ফিরে এলাম নাইরোবিতে। ফিরেই গঙ্গাভাই এবং জিমকে জানালাম সবকিছু বিস্তারিতভাবে। সাথে এটাও জানিয়ে দিলাম প্রথম পরিচয়টা হবে হারারেতে। যুক্তি দিয়ে বুঝিয়ে দিলাম কেনও এই সাক্ষাত ঢাকায় না হয়ে হবে হারারেতে। এরপর শঙ্কা এবং খানিকটা অস্বস্তি নিয়ে সময় গড়িয়ে যাচ্ছিল। এরই মধ্যে একদিন অপ্রত্যাশিতভাবে পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী আমাকে ফোন করে অভিযোগ জানালেন আপনি ঢাকা ঘুরে গেলেন আমার সাথে সালাম দোয়া না করেই!
তার এমন খোঁচায় কিছুটা চমকে উঠলাম! বেগম জিয়া কি তবে জনাব মুস্তাফিজুর রহমানকে বিশ্বাস করে সবকিছুই বলে দিয়েছেন!
এই সমঝোতা পচনশীল সমাজের নীতি-আদর্শ বিবর্জিত অপরাজনীতির এক কদর্য হিঃপ্রকাশ। এই আঁতাতের পর হঠাৎ করেই ভাঁটা পড়ে 'ঘা দা নির্মূল কমিটি'-এর কর্মতৎপরতায়। দেরিতে হলেও জাহানারা ইমাম এবং কর্নেল নুরুজ্জামান বুঝতে পারেন রাজনৈতিক ফায়দার জন্য আওয়ামী লীগ তাদের ব্যবহার করেছে মাত্র।এই মনোকষ্ট নিয়ে ক্যন্সার আক্রান্ত জাহানারা ইমাম যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে স্বেচ্ছা নির্বাসনে ছেলের কাছে পাড়ি জমান এবং সেখানে ক্যান্সার অপারেশনের পর মারা যান। কর্নেল নুরুজ্জামান নিজের ভুল বুঝে চিরতরে সক্রিয় রাজনীতি থেকে অব্যহতি গ্রহণ করেন। এরপরের ঘটনা আরও হতাশাব্যঞ্জক। ভারতপন্থীদের সমর্থনে বলীয়ান হয়ে কর্নেল মুস্তাফিজুর রহমান খালেদা জিয়াকে হুঁশিয়ার করে দিয়ে বোঝালেন যে সেনা পরিষদের নেতাদের বিশেষ করে আমার সাথে তার ঘনিষ্ঠতা নাকি তার জন্য কাল হয়ে দাড়াবে। এক সময় আমি নাকি তাকে ব্ল্যাকমেইল করে ১৫ আগস্টের স্বীকৃতি আদায় করে নেবো এবং আগস্ট বিপ্লবের মাধ্যমে রাজনৈতিক পটপরিবর্তনের সাথে জেনারেল জিয়া প্রত্যক্ষভাবে জড়িত ছিলেন সেটাও বিশ্বপরিসরে প্রমাণ করিয়ে ছাড়বো! ফলে প্রতিবেশী ভারতের রোষানলে পড়ে তার সরকারের পক্ষে ক্ষমতায় টিকে থাকাই অসম্ভব হয়ে দাড়াবে!
দেশে ফেরার আগে খালেদা জিয়া তার হোটেলে এক প্রাতঃরাশে নিমন্ত্রণ করেছিলেন বন্ধুদের। তার সেই নিমন্ত্রণে সাড়া দেননি কেউই। মনোকষ্ট আর হতাশাগ্রস্ত হয়ে ফিরে আসতে হয়েছিল খালেদা জিয়াকে। খবরটা জিমই আমাকে ফোন করে জানিয়েছিলো। নিয়তির পরিহাস!
ফিরে যাই ১৯৯৬- এর নির্বাচনের পূর্বে নাইরোবিতে থাকাকালিন অবস্থায় আমার চাকুরি জীবনে আর একবার যবনিকাপাত কি করে ঘটেছিলো সেই পর্বে। ১৯৯৩ সালে চাচা, খালাম্মাকে সাথে নিয়ে যুগলে ফরজ হজ্ব করে নাইরোবিতে ফেরার পর অপ্রত্যাশিতভাবে ঘটে এক দুর্ঘটনা! একদিন প্রত্যুষে ফজরের আযানের পর অজু করার জন্য বিছানা থেকে উঠতে গিয়ে নিম্মির স্লিপডিস্ক হওয়ায় ও চিৎকার করে মাটিতে পড়ে যায়। পড়ে যাবার পর নিম্মি একদম নড়াচড়া করতে পারছিলো না, শুধু যন্ত্রণায় কাতরাচ্ছিলো। জরুরী ভিত্তিতে এ্যাম্বুলেন্স আনিয়ে তাকে নাইরোবি হাসপাতালে নিয়ে গেলাম। পরীক্ষা-নিরীক্ষার পর ডাক্তাররা জানালেন, লোয়ার লাম্বারে একটা ডিস্ক কলাপ্স করেছে বাজে ভাবে ডিজেনারেটেড অবস্থায়। হতবাক হয়ে গেলাম। নিম্মি বরাবর তার খাদ্যাভ্যাস এবং শরীরচর্চার বিষয় খুবই সচেতন!
Within a week it was decided to go to Dhaka. After reaching Dhaka we camped at Minu Fuppu's house again. But as forced by Shapan and Rosy we had to spend first two three days at their house. Qamrul Haq Shapan Bir Bikram, my only younger brother. The age difference is three to four years. He is a well known freedom fighter and established businessman. In sixties after completing his studies at Faujdar Hat Cadet college he left for the American University in Beirut on scholarship. After graduating from there he went to Germany for higher studies. After getting the degree from there he returned back to the country and set up his own business at the same time got admitted in the IBA department in the Dhaka University to complete his MBA. But before he could get his degree the liberation war started. Right at the beginning Shapan, Badi, Kazi, Shacho, Jewel, Azad, Badal, Alam, Chullu, Samad, Meoya, Rumi, Fazle, Sathe Ali, Ulfat, Mokhtar, Tayab Ali and a few more other friends went to Tripura and joined the canp at Melaghar under No2 sector to be trained as guerrillas. After the training this band of Guerrillas were inducted into Dhaka for carring out operations against the occupied Pak Army known as the 'Khan Senas'. All of them were my beloved close ones. This dare devil Guerrilla band created horror in the mind of the Khan Senas by executing unpresidented hair raising operations at the capital. Most of the ferocious operations carried out in Dhaka were the actions of this Guerrilla band. A few out of many worth mentioning were operation at the Inter Continental Hotel, Farm Gate operation, Shiddhir Ganj Power Plant operation, Demra operation, Gulberg Power Plant operation, Dhanmandi operation, Jatrabari operation, the daring operation to rescue Gen. Nurul Islam Shishu and Brig. Khaled musharrof's family from the captivity of the Pak army and taking them across the border safely.
The Jawans and the officers of the Pak Army including their higher commands at the headquarters were panicked and fearfully on their toes about the activities of this Guerrilla band. But one night during the war, due to the treachery of Farid, the younger brother of late Ivey Rahman an Awami League leader and wife of late President Zillur Rahman, the Pak Army carried out a Blitz Krieg operation and managed to capture most of the Guerrillas of this Band from various locations in the city including my father, all other male members of the family including the domestic aids. All were taken to the cantonment. Only two could escap alive from that operation. Kazi Kamaluddin and Shapan with a bullet injury at the back. However, those Guerrillas who were out of town that night remained safe and alive. None of the captured Guerrillas could come out from the cantonment alive due to appoling betrayal of the traitor Farid, a Mir Jafar incarnated! Captured Guerrillas were brutally tortured before they had to embress Sahadat. But some how the civilians who were taken into custody were also inhumanly tortured but not killed. Thus, all of them including my father, male family members and the domestic aids could be freed in almost half dead condition after the surrender of the Pakistan armed forces on 16th December 1971.
Most of these Guerrillas came from affluent class and were stars in their university life having bright future in front. But being imbued with the spirit of patriotism and driven by self conscience against the unjust atrocities these golden brave sons of the soil shunned all attractions of worldly life and picked up arms and plunged in the liberation war to free their home land. Has the nation particularly the rulers who claims to be the champion of the spirit of '71 been able to give due respect and recognition to such valliant selfless freedom fighters? No one writes about their tales of heroism. No seminor or simposiam is arranged to praise their supreme sacrifices. They had perished unsung and neglected. A few who are still alive are leading a deplorable life. Some are even begging for their bare existence. On the contrary one can see two families headed by two ladies being at logger heads shamelessly scratching each other's face or pulling their hairs riding on the shoulders of the innocent people just to establish the claim that Bangladesh is their ancestral property. There is no darth of seminar, simposiam, procession, public meeting, motor show headed by them. Off and on these are organized. Similarly, disghusting rat race is on for the most corrupt, characterless, scoundrel siblings of those two families to be established as the hair apperent crown prince of Bangladesh. Really, this is a strange country indeed!
Don't we have brave young men and women in the present generation to dispel this saying? Can it be expected in future generations? The nation who can not give or does not know how to give due recognition to the brave patriots, they can never claim to stand heads high with self respect. If this lesson of the history is not taken then the existence of an independent prospective Bangladesh will be vanquished. As a result, there would be no future of 18 Crores of Muslims population of Bangladesh.
How this nefarious design had begun to know that those who are interested might read my published book 'Kichu Kotha Kichu Betha'. If the book can't be procured from the market then this could be read or down loaded from the web site www.majordalimbubangla.com. I with due respect had written the heroic tales of a few of my fellow unsung freedom fighters. They were not given their due recognition or any gallantry award inspite of my best efforts as the Advisor to the Sector Commanders or a Commander of the Mukti Fauj. With unbearable pain I had pened down the factual accounts of selfless dedication of those heroic fellow freedom fighters in the book 'Kichu Kotha Kichu Betha'. Like those thousands of heroic tales of the freedom fighters had been suppressed in a planed way to marginalize the contribution of the freedom fighters in the eyes of the people at home and abroad for the sake of Indian interest in particular. In '71 regardless of class difference what was the spirit of the greater majority of genuine, selfless and patriotic freedom fighters what was their mind set and aspiration. To have a better understanding in this regard for the present and future generations I shall mention below about two freedom fighters.
Before my return for Germany after treatment Shapan and Kazi came back to the country after successfuly passing out from the IMA Dehradoon, but both refused to join the army. Shapan got engaged to reestablish his business at the same time concentrated to complete his MBA. Kazi became a member of the national bascket ball team of Pakistan while he was a university student. After complision of his studies Pakistan government sent him to Germany to be trained as a proffessional coach. On return he joined the sports federation of the than East Pakistan as an official. After liberation he decided to join Bangladesh sports federation as an official and alongside he started his own business. Gen. safiullah, Gen. Zia, Gen. Nurul Islam Shishu and Brig. Khaled Musharrof tried their utmost convincing them to join the army. But both remained steadfast to their decisions agaist their counselling. Their logical reply was that they had decided to join IMA as Cadets considering that the liberation war might get prolonged should it be allowed to continue its natural course and in that case the higher training at the IMA would become usefull. But while they were undergoing training the liberation war was not allowed to follow its natural course but hijacked by India and declaring war against Pakistan could easily achieve victory over the blood and weat pof the freedom fighters of the Mukti Fauj projecting to the people of earstwhile East Pakistan and the outside world that the independent state of Bangladesh is a gift of their victory over Pakistan.
Such a premature independence through a cesarean operation might turn into defenceless enslavement in near future. In that case what would be the role of professional officers like you all that is not known. We had joined the war to fight our own war ourselves to liberate the country with out any expectation to become careerist officers. Should it be necessary any juncture in our life time to start another liberation war for protecting insecured independence then we shall again pick up arms being freedom fighters.
such spirit and mind set reflected the charished dream of hundreds and thousands of nationalist patriotic freedom fighters and majority of the people. this charished dream has not been materialised till this date even after more than four decades due to the brtrayal, misrule, corruption and boot licking of their foreign masters of rulers men and women alike. The younger generation must also ponder who is responsible how much for this failure. the liberation war of '71 could inspire the generation of that time with true spirit of nationalism. As they had broken all class barriers and merged with the commoners and fought united as one their, patriotism, conciousness about poluted political and social culture had sharpend. They all became more matured than their age. Therefore, they took resolute stand as an organized force on behalf of the greater majority of the down trodden people who had been unjustly persicuted, neglected, opressed and denied their just socio-economic and human rights for ages. Emergence of such an indominatible force was seen as a nightmare by the decadent tarmited vested interested quarters and as a result, they became targets of the killing sprees. State terrorism and 'LAL GHORA'(Different Bahinies of party hoodlums and killing squards) were unleashed against them by none other than Sheikh Mujibur Rahman himself to start with followed by the others. It was again he who had boastfully introduced judicial killing in custody in newly independent Bangladesh. Though such atrocious brutality managed to suppress that spirit temporarily but ultimately all evil forces have to concede defeat to such a unified streanth which grows out of a bloody war based on the interest of the country and its people, this is the lesson of the history. Only such a united force imbued with the spirit of nationalism and interest of the vast majority can be the impregnable shield to ensure the existence of the country and the nation.
The day I reached Dhaka, I received the messege that the Prime Minister desires to meet me at her residence at 9PM next day. Accordingly I reached at the appointed time. I was taken to the sitting room by the same fellow Mr. Falu with his teeths out. little kater Bhabi moved in scewing Paan masallah. I realised she was waiting anxiously. As I stood up and conveyed my Salam she indicated a sofa to sit and sat beside me.
How was your trip to America?
With out saying anything I took out three sealed envelops and handed over to her requesting to go through them.
The right answer to this is not known to me as well. I replied.
More I try to understand you more I get surprised. How can you get such difficult tasks so easily?
I only try sincerely, The result is given by Allah Subhanwatala.
You said it right, now tell me what should I do?
We have a friend named Jim Corman. He had been elected uncontested as a Congressman from his constituency over three decades and held many important and responsibble offices. He is adored by all in the corridors of power as an experienced and influential person. He would be working as the linkman between you and other friends regarding all matters. He would also be your main advisor regarding your visit and how to develop your personal relationship with the invisible pillars at the corridors of power and finding solutions to any other complexities that might arise. I shall get him introduced initially to you once you decide to invite him.
In that case, I should send him the invitation letter on my behalf at soon as possible so that he can visit at his earliest convinience. What do you say?
Rightly so, but I thing it would be better not to have the first meeting in Dhaka but to a 3ed country. Afterwards as an old aquentence if you as the Prime Minister or personally call him whenever you desire that would be a normal affair and no one would view that suspeciously.
