Whenever I think about starting off the New Year, I do my best to try to go somewhere to help me feel true gratitude for the past year, and plan for the year ahead. My all-time favorite place for feeling both mindful and centered is Sedona, Arizona.
One of my best friends lives there, the scenery is beautiful, and just the ethereal feeling that just permeates the city really is unmatched. Since my first time visiting I have gone back a few more times, and Sedona has become a really special place for me. Here are some of the city's characteristics that make it a great girls' trip destination.
Mystical Bazaar is definitely one of my all-time favorite parts of visiting Sedona. It started out just as friends wanting to try something new, but ever since then, I've made it a point to visit Mystical Bazaar while I am out there. The healers and light-workers there are so thoughtful and you can tell they have true empathy for you and interest in helping you in any way they can, no matter where you are in your journey. The store itself has crystals, chakra balancers, and any spiritual gift you can think of. When I go, it's often at the beginning of the trip, because it really helps set the tone for the trip and bring calmness to all of us.
I love visiting places that help me to feel calmer and more centered, and Sedona is full of them. The Cathedral Rock Trail and Bell Trail in Sedona were two of my favorite hikes there, and both have a true aura of peacefulness. The Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park in Sedona just exudes serenity and there is so much space to meditate and be still. There are other vortex locations scattered throughout Sedona as well, but these are my favorites.
I've spent my last couple trips at the Amara Resort and Spa, and I do not think I'll ever change this. I love the on-site yoga that they have there, the s'mores and fire pit at night, and the staff that really make it feel like home. There are endless resorts in Sedona with beautiful views, and the ambiance at each is a little bit different.
The same can be said about the yoga experiences there. For a more active experience, often there are tours where you can hike and do yoga in the vortex areas. Surya Sedona Yoga and Hiking is one of the favorites for this.
My favorite yoga studios in the area, though, are definitely 7 Centers and Aumbase. 7 Centers is tucked away in more of a residential area in Sedona, but the slow flow class there is a real calming experience and the energy that the instructors bring really is incredible. Aumbase has incredible yoga classes, but also offers events outside of the yoga studio, like Meditation on Mondays and Yoga on a Vortex. While visiting with friends, it was great to attend yoga classes and really leave feeling refreshed and with the incredible energy that Sedona brings.
If chakra balancing and healing aren't your thing, there are Pink Jeep Tours, ghost tours, and vortex tours. There are kayaking, white water rafting and hiking for those who are more interested in active exploration. There are even wineries nearby if your group wants to integrate wine tours in. Visiting with different friends with varied interests has made Sedona different for me every time, just because of all the activities that are around.
Sedona really is an incredible girls' trip because of all that it has to offer. For me, it's a calm place that helps me to feel centered. Whenever I hike there, the energy really is unmatched and the whole city just exudes calmness. I spend a lot of time contemplating for the year ahead, while still keeping the previous year in mind, all while having a great time with my friends and sharing our ideas together. It's like being on a yoga retreat, but you're with all your best friends. I can't wait for next year; I'm already planning to go early.


text:
Q: What's the effect of changing this condition in this Java function to find palindromes? I am wondering how changing this condition will change the way the function works:
public static boolean palindrome(String str) {
     int i = 0;
     int j = str.length() - 1;

     while(i < j) { // This condition
          if(str.charAt(i) != str.charAt(j)) {
              return false;
          }

          i = i + 1;
          j = j - 1;
     }
     return true;
}

Changing it as follows:
public static boolean palindrome(String str) {
     int i = 0;
     int j = str.length() - 1;

     while(i <= j) { // Change is here
          if(str.charAt(i) != str.charAt(j)) {
              return false;
          }

          i = i + 1;
          j = j - 1;
     }
     return true;
}

They seem to both detect palindromes. The second one takes one more step. I don't see how this changes anything.
Thank you!

