Drawing upon the spiritual roots of India, going back thousands of years to the Vedanta and Upanishads, Swami Vivekananda gave a call for the regeneration of India'Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached' (uttishtatha jagrata prapya varannibhodhata).
Sri Aurobindo carried on that spiritual tradition and showed how human beings can rise above themselves. He identified the basic purpose and significance of life as follows: The earliest preoccupation of man in his awakened thoughts and, as it seems, his inevitable and ultimate preoccupation'for it survives the longest periods of skepticism and returns after every banishment'is also the highest that his thought can envisage. It manifests itself in the divination of godhead, the impulse towards perfection, the search after pure truth and unmixed bliss, the sense of a secret immortality. The ancient dawns of human knowledge have left us their witness to this constant aspiration. Today we see a humanity satiated but not satisfied by the victorious analysis of the externalities of nature preparing to return to its primeval longings. The earliest formula of wisdom promises to be its last'God, Light, Freedom, Immortality.
Mahatma Gandhi again drew his inspiration from the spiritual strength of India. His technique of satyagraha was based on the concept of ahimsa. This was the major strategy to throw out the British whose vast empire was at one time such that the sun never set on it. In Rabindranath Tagore we have another spirit of renaissance, this time in the field of art, spanning literature, language, painting and music. All of them symbolized the spirit of Indian renaissance, drawing upon our ancient roots or classical insights to tackle the problems of modern life.
It is obvious that our Indian culture does not believe in the pessimistic projection of the second law of thermodynamics, which says that we always go from order to disorder and that entropy is always increasing. I shall explore the issue of classical insights and current practices with a view to seeing whether the four eminent men can inspire us with ideas v about how we can tackle our current problems for better ethics in public administration.
History has two fascinating aspects. The first is the perennial chain of changes as it marches through time. The second is the presence of certain constant features. These include values that are the basis of moral or ethical conduct. Some have tried to identify the common dynamics underlying history. Many have traced the onward march of history from different angles. Arnold Toynbee saw in history the continuous recurring theme of challenge and response. A civilization progresses if it is able to rise and meet the challenge it faces and decays if it fails. There is a process of growth, achievement and then decay. Alvin Toffler looked at the technological changes in terms of generations and the pace of change. He discovered that the pace of change itself is becoming so fast that in the twentieth century mankind started experiencing what he called 'future shock'. Communists look at the march of history in terms of dialectical materialism.
Indian culture has had a head start in understanding the fascinating aspects of human life. The Vedanta and the Upanishads represent our ancient seers' continuous search for knowledge founded on realization. They achieved great leaps forward in perception because of their mystic powers. We are the fortunate inheritors of a great tradition, the Vedantic tradition, which looks at life in this world and tries to find its underlying meaning. The quintessence of Vedanta has a dual dimension. The Rigveda lays down the dual purpose of human life: atmano mokshartham jagat hitayacha. We look forward to the emancipation of our souls through welfare of the world. Vivekananda had adopted this mantra while launching the Ramakrishna Order.
Existence is not merely a machinery of Nature, a wheel of law in which the soul is entangled for a moment or for ages; it is a constant manifestation of the Spirit. Life is not for the sake of life alone, but for God, and the living soul of man is an eternal portion of Godhead. Action is for self-finding, for self-fulfillment, for self-realization and not only for its own external and apparent fruits of the moment or the future.
Another concept that has been cherished through the long history of our cultural and spiritual existence is the concept of welfare of all human beings: bahujana sukhaya bahujana hitayacha'the welfare of the many and the happiness of the many. In fact, this concept of the happiness of the many had also been integrated into the area of public administration as the basic principle. Kautilya says in his Arthashastra: 'In the happiness of his subjects lies the king's happiness, in their welfare his welfare. He shall not consider as good only that which pleases him, but treat as beneficial to him whatever pleases his subjects'.
Natma priyam hitam rajnaha prajanam cha hitam priyam.
This ancient wisdom is also reflected in other languages. Two thousand years ago, Tiruvalluvar in Tamil Nadu spelt out in 1,330 verses the three purusharthas of existence, dharma, artha and kama. In the chapter on artha, like Kautilya'sArthashastra, he also dealt with the characteristics of a well-run administration or shall we say the ethics of good administration. For instance, when talking about the responsibility of a king, Tiruvalluvar says: Mural saithu kapatrum mannavan makkalkku iraiyentru vaikkapadum (the king who administers justice and protects his people will be considered God). The responsibilities of running the administration have also been spelt out by others who have looked into the concept of good administration.
If there is one principle that is fundamental to ethics in administration in India, it is the principle of dharma, the principle of doing the right things, the principle of justice. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad points out the basic principle that the responsibility of the king is to protect dharma. This is because it is only by protecting dharma do all citizens get equal opportunities and the weak not exploited and harassed by the strong.
Tadetat kshatrasya kshatram yaddharmaha tasmaddharamatparam nasti atho abaliyan baliyamsamanshamsate dharmena yatha ragna evam.
From most ancient times, as a part of Dharma, one of the ideals placed before individuals was that for a higher or greater interest, lower or personal interest should be subordinated. This idealism is incorporated in a verse in Hitopadesha. It reads, 'Subordinate the interest of an individual for the sake of the family, of the family to subserve the interest of the village, of the village in the interest of the state, of all worldly interest in order to attain eternal bliss'.
Replacing the last, which is concerned with the other world by the words,rashtrarthe swartham tyajet, we get a systemic framework to be followed in the nation's interest.
Dharma is that which sustains and ensures progress and welfare of all in this world and eternal bliss in the other world. Dharma is promulgated in the form of commands, positive and negative, vidhi and nishedha.
Therefore, dharma embraces every type of righteous conduct covering every aspect of life essential for the sustenance and welfare of the individual and society, and includes those rules that guide and enable those who believe in god and heaven to attain moksha (eternal bliss).
The Upanishads say very clearly that there is nothing beyond dharma. The same concept of dharma is also reflected by Tiruvalluvar: Irai kakkum vayyakam ellam avanai murai kakkum muttacheyim. The king protects the world and, if he acts according to justice or dharma, then the justice itself will protect him. Dharmo rakshati rakshitaha again reflects the same principle that if a person rules according to dharma, that dharma itself will protect him.
Thus, if we explore the roots of ethics in public administration, we find that we have a rich tradition. From our literature we find that there is a harmony between the individual, social and spiritual goals in our tradition. It is this harmony that provides a meaningful basis for ethics in public administration. Every individual has to strive to achieve moksha'atmano mokshartham. But at the same time his other responsibility is the well-being of the many'jagat hitayacha. In fact the goal in life for the individual as well as society has been ultimately distilled in the concept of dharma through thousands of years of our rich cultural tradition.
Before we proceed further, it is worthwhile to have a look at the dynamics of ethics in public administration. This will help us to identify the basic elements that shape ethics in public administration. We can then appreciate how, while changes may be taking place in society due to various factors from time to time over centuries, values remain constant. As values remain constant, the principle of ethics also remains constant. As they remain constant, we all stand to gain by looking at the classical insights on ethics in public administration so that we can improve our current practice.
As a society evolves, it is realized that the behavior of people has to be regulated if society as a whole is to survive. The welfare of a society is the result of cooperation between its members. No man is an island. The Ten Commandments evolved because if everybody was indulging in stealing, murdering, or coveting his neighbor's wife, no orderly society could be possible. The Ten Commandments reflect the values that a society cherishes so that they become guidelines for action. The values are the fundamental principles that are essential for a good, orderly society. Practicing those values in terms of code of conducts gets translated into morals or ethics. As values of society remain the same, ethics also in principle remains constant. This is the underlying dynamism of ethics in public administration. So faster growth is not just a consequence of appropriate economic policy, savings rate, human capital and fiscal deficits, but, somewhat surprisingly, the level of honesty in the citizenry.
This is one area in which Indian citizenry can do with a little bit of brushing up. The damage usually gets done early, when children are taught that 'honesty is the best policy'. As they grow up, they realize that whoever taught them that lesson was not quite honest. There are many situations in life where a quick lie, a broken promise or a reneged contract can bring about gains.
Many people make a mistake in trying to cash in on these gains too often, not realizing that each time one does it, one tends to damage one's reputation. If a person breaks too many promises, people will be wary of getting into agreements with him or her. In other words, excessive dishonesty and corruption, as in our society, is a sign of several things but, importantly, of myopia. To a person interested in nothing but his or her own welfare, the Machiavellian lesson would be simple: try not to tell lies so that you can get away with the rare one when you have to. So even if people were fully selfish, if they calculated their own interest rationally (that is, without myopic short-sightedness), they would be more honest than they typically are.
begin by noting that people use group characteristics to judge individuals. Thus, people hold views as to how trustworthy Indians are and how punctual Latinos are; about the ethics of Protestants and the materialism of Calvinists; about how dependable the Japanese are as business partners and about how untrustworthy such and such people are (let me leave the identity of this last group to the reader's imagination) and so on.
Something similar happens in the domain of corruption and dishonesty. Each such act hurts the nation or the community that one belongs to, but since that hurt does not enter the individual's calculations (especially so when the individual is selfish) people tend to 'overindulge' in corrupt and untrustworthy activities. Hence, nations where people are habitually (that is, not prompted merely by rational optimization) more honest, will tend to get more investment, trade and business. Many scholars direct their advice at the government or to politicians to act in certain ways, or to bureaucrats to carry out certain responsibilities. This new research in the role of trust is also a reminder that some of the responsibility lies with ordinary citizens as well.
We realize how values can lead to evolution of codes of ethical conduct. In the context of public administration what will be these values? The first of course is the concept of dharma or righteous behavior. When the British came and we inherited the British system of administration, we became familiar with the concept of the rule of law. The rule of law is nothing but the rule of dharma. As Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says, the law is above the king himself. In fact, it is necessary that we accept this, and try to shape our conduct and system in such a way that the principle of dharma or law is re-established. In the Indian democratic system we will be able to establish the rule of law only if we ensure that law makers do not become law breakers, or law breakers do not become law makers in the first instance.
I would like to present the following ideas in the context of current practices that have turned ours a highly corrupt country. We are looking at the issue only from the point of view of how the rule of law can be re-established with the help of the right type of law makers. The law makers in our country are the members of parliament and legislature. They can play a very important role in promoting a corruption-free government. Even in government, while the bureaucratic executive implements the law, it is also supervised by the political executive in the form of chief ministers, the prime minister and the cabinet. The political executive is also responsible to the legislature. The role of the law makers therefore can be seen from two different angles. The first relates to the enactment of the law and the second relates to the implementation of the law.
The minimum requirement for ensuring that our law makers are able to promote a corruption-free government is that the law makers should not themselves be law breakers. The Vohra Committee Report had highlighted one negative aspect of our politics, namely, the criminalization of politics. So if we want to start a process by which we will be able to achieve a corruption-free government, where law makers play a very effective role in achieving this objective, it is necessary that we should first take steps to ensure that law breakers and criminals do not become law makers.
No political party can be permitted to contest the elections unless it has got the latest annual accounts duly audited by an auditor as may be prescribed by a notified agency like the Election Commission, the CAG or the Supreme. Court.
No political party may be permitted to contest the elections unless it has cleared its income tax dues and has got the requisite certificate from the income tax authorities.
Complaints regarding corrupt practices during elections can be looked into by the Election Commission even before the date of polling. The Election Commission has an excellent communication system to receive complaints of this type and can immediately take action so that there will be a healthy check and deterrent effect on corrupt practices during elections. Prevention is always better than cure.
A person who has been accused of an offence involving moral turpitude or any other criminal offence cannot be permitted to contest elections. The Election Commission may identify these offences. Instead of going only by the gravity of the offence and FIR being filed, the critical test for applying the ban on the candidate contesting an election should be that a concerned judicial authority like a magistrate should have examined the FIRs and the data, and gone to the stage of framing a charge sheet.