Your reason is well understood. But at the moment I do not have any other schedule to have a foreign trip other than participating in the Commonwealth Summit in Zimbabwe beside visiting Beijing.
In that case you can do one thing. You may consider to tell the Foreign Minister to include me as a member of the deligation in that Summit. Before that you have to arrange to send me the invitation letter for Jim secretly. I shall send that to Jim and request him to come over to Harare in time. In Harare during the Summit I shall arrange a secret meeting for you to meet Jim. While talking I had to take some home made cakes(Pithas) along with tea at Bhabi's request.
Okay, I shall be doing everything as you have suggested. Now I would like to seek your openion on two issues.
Since I have formed the government Awami League and Jatiyo Party of Ershad have raised the demand to change the form of government from the Presidential to the West Minister style parliamentary government. On the other hand Jamyat is going to raise their demand to hold future national elections under a 'care taker government'. I am hearing that they are going to launch their movements simultaniously on these two issues within and outside the parliament very soon. What is your considered openion on these two issues?
In this regard, it should be you all who have to deliiberate diligently and take decisions. However, to me both these two issues look to be sinister moves having far fetched implications so that Bangladesh can ever have a stable government to function smoothly. This of course can be debatable. I shall not go into any detailed discusson but only humbly submit the Presidential government was introduced in Bangladesh for the first time by no other person but late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who's words were laws. Even then why was he compelled to introduce the Presidential form of government? And after taking over the state power why late President gen. Zia and fallen dictator Gen. Ershad continued to rule the country with the Presidential form of government? Before taking any decision on this issue these two questions need to be pondered seriously. The reasons why all these three rulers had decided to retain this system should be looked into thoroughly.
There is no example of holding national elections under a care taker government anywhere in the world. In view of this an underdeveloped country like Bangladesh where more than two third people still lives below poverty line, in a country where all the governments who had come and gone uptill now had failed to meet the bare minimum requirements for the existence of its people such kind of experiment is nothing but a luxury that can't be considered as the priority. Your priority should be the demands of the people rather than the demand of Jamayet which has got only 17 seats. Besides, in your election manifesto none of these two issues were included so you have no obligation to the people about these issues. In view of this, why you or your government should take the responsibility to oblige both Janayet and Awami League? You should explicitely explain to the people in this regard.
Many are saying that I shall not be able to defeat Hasina in the Presidential election.
I shall beg to differ with this speculation. Your party organizationally is weaker than Awami League even then you have won. Is it due to your party's organizational streanth? Not at all. The people have voted you to victory as the wife of martyered President Gen. Ziaur Rahman and as a good Muslim, anti fascist and anti Indian non compromising leader. Your candidates have not got votes for their abilities, the votes have been casted to your party symbol 'Pedy sheaf'(Dhaner Shish). Against this reality, those who are trying to say that you would be defeated against Hasina because her personal popularity is more than yours is irrational.
Regrettably I must say that those who are saying so, their sole aim is to curtail your power. Immediately after the results of the elections were declared Hasina claimed in a press conference that there was discreet rigging in the elections. Simulteniously, she had also vouched that this government would not be allowed to remain in peace for a moment. In that context, should you decide to weaken yourself stepping into their trap and compromise to make a way for Hasina then that's a different matter. I must also be candid many who are around are not sicerely loyal to you. They are self seeking oppurtunist doves who move with the pull of the strings of their foreign masters attached at their back. All their allegiances center around perpetuating their self interests. Do not forget, inability to identify friends and fows was one of the main reason for the premature sad demise of President Gen. Zia.
Bhai, I shall once again requesting you to stand beside me as the Senior Minister.
Bhabi having due respect to your sincerity being embarassed I must say again it is not practically possible any longer for me or any one of us to join BNP and do politics. Rather please try to keep up your promise that you had made yourself before the elections that if you win the elections and form the government then you will redress all the injustice that had been done to us so long and shall rehabilitate us in the society by bringing us back to the country. That would be more beneficial for both sides. Having said so I begged leave and came back home.
From todays conversation one thing became clear. Hasina's outrageous uuterances at the press conference were not just a threat, the conspiracy to destabilize Khaleda Zia's government has already started with the connivance of the Chanaykas and RAW.
India will never want that Bangladesh gets out from its radder and dares to persuse an independent foreign policy. Bangladesh unfortunately is surounded from three sides by India. This being the ground reality it can only move forward to progress and prosperity adopting a foreign policy centering around PRC at the same time attempts should be made to develop cordial relation with America and other Europian powers along with the member copuntries of the OIC on the basis of equality and mutual interest beside countries of the 3ed world. However, Bangladesh have to be carefull not to persue any policy with any other country which might create any misunderstanding in its bilateral relation with PRC. With out a clear perception in this regard it would not be possible to move forward in any front as an self reliant independent country. The country with enormous prospect will plunge into dark dungeon with the passage of time as a non viable failed state. Therefore, from the very on set utmost secrecy should be maintained. Because, before any bilateral relation is established on firm basis if it is divulged then any such initiative taken would be easily nipped in the bud by neiboring India which maintains powerful lobby all around the Globe spending millions of Dollars. i returned to Nairobi. from there I informed everything in details about my talks with the Prime Minister to Ganga Bhai and Jim. I also expalined why we have decided to have the introductory meeting at Harare. There after time was passing in anxity and uncertainity. At that jucture one day I received an unexpected call from the Foreign Minister. He complained that I had visited Dhaka and gone back with out meeting him.
I got alermed at his such taunting remark! Has Bhabi revealed all about the plan trusting him? If she has done so then by now everything has been reached the South Block for sure and as a result all our efforts are bound to go down the drain. Not only that, if this golden opportunity is lost then the country and the nation will suffer the most. What Khaleda Zia will be losing personally that is not of any primary concern.
After that call the wind started blowing from other way round! I saw doves like Moudud and others who had joined hands with Gen. Ershad stepping on the blood of Gen. Zia had got easily entrenched themselves again in BNP under the petycoat of Khaleda Zia with the patronization of party stalwarts like Badruddoza Choudhury and Col. Mustafizur Rahman. Through Brig. Hannan Shah Mr. Kader Siddiqi of Kaderia Bahini, who was convicted and awarded death sentence for treason during late President Gen. Ziaur Rahman's tenure along with killers like Avi and Niru were brought back from India to be rehabilitated in the national politics after Presidential pardon. That wasn't all. Khalrda's government also awarded with a declaration of publishing a daily news paper and adequate fund was arranged from a bank for him to buy a sate of art press from abroad. On the other hand after installing Proff. Golam Azam as the Amir of the party Jamayet being a major ally started mounting pressure on Khaleda Zia to restore his nationality. Khaleda Zia tried to make Jamayet understand that it would be more appropriate to restore his nationality through court instead of an executive order. This was not accepted by Jamayet. They thought Khaleda Zia after winning the elections was trying to by pass the issue. Thus, tug of war had started between BNP and Jamayet.
Taking advantage of this rift to enhance the distance between Jamayet and BNP at the dictate of the Chanayakas with Hasina's all out support and assistance from no where under the leadership of Jahanara Imam a platform called 'Ghatak dalal Nirmul Commitee' sprouted. Co-Convenor was Col. Kazi Nuruzzaman Bir Uttam one of the sector commander during the liberation war. But both were just the figure heads. The main players behind the scene were Shahriar Kabir, C.R. Dutt, the organizer of 'Hindu, Buddist, Christian Parisad', Col. Osman, Col. Sawkat Ali, Muntasir Mamun, Hasan Imam, writer Shawkat Osman, Shamsur Rahman, Nilima Ibrahim, Kamal Lohani, Nasiruddin Bacchu, M.R.Akhtar Mukul, Sufiya Kamal, A.B.M.Musa, Asaduzzaman Nur, Kabir Choudhury, Gaffar Choudhury, Tuhin Afroz, Nirmulendu Gun, Barrister Amirul Islam etc. The establish a people's court at the Surahwardy Uddan and carried out a mockery of trial and after awarding death sentence burned the effigy of Proff. Golam Azam in public with fun fair. After this drama, the alliance between BNP and Jamayet had broken down. Considering that to be the most appropriate opportunity Awami League allured Jamayet with a bait and Jamayet swallowed that bait. A classic manifestation of opportunism! After a few rounds of sevret parlays between the top leadership of Awami League including Sheikh Hasina and Jamayet it was decided that Awami League on the issue of parliamentary form of government and Jamayet on the issue of care taker government will launch vigorous movement together unitedly within parliament and outside on the street to pull down Khaleda's government. Gen. Ershad's Jatiyo Party would be their ally.
Such understanding is nothing but ugly face of the politics with out any morality, values and iseology. After such a match making suddenly the wind from the sail of 'Gha Da Nirmul Commitee' depleted. Both Jahanara Imam and Col. Nuruzzaman realized that they have just been used by Hasina and her Awami League for political gains. With a heavy heart Jahanara Imam went away in self exile to USA and died there out of Cancer. Col. Nuruzzaman after realising his mistake retired from active politics for good.
The events that followed were even more disappointing. Being embolden with Indian support Col. Mustafizur Rahman cautioned Khaleda Zia and made her convinced that her association with the leaders of Sena Parisad particularly me might turnout to be a nightmare for her. At an opportune moment I shall black mail her to own up 15th August and shall prove to the world that Gen. Zia was involved with the revolutionary uprising of 15th August which brought the political change in Bangladesh. As a result, due to the outrage of neighboring India it might become difficult for her government to stay in power. Some like minded bureaucrats, intellectuals, journalists and senior party leaders reminded Khaleda Zia that Shaheed Gen. Zia had started his politics after categorically denying in public that he had any kind of associassion with the historic revolutionary uprisings of 15th August and 7th November. There on, as dictated by Gen. Zia BNP's position as a party had been that he succeeded to be at the center of power due to his personal popularity within the armed forces and the people. This is how without taking any responsibility for 'Mujib's killing' he moved ahead on the basis of his 19 point political programe and had been successful in building his image as a popular leader. He also had also succeeded to compromise with big neighbor India stating in no uncertain terms that he had nothing to do with 'Mujib's killing' whats so ever at any stage. To prove his submission he commited to the Indian government to bring back Sheikh Hasina from exile in India for rehabilitating her in the national politics assuring all kind of help and assistance for the sake of doing politics of co-existance. In view of this, any kind of relation that khaleda Zia maintains with us would prove to be perilous to the politics that had been initiated by her husband Gen. Zia. Not only that now if she decides to bring any change in the political equations and foreign relations persued by her husband then her government would become non functional. Even her life could be threatened due to the rage of India. Against this backdrop, considering all aspects from now it would not be logical for her to maintain any relation with the Sena Parisad, August revolution or it's leaders.
These paid lackies of India however, very tactfully avoided the most pertinant and important issues.
