text:
Jacob Zuma's Waterkloof 'scapegoat' bites dust after 'bringing country into desrepute'
By THABO MOKONE - 04 September 2019 - 20:41
Bruce Koloane, former chief of state protocol and now SA ambassador in the Netherlands, has resigned from government after he was recalled as ambassador.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi/The Sunday Times.
The former head of state protocol who confessed to having played a role in allowing the Guptas to land at the Waterkloof airbase has resigned from the public service.
Bruce Koloane, who was serving as SA's ambassador to the Netherlands, resigned after the department of international relations and co-operation recalled him from his post for "bringing the country into disrepute".
This was revealed by international relations minister Naledi Pandor during an oral question and answer session with MPs in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Pandor told MPs that Koloane had decided to step down from his job after she was unswayed by his response when asked to explain why he should not be redeployed to the department's headquarters in Pretoria.
Koloane, who first made headlines six years ago, stunned the nation in July when he admitted under oath before the state capture commission of inquiry that he had abused his previous position as the chief of state protocol, to benefit the Gupta family by enabling them to land an aircraft at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in 2013.
Naledi Pandor to approach Cyril Ramaphosa about Bruce Koloane
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor will approach President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss steps to be taken against Bruce ...
Pandor, who was responding to a question from DA MP Darren Bergman, said Koloane had been recalled to head office in terms of the Public Service Act but he chose to resign after he was not allowed to stay on in Amsterdam.
Pandor said Koloane was expected to permanently exit her department by the middle of this month.
"In terms of the provisions of the law, we allowed the ambassador the opportunity to make representations as to why he should not be transferred back. He responded as it's his right in letter at the end of July. After considering his representation, I decided to transfer him back to head office on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so because the matters revealed in the inquiry were of such a nature that I believe they brought the government and country into disrepute.
"He has one month's notice in order to return to the country and should be back here by the middle of September. Subsequent to that he tendered his resignation from the department and will be resigning from service," said Pandor, amid loud gasping and applause from MPs.
Bergman said the move was welcome even it killed his prepared follow-up question.
"Minister, thanks, that is good news. It actually stifles my next question," he said.
Guptas wanted 'welcome party' for wedding guests at OR Tambo airport
Rajesh "Tony" Gupta met former transport minister Ben Martins and officials from the Airports Company SA (Acsa) to request a welcoming party on the ...
Name-dropping is now an offence
Public servants will be charged with misconduct for name-dropping and could also be demoted or dismissed. The state describes name-dropping as using ...
Bruce Koloane takes the fall for Baba on Gupta's Air Force Base landing
'There was this word' favour': Commission hears more about Guptas' Waterkloof ...
Bruce Koloane says he was wrong to name drop to allow Guptas to land at ...
Koloane denies he let Gupta plane land
Gupta Waterkloof landing triggered a six-hour meeting


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text:
Home Sports Bisons
Bizarre night in women's hockey
TOPICS:Bison women's hockey
By Marc LagaceFebruary 8, 2011
"It's a very strange situation. It's probably without precedent in hockey, as far as I know."
This statement came from Bison women's hockey head coach Jon Rempel, as he tried to explain to reporters why there were five points up for grabs this past weekend as the Bisons fought for playoff home ice advantage, hosting the Calgary Dinos Friday and Saturday evening.
The fifth point is up for grabs after Dinos' head coach Danielle Goyette protested Bison Becca King's game-clinching shootout goal in a 3-2 Bison victory back on Nov. 12, 2010. The issue came down to whether or not Calgary goaltender Jennifer Mallard poke checked the puck as Becca skated in for her attempt before the puck was shot into the net.
Even though the referee had initially ruled it a clean goal, the coach's protest was upheld and the conclusion of the shootout was to take place just before Friday night's game. Due to the fact that in the prior game Manitoba got only two shots to Calgary's three, the Bisons would get an opportunity to score and win the game with their third shot. If the Manitoba shooter failed to score, the shootout was to continue under sudden-death shootout rules.
The Bison team was forced to wait around on their bench as the Dinos took their sweet time getting out of the dressing room, delaying the start of the game by almost fifteen minutes. When they finally made their way to the ice, the rink announcer explained the situation and the conclusion to the Nov. 12 shootout began. Tammy Brade was chosen to take Manitoba's third shot, but her shot sailed wide. Erika Mitschke took Calgary's first shot of the night, but her backhand shot went wide as well, giving the Bisons another chance to secure the extra point in the standings.
The next Bison shooter would be Becca King, who would be in a unique situation to score two game winning goals in the same contest. When asked by the media earlier in the week whether she thought the protested goal was good or not, she affirmed her belief that the Calgary goalie never touched the puck and that in her mind it was a clean goal. Regardless of whether or not the wrong call was ultimately made, King had an opportunity to finish the game with some poetic justice. King skated in, looking for the net but Calgary goaltender Jennifer Mallard laid out and made a sprawling save.
With their next shot, Calgary scored, putting pressure on Bison's next shooter Nellie Minshull to tie things up or concede the win to the Dinos. Minshull easily lifted the puck over the downed Calgary goalie with a nice backhand, tying the game and receiving a loud cheer from the Bison fans in attendance.
With Calgary's next shot, Bison goaltender Tara Lacquette seemed to stop the puck, but it managed to trickle through her five-hole as the Dinos were poised to finally put the game away. Manitoba missed their opportunity to keep the shootout going with their next shot, so after nearly three months of waiting, the final result for the Nov.12, 2010 game between the Manitoba Bisons and the Calgary Dinos was a Calgary win. The Bisons received one point for the shootout loss.
With the Nov. 12 fiasco finally put to rest, the two teams still had a game to play. Despite getting three opportunities on the power play and outshooting the Dinos 9-6 in the first period, the Bisons found themselves down 1-0 after Calgary cashed in on their second power play of the game, scoring a quick wraparound goal at 13:12. The Bisons power play performance would continue to falter throughout the second period; despite going on the power play seven times, Manitoba would only manage to capitalize in the final minute of the period as Caitlin MacDonald scored the game-tying goal with a well-timed backhand shot.
After both the third period and overtime failed to produce a game winner, players once again prepared themselves for a one-on-one contest. In a bizarre twist, for the second time in the same evening, the Bisons and the Dinos found themselves in a shootout situation.
After being stripped of their first shootout victory, the Bisons had an opportunity to exact some revenge, but unfortunately it just wasn't their night. The Bisons would fail to score on all three of their shots while Calgary's Tanya Morgan notched her second shootout goal of the night, both game winners. It was a spectacular achievement for Morgan and a disappointing way to cap off the night for the Bisons.
The following night, Manitoba would bounce back, shutting out Calgary 2-0 and earning a total of three points from their five-point weekend.
Before the start of the second game, Manitoba honoured five players participating in their last regular season home game as Bisons. Amy Coates, Becca King, Tammy Brade, Kacey Funk and Chelsea Braun were joined on the ice by their parents and coach Rempel to celebrate their final year with the Manitoba Bisons.
Manitoba Bisons stun Calgary Dinos with weekend split
Bad luck in B.C.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package sonata.kernel.VimAdaptor.messaging;

import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import java.util.concurrent.BlockingQueue;

public abstract class AbstractMsgBusProducer implements MsgBusProducer, Runnable {

  private BlockingQueue<ServicePlatformMessage> muxQueue;
  private boolean stop = false;

  private static final org.slf4j.Logger Logger =
      LoggerFactory.getLogger(AbstractMsgBusProducer.class);

  public AbstractMsgBusProducer(BlockingQueue<ServicePlatformMessage> muxQueue) {
    this.muxQueue = muxQueue;
  }

  /**
   * Send a message in the MsgBus.
   *
   * @param message the SP message to send
   */
  public abstract boolean sendMessage(ServicePlatformMessage message);

  /**
   * Start consuming SP messages from the mux queue.
   */
  public boolean startProducing() {
    boolean out = true;
    Thread thread = new Thread(this);
    try {
      thread.start();
    } catch (Exception e) {
      Logger.error(e.getMessage(), e);
      out = false;
    }
    return out;
  }

  /**
   * Stop consuming SP messages from the mux queue.
   */
  public boolean stopProducing() {
    boolean out = true;
    while (!muxQueue.isEmpty()) {
      try {
        Thread.sleep(1000);
      } catch (InterruptedException e) {
        Logger.error(e.getMessage(), e);
      }
    }
    this.stop = true;
    return out;
  }

  @Override
  public void run() {
    do {
      try {
        this.sendMessage(muxQueue.take());
      } catch (InterruptedException e) {
        Logger.error(e.getMessage(), e);
      }
    } while (!stop);
  }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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The sleep industry is also massive. From sleep apps, to sleep trackers, mattresses and supplements, the importance of sleep is finally getting the attention it deserves.
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© Copyright 2022 Komodo Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Help > Kaplan in Thailand
Kaplan in Thailand
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Potcharapon from Thailand
Undergraduate degree in Business Management at City, University of London
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Tanatat from Thailand
Postgraduate degree in Global Marketing at the University of York
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Thanks for taking the time to watch this training video. Look, if you're anything like me, you're probably really busy, so I'm going to try and keep this nice and concise and hopefully value-packed for you. My name's Jason Schulz, and I'm from 5Tales, and I'm going to walk you through the exact steps of how to get more 5-star Google Business Reviews.
I know a number of business owners who have built the growth of their business on the back of the strategy of getting Google Business Reviews. It sounds crazy, but if you're a local business, it's hard to overstate just how important Google reviews can be to getting a flood of new inquiries.
Although the tool, being Google Business Reviews, obviously, might be new – the tactic I'm about to show you might even be more novel – the concept has been around for a long time. It is about social proof. People are hardwired to avoid risk, and one way to do that is when you're searching for something, you choose the option which other people like you have already selected in the past and have good things to say about. In today's digital age, that's primarily seen through reviews, social media and testimonials.
If you're a local business, particularly a service-based business, the data tells us that an average 9 out of 10 new inquiries to a local service-based business start with a search engine in one way, shape, or form, and Google is by far the largest search engine – particularly in Australia. So as far as casting your net where the fish are, Google is a great bet.
Actually, let me show you John's business just before we get too far into it. John's business is based in Brisbane here. He started a mobile car detailing business with one van in Brisbane about 4 years ago, and now has five vans. When he got in touch with us, it was actually from Germany; he was living over there for 6 months while running the business back here. So it's a great business he's built. But the growth of his business has come from great branding and a strong strategy for getting Google Business Reviews.
You could even type into Google here, "car detailing Brisbane." He's got his ads at the top here. You can see the map here, and you can see Scrubs Mobile Car Detailing – this is John's business here. Obviously on the map here, and right at the top of the rankings here as well. So obviously he's received a flood of business here, and the click-through rate that he gets from appearing on the map at the top is obviously fantastic and even better than being shown in the organic listing, which is this section here just below. This map section is particularly valuable to be listed in.
With the local search results, Google will often show a series of businesses in the area in what is known as a local pack, which is this section here. It is from here that potential customers can see things like the address, the phone number, and obviously, depending on the listing, of course the reviews people have written about you. You can just literally click through.
You can see Scrubs here. Wait for it to load for a second. You see Scrubs Mobile Car Detailing here, 5 star reviews, 90 reviews. Fantastic reputation. Just goes to show a lot about the business. As I said, he's got great branding as well, and you can see that even in the photos here. But really strong Google Review strategy. He did a lot of things to encourage his team to go about asking for those reviews from people as well, and just letting them know that it's available.
If we click there, you'll see a Google Review box has popped up, and what you want to do is just copy the URL address out of that bar – so we'll grab it there – and then we're going to go and paste that into a URL. Actually, I'll show you, right at the end of this.
This is where the tricky part comes in. You can see obviously we've brought this box up, and it's actually come up with no stars to review. That obviously doesn't really entice anyone to do anything. But if we add a "5" right at the back of that URL – all I did was just go right to the end of the URL of the pop-up, just added a number "5" right at the end of it. Just stuck my cursor at the end, hit Enter – actually, we have to stick it in a new URL here, because it's already loaded.
What we should see is 5 stars come up straightaway. There we go. So already it's got the 5 star there, and just asking them to describe their experience, but it's as though they're already partway through the review when they get there. It's ticking, waiting for them to start writing. Just adding that "5" on there significantly increases the chances they're actually going to go ahead and leave a review when you do get this link to them.
Now that we have that short URL, we can actually paste that into an email or however we're going to request a review from our customer, leave it somewhere nice and short, leave it on a counter if you're at a store. And if you are using bit.ly as your URL shortener, you can actually customize this to say something nicer, if you are putting it somewhere public or putting it within a restaurant or something like that.
That's an easier way to be able to display the link rather than this extremely long URL, which is why we use URL shorteners. The added bonus is you get some analytics with it as well; you can see how people are actually clicking on those links.
In Google's local pack, once you've received five reviews – you need to get five reviews – your results will actually be accompanied by 5 gold stars in your listings. These have been shown to increase click-through rate by as much as 20%, so you do really want to get those first five reviews from your customers as soon as possible in order to be able to add those stars. So that's your first goal, is to get to five Google Reviews.
I've included an email template for you. I'll give you the link where you can actually download that, or it should be showing on the video now. This is an email template for client reviews, obviously. Have a bit of a read-through here, but the real meat of it – actually, I've just mentioned it in here – in order to streamline it, just make sure you've actually got these as canned responses or saved email templates, so whoever's doing administration in your business and is sending them out to request reviews, they can do this nice and easily.
But look, all you've got to do is just plug and play with this email template. It's down at the bottom here.
"Hi (FirstName), it was a pleasure working with you on (whatever it is)," but adjust that first sentence there to work for your business.
Then we're just going to go and grab, paste that link in there, and now we've updated it. And that's going to take us – we'll double-check it, obviously. That's actually going to take us to the search engine results page, and the review box should pop up in a second as well. There we go.
Go through the same process: jump over to Facebook, head to your business page, grab this link, go back to your Google URL Shortener, paste the URL in here, shorten that. Now we've got the Facebook URL. We come back and we paste it in there.
"Thank you," then stick your name in there. You'll personalize those templates. Just to give you an idea. But you are primarily asking them to leave a Google Review; make sure you use that URL shortener, and then ask for the Facebook review after that if it's going to be too difficult in order to get the Google Review.
But don't be afraid to ask clients over the phone; if that works for your business, it's a really effective method if they're happy to leave a review. And certainly never be afraid to remind the clients, if they do forget, in order to leave a review. If you tell them how important it is, if you are delivering great work and you tell them how proud you'd be to have a review from them for the work you did, they're more likely to take the extra 5 minutes to leave one for you.
And get creative. If you're a restaurant, maybe you leave a computer tablet on the counter and get staff to request happy customers to leave a review on the spot before they leave.
I hope you've enjoyed this and received some value from it. If you have any questions, just drop them below if you're on YouTube there, or you can shoot me an email directly. Happy to talk to anyone who needs a hand. Just walking through this, it's so, so valuable for a local business. Thanks for watching.


