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Millions of words but nothing new to say.
words by jeffersongalt.com, 31 August 2021
Afghanistan. Is there a beginning, a middle and an end to this story?
No one seems to have any clear idea of how to define a beginning. For sure, it's not this year, nor twenty years ago.
It's not a story of religion: it's a story about crazy people who claim they have a God-given right to kill, maim, rape and cause untold psychological harm to others just because they can.
But that's the recent past. Even the name "Afghanistan" isn't particularly old.
Until the 18th Century, there was a region was called Khorāsān some of which is in modern Afghanistan – and outside which some of modern Afghanistan lay.
To understand what lies at the root of Afghanistan's problems, it is first important to realise that our notion of fixed borders is actually quite recent: fluid borders were common until the early 20th Century: in the UK, Berwick has often been in Scotland or England, the north-west corner of Italy, the heartland of the Northern Alliance, has been part of France or Italy on several occasions and even now can't really make up its mind. It is therefore important that we understand that Afghanistan is, perhaps, as much a state of mind as a clearly defined geo-political territory.
That is not to say that there is no area that is considered to be Afghanistan: in fact, given the shifting borders of so many states, and the inderterminate status of so many countries, Afghanistan is old having been declared to be a country in 1747.
The root cause of Afghanistan's problems are deeply historical. There is a tribe, called The Afghans and that was a rebranding: they were Pushtun. But although there was a geographical region, its peoples were far from unified. There was, scholars have said, no common race and no common language."
That bald statement leads to a complex train of thought: China, India, the USSR, The European Union – all have had to deal that same problem: how do you unify a people when there are no common factors?
Today, we know that Afghanistan is rich in the minerals that make 21st Century life function. But what was the importance over a period of hundreds of years. It's not particularly fertile, it's a logistical nightmare to transport anything in or out, it's landlocked, it's pretty barren for much of its land mass.
Archaeologists have found evidence that it used to be fertile and that there were quite sophisticated settlements more than 50,000 years ago. Two thousand years before Christ, the region had become a melting pot as traders from all over the world passed through. It seems that, in many respects, it was a second Silk Road, at that time, as a trade route going as far south as Greece. Over a period of centuries, wars were fought over the dominant religion: Buddhism and Islam being the principle protagonists. But even this was against a background of frequent changes in occupation. An article published by McGill University says 2Through the ages, the Hindu Kush has been home to the Aryans ( Indo-Iranians: Indo-Aryans, Persians, Medes, Parthians, etc.). It also has been invaded by a host of people, including the Greeks, Mauryans, Kushans, Hepthalites, Arabs, Mongols, Turks, British, Soviets, and most recently by the Americans. On other occasions, native entities have invaded surrounding regions to form empires of their own."
The bold letters are because these are the most recent foreign occupying forces. The British were sent packing after the Anglo-Afghan War of 1919, the third such war in a century but not before they had, as in many other parts of the world, unified, or nearly unified, what would later become countries. In 1919, for the first time, Afghanistan was a single, locally run, independent, country.The result was an Afghan government governing Afghanistan. But it was that "nearly unified" thing that caused later problems. The Durand Line was an artificial segregation that left tribal rivalries unsettled when the new government took over.
Things actually went quite well until 1973 when a sudden Soviet-backed takeover was launched by peripheral members of the incumbent royal family.
It was here that we first learned the term"Mujahideen" and their very existence demonstrates the shifting sands of politics. The Mujahideen supported communism and would fight anyone who disagreed and this led to one of the most bizarre alliances ever. The Soviets funded training schools for the Mujahideen run inside Pakistan (not communist) by its apex intelligence body, the Inter Services Intelligence or ISI.
The new kids on the block were religious fanatics called The Taliban and they were the enemy of the Mujahideen. In a proxy war, the Soviets and the USA armed, funded and trained their own local teams. The Taliban, over-ran much of the country with relative ease – and the Russians ran away. The USA dusted off its hands, thanked its friends and went home. It was 1989.
What is perhaps the most surprising element of the rise of the brutal Taliban is that they originate from amongst the Pushtun of Kabul, the seat of (in Afghan terms) moderate government for so long. In a little over a decade, more than 95% of the country was under Taliban control.
And that's where things started to go horribly wrong. A massively contorted version if Islam, driven by unthinking devotion to the letter of the Koran and to the Hadith, interpretative notes, led to the establishment of a regime that can, at best, be described as "heartless." Now in he heart of Eureasia, a criminal gang with ferocious enforcement of a inhumane laws worked with impunity and, worse with weapons and training provided by, primarily, the USA. With no checks and balances, Afghanistan's people were thrown into the middle ages while its leaders went on power trips and excursions of extraordinary personal enrichment.
Nothing was safe from their zeal. And while the world knew the term Mujahideen, it was when The Taliban destroyed the Buddas of Bamyan in 2001 that this group found itself in the living rooms of the world courtesy of tea-time news broadcasts. That was just six months before al Qaeda attacked the USA.
There is little evidence that the two were connected – indeed, The Taliban have generally been critical of al Qaeda and its brutal off-shoot Da'eah / ISIS / ISIL, the latest splinter of which, ISIS-K, is intent on worsening the present situation in Afghanistan. US Intelligence continues with its story that The Taliban hosted Osama bin Laden and al Queda during their preparations for the 11 September 2001 attacks but there are contrary views that they were based in one or more of several other locations in the region, and some of those views are supported by known money flows and communications relating to the attacks. Even so, in retaliation for 11 September 2001, US and British forces (Bush / Blair) began a bombing campaign against "the Taliban" based, in large part, upon a false notion that "the Taliban" were a local problem with a clearly defined base of operations. Then the invasion happened, the Taliban were corralled and the foreign forces set about trying to build a safe and secure state under a democratically elected government – without understanding that that Afghanistan remained tribal. When they found that out they decided to back certain warlords, the equivalent of regional sultans but with extreme criminal tendencies.
However, links between the Taliban and al Qaeda had been known for some time and in 1999 The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1267, 1267 was, and is, the central tool used against terrorists giving, as it does, the power to impose sanctions. It is this that is now giving many world leaders the heeby-geebies for Afghanistan has a seat at that table and, on the face of it, if The Taliban are accepted as the lawful government, then they will have power of veto over any action that others want to take under Resolution 1267.
But it is on the ground that the biggest fears arise. Today is the last day of the mass evacuation by "western" governments. The Taliban, standing in groups of men, arms crossed, weapons prominent, say that they have changed, that they will not brutalise those who do not fit their perverted interpretation of Islam, that they will not prevent women going to work or girls going to school. But that's a lie and we know it's a lie because every time they say it they add a caveat "according to Islam," they say.
They mean "according to Islam as we read it."
We should not be under any illusion: this is not an Islamic group. It breaks the rules of Islam by murder, by kidnapping, by rape and by trading in narcotics.
It says that Islam allows the kidnapping of any woman married to a non-Muslim and the use of her for the physical pleasure of the devoted.
It says that any girl over 12 years of age is available for marriage and so they take them.
It says that a woman who engages in "khalwat" i.e. close proximity with a man who is not her husband or close relative is to be punished and that includes public whipping or, even, stoning. So what is "close proximity"? In Taliban-speak, it can be sitting at an outdoor table at a café and drinking coffee.
No, there is nothing to say that today's Taliban will behave any differently to the way they have continued to behave in the enclaves where they hid out during the two decades of occupation.
What is perhaps the most remarkable is that the USA, as the leaders in Afghanistan, were so fundamentally wrong about what the Taliban had been up to.
The USA, having decided to leave Afghanistan, announced that they would be gone by 31st August 2021. Their own intelligence showed that the Taliban would overrun the country and that the 20 years of training and arming local, government, military would ultimately prove hopeless. It will take four to five months, the USA said. It took ten days. Local forces abandoned their posts, many surrendered. At that point it was learned that the government installed by the Americans had not been paying the forces. How did the Americans not know that? Or did they not care, their minds having left long before their bodies? Some flew or drove equipment to neighbouring countries to keep it out of the hands of the Taliban. The end result was that much of the country fell without rockets or heavy artillery. Without the Americans, the people saw no chance for successful resistance.
The Government had a number of female ministers. One Taliban leader laughed when a reporter asked him about women in government. This is rooted in the Hadith which are widely disparaging about women and are, often, the last refuge of misogyny of those promoting a medieval interpretation of Islam. For example, one hadith says that the evidence of two women is the equal of the evidence of one man. Lest anyone run away with the idea that this is a curiously Islamic approach, it persisted in Christianity until the 14th or 15th Centuries. Even the fundamentalists in Islam are, if we look at it dispassionately, simply at a different point in their development cycle.
But it is difficult to be dispassionate when the abhorrent behaviour is not only within recent memory but never really stopped: it was just contained in a corner of Afghanistan where the Taliban were content to take a long-view and, even more, to sit, plan and train.
