops of Court Architects (Hassa Mimarlar Ocağı) and Sinan's career continiued during fifty years. Sinan died in Istanbul, Turkey in 1588.
During his career Sinan built hundreds of buildings including mosques, palaces, harems, chapels, tombs, schools, almshouses, madrassahs, caravan serais, granaries, fountains, aqueducts and hospitals. Of this diverse group of works, his mosques have been most influential.
The early years( till the mid-1550s) : apprenticeship period
During these years he continued the traditional pattern of Ottoman architecture; but he gradually began exploring other possibilities, because, during his military career, he had had the opportunity to study the architectural monuments in the conquered cities of Europe and the Middle East.
His first attempt to build an important monument was the Hüsrev Pasha mosque and its double medresse in Aleppo, Syria. It was built in the winter of 1536-1537 between two army campaigns for his commander-in-chief and the governor of Aleppo. It was built in haste and this is demonstrated in the coarseness of execution and the crude decoration.
His first major commission as the royal architect was the construction of a modest Haseki Hürrem complex for Roxelana (Hürem Sultan), the wife of the sultan, Süleyman the Magnificent. He had to follow the plans drawn by his predecessors. Sinan retained the traditional arrangement of the available space without any innovations. Nevertheless it was already better built than the Aleppo mosque and it shows a certain elegance. However, it has suffered from many restorations.
In 1541, he started the construction of the mausoleum (türbe) of the Grand Admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa. It stands on the shore of Beşiktaş on the European part of Istanbul, at the site where his fleet used to assemble. Oddly enough, the admiral is not buried there, but in his türbe next to the Iskele mosque. This mausoleum has been severely neglected since then.
Mihrimah Sultana, the only daughter of Süleyman and wife of the Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha gave Sinan the commission to build a mosque with medrese (college), an imaret (soup kitchen) and a sibyan mekteb (Qur'an school) in Üsküdar. The imaret no longer exists. This Iskele Mosque (or Jetty mosque) already shows several hallmarks of Sinan's mature style : a spacious, high-vaulted basement, slender minarets, single-domed baldacchino, flanked by three semi-domes ending in three exedrae and a broad double portico. The construction was finished in 1548. The construction of a double portico was not a first in Ottoman architecture, but it set a trend for country mosques and mosques of viziers in particular. Rüstem Pasha and Mihrimah required them later in their three mosques in Istanbul and in the Rüstem Pasha Mosque in Tekirdağ. The inner portico traditionally have stalactite capitals while the outer portico has capitals with chevron patterns (baklava).
When sultan Süleyman the Magnificent returned from another Balkan campaign, he received news that his heir to the throne ?ehzade Mehmet had died at the age of twenty-two. In November 1543, not long after Sinan had started the construction of the Iskele Mosque, the sultan ordered Sinan to build a new major mosque with an adjoining complex in memory of his favourite son. This Şehzade Mosque would become larger and more ambitious than his previous ones. Architectural historians consider this mosque as Sinan's first masterpiece. Obsessed by the concept of a large central dome, Sinan turned to the plans of mosques such as the Fatih Pasha Mosque in Diyarbakır or the Piri Pasha Mosque in Hasköy. He must have visited both mosques during his Persian campaign. Sinan built a mosque with a central dome, this time with four equal half-domes. This superstructure is supported by four massive, but still elegant free-standing, octagonal, fluted piers and four piers incorporated in each lateral wall. In the corners, above roof level, four turrets serve as stabilizing anchors. This coherent concept already is markedly different from the additive plans of traditional Ottoman architecture. Sedefhar Mehmet Ağa would later copy the concept of fluted piers in his Sultan Ahmed Mosque in an attempt to lighten their appearance. Sinan, however, rejected this solution in his next mosques.
The period from the mid-1550s to 1570: qualification stage
By 1550 sultan Süleyman the Magnificent was at the height of his powers. Having built a mosque for his son, he felt it was time to construct his own imperial mosque, an enduring monument larger than all the others, to be built on a gently sloping hillside dominating the Golden Horn. Money was no problem, since he had accumulated treasure from the booty of his campaigns in Europe and the Middle East. He gave the order to his royal architect Sinan to build a mosque, the Süleymaniye, surrounded by a külliye consisting of four colleges, a soup kitchen, a hospital, an asylum, a Turkish bath, a caravanserai and a hospice for travellers (tabhane).
Suleymaniye mosque link..
Sinan, now heading a powerful department with a great number of assistants, finished this formidable task in seven years. Before Süleymaniye, no mosques had been built with half cubic rooves. He got the idea of half cubic roof design from the Hagia Sophia. Through this monumental achievement, Sinan emerged from the anonymity of his predecessors. Sinan must have known the ideas of the Renaissance architect Leone Battista Alberti (who in turn had studied De architectura by the Roman architect and engineer Vitruvius), since he too was concerned in building the ideal church, reflecting harmony through the perfection of geometry in architecture; but, contrary to his Western counterparts, Sinan was more interested in simplification than in enrichment. He tried to achieve the largest volume under a single central dome. The dome is based on the circle, the perfect geometrical figure representing, in an abstract way, a perfect God. Sinan used subtle geometric relationships, using multiples of two when calculating the ratios and the proportions of his buildings. However, in a later stage, he also used divisions of three or ratios of two to three when working out the width and the proportions of domes, such as the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque at Kadırga.
While he was fully occupied with the construction of the Süleymaniye, Sinan (or better the subordinates of his office under his supervision) drew the plans and gave definite instructions for many other constructions. However, it is highly improbable that he supervised the construction of any of the provincial assignments .
Sinan built a mosque and a funeral monument (türbe)for the Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha at Silivrikapı (Istanbul) in 1551.
Ibrahim Pasha Mosque link..
The next Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha gave Sinan several more commissions. In 1550 Sinan built a large inn (cervaserai) in the Galata district of Istanbul. About ten years later another inn in Edirne, and between 1544 and 1561 the Tas inn at Erzurum. He designed a caravanserai in Eregli and an octagonal madrasah in Istanbul.
Between 1553 and 1555, Sinan built a mosque at Beşiktaş, a smaller version of the 3 Serefeli mosque at Edirne, for the Grand Admiral Sinan Pasha. This proves again that Sinan had thoroughly studied the work of other architects, especially as he was responsible for the upkeep of these buildings. He copied the old form, pondered over the weaknesses in the construction and tried to solve this with his own solution. In 1554 Sinan used the form of the Sinan Pasha mosque again for the construction of the mosque for the next Grand Vizier Kara Ahmed Pasha in Istanbul, his first hexagonal mosque. By applying this hexagonal form, Sinan could reduce the side domes to half-domes and set them in the corners at an angle of 45 degrees. Clearly, Sinan must have appreciated this form, since he repeated it later in mosques such as the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque at Kadırga and the Atık Valide Mosque at Uskudar.
In 1556 Sinan built the Haseki Hürrem Turkish bath, replacing the antique Baths of Zeuxippus still standing close to the Hagia Sophia. This would become one of the most beautiful hamams he ever constructed.
In 1559 he built the Cafer Agha madrasah below the forecourt of the Hagia Sophia. In the same year he began the construction of a small mosque for İskender Pasha at Kanlica, besides the Bosphorus. This was one of the many minor and routine commissions the office of Sinan received over the years.
In 1561, when Rüstem Pasha died, Sinan began the construction of the Rüstem Pasha Mosque, as a memorial supervised by his widow Mihrimah Sultana.
Rüstem Pasha Mosque link..
It is situated just below the Süleymaniye. This time the central form is octagonal, modelled on the monastery church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, with four small semi-domes set in the corners. In the same year, Sinan built a funeral monument (türbe) for Rüstem Pasha in the garden of the Şehzade Mosque, decorated with the finest tiles Iznik could produce. Mihrimah Sultana, having doubled her wealth after the death of her husband, now wanted a mosque of her own. Sinan built for her the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque at Edirnekapı (Edirne Gate), on the highest of the seven hills of Istanbul.
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque link..
He raised the mosque on a vaulted platform, accentuating its hilltop site. There was some speculation concerning the dates, until recently , but now it is generally accepted to be between 1562 and 1565. Sinan, concerned with grandeur, built a mosque on one of his most imaginative designs, using new support systems and lateral spaces to increase the area available for windows. He built a central dome 37 m high and 20 m wide, supported by pendentives, on a square base with two lateral galleries, each with three cupolas. At each corner of this square stands a gigantic pier, connected with immense arches each with 15 large windows and four circular ones, illuminating the interior with light. The style of this revolutionary building was as close to the Gothic style as Ottoman structure permits.
Between 1560 and 1566 Sinan built a mosque in Istanbul for Zal Mahmut Pasha on a hillside beyond Ayvansaray.
Sinan certainly developed the plans and partly supervised the construction, but he let his capable assistants to do the minor areas.
Sinan and his most able assistants were about to begin his masterpiece, the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne. At the exterior, the mosque rises high, with its east wall pierced by four tiers of windows. This gives the mosque an aspect of a palace or even a block of apartments. Inside, there are three broad galleries making the interior look compact. The heaviness of this structure makes the dome look unexpectedly lofty. These galleries look like a preliminary try-out for the galleries of the Selimiye Mosque.
Selimiye Mosque Link..
The	period from 1570 to his death: master stage
In this late stage of his life, Sinan tried to create unified and sublimely elegant interiors. To achieve this, he eliminated all the unnecessary subsidiary spaces beyond the supporting piers of the central dome. This can be seen in the Sokollu Mehmet Paşa mosque in Istanbul (1571-1572)
Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque link..
and in the Selimiye mosque in Edirne. In other buildings of his final period, Sinan experimented with spatial and mural treatments that were new in classical Ottoman architecture.
Selimiye Mosque was built by Sinan in 1575 in Edirne, Turkey.According to his autobiography "Tezkiretü'l Bünyan", his masterpiece is the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne. Breaking free of the handicaps of traditional Ottoman architecture, this mosque marks the peak of Sinan's work and of all classical Ottoman architecture. While it was being built, the architect's saying "You can never build a dome larger than the dome of Hagia Sophia and particularly as Muslims" was his main motivation. When it was completed, Sinan claimed that it had the largest dome in the world, leaving Hagia Sophia behind. In fact, the dome height from the ground level was lower and the diameter barely larger (0.5 meters, approximately 2 feet) than the millennium-older Hagia Sophia. However, measured from its base the dome of Selimiye is higher. Sinan was more than 80 years old when the building was finished. In this mosque he finally realized his aim of creating the optimum, completely unified, domed interior : a triumph of space that dominates the interior. This time he used an octagonal central dome (31.28 m wide and 42 m high), supported by eight elephantine piers of marble and granite. These supports lack any capitals but have squinches or consoles at their summit, leading to the optical effect that the arches seem to grow integrally out of the piers. By placing the lateral galleries far away, he increased the three-dimensional effect. The many windows in the screen walls illuminate the interior with light. The buttressing semi-domes are set in the four corners of the square under the dome. The weight and the internal tensions are hidden, producing an airy and elegant effect rarely seen under a central dome. The four minarets (83 m high) at the corners of the prayer hall are the tallest in the Muslim world, accentuating the vertical posture of this mosque that already dominates the city.
Great Sinan link..
Copyright © 2008 Istanbul Design Center / İstanbul Tasarım Merkezi


