This applet animates the functioning of several dictionary data structures. It can be used as a teaching aid or for self-study. By watching the visualization the user should more easily grasp the ideas behind the data structures.
The Website comsci.info is create to the B-Trees Example.
The tree is empty so we make a new root.
We start at the root.
We insert the key into this node.
The node is too big, we have to split it.
2 < 4, we go along the 2. link.
2 < 5, we go along the 2. link.
4 < 7, we go along the 3. link.
//Search a B-Tree, T, for a key, k.
// NOTE: A recursive version of the above is given in the text.
//Splits a node, y, in a B-Tree and moves y's median key up to y's parent, x.
//y is the ith child of x.
//This function will only be called if y is full; i.e., has 2t-1 keys.
Allocate a new node and call it z. //z will be the new sibling of y.
If y is a leaf then mark z as a leaf, else mark z as an internal node.
copy the last t-1 keys of y into z.
if z is not a leaf then copy the last t pointers of y into z.
insert a (child) pointer to node z into node x.
increment the number of keys in x by one.
Update x, y and z on disk.
//Insert the key, k, into tree, T.
Allocate a new node and call it s. //s will be the new root.
root[T] = s //make s the root. r still points to original root.
set the number of nodes in s to 0.
set the only child pointer of s (c1[s]) to point to r. //r is now the child of s.
call B-Tree-Split-Child(s, 1, r) to split r and move its middle key up into s.
call B-Tree-Insert-NonFull(s, k) to insert the key, k, into the B-Tree with root, s.
call B-Tree-Insert-NonFull(r, k) to insert the key, k, into the B-Tree with root, r.
//Inserts the key, k, into a B-Tree. (k will ultimately be inserted into a leaf).
//Begin by attempting to insert k into nonfull node, x.
i = the number of keys in x.
since x is not full insert k into its proper place in x.
add one to the number of keys in x and update x on disk.
that is root of subtree in which k should be placed.
//node needs to be split its parent will be able to accept the middle key.
set i = index of whichever child of x is root of subtree in which k should be placed.
//x is the root of the subtree to be searched.
//B-Tree-FindLargest returns a pointer to the node containing the largest key in the subtree whose root is x.
//x is the root of the subtree from which k is to be deleted.
//B-Tree-Delete returns true if it successfully deletes k else it returns false.
//Note: This function is designed so that whenever it is called recursively x has at least t keys.
merge k and all of z into y //y now contains 2t-1 keys.
//k and the pointer to z will be deleted from x.
else //k is not in internal node x.
ci[x] points to the root, c, of the subtree that could contain k.
Let k1 be the key in x that precedes/follows c.
Move k1 into c as the first/last key in c.
Let k2 be the last/first key in the immediate left/right sibling, z.
Replace k1 in x with k2 from z (i.e., move k2 up into x).
Move the last/first child subtree of z to be the first/last child subtree of c.
else //c and both of its immediate siblings have t-1 keys.
make the appropriate key of x the middle key of the new node, c.
//Note: This may cause the root to collapse, thus making c the new root.
from root(bottom) to parent of node n(top).


text:
EPL: How I got Arsenal's No 10 shirt – Jack Wilshere
Motunrayo Friday, December 24, 2021 Sports
Former Arsenal midfielder, Jack Wilshere has recalled how he was able to wear the coveted no.10 shirt at the club. The shirt is cons...
Former Arsenal midfielder, Jack Wilshere has recalled how he was able to wear the coveted no.10 shirt at the club.
The shirt is considered befitting for exceptional players with the likes of Robin van Persie and Dennis Bergkamp donning it for the Gunners before Wilshere.
Wilshere said that apart from being an outstanding player, one also just need to be in the right place at the right time.
The former England star, who is currently back training with the Gunners, wore the shirt number at the Emirates Stadium until he left in 2018.
Wilshere said that getting hold of the shirt was easier for him than one might think.
He took it from Van Persie, who was a legend at Arsenal before he signed for Manchester United in 2012.
Asked how he managed to get the number ahead of his teammates, Wilshere told talkSPORT, "I asked for it".
When asked who had it before him, he said, "it was Van Persie.
"There were rumours. It was awkward actually because there were rumours about him leaving for United.
"I didn't know what was happening and I didn't know what was going on.
"But I went to see the manager and said, 'Look, I'm not sure what's happening with Robin and I don't really want to know, that's not why I'm coming here, but if he does go could I have the No.10?'
"He just said, 'Yeah, of course'."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


NextGen Genomics, Biology, Bioinformatics and Technologies (NGBT) Conference to be held from Oct 3rd-5th, in Cochin, India, is organized by SciGenom Research Foundation (SGRF), a not-for-profit organization working to promote Science Research & Education in Asia and India.
The NGBT conference is jointly hosted with Centre for the Commercialization of Antibodies and Biologics (CCAB), Toronto, Canada, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR Biology Department), Mumbai, India, Institute of Bioinformatics (IOB), Bengaluru, India, and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, India. This is the sixth international conference that is hosted by SGRF Conferences, the educational outreach arm of SciGenom Research Foundation (SGRF), along with national institutes in India.
AllSeq has created the world's first true Sequencing Marketplace. You can submit your project to the Marketplace to receive competitive bids. Our online forms help guide you to create an accurate description of your sequencing project, ensuring that you receive accurate, consistent bids. Or you can browse our comprehensive list of service providers, filtering them by platform, application and specialty. Our NGS Knowledge Bank, a neutral source of information on the various sequencing technologies, platforms and applications, can help guide your project design. Our NGS Conference list includes over 100 sequencing and genomics conferences annually, many with free discount codes.
Copyright © 2016 SciGenom Research Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
Last updated on: 01st April 2016.
These terms and conditions ("T&C") of use of www.sgrfconferences.org ("Website") are between the user of the Website ("you" or "your") and sgrfconferences ("sgrfconferences.", which term shall mean and include its affiliates, successors and assigns). Please read these T&C with respect to this Website before using the same. By continuing to access or use this Website and or any portion of it, you agree that you have read and understood the T&C stated herein and that you agree at all times to be bound by these T&C and to any updated T&C that we may publish from time to time (without prior notice). These T&C are in addition to any other agreements between you and sgrfconferences. sgrfconferencescan in no circumstances be held liable for any damages occasioned to you as a consequence of the amendment, disruption, suspension or deletion of its Website. You undertake not to disrupt, or attempt to disrupt, the functioning of the Website. sgrfconferencesreserves the right to change any of the T&C, which change shall become effective immediately.
You may download copyrighted material from the Website only upon registration in sgrfconferences. Such downloads shall be only for your personal use. Except as otherwise expressly permitted by the Website or under copyright law, no copying, redistribution, retransmission, publication or commercial exploitation of downloaded material will be permitted without the express written permission of sgrfconferences and the copyright owner.
The Website may contain links to other websites, provided for your convenience only. This does not imply that we endorse such other website or that we shall be responsible for the content and services of such website.We shall not in any way be liable for any loss or damage caused to you as a result of use/inability to use such website.
While the Website and its creators have taken utmost care to classify books appropriately, the Website or its creators have no control or say over the exact nature of content provided by the original publishers and authors. Therefore the Website or its creators cannot guarantee that the content available on the Website are appropriate for people of all ages.
E-Mail: confereneces@sgrf.org.in. or by phone at 0484-2413399/97.
• Cancellations will be accepted in writing only.
• All cancellation/refund requests must be made by the attendee or credit card holder.
• Cancellation/Refund requests must include the name of the attendee and/or transaction number.
Your privacy is important to www.sgrfconferences.org. sgrfconferences recognizes that when you choose to provide us with information about yourself, you trust us to act in a responsible manner. This information helps us improve your book-browsing or purchasing experience with better content, services and opportunities. This policy tells you about the information gathering and dissemination that we conduct. As sgrfconferences continues to grow, this policy may change, so please check back periodically for updates.
Collection of Information: In order to participate for the Sgrfconferences, the user must first register himself on the website with his personal details such as name, address, e-mail address, date of birth, nationality, occupation and such other details as required by the registration form. sgrfconferences may also request and collect other information from the user from time to time.
Cookie: A cookie (also tracking cookie, browser cookie, and HTTP cookie) is a small piece of text stored on a user's computer by a web browser, which can be used for authentication, session tracking (state maintenance), storing site preferences, shopping cart contents, the identifier for a server-based session, or anything else that can be accomplished through storing textual data. These cookies may be used by us for tracking of user preferences, personalization of services provided etc. There may be various advertisements on our website, viewing which may result in third party cookies being set in user's computer. We shall not be responsible for such cookies.
Log files: These include IP addresses, Internet Service Provider, number of clicks etc which are not linked to user's personal information, but are used to track user's movement on the internet and gather broad demographic information of the aggregate use.
Subscription: Once the user makes any purchase on the Website, subscribes to any module or registers for any service on this website, he may receive e-mails relating to such services. The mails will be relating to generation of a new password, status of user's profile or such other information that may be requested by the user.
Notices: From time to time, the Website may be required to send certain service based notices/announcements. Also, in case the Website was to be acquired or if services were to be temporarily suspended, we may send a mail to user's registered e-mail account. These communications are only in pursuance of our services and are not to be deemed promotional in nature.
Sharing: User's registered profile shall not be shared with any third parties without user's prior written consent. All information shall be kept private and confidential unless the user wishes to make it public or if such information is required to be disclosed pursuant to a government or court order.
Verification: We may use user's information, including the unique identifiers and credit card number provided by user to verify user credentials before we establish a relationship with such user. Otherwise than as stated above, we shall not use information provided by user without user's prior consent.
All user information is restricted to our server and accessible by persons authorized to do so in order to provide services to user.
All persons accessing user information shall do so through a password protected account and any breach of confidentiality obligations by employees of sgrfconferences shall be strictly penalized.


Effective from 13 September 2018, Presidential Decision No.85 amended Decree No.32 on Protection of Value of Turkish Currency by prohibiting use of foreign currencies in certain types of contracts executed by Turkish residents.
Accordingly, by the virtue of newly added article 4(g) of Decree No.32, contract price and any other payment obligations arising from the contracts related to purchase and sale of movable and immovable property, rental of all types of movable and immovable property including vehicle and financial leasing, employment, service and work contracts executed between residents in Turkey shall not be agreed in foreign currency or indexed to foreign currency. Additionally, provincial article 8 of Decree No 32 called parties of contracts falling within the scope of the article 4(g) of Decree No. 32 to redetermine price of contracts and the other payment obligations in Turkish Currency within thirty days from the effective date of article 4 (g).
On October 6, 2018, Communiqué no 2018-32/51 was published in the official gazette and further clarified the scope of article 4(g) by amending communiqué no 2008-32/34 regarding decree no. 32 on the protection of the value of the Turkish currency. According to communiqué, repealed article 8 of the communiqué no 2008-32/34 regarding decree no. 32 on the protection of the value of Turkish currency has been amended in a way to define the scope and exceptions of the ban on the foreign currency or FX indexed contracts.
Recently, on November 16, 2018, a new communique no 2018-32/52 further amended repealed article 8 of the communiqué no 2008-32/34 and extended scope of exceptions provided former communique.
excluding those service contracts related to electronic communications starting in Turkey, ending abroad or vice versa.
As per paragraph 28 of Communiqué, for the conversion of the Foreign Currency or FX Indexed Values in the respective contracts, if parties of contracts may not mutually agree, Banknote selling rate of Turkish Central Bank as of January 2, 2018 shall be taken as a base for the conversion into Turkish Lira and by considering the monthly rate of change in the Consumer Price Index announced by the Turkish Statistics Institution price of contracts and the other payment obligations shall be determined.
Finally, in the last paragraph it is clarified that, article shall not be applicable to the deposits given and securities circulated within the scope of real estate lease contracts and to the collected or delayed debts in relations to contracts of which contract price or any other payment obligations cannot be agreed in foreign currency or indexed to the foreign currency.
 Art 2(b) Decision for the Protection of Turkish Currency no.32 (Decision No.32) dated 7 August 1989 Residents : Real persons and legal entities who have a legal residence in Turkey, including those who are employed, self-employed or owners of independent businesses abroad.
 Sale and Rental contracts related to Movables can be determined in foreign currency or indexed to foreign currency. Only exemption to this rule is sale and rental contracts of vehicles (including heavy machines – Heavy machines excluded with the Communiqué no 2018-32/52 on November 16, 2018.) As per paragraph 25, Vehicle Rental Contracts signed before the effective date of Provisional Article 8 of the Decree No:32 are exempted from this article.


text:
Bioproductivity, efficiency, and related terms
Agricultural productivity, resources, and related terms
Carrying capacity of ecosystems and human demography
Bioresources, biocapacity of ecosystems, and related terms.
Bioproductivity of communities in ecosystems
Food chains / webs, trophic interactions, and biological efficiency
Agriculture, yield, and food supply (quantity and quality).
Biomass and bio-energy
Biomass production in marine ecosystems.
Biomass, yield, and related terms
The concept may apply to a single organism, a population, or entire communities and ecosystems. In aquatic systems, productivity is often measured in volume instead of area.
The quantity of organic matter or its equivalent in dry matter, carbon, or energy content which is accumulated per area during a given period of time.
Bioproductivity is the coordinated manifestation of the efficiency with which biological processes operate at various organization scales, from molecular/cellular to the whole organism and population.
Efficiency :
the capacity of a system to meet all requirements. In biology, the ratio of productivity of an organism to its supply of energy. For the biosystem, efficiency thus means the ability of the planet or ecosystem to effectively maintain life and be resilient, through adaptations and optimizations according to available resources and their phasing at various organization levels.
Bioproductivity
The bioproductivity is the amount and rate of production which occur in a given ecosystem over a given time period.
The rate of primary production as biomass with reference to space and time. The amount of biological material useful to humans that is generated in a given area. In agriculture, productivity is called yield (biomass x land area). Expressed in amount per hectare [1-2].
Higher yield implies the use of less land to reach the same productivity [3].
Biological productivity (or primary productivity), expressed as the harvestable yield in tons per hectare at a specific location for a complete growing season is based on the use of a computerised model combining rainfall, evaporation, vegetation and soil characteristics, including space imaging, spectrometry and biochemical methods
(Ronald E. Schulze, Department of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Natal).
Ecologists distinguish between primary productivity (by autotrophs) and secondary productivity (by heterotrophs). Plants have the ability to use the energy from sunlight to convert CO2 and water into glucose and oxygen, producing biomass through photosynthesis. Primary productivity of a community is the rate at which biomass is produced per unit area and time by plants, expressed in either units of energy [joules/(m-2)(day)] or dry organic matter [kg/(m2)(year)].
The following definitions are useful in calculating production :
Gross primary production
Gross primary production (GPP) is the total energy fixed by photosynthesis per unit time. (gross production = respiration + heat losses + net production).
Net primary production (NPP) is the gross production minus losses due to plant respiration and heat losses per unit time, and it represents the actual new biomass that is available for consumption by heterotrophic organisms.
Secondary production is the rate of production of biomass by heterotrophs (animals, microorganisms), which feed on plant products or other heterotrophs [4].
Productivity (soil) :
the capacity of soils to support biomass production (quality, quantity) according to inherent qualities (such as depth, nutrient status and pH, organic matter and biological activity, porous status and air and water movement), weather and management. (adapted from	[5]).
Referenced soil and climate data are based on FAO's Digital Soil Map of the World and associated soil characteristics (e.g., slope, depth, and salinity), global land-cover data generated from satellite imagery (U.S. Geological Survey, resolution of 1 kilometer with cropland identified according to the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme land-cover classification scheme). These are combined with spatially referenced long-run average temperature and precipitation data to establish land quality classes distinguished by their suitability for agricultural production [6].
1.	Global Footprint Network - Glossary [http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/glossary/#biocapacity]
2.	WWF - 2010 Living Planet Report [http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/all_publications/living_planet_report/2010_lpr/]
3.	Yield Booster - Yield Glossary [http://www.yieldbooster.org/intrinsic-yield/yield-glossary]
4.	Biological productivity [http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Biological+Productivity]
5.	What is Soil Health ? [http://vro.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/soilhealth_what_is]
6.	Wiebe K : Linking land quality, agricultural productivity, and food security. USDA-ERS Agricultural Economic Report No 823 2003:19-27.


Welney - CATTLE EGRET & GLOSSY IBIS. Blakeney - AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. Wells - 'Northern' Bullfinch, 2 Mealy Redpolls, Black Brant. Cley - 11 Lap Bunts, 2 pale Bellied Brents & 7 Shore Larks. Weybourne - Lap Bunt. Holkham - 15 Shorelarks. Holme - 3 Lap Bunts & GN Diver. Titchwell - Smew, 30 Twite & Slav Grebe. Waxwings still in Yarmouth (50) and norwich (50) plus a few elsewhere in the county.


A interesting investigative experiment conducted by Mat Dolphin, and posted on Creative Review, after finding out about a company doing logo design for $42. As far as experiments this is pretty thorough with a good analysis of the results.
The conclusion? You get what you pay for, and that will usually mean cliches aplenty.
I'm not worried and neither should you be.


text:
Minister for Defence - Visit to Iraq
Minister for Defence Senator the Hon Marise Payne has travelled to Iraq to meet with Australian Defence Force personnel deployed as part of Operation OKRA, Australia's contribution to the international coalition to defeat Daesh.
Australia is making a substantial military contribution to the coalition ground and air campaign as part of the effort to defeat Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
During her visit Minister Payne met with members of Australia's Special Operations Task Group, which is providing support to the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service as part of the Advise and Assist mission, and ADF personnel from Task Group Taji, which is training the Iraqi Security Forces as part of the Building Partner Capacity mission at the Taji Military Complex.
"The expertise, skill and dedication of our ADF personnel and their commitment to these important training missions have been invaluable in assisting the Iraqi Security Forces in their battle against violent extremism," Minister Payne said.
"With coalition support the capacity of the Iraqi Security Forces has improved markedly and they have now driven Daesh out of more than 40 per cent of the territory they once held in Iraq.
"Our ADF are making a significant difference in the campaign and their experience and skills are exceptionally highly regarded by both the international coalition and the government of Iraq.
"It's not easy being so far from home for extended periods and I recognise the sacrifices ADF personnel and their families are making on our behalf."
During her visit Minister Payne met with Iraqi Prime Minister Dr Haider al-Abadi and Defence Minister Khalid al-Obeidi to reinforce Australia's commitment to helping Iraq defeat Daesh and to discuss the Government's recent decision to broaden the scope of Australia's Building Partner Capacity mission to include Iraqi law enforcement agencies.
Minister Payne also met with the head of the international coalition, Operation Inherent Resolve Commander Lieutenant General Sean Macfarland, to discuss the next steps in the coalition's campaign plan to assist the Iraqi Security Forces in their battle against Daesh.
Media note:
Imagery of the Minister's visit is available at: http://images.defence.gov.au/S20162003


When growing your business, an often logical step is to look to international expansion, if the marketplace exists for your products or services overseas. As exporting comes with its own unique challenges on top of running your operations here in the UK, it is best to seek the advice and support available to ensure you make the most of this opportunity.
If you are considering international business expansion you can talk to Worcestershire Business Central today on 01905 677 888 and we'll point you in the right direction.
As it is important to be realistic with any business venture, you may just want to seek support in assessing the readiness of your organisation for the challenges of international trade.
Whatever stage of the export journey you are at, Worcestershire Business Central can inform and guide you to the resources and information available. Speak to our team today to get the conversation started.


text:
Religious Harassment Varies Across the World
In a new report by Pew Research Center, harassment of various religious groups have globally spread and significantly increased.
"In nearly three out of every four countries of the world, religious groups experience harassment by individuals or groups in society," Pew says.
Pew collected data in 2012 and measured the percentage of religious groups that face persecution in five geographical regions: Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East/Northern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Americas.
Muslim groups are the most harassed in Europe, Middle East/Northern Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa (71 percent, 75 percent, and 35 percent, respectively).
An earlier report by Pew (Jan. 2014) showed that Jews face more social harassment globally than any other religious group. Within the five regions, Jews experience the most hostility in the Americas, but are a close second or third in other regions, excluding Sub-Saharan Africa.
Christians, being one of the largest and prevalent religious groups in the world, are harassed in the most number of countries (110). Buddhist and Hindu groups illustrate the lowest across the world, but face the highest social harassment in the Asia-Pacific region (10 percent and 14 percent, respectively).
In Sub-Saharan Africa, groups that practice folk or traditional religion, in the realm of voodoo or witchcraft, "were harassed in nearly three-in-ten countries (27 percent, or 13 of 48) in this part of the world."
Specifics on which countries within each region experienced harassment of religious groups were not collected. As well, Pew did not measure the level of intimidation religious groups suffered, but noted how these incidents take shape.
"The harassment and intimidation take many forms, including physical or verbal assaults; desecration of holy sites; and discrimination against religious groups in employment, education and housing," says Pew.
Although the study centers on social harassment, reasons for its occurrence and persistence are contributed to varying factors.
To view more on how religious harassment varies by region, visit Pew Research Center.


#ad#Moscow opposed the Bush administration's war in Iraq. The human-rights group Freedom House reports that Russia is growing less free, even as Putin seems headed towards reelection next year. A number of U.S. analysts agree with former world-chess champion Garry Kasparov that Moscow is no friend of America. However, the Bush administration has been willing to forgive and forget. Indeed, Mr. Putin routinely receives kindly treatment in Washington–in sharp contrast to that of another member of the former Soviet Union which has been more helpful: Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma supported the Bush administration's war in Iraq and recently deployed 1,800 troops to help with the occupation. His rule has been tainted by charges of corruption and abuse of power, but Kuchma is on his way out, not up. Yet the Bush administration has been keeping Kiev out in the cold. Better would be to turn Ukraine into America's and the West's economic partner.
Balancing security and human-rights concerns has never been easy. Washington supported a cohort of repressive dictatorships while confronting the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Even President Jimmy Carter, who regularly and grandly spoke of human rights, lauded the thuggish shah of Iran for his alleged commitment to democracy.
Neither the Reagan nor first Bush administrations spent a lot of time worrying about their allies' fidelity to individual liberty. Now the second Bush administration understandably if uncomfortably ignores human-rights violations in such allied states as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to better prosecute the war on terrorism. And Washington seems unconcerned that Russian President Vladimir Putin has combined hostility towards America with only semi-democratic rule.
Kiev has done much to please the U.S. Ukraine abandoned its nuclear arsenal, left over after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
When the Bush administration decided to kill the ABM treaty two years ago, Ukraine, in contrast to Russia and Europe, offered its support. And Kiev, which has participated in a number of U.N. peacekeeping operations, backed Washington's policy in Iraq. It sent a 450-member chemical-decontamination brigade to Kuwait before the war, opened its airspace for allied flights, helped airlift supplies during the war, and offered 1800 troops as part of the Polish-led international brigade to relieve U.S. Marines on occupation duty.
Moreover, Kiev has been addressing complaints involving trade and intellectual property; even Washington acknowledges that Ukraine is tightening up its export controls. Former U.S. Ambassador Carlos Pascual referred to a policy "of small steps," which helped resolve some trade issues, facilitate cooperation on money laundering, and the like. Earlier this year Washington discussed Kiev's possible entry into NATO, though that remains far in the future.
Yet the government of two-term President Kuchma remains in ill repute in Washington. Charm is not a notable characteristic of the former manager of a Soviet arms factory; he has been burdened by a barrage of unflattering charges and unremitting political opposition at home.
So-called financial oligarchs have been influential in his administration; the opposition media has complained of government pressure. Economic reform has been slow. Washington grew ever more distant over charges that Kuchma was complicit in the murder of investigative journalist Heorhiy Gongadze–tapes of Kuchma's alleged conversations raised suspicions, but their authenticity was contested and his involvement was never proved.
He also was accused of allowing the sale of Kolchuga radar systems to Iraq in violation of U.N. sanctions. Kiev vehemently denied the allegation and no such equipment turned up in Iraq after America's victory, though Washington remains suspicious that Kuchma approved the deal.
Ukraine's presidential election is scheduled for October 2004 and Washington will be tempted to meddle. Although Kuchma is constitutionally barred from running again, some supporters have argued that he is not bound by the restriction since it was passed after he was elected. But he has repeatedly said that he doesn't intend on running, for which Ambassador Pascual congratulated him.
The list of possible successors is long. Within the government today are Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, with his own somewhat dubious past, and Viktor Medvedchuk, a leading legislator and head of presidential administration in the Kuchma administration. National Bank Chairman Serhy Tyhypko is also mentioned. All have been attacked by the opposition–Ukrainian politics is not for the fainthearted–and none seems favored by Washington. But none is burdened with Kuchma-like political baggage.
Opposition figures have been better received in the U.S., both in the human-rights community and government circles. Former Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko heads the Our Ukraine bloc in the Rada. Former cabinet minister Yulia Timoshenko manages her own party.
Yushchenko, a Kuchma appointee ousted by the previous parliament, is perceived as a pro-Western democrat. Yet of late he has spoken of the need for a good Ukrainian-Russian relationship and his party split over Bush administration foreign policy goals. Yushchenko and a sizable minority of his party opposed deployment of the chemical-weapons specialists; he supported sending occupation troops to Iraq but most of Our Ukraine's members voted against.
Timoshenko has been portrayed as a reformer but faces corruption charges at home. Moreover, she has joined the Socialist and Communist parties in forthrightly opposing any Ukrainian role in Iraq.
Whatever the case, rather than attempting to play politics in Ukraine, Washington should focus on encouraging Kiev to more effectively integrate itself into the world economy. After a decade of dismal economic performance, Ukraine's economy is finally growing swiftly; its latest Eurobond issue, worth $800 million, was oversubscribed. But Kiev remains desperate to encourage more foreign investment. The government is setting up a new agency in hopes of attracting more foreign capital. Although foreign investment was up 50 percent last year, next-door Poland still collects as much in a single year as Ukraine has received over the last dozen years.
Ukraine is pressing to join NATO. Better would be freer trade with America, membership in the World Trade Organization and accession to the European Union. Bizarrely, commerce with Kiev is still restricted by the Cold War Jackson-Vanik Act.
The U.S. should remove this restrictive Soviet-era law that still applies to Ukraine and encourage Ukraine's entry into the World Trade Organization. Prosperity would help speed economic reform in Ukraine. It would also aid building civil society, so necessary for democratic reforms to take root. Indeed, membership in the EU would require Kiev not only to free its markets but also loosen its political system; the attempt to meet EU membership criteria has helped advance democracy in Turkey, for instance.
I think we must look carefully at the consequences of the steps that have been taken, and whether they fit in Ukraine's desire to be integrated into the Euro Atlantic community. It is in the interests of Ukraine not to have this integration complicated. The United States fully supports Ukraine's desire to become a member of the Euro Atlantic community and join the global economic community. We closely cooperate with Ukraine's government in order to help it join the WTO.
But that requires concrete steps from Washington. Indeed, Herbst's predecessor, Carlos Pascual, referred in his farewell speech to an "internal tug-of-war" over "Ukraine's place in Europe." And in the world, too.
Attempts by Washington to directly micromanage the economic and political processes in foreign countries is never easy. Doing so in Ukraine is particularly complicated, since the politicians perceived as more democratic have been less supportive of U.S. policy.
Even so, with elections in the offing Washington would best keep its hands off the political process while pushing for greater economic liberalization. A prosperous Ukraine integrated into the world community is most likely to be a free Ukraine friendly to the West.
–Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute.
Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of Foreign Follies: America's New Global Empire and Beyond Good Intentions: A Biblical View of Politics.


Talbot in Blues and Golds 3 is a 24" X 36" is only available in print because the original is sold. It is panel 3 of the set. (Select "Wall Preview" below for a room type, size and wall color to better view the art).
Talbot in Blues and Golds 3 is only available in print because the original is sold. It is panel 3 of the set. (Select "Wall Preview" below for a room type, size and wall color to better view the art).


A second suspect in a stabbing Saturday turned himself in to police Monday. He was arrested, then released without charges pending investigation.
The suspect, a 36-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier, turned himself in at the Wahiawa Police Station.
Police said the victim, a 29-year-old man, was stabbed in the neck during an argument between four males on Seaside Avenue near the Waikiki Trade Center. The victim was taken to Queen's Medical Center in critical condition, but improved and has been released.
Police arrested a 30-year-old man at the scene, but released him without charges.


Celebrate the upcoming St.Patrick's Day special for Hiking and Beer Lover.
Please SHARE OR TAG YOUR FRIENDS.
You can't find this anywhere in store. A collector item!
5. enter your payment detail and Checkout!
6. 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back!


text:
help@desautelesq.com
Desautel LawRI – MA – CT
Desautel Law
Marisa Desautel
Patrick Sullivan
Michelle Hawes
Nicole Andrescavage
Kallie Longval
HomeAll Posts...Civil Court
Desautel Law © 2020. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Litigators appear in civil court to represent their clients in a civil matter. An individual can also represent themselves in this venue, but an attorney must represent any corporate entity. Groups of individuals can also comprise a plaintiff or defendant, too.
Pleadings and Discovery
If an attorney files a complaint on behalf of her plaintiff client, the defendant or his attorney must then file an answer. These two documents, the complaint and the answer, are the first steps taken in a civil matter. In Rhode Island, the courts require electronic filing of these documents. As a result, lawyers in this state must be familiar with the computer system that the state uses.
A litigator's first appearance in civil court is often to deal with a discovery dispute. That's because discovery is the second step following the complaint and answer. Judges are familiar with discovery disputes – there is usually an entire day reserved by the courts to deal with these disputes! New attorneys handle the majority of a practice's discovery issues with opposing counsel because it's an excellent learning opportunity about the civil process.
Depending on the nature of a claim and the amount in controversy, there are a few options for venue. State civil courts and federal courts are a good example. These courts are completely different and are located in two separate buildings. They also have separate sets of procedure. Part of an attorney's job is to determine which court the case belongs in.
Lack of subject matter jurisdiction can be a basis for case dismissal. Each civil court has its own jurisdiction. So, an attorney must file the plaintiff's complaint in the appropriate venue. Otherwise, a case can be dismissed right away. Dismissal is an expensive and time-consuming process. It is very important that an attorney file her client's claims properly.
As the name suggests, civil court does not hear matters of a criminal law nature. Civil matters include claims sounding in tort, contract, and real property, among others. These matters can be heard and decided by a jury. Or, a jury trial can be waived so that only the judge hears and decides the matter.
Civil court decisions usually carry a right of appeal, too. Any party that is aggrieved by the decision files that appeal to a higher court. Appellate process is different than the trial process. The higher court reviews only the evidence and issues that were successfully introduced at the trial level. This idea is referred to as a "review of the record below." As a result, it's imperative that the attorneys introduce all of the evidence and arguments they need at the trial stage. These rules, and others like it, were developed through case law, and the courts have rules of civil procedure. Between these two sources, there are various necessary steps in the civil process.
The attorneys at Desautel Law have decades of experience with civil court. They represent clients regularly throughout all courts in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Call us today to find out how we can help you: 401.477.0023.
Litigation Definition
To Litigate or Not to Litigate?
Brownfields Redevelopment (7)
Civil Litigation (6)
Coastal Zone Law (3)
Environmental Law & Litigation (34)
Law and Policy (5)
Utility Law (11)
What is Civil Procedure?
How Can an Energy Lawyer Help You?
Environmental Law Violations
About Desautel Law


text:
Q: HttpModule based plugin migration to .net core I have a .net framework 4.7 project which is essentially an HTTPmodule to be used independantly in IIS server to detect incoming requests and responses, to 3rd party applications installed in IIS,which then need to be modified.
We were adding the module using the webconfig for the respective applications.However now i am migrating it to .net core 6.we use a sample web api to test the httpmodule project.However it seems the addition has to be in startup.cs of the sample web app.
Issue:-
1.I add a middlware to the 1st project like below
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace Myspace.HttpModule.Example
{
    // You may need to install the Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http.Abstractions package into your project
    public class MyMiddleware
    {
        private readonly RequestDelegate _next;

        public MyMiddleware(RequestDelegate next)
        {
            _next = next;
        }

        public Task Invoke(HttpContext httpContext)
        {

            return _next(httpContext);
        }
    }

    // Extension method used to add the middleware to the HTTP request pipeline.
    public static class MyMiddlewareExtensions
    {
        public static IApplicationBuilder UseMyMiddleware(this IApplicationBuilder builder)
        {
            return builder.UseMiddleware<MyMiddleware>();
        }
    }
}

2.Now i need to add this to the 2nd project which is the sample web app to test the HTTPModule.However when i try to add it to the startup.cs file that i created in the sample web app project
using Myspace.HttpModule.Example;
using System.Globalization;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

// Add services to the container.

builder.Services.AddControllers();
// Learn more about configuring Swagger/OpenAPI at https://aka.ms/aspnetcore/swashbuckle
builder.Services.AddEndpointsApiExplorer();
builder.Services.AddSwaggerGen();

var app = builder.Build();

// Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
if (app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
{
    app.UseSwagger();
    app.UseSwaggerUI();

}

app.UseAuthorization();

app.UseMiddleware<MyMiddleware>();

app.UseMyMiddleware();

app.MapControllers();

app.Run();

I get compilation errors at
app.UseMiddleware<MyMiddleware>();

app.UseMyMiddleware();

So is it that i cant add like this.Wouldnt "using" work in this case?
Also is this the only way to add a middleware to be able to get requests globally or from the specific sample or 3rd party app?
I googled a lot but couldn't find piece together a definite answer. I am a newbie to .Net
The error is like below

Update:-
The error image is

A: the method should be included in
namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder
assembly:Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http.Abstractions.dll

which was included in Microsoft.AspNetCore.app in your project when you created the project :

please check the framewok if there's something wrong with it

A: your screenshot is pointing to a spelling mistake. its UseMiddleware not Middelware as it can be seen in your screenshot.
please check if you are using correct name.
and also you only need to use either
app.UseMiddleware<MyMiddleware>();

or
app.UseMyMiddleware();

not both.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Tag Archives: student council
Indonesian Theology Students Withstand Threats, Illness
Posted on December 2, 2009 by particularkev
Seminarians resist eviction from former municipal building as they await decent relocation.
JAKARTA, Indonesia, December 1 (CDN) — Some 1,000 seminary students are resisting efforts to evict them from the former municipal building of West Jakarta where they have taken refuge after Muslim protestors drove them from their campus last year.
On Oct. 27 officials began evicting about 300 students of Arastamar Evangelical Theological Seminary (SETIA) from blocks I and II of the former mayoral building, but those in blocks III, IV, and V chose to remain.
The students, some of whom had sown their mouths shut as part of a hunger strike, asserted that new quarters offered by the Jakarta Provincial Government are not yet fit for occupancy – dirty and unkempt with broken windows and doors. They said the property offered, the North Jakarta Transmigrant building, has not functioned since 1999, and its five buildings accommodate only 200 to 300 students.
The seminary students told Compass that unidentified mobs have threatened them, telling them to leave the former municipal complex immediately.
"They threaten us and tell us that if we do not move, our safety cannot be guaranteed," said SETIA's Yulius Thomas Bilo.
The Rev. Matheus Mangentang, rector of SETIA, confirmed that the threats had been made. Asked about the identity of the mobs, he said he knew only that they appeared daily to intimidate and threaten students.
"We are going to move as soon as possible – Dec. 31 at the latest," Mangentang said. "If we don't, the place is no longer safe."
He added, however, that they would not move until their new location was clear.
"We have not wavered in our desire to return to our own place, because we actually have our own campus in Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta," Mangentang told Compass.
The Jakarta Provincial Government has not allowed the students and staff to return to their campus, citing fear of more violence.
"It is not permissible for them to return to Kampung Pulo; conditions are not conducive," the Jakarta area secretary who goes by a single name, Muhayat, told Compass.
In July 2008 hundreds of protestors shouting "Allahu-Akbar ["God is greater]" and brandishing machetes forced the evacuation of staff and students from the SETIA campus in Kampung Pulo village. Urged on by announcements from a mosque loudspeaker to "drive out the unwanted neighbor" following a misunderstanding between students and local residents, the protestors also had sharpened bamboo and acid and injured at least 20 students, some seriously.
Water and Electricity Crisis
Conditions for the 1,000 students living in the former West Jakarta mayor's complex are worsening.
"Since the end of October, we have had no electricity and no water," said Alexander Dimu, head of the student senate. "We have to depend upon our own resources and donations to buy water. We need about US$100 per day for water."
Compass noted hundreds of students lined up to obtain water for bathing and drinking. They used old buckets to carry water to the bathrooms, which were badly in need of repair.
As a result of such living conditions, many students have diarrhea and hemorrhagic fever.
"So far, six have fever and 17 have diarrhea," Dimu told Compass. "Those who are ill have been taken to a nearby hospital."
A number of students have quit school, according to Mangentang, as their parents were worried about the health conditions. The average SETIA student is from outside Jakarta. They come from Nias Island, East Indonesia, Borneo and other areas. Their families are largely farmers.
"The parents have millions of expectations as to how they can help the children of their home villages after graduation," said Mangentang.
The ultimate destination of the students is still unclear. The Jakarta Provincial Government has stood firm in ordering them to move to Cikarang, West Java, about 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Jakarta. At the same time, the SETIA Foundation has requested the government find a new campus venue within Jakarta to avoid the difficult process of obtaining permits in the new provincial jurisdiction of West Java.
After SETIA staff and students met on Nov. 16 with several members of Parliament at the former mayoral office, the MPs led by Education Committee Vice Chairman Heri Ahmadi promised to ask Jakarta Gov. Fauzi Bowo to return them to their campus at Kampung Pulo with the necessary security.
Mangentang said that he was still waiting for the members of Parliament to make good on that pledge.
The visit by the parliamentarians brought an end to a hunger strike by five students who had sewn their mouths shut at the former mayoral complex on Nov. 9. They were identified only as Yanisar, Leonardo, Mutari, Demas and Epy. That act followed a protest by the student council from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3.
Two units of heavy machinery had begun tearing down part of the main building where the 1,000 students are housed. Some of the students staying there were previously evicted from the Bumi Perkemahan Cibubur (BUPERTA) campground.
SETIA spokesman Yusup Agustinus Lifire told Compass the seminary is awaiting word from the Jakarta governor's office about their returning to their campus at Kampung Pulo.
"We submitted an official letter to the governor, the police chief of Greater Jakarta and the military chief of Greater Jakarta on Oct. 28, but so far there is not any reply for us," Lifire said. "We would like to leave this building if we could find a new place. It is not certain if the students began to attack and throw stones at police officers on Oct. 27-28 when they began demolishing one of the buildings. There were some provocateurs who started to throw some stones at police officers, then the officers threw the stones at the students and vice versa."
Lifire also said the Jakarta governor's office should take responsibility for the crisis. SETIA has asked the governor to guarantee security for a return to their original campus or else prepare or provide a new venue, he said.
A female student of Christian Education said there is a banner at the original campus that reads in Bahasa, "If you dare to return, we will wipe you out."
Posted in Christianity, Indonesia, Islam	| Tagged 1999, accommodate, acid, Alexander Dimu, Allah Akbar, announcements, appeared, Arastamar Evangelical Theological Seminary, area secretary, ask, asserted, average, avoid, Bahasa, bamboo, banner, bathing, bathrooms, began, blocks, Borneo, brandishing, broken, brought, buckets, building, Bumi Perkemahan Cibubur, BUPERTA, buy, campground, campus, carry, children, chose, Christian, Christian Education, Christianity, Christians, Cikarang, citing, clear, complex, conditions, conducive, crisis, daily, dare, decent, Demas, depend, desire, destination, diarrhea, difficult, dirty, donations, doors, down, drinking, drove, East Indonesia, East Jakarta, Education Committee, electricity, end, Epy, evacuation, evict, evicting, eviction, expectations, families, farmers, Fauzi Bowo, fear, female, fever, firm, fit, following, forced, former, functioned, God, good, governor, graduation, greater, Greater Jakarta, guaranteed, health, heavy, hemorrhagic fever, Heri Ahmadi, hospital, housed, hunger strike, identity, illness, immediately, Indonesia, Indonesian, injured, intimidate, Islam, Jakarta, Jakarta Provincial Government, jurisdiction, Kampung Pulo, largely, leave, Leonardo, letter, living, local, location, loudspeaker, machetes, machinery, main, Matheus Mangentang, mayoral, military chief, misunderstanding, mobs, mosque, mouths, move, MPs, Muhayat, municipal, Muslim, muslims, Mutari, name, nearby, necessary, need, neighbor, new, Nias Island, North Jakarta Transmigrant, obtain, obtaining, occupancy, offered, office, officials, old, ordering, original, out, outside, parents, Parliament, parliamentarians, part, permissible, permits, Persecution, pledge, Police Chief, possible, prepare, process, promised, property, protestors, provide, provocateurs, quarters, quit, reads, rector, refuge, relocation, remain, repair, reply, requested, residents, resist, resources, responsibility, result, return, Rev, safe, safety, school, security, seminarians, seminary, senate, SETIA, SETIA Foundation, sharpened, shouting, shut, single, sown, spokesman, staff, stones, stood, student council, students, submitted, tearing, Theology, threatened, threats, throw, ultimate, unclear, unidentified, units, unkempt, unwanted, urged, used, venue, vice chairman, violence, visit, waiting, water, wavered, West Jakarta, West Java, windows, wipe, withstand, worried, worsening, Yanisar, Yulius Thomas Bilo, Yusup Agustinus Lifire | Leave a comment
INDONESIA: NEW BUILDING SITE FOUND FOR BIBLE COLLEGE
Officials promise to buy previous campus site and issue permit for new site.
JAKARTA, May 11 (Compass Direct News) – Officials of the Arastamar School of Theology (SETIA) in Jakarta are considering the purchase of a new campus site after violent protests last July led to the eviction of 1,400 students and staff members.
Indonesian officials on May 1 inspected land for the new campus site and promised to issue a building permit. But SETIA would be required to obtain permission from potential neighbors in Bambu Apus district, East Jakarta, before the school could be built.
Since protests by neighbors of the original campus in Kampung Pulo, some 1,200 remaining staff members and students have moved to three separate emergency locations across Jakarta, in some cases living in leaking tents and holding classes under trees.
In mid-March, SETIA director Matheus Mangentang met with Fajar Panjaitan, assistant to the deputy governor of Jakarta, to discuss the governor's promise to provide an alternative campus.
At the meeting, the governor's office promised to purchase the original campus site but stipulated that the city would pay only for the land, not the buildings. The Jakarta official also promised to improve temporary accommodation for the students and issue a building permit for a new campus in a different location.
Deputy Gov. Prijanto, who has only a single name, initially suggested that SETIA move to an empty factory some 60 kilometers (37 miles) away in Cikarang, West Java, but Mangentang refused on the grounds that SETIA would be charged approximately 50 million rupiah (US$4,800) per month in service and security fees.
On Feb. 9 students had gathered in front of the presidential palace to protest the lack of adequate college facilities.
"We are asking the government to take responsibility for finding us a new campus," a representative of the student council identified only as Herdi told Compass.
About 450 students are living and studying at a Boy Scouts campground in Cibubur, another 250 are in a migrant's center in Kalimalang and the remaining 500 are in an abandoned West Jakarta mayoral office that lacks basic facilities such as adequate running water and toilets.
Machetes and Acid
Urged on by announcements from a mosque loudspeaker to "drive out the unwanted neighbor," hundreds of protestors shouting "Allahu-Akbar ["God is greater]" and brandishing machetes, sharpened bamboo and acid had forced the evacuation of staff and students from the SETIA campus in Kampung Pulo village on July 26- 27, following a misunderstanding between students and local residents. Attackers injured at least 20 students, some seriously.
Key among motives for the attack was that area Muslims felt "disturbed" by the presence of the Christian college. They wanted it to be moved to another area.
Following the evacuation, some students were temporarily billeted in church offices, while others slept in the lobby of Indonesia's parliament building. Officials then moved 600 female students to the BUPERTA Boy Scouts campground, where they were later joined by 100 male students. A further 400 male students were accommodated at a migrants' center in Bekasi, while 32 post-graduate students were accommodated in a housing complex in Kota Wisata, not far from the BUPERTA campground.
In October, camp managers asked students to vacate the campground for a Boy Scouts' event. Over 1,000 students from the campground and other locations then moved temporarily to an abandoned mayor's office in Jakarta, although 450 of those later returned to the campground.
When no attempts were made to begin renovations on the mayor's office, Mangentang himself hired bricklayers and carpenters to install more toilets, repair damaged ceilings on two floors of the building and erect partitions to create 13 classrooms. But the building still lacks many basic amenities, according to staff members. Students carry well water into the building in large plastic drums for showers, toilets, laundry and cooking.
Fauzi Bowo, governor of Jakarta, had originally promised the students that they could return to their original campus at the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. He then promised to find a site for a new campus and provide an official building permit. When these promises proved slow to materialize, Mangentang insisted that the governor's office shoulder costs for temporary accommodation.
Posted in Christianity, Indonesia, Islam	| Tagged abandoned, accomodation, acid, adequate, Akbar, Allah, alternative, amenities, announcements, Arastamar School of Theology, assistant, attack, attackers, bamboo, Bambu Apus, basic, Beksi, Bible, billeted, boys, bricklayers, building, built, BUPERTA, buy, camp, campground, campus, carpenters, ceilings, center, Christian, Christianity, Christians, church, Cikarang, city, classes, classrooms, college, cooking, create, damaged, deputy governor, director, discus, district, disturbed, drums, East Jakarta, emergency, empty, erect, event, eviction, facilities, factory, Fajar Panaitan, fasting, Fauzi Bowo, fees, female, floors, following, found, God, government, governor, greater, grounds, Herdi, hired, Indonesia, Indonesian, injured, inspected, install, Islam, issue, Jakarta, Kalimalang, Kampung Pulo, Kota Wisata, land, laundary, leaking, living, lobby, locations, loudspeaker, machetes, managers, Matheus Mangentang, mayoral, meeting, members, migrants, misunderstanding, mosque, motives, Muslim, muslims, neighbors, new, obtain, office, offices, officials, palace, Parliament, partitions, pay, permit, Persecution, plastic, potential, presidential, previous, Prijanto, promise, protests, purchase, Ramadan, renovations, repair, representative, responsiblity, running, school, scouts, security, seperate, seriously, service, SETIA, sharpened, showers, site, staff, student council, students, studying, temporary, tents, toilets, trees, vacate, village, violent, water, West Java | Leave a comment


text:
Home Events 11 May, Chicago: Day-long hunger strike and encampment in solidarity with Palestinian...
11 May, Chicago: Day-long hunger strike and encampment in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners
Thursday, 11 May
Press conference: 4 pm
8527 S. Harlem Ave (Parking Lot)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/290585068052077/
Day-long hunger strike and encampment in solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners Thursday, May 11th, in Burbank, IL
WHAT: Join us in a day-long hunger strike and encampment in solidarity with the over 1,500 Palestinian political prisoners currently on an open-ended hunger strike in Israeli prisons.
WHEN: Thursday, May 11th, 2017, from 10 AM to 7 PM. Press conference at 4 PM.
WHERE: Parking lot in front of 8527 S. Harlem Ave., in Burbank, Illinois.
WHO: Chicago-based family members of Palestinian political prisoners and hunger strikers, U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), Palestinian American Community Center, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)-DePaul University, and other community activists and institutions.
ALL THIS WEEK:
Call Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson at 202.647.9572
Amnesty International USA Headquarters 212.807.8400
International Red Cross 202.587.4600
Senator Richard Durbin 312.353.4952
and ask them to pressure Israel to agree to the Palestinian hunger strikers' basic humanitarian demands!
#PalestinianPoliticalPrisoners #PalHunger #DignityStrike #StopAD
According to Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, as of April 2017, there are 6,300 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons. More than 1,500 of them are on their 3rd week of an open-ended hunger strike. We join Palestinian organizations and solidarity groups around the world, and continue to heed the call of the Strike of Freedom and Dignity until the prisoners' demands are met.
Deplorable conditions within Israeli prisons have caused considerable health concerns for all prisoners, especially those on the hunger strike. The practice of isolation (solitary confinement), for example, holds prisoners alone or with an additional person for 23 hours a day, allowing only one hour for solitarily walking around while shackled. Family members wishing to visit those detained in Israeli prisons face overwhelming restrictions on their movement, which make even semi-regular visits nearly impossible. While completely isolating the prisoners, the Israeli Prison Service also commits deliberate medical negligence and deprivation of basic educational access for children as well as adults. And the situation grows graver, as the Israelis plan to enact harsher repression and unlawful treatment practices, including confiscation of salt used by strikers for survival. There are also reports that Israel may begin force feeding them as well.
Now in Day 21 of the strike, as the strikers begin to experience loss of balance, muscle, and fatigue problems, people around the world continue to rise up in solidarity to respond to the calls of the prisoners. Student groups, community members, political figures, and other sectors of society are organizing around the cause for dignity, while some have actively joined the strike, including Archbishop Atallah Hanna.
10-12 May, Brussels: #BrusselsStudentsHungerStrike for Palestinian Prisoners
11 May, Cambridge: Emergency Standout for Palestinian Prisoners on Hunger Strike


Former Presidential Candidate, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, says the exemption of the President from paying taxes, coupled with the unbridled power of the President as guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution, smacks of military dictatorship.
He has urged all Members of Parliament and the entire country to support the amendment.
MPs are representatives of the people. For MPs to be effective the chiefs, assembly men and opinion leaders in the constituencies must have regular dialogue with the MPs, demand answers to problems in the constituency and ask of the national budget and issues of national significance. The constituents must not forgive any MP who betrays them. There must be adequate media coverage of parliamentary activities and randomly how MPs are faring in their constituencies. If you know of any MP who has taken bribe report the MP to his constituents.
After winning an election a newly elected Parliamentarian must leave his constituency and come to Accra the National capital to represent his constituency while at the same time providing feedback to his constituents. In order to represent his or her constituency effectively a parliamentarian should be able to communicate in the language he or she feels most comfortable in. Many parliamentarians come from constituencies where English is not the first language. A parliamentarian may be educated, understand English and belong to one profession or another but would prefer to communicate in the language of his or her constituency.
Parliament must therefore provide interpreters for all the major language blocks. Parliament must also provide earphones so that if one MP is speaking in a different language the other MPs can all understand. Language must not be a barrier to effective repesentation.
Parliament must also provide a readily available renovated residence to a newly elected parliamentarian. Accommodation in Accra is expensive and not every newly elected parliamentarian will have the money to rent a home in the national capital. Each MP must be given an office, a bodyguard and a secretary.


text:
Patient Factors Explain Most of the Variation in Function After Lower Spinal Fusion
6-Dec-2019 2:25 PM EST
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
All Journal News, Bone Health, Neuro
hospital variation, Lumbar Fusion, oswestry disability index, outcome variation, patient-reported outcomes, prediction tool, Quality Indicators, quality profiling
Newswise — December 6, 2019 – Patient-reported functional outcomes vary considerably after lower (lumbar) spinal fusion surgery. But the variability mainly reflects patient characteristics, rather than differences in care provided by surgeons or hospitals, suggests a study in Spine. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
"Variations in patient-reported outcomes [PROs] across hospitals and surgeons were mainly driven by differences in patient populations undergoing lumbar fusion, suggesting that PROs may not be useful indicators of hospital or surgeon quality," according to the report by David R. Flum, MD, MPH, of University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues.
For Most Patients, No Major Impact of Surgeon and Hospital on Spinal Fusion Outcomes
The researchers analyzed variations in PROs among 737 patients (average age 63 years, 60 percent women) who underwent spinal fusion surgery between 2012 and 2018. The patients were enrolled in a statewide quality improvement collaborative called Spine COAP (https://www.qualityhealth.org/spinecoap/), which included about three-fourths of all spinal fusion procedures performed in Washington State. The surgeries were performed by 58 different surgeons at 17 hospitals. The study focused on patient-reported functional improvement, based on the standard Oswestry Disability Index (ODI).
One year after spinal fusion, 58.7 percent of patients rated themselves as having improved functioning, based on at least a 15-point reduction (out of 100) on the ODI. "Minimal disability," defined as an ODI score of 22 or less, was reported by 42.5 percent of patients.
Initial analysis suggested wide variation in outcomes by surgeon and hospital. For example, the percentage of patients reporting functional improvement ranged from about 44 to 79 percent at different hospitals, and 33 to 84 percent across surgeons.
But the variations were much narrower after adjustment for factors known to affect outcomes. These included patient-related factors such as age, smoking, and insurance status; and clinical factors such as previous spine surgery, the type of spinal disease, and initial disability score. In the final analysis, there were "no detectable statistical differences" in the outcomes of spinal fusion among hospitals or surgeons.
The effects of hospital and surgeon were larger among patients with a lower chance of improvement after spinal fusion, based on known risk factors. In contrast, for patients with a higher chance of improvement – nearly two-thirds of those studied – there was little or no variation between hospitals or surgeons.
In recent years, PROs have become an important focus of efforts to assess the quality and outcomes of medical care. "Differences in PROs after accounting for patient factors across hospitals and surgeons could indicate variation in health care system performance and an opportunity for quality improvement," according to the authors.
At first glance, PROs for patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery seem to vary substantially between hospitals and surgeons. But the variation is greatly decreased after accounting for patient and surgical factors – "suggesting that patient characteristics are the main drivers of variability in functional response among lumbar fusion patients," Dr. Flum and colleagues write. The authors have developed a "PRO prediction tool" to help predict which patients are more or less likely have improved function and decreased disability after lumbar spinal fusion.
"Our study demonstrated that the overall variability was mainly driven by patient characteristics, suggesting that quality improvement efforts to reduce variation and improve overall functional outcomes may be better if focused at the patient level," the researchers conclude. For example, selecting patients more likely to have favorable outcomes would increase the success rate of spinal fusion – but would greatly reduce the volume of procedures performed.
"Spine surgeons asked for tools that would help them to 'pick the winners,' and our PRO prediction tool does suggest there is a group that is much more likely to have better outcomes," comments Dr. Flum. "Unfortunately, these data suggest that if surgeons want to increase the response rate by avoiding operation on patients with less than 50 percent chance of improvement, they may need to stop operating on around 60 percent of the patients they usually perform fusions on."
For information on the development and validation of the PRO prediction tool, see Kohr S, et al: JAMA Surg. 2018;153:634-642.
Click here to read "Hospital and Surgeon Variation in Patient-reported Functional Outcomes after Lumbar Spine Fusion"
DOI:10.1097/BRS.0000000000003299
About Spine
Recognized internationally as the leading journal in its field, Spine (www.spinejournal.com) is an international, peer-reviewed, bi-weekly periodical that considers for publication original articles in the field of spine. It is the leading subspecialty journal for the treatment of spinal disorders. Only original papers are considered for publication with the understanding that they are contributed solely to Spine. According to the latest ISI Science Citation Impact Factor, Spine is the most frequently cited spinal deformity journal among general orthopaedic journals and subspecialty titles.
About Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the clinicians, nurses, accountants, lawyers, and tax, finance, audit, risk, compliance, and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with advanced technology and services.
Wolters Kluwer reported 2018 annual revenues of €4.3 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 18,600 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.
Wolters Kluwer provides trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students with advanced clinical decision support, learning and research and clinical intelligence. For more information about our solutions, visit http://healthclarity.wolterskluwer.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @WKHealth.
For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.


Faith and Chai was hosted Monday, Feb. 21, 2017 , by Jasmine Patel, and Vincent Loyal, both second-year biology students from Intervarsity Christian Fellowship as a space for South Asian students of different faiths to discuss what is similar and what is different about their faiths.
Patel said that "[Faith and Chai] was created by South Asian InterVarsity as a way to reach more South Asian students on campuses across the nation" while Loyal wanted to create a space for dialogue, discussion about faith, and a community for South Asians.
About twenty students, ranging from first to fourth-years, of different South Asian backgrounds came for the first meeting, greeted by the friendly faces of Vincent and Jasmine. They explained their aims for the space to be where one learnt from another no matter the faith background. In addition, they hoped to create a network of new friendships and for participants to consider how faith and spirituality play a role in their lives this quarter and beyond.
An important community agreement Vincent and Jasmine addressed before breaking into groups was to enforce, wherever possible, the use of 'I' statements. They added that people are individuals, not spokespeople for their own faiths. It adds a lot of pressure on individuals to speak for their communities, rather than for themselves and their experiences. Other community agreements included having respect for others even if there was disagreement about a certain perspective, and an equal level of participation among all people in the discussion.
Before having groups of students engage in dialogue, there was a team building exercise that involved participants assembling structures from old newspapers, paper clips and rubber bands in a friendly yet competitive manner. "While it seemed silly first," said Lamia Abbas, a second-year psychobiology student, "it eased conversations about faith later on." The winners of this short exercise were treated to the samosas (deep fried pastry snack prevalent in many South Asian countries) and chai first.
The dialogues began about an hour after the event began, allowing an hour's time for the significant conversations to ensue. The questions suggested ranged from "What is the central message or chief goal of your faith" to "In your opinion, what is humankind's reason for being?" In response to the former question, Abbas said, "[my] relationship with organized religion is complicated." Similar sentiments were echoed by students Vineet Mathew, a second-year computational and systems biology student and a Shrita Pendekanti, a second-year neuroscience student.


Republican operative Zina Bash rested her hand on her arm, fingers closed into a circle, as she sat behind Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday. And #Resistance Twitter, watching the hearings live and seeing her hand, saw a secret, nefarious code.
Gu's observation got more than 15,000 retweets. The video from another user that was embedded in Gu's tweet, focusing in on Bash's hand, approached 4 million views.
Liberal activist and author Amy Siskind, in a now-deleted tweet, wrote that Bash's hand symbol should "disqualify" Kavanaugh from the Supreme Court.
By the evening, Bash's name was trending on the service. Siskind continued to sow doubt about Bash's intent.
As the theory went viral, devoid of any proof that it was actually true, Bash's husband, John Bash, the United States attorney for Western Texas, called the accusations geared toward his wife, a lawyer who has spent years working in Republican politics, "repulsive" in heated tweets.
Zina Bash, who worked in the Trump White House as a special assistant on regulatory reform and legal and immigration policy, works as a senior counsel for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).
There is no credible evidence to suggest, against her husband's denial, that Bash was already aware of the hand sign's associations with the alt-right, or the troll campaign that made it popular when the original controversy erupted.
On Thursday, however, after a news cycle about her hand's resting position, Bash was very aware. A video clip from that day of the hearing appeared to show Bash, once again sitting behind Kavanaugh, making a much more deliberate-looking "okay" symbol with her hand.
The moment is visible on CSPAN's archive of the hearing.
The clip circulated simultaneously on the Trump Internet and among the #Resistance.
For the Trump Internet, the moment was an amazing troll that would no doubt upset liberals once again — and revenge against those circulating the wild speculation about Bash in the first place. Among the #Resistance, it was interpreted as proof that said speculation was right about Bash's intentions all along.
But Taylor Foy, a spokesperson for the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, said there was another, innocuous explanation for this second "Okay" hand sign: the signal was aimed at a judiciary staffer who fulfilled a request for the judge.
In CSPAN's archive of the hearings, Kavanaugh turns around and speaks to Bash at one point. There's a coffee cup, but not water glass, on the desk. Bash and the man sitting next to her appear to discuss whatever the judge said as Bash texts on her phone. About a minute later, Bash looks straight ahead and appears to mouth the word "glass." Then, she gives the OK hand sign.
Shortly after that, a water glass is brought to Kavanaugh's desk.
Conservative personalities jumped on #Resistance Twitter's embrace of the okay hand sign theory, calling the whole controversy the left's Pizzagate. The gleeful response on the right hints at the okay hand sign's complicated origins as a viral hate symbol.
As BuzzFeed has reported, /pol/ was gleeful when the okay hand sign started to get mainstream traction. As the campaign spread, however, the symbol was simultaneously adopted by the alt-right — an umbrella term for those on the far right who embrace white nationalist views — and the pro-Trump Internet, both of whom seem to primarily use the gesture to "trigger" liberals who believed the hand sign was a decoder ring to detect secret Nazis.
The gesture is not considered a real hate symbol by organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League.
But like Pepe the Frog, its repeated association with and use by white nationalists like Richard Spencer has imbued it with a new meaning in addition to all of its other innocuous ones, making the symbol simultaneously a prank, a harmless gesture of approval and an in-joke among a wide range of right-wing personalities to anger liberals for their own amusement.
One of the reasons the okay hand sign meme might have spread so far is the fact that white nationalism's access to power in 2018 is not a completely made-up concern. White House officials keep getting connected to white nationalist people and organizations. A speechwriter for President Trump left the White House in August after CNN reported that the staffer attended a conference popular with white nationalists. And Trump adviser Larry Kudlow hosted a prominent publisher of white nationalists in his home, as The Post's Robert Costa reported.
Mark Pitcavage, a researcher who studies extremism, shared the feelings of many when he dismissed the controversy in a statement on Twitter on Tuesday.
Bash's actions became the second sideshow to steal attention from the serious and substantive work of Kavanaugh's hearing after trending on social media. Earlier on Tuesday, videos and images of Kavanaugh declining to shake the hand of Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed at the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., went viral, and Guttenberg later made the rounds on cable news shows.


Your real estate needs and goals demand a premier real estate company, a knowledgeable real estate agent and a sophisticated marketing campaign or acquisition search - both locally and internationally. I offer my clientele unsurpassed local representation and unrivaled international reach through close to 15 years of service with Ebby Halliday, REALTORS®. Our more than 70 year old company has long been recognized as the No. 1 real estate firm in Texas while I have been recognized for superior achievement levels for my clients on multiple fronts over the course of my career.
When you list your home with me you'll benefit from a recognized name in real estate and a targeted marketing campaign designed specifically for your property and based on my many years of selling homes throughout all parts of North Texas. Working tireless to raise the awareness level of your home or commercial property demands the use of the finest media outlets available in both print and online media. Effective buyer's representation demands an up to the minute awareness level of a challenging and rapidly changing marketplace. My educated, analytic work will rapidly achieve your goals in tough negotiations whether you are on the buy side or the sell side of a deal.
From the earliest getting started consultations to the in the trenches negotiations with other seasoned real estate professionals and decision makers, you'll benefit from my years of practical experience across a wide scope of transaction types, finely crafted attention to detail and most of all, carefully focused care and professional attention to what matters most - You. The additional marketing and advertising opportunities I have to offer, from thousands of hits on our award winning website, to premium placements through our affiliation with Luxury Portfolio® ensure that your home, property or needs are always serviced and promoted at the highest levels both locally and internationally. Count on me to treat your business as if I were conducting it for myself, my friends, neighbors, relatives or other loved ones-when you choose me and Ebby Halliday® you will be in the very best of hands.


" There are three parts to becoming a safe and effective paddler and rescuer; knowledge, training and experience"  Franco Ferrero.
Learn the skills you need to look after you and your friends on the river when it counts. Skills such as, Self Rescue, Throw Bag techniques, Defensive/Offensive swimming, Shallow Water Crossings, Basic Hydrology/Dynamics of river features and much more.
The RSR 1 is a half day course designed for people who wish to undertake relevant training in Safety and Rescue Techniques appropriate for Grade 1 water.
Course applicants must be of a Level 2 skills standard.
The RSR 2 is a 1 day course on Grade II water.
Course applicants must be of a Level 3 skills standard.
This training course is a pre-requirement of the Level 4 Kayak Skills Assessment (from Jan 2012 Onwards).
All courses are Canoeing Ireland approved and all participants will receive a certificate on completion of the course.


LEGO Systems offers 13 fully paid weeks off for new moms. They also offer 6 weeks off for adoptive parents.
At LEGO Systems 75% of employees telecommute.
Company employs 46 % of women and 45 % of new hires are also women. At LEGO Systems 40 % of female employees participate in career counseling, 9% participate in management/ leadership trainings.


To soften some of the burden of this weary contemplative time, on Friday, Venus will enter Taurus which is one of her rulerships. It will be Venusian energies that offer the most support to you in the face of melancholy, distress, and frustration.
With Venus in Taurus, there is such pleasure to be found in sensuality and luxury. Bestowed with the wisdom of time's devouring nature (nothing gold can stay) Venus in Taurus will prompt you to waste no time wallowing in misery when you could be worshipping the beauty around you, drinking in the fragrance of flowers and stretching your limbs in the warmth of the sun.
On Sunday, the Sun in Taurus will be sextiled Neptune in Pisces which will be a day that feels quite sacred. Lingering grief will soften into blossoming love. Irresolute relationships will find a solid connection. The one-sided vision of loss in your life will once again reveal its full cycle of constant replenishment: the ouroboros of infinity.
The week begins in a state of dissonance as you attempt to reconcile feelings and situations which do not match up to your ideals.
The Moon in Capricorn will trine Mercury in Taurus as it goes retrograde on Thursday. This will create a climate of breaking out of stubborn and obstinate tendencies. Those feelings of lament will be given the power on this day to liberate you from self-destruction and stagnation. One of the benefits of a Mercury retrograde is that it allows you to experience the subversion of your mundane habits of language, which in turn frees up your imagination.
The Strength card here represents the impetus to cultivate patience, thereby becoming more receptive to listening and learning. The Strength card does not represent brute force, but rather the gentle touch of trust and patience. Therefore, even if sadness overwhelms you, there will be a strength inside you that will softly whisper, "this too shall pass".
With Venus moving into Taurus, the weekend brings relief and the motivation to nourish your virtues. This comes from an organic realization of the need to feel more closely connected to yourself and to those that you love, which naturally begins to soften your hard feelings.
You might find it much more simple to forgive yourself and others for past transgressions. Or you might simply feel the need to take better care of your physical health. Whatever your natural instincts are this weekend, follow them faithfully. An admixture of sadness and joy is quite likely as the Sun trines Neptune on Sunday: an emotion that might be described as lavender-blue.
The Two of Pentacles reveals the Nature of the Universe, the ebb and flow of time which disappears and re-emerges eternally. Nothing Gold Can Stay, but likewise nothing gold is gone forever.
"And if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy!


A year after co-founding Everplans, an online estate and legacy planning website, in 2012, Abby Schneiderman experienced firsthand why end-of-life planning is important: Her 51-year-old brother died in a car accident.
Whether young or old, with a lot or little to leave behind, there are things you can do now to make it easier on your family in case you die or are too ill or injured to speak for yourself.
Follow these steps to financially prepare.
An advanced health care directive: This includes a living will stating your wishes for medical care, and a durable health care power of attorney, which names someone to make decisions if you can't.
A financial power of attorney: This designates someone to handle your financial affairs. The document can be written to apply broadly or kick in if you're incapacitated.
"Ideally, every adult should have a will," says Rachel Podnos, a financial planner with Wealth Care LLC in Washington, D.C.
It's a must for parents of minors. In a will you name a guardian for your children. Without a will, the state will decide. States have preferences for who should be appointed, and those may not match yours, says estate planning attorney Kathleen Bilderback of Affinity Law Group in St. Louis.
Setting up a trust for your kids is also important because children can't directly inherit money or property until they're adults. A trust holds property and money for them, and the trust document states how the assets should be managed and used. An adult you appoint as trustee carries out the instructions. If both parents die and there is no trust, the court appoints someone to manage the assets.
You need life insurance if your death would be a financial blow to someone. Most parents need coverage to replace income or pay for services they provide for the family. You also need life insurance if you have debts that would fall on someone else.
Term life insurance is sufficient for most people. You buy coverage to last as long as your loved ones will depend on you financially, such as 10, 20 or 30 years. Ideally by the term's end you no longer need coverage: Your children are independent and you have enough savings to support a spouse.
Permanent life insurance, such as universal or whole life insurance, is the answer if you have a lifelong financial dependent, such as a child with special needs, or if your heirs would owe estate taxes. For 2016 federal estate taxes, this would happen if your assets totaled more than $5.45 million as a single person or $10.9 million as a couple.
Put your last wishes in writing and share them with loved ones. Podnos advises setting money aside in a savings account and naming a "payable on death" beneficiary — someone you trust to carry out the funeral arrangements.
Other ways to make sure a funeral is funded are to buy a small whole life insurance policy or prepay for a funeral.
Store important documents in a safe at home or safe deposit box. Make sure your trusted loved ones know where to find everything and have access.
You can also use online services like Everplans to store documents and information digitally to share securely. The website gives prompts to help you think of everything your loved ones should know, including information that may not come to mind immediately, such as the code for the home security system or directions for pet care.
Rosalyn Jonas of Bethesda, Maryland, says she and her husband had thought about setting up such an account, but he died unexpectedly two years ago at age 69, before they had enacted any plans.
There were countless details to straighten out — from how to program the Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat to locating a full list of bills on autopay on his credit cards.
Bilderback advises clients to review their wills, beneficiary designations and titling of property every five years and after major life changes.
Jonas says she and her husband had planned to reduce bequests in their wills, but never got around to it.
"I had to pay out a quarter of a million dollars in bequests to organizations we would not necessarily support [at that level] now," she says.


After more than 6 years at the forefront of Singapore's burgeoning cocktail bar scene, Jigger & Pony has relocated to more a more expansive space within the lobby of the Amara Singapore hotel. Consistently ranked among Singapore's – and Asia's top bars – Jigger & Pony has built its lauded reputation with a polished craft cocktail program that combines well-executed classics with a regularly refreshed list of creative signature drinks – and the emblematic convivial hospitality.
Taking full advantage of its new space Jigger & Pony now offers seating for 140 guests – with seats at the main bar, around the familiar centrepiece communal table, and at the various banquette and table settings – plus at a separate "feature" bar counter. The new interior exudes a mid-century restrained sophistication – with a palette of rust-hued velvet chairs, teal booth seats and lacquered dark wood bar counters.
Jigger & Pony's extensive new cocktail list – uniquely for Singapore bars – is presented in the format of a glossy editorial magazine – comprises an assemblage of cocktails under 11 different categories. Signature renditions on Classics such as the Old Fashioned and Martini, while Retro Classics feature cocktails from the 80's and 90's – refreshed with modern technique and ingredient additions – typified by the Woo Woo – which delights with hibiscus juniper vodka, hibiscus tea and Merlet Peche, and the Appletini combining Calvados, vodka, and celery. Other categories showcase the talented bar team's craft creations of Classic Cocktails, Reimagined – and Asian Classics with Asian Twists – well-represented by the Singapore Sling, and Java Cooler – a blend of sesame-infused gin, homemade pink tonic and calamansi.
Jigger & Pony is located at the lobby of Amara Singapore, 165 Tanjong Pagar – and opens daily from 5 pm.
See other brands under Singapore's Jigger & Pony Group: Sugarhall – Gibson – Humpback – The Flagship – and Caffe Fernet.


In the small town of Jamnagar, live the Raja family, the former owners of the famous Raja Dairy Farm. Ruled with an iron fist by the indomitable Bakula bua, the Raja family is a patchwork of craziness.
Bakula's brother Vinaykant is fairly out of touch with reality and still behaves as if the family is still in its formerly glorious circumstances and his wife Rekha is a compulsive liar. Neither their sons Chandu and Shyam, nor their wivesMadhuri and Rupal are of any use to take care of whatever little the family has left. Bakula's only hope is her youngest nephew Mohit.
Mohit sees all his family's flaws and knows that they have lost everything because of their own ineptitude and arrogance, which makes him very angry at them and very determines to get back what was once theirs. Bakula is very proud of his ambition, but unfortunately he has fallen in love with a girl who is highly inappropriate in her eyes. Damini, a city girl who is the only daughter of a single mother, is highly independent and works as a flight attendant. Bakula knows that she will never fit in with her family – or her own ideas of what a daughter in law should be like.
When Mohit introduces Damini to the family, it doesn't go very well. And once the family inadvertently insults Damini'smother, she too realises that she will never fit in with Mohit'sfamily and nor is it right for Mohit to leave his family. Mohitis extremely upset and on in impulse, without telling his family, marries Dhabbu and presents his family with their idea of a "perfect daughter in law". The family is shocked – Dhabbu is not educated, coming from a poor family and known to be somewhat weird and not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Mohit too realises his mistake immediately, but since Dhabbuhas nowhere else to go, the family has no choice but to take her in. Dhabbu's innocence and open heart is overshadowed by her own quirks – she has entire conversations with inanimate objects, her dumbness drives everyone up the wall.
One day, Bakula bua doesn't wake up – she's gone. She finds herself in what can only be described as Limbo – neither heaven, nor hell but a government office type place where souls find out whether they go to Swarg or Nark. Bakula is frantic – she has not made a will and the family has no idea about her insurance policy and who the beneficiaries are or where she has kept her solid gold murti of Krishna and his silver mandir. Shunted from one counter to another, Bakulafinally meets another soul and learns that she can appear to any person on earth who loved and cared about her and she can inform them of what to do with her worldly possessions.
Bakula is heartened to hear this – her family loved her and she'd easily be able to appear to them. However, once she comes back to earth to complete her mission she is in for a shock! Her beloved brother, whom she cared for like a son, has declared that none of the ceremonies that follow the death of a family member will be performed. He is so relieved that his sister is dead! Stunned, Bakula looks to her other family members and sees the same thing – her room has been cleaned out, and it's as if her presence from the family home is being erased. No one is mourning, grieving her loss.
Just as she's about to give up, she sees Dhabbu outside doing some sort of little pooja with her photograph and saying that whatever Bakula was as a person, at least some small prayer should be done for her soul. Bakula blurts out that of all the people in her life, it's THIS dumb girl who has some consideration for her?!? Dhabbu hears this and feels it's Bakula's picture talking to her and replies. That's when Bakula realises that this girl is her only hope.
Thus begins Bakula and Dhabbu's journey together. Will Bakula succeed in teaching her ungrateful family a lesson or will she be the one to learn that a little tolerance and kindness goes a long way?
Being two sides of the same coin, Bakula and Dhabbu become the proverbial odd couple that comes together to drive the dysfunctional vehicle of the Raja parivaar. But two polar opposites at one steering wheel? One supposedly daft and the other definitely dead! Will they steer the family to the road of happiness and contentment? Or will they crash into the abyss of despair?


1 FREE eBook code to share with a friend!
The None So Blind Celebration Tour (the "Promotion") is governed by the following Official Rules. By submitting an entry, Participants agree to the terms of these Official Rules.
The Promotion will begin on June 15, 2017 at 00:00 and run through 23:59 on June 30, 2017. All times referenced in these Rules are in the America/Los_Angeles timezone, and the official time for the purposes of the Promotion will be the time as kept on the servers hosting the Promotion.
Grand Prize: 1 $25 Amazon Gift Card 1 Paperback Copy of None So Blind 1 Paperback Copy of Will Not See 1 Lampwork Necklace 1 Cool denim mini-backpack (to hold your stuff!) 1 Custom Travel Mug (with quote from book) 1 FREE eBook code to share with a friend!
The prize Winner will be selected in a random drawing from all eligible Participants conducted on the Sponsor's behalf through the servers at Random.org or through the servers at PromoSimple's random number generator on approximately June 30, 2017. The determination made by the servers at Random.org or the PromoSimple servers will be final.


Passion whispers to you through your feelings, moves you towards your highest good.
Pay attention to what makes you feel alive and excited, connected, and stimulated, to what gives you your juice.
Do what you love, give it back in the form of service, and you will do more than succeed, you will triumph."
So what are your passions, or, are you dying a slow death?
Oprah is full of herself.
If I had Oprah's wealth, I'd have plenty of idle time to think about what are my existing and future passions.
(08-26-2014, 02:08 PM)UniqueStranger Wrote: If I had Oprah's wealth, I'd have plenty of idle time to think about what are my existing and future passions.
Another thing, we've got too many examples that excessive wealth been the cause of unhappiness, emptiness and void, which many of them led to suicide.
A passion can be as simple as stroll in the country side or on the beach. This quote means that, if you like doing it, but won't you'll be as good as killing your living.
Well, I have to disagree with Thompson, because I do miss having the means to travel to far off lands that I've seen on video...travelling being one of my interests. Add to that the financial means...I could stoke great passions.
If I had Oprah's money I'd buy an island and be real passionate about it.
(08-26-2014, 04:04 PM)Octo Wrote: If I had Oprah's money I'd buy an island and be real passionate about it.
Although if I can't have an island I'll just keep being passionate about the everyday things that I love.
Passion is an empty nest, bottles of wine and a hot tub. At least around here.
I absolutely love passion fruit!


Label: to. bed. twin bed canopy frame. with. single bed frame with storage. a. wood queen size bed frame. queen.
Label: adjustable bed frame and queen mattress sets. queen size bed frame and mattress set. steel frame bed. queen bed frame and mattress set. contemporary bed frame.
Label: affordable full size bed frame with mattress. bed frame for full size mattress. white king bed frame. ikea full size bed frame and mattress. full size bed frame with headboard and footboard. full size bed frame and mattress set. bed frame and mattress package. cheap full size bed frame and mattresses.
Label: build platform bed frame plans. diy platform bed frame building plans. iron frame bed. king floating platform bed frame plans. double bed frames. floating platform bed frame plans. wood bed frames. california king platform bed frame plans.
Label: diy queen bed frame with drawers plans. ikea queen bed frame with drawers. inexpensive bed frames. hudson queen bed frame with drawers. velvet upholstered bed frame. white queen bed frame with drawers. white wood bed frame. diy queen bed frame with drawers.
Label: where to buy a bed frame in calgary. where to buy a bed frame in san jose locally. on the floor bed frame. where to buy a twin bed frame. bed frame platform queen. where to buy a bed frame in store. memory foam bed frame. where to buy a bed frame in san francisco.
Label: sleep number adjustable bed frame parts. sleep number adjustable bed frame for sale. platform bed frame with storage drawers. adjustable bed frames for sleep number beds. solid wood king size bed frame. sleep number adjustable bed frames electric. queen bed frame and mattress set. used sleep number adjustable bed frame.
Label: forever bed frame. forever foundation bed frame. wood or metal bed frame. forever plus bed frame. king size metal bed frames.