After compromising with India just to prove that he was not associated with the revolutionary uprising of 15th August he allowed Sheikh Hasina to return to Bangladesh with unusual state protocol when Awami League was getting fragmented in four pieces due to internal power struggle but on the 13th day after her return Gen. Zia had to pay a heavy price. He was slained in a conspiratorial abortive coup attempt hatched up by RAW. There is an age old saying, 'As you sow so you reap'. The imposters did not even told her that India right after independence has been harboring the dream to be a world power. The pre condition to materialize this cherished dream India must establish itself as the pre dominating power in the sub-continent. The wizards at the South Block ever since are trying relentlessly to regain their 'Bharat Mata' following the 'Nehru Doctrain'. As long as the artificially "Indian Union' a quire creation of the colonial British Empire exsists the ruling elites of India will not change an iota from its sinister endeavor no matter how much consession the neighboring countries make. Annexation of Kashmir, Hyedrabad, Goya, Daman, Deu and Sikkim with armed aggretion and attempts to subdue all the secessionist movements in different states bringing them under the center with emergency and brute force are glaring examples of that. Therefore, rationally it can be said so long this artificially created 'Indian Union' forcefully created by the aggresive outside invading British colonialist power for maximizing their interests snatching away the homelands of distinctly different ethnic nations will not disintrigate in the historic perspective there can't be any durable stability in this region of South Asian Sub continent. As a result the plight of more than one fourth of mankind shall never improve as the stability is pre requisite for any socio-economic progress. India was never one country. That is why different nations initiated and are continuing with their struggle for regaining their lost separate self identity and independence till this date soon after Hindustan came into existence as an independent country and British had left. Such movements within India is gaining streanth with every passing day and spreading fast in different regions within India inspite of military intervention by bringing them under the central government's rule, severe persecution, repression and brutal oppression.
Sacrificing blood of any nation for freedom never goes in vain. The independence struggle may be prolongated, the freedom fighters can be martyred but the spirit for freedom can never be defeated. Bangladesh and Vietnam are two most burning examples in the contemporary history. 'Man is born free and wants to live with freedom'. This natural phenomenon is being abided by the indomitable rising world power historically rest of the world powers shall have to accept this reality sooner or later for their own interests and world peace and stability. Any arrogance to deny this devine phenomenon will destroy the present civilization like many in the past.
Due to political immaturity, short sighted power centric wrong decision of Khaleda Zia, Jim's invitation and intimation of my inclusion in the list of deligates were not received. As a result, the rare opportunity for persuing an independent balancing foreign policy to counter undue Indian pressure to consolidate our independence and to move ahead for a brighter future got lost.
Jim, all our sincere efforts had gone in vein.
It had been good, as at the very beginning we have been able to see through the real character and competence of Khaleda. So, why are you upset? Khaleda or Hasina are not immortals, both will get lost from the scene one day but Bangladesh will stay. Now, I must tell you something for your consumption, The character traits, foresight and prudence are basically responsible for any country and nation's progress or backwardness.
Later I learned that the Foreign Minister through one of his nephew living in USA got introduced to one Mr. Kanju, a wealthy businessman and top RAW operative. He managed an invitation for khaleda Zia to participate in the Presidential annual 'Mass brakefast prayer' spending millions of Dollars. On this occation about 100 heads of state or government and lumineries from around the world are invited. After the Mass followed by brakefast and a photo session the ceremony finishes. According to the prevailing practice none of the invisible powerful individuals participate in that ceremonious get togather. During this visit she was received at the airport by a deputy assistant under secretary of state of the state department. Bangladesh Embassy had published the news of her visit in Washington Post spending a heafty amount. Before leaving Khaleda Zia arranged a brakefast meeting at her hotel where she invited some of the friends but none had obliged her. Khaleda felt despondant and humiliated. Jim had called and apprised me about all these. What an irony! Being influenced by the conspiracy of the Indian lackies Khaleda Zia, the so called champion of the nationalist cause and religious values could not utilize the rare opportunity to streanthen by lateral relations with United States of America that was offered to her.
After the fiasco I was continuing with ny duties as the High Commissioner. As the Doyan of the diplomatic corps I had to remain occupied with some other obligations other than normal routine. At the same time I was watching the political drama of compromise back at home.
New issues were being added every passing day in the coordinated movement of Awami League, Jamayet and Jatiyo Party against Khaleda Zia's government as planned. At the same time from the infamos 'Hawa Bhaban' Tareq Zia's and his close cronie's over bearing high handedness, wanton corruption, unwarrented interfearence in the decisions of the government and party, internal fudes nearly cornered Khaleda Zia helplessly. At that juncture suddenly appointing Tareq Zia the senior vice Chairman of the party over the heads of many senior party leaders Khaleda Zia added fuel to fire. The internal feud within the party intensified. The senior leaders were unhappy with this decision to introduce plutocracy within the party and virtually lost interest and had became inactive. This also had an adverse reflection among the party caders and activists. As the tested and sacrificing members were not duely recognized they also became despondant. On the otherhand Tareq Zia's maneuvering from 'Hawa Bhaban' almost made the whole government mechinary ineffective. The entire bureaucracy and state institutions were in shamble. In such a dismal situation Khaleda Zia gave in to the demand of Awami League. She changed the form of government from the Presidential to Parliamentary form. After scoring this victory as she refused to accept the demand to hold the national elections under a care taker government the untied movement of the opposition parties under the leadership of Awami League and Jamayet combine intensified almost to the point of no return. In such a precarious situation the enemies within also started flexing their muscles. Particularly, her able and powerfull son Tareq Zia and his cohorts, Koko, Sayed Iskandar, Chocolet Apa and the boot lickers at the 'Hawa Bhaban' threw away the mith of Zia's 'Torne vest and broken suitcase' to the dustbin and got involved in ramphant corruptions. Due to mega corruption the Zia family became fabulously rich over night. Khaleda Zia like an Ostrich dipped her head into the sand deun and remained tight lipped pretending as if she could not see anything untowards that were happening.
Though aging compared to that her fancy about French Shiffon Sarees, expensive Jewelleries and Wigs was getting more and more intense. Her popularity was also waning due to failures of fulfilling her election pledges. More the government of Khaleda Zia was getting weaker Awami Jote was mounting more pressure within the parliament and outside on the street. This is how her tenure was finishing and she announced elections under her government like dictator Gen. Ershad. The election was boycotted by Awami League, Jamayet and jatiyo Party so, the elections turned into a furse. After such thoughtless decision Khaleda's position became even more precarious and weak. So, having no other alternative she conceded to the demand of Jamayet as well and introduced the system of holding national elections under a 'care taker government' through constitutional amendments and stepped down dissolving the parliament after handing over power to her party's nominated President Abdur Rahman Biswas. The President nominated a care taker government. Awami League, Jamayet and Jatiyo party were not happy with that.
Therefore, Hasina and her mentor RAW attempted to stage a Coup De'tat against President Biswas through Gen. Nasim, Chief of Army Staff nominated by Khaleda Zia's brother Maj.(R)Sayed Iskandar. Being sanguined that the Coup against the weaker government of President Abdur Rahman Biswas would be successful Hasina openly supported Gen. Nasim's initiative exactly in the same manner she had supported Gen. Ershad when he forced the ailing elected President Sattar to hand over the power to him at the gun point. But in the face of stiff resistence organized by a few brave nationalist senior commanders Gen. Nasim's Coup attempt was foiled. Among those Gen. Imamuzzaman, Gen. Matin, Gen. Bhuiya and Gen. Mahbub's names are worth mentioning. Thereafter, under a neutral person an acceptable care taker government to all the major parties was formed and the elections of 1996 was held. In that election no party could manage to get single majority required to form the government. At that juncture Khaleda Zia shamefully begged support from the despotic dictator Gen. Ershad leaving aside all their ideals and knowing that Gen. Ershad as a RAW agent had a hand in Gen. Zia's brutal killing along with Gen. Manjur and 18 other senior freedom fighter officers just for the lust of power but failed. On the other hand Sheikh hasina had the last laugh at this measurable plight of Khalrfa Zia and formed the government she being the Prime Minister with the support of Gen. Ershad's Jatiyo Party and Proff. Golam Azam's Jamayet e Islami.
In this elections khaleda Zia's party got 116 seats and after failing to get support from JP and Jamayet e Islami she sat in the parliament as the leader of the opposition. Jamayet's number of seats came down from 17 to 3. However, due to the favor of Sheikh Hasina's government Proff. Golam Azam could het back his citizenship. Gen. Ershad could also managed to come out from the Jail. The ring leader of the abortive Coup Gen. Nasim and his cohorts were all exonerated from all the punishments they were awarded the Court Martial trial by Hasina's government including their dismissal orders so that they could enjoy all retirement benefits.
Let us now go back to the saga of my retirement from the service once again at Nairobi before the elections of 1996.
I and Nimmi had performed our Hajj along with Khalamma and Chacha in 1993. On return to Nairobi we faced a severe calamity. One morning after hearing the Azan for Fajar nimmi was leaving the bed for the attached wash room for her Ojuh. As she stepped down she fell on the floor with a scream. I immediately woke up and found her on the floor quivering in excuisite pain and totally unmovable! Somehow, I lifted her back to the bed and had called for the ambulance. She was carefully moved to the hospital. It was suspected to be a case of slip disk. After all kind of tests and MRI the specialist had opined that one of her disk on the lower lumber had been badly degenerated and collapsed. We were stunt! Nimmi had been allthrough very health conscious. She had been doing her daily work out regularly and was very carefull about her diet. Therefore, it was unbelievable that such a thing could happen to her! She was completely bed ridden and her neck, hands and feets were under traction for long one and half month. After one and half month she could walk little distance with the support of a walking stick with much difficulties and agonizing pain. She forced us to bring her back home in that condition. The treatment continued. The Orthopedic and Neuron surgeons along with the Physiotherapists started coming to the residence as scheduled. Knowing about her accident all the near reletives rushed to Nairobi.
Shapan and Keya had been suffering from similar kind of back problem and were nearly getting crippled. taking the advice from one of Shapan's friend both had gone to Singapore to consult with a famous Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. freddy Chu. He after inspectimg them clearly said that chances of success of any spinal surgery is fifty fifty so, he would not recommend that but instead he would prefer to treat them with traditional Chinese method if they like. As they agreed, both were treated by him and recovered fully over a period of time. As they insisted I took Nimmi to Dr. fredy Chu. Shapan had made all the arrangements. After examining her he said her case was much more complicated than Shapan and Keya so, she would be required to come to Singapore for two weeks after every three months. She would be treated by him and an experienced Chinese Physiotherapist during those two weeks. This is how the first one year will go. Thereafter, schedule could be changed depending on her progress. The treatment started. With the time she had been progressing much faster than it was expected due to the treatment and kind mercy of Allah Subhan Wa Tala, the most gracious and most mercifull. By the end of first year Nimmi recovered a lot. Watching her recovery Dr. Fredy Chu decided in the second year she would be visiting twice after every six months instead of every three months. During the first half of the second year Nimmi was almost normal. She was doing her workout as prescribed, walking regularly and following her diet chart religiously. But she was advised to carry the walking stick as a handy tool to protect herself from any mishap.
Revoval from the service is nothing new in your chequred carrier. You also remained alive even after five fetal attempts on your life. Through all these calamities the Great Creator and our Sustainer had been kind to show you the right path to move ahead in the past likewise in future also His blessings would be on you to find the right path through which He would achieve whatever He desires to obtain out of you. This is my firm conviction. You must not be sad but face everything like a brave freedom fighter. Rabbul Alamin is all knowing and watching everything. The way you have completely surrendered to Him with firm faith and shunning all worldly attractions selflessly taken a solemn vow to dedicate yourself for the cause of the humanity and Muslim Ummah just for earning his pleasure and moving forward crossing many arduous ups and downs basing on His mercy, I have no doubt in my mind that you would be certainly rewarded by Him here in this word and here after. He would also do justice to all wrong doings and unjust acts.
This Rabbani Khan is a strangely unique person! He is a piece of Diamond more precious than the Kohinoor. His spiritual vision is more than an ocean. Though in the worldly life his attenments and credentials are envious but at heart he is a Fakir in true sense and meaning of the word. Alongside rendering all his worldly responsibilities with a unflinching faith he with utmost sincerity he is doing everything that is needed to be closer to his Allah, the All Mighty Creator and the Sustainer behind everybody's eyes. His depth of imagination and thought process had ober helmned me from the very beginning I had become closer. Though he is a mortal like any one of us but at times he appeared to be someone from other worlds!