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The limits of multicultural universities for Indigenous peoples
Multiculturalism is a huge part of the Canadian identity. We see it from coast to coast in the faces of our fellow citizens, a huge mosaic – not a melting pot, we proudly point out – of diversity from around the world. But why do our multiculturalism policies seem to focus on integrating European cultures and newcomers into Canadian society rather than in addressing the needs and aspirations of Indigenous peoples?
By Neale McDevitt, Editor, McGill Reporter
Political Science Professor, Philip Oxhorn.
Multiculturalism is a huge part of the Canadian identity. We see it from coast to coast in the faces of our fellow citizens, a huge mosaic – not a melting pot, we proudly point out – of diversity from around the world.
In 1971, under the leadership of Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, we became the first country in the world to officially adopt a multiculturalism policy. By so doing, Canada affirmed the value and dignity of all Canadian citizens. This policy became law in 1988, when Prime Minister Brian Mulroney enacted the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, ensuring, among other things, that every Canadian receives equal treatment by the government regardless of their racial or ethnic origins, their language, or their religious affiliation.
Why is the great Canadian mosaic better at including people from certain groups compared to others? Is it because our multiculturalism policies focus on integrating European cultures and newcomers into Canadian society rather than in addressing the needs and aspirations of Indigenous peoples?
These questions will be addressed by a panel of experts during the Conference of the Americas on International Education (CAIE) from Oct. 11 – 13, in Montreal. Organized by Political Science Professor Philip Oxhorn, the panel will specifically look at the issue in the university context, with the goal of outlining ways to overcome the limits of multiculturalism for Indigenous peoples through their experience at universities.
"My own personal opinion – and this is probably controversial – is that [the challenges faced by Indigenous peoples in relation to Canadian society] have a lot to do with the relationship between the 'settler community' and the Indigenous population," says Oxhorn. "I work a lot in Latin America where this issue is quite severe in terms of the consequences."
"It has a lot to do with the relationship between European cultures and other cultures, in the sense that [the former] tends to erase or eradicate rather than include," continues Oxhorn. "For eons it has been a policy of assimilation. If you are being assimilated, then you feel like you are being denied the basic respect that you would pay towards equals. After all, how would you feel if whatever value that your culture might bring to humanity – the beliefs, the norms, the practices – is rejected? At best, [these values] are seen as anachronistic and at worst, uncivilized."
At universities, Indigenous students face any number of challenges. "Indigenous students are just as talented as any others at McGill," says Oxhorn. "But some may face the added burden of expectations – expectations from themselves, expectations from their community, expectations from the community that they are being inserted into. The weight of those expectations can be hard to bear."
"And there is always the danger of tokenism," continues Oxhorn. "Since it takes time to substantially increase the number of students from any under-represented group, there will be relatively very few Indigenous students initially. Many of these students might feel like they are the token representatives of the community, which is why it is important to set enrolment targets and advance toward meeting them in order to address this potential concern."
While some universities have achieved a strong Indigenous presence, at others the lack of Indigenous presence extends beyond the student body to staff and faculty as well. This void creates another obstacle because "everyone needs role models, and including minority groups," says Oxhorn. "People need to see success in the people they identify with. As well, everyone needs mentors who they can talk to when they have to work out their own problems."
Oxhorn points out that McGill is addressing this issue, but there are no quick fixes. "There's no doubt that McGill today is very much committed to welcoming more Indigenous people into the community, as students and faculty. The Provost's Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education is a very serious, very proactive step in this regard," he says. "But it takes time to renew academic staff."
In the meantime, a university's Indigenous faculty members face their own set of pressures. Because they are relatively few, they may end up being overburdened because the bulk of the mentorship responsibilities falls on their shoulders. "It's an issue of fairness and equity," says Oxhorn, "and it is important to look for alternatives to minimize such potential burdens."
For the CAIE Conference Oxhorn will moderate a panel that includes; Ovide Mercredi, former National Chief, Assembly of First Nations; Dr. Ralph Nilson, President and Vice-Chancellor, Vancouver Island University; and Luis Urrieta, Professor of Cultural Studies in Education at the University of Texas at Austin.
Oxhorn assembled the panel with the intention of including as many different perspectives as possible, from the high-profile political leadership of Ovide Mecredi to the front-line experience of Professor Urrieta who, as an Indigenous Latin American, has faced and overcome many of these issues himself. "The whole point is to have a frank discussion of what works, what doesn't work and what we still need to do going forward," says Oxhorn.
"One of the things we appreciate about McGill's panel is that it includes experts from outside the university," says David Julien, Executive Director of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education and the CAIE conference. "It brings a multi-sectoral, diverse component to the Conference which is quite exciting."
When asked what could be done to make Indigenous people feel more welcome at universities and in society at large, Oxhorn pauses. "In a way, it boils down to respect," he says. "My own work now focusses on reconciliation and what that means. One of the challenges with reconciliation is that it is a process and not an end. It is a process that involves respect.
"Earning respect of others is difficult enough," he says, "but demonstrating that it actually exists is even more problematic – especially when you were dealing with populations that have a problematic relationship since the beginning of recorded history."
Oxhorn believes that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its recommendations has already put Canada ahead of most countries in this regard. He also applauds the current government's commitment to try and implement those recommendations. "The discourse is the right one," he says. "It is very integrative, welcoming and respectful. This is important to keep the momentum moving forward."
But a lot more work must done, including changing media bias so that there are more positive portrayals and stories of Indigenous people. Also, says Oxhorn, it is not good enough to simply include the input of Indigenous people in public consultations. Their recommendations must also be acted upon in a way that has a tangible impact.
"When plans of a government agency or a business, a mining company for example, change after talking to Indigenous people, it is a sign of an equal relationship," says Oxhorn. "You can't predict what those changes will be, but the fact that plans or policies change means your voice has been heard and you have influence. There is no better sign of respect."
Jatinder Mann on the search for a new national...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Genres: Adult fiction, dystopia, science fiction.
I was immediately blown away by how realistic, original and detailed the world in Shades of Grey was. In this dystopian society, social hierarchy is determined by an individual's perception of colour. Eddie Russet is a Red – only second from the bottom of the hierarchy. He, like others, cannot see any other natural colour unless it is created artificially. His aim is to marry into the Oxblood family and increase his position in society but he becomes infatuated with Jane, a lowly Grey, and a trip to the Outer Fringes throws everything he's aimed for, and believed in, in disarray. Eddie is about to discover what his world is really like.
The novel is very slow-paced but that's because the thrill is in discovering this world for yourself: learning its social and legal rules, meeting many unique and hilarious characters, and discovering why this world most definitely not the utopia it appears to be.
I'm not giving the novel the full five star rating because I did get quite confused during the dénouement, but I imagine everything will make more sense when I reread it in the future. I cannot speak more highly of this novel… it's fantastic. I'd recommend it to those looking for intelligent dystopian novels to read or just looking for something a little bit different. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel, Painting by Numbers, even though it isn't due to be released until 2013.
I read this book in the new flipback format. While it was quite awkward to read at first, I soon became absorbed in the storyline and it became easier to hold and use. It was perfect for taking on the plane and reading on holiday – small, compact, sturdy (it's a mini hardback, basically) but I did find it quite difficult to read when it was breezy. The paper is the kind they use in Bibles and it kept fluttering about and so I had to keep strategically placing my fingers, which is not what you really want to have to think about while reading a book. I'm unsure as to whether I'll be buying more as 'normal' paperbacks are easier to hold, but it was an ideal option for holiday reading.


