NRS 129.010: Age of majority.
All persons of the age of 18 years who are under no legal disability, and all persons who have been declared emancipated pursuant to NRS 129.080 to 129.140, inclusive, are capable of entering into any contract, and are, to all intents and purposes, held and considered to be of lawful age.
NRS 129.080 Minor may petition juvenile court for decree of emancipation; reference to master.
Any minor who is at least 16 years of age, who is married or living apart from his or her parents or legal guardian, and who is a resident of the county, may petition the juvenile court of that county for a decree of emancipation. The district court may refer the petition to a master appointed pursuant to title 5 of NRS or chapter 432B of NRS.
NRS 129.090 Petition: Contents; fees.
(i) That the minor is attending school or has been excused from attending school pursuant to NRS 392.040 to 392.125, inclusive.
2. If any of the facts required by subsection 1 are not known, the petition must so state.
3. For filing the petition, the clerk of the district court shall charge the fees prescribed by law for the commencement of civil actions or proceedings generally.
NRS 129.100 Notice of filing of petition: Form.
1. After a petition has been filed, unless the person to be served voluntarily appears and consents to the hearing, the court shall direct the clerk to issue a notice, reciting briefly the substance of the petition, stating the time and date set for the hearing of the petition, and requiring the person served with the notice to appear before the court at the hearing if the person desires to oppose the petition.
You are hereby notified that there has been filed in the above-entitled court a petition praying for the emancipation of the above-named minor person, and that the petition has been set for hearing before this court, at the courtroom thereof, at ________________________________, in the County of ________________________________, on the __________ day of the month of _________ of the year _______ at __________ o clock __.m., at which time and place you are required to be present if you desire to oppose the petition.
NRS 129.110 Persons to be served with notice; manner of service; hearing on petition.
(d) The district attorney of the county in which the matter is to be heard.
2. Service of the notice and petition may be made in any manner permitted by N.R.C.P. 4. Return of service must be made as provided by that rule. Evidence must be presented to the court if addresses of those required to be served are unknown or for any other reason notice cannot be given.
3. The court shall hold a hearing on all petitions filed pursuant to NRS 129.080 to 129.140, inclusive.
NRS 129.120 Hearing: Duties and powers of court; considerations in grant or denial of petition.
1. At the time stated in the notice, or at the earliest time thereafter to which the hearing may be postponed, the court shall proceed to hear the petition.
2. At the hearing of the petition, the court shall address the petitioner personally and advise the petitioner of the consequences of emancipation, as described in NRS 129.130.
3. The court may request copies of records in the custody of the school district, the probation office, the Division of Child and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services or any other public or private agency to assist in making its determination. The court may further request a recommendation from the probation officer, the Division of Child and Family Services or any other public or private agency that may have communicated with the minor regarding the petition.
(d) Whether emancipation is in the best interest of the minor.
NRS 129.130 Decree of emancipation: Effect; petition to void decree.
1. If the court determines that the petition should be granted, it shall enter a decree of emancipation.
2. A decree so entered is conclusive and binding.
(f) The establishment of the minor's own residence.
For these purposes, the minor shall be considered in law as an adult, and any obligation the minor incurs is enforceable by and against the minor without regard to his or her minority.
4. Unless otherwise provided by the decree, the obligation of support otherwise owed a minor by his or her parent or guardian is terminated by the entry of the decree.
(e) Imposes penalties or regulates conduct according to the age of any person.
(b) The decree of emancipation was obtained by fraud, misrepresentation or the withholding of material information.
7. The voiding of any decree of emancipation must not alter any contractual obligations or rights or any property rights or interests which arose during the period that the decree was in effect.
NRS 129.140 Method not exclusive.
The method of emancipation of a minor provided for in NRS 129.080 to 129.130, inclusive, is in addition to and not in substitution of, any other method of emancipation provided by statute or common law.


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ENERGY PRESPECTIVE
Notable Mergers & Acquisitions and Asset Transactions
MasTec agreed to acquire Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives (IEA) in a cash-and-stock deal valued at around $1.1 billion. IEA provides engineering, procurement, construction and other related services to developers of infrastructure projects and has finalised over 260 utility-scale wind and solar projects across North America till date
Ørsted entered into an agreement to acquire a 100% Stake in Ostwind for an enterprise value of $705 million. Ostwind's portfolio currently includes 152MW in operation and under construction, around 526MW in advanced development and an additional 1GW in its development pipeline
BlackRock Real Assets acquired Vanguard Renewables for $700 million. Vanguard Renewables is a developer of organics-to-renewable energy projects based in Massachusetts, US and operates through two distinct business lines – Vanguard Organics and Vanguard AG
Equinor signed an agreement to acquire US-based battery storage developer East Point Energy. East Point Energy has a 4.1GW pipeline of early to mid-stage battery storage projects focused on the US East Coast. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed
ASSET TRANSACTIONS
The asset management arm of the UBS Group AG acquired a 700MW portfolio of energy storage projects in Texas from Black Mountain Energy Storage. The portfolio comprises 5 standalone, development-stage projects and is expected to come into operation in 2024
FGE Power LLC offloaded the Goodnight I and II wind projects each with a combined capacity of 265.5MW to Omega Energia SA in Texas, US. Both wind farms are expected to become operational by the end of next year. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed
Onward Energy agreed to acquire a 1,171MW portfolio of operating solar PV projects in the US from Global Atlantic Financial Group, a majority-owned subsidiary of investment firm KKR. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed
Notable Fund Raisings & Project Finance Transactions
FUND RAISINGS
Opdenergy signed a $355 million green financing agreement with BBVA and the European Investment Bank to build and commission some 605MW of solar PV projects in Spain
Octopus Energy Group secured a total of $550 million of investment which includes $325 million from existing shareholders from the close of a fundraising round and an additional $225 million from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The proceeds will be used to improve its energy technology platform and expand its renewables business
Iberdrola SA secured a $561 million green loan from the European Investment Bank to finance 1.8GW of wind and solar energy projects in Spain
Opdenergy closed an up to $255 million corporate debt facility from EIG and Generali Global Infrastructure to redeem outstanding bonds and finance its growth projects
Capital Energy closed an agreement to obtain $165 million financing for 206MW of wind and solar farm projects in Spain. The financial package was provided by MEAG, Munich Re and ERGO
Umbrella Solar Investment secured a $107 million loan and an equity co-investment to finance its 212MWp portfolio of 14 PV projects in Spain from Incus Capital and RGreen Invest's Infragreen IV Fund
Fred Olsen Renewables AS secured €480 million in equity financing from Kommunal Landspensjonskasse, MEAG Munich ERGO AssetManagement GmbH and Keppel Infrastructure Trust
Vestas Wind Systems A/S entered into an agreement with the European Investment Bank for a $489 million green loan to support research, development and innovation activities through 2025

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


As the days get warmer and the nights get lighter, we long for a weekend away somewhere new and exciting, with the extra bank holidays at this time of year making it the perfect time to stretch your wings and try somewhere new.
To make sure you make the most of these precious weekends, the Hip Store has compiled some of its favourite European city breaks, inspired by the brands that they house and inspired.
The ultimate city break for many, Paris is on point at this time of year, with the hazy evenings perfect for alfresco dining outside your favourite bistro, with a glass f wine in hand, naturally. For those that have never visited, a walking tour of Paris is the best way to see the city. Start at the picturesque Montmatre with its iconic Sacre Couer before meandering down to Notre Dame and the winding streets of the Latin Quarter, snaking along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower, crossing the river to Trocadero Gardens and finishing up on the Champs-Elysees after a brief rest watching the traffic fly by Arc de Triomphe.
The Pompidou Centre and its stunning array of carefully curated works of art from the classics right through to the modern day.
When in Paris, it has to be A.P.C., with the effortless cool of the brand's garments marrying perfectly with the laidback nature of the French capital – the A.P.C. denim shirt in indigo is perfect for such a stroll as described above.
Look beyond the stories from your mate's stag do and up at the imposing architecture, and you'll appreciate the Dutch city of Amsterdam in a completely different fashion from many a tourist. With the recent passing of the Dutch master Johan Cruyff thrusting in Holland and it's culture into the limelight once more, anyone with even a passing interest in the beautiful game is recommended to read David Winner's book Brilliant Orange before visiting this ace city, to get a greater understand of how football has the city of Amsterdam and vice versa.
No trip to Amsterdam is complete without visiting Vondelpark, the huge sprawling city centre park perfect for a sunny day, and full to brim with museums and galleries should you need to grab a little shade.
Fit in with the locals by donning Patta for your Dutch trip. The retro styling of this italic print t-shirt in white fits the tone to a tee.
While once the 20-somethings of the UK would venture to Barcelona or Berlin to get away from it all during the summer months, Copenhagen has emerged in recent years as theweekend break for those in the know, as Brits can't get enough of the ice-cold cool of Scandinavian culture.
For something a little different to the norm, Tivoli theme park cannot be missed, with its 150 plus years of history making it the second oldest adventure park on the planet.
There's no option but Norse Projects if you want to assimilate in Copenhagen is there? Unfussy and perfectly put together, Norse Projects is the archetypal Danish brand, with the Jens cotton linen broken twill overshirt in navy the perfect garment in which to transition from afternoon to evening in.
Check back in with Ways & Means soon for the next instalment in our branded city break guides.


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ADAM NOYES | REEL 2022
Resume 2022 | Picture Portfolio | Professional References | Professional Writing Example
Live Production Coordinator & Student-Teacher | NASA & Boy Scouts of America Live Event
"Turn Around" Winner: Audience Choice | Still Rendering 48-Hour Film Challenge 2022
NCSE Certified 2022 (NewTek Certified Solutions Expert)
Film "Some Terrible Grief" winner of Audience Choice Award at the 2018 Sol Negrin Awards
Film "FM 132.9" Winner Best Student Film Point Lookout Film Festival 2019
Official Selection at the G-Fest XXVI Film Festival (Chicago, IL) | Official Selection at the Fraidy-Cat Film Festival 2019 (Savannah, GA)
Adam Noyes has grown up with movies and is an award-winning filmmaker. He looked forward to every Saturday watching them with his father. He eats, sleeps, and dreams movies. Despite growing up in Jefferson, New Hampshire (from the most northern county in the state), he takes it in pride. He thinks this has given him a unique approach to many of his techniques, which most he proudly taught himself, and how he views the projects he works on.
Ever since he got a camera when he was 8 years old, Adam has been making movies. They went from giant cats attacking Lincoln log buildings to stop motion animation shorts featuring a tyrannosaurus rex fighting a brontosaurus. As he got older, he made three horror films (Forest of Blood, Lake of Death, and Compound of Chaos) which played in theaters across New Hampshire and earned him a $10,000.00 scholarship for school.
In school, he has written, acted, and directed all sorts of shorts, and one feature. Currently, his most successful films have been "Some Terrible Grief" and "FM 132.9" which are being screened all over the country and have also won numerous awards. Other films range from comedies (the award winning "Pineapple"), to thrillers (writing and acting in the award winning "Dog Collar"), to romances ("Hear Ye, Danny Boy"), to music videos (Most recent being "Shut Your Mouth" by Collideoscope), and even experimental flicks ("My Sweetest Friend, Everyone I Know Goes Away in the End"). He has no fears of playing around with genres, or trying new things, and that is what he is doing with "Sierra!"
Outside of school, he edited for Endeavor Streaming. There he worked with organizations such as the NFL, WNBA, Coliseum, and NHL. He also worked closely with Senior Services of North America producing many of their commercials and event videos. He was also instrumental to producing their podcast "Insurance Television Network." For three years, Adam worked for Broadfield Distributing & Videoguys as a Video Production Specialist creating all of their video production content including: Live Productions, Product Commercials, Unboxing Videos, Podcasts, Tutorials, blog posts, social media marketing, and more.


The City of Nevada City is taking additional initiative to create more defensible space in and around Nevada City by deploying teams of goats and sheep in response to the growing risk of fire. The unprecedented fires in California, particularly in Paradise, have hit all too close to home and have become the ultimate Cautionary Tale.
Whether you are a homeowner, a renter, or a building/business owner, it's clear that everyone is in the same boat together, equally at risk for catastrophic fire.
The immediate challenge for the City is that while ranchers are expanding to meet demand, for now, their herds are already rented out next spring, summer, and fall, making their herds only available to the City this winter.
Assigned as the lead on this city project, Nevada City Vice Mayor Reinette Senum got a jumpstart by launching a GoFundMe campaign, titled Goat Fund Me, an hour before last Wednesday's Wildfire Prevention & Preparedness Town Hall at the Rood Building. The City is starting with a goal of $30,000 though it will ultimately cost much more than that. Over $1,200 has been donated in the first 24 hours.
For good measure the city staff is recommending the City Council approve (up to) $5,000 to start the prescriptive grazing behind Pioneer Park. The intention is to utilize this particular site as a Public Demonstration that will include outreach materials for the public including tips, tools, best practices, and contact info of qualified, vetted ranchers.
The City will provide this information in brochure-form as well as on their official City website so you can utilize the same prescriptive grazing techniques on your property and surrounding neighborhood as the City will on their city-owned land. The City will also continue to identify other ranchers that may have smaller herds available for rent all year long. There is also talk of a herd-share program starting up for neighbors in response to the fires and our unhealthy forests.
Vice Mayor Senum, city staff, and local ranchers have walked city owned property and have identified 4 different methods of clearing as well as the following properties as high priority for this winter: behind Pioneer Park, Deer Creek environs including water treatment plant, Woods Ravine between Hwy 49 and Cement Hill Road, Sugar Loaf, and the old airport.
This type of grazing includes a herdsman to be on-site at all times as well as a camping trailer, water wagon (if needed), electric fencing, herding dog, transport trailer, and can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per acre depending on the difficulty of the terrain and how much there is to graze. Approximately 200 goats can knock down an acre per day. Nevada City owns over 450 acres of greenbelt.
Once these properties have been cleared the City intends on following up with hand-crews. They will be calling upon community volunteers for the easy-to-reach properties and as well as hoping to partner with the County to utilize the Jail Release Program and/or the Washington Ridge Crews.
With the explosion of homeless camps in the area, adding to the mixture of risk, the City will maximize the benefits of clearing out these properties by also following up with removing abandoned homeless camp so as to discourage homeless camps in the future thus reducing the fire risk even more while ensuring a healthy watershed!
The City asks for support in keeping Nevada City and surrounding communities safe particularly until the program gets off the ground and more funding is secured over the next few months.


