I'm participating in "Tour de Fleece" over on Ravelry (spinning on our spinning wheels every day the bicylce wheels of the Tour de France are spinning). Laigrai's team is "cirque du fleece", there's an old fashioned circus theme going on (I'm Lydia the Tatooed Lady"). I think the circus spirit has found its way into this piece, which I had thought would end up all white or off white.
Was happily surprised to see this sun in the fabric.
There will be more rays, probably, and many more stitches, and who knows what else. No plans, just stitching & adding as I go. Lots to go.
...and she seems friendly...so far.
(off to Oregon for a bunch of days, visiting the moms/grandmas).
While taking the photo of the snood on the koala, there was a loud crack, turned around, and watched a tree fall across the street, missing both cars, but not the wire.
Trying saying that sentence to someone with a straight face.
Here's my first snood (still loving the word). A mobiusish strip knit from these yarns. This was the third try (a charm?), to get it the right size. It will be fun to wear next winter, or with the way the northwest summer is going, tomorrow. Funny, I'd ordered the batts around the same time, both had antique-ish names ("vintage" & "old lace"), so in my head I planned to use them together somehow. Once spun up, I thought they should have nothing to do with each other, the colors seemed wrong. Unable to let go of my original plan, decided to give it a whirl. Turns out they were old friends who just needed to be reacquainted. Being knit up and ripped out together three times did the job.
Getting into bed, "Didn't we have two blankets on our bed?". "Yep, where's the blue one?"
Search ensues. The blue one was on top of sound asleep Mr. Blue.
In the morning, Blue asks, "Why did someone take my blanket off me in the middle of the night?"
"Why did you take OUR blanket off our bed?"
"Because I'm cold. None of my blankets are big enough for me anymore."
How, in a house full of piles of cloth and yarn, and a mama who loves to stitch, did a growing thirteen year old boy end up with cold feet sticking out of the end of his bed?!?
Isn't there an old quote about how it's always the shoemaker's children who are shoeless?
Blue started this green patchwork two summers ago & lost interest. I've got the machine out & am aiming to warm up his toes as quick as I can.
Here's the "vintage" with all of doodads added in. This was challenging, but fun. Finagling tied on dangling strings back through the orifice when buttons or baubles were too large to go through, drilling holes in wooden milk disks to add the thread to attach it with, treadeling s-l-o-w-l-y so as to maneuver all these and the other treasures through my fingers and onto the bobbin. Whew!
I'm thinking of combining it with this spin from hobbledehoy's "old lace" batt.
Maybe a snood? Just for the fun of saying "snood" over and over.
Today Mr. Moon and I went to the Frye Art Museum. I wanted to see the "Degenerate Art Ensemble" exhibit, especially a piece by Mandy Greer (I went on about her here). The almost nine-year-old review, "it was kinda creepy at parts". Yes, it was, but worth the trip to see some Mandy.
We came home for some making of our own.
What's better than looking at your baseball card collection? Drawing your own versions of them.
As for me, I spun up the "vintage" batt, my first attempt at add-ins.
And tonight we put on the tie-dye and sing songs from the 70's & 80's for our family choir concert. Another good day.
Well, school's been out for a week.
Some spinning, one beautiful batt of blues & greens,that I started to ply with a dark brown. Sounds good, doesn't it, well it wasn't- ugly, broken off & abandoned.
Some more rainbow stitching on that first moon/sun piece, even though I couldn't find my reading glasses and had consumed a glass (or two) of wine. Not a good idea. Abandoned.
Some staring at the star/sun piece with all of it's added rays and no new ideas for it. Next.
Some cleaning (if you know me, you know this is huge), going through piles of paper, recycling, filing. That felt good, but there was so much more. Daunted.
During that cleaning, found the above sewing. It's a quilt I started more than a year ago. A pattern designed by someone else. My sister didn't understand, "you have your own ideas, why are you using someone else's?" Because I liked it. It was clean and simple and brought happy stories to mind.
Then I started reading Jude's blog, and taking her classes, and new things started happening, the quilt was abandoned.
Yesterday I started working on it again. All the while, weird conversations were going on in my head...."Is this how you should be spending your time? Shouldn't you be creating something of your own? What would the group think? What's the value in this?" When I got tired of listening to myself analyze whether or not I should be doing this, I realized how much I was enjoying the process- pinning, mindless stitching, pretty fabrics...the original happy stories were back in my mind, and I was happy with just the making.
This is just what I need to be doing. After an unexpectedly busy spring, full of creating, thinking, learning, hard emotional work with, for and because of others- I just needed to stop, to be mindless, to not think, not plan, just be.
Jude's upcoming whispering is in my mind, not ideas or plans, just feelings and hopes and visions of layers of intertwining cloth.
But, for now, just stitching, happily, (and this is new for me) just being, and being ok with that.
This was not something I expected to get into. Was just going to check it out of the library. To see what everyone was talking about. The photos...they are stunning, rich, inspiring. I renewed it. And again. Had to return it. Bought it.
India Flint's book, Eco Colour.


text:
Q: Azure WebJob, how to be notified if it stops? I have an azure webjob that runs continuously.  I'd like to be notified if it stops or is aborted.  Is there an event that gets called on stop or abort that I can trigger an email?
Thanks!

A: If you're using the WebJob SDK, then you can do that using the new ErrorTrigger and SendGrid extensions. Check this wiki on how to set that up. But here is a sample code (copied from the wiki above) that uses both extensions to send an email if an error occurred 10 times in 30 minutes window with a throttle up to 1 hour
public static void ErrorMonitor(
    [ErrorTrigger("0:30:00", 10, Throttle = "1:00:00") TraceFilter filter,
    [SendGrid] SendGridMessage message)
{
    message.Subject = "WebJobs Error Alert";
    message.Text = filter.GetDetailedMessage(5)
}

If you aren't using the WebJob SDK, then unfortunately there aren't any events for continuous webjobs. There is only one for triggered jobs.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Contribute to Strike Suit Zero User Reviews by rating and commenting!
Has an arcadeified sequel called Strike Suit Infinity, focusing on survival mode and racking up points from killing endless waves of enemies.
If you die in the mission but get to a checkpoint, when the game restarts the checkpoint your hull and missiles have been reset back to full (same for the hulls of any ally you were protecting at the time, or at least to the level they were at the start), making some of the more frustrating parts of some levels a little more bearable.


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Villa Correr Dolfin, in Rorai Piccolo in the province of Pordenone, was built between 1680 and 1685 by the Correr, and ancient patrician family from Veneto, and in the nineteenth century it passed, through marriage, to the noble family Dolfin, one of the most illustrious in the Serenissima Repubblica of Venice.
The access to the Villa is through the main gate which is along the boundary wall: the owner's mansion is on two floors and it's richly decorated with frescos and sculptures.
All around the villa there's a wide park with centuries old poplars, magnolias, cypress trees and plane trees.
On the west side of the park there are water springs that feed two small lakes, which are the natural habitat of lots of birds such as the gray heron.
When Villa Correr Dolfin was built it was an important commercial and social point of reference in the region of Friuli.
Since 2003 it is part of the municipality of Porcia, which is conducting an imposing restoration project.
Today the eastern Barchessa and its porch, the noble family chapel and the "small Villa" are completely restored.
The Villa is open to visitors for guided tours with reservation.


text:
RETREAT REGISTRATION
SURVIVOR RESOURCES
TESTIMONIALS / GALLERY
Support & Events
SSG Darren Hubbell
SSG Darren Hubbell was born September 2, 1968 in Jacksonville, Florida and loved his Florida sports teams. He was a 14-year Army veteran and a senior line medic that had also served tours in Panama and Afghanistan. He met his wife, Dana, in 2006 and their first official date was at his military ball. They fell in love fast and were married January 13, 2007. Right after returning from their honeymoon, they received notification that Darren would be returning to Iraq early for his 4th tour to Iraq and his 6th overall.
Darren was dad to his two children and was even deployed in Iraq with his son when he was killed. He was also dad to Dana's two sons. Darren loved to laugh and was always joking. He was also a big history buff.
He was killed June 20, 2007 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq. His widow Dana joined us at Holbrook Farms Retreat in 2018 for a Survivors of Heroes Retreat.
Copyright © 2021 Holbrook Farms Retreat

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Phil Hammond is a doctor, journalist, broadcaster, campaigner and comedian. He qualified as a GP in 1991 and is currently works in a specialist NHS centre for children and adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome/ME. Phil is also a presenter on BBC Radio Bristol and has been Private Eye's medical correspondent since 1992, campaigning for patient empowerment, open data in healthcare and for the NHS to be honest and transparent about the harm it causes as well as the good it does. In 2012, he was shortlisted with Andrew Bousfield for the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Investigative Journalism for a Private Eye Special Report about the shocking treatment of NHS Whistleblowers. Phil has also won awards for broadcasting, popular health journalism, comedy and teaching. He is Vice President of the Patients' Association and a patron of Meningitis UK, the Doctors' Support Network, the Herpes Viruses Association, Patients First and Kissing It Better.
Phil presented five series of Trust Me, I'm a Doctor on BBC2 and has appeared regularly on Have I Got News for You, The News Quiz, The Now Show, The One Show and Countdown. He has been a Lecturer in Medical Communication at the Universities of Bristol and Birmingham,. Phil's Radio 4 sitcom about GPs struggling with the NHS reforms – Polyoaks – was written with David Spicer and the third series airs in June 2014. Phil has written three books – Medicine Balls, Trust Me, I'm (Still) a Doctor and Sex, Sleep or Scrabble? – and released two DVDs of his tours (Dr Phil's Rude Health Show and Confessions of a Doctor). He has currently on his third UK comedy tour with Games to Play With Your Doctor and writing his fourth book, 'Staying Alive – How to Survive the NHS' which will be published by Quercus in January 2015
For all press inquiries and bookings, please contact Marc Simonsson 0207 497 0849 or msimonsson@richstonepart.co.uk


text:
About us > News and media > News releases >
bmi regional wins 'Airline of the Year'
Created: 4th Oct 2013
European Regions Airline Association Awards Silver Airline of the Year to Re-launched carrier.
bmi regional has won the prestigious Silver Airline of the Year award at the annual European Regions Airline Association (ERA) conference in Salzburg, Austria.
bmi regional became independent from bmi in June 2012, and established its own operational, commercial and support infrastructure within four months, and within a year launched 12 new routes across UK and Europe. This year's judging panel – consisting of independent industry experts including former airline CEOs and aviation journalists – drew particular attention to the way bmi regional has re-launched itself as a standalone operator. Since its introduction, the ERAA Airline of the Year Award has grown to become the most widely recognised industry award in the aviation sector.
Cathal O'Connell, CEO of bmi regional, said: "Winning this award is a special honour for the airline. It is a testament to the commitment of every member of the team at bmi regional in the eighteen months since we became an independent airline: what we have achieved in the last year or so has been nothing short of incredible. The airline has demonstrated how a dedicated team can act quickly and decisively to implement the commercial and operational infrastructure necessary to create a flexible and efficient airline. I would like to personally thank the bmi regional team for all their hard work – and, of course, our customers and trade partners for their loyalty and support during this huge transition period."
He continued: "bmi regional now has the agility of a start-up business with the heritage of a great brand, whilst continuing to deliver a quality offering to our customers across eight European countries. This award is especially meaningful for bmi regional because it comes directly from our peers in the airline business."
Commenting on the Airline of the Year award given to bmi regional, the Judging Panel said: "The airline has managed to survive and develop through a dramatic period of transformation. Their re-launch and cut-over to a stand-alone airline was effectively executed in a short timeframe. It has established itself as a reliable airline with an expanding network."
Shaun Browne, Aviation Director at Bristol Airport, said:
"We are delighted that bmi regional has been recognised and awarded Silver Airline of the year at the annual European Regions Airline Association (ERAA) conference. Since bmi regional developed an airline base at Bristol Airport they have worked hard to appeal to both business and leisure travellers and encourage additional inbound visitors to the South West and South Wales regions. This award is a demonstration of their hard work and commitment during the recent transition period".


I remember this catalog really well, it would come in the mail. As a matter of fact, it was a mail order company.
I was a very young girl,but remembers my mom and grandmother ordering from this company.
I've never heard of this but my great grandmother was a writer for them, she died in 1981 when I was only 1 year old. Her name was Lucille Manley.
We are Syrians from Homs. My mother used to make orders from your catalog, her name was Helene Azank. Unfortunately we stopped receive it after 1967. It was really very satisfiying.
saw in the above catalog a ad for "pique" dresses. I remember these well and the fabric was well wearing and the dresses were very cute.


text:
Notes (PDF)
Schedule (HTML)
Roster (HTML)
Roster (PDF)
Stats (HTML)
Stats (XML)
Stats (PDF)
Fan Information
Thursday 08/11/2016
See Earns Assistant Accolade
CLEMSON, S.C. – Andrew See was named one of the top-11 assistant coaches in the nation by D1Baseball. See served as pitching coach in his first season at Clemson in 2016.
See coached the 2016 squad, which featured pitchers who made just nine starts in 61 games the previous season, to a No. 15 ranking in the final USA Today coaches poll, 44 wins, the ACC championship and a top-eight national seed in the NCAA Tournament.
A major key to the 2016 team's success was Clemson's school-record 14 one-run wins against only six one-run losses and 5-1 record in extra-inning contests, a testament to his players' ability to pitch effectively late in games.
First-team All-American Pat Krall led the pitching staff, as he became the first Tiger in history to lead the team outright in wins (10) and saves (5) in a season. He was 10-2 with an ACC-best 1.67 ERA in 80.2 innings pitched over 29 appearances (three starts).
From D1Baseball:The Tigers brought in a new coaching staff last summer and the pitching staff looked like a true construction zone for Monte Lee and his staff. Well, that was until See showed up after spending the last three seasons at Duke. See, who tutored Michael Matuella and others at Duke, did an admirable job in his first season, helping develop Pat Krall, Charlie Barnes, Alex Eubanks and Brooks Crawford into quality pitchers, while also helping lead Clemson to a national seed and a regional host.
Preseason Banquet Set For Feb. 5
2020 Clemson Hall of Fame Inductees
Purple Sweeps Orange To Complete Fall Practice Season
Auburn Defeats Clemson 11-7 in Scrimmage


text:
Menorca priest suspended for "inappropriate conduct"
By Tamsin Brown • 17 December 2021 • 12:06
Image: Diocese of Menorca
A Menorca priest has been suspended for "inappropriate conduct" with his churchgoers, and the Vatican has been informed.
Just one year ago, Jean Marie Nguele arrived in Menorca from Cameroon to be a priest at the parish of Santa Eulalia de Alaior. The irregularities began after only a few months, as he allegedly conned his churchgoers out of their money.
He had "inappropriate conduct" related to financial scams with an important number of parishioners, reported the bishop of Menorca, Francesc Conesa, who ruled out any misdeeds of a sexual nature. The Diocese of Menorca tried unsuccessfully to provide him with psychological, medical and spiritual help.
Finally, Nguele was suspended a divinis, which means that he will not be able to exercise his functions as a priest of the Catholic Church.
In a letter released on Thursday, December 16, the bishop of Menorca spoke of "the sad and painful situation that has taken place in our diocese".
The bishop insisted that, in order to make Nguele see the seriousness of his actions, he was given two canonical cautions warning him that if he continued, he would be suspended.
Finally, on September 7, "so that his attitude would no longer affect the people of God", and taking into consideration that the warnings and attempts to help produced no effect, the bishop suspended Nguele. The diocese has also tried to "listen and respond to all the people who have possibly been affected".
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Washington demands that Turkey stops allowing flights from Russia
BREAKING: Injuries reported as MASSIVE blaze spreads inside New York City apartment block
Tamsin Brown
Originally from London, Tamsin is based in Malaga and is a local reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering Spanish and international news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at [email protected]


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So, if you still decided own hands practice repair, then the first thing must learn how do fix Castle on the jacket. For these objectives one may use every finder.
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text:
Local farms donate thousands of gallons of milk to those in need as market dissolves
By Meghan Sorensen Globe Correspondent,Updated May 6, 2020, 5:57 p.m.
Randy Jordan milked cows at Jordan Dairy Farms in Rutland.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Dairy farmers have been forced to dump milk into manure pits or down the drain since the commercial market dissolved practically overnight due to the coronavirus pandemic. With schools and restaurants closed, dairy farmers are stuck with gallons of milk they cannot sell.
In response, Dairy Farmers of America has partnered with Vanguard Renewables and HP Hood to fund the donation of 8,600 gallons of milk from Massachusetts farms to local families in need.
The Farmers Feeding Families event will be held Thursday at Boston College High School in Boston. Attendees will be allowed to take 2 gallons of milk per car or by walk-up from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until the milk is gone. All participants must wear face coverings and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
The milk will be distributed by members of the Massachusetts National Guard and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency along with volunteers from Vanguard Renewables.
"The removal of the commercial marketplace for dairy products has really derailed the supply chain," said Vanguard Renewables CEO John Hanselman. "Factories are very specifically designed to produce either products for the home consumer or products for the commercial market and when the entire commercial market disappears in three days, you can't retool factories."
Vanguard Renewables is a Wellesley based company that turns manure and other forms of organic waste into renewable natural gas or renewable electricity. By partnering with Hood, Vanguard Renewables can place surplus milk into manageable single-gallon containers to be distributed to those in need.
"We see this raw milk that if we just could raise some money and get it processed we could get it into the hands of people who, especially nowadays, are in such dire straits," Hanselman said. "That for us wasn't even a question."
Hanselman said the pandemic has highlighted the importance of local agriculture as it has become increasingly difficult to transport products from farms in Indiana to grocery stores in Boston.
"Dairy farms are closing all the time. It's a very tough business and it's one where we're really looking to see how you can create local incentives for all of the agriculture industry."
Randy Jordan, co-owner of Jordan Dairy Farms in Rutland, said the market collapse has taken an emotional toll on farmers.
"There's a lot of farmers that are on the edge," said Jordan. "If there's one thing that this is going to do for the dairy farmers, it'll make them feel beneficial, helpful, and [give them] a reason to get up in the morning."
Jordan is hoping that the Farmers Feeding Families event will stoke interest in local produce and increase local farm dairy sales after the pandemic comes to a close.
"[We] have the ability to help the people in need just like people hopefully will help the farmers some day," said Jordan.


Candidate experience is best defined as how a job seeker views your company throughout the hiring journey. In the recruiting process, it's now more important than ever.
Recent studies show that more than half of job seekers have had poor hiring experiences, whether it be from lack of visibility, poor or no communication from companies, sluggish hiring times, or lack of feedback after interviews.
More than two-thirds of candidates who have a negative experience will share it with their networks on social media or employer review sites like Glassdoor. This is damaging your employer brand and putting you at a disadvantage to competitors.
Candidates who have a poor experience are 3.5 times less likely to apply for a job at your company again. This definitely hurts your talent pipeline in the long run.
Over the last several years, companies have started to recognize the impact candidate experience has on building a successful employer brand and becoming an employer of choice. Organizations are making investments in developing robust career pages, social media profiles, and talent communities to engage and communicate with job seekers constantly.
When you put your candidates first, it's like putting your customers first. The best candidate experience starts with a solid strategy and an organizational buy-in. Convey delivers constant communication, personalized messaging, and robust data that engages top talent and allows you to ensure the right candidates are coming through the door.
It's no secret: candidate experience matters.
Guest Post by Michael Klazema The goal of every hiring process is to hire the best talent for the job. But what happens if the best people aren't applying in the first place? Many businesses struggle.
It's one thing to post a job description and sort through applications to find a great talent. But what if you could successfully build a pool of qualified candidates before a posting even goes up?


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Répondre à michaelkorsmontre.info Annuler la réponse.


text:
President Trump's use of a doctored photo showing Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer in Muslim garb draws ire
By ELANA SCHOR
| NEW YORK
President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)
President Donald Trump circulated a fake image on Monday depicting congressional Democrats' top-ranked leaders in traditional Muslim attire in front of the Iranian flag, drawing criticism that he was promoting Islamophobic tropes.
The manipulated photo retweeted by Trump showed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in Muslim garb with the caption: "The corrupted Dems trying their best to come to the Ayatollah's rescue #NancyPelosiFakeNews." Trump, a Republican, had previously faulted Democrats for criticizing his administration's targeted killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, but his use of Muslim imagery as part of that effort drew pushback from Muslim American advocates.
"The image is a hodgepodge of anti-Muslim tropes and garb from many traditions including some that are frequently used to stereotype and attack Muslims," Madihha Ahussain, special counsel at the nonprofit group Muslim Advocates, said in a statement. "It's disappointing but not surprising that the president would use his massive Twitter platform to spread this kind of harmful, ignorant, anti-Muslim bigotry."
Wa'el Alzayat, CEO of the Muslim American group Emgage Action — named for its mission to engage Muslim Americans — also criticized Trump's decision to amplify the doctored photo of Pelosi and Schumer. "There's no place for it, irrespective of political differences," he said in an interview.
Why the actual hell is the president of the United States using the way I and millions of other Americans dress and the religious beliefs that We hold as a slur. This absolutely must be condemned by congressional lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. pic.twitter.com/wpruAzWBTI
— hend amry (@LibyaLiberty) January 13, 2020
Schumer tweeted his own pushback to Trump, asking: "How low can you go?"
President Trump: How low can you go?
Republicans: How long can you cover up for and defend the president's actions? https://t.co/MZElghurAM
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 13, 2020
The image that Trump retweeted has been circulating on the internet for a few days. The Twitter account that Trump got it from has a history of tweeting in both English and Persian about Iranian issues, promoting pro-Trump content and criticizing U.S. Democrats.
Latest Nation & World
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham defended Trump's retweet of the image, telling Fox News on Monday that the tweet was intended to show Democrats "have been parroting Iranian talking points, and almost taking the side of terrorists and those who were out to kill the Americans."
Democrats have raised questions about the Trump administration's rationale for ordering the Soleimani killing, warning about the resulting heightened tensions with Iran. But no Democrats have praised Soleimani, and Pelosi herself described him last week as a "terrible person" who "did bad things."
Associated Press writer Amanda Seitz in New York contributed to this report.


text:
What does a positive lateral flow test result look like? Lateral flow test results, explained
Scottish whisky bosses accused of 'lying' over minimum unit pricing claims
Professor Devi Sridhar: Nicola Sturgeon covid advisor says children 12 and over should be vaccinated so secondary schools can return to normal
A leading member of Nicola Sturgeon's coronavirus advisory group has said children aged 12 and over should be vaccinated to avoid further periods of home learning.
By Gary Flockhart
7th Jun 2021, 10:15am
Professor Devi Sridhar, chairman of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, told Good Morning Britain: "If we want schools to continue without disruption in the autumn and lift restrictions so children can have a normal experience, we need to vaccinate them, and if we wait and watch for the evidence it will be too late in the next few weeks.
Covid Scotland: Pandemic recovery gives Scotland 'real opportunity' to address h...
"We have the supply – it's not a large amount, it's a couple of million doses to cover that population of 12-plus.
"And we can't use AstraZeneca – the main supply we have – in younger age groups, so we should export AstraZeneca and help countries abroad, send those doses, as well as focusing on our adolescents to make sure they don't have another year disrupted, because that would be an absolute shame."
She added: "Children can still get long Covid and can still be chronically ill from this.
"Given that we know children can transmit, where we are going to see problems going forward is not going to be in care homes, it's not going to be in hospitals, it's going to be in schools, because this is where you're going to see large groups of unvaccinated kids together, and we are going to have outbreaks.
"We might as well roll it out in the summer, get those kids covered so secondary schools can go back, normally, this autumn."
Professor Devi Sridhar said children aged 12 and over should be vaccinated to avoid further periods of home learning.
Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.
If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.
Nicola SturgeonAstraZenecaGood Morning Britain
Sign up to our public interest bulletins - get the latest news on the Coronavirus


text:
Q: How to give a fixed Uid to my Action Hy,
I'm trying to call my action with allways a fixed Uid (configured by TS) so I could put a plugin on my page to register for a specific Event. And don't have to go over a Event List click the Event click register.
I tried the following which did not work out:
public function newAction(
    \XYZ\xyz\Domain\Model\Registration $newRegistration = NULL,
    \XYZ\xyz\Domain\Model\Event $event = 'DD8B2164290B40DA240D843095A29904'
)

The next didn't one work either!
public function newAction(
    \XYZ\xyz\Domain\Model\Registration $newRegistration = NULL,
    \XYZ\xyz\Domain\Model\Event $event = Null
) {
    $myinstance = \TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\GeneralUtility::makeInstance(
        'XYZ\\xyz\\Domain\\Model\\Event'
    );
    $event = $myinstance->findByUid('DD8B2164290B40DA240D843095A29904');

    .......
}

So I was woundering is there a way to give my fixed Uid to the action?

A: In TYPO3 calling Extbase actions is done in the routing and dispatching components - to pass anything from the outside that is different from a numeric uid value a custom property TypeConverter would have to be implemented that transforms a particular string pattern into a value domain object of type Event.
However, there's a simpler approach by using configuration:
1) Provide configuration in TypoScript
Extbase uses a strong naming convention based on the extension name and optionally the plugin name. Thus, either tx_myextension or tx_myextension_someplugin can be used - latter is more specific for for according somePlugin. Besides that settings are automatically forwarded and provided in an Extbase controller context - accessible by $this->settings.
plugin.tx_xyz {
  settings {
    newActionEventIdentifier = DD8B2164290B40DA240D843095A29904
  }
}

2) Retrieve data via repository

\XYZ\xyz\Domain\Repository\EventRepository

Use a dedicated EventRepository::findByIdentifier(string) method to retrieve the data. The property names are just assumptions since there are no explicit mentions how exactly the event data is persisted and whether it is persisted in a relational DBMS at all.
<?php
namespace XYZ\xyz\Domain\Repository;
class EventRepository
{
    public function findByIdentifier($identifier)
    {
        $query = $this->createQuery();
        $query->matching(
            $query->equals('event_id', $identifier)
        );
        return $query->execute();
    }
}

3) Putting all together in the according controller
The $event property was removed from the action since that entity is pre-defined and cannot be submitted from the outside (and to support the string to Event entity transformation a custom TypeConverter would be required as mentioned earlier).
public function newAction(
    \XYZ\xyz\Domain\Model\Registration $newRegistration = null
) {
    $event = $this->eventRepository->findByIdentifier(
        $this->settings['newActionEventIdentifier']
    );
    if ($event === null) {
        throw new \RuntimeException('No event found', 1522070079);
    }
    // the regular controller tasks
    $this->view->assign(...);
}


Hi ya, Dana! You'll be hanging out with your old pal Mickey in just a few short days! Disney Pin Collecting is fun, and it can become quite addicting, too! I remember buying my boys their first Pin Starter Set many yEARs ago, and they quickly learned the process of Pin Trading with Cast Members. My current favorite pins are the ones from the Mickey Food Flair Set found at multiple locations on property, including The Emporium.
In 2016, Walt Disney World launched it's first PinQuest Scavenger Hunt in Magic Kingdom Park, and several more have followed, with the latest one being in Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park last fall. Unfortunately, that one ended in January, and while there has been buzz about another one starting soon, I haven't seen any official announcement.
The good news is that your trip falls during the 2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Although there aren't any pin trading activities, I'd highly recommend doing one of the scavenger hunt adventures while you're there. The first is Spike's Pollen Nation Exploration, and to participate, you will need to purchase a map and sticker set from Pin Central, Port of Entry. Just in time for Easter, there is also the Egg-stravaganza Scavenger Hunt from April 5-21, and it takes you around World Showcase while you search for eggs hidden within each country. Maps can be found at three locations in the Park: Disney Traders, World Traveler, or Pin Central. After completing the scavenger hunt, you can turn in your map at Disney Traders for a sp-egg-tacular surprise!
I hope you have an egg-citing time during your trip, Dana!
Hi, I'm Eean from Pennsylvania! I may have an unusual name, but my passion for Disney is not unique. It's amazing how many people you can find who love talking about, "The Most Magical Place On Earth!" I'm that mom who always has her ears perked at PTO meetings, in the grocery store aisle, or at middle school basketball games waiting for an opportunity to give someone a planning tip to help make their vacation even more magical.


Market expected to remain strong as companies prepare to move toward compliance with regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley.
The market for storage management software grew to $5.6 billion in new license revenue in 2004, up from $5 billion from the previous year, according to new data from Gartner.
Growth was mainly fueled by buoyancy in sales of storage resource management, which includes products to manage multiple storage devices and servers. This segment grew 30.8 percent to reach $612 million in 2004, Gartner said.
EMC led the storage management market, with its share rising to almost 30 percent on sales of $1.66 billion. Veritas, which is being acquired by Symantec, was in second place with 18.5 percent share on revenues of $1.04 billion. IBM came in third with 12.2 percent on sales of $688 million, and Computer Associates ranked fourth with a 5.3 percent share, much lower than in 2003.
The biggest gain was made by Network Appliance, whose year-over-year sales rose 73.5 percent. The company moved up to fifth place from seventh the year before.
Gartner said the need for companies to comply with regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley will continue to drive the market for archiving and data protection products. During 2005, Gartner said, license revenue from global storage management software could reach $6.3 billion.
"The need to better incorporate electronic records into a total records management solution will offer real opportunity for storage vendors, but customers will need to look beyond the hype to determine exactly how a specific storage product will fit into their process," Carolyn DiCenzo, research vice president at Gartner, said in a statement. "Storage vendors will play a significant part in providing some of the tools needed to do information life cycle management, but understanding the content will be a key component that will take more than just storage tools."


text:
011-27118033, 011-27444787
msmsdelhi83@gmail.com
Health Champs
From Principal's Desk
CBSE Affiliation
Documents to be Attached
Message from School IT Head
IT Act of India 2000, Important Sections
Cyber Safety for Students
Safe Online Learning in the times of COVID-19 Booklet by NCERT
Students Appointment
List of Toppers for Class X & XII
Math's Lab
English Audio-Visual Room
Music Dance & Instrument
School Timings & Uniform
Webinars 2020
Details as per CBSE
In the portals of MSMS, students discover their own talents, and get an opportunity to develop them to the fullest. The school provides an invigorating and healthy competitive atmosphere, created by excellent facilities and guidance provided by a highly qualified and dedicated faculty.
The values, which are ingrained help to promote confidence, direction, and critical thinking skills, leading to the development of well-adjusted, adaptable and integrated personalities. In other words, MSMS offers comprehensive and holistic education.
Besides being committed to academic excellence and providing education for all round development, another special characteristic of MSMS is the appreciation of the worth of the each student. The School is equally committed to the under-represented and less-privileged segments of the population, such as gifted applicants whose parents could not attend school, and children with high potential facing difficult financial circumstances.
A major landmark development has been the inclusion of the physically and mentally handicapped children into the mainstream of school life. This contributes to a strong sense of community life, so characteristic of the school. In other words, children belonging to every strata of society are given the opportunity to study here. The school, does not in any way, discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, caste or creed, in the implementation of its admission policy.
These qualities have placed MSMS on the forefront. There has been a continuity of purpose, underlying the change and growth of the School. Over the years, MSMS has steadily reflected a spirit of innovation in response to need, and has broadened its educational mission, by creating an academic environment that fosters close association and the exchange of ideas with some of the top schools in the nation and the world.
All the academic programs and activities at MSMS work towards one purpose - to help students develop lives of significance for themselves and for others, true to the traditions of the School Motto "Live and Let Live".
Best school in north Delhi, School in north Delhi, North delhi top schools, Best school in north west delhi, Schools for nursery admission near me, Schools for nursery admission in delhi, Top 10 schools in north delhi, Top 5 schools in north delhi, Top schools near me, Best school near me, Top 10 schools in delhi for nursery admissions, List of schools in north delhi, Top schools in north delhi, Mahavir Senior Model School
Sangam Park Extn, G.T.Karnal Road, Opp Nanak Piao Gurudwara,
011-27118033, 011-27444787,
© 2019 Copyright Mahavir Senior Model School (MSMS) Delhi.


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Home > IV Online magazine > 2021 > IV559 - August 2021 > Afghanistan's bravest woman: Sudaba organized first anti-Taliban (...)
Afghanistan's bravest woman: Sudaba organized first anti-Taliban demo
Saturday 28 August 2021, by Farooq Sulehria
16 August. As the world was watching, in horror, the Taliban victory march on Kabul, residents of the town had literally locked themselves in. Next day, while the Kabul airport was thronged by terrified Afghans trying to escape the Taliban, elsewhere it was a pin drop silence in a sprawling town of five-million. "This silence is more scary than that of the familiar bomb blasts we used to hear in the last 20 years," commented one acquaintance.
Amid this fear and panic, four Afghan women decided to protest as an act of resistance. They spontaneously decided to hold a demonstration.
This first act of resistance, on 17 August, was embarrassingly minuscule in size when these four women, all in their mid-20s, gathered outside of the Presidential Palace.
In the video footage that immediately went viral, one can watch them flashing placards in the face of the Taliban. They are chanting: "We exist. We are half Afghanistan. Don't conceal us. Don't harm us. Support us."
The gun-toting Taliban, visibly nervous appear at a loss as local and global media cover the event.
Small in size but Himalayan in courage, this protest began to dominate the TV screens and blogosphere. Conspiracy theories gained currency equally fast. 'The Taliban themselves sponsored the manifestation,' detractors commented in disbelief. Regardless of disparaging conspiracy theories, the action had electrified many across the country. In the next two days, demonstrations were held in many towns. In two cases, the Taliban responded by firing at the agitators. In Jalalabad the death toll was 3, in Asadabad, 16 [exact death toll remains unverified].
Who were these four brave women? It was a question on everybody's mind in Afghanistan and perhaps beyond. Sudaba Kabiri, the motivator behind the spontaneous demonstration, happened to be the friend of a Kabul-based journalist. Though underground since the fateful demonstration yet she readily agreed to reply my questions on whats app. "Will send you voice notes," she told me in a brief whats app call. Her matter-of-fact replies were as brief, but to the point, as her call.
Read on:
Tell us something about yourself.
I am a university student. I was born during the period of first Taliban rule (1997-2001). I work with a private-sector employer as well.
Where was this protest organized? How did the idea of protest came to your mind and how many more friends were involved?
It was held outside of the Presidential Palace. We were a group of students. We were very upset. Our decision was sudden. It was not any pre-planned act. All the men and women are afraid of the Taliban. They were not ready to step outside of the homes. We want to demand our rights [through this action] and to encourage others to demand their rights.
The Taliban gunmen were present. What did they say?
Yes, there were the Taliban gunmen. They did not respect us. They were very angry. They snatched our papers and mobiles. However, when the national and international media crew started arriving, they changed their behavior. Earlier, they were pointing their guns at us.
Are you underground after the demo? Any threats after the demo?
We are underground. Every day, we move to a new place. Our families, however, are staying on in their respective homes. They are afraid. We are all in big trouble. Understandably.
Do you think your protest led to more protests that started next day on?
This demonstration had significant impact on the Afghan society. Specifically, it encouraged the women to come out of their homes and lead the demonstrations.
What next? Are you planning to escape Afghanistan?
We plan to stay on until they are not threatening to kill us.
How have your families responded, were they aware of your action in advance?
Our families did not know anything. They did not even know that we had stepped outside of the homes. When they watched the demonstration on television, they were angry at us. We can understand them. They want us to be safe. But it is critical time. We cannot stay silent.
afghanistan-s-bravest-woman-sudaba-organized-first-anti_a7281-2.pdf (PDF - 440.9 kb)
afghanistan-s-bravest-woman-sudaba-organized-first-anti_a7281.pdf (PDF - 441.2 kb)
How to overthrow a life-threatening capitalism?
Constituent Social Movements bloc advances environmentalist and feminist demands in Chilean Convention
Emergency: Defend Our Rights!
Help Afghan Women. Do Not Recognize the Taliban Government.
The new, young and radical feminist movement, at the forefront of popular resistance in Greece!
Afghanistan and Its Challenge to Feminism
After 20 years, occupation has failed Afghanistan – but our struggle for freedom continues
Washington Is Shedding Crocodile Tears for Afghan Women
The US Lost in Afghanistan. But US Imperialism Isn't Going Anywhere.
RAWA on the Taliban takeover
Farooq Sulehria teaches at Beaconhouse National University, Lahore. He is author of "Media Imperialism in India and Pakistan" (Routledge). He was previously a prominent radical journalist based in Sweden.


Cancellations for this event must be made before August 10, 2018 — 7:00pm.
Learn to make simple wire rings in historical styles, including Greek spirals, Roman rosettes, and Saxon wraps. We will use 18 gauge wire, although these can be made with 16 or 20 gauge as well.
Instructor will provide copper wire ($1-2), or you may bring your own colored copper based wire that you can find at Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
I might bring some sterling silver wire, which would run $5-10.
Some styles can have a few beads added, if you want to bring some. Hole should be big enough to go over 18 gauge wire.
Bring 18 gauge copper based wire or a few dollars to use instructor's. (16 or 20 gauge wire also work, but not as well.) If you want to add a few beads (3-8) to the roman rosette ring, they need to fit over 18 gauge wire and be smallish. I might bring some sterling silver wire, which would run $5-10.


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Heiligenblut (fränkisch: Wolfrad) ist ein Gemeindeteil der Stadt Spalt im Landkreis Roth (Mittelfranken, Bayern).

Lage
Die Einöde liegt im Fränkischen Seenland, etwa 600 Meter vom Nordufer des Brombachsees entfernt und ist vom benachbarten Ottmannsberg aus zu erreichen. Der Ort liegt im Spalter Hügelland.

Geschichte
Die Wallfahrt, die einzige ihrer Art im Bistum Eichstätt, beruhte ursprünglich auf einer mittelalterlichen Legende um einen angeblichen Hostienfrevel. Der katholischen Legende nach soll ein armer Taglöhner während einer Hungersnot eine geweihte Hostie in der Kirche von Stirn gestohlen haben. Anno 1444 soll sich in Heiligenblut folgendes abgespielt haben: Ein reicher Jude befiehlt einem armen Holzhacker mit vielen hungrigen Kindern, Hostien aus der Kirche des Örtchens Stirn zu stehlen. Der Jude sticht auf die Hostien ein, die prompt anfangen zu bluten. Die Sache fliegt auf, der arme christliche Holzhacker wird enthauptet, der Jude aber konvertiert zum Christentum. Sekunden, bevor er getauft werden soll, fährt der Blitz in die Spalter Kirche und erschlägt den Juden.
Diese katholische Legende steht im Zusammenhang mit der Vertreibung der jüdischen Bevölkerung aus dem nahe gelegenen Ort Eichstätt. Zu Beginn des 17. Jahrhunderts hatte die Wallfahrt Zulauf aus der ganzen Region. Die Pilgerwege aus Ellingen und Stopfenheim trafen in Ramsberg zusammen und führten dann gemeinsam durch das Brombachtal.

Ab 1703 übernahmen Franziskanerbrüder (Rekollekten) die Betreuung der Wallfahrt. Das Kloster wurde durch Pater Pius Schreiber aus dem Franziskanerkloster Schillingsfürst und die Thüringische Franziskanerprovinz (Thuringia) gegründet. Zuerst ein Missionsposten (Hospiz), ab 1742 Konvent, wurde es 1808 im Zuge der Säkularisation wieder aufgelöst. Die Klosterkirche und die weiteren Gebäude wurden 1817/1818 abgetragen.

Bis zur Gebietsreform war Heiligenblut ein Gemeindeteil der Gemeinde Enderndorf am See im ehemaligen Landkreis Gunzenhausen. Am 1. Juli 1972 wurde Enderndorf mit seinen Gemeindeteilen nach Spalt eingemeindet und dem Landkreis Roth zugeschlagen.

Wallfahrt
Gemäß einer katholischen Legende wurden ihm ein angeblicher jüdischer Hostienfrevel und wundertätige Eigenschaften zugeschrieben. Heiligenblut bestand bis zum Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts in Form einer Wallfahrtskirche mit einem Franziskanerkloster. Bis in diese Zeit bestand die christliche Tradition der Wallfahrt.
1953 hatte der Pfarrer Ludwig Waldmüller erneut eine Kapelle errichten lassen. Seit 1980 gibt es wieder eine Wallfahrtstradition aufgrund einer Initiative der Kolpingsfamilie aus Spalt. 2005 wurde die Wallfahrt durch eine Initiative des Eichstätter Domvikar Reinhard Kürzinger und des »Arbeitskreis Tourismuspastoral« wieder belebt.

Heutiger Zustand

Im Jahr 1953 wurde in Heiligenblut wieder eine Kapelle gebaut. Heute besteht der neuerliche Wallfahrtsort Heiligenblut aus einem Bauernhof und einer Kapelle, die von der Kolpingsfamilie aus Spalt betreut wird. Seit den 1980ern wird auch wieder gewallt – zunächst auf Initiative und in Eigenregie der Spalter Kolpingsfamilie.

Im Jahr 2005 wurde vom Arbeitskreis Tourismuspastoral der Diözese Eichstätt erstmals wieder eine Wallfahrt in Form einer Seewallfahrt durchgeführt, da der alte Fußweg durch den Großen Brombachsee überflutet worden war. Die kontrovers wiederaufgenommene Wallfahrt hatte ein aufklärendes Medienecho: Auf der Webseite des Bistums Eichstätt wird von Domvikar Reinhard Kürzinger und dem Arbeitskreis Tourismuspastoral zu einer Wallfahrt der besonderen Art eingeladen. Eine Schiffswallfahrt soll am 7. Oktober (2005) von Ramsberg über den Brombachsee nach Heiligenblut führen, um an die Zeiten anzuknüpfen, wo die Gläubigen trockenen Fußes herüberpilgerten. Die Entstehungsgeschichte Heiligenbluts ist dort jedoch schamgesichtig ihres antijudaistischen Hintergrunds beraubt worden. So hat dort während einer Hungersnot nur ein armer Tagelöhner Hostien entwendet; es bleibt also lediglich christlicher Mundraub übrig. Tatsächlich ist die judenfeindliche Geschichte Heiligenbluts jedoch allgemein bekannt, zumindest in der Spalter Region. Denn eine Tafel des Tourismusverbandes informiert sachlich vor Ort über dessen Historie. Und auch in den gängigen Heimatbüchern über Ramsberg oder dem 2002 erschienenen Band Das Land am Brombach wird auf den jüdischen Hostienfrevel in Heiligenblut hingewiesen.

Literatur

Weblinks

 Nach vielen Jahren nimmt das Bistum Eichstätt eine antijudaistische Wallfahrt wieder auf und distanziert sich zugleich von ihr.
 Die altbewährte Mär vom "Gottesmord": Hostienfrevel – Vortrag von Gerhard Langer (Univ. Salzburg) zum Wiener Judenplatz, gehalten 1998 in Wien.

Einzelnachweise

Ort im Landkreis Roth
Spalt, Heiligenblut
Spalt, Heiligenblut
Spalt
Kirchengebäude im Landkreis Roth
Spalt
Ortsteil von Spalt
Spalt Heiligenblut
Gegründet 1703
Einzelsiedlung
Heiligenblut
Kirchengebäude in Europa
Ehemaliges Kloster in Mittelfranken

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Shrinking state role undermines social protection
Dr. Majdi Abdel-Hamid
The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement
Decades of liberalization and structural adjustment policies have severely undermined what was once a highly developed social protection system. Most old-age pensions do not cover even the most basic needs of daily life, while the burden of payment for health care services is increasingly shifting to individual shoulders, and even the public health insurance system is being partially privatized. Meanwhile, growing poverty and inequality are creating social contradictions that threaten to lead to social outbursts with dire consequences.
The application of liberalization and structural adjustmentpolicies in Egypt resulted in a range of adverse social repercussions. The rightto work enshrined in the Constitution has lost its meaning, and the livingconditions of the working class have deteriorated due to the rise inunemployment and decline in real wages. Weak levels of economic growth, alongwith the absence of active industrial expansion, represent sizeable obstaclesfor the jobless as well as new entrants into the labour market in terms offinding jobs that offer consequential returns for both the economy as a wholeand the individuals themselves. Serious gaps have emerged in the distribution ofincome and wealth among rural and urban segments of the population, while theincidence of poverty has risen, especially in rural areas. This was, in fact,the inevitable impact of the reduced developmental role of the state and thedecline in its social duties. The rich became even richer and the poor poorer,as the policies adopted are generally biased towards the rich and the concept ofequality of opportunities is usually traded off.
Social protection provided by the government to vulnerable segments of thepopulation shrank with the increasing pressure on aid allocations, education,and health care, the continuous rise in the cost of basic services such aswater, electricity and transportation, and the increase in fees levied onservices provided by governmental authorities. There are no signs of policychange to remedy these adverse repercussions. On the contrary, successivegovernments have reinforced these impacts, under the growing influence of thosecalling for a free market economy and integration in the globalized capitalistsystem. It should be kept in mind that capitalism transforms many publicservices into private services, as the concept of public goods is abandoned andsocial issues are addressed from a market mentality.
Income distribution, poverty and safety nets
Poverty is closely related to two issues: economic growth and equitabledistribution. More often than not, weak levels of economic growth are among themain causes for poverty, which means that improving and maintaining growth arecrucial for poverty reduction. This however is a necessary but not sufficientfactor, because if the benefits of economic growth are not adequatelydistributed, increased growth will not automatically lead to reduced poverty. Inorder for growth to favour the poor, there must be policies to reduce gaps inlevels of income, wealth and assets. Hence in order to reduce (and eradicate)poverty, increased growth must be accompanied by improved wages, productivity,and job opportunities, especially since low wage earners, low productivityworkers and the unemployed represent a large share of the population mostvulnerable to poverty.
A quick overview of the evolution of the share of wages in GDP over the last 30years depicts a significant deterioration in the conditions of wage-earnersduring this period. In 1975, wages represented about 40% of GDP; this sharedropped to a third in 1985-1986 and to a fourth in 1995-1996. Although the shareof wages in GDP rose slightly during the first five years of the new century, itremained below the level achieved 25 years earlier. Assuming that the descendingtrend that extended between 1974-1975 and 1999-2000 was maintained, wages wouldnot make up more than 21% of GDP in 2004-2005.
Finally, the provision of social safety nets (education and health services,pensions, social assistance, etc.) is considered to be crucial for reducing theshare of people who fall below the poverty line.
Social insurance does not protectpensioners from poverty
One of the longest standing and most highly developed safety nets is thesocial insurance system, which ensures that beneficiaries and/or their familiesare compensated for risks that leave them unable to work, and thus unable togenerate income. This system basically relies on contributions paid by employeesand employers, with benefits paid out in cases of work-related accidents,sickness and maternity, unemployment, old age, disability and death.
In terms of coverage, Egypt's social insurance system is one of the mosthighly developed in the world, covering workers in both the formal and informalsectors, employers, government employees, seasonal workers and workers basedabroad, as well as the armed forces, with a wide range of social provisions.
However, the question remains: Is the social insurance and social securitysystem playing its role in terms of providing individuals with pensions that areadequate to ensure an acceptable standard of living upon retirement, old age,disability or death, in the case of survivors' pensions? In order to answerthis question, it is worth considering the following figures.
The minimum monthly pension for the self-employed is EGP 35 (USD 6), while 75.4%of formerly self-employed pensioners receive less than EGP 100 (USD 18), andalmost all of the pensioners in this category (99.1%) receive less than EGP 200(USD 35). As for those who were salaried employees in the formal sector, morethan half (52%) receive monthly pensions under EGP 100.
Seasonal and informal sector workers are eligible for participation in aninsurance scheme under the so-called Comprehensive Social Security System, whichis limited to old-age, disability and survivors' pensions (in other words,they are not provided with the sickness, maternity and unemployment benefitsoffered by the conventional social insurance scheme). In return for a monthlycontribution of EGP 1 (USD 0.18), subscribers to this scheme receive pensionsthat currently average EGP 80 (USD 14) a month.
Meanwhile, for those not covered by any social insurance scheme, there is asocial security pension known as the 'Sadat pension', an unfunded monthlybenefit paid on a means-tested basis to the elderly poor aged 65 and over. InSeptember 2006, the government raised the social security pension from EGP 60 toEGP 70 (USD 11 to USD 12.50) for recipients living alone.
These figures are more meaningful when compared, for example, to the povertyline, which is currently set at EGP 3,000 (USD 533) annually – or EGP 250 (USD44) a month. In fact, this poverty line is quite modest, as it represents justover EGP 8 a day, or less than USD 1.50. This amount is barely enough topurchase three humble meatless meals and two cups of tea, thus leaving otherbasic needs – other essential food and drink items, health care, education,housing, clothing and transportation – unsatisfied.
Many segments of the population fall below the poverty line due to theinexistence of alternative sources of income, including 69% of those eligiblefor pensions who were salaried employees, all of those who were self-employed,and all recipients of the so-called Sadat pension, even after the recentincrease in benefits.
The dangerously increasing privatizationof health care
Public spending on health care faced tremendouspressure in the 1980s and 1990s amidst the shrinking socioeconomic role of thestate in an effort to reduce the budget deficit. The decline in public spendingon health transferred spending from public funds to private ones, in otherwords, to individuals and households.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), total expenditure on health in2004 amounted to 6.1% of GDP. Private expenditure represented 61.8% of totalexpenditure, while government expenditure accounted for just 38.2%.[1]
These figures are especially troubling when one compares Egypt to the rest ofthe world. The ratio of public spending on health care to GDP is lower than the3% average of middle-income countries, to which Egypt belongs. Moreover,individuals carry a bigger share of the health bill (61.8%) than theircounterparts in other middle-income countries (50.4% on average). It is alsonoteworthy that Egyptians carry a heavier share of the health bill than citizensof high-income countries (59.4% on average). Therefore, Egyptians have becomemore exposed to poor health and disease, and in addition to their rising healthcare bills, the difficulties they face in receiving treatment add to the plightcreated by slow development and the increasingly limited role of the state.
Since the implementation of neoliberal economic policies in the early 1970s, thepublic health system has faced a series of events that have had an adversequantitative and qualitative impact on the health services available to thepopulation, due to cuts in public spending. The capitalist restructuring of theeconomy wrought havoc with the public health system, resulting in disparities inthe level of services provided, uneven access to health services, lowcompetencies, imbalances in the distribution of private resources betweenpreventive and curative care, and a shifting of the burden of payment to privatecitizens.
As for public health insurance, which was established in 1964, its resources andcapabilities are seriously limited in comparison to the demand on its services.By the end of June 2005, the system covered 36.7 million individuals, or 52% ofthe country's inhabitants. The majority of beneficiaries (73.8%) are infants,preschool children and students. Workers in the public and private sectorsaccount for another 20.6%, and the remaining 5.5% are pensioners and widows.Although the total number of subscribers has risen, the ratio of subscribersworking in the government and the public and private sectors to the total numberof currently employed workers and the workforce as a whole remains very low, at39.2% of total workers and 34.7% of the total workforce in 2004-2005. Inaddition, the system does not cover large segments of the population such asfarmers, homemakers, seasonal workers, informal sector workers, and theunemployed, all of whom have no steady income.
Despite the large subscribers' base in the public health insurance system, thetotal spending of the Health Insurance Organization (HIO) was EGP 2.14 billion(USD 380.2 million) in 2004-2005. This figure is not much higher than the EGP 2billion (USD 355.3 million) spent that same fiscal year by the Ministry ofHealth on treatment at the state's expense, which is restricted to fewthousands citizens.
The government then decided to transform the HIO into a holding company as perPrime Ministerial Resolution No. 637/2007. This decision represents a major steptowards the total privatization of health insurance and health care. Itundermines the concept of social health insurance and the right of citizens tomedical treatment. The resolution transforms the HIO into an administrativeagency that does not provide services, but rather buys them from the privatesector. In addition, it privatizes the administration of the HIO, which willconsequently be based on commercial considerations.
The danger of such a step lies in the increased reduction of the role of thestate and the deterioration of the concepts of social equity and socialsolidarity, which form the basis of society according to the Constitution. Italso reduces public service to its minimum possible level. This transformationimplies shifting the majority of what used to be public services, which thegovernment pledged to provide to the citizens, towards the commercial sector,i.e., private sector establishments or the remaining public sectorestablishments working on the basis of maximizing profit. This will increasehealth care costs to levels that only a small section of the population canafford.
Such measures may succeed in reducing the budget deficit; however, they willdeprive large segments of the population of the health services they need,except perhaps for primary health care. The current direction being followedwithin the current social and political system increases social disparities,defeats the concept of equal opportunities among citizens, and increases socialmarginalization, which may have dire consequences on social harmony andcohesion.
A multidimensional crisis
The country was hit by a thorough social crisisas the ruling regime attempted to rebuild capitalism on its soil, under theslogans of liberalization, structural adjustment, and transformation to an openand integrated market economy. It was essentially a follower of a worldcapitalist economy, in a framework of a totalitarian regime and increasedforeign hegemony. The crisis has had economic, social, administrative andpolitical dimensions.
At the economic level, the crisis has revealed the inability of the regime toincrease resources and widen the country's resource base, in addition to itsinability to effectively manage existing resources amidst widespread corruption.
At the social level, the crisis reflects policies that are biased towards therich, leading to increased poverty, destroyed safety nets, widespreadcorruption, and increased crime rates. This has led to severe socialcontradictions and amplified class struggle in society, which could in turn leadto social outbursts with dire consequences.
At the administrative level, the crisis reveals the weakness of theadministration, its incapacity to manage its various responsibilities and thefailure to provide the population with basic services. Government agencies areineffective and have become unable to carry out their basic tasks with even amodicum of capability.
Finally, the political dimension is very clear. It has become common to describethe internal political situation as suppressed and tense. Popular outrage hasgrown alongside a power monopoly, political tyranny and totalitarianism, coupledwith increased personification of power and the emergence of a family regime.There is increasing evidence of the intent to pass power through inheritance,which in turn feeds the internal crisis, as it reveals evidence of theunwillingness of the regime to democratize political life. All of this iscombined with the increased concentration of wealth in the hands of a minority,and increased social polarization: the concentration of power intensifies, thebasics of popular participation disappear, and the inequality of opportunitiesavailable to citizens is even further exacerbated.
Ali Omar, K. and Mubarak, H. (n.d.). The Issue of Insurance and Pension Funds.Centre for Law.
Al-Isawi, I. (n.d.) TheEgyptian Economy over Thirty Years. Academic Library.
Al-Mirghini, E. and Mubarak, H. (n.d.) SocialInsurances Funds: Facts and Figures. Centre for Law.
Institute of National Planning in collaboration with UNDP (2003). EgyptHuman Development Report 2003.
Institute of National Planning in collaboration with UNDP (2005). EgyptHuman Development Report 2005. Choosing Our Future: Towards a New Social Contract.
National Centre for Social and Criminal Research (2007). Ninth Convention "TheIssues of Poverty and the Poor in Egypt".
UNDP (1994). Human Development Report 1994.
World Bank (2005a). Sustaining Gains inPoverty Reduction and Human Development in the Middle East and North Africa.
World Bank (2005b). World DevelopmentIndicators 2005.
[1] www.who.int/countries/egy/en/
The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement (EACPE)
Reports from Egypt
2017 - Egypt and the 2030 Agenda: No strategy for implementing the SDGs but continuous privatization following IFI policies
2016 - Lack of Strategy in the 2030 Strategy
2014 - Two years of January 25 revolution
2010 - The rough road to the Millennium Development Goals
2009 - An unprotected economy
2007 - Shrinking state role undermines social protection
2005 - The many faces of inequality
2004 - Time for democracy
2001 - Before reaching age five
2000 - Traps for democracy
1998 - The eternal pyramid
1997 - The prevalence of poverty
1996 - Health: Sick


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The Effects of Generational Inheritance Tax (IHT)
IHT is often referred to as the Double Whammy'. It is the continued application of Inheritance Tax on assets which are bequeathed to a Beneficiary and thus increasing their own personal wealth (estate).
This may mean that IHT has to be paid again on the inherited assets on death and this will continue through future generations.
Who is affected? Everyone whose Will does not include Trusts and whose assets are passed to Beneficiaries.
An example of the effects of Generational Inheritance Tax
Assuming the available Ni Rate Band (NRB) to currently be £325,000 at time of death.
Mr Smith dies leaving an estate of £1 million. No gifts have been made in his lifetime, and he leaves 1 daughter.
£1,000,000 less NRB (£325,000) = £675,000
IHT is now due on the £675,000 at 40% = £270,000
Net Estate now due to the daughter = £730,000.
The daughter already has assets valued at the NRB (£325K) and has one son.
So now her Estate is valued at £325,000 plus her inheritance of £730,000 = £1,055,000.
On her death she leaves her Estate to her son
£1,055,000 less NRB (£325,00) = £730,000
Net Estate now due to son = £763,000
So, in just two generations £270,000 + £292,000 has been paid in Inheritance Tax. A massive £562,000 Tax Bill
Of the original £1 million Estate, a mere £438,000 remains for the Grandson.
Mr Smith writes a Will incorporating Trusts for his £1 million estate.
He has 3 Pilot Trusts (Trusts established in Lifetime outside of the Will)
Why 3 Trusts? As each Trust can hold up to the NRB rate, therefore £730,000 (net estate) divided by 3 = £243,333 in each Trust
No gifts made so Net Estate available for Daughter will be £730,000 (as per previous example)
Daughter and Grandson are potential Beneficiaries of all three Trusts, none of whose assets held will become part of the Estate for IHT, Care Home Costs or be at risk to future divorce settlements, or Creditors.
So, on the death of the daughter, of the original £1 million estate £730,000 remains protected for future generations and we have saved the client a massive £292,000 in Inheritance Tax alone.
If you would like further information to discuss your own requirements,
please call one of our offices below;
Cheshire 0161771 2056
Staffordshire 01782 963 303
Email: Help@FinanceNorthEPS.co.uk
Enquiry Form here
This Article contains only general planning and is not to be construed as advice for any personal planning. Each strategy recommended is based on individual circumstances


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Blackbird Cottage is a beautifully presented family house, with attractive gardens and private parking. The property is very welcoming and comfortable and has recently undergone a kitchen refurbishment and En-Suites have been added to both upstairs bedrooms. It is ideally located for all amenities including the shops, pubs and the beach, so this property makes for an excellent family holiday base. Shop: 100 yards Pub: 100 yards.
Sitting Room: TV, DVD, battery operated iPod dock, gas fire, patio doors to garden.
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Parking: Private for one car on drive. Additional on-road parking outside property.
Notes: Wi-fi, towels, books and games provided. Travel cot available to use. Shed for bike storage available.


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Nadine Coyle fans living outside UK find trick to vote for the Girls Aloud star
Voting is only open to UK residents, but fans of the singer have discovered a loophole
Ayla Soguksu
Danny ThompsonFreelance Journalist
Nadine Coyle (Image: ITV/Rex)
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here fans have uncovered a glitch in the voting system - which is allowing people from abroad to vote for their favourite camp-mates.
The loophole came about through foreign Girls Aloud fans who are desperate to keep Nadine Coyle in The Jungle.
The 34-year-old has proved a hit with viewers both in the UK and abroad.
And now fans outside of the UK, who are unable to vote for her over the phone or through the ITV app, are said to have found a nifty way to ensure the Northern Irish singer doesn't come home too soon, report OK! Online.
Addressing the conundrum about voting outside the UK, one fan took to Twitter, questioning: "Are international fans allowed to vote / how??" under the hashtag #AmericanAlouder."
Luckily a Girls Aloud fan account provided the answer: "As far as we're aware you should be able to if you download a VPN app and then download the I'm A Celeb app."
Adding: "When you vote you might need to change your VPN then too."
This year's contestants are Roman Kemp, Andrew Maxwell, Nadine Coyle, Ian Wright MBE, Caitlyn Jenner, Jacqueline Jossa, Myles Stephenson, Adele Roberts, Kate Garraway and James Haskell (Image: ITV)
Another fan account also advised those in the Republic of Ireland to use the same method, saying: "Vpn is your friend," followed by a thumbs up.
OK! online has contacted an I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! spokesperson for comment.
The news comes as Nadine Coyle's ex-boyfriend Jesse Metcalfe recently showed off a naked tattoo of her on his arm – a tattoo he had done during their 18-month relationship 12 years ago.
The John Tucker Must Die star posted a topless photo of himself in the sea with his tattoo on full display.
Despite now being engaged to girlfriend Cara Santana, the 40-year-old is yet to have the tat covered, and he regularly shows it off to his 801,000 Instagram followers.
Jesse Metcalfe attends the LACOSTE Pool Party during the 2010 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival on April 17, 2010 in Indio, California. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/WireImage)
The Hollywood star has previously admitted his Nadine-inspired tattoo was his favourite of his inkings, but he does admit some regrets.
He said in 2009: "It was immature and I'd get it removed if I could. But it's also my favourite tattoo."
Mum in tears as she reveals 14p in her pocket is all she has in the world
Facebook change will expose children to dangerous paedophiles says NSPCC
In 2012 he told the Irish Daily Mirror: "I think it's beautiful, bit it was a bit impulsive... I would like to do a period piece at some point, and having tattoos is definitely a hindrance to getting that kind of work.
"The great thing about tattoos is it reminds you of a specific point in your life. I see it as art."


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The Joy of Blasphemous Fusion Food
Learning to Love an Induction Stove
The Hard-Won Pleasures of a Yeasted Cake
Kitchen Notes
Until my search for a new stove, I was only dimly aware of what the word induction meant in the context of a kitchen.Photograph from Getty
Cooking with fire feels ancestral, elemental, effective. Could there be a better way?
By Hannah Goldfield
The other day, unprompted, the phrase "be kind, rewind" began to bounce around in my head, and it struck me that I am of the last generation who will instantly understand what it means: it refers to the antediluvian VHS tape, which was supplanted by the DVD and then by streaming technology. The much less literal phrase "a watched pot never boils," in contrast, is seemingly timeless, and yet I realized recently that it, too, could be rendered obsolete by technology. Of course, a watched pot does boil, eventually, but I'd never seen it happen so fast that my eyes didn't glaze over—until I got an induction stove.
For a long time, I thought the biggest problem with my old stove (installed when the kitchen had last been renovated, in the nineteen-eighties, and presumably manufactured then, too) was that it had become a hotel for mice. It was very large—a stand-alone "cooktop," as opposed to part of a range—and cavernous, encompassing four "unsealed" burners (meaning that you could see right down into the plumbing and wiring) and a broiler drawer. The mice liked to snack on the bits of food that inevitably fell into the unsealed burners and were near-impossible to retrieve, and then to relieve themselves in the roomy broiler drawer. One of the four spark igniters worked only some of the time, but this seemed like a mere annoyance; if it clicked for too long without a flame appearing and I started to smell gas, I'd just grab a long-necked barbecue lighter and get it going manually.
When we finally decided to replace that stove, in early 2021, I didn't think twice about what we would buy: another, newer gas stove, with sealed burners. And then a casual conversation with a friend—a writer on climate change—gently blew my mind. She mentioned that she was trying to figure out how to switch her own gas stove "over to induction." "Why do you want to do that?" I asked. "Because it's so bad for climate and for health!" she replied, before sending me links to articles titled "Your Gas Stove Is Bad for You and the Planet" and "Gas Stoves Can Generate Unsafe Levels of Indoor Air Pollution."
Although I thought of myself as relatively well versed in the concept of greenhouse gases, I had never really grappled with the idea that I was sending them directly into the atmosphere every time I fried an egg. Moreover, the idea that doing the same meant that I was polluting the air inside my home was shocking. A study published in January by climate scientists at Stanford delivered the most damning conclusions yet: each year, gas stoves release 2.6 million tons of methane, more than three-quarters of which leak from the appliances when they aren't even in use. Until this year, these leaked emissions—which are roughly equal to the amount produced by five hundred thousand cars, and are in addition to the stoves' release of 6.8 million tons of carbon dioxide annually—were not tracked by the E.P.A. The E.P.A. doesn't maintain standards for indoor air quality, but in 2010 the agency set a one-hour outdoor-exposure limit of a hundred parts per billion for nitrogen dioxide, a by-product of gas combustion that increases the risk of asthma. According to the Stanford study, in-use gas stoves in poorly ventilated kitchens can cause nitrogen-dioxide levels that readily exceed that threshold.
Only a third of American households use gas stoves, and this makes it easier to imagine a world without them. But, before I parted ways with my old stove, I had never lived in a home with an induction cooktop, and I'd been conditioned to think of it as automatically inferior. I had cooked on electric cooktops, at the homes of both of my grandmothers, where the burners seemed to heat up unevenly and were difficult to precisely control; it felt much more effective to watch a blue flame expand and contract as you turned a gas knob than it did to approximate the desired temperature with an electric hob that couldn't respond visually. Cooking with fire is literally what first distinguished humans from other species of primates; it feels ancestral, elemental. Until my search for a new stove, I was only dimly aware of what the word induction meant in the context of a kitchen. I'd once lived for a few weeks in an apartment in Montreal that had an induction stove, but the interface was so confusing that I couldn't figure out how to turn it on, let alone determine how it compared with gas.
But, as I was fretting over whether I was willing to sacrifice a superior cooking experience for the health of the planet and—theoretically—of my family, I started to reconsider induction technology on its own terms. It was popular all over Europe, I learned, not to mention Montreal. An electric stove uses thermal conduction to transfer heat from burner to pan to food. An induction stove, meanwhile, relies on electromagnetic currents, which are passed through copper coils hidden beneath a glassy ceramic surface that interacts with pots and pans directly—so directly that if an induction burner does not have a pot or a pan sitting atop it, it will not get hot at all, and it will turn off automatically if you remove a pot while the appliance is on. This means that cookware heats up much more uniformly and evenly, and also much more quickly and efficiently.
It also means that you can't use just any pot or pan; the composition of your cookware must include ferromagnetic materials, which is to say, they must contain iron. A common concern about switching to induction is that it requires replacing all of your cookware, but there's an easy way to test whether or not what you already have is compatible: slap a kitchen magnet against the bottom of every pot and pan you own. If the magnet sticks, it'll work on induction. Generally speaking, cast iron (enamel-covered or not) and a lot of stainless steel (depending on the exact makeup) are induction-compatible; aluminum, copper, and glass are not. While vetting my own collection with a magnet, I was delighted to find that almost everything—from my pricey set of All-Clad stainless steel (an extremely generous wedding gift) to ancient cast iron inherited from my grandmother—was induction compatible. The only things that I'd have to divest of were a pair of very inexpensive nonstick pans, made of coated aluminum, and a beloved but easily replaceable saucepot with a copper bottom.
While reading an Architectural Digest article about the renovated home kitchen of two of the New York City chefs I most admire, Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, the couple behind Via Carota and the recently opened Commerce Inn, I spotted an induction stovetop, as sleek as a monolith. "It is so fast, cleaner, cooler and safer," Williams responded, when I wrote to ask her about it. "Just last night our cat was trying to nap on one side while we cooked asparagus on the other." Safety is another huge advantage to induction—because of the electromagnetic technology, induction burners cool down almost as fast as they get hot, and though the ceramic in between the copper wires and your pans retains a little bit of heat after you've used a burner, it dissipates swiftly and the rest of the cooktop doesn't get warm at all.
Williams and Sodi do not use induction in their restaurant kitchens. Induction, Williams told me, does not allow for "the same style of cooking; those pan flipping-shaking techniques you use on gas could crack your top." Without an open flame, you can't char peppers or tortillas the way that some chefs, and even home cooks, do using a gas burner. It's better for "gentler technique," she said, "like stirring," and noted that she and Sodi don't cook much at home.
I spend a lot of time eating at restaurants, and ordering takeout. When I do cook at home, I tend to use the gentler techniques. I can't remember the last time that I shook a pan, and I don't have the skills (or the wrist strength) to flip anything without using a spatula. Charring a tortilla over an open flame has always seemed unnecessarily risky to me, especially considering how beautifully a tortilla takes to a very hot cast-iron pan, and, in my experience, the broiler does wonders on peppers and eggplant. The factors that pushed me over the edge, though, were twofold. There were induction stoves, I realized, that were designed to sit completely flush in a countertop, and this meant, theoretically, more counter space, a hugely appealing prospect in any New York City kitchen. (Manufacturers don't exactly advise using them this way, because the glass can break, but so far I've been very careful and had no trouble.) And then I went to an appliance showroom for a demonstration. An employee filled a saucepan with enough water to cook a pound of pasta. I watched the pot. Within seconds, it was boiling. I was stunned, later, to learn that the expression "now we're cooking with gas" originated in the nineteen-thirties as an advertising slogan for the natural-gas industry.
For a long time, induction stoves were more expensive than gas or electric. But in recent years more comparably affordable models have joined the market, and, in theory, a higher demand for them could lower prices across the board. In 2019, the city of Berkeley, California, passed legislation banning natural-gas hookups in new-construction buildings, and several other cities followed suit. Last December, New York City did the same, and, in January, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed taking the ban statewide. Single, portable induction burners are much less expensive than cooktops and ranges, and there's an argument to be made for treating your stove as you would, say, a blender, removing it from the counter when it's not in use to free up space. While scrolling through Instagram recently, I noticed that someone I follow was using a stand-alone appliance called the Breville PolyScience Control °Freak Induction Burner, which allows you to calibrate exact temperatures (and clocks in at a cool fifteen hundred dollars, for now). You can even buy a special induction burner with a deep depression for a wok, the one piece of cookware that I thought could never be made quite induction-compatible, because of its concave shape.
I've been using my induction stove for about eight months now. My conversion is complete. To replace my nonstick pans, which I keep around for eggs and tofu and tahdig, I bought an induction-friendly pair from Food52, a cooking Web site that also sells home goods. Each of my five burners has nine numbered settings, which allow for a great deal of control. The biggest adjustment that I've had to make is remembering to actually watch my water boiling: if I use the "power boost" setting, designed specifically to bring something to a boil quickly, the process happens so fast that sometimes I'll turn away for what feels like just a second, only to hear the liquid bubbling over onto the surface. ♦
The photograph accompanying an earlier version of this article did not depict an induction stove.
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Hannah Goldfield is The New Yorker's food critic.
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As I left college, I believed that projects would be clearly defined in a functional specification (despite my actual experience up to that point). The grand purpose of the project would be detailed, the goals and assumptions would be written and indexed, and the expectations for uptime, performance, and similar non-functional requirements would be included. In short, I would know exactly what needed to be produced in order to call the project "complete".
A little later I was introduced to the idea of a project charter, a brief 2-page document that simply outlined the goals and expectations of a project, a "what will you have when I'm done" document. This did a better job, throwing out the crystal ball and admitting that it only knew the goals and some constraints, not the details of how it would look when we got there.
At some point I was introduced to XP user stories and defining the user's expectations as acceptance criteria at the feature level, focusing on small distinct pieces of work and providing the necessary level of detail at the last responsible moment.
And at some point, after an on-again, off-again relationship with unit testing, I was able to use TDD and BDD on projects, both of which work at even lower levels, defining what the behavior will be of a feature or code unit when it's code complete.
The consistent thread through the lessons above was defining what "done" means at a project, feature, behavior, or code unit level.
A requirements document provides a very deep definition of what the project will look like when it is complete. Unfortunately this only works if you will have a limited need to make changes along the way. Often what we think we need up front requires some hands on use to see what we overlooked, whether the hypothesized feature helps us meet the goal as we expected it to, and whether it makes to our end user.
A simple project overview, like the charter above, can provide the overall goals and the general shape of the solution, without trying to dive too deep into the mechanics of how they will be achieved. It defines the goals of our project, serves as a measurement to determine if we are done, and helps prioritize the features we are going to implement.
User Stories operate at a lower level, defining a single feature and what the end users expectations are for that feature. User stories detail expectations from the end users perspective, so discussing or prioritizing them with an end user occurs in terminology they are familiar with. User Stories provide us with the "Why" and room to ask deeper questions.
With BDD or TDD we define what done means at an individual interaction or code unit level and can then create code that meets that definition. They provide confirmation that we have built exactly what we have set out to build, that we have met our definition of done, and that we will have some protection from derailing that work later on.
As critical as it is to understand what the customer or end user is actually asking us for, having a good definition of "Done" doesn't stop with the customer's direct expectations. We also have non-functional requirements that apply to large portions of the project as well as internal processes and practices, all of which should be considered when defining what "Done" means at a specific level.
Non-functional requirements span across many or all of the features we build into the system and can be difficult to track. Part of creating a definition of "Done" for a feature should include scanning the list of known non-functional requirements and adding the appropriate ones to the list.
Building an AJAX feature on a web page that talks to a 3rd party web service? Probably need to include the general requirements around responsiveness of the browser page and how to degrade or error out the service when the 3rd party service inevitably goes missing.
We probably have a process we want our features to follow as we build them. In some cases this might be so easy it doesn't need to be included, in others we might have a more complex process we need to follow. A feature isn't done at "coded and thrown over the wall", if there are quality steps, levels of unit test coverage, static analysis to prevent us from dirtying up the codebase, and so on, those should be included in our definition of "Done".
Along with our ongoing process, we can also use the definition to drive longer term changes into our process or codebase. Want to add test coverage to a legacy project? Add a requirement that completing a new feature requires meeting a target test coverage and 3 tests in an older part of the code base.
Being "Done" with a feature means the feature is ready for delivery and we won't be coming back to it in 6 months to try to bolt-on performance improvements to meet metrics we knew about in the beginning.
Why are we spending so much time on something that seems like just extra work?
There's a difference between "I know what we have to do, lets just go do it" and having a good definition of "Done". If it is truly that obvious, making a quick bullet list will only take about 5 minutes. If it takes longer, it wasn't as obvious as we thought and we've already uncovered some benefit.
End User Context: Having the end end user define their expectations helps uncover the parts that are obvious to them, but foreign to us as IT people, employees of a different company, whatever. This also helps us build something that better fits the end users needs and expectations and provides us with information we need to help them make good technical decisions.
Focus: With a definition of done, we have a laser focus on what needs to be done. Instead of building a general solution to meet what we think they think they want, we can build directly towards their criteria. That's not to say we're going to get it perfect on the first iteration, but we can build a leaner solution that more directly meets their expectations. This means fewer iterations and corrections with a smaller and easier to modify code base.
Get Stuff Done: Ever get on one of those projects where it feels like it just kind of keeps on sluggishly flowing past and tasks are only done if no one has asked about them in a couple weeks? Yeah, I've been there too. Having a definition of done not only helps you better define when it hits that magic "Done" moment, but also keeps those one day tasks from turning into 6 month, under the radar, mini-marathon projects. Want an additional feature on top of the original one? We can totally do that too, but lets make a task for it so I can make sure I understand and capture your expectations. That other task is done, done, done.
Prioritization: How important is "add a button and text input to screen X"? Yeah, I don't know either. So how are we going to get the end user to help prioritize these things without someone pulling out the "they're all number one" phrase? Instead of trying to prioritize screens and buttons, the end user is prioritizing their own needs and expectations. This can help the end user prioritize, consider scope reduction of less necessary features, or potentially modifying a deadline to get all of the truly critical elements.
Bake Enough Quality In: Whatever your non-functional or process criteria are, trying to add them at the end of the project rarely works out well. If you need a certain level of performance, make this part of the criteria along the way. Afraid the focus will shift from getting things done to premature performance tuning? Create a looser "acceptable performance" level that is used during the main development, then tune from there afterwards. We don't want to waste time on premature optimization, but without at least a minimum acceptable bar you will quickly find out just how horrendously slow something can be written to run.
Don't Bake Too Much Quality In: A lack of definition doesn't automatically make everyone faster, the opposite can happen as well. Without a definition, each person on the project (and the customer) is left to define their own level for non-functional or process criteria. These are not likely to be the same. So the customer has one non-communicated level of performance expectations, the project manager has another. One developer is slamming code out as fast as they can with "as long as it compiles" as a performance bar, another is spending days trying to squeeze an extra 10ms out of a process. Defining "Done" in this case not only helps raise the bar and communicate consistent expectations, it also frees up time from any of the members of the team that have more stringent personal definitions they fall back on.
This post was inspired by posts from Howard (not published yet?) and Alex (Bad Medicine – How Prescription Becomes a Problem in User Stories) as well as ongoing conversations we've been having.
It may seem like wasted effort to put a definition of "Done" together, but I have yet to see an environment where the long term cost wasn't much greater (and my personal IT experience spans consulting engagements, 4 SaaS products, and over 75 projects). Not every website needs to load at Google search speeds, but the team needs to have a clear bar to aim for, even if that is "under ten seconds", and the customer needs to know and be OK with this bar.
A definition of "Done" doesn't need to have crystal clear requirements in infinite detail, "web-scale" performance guidelines, and so on. Be pragmatic. It's more important that the end user expectations are captured and understood, that the relevant non-functional requirements (when the 3rd party service goes down, so does our entire product, and it's OK) are included, and that somewhere we have captured the teams expectations for practices and process. Aim for just enough and be aware you will still have surprises.


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