A: Between while(i < j) and while(i <= j) The difference is that the second one has one additional step because in the end, you are comparing i with j as suppose just everything less than j
Example with input abcba:
// First Code Indices Checked (i and j)
0 < 4
1 < 3
2 < 2 //fails, done

// Second Code Indices Checked (i and j)
0 <= 4
1 <= 3
2 <= 2 //passes, continues
3 <= 1 //fails, done, unneeded comparison

And just like @azurefrog said : "You don't have to check past the
  midpoint in palindrome detection"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Applying for graduate admissions is one of the most challenging things that a student can do. In order to be successful when applying to these competitive degree programs you need to make sure that your graduate admission application stands out from the pack. You need to show the admissions boards that you not only deserve to be at their school but that you will be a perfect fit for your program. The way to do this is through your graduate school admissions essay. With a compelling essay you get the attention of the board and show them that you belong in the program. With the help of professional writers on your side you will find that it is not only possible but easy to get the graduate school admission essays you need to succeed.
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So if an inverted V is on level ground, it has a radiation pattern that goes up. Say you have a steep hill and place the inverted V so that it is perpendicular to the angle of the slope. The radiation pattern should then go at an angle and be useful for directional skip, no? Possibly badass directional skip?
Relative to its main lobes at 40 degrees, an inverted v has about 8 DB less radiation "straight up" which in theory would also make it a poor NVIS antenna. It is however better than a low dipole, in this respect, having about 4 DB more radiation in the vertical direction. Barring local terrain issues, the 1/4 wave vertical is usually going to be a better DX antenna, as its lobe elevation angle is much lower than a dipole, and has the added benefit of being omnidirectional.
Your mileage may vary, but that's what I've found. I also like my verticals because they are quite portable, which is great for "field day" use.
Have you had noise pickup issues with your verticals, redhat?
I have observed it to be noisier than my inverted V, but I don't use the vertical much for reception The accepted notion that most man made noise is vertically polarized generally only refers to frequencies not intended for ionospheric propagation, ie VHF and above. In all fairness, I haven't had the chance to compare the transmit vertical with, say, Farley's tuned loop side by side to determine relative noise level. My suspicion is that all those who complain of verticals being noisy probably have a lot of common mode noise finding its way to the feedpoint, poor ground systems, severe local noise sources, or a combination of all the above. Out in the country away from power lines and such, its quite a good RX antenna.
Chris, I had a 1/4 wave vertical with 4 radials 6 feet off the ground about 150' from the nearest house. It didn't pick up the noise from my house that I usually hear with my loop right next to my house. It was cut for 43meters and had no tuner. I connected my portable to its contacts with alligator clips. This is when there were some storms in the South (as I recall) in mid Feb. 2014.
When I was only hooked up to the radials, I would hear the noise from the storms. When I was only hooked up to the vertical wire, I didn't hear them so much. When I was hooked up to both the wires sometimes I couldn't tell a difference. But sometimes both made the reception better. This is storm noise I'm talking about receiving and I don't know if its polarized or not, its just my observations.
Without a tuner it was about as good as my loop that doesn't have a tuner. I didn't compare it with the loop that much as the wires broke.
I used to use inverted v's on steep hillsides, as that's about all there is around here.
It's a simple, easy trick to get a lot of extra height and put out a better signal w/o a lot of work.
Cool, I appreciate effective easy things. And so does the venerable Bill Gates: "I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it." I guess I think you're lazy. But in a good way.
PS Are you a hillbilly?
We prefer "Appalachian-Americans" these days.


It is V.E.N's belief that the belt-driven, suspended subchassis models were the best of the turntable design. To reproduce the design today, along with their exceptional fit-n-finish, will cost thousands of dollars. (To cut costs, today's turntables are primarily manufactured from plastic and mdf.) The question is, Is it worth it to have this your Thorens,Linn or AR restored? the answer is a absolutely YES! These turntables have survived 40 years or more, and after V.E.N. AUDIOS restoration process, they will be ready for the next 40 years!


text:
(function () {
var emoticons = (function () {
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  var global = tinymce.util.Tools.resolve('tinymce.PluginManager');

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  var emoticons = [
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      'cool',
      'cry',
      'embarassed',
      'foot-in-mouth'
    ],
    [
      'frown',
      'innocent',
      'kiss',
      'laughing'
    ],
    [
      'money-mouth',
      'sealed',
      'smile',
      'surprised'
    ],
    [
      'tongue-out',
      'undecided',
      'wink',
      'yell'
    ]
  ];
  var getHtml = function (pluginUrl) {
    var emoticonsHtml;
    emoticonsHtml = '
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    global$1.each(emoticons, function (row) {
      emoticonsHtml += '
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        var emoticonUrl = pluginUrl + '/img/smiley-' + icon + '.gif';
        emoticonsHtml += '	';
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      emoticonsHtml += '
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    emoticonsHtml += '
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    return emoticonsHtml;
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  var $_1r8x6javjh8lz01h = { getHtml: getHtml };

  var insertEmoticon = function (editor, src, alt) {
    editor.insertContent(editor.dom.createHTML('img', {
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    editor.addButton('emoticons', {
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        autohide: true,
        html: panelHtml,
        onclick: function (e) {
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            insertEmoticon(editor, linkElm.getAttribute('data-mce-url'), linkElm.getAttribute('data-mce-alt'));
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  global.add('emoticons', function (editor, pluginUrl) {
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  function Plugin () {
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  return Plugin;