Easy Skillet Beef and Broccoli Ramen hits all the "bliss points" in this amazing recipe. It has the savory tender flavor from the beef, the tender fresh bite from the broccoli, and the comforting noodle softness from the Ramen noodles. Not only is this dish delicious, but let me show you how it solves some culinary problems!
And it literally tastes SO FLIPPIN' GOOD!!!
You'll want to start out with slicing up your beef. Don't make spend your time making this perfect guys!!!.. Honestly,.. it's all going to the same place. Take your steak and slice it as thin as you can. If the pieces of meat are too long, simply cut them in half.
You can season them at this point with some pepper and garlic powder if you like. It's not a prerequisite, but it will definitely add more flavor in the final dish.
Cut up the broccoli into bite size pieces that you like. If you have the stems of the broccoli, DON'T WASTE THEM! Once you peel the tough outer layer, then inner is nice and tender. Slice them into medallions and add them with the florets.
They stretch the grocery dollar!
Skillet Beef and Broccoli Ramen is called what it is, obviously, because it's all done in one dish. With the exception of soaking the noodles, which just take a bowl and some hot water. So that's next on the list, – just heat up some hot water in a kettle! As soon as it's boiling hot, add the noodles to the water, cover and let sit until you need them.
Slice up your onion and put it beside the broccoli, hand and ready to go.
In a bowl, put together all the ingredients for the sauce.
Set it aside…….. but keep it handy, you'll need to use it soon!
Throw your beef in the pan with a bit of oil to begin the frying process.
Add the onion so it begins to soften.
What about my alternatives to this Beef an Broccoli Ramen Recipe?
Yes.. this is where your switchups happen! Want to add other veggies? Let's say carrots or snap peas?
Now would be the time to do it, because now is the time to add the broccoli!!
You want to cook this over a fairly high heat as to evaporate any of the excess water that may come from the broccoli and onions.
But what about those ramen noodles????
Ok, so drain those yummies and dump them in the skillet as well.
**Pro tip: The ramen noodles are kind of long and if you're ok with that, by all means, leave them.
take some clean kitchen shears or a sharp knife and carefully cut them in sections before you put them in the pan.
Remember the sauce from earlier? Grab it and pour it in!
Again.. give it a good stir!!
The noodles will soften up a bit more in the cooking process, so be sure to leave those till last because the beef and broccoli part will be perfect, but the ramen noodles may get too mushy.
or this Super Easy Breaded and Baked Chicken? All easy dishes,.. so how can you go wrong??
Easy Skillet Beef and Broccoli Ramen hits all the "bliss points" in this amazing recipe. It has the savory tender flavor from the beef, the tender fresh bite from the broccoli, and the comforting noodle softness from the Ramen noodles. It is not only delicious recipe just in it's own right, but it solves a lot of other culinary problems! Keep reading to find out how!
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, and broth. Mix well and set aside.
In a smaller bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Mix well. Set aside.
In a small pot, cook the ramen noodles according to the packet directions, leaving the spice packets out.
Using a large fry pan or a wok, begin by putting in the oil and turn the stove to medium high heat.
Add the beef. The pan should be sizzling with the beef as you want this to cook quickly. Saute the beef , stirring constantly.
When the beef is ½ way cooked, add the onions. Continue to saute at a high heat.
When the beef is just cooked and the onions are beginning to get tender, add the broccoli and saute.
When the broccoli is bright green in color, add the ramen noodles. You can cut them in half for easier handling if you wish, or leave them whole.
Add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, while the sauce thickens. When the sauce has thickened and is coating the ingredients, the dish is ready to be served.
Garnish with sesame seeds and a dash of sesame oil if you wish.
« 30 easy and best camping meals ever!


