text:
CFO: Magazine for Senior Financial Executives
Magazine for Senior Financial Executives: The Dragon Dance – companies dealing with China must remain flexible
The Dragon Dance – companies dealing with China must remain flexible – Industry Overview
Scott Leibs
COVER STORY WESTERNERS DOING BUSINESS IN CHINA MUST BE WILLING TO MASTER CERTAIN STEPS.
WHEN THE FATE of a U.S. spy plane touched off tense negotiations between Washington and Beijing earlier this year, American companies felt the reverberations. Fearing that the situation might devolve into "Cuban missile crisis proportions," for example, executives at running – shoe and athletic-apparel maker Saucony Inc. spent hours on the phone with the company's staff in Taiwan, hashing out how quickly molds and dies could be moved from mainland manufacturing sites to other facilities in Taiwan. "All of our footwear is produced in China," says Saucony CEO Michael Umana, "and that accounts for 90 percent of our business, so we had reason to he concerned."
In business as in so many other areas, however, China remains a study in contrasts. Even as that spy plane languished on an island 1,300 miles away, in the city of Wuxi, another plane met with a far different reception. This one bore AstraZeneca Plc CEO Tom McKillop and other senior brass to the site of the drug maker's newest factory. Amid exploding firecrackers and the serpentine swaying of a lion-and-dragon dance troupe, the executives mingled with local and national officials, discussing the benefits that would accrue to both sides from the company's $100 million investment. A political crisis may have hovered like the sword of Damocles over American business interests, but on this sunny day the outlook for Sino-Western cooperation couldn't have appeared any brighter.
Yet even this success was precarious. Relations between the British-Swiss firm and the Chinese government could easily have blown up into the business-page equivalent of an international incident, a fact not lost on Ng Wai Lun, CFO of AstraZeneca China. The firm had been romancing local officials for years, while ignoring Beijing. That departure from protocol was part of a very deliberate plan for growth in China, one that preserved precious capital at the risk of alienating the very people who now joined in the celebration. It was a perilous strategy but as Ng says, "Don't come to China unless you're willing to be a buccaneer."
As China prepares to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) later this year, many foreign companies can only hope that Ng is exaggerating. They'd prefer to expand into what one American executive dubs "the last plum of Asia" with no more trepidation than surrounds a foray into any new market. CFOs, in particular, are not known for their buccaneering ways, and many would love to see signs that China has become substantially less risky.
FOLLOWING TIANANMEN Square, the United States initiated a number of economic sanctions, some of which remain in effect. In contrast, U.S. officials sought to "isolate" the recent spy plane incident, according to international trade specialist Jim Robb at the U.S. Department of Commerce, "so there has been no direct fallout to date." That has been a welcome outcome for those who remain bullish on China, as were the results of June meetings between China, the United States, and European Union officials that seem to have paved the way for China's entry into the WTO in November. Last month's announcement that Beijing will host the 2008 Summer Olympics is one more indication that China and the West are drawing closer.
Unfortunately, the country that embraces the principles of yin and yang continues to exhibit a vexing duality regarding business. Negotiations proceed slowly and with extreme decorum, yet corruption remains rampant; government is involved in business to a degree far greater than in any other major market, yet AstraZeneca and others have succeeded in part by proceeding with a fair degree of independence; companies are encouraged to take over ailing state enterprises, yet are severely restricted in how they finance these and other ventures; proposed deals are approved yuan ze shang, or "in principle," but maybe quashed with virtually no explanation, often after months or even years of negotiations.
Companies have managed to accommodate themselves to many of those contrasts; some, in fact, have found ways to thrive within the current system (see "Bullish on China," page 36). No one denies that doing business in China remains difficult, but a new reality is taking hold.
For many foreign companies, the most pressing issue is how quickly the gap will close between their dream of 1.3 billion consumers and the reality of 376 million city-dwellers in possession of anything resembling disposable income. True, China's per-capita growth rate increased last year after four years of decline, retail sales rose almost 10 percent, and an increasingly urban population has seen leisure time expand. Yet China remains a country in which Kentucky Fried Chicken is regarded as something of an upscale restaurant.
David Uhazie, CFO of Kodak China Co. Ltd. and of Kodak's Greater Asian Region, says that patience is a fundamental requirement. In 2000, Kodak turned its first profit in China, and Uhazie believes the company is poised to build on last year's results. Yet it must to some degree bide its time as it struggles to get customers to view photography as an everyday activity, not something limited to special occasions. Kodak entered China the old-fashioned way, with a massive $1.2 billion infusion of capital plus huge sums spent on marketing and channel development. It endured a long march to profitability, including five years spent negotiating with the Chinese to reform the country's state-owned photographic industry. When that deal was consummated, in 1998, rival Fuji Photo and other foreign manufacturers were shut out of the market for four years, and Kodak was on its way to establishing a China presence that now encompasses seven manufacturing installations and a sizable retail network.
Like most CFOs familiar with China, Uhazie is enthusiastic about the rate of change and frustrated by lingering problems, most of them associated with bureaucracy and the lack of transparency. "Even when we won the contract," he says, "we never really found out why."
When the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing polled 160 of its members last year, 43 percent cited lack of transparency as among their chief challenges. Bureaucracy topped the list, and corruption and market access were also cited. The boundaries between those four issues are vague, and could easily be combined into one grand challenge, which is summed up nicely by Ball Corp. CFO Ray Seabrook: "China is China. It's a place where nothing is easy."
In June, Ball Corp. decided that the best way to make things easier was to scale back its presence by exiting certain lines of manufacturing and consolidating other operations. The food-and-beverage-packaging company took a $185 million after-tax charge, and readily admits that despite several years of profitability, the market has not met its initial expectations. Yet even in the midst of that retrenchment, Seabrook recommends that companies forge ahead. "China is a place you want to be," he says, "but the best course is to begin with a small presence and see what happens."
Many companies have decided that small is beautiful, and that a measured approach is the best way to reconcile the long-term view that China demands with the shorter-term results that companies need. Anheuser-Busch Cos. got a toehold in 1995 when it bought 5 percent of Tsingtao. "That gave us access to and understanding of the Chinese beer market," says Philip Davis, vice president and managing director of Anheuser-Busch Asia Inc. and chairman of the company's Wuhan International Brewing facility. "We did an in-depth assessment of the market, screened breweries, assessed the competition, and evaluated potential partners."
Despite that due diligence, Davis makes no bones about the fact that once Anheuser-Busch was in China, "we had to reevaluate our entire approach, from packaging to sales. You've got to be flexible and responsive to change to succeed here."
The efforts paid off: Last year, the company cited its increasing volumes in China as the primary reason its international profitability rose 23.6 percent.
Stephen Shaw, a director in the Hong Kong office of consultancy McKinsey & Co., agrees with Davis on the importance of flexibility. "There is no doubt that Chinese business leaders 'get it' like never before," he says. "They are now far more accepting of Western business practices and see that they must embrace them in order to compete. But ROI remains elusive, and companies must have a strategy for uncertainty."
THAT MAY BE A POLITE way of saying "buccaneer spirit," and the experience of AstraZeneca China CFO Ng highlights the fact that there is still no single right way to succeed in China. CFOs routinely balance risks against opportunities; in China, that exercise remains rich in nuance. When AstraZeneca was approved to do business in Wuxi in 1994, the deal stipulated that the company would build a new factory in a reasonable amount of time. But the London-based firm was loath to make a large capital investment immediately, so it leased part of an existing plant and set up a factory-within-a-factory. Since this approach created more jobs and tax revenue year by year, Wuxi officials didn't oppose it, and Beijing either looked the other way or simply didn't know.
This approach allowed AstraZeneca to test the market, refine its distribution, and, most important of all, get a grip on receivables. It can be very difficult to get paid in China, and AstraZeneca wanted to make money before committing capital to a new factory.
Ng says that in the past nine months he has witnessed not only marked progress toward a free-market economy, but also a change in the nature of the CFO position. "Because most problems eventually end up in finance," he says, "CFOs have had to spend a lot of time dealing with customs issues, employee regulations, drafting of distribution contracts, and many other functions, because there were simply so many risks to anticipate or respond to."