SuperFogeys - Get Your SuperFogeys Posters and Sketches From Marc at NYCC!
See that one of the left? Purchase it and you'll get a free sketch in that white space. How cool is that?
I wish I could meet Marc in real life. I'd give him a high five and then quickly steal his artistic ability and make a run for it.


Looking for something different and completely unique? This is it! So pretty and overall a sweet look for any event. Gorgeous lace embroidery and beautiful beading that works for all ages. The high-low skirt design commands attention with all of the pleated tulle layers throughout. The back of the dress has a super cool keyhole design that finishes the dress perfectly. This is a wonderful dress that is sure to turn heads and have people wondering where you purchased it. The dress is fully lined and the skirt has additional netting underneath for a fuller look. This item is made by a designer label that creates high-quality and reasonably priced styles perfect for casual, formal, and special occasions. Length - Tea Length (NOTE dress may fall at different lengths based upon each child's body proportions).


text:
LV Now LV NOW Current section
COLLECTION OF FONDATION LOUIS VUITTON: SELECTED WORKS
Upcoming exhibition - From 19 June to 29 September 2019
The Fondation Louis Vuitton presents for the first time a significant selection of works from its Collection at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow: sixty pieces, by over twenty french and international artists, produced between 1947 and 2018.
This "Hors les murs" presentation represents the Fondation's commitment to modern and contemporary art. The curaturial choices for the exhibition have taken into account the specificities of the Pushkin State Museum and features a variety of monographic series and powerful works, from different media.
Two spaces are dedicated to the Fondation's achitecture by Frank Gehry. Models, drawings, videos and panoramic photos are displayed, allowing the Russian public to picture the Fondation as an achitectural entity, as well as in its Parisian environment, at the heart of the Bois de Boulogne.
Collection of Fondation Louis Vuitton: Selected Works is presented in conjunction with another exhibition devoted to the Shchukin Collection. These two prominent collections will help visitors trace the similarities and differences in the collectors' approaches and the evolution of contemporary art collecting from the early 20th to the early 21st centuries.
Isa Genzken, Zwei Bügelbretter,2008
© Adagp Paris 2019
Wolfang Tillmans
© Wolfang Tillmans
Gerhard Richter, Möhre, 1984
Gerhard Richter, Lilak [Lilas], 1982
© Gerhard Richter
Bertrand Lavier, Empress of India II, 2005
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Grillo, 1984
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Negro Period 1986
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Napoleonic Stereotypes Circa 44, 1983
© The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat/ Adagp, Paris 2019
Henri Matisse, La Danse, 1910 © Succession H. Matisse
Vincent Van Gogh "Portrait of Dr Rey"
Paul Gauguin, "Te Arii Vahini (The Queen, The King's Wife)"
Paul Gauguin, "Aha Oe Feii? (What, Are You Jealous?)"
Fondation Louis Vuitton Exhibition Hors les murs
COMING OF AGE EXHIBITION BY VIRGIL ABLOH
LOUIS VUITTON X EXHIBITION: OPENING
LOUIS VUITTON POP-UP BOOKSHOP IN ARLES, FRANCE
Be the first to learn about LV collections, cultural activities and store happenings.
Keep up with the latest news from Louis Vuitton on the official social media pages