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Seventh Circuit Finds Plain Error Where Guilty Plea Accepted Without Rule 11 Colloquy
Loaded on April 19, 2018 by Christopher Zoukis published in Criminal Legal News May, 2018, page 11
Filed under: Guilty Pleas, Criminal Procedure. Location: Wisconsin.
by Christopher Zoukis
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed a conviction pursuant to a guilty plea that the district court accepted, but was not accompanied by a Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11 colloquy. The January 25, 2018, opinion remanded the case for entry of a new plea.
Ricky Olson was indicted on charges of distributing sexually explicit photographs of his minor daughter in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). He initially pleaded guilty on April 6, 2016, pursuant to a plea agreement in which the government agreed to dismiss several charges and to recommend a sentence of not more than 180 months. Before accepting the plea, the district court conducted a Rule 11 colloquy.
Olson changed his mind soon after pleading guilty, however. On August 26, 2016, he moved to withdraw his guilty plea, and his attorney moved to withdraw from representation. Olson explained to the court that he hadn't understood the plea agreement and that his attorney had given him bad advice. The district court granted both motions.
With a new attorney on board, Olson changed his mind again. On September 9, 2016, he appeared in court and said he would plead guilty and "throw [him]self at the mercy of the court." His attorney suggested that the district court deny the (already granted) August 26 motion to withdraw the guilty plea. The court did so, but it did not hold a Rule 11 colloquy. On September 26, 2016, Olson was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment.
Once again, Olson changed his mind. He appealed, arguing that the district court plainly erred when it dispensed with a Rule 11 colloquy at the September 9 hearing.
Given the fact that Olson truly seemed to not understand the conduct or charges to which he pleaded guilty, the Seventh Circuit took the opportunity to explain the importance of the Rule 11 colloquy requirements. The district court must address the defendant personally, in open court, and must ensure that the defendant understands his rights and the consequences of the plea. The judge must also ensure that the guilty plea is voluntary and that it is supported by a factual basis. "Rule 11," wrote the Court, "helps to ensure compliance with the constitutional rule that a guilty plea must be knowing and voluntary."
The Court applied plain error review to the district court's failure to comply with Rule 11. In order to successfully show plain error, Olson needed to establish: "(1) an error, (2) that is plain or obvious, (3) that affects his 'substantial rights,' and (4) that 'seriously affect[s] the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings.'" Puckett v. United States, 556 U.S. 129 (2009).
The error itself was easily established. The government argued that no Rule 11 colloquy was necessary because Olson had already pleaded guilty on April 6 and had received the proper colloquy then. The Court disagreed, finding that the April 6 plea could not have been "reinstate[d]" by the district court. The September 9 plea was therefore a change from the August 26 plea of "not guilty" to "guilty," triggering the requirement for a Rule 11 colloquy. Dispensing with the colloquy on September 9 was plain and obvious error, according to the Court.
The Seventh Circuit also found that this failure prejudiced Olson's substantial rights. The government argued that the April 6 colloquy was enough to demonstrate that the September 9 plea was voluntary and intelligent, and thus the error did not prejudice Olson. Looking at the entire record, the Court disagreed. Even at the April 6 hearing, where the Rule 11 colloquy was properly given, Olson demonstrated that he may not have understood what he was pleading guilty to. And Olson most likely did not understand the consequences of his various pleas, because as of September 9, the government could have considered the original plea breached and pursued all charges.
Indeed, the Court was not even sure about what might have happened and said, "When we as judges cannot determine the legal consequences of Olson's plea, we decline to conclude that he could." Thus, the district court's failure to provide a Rule 11 colloquy was plain error that required reversal.
Accordingly, the Seventh Circuit reversed Olson's conviction and remanded his case to the district court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. See: United States v. Olson, 880 F.3d 873 (7th Cir. 2018).
Related legal case
United States v. Olson
880 F.3d 873 (7th Cir. 2018)
Parallel Construction: Building Criminal Cases Using Secret, Unconstitutional Surveillance
New York Times Investigation Spotlights NYPD Practice of 'Testilying', by Derek Gilna
New Washington State Law Removes 'Actual Malice' Roadblock in Police Prosecutions, by Derek Gilna
Arizona Supreme Court Announces Defendants May Claim Both Self-Defense and Misidentification, by Richard Resch
Iowa Supreme Court Announces Indecent Exposure Statute Does Not Apply to Still Images of Genitals, by Dale Chappell
$175,000 Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Alleging Officers Literally Tried to Feed Graffiti Suspects to K-9s, by Christopher Zoukis
New Jersey Supreme Court Interprets Criminal Harassment Statute to Avoid First Amendment Problem, by Christopher Zoukis
Prosecutors' Offices Taking Thousands in Grant Money, Fueling Crackdown on Sex Buyers, by Steve Horn
$325,000 Paid by Sheriff's Office to Settle Fatal Shooting Case Over Not Wearing Seat Belt, by Derek Gilna
Privacy Advocates Concerned About Google AI and Pentagon Drone Surveillance, by Derek Gilna
Intellectual Disability and Wrongful Conviction in Death Cases: A Lethal Combination, by David Reutter
Philadelphia Tests Automating the Bail Risk Assessment Process, by David Reutter
Eighth Circuit: Teague Analysis Bars Retroactive Application of Padilla Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claim, by Christopher Zoukis
The 'Office Shuffle': Ohio Police Recycle Bad Apples Among Rural Departments, by Matthew Clarke
Former Civil Rights Lawyer Krasner Puts Justice Reform into Practice as New Philly DA, by Derek Gilna
Mississippi Supreme Court Reverses Conviction Ruling; State Failed to Prove 'Constructive Possession' of Marijuana, by Dale Chappell
Sixth Circuit Denies Qualified Immunity for Officers in No-Knock Home Entry Case, by Richard Resch
Sentencing Court's Grant of Prior Custody Credit was Not 'Clear Error' to Allow for Removal, by Dale Chappell
NYU Students Form Dollar Bail Brigade to Help Free New Yorkers Held on $1 Bail, by Christopher Zoukis
Illinois Supreme Court Strikes Down Part of Two Stalking Statutes as Unconstitutional, by Richard Resch
Texas District Attorney Stops Prosecuting Trace Drug Cases
Trenton Police Officers' 'Violent' Comments Captured on Body Camera, by Derek Gilna
Kansas Supreme Court Rules Grant of 'Use' Immunity Insufficient to Compel Testimony, by Richard Resch
Massachusetts High Court Vacates Felony-Murder Conviction for Failure to Suppress Cellphone Search, by Christopher Zoukis
Study: Unionized Police? Increased Misconduct, by Derek Gilna
Utah Supreme Court Changes Course on Admissibility of Preliminary Hearing Testimony at Trial, by Christopher Zoukis
9th Circuit: District Court Improperly Deferred to Nevada Supreme Court in AEDPA Analysis, by David Reutter
California Supreme Court Grants Habeas Petition and Vacates Capital Murder Conviction Due to False Expert Testimony at Trial, by Richard Resch
Controversial Police Interrogation Technique That Often Results in False Confessions Abandoned by Influential Training Consultant, by Matthew Clarke
$42 Million Paid Out in Decade of New Jersey Police Criminality, Abuse
First Circuit Modifies Emergency Aid Doctrine for Warrantless Entry of a Home, by Richard Resch
Texas Quietly Authorizes Nation's First Public Safety Employees Treatment Courts, by Matthew Clarke
Kansas Supreme Court Nixes Probation After Full Sentence of Confinement Served, by Edward Lyon
Eleventh Circuit Holds Court May Not Dismiss 2255 Motion by Invoking Collateral Attack Waiver Sua Sponte, by Dale Chappell
$300,000 Settlement in Suit Over Death of Intoxicated Man Abandoned by Deputies, by Matthew Clarke
Wisconsin's 6,000-plus Untested Rape Kits Include Over 2,000 Involving Child Victims, by Matthew Clarke
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Furtive Gestures, Brief Visit Not Probable Cause, by Dale Chappell
Qualified Immunity: The Supreme Court's Unlawful Assault on Civil Rights and Police Accountability, by Jay Schweikert
Asset Forfeitures Fund New York DA's Office Bonuses
U.S. District Court in Georgia Holds Spousal Testimonial Privilege Applies to Pre-Marital Events
N.C. Supreme Court Rules Deficient Indictment Not Jurisdictional and Issue Can't be Raised for First Time on Appeal, by Dale Chappell
The Sex Offender Registry: It's Not What You Think, by Sandy Rozek
Congressional Spending Bill Provision 'Clouds' Constitutional Rights in Criminal Probes, by Steve Horn
Seventh Circuit Finds Plain Error Where Guilty Plea Accepted Without Rule 11 Colloquy, by Christopher Zoukis
Guilty Plea Does Not Foreclose Challenge To Constitutionality Of Conviction, U.S. Supreme Court Decides, by Brandon Sample
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Defendant Entitled to Self-Defense Jury Charge if There is Any Evidence to Support It, by Matthew Clarke
N.Y.'s Top Court Clarifies Freedom of Information Exemption for Disclosure of Confidential Sources of Information, by Christopher Zoukis
More from Christopher Zoukis:
Partial Justice, Sept. 16, 2019
GEO Group Produces Litigation Documents After HRDC Files Public Records Suit, July 2, 2019
The Second Step: Invest in Prison Education Programs, Reinstate Pell Grants, July 2, 2019
Hawaii Supreme Court Finally Complies with SCOTUS' Apprendi Decision, Vacates Enhanced Sentence Based on Fact Determined by Judge, Not Jury, Feb. 14, 2019
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Clarifies Proper Evidentiary Standard and Type of Evidence for Informal Competency Hearing, Feb. 14, 2019
Idaho Supreme Court: Temporary and Isolated Crossing of the 'Fog Line' Not Enough to Support a Traffic Stop, Feb. 14, 2019
Louisiana Supreme Court Vacates Conviction for Batson Violation, Feb. 14, 2019
Former Prisoners Become Attorneys: From Breaking the Law to Practicing Law, Feb. 4, 2019
Sixth Circuit: Tennessee Aggravated Sexual Battery Is Not a SORNA Tier III Offense, Jan. 18, 2019
Fourth Circuit Vacates USSG Career Offender Sentence Predicated on Georgia Robbery, Jan. 17, 2019
Misadvice About Oregon Time-Served Credit is Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Dec. 1, 2019. Guilty Pleas, Attorneys, Overdetention.
Delaware Supreme Court: Where Defendant Competent to Plead 'Guilty but Mentally Ill,' He May Revoke Plea Before It Is Accepted, Sept. 17, 2019. Guilty Pleas, Trials, Mental Health.
Whether State or Federal, Most Convictions Are Overwhelmingly Based on Guilty Pleas, Sept. 16, 2019. Guilty Pleas.
Former Louisiana Warden Nate Cain, Son of Infamous Burl Cain, Pleads Guilty, July 2, 2019. Misconduct/Corruption, Guilty Pleas, Trials.
Ohio Supreme Court: Plea Defendant Must Be Informed of Maximum Penalty for Postrelease-Control Violation Prior to Pleading Guilty to a New Felony, June 17, 2019. Guilty Pleas, Post-release, ex-offender, re-entry.
Second Circuit Rules District Court Improperly Denied Coram Nobis Petition Claiming Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, June 17, 2019. Guilty Pleas, Attorneys, Malpractice (Attorneys).
D.C. Circuit Holds Attempted Drug Offenses Do Not Count Toward Career Criminal Designation, April 12, 2019. War on Drugs, Criminal Procedure.
California Supreme Court Rules That Defense Counsel Can't Agree to Stipulation That's Tantamount to Guilty Plea Without Voluntary and Intelligent Waiver by Defendant, April 12, 2019. Guilty Pleas, Suit Waivers.
Plea Bargaining: Prosecutors Leave Trail of Injustice When Playing Hardball with Defendants, April 12, 2019. Guilty Pleas, Criminal Prosecution, Prosecutors.
SCOTUS: Florida's Robbery Statute Satisfies Physical Force Requirement of Armed Career Criminal Act, Feb. 14, 2019. Criminal Procedure.