text:
WCRM (2006)
West Coast Regional Meet III
Total Miles: 1,623
Seattle – Eureka
Map Link
A pre-ride BBQ was planned at a friend's house, where those who would remain behind gathered to see off those of us traveling south. I came over after work to find the grill already hot and people milling around inside the house. I unpacked the steaks I had brought and the group got bigger and eventually spilled out into the backyard. Conversations ebbed and flowed like a gentle tide, with occasional uproars when a particularly exciting story was relayed. Doug and I knew that we'd be riding south in the morning and we were looking forward to it. Doug also thought that Dave and Fritz, two good friends of ours, were also riding south but found out that neither of them could make it. Instead, we made arrangements for Chris to ride with us with the mutual stipulation that this trip was all about pictures and enjoying the scenery.
Surprisingly enough, we were all standing around in my driveway the next morning at the pre-determined hour of 9am, with both Chris and Doug ready to go and me stuffing some last-minute things onto the GS. And true to form, we left about half an hour after the targeted time and whisked our way south and out of the city. Traffic was light and we kept up a steady pace. The goal was to get out of Washington as quickly as possible and into Oregon where we'd drop down a gear or two and find some rural, twisty back roads out to the coast.
View of Longview, WA
Despite it being noon, we stopped for breakfast at a tiny little diner where I had eaten before that was just off the highway. It comprised of simple fare, but it was tasty. We were surprised when a man dressed as your typical chef came out to our table to inquire how we liked the food. Given, the restaurant didn't have a lot of patrons at this time, but I don't think that I've been anywhere where the chef himself has solicited my opinion. Doug, Chris and I were amused, flattered and slightly bewildered as we paid our bill and sauntered back to our bikes.
At this point Doug declared that he had had enough of the interstate and suggested that we take a road that paralleled the 5 down into Longview. It was a good choice as the pavement weaved its way along the Cowlitz River and through lush farmlands. It was a brief jaunt before we reached the bustling industry of Longview, WA and crossed over the mighty Columbia River. An overlook gave us the opportunity to stop and admire the vast river, snow-capped Mt St Helens peaking over the Cascade Range and the huge cargo ships loaded with wood for foreign markets.
A short ride along Route 30 led us to the turn off for Route 47 and thirty miles of fun. The road started out timid enough, passing through densely wooded terrain and occasional houses. Then the dance started. The corners came faster and tighter with a respite every few minutes. Then it was a staccato beat to the turns: a sharp right followed immediately by a more languid left-hander, only to be repeated immediately, again and again. Doug had taken the lead and ran with it. Chris followed gamely, his headlight visible when the road stretched out for a rare moment. Route 202 picked up where 47 ended and we continued the game. Eventually this, too, came to and end and we spent some time along Route 26 hunting down an elusive "gray line on the map". Through perseverance we found it: the Lower Nehalem Rd. It promised a couple of miles of gravel in the middle, but the rest of the squiggle looked delicious! Chris, having only been riding for less than a year and never on gravel, was up for the challenge and we took off for the unknown. The road was a pleasant unlined affair, following the Nehalem River in its spring runoff. I thought that we might have taken a wrong turn when we ended up trailing slowly through a State Campground, but that was all apparently part of the plan. The pavement gave out and Doug took off. I followed Chris and we snaked our way along the river, the road twisting and turning at the whim of the terrain. Occasional oncoming cars and trucks would give me a start, as the road was narrow and the sides not well maintained. The "7 miles of gravel" guess turned out to be closer to 15+, but it was a grand time, with very little in the way of civilization to clutter the scenery. Two exceptions to that would be the few campers parked along the river, full of fishermen and families out for a weekend getaway, and the surprise sight of a Forest Service helicopter on its tiny landing pad.
A quick stop early on in Oregon
Quiet Oregon roads (Lower Nehalem Rd)
Checking out the gravel roads in Oregon
Doug comes back to see what's taking so long
Nehalem River
The pavement came back for good (after numerous teases) and we were making good time towards the coast. I caught the whiff of a chemical sanitizer odor and wondered which farm it was coming from and why. But the odor never went away. I puzzled over this until I rounded a bend and found that we were following a flatbed truck loaded with a number of port-a-potties. The driver was kind enough to allow us to pass and we were again zipping through the Oregon countryside. We stopped briefly at Wheeler to determine just where we were and then dropped south on Miami River Rd before being spit out onto 101 just north of Tillamook. At one point we stopped at an overlook to admire the view when Chris noticed that he was missing a bolt from his chain guard, and the remaining bolt was loose. A quick dip into the trunk of my GS brought forth a zip tie, wire cutters, loc-tie and a screwdriver. Doug rested and I watched while Chris fixed his bike. This would be the only mechanical problem we were to have the entire trip, and it was more fun than anything!
Coastal roads are interesting in the scenery that they provide, the varied road structure they entail and the numerous towns that they roll through. Fortunately for us it was still early in the season so that traffic wasn't a hindrance. What was slowing us down were the many small towns that dot the landscape and their lower speed limits. Not that Oregon has the best speed limits to begin with. It took us a long time to get anywhere, and by the time we reached Newport it was getting late. Chris had made plans to stay with a friend of his in Eugene, so he decided to peel off and head east on Route 20, while Doug and I would hunker down for the night where we were. Doug hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night and today's ride had left him bushed, so it was an easy decision not to push on any further that day. We found a cheap motel (so cheap, in fact, that we could have each gotten our own room and a 3rd one for our gear and still saved money!) and unloaded the bikes. The wind was relentless off the coast while we wandered aimlessly around the town, looking for a likely place for dinner. Nothing spectacular caught our eye so we settled for some plain-Jane Denny's-like restaurant about a mile south of where we had started for a good but uninspired meal.
On-the-fly repairs
Doug snoozes while we work on Chris' bike
It was a late start the next morning, with a light mist coming down and a very gray and uninspiring sky overhead. There wasn't a set route planned, but we each had an idea of roads that we'd like to cover. Doug and I sauntered down the coast to Reedsport, plagued by wet roads and still-overcast skies. I was tempted to stop by the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, and in hindsight I really wish I had. But the weather wasn't conducive to much exploration and I knew that we were already in a bit of a time crunch to make it to Fortuna anywhere near the 6pm dinner. At Reedsport we turn away from the coast and headed inland on Route 38. I had been on this road a couple of years ago but I had no distinct memories of it other than "it was nice". And that memory held true. It's an easy route that follows the Umpqua River as it meanders lazily through Oregon forests. The valley is filled with farms and pastures and a couple of small towns. The clouds continued to follow us inland, breaking up slightly as we reached Elkton. Doug had spied a twisting gray line on his map that would lead us south and he wanted to look for the source of that line. We backtracked through Elkton a couple of times before stopping to ask for directions. The man to whom Doug spoke with seemed determined that the road we were looking for didn't exist and offered us an alternative route. We took him up on it (there wasn't much of a choice, really) and proceeded south on Route 138, looking for the "sharp turn" that the local had warned us of as an indicator of when we should turn off. We were still following the Umpqua River and the road we were on was wide and fast. We both saw the bridge at the same time and came to the same conclusion that the local was off and that this was the turn we wanted. We crossed over to the west side of the Umpqua and promptly had no idea which way to go at the "T" on the other side. We guessed one way, rode for a mile and then turned around to try the other way. The "other way" turned out to be a beautiful paved road that zipped along the river past small farms. Then the sign we both love to discover: "Pavement Ends".
Indeed, the pavement did end, the road narrowed and almost immediately we found ourselves on narrow single-lane forest service roads snaking their way through the mountains. The roads were marked with their own language, a code of sorts that neither Doug nor I could figure out. We meandered for a while, all the time wondering if we were choosing the right turn offs and just where we were headed, when I became frustrated at the late hour and that we still had a long way to travel before reaching the California border, let alone Fortuna. We backtracked our way out of the forest, back across the Umpqua River and onto Route 138. It wasn't more than a few miles later when we saw the "sharp curve" that the local had indicated and the route we should have taken. We took it.
Ahhh – it was a great road! Perfect radius corners set in the wide river valley of the Umpqua River, excellent pavement and only a slight rain to spatter my visor. Doug took off like a shot but I was tired and lagged behind. We were followed eventually by a UPS delivery truck that took the corners with ease, making me feel almost inferior on my two wheels. The whole route was just over 20 miles, but they were all very enjoyable one. At the end of the road there was the Umpqua General Store where we stopped for a quick snack and beverage. Now it was time to make tracks. We shot directly east to the interstate, making our last gas stop before we took on the last 265 miles to Fortuna. The interstate from here to Grants Pass is nothing short of a high speed run over the mountains, passing cars and semis left and right. I had my radar detector and therefore felt confident in flying along. Of course the GS doesn't exactly "fly" along with too much ease, so it wasn't very difficult to keep the pace at a near-legal level. At Grants Pass we stopped to give our hosts a call to let them know that we were "running late" and that we'd be there as soon as possible. Of course it was already 4:30 and it was estimated to be at least another 3 or 4 hours to Fortuna. Time to fly like the wind!!!
We crawled out of Grants Pass doing the interminable 55mph. Eventually the road went from urban to rural and our speeds gradually increased. It was dry for the most part and we were able to cover a lot of ground quickly. Traffic was light and the landscape flew by. We had both been on this road many times before so at least we weren't giving up too much sightseeing. Except for the Trees of Mystery. I wanted to stop there and find some sort of kitschy sticker for my panniers. I found one that was subtle and one that was not so subtle. Not wanting to waste time deciding, I bought them both and we were soon back on the road, held back from spreading our wings by a Safeway Foods truck. The truck eventually went its way and we were left with the coastal views of 101 south of Crescent City, passing through the little burbs of Orick, Trinidad and Moonstone. We cruised through Eureka, our hosts' hometown, and continued the last 15 miles to Fortuna. Those last miles are always the longest. By the time we arrived the party was in full swing, if not a little past its prime. I mingled with my friends and met some new people. Eventually the night lost its favor and it was time to go back to Eureka, to our resting place for the night.
Chris, who had spent the previous evening in Eugene, was slated to partake in the bounty of our hosts and joined Doug and I for the ride north. We arrived to the welcoming arms of Becky and Gil who ushered us into their house and made me feel, once again, like I lived there and had just been away for a while. We settled in and after scoping out some preliminary photos from other peoples' rides that day, finally hit the sack.
Porter the cat waits for his drink
Just hanging out with some of my friends
I discovered two problems the next morning. For one, the living room ceiling above me has two massive skylights that gives one no doubt as to when "morning" is. The other was the sleeping bag that Gil and Becky had thoughtfully supplied just for their guests' use. I dubbed it "Charlotte", as I was tangled up inside of it as tightly as a fly in a spider web. Ah, but those were minor inconveniences. I had slept well and now had an excellent day of local riding to look forward to. I dressed, put my sleeping accoutrements away for the day and then rode down to Fortuna to meet up again with my friends. Plans were being made as to routes and riding partners. I had already decided that I wanted to ride the Lost Coast road – a seventy-mile route that I was rumored to hold not only amazing coastal scenery, but also terrible, potholed roads. It sounded good to me. I met up with two other riders who wanted to do the same route, as well as Gil, and suggested that we all meet back at Gil's house in Eureka.
While zipping north (again) on 101 to Eureka it was fun to see other bikers, more than likely people I knew, heading off in various directions for their own rides. I stopped at the store to buy some donuts and orange juice and then let myself in at Gil's house. Doug was there and I told him of our plans to ride the Lost Coast. He got ready and soon Peter, Mark and Gil rode up and we were on our way, with Gil leading the pack.
There were three GSs, one VFR and a Moto Guzzi in our group. The GSs were made for roads like this. As for the other two bikes? Let's just say I'm glad I was riding what I was. We started out by cruising down 101, past the Avenue of the Giants and onto the road that would take us through the Humboldt Redwoods State Park The road surface immediately fell apart, with frost heaves, dips and holes scattered across the surface. The road narrowed, but seemed even narrower because massive redwood trees on either side were dwarfing it. Trees lined the road, directing the course of the pavement more than the engineers did. It became a one lane, two-way road with blind corners and dark shadows. It was perfect. I stopped for some pictures, letting everyone else go ahead while I tried to get the camera to focus on trees that were hundreds of feet high and a dozen feet around. I gave up, hopped back on the bike and took off through the forest, merrily chasing my unseen friends ahead of me.
Redwood forest
The mighty trees soon gave way to smaller trees, and those eventually gave way to fields and valleys and then tree covered slopes were once again de rigor. The road gained elevation very quickly, with tight hairpin turns in rapid succession forcing me to keep my eyes on the road and not on the scenery. On one corner I caught a quick glimpse of a helmet in the distance and I felt like a greyhound on the track when he sees the rabbit. I soon caught up and passed the sport bikes and one of the GSs, but Doug was nowhere to be seen. I kept on going, railing around the corners as fast as I dared, leaving the others behind in my search for the other "rabbit". As it turned out the rabbit was waiting for me, camera in hand to take pictures as the others and I flew by. A short time later we stopped at an overlook where half a dozen other bikes were sitting, meeting up with more friends of ours going in our direction. We stood around and gossiped for a while before the call of the road beckoned to us yet again.
The number of bikes was now greater and everyone took "their place" in the group, riding according to how they wanted to attack the road. I only saw the leaders when they stopped to take pictures of the rest of us, or when I had stopped to take their pictures before they could pass me again. I was somewhere in the middle of the pack. Not the fastest and not the slowest. It was a comfortable pace for me and I enjoyed myself thoroughly playing leapfrog with my friends.
A view on the way to the Lost Coast
On the way to the coast
Zarly and miles coming around the bend
Then the ocean appeared. I rounded a bend and suddenly it was there. I don't know how the world's largest body of water can surprise me, but it did. The road surface became flat and smooth and fast. The sportbikes were in their element, spinning the speedometer needle around the instrument face. I myself wasn't looking for speed. Instead I studied the grassy hillsides, the rolling waves and the languor of the cows in the fields. I stopped for photos of the wild flowers and to catch some fellow riders in action as they zipped by me. The rocks offshore held birds and seals and other, smaller, unseen creatures. The sky was almost blue and the wind whipped in from the ocean's vast surface, giving life to the tall grasses nodding in unison. This was what it was all about. It had nothing to do with the miles but instead all about the experience. This was here and now and this was living.
First view of the Pacific
Stopping to smell the flowers
VFRfan shows his stuff
Rising up from the coast and heading inland
It is only for a few miles that the Lost Coast road actually follows the coast before diving inland again. But when taken from north-to-south, the "dive" inland is much more like an ascent. Or, more accurately, an assault. It's an 18% grade that takes you up like a roller coaster ascending the first hill in an amusement park. With a sharp turn at the top just to make things interesting. From this point on the Lost Coast was all inland roads, snaking up hillsides and rolling along ridge lines. The roads were narrow and slightly better maintained than through the redwood forest but they were still challenging to ride on. Our group scattered, and as we got closer to our destination the photo stops decreased. Only a couple of us bothered to stop in the picturesque town of Ferndale, taking in the beautiful restored and maintained Victorian buildings. From here it was a quick trip to Fortuna and our second group dinner. And this time I would not only be on time, I would be early!
Coming up – and quick!
BMW-K coming down the mountain
Dinner went well and I was able to catch up with some old friends and meet still more new ones. The night went late with stories being swapped and plans made for future rides. Eventually I geared up and made the trek back to Eureka for another night under the skylights. This time I took the sofa while Chris had the cot and Doug stayed again in the plush bed of the guest room.
Zarly teaches us how to pose
Posers in training
The morning wasn't very leisurely, as we were to meet our crew for breakfast and then head off for our individual destinations. Chris, my companion for the trip south, would be continuing south while Doug and I would be returning north. Everyone else at breakfast was heading south it seemed too, and we had arrived too late to hook up with our northbound brethren. After a hearty breakfast and some good ribbing in the parking lot we said our goodbyes (again) and mounted our GSs to head north. We taxied along 101 until we reached the turn off for Route 299, where I eagerly anticipated smooth, known roads and a good pace. Unfortunately I wasn't on my game. I couldn't hold a line if you had handed it to me. I didn't push the pace and Doug was very understanding, letting me lead how I wanted to. When we reached Willow Creek we made the decision to keep going east on 299 instead of north on 96. I kept hoping that if we headed further inland then the clouds would part and I'd be basking in the warmth of the sun with dry roads passing beneath my tires. It wasn't to be. The sun played peak-a-boo for a while and I was tired. I relished the thought of finding a quiet pull-out along the Trinity River where I could park the bike, lay down on the grass and close my eyes for 15 minutes. No sooner had I mentally drawn out that thought then the clouds thickened and promised another dousing. We reached Weaverville and I knew that the road would get very technical between here and the interstate, something I was not looking forward to in my mental state and with the impending rain. As an alternative Doug and I consulted the maps and saw that 3 ran north of Weaverville, following the shores of Trinity Lake before joining up with the I-5 at Yreka. We chose to take the unknown northern route along the lake.
The rain started almost immediately, drenching the roads as I led us along unfamiliar territory. The road was in good shape and there was no traffic to impede us. I took the turns fast considering that they were wet and new to me. Doug followed along behind, trailing me like a hound dog "gone to ground". The lake was almost deserted on this rainy Sunday, the glassy surface broken up by a gentle breeze and drops of rain. We followed the Trinity River north for quite some time, enjoying the wide, volatile riverbed that dominated the valley. The road veered suddenly from the lowlands and immediately rocketed my bike upward, twisting its way through tree-covered slopes. I spied a waterfall at one bend and pulled to the side to investigate. There was a scattering of snow nestled among the trees and the river was a raging torrent, hurtling down the mountain like an angry lion. We got back on the bikes and the road immediately turned back on itself. It snaked up the side of the mountains, a wet serpentine ribbon of pavement that switched back and forth, climbing into the clouds. There were occasional rocks and pine cones in the road, and of course the continuing rainfall, so I once again took an easy pace.
We left the mountains and rain behind and instead were plagued with a hefty crosswind from the south. It blew across the open farmlands and hit us hard, having nothing to break its flow beforehand. We stopped in the little town of Fort Jones to check out the stores and to take a quick break. Then it was back on the road and on to the interstate. Finally the high winds were a blessing, as they created a good tailwind that pushed me along the highway, creating almost a vacuum of air that I rode in. The goal was to reach Eugene, giving us a relatively easy day on Monday to continue north. As we passed the miles the clouds gathered and began spitting on us. I could see an ominous black cloud ahead of us and I wondered if we'd reach it before we turned off the highway. As it turned out, we did, but just barely. As we cruised the surface streets of Eugene I could see the ravaged leaves in distinct shadows across the roads, and then noticed the piles of hail along the sidewalks. The drainage system had been overwhelmed and we found ourselves tooling through foot-deep puddles that spanned the entire road. But through all of this mess, we could not find the motel we were looking for. We gave up and got back on the highway, heading north once again, only to see the sign poking above the trees, taunting us with our mistake. There was no easy turn around so we kept going north.
Of course the storm was also heading north and we were moving faster than it was. The rain started gently enough, spattering across my visor, but then it soon beat a tempo on my helmet that reminded me of how a bag of popcorn sounds in the microwave. The rain came down so fast and hard that it didn't have time to run off the highway and instead created rivers of water. Jersey barriers lined up to create lakes for oncoming traffic to hit and spray across to our side of the road. The cars and trucks around us slowed down in response to the reduced visibility and we, in turn, reduced our speed to match theirs. We puttered along in this pouring rain at 30mph with me exclaiming in dismay at the slowness of the cars while all the time rejoicing in the warm and dry comfort I was enjoying inside my gear. This was fun!
Doug pulled off about 20 miles later and asked my opinion if we should go on or stop. I figured that we already met and beat our goal of Eugene, so there was no point in pushing ourselves any further in this messy weather. We found that the only thing at this interchange was a Best Western/truck stop, which was more than what we needed. It felt good to get out of the wet gear (even though I was dry inside) and get a hot meal. I slept soundly that night and woke up in time for us to resume heading north so that Doug could avoid most of the commuter traffic on the 5 and still catch a ferry from Vancouver. There isn't much to say about the ride from wherever it was we stopped and into Seattle. It was the same interstate we rode down a few days ago and little had changed. The rain continued to haunt our journey and traffic kept things interesting. At my exit we waved our good byes and while Doug continued to slog north, I turned off in the direction of a hot shower and hungry kitties.


text:
RENEW/PAY
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text:
package com.averi.worldscribe.activities;

import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import androidx.coordinatorlayout.widget.CoordinatorLayout;
import androidx.appcompat.widget.Toolbar;
import android.text.Editable;
import android.text.TextWatcher;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.ProgressBar;

import com.averi.worldscribe.Category;
import com.averi.worldscribe.R;
import com.averi.worldscribe.utilities.ActivityUtilities;
import com.averi.worldscribe.utilities.TaskRunner;
import com.averi.worldscribe.utilities.ThemedSnackbar;
import com.averi.worldscribe.utilities.ExternalReader;
import com.averi.worldscribe.utilities.ExternalWriter;
import com.averi.worldscribe.utilities.IntentFields;
import com.averi.worldscribe.utilities.tasks.GetFilenamesInFolderTask;
import com.averi.worldscribe.utilities.tasks.WriteTextToFileTask;

/**
 * The Activity where the user names the new Snippet during Snippet creation.
 */
public class CreateSnippetActivity extends BackButtonActivity {

    private String worldName;
    private Category articleCategory;
    private String articleName;

    private CoordinatorLayout coordinatorLayout;
    private EditText nameField;
    private Button createButton;
    private ProgressBar savingSnippetProgressCircle;

    private final TaskRunner taskRunner = new TaskRunner();

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

        Intent startupIntent = getIntent();
        worldName = startupIntent.getStringExtra(IntentFields.WORLD_NAME);
        articleCategory = (Category) startupIntent.getSerializableExtra(IntentFields.CATEGORY);
        articleName = startupIntent.getStringExtra(IntentFields.ARTICLE_NAME);

        coordinatorLayout = (CoordinatorLayout) findViewById(R.id.coordinatorLayout);
        nameField = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.nameField);
        createButton = (Button) findViewById(R.id.create);
        savingSnippetProgressCircle = findViewById(R.id.creatingSnippetProgressCircle);

        setAppBar();
        setNameFieldWatcher();
        ActivityUtilities.enableWordWrapOnSingleLineEditText(nameField);

    }

    @Override
    protected int getLayoutResourceID() {
        return R.layout.activity_create_snippet;
    }

    @Override
    protected void setAppBar() {
        Toolbar appBar = (Toolbar) findViewById(R.id.my_toolbar);
        if (appBar != null) {
            appBar.setTitle(R.string.createSnippetTitle);
            setSupportActionBar(appBar);
        }

        super.setAppBar();
    }

    @Override
    protected ViewGroup getRootLayout() {
        return (ViewGroup) findViewById(R.id.coordinatorLayout);
    }

    /**
     * Sets a TextWatcher to monitor the contents of the name text field, and activate or
     * deactivate the Create button as appropriate.
     */
    private void setNameFieldWatcher() {
        nameField.addTextChangedListener(new TextWatcher() {
            @Override
            public void beforeTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int count, int after) {

            }

            @Override
            public void onTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int before, int count) {

            }

            @Override
            public void afterTextChanged(Editable s) {
                activateCreateButtonWhenNameIsNonEmpty();
            }
        });
    }

    /**
     * Allows the "Create" button to respond to clicks if and only if the name field is non-empty.
     * This is to ensure that every Snippet has a name.
     */
    private void activateCreateButtonWhenNameIsNonEmpty() {
        if (nameIsEmpty()) {
            createButton.setEnabled(false);
        } else {
            createButton.setEnabled(true);
        }
    }

    /**
     * @return True if there is no text entered into the name text field.
     */
    private boolean nameIsEmpty() {
        return (nameField.getText().toString().isEmpty());
    }

    /**
     * Respond to the user confirming creation.
     * @param view The View that was clicked for confirmation.
     */
    public void clickCreate(View view) {
        String newSnippetName = nameField.getText().toString();

        if (ActivityUtilities.nameHasInvalidCharacters(newSnippetName)) {
            ThemedSnackbar.showSnackbarMessage(this, coordinatorLayout,
                    getString(R.string.renameWithInvalidCharactersError, ActivityUtilities.getInvalidNameCharactersString()));
            return;
        }

        savingSnippetProgressCircle.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
        nameField.setVisibility(View.GONE);
        createButton.setVisibility(View.GONE);

        String snippetsFolderPath = worldName + "/" + articleCategory.pluralName(this) + "/"
                + articleName + "/Snippets";
        taskRunner.executeAsync(new GetFilenamesInFolderTask(snippetsFolderPath, true),
                (existingSnippetNames) -> {
                    if (existingSnippetNames.contains(newSnippetName)) {
                        nameField.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
                        createButton.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
                        savingSnippetProgressCircle.setVisibility(View.GONE);
                        ThemedSnackbar.showSnackbarMessage(this, coordinatorLayout,
                                getString(R.string.snippetExistsError, newSnippetName, articleName));
                    }
                    else {
                        String newSnippetPath = snippetsFolderPath + "/" + newSnippetName + ".txt";
                        taskRunner.executeAsync(new WriteTextToFileTask(newSnippetPath, ""),
                                (result) -> { this.editNewSnippet(newSnippetName); },
                                this::displayErrorDialog);
                    }
                },
                this::displayErrorDialog
                );
    }

    private void displayErrorDialog(Exception exception) {
        nameField.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
        createButton.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
        savingSnippetProgressCircle.setVisibility(View.GONE);
        ActivityUtilities.buildExceptionDialog(this,
                Log.getStackTraceString(exception), (dialogInterface) -> {}).show();
    }

    /**
     * Open the newly-created Snippet in SnippetActivity for editing.
     */
    private void editNewSnippet(String newSnippetName) {
        Intent editSnippetIntent = new Intent(this, SnippetActivity.class);
        editSnippetIntent.putExtra(IntentFields.WORLD_NAME, worldName);
        editSnippetIntent.putExtra(IntentFields.CATEGORY, articleCategory);
        editSnippetIntent.putExtra(IntentFields.ARTICLE_NAME, articleName);
        editSnippetIntent.putExtra(IntentFields.SNIPPET_NAME, newSnippetName);
        startActivity(editSnippetIntent);
        finish();
    }

}


Why oh why did I wait so long to read this beautiful tale? I'll tell you why: Because I can't seem to shake my "Judge a book by it's cover" habit yet! No, this cover is by no means unattractive, it is quite beautiful actually with bold, eye-popping colour. But, it is a cover that I wouldn't really look twice at. Yes, I see it, and then I move along. It didn't pull me in. Well, a co-worker of mine, who knows me well, assured me that I would love this book, so that very day I checked it out of the library...And the rest is history!
I lost a lot of time while devouring this book, and I don't regret one minute of it. What could have been more important than finishing this book? Nothing I tells ya, NOTHING! It was, in all sense of the word absolutely B-E-A-U-tiful(Shout out to Jim carry!) In all seriousness though, I am beating myself up for not reading this sooner.
Nao was a character that I immediately fell in love with. She is just so...Natural. She is a raw and at times foul-mouthed 16 year old. She does not sugar coat a thing and I absolutely loved her for that. Her Journal entries had me laughing out loud at times, and dabbing away the tears at others. Her story is a heart-breaking one. You will feel for not only Nao, but you will sympathize with every member of her family. Jiko also made herself a comfy place in my heart. A very inspiring, beautifully written character.
Although this book is written with two different narratives, not one voice merges with the other. Every single character has a strong voice and are all a very important piece to this ensemble. If one character was missing than this puzzle would have been incomplete. I loved what each character had to offer!
Please don't be a fool like I was and skip this novel another day! And don't let the size intimidate you, it will whisk you away and unfold a beautiful and at times heart-breaking story right in front of your eyes.


Currently reading: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. I've been drawn to downsizing, discarding and minimizing over the last couple of years. While I've made great progress as an ex-pack rat, I still struggle with believing I too can be one to just let things go.
This post isn't a summary of the book, but a notation of a couple of personal paradigm shifts.
2. If our belongings don't spark joy, why are we making space for them? What if we only made space for that which we really treasured?
3. Beauty for the sake of beauty is enough. If we decide to only own what we really love, then doesn't beauty and art move up to highest priority?
If any of this brings you a small sense of serenity, you won't regret giving this book a read (or listen). I started it yesterday and I'm almost finished.
Perhaps you've already read it. What did you think? Did it spill into other areas of your life?
Follow on Instagram, Twitter, and check out my studio.


text:
Remembering Indira Gandhi's Dark Legacy
Politics12 min read
19th November 2018, is the first female Prime Minister of Independent India, Indira Gandhi's 101 birth anniversary. Today, we take a look at her journey from being a 'Goongi Gudiya' to the Iron Lady of India.
In 1964, Indira Gandhi was elected to parliament as Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the Shastri Government. However, Lal Bahadur Shastri mysteriously passed away in Tashkent on 11th January, 1966 and young Indira was next best choice to form the Government. The reasons were simple. Congress needed a rallying point across which various warring factions could unite. It also helped that being young and inexperienced, Indira was easy to manipulate by Congress veterans like Kamaraj and Morarji Desai. Morarji Desai became the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister under the new Indira government.
With no prior experience in politics and nobody to support, Indira set off on a path she had no clue about. The initial months into her politics were a disaster. Under constant criticism by the media, she got the label of 'Goongi Gudia' and a mere puppet in the hands of powerful Congress leaders.
Indira's first mistake – Devaluation of Indian Currency
Indira started her career on a negative note and the first major decision made by her backfired.
India was seeing yet another famine. Our Trade deficit was Rs. 930 crores and going was tough. India applied for U.S government's food for peace program under which nations like India were eligible to procure food-grains and pay in their domestic currency. US under President Lyndon B. Johnson disbursed approximately 16 million tonnes of wheat and rice to India but in return wanted swooping economic changes. Pressure was built from world bank as well as IMF.
On the fateful day of 6/6/66, rupee fell down from Rs. 4.76 per dollar to Rs. 7.50 per dollar which was a whopping 36.5% decline. There was an intense state of critical disequilibrium and the first significant balance payment crisis. Military budget was already up steeply after the loss in Indo-China war. The move was a grave error due to the conditions of inflation, unemployment and food crisis. But devaluing money was a hasty step. The value would have anyway depreciated but slowly. The consequence of which is that India has not been able to sustain itself since then.
In Indira's defense, Lal Bahadur Shastri Government was aiming for the devaluation of the rupee. But the decision was postponed and was laid upon Indira to take.
This decision, however harmful, strengthened Indira's position in the Government. Now known as one of the most fearless women, Indira started to make decisions for herself. Following which she was even asked to leave the party. Indira again contested the elections but could not attain majority. But with regional parties like DMK, Indira came back to power. This time without any shackles.
Indira's rise to power and her second mistake
Indira was very close to the poor Indian households. With her 'Gareebi Hatao' campaign, it all went to the next level. In 1969, Indira Gandhi took another drastic step – banning of corporate financing of elections. This idea had a clear motive in sight. This amendment broke the link between rich businessmen and politicians as far as financial aid was concerned.
The motive was to deprive the opposition of financial support. This made "briefcase politics" a norm in the Government. This move eliminated the most important legal source of campaign finance. At the same time, rise of fighting an election kept on going up due to rising population and increased competition. The number of political parties has increased from 55 in 1952 elections to 464 in 2014. This lead parties to a competitive search of underground funding and they played right in the hands of racketeers and mafia. From funding and political patronage, they wanted a piece of cake by getting in the political system. If you ever wondered why your politician is a criminal, this will be one of the biggest reasons.
The Rajiv Gandhi Government did realize their mistake and cleared the ban. But the damage had been done. Everybody had tasted the power of money without any accountability. The aftermath of this decision still haunts India.
Green Revolution and Nationalisation of Banks
Indira Gandhi's career and choices could be debatable. However, the woman that she was, isn't! Indira's economic policies are sometimes considered to be savage. As soon as Gandhi rose to power, there were a lot of things that were going on the country simultaneously like the Indo-Pak war of 1965 and the revolt in Mizoram. Also, there was food crisis because of frequent droughts. Under those circumstances, as well, Gandhi did what she thought was the best. In 1966, India imported its largest seed order. And hence the green revolution was kick started. Gandhi presided over three five-year plans as well.
In the same year, Gandhi made the decision of the nationalization of banks for which coming generations should be thankful. People at that time where being ripped off their money by private banks which used to regularly flee after taking their savings. With RBI having no control over the situation, things were only getting majorly out of their hands. With this scheme, 14 banks were nationalized and brought under the Government itself. Furthermore, with low-interest rates, people could at least confide in the Government and be sure about their money.
As far as the economic growth is concerned, Indira Gandhi's government did show improvement. The per capita income although remained less than the Asian counterparts. Inequality was the lowest in Indira Gandhi's era. But poverty was still at large; more than what it is today. Whether Gandhi was a boon or a bane in terms of economic conditions of the country is difficult to say. It wasn't perfect in all spheres. But it was still progressive.
Indira's Realpolitik
Realpolitik is a form of politics wherein the person believes more into practicality rather than the modal or idealistic approach. Many of her decisions are based on realpolitik. The Soviet Union and Pakistan were getting close after the 1965 war which led Indira's Government to take the decision of being neutral during the Sino-Soviet war. The Soviet Union quickly made changes and decided to side with India as the United States and Pakistan showed increasing levels of proximity. This was helpful in the war that was closely coming nearer.
The 1971 war
The 1971 war between East Pakistan and West Pakistan not only created an independent state but also showed how Indira Gandhi had progressed in her career. India's main aim in the 1971 war was to get involved but not intervene. To attain that, India happily helped the 11 million refugees. However, when Pakistan started doing rounds of preemptive strikes in the western region of India, India declared war on West Pakistan. 30,000 prisoners of war were taken in by the Indian Government, and given in return for the return of Majibur Rahman.
The decision that Indira took that day could have changed the scenario today. Those Prisoners Of War could be useful to settle the fight for Kashmir. Thus saving the coming generations from bloodshed. But instead, she chose the release of Rahman, without whom the present Bangladesh would have been directionless.
Indira started gaining a foothold on the power so much so that she knew no bounds. But the lowest time in her career came when she was accused of using false methods and malpractices in the elections. For what it was, several charges were laid down against Gandhi. The Allahabad High Court convicted Indira Gandhi on grounds of using Government machinery for the election campaigns. Following which Gandhi appealed to the supreme court as well. This led to the darkest era the country has ever seen.
The 21 month long emergency period declared on June 25, 1975, was the darkest phase of Independent India. Period. With All civil rights curbed, arrests of prominent leaders like Arun Jaitley, L. K. Advani, Chandra Shekhar from the opposition were made. Many political parties and outfits such as Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh were banned. The media was completely censored and an only Government made propaganda would be shown on the television. Sanjay Gandhi, son of Indira, held mass sterilizations under the name of family planning. People were detained under MISA and Defence Rules of India and jailed willy-nilly if they protested against this demolition of India, which was jacketed by saying that it was the cleansing of the Delhi slums.
The Emergency curbed all civil rights and for those 21 months, everything came to a halt. Now, the reasons why Indira imposed the emergency were not just personal. Droughts, unemployment, oil crisis, the 1971 war with Pakistan caused an unpreceded loss to the financial state of India. Furthermore, mass protests were being organized by J. P. Narayan against Gandhi who was afraid to lose her seat.
The Congress Government fell for the first time since independence. However, Gandhi's phase B started soon in 1980. Indira received a personal setback when her son Sanjay died in a plane crash. She still contested the elections and pushed Rajiv Gandhi also in politics.
Operation Blue Star
Operation Blue Star was a military operation under Indira Gandhi to remove Sikh militants from the Harmandir Sahib Complex. The real reason was the assassination of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Bhindranwale was leading the Punjabi youth towards militancy and allegedly create an independent state called Khalistan. Operation Blue Star started on 1st June 1984 and ended on 10th June 1984. It had two parts: Operation metal followed by Operation Shop and Operation Woodrose. The Indian army raided the countryside to catch the suspects. Proper army operations took place in the Harmandir Sahib Complex and throughout Punjab. The media was again at a receiving end with a complete blackout.
While the attack on one of India's holiest places is extremely debatable, one thing can't be questioned – why did our political masters let the situation deteriorate to such an extent? And what was the fallout?
Assassination of Indira and the end of a generation
Indira Gandhi was killed by two of her bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Balwant Singh on 31 October 1984, with a total of 31 bullets were fired at her. Indira's death led to massive Anti-Sikh riots. The rage killed more than 3,000 Sikhs. The Delhi police kept its eyes closed throughout. Congress party met local supporters to distribute money and liquor. They even provided them with ration list and voters list.
Contrary to what people believed, Indira quickly raised her game to withstand domestic and international political pressures. Her stewardship of the nation is debatable, at best. Her legacy will go down in history but for all the wrong reasons.
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