text:
Even as China seeks a treaty banning the placement of weapons in space, it has tested direct-ascent ASATs, including a 2007 test that destroyed a satellite and created a cloud of debris. (credit: AGI)
An exercise in the Art of War: China's National Defense white paper, outer space, and the PPWT
by Michael Listner
On March 31, 2011, the Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued a white paper on national defense titled China's National Defense in 2010.1 The white paper is a comprehensive public statement of the PRC's stance on matters relating to its national defense. Chapter X of the report, Arms Control and Disarmament, states the PRC's position on the prevention of an arms race in space. Specifically, the section states that:
[t]he Chinese government has advocated from the outset the peaceful use of outer space, and opposes any weaponization of outer space and any arms race in outer space. China believes that the best way for the international community to prevent any weaponization of or arms race in outer space is to negotiate and conclude a relevant international legally-binding instrument.
In February 2008, China and Russia jointly submitted to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) a draft Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space and the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects (PPWT). In August 2009, China and Russia jointly submitted their working paper responding to the questions and comments raised by the CD members on the draft treaty. China is looking forward to starting negotiations on the draft treaty at the earliest possible date, in order to conclude a new outer space treaty.
The United States rejected the PPWT in 2008, and the provisions of the proposal have raised questions among other members of the Conference on Disarmament, yet the Russian Federation and the PRC continue to press for its adoption. However, in spite of the PRC's stance in its white paper, is the true policy of the PRC to prevent an arms race in outer space or does it have a different objective in mind? The teachings of a legendary Chinese general may offer some insight.
PRC's perception of the United States' space power
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles."2
The United States is in a unique position among the nations of the world regarding the development of and the reliance upon its outer space systems. These systems not only provide national security functions, but also support the economy and civilian sector as well. It is this reliance that makes those outer space systems particularly vulnerable. The PRC recognizes both this reliance and vulnerability.
The PRC also understands that the best way to counter this advantage is to deny the United States the use of its space systems.
A 2007 report to Congress from the State Department's Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division3 addressing the PRC's January 11, 2007, ASAT test quoted the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time, General Peter Pace. At a March 7, 2007, news conference regarding the ASAT test, General Pace notes several comments made by PRC military and foreign policy personnel concerning the threat of the United States' outer-space systems to the PRC's national security:
"Various comments by PLA officers and PRC civilian analysts have justified the ASAT test as needed to counter perceived U.S. 'hegemony' in space and target the vulnerability of U.S. dependence on satellites."
"A PLA Air Force colonel wrote in late 2006 that U.S. military power, including long-range strikes, have relied on superiority in space and that leveraging space technology can allow a rising power to close the gap with advanced countries more rapidly than trying to catch up."
"A PRC specialist at Fudan University indicated that China's ASAT program is developed partly to maintain China's nuclear deterrence, perceived as undermined by U.S. space assets."
The PRC understands the advantage the United States has with it space systems, and that they are critical to its military operations. The PRC also understands that the best way to counter this advantage is to deny the United States the use of its space systems.
These open-source statements are not all-inclusive and raise the question of whether they actually reflect the true policy of the PRC. While it is difficult to rely solely on open source literature and commentary from the PRC as a persuasive warning that United States' outer space systems are vulnerable, neither should they be idly be dismissed.4
PRC and the PPWT
"With regard to precipitous heights, if you proceed your adversary, occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up."
"…if the enemy has occupied precipitous heights before you, do not follow him, but retreat and try to entice him away."
The PRC white paper extols the PPWT jointly submitted with the Russian Federation as the means to achieve the PRC's purported policy goal of preventing the weaponization of outer space. In an indirect reference to the PPWT, Cheng Jingye, director-general of the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made a comment early in 2011 that references the policy enunciated in the PRC white paper. Cheng, doubtless referring to the PPWT, said that the negotiation and conclusion of a new international legal instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space is the best way to ensure outer space's peace and security.5
The proffered purpose in the preamble of the PPWT6 by the Russian Federation and China is to address the deficiency of Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty.7 Article IV bans the placement of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in orbit of the earth, but it is silent concerning weapons that are non-nuclear or otherwise do not reach the destructive potential of a weapon of mass destruction.
The PPWT offers the following definition of a space weapon:
The term "weapon in outer space" means any device placed in outer space, based on any physical principle, which has been specially produced or converted to destroy, damage or disrupt the normal functioning of objects in outer space, on the Earth or in the Earth's atmosphere, or to eliminate a population or components of the biosphere which are important to human existence or inflict damage on them;
The PPWT goes on to say that:
A weapon shall be considered to have been "placed" in outer space if it orbits the Earth at least once, or follows a section of such an orbit before leaving this orbit, or is permanently located somewhere in outer space;
The PPWT then defines the "use of force" or the threat of "use of force" as:
The "use of force" or the "threat of force" mean any hostile actions against outer space objects including, inter alia, actions aimed at destroying them, damaging them, temporarily or permanently disrupting their normal functioning or deliberately changing their orbit parameters, or the threat of such actions.
The PPWT prohibits space weapons as defined by stating that:
[t]he States Parties undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying any kinds of weapons, not to install such weapons on celestial bodies and not to place such weapons in outer space in any other manner; not to resort to the threat or use of force against outer space objects; and not to assist or induce other States, groups of States or international organizations to participate in activities prohibited by this Treaty.
More important than what the PPWT prohibits is what it does not prohibit or address. An August 18, 2009, letter from the Russian Federation and PRC delegation to the Disarmament Conference addressed concerns with the PPWT raised by other members. In particular, the letter asserts that:
The PPWT prohibits the use or threat of force against "outer space objects", but it does not prohibit the use or threat of force in outer space.
The PPWT does not alter the right to self-defense allowed under Article 51 of the UN Charter; so long as that weapon is not prohibited by international law and is not used against a signatory of the PPWT.
The PPWT does not prohibit, the development, testing, and deployment of anti-satellite weapons (ASATs) so long as they do not meet the definition of "weapon in outer space" as defined by the PPWT.
The PPWT does not prohibit the development, testing and deployment of ground-based lasers and electronic suppression systems.
The PPWT does not address the issue of "dual-purpose" space technologies that could be employed both for peaceful or aggressive purposes.
The PPWT does not include any mechanism for verification.
The wording and interpretation of the PPWT works to the PRC's advantage by allowing it to continue to develop and deploy direct-ascent ASAT technology and other ground-based ASAT techniques. On the other hand, countries such as the United States would be limited in the means it could use to develop and deploy defenses specifically if the means of defense might be defined as a space weapon under the PPWT.
The PPWT and the United States' space policy
"Though the enemy be stronger in numbers, we may prevent him from fighting. Scheme so as to discover his plans and the likelihood of success. Rouse him, learn the principle of his activity and inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spot."
Diplomatic channels seem to verify that while publically touting its intention to prevent a arms race in space, the PRC is willing to do so only on its terms and through mechanisms like the PPWT to the exclusion of other methods.
United States space policy has evolved to recognize the dependence on its outer space systems and their inherent vulnerability. On October 6, 2006, the Bush Administration released the unclassified, public version of the National Space Policy.8 Among the principles enunciated, the National Space Policy states that:
The United States considers space capabilities — including the ground and space segments and supporting links — vital to its national interests. Consistent with this policy, the United States will: preserve its rights, capabilities, and freedom of action in space; dissuade or deter others from either impeding those rights or developing capabilities intended to do so; take those actions necessary to protect its space capabilities; respond to interference; and deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to U.S. national interests;
This stance was considered provocative by many and drew the ire of political commentators and scholars alike. In particular, a scholar in US-China relations suggested that the National Space Policy articulated the goal of the United States to gain a monopoly in outer space to the exclusion of others, and that China might develop anti-satellite and space weapons to defend against that goal.9
Congress inquired whether the National Space Policy could have been the impetus to the PRC's ASAT test, to which the State Department's April 23, 2007, report concluded that:
Even before issuance of the U.S. space policy, China conducted three previous tests of this direct-ascent ASAT weapon and, by September 2006, China had used a ground-based laser to illuminate a U.S. satellite in several tests of a system to "blind" satellites.
Before and after this latest ASAT test, PRC military and civilian analysts have voiced concerns about China's perceived vulnerability against U.S. dominance in military and space power. After the test, a Senior Colonel of the PLA's Academy of Military Sciences said that "outer space is going to be weaponized in our lifetime" and that "if there is a space superpower, it's not going to be alone, and China is not going to be the only one."