Return and Earn congratulates the outstanding achievements of this year's Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Sustainable Cities Award Winners.
The first-time winners of the Return and Earn Litter Prevention Award are St Vincent de Paul Society NSW (Vinnies) and Glenmore Park High School (Glenmore Park).
Vinnies NSW Container Deposit Scheme is an exemplary example of a positive project between a charity, business and the community it serves. In a professional, efficient and a well-documented program it has delivered extraordinary results with almost six million containers collected. This represents a new revenue stream not only for Vinnies but for the vulnerable community and the savvy reuse shopper it serves enabling it to revitalise efforts and improve support services. A big win for everyone.
In the Return and Earn Litter Prevention Award schools category, Glenmore Park High School have embraced Return and Earn as a means of teaching students to advocate for improved sustainability, illustrating how they can adopt behaviours for a more ecologically and socially-informed worldview. This project mobilised staff, students, teachers and parents as a means of raising much needed funds for the schools Special Needs Unit with their first goal being to buy a school mini bus. A great project to engage students in environmental solutions.
Highly Commended Award Winners in the Return and Earn Litter Prevention category are the University of NSW Kensington Campus and the Addison Road Community Centre. Return and Earn is pleased to acknowledge the exceptional contribution of our Highly Commended Award Winners and their valued communities towards litter prevention and reduction in NSW.
More than 810 million containers have been returned to return points across NSW in just over ten months, and drink container litter volume has already dropped by a third since November last year. This demonstrates the positive and immediate impact that waste and litter reduction initiatives can have in our communities.
Congratulations to our Winners, we look forward to learning more about your success stories.
To nominate deserving community members or groups for the 2019 Return and Earn Litter Prevention Award, visit the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW website.