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Home » Browse » Academic journals » Economics Journals » Contemporary Economic Policy » Article details, "Using Commercial Discipline to Improve..."
Academic journal article Contemporary Economic Policy
Using Commercial Discipline to Improve Australian Defence Procurement: Misplaced Enthusiasm?
By Markowski, Stefan; Wylie, Robert
Defence procurement is about arrangements for linking the demand for the materiel element of military capability to the suppliers of goods and services comprising such materiel. This paper is about how military materiel is procured as opposed to what is purchased. What we call the defence procurement function includes scanning the market for potential sources of supply, soliciting supplier offers, managing tenders and source selection, drafting and executing procurement contracts, managing acquisition and logistic support projects, and providing procurement advice to Defence Organization (Defence) capability managers. In most countries, the defence procurement function is undertaken by a specialized organizational element, which we label the Defence Procurement Organization (DPO). The latter is usually an "in-house" element of Defence but it may also be detached from it to operate as a quasiautonomous agency.
This paper has been prompted by recent Australian government efforts to improve the. performance of the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), the procurement arm of the Australian Defence Organisation in discharging the defence procurement function. The DMO was formed in 2000 to consolidate responsibility for both acquisition and through-life support of materiel in a single organization. It operates as an agency of the Defence portfolio, responsible for supporting Defence capabilities through acquisition and through-life support of military equipment. However, its performance and modus operandi have raised some concerns. The latest of several external reviews of the efficiency and effectiveness with which DMO manages defence procurement concluded that "further improvements to procurement and sustainment could not be achieved without a greater degree of business acumen and commercial discipline being applied" (Mortimer 2008, p. ix; our italics). To this end, the review recommended detaching the DMO from the Department of Defence while keeping it accountable to the defence minister--an arrangement we analyze further in Section II.
To assess the effectiveness of alternative governance and ownership arrangements, in Section III we outline three stylized service delivery models:
* the conventional in-house provision of procurement services by an organizational element within Defence (in-house model);
* provision by an agency that is publicly owned but detached from Defence (statutory model); and
* privatized provision where the procurement function is contracted out to a privately owned service provider (privatized model).
The first two models draw on the Australian experience and each involve different forms of governance of a publicly owned procurement organization. The third model involves private ownership and the form of governance that is commonly assumed in the "privatization" literature: owner-management (King and Pitchford 2008). Each of these models involves a single service provider, the DPO, and a single "customer" for its services: Defence. (However, multiple service providers may also be considered.) We further assume that the materiel user is responsible for determining what is needed, including the approval of the deliverable and commissioning it into service, while--as already stated--the DPO is restricted to the role of intermediary between the customer and the materiel supplier.
To evaluate the above options, we use an analytic framework adapted from the work of Hart, Shleifer, and Vishny (1997) which distinguishes between cost-(efficiency) and quality-related (effectiveness) aspects of service delivery under different institutional arrangements. This frame-work is introduced in Section IV to derive optimal conditions for each service delivery option and compare their relative effectiveness. However, in tailoring the framework to our specific purposes, we have sharpened the distinction between the mode of ownership and the adopted form of governance: the way ownership and management are integrated. …
Publication: Contemporary Economic Policy
Markowski, Stefan
Wylie, Robert
Military procurement--Research
Defense spending--Research
Is War Necessary for Economic Growth? Military Procurement and Technology Development By Vernon W. Ruttan Oxford University Press, 2006
Military Expansion, Economic Decline: The Impact of Military Spending on U.S. Economic Performance By Robert W. Degrasse M. E. Sharpe, Inc., 1983
Taiwan's National Security, Defense Policy, and Weapons Procurement Processes By Michael D. Swaine Rand, 1999
The Effects of Military Spending on Economic Activity: Evidence from State Procurement Spending By Hooker, Mark A. Knetter, Michael M. Journal of Money, Credit & Banking, Vol. 29, No. 3, August 1997
IS WAR NECESSARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH? Military Procurement and Technology Development By Springer, Paul J. Military Review, Vol. 88, No. 2, March/April 2008
How Is the Rise in National Defense Spending Affecting the Tenth District Economy? By Wilkerson, Chad R. Williams, Megan D. Economic Review - Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Vol. 93, No. 2, Second Quarter, 2008
Defense Research Spending on Declining Path till 2010 By Baker, Athanasia D. National Defense, Vol. 85, No. 565, December 2000
Forcast: While More Research Is Directed to Irregular Combat, War Spending Could Deter Advances in Military Weapons By Erwin, Sandra I. National Defense, Vol. 91, No. 636, November 2006
Military Keynesians: When It Comes to Defense, Republicans Think Government Spending Boosts the Economy By de Rugy, Veronique Reason, Vol. 44, No. 7, December 2012
Return of the 'Military-Industrial Complex'? ; Pentagon Officials Come to Congress to Make Case for Big Rise in Defense Spending By Brad Knickerbocker writer of The Christian Science Monitor The Christian Science Monitor, February 13, 2002
Obama Seeks $676 Billion for Defense Programs; Warns Spending Freeze May Produce a Crisis in Military By Waterman, Shaun The Washington Times (Washington, DC), February 15, 2011
GOP Front-Runner Calls for Defense Overhaul Bush Stresses Arms Research By The Florida Times Union, September 24, 1999
FREE! Defense, United States Department of The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed., 2018
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text:
RSL Art Union's latest Gold Coast prize its biggest in history
Mikaela Day
The latest RSL Art Union draw is a Golden Treasure worth $6.4 million.
A SINGLE blue note could change your life and the odds are much better than winning lotto.
The RSL Art Union is giving away its biggest home lottery prize in history this Christmas, worth $6.4 million.
The Golden Treasure draw of an entire Palm Beach apartment complex – which includes a penthouse, two townhouses and two units – will turn the winner into an instant multi-millionaire.
MORE NEWS: Best places to retire revealed
MORE NEWS: Renewed push to sell Ashy Bines' multimillion-dollar home
Tickets are just $10 and the prize will be drawn on Christmas Eve.
This wouldn't be a bad spot for Christmas lunch!
Odds of taking out the draw are one in 690,000 if you purchase three $10 tickets – much better than the odds of winning powerball at one in 76 million.
General manager of lotteries Tracey Bishop said each ticket sold helped returned veterans and their families.
"Everything from homeless programs, scholarship programs, we have invested heavily in PTSD research and emergency accommodation," she said.
"The range of services has really grown to target veterans of all ages."
Drawn on Christmas Eve, the package includes a tree with $6000 worth of goodies underneath, $410,000 of professionally styled furniture and rates, water and body corporate fees for the first 12 months valued at almost $48,000.
"We believe this is the biggest charitable prize home lottery in the world," Ms Bishop said.
"The rental income is just under a quarter of a million dollars a year, whoever wins it definitely never needs to work again."
The complex includes a penthouse, two townhouses and two apartments.
Funds raised help returned veterans and their families.
Tickets are more than 65 per cent sold.
"It's really the flexibility that makes this prize so popular," Ms Bishop said. "You could sell one of the apartments and travel the world and rent out the rest.
"We have had previous winners move into the penthouse and get the other apartments and townhouses managed by a real estate agent and that's their income.
"It's nice the winner gets to sit back and relax for 12 months as all the body corporate and rates are paid."
The apartment named Sanananda Shores, after a lesser-known World War II battle, is at 4 Twenty Seventh Ave, Palm Beach. For tickets visit rslartunion.com.au


text:
layout: post
title: Pub 340 League - Finals
permalink: 340finals
---

The pub 340 pinball league finished qualifying at the end of November.

The results of the standard tournaments were submitted to the [IFPA](http://www.ifpapinball.com/view_tournament.php?t=9131#results).

The results for top _including_ the split flipper and tommy vision tournament are on the [tournament page]({{site.url}}/leagues/340_pinball/)

The top 8 qualifiers are playing off for a total prize pool of $625

1. Robert Gagno
2. Jody Reilhan
3. Larry Ng
4. Kyle Seller
5. Kyle Bee
6. Jordan Hudson
7. Joe Santbergen
8. Sara Little

The finals are a Reverse ladder, each match best of 5 games of the lowest ranked remaining two players. The ladder will continue throughout the month.

Current Results:

|Round #|Player 1 | Player 2 | Winner
| ---- | ---- | -----| -----|
|1 | #8 seed **Sara Little** | #7 seed **Joe Santbergen** | **Sara Little** |
|2 | #7  **Sara Little** | #6 seed **Jordan Hudson** | **Sara Little** |
|3 | #6  **Sara Little** | #5 seed **Kyle Bee** | **Sara Little** (by forfeit) |
|4 | #5  **Sara Little** | #4 seed **Kyle Seller** | **Kyle Seller** |
|5 | #4  **Kyle Seller** | #3 seed **Larry Ng** |  **Larry Ng** |
|6 | #3  **Larry Ng** | #2 seed **Jody Reilhan** | **Larry Ng** |
|7 | #2 **Larry Ng** | #1 seed **Robert Gagno** | **Robert Gagno** |

Finals Standings:

| Rank | Player |
| ---- | ---- |
| 1 | **Robert Gagno** |
| 2 | **Larry Ng**
| 3 | **Jody Reilhan**  |
| 4 | **Kyle Seller** |
| 5 | **Sara Little** |
| 6 | **Kyle Bee** |
| 7 | **Jordan Hudson** |
| 8 | **Joe Santbergen** |

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
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Marcos Echeverría
Biography: Marcos is a biologist and has a postdoc position in the Paleoecology and Palynology lab of Mar del Plata National University, Argentina. His research interest is in Late-Quaternary palaeoclimate, vegetation history and environmental change using multi-proxy analyses of lake sediments. This involves pollen, plant macrofossil and charcoal of lacustrine deposits from Patagonia, South America. He has started working on the DNA optimization methods from pollen and sediment in order to complement the palynological information. He has been part of many fieldworks in Patagonia subantarctic forest and has a large experience on past plant diversity, vegetation dynamics and modern pollen-vegetation relationships in Patagonia. He joined IAI-PAGES Program with the intention of improving new insights into sedimentary DNA analysis with Dra. Barbara Moguel at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, who has extensive experience in exploring sedimentary DNA, ancient DNA and working in meta-genomic studies. He enjoys bouldering, hiking and cycling.
Matías Baranzelli
Biography: Matías is a Ph.D. research assistant in the Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology (IMBIV, CONICET-UNC) in Córdoba, Argentina. His research examines how past climatic changes affected species diversification and evolution, evaluating the role of the past cold and dry glacial cycles on the populations' dynamics. His main objective is to generate a transition from phylogeography studies as a largely descriptive discipline to a predictive discipline. To do this, during his PAGES-IAI fellowship, at the Institute of Biology of the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), under the direction of Dr. Santiago Alejandro Ramírez-Barahona, they will continue a worldwide investigation where they will compare the response to climate changes during the last 3 million years on four organism groups (flowering plants, mammals, birds, and amphibians) in their three levels of biodiversity: genetic diversity, species richness, and phylogenetic diversity, as an integrating and novel proposal to know the role of past climate changes on current patterns of worldwide biodiversity.
Mónica Vicente
Biography: Mónica Vicente is a Forest Engineer with a Master's Degree in Natural Resource Management and the Environment. She has developed professional activities in state institutions and non-governmental organizations in the formulation and execution of programs with community development projects and reduction of the vulnerability of livelihoods in peasant and indigenous communities in the face of climate change. Currently, she is part of the teaching staff of the Forest Engineering career at the Gabriel René Moreno Autonomous University, dedicating herself to the training of new forestry professionals, teaching subjects such as wood anatomy, general and organic chemistry. Furthermore, she has developed activities as a facultative coordinator of the research area and support the review of research thesis. She is an active member of the Forest Stewardship Council FSC International.
Paul Szejner
Biography: Paul is a Research Associate at the Institute of Geology from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma of Mexico (UNAM). Originally from Guatemala, he obtained his PhD from The University of Arizona and the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research. He is a forest ecologist and uses carbon and oxygen stable isotopes in tree rings to study the relationships between plant physiology and environmental changes. He is interested in the mechanisms driving carbon and water fluxes on forested regions from seasonal to multi-centennial scales.
Patricia Piacsek
Biography: Patricia is a 32-year-old Brazilian Biologist and holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Geochemistry, with emphasis on Paleoenvironment, Paleoclimate, and Global Change, from Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF). She is currently an associate researcher at the Laboratory of Radioecology and Global Change (LARAMG) of the Department of Biophysics and Biometrics at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Brazil. She is also a collaborative researcher at the Laboratory of Observational Oceanography and Paleoceanography (LOOP), at Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF). Her research interests include a range of interdisciplinary topics such as paleoclimatology, paleoceanography, geochemistry, palynology. During the fellowship she will work at the department of geosciences at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM), under the supervision of Professor Dr. Juan Pablo Bernal. The research aims to investigate the anthropogenic effects on climate and hydrology of central Brazil, using Uranium isotopes in speleothems.
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...interactive music & movement into your classroom!
Let us know that you would like to schedule a free, live demonstration of the PlayMotion Music program! We will show you the features of PlayMotion Music and how it works for teachers and their students.


In addition to rereading the Fallen series, I've been reading Veiled Eyes by C.L. Bevill. I love that this book is set in Cajun country. My daughter and I have recently become obsessed with Cajun Justice on A&E, so this book fits right into the obsession. If psychic connections exists anywhere, I think it'd be in the bayou.
I'm not sure what I'll read next. If I like a book, I keep it to reread, so I have a mix of romance, YA, crime, fantasy, and the classics all calling my name. Not to mention the last Black Dagger Brotherhood book by J.R. Ward. I still haven't read that one yet, and I'm a little reluctant to do so. Don't get me wrong, I love the brothers, but if Tohrment ends up with anyone other than Wellsie, I'm going to be pissed! Safer if I just wait to start that one. It frightens The Husbinator when books go flying across the room.
I'm reading I Want My MTV, a long oral history of the network's golden years, in the days when they still played music and music videos were an artform.
Ah, the eclectic mix. ^_^ I'm more fantasy. Occasionally, very occasionally, something of another genre will tweak my interest.
Great recommendations! The Fallen series has some gorgeous covers.


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The catalog below represents approximately half of the choral works by John Muehleisen. The balance of the works will be posted as they become available.
To view scores, text, and program notes and to listen to recordings, click on the title of the work in the left-hand column.


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NI FEATURE: CITADELS SCULPTING FUTURE - COMMENTARY
Neurosurgery at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, a center of excellence: A success story
Manmohan Singh, Dattaraj Sawarkar, Bhawani S Sharma
Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
Professor, Room No. 715, Department of Neurosurgery and Gamma Knife Center, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi - 110 029
The department of neurosurgery at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) started its humble beginning in 1965. With the untiring and selfless hard work of Prof. P N Tandon and Prof. A K Banerji, the department progressed over time to become a center of excellence in the subcontinent. To establish a neurosciences center at AIIMS was an uphill task, which was accomplished with great efforts. The department has established itself as one of the highest centers of learning in the country with its vast infrastructure and diversity in all fields of neurosurgery. AIIMS, New Delhi was established by an act of the parliament in 1956. It was started with a grant from the Government of New Zealand under the "Colombo Plan." It was the vision of Rajkumari Amrita Kaur, the first Health Minister of India, that led to the establishment of a medical institute of international repute in India. AIIMS, New Delhi is an autonomous institute and is governed by the AIIMS Act, 1956. The department of neurosurgery at AIIMS was started in March 1965 with Prof. P.N. Tandon as the Head of the Department. Prof. A.K. Banerji joined him a few months later. The Department celebrated its golden jubilee in the year 2015, and has tremendously grown in stature from its humble beginnings to being a center of excellence with world-wide recognition.
Keywords: All India Institute of Medical Sciences; department; history; Neurosurgery
Singh M, Sawarkar D, Sharma BS. Neurosurgery at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, a center of excellence: A success story. Neurol India 2015;63:589-96
Singh M, Sawarkar D, Sharma BS. Neurosurgery at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, a center of excellence: A success story. Neurol India [serial online] 2015 [cited 2020 Jan 18];63:589-96. Available from: http://www.neurologyindia.com/text.asp?2015/63/4/589/162065
The departments of neurology and neurosurgery at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) were established in March 1965 with the appointment of Prof. Baldev Singh and Prof. P N Tandon as the first professors, respectively. Prof. P N Tandon, [Figure 1] after finishing his neurosurgery training from Oslo University, Norway and Montreal Neurological Institute, Canada joined King George's Medical College, Lucknow before starting his epic journey at AIIMS. Prof. A K Banerji [Figure 2] completed his neurosurgical training at Christian Medical College, Vellore and joined AIIMS in June 1965, 3 months after Prof. P N Tandon had joined. With a lot of painstaking efforts and hard work, Prof. P N Tandon and Prof. A K Banerji together built the department from scratch to being one of the finest institutes in the country. The warm spirit of cooperation between both of them was instrumental in the steady progress that the department of neurosurgery at AIIMS made. At the same time, Prof. Baldev Singh gave a new direction to neurology services, which were earlier started in the Department of Medicine by Prof. Jim Austin from USA and later on, by Prof. Vimla Virmani.
Figure 1: Prof. P N Tandon
Figure 2: Prof. A K Banerji
Since its inception, the department was fortunate to have a broad base of neuroscience. The first two professors in the Department of Physiology. Prof. B K Anand and Prof. A S Paintal were undisputed leaders of neurophysiology in the country. Prof. Keswani, the Chief of Anatomy, was primarily interested in neuroanatomy. Prof. G P Talwar was enthusiastically involved in research in neurochemistry. Dr. Sriramachari, Deputy Director of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), though not on rolls of the institute, provided his services for all neuropathological work until Prof. Subimal Roy took over the responsibility several years later. [1] A close interaction existed among all these departments in those earlier years.
» Genesis of the Neuroscience Centre
The idea of establishing a "Brain Research Centre" at AIIMS had been envisaged by Prof. B K Anand (a neurophysiologist) even before the clinical departments had come into existence. He requested the Director in 1964 to initiate steps for developing a Brain Research Centre with the existing ICMR neurophysiology unit as its nucleus. In 1968, when the institute was to formulate its development plans for the fourth five-year plan of the Government of India, Prof. P N Tandon, Prof. B K Anand, and Prof. Baldev Singh had several informal discussions to revive the proposal for a Brain Research Centre. Although the department of neurosurgery was heavily constrained with clinical work due to limited diagnostic and operative facilities, Prof. P N Tandon along with Prof. B K Anand brought up the proposal for a Brain Research Centre to strengthen the patient care services through the development plan of the institute. The Development Committee approved the proposal in principle but owing to financial constraints, no concrete steps could be undertaken. [1]
Meanwhile in 1971, Prof. Gopinath (Professor of Cardiac Surgery) submitted a proposal for a "Cardio-Thoracic Centre." To efficiently address the patient load in neurosurgery, and to promote clinical and research work, Prof. P N Tandon, persisted with his previous efforts to establish a comprehensive Neuroscience Centre that would promote the parallel development of basic neurosciences and the clinical disciplines. Prof. P N Tandon, in consultation with Prof. Sumedha Pathak (Professor and Head of Department of Neurology), and on the advice of Prof. Baldev Singh and Prof. A K Banerji, prepared a plan for establishing a clinical center dedicated to the development of neuroscience. A draft proposal was submitted on 16 th July 1971 to the Dean. Decision was taken to change its name from 'Brain Research Centre' to 'Neurosciences Centre.' Detailed and ambitious plans for its establishment were formulated. Although the plan was ready, there was no source of funding for it. Prof. P N Tandon could arrange a meeting with the personal secretary to the Hon'ble Minister of Health, Shri Uma Shanker Dixit. The result of meeting was encouraging and resulted in progress towards the establishment of the Neurosciences Centre. [1]
On 2 nd August 1972, the Director sent a copy of the formal proposal of "Neuroscience Center" to the then health secretary Shri K K Das. The proposal was discussed at the institute body meeting held on 12 th September 1972 [Figure 3],[Figure 4] and [Figure 5]. Recognizing the advantages of establishing a dedicated Neurosciences Centre, the institute body approved the proposal in principle to set up a center for neurological sciences at AIIMS and envisaged that not only should it be included in the proposal for the fifth five-year plan of AIIMS but the possibility of an advanced action in the fourth five-year plan itself should also be seriously explored. It was accordingly decided that the matter be considered by the finance committee in greater detail. However, the battle was not yet won as there were no funds. Due to financial constraints, Dr. Banwari Lal, Chief of Health Division, Planning Commission, rejected the idea of establishing a comprehensive center that included both clinical and basic neurosciences and came up with the proposal of including only the clinical services. For the pioneers attempting to establish this neuroscience centre, it was a big disappointment to abandon the dream of inclusion of basic neurosciences in the proposal.
Figure 3: Archival document of proposal for the establishment of a comprehensive Neuroscience center, 1972
Figure 4: Prof. P N Tandon accepting Padma Shri award from the President of India, Shri V V Giri in 1973
Figure 5: Prof. Kristiansen from Oslo, Norway along with Prof. Baldev Singh inaugurating the "Prof. Baldev Singh library." Prof. Kristiansen donated his personal collection of books for this initiative
As the proposal for a separate cardiothoracic center had already been put forward by Prof. Gopinath, due to financial constraints, the Health Minister, Shri. Khadilkar asked the authorities in AIIMS to place a combined proposal for a combined Neuroscience and Cardiothoracic Centre. Thus, Prof. P N Tandon and Prof. Gopinath drafted yet another proposal, maintaining the basic character of two independent centers, and yet having some common areas and support laboratories. On 2 nd August 1973, a new combined draft proposal was forwarded to the Director.
As a result of vigorous pursuit and unshakeable determination of Prof. P N Tandon, Prof. A K Banerji and Prof. Gopinath, the Cardiothoracic and Neuroscience Centre (CNC) soon became a reality. The planning Commission ultimately decided to allocate separate funds for the development of super specialties. On 22 nd July 1975, a formal letter from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was communicated to the Institute regarding the allocation of rupees 188.37 lakhs for the super-specialties (including both centers) in the Fifth five-year plan. In July 1976, the estate committee formally appointed M/s. Pradhan Ghosh and associates as the architects. The President of India, Shri. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy laid the foundation stone of the Cardiothoracic and Neurosciences Centre on 14 th April 1978. [1] In his welcome address, Dr. Ramalingaswami (director of AIIMS) stated, "Our vision of the center will be both of public service and of higher learning at the same time." Quoting the famous economist Francis Delaisi, he said, "The purpose of an institution is to supply stability needed for long-term operations. At the same time, institutions must be able to adjust to the inevitable changes. It is our hope that stability, adjustability, and continuity will mix in the centers in appropriate balance."
Five years later, in March 1983, the outpatient clinics for Neurology, Neurosurgery (and also Cardiology, and Cardio-Thoracic Surgery) moved to the new building while the work to complete the rest of the building was continuing. It was only by 1988 that both the centers became fully functional in their new abode. At that time, Neurosciences Centre had a bed strength of 180, three fully equipped operation theaters, a 30 bedded Intensive Care Unit (ICU), intermediate care wards and fully functional departments of neuroradiology and neuroanesthesia within its complex. The neuropathology and neurochemistry units, however, decided to continue within their parent departments in the main building.
» Growth of the Department
The department was started with only two faculty members. It was only in 1971 that the department added one additional lecturer, Dr. Brahm Prakash, who was also the first neurosurgery resident of the department. The next person to join the department was Dr. Ravi Bhatia as a lecturer in 1974. The first faculty to join the department after the Neurosciences Centre came up was Dr V S Mehta, who joined as a Lecturer in 1981, followed by Dr. A K Mahapatra, who joined in 1983. Meanwhile, Dr. Brahm Prakash left the department to join G.B. Pant Hospital as head of the department of neurosurgery in 1980. After the center had become fully operational in 1988, the department had a total strength of 5 faculty members, who continued to share the ever-increasing service load [Figure 6],[Figure 7],[Figure 8],[Figure 9],[Figure 10] and [Figure 11]. Over the years, new faculty members successively joined the department. Currently, the department of neurosurgery is headed by Prof. B S Sharma and has 18 faculty members. There are two units with the second one led by Prof. S S Kale.
Figure 6: Prof. Hans Pia conducted a laboratory microsurgery course in 1976, which provided a breakthrough in microneurosurgical training in India
Figure 7: Prof. PN Tandon, Prof. A K Banerji, and Prof. Sneha Bhargava at an academic meet
Figure 8: Prof. Dhavan, Prof. B Ramamurthi, Prof. B K Anand, and Prof. P N Tandon sharing a light moment
Figure 9: Prof. P N Tandon and Prof. V S Mehta with Prof. John Jane at AIIMS in 1998
Figure 10: Prof. P N Tandon with Prof. Brahm Prakash at the annual Delhi Neurosurgical Association meet in 2001
Figure 11: Prof. P N Tandon along with Mrs. Tandon and Mrs. Kristiansen at the IXth International Congress of Neurological Surgery (WFNS) held in New Delhi in 1989
Starting with only one resident in 1967, the department of neurosurgery currently has a resident strength of 40 in two streams (the 3- and 6- year residency programs).
The neurosurgery department, literally started from scratch, in the space allotted on the first floor of the hospital by the side of the anatomy lecture theater. A separate outpatient clinic was started on the 4 th floor of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur out patient department (OPD) block after 2 years of its inception. The department started with vintage surgical equipment belonging to the World War II era. Initially the department had no beds. The medicine and pediatrics departments generously allowed sharing of their ward beds with neurosurgery. The department finally established its own ward in the OPD block (ward IX) in 1968.
By the mid 70's, neurosurgery and neurology wards had been relocated to the main hospital's 4 th floor. The neurosurgery department had 22 beds. There was one operation theater but there was no specialized neurosurgical operation table and no ICU facilities had been established. The neuroradiology set up consisted of a skull table without automatic changer for angiography. There were neither facilities for tomography nor a dedicated unit for myelography. Isotope encephalometry, then a routine diagnostic investigation in the international arena, was not available. The department had an electroencephalography machine but no facilities for electromyogram or nerve conduction. The department was facing an increasing demand for patient care from all over the country and also from neighboring countries. The waiting list for admission and for surgery was a constant source of worry. With the start of a well-equipped Neurosciences Centre in 1983, the department progressed rapidly. By 1988, the cardiac and neuroscience centre (CNC) had OPDs, record rooms, an administrative wing, noninvasive laboratories, cardiac catheterization laboratories, a radiology wing, 8 operation theaters (neurosurgery 3, cardiac surgery 4, common 1) along with ICUs, postoperative wards, private wards, and office space (the latter on the 7 th floor).
The CNC had the new addition of the Cardiac and Neurosciences tower in 2007. This includes dedicated neurosciences and cardiac sciences private wards on the 6- floor. The 7 th floor has 4 dedicated modular neurosurgical operating rooms. This new addition has increased the operating room strength to 7. In the year 2011, an intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was installed for MRI-guided procedures. Furthermore, in the same year, to provide advanced research and clinical care in the field of epilepsy, a "Centre of Excellence for Epilepsy" project (DBT funded) came up with the persistent efforts of Prof. P S Chandra and Prof. Manjari Tripathy. Under the same project, an Epilepsy Research Lab was inaugurated in February 2015 and was named "Prof. P N Tandon Neurobiology of Epilepsy Laboratory."
Today, the department conducts more than 3500 surgeries annually at the neurosciences center and nearly 1500 cranio-spinal trauma surgeries at the trauma center. In addition to this, around 450 patients are treated annually with radiosurgery at the Gamma Knife Centre. At present, the Department of Neurosurgery runs the outpatient clinics 4 times a week at the neurosciences center, 3 times a week at the trauma center, and once in a week at the Gamma Knife Centre. Currently, the department of neurosurgery has a bed strength of 180 beds including 60 trauma beds at Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center. There are 46 ICU beds including 20 at the trauma center, and 10 operating rooms including 3 at the trauma center [Figure 11],[Figure 12],[Figure 13],[Figure 14],[Figure 15] and [Figure 16].
Figure 12: Suturing practice in microneurosurgery under a high magnification is being supervised by a national faculty at the Neurosurgery Skills Training and Experimental Laboratory
Figure 13: Trainees improving their micro-drilling skills at the Neurosurgery Skills Training Facility and Experimental Laboratory using high-speed drills on sheep's head and scapula
Figure 14: The intraoperative "Brain Suite." A magnetic resonance imaging guided surgery in progress
Figure 15: Gamma Knife Perfexion unit with its "Extend Adapter" in place
Figure 16: Prof. P N Tandon Neurobiology Laboratory
» Neurosurgery Skills Training Facility and Experimental Laboratory
The Department of Neurosurgery started an "Experimental Microneurosurgery Laboratory" in 1971, which was modernized under the persistent efforts of Prof. A K Mahapatra and Prof. Ashish Suri in 2007. It was converted into a state-of-the- art training facility named as "Neurosurgery Skills Training Facility and Experimental Laboratory" with the support of Department of Science and Technology (Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India), Department of Biotechnology Indo-German Collaboration (Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India) and Department of Health Research (DHR-ICMR, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India). The Neurosurgery Skills Training Facility and Experimental Laboratory is equipped with modern equipments such as the latest microscopes, endoscopes, pneumatic drills, image intensifiers, which simulate a modern neurosurgical operating room environment. Over the years, the neurosurgery laboratory has patented many modules that are dedicated towards neurosurgical training. The training imparted is aimed at enhancing neurosurgical skills and operating techniques of trainee neurosurgeons. The training imparted is in the form of quarterly workshops, hands-on practice on synthetic/semi-synthetic models, live anesthetized animals and cadavers using highly advanced equipment and technology [Figure 12] and [Figure 13]. This program has both short- and long-term fellowships for training young neurosurgeons.
To take neurosurgical services to the next level, a Gamma Knife Centre came up in May 1997 with the dedicated efforts of Prof. A K Banerji and the Elekta Gamma Knife Model B was established. In 2011, it was upgraded to the fully robotized Perfexion model. The new perfexion model is capable of performing hypofractionation using Gamma Knife Extend System [Figure 15], the first of its kind in South East Asia. The Gamma Knife Center also has an in-house 1.5-Tesla wide bore MRI machine dedicated to imaging patients attached to the Gamma Knife Centre. Till date, over 4200 cases have been treated.
» Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center
After a long delay and discussions, in the year of 2007, considering the need to provide comprehensive care to patients who develop traumatic injury, a modern trauma center has been established and is known as Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center (JPNATC). The neurotrauma services were shifted from the Neurosciences Centre to this center. The JPNATC has 60 beds under Neurosurgery (including 20 ICU beds) and 3 operation theaters. The department of neurosurgery at the trauma center has several state-of-the- art equipments including an O-arm, a Jackson frame operating table, a portable computed tomography machine installed both in the ICU and the ward, facilities for conducting cerebral microdialysis, etc., The center also has dedicated facilities to treat spinal injuries as well as peripheral nerve and brachial plexus injuries. The department of neurosurgery has a Cadaver Training and Research Facility (CTRF-http://www.ctrfaiims.in/) in JPNATC, which was started in 2014. This training laboratory provides a world-class cadaveric training facility for brain and spine surgery where cadaver workshops are held at quarterly intervals.
» Center of Excellence in Epilepsy
A National Center of Excellence for difficult-to-treat epilepsy patients was established at AIIMS in collaboration with the National Brain Research Centre in 2011. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India funded this project. The objective of this national facility is to develop paradigms of epilepsy research and training in India. This center has all the modern gadgets for the treatment and research in epilepsy such as a magnetoencephalogram (the first of its kind in India), advanced human electrophysiology, brain-mapping, cellular electrophysiology, and molecular research facility. Prof. PN Tandon's Epilepsy Neurobiology laboratory [Figure 16] in this center has recruited several full- time faculty from the National Brain Research Center to conduct research in the basic sciences. The neurobiology laboratory is fundamentally structured to study the genesis of epileptogenic networks at a molecular and cellular level, by assessing the resected brain specimens. It has the first-of-its-kind facility in the country to conduct single neuronal in-vitro recordings. This center also has a fellowship program that helps to impart training to young neurosurgeons.
The clinical services have tremendously expanded over the years. During 1966, the department admitted 140 patients, attended to 540 patients in the OPD and performed 111 major and 89 minor surgical procedures. In 2015, the department treated around 50,000 OPD patients at the Neuroscience center, 1600 patients at the gamma knife center, and 7000 patients at the trauma center. The department operates about 5000 cases/year. [2]
The department specializes in all fields of neurosurgery that include neuroendoscopy, neurovascular surgery, minimally invasive neurosurgery, spine surgery, stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, skull base surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, epilepsy surgery, radiosurgery, peripheral nerve and brachial plexus surgery, neuro-trauma, neuro-oncology, and surgery for pain and spasticity.
» Awards and Recognitions
The efforts of the faulty have been rewarded at national and international levels. To mention a few of them, Prof. P.N. Tandon received Padma Shree (1973) [Figure 4], Padma Bhushan (1989), Padma Vibhushan (2005), B C Roy Award (1982), ICMR Award, Hari Om Ashram Award, and Dhanwantri Award. He has also been appointed as the 'National Research Professor' in 2014. Prof. V S Mehta received Padma Shree (2005). Prof. A K Mahapatra received B C Roy award in (2007) and UP Ratan Award (2007). Dr. B S Sharma received Dr. Shurveer Singh best scientist award (2010).
The department is committed to the advancement and promotion of neurosciences in the country.
From its inception, the Department has been actively engaged in continuing medical education programs. Short-term training programs are organized regularly. Prof P N Tandon organized an annual course on neurobiology for clinicians in the 1980's for 5 consecutive years. Operative Workshops have been organized from time to time with the participation of several international invited faculty members since the inception of the department [Figure 7],[Figure 8],[Figure 9],[Figure 10] and [Figure 11]. A major breakthrough achieved in enhancing the clinical services occurred in 1976 with the arrival of Prof. H W Pia [Figure 6], who conducted a course in laboratory microsurgery. Thereafter, the microsurgical work of the department took a new direction. In the year 1989, the Department of Neurosurgery organized the IXth International Congress of Neurological Surgery under the aeges of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS). Subsequently, live operative demonstrations and cadaveric dissections were held in 1992, 1995, 1996, and 1997 with the participation of several international faculty members. These workshops served as important milestones in the history of microneurosurgery in India. Since 1999, the department organizes the 'Annual Microneurosurgery Workshops' in the month of February. Each year, a renowned international neurosurgeon participates in the workshop. Till date, 'giants' in the field of neurosurgery, such as Prof. Alan Crockard, Prof. Arnold Menezes, Prof. Roberto Heroes, Prof. T Kawase, Prof. Juha Hernesniemi, Prof. Madjid Sami, and Prof. William Couldwell have participated in the workshop. The visiting international faculty during the Annual Microneurosurgery workshop also delivers the prestigious "Sarveshwari Memorial Oration." Since the year 2015, the department has also started "Prof. P N Tandon Oration" and "Prof. A K Banerji Oration" to be delivered during alternate years in the Annual Micro-neurosurgery Workshop. Apart from the microneurosurgery workshops, the department also organizes the AIIMS complex spine operative workshop in May, and, the AIIMS annual spine workshop and the AIIMS neurotrauma conference in October.
The department has produced over 700 publications in the last 50 years and many neurosurgical text-books. The department has created a forum (http://www.aiimsnets.org/neurosurgeryeducation.asp) to support, coordinate, and enhance the efforts to generate an online forum for disseminating scientific information useful to neurosurgical trainees and specialists.
A three-year MCh training program was started in 1967. The MCh course eventually had two streams of neurosurgery courses in the department, a 3-year course and a 6-year course. Residents have an extensive training program, which includes regular clinical case presentations, journal clubs, morbidity and mortality meetings, seminars, neuro-radiology conferences, neuropathology conferences, and teaching ward rounds. The department of neurosurgery has trained more than 170 neurosurgeons. Many of them have become chairmen of their respective departments at various national neurosurgical centres, thus fulfilling an important objective for which the department was created. The department also provides short- and long-term training to national and international candidates.
» Views of Founders of the Department
In the true spirit of Gita, the sole concern of the founding fathers of the department was the duty and not the reward. No sacrifice was great enough durng the efforts made for the establishment of a center of excellence. Posterity will judge whether they succeeded or not but no one can deny that they put forth their utmost efforts. Even after the departure of those who initiated it, the Centre continues its journey to greater heights, as will be obvious in the future from the description that will be given by those of the succeeding generations. Let us hope and pray that the Centre will continuously strive to live up to its tenets engraved in its foundation stone, "In the ultimate analysis, it is not the budget, nor the number of staff positions that makes a truly great center of public service and higher learning. It is the presence of thoughtful, imaginative, humanistic, loyal and devoted faculty and students that is vital."
Personal communication with Prof. P N Tandon and his official letters to the administration and ministry of health and family welfare for the establishment of neurosciences centre.
Annual Report of AIIMS; 2013-2014.
[Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3], [Figure 4], [Figure 5], [Figure 6], [Figure 7], [Figure 8], [Figure 9], [Figure 10], [Figure 11], [Figure 12], [Figure 13], [Figure 14], [Figure 15], [Figure 16]
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