If a person who has been charge sheeted for grave offences and moral turpitude as identified and notified by the Election Commission, is banned from fighting the elections, it will ensure that criminals do not enter politics and become representatives of the people. The responsibility can be cast on the candidate who must be asked to certify that he or she has not been charge sheeted or, if he or she has been, to give details. Such a person must also give details of the past punishment awarded by the court. We do not know what action the Election Commission might take. Nevertheless, I think it is necessary to have a nationwide debate on this issue so that appropriate action is taken to tackle the issue of corruption at the political level.
One of the reasons for corruption in government is that there are too many complicated and obsolete laws. The greater the number of laws, greater is the scope for red tape. Greater the scope of red tape, greater the temptation for corruption. It will be good if the law makers can have a look at the existing laws in the statute book and see how many of them can be done away with. In fact, when Shri I.K. Gujral was prime minister, the Indian government had set up the Jain Committee to identify the administrative laws that were obsolete. If I remember rightly, the committee identified about 3,500 laws of which about a third could be done away with. So in order to promote a corruption-free government we should start with a systematic campaign to remove obsolete laws from the statute book.
In addition to the removal of obsolete laws, there is need to introduce a system that will ensure that no law remains on the statute book forever and thereby become another source for corruption. We should therefore bring in a concept like the sunset principle as in the United States. No law remains on the statute book forever and has a life of say five or 10 years, at the end of which period, unless it is consciously reviewed and re-promulgated, it will exit the statute book. This will automatically ensure that we do not have laws cluttering the statute book.
The next important aspect is that law makers should pass laws that will promote an atmosphere of a corruption-free government. Transparency is increasingly recognized as a method for checking corruption. There is therefore an urgent need for passing a Freedom of Information Act. There is a fear that the Freedom of Information Act will be passed in such a way that there will be so many provisos and safety clauses that ultimately the basic objective of transparency in administration may be defeated. It will be necessary for law makers to ensure that such loopholes are not provided and citizens of the country have access to as much information as possible so that the degree of transparency in the government is enhanced. In fact, except for a small negative list of items having a bearing on the security of the nation or some aspects that have a direct bearing on maintenance of peace and so on, there should be no restriction at all for the public in accessing government information. To the extent our law makers are able to create such an environment, they will have taken an important step towards bringing in a culture of honesty in government.
The dynamics of corruption in government starts with a systematic attempt at politicizing the bureaucracy. Though in principle we are supposed to have a politically neutral permanent civil service of the British type, what we have in practice is the spoil system of the USA, without the corresponding checks and balances in that country that makes it far less corrupt than India. The simple instrument by which the political executive has found that the bureaucracy can be made to dance to its tunes is the instrument of transfers and postings. The importance of insulating at least the important and sensitive posts from this transfer instrument was highlighted by the Supreme Court in the Vineet Narain case, popularly known as the Hawala case. The Supreme Court pointed out that at least the two key investigating agencies of the Government of India, namely, the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate must be insulated from outside influences. This was sought to be achieved by making the Central Vigilance Commission a statutory body and making the CVC supervise the activities of the CBI. The CVC also chairs a committee in which the concerned secretaries are represented to choose the panel of names for the posts of director and senior officials of CBI as well as that of Enforcement Directorate. In addition, there is also an assured tenure of two years for the officials and they cannot be transferred without the consent of the CVC.
This initiative of the Supreme Court so far as CBI and ED are concerned points a way by which we can systematically depoliticize the executive, or at least reduce the possibility of corrupt elements in the bureaucracy getting into sensitive posts and exploiting their position. It will be worthwhile to identify all the sensitive posts in the government and bring in a discipline that these posts will be filled up from a panel of names recommended by ant objective and independent committee like the CVC's committee for the CBI and ED. The composition of this committee can be different for different posts. Once posted, the incumbents will have a minimum tenure of two or three years. This will promote a certain amount of objectivity and relieve the present situation where corrupt elements literally bribe their way into sensitive posts. The above method of investing the filling of key sensitive posts with objectivity will go a long way towards better control over corruption in government.
Apart from the overwhelming importance of the rule of law, equally important is the empowerment of the citizen. Perhaps the most important law governing modern societies is the Constitution. In the context of the review of the Constitution, which is being undertaken by the Venkatachaliah Committee at present, I would also suggest a new right, the right to corruption-free service as a fundamental one for every citizen. As India has become a corrupt country today, the need for strengthening the citizen becomes important. The rationale for corruption-free service as a new fundamental right is worth exploring at this stage.
The fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution represent two important facts. The first is that they are an explicit and significant articulation of the basic rights that every citizen must enjoy in a meaningful democracy, and the ideals articulated in the Preamble to the Constitution are realized in practice. The second important fact is that they represent the rights that a citizen must enjoy if we want to have good governance.
These rights have evolved over generations. They represent the lessons society has learnt from past experience when these rights were not available and consequently there was suffering and mis-governance. For example, the protection from double jeopardy must have arisen because there was a time when a person could be punished again and again for the same offence. The right to property must have arisen because there was a lime when these rights did not exist. The right to freedom of speech probably has been very much appreciated because we have seen in our own times regimes where this right did not exist, resulting in bad governance.
Fifty-three years of our existence as an independent nation and 50 years of working of the Constitution have resulted in one common experience for all Indian citizens. They cannot go to any public organization or office today and get the services they are supposed to without either paying a bribe or bringing influence by way of recommendations or references from VIPs.
A number of objections have been raised to the suggestion of the CVC. An example is the article by M.N. Buch in The Pioneer (25 February 2000), 'To Remove Corruption, Begin at the Thana'. The first argument against the CVC's suggestion is that other constitutions do not have such a provision. Another argument is that merely enshrining a new fundamental right may not really ensure us corruption-free service. A third is that already the concept of corruption-free service is enshrined in the Constitution. A fourth argument is: how will this right be implemented? In what follows, I have tried to answer all these objections.
The first reason why corruption-free service must become a fundamental right of every citizen is that it is a basic necessity for good governance. Good governance today can be considered to be a universal human right. We already have a National Human Rights Commission, and human rights have been recognized by the United Nations. In this era of globalization, human rights are getting articulated very effectively and also being implemented. The right to good governance must be a part of human rights, especially in the context of our current state in history. We have had experience of different types of regimes and governance, and we have adopted democracy, which ensures government of the people, by the people and for the people as the best model for good governance.
The negative impact of the phenomenon of corruption is now being recognized by international bodies like the World Bank, which have realized that good corporate governance is necessary in the context of globalization. Good governance cannot follow unless there is a check on corruption. This new fundamental right therefore should be taken as the crystallization of the experiences of the last century, which has seen greater interaction among various nations and the evolution of certain universal principles like those relating to human rights.
It is obvious that corruption, which is the use of public office for private profit, can never go along with good governance. In other words, corruption totally distorts the machinery of the government. If the public servant, while he is occupying an office, can utilize it for exploiting the citizen and enrich himself, should there not be a right on the part of the citizen to ensure that he is not exploited by the corrupt public servant? After all, a fundamental right like double jeopardy is only articulating the principle that the state, which has the power for punishment, will not use that power to punish a person more than once for an offence. Basically the fundamental right should be seen as a right given to the citizen to ensure that he has a level playing field so far as his interaction with the state, which has all the power, is concerned.
There is an argument that other countries do not have this fundamental right in their constitutions. The countries with which we may be comparing ourselves are of two types. They may be countries that are developed like United States or Britain, which, thanks to years of evolution, have much less corrupt governments. So far as the common citizens in these countries are concerned, at least they do not have to face the problem of corruption at every stage when they interact with a public office. In India this is not the situation. Therefore, the Indian citizen has to be protected by being offered this additional right.
The other type of countries are those that are less developed than India or more corrupt than India. The point is, if these countries do not have such a fundamental right, should we also emulate them and sink deeper into the morass of corruption and bad governance? I am sure any sensible Indian would agree that it is better that we realize the corrosive effect of corruption, which is anti-national, anti-poor and anti-economic development. We must strengthen the foundation of good governance by including this right in the fundamental rights chapter.
The next question that is raised is how will] this fundamental right be different from other issues, like a fundamental right for breathing or fundamental right for housing, which one former prime minister is now raising? The fundamental right of corruption-free service is different because in the absence of this right, all the other rights that have been conferred on the citizen become meaningless. Take for example Article 14 of the Constitution, which confers on the citizen the fundamental right of equality before law and equal protection of law. If a citizen is interacting with a corrupt public servant, he or she is definitely not going to be treated on the same footing as another citizen who bribes that corrupt public servant. Thus, the principle of equality before law and equal protection of law is distorted because the corrupt public servant and the phenomenon of bribery.
Article 19 gives a fundamental right to business or profession. It is the experience of our permit license raj that one of the points generally made by public servants who control clearances is that the citizen who is in business is going to make a lot of profit because of the clearance. The corrupt public servant thinks that he or she has a right to share in the profit of the professional or the businessmen. This is the kind of corruption by which the public servant exploits the public office for his or her private gain. The fundamental right for profession or business therefore is directly affected by the public servant insisting on his or her rent. We can thus see that corruption goes directly against the guaranteed fundamental right of profession. The same can be said about the right for freedom of speech and freedom of movement. If a corrupt police official uses his or her power of office to restrict a citizen because the latter has not bribed him or her, then the official is indirectly preventing the exercise of the fundamental right of the citizen by his act of corruption.
At this stage, a point may be raised. So many fundamental rights are already in existence and are being not implemented; then how will addition of one more fundamental right make the situation better? The great advantage is that the inclusion of a new fundamental right like the right to corruption-free service sends a signal throughout the country that there is a national consensus on the problem of corruption as a social evil. So the Constitution confers a right on the citizen to enable him or her to take on the corrupt public servants. Widespread awareness about the inclusion of this new fundamental right will bring in a new generation of students who, right from their school days, will become aware of this right as they study the structure of governance in our country. Public awareness in turn will crystallize into public opinion, which will provide the requisite sanction for modifying social behavior.
Further, the very fact that this is a fundamental right will ensure that the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, can be approached. In addition to the provisions relating to Prevention of Corruption Act or other preventions about misuse of public offices, the fact that a citizen's fundamental right has been violated will also make the courts take a more serious view. We can expect a series of decisions from the court, which in turn will go a long way in bringing about a sea change in the legal framework and the administrative culture under which the executive functions.
Criticisms like those from Buch do not take into account the fact that sometimes inclusion of a right in the Constitution itself leads to social changes. This probably can be said of the provisions made in our Constitution regarding the abolition of untouchability, non-discrimination, ill-treatment, empowerment of the weaker sections and so on.