Today, he says, as business processes become more standardized, CFOs are free to address more-substantive issues. Ng is a firm believer that "what can be measured can be managed," and he says that CFOs in China need to arm themselves with as much operating information as possible–not just to battle the fraud and managerial missteps that plague many companies, but to help compensate for the dearth of experienced finance staffers.
ON A MORE FUNDAMENTAL level, CFOs now say that one key to success in China is to focus on cash. "I spend a lot of time on treasury matters," says Kodak's Uhazie. "China is a very complex place when it comes to borrowing money, making payments, and maintaining cash flow." Kodak built its operations on U.S. dollars, Uhazie says, but has been aggressively trying to fund ongoing ventures with renminbi (or RMB, China's currency). It's working with China's Big Four state-owned banks to convert its U.S. dollar exposure into RMB using export receipts. That provides the company with a hedge against currency movements, and eases Chinese perceptions that foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) are primarily interested in taking as much money out of China as possible.
In fact, while Uhazie and others believe that entry into the WTO will improve business conditions in China, they don't expect it to radically transform the market. "There is a naive view that, post-WTO, companies will be able to import their goods into China and thrive here," says Muan Lim, worldwide vice president for finance technology at Hewlett-Packard in Hong Kong. "But China wants companies here that can create employment and transfer technology, not plunder the market without contributing."
Many China watchers believe that Post-WTO, the banking system will be among the prime beneficiaries of intensified competition, and already the Big Four have shown a new willingness to develop closer working relationships with FIEs. Greater investment in information technology should help, since today something as routine as a money transfer from one city to another can encounter a variety of snafus.
More immediately, companies are finding they can help themselves by taking a harder look at receivables. Market share had been considered perhaps the top priority for FIEs eager to gain a presence in China, but increasingly cash flow is king. At AstraZeneca, general managers granted customers excessive payment terms because their careers depended on sales, not receivables. Ng pushed for changes in collections and credit policies. He got the finance department involved in assessing creditworthiness and, more to the point, demanded that new customers pay up front. (Long-term customers get 30-to-60-day terms.) That provided a double benefit, since it gave AstraZeneca cash to reinvest and also gave it an edge against competitors.
"Distributors [and other customers] have a limited amount of cash," explains Ng. "Each time we get payment up front, that takes cash away from Glaxo or Unilever." Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch has put its wholesalers on a C.O.D. system; the company says the move helps it avoid supply-chain hiccups.
THE OTHER CRITICAL area in which companies can shape their own destinies is in developing managerial talent. "It's by far the number-one challenge," says McKinsey's Shaw, noting that "the talent at the top has gotten better, but few companies have a deep bench." Kodak's Uhazie agrees. "Next to treasury, I spend most of my time coaching my direct reports," he says. Of Kodak's roughly 300 finance staffers in Asia, only 2 are American, and Uhazie is one of them.
While a 1995 study conducted by the United Nations found that China produced fewer college graduates per 100,000 of population than most emerging markets (India and Brazil produce 5 times as many; in developed economies, Canada, at the top, produces 35 times as many), large multinationals with name recognition have access to plenty of recruits. Smaller companies face a challenge, but HP's Lim says one way to succeed is to place local managers in other Asian operations and bring them into China once they've acquired the needed experience.
More challenging still maybe hanging on to the best and the brightest. Job-hopping is already rampant, and Uhazie believes that once China joins the WTO, the battle for talent will become an inescapable part of doing business there. "But you can't rely on hordes of expats," says Shaw. Indeed, McKinsey has found that expatriates cost as much as five times what local managers cost, and demonstrate a high rate of failure–15 to 25 percent on average, and up to 70 percent in developing countries.
"In a fast, unpredictable market, the best way to cope with risk is to have talent," says Shaw, "and the only viable way to achieve that is to hire and train local workers." Local talent not only improves the quality of daily operations, it also gives headquarters some much-needed peace of mind. "We've got 30 people in our Taiwan office," says Saucony's Umana. "They are all Taiwanese, and they give us an invaluable link to the mainland. They can handle the negotiations, do the necessary QA work, and so much else. They give us a very good ear to the ground."
Twenty-two years after China took its first tentative steps toward capitalism, it remains a country more notable for its potential than its profits. Entry into the WTO won't substantively change that. A tolerance for risk remains an essential element for success, but so does a desire and willingness to eliminate that risk. That's a form of yin and yang that CFOs have long been familiar with. For many, China may prove to be not so foreign after all.
SCOTT LEIBS (SCOTTLEIBS@CFO.COM) IS A SENIOR EDITOR OF CFO. TOM LEANDER (TOMLEANDER@ECONOMIST.COM) IS MANAGING EDITOR OF CFO ASIA.
MARGINAL IMPROVEMENT
American companies describe their margins in China.
Remained the same 19%
Deterioroted somewhat 8%
Deteriorated substantially 2%
Not applicable 7%
Improved substantially 18%
Improved somewhat 44%
Note: Table made from pie chart
Will remain the same 17%
Will deteorirate somewhat 8%
Will improve substantially 14%
Will improve somewhat 61%
Source: AmCham-China
BULLISH ON CHINA
CHINA'S ENTRY INTO THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO) will be a critical step in its adoption of Western business practices, and it can't happen fast enough for most executives. But Thomas Doeke, CFO of Beijing-based Siemens Ltd. China, could be forgiven for taking a contrarian view. His firm has thrived amid the opacity of the current system, leading a charmed life that other companies must surely envy.
Having established a presence in Shanghai in 1904, Siemens shut down in 1939 as the Japanese stormed in. During that time, an Oscar Schindler-like manager took in thousands of fleeing Chinese, housing them on Siemens property and negotiating their escape.
Chinese officials have long memories, and the company's actions have paid dividends. Siemens has proved to be the most effective multinational to do business with the People's Bank of China (PBOC). It needs to be, because its China operations are highly diversified–with majority stakes in more than 40 enterprises or joint ventures–and China typically presents substantial obstacles for such diversified foreign companies. Cash and liquidity management can be particularly difficult, because laws don't allow loans between different units of the same company or pooling that would allow companies to build value with the cash they have.
A FEW FINANCING UNITS
Thanks largely to heavy lobbying by Siemens, the government threw a bone to multinationals five years ago, allowing companies to set up their own financing units. But it placed the bar extremely high: eligible companies had to have achieved at least $3 billion in revenue in the previous three years and be ready to invest $80 million in their finance arms. Only Siemens and General Electric reportedly have accepted these terms and obtained licenses.
Siemens's nonbank financing unit allows the company to borrow in large amounts from one of China's four state-owned banks and then relend the money at preferential rates to its units throughout the country.
The cash management opportunities also lower the group's cost of capital. When a joint venture or a wholly owned subsidiary pays a dividend to Siemens Ltd. China, the cash is pooled, then reinvested in monetary instruments or pumped into another operation that has immediate cash needs. Units that have excess cash on their hands can send it to the finance company, under a stipulation set by the PBOC that they leave it there for three months, where the funds can be put to good use or invested in short-term instruments.
This arrangement allows Siemens Ltd. China to enter and exit businesses far more quickly than it otherwise could. Siemens's advantage seems so fundamental that it raises the question: How do other companies fund new operations? Answer: at considerable risk. Either they have a very high cost of funding or involve themselves in risky "handshakes" with one of China's state-owned banks or small, privately owned banks from the fledgling institution sector.
These advantages will likely vanish in the post-WTO world, and with it at least a portion of Siemens's advantage. Doeke rather disingenuously suggests that this may not necessarily be a good thing. "Sure it's tough to do business in China [today]," he says, "but the same difficulties exist for everyone. After the WTO, the risks will be much harder to calculate." That is, in all likelihood, a risk that most companies will happily take on.
COPYRIGHT 2001 CFO Publishing Corp.
Posted in:CFO: Magazine for Senior Financial Executives
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Muscle testing involves testing the arm, or another body part, for strength or weakness, in response to an object, a form of kinesiology. We are all energy, reacting and responding energetically. Muscle testing can be performed on your self or on a friend.


Discussion in 'Politics' started by Annie, Aug 2, 2004.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio, Aug. 1 -- John F. Kerry pledged Sunday he would substantially reduce U.S. troop strength in Iraq by the end of his first term in office but declined to offer any details of what he said is his plan to attract significantly more allied military and financial support there.
In interviews on television talk shows, the Democratic presidential nominee said that he saw no reason to send more troops to Iraq and that he would seek allied support to draw down U.S. forces there. "I will have significant, enormous reduction in the level of troops," he said on ABC's "This Week."
Kerry accused President Bush of misleading the country before the war in Iraq, burning bridges with U.S. allies and having no plan to win peace. But when questioned about saying Thursday in his acceptance speech, "I know what we have to do in Iraq," he would not tip his hand.
"I've been involved in this for a long time, longer than George Bush," he said. "I've spent 20 years negotiating, working, fighting for different kinds of treaties and different relationships around the world. I know that as president there's huge leverage that will be available to me, enormous cards to play, and I'm not going to play them in public. I'm not going to play them before I'm president."
Reminded that he sounded like Richard M. Nixon, who campaigned in 1968 by saying he had a secret plan to end the war in Vietnam, Kerry responded: "I don't care what it sounds like. The fact is that I'm not going to negotiate in public today without the presidency, without the power...."
Nixon widened the war geographically by bombing Laos and Cambodia, so I guess Kerry plans on bombing Syria and Iran?
Point well taken! Love those 'secret plans'. Reminds me of McCarthy and the lists he wouldn't share!
So secrecy is a bad trait to have in a President? What a joke.
Seems to be when Bush is "secretive"
So he has this great plan that will succeed in Iraq. Doesn't that beg the question; Why is he waiting? If he has the solution, why is he sitting on it while more American soldiers die in Iraq? Why does he hesitate while more Iraqi civilians are blown up?
Could it be that the only thing he has is more of the same hot air he's been spewing for months?
WTF is that? Yeah, real patriot! Hey Kennedy was a Democrat right? Hero to millions right? Wasn't one of his more memorable quotes "Ask not what your country can do for you but rather what you can do for your country?"
Hgrokit and Merlin, you are both Patriots after my own heart.
Anyone else watching VeryScaryPeople notice similarities between Jim Jones & Far Left Progressives?


text:
DPP Secure Approval for Landmark Religious Centre
Home / Cardiff / DPP Secure Approval for Landmark Religious Centre
By Osian Roberts
In Cardiff, Permission secured
DPP Secure Approval for Landmark Religious Centre2021-02-042021-02-04https://dppukltd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/dpp_logo.jpgDPPhttps://dppukltd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/external.png200px200px
DPP have secured planning approval for a change of use and major extension to a Grade II Listed building in Cardiff Bay to house Ty Krishna Cymru.
Ty Krishna Cymru will be the new base and headquarters for the Hare Krishna movement in Wales; providing an environment for learning valuable life skills based on the ancient yoga system as adopted for the modern age.
Located within a Grade II Listed building and within a conservation area, Emlyn House was erected by the Bute estate and designed by the Estate Architect. It is said to be part of the first purpose-built offices in the Butetown area of Cardiff. The proposals include a number of internal alterations to the listed building to accommodate a library, shop, exhibition space, and yoga rooms. The proposals also including a new roof design allowing for additional floor space for living accommodation. Significantly, however, the proposals include a large three storey contemporary extension at the rear of the building to accommodate a new public café, temple and ancillary spaces.
DPP were brought on board from an early stage to advise on planning strategy and lead on pre-application discussions with the Council. DPP were able to overcome concerns over the impact of the changes to the historic interest of the listed building, demonstrating that the changes would be a positive addition to the building and the area. Furthermore, DPP were also able to address concerns from adjoining buildings in respect of loss of light, overbearing, and overshadowing, resulting in a positive decision a delegated level.
Images: IBI Group
Opportunities in Cardiff, Leeds and NewcastleCardiff, Leeds, Newcastle, Wales
DPP Secure Planning Approval for Middlesbrough AcademyEducation, Newcastle, Permission secured

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
.. _toolbar-api-reference:

###########
The Toolbar
###########

All methods taking a ``side`` argument expect either
:data:`cms.constants.LEFT` or :data:`cms.constants.RIGHT` for that
argument.

Methods accepting the ``position`` argument can insert items at a specific
position. This can be either ``None`` to insert at the end, an integer
index at which to insert the item, a :class:`cms.toolbar.items.ItemSearchResult` to insert
it *before* that search result or a :class:`cms.toolbar.items.BaseItem` instance to insert
it *before* that item.

cms.toolbar.toolbar
===================

..  module:: cms.toolbar.toolbar

..  class:: CMSToolbar

    The toolbar class providing a Python API to manipulate the toolbar. Note
    that some internal attributes are not documented here.

    All methods taking a ``position`` argument expect either
    :data:`cms.constants.LEFT` or :data:`cms.constants.RIGHT` for that
    argument.

    This class inherits :class:`cms.toolbar.items.ToolbarMixin`, so please
    check that reference as well.

    .. attribute:: is_staff

        Whether the current user is a staff user or not.

    .. attribute:: edit_mode

        Whether the toolbar is in edit mode.

    .. attribute:: build_mode

        Whether the toolbar is in build mode.

    .. attribute:: show_toolbar

        Whether the toolbar should be shown or not.

    .. attribute:: csrf_token

        The CSRF token of this request

    .. attribute:: toolbar_language

        Language used by the toolbar.

    .. attribute:: watch_models

        A list of models this toolbar works on; used for redirection after editing
        (:ref:`url_changes`).

    .. method:: add_item(item, position=None)

        Low level API to add items.

        Adds an item, which must be an instance of
        :class:`cms.toolbar.items.BaseItem`, to the toolbar.

        This method should only be used for custom item classes, as all built-in
        item classes have higher level APIs.

        Read above for information on ``position``.

    .. method:: remove_item(item)

        Removes an item from the toolbar or raises a :exc:`KeyError` if it's
        not found.

    .. method:: get_or_create_menu(key. verbose_name, side=LEFT, position=None)

        If a menu with ``key`` already exists, this method will return that
        menu. Otherwise it will create a menu for that ``key`` with the given
        ``verbose_name`` on ``side`` at ``position`` and return it.

    ..  method:: get_menu(self, key, verbose_name=None, side=LEFT, position=None)

        If a menu with ``key`` already exists, this method will return that
        menu.

    .. method:: add_button(name, url, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None, extra_wrapper_classes=None, side=LEFT, position=None)

        Adds a button to the toolbar. ``extra_wrapper_classes`` will be applied
        to the wrapping ``div`` while ``extra_classes`` are applied to the
        ``<a>``.

    .. method:: add_button_list(extra_classes=None, side=LEFT, position=None)

        Adds an (empty) button list to the toolbar and returns it. See
        :class:`cms.toolbar.items.ButtonList` for further information.

cms.toolbar.items
=================

.. important:: **Overlay** and **sideframe**

    Then django CMS *sideframe* has been replaced with an *overlay* mechanism. The API still refers
    to the ``sideframe``, because it is invoked in the same way, and what has changed is merely the
    behaviour in the user's browser.

    In other words, *sideframe* and the *overlay* refer to different versions of the same thing.

.. module:: cms.toolbar.items

.. class:: ItemSearchResult

    Used for the find APIs in :class:`ToolbarMixin`. Supports addition and
    subtraction of numbers. Can be cast to an integer.

    .. attribute:: item

        The item found.

    .. attribute:: index

        The index of the item.

.. class:: ToolbarMixin

    Provides APIs shared between :class:`cms.toolbar.toolbar.CMSToolbar` and
    :class:`Menu`.

    The ``active`` and ``disabled`` flags taken by all methods of this class
    specify the state of the item added.

    ``extra_classes`` should be either ``None`` or a list of class names as
    strings.

    .. attribute:: REFRESH_PAGE

        Constant to be used with ``on_close`` to refresh the current page when
        the frame is closed.

    .. attribute:: LEFT

        Constant to be used with ``side``.

    .. attribute:: RIGHT

        Constant to be used with ``side``.

    .. method:: get_item_count

        Returns the number of items in the toolbar or menu.

    ..  method:: get_alphabetical_insert_position(self, new_menu_name, item_type, default=0)

    .. method:: add_item(item, position=None)

        Low level API to add items, adds the ``item`` to the toolbar or menu
        and makes it searchable. ``item`` must be an instance of
        :class:`BaseItem`. Read above for information about the ``position``
        argument.

    .. method:: remove_item(item)

        Removes ``item`` from the toolbar or menu. If the item can't be found,
        a :exc:`KeyError` is raised.

    .. method:: find_items(item_type, **attributes)

        Returns a list of :class:`ItemSearchResult` objects matching all items
        of ``item_type``, which must be a sub-class of :class:`BaseItem`, where
        all attributes in ``attributes`` match.

    .. method:: find_first(item_type, **attributes)

        Returns the first :class:`ItemSearchResult` that matches the search or
        ``None``. The search strategy is the same as in :meth:`find_items`.
        Since positional insertion allows ``None``, it's safe to use the return
        value of this method as the position argument to insertion APIs.

    .. method:: add_sideframe_item(name, url, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None, on_close=None, side=LEFT, position=None)

        Adds an item which opens ``url`` in the sideframe and returns it.

        ``on_close`` can be set to ``None`` to do nothing when the sideframe
        closes, :attr:`REFRESH_PAGE` to refresh the page when it
        closes or a URL to open once it closes.

    .. method:: add_modal_item(name, url, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None, on_close=REFRESH_PAGE, side=LEFT, position=None)

        The same as :meth:`add_sideframe_item`, but opens the ``url`` in a
        modal dialog instead of the sideframe.

        ``on_close`` can be set to ``None`` to do nothing when the side modal
        closes, :attr:`REFRESH_PAGE` to refresh the page when it
        closes or a URL to open once it closes.

        Note: The default value for ``on_close`` is different in :meth:`add_sideframe_item` then in :meth:`add_modal_item`

    .. method:: add_link_item(name, url, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None, side=LEFT, position=None)

        Adds an item that simply opens ``url`` and returns it.

    .. method:: add_ajax_item(name, action, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None, data=None, question=None, side=LEFT, position=None)

        Adds an item which sends a POST request to ``action`` with ``data``.
        ``data`` should be ``None`` or a dictionary, the CSRF token will
        automatically be added to it.

        If ``question`` is set to a string, it will be asked before the
        request is sent to confirm the user wants to complete this action.

.. class:: BaseItem(position)

    Base item class.

    .. attribute:: template

        Must be set by sub-classes and point to a Django template

    .. attribute:: side

        Must be either :data:`cms.constants.LEFT` or
        :data:`cms.constants.RIGHT`.

    .. method:: render()

        Renders the item and returns it as a string. By default calls
        :meth:`get_context` and renders :attr:`template` with the context
        returned.

    .. method:: get_context()

        Returns the context (as dictionary) for this item.

.. class:: Menu(name, csrf_token, side=LEFT, position=None)

    The menu item class. Inherits :class:`ToolbarMixin` and provides the APIs
    documented on it.

    The ``csrf_token`` must be set as this class provides high level APIs to
    add items to it.

    .. method:: get_or_create_menu(key, verbose_name, side=LEFT, position=None)

        The same as :meth:`cms.toolbar.toolbar.CMSToolbar.get_or_create_menu` but adds
        the menu as a sub menu and returns a :class:`SubMenu`.

    .. method:: add_break(identifier=None, position=None)

        Adds a visual break in the menu, useful for grouping items, and
        returns it. ``identifier`` may be used to make this item searchable.

.. class:: SubMenu(name, csrf_token, side=LEFT, position=None)

    Same as :class:`Menu` but without the :meth:`Menu.get_or_create_menu` method.

.. class:: LinkItem(name, url, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None, side=LEFT)

    Simple link item.

.. class:: SideframeItem(name, url, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None, on_close=None, side=LEFT)

    Item that opens ``url`` in sideframe.

.. class:: AjaxItem(name, action, csrf_token, data=None, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None, question=None, side=LEFT)

    An item which posts ``data`` to ``action``.

.. class:: ModalItem(name, url, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None, on_close=None, side=LEFT)

    Item that opens ``url`` in the modal.

.. class:: Break(identifier=None)

    A visual break for menus. ``identifier`` may be provided to make this item
    searchable. Since breaks can only be within menus, they have no ``side``
    attribute.

.. class:: ButtonList(identifier=None, extra_classes=None, side=LEFT)

    A list of one or more buttons.

    The ``identifier`` may be provided to make this item searchable.

    .. method:: add_item(item)

        Adds ``item`` to the list of buttons. ``item`` must be an instance of
        :class:`Button`.

    .. method:: add_button(name, url, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None)

        Adds a :class:`Button` to the list of buttons and returns it.

.. class:: Button(name, url, active=False, disabled=False, extra_classes=None)

    A button to be used with :class:`ButtonList`. Opens ``url`` when selected.

..  module:: cms.toolbar_pool

..  class:: ToolbarPool

    ..  method:: register(self, toolbar)

        Register this toolbar.

..  module:: cms.extensions.toolbar

..  class:: ExtensionToolbar

    ..  method:: get_page_extension_admin()

    ..  method:: _setup_extension_toolbar()

    ..  method:: get_title_extension_admin()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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ART :: Allison Malinsky and the Places of Memory :: RETORNO
Ida y Vuelta (outward journey and return), 2012; oil on canvas, 34" x 48."
Introduce yourself…whatever that means to you.
I am Allison Yvette Malinsky. I am a painter.
I am my collective experience. My work is always on my mind.
I think about painting a great deal – colors, forms,… the two together and in nature… the patterns in which clouds, the sea and people move, inequalities and geometrics…here in New York or abroad – there is so much to see in the world, and my eyes are open.
I returned to New York City mid-June of this year, 2012, having lived in Spain for the previous two years. My visa ran out and I landed this solo show, no better reasons to return. The return was abrupt and I am still dealing with reverse culture shock despite having lived here in the city for 13 years prior.
What – what do you make? How – how do you make this thing or these things?and, crucially, WHY? what are the questions that drive you?
The product of what I make is the painting which examines the structure of landscapes as filtered through my memory, contemplation and experience.
Azul, 2012 (set of two); acrylic stain, acrylic and oil on canvas;
each canvas is 9" x 13."
For Retorno I presented visions of places that seem to exist only in memory – places that I may revisit, but to which I can never return. The compositions create mysterious spaces outside of time, while the overwhelming use of blue imbues the work with longing. Colors are important in this show, the blues as mentioned and the bright reds alluding to the metaphorical sunset of another day soon to pass and saffron's strong nostalgic smell. I also use bright yellow with blacks, 'the return felt as if the fluorescent lights were turned on' – a statement I made when asked how it felt to return – also the title of one painting.
My studio is in Williamsburg. I lived there for 7 years before I left, and since I have returned it is a new place
to me. There are so many new restaurants, shops and more people, more in general. I love my studio, a white
Untitled, 2012; acrylic stain on canvas, 22″ x 18."
box with two high placed windows letting in the light. It feels as though it could be a white box anywhere, I like that. I make work there for hours on end at any time of the day, I work just like any other person who owns their own company. It is about the journey to the end, whatever it takes.
Each painting is its own world as goes in a conversation between Philip Guston and Clark Coolidge:
PG: "I once made an analogy that, in painting, creating, it's a court. But unlike a court, you're the plaintiff, the defendant, the lawyer, the judge, and the jury. And most artists want to settle outside of court. No trial."
CC: "It's a perfect image, because that's how you do make money in court, you settle out. If you don't, you lose all your money in the process."
PG: "That's right. Well, in Italian, trial is processo. It's called process. Or in German, it's prozess. And in French, it's procès. The trial is process."
I like to say, poco a poco, a line that was always fed to me in Spain. Everything can't come at once, nor can we do it all at once. Take it easy, one thing at a time. The work and theirs results will judge their own end.
Allison Malinsky
RETORNO
443 PAS Gallery
September 12th – October 12th, 2012
Opening Reception: Wednesday, September 12th, 6-8pm
4 4 3 P A S Gallery is located at 443 Park Avenue South, Suite 604, New York. The gallery is open on Mondays through Thursdays from 10-6, Fridays from 10-4 and Saturday – Sunday by appointment. For more information please email 443PAS@gmail.com or call 212-447-7742.
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text:
PREFACE MSM 2016
Year : 2016 | Volume : 14 | Issue : 1 | Page : 3-4
Preface: Positive Psychiatry, Neuroscience, End of Life, and Other Essays
Ajai R Singh
Mens Sana Monographs
Date of Decision 23-Aug-2016
Date of Acceptance 23-Aug-2016
MSM 2016 is titled Positive Psychiatry, Neuroscience, End of Life, and Other Essays. It is dedicated to the memory of Dr. P.C. Shastri (See Dedication: Late Prof. P. C. Shastri: A Role Model and Teacher Par – Excellence by K. P. Dave) (pg 1).
Fushun Wang and Alfredo Pereira Jr. write a review on the psychiatry-neuroscience interface, "Neuromodulation, Emotional Feelings and Affective Disorders," (pg 5) followed by Thomas L. Schwartz and Daniel Santarsieri's article in the same field, "Neural Implications of Psychotherapy, Pharmacotherapy, and Combined Treatment in Major Depressive Disorder (pg 30)."
Ajai R. Singh MD and Shakuntala A. Singh PhD write an article on the bioethics of the nascent branch called Positive Psychiatry, "Bioethical and Other Philosophical Considerations in Positive Psychiatry." (pg 46). This is followed by two articles on the Indian perspective in the field of psychiatry and the task before it today. The first is Kishore P. Dave's review called, "Field of Psychiatry-Current Trends and Future Directions: An Indian Perspective." (pg 108). The second is Avinash De Sousa's, "Task before Indian Psychiatry Today: Commentary," (pg 118) which is a response to an earlier MSM 2014 article, "The Task before Psychiatry Today Redux: STSPIR" (Singh AR. Mens Sana Monogr 12:35–70).
The "out of flatland" notion of a world view on well-being and the issue of dualism in modern western medicine are two philosophical areas covered in the next two articles. Danilo Garcia and Patricia Rosenberg write on, "Out of Flatland: The Role of the Notion of a Worldview in the Science of Well-being," (pg 133), while Mathew H. Gendle deals with "The Problem of Dualism in Modern Western Medicine" (pg 141).
End-of-life care in India, reflections on psycho-oncology and philosophical issues of rationality in longevity and immortality are covered in the next three articles. Jayita K. Deodhar writes on, "End of Life Care and Psychiatry: Current Trends and Future Directions in India." (pg 152). R. Srinivasa Murthy gives his personal reflections with its lessons for psycho-oncology in India in his article, "Lessons of being a patient - personal thoughts about psycho-oncology in India." (pg 171). Gopal C. Bhar combines science and Indian philosophical thought to write his article, "In Search of Rationality in Human Longevity and Immortality." (pg 187).
In the MSM Book Review, Michio Kaku's book The Future of the Mind (The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance and Empower the Mind) is reviewed by Avinash De Sousa (pg 214).
In MSM Poems, four Poems follow. 1. "Why me?" By Hitesh Sheth; 2. "Happy New Year" by Ajai R. Singh; 3. "Split Personality" by Ganesh Dharmasaktu; and 3. "My trysts and travails" by Santosh Rai and Vishak Acharya (pg 221-228).
In MSM Musicology, Ajai R. Singh writes on the defining influences of his father and his guruji in, "What Music Means to Me" (pg 229).
MSMnow includes Musicology as an important aspect of its activity. This is reflected in its changed masthead. MSM is now "A Monograph Series Devoted to the Understanding of Medicine, Mental Health, Man, Mind, Music And Their Matrix.
Just to recapitulate what we stand for: MSM attempts to give in-depth understanding of psychiatric disorders/mental health issues/social disorders/neuroscience and consciousness studies/issues in philosophy of/and psychiatry, philosophy of mind, musicology and journalology. It does so through analysis and opinion/review articles and monographs based on evidence and research studies. Monographs are followed by enlightened discussion by interested readers/scholars on the issues raised therein. MSM also has MSM Book Review, MSM Poems and MSM Musicology sections. Every issue of the Journal is also published as a book with a separate ISBN number.
For whom is MSM worthwhile? The Mens Sana Monographs provide a wide platform for serious discussion by psychiatric and mental health researchers, medical scientists and clinicians, researchers in biomedicine, bioethicists, neuroscientists, social scientists, philosophers of mind/science, psychologists, sociologists, musicologists and journalologists, and other thinkers interested in exploring social issues with scientific rigour.
Singh AR