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The 1951 Asian Games (; Marathi: १९५१ आशियाई खेळ), officially known as the First Asian Games, was a multi-sport event celebrated in New Delhi, India from 4 to 11 March 1951. The Games received names like First Asiad and 1951 Asiad. A total of 489 athletes representing 11 Asian National Olympic Committees (NOCs) participated in 57 events from eight sports and discipline. The Games was the successor of the Far Eastern Games and the revival of the Western Asiatic Games. The 1951 Asiad were originally scheduled to be held in 1950, but postponed until 1951 due to delays in preparations. On 13 February 1949, the Asian Games Federation was formally established in Delhi, with Delhi unanimously announced as the first host city of the Asian Games.

The games were managed by a strong Organizing Committee (see Organization below).

Countries invited included almost all the independent Asian countries of the time except Soviet Union and Vietnam, due to the political structure of those nations.

National Stadium was the venue for all events. The official logo of the First Asiad depicted a bright sun in red with 16 rays and a white circle in the middle of the disc of the sun and eleven rings, representing each participating nation, on a white background, symbolising peace.

Japanese athletes won the most golds and overall medals, with 24 and 60 respectively; while the host nation India had 15 golds and 51 overall medals with most bronzes (20) and finished at second spot in a medal table. The next Asian Games organised by India were the 1982 Asian Games, some 31 years later.

History

The 1951 Asian Games are considered to be a successor of a small-scale multi-sport event known as the Far Eastern Games, held in between a period of 1913 to 1938 in the different cities of Japan, Philippines, and mainland China. The First Far Eastern Games took place in Manila, Philippines in 1913, after the efforts made by the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF). The Games were successfully organized for the next nine terms, but in September 1937, Japan invaded China after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and started the Second Sino-Japanese War (which later became part of the World War II), thus the originally planned Games of 1938 in Osaka was cancelled and the Far Eastern Games were discontinued thereafter.

During the starting years of the 1930s, efforts were made to organize a multi-sport event to include the countries of West Asia too, this gave a birth to "Orient Championship Games", which later renamed as Western Asiatic Games before its first inception. The scope of the Games comprised all the countries east of Suez and west of Singapore. The First Western Asiatic Games was celebrated in Delhi in 1934 at the Irwin Amphitheater, in which four countries—Afghanistan, British India, Palestine Mandate and Ceylon—participated. The decision was made to hold these Games once in four years at midpoint between the two successive Summer Olympics. The 1938 Western Asiatic Games were scheduled to be held in Tel Aviv, Palestine Mandate. However, the Games was cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II, and abandoned until 1951 Games, which also considered as the revival of Western Asiatic Games.

Host city selection

On 12 and 13 February 1949, a meeting was organized at the Patiala House, in Delhi, in between the representatives of nine Asian National Olympic Committees. The framework of the meeting was set up in another meeting held on 8 August 1948 during the Second London Olympics, which was called by the Indian Olympic Committee's representative Guru Dutt Sondhi. The meeting was chaired by Yadavindra Singh, president of the Indian Olympic Association. On the last day, Asian Games Federation (AGF) was formalized and a draft constitution was accepted. HRH Yadavindra Singh and Guru Dutt Sondhi were respectively elected as the first president and the secretary of the federation. The five charter members forming the federation were Afghanistan, Burma, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. The decision was made to organize the Asian Games Championships in four-year intervals since the inception of the Games in Delhi in February, 1950. HRH Yadavindra Singh, who also became the president of the organization committee of Games sent the formal invitation to several other Asian countries to participate in the 1950 Asian Games.

Organization
The responsibility of organizing the First Asian Games was assigned to a special committee that included Anthony de Mello; the Maharaja of Patiala/ president of the Indian Olympic Association Yadavindra Singh; Indian Olympic Association Secretary Guru Dutt Sondhi; and officials playing a key role such as S. Bhoot, Nariman Saugar who did much work with the stadium, and others.

The Organizing Committee was:

President: Yadavindra Singh, Maharaja of Patiala;
Director: Anthony de Mello; Hon. Treasurer: S.P. Chopra;
Members: General K. M. Cariappa, Sir Girja Shankar Bajpai / ICS, Nawab of Pataudi, Maharajakumar of Visianagaram, S. V. Mavlankar, Pt. Hirday Nath Kunzru, K. R. K. Menon / ICS, Shankar Prasad / ICS, P. C. Choudhuri / ICS, Krishna Prasada / ICS, Dr. Tara Chand, Prof A. N. Jha, Sir Usha Nath Sen, Sir Biren Mukerjee, Sir Shankar Lal, Naval H. Tata, Sir Sobha Singh, Maj.Gen. V. R. Khanolkar, G.D.Sondhi, S.M. Moin-ul Haq, Raja Bhalindra Singh, Maharajadhiraj Sir Uday Chand Mahtab, C.C. Abraham, S.H. Bhoot, P. Gupta.

The Executive Committee was:

Chairman: G. D. Sondhi; Members: P. C. Choudhuri, Krishna Prasada, Moin-ul Haq, S.S. Mathur, Rameshwar Dayal.

The Chairmen of Committees were:

Finance: K.R.K. Menon; Technical: G.D. Sondhi; Housing and Transport: Maj. Gen. V.R.Khanolkar; Medical: Maj. M. S. Chadha; Arts: B. Ukil; Reception: Shankar Lal; Publicity: Deva Das Gandhi

The principal Executive members were:
Director of Organisation Anthony de Mello; Secretary to the Director S.S. Dhawan; Public Relations Officer M. L. Kapur; Publicity Officer D. I. Sequeira; Assistant Secretary Nariman S. Saugar.

An athletes' camp was settled in Delhi, modelled after the Richmond Park Camp of London, which accommodated athletes of the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Venues

The venue for the 1951 Asian Games was the Irwin Amphitheater, a multi-purpose sport complex, the same venue which had hosted the 1934 Western Asiatic Games. Before the opening ceremony of the Games, the stadium was re-christened as the "National Stadium" and renovated for the facilities of different events of the Games. Every event with the exception of swimming and water polo was hosted under the premises of the main stadium only, the events of swimming and water polo were organised at the adjacent swimming pool within the premises of the complex.

The stadium was designed by Anthony S. DeMello and five-hundred thousand (500,000) rupees were required for the full construction, which was completed on 13 February 1933. The stadium was named after the Lord Irwin, 30th viceroy of India and the then Secretary of State for War.

Events
The Games featured six sports: Athletics, aquatics—broken into Diving, swimming, and water polo disciplines—basketball, cycling—road cycling and track cycling—football, and weightlifting. The sports were broken down into 57 events. Many member countries of Asian Games Federation requested for the inclusion of boxing as a medal sport, but due to various reasons, boxing did not make the final list for the Games. Except athletics, women did not participate in any other event.

In the Games, "Mr. Asia of 1951" was also contested as the non-medal event. The contingents were judged on the basis of their physical development, looks, and personality. Parimal Roy of India won the event ahead of Mahmoud Namjoo of Iran, who won gold medal in the bantamweight category of weightlifting.

Aquatics

Diving
In diving, two medal events—3 m springboard and 10 m platform—were included. India and Iran were the only nations that achieved medals. Indian diver, K. P. Thakkar won both the golds and overall India won 4 medals. Iran bagged only one silver and one bronze.

Swimming
In swimming, five nations sent their swimmers to participate in 8 events, 5 of freestyle (100 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m, and 4 × 100 m relay) and one of each backstroke (100 m), breaststroke (200 m) and medley (3 × 100 m). After these Games, 800 m freestyle and 3 × 100 m medley relay were removed from the swimming calendar of Asian Games. Singapore bagged half of gold medals and 2 silvers, while Philippines earned half of total medals including 3 golds, India finished with 6 total medals including one gold of Sachin Nag in 100 m freestyle, which was the first gold of India in Asian Games; two nations left without any medal.

Water polo
In water polo, only two teams—India and Singapore—participated. The only match of the tournament decided the winner, in which the Indian team defeated Singapore with a goal difference of 6 to 4.

Athletics

Athletics was the only sport in which all the eleven participating nations sent their athletes. The Games featured 24 medal events for men and 9 for women. Japanese women won all the 9 golds of their events and just lost four silvers to India and Singapore, two for each. In men's events, again Japan achieved highest number of golds with count of 11, but here Indian athletes finished just one medal behind to Japan with 10 golds. Toyoko Yoshino, a Japanese woman athlete, won all the golds in three throwing sports— shot put, discus throw, and javelin throw. Lavy Pinto of India was the only man who achieved multiple gold medals, he finished at the top podium in men's 100 m and 200 m sprint running events.

Basketball

In basketball, five Asian teams—Burma, India, Iran, Japan, and Philippines—participated. In the matches, the round-robin format was employed and on the basis of final points table top three podium places were decided. Philippines team without losing a single match topped the points table and grabbed a gold medal, Japan team finished behind it and won a silver medal, Iranian team with two wins finished third and won a bronze. Host nation India, finished fourth with only single win over Burma, which came last without winning a single match.

Cycling

In cycling, four nations—Burma, India, Iran, and Japan—sent their cyclists. Two disciplines—road race and track race—were contested. Track cycling included—1000 m sprint, 1000 m time trial, and 4000 team-pursuit; for road cycling, 180 km individual road race was contested. The event was widely perceived as being dominated by Japan, who claimed 8 medals in total, including all the four golds out of 11 total overall medals and 4 golds. Indian cyclists won all the rest 3 medals as Burma and Iran failed to achieve a single one.

Football

In football, six Asian teams—Afghanistan, Burma, India, Indonesia, Iran, and Japan—participated. The gold medal was won by the Indian team, who defeated Iran 1–0 in the final. Japan defeated Afghanistan, 2–0 to win the bronze medal. In semifinals, two matches were played in between Iran and Japan to decide one of the finalists, as first match played on 7 March remained goalless, even match went for overtime; on a next day a replay semifinal match was played in between both the teams in which Iran defeated Japan with a goal difference of 3 to 2.

Weightlifting

In weightlifting, seven countries participated in seven events—bantamweight (56 kg), featherweight (60 kg), lightweight (67.5 kg), middleweight (75 kg), light heavyweight (82.5 kg), middle heavyweight (90 kg), and heavyweight (+90 kg). Iranian weightlifters dominated in all events and claimed 10 medals in total including all the golds, Singapore won two silvers, while both India and Philippines won one silver and one bronze.

Calendar
In the following calendar for the 1951 Asian Games, each blue box represents an event competition, such as a qualification round, on that day. The yellow boxes represent days during which medal-awarding finals for a sport were held. The numeral indicates the number of event finals for each sport held that day. On the left, the calendar lists each sport with events held during the Games, and at the right, how many gold medals were won in that sport. There is a key at the top of the calendar to aid the reader.

Opening ceremony

On 4 March 1951, the First Asian Games were officially opened. The list of the guests included— India's first President Rajendra Prasad, first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, cabinet members of Indian Government, diplomatic corps and representatives of participating Asian NOCs. The National Stadium was filled with an estimated 40,000 spectators. A 31-gun salute was fired from the ramparts of the Purana Quila, adjacent to the National Stadium, in the honour of guests and participants of first Asian Games. After a speech by the president of Asian Games Federation, HRH Yadavendra Singh, President Rajendra Prashad officially opened the Games.

Prime Minister Nehru presented his speech from which organisers of the Games adopted the official motto of the Games— "Play the game, in the spirit of the game". Fifteen of the Indian army's trumpeters with flags of eleven participating countries on their mastheads gave their performance. In an alphabetical order of English, athletes of the participating countries of the 1951 Asiad entered in the stadium with a march past, by following the custom of Olympics; India entered last as the host nation. The Lighting of the Cauldron was done by the 1924 Olympian of India, Dalip Singh with the help of Asian Games torch, which had been lit by the sun's rays in the Red Fort. Afterwards, Baldev Singh, a member of the Indian athletics squad, recited the athlete's oath on behalf of all competitors at the Games.

Participating nations

The 1951 Asiad featured athletes representing 11 National Olympic Committees. The Organising Committee of the Games sent the formal invitations to almost all the Asian countries. China was invited, but did not respond before the closing dates for entries. Pakistan declined to participate because of the Kashmir conflict with India. South Korea attended the meeting of Olympic representatives of Asian countries, held on 8 August 1948, during the London Olympics and agreed to send athletes for Games to participate but did not send any because of the Korean War. The Soviet Union and Vietnam were not invited because of their political systems. Japan was neither invited to the 1948 Summer Olympics nor to attend the founding meeting of Asian Games Federation held in February 1949 in Delhi, but allowed to participate in these Games. Japan sent a 72-member strong team, the second largest after the host, and participated in all except aquatics events. Burma and India sent their contingents in all the events. Iran participated in all events, but did not send any female athletes.
Below is a list of all the participating NOCs; the number of competitors per delegation is indicated in brackets:

Medal table

Athletes from eight participating NOCs won at least one medal, five of them winning at least one gold medal. Athletes from Japan earned the highest number of gold medals (24) and the most overall medals (60). Host nation India finished second with 15 golds and 51 overall medals as well as the most bronzes (20). Through 2010, it would be the best rank achieved by India in medal table in all succeeding Asian Games. Iran finished third with 8 golds and 16 overall medals. Three NOCs, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Thailand failed to earn any medals.
Singaporean swimmer Neo Chwee Kok earned the honour of winning the first gold medal in the history of the Asian Games. He won a total of four golds, all in the free style events (400m, 800m, 1500m, and 4 × 100m relay); becoming the most medalled athlete in this Games.

The ranking in this table is consistent with International Olympic Committee convention in its published medal tables. By default, the table is ordered by the number of gold medals the athletes from a nation have won (in this context, a nation is an entity represented by a National Olympic Committee). The number of silver medals is taken into consideration next, and then the number of bronze medals. If nations are still tied, equal ranking is given; they are listed alphabetically by IOC country code.

A total of 169 medals (57 gold, 57 silver and 55 bronze) were awarded. The total number of bronze medals is less than the total number of gold or silver medals because bronze medals were not awarded in water polo and the team pursuit event of track cycling.

Medal distribution

See also

1896 Summer Olympics
2010 Asian Games
Other Asian Games celebrated in India
1982 Asian Games
List of IOC country codes

Notes and references

Notes

 Yadavindra Singh was also the only Rajpramukh (equivalent to Governor) of Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU).
 The Asian Games Federation was succeeded by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), which was formed in Delhi during the Asian Games Federation Council meeting on 26 November 1981.

References

External links

1951 Asian Games at the Olympic Council of Asia website.

Asian Games
Asian Games
Asian Games, 1951
Multi-sport events in India
International sports competitions hosted by India
Asian Games
Asian Games by year
Asian Games
Asian Games

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In tech circles, talk about cyber security is more than just a murmur: it has parachuted firmly into the international mainstream, as evidenced in the recent American election. You might wonder: if the highest levels of government can be affected, what damage can those without the same resources anticipate? And ultimately – what can you do to avoid your business being hacked?
Statistically, it's not the 'big fish' that hackers are targeting. The most vulnerable seem to be organisations that you would never think would hold a particular interest to thieves: hospitals, universities, coffee shop chains, small businesses and regular, garden-variety citizens of the world. If you are a business owner with any kind of an internal network, your cyber security should be a priority. Thinking it could never happen to you is not only short-sighted, but it might just be your ruin.
Consider this: your SME may not be the ultimate prize. But if you do business with a larger organisation that thieves are targeting, they might attempt to penetrate your systems en route to their bigger goal. Hackers view small businesses as having lower defences. Fortunately, there are things you can do to change this – some technology based and some policy based – that can help you shore up your defences against hacking.
Software is deployed on your system, which gradually encrypts all of your data. The hacker then asks for a ransom in order to decrypt the files. Victims have been charged anywhere from £200 on up to return control of their files, without any real guarantee. The threat is real, but prevention is pretty easy.
How they do it: malicious software enters your system through a fraudulent email or website, which will infect one device or computer first, spreading eventually to all devices, computers and servers on the network. It can take days or weeks for the effect to firmly take hold, and by then it's mostly too late to stop it.
How to avoid it: adopt a strict company policy against opening or clicking on unrecognized emails, accessing or clicking on ads or unknown or unapproved URLs. Training your workforce is the surest way to avoid this pitfall. Technologically, there are several gateway defences and firewalls that can prevent malicious code from entering your system at all, but your best defence is knowledge and preparation. Migrating your systems to the cloud is also a good idea, as most cloud providers offer robust security systems that are able to detect out-of-the-ordinary activity and stop it before it becomes an issue.
One of the easiest ways thieves are able to target your network is through your employees themselves.
How they do it: emails are crafted to lure the recipient into clicking a link or launching an executable file. The user opens the message, downloads a malicious file, or is tricked into supplying personal or company information. Having gained access to the user's computer, they can then infiltrate the rest of the network.
How to avoid it: adopt a strict company policy and educate your workforce about social engineering tactics and phishing.
In this case, a system vulnerability or weak spot is exploited to gain access to the system.
How they do it: weak spots can be an unpatched vulnerability in the software you use on a daily basis, a mobile application or smart device.
How to avoid it: ensure that all of your software, including firewalls and anti-virus software, is always up to date in order to take advantage of the latest security patches. If adding smart devices to the network, be sure that it can be password protected. Many recent hacks of smart devices seem to be targeting ones with a 'factory' password that cannot be changed. By knowing this password, hackers can access your network through something as innocuous as a security camera, a light dimmer or thermostat.
Also known as DDoS, this type of attack causes a website or service to crash by overwhelming it with huge volumes of traffic.
How they do it: using botnets, which are sometimes millions of computers, attacks are launched at a server with the aim of shutting it down, using all available connections until the site crashes.
How to avoid it: If you are running your own servers, configure your router to limit incoming traffic so that packets are dropped before they reach the server. You can also add a border gateway to your perimeter that will drop packets that are malformed, or come from a certain geographical area. Call your ISP right away if you suspect you are under attack. The larger the ISP, the more likely it is you can survive such an attack, as they will have higher volume routers and will likely have detected the issue before it goes too far, temporarily 'null routing' your traffic until a solution is deployed.
Spoofing is the process of taking over another person's email in order to prey on their contacts for monetary gain.
How they do it: The hacker gains access to a person's email and contact list, sending emails from that account and requesting money to be sent.
How to avoid it: if it seems fishy, contact the individual directly. Confirm details with the individual directly before taking any requested action.


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Enola Gray Speeds to Turf Sprint Win
January 29, 2017 /in News /by none
© BENOIT PHOTO
From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 28, 2017)–Nick Alexander's classy homebred Enola Gray showed her customary early zip and went on to an authoritative 3 ¼ length win under Tyler Baze in Saturday's $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint, the first of five stakes restricted to horses bred or sired in California that are Golden State Series eligible. Trained by Phil D'Amato, the 4-year-old Grazen filly got 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course in 1:12.10,
Breaking from post position two in a field of eight older fillies and mares, Enola Gray sat just outside of eventual third place finisher Desert Steel down the hill through splits of 21.55, 43.04 and 1:05.86. Head and head at the dirt crossing three sixteenths of a mile from home, Enola Gray asserted her superiority leaving the sixteenth pole and won in-hand.
"I had a beautiful trip," said Baze. "She's an unbelievable filly. Once I put Bejarano away (aboard Desert Steel) it was pretty much over from there and I just kept her attention."
Off at 3-5, Enola Gray paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10. A winner of the California Distaff Handicap down the hill three starts back, she is now unbeaten in two starts over the unique hillside layout. Enola Gray, who was most recently third in the Grade I, seven furlong La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26, now has five wins (four of them stakes) from eight starts. With the winner's share of $90,000, she now has earnings of $449,100.
"I really, truly believe the sky's the limit with this filly," said D'Amato. "We're going to plan to stretch her out later on in the year, and then I think she'll be even more effective."
Alexander, a longtime owner/breeder in California who is well known to millions of Southlanders through his Nick Alexander Imports radio commercials ("Nick Can't Say No") is now chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) as well.
"She's a neat horse, she really is," said Alexander. "Her dam (Unsung Heroine, by More Than Ready) had not had anything worth a darn before that. Everyone that gets on her says that you can't even feel her hit the ground. She just has one of those big, long strides. She's a sweetheart."
Grazen and Alexander made it back to back wins when the three-year-old homebred All of a Sudden made her second start, in the third race on the card, a winning one in taking the Cal-bred maiden special by a head.
https://tommytownfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/TTT-LOGO-COLOR.png 0 0 none https://tommytownfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/TTT-LOGO-COLOR.png none2017-01-29 00:34:332017-02-20 23:59:35Enola Gray Speeds to Turf Sprint Win
Tommy Town Thoroughbreds Connected Runners Enter Saturday Stakes at Santa A... Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC's It Tiz Well Earns Second Win

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Top Five Kinds of Bad Stock Photos
By Aaron Cheesman
"People don't read. Words don't matter."
When I hear people say things like that, I swallow my tears, slap my face and say to myself "Shut up! Stop it! You weak— You baby! Shut up!" Then I collect myself and move on.
But it's partly true. Imagery always gets the spotlight. That's why, when using stock photography, it's important to make the right choice. But there are so many bad ones. And we sift through them daily.
Please, feel our pain. Here is a brief catalog of the types of painfully bad, egregiously overused stock photography that blemish our browsers and shatter on our psyches.
#5 | The Handshake
Nothing says "win" like this legally nonbinding gesture. Do an image search on "deal," "partnership" or "agreement" and you'll be treated with every permutation of hot palm-on-palm action, from intimate couples to celebratory group gropes.
"Ow, you're burning my hand."
"Your diversity initiative isn't quite there yet, but it's coming along."
"Let us enjoy this human touch—and never speak of it again."
#4 | The Game Piece
Judging by the stock photo canon, business people love jigsaw puzzles. Sometimes it's just two huge backlit pieces, which doesn't seem like much of a challenge. Often it's all one color, which seems challenging but unsatisfying. Also, watch out for exciting mixed metaphors!
"Love the new office, but where TF am I supposed to sit?"
"Once it's established, I'll repot it in on a Monopoly board."
"You'll need this key for the executive bathroom, which is down the hall and through the wardrobe."
#3 | The Fisheye
The wide-angle lens is useful for capturing panoramas, but that's not how it's used. Instead, stock photographers use it create caricatures so silly that, like a black hole, no good ideas can escape. It's a way to say, "My brand has the same sense of humor as a Nickelodeon audience yearning for a bucket of slime to be dumped on its head."
"I used to be an idiot. Now I'm an idiot with money and opposable thumbs."
"Dr. Goofus will not be making rounds today, as her walk has gotten much too silly."
"Mr. Benjamin Button has the body of an infant but the mind of an infant."
#2 | The Writing on the Invisible Wall
A whiteboard can be a useful ideation tool. But denizens of Stockphotoland prefer writing backwards on windows. It's a good skill if you're ever trapped on a train with only a Sharpie.
"Now maybe the homeless people outside my office will appreciate how smart I am. Hey you hoboes, do you even know what a molecule is?"
"I'm a thought leader. And I suspend ink in midair."
"That's right, I can draw detailed maps backwards. Suck on that, Garibaldi."
#1 | The WTF
Some photos just have no explanation and no reason to exist, yet they persist. We can only imagine how these go in the client pitch…
"It's like Freaky Friday, except with a dog who learns the value of vehicle maintenance, and an owner who discovers the joy of sniffing."
"Get in shape for this year's sexy gourd costume."
"I, too, could have annexed the Sudetenland. But nobody takes me seriously. Not like him. It's always 'Adolph, Adolph, Adolph.'"
"Look, Calamity Jane, we need to soften your image a bit. Put on these plastic lips while I adjust the lighting."
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Numerous proposed hospital closures have been rescinded and authorities are promising to increase the amount paid out to some of the estimated 14,000 medical staff that will lose their jobs between 2015-2017 in Moscow alone as a result of "optimisation" measures.
But the government vows to continue what it describes as an attempt to modernise Russia's Soviet-era health care system, while cutting costs and making it more accessible to ordinary people.
Healthcare in Russia is free under a compulsory medical insurance scheme but over the past five years, Russia's healthcare system has been gutted by massive layoffs.
In Moscow alone, some 9,500 medical staff were made redundant in 2014. Nationwide, that figure is though to be around 90,000.
In terms of actual hospitals and clinics, according to the Moscow Times, between 2005 and 2013, "the number of health facilities in rural areas fell by 75 per cent from 8,249 to 2,085. That number includes a 95 per cent drop in the number of district hospitals, from 2.631 to only 124, and a 65 per cent decline in the number of local health clinics, from 7,404 to 2,561".
Staff complain of personnel shortages, increased overtime and stress for the remaining employees, which, in turn, has raised questions about availability and quality of health care.
Most worrying, these massive job cuts are thought to have had a devastating impact on mortality rates. According to the Auditing Chamber of Russia, 18,000 hospital deaths were linked to the cutbacks.
"The reform has only one aim – to destroy free health care," says Simon Halperin, a neurologist who was actively involved in anti-reform protests in Moscow. "It is impossible to render a hospital inefficient based on how much money a bed brings to it. No professional doctor would think of such a criterion when taking decision to close the medical institution."
In the face of growing criticism, the Russian government has defend its measures, noting that growing and ageing populations everywhere are resulting in ballooning health care costs worldwide.
But health care cutbacks across the country, and a suggestion from the Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova to replace local staff with "Skype doctors" in regions where even mobile phones are scarce, have been backfiring.
The watershed moment came in spring 2013 where one protest served as a model for later actions. Workers and members of the Inter-Regional Trade Union of Medical Workers, also known as Deystviye, at various children's polyclinics in Izhevsk, capital of the Udmurt Republic of the Russian Federation, went on a "work-to-rule strike" (where workers do the bare minimum in order to cause a slowdown without violating the law or interrupting patient care).
Due to staff shortages and an increase in patients, doctors and nurses were working 10-12 hours a day rather than the legislated eight hours. And patient consultations were being limited to a wholly insufficient 2-5 minutes.
"Before the work-to-rule, doctors worked overtime without any pay,' recalls Ellina Ostanina, a paediatrician and active participant in the action. "We started to work-to-rule and we got results," she says.
The collective action, which lasted nearly three months and involved 40 doctors led to improved working conditions and more than 1.6 billion rubles (US$23.8 million) of regional and federal funding to provide overtime pay and increase the salaries and benefits of health care workers in Izhevsk.
In 2014, a broad public campaign against the collapse of the Russian health care system was launched by the Deystvie union, the Russian Confederation of Labour (KTR), the Pirogov doctors movement, the 'Together for Decent Medicine' protest group and other civil society organisations.
Thousands of doctors took to the streets of Moscow and 46 other cities across the country to protest over the closure of a number of hospitals, maternity centres and specialist departments.
For Boris Kravchenko, president of the KTR, these protests were the last-resort action of workers pushed to the brink, and will only stop when the authorities are ready to consult them on the tumultuous changes taking place.
"We demand consideration of all our requests, transparent public discussion of the strategy and content of the reform," Kravchenko said at the time. "Prior to the start of full-fledged discussions, we demand a freeze to the process of massive layoffs, a recall of the dismissal notices received by doctors, and the prevention of similar practices in other regions of Russia".
When city authorities understood that the protests were likely to expand, they reversed the decision to close several hospitals and clinics and promised to provide bigger payoffs to those dismissed: 500,000 rubles (US$7,400) for doctors, 300,000 rubles (US$4,400) for paramedics and 200,000 rubles (US$2,900) for nurses.
In January 2015, the Moscow City government deputies and officials hastily reported that they had managed to quell the discontent with the reforms. According to the mayor's office, "payment orders" were issued to physicians, totalling 2.69 billion rubles (US$40.1 million). However, representatives of the medical community said that in reality the situation is far from being resolved.
Executive Secretary of the Deystvie union, Andrey Konoval, told reporters that most doctors "see personal financial compensation as secondary. They are worried about the fate of health institutions, where they spent years of their professional life, the fate of the patients and the entire health care system".
But even those who have managed to keep their jobs are struggling to keep up apace with the newly 'optimised' system. Yekaterina Chatskaya, a Moscow-based gynaecologist said: "Consulting a pregnant woman should take 30-40 minutes. Now the electronic system automatically forces us to fit in consultations every 15 minutes.
"During this time I have to examine the patient, fill in all the papers, prescribe treatment and to tell the patient what to do next." She says that some doctors have resorted to taking their paperwork home in order to give themselves more time with their patients.
Following the roll-out of "work-to-rule" action at six medical centres in Moscow, at the end of August 2015 the Russian Health Ministry issued a decree to ensure that realistic standards are set for the reception time of patients. But critics warn that decrees are one thing; implementation is quite another.
As it stands, both healthcare professionals and the government are in a deadlock.
Moscow authorities have launched more reforms in the form of "pilot projects" to reorganise the city's clinics but critics are resisting these measures saying they will only lead to another sweatshop system. As a result, more protests lie ahead.


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Kumanovo will play host to three group matches and a semi-final at the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship.
With a population of just over 100,000, Kumanovo lies a little over 40km north-east of Skopje. It is a gateway to nearby Kokino, a 4,000-year-old megalithic astronomical observatory. Discovered in 2001, Kokinko is ranked fourth on the list of old observatories by NASA behind Cambodia's Angkor Wat, Stonehenge in the UK and Abu Simbel in Egypt.
The stadium has been renovated twice since it opened in 1991, firstly in 2003 and again five years later, when funds from UEFA's HatTrick programme were used to complete the work. As well as three matches during the group stage, the venue − home to top-flight club FK Milano − will also host one of the semi-finals on 2 June.


My blog post was written as part of my part of my collaboration with eBay but these views are my own.
While down in Palm Springs for Memorial Day weekend, we popped in to the PGA superstore and I thought Peter and Jonah's head was going to explode. (Of course, he has the little one obsessed too!) They literally were like two kids in a candy store. Because we were trying to beat traffic, (and probably because I was scowling in the corner), they both left empty-handed. I, however, came out knowing EXACTLY what my guy wants if the golf fairy came to visit.
So this Father's Day, I want to "putt" those "supportive" feelings away, (I'll be here all night folks) and show my true appreciation as it's Peter's first year as a stepdad and… I happen to have an "in" with the golfing fairy…. who happens to have partnered up with eBay!
Right now, eBay is showcasing a gift guide with a ton of great gift ideas for Father's Day. Using the eBay collections feature, I put together two collections (here and here) which round up great gift ideas for the guy who golfs (I'm not the only golf widow on Saturday, right?) and gift ideas for other dads, grandpas, uncles (barbecue gear, athletic gear, clothing, etc).
So hurry up and head to eBay to find the perfect Father's Day gift! And… Create your own #eBayDad collection and enter for a chance to win $500 to shop on eBay. Click here!
HOLIDAY GIFTS & IDEAS WITH eBAY COLLECTIONS eBAY: OH, I'M SOLD! eBay: Summertime Toys for the Boy… and For Me! eBAY: SHOW ME THE MONEY!


If the talks fail, the labels — Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music — could ultimately pull their catalogues from the applications.
TikTok and Douyin are two of the fastest-growing apps in the world, and they rely heavily on music. Their users — typically teenagers and young adults — record short dancing clips, memes and comedy routines, often set to popular songs. The TikTok app has been installed more than 1 billion times via the App Store and Google Play, according to Sensor Tower.
TikTok has gotten big enough that it can help turn an obscure song into a hit. "Old Town Road," a mash-up of country and hip-hop from Lil Nas X, reached the Billboard charts after going viral on TikTok.
The music industry grew 9.7 per cent in 2018, thanks largely to the rise of paid streaming services Spotify and Apple Music. But big record labels have also been trying to increase the money they get from social-video apps.
A previous iteration of TikTok was known as Musical.ly, an app focused on lip-synch videos. ByteDance acquired that service in 2017 and later folded it into its TikTok app.
"TikTok's music team partners with many great labels every day around the world forming long-term relationships, rather than just relying on transactional deals for a catalogue of full songs," he said.


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St. Regis Hotels Heralds a New Beacon of Luxury on the Nile with the Opening of the St. Regis Cairo
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, today announced the highly-anticipated opening of The St. Regis Cairo. Rising tall on the banks of the River Nile, The St. Regis Cairo is an illustrious icon weaving a powerful story of luxury in the region. Located at the North end of the Corniche, in the heart of Egypt's bustling metropolis, the 39-story hotel offers easy access to the magnificent monuments of a city steeped in history.
"Egypt has historically been one of our key markets and strategically significant to our growth in the region," said Satya Anand, President for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. "Cairo is a storied destination that has long mesmerized the global traveler with its incredible energy offering a vibrant mix of history, culture, tradition and glamour. The St. Regis Cairo is an exciting addition to our fast-growing brand portfolio and is set to elevate Cairo's luxury hospitality landscape with its remarkable design, uncompromising service, and exceptional culinary venues."
Eng. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, CEO of Qatari Diar commented, "We are delighted to strengthen our global portfolio of hospitality developments with the opening The St. Regis Cairo. This luxury landmark will introduce higher standards of hospitality to this beautiful destination with its unparalleled levels of luxury and exceptional service – both of which the iconic St. Regis brand is renowned for."
The Royal Suite
RALF TOOTEN
Modern Egyptian Grandeur
With its striking architecture, created by renowned architect Michael Graves, The St. Regis Cairo firmly establishes itself as a pivotal landmark in the city and beyond, carefully balancing opulence with refinement and elegance to evoke a profound sense of grandeur. Uncompromising in its decadence, the hotel is an exquisite reflection of a passionate vision that conscientiously draws on the city's influential and storied past while confidently introducing its vibrant future.
Graceful geometric lines flow throughout the interiors, creating a repeated structural motif that quietly references the heritage of the region. Dark wood and rich textures combine with intricate embroidery, bejeweled paneling, bronze and wood carvings embellished with flashes of shimmering gold, mother of pearl inlays and imposing crystal chandeliers creating a dramatic Egyptian aesthetic with modern execution. A striking mural entitled "The Pink Sun" graces The St. Regis Bar. Staunchly modern in its execution, the mural references ancient Egypt and the birth of a modern civilization.
The hotel's approach to design pays particular homage to the hundreds of craftspeople who dedicated their time and handiwork to perfecting each and every detail offering a distinctly modern vision that immerses guests in moments that are simply awe-inspiring.
Opulent Accommodation
The St. Regis Cairo boasts of 286 lavishly appointed rooms and suites and 80 luxurious apartments, that offer unmatched indulgence. Three expansive Royal Suites define opulence, with plush interiors featuring a private fitness room, sauna and floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic Nile views. All guestrooms and suites enjoy the signature St. Regis Butler service, one of the most visible representations of the brand's famed level of anticipatory service and personal attention.
Exquisite Culinary Experiences
The hotel is an engaging lifestyle destination with refined taste making offered at a diversified selection of restaurants, bars and lounges La Zisa is a modern and relaxed dining space that offers authentic Southern Italian cuisine where guests can enjoy their dining experience overlooking bright views of the Nile. Tianma takes you on a journey to Singapore and is a melting pot of exquisite flavors from China, India and Southeast Asia. The renowned J&G Steakhouse offers a sophisticated collection of steakhouse favorites, premium meat cuts and fish sourced from around the world; expertly prepared and grilled to perfection. The poolside restaurant and bar, Sirocco, is the ideal place to enjoy a cocktail with a selection of Mediterranean and Egyptian dishes. For urban and chic lounge lovers, Envy is an enchanting and glamorous venue with bejeweled décor for a special night out.
The Library, embellished with artefacts, rich furnishings and books, offers a quiet corner for guests to seek a moment's respite. The Water Garden, with its authentic Egyptian interiors, is poised to become a gathering place for both global luminaries and the local social vanguards be it for the signature Afternoon Tea or the Evening Ritual. The iconic St. Regis Bar is inspired by the King Cole Bar at the brand's flagship in New York, where the world-renowned Bloody Mary cocktail was born in 1934. It features an exclusive selection of the world's finest champagnes, rare vintage wines, hand-crafted cocktails, and the hotel's own rendition of the signature St. Regis Bloody Mary, infused with exotic taste and fragrance of the Hibiscus flower.
Rejuvenation for the Body and Soul
Spanning more than 1000 square meters, the St. Regis brand's signature Iridium® Spa enables guests to indulge in a range of transformative treatments and bespoke signature experiences in a tranquil and inviting environment. Thermal therapy areas have been carefully designed for stimulating sensory experiences with a special range of unique facilities including sauna, steam, ice room, shock shower, adventure shower and a vitality pool. The St. Regis Cairo also features a well-equipped Athletic Club and indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
The Address for Bespoke events
The Astor Ballroom, with its curved, grand staircases that surround a strikingly imposing Swarovski chandelier provides a dramatic backdrop for weddings and celebrations. With a vaulted three-story high ceiling, the 990 square meter Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 1000 guests. The hotel also houses 10 flexible and elegant meeting venues with state-of-the-art technology.
With magnificent corridors, elegant venues and refined taste making, the hotel is set to play host to an array of important social moments and signature rituals. Bespoke and personalized services are delivered with a traditional finesse that embodies the spirit of both the location and the St. Regis brand. By paying particular attention to how it blends together these spaces, St. Regis Cairo is able to achieve a natural balance of both grand and intimate, yet bespoke moments for guests.
For more information, visit www.thestregiscairo.com.
About St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
Combining classic sophistication with a modern sensibility, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc., is committed to delivering exceptional experiences at 45 luxury hotels and resorts in the best addresses around the world. Since the opening of the first St. Regis hotel in New York City over a century ago by John Jacob Astor IV, the brand has remained committed to an uncompromising level of bespoke and anticipatory service for all of its guests, delivered flawlessly by signature St. Regis Butler Service. For more information and new openings, visit stregis.com or follow Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. St. Regis is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.
About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,500 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 132 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy™, its highly-awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.
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New Zealand warned international health authorities Saturday of exported dairy products, including infant formula, containing a bacteria that could lead to botulism -- a potentially fatal illness.
Dairy giant Fonterra, which manufactured the product more than a year ago, said eight customers had been advised and were investigating whether any of the affected products was in their supply chains.
If necessary, contaminated consumer products would be recalled, the company said in a statement.
China Saturday said it had contacted New Zealand's embassy and asked them "to take measures to prevent the products in question from influencing the health of Chinese consumers".
In a statement posted on its website, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision,Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), said it had ordered importers to withdraw any contaminated products and called on quarantine officials to step up inspections of dairy products imported from New Zealand to China.
There have been no reports of any illness linked to consumption of the affected whey protein.
New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser said health authorities around the world, including the World Health Organization, had also been alerted to the contamination.
"As soon as New Zealand authorities were notified of this risk, we immediately acted to inform relevant authorities around the world," Groser said.
"This has included formally notifying Infosan, the World Health Organization's international food safety regulators network. As more information on this issue is confirmed we will provide our trading partners with further updates.
"We understand that the markets to which contaminated whey protein concentrate, or products using this ingredient, has been exported are Australia, China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Vietnam."
Fonterra said the affected product was used in a range of drinks including infant formula and sports drinks.
"We are doing everything we can to assist our customers in ensuring any product containing this ingredient is removed from the marketplace and that the public is made aware," Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings said.
Three batches of whey protein concentrate manufactured in May last year recently tested positive for Clostridium botulinum.
The batches have been used to form 870 tonnes of products sold in a variety of markets, the Ministry for Primary Industries' Acting Director General Scott Gallacher said.
The symptoms of botulism include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, followed by paralysis, and it can be fatal if not treated.
Fonterra said the potential impact on someone consuming a contaminated product would depend on their age and the amount they consumed.
For an adult, a small amount of contaminated whey protein "would probably pass through unnoticed", Fonterra's managing director of New Zealand milk products, Gary Romano, told reporters.
Dairy exports are New Zealand's major earner and its products are particularly popular in Asia, where they are considered the gold standard.
According to government data the dairy industry contributes 2.8 percent to New Zealand's GDPand about 25 percent of its exports. It is worth NZ$10.4 billion (US$8.1 billion) annually.
New Zealand accounts for one-third of the world's cross-border trade in dairy products.


I started researching in 2003 and enjoy discovering new sources, understanding stories, and solving research problems.
My goal for the association is to connect, support, and collaborate with researchers targeting Hays, Hayes, Hay, etc to find common and unique lineages. Use the contact form to let me know who you are and the line(s) you are researching.


0.15 Ct. T.W. Diamonds in a special prong setting, 18K yellow gold eternity band. Please allow a processing time of up to four weeks for your custom made piece to be made. Handmade in NYC. Also available in White and Pink Gold.


The distance from Cosmopolitan to Trump Las Vegas is 1.36 miles (2.19 kilometers) in straight line. Walking at a normal rate of 3 miles per hour in a straight line, it would take 27 minutes between Cosmopolitan and Trump Las Vegas. See below for the estimated time (more realistic) if you walked along a street route.


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Repudiation of Car Insurance Claims
1 Comment	/ Legal, Uncategorized / By Stan Bezuidenhout
With a rather dismal road safety record and hundreds of thousands of road crashes yearly in South Africa it is rather irresponsible to drive with a vehicle that is not insured. Car Insurance, even though sometimes seen as a "Grudge Purchase" may save you from lengthy legal battles with other road users. Perhaps most important though is that car insurance will provide peace of mind that you will not be left to deal with severe financial hardship in having to replace your vehicle.
Well, this is part of the theory of it! All is, however, not that simple. The contract with your car insurer will also require you to fulfill YOUR contractual obligations to ensure that the insurer is not burdened with limitless liability. It would only be fair to accept that an insurer will only pay for those damages that could be foreseen – and not for damages caused by lawlessness such as drunk and reckless driving!
When an insured vehicle owner submits a claim to the insurer, the insurer will investigate the reason for the claim, contributing factors to the cause of the crash, and whether the insured client was not in a breach of the contract that might lead to the claim being repudiated!
Understanding the Pitfalls of Claims Repudiation
A wise man once said that the law is not an exact science, that we should look after the facts and the law will then look after itself. Crash investigators may help us to find those facts that could ensure that the claim is treated in a manner that is fair and just. These investigators may, however, have a vested interest in ensuring that they present the facts to the insurer paying them that could be regarded as favourable, leading to further appointments for the investigator! With this in mind, it should only be fair to carefully balance their findings with the findings of other independent crash investigators.
We would like to share some insights from Crash and Forensic Investigator, Stan Bezuidenhout on the need for careful analysis of crashes in repudiated claims.
Is Your Motor Claim Repudiation Really Justified?
This piece is directed at a specific few who would understand its contents only too well. It was written out of frustration; the knowledge that right, wrong, honesty, and dishonesty are not as clearly defined as we have always believed. It was written for the education of the "victims" of unfair motor vehicle insurance claim repudiations; those where the insurer repudiates because you "drive in excess of the speed limit, thus failing to take due care and reduce loss or damages."
With experience over more than 17 years, investigating analyzing, reconstructing, and testifying in courts at all levels, Stan Bezuidenhout from IBF Investigations reports a trend: "I have been in a Road Traffic Risk Analysis and Crash Investigation and Reconstruction industry for 17 years now. In this time, I have seen a tangible trend towards repudiation for ever-surprising reasons. Back in 2000, a repudiation came mostly in the form of extreme negligence or alcoholic intoxication. These days, people are approaching me with all manner of nothing less than horror stories about their repudiation experiences. In one case, my client was asked to come in and talk to his insurance, about his motor accident claim after another driver drove into him. He willingly went, under the – sometimes misguided – belief that honesty and openness is the best policy. Upon arrival, he found himself subjected to an interrogation more akin to a trial than the friendly chat he was expecting. One of the questions he was asked, among many others, was whether he had had anything to drink on the night of the collision. In honesty and belief in always telling the truth, he answered that he did have one beer much earlier in the evening. He was later mortified to learn that his claim had been repudiated because he admitted that he was under the influence of a drug – a clear policy violation. He was in material breach. His claim was never paid."
Stan felt his frustration and that of many similar clients to follow. The trend had started. It is this – the repudiation of a motor insurance claim – the became catalyst for Stan's contribution to this article. "I have suddenly – perhaps in the last year – been absolutely inundated with insurance claim repudiation matters – most based on speed, interestingly enough. People are contacting me as often as several times a week, asking me how I can help. Practically every one of them tells the same or a very similar story: They were involved in a collision, they submitted a claim, the insurer appointed someone to investigate and their report revealed that the client was driving at an excessive speed. The claim is therefore repudiated under the argument that the client failed to take due care and, in so doing, acted recklessly and/or negligently. This is considered a material breach under the banner of the client's duties to prevent loss or risk."
What is one to do, when this happens? What if you know full well that you were not speeding? "In one case, the client's husband was involved in a collision with a BMW M6, during a very intense rainstorm," Stan continues. The client reported to Stan that – when she called in to lodge her claim – she was told: "Oh wow. That is an expensive car. You must know that we will first investigate before the claim is paid." And so it happened. There was an investigation done and an Expert Report compiled. Then the claim was repudiated under those very arguments of speed and due care.
What to do if your claim is rejected or repudiated
Now – when your insurance repudiates your claim, you have the right to approach the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance (the OSTI), as this client did. She submitted her complaint and the OSTI gave the insurer 30 days to react to the complaint.
The insurer reacted by providing the "Expert Report" of course. It included some investigative work in the form of some measurements and some photographs. It also included one mathematical speed calculation that "proved" that the client's vehicle was driving at an excessive speed. The repudiation was based on this result. The client was informed that the claim would not be paid.
When the client received her reply from the OSTI, she was given 7 days to reply. She was forced to find an expert who could investigate the case. She had to pay the expert, allow the expert to schedule the investigation, visit the scene, examine the vehicle, consider the evidence, review the Insurance's Expert Report and compile a report with comments, within this restrictive time period. After anticipating challenges with this requirement, the client requested an extension to be able to address the report properly. She was granted two days' extension. Nothing more.
This is where Stan got involved. Stan noticed several irregularities in the Insurer's Expert Report and immediately visited the scene and examined the vehicle, despite the time constraints. Because the Insurer's Expert Report included no reference information, Stan compiled a list of questions that the Insurer needed to get their expert to answer, before an answering report could be compiled for consideration by the OSTI.
When the list was sent to the Insurer, the Expert Report was supplemented by a second report. This report was essentially an admission of errors in the first report but still concluded that the driver was traveling at excessive speed. The original questions went un-answered though. The second list of questions was compiled and sent to the Insurer, via the OSTI. To this, the insurer mistakenly included the client in an internal e-mail wherein reference was made to a "connection" that could do a second report for the Insurer. The "connection" was appointed and was to examine the vehicle as well, for the purpose of compiling a new report. After some weeks, this third report was received and again – there were more questions than answers and Stan immediately identified several irregularities and even what seemed to amount to fraudulent references in the "connection's" report.
When a new list of questions was sent to the OSTI and not satisfactorily answered, the OSTI declared the case "closed" and withdrew from the matter. The client's claim has still not been settled, although the reports remain unjustified, to this day. A new application is being prepared for re-submission to the OSTI, with Stan's complete and detailed report, to resolve this matter. The client is also considering legal action against the insurer and the experts that were called to investigate the collision.
In addition to this, per OSTI rules, if the client sought legal representation at any time, and once a legal process has been started against the insurer, the OSTI would withdraw in any event.
In another matter from 2014, another client drove her car in downtown Pretoria in a built-up area when – according to her – another vehicle encroached on her lane. She swerved to prevent a collision, left the road, and collided with a wall. The insurer also appointed an expert who did a single-formula speed calculation and determined that the client was driving at an excessive speed. Same arguments, different case. In that case, the client sought legal assistance. The collision happened more than 3 years ago but the case has not even been finalized in court yet. In the meantime, the client is left paying for the car that was written off, for another car that she is now driving, for insurance for that new car, and for all the legal and expert fees while the case is regularly postponed. This has cost the client much more than the cost of the car already – all because of the insurer repudiating on the basis of a speed calculation.
But Stan has additional concerns: "What I am starting to see, from this flood of repudiation cases, is that the same experts are typically involved. They consistently determine excessive speeding and – whether the car left the road in a single-vehicle collision, rolled over, went through a wall, up to an embankment, or through a fence, the same single formula is used in practically every case. This has gone so far that other experts in our industry started to discuss this concern with me and share my opinion: Speed is becoming the silver bullet of insurance motor claim repudiation."
Stan has personally received as many as two new repudiation cases per week and other experts claim to have as many as 50 cases on their desks – all done by the same experts, appointed by different insurers, all using the same single formula, all-determining excessive speeding, all overlooking the same laws of physics, all failing to observe proper evidence collection protocols and all failing to refer to internationally accepted reference tables in favor of assumptions that are typically biased towards high-speed determinations. A trend has developed, and Stan is very concerned about it.
"Look at this formula. I have gone as far as to put out a Twitter Post, telling people that – if you see this formula in an expert report – the chances are extremely high that the results are skewed against you or that the results are completely inaccurate."
Northwestern University Accident Reconstruction Manual
Stan has enough references available to justify this opinion. From his library of hundreds of books on crash investigation and physics, he refers to the formula and its value in the field of Crash Investigation.
He carries on: "Look at this… This is the Accident Reconstruction Manual from Northwestern University; the very institution that the experts I'm coming across claim to have received their training and qualifications from. Right here, on Page 71, that formula appears amid what is described as Basic Motion Equations. The book continues to make it clear that the use of only these 12 equations reduces the confusion that beginning students often have! This, in itself, explains why I have an issue with results coming from this one equation or others like it," says Stan. He is clearly irritated at the prospect that someone who has received training that would include this manual would not actually read its contents and then simplify a set of calculations that should precede or follow the use of the formula.
Stan continues: "See, this formula is – like any other formula – subject to accurate input values. You cannot arbitrarily plug in any values that yield the results you seek. But, in order for you to understand what I am saying, you need to understand what the formula is designed to achieve and what assumptions should be made before the input values can be used. The formula is designed to yield an initial velocity, when the end velocity, distance, and deceleration rates are known. Take note – known. Not assumed or guessed. We will consider each in turn, to ensure that you can follow carefully."
Accident Dynamics Demonstration
Stan grabs a model car and starts to illustrate its motion. He explains as follows, while he moves it over a distance: "See this car? As it moves across this table, you will see that the car is moving in a straight line and the wheels are rolling freely. Although very minimal, there is resistance to forwarding motion. If I now lock the wheels – put some tape to lock one or even four – and push the car and let it go, it will come to a stop quickly because there is some braking action now. If I know the distance it traveled over, the speed at the end – which is zero if it comes to stop naturally – and the deceleration rate, considering how many wheels are prevented from rolling, or how much it resists movement through friction, I can calculate what its speed was when I let it go. That's the simple theory of what the formula is designed to do: It can give you the Initial Velocity, if the End Velocity (which is Zero, if the car comes to a stop), the Distance over which it moved, and the exact deceleration is known."
Now we have an idea of what Stan is saying. The Initial Speed of the car can be calculated, but only if we know exactly what the end speed is (for instance, if it stops, it will be zero) if we truly know how many wheels are locked and how much this will slow down the car and if we know the distance over which the car decelerated, right?
It is at this point that Stan lifts his finger and adds: "Ahhhh! But is it really that simple!?" Oh boy. Here it comes. We get flashbacks to the days in school, when our teachers explained mathematics while we followed every word – understanding less and less, the longer they tried to teach us… We can almost smell the classroom again. But Stan does not disappoint.
It is at this stage that we can see Stan is committed to not becoming too technical and that he is a true master of his craft. This stuff excites him to the point of tangible passion. His ability to simplify and explain the dynamics that should be considered leaves us impressed. We're actually able to follow. OK -that's a first…
Stan continues: "Let's take one piece at a time, shall we? Let's look at the one thing that we could all easily agree to – that we should agree to The distance over which the car moved (decelerated). See, the distance is measured along the path of motion of the vehicle. In order for us to agree on a distance, we should remember that we would likely not have been present when the collision happened. So, unlike me pushing a car on a desk, we will typically arrive on the scene and be left using clues to the distance over which the vehicle decelerated. The distance over which a car moved while decelerating, cannot be determined without there being any clues. A good example would be skid marks. If we can see the skid-marks left by a car – which was obviously decelerating, as it was braking – we can easily measure the distance from where the skid marks started to where they ended. You need to consider a bit more, as the wheelbase of the car and which wheels locked up, but let's keep it simple."
We agree to this. It is simple: Measure the length of skid-marks. Check. But Stan is not done yet.
"Not so quickly there! A typical motor vehicle, for this example, has four wheels. If a driver applies his brakes, one of many conditions could be achieved: All four wheels might lock up, only the front or rear wheels might lock up or only one wheel might lock up. This might leave us with one-, two-, three or even four different tires (skid) marks of differing length. Some might over-lap on top of others as the rear wheels follow the front and others might lock and skid only for part of the total distance over which the vehicle moved (decelerated). If a vehicle is fitted with ABS or if the driver does not break or only applies limited braking effort, there might not be any marks at all. A driver could also initially apply brakes and – while braking – see that he will not stop in time and apply more force, causing the wheels to lock up for only part of the distance over which the vehicle decelerated."
Oh crap. So the distance measured is not simply the distance over which the vehicle moved. Now we've got it, thanks. But again – Stan continues…
"But this is simple only if the vehicle skids to stop on a single surface. But what do you think happens when it skids over several surfaces? Let's say it leaves the road and goes onto the gravel and then onto the grass, as it is kidding? Is this still a single distance?"
Well of course. The vehicle "decelerated over a distance," so surely this is a single distance – not so? We're not so sure anymore…
Calculating Vehicle Speeds
Stan carries on: "No. It is not. If we were trying to use the single formula I spoke of, perhaps then it would be a single distance, and I see expert reports where this is done all the time. But if we refer to the Northwestern Manual again, we will see that – on Page 158 a specific example is used to illustrate exactly this. In that example, the problem where a vehicle moves over different surfaces, as it decelerates, is discussed – considering just two surfaces. When it comes to speed determination, the distance is not measured as a single value but rather broken up into sections, depending on the movements of the vehicle. Because the one part of this formula will be deceleration, the deceleration of the vehicle will obviously be different from when all four tyres are sliding on tar, for when only one is on gravel or for when two is on grass, and so on. So – for this formula to be used properly, each relevant distance must be measured individually, using the vehicle's centre of mass as the point of reference. I see expert reports all the time, completely overlooking this aspect – this is why the formula is described as a Basic Formula. It is simply not that easy."
Ok. So when you want to calculate a vehicle's speed, the distance measurement cannot be just one value, if the car moves over different surfaces – there need to be individual measurements for each section of movement? Stan confirms. We feel our IQ increasing as Stan continues…
"Next, we need to consider the so-called Drag Factor, in order for us to calculate the deceleration. The same manual explains that the term Drag Factor will not be found in typical engineering mechanics or physics books. It has been used for many years in traffic collision investigation/reconstruction. Drag factor is defined as the force required for acceleration (or deceleration) in the direction of the acceleration (or deceleration) divided by the object's (vehicle's) weight. In short – how much of the weight of the vehicle is needed to move it across a specific surface. If a car weighs 1000 Kg and it takes 800 Kg to drag it across a surface, the Drag Factor can be described as 1000/800 or 0.8. So basically 80% of that car's weight is needed to move it (drag it) across the surface. If we want to use the term deceleration – which is what is needed in the formula under consideration – we first have to determine the proper drag factor for a particular surface and, from that, calculate the deceleration rate."
Oh. Ok. So the Drag Factor is 0.8. That makes sense. Can we calculate speed now? Again – we think we have it figured out: If you know the distance and the drag factor – which will be 0.8, you're set! But Stan has more to say…
"Ahh! But again – it is not that simple. In order for us to determine the deceleration value to use in the formula, we need to accurately determine the Drag Factor. This is where we find most expert reports lacking the most. They grab a single value of (say) 0.8 and calculate the deceleration value, based on this. But now we need to be very careful: This is where even seasoned experts get it wrong almost all the time. Let's go back to the car. If we locked all the wheels and pushed them across the surface, we would feel that it is harder to push than when the wheels were rolling. If we then lock only three, two or one wheels, we will feel that it becomes easier and easier to push. If we pushed it on glass, wood, sandpaper, or rubber, we would also find that the force required to push the car varies."
Ok – that makes sense. It is totally obvious; we state with a snort. Obviously, the car is sliding with more difficulty on rubber than on glass – glass is smoother! We've got it now!
Stan continues: "Then why, do you think, would people who purport to be experts in crash reconstruction still use a single drag factor – converted to a deceleration rate – when a car moves over several surfaces and while they have no evidence to determine whether one-, two-, three or all four wheels were locked or free-rolling? I know the answer: Every consideration you make that reduces the total braking result, will lower the calculated speed. If you considered the evidence properly, you would admit that no evidence means no braking – so the lowest possible values. If you then used a drag factor of 0.8 for a car that moved over wet tar, onto gravel, and onto wet grass without considering the number of wheels actually skidding, you would get a much higher speed result than if you considered each surface individually and admitted that you have no idea whether all four wheels were in a locked (maximum braking) state, or not."
Basic Accident Reconstruction
So is Stan saying is that a single distance cannot be used when a car skids over different surfaces or for when you cannot say how many wheels were locked? "Exactly," Stan replies. He seems to be very impressed that we understand now. But there's more, it seems, and Stan carries on…
"You see – the so-called Drag Factor is not only different for different surfaces; it is also different for wet versus dry surfaces. In the case of asphalt, it can even vary from newly laid (sharp) to traffic polished or even tar exposed. It also varies, based on the speed of an actual vehicle. When a vehicle is traveling at 30 km/h and brakes, the drag factor is actually higher than if it is traveling at 100 Km/h and brakes. Because road surface conditions can vary over time, such as when the road is wet versus dry, when there is loose sand on the road or not, or when the direction of movement changes, a single value cannot be used at all unless you are present on the day of the collision, immediately after, and conduct a series of tests on the road, in the same direction in which the vehicle was moving. The Society of Automotive Engineers released a paper, referenced as SAE 830621, that covers the many conditions and variables that should be considered before the analysis of collisions where drag factors feature. The paper specifically describes each surface type that most investigators will come across, under a variety of conditions and at different speeds, and even considers the types of vehicles involved – but it uses a range of values and not a single value, for each. Wherever at-scene testing is not done, you will be presented with a range of possible values to use, to ensure that any error or specific deviation is included and for you to produce accurate results. Considering all this, it means that the speed determination, using this single formula under discussion – if you insist on using it – should satisfy a specific set of criteria, before any results can be trusted."
The total distance over which the vehicle moves must be determined accurately – from visible tyre mark evidence from beginning to end.
The vehicle should skid over only one surface, from beginning to end.
The vehicle should slide to a stop, on that one surface, without striking anything or sustaining any serious damages.
The marks used to measure the distance must be proven – perhaps by tyre or track measurements – to be from the vehicle under consideration.
The Drag Factor for the surface should be determined through testing, or a range of values should be used (normally two values), with reference to research papers, and not estimated (as is typically done) to be as high as possible.
Stan adds more: "In any case, where any of the following occurs, the formula cannot be used in isolation anymore and should be supplemented by a series of additional calculations, for a variety of different surfaces, dynamics or damages."
If the vehicle moves over multiple surfaces.
If the vehicle collides with anything else or does not come to a stop naturally.
If there is not clearly visible evidence of the movement of the vehicle, along with the full distance of consideration.
If the vehicle is not moving in a straight line, such as when it is in yaw (spinning out of control) or rolling over.
If there is no way to determine exactly what a driver was doing, such as braking versus accelerating or doing nothing.
If tyre marks cannot be conclusively linked to the vehicle involved or to even the specific wheel or wheels of the vehicle.
"I have seen the single formula method used so many times in cases – almost all cases – where the dynamics are simply too complex for such simplification. One cannot take a complex dynamics event, such as when a vehicle rolls over, skids over multiple surfaces, or where there are other vehicles or fixed objects involved and simply calculate speed from this one formula. If your collision involves any of the complex dynamics mentioned but the report still only includes this one simple formula, you can be assured that the method used is incompatible with the model and results will likely be skewed and – more often than not – against you."
So, we wanted to know from Stan what you could do, if your vehicle accident claim was repudiated because of a finding that you were speeding excessively and therefore not taking due care or taking steps to avoid or minimize risk. Stan had some handy advice ready:
"Consider your options carefully. If you make use of the OSTI, be sure to request a copy of the full report used to determine your speed. In this case, keep in mind that you might have to enroll the services of an opposing expert – history shows that the OSTI will not accept you as an expert in your own case. It is always ideal to have your expert assist you with the preparation of your OSTI submission. Once the submission is made, the insurer will have 30 days to respond. When you receive the response and an expert report is included, you will not be able to go much further without appointing your own expert. This route will cost you money for the expert, but the process through the OSTI is typically over within a month or two, their final word holds water and your claim is settled or a reply received reasonably quickly. After this, if you are still not happy, you can always pursue the legal route."
"If you want to go the legal route immediately, you will have to hire lawyers or even advocates, you will need to pay them in advance most of the time, you are required to prove your case – the insurer typically doesn't have to prove anything – it could take up to two years to get a court date and, if you lose, you might end up having to foot the bill for the insurer's lawyers as well," adds Stan.
Accident Advice
He also adds the following advice: "In any case where there is any indication of tension – whether the case has been repudiated yet or not, consider appointing your own expert immediately to visit the scene to gather evidence, photographs, and measurements and to examine your vehicle before any evidence is lost. If your insurer repudiates only after six months of arguments – sometimes more – you will be left with only the evidence they have, to prove your case. While it is true that it will cost you some money to hire your own expert, you should be aware that not having the best evidence puts you at an immediate disadvantage when you refer your case to either the OSTI or start a civil claim. In a perfect world, you should consider getting at least an accident training manual to ensure that you can gather the most important evidence after your accident or consider basic accident investigation training – before you need it. Considering the cost savings, you could enjoy by doing this, it is a small price to pay, when compared to the cost of an insurance repudiation or a lengthy trial."
Stan Bezuidenhout regularly assists clients with Insurance Repudiations based on Expert Reports, can assist with the preparation of OSTI submissions, and can testify in court, on your behalf and in reference to the real evidence, if it goes that far.
This article was originally written by, or for, the Arrive Alive Official Website. See the article, as it originally appeared.
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Organic beef stock bones to make your own stock or bone broth. The flavour beats a stock cube by a mile. A full-flavoured base for soups, sauces and stews – or you can savour a nourishing mugful straight up.
Preheat your oven to its highest setting. Roast for about an hour until deep brown, turning once. Meanwhile, fry chopped onions, carrots and celery in a pan for 20-30 mins until caramelised. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato purée, then add the roasted bones. Cover with cold water, bring to a simmer, skim and add more cold water. Simmer, partially covered, for at least 4 hours - skimming from time to time.
Keep in fridge below 5˚C, and use by the date on the label. Pre-frozen, do not refreeze once thawed.


text:
Q: Android Studio build tools not found error Everything works as expected when creating a new project in android studio but when an already existing project is imported, error

"No installed build tools found. Please install version 19.0.1 or
  higher"

is shown. I have set the environment variables correctly.
 What could be wrong?

A: You have two options:

*

*Either install the required buildToolVersion. (In your case 19.0.1).
You can just press on button Install. Which appear with this error.

*Or if you don't want to collect bunch of buildToolVersion. Then use one already existing in your sdk.
In this case you will follow these steps.
(1) First find existing buildToolVersion. Either find in your old project app level build.gradle or you can see that in sdkFolder>build-tools. In my case it is E:\Khemraj\AndroidDND\Sdk\build-tools
(2) Then replace buildToolVersion in app level build.gradle with already installed build-Tool.
(3) You have to reopen that project. (Because just sync does not work in this case for now (Possibly a bug of Android Studio))
Things to be considered

*

*Offline mode should be disabled in case of installing new build-tool. (File>Setting>Search for offline). Disable Offline mode.

*Make sure to reopen project if you change buildToolVersion.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


AVALON — Organizers of the 22nd annual Church Mouse Marlin Invitational have already starting gearing up for this year's fishing tournament — scheduled Aug. 27 -28 — and they are looking for sponsors for the event.
Started 22 years ago in Avalon, the Church Mouse Marlin Invitational Tournament became the largest release tournament on the West Coast in 2004, when organizers Bob and Carol Butte decided to change the format of the event.
The change to a catch-and-release format, along with the event's success of raising money for the youth of Catalina, have kept the tournament going strong over the years. "The object of the Church Mouse is to bring good people together for great fun and fishing, while helping Catalina Island youth groups at the same time," Carol Butte said.
The event is nonprofit, and all cash donations from participants and outside donors go toward total donations benefiting Catalina youth, with only the direct expenses of operating the tournament being withheld. Bob and Carol Butte receive no compensation from the organization. Over the years, the tournament has donated in excess of $886,000 to Catalina Island youth groups.
Along with providing donations, the tournament also offers prizes for all winning boats — such as rods and reels, outboard engines and marine equipment. In addition, raffle prizes donated in the past have included a two-night stay at Hamilton Cove Villas, a night at the Inn at Mt. Ada, rods and reels, and many other items.
Last year's tournament was expanded to include yellowtail, white seabass and halibut — in addition to marlin — to create more fishing opportunities for participants. While only 18 boats participated in the event's first year, the tournament now regularly attracts about 70 boats to Avalon for the tournament weekend.
Boats participating in this year's event will pay a $700 entry fee. Last year, there were two marlin caught and released that took first and second prize. Third and fourth places went to teams that caught the largest halibut. More than $60,000 was raised in the 2011 event, and 60 boats participated.
Sponsors interested in having their company added to the list for the 2012 Church Mouse Invitational can contact Bob and Carol Butte at (310) 467-2317 or email churchmousecatalina@gmail.com.


I help companies increase their sales by improving their online presence. I am specialised in Google and social media ads.
Let's talk! If you have a project I can help with, do not hesitate to get in touch. I look forward to hearing from you. You can also get in touch via LinkedIn or Twitter.


Visitor Management System – quick visitor identification.
Virtual Border is a software solution designed for a quick and accurate identification of visitors in facilities with a high frequency of guests or a high level of safety requirements.
Virtual Border replaces traditional logbooks by reading and recording all data from personal documents. It also controls the access of each individual according to the security regulations of the facility.
On the entrance, this user-friendly software solution enables security guards to do the entire entry procedure in several seconds. The process includes scanning and reading personal documents, writing visit details, assigning visitor badges, assigning access levels, recording entry snapshots, etc.
In the control room, the supervisor can monitor every individual in real time as well as receive automatic notifications about various events in the facility.
The system generates different reports and statistics which provide accurate details important for your facility.
Software is available in several languages: English, French, Spanish, and Arabic.
Fast and accurate data entry!
Reads ID cards, driver licenses, passports, etc.


text:
Q: Proper translation/explanation for business sector, business field I am German. I am currently developing a system which acts like a data provider for company infos.
A company needs to be assigned to one or more "business sectors". I currently deal with companies doing the following:

*

*Repairing vehicles

*Towing services

*Handicraft businesses

*Motor vehicle experts

The above types I called "business sectors".
Below these can be "business fields", like:
Handicraft businesses

*

*mason

*carpenter, etc

So my question is, how would a native speaker call these two levels? So far I've seen industrial sectors, branches, etc... I am confused ;)

A: "Business sectors" or "Industrial sectors" is fine for your first level.
To me the examples in your second list are "trades" or "skills".
By the way (not germane to your specific question) "info" is a mass noun in English. "Infos" is not common and might not be understood.


The uniqueness of Kashmir is Srinagar that apart from being the capital to the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the summer months, the place is a glorious representation of nature. This Srinagar kashmir Tour Package will take you through the mesmerising journey to this beautiful city of lakes, With the River Jhelum flowing from its sides of Srinagar is protected by five districts. Lying in the Kashmir valley, Srinagar is at an altitude of 1585 meters. Srinagar is dotted with lakes and beautiful gardens which is mantained by srinagar tourism. Mughal Gardens With the sun kissed peaks of the mountains in the backdrop and the peaceful waters of the lakes. This 4 night 5 days tour will be best tour in your life that's our promis Package starting from 9000 INR. Book now pay just Rs 1000 rest on the day of Depature.
Arrive Srinagar, pride of the beautiful valley of Kashmir famous for its lakes dotted with Shikaras Transfer to Houseboat in the evening leave for shikara ride in world famous dal lake to Nehru Park, Lakut Dal, Baud Dal and last visit local market in dal lake return back to Houseboat Overnight in the Houseboat.
After breakfast checkout from Houseboat and leave for local sighseen in srinagar like Mughal Gardens that is Chashmi-e Shahi (The Royal Spring), Nishat (The Garden of pleasure) , Shalimar Bagh (Abode of Love) and if you have time and stemna then go for Shankaracharya Temple in the eveing check in hotel Dinner and Overnight in the hotel.
Morning leave for Pahalgam (94 kms /2.5 hrs) Valley of Shepherds . Enroute you will have an rare opportunity to visit the Saffron fields. Also visit Avantipura Ruins & Anantnag Sulpher Springs enroute, Enjoy the bounty of Nature at Pahalgam, located on the bank of beautyful Lidder River. in the evening return back to srinagar Over night stay at Hotel..
Morning leave for Gulmarg (Meadow of Flowers) 2730 mts. above the sea level. The distance of 60 kms will be covered in about 2 hours. Gulmarg has one of the best ski slopes in the world and highest golf course with 18 holes. If weather permits one can also have the view of Nanga Parbat, the naked mountain that is over 26,000 feet's and dominates the entire region, also enjoy cable car (Gondola) for mountain ride up to khilangmarg. Back to Srinagar Over night stay at Hotel.
After breakfast depart Srinagar Airport to catch the onward flight. Happy Journey.
On a trip to Kashmir, Dal Lake finds the first place on the itinerary. The alluring Shikara or the wooden boats that float on the beautiful waters impart a view of the circumference of the lake that promenades the Mughal gardens. The colourful hues of the nature and the sunrise and sunsets from the lake are impeccable. The lofty mountains, the blues both of the sky above and water below and the fragrances of the fresh flowers from the edging gardens makes the entire lake serene and tranquil.
Laid out with the Persian style of architecture, the Shalimar Bagh garden is sprawled in 31 acres of land. Built on the periphery of the Dal Lake the garden was built to please Queen Noor Jahan by Shehenshah Jahangir. Laden with trees on the sides and a canal flowing through the middle of the garden paved with polished stones the garden is a mesmerising beauty. With three terraces each portraying different views of the garden, Shalimar Bagh is drenched in its own beauty.
Dating back to 200 BC the temple is built on the top of Shankaracharya Hill. Being devoted to Lord Shiva the temple holds a prime significance to the Buddhists as well. The temple involves a little trekking for the devotees and is said to stand on an octagonal pavement. The temple has been renovated a several times and the premises of the temple impart a breath-taking view of the valley below.
In contrast with the Dal Lake, Nageen Lake is quieter and calmer and separated through a causeway from the Dal Lake. While the centre of the lake has clean blue placid waters the edges reflect the trees that are rowed along the shore line. With clear skies over head and wrapped between the mountains and cruising on the shikara is one of the best experiences of Srinagar.
With the hushed interiors that are an irony to the surrounding busyness of the bustling markets outside the premises of the mosque, Jamia Masjid is one of the holiest Islamic shrines of the country. Intricately carved wooden pillars count to 370, the mosque reflects Indo-Saracenic architecture. Elegantly standing tall amid the accurate square garden the mosque is of unmatchable in all forms.
The white marbled dome structure reflecting its charm in the waters of Dal Lake on its western shore is the Hazratbal Mosque. Being a prime place of worship for the followers of Islam the mosque holds the relics of the prophet Muhammad. The shrine is a beautiful architectural edifice that outshines perfectly.
The multi-terraced garden, literally translates to the 'palace of the fairies' is built at an elevation and offers splendid views of the Dal Lake. The Pari Mahal garden has velvety green gardens and has an historic importance that is much older than the Mughal Era. The place was initially a monastery for the Buddhists and then was the learning institute for Emperor Shah Jahan's son, Dara. The view just gets majestic from each terrace and surpasses the other.
A recent addition to Srinagar is the Tulip Garden. The largest of its kind in Asia, Tulip garden houses about 60 variants of tulips. When in the full bloom the tulips sprawl in about 12 hectares of area and provide a mesmerising view. The tulip garden was built with the mission to enhance the tourism of Srinagar.
Dedicated to Goddess Bhawani the temple is a sacred temple for the Kashmiri Pandits. It is said that the rice pudding, kheer is offered to the deity and hence the temple gets its name Kheer Bhawani. Enveloped by the chinar trees on the perimeter the temple is covered by smooth and gorgeous stones. There is also a sacred water spring that is said to be auspicious. Srinagar encompasses the beauty of heavens in one place and is a majestic and mesmerising place. This popular tourist destination it has all the components to take you to another place in time.