It can be argued that the fundamental rights already enshrined in the Constitution also ensure the right for corruption-free service. If we consider that the state shall not deny any person equality before the law and equal protection of law within the territory of India, it can perhaps be argued that Article 29 (ii) need not be there at all. The main purpose of Article 29 (ii), from my plain reading of the Constitution, is to particularly articulate an important fundamental right of minorities, so that this is not lost sight of. More important, minorities can exercise their right and get the protection of the law in exercising their right.
to be particularly mentioned in the Constitution as a fundamental right. Corruption is no less a social evil than untouchability and therefore why not specifically mention the need for eliminating corruption by making a fundamental right of every Indian citizen to get corruption-free service.
Another social evil that has been specifically abolished by inclusion in the fundamental rights is prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labor (Article 23). Prohibition of employment of children in factories, etc. under Article 24 is another example of a social evil being eliminated by including the elimination and conferring the rights on the Indian citizens by specific mention in the chapter on fundamental rights.
Generally, the values in a society underlie traditions. Traditions in turn get crystallized into legislation. The soul of traditions or the most essential principles underlying the legislation get reflected in the Constitution. With the experience of the last 50 years of the working of the Constitution and international developments, especially the phenomenon of globalization, it is high time that we included the fundamental right for corruption-free service in the chapter on Fundamental Rights in the Constitution.
Such a measure will make patent what is presumed and latent. There are many who point out to the other provisions of the Constitution and say that corruption-free service follows by the observance of the other provisions of the Constitution. As we have seen above, the phenomenon of corruption in a way goes against the exercise of other fundamental rights mentioned in the Constitution. There is therefore a need for explicitly articulating corruption-free service as a patent fundamental right of the Indian citizen so that what is latent and lying hidden in the other provisions of the Constitution becomes explicit. Making this explicit has the advantage of sending a signal throughout the country about the commitment of the state for improving the quality of life of the citizens of this country.
There may be many who will say that at best this will remain only on paper. At best, it may be only a cosmetic verbal gesture. But the Constitution is not a cosmetic verbal document. It is a living document articulating the spirit of the people as crystallized by the legislature and interpreted by the judiciary. Including this fundamental right therefore may begin perhaps as a verbal gesture, but in the course of time, with the continuous interpretation of the right by the Supreme Court and the judiciary, we can expect that a social change can be brought about in society. After all, we have seen, for instance, the affirmative action in favor of weaker sections of society, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and minorities being articulated first in the Constitution and the subsequent history of 50 years and the judicial action. This has, in a way, resulted in bringing about social change. Bringing about social change, especially by way of checking I corruption and improving governance, there-fore is an important aspect, and inclusion of the new fundamental right can be taken as a first step in that long journey. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, says a Chinese proverb. Perhaps as we begin the journey as a republic in the twenty-first century, articulating this new fundamental right may be a right step towards making India a well-governed country.
In fact, it is interesting that in the past, even though we had kings, citizens were also empowered. The general impression about ancient methods of ruling a country is that there was no say at all of the people in the affairs of the state, and that the king was all in all. The king of course had his ministers and other camp followers in the court, and whatever the king decided to do in consort with his ministers was the law that was enforced by his officials. This is what we all think was the state of affairs in ancient times. What is more, in the name of European historical research, it is even said that in those days the brahmins in the court were the de facto rulers, since they had the king under their thumb and that they got everything done to perpetuate their comforts and hegemony. It was, and still is, made to appear that democracy was something taught to us by Westerners.
In fact, even in Vedic times, eons ago, the country was being ruled with full scope for the common man's opinion, which was fully reflected in the conduct of the day-to-day affairs of the state. The Vedas talk about several methods of administration such as 'sabha', 'samiti' and 'vidhataa'. It was a group of intellectuals from among the people who got together, deliberated on all affairs of state and then laid down the norms, according to which the king ruled the country. Even European researchers say that such groups assisting the king in his administration did not comprise only the brahmins and the kshatriyas (the warriors), but provided for universal representation for every interest in the country. Sri Aurobindo's four chapters on 'Indian Polity' in his classic The Foundations of the Indian Culture reveal vividly the nature of true democratic grassroots governance in ancient India.
'Rudram' is a popular piece in the Vedas. It is found in the Taittiriya Samhitaof the Yajurveda. It is known for the words namo namah that run through most of the hymn. It is a hymn dedicated to Rudra. In it obeisance is paid to everything on earth, movable and un-movable. The idea is that everything on earth is permeated with the all-pervading god, the paramatma, and everything is siva swaroopa. While thus paying obeisance to everything, reference is made to 'sabha' and 'sabhapati'. The 'sabha' referred to is the body of people set for attending to the affairs of state and 'sabhapati' is the president of such a body. Whatever we mean by legislative assembly today was the sort of the set-up called 'sabha' in ancient times. To such an assembly, designed to do good to the common people, obeisance is paid in 'Rudram'. 'The will of the people is the will of the god' is not any new motto imported, but one that was there eons ago in Vedic times. We learn from the Vedas that members of such a 'sabha' or assembly must first of all be of high intellect, good conduct and, most important, have the talent and capacity to put across points of view effectively. In fact, there are very many mantras in the Vedas praying for these three qualities.
In olden days a ruler was not only not allowed to go his way but was obliged to run the country in such a manner as had been laid down by the shastras'Dharmashastra, Arthashastra and the shastra relating to jurisprudence. There was the rajaguru (the king's teacher), the ministers and an assembly of intellectuals, in consultation with whom the king ruled the country. This was the arrangement for ruling the entire country.
The point I am trying to emphasize is that even in olden days, during the reign of the Cholas, what we now consider as the democratic approach, namely, the election of members to a committee of administration was adopted. It is my desire to point out the difference between the two methods and to argue that how the older method was better. An administrator of a country or a town should have the proper qualification and should be fit to become administrator. It follows that only those who have the appropriate qualification and qualities could be permitted to stand for election and be appointed. In the case of the administration of a country, in ancient times the crown prince always stood by the side of the ruling king and had the advantage of being watched by the elders of the assembly who took care to canalize his energies in the right direction. When such elders retired or died, the crown prince would have by then developed experience and discrimination, such that he would be in a position to decide who would be the right people, similar to the old people, who could become members of the assemblies and guide him in the administration. Here the king or the crown prince himself had the appointing authority.
The Dharmashastra was concerned with the dharmic or the right ways of living. For the preservation of these dharmic ways it had divided the community into several sections and, to ensure that they functioned in unison, it laid down several guidelines and rules. Principally for this purpose, did the Dharmashastra come into being. Its very name is 'Dharmashastra' and not 'Rajyashastra'shastra concerned with the administration of a country. It came into being to establish righteousness, not only for the country as a whole for its functioning but also for the individual citizen in his day-to-day living. It clearly laid down that it was the duty of the king to ensure a dharmic (righteous) way of life for his people. The state administration was considered in the olden days as a part of establishing dharma, a righteous way of living. Shastras, such as the Arthashastra and Shukra Neetishastra came to be used principally for the administration of a state. Yet they all, by and large, followed the Dharmashastra. In some respects, however, provision was there to deviate slightly from the rules of the Dharmashastra to suit limited expediencies. But then the governing principle was that the basis of state administration should be such as not to endanger the spirit and structure ofDharmashastra. Wherever any conflict between Arthashastra and Dharmashastraarose, the latter was considered to have precedence over the former. TheDharmashastra is one of the four shastras among the fourteen vidyas, whereas the Arthashastra is only one of the four upangas (subordinate organ) of the Vedas. This is how Tamil kings of those days had claimed that they were followers ofDharmashastra and not Arthashastra. What I am trying to say is that it was not that those ancient kings did not make amendments to existing laws, but it was held that the basic structure of the Dharmashastra was to be maintained and not distorted by amendments to existing laws in the name of contingencies of state administration to suit the convenience of those ruling as they liked. While the tree of the administration of a kingdom was being protected, the tree whose roots wereDharmashastra, the protection was done without damaging the roots and new laws were just like branches of the tree. Just as the branches of a tree are clipped when needed, so were amendments made of even the new laws.
We will be able to tackle corruption only if we are able to follow a three-point strategy. The first is the simplification of rules and regulations so that the scope for corruption is reduced. The second is empowering the public and ushering in greater transparency. The third is effective punishment. We have just seen how in the past the public was empowered in our country. We have also seen how Manu and Tiruvalluvar had both highlighted the need for effective punishment.
In the context of corruption in India today, I will suggest the following for consideration for effective punishment of the corrupt. It is important to have laws that will punish the corrupt. Corruption today in our country has become a low-risk high-profit business activity. The Law Commission in its 167th report had suggested the enactment of the Corrupt Public Servants (Forfeiture of Property) Act, This Act has been pending with the government since February 1999. It is high time that this law was enacted so that corrupt public servants do not take advantage of the present legal process themselves to escape punishment. The highlights of the Act are given in the following paragraphs.
As from the commencement of this Act, it shall not be lawful for any person to whom this Act applies to hold any illegally acquired property either by himself or through any other person on his behalf. Where any person holds any illegally acquired property in contravention of the provisions of subsection (1), such property shall be liable to forfeiture by the central government in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, a person holding any illegally acquired property in contravention of the provisions of subsection (1) shall, on conviction by a criminal court, be also liable for punishment with imprisonment that will not be less than seven years and may extend to 14 years.
or any other concern outside the territory of India, or has acquired any properties outside the territory of India without the requisite permission of the appropriate authority in India.
Many a time, apart from the plethora of laws leading to delays, causing red tape and corruption, many laws themselves provide cushions of safety for the corrupt. These cushions of safety must be systematically removed.
In addition to passing fresh legislation like the Corrupt Public Servants (Forfeiture of Property) Act, law-makers should also insist on implementing laws that have already been passed and have a bearing on checking corruption. For example, in 1988 the Benami Transaction Prohibition Act was passed. Section 5 provides for confiscation of benami properties and Section 8 provides for the government to prescribe the rules under which confiscation could take place. The CVC had requested the government in January 1999 to notify the rules. This has not yet been done.
Prompt action on implementation of such laws will go a long way in fostering a corruption-free government. If there are any difficulties in registration, they can be suitably modified so that the present situation where a law has been on the statute book for nearly 12 years but not yet implemented can be corrected.
As the above analysis shows, three things stand out as the stable features for ensuring ethics in public administration. The first is the need for observing dharma or the principle 'however high you may be, the law is above you'. The concept of rajadharma has to be practiced. In order to ensure that rajadharma is practiced, law-breakers should not become law-makers. There is need for making changes in our system so that the majesty of the law is maintained. The second important aspect is protecting the weak and ensuring that the concept of bahujana sukhayacha bahujana hitaya cha is practiced. This is possible only if we observe the third principle of effective punishment as Manu has said.
I have given some ideas on how we can empower the public in today's time by even making corruption-free service for every citizen of this country a fundamental right, and enacting and implementing laws to give deterrent punishment for the corrupt. Finally, the ethics in public administration will depend a lot on those who are in positions of power.
Where there is yogeshwara Krishna, Xhcpuma purushottama, there is vision. Where there is Arjuna'the dhanurdhara'skilled competence in action prevails. When both are combined, then three results arise. There is success, wealth and justice. After all, the three cornerstones of measuring whether a public administration is on ethical grounds can only be these three. Is there wealth? Is there justice? Is there success? By drawing our inspiration from our classical insights and remembering the beacons of light like those from Sri Aurobindo, we can move towards building a better India where public administration will be model of rajadharma in action.
Very interesting and informative as well as educative article.
Shall be thankful if you could very kindly give Dr.Vittal's e-mail address.
i think this document has made it clear in such a way that anyone can see what it all about without asking any question.


I was going to write about the discovery of the oldest fossil cells but Jerry Coyne beat me to the punch [Newly found: the world's oldest fossils!]. The new fossil bacteria are thought to be 3.4 billion years old and they were discovered in Australia only a few kilometers from the site where the so-called "cyanobacteria" fossils were discovered almost twenty years ago. Those fossils were reported to be even older (3.5 billion years) but the discovery has been completely discredited. The "fossils" aren't fossils [Did Life Arise 3.5 Billion Years Ago?]. That makes this discovery the oldest known cells (Wacey, 2011).
Interestingly, the senior author on this paper is Martin Brasier and he was one of the scientists who challenged the earlier result of William Schopf. Read all about it on Jerry Coyne's blog website.
The fossils are associated with a sulfur-rich mineral called pyrite. This mineral is produced by modern sulfate-reducing bacteria and it's reasonable to assume that the primitive bacteria detected in these ancient rocks also carried out sulfate reduction. That's not surprising since there wasn't much oxygen in the deep ocean 3.5 billion years ago.
Jerry Coyne didn't explain the biochemistry so let me give it a try. We need to start with a brief lesson on how modern living bacteria make ATP. The key to this understanding is a knowledge of Oxidation-Redution Reactions—one of the important basic concepts in biochemistry [see also Pushing Electrons].
Oxidation reactions are reactions where one or more electrons are given up. They are always coupled to reduction reactions that take up electrons. The direction of electron flow will depend on something called the "reduction potential" of the two half reactions. For our purposes we can think of the oxidation reaction as giving up "high energy" electrons that lose some of their energy before being taken up by the reduction reaction. It's this loss of energy that drives ATP synthesis.
Here's a simplified (!?) version of the electron transport pathway in the cell membranes of bacteria or mitochondria. The initial oxidation reaction is on the left below the membrane. NADH is a molecule produced during cell metabolism; notably glycolysis (degradation of glucose) and the citric acid cycle. NADH is the electron donor.
The electrons given up by NADH travel through various enzyme complexes that are embedded in the membrane (follow the red line). As the electrons give up some of their energy, the complexes pump protons from the inside of the cell to the outside. This sets up a proton gradient across the membrane and that gradient is used to drive ATP synthesis by ATP Synthase as the protons move back into the cell. This is the essence of chemiosmotic theory for which Peter Mitchell won the Nobel Prize in 1978. It's the most important pathway in all of biochemistry so every biochemist should know it intimately (they don't).
The electrons have to go somewhere eventually. The terminal electron acceptor in most modern species is molecular oxygen (O2) as shown in the figure. This is why we need oxygen to survive.
There are many modern species of bacteria that use different electron donors and electron acceptors to create the proton gradient. We're interested in those that use inorganic electron donors and something other than oxygen as an electron acceptor since those kind of bacteria are going to give us clues about the metabolism of primitive bacterial cells such as those preserved in the 3.4 billion year old rocks.
Here's a possible scheme based on what we know about modern sulfur-reducing bacteria.
The electron donor in this case is molecular hydrogen (H2). This avoids the need to use organic compounds such as NADH and glucose as a source of electrons. Hydrogen is just one of many possible electron donors but it happens to be one of the donors used by sulfur-reducing bacteria.
The electrons pass through various cytochrome complexes that are simplified versions of the ones in the first figure but they achieve the same purpose [Ubiquinone and the Proton Pump].
The electron acceptor is sulfate (SO42-). It is reduced (gaining electrons) to hydrogen sulfide (HS) which reacts with iron to produce the mineral pyrite. These bacteria do not need oxygen and they do not need an external source of energy in the form of a complex organic molecule.
We understand a lot about basic metabolism and bioenergetics and we can deduce the basic evolution of the modern complex pathways through studying unusual bacterial species that have adapted to unique environments, such as those that lack oxygen.
Just a clarification, when you say they do not need oxygen are you talking about molecular oxygen?
I wonder what creationists are going to say about this discovery haha.
Remember to take your CoQ10.
Especially if you are on statins.
Sulfur-reducing (the bacteria described in the paper) and sulfate-reducing (which you describe here) are not the same thing. These bacteria were reducing elemental sulfur, arising from sulfogenic photosynthesis (which predated oxygenic photosynthesis by perhaps almost 1 billion years).
In the paper they talk about sulfate-reducing bacteria, not sulfur-reducing bacteria. So that's what I described.
Initially I thought they were describing a metabolism involving the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide and I thought it would be fun to describe a different electron donor in the electron transport chain.
There's no evidence that these bacteria were capable of photosynthesis so I don't think we are considering that at all. We certainly don't expect the earliest forms of life to be capable of photosynthesis.
I'm linking to you for the biochemistry, so please update--sulphate or sulphur?
"We interpret the pyrite crystals as the metabolic by-products of these cells, which would have employed sulphate-reduction and sulphur-disproportionation pathways."
Larry and Qetzal, thanks for the updates. My apologies, Larry.
There has been a report (apparently not through peer review yet) of a mat community at 3.3 Ga with sulfogenic photosynthesizers on top and elemental sulfur reducers beneath.
I agree that the first life was not likely photosynthetic, but at 3.4 life was at least 100 and perhaps many hundreds of millions of years on.
What I find fascinating about the electron transport chain is how the mitochondrion makes use of the laws of physics to perform its function.
That is a general principle we can see throughout the intelligent functioning of the cell.
"This sets up a proton gradient across the membrane and that gradient is used to drive ATP synthesis by ATP Synthase as the protons move back into the cell."
This is the heart of the process and the most striking use of the laws of physics by the mitochondrion.
There must be many other uses of the laws of physics in the total process.
Does anyone know of any articles or studies that analyzes cellular processes that way?
I don't mean general descriptions of how processes occur but EXPLICITLY presenting how the steps make use of specific laws of physics.
If so I would be very interested in seeing that material.
Umm - what other laws would you like it to use?
Every single natural process and phenomenon in the universe "makes use of the laws of physics" to perform its function, from lightning strikes to stars shining to subatomic particles carrying forces and charges. Are they all intelligent, down to the subatomic particles?
Dr. Moran has co-authored a very large textbook chock-full of this stuff. You should buy it and read it.
Blink. Life is all about chemistry and energy. ie, physics. And really, it's largely about electrons. Their donation, receipt and sharing between atoms stabilises molecules.
These electron-mediated bonds (mostly the latter 2) form the stuff of life. Covalent bonding gives a stable structure to the DNA and protein backbones; hydrogen bonding allows DNA bases to pair in strict purine-pyrimidine linkage. This is at the heart of both replication (preservation of genotype) and translation/transcription (expression of phenotype) - ie, 'making use of the laws of physics'.
Biological energetics is all about electrons. Steal them from water using the energy of the sun and you have a convertible energy source that you can store in a number of ways - in bonds, or as an electrochemical gradient that can turn the 'water wheel' that is the rotary ATPase, storing the energy in bonds. ATP is the stock energetic intermediate of the cell, and - no coincidence, and neatly circular - is the source of the informational "A" in the DNA base set A,T,C and G.
Allan Miller, does it strike you as very interesting how the different levels all work together?
Each level exists on its own (with its own rules and dynamics) but also integrates seamlessly across the levels.
We all take this for granted but it is quite striking when you start to really focus on it.
"Allan Miller, does it strike you as very interesting how the different levels all work together?
We all take this for granted but it is quite striking when you start to really focus on it."
To think that that integration just happened without intent or intelligence is quite a leap of faith.
It is more plausible and credible to conclude that intelligence and intent underlies it all.
Not for me it ain't. I see complexity building up from blind integration of simpler subunits. There is certainly a hierarchy - Quarks, electrons, photons, energy and forces (thanks, Big Bang!) to protons and neutrons and atoms and the periodic table (cheers, Gravity!) to molecules to, in the right environment, replicators (good old Earth; good old Sun - thanks again, Gravity!) to phenotypically-assisted replication to cells to competitive/cooperative ecosystems to multicellular colonies to neural networks to intelligence (of a sort) to societies.
There is no logic or plausibility to me in starting with intelligence and intent. Complexity arises from simplicity, not from even greater antecedent complexity. I know this means a lot to you, but I just don't buy it.
Some forms of complexity arise from simplicity. Like a complicated kludge.
But not the kind of design we see in the operations we are talking about.
The design we see in the areas we are discussing are the opposite of kludges. Anyone who knows design principles can see that.
But that is so obvious to those who know about such things that it is pointless to argue with others who do not know about these things.
Sorry Anon, but I think what I think; there is no point in getting snooty with me for my perspective. I work in software design and have a degree in molecular biology. So I think I'm reasonably placed to see the ways in which the genome does, and doesn't, adhere to principles of design.
Fundamentally, I think Intelligent Design is bad philosophy and bad science.
DNA is a bit like a book, or a computer program, organisms are a bit like machines, and all those things need designers, ergo ... ? Ergo nothing. Viable genomes are much less tightly-specified than books or programs, and organisms resemble machines barely at all. And just because one set of phenomena has intentional design does not justify the inference that this is a requirement for all phenomena you choose to lump in with them.
You've got it the wrong way round. Intelligent Designers came on the scene with tool use and language. They create things that are a bit like the natural products of a designer-free world.
Your Designer bears no resemblance to human designers - it is not made of physical stuff, and yet can interact with physical stuff by mechanisms unknown. And this complex entity came into existence by mechanisms that required no designer, pulled up by its own bootstraps?
From a conviction that complexity and utility demand intent, ID solves a non-existent problem by the invention of an impossible entity, and scorns biology for not simply setting aside 160 years of data that confirms the current paradigm in spades.
For those who know about such things as simplicity and complexity that it is pointless to argue with others who do not know about these things.
For those who know about such things as simplicity and complexity it is pointless to argue with others who do not know about these things.
Well, you're probably right, but I thought it was worth a try.
Allan Miller, please be aware that you are conversing in a friendly way with the individual who has been attacking me and my family and sending threatening messages to my home.
If that is okay with you, then you are no better.
That is your moral choice.
There is a simple remedy for this kind of thing - pick an ID. Then no-one can masquerade as you.
Ba-hoo! I just don't know who I'm talking to anymore! Sob!
I reposted another Anonymous' remark from Friday, September 02, 2011 4:05:00 PM on Saturday, September 03, 2011 5:16:00 PM and Saturday, September 03, 2011 5:17:00 PM.
I do not know whether the Anonymous of Friday, September 02, 2011 4:05:00 PM and of Sunday, September 04, 2011 9:39:00 AM are the same Anonymous or not.
I did not attack you or your family, or send threatening messages to your home.
I do not know whether anyone attacked you or your family, or send threatening messages to your home.
I do not understand whatever basis you can have for saying I did so.
Could you lay off the rampant paranoia? In several comments you've been recommended to take mental counseling. That would be an eminently sensible course of action for you to take.
No,i can't do but if there are so magical oppertunity ,then when will i leave this chance.


text:
#!/bin/sh

set -eu

# Use CC if specified in environment, else default to "cc".
: "${CC:=cc}"

# Use CFLAGS if specified in environment.
: "${CFLAGS:=}"

echo "/* THIS FILE WAS AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED.  DO NOT EDIT. */"
echo "#ifndef CONFIG_H"
echo "#define CONFIG_H"

program_compiles() {
	echo "$1" | $CC $CFLAGS -Wno-error -x c - -o /dev/null > /dev/null 2>&1
}

check_function() {
	funcname=$1
	macro="HAVE_$(echo "$funcname" | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]')"

	echo
	echo "/* Is the $funcname() function available? */"
	if program_compiles "int main() { $funcname(); }"; then
		echo "#define $macro 1"
	else
		echo "/* $macro is not set */"
	fi
}

have_stat_field() {
	program_compiles "#include <sys/types.h>
			  #include <sys/stat.h>
			  int main() { struct stat st; st.$1; }"
}

check_stat_nanosecond_precision() {
	echo
	echo "/* Does stat() provide nanosecond-precision timestamps? */"
	if have_stat_field st_atim; then
		echo "#define HAVE_STAT_NANOSECOND_PRECISION 1"
	elif have_stat_field st_atimespec; then
		# Nonstandard field names used by OS X and older BSDs
		echo "#define HAVE_STAT_NANOSECOND_PRECISION 1"
		echo "#define st_atim st_atimespec"
		echo "#define st_mtim st_mtimespec"
		echo "#define st_ctim st_ctimespec"
	else
		echo "/* HAVE_STAT_NANOSECOND_PRECISION is not set */"
	fi
}

check_function clock_gettime
check_function futimens
check_function futimes
check_function posix_fadvise
check_function posix_madvise

check_stat_nanosecond_precision

echo
echo "#endif /* CONFIG_H */"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Welcome to the katebock.com website (the "Site"). Kate Bock. provides services to you subject to the notices, terms, and conditions set forth in this agreement (the "Agreement"). In addition, when you use any of our services (e.g., Customer Reviews), you will be subject to the rules, guidelines, policies, terms, and conditions applicable to such service, and they are incorporated into this Agreement by this reference. We reserve the right to change this Site and these terms and conditions at any time. ACCESSING, BROWSING OR OTHERWISE USING THE SITE INDICATES YOUR AGREEMENT TO ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN THIS AGREEMENT, SO PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING.
All text, graphics, button icons, images, audio clips, and software (collectively, "Content"), belongs exclusively to Kate Bock or its affiliates. The collection, arrangement, and assembly of all Content on this Site (the "Compilation") belongs exclusively to Kate Bock or its affiliates. All software used on this Site (the "Software") is the property of Kate Bock, its affiliates or its Software suppliers. The Content, the Compilation and the Software are all protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Kate Bock, katebock.com, and other logos, slogans, trade names or words are registered trademarks, trademarks or service marks of Kate Bock, its affiliates, suppliers, or third parties. The use of any of our trademarks or service marks without our express written consent is strictly prohibited. You may not use our trademarks or service marks in connection with any product or service in any way that is likely to cause confusion. You may not use our trademarks or service marks in any manner that disparages or discredits us. You may not use any of our trademarks or service marks in meta tags without prior explicit consent.
The risk of loss and title for items purchased by you pass to you upon our delivery of the items to the carrier pursuant to our standard terms of sale, which you may access here http://katebock.com/customer-service.html (and on the webpages to which that webpage links).
EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THE STANDARD TERMS OF SALE THAT GOVERN THE SALE OF EACH PRODUCT ON THIS SITE, A COPY OF WHICH YOU MAY ACCESS HERE http://katebock.com/customer-service.html (and on the webpages to which that webpage links), THIS SITE, THE PRODUCTS OFFERED FOR SALE ON IT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONDUCTED THROUGH IT ARE PROVIDED BY US ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. WE MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE OPERATION OF THE SITE OR THE INFORMATION, CONTENT, MATERIALS, OR PRODUCTS INCLUDED ON THIS SITE EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HERE http://katebock.com/customer-service.html (and on the webpages to which that webpage links). TO THE FULL EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY APPLICABLE LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NONINFRINGEMENT, TITLE, QUIET ENJOYMENT, DATA ACCURACY AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION. THIS SITE MAY INCLUDE INACCURACIES, MISTAKES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE CONTENT WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE.
•we could not deliver to the address provided by you.


text:
GLAAD Media Awards Announces 34th Annual Nominees
Ain't No Mo' Ends Broadway Flight December 23
Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Porter, More Visit Cast of Ain't No Mo'
Queen Latifah Buys Out Performance of Ain't No Mo'
Thank You, Five: Backstage with Fedna Jacquet from Broadway's Ain't No Mo'
Broadway News Ain't No Mo' to Close on Broadway
The show will close a little over two weeks after opening.
Jordan E. Cooper in Ain't No Mo' Joan Marcus
Ain't No Mo' by Jordan E. Cooper is announcing its departure date faster than anticipated. The show will close December 18, a little over two weeks after its December 1 opening night.
When it closes, the show will have played 22 preview performances and 21 regular performances. The closure is sudden considering the show's positive reviews.
The reason seems to be low ticket sales, according to an Instagram post from Cooper, which said, in part: "Ain't No Mo' needs your help. It's a new original play that's Black AF, which are things that make it hard to sell on Broadway. Now they've posted an eviction notice." Then he added, "But thank God Black people are immune to eviction notice." He then included the hashtag #saveAintNoMo and encouraged people to buy tickets to the show, saying "We've worked hard to make it accessible with an average ticket price of $50."
The closure of Ain't No Mo' points to the tough climate for new work on Broadway. K-POP also recently announced a sudden closure, a little over two weeks after opening night. That show also has a hashtag #saveKPOPbroadway.
In a statement, Ain't No Mo's lead producer Lee Daniels said: "When I first saw Ain't No Mo', it shook me to my core. I know firsthand how this world - and industry - doesn't always embrace our stories and I vowed to do everything I could to bring Jordan's riveting play written in his distinct voice and perspective to Broadway. It was my intention to make history with this play. I'm proud to say we did. Jordan E. Cooper is now the youngest Black American playwright in Broadway history with Ain't No Mo'. I couldn't be more proud of our magnificent cast and crew. This is not the end."
Ain't No Mo' is a play that posits, in series of comedy sketches: "What happens if the American government offered African Americans a one-way ticket back to Africa?"
The show is directed by Stevie Walker-Webb. The cast of the world premiere is made up of Cooper, who plays Peaches, as well as Crystal Lucas-Perry, Fedna Jacquet, Marchánt Davis, Ebony Marshall-Oliver, Shannon Matesky, Nik Alexander, Jasminn Johnson, Michael Rishawn, Kedren Spencer, Brennie Tellu, and Emma Van Lare.
The creative team includes lighting designer Adam Honoré, scenic designer Scott Pask, costume designer Emilio Sosa, co-sound designers Jonathan Deans and Taylor Williams, and wig designer Mia M. Neal.
See Inside the Production Below:
See Production Photos of Broadway's Ain't No Mo'
Marchant Davis and company of Ain't No Mo'
Joan Marcus
Crystal Lucas Perry in Ain't No Mo'
Fedna Jacquet, Shannon Matesky, Marchant Davis, Crystal Lucas Perry, and Ebony Marshall Oliver in Ain't No Mo'
Shannon Matesky and Crystal Lucas Perry in Ain't No Mo'
Jordan E. Cooper in Ain't No Mo'
Cystal Lucas Perry and Ebony Marshall Oliver in Ain't No Mo'
Ain't No Mo'
Cookie Jordan
Crystal Lucas-Perry
Ebony Marshall-Oliver
Fedna Jacquet

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Australian internet filter dead and buried. Google that.
For Cairns computer technician Carl Butcher, the issue of internet censorship is front and centre in this election campaign.
The Coalition have announced that they will oppose any mandatory internet censorship.
"Well done Liberals for standing up to this ridiculous Labor policy," Carl Butcher told CairnsBlog.
"This is fantastic news and a win for people power. With the campaigns being run by the Electronic Frontiers Australia and GetUp, the people have spoken and it has made the pollies in Canberra stand up a take notice."
Carl Butcher believes the internet filter would never have been effective.
"It would have never worked, and would have been a terrible waste of taxpayer money and not one child would have been safer as a result," Carl Butcher says.
Labor announced the filter plans back in 2008 as part of its cyber safety program under the guise of protecting children from pornography and offensive material. At the same time, dumped the Coalition's internet safety kits, including "net nanny" software, that encouraged parents to manage their own family's use of the internet.
One of the most vocal opponents to the filter, Electronic Frontiers Australia have applauded the announcement. "The news is very welcome among the ranks of those many organisations and individuals that see the filter as a policy failure," Colin Jacobs says.
A mandatory censorship scheme is still Labor policy, however with The Greens opposition to the internet censorship scheme, Labor's plan will now not get through the Senate.
"We call on Minister Conroy and the Gillard Government to now admit the mandatory filter policy is dead, and to move on to a debate more grounded in reality," Colin Jacobs said today. "The government must now listen to the experts, and get back to working on giving Australians access to better and faster broadband."
Joe Hockey said today if Labor wins the election, the Coalition would not vote in favour of the internet filter.
"We believe the internet filter will not work and we believe it's flawed policy," Hockey said. "It is not going to capture a whole lot of images and chatter that we all find offensive ... that are going through email."
They will return to the plan of "giving parents more control".
"The ISP filter-based system does not work, therefore it creates ... an assumption of trust that cannot be met by the technology."
Just three weeks ago, Labor said they would undertake a review of the policy, effectively taking it out of the election debate. Central to the filter plan was to include all "refused classification" rated content from being accessed via Australia internet uses.
at Friday, August 06, 2010 Posted by Michael P Moore
Curious said...
The internet is already censored, anyone who doesn't see that is a fool.
This was to be EXTRA censoring.
Saying censoring certain types of site doesn't make a single child safer is bollocks.
Fri Aug 06, 02:34:00 am
Syd Walker said...
Julia Gillard must now move VERY fast to drop the absurd and utterly discredited 'internet filter' policy.
She can claim – correctly – that it won't get through Parliament in any case, as it will be opposed by both the Coaltion and Greens.
I sincerely hope the ALP does this – and does it fast.
It now has hours – not days – remaining to fix this mess of its own making, because meetings are coming up over the next few days where, as things currently stand, Conroy will be defending the ALP's current ahd indefensible policy.
There is no juice left any longer for Labor in defending its current position on mandatory internet censorship. It's suicide. Surely ALP strategists can see that?
If Labor doesn't drop the policy now, it would demonstrate that the current Labor leadership really does have no commitment to evidence-based policies or respecting public opposition.
In that case, the ALP would deserve to lose the election.
On the other hand, a Labor Party opposed to mandatory censorship but supporting an NBN... now would be an attractive option...
ANOTHER example of political chicanery. Internet filters are already in place!!! All public computers on "prescribed" areas in the Northern Territory have filters on them, placed by the Howard Government as part of the "Federal Intervention" of 2007Then again, Australians cannot access individual PCS in Iraq....yet people in Europe can.
So now we have it.....
White boys can, black boys can't.
(But it isn't a "filter".)
You can talk to Pakistanis, but not to Iraqis.
(But it isn't a "filter").
Andrew Williams said...
On this occasion a vote for LNP is a vote against Communist censorship. If they control our Internet we may as well move to Iran or China. It was just going to be another erosion of our human civil rights. Glad the coalition will scrap the bullshit filter idea.
101.1.1.1 said...
This is big news for almost EVERY VOTER!!!!
This is becoming a GREAT Chess game!!!!
Look at the sophistry here!!! You have accepted, without comment, that black boys can have their internet filtered. Oh, that seems alright to you people. Utterly amazing how racism quickly surfaces when whitey thinks his own privileges might be at stake. What horrible, ugly hypocracy!
Carl Butcher said...
Just to add to the quoted comments. The biggest misconception about the proposed filter was that it would keep children safe from all the nasties on the internet. This was untrue. The filter was to block "RC" rated material on the ACMA blacklist. the ACMA blacklist had been thoroughly discredited after it was revealed that sites that had no illegal material on them at all were somehow on the list, most famously a dentist and school tuckshop website. The lack of a peer reviewed process for what was contained on the list was a serious concern for the opponents of the filter.
Furthermore, not all RC rated material is illegal. The content just didn't meet any of Australia's current classification guidelines. A great example is that of video games which don't meet our MA15+ guidelines as we don't have an R18 system like the rest of the developed world. Completely legal games, just RC in Australia.
The filter, as the current proposal stands, would allow completely legal adult material through, thus would not have made a difference should a child stumble upon the literally billions of completely legal sites compared to the measly 400 or so that were to be filtered.
In a recent video posted by the EFA it showed in 2 minutes, 5 different ways the current proposal by Labor could be bypassed. See: http://bit.ly/ckfRiP This is why the filter would have been a complete waste of money and completely ineffective.
I have always been an advocate for PC based filtering, where the onus is on the parent to control what their children have access to. I have set up systems for various clients and properly shown them how to work the software. A combination of a PC based filter and DNS service like OpenDNS is the best way forward. Yes these filters aren't 100% impenetrable either, but they're a far better option that mandatory censorship on an entire country.
The Headless Horseman said...
Don't trust the Liberal National Party (or whatever they call themselves this week) on the internet filter. They are social conservatives who hate ordinary people having a say let alone protestors or minority groups. The Libs are sitting back hoping Labor brings in the filter, cop the flak, lose an election, then they will blame Labor for the filter, BUT without taking it down. The Libs will then use the filter ruthlessly for political reasons and nothing to do with child porn. Mark my words. The Liberals have a track record on this as Alison Alloway points out. The Libs ruthlessly introduced the internet filter supposedly to prevent indigenous people accessing pornography. The real reason, of course, was to limit information getting out about the ruthlessness and failure of the wasteful intervention in the Northen Territory. The only serious intervention that should have been done in the NT was to build more health facilities and set up more mobile clinics. Instead the Liberals used guns and censorship.
Don't let Entsch and his tory mob slip into government on the pretext of the internet filter. The Libs are the champions of the internet filter.
Thank you "Headless". Gosh, what an exercise this has been. The aboriginal communities have been subjected to internet filtering since 2007. There are huge signs outside the entrance to every "prescribed" area in the Northern Territory warning people against bringing in alcohol and "pornography". I have a photograph of one of the signs which Mike is going to publish on cairnsblog. The fines for "pornography" are greater than for alcohol. You can be fined $11,000 for up to five pieces of "pornography" and $22,000 for five pieces and over, as well as receiving a two year jail sentence.
Added to this, is the filtering of all public computers in "prescribed" areas. This is all part of the Howard Government's "Federal Intervention" in 2007, and continued by the Rudd Government.
As part of the 'Federal Intervention" the Howard Government made the legislation EXEMPT from the Racial Discrimination Act. The current Federal Government intends to re-verse this exemption later this year.
Let their be no doubts, no confusion, no sophistry, no more screaming well after the horses have bolted, that INTERNET FILTERING has already started.
Gillard was asked a question about 'the filter' a few minutes ago.
(1) she didn't know much about the technical details
(2) she's relied on Conroy for advice
(3) she wanted the internet regulated like cinemas - material illegal in cinemas shouldn't be available on the internet
I remain hopeful this will be reversed... but time is really running out. This arvo Gillard is due to speak to the ACL (so is Abott). We'll hear more from both of them at that occasion.
As long as Abott doesn't backslide from Hockey's very clear position as stated last night - and if Gillard just digs herself deeper into the mire - I think we may be witnessing the end of a one term Labor Government.
(1) is not good enough - not if you want to foist a major new policy on an industry and informed public that's furiously in opposition, but a PM can't know everything, so...
(2) is just about fatal. Garbage in - garbage out. Why take advice only from the world's most despised Communications Minister? That's plain daft.
(3) is ridiculous.
Regulating the internet in the same way cinemas are regulated is simply looopy stuff. If Gillard believes that, she needs to go back to school.
In 2010, we cannot afford a Government as stupid as this.
Unless Labor sees the light without delay and reverses the mandatory censorship policy, it deserves to lose this election and probably shall lose.
No wonder Jim Turnour wouldn't return my call on this matter. He must be embarrassed to defend such a nonsensical policy.
Fri Aug 06, 01:02:00 pm
A.P.C.P. said...
Headless Horseman and Alison Alloway - you guys make me laugh!
You make it sound as if the intervention was only supported by the Coalition - you neglect to mention that there was bipartisan support for the intervention. I suspect this is deliberate as Labor (again)tries to weasle it's way out of former policy decisions.
As for the restoration of the Restoration of the Racial Discrimination Act, I agree this needs to occur - but sooner than later. It's suspension was to allow certain measures under the intervention to proceed in Indigenous communities. Labor's solution; look at extending the intervention measures to all welfare recipients. I really don't know what is worse, the Libs suspension of the RDA, or Labor's policy which discriminates against low socio-economic communties.
As for HH's usage of the "Tory", I note that in Australia, "Tory" is used as a pejorative term by members of the Australian Labor Party to refer to members of the conservative coalition Liberal and National parties. Labor (or should it be, given Julia Gillard's left-wing past, Australia's Pseudo Communist Party)attempts stick this label on the coalition show a dismal lack of understanding of the derivation of the term. Again desperate signs of the desparation of the few remaining true believers.
I'm glad you are offended by the term "Tory", A.C.P.C, it's meant to offend right-wing bigots like yourself.
The intervention was introduced by the Howard Government and you can't get around that. I know for a fact that Mal Brough meant well. But the reality was a nightmare for all residents, not just the alleged offenders.
The intervention was the Trojan horse for the Liberal Party's internet filter. The filter will be used against all Australians if the Liberal Party gets in. The Liberals' penchant for censorship proves this - Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, the intervention are examples of this.
Keep cyberpace free, put the sneaky Liberals last.
A.P.C.P. I am fully aware that Intervention in the Northern Territory was supported by both Federal political parties. I am also fully aware the internet censorship was placed on the aboriginal communities with support of both political parties.
THE POINT IS...internet filtering is already here and a precedent has been established. Don't let yourselves be misled by wanna be politicians on this issue. If the aboriginal people and their supporters want to take up the issue, they can always argue that if a filter is good enough for blacks, then it is good enough for whites. Yes, A.P.C.P. laugh about it if you will. I am predicting a widespread filter will be in place, whoever wins the election, within two years.
Oh Headless, dear Headless
As a centre of the road Australian Democrat voter, who has spent a decade working in Central Australian Indigenous communities, and a lesbian to boot, I think using the term "right-wing bigot" to describe me a little humourous.
If decrying the entymological misuse of the non-Australian term "tory" makes me right-wing in your eyes then so be it.
But I do have a sense of humour - hence my monniker!
Skyd Talker said...
I really want to vote Labor 'cos, like, I've been sentimentally attached to them for decades now.
The problem is that any objective assessment of their policies and behaviour tells me they're ratshit.
There must be a way.
I know! I'll wait for the Greens of Leichhardt to announce they're preferencing Jim Turncoat, and then I can say I'm just following their ticket. Oh what a joy to be Green.
To A.C.P.C. or whatever you want to call yourself....I was very dismayed at what I saw in the Northern Territory recently. Cultural tourism is big, but few aboriginal people are employed in the hotels and service industry. I saw not one single aboriginal person employed at any of the resorts, including the Voyager Resort.I have never been able to find any reports on the outcomes of "Intervention" in relation to the well being of the children. I know only 20 extra child care welfare officers were employed, immediately following "Intervention" right across the State. Hardly sufficient personnel to oversee the safety of all the children!
It depressed me to see so many people moving off their communities and living in shanty towns on the outskirts of the little towns, ie Ti-Tree, Tennant Creek etc. I noted a young aboriginal man was being taken to court for possessing one "Girlie" magazine. Finally, I spoke with some Arrente women artists in Alice Springs, who told me that the designated supermarkets who receive the quarantined welfare payments, are over-pricing and in some cases selling old stock past their expiry-dates to aboriginal people. There are obviously massive problems with "Intervention" yet no political party has bothered to raise those issues this coming election, and that is downright disgusting.


text:
Q: Regulator configuration for RTC backup battery in i.MX6 PMIC I'm switching with the phycore i.MX6 som from phytec's dev kit to an own board. The usermanuals for both the som and devkit can be found on phytec's page. Now I want to configure the rtc to keep the time during reboot's and poweroffs.
The battery (in my case supercap) is connected to the VDD_BAT pin of the phycore i.MX6 som (page 10). The internal PMIC is the da9062 connected via the i2c bus which is configured in the som dtsi file as rtc1.
imx6qdl-phytec-phycore-som.dtsi:

...
aliases {
    rtc1 = &da9062_rtc;
};
...
&i2c3 {
    pmic@58 {
         da9062_rtc: rtc {
             compatible = "dlg,da9062-rtc";
         };
    };
};

This file I didn't touch at all.
Next, I told the kernel to take his hwclock and systime time from rtc1 instead of rtc0:
CONFIG_RTC_HCTOSYS_DEVICE="rtc1"
CONFIG_RTC_SYSTOHC_DEVICE="rtc1"

The driver is being loaded correctly as far as I can tell:
dmesg | grep rtc
[    2.489836] da9063-rtc da9062-rtc: rtc core: registered da9063-rtc as rtc1
[    2.499713] snvs_rtc 20cc000.snvs:snvs-rtc-lp: rtc core: registered 20cc000.snvs:snvs-rtc-lp as rtc2
[    3.260348] da9063-rtc da9062-rtc: setting system clock to 2000-01-01 02:37:55 UTC (946694275)

and
cat /sys/class/rtc/rtc1/name
da9063-rtc da9062-rtc

Now, I can set the time via date and transfer it to the hwclock via
hwclock --systohc

.
After rebooting the system and hwclock is set to the previously set date which is fine. After cutting the power the clock gets reset.
I've measured the voltage of the supercap which is around 220mV. The datasheet of the da9062 tells me the chip does have an regulator for the battery which needs to be configured (Table 127: BBAT_CONT (0x0C5)).
As far as I understand the kernel/rtc subsystem, the driver for the rtc should take care of the charging of the battery or provide an userspace interface so I can do it myself. But I can't find anything on this topic.
I am using yocto to build the kernel/image for my board.
Is there something I'm missing or do I need to patch the driver myself in order to charge the supercap? Maybe there's an option in the devicetree to set the charging voltage and current for the cap?
I appreciate any ideas and suggestions, thanks.

A: Aparently the driver does not support charging a battery/supercap out of the box and it has exclusive access rights to the i2c device address which prevents userspace applications to access the device.
My solution to this problem is to set those values before the driver takes over:
Since this i2c bus is already configured in my barebox devicetree, I can access it before I boot the kernel (provided barebox is compiled with the i2c subsystem enabled in menuconfig). Here I can run a script which sets the BBAT and PD registers to enable charging the supercap.
Though, the cleaner solution would be to extend the driver and provide a userspace interface for this functionality.
Another possible solution I did not investigate would be to check if the driver can be compiled as a module, so I could unload the module, set the registers and load it again.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
ACCEPTED

#### According to
Index Fungorum

#### Published in
null

#### Original name
Phyllosticta caricae-papayae Allesch.

### Remarks
null


text:
Q: Accessing CSV files in .NET Core Project in Docker Container I am having trouble accessing CSV files in a .NET Core Project in a Docker Container (Linux), it works fine in debug mode but not in release mode (with an error saying cannot find file). Any ideas what may be wrong? The project has a folder called 'Data' with CSV files in it.
    [Route("GetTestFile")]
    [HttpGet]
    public IActionResult GetTestFile()
    {
        var fileName = "testdata.csv";
        var filePath = Path.Combine("Data", fileName);
        return new FileContentResult(File.ReadAllBytes(filePath), "text/csv") { FileDownloadName = fileName };
    }

Dockerfile
FROM microsoft/aspnetcore:2.0 AS base
WORKDIR /app
EXPOSE 80

FROM microsoft/aspnetcore-build:2.0 AS build
WORKDIR /src
COPY PVT_Matching_Algorithm/PVT_Matching_Algorithm.csproj PVT_Matching_Algorithm/
RUN dotnet restore PVT_Matching_Algorithm/PVT_Matching_Algorithm.csproj
COPY . .
WORKDIR /src/PVT_Matching_Algorithm
RUN dotnet build PVT_Matching_Algorithm.csproj -c Release -o /app

FROM build AS publish
RUN dotnet publish PVT_Matching_Algorithm.csproj -c Release -o /app

FROM base AS final
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=publish /app .
ENTRYPOINT ["dotnet", "PVT_Matching_Algorithm.dll"]

The exception screen looks like this :

A: If I understand your question right.
You have to inject IHostingEnvironment appEnvironment.
And then you can do like that:
var filePath = Path.Combine(_appEnvironment.ContentRootPath, "Data/testdata.csv");

A: You mention debug mode vs release mode, the relevant lines in the Dockerfile are:
RUN dotnet build PVT_Matching_Algorithm.csproj -c Release -o /app
RUN dotnet publish PVT_Matching_Algorithm.csproj -c Release -o /app

The exception screen says the directory can't be found, i.e. /app/Data
When you publish an app, dotnet copies only the runtime files needed to the publish directory (not source, etc)
The first part of the multi-stage Dockerfile copies in all of your source to workdir /src, builds them, and the publishes to /app. It is use an aspnetcore-build image, with all the build tools.
The last part of the multi-stage Dockerfile copies just the published files, and uses an aspnetcore runtime image, so only has runtime files.
If the file is missing when you do a Release build, but not when you do a Debug build, then it might be configure to conditionally be included/published.
To test this, run the dotnet publish command locally and compare:
dotnet publish PVT_Matching_Algorithm.csproj -c Debug -o publish-Debug
dotnet publish PVT_Matching_Algorithm.csproj -c Release -o publish-Release

If it is missing, then check your .csproj file and there is probably a condition to only include the file in Debug mode; remove the conditional, so that it is included in both build types, and test locally.
NOTE: Rather than Debug vs Release configuration, it may be a case that by "Debug" you actually meant accessing one of the other containers, like the "build" container, for the purposes of debugging. In this case the dotnet build may have copied files across that are not included in dotnet publish (or even be using the /src directory directly) -- this can be checked as above by locally running dotnet publish and checking the output, then including the file as needed.


text:
Judge Allows Lev Parnas to Share Evidence with Congress That Could Corroborate Claims About Devin Nunes
by Matt Naham | 1:23 pm, January 3rd, 2020
Lev Parnas, an indicted Ukrainian-Floridian businessman and associate of Rudy Giuliani's who has been anxious to tell Congress what he remembers, got a federal judge's blessing on Friday.
Parnas trotted the globe in search of dirt on the Bidens only to be abandoned by President Donald Trump. This apparently angered and upset Parnas. On Friday, Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken granted Parnas's request to give the Rep. Adam Schiff-led House Intelligence Committee iPhone and documentary evidence seized by the government in Parnas's Southern District of New York criminal case.
"Granted. Defendant Lev Parnas may produce the materials referenced herein to the United States House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence," Oetken ordered. The judge previously signaled that he would grant the request.
Parnas's attorney, Joseph Bondy, noted before that the government did not object to sharing of documents seized from Parnas's home and the contents extracted from his client's iPhone 11.
Bondy said the information was relevant and responsive to a congressional subpoena, and that it was important that congressional investigators had it so they could "corroborate the strength of Mr. Parnas's potential testimony."
"These materials fall within the scope of the September 30, 2019 letter request and October 10, 2019 subpoena of the United States House of Representatives' Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), in connection with the presidential impeachment inquiry," Bondy wrote.
"At present, we do not know whether we intend to produce the entirety of the materials, or a subset filtered for either privilege or relevancy. If a subset, we will inform the Court and Government as to what we have actually have produced," he added.
As Law&Crime noted before, a bit of potential testimony that Congress will no doubt attempt to corroborate involves House Intel Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-Calif.). You may remember that Bondy gave information to CNN that triggered a Nunes lawsuit.
Nunes sued over claims that he went to Austria in 2018 and met Viktor Shokin, and communicated with Parnas in Dec. 2018 "around the time of the 'Vienna Trip.'" Nunes and his attorney said the trip "never happened." Shokin is the former Ukrainian Prosecutor General that Joe Biden bragged about getting fired. Republican Senators also believed Shokin was corrupt and wanted him ousted.
Calls logs released in the House Intel Committee's impeachment report showed that Nunes, Parnas, and Giuliani spoke by phone. The logs from April 12, 2019 showed Parnas called John Solomon — the then-Hill columnist who brought to the mainstream the Joe-Biden-Hunter Biden-Burisma narrative pushed by President Trump, Shokin, Giuliani, Parnas, and more. The logs also showed Parnas had a call with Nunes that lasted for more than eight minutes. Parnas then called Solomon back.
The "-1" number that showed up in logs appears to belong to the president.
Bondy previously said that, in light of the call records, Nunes should have recused himself from the House Intelligence Committee's impeachment hearings.
"Hey @DevinNunes —Lev remembers what you spoke about. You don't remember? #LetLevSpeak," Bondy warned.
Bondy, in a Friday tweet perhaps meant to put Nunes on notice, repeated #LetLevSpeak and #LevRemembers.
Earlier this morning, the Court granted Lev Parnas' request to allow production of certain materials to HPSCI in the Impeachment Inquiry, which we are doing. As the Government produces additional materials, we will seek similar judicial Orders. #LetLevSpeak #LevRemembers pic.twitter.com/7j0khrJWMV
— Joseph A. Bondy (@josephabondy) January 3, 2020
"Earlier this morning, the Court granted Lev Parnas' request to allow production of certain materials to HPSCI in the Impeachment Inquiry, which we are doing. As the Government produces additional materials, we will seek similar judicial Orders. #LetLevSpeak #LevRemembers," Bondy said.
After their October arrests, Parnas and fellow Giuliani associate Igor Fruman were each hit with two counts of conspiracy, one count of making false statements, and one count of falsification of records. They were instrumental in Giuliani's efforts to convince the Ukrainian government to commit publicly to investigations of Joe Biden, Hunter Biden and Burisma. The charges are related to a "scheme to funnel foreign money" to Republican candidates (alleged campaign finance violations).
David Correia, a co-founder of Fraud Guarantee, and Andrey Kukushkin were also ensnared in the criminal probe. Correia and Kukushkin were charged with one count of conspiracy. All defendants have pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors are also aware of and concerned about Parnas's connection to Dmytro Firtash, a Putin-connected Ukrainian oligarch involved in efforts to dig up dirt on the Bidens. Firtash is under indictment for bribery in the U.S., but has not been extradited.
Also on Friday, Oetken officially granted attorney Edward MacMahon's motion to withdraw from Parnas's case, meaning that Bondy is now the only attorney representing Parnas.
In that motion, MacMahon said Parnas's "apparent ability to fund his defense has diminished," and that Bondy was "prepared to assume all aspects of Mr. Parnas' defense."
Colin Kalmbacher contributed to this report.
[image via ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images]
Donald Trump, Edward MacMahon, impeachment, Joseph Bondy, Lev Parnas, rudy giuliani


Hi, went to play Pcars today and I am suddenly getting graphical glitches. Can anyone shed any light?
Nothing has changed since I last played a few days ago and all other games are working fine. I have checked the integrity of the games files through steam and everything checks out. It happens on every track.
Turn off detailed grass. That should sort it for the moment.


text:
Q: View or function 'Dept20' is not updatable because the modification affects multiple base tables Why do I get View or function 'Dept20' is not updatable because the modification affects multiple base tables?
create view Dept20
as select j.kojab as employe_id ,p.nama as employee ,j.gapok
from jabatan j, pegawai p
where j.kojab = p.Kojab
and j.kojab = 4

When I want to delete
delete from Dept20
where employee = 'rojib2'

I get the error:

Msg 4405, Level 16, State 1, Line 2
View or function 'Dept20' is not updatable because the modification
  affects multiple base tables.

I need help...

A: The concept you are running into (by error) is called Updatable View. Basically, the database server is not able to figure out by itself what should be deleted because the reverse mapping from the view to the involved base tables is ambigious. As has been noted in the comments you could look into defining an INSTEAD OF TRIGGER on the view.