The idea of a democratically elected and effective government was a pipe-dream.
Now it's not even that.
https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/a/Afghanistan.htm
https://www.npr.org/2021/08/18/1028726623/taliban-destroy-statue-of-foe-raising-fears-over-their-claims-of-moderation
Image – women working at computers in Afghanistan before the Taliban over-ran the country.: Image by David Mark from Pixabay
31 August 2021 words by jeffersongalt.com JG - The Blog AFghanistan, buddism, democracy, islam, Mujahideen, statues, taleban, taliban, tyranny, warlords
Hmph. Some friend you are….
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Thomas Graham, Jr.
Former Ambassador, US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
Author: Thomas Graham, Jr.
Political Party or Threat to our Democracy?
Is the Republican Party abandoning our Constitution and dismantling our democracy?
The Republicans first became prominent under the leadership of our greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, champion of democracy, freedom, and equal rights for all. But today, the party has left Lincoln's ideals far behind, advocating and tolerating policies that are inconsistent with—and therefore compromise—America's constitutional democratic principles. The GOP also has become a cult of personality, no longer a true political party.
In Republicans: Political Party or Threat to Our Democracy? Author Thomas Graham Jr. vividly details the history of the Republican Party and draws insightful parallels between the two major existential crises in our nation's history: the Civil War and the current moment. With anguish for what the GOP has become, but with hope for the future, Graham—who promoted arms limitation and peace as a senior US diplomat for nearly 30 years—shares his vision for a peaceful return to the principles and integrity of great Republican leaders like Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan, and to the stability of the strong two-party system that built our great nation.
No one is better qualified than Tom Graham, a former ambassador with a long, distinguished career in government service, to explore the history of the Republican Party from its founding forward. His fine new book reveals and helps explain the deepening tragedy of that party's increasing shift to authoritarianism, which threatens to destroy American democracy.
—Richard Rhodes
Pulitzer Prize laureate for The Making of the Atomic Bomb
Thomas Graham Jr.
Republicans: Political Party or Threat to our Democracy?
Indy Press, 2022. [ISBN 978-1-0879-5271-0]
September 18, 2022 Thomas Graham, Jr.Leave a comment
John Jay's Journal, with Friends 2017-2021
John Jay's Journal, with Friends: Explorations into the Trump Administration, 2017-2021, 3rd Edition, by Thomas Graham, Jr. accompanied by friends Elizabeth Turpen, David Bernell and Ethel White (Lulu Press, 2021) ISBN: 978-1-6671-8911-6
How would that highly talented group of individuals generally referred to as this nation's Founders comment on events today affecting the republic they launched in 1776 and established thereafter? What would the Founders think about the Trump administration and its attendant atmosphere of vituperative partisanship? This small book explores that subject. On issue after issue—immigration, the character of public servants, corruption, the right to vote, freedom of religion—the Founders have much to say. The author who writes under the name of John Jay, among other pursuits has been a university professor who has taught and lectured at many universities and schools of higher learning in the United States and abroad. He, along with a few friends, show us how to have a conversation with our Founders about what is most important to us today.
Purchase from Lulu Press: www.lulu.com
April 15, 2021 April 15, 2021 Thomas Graham, Jr.1 Comment
On Tyranny and Crisis
When Dutch Laker, a man with strong ties to the Mafia and a connection to the Russian government, becomes president of the United States, a string of catastrophic actions follows. Laker withdraws the country from the Paris Agreement, ensuring further damage from climate change; withdraws from a nuclear agreement with Iran, creating a serious risk of nuclear war; and orders the assassinations of several in his administration who oppose him.
Linda Blaine—code name "Sapphire"—was one of the most accomplished intelligence agents of the Cold War. Now semi-retired, Linda is called back into action to lead a coalition headed by the vice president to oppose Laker and save the country.
Retired U.S. Ambassador Thomas Graham has created compelling characters and carefully crafted a political tale that includes rogue military, domestic rebellion, and intense intra-governmental struggles—all leading to impeachment hearings and a final confrontation with a corrupt and dangerous president.
"Tom Graham is a consummate Washington insider, with many years' experience as an ambassador and arms negotiator shedding light while fighting off the dark side. No one is better positioned to tell a thrilling tale of political and international intrigue. Highly recommended."