They say history is written by the victors, but suppose no one wins?
The latest public figure to reopen the debate was South Korean president Park Geunhye, when she invited Japan, China and South Korea to consider jointly producing a shared history of the 20th Century. It was not a new proposal, but one never seriously attempted either.
Despite repeated attempts at collaboration between scholars, the three countries still lack a common vision of the Second World War and the decades prior to the conflict. William Faulkner's famous saying, "The past is never dead. It's not even past," could easily have been written with the unhealed traumas of Beijing and Seoul in mind, with Tokyo in the role of the somewhat unrepentant aggressor.
In the rest of the world, there is a single commonly accepted version: imbued with militaristic nationalism, Japan occupied Korea and large swaths of China as well as much of Southeast Asia. Its propagandists described this as 'liberating' Asia from Western dominance. In reality, the basic idea was closer to Nazi Germany's 'Lebensraum'. By dragging the US into war with its attack on Pearl Harbour, Japan sowed the seeds of its own self-destruction, which culminated in 1945, when two of its cities were reduced to ashes by atomic bombs. The US occupied the country for the next seven years and imposed a pacifist constitution.


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Lisbeth Salander is not your usual tourist or woman for that matter.
The Girl who Played with Fire is the second film in a trilogy based on a best seller. This film didn't waste any time reintroducing the relationship between the main characters. However this film required understanding the unusual relationship between Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvst as it relates to the plot.
Once again Sweden's answer to Nancy Drew was placed in grave danger after she overplayed her hand against the man who raped her in the previous film, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Having delivered substance over style, director Daniel Alfredson never let the story stray an inch from his talented leads. Yet, the two main characters never shared a scene unlike the film's predecessor. The film's pacing was important as the story was designed as an elaborate chase. First, Lisbeth chased after the murderer to clear her name. Blomkvst then chased after Lisbeth, while trying to stay one step ahead of the police. As the brilliant and troubled heroine became mired in the mystery, Lisbeth's troubles suddenly had some disturbing coincidences and revelations.
Swedish filmmakers don't believe in wordy dialogue. The actors never waste a word and will never speak 4 words when 3 will do. Much of this film's emotional baggage was reserved in the subtle facial expressions and body language. Once again, Noomi Rapace delivered a commanding performance. As Lisbeth, she was both mysterious and emotionally complex. Like a ghost she visits her friends and lovers yet disappears without a trace or care in the world. In one scene, Lisbeth told her occasional lesbian partner that she did some traveling with a detached and somber delivery. Did she even have a good time? The answer was keyed into next scene. Dressed like a ridiculous tourist wearing a NY Yankee baseball cap and sweatshirt, she used her souvenirs to keep a low profile while searching for evidence that might clear her.
In Hollywood, there seems to be confusion over what is a strong female lead. Most of the roles today are derivatives of Buffy of the Vampire Slayer. Sexed up twenty something vixens who can kill anything 10 times the size and weight of their 80lb anorexic frame. This heroine was by no means a combat machine but skilled in using her brain to trick men into underestimating her. Not just Lisbeth but all the women in this film are far from helpless.
It was difficult to appraise this film because the plot was not even half as complex as its predecessor. Yet, a streamlined plot is not necessarily a bad thing. This film relied heavily on the lead actors' natural charisma to carry the film. Dissecting the chemistry between the two leads was a critical component to what made the Girl with a Dragon Tattoo so special. Still, I firmly remain convinced the Girl who played with Fire was a solid companion piece. I am looking forward to the next mystery involving the mysterious Lisbeth Salander.
In my never ending homage to George Thorogood's One bourbon, one scotch, one beer….I am giving the Girl who played with Fire smooth tasting shot of Maker's Mark bourbon.


text:
The Fraser Tran House is a hub for a couple with a very wide extended family and a network of musician friends from across the city. It is a meeting point for large gatherings and a retreat from the rapidly densifying built environment that surrounds it.
The house looks beyond its site to a treed valley beyond, and reads as being located in a much more expansive context than it actually is. In part this is to do with the careful manipulation of openings to engage only with the available outlook, but in part this also to do with the fortuitous fall and orientation of the site.
The site falls towards the North East and opens broadly to the North East and North West below a floating canopy roof. Privacy, light, ventilation and outlook are all available in this direction. The plan tapers in on the long edge to create privacy and a greater setback on the North West edge. In one simple move, the house opens up to the rear and engages more fully with all of the site on two edges.
Environmentally, there are a number of strategies designed to improve comfort by passive means and reduce impact. Ceiling fans and large openings provide generous amounts of ventilation . Operable screens shade the South West and South East elevations. The main source of active heating is a highly efficient Norwegian wood fire. Roof water is collected in 2 x 5,000L tanks for reuse in the house and garden. There is a 5KW PV system on the roof. Low E double glazed Accoya and recycled hardwood windows are used throughout.
Joinery and materiality is very important for the success of the project. External finishes are used extensively internally. These include recycled blackbutt, birch ply, linoleum, concrete, Japanese tiles and a Hinoki bath. The rawness of many of the finishes give the house an unexpected calmness .
Project Team : Matt Elkan and Daina Cunningham
Structural Engineer : SDA (Charles Blumer)
Builder : Harding and Lindsay
Photographs : Anthony Basheer