This counters that the proposition that the PRC's motivation to perform the test was in response to the National Space Policy, and that the PRC had other rationales for performing it.
The 2006 National Space Policy further addressed the importance of the continued integrity of the United States' outer space systems by stating that:
The United States will oppose the development of new legal regimes or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit U.S. access to or use of space. Proposed arms control agreements or restrictions must not impair the rights of the United States to conduct research, development, testing, and operations or other activities in space for U.S. national interests;
This principle of the National Space Policy elicited in part the response of the United States to the PPWT on October 20, 2008. In a letter to the Chairman of the 63rd Session of the UN General Assembly during a debate on the disarmament aspects of the outer space, the United State's public delegate, Karen E. House, stated that:
[i]t has been the consistent policy of the United States to oppose arms control concepts, proposals, and legally-binding regimes that seek or impose prohibitions on the use of space for military or intelligence purposes. The United States also opposes any arms control proposals which fail to preserve the right of the United States to conduct research, development, testing and operations in space for military, intelligence, civil or commercial purposes.
Ms. House, referring to the core space law treaties—the Outer Space Treaty, the Rescue Agreement, the Liability Convention, and the Registration Convention10 —also stated in her letter that: "it is also out long-standing position that the existing in-force regime is sufficient to guarantee the right of all nations for access to, and operations in, space."11
The National Space Policy released by the Obama Administration on June 28, 2010,12 takes a similar but a subjectively less provocative tack concerning the integrity of United States space systems:
The United States will employ a variety of measures to help assure the use of space for all responsible parties, and, consistent with the inherent right of self-defense, deter others from interference and attack, defend our space systems and contribute to the defense of allied space systems, and, if deterrence fails, defeat efforts to attack them.
Consistent with this principle, the current National Space Policy takes a different approach with regard to new treaties concerning outer space:
The United States will pursue bilateral and multilateral transparency and confidence-building measures to encourage responsible actions in, and the peaceful use of, space. The United States will consider proposals and concepts for arms control measures if they are equitable, effectively verifiable, and enhance the national security of the United States and its allies.
Given the lack of a verification mechanism in the PPWT and the inherent difficulty of verifying such a treaty, it is doubtful that the current National Space Policy will direct the United States to pursue it.
Two faces of the PRC's defense policy?
"Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance."
As noted earlier, much of the insight into the PRC's intentions are the result of open-source information; however, there is evidence from official channels that may indicate the intentions and policy of the PRC.
An article from the Washington Times reported on an missile-defense test performed by the PRC in 2010 using components of the ASAT system used in the January 2007 test.13 The information concerning the test was gleaned by from a diplomatic cable belonging to the United States and disclosed by Wikileaks.14 In addition to the information relating to the missile-defense test, the disclosed cable purportedly notes concerns from United States' diplomats that Beijing has duplicitous motives in regards to the issue of weapons in spaces.
The international community should continue to be wary of the public perception that the PRC works so hard to manufacture and promote.
According to the article, the cable purportedly contains concerns from United States' diplomats that, while Beijing is promoting international treaties to limit or ban weapons in outer space, it is secretly developing its own missile defense and space weapons programs. The article continues that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, during a recent visit to Beijing, offered to hold talks with China on missile defense, space weapons, nuclear weapons, and cyber weapons, but was apparently rebuffed, with the PRC relegating the offer to be studied.
If accurate, diplomatic channels seem to verify that while publically touting its intention to prevent a arms race in space, the PRC is willing to do so only on its terms and through mechanisms like the PPWT to the exclusion of other methods, all the while increasing its ability to neutralize United States space systems and gain an upper hand in outer space.
The two faces of the PRC on outer space
"When there is much running about and the soldiers fall into rank, it means the critical moment has come. When some are seen advancing and some retreating, it is a lure."
The combined open source material and information gleaned from official diplomatic communications suggest the PRC is following a two-pronged approach to address outer space security. The first prong of the PRC's strategy is to publically denounce the weaponization of outer space and advocate the international community to enter into formal treaties banning space weapons as defined by the PRC thereby leaving the outer space systems belonging to its potential adversaries open to exploitation. The second prong of the PRC's strategy is to continue to pursue the development and deployment of infrastructure both to deny an adversary the use of outer space while establishing an advantage in outer space.15
Given this, the PRC's white paper concerning outer space could be a pretense to a more aggressive policy that could be phrased—hypothetically—as follows:
To promote and actively engage foreign space powers in negotiations leading to legally binding international agreement(s) through the PPWT and its successors that would limit the defense and use of their space assets in the case of conflict. The People's Republic of China will pursue these agreements while maintaining and improving its technical ability to defend its outer space assets and deny foreign space powers the access and use of outer space.16
If this reflects the true face of the PRC's policy, then its white paper position towards outer space has more in common with the PRC's perceptions of the greatly criticized National Space Policy authorized by the Bush Administration, making the PRC's true stance anything other than the peaceful intentions as its white paper extols.
"All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is superior in strength, evade him. If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected."
The precise goals of the PRC in the arena of outer space policy cannot be completely understood through the information garnered from open-source and comprised official documents. However insufficient that information may be to make a thorough analysis of what the PRC's intentions are, the international community should continue to be wary of the public perception that the PRC works so hard to manufacture and promote.
For all its overtures of promoting the peaceful use of outer space, the PRC also cannot ignore the realities that outer space plays and will continue to play in the future. Surely, as the PRC strives to increase it geopolitical influence and exclude others those realities will become even more important in times of conflict. To that end, the lessons of Sun Tzu provide an excellent basis to understand the PRC's approach to this important issue.
Xinhuanet, "Full text: China's National Defense in 2010", March 31, 2011.
Quotes heading each section are taken from The Art of War, Sun Tzu, edited by James Clavell.
Shirley Kan, CSR Report for Congress, "China's Anti-Satellite Weapons Test", Order Code RS22652, p. CRS-4, April 23, 2007.
Michael P. Pillsbury, Ph.D, "An Assessment of China's Anti-satellite and Space Warfare Programs, Policies and Doctrines", January 19, 2007, p. 6. See also Christopher Stone, "Chinese intentions and American preparedness", The Space Review, August 13, 2007.
Deng Shasha, "Double standards must be discarded to prevent arms proliferation: Chinese official", Xinhua, January 21, 2011.
Conference on Disarmament, Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space Objects" (CD/1839), 29 February 2008.
Specifically, a section of the PPWT's preamble states "Noting that the existing agreements on arms control and disarmament relevant to outer space, including bilateral agreements, and the existing legal regimes concerning the use of outer space play a positive role in exploration of outer space and in regulating outer space activities, and should be strictly complied with, although they are unable to effectively prevent the placement of weapons in outer space and an arms race in outer space…"
The National Space Policy is marked as National Security Presidential Directive 49, but since that document has not been made public, excerpts are taken from "Unclassified" version released on October 6, 2006.
See generally, Bao Shixiu, "Deterrence Revisited: Outer Space", China Security, World Security Institute, Winter, 2007 (for a discussion on the United States National Space Policy and its threat to the PRC's national security.)
The United States has not ratified the Moon Treaty of 1979 and therefore does not recognize it as part of the legal regime of international outer space law.
Statement as delivered by Karen E. House, United States Public Delegate to the 63rd Session of the UN General Assembly, Delivered in the Debate on Outer Space (Disarmament Aspects) of the General Assemblies First Committee, October 20, 2008.
The National Space Policy enunciated by the Obama Administration is designated Presidential Policy Directive 4. The actual directive has not been released; excerpts are taken from the document released to the public on June 28, 2010.
See Bill Gertz, "ASAT Missile Defense", Inside the Ring, Washington Times, March 9, 2011.
The author has not personally reviewed the diplomatic cable in question. The author believes that the documents disclosed by Wikileaks, including the cable in question are still classified despite their disclosure, and will remains so until they are officially declassified by their original classifying authority. Thus, the author will rely on the second-hand account of the content of the diplomatic cable provided by the Washington Times for this discussion.
This approach is similar to the one proposed by Colonel Li Daguang in his book Space Warfare. See Christopher Stone, "Chinese intentions and American preparedness", The Space Review, August 13, 2007.
This language does not appear anywhere in any of the writings the author has presented. It is strictly the author's conclusion of the PRC's policy.
Michael Listner is a legal and policy analyst with a focus on issues relating to space law and policy. Michael has numerous writings on the topic published in legal and online journals and also writes a regular column on space law and policy at Examiner.com. Michael received his JD in 2001 from Regent University of School of Law in Virginia Beach, VA and was admitted to the New Hampshire Bar in 2003. Contact Michael at spacelawanalysis@gmail.com.


This is a copy of the devotional I sent my church members this morning.
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, "Woman,here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. 28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
I have on many occasions stood at the bedside of loved ones who breathed their last, and put my arms around their family members as they grieved. These are holy moments, imbued with meaning--sacramental in the way they point us beyond the moment to eternity itself. For the grieving, their presence in that moment is something to be cherished, and remembered. "I was there when they took their last breath," the might say afterward. And despite the loss, there is a measure of peace that comes with the memory of presence.
On this Good Friday, let us enter into the story here in John's Gospel---past the betrayals, the denial, the accusations, flogging, mocking and cursing... Today, let us simply stand with the disciples at the foot of the cross, holding one another and being present in the moment. If some of us must weep because the loss in our life is great and weighty, then let us weep with them. If some of us mourn what was, and will never be, then let us mourn with them.
But above all, let us be present in this moment, and know that when Jesus breathed those last words, "It is finished," that it wasn't the end.


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text:
War of the Rebellion: Serial 020 Page 0413 Chapter XXVI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.
This telegram was undoubtedly based on General Hunter's emphatic statement, made and repeated to General Halleck in every letter to which the controversy regarding the status and command of the reenforcement from North Carolina has given rise, to the effect that your conduct in the matter had been blameless, in General Hunter's judgment, and that you had only done your duty ion bringing before these headquarters, on General Hunter's assumption of command, instructions from your former commanding officer, which set up on his behalf a claim to retain independent command of the re-enforcements ordered by the Government to General Hunter's department.
Such being the facts of the case, it must be unnecessary to add that General Hunter uses the discretion given him by Major-General Halleck to retain your service int his department; and that, fully appreciating your many excellent qualities as a brave, experienced, and efficient officer, it is his hope that yo will have no cause to regret your service in this department.
I have the honor to be, general, your most obedient servant,
SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Numbers 116. Hilton Head, Port Royal, S. C., Feb. 28, 1863.
I. The infantry of the detachment of the Eighteenth Army Corps serving in this department will be divided into two division, commanded by Generals Henry M. Naglee and Orris S. Ferry. Brigadier General Thomas G. Stevenson is assigned to the command of a brigade in one of these divisions, which brigades will include the two regiments recently commanded by him if they have not been otherwise disposed of, and General Naglee is charged with this assignment.
II. All returns and reports hereafter will be by divisions, and will be forwarded through Brigade-General Naglee, as commanding officer on Saint Helena. The artillery detachments and companies will send their returns consolidated through the senior officer of the Third new York Artillery present on duty Brigade-General Naglee as a separate regimental organization, and that regiment will not be attached to any division.
Hilton Head, Port Royal, S. C., - -, 1863.
Commanding U. S. Forces, Saint Helena, S. C.:
GENERAL: Your-Special Orders, Numbers 19, having been officially referred to these headquarters by Surg. C. H. Crane, U. S. Army, medical director, it is deemed proper to inform you that no corps organization is contemplated with respect to the detachment of the Eighteenth Army Corps now in this department, and that after the removal of the detachment from Saint Helena Island you will under present orders only command you division, except in so far as military operations may
‹ Serial 020 Page 0412 Chapter XXVI. COASTS OF S. C. GA., AND MID. AND EAST FLA. up Serial 020 Page 0414 Chapter XXVI. COASTS OF S. C., GA., AND MID. AND EAST FLA. ›

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
"Giving me my life back": Using coaching to mitigate the impact of anti-social behaviour.
19th July by John Gray
Case study written by:
Anne Jones, Project Manager of Alliance Support Coaching
John Gray, Faculty, Academy of Executive Coaching
Engaging a coach may not immediately occur to someone whose life is being ruined by anti-social behaviour, but this comment from a client of Alliance Support Coaching (ASC) in Surrey illustrates the positive impact coaching can have.
"I wanted to thank you again for giving me my life back. As they say, the proof is in the pudding .... which came earlier this evening. As I walked into Tesco, both my neighbour and his girlfriend walked out. I had a wry smile and walked tall. My heart didn't beat faster and I was not rattled at all! Job well done - thank YOU."
Bryony, a confident businesswoman, found herself shaking and nauseous at the thought of bumping into her neighbour after he accused her of keying his car and physically assaulted her.
But following her second coaching session she sent her coach the text message above.
Bryony is one of over seventy clients who received coaching from ASC last year. The vast majority reported improvements in feeling:
- listened to;
- supported to cope;
- confident to deal with the situation;
- able to get on with their lives; and
- knowing what services could help.
The project is an initiative of the Alliance of Surrey Mediation Services who provide community mediation in Surrey and wanted to develop a service for clients where mediation was not possible.
It is funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey (OPCC) and receives referrals from partners supporting victims of ASB in Surrey.
So successful has been its first year that the Alliance Support Coaching has now boosted the number of coaches available to the project. ASC invited the Academy of Executive Coaching, which has trained over 11,000 people across 75 different countries during the past 20 years, to provide a coaching skills programme for a group of volunteer mediators, drawn from members of the Alliance of Surrey Mediation Services.
AoEC faculty member John Gray, who developed the training for ASC, also has a background in mediation and supervision. He reflected:
"The course offered training in coaching skills, and using coaching skills in conflict situations, to a group of people already experienced in facilitating development and change (mediators). Indeed, a key aspect of the course was to look squarely at the overlaps and differences between coaching and the aligned but different roles of mediating, mentoring and consultancy. Mediators learned how to apply and extend their existing skillset within a coaching approach."
Resources allowed for a four-day programme, plus individual and group tutorials. As with all AoEC programmes, best practice was offered with the intent of supporting the participants to shape their unique approach to coaching.
The course concluded with an observation process, so that ASC could review the participants' progress against the project's criteria.
One participant commented:
"The coaching course was extremely well planned and executed. Working as part of a group was extremely valuable and I feel ready and supported to take the next steps."
ASC and the AoEC are now in discussion to offer a second training course later in 2018. The first group trained are continuing to practise and observe colleagues with a view to taking on clients for the project imminently.
Click the logo above for more information on the project.
If you are interested in learning more about coaching, or becoming a coach, do come along to one of our free Open Events.
Mental health talk needs to translate into action and change
22nd November 2021 by Lee Robertson
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Study suggests wellbeing classes don't improve mental health at work
16th September 2021 by Lee Robertson
Recent analysis shared at a British Sociological Society conference last month suggests that classes for stress management, relaxation and mindfulness…
World's first international standards published on workplace mental health
23rd August 2021 by Lee Robertson
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text:
Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda
Australian Class Actions
The registration deadline for claims in the settlement has now closed, which means that new claim registrations can no longer be accepted. However, if you are an existing registrant and you have received notification that you are eligible to receive a settlement payment, you can continue to use this website in order to provide your bank account details and access information about your claim.
The final deadline to provide your payment details and other information if you are eligible to receive a settlement payment is midnight on 21 July 2021. If you fail to comply with this deadline, you will forfeit your entitlement to receive a settlement payment.
Settlement of the Australian class actions
The Federal Court of Australia has approved the settlement of the Australian class actions against Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda over the diesel emissions issue, which was negotiated by Maurice Blackburn and Bannister Law on behalf of eligible Australian motorists. The settlement means that:
The Volkswagen Group has, without admission of liability, paid approximately AU$120 million to eligible Australian motorists plus legal costs and other payments
The estimated average settlement payment per vehicle is AU$2,800, subject to the final assessment of all claims registered by Australian motorists
The range of settlement payments per vehicle, calculated in accordance with the method developed by the lawyers acting for the applicants, is approximately AU$1,589 to AU$6,554, depending on factors such as the type of vehicle and its age
More detail about the settlement which has now been approved is contained in the Settlement Notice, which was distributed to potentially eligible Australian motorists in December 2019 and is available here.
A copy of the current settlement scheme, approved by the Federal Court on 20 November 2020, is also available here.
On 13 May 2020, the Federal Court delivered its written judgment in relation to the approval of the settlement. A copy of the judgment is available here.
Settlement payments
Under the settlement, any person who held an interest in an affected 1.6 or 2.0 litre "EA189" diesel engine Volkswagen, Audi or Skoda vehicle as at either 18 September 2015 or 3 October 2015 is eligible to claim a settlement payment. Most commonly, an "interest" in an affected vehicle will mean ownership of the vehicle as at either of those dates. It may also mean certain types of lease.
The registration process to claim a settlement payment has now closed. If you did not register via this website by midnight 26 March 2020 or otherwise in accordance with the orders made by the Federal Court, you will not be entitled to receive any settlement payment.
If you did register a claim for a settlement payment, you can log-in to your account using this website to check the status of your claim. If you are eligible to receive a settlement payment, you can also log-in to your account to provide your payment details and other information.
The final deadline to provide your payment details and other information if you are eligible to receive a settlement payment is midnight 21 July 2021. If you fail to comply with this deadline, you will forfeit your entitlement to receive a settlement payment.
For a fast answer to your question, we suggest checking the "FAQs" tab above.
For further information or if you have any other questions, please contact our team by email at vw@mauriceblackburn.com.au or by telephone on 1800 517 397.


Reddit is quite different from your traditional social media platforms. In fact, if truth be told, it is considered to be an intimidating as well as a peculiar platform.
When you log into it, you may actually feel like you have logged into your email account, what with a list of messages waiting for you on the homepage.
What's more, there are said to be a lot of ruthless and harsh users out there which is why Reddit has seen its fair share of controversies. However, when it comes to generating some traffic to your website, nothing works better than this platform.
Reddit was launched in the year 2005 and ever since it has grown into one big digital community. Here, the users submit their content in the form of a link which can be viewed by others.
After reviewing the quality and the relevance of the content, the other users cast a vote in favor of or against it. This process is known as Karma.
It is based on the Karma, that the content is ranked on the page. It goes without saying that only the best content with high Karma has a chance to make it to the opening page of the platform.
Thus, if you really want to get some insane traffic, the key is to post relevant and high-quality content to the website.
Reddit comprises of various communities that focus on a particular interest. These communities are termed as subreddits. Every subreddit is defined with a URL.
In order to look for a Reddit marketing, you just need to type the term "subreddit" along with the word that you are looking for. So, if you are specifically trying to focus on a particular interest group, you need to create a winner subreddit.
How Reddit marketing helps in Traffic Generation?
Yes, Reddit does look like a complex platform. However, getting acquainted with it is really not that hard.
Though it may seem a tad confusing at the onset, once you get the hang of it, it becomes the best tool to drive insane traffic, what with it boasting of about 51 million users and more than 1 million communities.
Also, the bounce rate of Reddit is 25% which means the site seriously keeps its users engaged.
However, getting high traffic requires some work on your part too. You need to be aware of where to look for the right people and then kick off a healthy discussion.
Also, you will have to bring in some high-quality marketing content that will engage the users and urge them to give you high karma.
When it comes to Reddit marketing, it is all about choosing the correct subreddit and you are all set. So, let us take a look at how you can use Reddit to drive traffic and gain in the bargain.
Now, don't think that as soon as you join the Reddit arena, you can forth and start posting your content. The site users are said to seriously look down upon sales pitches.
So, this means you need to be patient and embark on your Reddit marketing journey by participating in various discussions and forums.
This is what helps in gaining the trust of the other users. Not doing this and straightaway jumping into market your brand is bound to bring in a lot of downvotes.
Yes, this may seem a bit over the top but that is how Reddit marketing works.
Now you also need to be sure that you and your content is not spammed. This happens when the content is posted with the name of a company.
So, choosing a proper username on Reddit is of prime importance. Make sure to pick one that does not reflect your company name.
As a participant, you are expected to offer some value to the community that you may be following. This is what will help you gain a positive reputation in your group.
Once you have spent enough time participating in the various subreddits that you are targeting, go ahead and post content on these.
You can get an idea of the popular content on each subreddit by clicking on the "Top" option. Remember that the top content will be diverse for different subreddits and you may have to alter your content based on their preferences.
You need to keep posting on your target subreddits for about three to four weeks before you start mentioning your company. Of course, you can kick off a few discussions and share a few links but none of this should reflect your idea of reddit marketing.
With continuous participation and posting, you can earn a positive Karma score. Once you get this, you can start mentioning the website. However, this too calls for some expertise. Get an idea by looking at how others do it.
Since you have been part of the target subreddits for quite some time now, you would be well aware of what works in each community. So, your next goal is to create content that is relevant and in sync with each subreddit.
Now, remember that the content has to alter from one subreddit to another. While in a subreddit just posting the link to your website would be enough, there would be others where you need to come up with a detailed piece and weave in the link within it.
Failing to do so can win you down votes and negative comments.
The key is to go through the highly voted content of other users as this will give you an idea of what is expected and what works in each subreddit.
Now, that you are through with the initial hiccups, it is time to submit the link to your site. However, you are not done yet.
Just posting a link is not enough. You have to make sure that the link submission is optimized as this is what will drive traffic to your website.
By this time, you must be pretty sure as to whether you have to post a link or whether you need to embed it into a text post. The chances are that you may have to do both depending on the kind of subreddits that you may be targeting.
No matter, what you plan to do, you have to enhance the visibility of your submissions. This is quite similar to the conventional content marketing strategies. Start off with a creative title which would urge the users to click on it.
You can also tag your post which would help the users to identify what to expect. For example, you can tag it as an "Article", an "FAQ" etc. Check out for the tags that are being used by other users and include the relevant one in your submission.
Ask Me Anything or AMA is quite an intriguing concept on Reddit and one that can help you to drive traffic to your website. However, this can be done only once you have gained a reputation.
Though all subreddits do not support AMAs, most of them allow these.
It is quite identical to an interview where the Reddit users pose questions and you have to answer them. The deal is to give witty and interesting answers and drop in your website details in the midst of the discussion without seeming too obvious.
When hosting an AMA, it is important that you answer all the queries in detail without holding back information.
Reddit is full of passionate users. No wonder then that posts come across severe criticisms and downvotes. However, don't let these deter you.
Once Reddit users fall for a post, they can make it viral as well. So, just follow the rules and keep going. Remember that once your content starts trendinghere, you will drive a lot of traffic to your website.


We want to take interrupts in kernel mode in order for the hardware crash to be handled. Gently click so that hard disk get locked.
If interrupts happen in kernel mode, we would have a processor such that the hardware. Magical 5 registers are put on the same stack that it is currently running.
We do not call swapgs if the interrupt was not protected in current mode. If current gs is negative, we should swap.
testq checks if interrupts are disabled, then we enable interrupts. Pending interrupts will happen.
regs and yields tell CPU how to start a process back up.
A certain amount of preparation needed.
Kernel yields to the SCHEDULER.
We could have created an entire reg state, pushed every single register onto the stack. There's a cheaper way to implement voluntary rather than involuntary.
YIELD is INVOLUNTARY, CHEAPER than regs.
iret is needed for kernel transition.
rax might change this call to yield. If rax needs to be preserved, a small number of registers are saved. Callee-saved registers. Those registers we have to save.
We could design with regs, yields, and syscall with registers needed for syscalls.


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Saint-Bonnet-Briance é uma comuna francesa na região administrativa da Nova Aquitânia, no departamento de Alto Vienne. Estende-se por uma área de 30,06 km².

Comunas do Alto Vienne

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Jack Dorsey's continued success & dedication to change how we look at the world has led many tech pundits to call him the next Steve Jobs – who was the Visionary behind Apple. Dorsey has had a similar path as Jobs. Just as Jobs got the boot out of Apple – the company he founded, so did Dorsey at Twitter. But both eventually found their way back into their respective companies and turned into the lead product Visionaries at them.
How Jack started. While growing up in St. Louis, Missouri –at 14 – Dorsey became interested in Dispatch Routing and wrote open source SW to help "dispatch" Taxis to waiting customers. He eventually moved to New York City, the "Capital of Taxis", to study at NYU. Several years later, in 2000, he started a company in Oakland, California, to dispatch couriers, taxis, & emergency services from the web.
The birth of Twitter. That same year, Dorsey signed up for Live Journal – a social network where users can share Blogs. Inspired by the experience, he thought of ways to improve the service: make a more real-time, up-to-date Blogging service that you can share with friends.
Pod-Casting to Twitter. After dropping out of NYU, Dorsey later found himself working at Evan Williams' Podcasting service Odeo in 2006. It was there that Dorsey's idea fully manifested into Twitter and Williams named him CEO. In 2008, Twitter's board of directors and Williams pushed Dorsey out of the company, because he was struggling to keep the site up & running. This effectively made Williams the new CEO and Dorsey the chairman of Twitter. In an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, Dorsey said that it felt like being "punched in the stomach" when the board ousted him from the company that he created.


Recently, we had a service call to repair a battery charger for a local business which was not operational. The charger has been stored outside for years with little to no protection from the elements. Below we discuss our findings below and the condition of the battery charger circuit boards within.
We get a multitude of questions about how to gain more power from an electric golf cart. As with many questions of this nature, there are several means to an end. Below, we will discuss how to increase your torque to gain more power from an electric golf cart, as well as define some basic terminology to help understand these concepts.
We get lots of questions regarding battery terminal repair on electric golf carts. Often, the need to repair the terminal is due to a melted post, or other scenario that does not allow the power wires to be secured to the terminal. Rather than replace an otherwise good battery, we've gotten creative over the years and have learn how to easily handle this battery terminal repair.
Golf cart fuel pump problems can often be caused by a clogged up pump due to debris and other foreign objects. We did another tutorial last month regarding golf cart fuel pump problems, but we had a special case in the shop a few days ago and thought it might be worth a follow-up. Below, we'll discuss this case and fuel pump in further detail.
We often receive questions about checking golf cart charger diodes. We have prepared a great tutorial to explain what a diode is, what it does, how to test it, and replacement procedures. These procedures are relatively simple, but a multi-meter with the capability of testing continuity will be need for testing.
For many years, we have advised our customers never to tow their golf cart on a trailer or in a truck bed backwards if a windshield is installed. The reasoning behind this advice is to prevent the windshield from blowing off and causing damage to your cart or others on the road. In this discussion, we'll elaborate on how to properly care for your golf cart windshield during the process of moving the vehicle.
Despite many modern automobiles and golf carts both having fuel pumps, their principles of operation are very different. Whereas automobiles typically use electric fuel pumps or fuel injection, golf carts on the other hand, primarily use vacuum based fuel pumps. Within our discussion here, we'll discuss possible issues with golf cart fuel pumps, how to test for proper operation as well as replacement procedures.
We are often asked by customers over the phone, by e-mail and in our own shop how to go about testing a gas golf cart solenoid. This is a relatively simple process, and the specifics should be researched within the service manual for your brand, year and model. For the purpose of this discussion, we'll stick to the gas golf cart. We'll publish another article soon to cover electric models.


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Home / HUUB TV / Swim The Wash For Joss Part 1: Professor Greg Whyte Advises
Swim The Wash For Joss Part 1: Professor Greg Whyte Advises
Claire Draper was preparing to swim The Wash to raise money for her best friends' daughter Jossie who is fighting high-risk neuroblastoma. HUUB arranged for one of their lifelong friends and brand ambassadors Professor Greg Whyte to meet Claire in London for a swim, and also to advise on training and what to expect throughout the challenge.
Greg Whyte OBE, the physical activity expert, world-renowned sports scientist and former Olympian has helped raised over 37 million for Sport Relief and Comic Relief heading up gruelling challenges, a number involving open water swimming such as David Walliams swimming the channel and the whole length of the River Thames.


When President Trump visited the border town of McAllen, Texas, yesterday, he was met by protesters opposing a barrier and counter-protesters shouting "Build that wall!"
The president continues to demand $5.7 billion in federal funding to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have rejected providing any money for a barrier.
Shortly before leaving for Texas, Trump told reporters that he was still considering the possibility of declaring a state of emergency to fund the wall.
"If this doesn't work out, probably I will do it. I would almost say definitely," the president said.
Should the president declare a state of emergency to fund his wall?
House Democrats have passed a resolution to defend the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, against a lawsuit filed by GOP states. A Texas federal judge ruled in favor of the lawsuit, saying the ACA is unconstitutional. The Trump administration has declined to defend the law. The resolution is largely seen as a way for Democrats to force Republicans to go on the record of whether they support protecting patients with pre-existing conditions. Should Congress fight to protect the Affordable Care Act?
Belgium has banned the Muslim and Jewish methods of ritually slaughtering animals. The ban was pushed by animal rights advocates and right-wing nationalists. Europe and the European Union have regulations requiring that animals be rendered insensible to pain before slaughter, making the process more humane. Usually this means using a "captive bolt" device that fires a meal rod into the animal's brain. But kosher and halal rules mandate that an animal be in perfect health prior to slaughter, then killed with a single cut to the neck. Religious authorities say this rules out stunning the animal first. Should the U.S. ban kosher and halal slaughter?
Yesterday, for the second time this week, Senate Democrats filibustered the bipartisan Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act. The (D)s argued that no other legislation should be considered until a bill ending the partial government shutdown is considered. The same four Democrats joined all present Republicans in voting for the bill, which needed 60 votes to advance but failed on a 53-43 vote. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) filed a new cloture motion for the bill, which could be considered when the Senate reconvenes next week. Should Congress pass these bills related to Syria?
Voting on a bill to provide $35.8 billion in funding for National Parks, land management agencies, and the EPA.
The Senate will hold a pro forma session, no votes are expected.
Here's how you're answering Should the U.S. & Mexico Partner on Economic Initiatives?
Like Countable? Want to make it even better? Well, Countable is hiring!
We're looking for talented engineers that have a passion for empowering communities to engage in issues that are important to them.
Our current opening is for a Full Stack Engineer based out of San Francisco.
This person will work directly on Countable's applications and websites, building new features and evolving our interface to support client needs.
For a full list of qualifications, and to submit your application, click here.
And even if you don't know your Ember.js from your Vue.js, we always want to hear how to make Countable work better for you. Keep on commenting.
*Happy "Learn Your Name In Morse Code Day"


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News / R&B News
Rihanna Launches Limited Edition Sock Collection
by Elle Breezy March 17, 2017
When one thinks about superstar Rihanna, one doesn't think about socks…but now you will! The singer has partnered with Stance to launch a sock collection called "Murder Rih Wrote" to be available for a limited time only.
Candy Harris, vice president of the women's division of Stance Socks, told Vogue mag in a statement, "I know a lot of people are probably saying 'Why socks?' And that's really the beauty of it, and that's why Rihanna's perfect, because she's constantly innovating and looking to see what's next. Socks are not really a trend; they're a fashion staple."
"I've had a great relationship with Stance for a long time and I am happy to be working with them on such a fun and creative project," Rihanna told WWD. "This is an exciting new venture."
The socks will cost from $26-30, and according to RiRi, "there are 3 socks in a pack, designed all differently so you can switch up the pair you wear!" She adds, "Made for both Men and Women! (Also comes in an over-the-knee ladies)."
The full collection will debut this fall. Get check out the beginnings of the collection at Stance.com.
TaggedRihanna
American Idol Winner Candice Glover Releases New Single 'My Mistake'
Prince's Heirs Not Happy With The Way His Estate Is Being Ran
Ray J Tapped For "Artists Who Care," Singer Headlines Benefit Presented By Harmony4Kidz
Lauryn Hill Launches Her Own Music Festival, Diaspora Calling!
First Look: Justin Timberlake on Oprah's Master Class
Crooner Maxwell Shows Emotional Side on Upcoming VH1 Storytellers
SR Gospel: Sunday Best Readies Premiere, New Judges
Lil Wayne To Perform At the Grammys, Joins Coldplay, Jonas Brothers, Perry


Celebrate Food, Art and Culture during the 81st Araw ng Dabaw celebration at Cafe Uno in Davao City.
Hosted by Waterfront Insular Hotel Manager Bryan Lasala together with Chef Rolando and wife Chef Jackie Laudico.
Cafe Uno's fusion of Filipino and Mindanaoan cuisine highlights Maranao and Tausug dishes made with the Laudicos' signature style of cooking.
Everything is done from scratch, using the best quality and seasonal ingredients we can find, said by Chef Lau.
Guests were first hosted to cocktail reception at the Vinta Bar patio and served an option of punch glasses -- SAPAK, a refreshing mix of salabat, watermelon and Benefiber; Davao Punch, a rich mixture of guava, calamansi and pomelo - while being entertained to Sining Tala's Singkil.
To officially launch the Filipino Food Fiesta Dinner Buffet, a ceremonial breaking of the Salt-Crusted Maya-Maya was done by Guest Celebrity Chefs Rolando and Chef Jackie (who personally prepared the dishes) together with Waterfront's Corporate Chef Giovanni Sias and Executive Chef Beinvenido Chavez.
Starting April 1st at Cafe Uno experience Waterfront's Filipino Food Fiesta Dinner Buffet for a nett rate of PHp750.00 nett per person.
Added here is Tiyula Itum (beef black soup with burned coconut), Sayur Nangka (young jackfruit curry), Fish Piyalam (baby Lapu-Lapu in tumeric and lemongrass sauce) and a lot more.
To top off the delectable dining experience, Chef Jac boasts a variety of cakes and pies. For this buffet spread in particular, she chooses to feature Davao's Durian with signature desserts like Durian Fruit Pavlova, Durian Tiramisu, Durian Caramel Cake and Durian Panacotta.
It was indeed a festive Araw ng Dabaw for tourism executives, corporate patrons, industry partners and friends from the media and influencers who where there exclusively invited to a preview of Waterfront's Filipino Food Fiesta Dinner Buffet.
It's an honored to meet the culinary rock star Chef Rolando Laudico better known as Chef Lau and his wife Chef Jackie.
Have your reservations now, call (082) 233 2881 to 83 local 8700.
Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao prides itself as the only resort-hotel in Davao City. The sprawling 8-hectare property features an outdoor swimming pool, 5 restaurants and 159 guest rooms and suites that give guests the feel of being in touch with nature. A beachfront gateway to the rich, cultural heritage of the Mindanao region, it offers a scenic view of the Davao Gulf and Samal Island.


A mosaic is an image created by assembling small pieces of glass, ceramic, stone or other materials to form a picture, with these tesserae (or more commonly known as mosaic tiles) usually being roughly square in shape and coming in a whole range of colours to suit specific designs. A mosaic might be used in interior design schemes, it might have cultural significance or it could simply be a piece of decorative art in its own right, with patterns being as intricate and varied as you can imagine.
Mosaics are thought to go back some 4,000 years or more, with the earliest known examples being Chinese. These carefully-arranged pebble mosaics were used mainly as pavements, being relatively unstructured in design despite the use of different coloured stones, whilst the Sumerians pushed terracotta cone-shaped rods into walls and pillars to create geometric patterns. Meanwhile, in Aztec culture, ceremonial objects and masks were adorned with precious stones, but it wasn't until around the fourth century BC when the Greeks raised the humble mosaic into an art form.
Mosaic designs became more and more intricate over the next few centuries with precise geometric patterns being created as well as highly detailed scenes of animals and people—stone tesserae became specifically manufactured with some pieces being just a few millimetres in size, meaning mosaics now had the ability to resemble intricate paintings. The Romans took this one step further with their mosaics being built into pavements, walls and even ceilings, with images of their gods, war depictions and scenes from everyday life as well as complex geometric patterns being commonplace. Techniques became refined and tesserae more varied, with them now being produced from pottery, terracotta, glass and even gold.
Mosaics have been popular in decoration and architecture ever since, but it's only relatively recently that this art form has turned into a crafting activity. These days anyone can have a go at creating a mosaic with everything from marble mosaic tiles to stunning iridescent tiles being available, offering far more than the traditional stone options of centuries gone by, and you can create anything from a piece of jewellery to a mirror surround depending on your preferences. If you want to get in on the action all you'll need is a suitable mosaic tile shop (such as us) to supply you with your materials and you're good to go, so what are you waiting for? Mosaics have an incredibly rich history and there's a reason they've stood the test of time, so make sure to take a look around for a few supplies and you could have a go at this most historic of art forms for yourself.


As i understand it...Frog Island is a half mile away from Oak, if someone did tunnel that far I wonder how they got air down to them as they crossed under the water...or disposed of the dug out spoils...would be a slow process.
It is hard to imagine a tunnel that long without some method of delivering fresh air to the sappers. I wonder if we can find indications of methods used in early periods for such purposes?
Just a guess...but since Oak Island had been used many times for farming and has had several homesteads on it over the years..Most trees would have been cleared to plant crops and also for firewood and cabin building, fences etc..
My guess Richard, is that John Smith owned the eastern end of Oak Island and all of Frog Island, so perhaps he wanted the wood of Oak Island (on his lots) to remain in easy access for winter firewood and shelter from wind and storms, so sold timber to the treasure hunters from his Frog Island only.
Ok that seems to make perfect sense. Seems like a wise choice even if a bit more labour intensive.
Doug Crowell, I have been making a Time Line of many events spreading out to each story, plus tons of research into the Oak Island Treasure hunt. I'd like to help you guys in research, get what I need from you guys that might be missing and share my hard work. Can you please contact me. 61 years old retired in Arizona.


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Learn about Guns and COVID-19 »
Extreme Risk Laws
Microstamping
Universal Background Checks
Taking on the NRA and the Insurrectionist Reality
Disarming Domestic Abusers
Guns in Public
Gun Industry Immunity
Engaging Impacted Communities
Federal Actions
State Actions
Josh Horwitz on 60 Minutes
A look at Red Flag laws and the battle over one in Colorado
The Red Flag movement began after Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Mental health experts and gun safety advocates wrote a model law which most of the Red Flag states adopted. Among the authors was Josh Horwitz, who leads the coalition to stop gun violence.
Josh Horwitz: This is a law that is a temporary civil restraining order that allows family members or law enforcement to go to a court and remove the most lethal means – a firearm – before a tragedy occurs. And if the judge agrees and issues the order, law enforcement will go and serve the order on the respondent, remove the firearms, and then somewhere between 7 and 21 days everybody will come back to court there'll be a full hearing. If the person, in fact, is dangerous to self or others, the firearms will be kept by law enforcement, and that person won't have access to them for a year.
© Coalition to Stop Gun Violence | 805 15th Street NW | Washington, DC 20005 | (202) 408-0061 | csgv@csgv.org


Provide excellent academic programs that will foster the School's leadership and competitiveness in Puerto Rico.
Promote interdisciplinary research to improve the health of the individuals and the community.
Promote interdisciplinary service activities to improve health of individuals and the community.
Enhance visibility of the faculty in decision-making bodies and stakeholders locally, nationally or internationally.
Strengthen School of Pharmacy units that serve the internal and external community.
Promote the effective and efficient use of technology to support teaching-learning, research, and administrative processes.
Provide the fiscal, human, physical and technological resources necessary for the development of the academic programs.
Transform the organizational culture in order to foster an environment where faculty, students and support staff feel committed to attaining the School of Pharmacy vision, mission and values.
Strengthen collaborations with other schools of pharmacy and organizations at a national and international level.
Integrate the views of stakeholders from diverse perspectives and experiences in order to improve the academic program effectiveness.
The Doctor of Pharmacy Program of the University of Puerto Rico – School of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
© 2019 Developed by Development of Information Technologies, Information Systems Office.


Anyone can claim their clothing protects against life-threating hazards, but when your workers' safety hangs in the balance, you want to be absolutely certain. Various organizations, ranging from governmental bodies, such as OSHA, to industry trade associations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), and ASTM International have developed testing-based standards to ensure clothing that claims to protect your workers truly does. Click on the standards and test methods below to learn more.


Contemporary and edgy, Mabelle Boho Necklace will making a statement no matter what. The spikes hanging from multistrand chain showcase your modern sense of style. Buy this beautiful boho spike necklace and add it to your collection of fashion accessories today.


Join us on the Arctic Circle!
Is to provide guests with a fantastic and educational experience, demonstrating excellent dog care, looking after our environment, sharing the wonders of Dogsledding and the beauty of Arctic Lapland.
Official Trailer - The Riders of the Arctic from Hilse De Groote on Vimeo.
On the 5th of February the documentary 'The Riders of the Arctic' was released.
A full Finnmarksløpet adventure from the preparation till the finishing line. Starring Mel Andrews and the winner of the Finnmarkslopet 2016 Petter Karlsson. Several mushers, volunteers, crew and veterinarians share their feelings throughout the race. What does it take to participate in the largest dog sledding race of Europe?
Director Hilse De Groote is about to introduce the documentary worldwide, the intention is to put both dog sledding and the Finnmarksløpet in the spotlights.


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Die Hoofdklasse (wörtlich: "Hauptklasse") ist die höchste niederländische Feldhockeyliga und gleichzeitig eine der Hockeyligen mit dem höchsten spielerischen Niveau weltweit. Sie besteht sowohl bei den Herren als auch bei den Damen aus je zwölf Teams. Nach Hin- und Rückrunde ermitteln die vier bestplatzierten Mannschaften in einer Play-Off-Runde (best of three) den niederländischen Meister.

Gegründet wurde die Hoofdklasse 1970, Meister in der Saison 2021/22 wurde bei den Herren der HC Bloemendaal und bei den Damen der HC 's-Hertogenbosch.

Saison 2006–2007

Herren

Relegation Hoofdklasse/Overgangsklasse

 Union – Pinoké 2:3 (0:1)
 Pinoké – Union 4:0 (3:0)

 Voordaan – Klein Zwitserland 3-2 (3-1)
 Klein Zwitserland – Voordaan 4-3 (0-3)
 Voordaan – Klein Zwitserland 6-5 n.7m (1-1,1:1)

Halbfinale (best of three):

 Stichtse CHC – HC Bloemendaal 0:2 (0:1)
 HC Bloemendaal – Stichtse CHC 2:1 (1:1)

 HC Rotterdam – HGC Wassernaar 4:2 (1:1)
 HGC Wassenaar – HC Rotterdam 1:0 n. V. (0:0,0:0)
 HGC Wassenaar – HC Rotterdam 5:2 n.7m (1:1,0:0)

Finale (best of three):

 HGC Wassenaar – HC Bloemendaal 2:3 n.V (1:0,2:2)
 HC Bloemendaal – HGC Wassenaar 2:1 (1:1)

Saison 2010–2011

Herren

Relegation Hoofdklasse/Overgangsklasse

 Hurley – Haagsche Delftsche Mixed 0:1 (0:1)
 Haagsche Delftsche Mixed – Hurley 1:6
 Hurley – Haagsche Delftsche Mixed 1:0 n. V. (0:0,0:0)

 Klein Zwitserland – HC 's-Hertogenbosch 4:7 (2-2)
 HC 's-Hertogenbosch – Klein Zwitserland 4:3

Halbfinale (best of three):

 Rotterdam – Orange Zwart 2:6  (1:1)
 Bloemendaal – Rotterdam 3:2- (2:0)

 Orange Zwart – Amsterdam 3:4 (3:3,1:3)
 Amsterdam – Orange Zwart 5:4 n.7m (2:2,0:0)

Platz 3, dritter Europapokalstarter (best of three):

 Rotterdam – Orange Zwart 5:4 n.7m (1:1,1:1)
 Orange Zwart – Rotterdam 6:3 (3:1)
 Orange Zwart – Rotterdam 2:3 (2:2)

Finale (best of three):

 Amsterdam – Bloemendaal 3:2 (2:1)
 Bloemendaal – Amsterdam 5:6 n.7m (1:1,1:1)

Niederländische Meister seit 1980

Weblinks
 Hoofdklassehockey
 Hockey.nl
 Hockeyweekly.nl

Einzelnachweise

Hockeywettbewerb für Vereinsmannschaften
Hockeywettbewerb in den Niederlanden


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Exploring Sikh | Sikhi | Sikhism
Being And Becoming A Sikh
Thread starter IJSingh
becoming being sikh
IJSingh
Post 9/11 the airports all over America have been swarming with uniformed armed members of the National Guard. Whether they can effectively identify each and every possible terrorist hell bent on destruction is a different matter. The guards are there to lend an aura of security.
We know that people who wear certain uniforms serve only one purpose — to protect us. When we see a gun in such a person's hands, we know that it will be used only in our defense. The soldier has taken an oath to risk his or her own life in service to country.
I would have to be naive not to know that this behavior is what we expect, but there are times when it falls disappointingly short. Soldiers can turn bad and plunder us instead of protecting us. Police officers can break the law, erasing the line between the police and criminals. When caught, such bad eggs are universally condemned.
If a police officer is suspected of behavior unbecoming to his oath and uniform, society demands that he immediately surrender his gun and badge, which are his power and which he has the authority to use. If convicted of inappropriate conduct, the officer loses both the uniform and the professional identity.
The son and daughter of a police officer or soldier in the army are not automatically entitled to their own uniform, badge and gun just because their parent had one. The uniform is not inherited; it must be earned. There are minimum requirements, qualifications and intensive training to ensure that those who are entrusted with power and the authority to use it know the limits of that power and have the discipline to use it appropriately.
A uniform makes a statement that is both strong and eloquent. We instinctively and intuitively draw conclusions about the wearer of the uniform, about his or her training and discipline; our expectations of that person stem from such inferences. Under normal circumstances, I can assume that a person with a stethoscope is a health professional just as I presume that a person in a certain sort of uniform who is wearing a badge is a police officer. Rarely would there be any need to question the credentials of a person in the uniform of his or her profession. An imposter is rare and would face prosecution and universal denunciation or censure.
Similarly, a man with a collar is a priest and a woman wearing a habit is a nun, one assumes. This was the intention when Pope Gregory mandated a uniform for the clergy in the Roman Catholic Church. He was creating an "Army of Christ" in service to the church. He labeled this calling a higher one than that of the laity. No matter what the mission or occupation, a uniform proclaims the specialized training, discipline and dedication of a professional.
When, in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh established the order of the Khalsa, he, too, was creating an army. But this army of God (that is how I view the meaning of Khalsa) was not created to wage aggressive war, conquer territory or subjugate others, but with a single mission — to discipline the mind. The battlefield of the mind was its domain, and Guru Gobind Singh recommended that his Khalsa engage in this battle every day.
Like armies everywhere, the Khalsa, too, has a discipline, a code of conduct, an oath of affirmation and a uniform. Even its commander — Guru Gobind Singh — himself went through the initiation ceremony and took the same oath of loyalty as was expected of the foot soldiers. In the Army of Christ designed by Pope Gregory, those that joined the clergy were the beneficiaries of special status because their calling was recognized as being higher than that of the lay followers of the faith. But Guru Gobind Singh did not limit his army to the clergy; instead, his Khalsa was open to all who wanted to join — men or women. Significantly, no one in the Khalsa, including the Guru himself, had a calling that was any higher than that of the others.
Being or becoming a soldier, like signing up for a cause, is not a hereditary vocation or avocation. Each individual must take his or her own risks and earn his or her own rank. It is not a business that a parent may leave to a child. Quite logically, therefore, one cannot be born a Sikh, though a person may be born in a Sikh home, to Sikh parents and in a Sikh family. Each Sikh must earn his or her own stripes. The emphasis, then, rightly shifts from being a Sikh to becoming one.
Now, when I see a Sikh wearing the articles of his faith, I see a person in the uniform of his discipline. My mind rapidly makes a few assumptions, just as it does when I see a recognizable police officer. (A recognizable police officer is in uniform just as a recognizable Sikh is.) I know that behind the uniform lie intensive training and discipline, a rigorous code of conduct and an oath that speaks of duty above all else. Again, I know that not all soldiers will live up to the expectations that other people have of them, just as not all priests, nuns, physicians or Sikhs will.
What is my expectation when I see a Sikh in uniform? Indeed, it should be no different from what I look forward to when I see another professional in uniform. Even though I am prepared for occasional disappointment, from a professional person in uniform I expect training, discipline, dedication, honesty and integrity to his or her cause. How, then, can a Sikh in uniform profess ignorance of his discipline — the way of the Guru? The expectations one has of someone who wears the uniform of his calling are different from those one has of a person who is in mufti. Out of uniform, a professional is neither held to the same standards nor accorded the same consideration or deference.
One brief example will illustrate what I mean. I remember a time when a recognizable Sikh was automatically assumed to be of good character. (Unquestionably, this view of Sikhs emerged from history.) In India 50 years ago, it was not uncommon for people to ask a Sikh to keep an eye on their young child or a young woman who might be traveling alone. People who were traveling about in dark, unsafe areas of bustling metropolises like Calcutta or Bombay late at night were often advised always to find a Sikh cab driver. The widely acknowledged Sikh character was deemed to be sufficient guarantee of safe arrival at one's destination. The only unmistakable way to find a Sikh was, of course, by his uniform.
I know things have since changed, as have those who call themselves Sikhs.
What is the expectation now when one sees a Sikh on the street?
Are Sikhs the terrorists that the Indian government has success-fully made them out to be over the past 20 years throughout the world? Are they the community in which the houses of worship (gurdwaras) are dens of iniquity and legal wrangling rather than places for spiritual solace, introspection, self-discovery and self-development? Is a Sikh the shady businessman who will betray and sell his mother for the quick dollar? Is he the warm-hearted, hard-drinking, loud, boisterous hail-fellow-well-met man-about-town? Would you entrust your safety and that of your family to him?
What does his uniform proclaim to the world? Is his word his bond? Is he the man who has taken an oath that attaches him to the Guru and who strives mightily to live by it? Each Sikh would have to look within the self to answer this question.
I hasten to add that a professional's training doesn't end with a person's investiture. Continuing education is a lifelong process and a never-ending requirement of his or her faith. In this matter my views of a police officer, scholar, scientist, banker, baker or Sikh are the same.
The word "Sikh" derivatively means a student. Hence, Sikhs by definition are lifelong students of the Gurus' way of life. Just as a physician's child is required to earn the right to become a physician, someone born in a Sikh family must go through the training and the process of becoming a Sikh. A person under training, a cadet or a medical student wears the uniform, but society acknowledges that he or she is a recruit, an apprentice in training, not quite yet the maven. He or she earns the stripes only after intensive study, demonstrated dedication and unmistakable skill. That is when the trainee is bestowed with all the rights, privileges and duties of the new calling.
Should becoming a Sikh be any different?
Reactions: seekingsikhi and Admin
Sikhilove
IJSingh said:
Ah I loved this
I'm sure you realise that nowadays it doesn't matter, if the heart is pure that's what matters.
The army of God now appears in many dresses and forms, but the Internal Condition of the Heart is Uniform, it's pure.
Corrupted Clergy, Corrupted Spirituality | Shiv Shiv Kartey Jo Nur Dhiavey | ਸਿਵ ਸਿਵ ਕਰਤੇ ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਧਿਆਵੈ
This Shabd is found on page 874 of the SGGS ji.
First, the CONTEXT.
The systematic corruption of spirituality by the clergy is a phenomenon that cuts across all major spiritual thought...


text:
package com.google.cloud.dataflow.examples.cookbook;

import com.google.api.services.bigquery.model.TableRow;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.Pipeline;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.io.BigQueryIO;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.io.TextIO;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.options.Description;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.options.PipelineOptions;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.options.PipelineOptionsFactory;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.options.Validation;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.transforms.DoFn;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.transforms.ParDo;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.transforms.join.CoGbkResult;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.transforms.join.CoGroupByKey;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.transforms.join.KeyedPCollectionTuple;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.values.KV;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.values.PCollection;
import com.google.cloud.dataflow.sdk.values.TupleTag;

/**
 * This example shows how to do a join on two collections.
 * It uses a sample of the GDELT 'world event' data (http://goo.gl/OB6oin), joining the event
 * 'action' country code against a table that maps country codes to country names.
 *
 *
 Concepts: Join operation; multiple input sources.
 *
 *
 To execute this pipeline locally, specify general pipeline configuration:
 *
{@code
 *   --project=YOUR_PROJECT_ID
 * }
 *

 * and a local output file or output prefix on GCS:
 *
{@code
 *   --output=[YOUR_LOCAL_FILE | gs://YOUR_OUTPUT_PREFIX]
 * }

 *
 *
 To execute this pipeline using the Dataflow service, specify pipeline configuration:
 *
{@code
 *   --project=YOUR_PROJECT_ID
 *   --stagingLocation=gs://YOUR_STAGING_DIRECTORY
 *   --runner=BlockingDataflowPipelineRunner
 * }
 *

 * and an output prefix on GCS:
 *
{@code
 *   --output=gs://YOUR_OUTPUT_PREFIX
 * }

 */
public class JoinExamples {

  // A 1000-row sample of the GDELT data here: gdelt-bq:full.events.
  private static final String GDELT_EVENTS_TABLE =
      "clouddataflow-readonly:samples.gdelt_sample";
  // A table that maps country codes to country names.
  private static final String COUNTRY_CODES =
      "gdelt-bq:full.crosswalk_geocountrycodetohuman";

  /**
   * Join two collections, using country code as the key.
   */
  static PCollection<String> joinEvents(PCollection<TableRow> eventsTable,
      PCollection<TableRow> countryCodes) throws Exception {

    final TupleTag<String> eventInfoTag = new TupleTag<String>();
    final TupleTag<String> countryInfoTag = new TupleTag<String>();

    // transform both input collections to tuple collections, where the keys are country
    // codes in both cases.
    PCollection<KV<String, String>> eventInfo = eventsTable.apply(
        ParDo.of(new ExtractEventDataFn()));
    PCollection<KV<String, String>> countryInfo = countryCodes.apply(
        ParDo.of(new ExtractCountryInfoFn()));

    // country code 'key' -> CGBKR (<event info>, <country name>)
    PCollection<KV<String, CoGbkResult>> kvpCollection = KeyedPCollectionTuple
        .of(eventInfoTag, eventInfo)
        .and(countryInfoTag, countryInfo)
        .apply(CoGroupByKey.<String>create());

    // Process the CoGbkResult elements generated by the CoGroupByKey transform.
    // country code 'key' -> string of <event info>, <country name>
    PCollection<KV<String, String>> finalResultCollection =
      kvpCollection.apply(ParDo.named("Process").of(
        new DoFn<KV<String, CoGbkResult>, KV<String, String>>() {
          private static final long serialVersionUID = 0;

          @Override
          public void processElement(ProcessContext c) {
            KV<String, CoGbkResult> e = c.element();
            String countryCode = e.getKey();
            String countryName = "none";
            countryName = e.getValue().getOnly(countryInfoTag);
            for (String eventInfo : c.element().getValue().getAll(eventInfoTag)) {
              // Generate a string that combines information from both collection values
              c.output(KV.of(countryCode, "Country name: " + countryName
                      + ", Event info: " + eventInfo));
            }
          }
      }));

    // write to GCS
    PCollection<String> formattedResults = finalResultCollection
        .apply(ParDo.named("Format").of(new DoFn<KV<String, String>, String>() {
          private static final long serialVersionUID = 0;

          @Override
          public void processElement(ProcessContext c) {
            String outputstring = "Country code: " + c.element().getKey()
                + ", " + c.element().getValue();
            c.output(outputstring);
          }
        }));
    return formattedResults;
  }

  /**
   * Examines each row (event) in the input table. Output a KV with the key the country
   * code of the event, and the value a string encoding event information.
   */
  static class ExtractEventDataFn extends DoFn<TableRow, KV<String, String>> {
    private static final long serialVersionUID = 0;

    @Override
    public void processElement(ProcessContext c) {
      TableRow row = c.element();
      String countryCode = (String) row.get("ActionGeo_CountryCode");
      String sqlDate = (String) row.get("SQLDATE");
      String actor1Name = (String) row.get("Actor1Name");
      String sourceUrl = (String) row.get("SOURCEURL");
      String eventInfo = "Date: " + sqlDate + ", Actor1: " + actor1Name + ", url: " + sourceUrl;
      c.output(KV.of(countryCode, eventInfo));
    }
  }

  /**
   * Examines each row (country info) in the input table. Output a KV with the key the country
   * code, and the value the country name.
   */
  static class ExtractCountryInfoFn extends DoFn<TableRow, KV<String, String>> {
    private static final long serialVersionUID = 0;

    @Override
    public void processElement(ProcessContext c) {
      TableRow row = c.element();
      String countryCode = (String) row.get("FIPSCC");
      String countryName = (String) row.get("HumanName");
      c.output(KV.of(countryCode, countryName));
    }
  }

  /**
   * Options supported by {@link JoinExamples}.
   *

   * Inherits standard configuration options.
   */
  private static interface Options extends PipelineOptions {
    @Description("Path of the file to write to")
    @Validation.Required
    String getOutput();
    void setOutput(String value);
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    Options options = PipelineOptionsFactory.fromArgs(args).withValidation().as(Options.class);
    Pipeline p = Pipeline.create(options);
    // the following two 'applys' create multiple inputs to our pipeline, one for each
    // of our two input sources.
    PCollection<TableRow> eventsTable = p.apply(BigQueryIO.Read.from(GDELT_EVENTS_TABLE));
    PCollection<TableRow> countryCodes = p.apply(BigQueryIO.Read.from(COUNTRY_CODES));
    PCollection<String> formattedResults = joinEvents(eventsTable, countryCodes);
    formattedResults.apply(TextIO.Write.to(options.getOutput()));
    p.run();
  }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Chiang Mai University Announcement List of Eligible Candidates for the CMU Presidential Scholarship for the 2021 Academic Year 2021 (Round 1)
International Relations Division
This announcement is in reference to Chiang Mai University's announcement regarding the CMU Presidential Scholarship program to support highly potential students, instructors and researchers to continue their studies and research at CMU, and in reference to the university's educational development plan phase 12 for achieving excellence in all levels of education that are both productive and corresponding to the nation's development and university's long-term future goals, as well as CMU's vision to be a leading university committed to social responsibility and sustainable development, the CMU Presidential Scholarship Selection Committee has selected 34 eligible candidates for the 2021 academic year (round 1)
Nominated scholarship candidates must contact their affiliated faculty in order to confirm their scholarship by 25th February 2021 and be eligible to receive their scholarship starting from the first semester of the 2021 academic.
Announced on February 1, 2021
Clinical Professor Niwes Nantachit, M.D.
President of Chiang Mai University
CMU Announcements on COVID-19 Outstanding News
CMU Presidential Scholarship AY 2021 (Round 1) pdf
RoomID: