What motives are behind the US government's strong reaction to the arrest of NGO workers in Egypt?
Santa Barbara, CA - A confusing controversy between the United States and Egypt is unfolding. It has already raised tensions in the relationship between the two countries to a level that has not existed for decades. It results from moves by the military government in Cairo to go forward with the criminal prosecution of 43 foreigners, including 19 US citizens, for unlawfully carrying on the work of unlicensed public interest organisations that improperly, according to Egyptian law, depend on foreign funding.
Much has been made in US press coverage that one of those charged happens to be Sam LaHood, son of the present US Secretary of Transportation, adopting a tone that seems to imply that at least one connected by blood to an important government official deserves immunity from prosecution.
Washington has responded with high minded and high profile expressions of consternation, including a warning from Hillary Clinton that the annual aid package for Egypt of $1.5bn (of which $1.3bn goes to the military) is in jeopardy unless the case against these NGO workers is dropped and their organisations are allowed to carry on with their work of promoting democracy in Egypt. And indeed the US Congress may yet refuse to authorise the release of these funds unless the State Department is willing to certify that Egypt is progressing towards greater democratisation.
President Obama has indicated his intention to continue with the aid at past levels, given the importance of Egypt in relation to US interests in the Middle East, but, as in so many other instances, he may give way if the pressure mounts. The outcome is not yet clear, as an ultra-nationalistic Congress may yet thwart Obama's seemingly more sensible response to what should have been treated as a tempest in a teacup, but for reasons to be discussed, has instead become a cause celebre.
The US citizens charged are from the payroll of three organisations: The International Republican Institute (IRI), National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Freedom House. The first two organisations get all of their funding from the US government, and were originally founded in 1983 after Ronald Reagan's speech to the British parliament, in which he urged that help be given to build the democratic infrastructure of newly independent countries in the non-Western world, put forward as a Cold War counter-measure to the continuing appeal of Marxist ideologies.
From the moment of their founding IRI and NDI were abundantly funded by annual multi-million grants from Congress, either directly or by way of such governmental entities as the US Assistance for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy. IRI and NDI claim to be non-partisan, yet both are explicitly affiliated with each of the two political parties dominant in the United States, with boards, staff and consultants drawn overwhelmingly from former government workers and officials who are associated with these two parties.
"The ideological and governmental character of the two organisations is epitomised by the nature of their leadership."
The ideological and governmental character of the two organisations is epitomised by the nature of their leadership. Madeleine Albright, secretary of state during the Clinton presidency, is chair of the NDI board, while former Republican presidential candidate and prominent current senator, John McCain, holds the same position at the IRI. Freedom House, the third main organisation that is the target of the Egyptian crackdown also depends for more than 80 per cent of its funding from US government sources and is similarly rooted in US party politics. It was founded in 1941 as a bipartisan initiative during the Cold War by two stalwarts of their respective political parties, Wendell Wilkie and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Against this background, the protests from Washington and the media assessments of the controversy seem willfully misleading. Since when does Washington become so agitated on behalf of NGOs under attack in a foreign country? Even mainstream eyebrows should have been raised sky high when General Martin Dempsey, currently the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, was reported to have interceded with his military counterparts while visiting Cairo on behalf of these Americans - who have been subjected to a travel ban and faced with the threat of prosecution. When was the last time you can recall a US military commander interceding on behalf of a genuine NGO? To paraphrase Bob Dylan, the answer my friends, is never. So even the most naïve among us should be asking: "What is really going on here?"
It is hardly surprising that a more honest label is avoided, as its use would call attention to the problematic character of the undertakings: namely, disguised intrusions by a foreign government in the internal politics of a foreign country with fragile domestic institutions of government, by way of behaviour that poses at the very least a potential threat to its political independence. With such an altered interpretation, the controversy assumes a different character. It becomes quite understandable for the Egyptian government seeking to move beyond its authoritarian past to feel the need to tame these Trojan horses outfitted by Washington.
It would seem sensible and prudent for Egypt to insist that such organisations, and especially those associated with the US government, be registered and properly licensed in Egypt as a minimum precondition for receiving permission to carry on their activities in the country, especially in matters as sensitive as elections, political parties and the shaping of the legal system. Surely the United States, despite its long uninterrupted stable record of constitutional governance, would not even consider allowing such "assistance" from abroad. If it had been proposed by, say, Sweden, an offer of help with democracy would have been immediately rebuffed, and rudely dismissed as an insult to the sovereignty of the United States - despite Sweden being a geopolitical midget and US being the gorilla on the global stage.
And these Washington shrieks of wounded innocence, as if Cairo had no grounds whatsoever for concern, are either the memory lapses of a senile bureaucracy or totally disingenuous. In the past it has been well documented that IRI and DNI were active in promoting the destabilisation of foreign governments that were deemed to be hostile to the US foreign policy agenda. The Reagan presidency made no secret of its commitment to lend all means of support to political movements dedicated to the overthrow of left-leaning governments in Latin America and Asia.
"The individuals being charged by Egypt are not working for genuine NGOs or civil society insitutions, but are acting on behalf of informal government organisations."
The most notorious instances involving the use of IRI to destabilise a foreign government is well known among students of US interventionist diplomacy. For instance, IRI funds were extensively distributed to anti-regime forces to get rid of the Aristide government in Haiti, part of a dynamic that led to a coup in 2004. This brought reactionary political forces to power which were welcomed and seemed far more congenial to Washington's ideas of "good governance" at the time. IRI was openly self-congratulatory about its role in engineering a successful effort to strengthen "centre and centre/right" political parties in Poland several years ago, which amounts to a virtual confession of interference with the dynamics of Polish self-determination.
Spokespersons for these organisations piously claim in their responses to these recent Egyptian moves against them to respect the sovereignty of the countries within which they operate, and especially so in Egypt. Even if these claims are generally true, ample grounds remain for suspicion and regulation, if not exclusion, on the part of a territorial government. An insistence upon proper regulation seems entirely reasonable, if due account is taken of the numerous instances of covert and overt intervention by the United States in the political life of non-Western countries.
Against such a background, several conclusions follow: first, the individuals being charged by Egypt are not working for genuine NGOs or civil society institutions, but are acting on behalf of informal government organisations or IGOs; secondly, the specific organisations being targeted, especially the NDI and IRI, are overtly ideological in their makeup, funding base and orientation; and thirdly, there exist compelling grounds for a non-Western government to regulate or exclude such political actors when due account is taken of the long US record of interventionary diplomacy. Thus the Washington posture of outrage seems entirely inappropriate once the actions of the Egyptian government are contextually interpreted.
Yet the full story is not so simple or one-sided. It needs to be remembered that the Egyptian governing process in the year since the uprising that led to the collapse of the Mubarak regime has been controlled by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which is widely believed by the Egyptian public to be responsible for a wave of repressive violence, associated with military leaders' suspected fears that some democratic demands are threatening their position and interests in the country. A variety of severe abuses of civilian society have been convincingly attributed to the military. The military is also responsible for a series of harsh moves against dissenters who blog or otherwise act in a manner deemed critical of military rule.
In effect, the Egyptian government, although admittedly long concerned about these spurious NGOs operating within its territory even during the period of Mubarak rule, is itself seemingly disingenuous, using the licensing and funding technicalities as a pretext for a wholesale crackdown on dissent and human rights, so as to discipline and intimidate a resurgent civil society and a radical opposition movement that remains committed to realising the democratic promise of the Arab Spring.
There is another seemingly strange part of the puzzle. Would we not expect the United States to side with the Egyptian military - with which it worked in close harmony during the Mubarak period? Why would Washington not welcome this apparent slide toward Mubarakism without Mubarak? Was this not preferred outcome for the US in Egypt all along, being the only outcome that would allow Washington to be confident that the new Egypt would not rock the Israeli boat or otherwise disturb US interests in the region?
There is no disclosure of US motives at this time for its current seemingly pro-democracy approach, but there are grounds for thinking Washington may be reacting to the success of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Nour (Salafi) Party in the Egyptian parliamentary elections - and even more so to the apparent collaboration between these parties and the SCAF in planning Egypt's immediate political future. In such a setting, it seems plausible that sharpening state/society tensions in Egypt by siding with the democratic opposition would keep alive the possibility of a secular governing process less threatening to US-Israeli interests, as well as inducing Egypt itself to adopt a cautious approach to democratic reform. Maybe there are different explanations more hidden from view, but what seems clear is that both governments in this kafuffle have dirty hands, and are fencing in the dark, that is, mounting arguments and counter-arguments that obscure rather than reveal their true motivations.
In the end, Egypt, along with other countries, is likely to be far better off if it prohibits US IGOs from operating freely within its national territorial space, especially if their supposed mandate is to promote democracy as defined and funded by Washington. This is not to say that Egyptians would not be far better off if the SCAF allowed civilian rule to emerge in the country and acted in a manner respectful of human rights and democratic values.
In other words, what is at stake in this seemingly trivial controversy lies hidden by the smokescreens relied upon by both sides in the dispute: weighty matters of governance and democracy that could determine whether the remarkable glories of the Arab Spring mutate in the direction of a dreary Egyptian Autumn, or even Winter.


Katerina's Journal: Tobacco Trail 2012 - Part III - "The Start"
Tobacco Trail 2012 - Part III - "The Start"
The kids are getting dropped and fed several times, being checked by chief vet Annette Johansson, who advises us to use booties as much as possible due to recent fresh snow dump and cold.
The boy are not really into eating, because Magpie and Snowy are in heat. It worries me a bit, but we´ll have to take it step by step and in the worst case drop the girls in heat.
Frostie, whom I´ve jokingly nicknamed "the old man" as he´s going to be turning 10 years this coming April. Still strong and in a great shape. Funny, when I sometimes hear some mushers calling their eight year olds "old". I know many good distance mushers and teams, whose most accomplished and treasured team members are in what they call the "golden age" - between 7 and 9 years old.
He´s calm, experienced, good eater with a positive attitude and has never been injured nor had even a tiny cut on his paws. Very good, tough dog.
Here are some of the boys - right to left. Goosak, then Chilli, who is a bit skinny and it´s been a challenge to put and keep weight on him the whole season. He will wear a coat the entire race, unless it gets really warm, which is not predicted. Then Runner - it´s his first big race, he´s only 3 years old. And last Nugget, Goosak´s brother.
Thought we´d have more pics of all the kids before the race, but we don´t.
The first half of the day is filled with registrations, weighing of mandatory dog food rations, vet checks and finally the musher meeting.
We got bib nr.3 and start at 16:04 from the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjaarvi, some 40km outside Kiruna.
Taisto Thorneus, the "father of the race" informs us about tricky parts of the trail and shows different types of trail markers used.
The trails are supposed to be very good, hard packed and fast all the way to the first checkpoint Övre Soppero, then looser and a bit "sandy-like" over the low mountain area on the way from Soppero to checkpoint nr.2 Saivomuotka, on the Finnish border. It is the same way back from there to Övre Soppero, before the last leg to Kiruna.
The total length of the race is measured to be 308km (after the race one of the competitors measured it with GPS and found it a bit longer, actually).
We have to be at the race start 1,5hours in advance, and checks of mandatory equipment will be performed there.
After the meeting, a feeling of panic got me - we needed to feed the dogs a light soup one more time, pack all neatly into the sled, I had to change into racing clothes, grab something to eat and drink, and Jachym cook tea and prepare drinks for my camel bag and thermos, then get to the Ice Hotel on time.
Luckily, we had most things on place, and thank to making a list in advance, I had the sled packed and ready within 20 minutes.
We watched the teams of tour operators pass by on the Torne river, big teams with huge sleds, carrying several excited tourists each. These huskies sure work hard and earn their and their musher´ living.
The temperatures dropped quite low and I realized it´s getting seriously cold when I touched a metal part of my sled and got skin on my hands "freeze burned".
The sun was setting down and visitors of the ice hotel and many others started to fill up the starting area on the river ice. Many volunteers from the Kiruna sled dog club members have come to give a hand and help the teams safely to the starting chute, which was greatly appreciated.
Grayling is starting to loose his nerves and graps the neckline. Magneto gets all hyped up as well.
Now, knowing all is done, prepared and ready, I was finally calm. Walking up and down the line, calming the kids and having a talk with each one.
Nugget and Goosak getting mad.
Yeah, really beautiful, guys! People will think I run a team of ware-wolves.
The boys were not the only ones getting mad. Snowy looks like no fun to mess with, Tazlina behind her as if she´s just about to take off and get air-borne, while good-ole Magpie belongs to the group of calm, relaxed dogs under any circumstances.
Finally at the starting line. Look how professionally calm Galena and Rapid are. What great lead dogs.
And off we are. Thirteen excited happy campers, on our way for the arctic adventure!


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PART III: WHY I'M NOT YET A BROADWAY PRODUCER...
September 08, 2016 / Peter Sklar
There are many positive things I could say about my graduate school experience, but the most profound was my familiarization with the work of psychologist Carl Rogers.
Rogers, still alive at the time, had developed what he called client-centered therapy; in brief, this is a technique wherein the listening skills of the counselor lead the patient, or client, to become more aware of her feelings, and eventually accept them, and herself. One of Rogers' books, required reading for my counseling studies, was On Becoming a Person.
This book, along with my counseling courses, was to change my life and career, and ultimately the lives of thousands of kids I would work with, in more profound ways than I can possibly describe here.
Following Harvard, I moved back to New York in 1978. The Newton youth center had closed, and I had become intrigued with the idea of working with "professional children", i.e. the kids who were actually appearing in the Broadway productions of the musicals I had been directing locally.
I rented an apartment on lower Madison Avenue in Manhattan, and, while trying to figure out how to meet and work with industry kids, I returned to my usual means of earning a living- playing piano. I had discovered that surviving as a pianist in New York means, in addition to playing in clubs and a bit of studio work, accompanying and coaching singers.
My musical theater experience had provided me with an extensive repertoire of vocal material, and largely through word of mouth, I developed a more than decent-sized practice of weekly private vocal coaching students. Even as the rest of my life unfolded, I continued working as a pianist and coach for the next twenty years.
One of the places I had applied for piano work was an intimate, upper east side restaurant that served only desserts. It was called Something Different, and had a small stage on which the waiters would take turns singing in between serving tables. Although the place wasn't looking for a pianist at the time, I had an idea.
I asked the owner how she felt about having some of my younger vocal students perform songs for her customers in a showcase on the weekends. My proposal was that I would audition and select the kids, choose and arrange the songs, be the accompanist for the showcase, open it to the public on weekend afternoons, and we'd evenly divide whatever income the show attracted.
She agreed.
Soon after, I learned of a west side restaurant and bar called Beefsteak Charlie's. It was said that this was where the kid casts of various Broadway shows would go with their parents to unwind after performances. One evening, hoping we might meet some of these kids and convince their parents to allow them to perform in our showcase, the owner of Something Different and I paid a visit.
Sure enough, while listening to a very young Nathan Lane performing cabaret-style, we met a sweet woman who was there with her daughter, 11-year-old Laura Dunn, one of the orphans in Broadway's Annie. I was thrilled with the prospect of having Laura sing in my fledgling showcase, and even more so when her mother not only agreed, but surprised me by behaving as the antithesis of a stage mother; she volunteered to ask other members of Annie's children's cast if they were interested as well.
Within a month, I had lined up all of the "orphans", including the star at the time, Allison Smith, who I auditioned backstage at the Alvin Theater, (subsequently re-named the Neil Simon). Soon, I had auditioned, and gladly accepted, all of the "Lost Boys" in Broadway's Peter Pan, starring Sandy Duncan, the full children's chorus of Evita, starring Patti Lupone, as well as kids from several other hit musicals of the day.
Our showcase, which I named "Beginnings" after the youth center in Massachusetts, additionally attracted a teenage Sara Jessica Parker who preceded Miss Smith in the starring role of Annie. Bright, funny, perceptive, open, and always real, Sara quickly became one of my favorite kids. Many years later, I would lecture about how those qualities explained her eventual and, I felt, inevitable success.
BEGINNINGS SHOWCASE featured in Cover STORY, NY TIMES ARTS & LEISURE SECTION 1981
I sent a release about the showcase to all the major newspapers and television stations. I was amazed that the first to respond was the much revered New York Times; a reporter covered one of our performances, and interviewed me at some length. This resulted in an article which appeared on that weekend's cover page of the Times' Arts and Leisure section.
More newspaper and television coverage followed, until one afternoon I received a call from David Powers, Annie's official publicist. All I remember from the conversation was him declaring, not unhappily, that I was getting more attention for his show than he was.
Our audiences began to include celebrities. Among others, I remember speaking briefly with Brooke Shields and her mother, Teri, following one of our performances.
One afternoon, I learned that Martin Charnin, Annie's director and lyricist, was planning to attend. This was due to the fact that in addition to working with the children in his Broadway cast, his own daughter, Sasha, herself a gifted performer, had been appearing in our showcase.
Martin's impending visit terrified me. I knew that if for any reason he didn't like what he saw and heard, we'd lose the Annie kids in a heartbeat, and probably most of our others. To my relief, he was all smiles from start to finish. At the end, he approached me and said: "Wonderful job." The praise was apparently sincere; a few days later, he called and asked me if I would create a musical arrangement of the Cole Porter standard, I Happen to Like New York, for a presentation he was directing for the New York Press Club. I did, and after the performance, he said: "Terrific arrangement."
I was obviously thrilled.
ACCOMPANYING SASHA CHARNIN
Ironically, the second person of such stature to compliment me during that period was Martin's collaborator, the composer of Annie, who was also the composer of Bye, Bye, Birdie and many other musicals and hit songs, Charles Strouse.
Charles' son, Nicholas, had been performing in my showcase, and I learned that Charles was conducting a song-writing workshop at the 92nd Street YMHA. I had begun writing some songs depicting the lives of kids in the industry, and one of these was inspired by the experiences of Annie's star, Allison Smith, who I had been working with. I knew Charles would appreciate the subject matter, since it had to do with his show, but I didn't know how he'd respond to the song-writing itself.
Bravely, I signed up for his class, and when it came my turn to play something, I stopped and said: "I'm not really a song-writer, but I thought you might find this interesting." I played the song, and he responded: "You're wrong. You are a song writer."
A few months later, the father of one of my former students, an attorney for the unions who negotiate with Broadway's Shubert Organization, brought a few Shubert representatives to my downtown studio apartment where I played them a few more of my songs.
They responded: "We see lots of these presentations and honestly most of them are for shows that aren't very good. This one is."
After that moment, I began to write in earnest.
NEXT MONTH: FIRST THOUGHTS OF BROADWAY
September 08, 2016 / Peter Sklar/ Comment
One-Minute Piano Lesson #2
Exploiting a Former Career Just for ...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This Crystal Lake, Illinois customer needed to replace a 10 year old 40 gallon State Select gas water heater in their townhome. The existing water heater was located in the customer's closet, second floor. Since Crystal Lake requires a safety inspection for this service, DRF assisted this customer in obtaining the required documents prior to the installation.
The DRF technician Matt B. is a state licensed plumber. As part of the all-inclusive water heater services offered by DRF, the technician addressed any required safety improvements to prevent any safety concerns to keep his family and home safe.


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Best of Satara
2 DAY TRIP FROM PUNE | BEST OF SATARA
DAY 1 : AJINKYATARA FORT - KAS PATHAR – VAJRAI FALLS
DAY 2 : SAJJANGAD - THOSEGHAR FALLS
Travel Time (round trip): 8 Hr
Ideal Start Time: 6 AM (Day 1) & 9 AM (Day 2)
Travel from Pune to Satara
Natraj Mandir
Timings: 7 AM - 12 PM and 3 PM - 8.30 PM
At a distance of 3 km from Satara Bus Station, Natraj Mandir, also known as Uttara Chidambaram Temple, is a popular temple situated in Maharashtra and is located off NH4, connecting Satara and Solapur. It is one of the top places to visit in Satara.
The Natraj Mandir is dedicated to Lord Natraj, a manifestation of Lord Shiva performing the Tandava dance. The foundation for the temple was laid on May 1981. Samanna, a resident of Satara gifted the land for building the temple. The funding was given by the state governments of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu while the timber needed for the entire construction of the temple was given by the government of Kerala.
It is a replica of Sri Natraj Temple at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu, in much smaller size and is a desire of Sri Chandra Shekharendra Swami. Sri Uttara Chidambaram Temple was built by the famous sculpture artist Mr. M.S. Ganapathi Sthapathi and his brother Mr. M. Mutthayya Sthapathi. Similar to the Chidambaram .....
Sangam Mahuli / Kshetra Mahuli
Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage
Duration of visit: 1-2 Hours
At a distance of 5 km from Satara Bus Station, Sangam Mahuli and Kshetra Mahuli are two sacred villages situated at the confluence of Krishna and Venna Rivers in Satara district of Maharashtra.
Sangam Mahuli is one of the popular pilgrimage places to visit in Satara. The other side of the river Krishna is called Kshetra Mahuli. These villages earlier were part of Aundh Princely State. Kshetra Mahuli was the birth place of Ramshastri Prabhune, the famous spiritual and political adviser of the fourth Peshva Madhavrav (1761-1772 CE). Mahuli was the place of meeting between the last Peshva Bajirav (1796-1817 CE) and Sir John Malcolm just before the Anglo-Maratha war was declared.
There are 2 well known temples around the convergence of the rivers - Vishweshwar and Rameshwar. Sri Kashi Vishweshwar Temple is situated in Sangam Mahuli and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was built in 1735 CE by Shripatrao Pant Pratinidhi. This land was donated by Shahu Maharaj to Shripatrao .....
Ajinkyatara Fort
At a distance of 4 km from Satara Bus Stand, 58 km from Mahabaleshwar and 52 km from Panchgani, Ajinkyatara is an ancient hill fort situated on one of the seven mountains surrounding the city of Satara in the Sahyadri Mountains of Maharashtra. It is one among the major historic places of Maharashtra and one of the best Satara tourist places.
Situated atop Ajinkyatara Mountain, at an altitude of 3,300 feet, Ajinkyatara Fort offers a panoramic view of Satara City. Ajinkyatara Fort was built by Raja Bhoj of the Shilhara dynasty. In 1673 CE, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took control of this fort from Adil Sha and further Aurangajeb controlled this fort between 1700 CE and 1706 CE. In 1708 CE, Shahu Maharaj won Ajinkyatara, remained with the Marathas till the British conquered the fort in 1818 AD. Earlier, Tarabai Raje Bhonsale had won this fort from the Mughals and renamed it to Ajinkyatara. Under the Mughal rule, Ajinkyatara was called Azamtara. This was the place where Shahu Maharaj .....
Kas Pathar / Kaas Plateau
Nature & Scenic
Entry Fee: Rs. 50 per Person on Weekdays, Rs. 100 per Person on Weekends & on Public Holidays
At a distance of 24 km from Satara, 37 km from Mahabaleshwar and 50 km from Panchgani, the Kaas Plateau, also known as the Kas Pathar, is a vast volcanic lateritic plateau situated in Satara district of Maharashtra. It falls under the Sahyadri Sub Cluster and is among the top places to visit near Satara.
Popularly known as the Plateau of Flowers, Kaas Plateau is one of the famous tourist attractions in Maharashtra and also a popular picnic spot among nature lovers during late monsoons. The plateau is situated at an altitude of 1200 m and is approximately 1,000 hectares in area. The name 'Kaas' originates from the Kaasa tree.
Kaas Plateau was formed by volcanic activities and is covered by a thin soil cover as a result of which, no vegetation thrives in the region. This area comes under very high rainfall zone. Due to this, the flora and fauna of the region is quite unique. These unique ecological features make Kaas one of the hotspots of biodiversity.
The Plateau is .....
Vajrai Falls
At a distance of 6 km from Kas Pathar, 28 km from Satara, 41 km from Mahabaleshwar, 53 km from Panchgani, 144 km from Pune & 299 km from Mumbai, Vajrai Falls is a picturesque waterfall located near Kas Flower Valley in Satara district of Maharashtra. This is one the most spectacular waterfalls in Maharashtra and also one of the top monsoon tourist places near Pune.
Vajrai Falls is a three tier waterfalls cascading down from a height of around 853 feet (260 m). This is a perennial waterfall but is very spectacular during monsoons. People from different parts of Maharashtra flock to this falls during the monsoons to watch the beautiful flow of the stream. The birthplace of Urmodi River is believed to start from the Vajrai Waterfalls. There are many small caves near Vajrai Falls which can be visited along with the falls.
The waterfall is situated near Bhambavali village in Satara district. One can reach the falls by using personal vehicle .....
Overnight Stay in Satara
Resume Satara Sightseeing
Sajjangad / Sajjangarh Fort
Timings: 5.30 AM to 9 PM
At a distance of 16 km from Satara, 67 km from Mahabaleshwar and 64 km from Panchgani, Sajjangad is an ancient hill fort and a pilgrimage place located near Satara in Maharashtra. It is one of the top places to visit in Satara and is a protected monument.
Sajjangarh Fort was earlier known as Aashwalayangad and was built by the Bahamani Emperors in between 1347-1527 AD. It was later conquered by Adil Sha in 16th century AD. In the same year the Mughals attacked the Sha rulers and brought this fort under their control. The fort then came under the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Previously known as Parali Fort, it was renamed to Sajjangad after Shivaji Maharaj requested Sri Ramdas to set up his permanent abode here.
Sajjangad Fort is the final resting place of Samarth Ramdas, he was the spiritual Guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji. His teachings and works written in books such as Dasbodh are read and followed by many people even today in the state of Maharashtra. This fort is well .....
Thoseghar Falls
At a distance of 26 km from Satara, 73 km from Panchgani, 77 km from Mahabaleshwar, 141 km from Pune & 294 km from Mumbai, Thoseghar Falls is a popular waterfalls located at Thoseghar village in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the top waterfalls in Maharashtra and also one of the highest waterfalls in India. Thoseghar falls is among the most popular Satara places to visit and one of the best monsoon Tourist places near Mumbai.
Thoseghar waterfall is a scenic spot located at the edge of the Konkan region. The waterfall is drops through a series of cascades with a total height of about 500 m. This is a seasonal waterfall which is only seen in monsoon and drops into a deep gorge.
Thoseghar Falls is famous for its serenity, clam and quiet natural surroundings. It is a wonderful place where one can enjoy the beauty of the nature. There is a picnic area and a newly constructed .....
Chalkewadi Windmill Farm
At a distance of 6 km from Thoseghar Falls and 29 km from Satara, Chalkewadi Windmill Farm is one of the largest windmill farms in Asia situated at Chalkewadi in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is among the popular Satara tourist places.
Chalkewadi Wind Energy Project in Satara was developed with the intention of generating clean energy. There are hundreds of windmills on the adjoining hills. The windmills are stretched over a 5 km plateau and supply electricity to Satara and neighboring places like Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. Chalkewadi is developed as a tourist spot, because the windmills and the hills offer a magical landscape together. Thoseghar waterfall can be seen from Chalkewadi.
Set amidst lush green hills, valleys and the red soil these windmills make a beautiful sight. It can only be accessed by a private vehicle since no state buses ply in this route. This is another place that is best visited during the monsoon since the misty weather makes Chalkewadi windmill .....
Pateshwar Temple
Timings: 6.30 AM - 12.30 PM & 4 PM - 8.30 PM
At a distance of 14 km from Satara, 67 km from Mahabaleshwar and 59 km from Panchgani, Pateshwar Temple is an ancient temple situated at Degaon in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular places to visit in Satara.
The Shiva temple is one of the major attractions of Pateshwar. Built in 16th century AD, this temple is now in slightly depleted condition but the statues and the carvings are still intact. The inner walls of the temple are decorated with beautifully carved statues. There are also two small temples in the courtyard which are also quite beautiful.
Pateshwar has 8 ancient cave temples and many ancient stone carved idols of Lord Shiva and other deities. The place is known for having more than 1000 Shivlings (also known as Pinds). The Shivlings found in this temple are Ekmukhdhari Pind, Chaturmukhdhari Pind, Ashtadikpal Pind, Harihar Pind, Margalmhaisa Pind and Yantra Pind. Other deities found in this shrine are Ekmukhi Bramhadev, Chaturmukh Shiv, Saraswati, .....
Travel from Satara to Pune
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Watch out brining the fish into the boat. That's how Rob broke his hand. One good flip of their tail can cause some good damage.
Thank God you are safely in Key West! Got a little queasy ready your post! Have fun and enjoy your time in the Keys with our friends!! Love you!!
Holy Crap! Awesome adventures on the Sea Life. The storms sound like real bedwetter kind of moments. Scott. Not just a fisherman but Fish Slayer apparently. Nice! Love Howard's trucker pose.
Merry Christmas McGonigle's and Crew!


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Pioneer Settlers of the HawkesburyPrint Page
The monument commemorates the first 22 pioneer families who settled in the Hawkesbury and was unveiled during the 200th anniversary.
The Hawkesbury settlement dates back to 1794 — 138 years ago — when Lieutenant-Governor Grose, of the New South Wales Corps, then Acting - Governor, marked out twenty-two farms and settled them on the right bank of the Hawkesbury. These farms comprised about 25 acres each,. They were located on that portion of the river bank known as Pitt Reach, and others on South Creek, which more or less occupied that portion, of the river known as Wilberforce Reach. These were the first farms in the locality of the Hawkesbury, and the names of the settlers were Giles Moore, Daniel Barnett, William Pawson and J. Butler. These occupied the site on South Creek: J. Howell, J. Rouse, C. Williams, J. Wimbon, W. Snailham, J. Acris, W. Douglas, J. Wright, J. Fenlow, Peter Bond, J. Owen, E. Cunningham, R. Davis, J. Roberts, Thos. Saunders, J. Webb, J. Welshard and Thos. Cadwell. In 1821 the original grantees still occupied these grants. These farms were settled early in the year 1794, and in August of the same year there were seventy settlers on the river; in June, 1795, the population totalled 400 persons.
Excerpt from the Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW)
George Street, Governor Phillip Park, near boat ramp carpark, Windsor, 2756
Approx. Event Start Date:
Approx. Event End Date:
Sunday 2nd October, 1994
HAWKESBURY 200
This memorial is dedicated by
the people of Hawkesbury
to the first 22 pioneer settlers
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR GROSE
placed on the banks of the Hawkesbury in 1794.
(names of settlers)
"They came to an unknown land and carved out an existence with handmade tools "
Unveiled By
THE HON. KEVIN ROZZOLI M.P.
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of N.S.W.
and Member for Hawkesbury.


Since World War Two you have had three major conflicts in the Balkans involving Orthodox Christian communities and Islamic communities; this applies to Cyprus, Bosnia and Kosovo respectively. On all three occasions the United States supported the followers of Islam and maybe one day the same will happen to Orthodox Christians in Macedonia? Yet unlike the large Christian communities of Bosnia and Cyprus, it is the land of Kosovo which is being Islamized and Albanianized under NATO, the UN, and other international institutions who are meant to be neutral. The media in the West is once more turning a 'blind eye' and information about dead Serbians is not deemed to be important. Therefore, ethnic cleansing 'Albanian style' is being allowed to gather pace and in time a split may emerge between European members of NATO and the United States, for it would appear that the United States will one day allow Kosovo to become either independent or to join with Albania; whereas France and other European nations may oppose the United States. However, stories about Serbians and Roma being killed and persecuted in Kosovo should be told, for their lives count and if democracy and liberalism means anything, then Serbians, Roma, and other non-Albanians must have liberty and religious freedom. Given this, it is important to understand that both Islamization and Albanianization is taking place in modern day Europe, alongside American complicity, which ignited the conflict between Serbians and Albanians in the first place. It is also worth remembering that Turkish nationalism destroyed Christianity in Turkey in 1915, and Albanian nationalism in Kosovo could easily do the same if allowed. Therefore, people like Marica Maric are important and her death, like countless other Serbian Orthodox Christians and Roma people, should be told. For Marica Maric was raped in her home in Belo Polje and then disfigured after being murdered. Her crime was being a Christian and non-Albanian in Kosovo, yet her death, and countless others, went unnoticed in the West. In the region of Istok the situation was much worse, for 40 Serbian corpses were found in a single day, including the body of Father Stefan from Budisavac monastery; and only last week two Christian Serbs were killed for merely swimming in a contested region. More alarming, American troops, NATO troops, and the UN stood by and watched 180,000 Serbian Christians and thousands of Roma being ethnically cleansed. For in American controlled areas, like Urosevac, the entire Christian population was forced to leave and American troops allowed Albanians to either destroy Serbian homes or to move into their property. This was ethnic cleansing 'Albanian style' and given American inaction, it could be argued 'American style?' Getting back to today, it is clear that Serbians and non-Albanians in Kosovo are living in reservations, and it would appear that complete Serbian ethnic cleansing would solve the situation; for the United States lacks either the will or desire to protect Christians in Kosovo in the long-term. Therefore, the destruction of hundreds of Christian churches and monasteries have been allowed to take place; and just like the Armenian and Assyrian Christians who were annihilated by Turkish and Kurdish Muslims in 1915; it is also important to destroy Christian places of worship and cultural buildings in order to one day create a 'pure Albanian Islamic Kosovo.' Of course many ordinary American troops and other NATO members, and members of the European Union, do not agree with the United States; and this applies to allowing either an Islamic Kosovo or joining up with Albania. And His Grace Amfilohije, Orthodox Christian leader, stated that '. . . had it not been for the presence of the international forces in Kosovo at this very moment in Pec, as well as Decani and Gracanica, they too, would have been reduced to rubble and turned into ashes.' However, Serbians and non-Albanians on the whole can not be protected all over Kosovo, therefore, the international community allowed hundreds of thousands of non-Albanians to be cleansed from their land. Given this, one day you may only hear the Islamic call to prayer in Kosovo and witness a near 100% Albanian Islamic land. It is, therefore, ironic that the Ottoman Empire could not fully crush Christian resistance in this region, despite enslaving tens of thousands of young Christian boys for centuries and converting them to Islam; yet since American intervention this land is being emptied of Christians and all non-Albanians. Therefore, just like Christian migrants who have fled Iraq in their hundreds of thousands since the first American conflict with Iraq, and who today fear Iraq being turned into an Islamic state; it is apparent that Christian civilians mean little in both Kosovo and Iraq. For both communities have been left to fend for themselves and if Kosovo is to share a similar fate to that of Iraq, then the future is very bleak for Christians in these lands. This will also mean that both Christian communities have been forced to migrate because of short-term American objectives. Given this, then why did America support Islam three times out of three against Orthodox Christian communities in the Balkans? And why is America seen to be anti-Muslim, when in reality the Untied States is not only an ally of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and other Islamic nations, but America also helped Islam to obtain a major foothold in Europe, so why is America deemed to be anti-Islamic? More important, why did the United States and NATO allow the ethnic cleansing of non-Albanians in Kosovo? For the purpose of American intervention was meant to be based on human-rights and protecting a persecuted minority; yet the same nation allowed Christian civilians to be persecuted and allowed Saudi Arabia and other nations to send vast resources to Bosnia and Kosovo, why?


Managing Suicidal Risk A Collaborative Approach by David A. Jobes Foreword by Edwin S. Shneidman . This clinical manual offers essential tools and guidance for therapists of any orientation faced with the complex challenges of assessing and treating a suicidal patient. Full Description: This clinical manual offers essential tools and guidance for therapists of any orientation faced with the... A Collaborative Approach to Supporting People at Risk of Suicide Date produced 13 May 2013. Caitlin is a young woman who has attempted suicide and may be at risk of doing so again.
The Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS): An Evolving Evidence-Based Clinical Approach to Suicidal Risk DAVID A. JOBES,P properties of good bricks pdf Collaborative assessment and management of suicidality (CAMS) is a therapeutic framework for the assessment and treatment of suicidality that can be applied across different theoretical models and treatment approaches (Jobes, Gregorian, & Colburn, 2018).
Read "David A. Jobes, Managing Suicidal Risk: A Collaborative Approach, Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy" on DeepDyve, the largest online rental service for scholarly research with thousands of academic publications available at your fingertips.
Background. Adolescents at risk of suicide present a particularly difficult management challenge for all clinicians involved in their care. Adolescents have more suicidal thoughts and behaviours than adults.


This BOOK BOX SET 2 template and cutting file is approx. 7.75 by 4.5 inches. The set comes with two options, you can make the book box with either 1 big inner box or with 3 small inner boxes.
A template to make the book box a HARDCOVER book box.
The file comes in the following formats: PDF, WPC, SVG and MTC.
The sample below uses the 3 smaller inner boxes, window cutout and was made into a HARDCOVER.
Options below show the book box with one box to the left and 3 boxes to the right.
Also the set comes with 2 covers with window cutouts - and frames to go around the windows - the frames are shown below - covers are not shown.


Certain will be development in professions of Scorpios (October 23 – November 21) in the long stretch of July 2018, helped by due steadiness and inventiveness. Fiscal additions are in all likelihood in the last piece of July 2018; basic investigation of things included will be important before new ventures. Relationship of Scorpios with existing affection accomplice or mate is probably going to wind up smooth, and single Scorpios will appreciate simple relationship of effectively discovered new love accomplices. Just adequate care can keep their wellbeing solid in July 2018.


DailyBrushwork.com is pleased to announce the opening of its doors to the public.
Every month a show is open for entries. When the deadline for entries hits, it is then posted for 3 months online at DailyBrushwork.com where all work will be available for sale.
100% of all sales go directly to you, the artist.
You MUST have a PayPal account to receive payment. And it needs to be the same email you signed up for with OnlineJuriedShows.com.
It is your responsibility to promptly ship your work in a professional manner. You will be required to put in a trackingID from the carrier (We will send you instructions on how to do this when your work sells). You may include whatever promotional material you wish to further cultivate a collector/artist relationship.
Each show is up for 3 months. Your work MUST be AVAILABLE and IN YOUR POSSESION during the 3-month period. After the show comes down, you may enter it again in another show. DO NOT post the same work in multiple shows, it's a bit counter intuitive.
Be sure to enter your work in the appropriate category. It's how people find what they're looking for.
You will receive a postcard and an HTML email to post all over social media and email to all your collectors to help promote the show. By getting everyone involved and helping to promote the show, the collector base will grow huge.
In addition to everyone (hopefully) posting on social media, DailyBrushwork.com will also be running an Ad Campaign in both print and online.
The cost is $15 for the first image, $10 per image thereafter. You can enter as much or little as you want each month.
There is no contract, no stipulations and no gimmicks.
Please make sure your entries are high quality photos. The better the photo, the better it looks to a buyer.
As with all good things, we will roll with the feedback to improve and site and service and make this the best darn site out there to sell your work.


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Genghis Khan Appears in Temujin Treasures Slot from Pragmatic Play
Published April 3, 2021 by Mike P
Pragmatic Play has released Temujin Treasures as a slot featuring Genghis Khan as well as wild symbols, free spins, and four progressive jackpot tiers.
Pragmatic Play has launched a new slot for March 2021. Entitled Temujin Treasures, the newly released slot is named for Genghis Khan, who is also known historically as Temujin. As the name would indicate, this is a historic slot in theme, though it's one that can provide a range of features.
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Regarding wagers, it is possible to stake from €0.38 up to $190.00 on each spin. Although highly volatile in nature, the players who succeed can generate high multipliers when the more rewarding symbols are aligned in adjacent reels from the left to the right of the screen. Rather than include paylines, Wild Streak makes it possible for plays to win in 1,024 different ways.
A golden tiger has been designed as the wild symbol. While it can't substitute for the bonus or firecracker symbols, it can be used to fill in for all of the other symbols and it can potentially land on the second, third, or fourth reels. When six matching symbols appear on the second, third, and fourth reels, this triggers the Wild Switch feature and causes all of the images to transform and become wilds.
Temujin Treasures will also provide the Wheel Bonus round, which can be initiated with three bonus symbols on the second, third, and fourth reels. A fortune wheel shall appear during the feature and will provide opportunities to win free spins or else one of four progressive jackpot tiers. The current values are displayed on the screen and include the Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand levels.


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DIVVYA JAIN
IMPACT OF INCREASE IN MINIMUM LEGAL MARRIAGE AGE OF WOMEN IN INDIA
This research paper comprises the study on impact of increase in legal marriage age for women in India. It is a small attempt towards understanding and realising the policy angle upon a move by the government which is surprisingly prevalent and immediate in the Indian setup. Through this research, a fair, gender neutral notion has been brought up about how greatly this policy by the government is going to affect the youth and shape the future of India. The aim of this research is to sensitise the readers with the provisions of the proposed bill and educate them about the likely impact of revising the minimum legal marriage age policy for the Indian population. Research methods like structured interviews, surveys and analysis from focused group discussions of several key stakeholders have been summarised and used in the formulation and shaping of this research document.
India is one of the fastest and largest growing economies in the world. On one hand, it is the literate population and on the other it is the rich diversity that promotes this progress. Both men and women are at par and competitive in the modern time. However, despite their equal ratio, because of the patriarchal standpoints and descrimination happening around, the general acceptance of women in decision making is far lower than that of men. Some Indian women are global leaders and powerful voices in diverse fields but most women and girls in India do not fully enjoy many of their rights due to deeply entrenched patriarchal views, norms, traditions and structures.
UNICEF estimates at least 1.5 million girls under the age of 18 are married in India. In the lens of a rural setup, women, despite the presence of major upliftment schemes and reservation policies are generally alienated. One of the root causes for such acts is the mindset of people. Rural India, today identifies itself as a 'diverse form of civilisation' which has no doubt progressed in a way that they today offer a decent livelihood to many but the same areas of our country lack significantly and are way behind than other areas with respect to their mindset.
According to several reports, the general acceptance of a male child being enrolled in high school or even accepting a job letter is higher than a girl child receiving the same. In a country where dowry is still in practice and legal in the view of the public's opinion, how will a child of any gender realise their full potential to work and survive in such a controlled environment?
Good quality education is the foundation of new discoveries, new knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurship that trigger growth and prosperity of the individual as well as that of a nation.
Previously, families eagerly waited for their girl child to turn eighteen and get her married off. As a result, early marriages could mean early pregnancies further leading to massive health consequences for both the mother and child. Hence, in order to address such issues, and gain a holistic approach, which is not just restricted to health constraints but also based on educational development and financial independence, the government has proposed an increase in the minimum age for marriage of girl child to 21 years.
Now the question is will this proposal change the perspective completely? Nothing can be guaranteed but increasing the age for marriage will provide a girl child with time to grow immensely. This will open up corridors for education and employment opportunities, encourage her to start living a life that she desires for, empower her to take her own financial decisions and allow her to understand her place and her vision of life.
In 2017, a public interest litigation (PIL) PIL was filed by advocate and BJP Spokesperson Ashwini Kumar Upadhya who argues that Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution guarantee the right to equality and right to live with dignity, are violated by having different legal ages for men and women to marry. Based upon which, the Delhi High Court in 2019 had already issued notices to the Centre and the Law Commission of India, seeking their responses to this PIL.
As a result to the recent developments, it was on 15th August 2021, our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the first time, announced in his Independence Day speech that the centre will decide on the recommendations of a committee setup to reconsider the minimum age for marriage of women. Additionally, our Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman during her Budget Speech 2020-21 had also announced to revise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 years to 21 years. This led to creation of a high-level committee by the central government with a basic mandate to 'examine the appropriate age of motherhood and how to lower the maternal mortality ratio' and provide recommendations to the government by 31st July 2020.
Prior to independence, in 1860, it was through the Indian Penal Code which first criminalised sexual intercourse under the provisions that resisted against any commission of heinous acts with a girl child who was below the age of 10 years. Later in 1891, 'Age of Consent Act' raised the age from 10 to 12 years and and later in 1927, the amendment mad, made marriage stand invalid if conducted before the age limit. In addition to this, 'Sarda Act of 1929' decided upon the 'Child Marriage Restrain Act' setting a minimum age limit on women and men as 14 and 18 years, respectively. Post Independence, the 'Special Marriage Act 1954' and later 'Hindu Marriage Act 1955' set guidelines for marriages. The Sarda Act was amended in 1978 and the legal age for women was increased to 18 years and for men to 21 years.
As of present, the minimum legal marriage age is 18 years for women and 21 years for men. Despite an abundance of laws, child marriages were very much prevalent in Indian society since medieval ages. This was due to lack of strictness in laws, which were further improved with the emergence of 'Prohibition of Child Marriage Act' of 2006, that completely prohibited the act of child marriages and levied a heavy penalty on committers. Further developments in the same arena include the point that 'gender neutrality' should be maintained since there is no reasoning in the law for having different legal standards of age for men and women to marry and the laws are simply a codification of custom and religious notions, they could be amended without any trouble.
International Experience reveals that countries like the USA and UK already foster a gender neutral age of 18 years and approximately, around 156 countries across the world have 18 years as their minimum legal marriage age for both girls and boys.
How will this change impact a child's future?
What does this decision mean for 600 million women?
Will this step aid in eradicating the culture of forced marriages or just delay them?
The existing literature speaks about the evolution and significance of marriages in the Indian context. It reveals that the concept of age limit is non-obligatory but is set for the purpose of establishing a culture of consent in the modern age. The literature gap exists between the existing population and the youth, mainly rooted with the mindset of people. This research paper holistically tries to bridge the gap between their perspectives with evidence from the past and modern advisories from reputed institutions.
In June 2020, the central government sets up a task force to examine the correlation of age of marriage and motherhood with three prominent points:
(i) Health care and medical well-being, along with nutritional status of mother and child, during pregnancy and thereafter;
(ii) Key parameters such as Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), Total Fertility Rate (TFR), Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB), Child Sex Ratio (CSR), and
(iii) Any other relevant points pertaining to health and nutrition in this context.
Additionally, their work was also to recommend measures for promoting higher education among women.
The Task Force also stressed upon bringing societal change to make the policy sound more effective. This could be ensured by increasing accessibility and easy mobility for women in educational institutions, and by focusing upon skill development and business training for them. Unless such environments are fostered, the policy will not be as effective as it should be.
The scheme was later introduced in Lok Sabha on 21 December, 2021 under the 'The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021' with an aim to increase the minimum age of marriage of females to 21 years, and is still referred to the Standing Committee in Rajya Sabha.
This proposal will require amendments of the concerned laws through parliament. The laws include:
The Child Marriage Act, 2006
The Special Marriage Act, 1954
Further, the bill is likely to be reintroduced in the Parliament in the upcoming sessions, and if passed unanimously, it might be a successor for women empowerment schemes like 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' and 'Mahila Shakti Kendras' when it comes to addressing policy implementation in India.
Provisioning of this bill will not only significantly impact girl child but also benefit boy child in the long run. In the Indian context, boys belonging to backward families are often considered direct income sources, however, their parents are often mistaken because these boys are made to neglect their rights and access to primary education in replacement for income generation and recreational functions, which is not a win-win for them. Additionally, a guarantee of law that all marriages below the set limit are to be declared void will make the bill stand completely justified. Moreover, it is often assumed that the impact of child marriages lies over the shoulders of girl child who has to suffer as a bride, but it is both the children who are often not sensitised about the situation and are laid with extra responsibilities further affecting their potential in the long run.
Benefits -
Nutrition & Health: The aim of this proposed bill is to tackle matters pertaining to the age of motherhood. Reports from National Family Health Survey (NFHS) suggest that late marriages allows new mothers to be fully nourished with required nutrients and equips them with parental knowledge to take good care of their children.
Education & Literacy: With this scheme, there would be decline in early dropouts from schools and educational institutions. Additionally, with the extension of three years, there would be 'access to financial literacy' which will equip both girls and boys with necessary skills set which will aid them in decision-making and better understanding of handling their finances at household and work places.
Decline in Forced marriages: Forced marriages are a violation of an individual's rights, and has a negative impact on their physical growth, health, mental and emotional development, and education opportunities of the child. Both girls and boys are adversely affected by child marriage, as a result of which, the society as a whole falls under the vicious cycle of poverty and perpetuates gender discrimination, illiteracy and malnutrition as well as high infant and maternal mortality rates. One of the major ambitions of this scheme is to empower the most marginalized adolescent girls to make informed choices, especially those who are at risk of child marriage or are already married. Hence, with the emergence of this policy, there would be a potential decline in the social evils in Indian society.
Employment Opportunities & Upliftment: Corridors for new opportunities for every girl and every boy to work will open up, further accelerating progress and as both of them would attain quality education along with access government schemes, they will be better able to apply their knowledge and skills in a better way and strike decent employment opportunities or even run their own ideas to as startup and sustainable business models in the fly to becoming financially indepent and contributing to national income. Moreover, advocating for and promoting equal value of girls will help improve their safe mobility pan India.
Objections -
Poor Implementation: Poor policy implementation and lack of efforts by the government may not solve the problem but just delay it by three years. Additionally, due to lack of effective monitoring mechanism with the government, the spirit of implementation will be affected, as a result of which the whole purpose of the bill will stand defied.
Freedom of Choice: Age of Majority v/s Age of Marriage is a big issue even raised by many opposition leaders, where they question why not have an age limit of 18 years as an equal age to promote gender neutrality. Moreover, changing the mindset of people is a big hurdle and an extremely difficult task. Despite innovative measures and constant efforts taken by the government to educate and raise awareness among communities, change is something that is a slow process and requires general acceptance from both sides.
Judicial/ Case Overload: With a bill like this, there is a greater potential of registration of fresh cases pertaining to marriages set upon illegal age grounds. This will topple up the number of cases over the judicial system and will leave a significant impact on delivery speed of justice to young women and men.
Stakeholder's view
On one hand, Union Minister Smriti Irani, who also happened to propose this bill in the Parliament, strongly believes that this raise in minimum marriage age for girl child would lead to establishment of gender equality and women empowerment in society. Whereas, on the other hand, opposition leader and Chief of AIMIM, Asaduddin Owaisi rejects this notion and compares this act as a typical paternalism that comes from the government where an 18 year old men & women can sign contracts, start businesses, choose their own political leaders but not marry. In the opinion of people raising this point of objection, the legal age for marriage for both male and female should be 18 years. Similar recommendations have been made by the National Law Commission of India and many more.
Think from a woman's perspective
India is home to 223 million girls and women who were married as children – a third of the world's child brides and the key stakeholders from agencies of government and international organisations observe that the future of children lies in the hands of policymakers. "What is more important than children and their future?" says Nisha Meena, Deputy Director of the Women's Empowerment Department in the Rajasthan State Government. Empowered Adolescent Girls at UNICEF expresses that "In the group we talk about different health issues, we do a lot of work to help link girls to education and we also discuss child marriage and how it should not take place. We sing songs, learn new things and address problems that any of us have. Child marriage exists in the village. But now we have an improved understanding and we talk to our parents about the problems it causes. Over the last two years, we've also helped prevent child marriages." All they sum up to is provisioning an opportunity for the girl child will help better the situation.
Recommendation by Various Committees
It was UNICEF in 2020 which recommended the age as 18 for both male and female on the mandate on the rationale that a person is emotionally, physically and mentally mature to marry at the age of 18. Moreover, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Child supported this notion on the mandate that the age of marriage should be equal to the age of majority. Further, in 2018, the recommended age was supported by the Law Commission of India on the observations that due to lack of evident scientific reasons for the age to be different and that age of majority grants all citizens the right to choose their governments, hence the legal age of marriage should also be recognised as such.
The research involves both qualitative as well as quantitative analysis. Various questions regarding the impact of an increase in the minimum legal marriage age are answered through critical analysis based upon the responses of interviewed people who identify themselves as the promoters of women empowerment and aligned with the rural setting in place. Further, a questionnaire was circulated among the youth to assess and survey the amount of knowledge they have, and to take into consideration their opinions regarding the government's recent proposal on revision of minimum legal marriage age for girl child. Additionally, focused peer group discussions were conducted at institutional levels to identify and analyse diverse opinions of people working in related arenas.
In Rajasthan, to eradicate child marriages from roots, UNICEF along with the local governments have been organising several campaigns like large events, community murals, social media ads and even a mobile phone ringtone. At the district level, mobile vans are being arranged to travel from village to village in order to encourage dialogue, establish engagement among young people with games, and host films along with play performances to educate the masses. The campaign is running alongside the State Action Plan, which is the result of a large-scale consultation with youth, government, NGOs, and majorly by UN agencies. The plan includes small scale targets to ten year targets, within a huge range of strategies, from empowering young people to making laws and protection systems more stringent.
Not only in Rajasthan, but several other states like Odisha and West Bengal have similar trends. "When girls are productively engaged it also changes the mindset of families. I feel very proud of my daughter," says Nandini Bisoyi of Gaiba village in Odisha. She is the mother of 18-year-old Pinki who after completing a tailoring course is now engaged
in a garment unit in one of India's bustling metros.
Analysis of the state level data reveals that similar to the national level, there exist a correlation between early child marriage and the educational attainment of girls. We find that the completion of secondary education is found to be significant in delaying the age at marriage. Findings show the completion rate of secondary schooling is considerably higher amongst unmarried girls aged 15-19 years in almost all states. Making secondary schooling a fundamental right and ensuring girls from poor households are provided safe learning environments as well as residential secondary schools for remote areas may be considered as necessary steps to prevent early marriage in Indian states. In Bihar, completion rate of secondary education amongst girls who married before age 18 is only 51%, followed by Delhi (54%) and Rajasthan (57%).
India in recent years has shown tremendous progress in lowering the prevalence of child marriages. Though the decreasing trend in prevalence of child marriage seems promising at the country level, still there are 12 states in India that shows higher prevalence of child marriage than the national average. A key strategy for the initiative has been to strengthen access to services through ongoing government programmes and ensuring that there is no social stigma in marrying late.
According to the National Family Health Survey 2019-21 (NFHS-5), 23% of marriages in India are child marriages. No doubt, this figure has reduced significantly over the years from 47% in NFHS-3 (2005-06) to 27% in NFHS-4 (2015-16), and to 23% in the latest survey. The analysis clearly indicates a positive trend and gains from efforts being made by various states to prevent child marriage.
In my opinion, when girls are productively engaged it also changes the mindset of families and their local communities. Hence, creation of opportunities and right awareness amongst small communities tends to automatically make adjustments and decrease social evils in society. Linking girls to services, ensuring a positive legal and policy framework along with mobilising communities for change will potentially aid in empowering adolescent girls in the near future.
Women centric reforms can bring holistic change in society. India will not fully develop unless both girls and boys are equally supported to reach their full potential. It is critical to enhance the value of girls by investing in their education and empowering them with life skills, sport and financial literacy. By increasing the minimum legal marriage of women we can collectively contribute to the achievement of specific results, some short-term like increasing access to education, improving nutrition, others medium-term like ending child marriage. Most importantly, changing the value of girls has to include both men and women. It has to mobilise many sectors from an early age in society. Only when society's perception changes, will the rights of all the girls and all the boys in India be fulfilled. Moreover, these three years will also give them the time to work on their skills and help them achieve better living opportunities. Furthermore, amendments are just the first steps to the process, it is effective outreach and education along with constant checks in Indian society that will fulfil the purpose of this act and be helpful in catalysing the national economy while mitigating the social evils in developing India.
United Nations Children's Fund, "Child Marriage in India: An analysis of available data", UNICEF, New Delhi, 2012, p.15. (based on NFHS-3 2005-6).
PTI. "PIL in Supreme Court Seeks Uniform Law for Succession and Inheritance - The Hindu." PIL in Supreme Court Seeks Uniform Law for Succession and Inheritance - The Hindu, www.thehindu.com, 20 Sept. 2020, https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pil-in-supreme-court-seeks-uniform-law-for-succession-and-inheritance/article32654347.ece.
Staff, Scroll. "Independence Day Speech: Modi Says Centre Reviewing Minimum Age of Marriage for Women." Scroll.In, 15 Aug. 2020, https://scroll.in/latest/970425/independence-day-speech-modi-says-centre-is-reviewing-minimum-age-of-marriage-for-women.
PIB Delhi. "Task Force Set up to Examine Matters Pertaining to Age of Motherhood, Imperatives of Lowering MMR, Improvement of Nutritional Levels and Related Issues.", 6 June 2020 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1629832
Corner, Law. "Child Marriage In India - History And Current Position." Law Corner, lawcorner.in, 31 Jan. 2021, https://lawcorner.in/child-marriage-in-india-history-and-current-position/.
Express News Service "Did You Know That the Legal Age of Consent in 1860 Was 10 Years- The New Indian Express." The New Indian Express, 11 Oct. 2017, www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/oct/11/did-you-know-that-the-legal-age-of-consent-in-1860-was-10-years-1671391.html.
"National Family Health Survey." National Family Health Survey, rchiips.org/nfhs
"'If A Girl Can Choose PM At 18, Why Not A Partner': Asaduddin Owaisi." NDTV.Com, 18 Dec. 2021, www.ndtv.com/india-news/if-a-girl-can-choose-pm-at-18-why-not-a-partner-asaduddin-owaisi-2658089.
Child Marriage and the Law:technical note Ending Child Marriage in India, UNICEF ROSA https://www.unicef.org/rosa/sites/unicef.org.rosa/files/2018-03/EndingChildMarriage-India.pdf
General comment No. 20 (2016) on the implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence, United Nations Convention of Rights of the Child, December 6, 2016.
Ending Child Marriage in India, UNICEF ROSA https://www.unicef.org/rosa/sites/unicef.org.rosa/files/2018-03/EndingChildMarriage-India.pdf
National Family Health Survey-5 https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1680702
India, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, Sect 2 (a), 2006.
India, The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Bill No. 163, Introduced in Lok Sabha.
United Nations Children's Fund, Ending Child Marriage: Progress and prospects, UNICEF, NewYork, 2014.
International Institute for Population Sciences and Macro International, National Family Health
Survey (NFHS-4), 2015-16: State Fact Sheet Gujarat, IIPS, Mumbai, 2016, p. 2.
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India child marriage and Teenage Pregnancy, Based on NFHS-4 (2015-16), Report by Young
Lives India in collaboration with National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), New Delhi India.
Risk of maternal mortality in women with severe anaemia during pregnancy and post partum: a multilevel analysis, The Lancet, May 1, 2018.
Consultation Paper on Reforms of Family Law, Law Commission of India, August 31, 2018.
Report on Proposal to amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and other allied laws, Law Commission of India, February 5, 2008.
Task force on age of marriage for women "submitted report to PMO", The Hindu, January 18, 2021.
Corner, Law. "Child Marriage In India - History And Current Position." Law Corner, lawcorner.in, 31 Jan. 2021
National Family Health Survey – 5 (2019-21), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Chandra, Jagriti. "Task force on age of marriage for women submitted report to PMO", The Hindu, January 18, 2021.
Leaving No One Behind: Needs and Wants of LGBTIQA+ in Sync with SDGs
Humanitarian Intervention: Different faces of Foreign Policy of UK, USA, and India
Bracing for a Bleak Winter: Unravelling the EU Energy Crisis


Situated in quiet village location, this property comprises a traditional two-storey schist house and a ground-level brick house, both for renovation, and set in a plot of arable land with 1,450 m2 and a total of 12 fruit trees: orange, lemon, peach, loquat or Japanese medlar, and olive trees as well and grapevines.
A wonderful opportunity to acquire a property with two cottages for renovation in a quiet hamlet in the parish of Castelo, close to many river beaches and to the two small towns of Cernache do Bonjardim and Sertã for all local amenities.
The two-storey schist house, with a footprint of 58 m2 and a total living area of 139,6 m2, has a kitchen, a bathroom, a living-room and a tiled bathroom (with bath, sink, toilet and bidet), an entrance hall and a living-room. The floorboards need replacing throughout. Reroofing may be necessary, ideally with a roof lintel as it is customary in old schist houses to make walls more structurally stable, but wood rafters could be saved. On the ground-floor there are two spacious storerooms. Access to the top floor is through an exterior staircase leading to a terrace where the front door of the dwelling is located.
In the garden at the back of the house, there is a cement tank which was once filled with water for land irrigation.
Across the field, a few metres from this house and also included in the sale, there's another building: a ground-level brick house with a footprint of 95 m2, which has been left partly unfinished but which, if done up completely, would constitute an ideal place to receive guests or to turn into a rental unit. It has an entrance hall, a living-room with a fireplace, and two rooms to be converted into bedrooms or more living space. There is also an open plan attic which has no access from the inside of the house.
The property is conveniently located within easy reach of the IC8 road and close to the towns of Sertã (10 minutes) and Cernache do Bonjardim (8 minutes) for all local amenities. There are also two village cafés nearby, both within walking distance of the property, one with a grocery shop and located in the village of Seixo, and another one in Castelo, opposite the church.
A sound investment! Viewing recommended!


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Reuben and the Dark Close 2014 with Western Canadian Tour
Photo: Randi Beers
By Alex Hudson
Calgary combo Reuben and the Dark have had a big year thanks to their Funeral Sky, which was released through Arts & Crafts back in the spring. Now, the folksy group have announced plans to cap off their 2014 campaign with a few dates in Western Canada.
The bulk of the newly added shows are in British Columbia. In addition to playing major hubs like Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, the group will hit up some smaller locales like Fernie and Rossland. The eight-show trek will wrap up in Banff, AB.
The trek runs from late November into the beginning of December. It starts almost three weeks after Reuben and the Dark wrap up a run of North American shows with Australia's Boy & Bear.
See Reuben and the Dark's full upcoming schedule below, where you'll also find their recent Exclaim! TV session.
10/30 Seattle, WA - Neumos *
11/01 San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom *
11/20 Fernie, BC - The Northern
11/22 Rossland, BC - The Flying Steamshovel Inn
11/24 Nanaimo, BC - The Queens
11/26 Victoria, BC - Lucky Bar
11/27 Vancouver, BC - Media Club
11/29 Kelowna, BC - Streaming Cafe
12/02 Kamloops, BC - Dirty Jersey
12/04 Banff, AB - Elk & Oarsman
* with Boy & Bear
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Christopher Hopson, Dispelling the myths – let's tell the truth about wind farms
July 2, 2012 | By Christopher Hopson
Rarely a week goes by without another falsehood being peddled about the wind industry, with the UK media a particular source of misinformation and scare stories. Christopher Hopson compiles his top ten least-favourite fallacies.
1 Wind energy makes global warming worse
Myth: A study led by a team from the University of New York has shown for the first time that wind farms can worsen climate change by pushing up temperatures. The US right-wing television network Fox News ran a report on its website titled "New Research Shows Wind Farms Cause Global Warming". The US team studied satellite data from west-central Texas, which is home to four of the world's largest wind farms. The study found that over a decade, the local temperature at these projects rose by almost 1°C, particularly at night, compared with nearby areas without wind farms.
Fact: Local temperature effects have no bearing on global climate change. CO2 is the biggest factor behind climate change, and the largest source of man-made carbon emissions is coal-fired power stations. In the EU in 2010, wind energy avoided the emission of an estimated 126 million tonnes of CO2 by displacing energy produced by coal, oil and gas. The US study acknowledges that the change in local temperature was small compared with the overall change in the land surface temperature, and says more studies are needed, at different locations and for longer periods.
2 Using wind energy adds to CO2 emissions
Myth: Wind power could actually produce more CO2 than gas, and is inordinately expensive and ineffective because of the need for back-up power stations, warns Civitas. The British social-policy think-tank argues that turning back-up gas-fired power stations on and off, to cover spells when there is little wind, produces more carbon than a steady supply of energy from an efficient modern gas-powered station.
Fact: The Civitas report cites as evidence the findings of retired Dutch physicist Kees le Pair, a long-time critic of the wind industry. Ruth Lea, the report's author, is an economist with links to several right-leaning think-tanks, and has been a critic of the UK's climate policies, especially the promotion of renewables.
All forms of power generation require back-up, and no energy technology can be relied on 100%. Variations in wind farm output are barely noticeable over and above the normal fluctuation seen in supply and demand. Therefore, at present there is no need for additional back-up because of wind energy. Gordon Edge, director of policy at the trade association RenewableUK, points out that modern gas-fired plants are not required to provide back-up for wind. Instead, wind is "integrated" into the existing system to act as a fuel-saver, enabling Britain to harness a free electricity source when it is available. Additional investment is required, but Edge points out that "credible analysis" makes clear it will cost less for consumers than relying on fossil fuels, which are rising in price all the time. "This report, based on outdated and inaccurate information, does nothing to advance the debate," he adds.
3 Wind energy is heavily subsidised
Myth: More than 100 UK Members of Parliament wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron this year demanding cuts to the £500m ($773m) in annual subsidies for the wind industry. They claim that in financially straitened times, it is unwise to make consumers pay, through taxpayer subsidy, for inefficient, intermittent onshore wind.
Fact: Public subsidies for wind power are dwarfed by the tax breaks enjoyed by fossil fuels. OECD figures show that coal, oil and gas in the UK were subsidised to the tune of £3.63bn in 2010, while onshore and offshore wind received only £700m in the year to April 2011. All renewables in the UK benefited from £1.4bn in that period, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change. In the 37 countries that the International Energy Agency analysed, coal, oil and gas received $409bn in 2010, compared with $66bn for renewables.
4 Turbines are a serious threat to birds and bats
Myth: Spinning blades and fluttering wings are clashing more frequently as greater numbers of turbines are being installed.
Fact: The anti-wind lobby exaggerates the threat to birds. The American Bird Conservancy notes that wind turbines kill just 0.088% of the 500 million birds killed each year by pet cats in the US. A UK review by the Centre for Sustainable Energy says that for every bird killed by a turbine, 5,820 are killed by flying into buildings — typically windows.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) says: "We have not so far witnessed any major adverse effects on birds associated with wind farms." However, it stresses that there are "gaps in the knowledge and understanding" of how turbines affect bird and bat populations. UK wind farms are always subject to an environmental impact assessment, and RenewableUK members work with the RSPB and English Nature to ensure that designs and layouts do not interfere with sensitive species.
5 Turbines use lots of rare-earth minerals
Myth: China, which supplies more than 90% of the world's rare-earth metals, has imposed controls on mining and exports after more than a decade of extraction depleted its resources and harmed the environment. Western media have investigated the environmental destruction in Inner Mongolia, which contains more than 90% of the world's known reserves of rare-earth metals, specifically neodymium, the element needed to make turbine permanent magnets. Sceptics suggest this shows that the wind industry is not as environmentally friendly and sustainable as it makes out, and that its sources of rare-earth metals could dry up in future, leaving it with higher costs and production difficulties.
Fact: The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) report on critical metals in strategic energy technologies shows that the European wind industry is not a significant user of rare-earths. "The share of the neodymium and dysprosium that will be used by the European wind-power sector in the 2020-30 time frame will remain at 1% of world supply if realistic supply assumptions are used," says Justin Wilkes, policy director of the European Wind Energy Association. The JRC report says that in 2020, the European wind industry will use between 326 and 635 tonnes of neodymium — equivalent to 1.8-3.5% of the world's supply in 2010. In 2030, it is forecast to use 192-730 tonnes (1.1-4% of the world's 2010 supply). In 2020, the European wind industry will use 22-44 tonnes of dysprosium (1.9-3.6%) and in 2030 it will use 13-50 tonnes (1.1-4.2%).
6 Turbines cause noise and health problems
Myth: Living near wind farms can lead to a greater risk of heart disease, panic attacks and migraines, according to New York paediatrician Nina Pierpoint, who has carried out a five-year study of people living near turbines in the US, the UK, Italy, Ireland and Canada. She believes turbines are dangerous because the low-frequency sounds (infrasound) they emit interfere with the ear's vestibular system, which controls our sense of balance.
Fact: RenewableUK says that in more than 25 years and with more than 68,000 machines installed around the world, no member of the public has ever been harmed by the normal operation of wind turbines. Geoff Leventhall — a consultant on noise vibration and acoustics, and author of a report for the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the effects of low-frequency noise — says: "I can state quite categorically that there is no significant infrasound from current designs of wind turbines."
7 Wind turbines discourage tourists
Myth: Donald Trump claims that proposals to build an 11-turbine offshore test facility are a threat to his luxury golf resort north of Aberdeen, Scotland. The US property tycoon warns that Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond will be known as "Mad Alex — the man who destroyed Scotland" because its "pristine countryside and coastlines will forever be destroyed and it will go broke" thanks to "horrendous monstrosities" that will "destroy Scottish tourism".
Fact: There is no evidence to suggest wind farms adversely affect tourism. In fact, the UK's first commercial wind farm at Delabole, southwest England, received 350,000 visitors in its first ten years of operation, while 10,000 visitors a year take the turbine tour at the Ecotech Centre at Swaffham, eastern England. A Mori poll in Scotland showed that 80% of tourists would be interested in visiting a wind farm. Developers are often asked to provide visitor centres, viewing platforms and rights of way to their sites. A 2011 poll for tourist body VisitScotland found that 80% of UK respondents said their decisions about where to visit would not be affected by the presence of a wind farm.
8 Wind farms spoil the landscape
Myth: One of Britain's largest conservation groups, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), broke ranks with other environmental groups to attack the rapid development of onshore wind farms. It criticises the "cavalier approach" of many developers when dealing with local concerns. The CPRE has big worries about wind farms due to be built next to national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and sites of special scientific interest.
Fact: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, studies regularly show that most people find turbines an interesting feature of the landscape. On average, 80% of people support wind energy. UK surveys conducted since the early 1990s near existing wind farms have consistently found most people are in favour of wind energy, with support increasing among those living closer to wind farms.
9 Wind power is expensive
Myth: Critics claim that Europe's focus on wind power is crippling energy users with additional costs, as it is not a cost-effective way to reduce CO2 emissions. Civitas calls wind energy unreliable and believes it requires back-up gas-powered stations to maintain a consistent supply. Economist and UK government adviser Dieter Helm also casts doubts on the economic value and affordability of offshore wind. Helm, who is a professor at New College, Oxford, suggests gas generation could be a more affordable low-carbon alternative.
Fact: The cost of generating electricity from wind has fallen dramatically over the past few years. The cost of most renewables technologies "has declined, and significant additional technical advancements are expected", says the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
10 Wind farms harm property values
Myth: Homeowners living near UK wind farms could see their property values plummet after a legal case in which a couple from Lincolnshire, central England, were told they would get a huge council-tax refund because their home was said to have been rendered worthless by a turbine 1km away. It means many other families living in the shadow of turbines could see the value of their homes crumble, as the government pushes ahead with plans to build more wind farms over the next decade.
Fact: RenewableUK says there is no evidence that wind farms affect house prices. Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory spent three years examining nearly 7,500 homes in ten communities near 12 wind farms in nine states. They found no evidence that property prices were affected by the view or the distance between the home and the wind farm.
Christopher Hopson, London
This article was reproduced with the kind permission of Recharge and the author, Chris Hopson. It was first published in Recharge on 8 June 2012. www.rechargenews.com/energy/wind/article315027.ece
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One comment so far, add your own below
29 Aug 2012 at 3:20 pm Allan Mee
Christophers Hopsons commentary on the "myths" and "facts" re windfarms is seriously biased.
On point 4 alone re the threat to birds it is highly selective as regards the "facts". The most intensive study (ongoing) on the effects of windfarms on birds is taking place on the island of Smola, Norway since 2006. The scientific work by researchers from NINA has to date recovered over 50 White-tailed Eagles (WTE) killed by wind turbines at the farm (68 turbines). The Smola population of WTEs was one of the densest pops in the world but now produces few successfully fledged young due to the impacts of the windfarm and is largely only sustained by the influx of eagles from other areas.
In a study of 12 windfarms Pearce Higgins et al (2009) found that "levels of turbine avoidance suggest breeding bird densities may be reduced within a 500-m buffer of the turbines by 15–53%, with buzzard Buteo buteo, hen harrier Circus cyaneus, golden plover Pluvialis apricaria, snipe Gallinago gallinago, curlew Numenius arquata and wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe most affected" "Synthesis and applications. This provides the first evidence for consistent and significant effects of wind farms on a range of upland bird species, emphasizing the need for a strategic approach to ensure such development avoids areas with high densities of potentially vulnerable species".
In Spain Ferrer et al 2012 found that "The collision rate of birds with turbines was one of the highest ever recorded for raptors, and thegriffon vulture was the most frequently killed species. Bird mortality varied among the 20 constructed
wind farms." Likewise the ongoing high mortality of Golden Eagles at the Altamont Pass wind area in California is well docomented (see Hunt 2002).
Wind energy can make a valuable contribution to our energy requirement but caution should be exerted on siting to avoid important bird areas and the pros and cons of building a windfarm and its ultimate contribution to our energy needs (taking into account effeciency, grid connection etc). It should be acknowledged that windfarms are an industrial landscape and have the potential to become the new "tiger" with farms sprining up all over the place with no overall planning (beyond county level). Lets hope we dont end up with thousands of large white elephants lying idle all over the landscape if the latest boom goes belly up!


Well maintained village home has lots of space and light. updated windows and roof, There is an additional room on the first floor that could serve as a 4th bedroom. Three bedrooms and bath upstairs, 2 bedrooms have hard wood floors and the other rooms have plank. Small room at the top of the stairs could be an office or storage. Attached garage has lots of work space. this home also has an automatic generac generator and central air. Neat and clean if this house is in your price range it is a must see!


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The chase after the gold started early in the morning for Dimitri Sautin (RUS). He won the preliminary round, but only 4 points ahead of Tianling Wang (CHN).
18 divers moved into the semi-final and were trying to make the cut for the 12 who would contest the final. The scores from the five dives in this second round are added to the final points. This meant that Sautin had a 20 point lead on his rivals prior to the start of the decisive round. Not a guarantee of success but enough to raise Sautin's confidence over the rest of the competitors.
Sautin had one weak dive in his final program. Due to a back injury he changed one of his combinations from 3.5 reverse to a 2.5 reverse pike losing 0.5 in DD (degree of difficulty). The difference in total can be dramatic. For example if all judges give 8.0 ot comess to total of 84.00 with the higher DD but only 72.00 for the easier dive.
The final belonged however to Alexander Dobroskok (RUS), only fifth after the semi-final, as he moved into second on the first dive.
Sautin looked unbeatable receiving six 10s from the seven judges on his first dive. A mistake in the second dive allowed Dobrosok to close the gap to within 4 points.
Sautin and Dobrosok moved ahead after the third round, but Bo Peng (CHN) moved in between them on the fourth round.
On the fifth dive Dobroskok received 9.0 to 10s for a total of 94.86 with his inward 3.5 and a 3.4 DD. Sautin was received perfect 10s from all seven judges for his 2.5 reverse pike for a total of 90.00. Lower than Dobrosok due to the 2.4 DD. The seven 10s was truly a sensation as it has never happened before.
After their synchro win on the first day Dobroskok said that "I never beat Sautin, and that is my dream."
His dream finally came true on his last dive as Dobroskok received five 10s for his 2.5 reverse with 1.5 twist for a total 103.90 points, the highest marks of the competition and clinched the gold.
Sautin was good on his last dive but missed his entry. The mistake cost him not only the gold but also the silver.
This men's 3m final turned into the most outstanding competition ever held. In total, the judges awarded 33 x 10s with 13 for Sautin.


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