We make various services available on this site including, but not limited to, website information services, and other like services. You are responsible for providing, at your own expense, all equipment necessary to use the services, including a computer, modem, and Internet access (including payment of all fees associated with such access).
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This site (excluding any linked sites) is controlled by us from our offices within the UK, It can be accessed as well as from other countries around the world. As each of these places has laws that may differ from those of UK, by accessing this site both of us agree that the statutes and laws of the UK, without regard to the conflicts of laws principles thereof and the United Nations Convention on the International Sales of Goods, will apply to all matters relating to the use of this site and the purchase of products and services available through this site. Each of us agrees and hereby submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction and venue any court of competent jurisdiction within the UK with respect to such matters.
All notices to a party shall be in writing and shall be made either via email or conventional mail. Notices to us must be sent to the attention of Customer Service at [email protected], if by email, or at Blacko Village Blacko, Lancs if by conventional mail. Notices to you may be sent to the address supplied by you as part of your Registration Data. In addition, we may broadcast notices or messages through the site to inform you of changes to the site or other matters of importance, and such broadcasts shall constitute notice to you at the time of sending.
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text:
General Information about Interridge
InterRidge activities are initiated within the international ridge crest research community, overseen by the InterRidge Steering Committee and the InterRidge Chair and coordinated through the InterRidge Office. InterRidge is designed to serve national and international programs, individuals and groups around the world engaged in ridge crest research.
InterRidge Working Groups
A Working Group comprises a Working Group Chair or Co-Chairs who drive the progress of the group and report back to the Steering Committee, and the working group members. The scientists come from various universities and research institutes around the world, and their expertise is diverse but pertinent to the project the working group is tackling. This ensures that ridge-related research projects are addressed from different perspectives.
Current Active Working Groups
InterRidge (IR) is a non-profit organization concerned with promoting all aspects of ocean floor research (its study, use and protection) which can only be achieved by international cooperation. At present IR is supported by 3 principal member nations (China, France and Norway each paying 25 000 US$) and 7 regular member nations (Canada, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, Korea and UK, each paying 5 000 US$), our other member nations and regions have corresponding nation status.
Four Main Functions
InterRidge has four main functions:
1. build and maintain an interactive international ridge-research community
2. identify, through its working groups and the workshops and conferences they organize, the most compelling questions in ridge research and develop program plans to address these questions
3. act as a representative body for international ridge scientists in policy discussions
4. through education and outreach communicate the importance and excitement of ridge research to the general public and decision makers worldwide.
活动工作组
目前共有 0 个用户 和 25 位访客 在线。


Gold Mining in Ghana. December 01, ... GSC) has two operating mines in Ghana and poured its 2 millionth ounce of gold from its Bogoso/Pretea and Wassa mines last year.
Allibone et al - CiteSeerX. The Bogoso gold mine comprises a series of open-cut pits scattered along 18 km of ... also hosts the Prestea, Ashanti, and Konongo deposits.
A mining company with interest in the gold mining ... Golden Star is an established gold mining company with two ... Report for Bogoso/Prestea Gold Mine.
May 07,2007- Golden Star Confirms Its Bogoso Sulfide (BIOX(R)) Expansion Project Expected in Commercial Production in the Second Quarter .


text:
The Dallas Miracle
For U.S. airlines, something profound happened in 2014, something that would change the fortune of the industry more than anything else. What was it? Fuel prices plummeted late that year. And they've remained low since, at least relative to the $100-plus-per-barrel prices that prevailed from 2011-2013.
All U.S. airlines benefited, not least Allegiant, the most profitable U.S. airline in the post-fuel bust period—in the four years from 2015 through 2018, Allegiant's operating margin was close to 22%. But with less than 1% of the industry's total revenues over the period, it's a niche player. Among bigger players, three carriers are in a virtual tie for top ranking. Spirit, also rather small, earned a 17.7% operating margin over the same four years. Ditto for Alaska, a much larger airline. Right behind them, with a 17.5% margin: the country's largest domestic airline, Southwest.
The triumph of the ultra-low-cost carriers is its own story. Alaska's success from its fast-growing perch in Seattle is another. Arguably most interesting of all, however, is how the most successful company in airline history, with roots dating back to the early 1970s, remains so formidable today. In 2017 by the way, as fuel prices began rising again (modestly), Southwest surpassed Spirit, with an operating margin more than a full point higher. In 2018, it surpassed Alaska too.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Southwest was in a profit league of its own thanks to its unbeatably low costs. In the tumultuous first decade of the 2000s, armed with lucrative fuel hedges, it thrived as rival after rival went bankrupt. This decade, after a few middle-of-the-pack margins early on, it's ending up once again the superman of the industry.
To read the full issue, become a Skift Airline Weekly subscriber today.
Subscribers can download the issue below.


People who drive while impaired put themselves and others at great risk. Unfortunately, when people drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, pedestrians are even more vulnerable to fatal car accidents. Thankfully, Ohio law enforcement often finds the drivers who are responsible for these accidents and works to ensure that they are prevented from causing another deadly accident.
After a Bridgeport man left a funeral on foot, he was hit by a vehicle and died. The driver of the vehicle, who had apparently been using marijuana at the time of the accident, is now facing felony charges. It is unclear whether the driver fled the scene of the accident, but he may have been concerned that his level of impairment may have resulted in more severe punishment.


Our new Vintage machine uses a die-cast, two-piece housing for additional strength and precision. The unique bearing surface in the housing provides a rigid string post enhancing the alignment of the gear and worm. The 14:1 gear ratio provides for fine tuning.


text:
Gail O'Grady Net Worth
How much is Gail O'Grady worth?
January 23, 1963 (58 years old)
Gail O'Grady Net Worth:
More about the earnings of Gail O'Grady
Actor Gail O'Grady has a networth that has to be considered more than decent.
Gail O'Grady Net Worth: Gail O'Grady is an American actress and producer who has a net worth of $3 million. Gail O'Grady was born in Detroit, Michigan in January 1963. Gail appeared in some commercials before moving to Los Angeles, California in 1986. She started out modeling for Montgomery Ward and starred in a Diet Pepsi commercial with Michael J. Fox. She first appeared in the TV series Werewolf and the TV movie Billionaire Boys Club in 1987. From 1993 to 1999 O'Grady starred as Donna Abandando in the television series NYPD Blue. She starred as Helen Pryor in the TV series American Dreams from 2002 to 2005. In 2005 Gail starred as Ava Summerlin in the series Hot Properties. She starred as Wanda Perkins in the TV series Hellcats from 2010 to 2011. O'Grady has also had recurring roles in the TV series Matlock, Designing Women, Hidden Palms, Monk, Boston Legal, Desperate Housewives, and Revenge. Gail won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 1995 for NYPD Blue. She was also nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for NYPD Blue.
Gail O'Grady looking like a million bucks
Inspirational Quotes by Gail O'Grady
The only reality show that I do tune in for is 'Shark Tank.'
Gail O'Grady
I think the paparazzi is a necessary evil… and if ya don't like it, and ya don't want to do this, go to Iowa and do some community theatre. It's all about self-promotion, and it's not always the fun part of it.
Daniel Goddard Net Worth
Elizabeth McGovern Net Worth
Donald Trump Declares His Net Worth
Jack Wagner Net Worth
Khamani Griffin Net Worth
Ross Bagley Net Worth


text:
Fulvestrant won't be PBS listed for women with HR+ breast cancer
A PBS listing appears unlikely for fulvestrant for women with hormone receptor positive metastatic breast cancer because of disagreement over pricing, a patient advocacy group says.
The selective oestrogen receptor down‐regulator (SERD) has received a positive recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) to be used in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitor drugs but Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) says manufacturer AstraZeneca has decided not to go ahead with the listing because it is unhappy with the price the Health Department has offered to pay for it.
According to BCNA, the decision means the only option for women is an access scheme that requires them to pay for the first three months of treatment of fulvestrant, at a cost of $1,600 per month.
BCNA said it was disappointed with the outcome as it had been calling for several years to have an application for fulvestrant to be listed on the PBS.
"These calls were driven by our members, who told us about their concerns with the cost. Many of them could not afford to buy it, although it had been recommended to them by their medical oncologist," BCNA said in a statement.
The group said it was also concerned that lack of access to fulvestrant for people living in rural Australia and Indigenous people because of the set-up of the current access program
BCNA said it was now in discussion with stakeholders regarding a generic version of fulvestrant, which it hopes will be available next year.
At its September 2020 meeting the PBAC recommended the listing of fulvestrant for the treatment of patients with hormone receptor positive (HR+) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) unresectable advanced or metastatic breast cancer (ABC).
However the PBAC said a PBS listing was subject to a price reduction to meet its cost effectiveness criteria.
The PBAC said it was satisfied that first line treatment with fulvestrant would an improvement in efficacy over NSAIs and also increased safety and tolerability in subsequent lines of therapy.
It acknowledged a submission received from a medical oncologist, who noted that fulvestrant was used regularly overseas, and is associated with better quality of life than chemotherapy.
"Without PBS access to fulvestrant, patients may be treated with chemotherapy earlier in their treatment," it noted.


text:
Q: ICS httppost NullPointerException I am having an issue when trying to access a remote database.  This issue only occurs on ICS or above, but runs perfectly fine on older Android.  I can't figure this one out for the life of me, and have been stuck on it for weeks.  I really need to figure this out so I can then use the solution here in another app of mine that is far more important.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.  If more information is needed, just let me know.
Now the app wont even launch, getting the following when launch:
11-30 15:42:46.970: W/dalvikvm(10028): threadid=1: thread exiting with uncaught exception (group=0x40d04210)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028): FATAL EXCEPTION: main
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to instantiate activity ComponentInfo{com.defsoftsol.db.check/com.defsoftsol.db.check.MainActivity}: java.lang.NullPointerException
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:1880)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:1981)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.app.ActivityThread.access$600(ActivityThread.java:123)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1147)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:137)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:4428)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:511)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:787)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:554)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028): Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.app.Activity.findViewById(Activity.java:1794)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at com.defsoftsol.db.check.MainActivity.<init>(MainActivity.java:43)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at java.lang.Class.newInstanceImpl(Native Method)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at java.lang.Class.newInstance(Class.java:1319)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.app.Instrumentation.newActivity(Instrumentation.java:1023)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:1871)
11-30 15:42:46.970: E/AndroidRuntime(10028):    ... 11 more

UPDATED CODE: (Now the code for entire app)
public class MainActivity extends Activity {

String deviceID="",dateStamp="",buff="",db_id="",db_device_id="",db_install_date="";
byte[] data;
HttpPost httppost;
StringBuffer buffer;
HttpResponse response;
HttpClient httpclient;
InputStream inputStream;
List<NameValuePair> nameValuePairs;
int ID,activeinstalls;
long diff;
TableLayout tl=(TableLayout)findViewById(R.id.db_data);

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

    Button refresh = (Button)findViewById(R.id.btnrefresh);
    refresh.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
        public void onClick(View v) {
            new MyAsyncTask(MainActivity.this).execute();

        }
    });
}

@SuppressWarnings("unused")
public class MyAsyncTask extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, Void>
{

    ProgressDialog mProgressDialog;
    private Context context;

    public MyAsyncTask(Context context) {
        this.context = context;
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPostExecute(Void result) {
        mProgressDialog.dismiss();
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPreExecute() {
        mProgressDialog = ProgressDialog.show(MainActivity.this, "Loading...", "Data is Loading...");
    }

    @Override
    protected Void doInBackground(Void... params) {
        update();
        return null;
    }
}

private final SimpleDateFormat formatter = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
private final long ONE_DAY = 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;

@SuppressWarnings("unused")
public void update()
{
    int activeinstalls = 0;
    Date now = new Date();
    dateStamp = formatter.format(now);

    runOnUiThread(new Runnable(){
        @Override
        public void run(){
            UISetup();
        }
    });

    ID = 1;
    try
    {
        do
        {
            try
            {
                httpclient = new DefaultHttpClient();
                httppost = new HttpPost("http://#.#.#.#/***.php"); //Address cut for server security

                nameValuePairs = new ArrayList<NameValuePair>(1);
                nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("_id", String.valueOf(ID)));
                httppost.setEntity(new UrlEncodedFormEntity(nameValuePairs));
                response = httpclient.execute(httppost);
                inputStream = response.getEntity().getContent();
                data = new byte[256];
                buffer = new StringBuffer();
                int len = 0;
                while (-1 != (len = inputStream.read(data)) )
                {
                    buffer.append(new String(data, 0, len));
                }
                inputStream.close();
            } catch (Exception e) {
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "error"+e.toString(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                e.printStackTrace();
            }

            if(buffer.charAt(0)=='Y')
            {
                ID++;
                buff = buffer.toString();
                db_id = buff.substring(1, buff.indexOf("."));
                db_device_id = buff.substring(buff.indexOf(".")+1, buff.indexOf(","));
                db_install_date = buff.substring(buff.indexOf(",")+1, buff.length());

                Date before = null;
                try {
                    before = (Date)formatter.parse(db_install_date);
                } catch (ParseException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }
                diff = now.getTime() - before.getTime();

                runOnUiThread(new Runnable(){
                    @Override
                    public void run(){
                        UIAdd(diff,db_id,db_device_id,db_install_date);
                    }
                });

            } else { //IF buffer returns N
                //  TODO: Fill in
            }
        } while(buffer.charAt(0)=='Y');

        UIFinish();

    } catch(Exception err) {
        err.printStackTrace();
    }
}
@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
public void UISetup()
{
    tl.removeAllViews();
    dbline();
    TableRow titr = new TableRow(this);
    titr.setLayoutParams(new LayoutParams( LayoutParams.FILL_PARENT,LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT));
    TextView dbid0 = new TextView(this);
    TextView dbdevid0 = new TextView(this);
    TextView dbindate0 = new TextView(this);
    dbid0.setText("|   " + "_id");
    dbdevid0.setText("|   " + "device_id");
    dbindate0.setText("|   "+ "install_date"+"    |");

    titr.addView(dbid0);
    titr.addView(dbdevid0);
    titr.addView(dbindate0);
    tl.addView(titr, new TableLayout.LayoutParams(LayoutParams.FILL_PARENT, LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT));
    dbline();
}
@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
public void UIAdd(long diffr, String dbidn,String did,String idate)
{
    long days;
    days = diffr / ONE_DAY;
    TableRow tr = new TableRow(this);
    tr.setLayoutParams(new LayoutParams( LayoutParams.FILL_PARENT,LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT));
    TextView dbid = new TextView(this);
    TextView dbdevid = new TextView(this);
    TextView dbindate = new TextView(this);
    dbid.setText("|   " + dbidn);
    dbdevid.setText("|   " + did);
    dbindate.setText("|   " + idate+"   |");

    if(days <= 7)
    {
        activeinstalls++;
        if(days <= 3)
        {
            dbid.setTextColor(Color.GREEN);
            dbdevid.setTextColor(Color.GREEN);
            dbindate.setTextColor(Color.GREEN);
        } else {
            dbid.setTextColor(Color.MAGENTA);
            dbdevid.setTextColor(Color.MAGENTA);
            dbindate.setTextColor(Color.MAGENTA);
        }

    } else {
        dbid.setTextColor(Color.RED);
        dbdevid.setTextColor(Color.RED);
        dbindate.setTextColor(Color.RED);
    }

    tr.addView(dbid);
    tr.addView(dbdevid);
    tr.addView(dbindate);
    tl.addView(tr, new TableLayout.LayoutParams(LayoutParams.FILL_PARENT, LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT));
}
public void UIFinish()
{
    dbline();

    TextView te = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.totalentries);
    te.setText(String.valueOf(ID-1));
    TextView au = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.activeusers);
    au.setText(String.valueOf(activeinstalls));
}
@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
public void dbline()
{
    TableLayout tl=(TableLayout)findViewById(R.id.db_data);
    TableRow tr = new TableRow(this);
    tr.setLayoutParams(new LayoutParams( LayoutParams.FILL_PARENT,LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT));
    TextView dbid = new TextView(this);
    TextView dbdevid = new TextView(this);
    TextView dbindate = new TextView(this);
    dbid.setText("+---------");
    dbdevid.setText("+-------------------------------");
    dbindate.setText("+--------------------+");

    tr.addView(dbid);
    tr.addView(dbdevid);
    tr.addView(dbindate);
    tl.addView(tr, new TableLayout.LayoutParams(LayoutParams.FILL_PARENT, LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT));
}

}

A: You get an Exception in the try block, and don't initialize buffer. That's why you get the Null pointer.
You should put everything in the try-catch. Or think better about how to handle it.
And, you also should output the error from the try catch in the console. And show it to us. We can look at it.

A: try to make the structure some thing like this
public class MyAsyncTask extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, Void> {

    @Override
    protected Void doInBackground(Void... params) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        // Do network oprations here
        return null;
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPostExecute(Void result) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        // Update UI here
        super.onPostExecute(result);
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange