text:
Lopud je ostrov v Jaderském moři o rozloze 4,6 km², který se nachází poblíž Dubrovniku a je součástí Chorvatska. Žije zde asi 250 obyvatel. Je součástí tzv. Elafitských ostrovů.

Na ostrově se nachází jediná obec – a to Lopud (stejného názvu), která je umístěna na severozápadním pobřeží ostrova. Zde žije většina obyvatel, která se živí rybářstvím, případně turistikou. V jeho blízkosti se nachází několik menších kostelů, rovněž zde existuje i františkánský klášter. Na jihovýchodním břehu ostrova se rozkládá pláž s názvem Šunj.

Na nejvyšším vrchu ostrova se nachází španělská pevnost Sutvrač, která byla dokončena v roce 1563 a která je v 21. století postupně obnovována. Ruiny pevnosti jsou častým turistickým cílem, neboť nabízí výhled jak na ostrov samotný, tak i na okolní Jaderské moře.

Osobnosti
Ostrov si k rekreaci oblíbily české osobnosti již za První republiky:
 Básník Hanuš Jelínek zde napsal báseň, opěvující ostrov.
 Malíři Jindřich Štyrský a Toyen sem jezdili na léto v letech 1922–1924.
 Dne 14. května 1931 při koupání v Dračí zátoce moře zde zemřel na srdeční mrtvici český spisovatel a politik Viktor Dyk. K připomenutí této události byl postaven památník od Nikoly Dobroviće, obnovený v 90. letech.

Stavby
 Grand Hotel Lopud
 Vila Vesna

Galerie

Reference

Externí odkazy

 Lopud

Ostrovy Chorvatska v Jaderském moři
Ostrovy Dubrovnicko-neretvanské župy
Geografie Dubrovníku

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


All of the below applies to "Reefer Madness" Anti-Jazz, Anti-Rock and Roll, Anti-LGBT, War on Drugs, Crack Crisis, Opiod Crisis and Gun Control.
All of the above are aimed at controlling minorities and the lower classes. The main benificiaries are the wealthy in the Law/Criminal Justice Prison Industrial Complex.
On Jan. 16, 1919, Nebraska became the 36th state to ratify the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which banned the manufacture, sale, import or transportation of intoxicating liquors. The Prohibition era had begun.
Prohibition looms large in the national imagination even today as the era of gangsters and gin joints. Less often do we reflect on what motivated the country to adopt it and maintain it for 14 years. While the country faced a real problem of excessive drinking, powerful anti-immigrant hostility is what drove this monumental act of constitutional overreach.
Today, as we find ourselves in the midst of another fight over immigration, it is worth revisiting the role that nativism played in driving, and later enforcing, Prohibition. The consequences of that battle reverberated for decades to come. It sparked a vast expansion of the repressive capacities of the federal government and a rise of right-wing extremism, led by a revived Ku Klux Klan. It also forged a new political coalition that would bring ethnic working-class voters into the Democratic Party, where they would remain for much of the century.
Temperance and Prohibition had been popular causes throughout the 19th century, but supporters didn't reach a critical mass until the era of mass immigration at the turn of the century. With more than a million men and women coming to the United States in 1907 alone, anti-liquor crusaders railed against a "foreign invasion of undeveloped races." The boisterous drinking culture of the ubiquitous working-class saloon, dominated by immigrant men, seemed to make manifest the dangers mass immigration posed to a white native Protestant American way of life.
During World War I, the Anti-Saloon League, the self-declared Protestant Church in action, fanned nativist flames: With the large brewing companies in the hands of German immigrants, the league declared the abolition of "the un-American," "home wrecking, treasonable liquor traffic" the most patriotic act. Congress concurred, sending the 18th Amendment to the states on Dec. 22, 1917.
The utopian hopes of Billy Sunday and his ilk that the 18th Amendment would turn "our prisons into factories" quickly evaporated. The vast and powerful federal agencies in charge of policing Prohibition as of January, 1920, along with state and local enforcement, overcrowded court dockets, changed legal doctrine and flooded prisons, but they did little to meet Prohibitionists' almost impossible ambitions.
Newly hired and poorly trained Prohibition agents, along with local and state police, targeted violators at the margins, but they lacked the capacity, and at times the will, to go after powerful crime kingpins. Chicago's Al Capone, Ohio's George Remus, New York's Arnold Rothstein and Seattle's Roy Olmstead amassed large fortunes in the profitable illicit drink trade, oiling their violent supply rings with payoffs to judges, senators and officers on the beat.


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About Usdragonspress2018-09-28T13:44:13-05:00
In March of 2015 we began as a talented two-person team, a partnership we named after ourselves: Venus and Langley. When we formed Dragon's Press we had a clear objective in mind: To provide you with an honest, one-stop service geared toward artists and writers. This was all so you could be successful. Hence, it is very important to us to deliver more to you than our competition.
Today, Venus serves as President and Founder, and is known as the creative force behind our service. Langley became the Chief Executive Officer and customers now see him as the "driving force" facilitating our team's growth.
Venus and Langley have always believed we are book dragons, not worms, and we bring a passion for writing and reading. We got into this business with a mission to promote avid readership traits and effective writing skills. However, this is all secondary to our primary goal: See to it that passionate writers, like you, get published!
We believe in the possibilities that exist in each and every human being to create something, something that speaks with their own personal voice. Dragon's Press will turn dross into gold and create gems and beauty whence there was none with your work(s). We have faith in the book dragons out there – masters of creation who envelope their individual desire for freedom to express their own creativity.
We realize this industry has been cutthroat for aspiring authors and thus we desire to be a force for good. Too many production houses can be found stealing and not delivering. We aim to change that situation.
What geographical areas do we serve?
Dragon's Press is set up to use all the electronic technologies feasible, so we don't need to restrict our reach when connecting with people. Especially when it comes to on-demand printing, we can serve someone in Los Angeles as easily as we could, say, St. Paul, Minnesota. Our publishing house is headquartered out of Clearwater, Florida, and yet our goal is to become a global provider of writing, print, and graphic services.
What services does Dragon's Press provide?
We help writers bring their books to the masses. Whether that entails us providing services like editing for content, editing for grammar and punctuation, layout and formatting, giving mentorship, design, covers or even helping writers to obtain an ISBN or barcodes for their work – we do it! All the way to publishing their book in print or even digitally, and providing post-publishing services like marketing, advertising, promotion, and distribution of their work.
Have questions? Call us!
or send us a message below

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I finally switched to Microsoft Office 2007 in June this year. I was very hesitant, but I have been very pleasantly surprised by how well the new GUI works and how easy it is to get things done – once I stop trying to do things in the old way of Word.
But every once in a while, you get totally stumped trying to do something that was dead easy in "old" Word versions. Once such instance was a colleague of mine totally failing to figure out how to number the headings in the document. Which is pretty standard in technical writing. It took me a while, but I did figure it out. As I could not find any good link on the web explaining how to do this, here is my take that I hope some other desperate soul can search for and find.
Note that the Word help system was absolutely useless for me in this task. I could not find this, no matter how I tried.
As you would expect, totally easy and natural in the Word 2007 way.
Trying to do this by hacking style sheets, I was totally stumped. I have been using MS Word since version 3, I think, with some favorites along the way being Word 5.1 for MacOS and Word 2003. Worst experience must have been Word 6 for the Mac which was totally unusable. Lots of the old things are still there, under the hood, but some things really have changed. And mostly for the better, it seems.
Overall, the new GUI is really neat and I would love to have the time and resources to create that kind of interface for a software development tool. I guess Microsoft will do that with some future Visual Studio version, but it would sure be very helpful for Eclipse with its absolute mess of buttons and functionality with very little structure.
Haha! Thanks for this! I must have spent ages looking for this solution! Stupid how easy it is when someone shows you how!
Thanks! spent lots of time trying to figure this out and reading the word 2007 help files but as you said the solution is simply not present in the help files.


The heightened focus on misclassification of workers as independent contractors should cause concern for employers. At least 30 states have partnered with the federal government to target worker misclassification, with Virginia as the most recent state to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor ("DOL") to target misclassification. Click here to read more about the DOL's misclassification initiative and to find out if your state has joined forces with the federal government.
Maryland employers will soon face tougher penalties for worker misclassification. Effective October 1, 2016, the "Recovery of Benefits and Penalties for Fraud Act ("the Act") amends the Maryland Unemployment Insurance Law to provide for significant civil penalties for knowingly misclassifying workers as independent contractors.
If an employer fails to properly classify an individual as an employee, it will, of course, be required to make the necessary unemployment contribution payments to the State. The Act, however, also provides that the contributions will now be subject to an interest rate of two percent per month if the employer fails to pay the outstanding contributions within 45 days after the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation ("DLLR") issues an assessment to the employer.
Additionally, if an employer knowingly misclassifies workers, the employer will be subject to a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per employee. For subsequent knowing violations, the DLLR may assess double penalties, that is, up to $10,000 per employee who is misclassified. Additionally, the Act provides that any individual who knowingly advises an employer to violate the Act will be subject to a civil penalty of up to $20,000. The Act defines "knowingly" as having "actual knowledge, deliberate ignorance, or reckless disregard for the truth."
Maryland employers will likely be liable for far more than the penalties provided for under the Act. When the DLLR finds that an employer has misclassified employees as independent contractors, the DLLR will "promptly" notify the Workers' Compensation Commission, the Insurance Administration, and the Comptroller. The DLLR's actions, of course, will cause those other agencies to collaboratively bring the employer into compliance with workers' compensation, insurance, and tax laws – a costly proposition for any employer.
Additionally, Maryland is one of those states that has entered in to an agreement with the DOL to target worker misclassification. Therefore, if the DLLR determines that an employer violated the Act, it is almost certain that the DLLR with notify the federal government of its findings, increasing the employers changes of being investigated by the DOL.
Under the Act, the DLLR has been authorized to adopt regulations that will (1) require that the DLLR provide an employer with the factual basis for alleged violations; (2) establish procedures regarding the audit process and any agency level review available before appeal; and (3) provide guidance as to what constitutes the evidence relevant to determining whether an employer knowingly failed to classify an individual as an employee.
Misclassification of workers is about to become much more expensive for Maryland employers. In light of the Act, and the ever-increasing focus on worker misclassification, now is the time for employers to carefully consider whether they may be improperly classifying employees as independent contractors.


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Ravens' defense eyeing comeback
By - The Washington Times - Friday, October 19, 2001
OWINGS MILLS, Md. Butch Davis committed a rookie mistake Wednesday.
The Cleveland Browns' first-year coach said his team has bigger things to worry about than wondering if the Baltimore Ravens' record-setting defense will rebound after surrendering the most points and yardage in its past 23 games during Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers.
"Obviously, we look at film, we study, we look at the opponents, do all the things that everybody does, but our main focus is primarily on us," Davis said. "We've got to make strides and get better and play better. How [the Ravens] play and who they've played and the outcome of their games is really somewhat insignificant."
But some consider the Ravens' defense the greatest of all time, and for Davis to say the league's second-rated unit a defense that has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 42 games doesn't sit well with the Ravens.
"You've got to watch your opponent," Ravens safety Rod Woodson said. "I don't know what Butch is thinking about. Maybe that's what they did in college."
Davis, who was hired by the Browns from the University of Miami on Jan. 30, should be concerned that Baltimore is looking for redemption this week.
In Sunday's loss to the Packers, the Ravens' swarming defense was humbled. Packers all-world quarterback Brett Favre, a three-time NFL MVP, shredded it by completing 27 of 34 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns in Green Bay's 31-23 victory.
Baltimore strutted into Lambeau Field with the NFL's best defense and limped home as the league's No. 2 unit after allowing Green Bay to roll for 391 yards. Did Favre's Packers expose the league's most feared defense?
"It's simple: Every dog has his day, and they had their day. There won't be too many more," said Ravens four-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker Ray Lewis.
The loss was because of an uncharacteristic meltdown by the defense. The line didn't pressure Favre, cornerbacks Duane Starks and Chris McAlister seemed to take the afternoon off and Favre's West Coast offense rendered Lewis ineffective. Lewis, who leads the Ravens with 55 tackles, had only five.
If recent history is any indication, the Ravens (3-2) undoubtedly will bring their "A" defense against the surprising Browns (3-2) Sunday in Cleveland. After Baltimore lost its first game a 21-10 upset by Cincinnati on Sept. 23 the Ravens yielded just 228 and 185 yards, respectively, in back-to-back defeats of Super Bowl contenders Denver and Tennessee.
"I'm betting [the defensive players] are going to show up Sunday with a little extra bounce in their step," Ravens coach Brian Billick said.
Despite the loss to Green Bay, Baltimore's run defense is still the league's best. Anchored by massive defensive tackles Tony Siragusa (6-foot-3, 340 pounds) and Sam Adams (6-3, 330), it surrenders just 58.2 yards per game.
With six consecutive games coming up against AFC Central opponents, the Ravens and their brash defense can wrest control of the division. That is, if their defense decides to step back up to last season's Super Bowl level. The unit is virtually unchanged from last season, with the exception of strong safety Corey Harris, who is an upgrade from last year's starter, Kim Herring.
If there was a silver lining to the Ravens' defensive collapse, it's that Favre can make any defense look bad. Last week he performed at an MVP level, and there was nothing Baltimore could do about it, especially when the Packers spread out the defense with four-receiver sets.
"I'm not going to dwell on last week. Brett Favre had an unbelievable game," Siragusa said. "When you have a quarterback that throws 10 to 12 perfect passes that you can't defend against, you just have to get back up and go again. The reason why the defense is good, and why we've been good over the years, is because we are consistent. This team doesn't know how to lose. [For] some teams, losing is a consistent thing. When we lose around here, it's sort of a tragedy."


In order to make a training program you must pay attention to the following moments: tasks you define for yourself, your age, constitutional type (anthropometric data), state of health.
You have to develop your training program depending on tasks you define for yourself. Simply put it means that in order to gain power potential you need to include basic exercises with big weights and small number of reps in the beginning of your training. Large number of reps is conducive to endurance development, but will also significantly decrease your power potential. Large number of sparrings may lead to injuries etc. Your subsequent goal is to develop your power factors to be ready for competition without the loss of strength and injuries.
For teenagers, I advise to begin armwrestling exercises from 13-14 years. Just in this age muscle fibers react to power load well and quickly recover after long trainings that considerably decreases the risks of injury. People of 18-20 years and older quite often join our sport discipline. In such age it is possible to take maximal loads with the use of plyometric exercises as well as working with optimal weights. The wonderful thing about our kind of sports is that veterans (sportsmen aged 40 and older) quite often come to join us. At the age of extreme youth, arm-wrestler's biomechanical system develops rapidly. This must be taken into account when planning a training process because recovering processes in organism deaden with age. After the certain age, its involution begins. You can train your hand taking your age into account but, as a rule, it will be difficult to show maximal result in such age. Nevertheless, many professional armwrestlers of such age wrestle on a par with the young ones (John Brzenk, Richard Lupkes, Ron Bath etc.).
We often observe move from the other disciplines or just combination of a training plan with the other kinds of sports. In any case the task of a training diary is to help you to find your way, to create individual plan in order to achieve fast and effective result in armwrestling regardless of age and preliminary qualification when changing from another kinds of sports or seeking to increase professional arm-wrestler's results.
2. Beginners with experience of power training.
There are peculiarities of training process for each of categories listed. The reason is that our organism reacts to power load and recovers in different way depending on age (period taken by our organism to fully recover after physical loads).
BEFORE you start exercising let us sort out what principles shall the training program in armwrestling follow. Knowing its fundamentals will enable you to create your own exercise sets in the future. We offer you some pre-set exercises for beginners; nevertheless, it is very important to follow the instructions and to do exercises the right way, i.e., to understand how to distribute your exercise plan correctly.
Many beginners often ask similar questions: how to start exercising my arm in a correct fashion? Can I combine these kinds of sports with some different sports? And some other questions that encouraged me to write universal answer for every one of you.
Success in armwrestling as well as in any other kind of wrestling depends on many factors, such as power, speed, endurance, skills and tactics. But in distinction from the other types of martial arts, the priority in armwrestling belongs to strength. Without good power factors, neither skills nor speed can bring the desirable result.
In the last few years, considerable difference in trainings appeared between armwrestling and the other kinds of sports. It is safe to say that our sport is a kind of martial arts and not just pressing the opponent's hand with your own hand with the use of force as many people think. In distinction from such kinds of sports as judo, wrestling, boxing or the other kinds of martial arts, in armwrestling you must begin with power training which differs dramatically from power training in the other kinds of martial arts. To improve your strength you have to exercise with big weights, not only dynamic and static loads but also plyometric exercises, i.e. heavy-lifting with the eccentric type of muscular activity. The more is the weight you train with, the stronger you will become. But, on the other hand, the more is the load, the more time your muscles need to recover. This must be taken into account when creating training plans. In distinction from bodybuilders who load all muscle groups by turns, arm-wrestlers have exercises dedicated only to their arms and separate body parts (chest, muscles of back, abdominal muscles).
We invite you to learn about basic armwrestling exercises on our special page!


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Q: How to run external exe under specific account from asp.net web service? Bellow is my code from asp.net service which is trying to run some external exe. It works fine from my Visual Studio on win 7, but fails on my server (server 2008).
Myapp.exe reports back eror that account under which is runned doesn't have sufficiet priviliges.
    List<ProcInfo> allProcesses = new List<ProcInfo>();
    ProcessStartInfo pInfo = new ProcessStartInfo();
    pInfo.FileName = binPath + @"\myApp.exe";
    pInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
    pInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
    pInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
    pInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;

    string exitMsg = "";
    int exitCode = 1;
    try
    {
        using (Process proc = Process.Start(pInfo))
        {
            exitMsg = proc.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
            proc.WaitForExit(1000);
            exitCode = proc.ExitCode;
        }
    }

Resource pool on the server runs under account with sufficient priviliges and I also tried to use same account in code to start service with those same credentials and still nothing.
I have been told that account under which asp.net worker thread runs impose some additional limitations. So even if resource pool runs under appropriate account, you still won't have sufficient priviligies.
I also found something about using pInvoke and win32 api calls as the only way to run external code from asp.net service. But I don't have any win32 api knowlege nor did I found exples of this.
I would be very grateful for any tip/example how to run external exe under specified account from asp.net service.

A: If the account the worker process is runnning under lacks sufficient privelages then you have a few options.
You can either use impersonation in your code:
WindowsIdentity.Impersonate Method
Or configure IIS to run the application under a user account with the required privileges.
Here is an article which explains different methods of impersonation security:
Understanding ASP.NET Impersonation Security
If you do not feel confident implementing the user impersonation code yourself, here is a link to a codeproject article:
A small C# Class for impersonating a User

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Did Apple Overcharge Spotify Over In-App Subscription Purchases?
Spotify has filed a complaint against Apple (AAPL) to the European Commission claiming that the technology giant is charging a 30 percent fee on developers for its in-app subscription purchases made through App store. The audio streaming platform expressed how difficult it is to maintain competitive pricing as compared to Apple Music over these charges, as per reports.
Spotify CEO, Daniel Ek stated in a blog in March "If we pay this tax, it would force us to artificially inflate the price of our Premium membership well above the price of Apple Music. And to keep our price competitive for our customers, that isn't something we can do."
However, per reports, Apple has shot holes in the allegations and clarified that the majority of the Apps pay nothing to Apple and "the rates drop from 30% to 15% after the first year of an annual subscription." The European Commission is expected to set an inquiry into the allegation after surveying customers, rivals and others related to the matter, as reported in the Financial Times.
Dow 30 component Apple (AAPL) has revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple's four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple's more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to "leaving the world better than they found it." To Learn more about Apple (AAPL) and track its ongoing progress at Vista Partners Apple (AAPL), Coverage Page. Vista Partners LLC ("Vista") is a California Registered Investment Advisor based in San Francisco. Vista delivers timely and relevant insights via the website: www.vistapglobal.com with daily stories, weekly market updates, monthly macroeconomic newsletters, podcasts, & Vista's proprietary equity and market research to help you stay informed and stay competitive. Vista's mission is to invest partner capital while arming investors with a comprehensive global financial perspective across all market sectors. Vista also seeks to provide select issuers with actionable advice regarding fundamental development, corporate governance, and capital market directives. Stay Informed! Stay Competitive! Sign Up to receive FREE email updates here!
week5(14)
Apple is reportedly set to face an EU investigation over Spotify's competition complaint
Spotify's complaint alleges Apple Music gives the U.S. tech giant an "unfair advantage" over rivals… www.cnbc.com


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Today, We Are All American Sikhs
Blog, Hate Crimes, Millennials, Oak Creek, Opinion Essays, Sikhs
Published on CNN.
Today, the day after the tragic shootings near Milwaukee, the fog will begin to lift. Just as after Columbine and Aurora, we will hear the names of the suspect and victims. We will learn more about the motive and imagine the nightmare that unfolded within those walls. In the past, hearing these horrific details would be enough to bring us together in national unity. But that will not be enough today.
Today, we are called to do more. We are called to do the hard work of listening.
If we really want to unite in response to this national tragedy, we need to know whom we are embracing. For many, this means learning about Sikh Americans for the first time — and listening closely to what's at stake. For me, the mass shooting is not just about how to keep guns out of the hands of a murderous few. It's also about my community's sacrifice in the struggle to live as free and proud Americans.
As a Sikh American whose grandfather sailed by steamship from Punjab, India, and settled in California 100 years ago, my family's story spans the struggle of Sikhs in America. Donning a turban and long beard, my grandfather tamed the hard floor of the Central Valley on a John Deere tractor in the early 1900s. Sikh pioneers such as my grandfather could not own land or become citizens because of the color of their skin, but they stayed and farmed, weathering race riots and decades of second-class treatment until the law permitted their children and grandchildren to become citizens.
Like many Sikhs, I grew up with deep roots in America and also fell in love with the heart of the Sikh faith: devotion to one God, who requires us to uphold equality between women and men and all peoples, and perform seva, service to our community as an expression of our faith. Our house of worship is called a gurdwara, where we recite and sing the poetry of our sacred scriptures. Many Sikhs wear five articles of faith, including kesh, long uncut hair that most men and some women wrap in a cloth turban.
Nearly every person who wears a turban in America is Sikh.
Tragically, the turban meant to represent a commitment to service and justice has since marked Sikh Americans as targets in hate violence. Our family, alongside Sikh families who arrived in a wave of immigration after the 1960s, became American in law but not necessarily in the eyes of our neighbors. I was old enough to remember racial slurs and shattered windows after the Iran hostage crisis, the first Gulf War and the Oklahoma City bombing. Still, none of this could prepare me for 9/11.
In the hours and days after 9/11, turbaned Sikh Americans became automatically suspect, perpetually foreign and potentially terrorist — confused with Muslims, and so immediate targets in anti-Muslim violence.
Hate violence swept the country, and on September 15, 2001, a Sikh man was gunned down in front of his gas station in Mesa, Arizona. My family knew Balbir Singh Sodhi; it felt as though an uncle had been murdered. But the killing was not broadcast widely on national news.
A few days later, I grabbed my camera, left college and began a journey across America that would last a decade, capturing on film the stories of Sikh Americans profiled, beaten, stabbed, shot but persevering in faith and resilience. The FBI reported a 1,600% increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the year after 9/11.
Over the last decade, I became part of a new generation of Sikh Americans who organized and became lawyers, artists, journalists and elected officials, in part to advocate on behalf of a community repeatedly swept up in waves of anti-Muslim rhetoric, violence and racial profiling. In a poor economy and critical election season, we have recently watched ideologues use anti-Muslim bias to turn a profit in dollars and votes. When discontents can easily access guns, many of us feared more hate violence.
Whether or not the shooting in a Milwaukee suburb is a hate crime, the news has reverberated through every Sikh American home. We saw our own gurdwara on the television screen; we imagined our own aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, caught in the gunfire. And we shared an all-too-familiar sense of helplessness, grief and the sadness of a community that has long struggled to live, work and worship peacefully in this country.
But this time, something new happened: The whole nation paid attention. Thousands of people posted messages of love and support in the face of unspeakable tragedy. They knew that the Sikh community gathered to pray on a Sunday morning just like millions in churches across the country. They knew that the terrible loss of life so recently after the shootings in Aurora shocks the conscience and violates our deepest values. They knew that this is not a Sikh tragedy but an American tragedy.
Today and in the days to come, I believe Americans are hungry for the next step. We are ready to come together in a groundswell of healing, hope and renewed commitment to a world without violence. We are ready to come together in true national unity, we are ready to listen.
There is a Sikh gurdwara in nearly every city in America. Come this Sunday morning. Listen and be with us. Americans' support — every candle, every prayer — will be felt by Sikh Americans across the country. Together, we can all be Sikhs; we can all be Americans — and know what that means.
CNN, Divided we Fall, Groundswell, gun, gurdwara, hate, Muslim, Oak Creek, shooting, Sikh, turban, Valarie Kaur, Wisconsin


Phumelela Gaming and Leisure announced that from this week and going forward, TAB will be able to accommodate 30 runners in all bets. This is an improvement from the past where only 20 runners per race could be accommodated. This is in line with Phumelela's efforts to make the racing and betting experience more attractive for South Africans said the group in a press release put out. The changes come into effect from August 18th.
According to a note put out by Sporting Post, "the major advantage of this innovation is that TAB will now be able to commingle many more pools with international hosts than before."
It was explained that, in the past, TAB had to administer its own pools if more than 20 horses ran. Those horses numbering from 20 and onwards were usually grouped together and were offered in the form of a single bet. However, thanks to the changes introduced by Phumelela, South African bettors are now able to place a separate bet on every individual runner up to 30 per race – a significant enhancement of their betting sessions.
The Executive Director for Sports Betting at Phumelela, Vee Moodley said about the changes introduced by the group: "This is such an exciting opportunity for South Africans. Take a race like the Melbourne Cup, for example. We have had to run our own pools in the past which have been quite small. Now South African punters will be able to bet into an Australian Win pool of around R100 million!"
Moodley said that in the past, South Africans have missed out on comingling around 200 races a year. "By incorporating 30 runners we will lose maybe just five big races a year," he said. "It will give TAB punters more choices and massive pools to bet into", he said.
The director of sports betting spoke about the endless opportunities now available to South African bettors through the new changes.
"Can you imagine what a Trifecta will pay out with 30 runners at the Cheltenham week?" he said, referring to the famous annual British race. "Jackpots, Place Accumulators and BiPots with 30 runners will really make for exciting and attractive dividends."
Phumelela is considered Africa's biggest horse-racing and tote betting company and has made significant strides in broadening its revenue base through tote betting on sports other than horseracing, international initiatives, fixed odds betting and limited payout machines.


Things have been very busy here at NAB. Today Irdeto announced support for Flash Access as a hosted offering, allowing companies looking to monetize online video content to outsource most of the operations required for content protection.
This will result, amongst other benefits, in a faster time to market and more effective content monetization. By relying on a trusted partner with secure, worldwide operations, content providers can focus on creating a great user experience.
Adobe and Irdeto are demonstrating Flash Access at our booths in NAB — if you are attending, come check it out and ask questions.
This entry was posted in Flash Media Server and tagged @seymour-feed-external, Content Protection, flashaccess by Michelle Perkins. Bookmark the permalink.


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Brinsley Schwartz T-Shirt
Always an interesting band who were founding member of the UK 'pub rock' scene
The made 6 albums and this was their final release in 1974, produced by Dave Edmunds, before splitting up. The lead track, Nick Lowe's '(What's So Funny About) Peace Love and Understanding' would later turn up on 'The Bodyguard' soundtrack as a cover version by Curtis Stigers. The soundtrack sold 17 million copies, not that Lowe knew anything about it until a royalty cheque dropped through his letterbox for over a million pounds!
Brinsley Schwartz T-Shirt DJTees Originals


This custom home built by Bowers Construction is located in Long Lake Village, a community 10 minutes from the downtown Halifax core. Inspired by the 5000-acre provincial park the community borders, this home was designed with texture, organic materials and a monochromatic palette in mind. With the concept of "Urban Zen" in mind, we set out to achieve a delicate balance of fashion-forward design choices with a calming result.
The hero of this home is the kitchen; a patterned tile uniquely applied to the island marries with rattan lighting, a marble-look backsplash, grey countertops, a brushed brass faucet, and touches of black to create an unexpected "Wow!" moment. These design features are repeated subtly as you walk throughout the home, providing continuity and calmness for the ultimate urban retreat.
Want a "Lago" of your own?


Ms. Jill Simeone is General Counsel, Secretary of the Company. Prior to Etsy, Ms. Simeone was the Vice President, Senior Counsel, and Assistant Secretary at American Express Global Business Travel, where she led the legal side of their mergers and acquisitions program from January 2016 to January 2017. Prior to that, she served as the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at KCAP Financial, Inc., a publicly traded financial services company, from July 2013 to January 2016. Before joining KCAP Financial, she was an attorney at American Express advising on divestitures and investments in technology startups from January 2013 to June 2013. Prior to American Express, she served as the General Counsel at Roadify from January 2012 through December 2012. From 1999-2011 Ms. Simeone served as U.S. General Counsel and then North America General Counsel of CEMEX, a multinational building materials company.


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Elliot Fox Interview – "The transcendent headspace you find in making is so similar to that of a hedonistic one"
By Hector Campbell • 28 September 2020
Elliot Fox, Idol Hands, Platform Southwark. Photography: Alex Sains
London based artist Elliot Fox recently sat down with art historian, writer and curator Hector Campbell to discuss his interest in alternative means of communication, his latest publication, his inclusion in Collective Ending HQ's upcoming member's exhibition and his current solo exhibition Idol Hands, also curated by Campbell, which runs at Platform Southwark in Central London until October 10th.
Hector Campbell: Idol Hands is your third solo exhibition since graduating from Camberwell College of Arts in 2014 with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Painting, following 2017's Scratching a Different Itch at Golborne Gallery and 2019's Safe Hands at Sassoon Gallery with Altera Collective. How have you found the adjustment from arts education to practising artist?
Elliot Fox: For me personally, it's been a very gradual process, I spent the immediate years post-graduation a little disillusioned with the idea of making work or pursuing shows. When the opportunity arose for Scratching A Different Itch in 2017 it seemed to re-ignite something in me, and I was a lot better equipped to translate my ideas and experiences. That felt like the start of me taking it a lot more seriously and since then I've wholeheartedly thrown myself Into being a practising artist.
H.C: Those familiar with your work will recognise your repeated use of alternative language forms such as braille and sign language again evident in the work on display in Idol Hands, as well as the addition of morse code in the form of an accompanying sound piece. What first drew you to these substitute methods of communication? And what do you hope to achieve through the use of their iconography?
E.F: Language has always played a very prevalent role in my work. If you look back to my older work you will see the use of repeated motifs to create my own language structure – I wanted to play with the idea of allowing meaning or value to be implied to a certain image through its repetitive use and how that can begin to obtain an obscured or implied meaning. This idea led me to think about existing language structures and how they could possibly be utilised to convey the idea of meaning within a work. In allowing the audience to believe that there is some sort of definitive meaning entrenched within the work that acts as a direct invitation to engage with the works and also gives context to the use of repeated motifs and the conceptual foundations of the work.
Elliot Fox, 'The Sun Never Sets' & 'Gorse Bush' (L-R), Digital painting on perforated PVC in aluminium housing on steel rail system, 123 x 93.5 cm (each), 2020. Photography: Alex Sains
H.C: Idol Hands further expands your experimentation with kinetic sculpture and audience engagement through the presentation of eight 'digital paintings' occupying four custom-designed railing systems. How did you become interested in the possibility of participatory viewers and the use of operational display methods?
E.F: The more I've exhibited my work, the more I've wanted to make the exhibition experience multifaceted and to dictate how people interact with the work. I spend a lot of time considering how people will engage with the works and how that engagement could be heightened through physical interaction. In this sense, I believe that the physical interaction that occurs between the audience and the work leads to a more active and intimate relationship.
The themes of post-industrialism and it's subcultures that are concurrent in the show consider the relationship between humans and machines. The rail system and the audience engagement was in my mind as a way of referencing this relationship – much in the way we did during and after industrialisation through manufacturing or the aforementioned sub-cultured that followed.
H.C: This latest body of work exhibited in Idol Hands sees the introduction of natural imagery through the portrayal of flowers in your paintings, as well as the sculptural use of reclaimed Cornish Gorse. When did you first begin to include these floral depictions in your work, and why?
E.F: For a long time my work has referenced the place in which it was made – both in its materials and its imagery – and has mainly been concerned with industrial references. On my daily journeys around South London I kept seeing this motif of neon hand holding a rose repeated in windows of the city's nail salons, so I started to use this logo in my work. I think out of context it began to reference all these other ideas that I was also interested in, and this combination of the natural and the manmade became more relevant to me. The duality of the places that have had an impact on me in my own personal life was beginning to find a synergy in my work and I wanted this show to harness that. The idea was to create a body of work that has real tension and yet a harmony about it – a combination of elements which are both ancient and futuristic.
Elliot Fox, 'Meaning' & 'Hard To See' (L-R), Acrylic and spray paint on reflective material in artists frame, 122.5 x 92 cm (each), 2020. Photography: Alex Sains
H.C: Many of the artworks on display in Idol Hands incorporate reflective or mirrored material, and the exhibition installation itself utilises custom lighting effects and light filters, creating an ever-changing gallery environment and viewing experience. How do you hope that these extrinsic elements add to the audience's appreciation of the artworks themselves?
E.F: Just as I was eager to create a body of work that contained tension and harmony, so too I wanted to embed that feeling within the exhibition space. I wanted people to engage with the work whilst not being able to find a fixed point with which to work off. The fact that this exhibition is ever-changing and moving again references the idea of the organic and in my view the post-humanist – of the natural and the technological mimicking one another until the lines are completely blurred. The work becomes dependent on the natural light within the space – as the sun fades or moves across the window from blue to red panel – it changes the work and creates a harmony between the viewer, the natural world and the artwork's materials.
Another important consideration for me was giving the work access points through its use of reflections and lights that have an instant relationship with the audience. The main thinking behind the physical exhibition was that each visitor would experience the show completely differently, and so I would hope that would allow for a more personal response to the work.
H.C: Additionally, the installation of Idol Hands also involves the aforementioned supporting soundscape, produced in collaboration with Kieran Whitefield & Ellis Deaves, that marries morse code with rave or dance music. What was your intention with the addition of this aural accompaniment?
E.F: The soundscape actually contains a script that is repeated throughout the exhibition, in the titles of the artworks and the different braille and sign language forms within the paintings. The sound piece takes all these snippets of language and converts them into morse code to create a script that acts as a tangible thread throughout the exhibition. This script is also published in Braille in the accompanying Idol Hands publication.
Additionally, the soundscape acts to reference the themes of post-industrial subcultures evident within the exhibition. The repetitive nature of the morse code merges naturally with elements of dance or rave music, allowing the audience to transcend the physical exhibition space and be transported to those dance spaces, thus informing the way in which they communicate with the works. The inherent repetitiveness of electronic music itself also mirrors the productive hum of the machines that often shared the same spaces as those sub-cultures. It's the noise that says to you 'Keep Working!' as much as it does 'Keep Dancing!'. Once industrialism dissolved that void was filled by these subcultural movements, and the exhibition's title Idol Hands directly references the space between those two worlds. For me personally, I think I've experienced a similar journey but in reverse. The transcendent headspace you find in making is so similar to that of a hedonistic one.
Elliot Fox, 'Red/Blue', Aluminium composite panel maquettes x 6, cornish gorse with spray paint x 4, plasma cut aluminium hands with spray paint x 4, 'Idol Hands' publication (published by Foolscap Editions) x 2, 2020. Photography: Alex Sains
H.C: Idol Hands coincides with the release of your latest publication, of the same name, designed by George Hatton and published by Foolscap Editions (who also released your debut book Body Work in 2017). The Idol Hands publication features much of your reference image and initial drawings/designs for the latest body of work, as well as a supplementary essay by Charlie Mills. How was the process of working on your second publication? Is the book intended as a compliment to the exhibition, or can it be appreciated as a stand-alone project?
E.F: I see the Idol Hands publication as a reference point for the exhibition that allows the audience to understand the research elements of the show. I'm so lucky that Daniel (Fletcher, founder of Foolscap Edition), George and Charlie all fully understood what I was trying to achieve and added their own influence along the way. From a technical and a conceptual sense they helped me to create what I think of as a reflection of the exhibition, and one that will live on long after the show has finished – it is as much a part of the exhibition as anything else.
The images in the book are taken from archives of Cornish mining and warehouse raves, both from the late '80s or early '90s. The publication also further expands upon the language forms found within the artworks such as the braille translations or sign language interpretations, but also other elements of the exhibition such as my original floral drawings and insights into the original technical plans for the installation.
I hope the book helps to acknowledge the relationship of language to print and those aspects that are present in the show – be that in the technical approach to painting that mimics this mass production of printing or the repetition of hand-rendered dots throughout. The exhibition is almost an explosion of the ideas that were generated in the book – from the imagery used to the way one turns a page in a publication – thinking about images moving across and over each other, hiding, building and adding meaning as you move along
H.C: Finally, you're currently a member of Collective Ending HQ, a studio and gallery complex in Deptford, South East London and are working towards the first annual member's exhibition, to be expected mid-late October. Could you give us any insight into the work you're creating for that upcoming exhibition? Will you continue to explore some of the themes prevalent in Idol Hands?
E.F: I will be yes, actually the Cornish gorse used within the exhibition was picked from a monument near where I grew up, and for the upcoming CE HQ members exhibition, I'll be re-interpreting this monument as a new sculpture.
The monument was built in the honour and memory of a local businessman and sees a ritualistic festival held there once a year that involves curious performative elements. I am, however, more interested in the local legend that surrounds the monument. Knill, the man in question, was known to have amassed his fortune through smuggling, and the giant pyramid-like structure was actually a communicative symbol previously used to allow boats to view the skyline to land safely. I'm really interested in the idea of how objects are used to communicate, and especially this idea of immortalising yourself in this message.
Elliot Fox, Idol Hands at Platform Southwark, curated by Hector Campbell, runs until October 10th.
platformsouthwark.co.uk
Elliot Fox, 'Thank You' & 'House' (L-R), Digital painting on perforated PVC in aluminium housing on steel rail system, 123 x 93.5 cm (each), 2020. Photography: Alex Sains
Art Stuff London
Elliot Fox
Foolscap Editions
Hector Campbell
Idol Hands
Platform Southwark
Hector Campbell is an Art Historian, Writer and Curator based in London@campbell.hector
Jule Korneffel Interview – "I massage the paint in, and through adding and over-layering, the painting's final form is cast."
German-born, New York-based artist Jule Korneffel recently sat down with curator Hector Campbell to discuss her move to New York and time at Hunter College, her art historical and academic influences, her physical painting process and her upcoming solo exhibition All that kale at the new Claas Reiss Gallery
Daniel David Freeman Interview – "Could GET A LIFE entice previously plain-clothed art enthusiasts to wear more branded clothing?"
London based artist Daniel David Freeman recently sat down with Hector Campbell to discuss his background in graphic design, his experience at Chelsea College of Art, his fascination with Andrew Graham-Dixon and his 'imaginary' clothing brand GET A LIFE.
Jing Su Interview – "I reflect on women's intimate struggles with the male medical gaze, both psychologically and physically"
Chinese born, London based artist Jing Su recently sat down with Hector Campbell to discuss her experience of arts education, her GIVE series of moving image artworks, her interest in the philosophy of 'self-care' and what she would have exhibited at her physical MA degree show.
Elliot Fox – Idol Hands
Elliot Fox's latest solo exhibition Idol Hands, curated by Hector Campbell, opens at Platform Southwark this Saturday, September 12th, 2-9pm.


I first realised the power of winning prestigious business awards back in 1999 when my brother Pete won one of the major awards in the city we both live in.
I had the chance to, up close and personal, see the incredible impact that an award can have on a business. And what an impact it can be!
But before we get into that, let's talk about how you win.
This step is, without doubt, the number 1 reason many worthy businesses do not win business awards. It's the most neglected part of the entire process. And here it is.
There is a major business award in the city I live. It goes for 4-5 months. each month there is a category winner for the various categories (6 in all). At the end of the year the category winners go up against each other as the grand winner for their category. Those winners then are judged for the supreme winner.
My experience over a number of years with these awards tells me that they don't get a lot of entrants.
Step 1 is enter the award you want to win.
Make it as easy as possible for the judges to select you.
I've seen entries for awards that request a 500 word application, run to 4,000 words.
I've seen award proposals handwritten and presented on dirty paper.
I've seen award proposals that did not address one- (1) criteria that was requested.
Judging awards is a difficult thing. The judges not only have to find the most worthy winner, but the result has to be completely transparent.
If an award committee asks for a 1,000 page typewritten application, then that's what they should get. If it's 100 words over, that's one less reason to give you the win.
It goes without saying that your proposal must be beautifully presented, flawless and stylish. A graphic designer can turn your boring word document into a work of art. And here is the time to do it.
It's also important to make it as easy as possible for the awards team should you win. We'll include a high resolution logo, a backgrounder on the company and its history, and a contact person for further information.
Give the judges exactly what they want.
Here's where you need to do some detective work. But it's work that can pay off.
If we develop a proposal for a client to enter an award, we'll take a very close look at who the judges are and what areas of specialisation they represent.
If 2 of the 3 judges are Quality Assurance experts, then we would certainly put our client's quality assurance commitment as a central theme of the proposal.
If the selection panel included a know environmentalist, then our proposal would address the issues of environmental awareness, recycling and the company's commitment to the environment.
It's common sense. If people have a particular interest or specialty they will be drawn to that proposal with which they can connect.
You've won! Congratulations. Okay, what's next?
Firstly, have a drink to steady your nerves. Now have another 10 or so to celebrate your win! Because in the morning you are going to start on a campaign that ensures you get the most out of your magnificent win as possible.
You should win business awards because it will equate to more profits for you!
People attach enormous credibility to awards.
Now is the time to leverage your win as much as possible.
Attaching the words "Award winning" to any marketing collateral you develop for the next 50 years!
"We're a winner sale" – boastful but true!
We take great pride in developing a quality business and do appreciate you recognising this through your continued support. Your patronage means a lot to us as we have grown the business and tried to become the best business we can.
You might not know that on Saturday night we won the Best Business Award. It was a terrific thrill for us to be recognised in this way and I am writing to say thank you for your help in making it possible.
Without wonderfully supportive customers like yourself we wouldn't have a business, let alone a business that has received such fantastic recognition.
What you have done in your letter is give all the credit to your customer. That will make him feel a part of your business. He'll feel a sense of ownership. And that's great.
You've also reinforced that you are a quality business (you told him outright) and you praised him for having the good sense to recognise this.


What is the salary of Lead Software Engineer at FICO?
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Virginia A. Talley
Office: Indianapolis
vtalley@kdlegal.com
Virginia Talley focuses her practice in the areas of employment law, corporate law, and data privacy and security law. Ms. Talley assists clients in a variety of employment matters, including reviewing and developing workplace policies, drafting and negotiating agreements, ensuring compliance with relevant employment laws, and conducting independent investigations. In her business practice, Ms. Talley supports clients in corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and compliance issues, and entity formation and organization. Ms. Talley also assists clients with data privacy and security matters, including drafting data sharing agreements, evaluating and ensuring compliance with ever-changing data privacy laws, and conducting risk assessments for entities subject to applicable data privacy laws.
Prior to joining Krieg DeVault, Ms. Talley served as a compliance analyst for data privacy matters and national accreditation programs for domestic and international companies. Ms. Talley also served as a small business advisor and advocate, during which she assisted business owners with formation and organization, employment and immigration matters, regulatory compliance issues, administrative appeals, and general business and marketing strategies.
American Bar Association - Law Practice Division, Member
American Bar Association - Business Law, Member
Indiana State Bar Association, Member
Indianapolis Bar Association, Member
Seminars & Presentations
Co-Presenter, "Anatomy of a Cybersecurity Incident: Practical Tips and Legal Considerations," Association of Corporate Counsel's Small Law Department Legal Update, July 14, 2022
Co-Author, "Time for a Breakroom Makeover: EEOC Releases New "Know Your Rights" Poster," October 21, 2022
Co-Author, "Three Minute Update - Protecting Your Business: Confidentiality Agreements," August 23, 2022
Co-Author, "Three Minute Update - Day in the Life of a Business: Consulting Agreements and Intellectual Property Considerations," March 2, 2022
Co-Author, "CMS Issues Supplemental Guidance on Interim Final Rule on Vaccination for States Impacted by Recent Supreme Court Ruling," January 20, 2022
Co-Author, "OSHA Withdraws Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard, Recordkeeping Obligations Remain in Place," December 29, 2021
Co-Author, "EEOC Issues New Guidance on Religious Objections to the COVID-19 Vaccines," October 28, 2021
Co-Author, "Vaccine Verdict: 7th Circuit Declares Indiana University's Vaccine Mandate Constitutional," August 6, 2021
Co-Author, "Time for a Check Up: HIPAA Privacy Rule Modified for the First Time Since 2013," March 23, 2021
Co-Author, "Indiana Supreme Court Affirms Freedom of Contract Principles in Closely Held Company Valuation Case: Choose Your Words Carefully," February 2, 2021
Co-Author, "Corporate Transparency Act: New Obligations to Disclose Beneficial Ownership in Private Companies," January 12, 2021
Co-Author, "Key Considerations for Employers as Additional States Legalize Marijuana," December 18, 2020
Co-Author, "Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace: HHS Proposes Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule," December 11, 2020
Co-Author, "Unpacking Schrems II: The Demise of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield," October 20, 2020
Author, "Major Flaws in Minor Laws: Improving Data Privacy Rights and Protections for Children Under the GDPR," 30 Indiana Int'l & Comp. L. Rev. 127, 2019
Legal Lean Sigma® White Belt
J.D. in Legal Studies, cum laude, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2020
Indiana International and Comparative Law Review, Executive Managing Editor
Phi Delta Phi, Legal Honor Society
Dean's Tutorial Society
B.A., Political Science and Sociology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 2016
Indiana (2020)
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana (2020)
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana (2020)
Privately and Closely-Held Businesses
Beyond the Office
Three Minute Update - Day in the Life of a Business: Consulting Agreements and Intellectual Property Considerations
EEOC Issues New Guidance on Religious Objections to the COVID-19 Vaccines
Time for a Check Up: HIPAA Privacy Rule Modified for the First Time Since 2013
Corporate Transparency Act: New Obligations to Disclose Beneficial Ownership in Private Companies
Key Considerations for Employers as Additional States Legalize Marijuana
Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace: HHS Proposes Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule
Unpacking Schrems II: The Demise of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield
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already expressed readiness to cooperate with him. How will the novice politician manage to distribute the parliamentary seats among the block members?
R.S. – One of the key factors bonding these parties at this stage is their being in opposition, i.e. confrontation with the authorities and they are unanimous in this. I don't think it will be easy to agree about the constitutional changes. As you know, Constitution is a complex document, comprising many issues. Those who desire to change it, will have to work hard. But it seems to me that for the time being the major task is to coordinate the political struggle and not the issue of dividing the meat of killed bear.
Q. – Polarization was also mentioned and it was reflected in Ivanishvili's first letters. The businessman declared that after his coming to politics either he or Saakashvili should be supported. Probably, democracy urges us to suppose that among the voters there will be some who will support neither Misha, nor Bidzina but some third or fourth party – Ramaz Sakvarelidze or Dachi Grdzelishvili - in case they decide to come to politics.
R.S. – In case he manages to unify the political spectrum, the alternative will be – those who are critically minded regarding the authorities and those who are not. If for the elections opposition manages to consolidate as one structure, the model of alternativeness will leave no chance for rivalry inside the opposition. So, in this case 'Dachi Grdzelishvili or Ramaz Sakvarelidze' should be either with one side or the other. Bidzina Uvanishvili is heading in this direction and certainly there is political logic in this.
Q. – Saakashvili will try his best to drag Ivanishvili into street actions. The businessman-politician says that revolution and street are unacceptable words for him… The same was said during his meeting with the heads of accredited political missions. Will Ivanishvili manage to stay calm and retain respectability till elections?
R.S. – In order to come to elections he needs to solve the problem of citizenship, i.e. if he intends to participate in it. I don't know how he will manage restoration of citizenship without the struggle that is called street actions. On the other hand there is one more moment connected with the street actions: we've seen for several times that the authorities are much more frightened, so to say, more mobilized during the street actions; they adhered to heavier propagandistic devices during street actions rather than during facing competition in election mode because they felt much more comfortable and safe here.
Q. – Absolute majority of diplomatic missions in Georgia attended the meeting with Ivanishvili. 'Bidzina Ivanishvili is a comparatively new figure in politics. He made important declarations about the accusations allegedly put forward against him. We are watching everything very carefully and in case of need we'll discuss it with the Georgian government', declared John Bass the next day. Diplomatically speaking, does it mean that after this meeting the United States became convinced in reliability of Ivanishvili's foreign policy?
R.S. – The United States agree to support anybody who won't adhere to violence. Street action is specific but still it's connected with violence. When categorically rejecting street actions Ivanishvili presumably is guided by this motive. Consequently, we've witnessed the whole diplomatic corps arriving at his door. As it seems, the US are sure in his person, legitimacy of his candidacy. Bass's declaration implies exactly this. The West is always interested whether Ivanishvili will be an alternative political figure in Georgian political reality. Most probably they have seen such a figure. The expression of this was whatever has happened – so many high-ranking diplomats wouldn't have come to meet an ambiguous person who isn't even a Georgian citizen and who may have some dubious connections with a neighboring country.
Q. – The authorities are insistently accusing Ivanishvili in implementation of Russian project. But in his turn the transferred-into-politics businessman is publicly speaking about his foreign policy views. He criticized Putin's being undemocratic; he also reiterated that neutrality for a country with the resources like Georgia is unreal and for us NATO still remains main objective. As confirmed by head of EU mission in Georgia, at the well-known NATO summit not giving MAP to Georgia was the result of Russia's activity… Considering all this, isn't the aim set by him a bit unrealistic?
R.S. – For Russia NATO membership of any country that is no more under its control and that hampers Russia's relations with other NATO countries, being it bickering or trade, is unacceptable. Under this situation global processes develop in the direction of integration and not confrontation and I really see the prospects. For us NATO is an acceptable and desirable partner but it doesn't mean that we can make a step in this direction right away. This detail wasn't specified during the interview and I think that's where the shoe pinches.