}());
})();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Wrigley doing a line edit from above.
Eight years ago, I stopped into Food Lion to pick up some salad, veggies, and a bag of Sun Chips. I went home with two feisty kittens, still blue-eyed balls of fuzz I could fit in the palms of my hands. They had wandered over, across two parking lots from a feral colony in the bamboo behind McDonald's to play among the potted plants at the supermarket. I caught Simon, the gray cat, easily, but Wrigley evaded capture with spitfire speed. Once home, she was a hissing, spitting, swiping creature right out of a Stephen King novel. What did I get myself into?
Today, lifting either cat would count as weight lifting, and each has turned into kneading, purring, head-butting lap cats. And when I'm trying to write, a lap cat that tries to occupy the same spot as the laptop makes for a creative challenge. I could shoo Wrigley away, but I'm a big sap, so many times she'll sit half on the arm of my recliner and rest her front paws on my left arm as I type. Her other favorite spot is leaning against my head on the top of the chair.
Simon, not amused that not one of my characters is a cat.
Simon is more assertive and doesn't see the laptop as an obstacle, more like a warm pillow. Unlike Wriggs, he doesn't like to hang out for long, so I usually indulge him, and I find a way to type around his rotund self. I've made some interesting typos thanks to Si. Yes, the kitties slow me down. Yes, they're demanding when I need to focus. But like those sound machines that you can dial to "ocean waves" or "spring morning," to keep you calm, Wriggs and Si are my purr machines. Their presence soothes me and makes me smile.
I got Mr. Artie Dog from the Foothills Humane Society a year after the cats took over my house. When the human sits tapping furiously on the keyboard, Mr. Artie Dog keeps a low profile, usually curled up on his bed, snoring, twitching in a dream, or splayed upside down, one eye on me, waiting for the signal for bedtime snacks. He knows that signal well: the laptop screen goes black, and I pull the screen closed. Within seconds he's off searching the house for his Kong, anticipating the treat that I'll stuff inside the well-gnawed, red, rubber toy.
Artie waiting for any sign that writing time is over.
Lest you think, Artie is a slacker, he has a specific job. I'm a night owl. Whether working on a short story, or copy for work, when I get into a project, the clock ceases to exist. My eyes could be burning, my lids threatening to slam shut, and I'll keep banging out words. There were some nights, especially when I was a freelancer, that I'd look up and it was past 3 a.m. That's when Artie kicks into gear. As I'm telling myself, just one more sentence, I'll feel the cold Kong hit my leg and hear it thud against the hardwood floor. Yes, my dog will throw his Kong at me, saying, "Hey! It's quitting time!" He keeps me realistic and makes me laugh out loud.
And then there was the horse. Having a horse is a time-consuming labor of love; grooming, training, riding, cleaning tack, doing barn work, and much more.
Well, it's almost 2 a.m. now. Simon is curled up at the base of a scratching post, Wrigley is sleeping on the chair above my head, and a certain dog is giving me the "time's up" look. So I'm shutting down before I get clocked by a Kong.
How do pets factor in your writing life? Share your critter tales in the comments.
This entry was posted on July 26, 2015, 2:00 am and is filed under Darlene. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I just got a cat named RJ. He is a gray/white tabby. When I'm on my laptop he loves to lay in between my legs and look at what i'm doing. If he sees something spectacular moving on the screen, I have to grab him so he does not dart for it, lol. RJ has helped me focus on my writing more. That is, until he falls asleep with his little paw touching my lap top. Thanks for sharing your story about your pets.
I love that! I won't tell my cats about RJ! They haven't gone for the screen yet, and I don't want to give them any ideas! 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting.
My corgi Grace is a welcome distraction when I've done all I can on a memoir I'm crafting and an inspiration for my blog–who could resist a corgi's sweet face?
Good pup! I'll be sitting there, staring off into space, trying to figure out what I'm writing next, and I'll look over and see Artie staring at me and just have to laugh. I love that Grace inspires you! Thanks, Beth. Nice of you to read and comment.
I loved your post. Funny, it's 2 am and I can't sleep so I'm playing at the computer with Bebe the tabby cat lying on the floor beside me. Oops, as I wrote this, she got up and went to the kitchen. She sat here beside me quite a while because the Chihuahua Frida is asleep in the other room. I should be writing but I worked hard today. I submitted a story synopsis to the National Storytelling Festival's story slam … one about yellow jackets, certainly not pets. The audition piece (oral) had to be a less than 2 minute synopsis. I told it in 90 seconds. Good exercise as it showed me it's possible to tell a story in 90 seconds and get all the important things in. And Bebe's back lying by my chair. Time to stop and pet her.
Thanks, Dottie J! Sounds like your critters are quite the support team, as well. Congrats on your performances and good luck with the National Storytelling Fest!


A wonderful insight into Gurinder Chadha's (director of Bend it like Beckham amongst many other accolades) background and some of the challenges she faced as a first generation female immigrant, accompanied with her favourite musical selections. Born in Kenya to Sikh parents, Gurinder then grew up in Southall in West London.
Gurinder takes you on a wonderful journey of traditional Indian folk songs from her parents background through to the likes of The Clash that was part of the soundtrack to her teenage years, as she found her political feet in a society dealing with the rise of the National Front and attending events like Rock Against Racism. At the same time talking about the life events that drove her to become the successful film director that Gurinder has become.
Well worth the listen and an inspiring insight into an inspiring woman.
Gurinder Chadha's Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4.


CalAmp LMU-400 is a great GPS tracker to find stolen vehicles, optimize vehicle overhead, equip rented autos, etc. when an internal backup battery and the ability to interrupt the vehicle start are required. It features a super-sensitive GPS technology on GSM/GPRS/CDMA 1xRTT/HSPA, an internal 200mAh backup battery, optional 3-axis accelerometer, an integrated buzzer, and a starter interrupt relay.
Make your CalAmp LMU-400 devices a part of any infrastructure by connecting them via flespi telematics hub. Manage the device settings using flespi device management platform. Learn how to configure CalAmp LMU-400 with flespi.


Check out this Algoma SNP you tube video!
If there's one food that people never seem to get sick of, it's got to be the avocado. And there's absolutely no shame in that — it's all thanks to this smooth fruit that you can make avocado toast in the mornings or guacamole to scoop over everything and anything you eat. So is it really that surprising that someone decided to honour avocados everywhere with a stylish and useful accessory?
Meet the avocado sock: a snug covering for your avocado that promises to make it ripe and ready to eat in as little as 24 hours. So long to the three or four-day wait for your favourite fruit to ripen. According to the website, "The natural lanolin and warmth of the wool ripens the avocados evenly and gently, and faster than a paper bag," by trapping the ethylene gas to speed up the ripening process.
The sock comes in four different colours as well: olive, nutmeg, pewter and tusk.
And it gets even better, folks.
Not only are avocado socks sustainable, but they also look so darn cute, don't they?


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Local community and police leaders were brought together by Batley & Spen MP Jo Cox to discuss recent robberies in Batley and Dewsbury. Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff was also present.
The meeting was headed by Mark Burns-Williamson, the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire.
One of the victims was present to recount his experiences, described by Mrs Cox as "harrowing". He supported the local police view that although the crimes were not racially motivated, Asian households had been disproportionately affected and that there was a specific pattern.
Mrs Cox said: "I was more than happy to arrange this meeting and I would like to thank Mark and members of our local police for accepting my invitation. We have put together an action plan so that our communities are safer and more resilient in future and, importantly, remain calm.
Miss Sherriff said: "I felt it was important that we arrange this meeting given the level of unrest in my constituency following these horrendous crimes. Jo and I are committed to keeping up our campaigns to protect policing and get more support to community policing. The details of some of these incidents are truly dreadful and I hope these arrests are a reprieve to the very real fears that have arisen in our communities.
Community leaders were invited to attend by Batley's Indian Muslim Welfare Association (IMWS), which hosted the meeting.
Police inspectors from both Batley and Dewsbury were also present, joined by Superintendent Paul Jeffrey.
Mr Jeffrey described how the seriousness with which West Yorkshire Police had viewed the robbery offence in Batley had led to a manhunt that involved mobilising both local officers and additional specialist resources from across the Force in order to secure the arrest of an outstanding suspect who was apprehended on Wednesday.
Investigations continue concerning a total of eight men who have been arrested over recent weeks in connection with these robberies.
However, there was also a note of caution for local residents from the police, who were critical of the response of some residents, especially on social media. WhatsApp and Facebook in particular had been used by a small minority of people to spread false information and encourage and organise vigilante actions. This was roundly condemned as unhelpful.
Mr Jeffrey said: "We absolutely rely on working closely with local residents not only in crime prevention but also in developing leads and apprehending suspects. However I must stress that this needs to be done through official channels. In the first instance by ringing 101.
Mr Burns-Williamson added: "These are some of the most serious types of crime that are committed in West Yorkshire. Our force is steadfast in the determination that despite budget pressures, we will never be too stretched to deal with this kind of criminality.
"But that does not mean that other areas of our service are not feeling the pain. The fact is that we now have under 8,000 employees compared to 10,000 in 2010. This does have an impact.
This entry was posted in Batley & Spen and tagged crime, police, policing on 7th December 2015 by Dan Howard.
Batley & Spen MP Jo Cox is backing a national campaign to prevent further cuts to the police.
Mrs Cox supported efforts in Parliament last week to stop planned cuts from going ahead and warned that this will lead to a further, drastic reduction in police numbers.
"I share the concerns of West Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner that more cuts will mean the Government is taking a huge gamble with public safety," she said.
"With violent rise climbing now is not the time to further reduce the numbers of police officers. By next March West Yorkshire will have 1,275 fewer police officers than we did in 2010 – a reduction of 22 per cent.
Mrs Cox spoke during a debate in Parliament on Wednesday, raising the point that only 20 per cent of a police officer's job these days relates to recorded crime, while 80 per cent relates to safeguarding and vulnerability. She is worried that this is something the Home Office doesn't quantify and therefore has a skewed view of the realities on the frontline.
"There are also concerns about what these cuts will mean for Neighbourhood Policing Teams, which have been successful and popular," added Mrs Cox. "We will see all the proactive police work that's been done over the last 20 years vanish and only enough resources for a reactive service.
Mrs Cox holds regular meetings with local and divisional police commanders as well as with the Police and Crime Commissioner.
This entry was posted in Batley & Spen, Parliament and tagged crime, Cuts, police, policing on 13th November 2015 by Dan Howard.


text:
Load and parse a CSV file.

## Install

With [npm](http://npmjs.org) do:

```bash
$ npm install nk-csv-stream --save-dev
```

## Usage

```js
var CsvStream = require('nk-csv-stream');
var stream = new CsvStream();

stream.on('data', function(row, head) {
  if (head) return;

  // Do something with the row.
});

stream.once('end', function() {
  stream.dispose();
});

stream.open('https://url.com/to/file.csv');
```

## API

#### `.open(url)`

#### `.dispose()`

## License

MIT


text:
Reports Archive
Russia Report: January 16, 2002
January 16, 2002 00:00 GMT
16 January 2002, Volume 4, Number 2
NOTE TO READERS:
The next edition of "RFE/RL Russian Federation Report" will appear on 30 January.
PAN-REGIONAL ISSUES
FATE OF REGIONAL TV STATIONS HANGS IN THE BALANCE ALONG WITH FATE OF TV-6.
Because of the recent court decision upholding the ordered liquidation of TV-6, a number of regional television stations find themselves in an awkward position (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 14 January 2002). For example, TV-6 Perm, which is a sister company of the Moscow-based TV-6, could lose its frequency and its broadcasting license, regions.ru reported on 15 January citing Region-Inform-Perm. Chief editor for TV-6 Perm Yelena Suntsovaya said that currently everything depends of the good will of Media Minister Mikhail Lesin. TV-6 Perm's General Director Boris Kuzmin said that his station feels powerless to influence the process occurring with the liquidation of all media associated with Boris Berezovsky. According to regions.ru, there are 16 more regional television stations in a situation similar to TV-6 Perm. In addition, there are more than 200 network partners in various cities across Russia. JAC
NEW MEMBERS COMMENT ON UPPER CHAMBER...
In an interview with "Komsomolskaya pravda" on 12 January, Vadim Gustov, representative for Vladimir Oblast, commented on new changes expected in the Federation Council. Gustov, who is a former governor of Leningrad Oblast and a former deputy prime minister under Prime Minister Yevgenii Primakov, said that he believes that the total number of committees in the upper house will be increased by only two or three, but no more. Gustov himself will head the Committee on the CIS. Two questions he said the committee will quickly address will be the issues of migration and refugees. According to Gustov, dozens of new laws are needed. In an interview with "Kommersant-Daily" on 12 January, Nikolai Tulaev, representative from Kaliningrad Oblast and deputy chairman of the Regulations Commission, said that the number of committees in the Federation Council will increase from 11 to 16 and the number of commissions to six. He added that members will meet twice a month rather than just once as was the case previously. He said that the Federation group will not have an official status, and that the new regulations for the upper house do not envision the creation of factions, interregional groups or other kinds of associations. JAC
...AS OLIGARCHS VIE FOR LEADERSHIP OF KEY ECONOMIC COMMITTEES...
"Vremya novostei" reported on 10 January that Sergei Pugachev, the head of Mezhprombank and representative to the Federation Council for the Tuva Republic, is competing for the chairmanship of a newly created committee for financial markets in the upper legislative house. According to the daily, Yevgenii Bushmin (Nizhnii Novgorod) has already been selected to head the Budget Committee and Aleksandr Nazarov (Chukotka) will head the Committee on the North. Bushmin is a former deputy finance minister. (For an almost complete listing of the new members of the Federation Council, see "RFE/RL Political Weekly," 14 January 2002). JAC
...MUSCOVITES CLASH WITH ST. PETERSBURGERS IN UPPER CHAMBER...
Former Federation Council press service director Yurii Argunov told reporters in Moscow on 15 January that he was resigning because of his disagreement "with the new rules of the game in the information field," RIA-Novosti reported. However, Lyudmila Fomicheva, press secretary for Federation Council Chairman Sergei Mironov, told reporters that Argunov has violated civil service ethics and since he has lost the struggle to retain his position is acting like a "dishonorable and unscrupulous" person. She added that the ethics of many Muscovites in the civil service leaves something to be desired, according regions.ru. According to "Vremya MN" on 15 January, Fomicheva is a recent transfer to Moscow from St. Petersburg. Like President Putin, she too worked in the office of former St. Petersburg Mayor Anatolii Sobchak. JAC
...AND MORE RESIDENTS FROM NORTHERN CITY MOVE SOUTH.
Fomicheva both worked as Sobchak's press secretary and also headed the office of then-Deputy Mayor Putin. Other former St. Petersburgers in the Federation Council are Petr Tkachenko, director of the chairman's apparatus, Vasilii Arzhantsev, head of the speaker's secretariat, and deputy head of the secretariat Yevgenii Chaikovskii. The likely new head of the press service, according to the daily, is Aleksei Kedrin who headed the press service of the St. Petersburg administration during Sobchak's tenure. JAC
NATIONALITIES MINISTER SAYS FIGHT BEING WAGED OVER ISLAM WITHIN RUSSIA.
Russia's minister without portfolio for nationality issues, Vladimir Zorin, told a gathering in Tyumen Oblast that agitation among Muslims in Russia is currently his most acute policy problem, RFE/RL's Kazan bureau reported on 15 January citing strana.ru. Zorin said the struggle for a "Russian Islam" has begun, adding it is not yet clear if this religion will take a similar form to that which exists in Turkey or Saudi Arabia. He added that the state is responsible for the rights of each of its citizens and should fight extremism and criminality. Meanwhile, Zorin's former boss, presidential envoy to the Volga federal district Sergei Kirienko, told Interfax on 9 January that traditional Islam needs to be strengthened in Russia in order to avoid becoming radicalized. Kirienko complained that over the past few years, hundreds of religious leaders have returned to Russia from training in Arabic countries such as Saudi Arabia and began spreading radical versions of Islam, such as Wahhabism, which are alien to Russian Muslims. JAC
IS PUTIN POWERLESS TO IMPROVE THE HEATING SITUATION?
Following President Putin's meeting with Unified Energy Systems (EES) head Anatolii Chubais on 12 January and an instruction to the government on 10 January to investigate the heating supply disruptions, Dalenergo announced on 14 January that it is resuming power outages in three cities in Primorskii Krai. Electricity will be provided only in the morning hours beginning on 15 January in retaliation for the buildup of a debt of 64.5 million rubles ($2.1 million), according to ITAR-TASS. Some military units, prisons, and federally funded research centers will be affected. Meanwhile, residents in Ust-Kut in Irkutsk Oblast still lack heat, NTV reported on 14 January. According to the station, some residents have installed wood-burning stoves. Ust-Kut Mayor Yevgenii Koreiko resigned last month following a phone call from a local student during a nationally televised question-and-answer program with President Putin (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 28 December 2001). JAC
MANY REGIONS LEFT SCRAMBLING TO MEET ORDERED WAGE HIKE.
"Nizhegorodskie novosti" reported on 9 January that 82 of Russia's 89 federation subjects have been put in a tough situation by President Putin's decision to raise the wages of state sectors workers. At a press conference in Nizhnii Novgorod last month, Governor Gennadii Khodyrev said his oblast was only able to raise teachers' and doctors' wages in December with help from the federal Finance Ministry, and in January it will be even more difficult to make wage payments because tax receipts are typically low at the beginning of the year. However, one local foreign-language teacher, Olga Shchitova, told the daily that her wages in December turned out to be lower than November's. And a nurse at local hospital going by the name "Anna B" reported that she received no wages at all in December. According to Anna B, rumors are circulating at her hospital that wages will not be raised before March. JAC
REGIONAL VOTERS SAID TO HAVE A 'SAY' IN OLIGARCHIC ARRANGEMENTS.
In an interview with "Novoe vremya" on 6 January, Dmitrii Oreshkin, the director of the Merkator research center, said LUKoil is "very active" and is quite often "successful" in regional elections. According to Oreshkin, the company does not care if the candidate is left or right: For example, the company supported Governor Nikolai Maksyuta in Volgograd Oblast, Governor Vladimir Yegorov in Kaliningrad Oblast, and Anatolii Yefremov in Arkhangelsk Oblast. According to Oreshkin, LUKoil's conscious "corporate strategy" is that is it necessary to control the largest regions to protect its business, and "it does this through elections." He continued: "Earlier there was a covert lobbying system, but now it is more or less done legally through elections. In this, there is the obvious sadness because voters in the best case are invited to rubber-stamp the result of an agreement between oligarchic structures. But this is a positive moment," he said, "because nonetheless the voters are appealed to. Before, no one asked them anything." JAC
INFORMATION SECURITY COMMISSION IN THE WORKS IN THE FAR EAST.
Presidential envoy to the Far Eastern federal district Konstantin Pulikovskii has launched the creation of an interdepartmental commission for information security, RFE/RL's Vladivostok correspondent reported on 9 January. The commission's membership will be composed of the directors of the Far East departments of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Federal Agency for Government Communication and Information (FAPSI), chairmen of state technical commissions, as well as representatives of the municipal administrations in the district. Pulikovskii's press secretary, Yevgenii Anushin, said that the commission will focus on the protection of databanks of commercial and state enterprises. It will not control the activities of journalists, he said. JAC
SECURITY STILL INADEQUATE IN RUSSIAN COAL MINES.
Following a methanol leak, a coal mine exploded on 13 January in Vorkuta, Komi Republic, gazeta.ru reported the same day. Five miners were killed and 12 others were seriously burned. In the Kemerovo Oblast, a coal miner died after a mine caved in, RBK added. The two accidents occurred just a few days after the World Bank closed its Coal Sector Adjustment Loan on 31 December. Security has long been a concern for the Russian coal industry, and there has been little progress noted in this area. The last tragedy in the Kemerovo Oblast was on 25-26 December 2001, when four people died following a methanol explosion, RBK then reported. Following the December explosions, Kemerovo Governor Aman Tuleev asked for a security audit of the Kuzbass coal mines. VC
REGION FIGHTS AGAINST FLOODING.
Flooding in the southern areas of Krasnodar Krai has forced 1,800 people to evacuate from 900 homes, more than a third of which need to be completely rebuilt, Russian agencies reported on 14 January. On 12 January, helicopters dropped bombs to break up ice floes blocking a nearby river to ease the situation, ORT reported, showing residents wading through flooded streets knee-deep in water. The level of the Kuban River fell around 19 centimeters overnight to around 181 centimeters, the critical level being 190 centimeters. The weather in Krasnodar was forecast to remain above freezing, threatening more flooding, and snow remains at levels of up to 1.5 meters in the region, ITAR-TASS added. VC
RUSSIAN ALUMINUM, NORILSK NICKEL ALLEGEDLY PULLING STRINGS IN KRASNOYARSK.
Deputies in Krasnoyarsk Krai's Legislative Assembly re-elected Aleksandr Uss as their chairman on 9 January. Commenting on Uss's victory, Krasnoyarsk Governor Aleksandr Lebed said there had been a struggle over the speaker's nomination, and that Russian Aluminum decided to nominate Uss. Lebed added that it will likely be easier to say how the two companies will affect the lives of Krasnoyarsk residents only after two or three sessions of the krai's legislature. According to some sources, Russian Aluminum also plays a large role in the political life of the republic of Khakasia, which is headed by Lebed's brother, Aleksei. JAC
DPA CANDIDATE EYES GOVERNOR'S SEAT.
Viktor Ilyukhin, leader of the Movement to Support the Army (DPA) and a member of the Communist faction in the State Duma, has registered as a candidate in 14 April gubernatorial elections in Penza Oblast, "Izvestiya" reported on 15 January. Ilyukhin has wide support in the oblast, having been elected to the Duma from a single-mandate district there three times. Incumbent Governor Vasilii Bochkarev told the daily that he considers Ilyukhin to be his main competition. According to the newspaper, Bochkarev announced his intention to seek re-election but has not yet filed an application with the local election commission. JAC
MORE FEDERAL FUNCTIONS, FINANCING FOR SECOND CAPITAL?
Federation Council Chairman Mironov announced last week while he was in St. Petersburg that he and St. Petersburg Governor Vladimir Yakovlev have authored a bill that would transfer some of the functions of the federal capital to St. Petersburg, polit.ru reported. The bill is currently undergoing judicial review and will eventually be introduced in the State Duma. According to Mironov, St. Petersburg was originally built as a capital city and continues to fulfill certain functions of that nature, such as hosting meetings of world leaders. However, up to this point the maintenance of historical and cultural monuments has been left up to the city to finance, and the proposed bill would make such maintenance a responsibility of the federal budget. JAC
RESIDENTS GET GEM OF A LEADER.
With more than 98 percent of the presidential ballot for the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic counted on 14 January, Alrosa President Vyacheslav Shtyrov won some 59.4 percent of votes in the 13 January presidential ballot compared to 34.6 percent for SAPI President Fedot Tumusov, ITAR-TASS reported. Shtyrov, who won most of the votes during the first round, was widely expected to beat Tumusov. Turnout was 76.7 percent of registered voters, which was even more than during the first round. So many people showed up to vote in the capital, Yakutsk, that some were refused admission to the polling stations, RTR reported. One likely reason for the election's "popularity" was the decision of Yakutsk authorities to hold a lottery on the day of the election in which the grand prize was a Volga automobile. JAC
CHUBAIS MAKES AN EXCEPTION.
Legislators in Ulyanovsk Oblast's legislative assembly have again appealed to President Putin and the federal government for help with the region's heating supplies, regions.ru reported on 11 January. Legislators issued an appeal last December that did not result in any concrete measures. Deputies have therefore issued another appeal to federal authorities to adopt a quick decision on improving the supply of heat and electricity to homes, schools, and hospitals. And on 15 January, EES announced that exceptions to its policy of electricity for money will be made -- such as when there is objective evidence that delays in payments for electricity in a given area is related to objective difficulties in the budgetary system. According to ITAR-TASS, EES Chairman Anatolii Chubais cited Ulyanovsk as one example of such a region. JAC
OBLAST FSB ACCUSED OF COLLECTING KOMPROMAT ON LOCAL LEGISLATORS.
Deputies in the Legislative Assembly of the city of Voronezh have accused the city mayor of compiling files of compromising materials about each of them, NTV reported on 9 January. One deputy told the network that Mayor Aleksandr Kovalev's chief of staff, who also happens to be the former director of the Voronezh FSB directorate, told the deputies that the materials will be made public if they continue to criticize the mayor. And another deputy said that Kovalev himself admitted to having ordered the investigations because he needed the materials to properly assess their work. However, the current spokesman for the FSB directorate denied that his office has ever been authorized to conduct such investigations. JAC
CORRUPTION WATCH
CHAVASH.
Artur Dzhilazyan was sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of 100 minimum-wage units for the illegal use of state awards and falsification of documents, Interfax-Eurasia reported on 10 January. Dzhilazyan, pretending that he was an official presidential advisor and recipient of the Hero of Socialist Labor medal, persuaded the city of Alatyr to give him use of a local building to start a local branch of Moscow State University's law school. ... KARELIA. The criminal case lodged against Petrozavodsk Mayor Andrei Demin on suspicion of abuse of office and bribery has been closed, regions.ru reported on 11 January. According to the mayor's press service, the case was closed because of the absence of anything criminal in Demin's actions. ... ROSTOV. A court in Rostov Oblast found former Novocherkassk prosecutor Nikolai Voskresov guilty of bribery, abuse of office, and wrongful arrests, ORT reported on 21 December. ... SAKHA. Former Sakha Republic Finance Minister Sergei Yanygin has been accused of participating in a scheme to sell $100 million worth of fake Sakha government bonds, Russian agencies reported on 10 January.
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