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


From eastern oak woodlands to western pine forests , Nebraska is home to more than 400 species of birds, including more than 200 breeding species. Situated between wintering areas to the south and wintering areas to the north, Nebraska is a critically important stopover and staging area, primarily during spring migration, for millions of waterfowl, hundreds of thousands of shorebirds and half a million Sandhill Cranes. Nebraska also provides important habitat for the six threatened or endangered species listed below.
Once rare and at-risk, bald eagles now nest throughout the state and also concentrate at key sites during winter. Find out more information about bald eagles status in Nebraska and when and where to watch bald eagles.
Whooping cranes are one of the rarest species on the planet. The only remaining self-sustaining population of whooping cranes migrates through Nebraska every spring and fall. If you've spotted a whooping crane, please contact us and if you are interested in viewing whooping cranes, review our tips and protocol.
Nearly half a million sandhill cranes stage in Nebraska's central Platte River valley from mid-February through mid-April each year. Visit our crane viewing page for tips on taking in this natural wonder.
Peregrine falcons are birds of the sky and open spaces. In natural settings, peregrine falcons nest on sheer cliff faces. Since tall building and other human structures resemble cliffs, peregrine falcons have adapted to and now nest on these artificial structures. The species' adaptation to buildings and other structures hastened the species' recovery and has allowed this species to nest in Nebraska. Peregrine falcons are not known to have nested in Nebraska, historically.
These two imperiled species often nest together on river sandbars, sand and gravel mines, lakeshore housing developments and reservoir shorelines. Piping plovers are state and federally listed as threatened, and interior least terns are state and federally listed as endangered. Since these two species often nest in close proximity to humans, their management is as much about people as it is about birds. Learn more through our tern and plover conservation partnership with UNL.
Habitat loss and change is the most pressing challenge confronting many at-risk bird species. Find out more information about how habitat has changed and what we are doing about it.
Birds may be vulnerable to impacts from wind and energy development. Visit the UNL Wind and Wildlife page to find out our role in guiding and informing sensible energy development in Nebraska.
Wild birds, like all wildlife, are susceptible to certain diseases and in some instances these diseases may have implications for people. Avian influenza and West Nile Virus are just two diseases you may have questions about.
The Nebraska Bird Library website is devoted to helping Nebraskans and visitors identify and learn about the more than 400 species of birds that can be found in our state.
Nongame birds are the 400 or so species that are not hunted and include the whooping crane, least tern, piping plover, bald eagle and peregrine falcon, among many other species. Nebraska Game and Parks nongame bird program manager Joel Jorgensen shares bird sightings, birding tips and many other tales of Nebraska's birds on this popular blog.
View the Peregrine falcons nesting atop the Nebraska State Capitol.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has an American Kestrel nest box on the north side of the headquarters building in Lincoln, Neb. Check back soon for a live video feed.
eBird has always specialized in showing bird sightings with state-of-the-art maps. As mapping services have improved, eBird has continually evolved to better serve this information. Our latest revision to the "Range and point maps" allows you to view global maps for any species or subspecies, refine the data to a specific season or date range, and then drill down to the individual sightings that make up the map.
An online bird-watching guide for the State of Nebraska, this site has information on statewide birding locations as well as pre-planned routes for the best birding opportunities.


This Site is operated by Varnish Lane or its affiliated companies. Varnish Lane offers this Site, including all information, tools and services available from this site to you, the user, conditioned upon your acceptance of all terms, conditions, policies and notices stated here.
By visiting our site and/ or purchasing something from us, you engage in our "Service" and agree to be bound by the following Terms, as the same may be amended from time to time, including those additional terms and conditions and policies referenced herein and/or available by hyperlink.
If you open an account to use or access this Site or any of its features or services of the Site, you will also be asked to provide a user name and password. You agree that we may store and use any registration data, including your user name and password that you provide for use in maintaining your account. You are entirely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of your password and account. You may not use the account, username, or password of someone else at any time. You agree to notify Company immediately of any unauthorized use of your account, user name, or password (collectively, a "User ID"). Varnish Lane shall not be liable for any loss that you incur as a result of someone else using your User ID or password, either with or without your knowledge. You may be held liable for any losses incurred by Varnish Lane, its subsidiaries, entities owned, related to or controlled by Varnish Lane, officers, directors, employees, consultants, staff, agents, and representatives due to someone else's use of your account or password. Varnish Lane reserves the right to refuse registration of, or cancel a User ID, in its sole discretion. You may not sell or transfer your User ID, password, account, or otherwise allow any third party to use your account for any purpose.
Use of this Site is conditioned upon your acceptance of the terms and conditions contained herein, as the same may be amended from time to time. You hereby understand and agree that your use of such Site constitutes acceptance of the terms and conditions set forth in this legal notice. Varnish Lane reserves the right to modify the terms and conditions at any time without prior notice. If you do not agree to these terms, you may not use this Site.
By agreeing to these Terms, you represent that you are at least the age of majority in your state or province of residence, or that you are the age of majority in your state or province of residence and you have given us your consent to allow any minors in your care to use this site.
Certain products or services may be available exclusively online through the Site. All products or services may have limited quantities and are subject to return or exchange only according to our Refund/Returns Policy.
We reserve the right, but are not obligated, to limit the sales of our products or services to any person, geographic region or jurisdiction. We reserve the right to refuse any order placed with us and, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household or per order. We may exercise these rights on a case-by-case basis.
Any use of this Site for an illegal or objectionable purpose is strictly prohibited. You agree that you will not use this Site to engage in any activity that could be deemed illegal, harmful to others, or give rise to civil liability. Such activities include, but are not limited to: (i) activities involving the transmission of unlawful, threatening, harassing, obscene, sexually explicit, pornographic, hateful, profane, libelous, or defamatory information; (ii) activities involving the transmission of junk mail or spamming; (iii) activities involving the promotion or use of viruses; (iv) activities that violate any law, regulation or statute; and/or (v) activities that infringe upon any legally protected property right, etc. By using this Site, you agree that any and all information transmitted to or with the use of this Site cannot and shall not be deemed confidential or proprietary. We reserve the right to monitor transmissions and investigate any alleged prohibited use of this Site and to disclose any and all information relating to such prohibited use. Varnish Lane, its officers, directors, affiliates, employees, agents, partners, subsidiaries, and/or contractors shall not assume, and expressly disclaim, any and all liability relating to an individual's illegal or prohibited use of this Site. Any violation of this or any other section contained herein may result in termination of service and or any other action we determine to be appropriate under the circumstances.
This Site may contain typographical errors or technical inaccuracies. Varnish Lane reserves the right to modify the content of this Site at any time without prior notice, including prices for our products (including corrections to erroneous pricing discovered after an order is placed). We reserve the right at any time to modify or discontinue the Service (or any part or content thereof) without notice at any time.
Varnish Lane's failure to enforce any section of these terms and conditions shall not be construed as a waiver of such provision.
This Site contains trademarks, trade names, service marks, copyrights, and/or logos belonging to Varnish Lane. Such marks remain the property of Varnish Lane. You recognize and acknowledge the ownership of these marks and understand that you do not acquire, through use of this Site, any right, title, or interest in the marks. You agree not to change, modify, and/or exploit the marks, nor participate in any activity which modifies and/or exploits such marks. All rights to these marks are reserved. Any use of the marks without expressed written authorization is strictly prohibited.
The Site and its entire contents, features and functionality (including but not limited to all information, software, text, displays, images, video and audio, and the design, selection and arrangement thereof), are owned by the Company, its licensors or other providers of such material and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws.
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to (a) any portion or feature of the Site, (b) any other systems or networks connected to the Site, (c) any Varnish Lane server, or (d) any of the services offered on or through the Site, by hacking, password "mining," or any other illegitimate or prohibited means.
Probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of the Site or any network connected to the Site, nor breach the security or authentication measures on the Site or any network connected to the Site.
Reverse look-up, trace, or seek to trace any information on any other user of or visitor to the Site.
Take any action that imposes an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on the infrastructure of the Site or Varnish Lane's systems or networks or any systems or networks connected to the Site.
Use any device, software, or routine to interfere with the proper working of the Site or any transaction conducted on the Site, or with any other person's use of the Site.
Forge headers, impersonate a person, or otherwise manipulate identifiers in order to disguise your identity or the origin of any message or transmittal you send to Varnish Lane on or through the Site.
Use the Site to harvest or collect e-mail addresses or other contact information in a manner inconsistent with these Terms.
Use the Site in an unlawful manner or in a manner that could damage, disparage, or otherwise negatively impact Varnish Lane.
Share your username and/or password. Varnish Lane's Products and Services are intended for use by you only and may not be delivered to, or filed with, third parties.
If you wish to make any use of material on the Site other than that set out in this section, please address your request to: support@Varnish Laneshop.co.
This Site may contain links to other sites. These links are provided merely to assist the user and these sites are independent of Varnish Lane's site, and we do not and cannot control the content and/or representations of such sites. The information presented via these links may not necessarily reflect beliefs held by Varnish Lane. The inclusion of a link does not mean that we accept or endorse any of the content contained in such site. You are responsible to protect yourself while associating with any linked site. Varnish Lane, and its officers, directors, affiliates, employees, agents, partners, subsidiaries and/or contractors disclaim any and all responsibility or liability for content contained on such linked sites and will not be held accountable for any damages, of any kind, incurred by those who visit such sites.
No waiver of by the Company of any term or condition set forth in these Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or a waiver of any other term or condition, and any failure of the Company to assert a right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A DISTRIBUTED DENIAL-OF-SERVICE ATTACK, VIRUSES OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICALLY HARMFUL MATERIAL THAT MAY INFECT YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, DATA OR OTHER PROPRIETARY MATERIAL DUE TO YOUR USE OF THE SITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE OR TO YOUR DOWNLOADING OF ANY MATERIAL POSTED ON IT, OR ON ANY SITE LINKED TO IT.
YOUR USE OF THE SITE, ITS CONTENT AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE ARE AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE SITE, ITS CONTENT AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY OR AVAILABILITY OF THE SITE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE SITE, ITS CONTENT OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT OUR SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS OR THAT THE SITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.
SUBJECT TO ANY APPLICABLE LAWS WHICH PROHIBIT THE FOLLOWING LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS, THE DISCLAIMERS OF LIABILITY CONTAINED IN THIS "NO WARRANTIES" SECTION APPLY TO ANY DAMAGES OR INJURY CAUSED BY ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, INTERRUPTION, DELETION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUS, COMMUNICATION LINE FAILURE, THEFT OR DESTRUCTION OR UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO, ALTERATION OF, OR USE OF THIS SITE, WHETHER FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORTIOUS BEHAVIOR, NEGLIGENCE, OR UNDER ANY OTHER CAUSE OF ACTION.
THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY WHICH CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. THE TERMS IN THE AGREEMENT RELATING TO DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES, ACCESS AND USE OF VARNISH LANE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AUDIT, LIMITATION OF LIABILITY, INDEMNIFICATION, USER'S RELEASE OF CLAIMS, AND PAYMENT FOR VARNISH LANE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES SHALL SURVIVE ANY TERMINATION OF THE END USER AGREEMENT.
YOU AGREE THAT ANY BREACH BY YOU OF ITS AGREEMENTS WITH VARNISH LANE WOULD CAUSE VARNISH LANE AND THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES IRREPARABLE HARM AND THAT, IN ADDITION TO MONEY DAMAGES, VARNISH LANE AND THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, WITHOUT HAVING TO POST A BOND.
You hereby agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless, Varnish Lane, its officers, directors, affiliates, employees, contractors, subcontractors, agents, partners, and subsidiaries from and against all claims, actions, suits, demands, costs, and damages (including reasonable attorney's fees) asserted by any third party as a result of your use of this Site. Varnish Lane has the right to control any defense pertaining to this section.
These terms and conditions shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, United States of America, without regard to any choice of law principles.
You hereby agree and irrevocably consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of District of Columbia and of the United States of America located in District of Columbia for any and all claims arising from the use of this Site.


very good mate.......ProMods group is doing very good work....i tried to ride in scs map....with PM map is very better.......oh i have a questions?.what about ats? plz answer!.
PM MAP=the most beautiful map and game.
If you can read carefully, the rebuild will take one year to finish Finished parts will be added sequentially and released in "big" updates, like 2.30 was.


What began as the excavation of a simple burial in Trench H has ended with an exceptional display of determination and fine motor skills. In a small cut, supervisor Nat Franklin and her team, Hannah, Sam and Aroa, expected to find the burial of a small child. Instead, an older individual with worn teeth and arthritic wrists, ankles and knees had been squeezed into a small space. Underneath was one of the most striking finds of the season. The burial had been placed in or on a basket or mat which had left a perfect impression beneath the tightly packed older individual. Not only is this the most extensive example of basketry found on site to date, there is also a clear impression of the base revealing the distinctive weave pattern. It appears to be a simple widely deployed weave using leaves and stems, as found in modern palm baskets and Australian dilly bags. It took particular skill and care to excavate and preserve this basketry impression which was only extracted due to the determination of the Trench H team who laboured for two days to consolidate and gently carve it out of the ground in one piece. The beautiful impression is now sitting in the lab undergoing a further conservation in preparation for display at the Konya Museum. Great work and congratulations for a job well done to the Trench H team!
Discussion and planning with Douglas Baird and Andy Fairbairn and Natt Franklin.
Aroa carefully removing the impression from the burial.
Well done to the team in Trench M, Natt, Hannah, Sam and Aroa.


text:
Analysis: Edwards goes on defensive against GOP tax pushback
BATON ROUGE — Battling strong sentiment against his tax package, Gov. John Bel Edwards wants to intensify the heat on his Republican critics about the need for tax reform to stabilize Louisiana's budget. The Democratic governor's message to the GOP is sort of a "put up or shut up" approach.
Whether that shift in tone will pick up votes or change the debate's outcome is questionable, but it could lay the groundwork for what Edwards tells the public if the legislative session ends in June with little accomplished on rewriting Louisiana's tax laws.
Edwards didn't hide frustration in his speech on the session's opening day, suggesting some Republicans were becoming obstructionists who spout political talking points — but offer few solutions of their own.
He urged the House and Senate to avoid Washington partisanship, and he suggested lawmakers who don't like his tax ideas and who talk about shrinking government spending need to wade deeper into that debate.
"Advance your own plan or be willing to endorse specific cuts that will be necessary if you take the cuts-only approach, and then vote for them. I can respect that," Edwards told them. "What I cannot respect is voting no on everything without offering your own proposal."
Republican leaders in the House, where Edwards has faced stronger resistance, were less than pleased with the tone.
"When I hear stuff about Washington-style politics, usually that means somebody is disappointed that somebody does not agree with them 100 percent," said Rep. Lance Harris, of Alexandria, chairman of the House GOP delegation. "We are going to have philosophical disagreements down here."
House Speaker Taylor Barras, a New Iberia Republican, said several GOP House members — such as Reps. Julie Stokes of Kenner and Barry Ivey of Baton Rouge — have long been working on proposals to rewrite Louisiana's tax structure, while others have ideas for redesigning budget practices.
And even as Edwards chastised lawmakers about not having their own plans, the Legislature still didn't have the centerpiece of the governor's tax rewrite package, a proposal to shift more of the state's tax burden to business by charging companies a new tax on their gross receipts.
The bill wasn't yet filed when lawmakers wrapped up their first workweek, and several of them — both Edwards' allies and opponents — complained about the inability to see the details of a measure aimed at raising hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
The Edwards administration said the proposal would be introduced by its legislative sponsor Monday, after tweaks to address concerns about too heavily hitting certain types of businesses.
With no bill to study, legislative opposition appears to be hardening against the gross receipts tax, which Edwards is calling a commercial activity tax, nicknamed CAT.
"I'm getting a feel for what they absolutely don't like and that's primarily CAT at this point," Barras said of House members, including himself.
Edwards wants the tax rewrite to replace $1.3 billion in expiring, temporary taxes in mid-2018 and to bring in more money on top of that for state services. Lawmakers disagree on whether they want to raise more money like Edwards wants, just replace the expiring taxes or don't want to fill the whole gap.
Barras said he's hopeful lawmakers will settle on an approach this session to address the looming financial cliff. He expects lawmakers will make changes to tax break programs and possibly sales taxes, but he's not sure they'll do a widespread rewrite of tax laws.
While Edwards wants to let expire a temporary, 1-percent increase in the state sales tax enacted last year, the House speaker said some portion of that may need to be renewed to keep the budget balanced.
"I think that's not what we discuss first. I think that's probably the fallback after we've debated the other tax options," Barras said.
Edwards has a bleak warning, that if lawmakers don't agree to some sort of plan, "we're going to end up right back here with a needless and costly special session where the options won't be any better than they are now."


Take the stress out of Christmas Day Lunch and let us do all the work!
The Clarion Hotel Mackay Marina will once again be providing our Christmas Day Luncheon in Latitude 21 Restaurant.
Enjoy a Deluxe Seafood Buffet complete with; turkey, ham, pork, cold meats, whole fish, pudding, custard and sweets and all the trimmings.
Children (6-15 years) $59 and Children under 6 FREE.


text:
Q: Is a ova file interchangable between Oracle's VirtualBox and VMware's player? It seems to be easy question but I an new at this. I got a ova from one of my partners. He told me he exported a VM file using Export Appliance in VirtualBox. And my office's laptop is installed with VM player. My guess is that it is the same ova filetype. It supposed to open in both VMs. However, VW play shows this message.

Failed to open virtual machine: Failed to query source for information.

Any thought on this?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Engraver: Asselineau
Vista de la Fuente del Cisne. En el Rl. Sitio de Aranjuez.
F. Brambilla lo pintó. Asselineau lo lithogó
J. de Madrazo lo dirigió. Estda. En el Re. Esto. Litho. De Madrid. [n.d. c.1845.]
Lithograph. Lithographers Stamp. 610 x 451mm. 24 x 17¾". Some water staining.
Los Jardines de Aranjuez: a series of woods and parks beautifully landscapes and ornamented with numerous fountains and statues. This particular fountian, a work of Joaquin Dumandre and inspired by Palacio Real de La Granja de San Ildefonso, presents a boulder on which stand two boys of marble grabbing a swan. Resotred in 2009 having been destroyed and left unattended after the War of Spanish Independence.
Hôtel Byron. Lac de Genève, entre Chillon et Villeneuve (Suisse). Tenu par Gustave Wolff.
Asselineau lith. Imp. Frick f.res, 17, r del'Estrapade, près le Panthéon, Paris.
Tinted lithograph. Sheet 125 x 190mm (5 x 7½"). Trimmed to printed border on three sides and around title at bottom.
A view of Hôtel Byron, between Chillon and Villeneuve on Lake Geneva, which was the largest hotel on the Riviera when it opened in 1841. However only two years later it was up for sale by auction. It reopened in 1849 but closed for renovation soon after. The Wolff brothers took it over in 1861 and by 1870 Gustave was the sole proprietor. He could not make the hotel pay and sold up, and his successor failed also. It then became Chillon College, a school for British colonials, described by the Singaporean newspaper The Straits Times described it as the 'Eton of Switzerland'. The building burned down in 1933.
Vue du Village de Nama. (Vanikoro.)
de Sainson pinx. Asselineau lith. Fig par V. Adam.
J. Tastu Editeur. Lith. de Lemercier. [Paris, n.d. c.1833.]
Lithograph. 330 x 519mm. 13 x 20½".
A view of the village of Nama, Vanikolo, Solomon Islands. French sailors arriving the bay greeted by the locals with gifts and small boats to help them reach the shoreline. Numbered 'Pl.183' upper right; from 'Voyage de la Corvette l'Astrolabe', the account of Jules Dumont D'Urville's important expedition to the South Seas between 1826 and 1829. Publisher's blindstamp below title. After Louis Auguste de Sainson (1801 - 1887).
NLA: 2923270. Ex Norman Blackburn Collection.


text:
Irish premier Leo Varadkar, UK EU agreement last night positive
Leo Varadkar says agreement between UK and EU officials 'does not undermine backstop,' critical issue for Ireland
The agreement reached by U.K. and EU officials Monday night is "positive," according to Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.
Speaking at a press conference in Dublin on Tuesday, Varadkar said he hoped the Brexit deal is approved by the British MPs in a crucial vote set for this evening.
Varadkar said the agreement "does not undermine the backstop."
"I hope and trust that the withdrawal agreement will now be endorsed by the House of Commons," he said.
The Irish premier said the documents published on Monday night were an "unambiguous statement from both parties."
The agreement "does not reopen the withdrawal agreement or undermine the backstop" -- meant to avoid the return of a "hard" border on the island of Ireland -- he added.
Brexit "has been a dark cloud over us for many months," but a positive vote in the U.K. parliament could restore confidence, he said.
"The further agreement yesterday provided additional clarity, reassurance and guarantees sought by some to eliminate doubt or fears, however unreal, that the goal was to trap the U.K. indefinitely in the backstop," Varadkar added.
Last-minute deal
The U.K. and EU have agreed to "legally binding changes" to the EU withdrawal agreement and the political declaration, British Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday night.
"There was a clear concern in parliament over one issue in particular: the Northern Ireland backstop," May told a joint news conference with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker following a meeting in the French city of Strasbourg.
"Having an insurance policy to guarantee that there will never be a hard border in Northern Ireland is absolutely right," as it would honor Britain's "solemn commitments" in the 1998 Belfast Agreement, she said
"But if we ever have to use that insurance policy, it cannot become a permanent arrangement and it is not the template for our future relationship," she added.
Underlining that her deal, which saw a historic defeat in January, had needed legally binding changes, May said: "Today we have secured legal changes."
May's statement came just before a second "meaningful vote" is due Tuesday in the House of Commons.
"Now is the time to come together, to back this improved Brexit deal, and to deliver on the instruction of the British people," she urged members of the House of Commons.
Juncker said he believed "it is high time to complete the withdrawal process in line with the wishes expressed by the government of the U.K. and to move on as swiftly as possible to the negotiation of our future partnership."
He stressed that the U.K. had a second chance for requests for changes to the agreement but there will be no third time.
He urged the British parliament to ratify the deal.
The 'meaningful vote'
Britain's parliament will vote on May's deal today and the political declaration, as well as the three new documents unveiled Monday night.
If parliament passes the deal this time around, the U.K. will leave the EU on March 29 with that deal.
If the deal is voted down again, on the two days following lawmakers are expected to debate and vote on two amendments.
Two votes if deal rejected again
Wednesday, March 13:
MPs will vote on whether to leave without a deal.
If they vote to leave with no deal, the U.K. will leave the EU on March 29, and with no deal in effect, it is unclear what will happen in the immediate aftermath.
But if the lawmakers decide against leaving the EU without a deal, another vote will be held on Thursday, March 14.
Thursday, March 14:
Parliament will vote on whether the country needs more time for an orderly exit.
If MPs agree to extend Article 50 and therefore the negotiation process, talks will be extended for a period of time subject to agreement with the EU.
Irish PremierLeo VaradkarEU Agreement


text:
by Marc Goedhart, Tim Koller, and David Wessels
in OP-ED
The real business of business
The FINANCIAL -- The guiding principle of business value creation is a refreshingly simple construct: companies that grow and earn a return on capital that exceeds their cost of capital create value.
The financial crisis of 2007–08 and the Great Recession that followed are only the most recent reminders that when managers, boards of directors, and investors forget this guiding principle, the consequences are disastrous—so much so, in fact, that some economists now call into question the very foundations of shareholder-oriented capitalism. Confidence in business has tumbled.1 Politicians and commentators are pushing for more regulation and fundamental changes in corporate governance. Academics and even some business leaders have called for companies to change their focus from increasing shareholder value to a broader focus on all stakeholders, including customers, employees, suppliers, and local communities.
No question, the complexity of managing the interests of myriad owners and stakeholders in a modern corporation demands that any reform discussion begin with a large dose of humility and tolerance for ambiguity in defining the purpose of business. But we believe the current debate has muddied a fundamental truth: creating shareholder value is not the same as maximizing short-term profits—and companies that confuse the two often put both shareholder value and stakeholder interests at risk. Indeed, a system focused on creating shareholder value from business isn't the problem; short-termism is. Great managers don't skimp on safety, don't make value-destroying investments just because their peers are doing it, and don't use accounting or financial gimmicks to boost short-term profits, because ultimately such moves undermine intrinsic value.
What's needed at this time of reflection on the virtues and vices of capitalism is a clearer definition of shareholder value creation that can guide managers and board directors, rather than blurring their focus with a vague stakeholder agenda. We do believe that companies are better able to deliver long-term value to shareholders when they consider stakeholder concerns; the key is for managers to examine those concerns systematically for opportunities to do both.
What does it mean to create shareholder value?
If investors knew as much about a company as its managers, maximizing its current share price might be equivalent to maximizing value over time. In the real world, investors have only a company's published financial results and their own assessment of the quality and integrity of its management team. For large companies, it's difficult even for insiders to know how the financial results are generated. Investors in most companies don't know what's really going on inside a company or what decisions managers are making. They can't know, for example, whether the company is improving its margins by finding more efficient ways to work or by simply skimping on product development, maintenance, or marketing.
Since investors don't have complete information, it's not difficult for companies to pump up their share price in the short term. For example, from 1997 to 2003, a global consumer-products company consistently generated annual growth in earnings per share (EPS) between 11 and 16 percent. Managers attributed the company's success to improved efficiency. Impressed, investors pushed the company's share price above that of its peers—unaware that the company was shortchanging its investment in product development and brand building to inflate short-term profits, even as revenue growth declined. In 2003, managers were compelled to admit what they'd done. Not surprisingly, the company went through a painful period of rebuilding, and its stock price took years to recover.
In contrast, the evidence makes it clear that companies with a long strategic horizon create more value. The banks that had the insight and courage to forgo short-term profits during the real-estate bubble earned much better returns for shareholders over the longer term.2 Oil and gas companies known for investing in safety outperform those that haven't. We've found, empirically, that long-term revenue growth—particularly organic revenue growth—is the most important driver of shareholder returns for companies with high returns on capital (though not for companies with low returns on capital).3 We've also found a strong positive correlation between long-term shareholder returns and investments in R&D—evidence of a commitment to creating value in the longer term.4
The weight of such evidence and our experience supports a clear definition of what it means to create shareholder value, which is to create value for the collective of all shareholders, present and future. This means managers should not take actions to increase today's share price if they will reduce it down the road. It's the task of management and the board to have the courage to make long-term value-creating decisions despite the short-term consequences.
Can stakeholder interests be reconciled?
Much recent criticism of shareholder-oriented capitalism has called on companies to focus on a broader set of stakeholders, not just shareholders. It's a view that has long been influential in continental Europe, where it is frequently embedded in the governance structures of the corporate form of organization. And we agree that for most companies anywhere in the world, pursuing the creation of long-term shareholder value requires satisfying other stakeholders as well.
We would go even further. We believe that companies dedicated to value creation are healthier and more robust—and that investing for sustainable growth also builds stronger economies, higher living standards, and more opportunities for individuals. Our research shows, for example, that many corporate-social-responsibility initiatives also create shareholder value, and managers should seek out such opportunities.5 For example, IBM's free web-based resources on business management not only help to build small and midsize enterprises but also improve IBM's reputation and relationships in new markets and develop relationships with potential customers. In another case, Novo Nordisk's "Triple Bottom Line" philosophy of social responsibility, environmental soundness, and economic viability has led to programs to improve diabetes care in China. According to the company, its programs have burnished its brand, added to its market share, and increased sales—at the same time as improving physician education and patient outcomes. Similarly, Best Buy's efforts to reduce attrition among women employees not only lowered turnover among women by more than 5 percent, it also helped them create their own support networks and build leadership skills.
But what should be done when the interests of stakeholders don't naturally complement those of a company, for instance, when it comes to questions of employee compensation and benefits, supplier management, and local community relationships? Most advocates of managing for stakeholders appear to argue that companies can maximize value for all stakeholders and shareholders simultaneously—without making trade-offs among them. This includes, for example, Cornell Law School professor Lynn Stout's book, The Shareholder Value Myth,6 in which Stout argues persuasively that nothing in US corporate law requires companies to focus on shareholder value creation. But her argument that putting shareholders first harms nearly everyone is really an argument against short-termism, not a prescription for how to make trade-offs. Similarly, R. Edward Freeman, a professor at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, has written at length proposing a stakeholder value orientation. In his recent book, Managing for Stakeholders, he and his coauthors assert that "there is really no inherent conflict between the interests of financiers and other stakeholders."7 John Mackey, founder and co-CEO of Whole Foods, recently wrote Conscious Capitalism,8 in which he, too, asserts that there are no trade-offs to be made.
Such criticism is naive. Strategic decisions often require myriad trade-offs among the interests of different groups that are often at odds with one another. And in the absence of other principled guidelines for such decisions, when there are trade-offs to be made, prioritizing long-term value creation is best for the allocation of resources and the health of the economy.
Consider employee stakeholders. A company that tries to boost profits by providing a shabby work environment relative to competitors, underpaying employees, or skimping on benefits will have trouble attracting and retaining high-quality employees. Lower-quality employees can mean lower-quality products, reducing demand and hurting reputation. More injury and illness can invite regulatory scrutiny and more union pressure. More turnover will inevitably increase training costs. With today's more mobile and more educated workforce, such a company would struggle in the long term against competitors offering more attractive environments. If the company earns more than its cost of capital, it might afford to pay above-market wages and still prosper—and treating employees well can be good business. But how well is well enough? A stakeholder focus doesn't provide an answer. A shareholder focus does. Pay wages that are just enough to attract quality employees and keep them happy and productive, pairing those with a range of nonmonetary benefits and rewards.
Or consider how high a price a company should charge for its products. A shareholder focus would weigh price, volume, and customer satisfaction to determine a price that creates the most shareholder value. However, that price would also have to entice consumers to buy the products—and not just once but multiple times, for different generations of products. A company might still thrive if it charged lower prices, but there's no way to determine whether the value of a lower price is greater for consumers than the value of a higher price to its shareholders. Finally, consider whether companies in mature, competitive industries should keep open high-cost plants that lose money just to keep employees working and prevent suppliers from going bankrupt. To do so in a globalizing industry would distort the allocation of resources in the economy.
These can be agonizing decisions for managers and are difficult all around. But consumers benefit when goods are produced at the lowest possible cost, and the economy benefits when unproductive plants are closed and employees move to new jobs with more competitive companies. And while it's true that employees often can't just pick up and relocate, it's also true that value-creating companies create more jobs. When examining employment, we found that the European and US companies that created the most shareholder value in the past 15 years have shown stronger employment growth.9
Short-termism runs deep
What's most relevant about Stout's argument, and that of others, is its implicit criticism of short-termism—and that is a fair critique of today's capitalism. Despite overwhelming evidence linking intrinsic investor preferences to long-term value creation,10 too many managers continue to plan and execute strategy, and then report their performance against shorter-term measures, EPS in particular.
As a result of their focus on short-term EPS, major companies often pass up value-creating opportunities. In a survey of 400 CFOs, two Duke University professors found that fully 80 percent of the CFOs said they would reduce discretionary spending on potentially value-creating activities such as marketing and R&D in order to meet their short-term earnings targets.11 In addition, 39 percent said they would give discounts to customers to make purchases this quarter, rather than next, in order to hit quarterly EPS targets. Such biases shortchange all stakeholders.
As an illustration of how executives get caught up in a short-term EPS focus, consider our experience with companies analyzing a prospective acquisition. The most frequent question managers ask is whether the transaction will dilute EPS over the first year or two. Given the popularity of EPS as a yardstick for company decisions, you might think that a predicted improvement in EPS would be an important indication of an acquisition's potential to create value. However, there is no empirical evidence linking increased EPS with the value created by a transaction.12 Deals that strengthen EPS and deals that dilute EPS are equally likely to create or destroy value.
If such fallacies have no impact on value, why do they prevail? The impetus for short-termism varies. Some executives argue that investors won't let them focus on the long term; others fault the rise of shareholder activists in particular. Yet our research shows that even if short-term investors cause day-to-day fluctuations in a company's share price and dominate quarterly earnings calls, longer-term investors are the ones who align market prices with intrinsic value.13 Moreover, the evidence shows that, on average, activist investors strengthen the long-term health of the companies they pursue, often challenging existing compensation structures, for example, that encourage short-termism.14 Instead, we often find that executives themselves or their boards are usually the source of short-termism. A 2013 survey of more than 1,000 executives and board members found, for example, that most cited their own executive teams and boards (rather than investors, analysts, and others outside the company)as the greatest sources of pressure for short-term performance.15
The results can defy logic. We recently participated in a discussion with a company pursuing a major acquisition about whether the deal's likely earnings dilution was important. One of the company's bankers opined that he knew any impact on EPS would be irrelevant to value, but he used it as a simple way to communicate with boards of directors. Elsewhere, we've heard company executives acknowledge that they, too, doubt that the impact on EPS is so important—but they use it anyway, they say, for the benefit of Wall Street analysts. Investors also tell us that a deal's short-term impact on EPS is not that important. Apparently everyone knows that a transaction's short-term impact on EPS doesn't matter, yet they all pay attention to it.
Shareholder capitalism won't solve all social issues
There are some trade-offs that company managers can't make—and neither a shareholder nor a stakeholder approach to governance can help. This is especially true when it comes to issues that affect people who aren't immediately involved with the company as investors, customers, or suppliers. These so-called externalities—parties affected by a company who did not choose to be so—are often beyond the ken of corporate decision making because there is no objective basis for making trade-offs among parties.
If, for example, climate change is one of the largest social issues facing the world, then one natural place to look for a solution is coal-fired power plants, among the largest man-made sources of carbon emissions. But how are the managers of a coal-mining company to make all the trade-offs needed to begin solving our environmental problems? If a long-term shareholder focus led them to anticipate potential regulatory changes, they should modify their investment strategies accordingly; they may not want to open new mines, for example. But if the company abruptly stopped operating existing ones, not only would its shareholders be wiped out but so would its bondholders (since bonds are often held by pension funds). All of its employees would be out of work, with magnifying effects on the entire local community. Second-order effects would be unpredictable. Without concerted action among all coal producers, another supplier could step up to meet demand. Even with concerted action, power plants might be unable to produce electricity, idling their workers and causing electricity shortages that undermine the economy. What objective criteria would any individual company use to weigh the economic and environmental trade-offs of such decisions—whether they're privileging shareholders or stakeholders?
In some cases, individual companies won't be able to satisfy all stakeholders. For any individual company, the complexity of addressing universal social issues such as climate change leaves us with an unresolved question: If not them, then who? Some might argue that it would be better for the government to develop incentives, regulations, and taxes, for example, to encourage a migration away from polluting sources of energy. Others may espouse a free-market approach, allowing creative destruction to replace aging technologies and systems with cleaner, more efficient sources of power.
Previous Article Power to the new people analytics
Next Article Why Georgia is not South Korea (or Israel)?
Get paid for your OP-ED, Analysis or Interview
The FINANCIAL accepts opinion articles and interviews on business, politics, economy, personal finance.
Requirements: 600-1000 words.
Must be final, corrected, and edited.
Your article piece should be exclusively written for The FINANCIAL.
The submitted articles must contain significant information or analysis.
The author must include contact details and short bio/address in social networks.
By submitting your article to The FINANCIAL, you agree to grant us the right to publish and distribute this content in all our publications.
Guest posts with links or promotional information are published on a paid basis.
We don't publish adult content.
We publish majority of submitted articles. But there are exceptions as well.
Submissions may be sent to editor (@) finchannel.com
Popular in Opinion
GORBI Insights
Managing the Coronavirus Pandemic: How does Georgia Compare, and Where are we Now?	04 Aug
Will Stalin always stay in our minds? 04 Aug
Does Khabib Nurmagomedov Deserve the N1 Pound-for-Pound Spot over Jon Jones after UFC 254?	29 Oct
OPINION: Forging resilient regional supply chains and connectivity	04 Oct
Why I decided to run for the post of the GPB Director General	24 Sep
Our Preference in Eastern Mediterranean is Diplomacy without Preconditions	17 Sep
Financing economic recovery	05 Sep
Of pandemics and protests: democracy renewal 05 Aug
A Determined Path to the SDGs in 2030 Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic	26 Jul
Why understanding your audiences is crucial in getting your message and tone right during COVID-19	16 May
Healthy oceans: keeping Asia and the Pacific afloat	12 May
The Responses to the Coronavirus Pandemic: The Rationale and Some Observations	05 May


The meridian tapping method used in the Antakrana system has been clinically proven effective. In one double-blind pilot study approximately 5,000 patients diagnosed with an anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (using meridian tapping) or a control group (receiving Cognitive Behavioral talk therapy and medication). At the close of therapy the meridian tapping group showed a 43% overall greater improvement in anxiety symptoms than than the CBT talk therapy/medication group.
Additionally, at one-year follow-up, the patients receiving tapping treatments were less prone to relapse or partial relapse than those receiving CBT/medication, as indicated by the independent raters' assessments and corroborated by brain imaging and neurotransmitter profiles.
In a related pilot study by the same team, the length of treatment was substantially shorter with meridian tapping therapy and related methods than with Cognitive Behavioral talk therapy/medication (mean = 3 sessions vs. mean = 15 sessions).
When you feel challenged outside circumstances seem to be the cause of your discomfort. But the cause of your unease is not just "out there". Your actual discomfort comes from your own stressed thoughts and feelings about the situation. Antakrana's unique energy self-assessment tool helps you clarify the underlying cause of your stressed feelings so you can then take action (step #2) to eliminate them.
Balance your mind and emotions.
What you experience as stress is also known as the "flight or fight response", an automatic response of your brain to perceived danger. It is meant to be protective, but this part of the brain cannot differentiate between a charging tiger and a modern stressor such as a looming project deadline. This is when it becomes problematic--innocuous situtions that need your calm attention can be perceived as a dangerous threat.
Meridian tapping works by stimulating acupressure points that calm this "flight or fight" part of the brain. It creates new neural pathways that communicate to the brain that there is no danger, so similiar stressful situtations no longer trigger the same type of reaction. Responses to stressors are calmer and no longer evoke anxiety, anger, or other negative emotions.
According to researchers at Harvard Medical School, stimulating these acupressure points leads to the release of endorphins, increased GABA levels (a hormone that reduces stress), and decreased cortisol levels (a hormone associated with stress.) The result: reduced anxiety, increased well-being and improved mental clarity.