—Richard Rhodes, Pulitzer Prize winner for The Making of the Atomic Bomb
Order this Book
Thomas Graham Jr., On Tyranny and Crisis, Butler Books, https://www.butlerbooks.com/ Published September 2020, ISBN 978-1-953058-02-7
September 23, 2020 September 23, 2020 Thomas Graham, Jr.78 Comments
Preventing Catastrophe
Preventing Catastrophe is written by two authors who are experienced "Washington hands" and who understand the interplay between intelligence and policymaking. Both have been personally involved, in the United States and overseas, in pursuing national and international measures to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Their extensive experience is evident in this book, which puts the Iraqi WMD issue in proper perspective, explains the challenge of monitoring small clandestine programs, and explains how the effort to prevent terrorist acquisition and use of WMD differs from preventing their acquisition and use by nation states.
At the same time, the authors are able to make a complex subject understandable to non-technical experts, making this book a useful teaching tool, especially for those who have little or no knowledge or experience in US national security decision making.
"National intelligence and international inspections are necessary to create confidence that violations of non-proliferation commitments are detected in time to permit appropriate action. Both must be pursued with professionalism and critical minds avoiding poor intelligence or cosmetic inspections. The issues studied thoroughly and with good judgment in this welcome volume by Graham and Hansen were intensely controversial in the case of Iraq but remain central to international counter-proliferation efforts."—Hans Blix, Executive Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission
"The authors both have extensive experience int he arms control community, and it shows in a book that is very basic in its approach to intelligence but assumes the reader has some knowledge of the WMD, especially nuclear weapons technology."
—J. Fields, Choice.
"Preventing Catastrophe provides a good summary of US successes and failures, While its style and structure make it suitable for students and journalists who want to become better acquainted with the issue, it is also precise, balanced and carefully written analysis of a complex problem."
"National intelligence and international inspections are necessary to create confidence that violations of non-proliferation commitments are detected in time to permit appropriate action. Both must be pursued with professionalism and critical minds avoiding poor intelligence or cosmetic inspections. The issues studied thoroughly and with good judgment in this welcome volume by Graham and Hansen were intensely controversial in the case of Iraq but remain central to international counter-proliferation efforts."
—Hans Blix, Executive Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission
"In this excellent presentation, the authors establish that the threat posed by terrorists acquiring weapons of mass destruction is not a cohesive problem calling for a single defensive strategy, but a series of discrete challenges requiring diverse responses. This is recommended reading based on the authors' personal experiences and years of participation in international arms control negotiations."
—Robert Huffstutler, Executive Director (Retired), Central Intelligence Agency
"Graham and Hansen's book is an important contribution to understanding intelligence and counter-proliferation— and why terrorist use of nuclear weapons is a real concern. There is a lack of expertise on this issue both inside and outside the government. Monitoring foreign weapons programs is essential, but understanding the motives and objectives of proliferators is even more critical. Intelligence, however, cannot stand by itself; there must also be clear and sound policy."
—Richard Kerr, former Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
"Graham and Hansen's important new study should correct the false impression that US intelligence services get it mostly wrong when assessing the danger of nuclear weapon programs. The true story of how our analysts get it mostly right will help policymakers understand that recent distortions came from the top, not the bottom, and help the public understand the crucial role intelligence plays in preventing these threats."
—Joseph Cirincione, President, Ploughshares
Thomas Graham Jr. served for nearly three decades as general counsel as well as acting director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. He was President Clinton's Special Representative for arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament, with the rank of ambassador. Keith A. Hansen served in the course of three decades on various strategic arms control delegations (SALT II, INF, and CTBT), where he concentrated on verification issues as an expert on strategic nuclear force issues.
Thomas Graham Jr. with Keith Hanson
Preventing Catastrophe: The Use & Misuse of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Stanford, CA: Stanford U P, 2009.
Web. 28 May 2015. [ISBN 9780804763608]
December 7, 2018 Thomas Graham, Jr.
Spy Satellites
Spy Satellites and Other Technologies that Have Changed the Course of History
Much has been said and written about the failure of U.S. intelligence to prevent the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and its overestimation of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction under Saddam Hussein. This book focuses instead on the central role that intelligence-collection systems play in promoting arms control and disarmament.
Ambassador Thomas Graham Jr. and Keith Hansen bring more than fifty combined years of experience to this discussion of the capabilities of technical systems, which are primarily based in space. Their history of the rapid advancement of surveillance technology is a window into a dramatic reconceptualization of Cold War strategies and policy planning. Graham and Hansen focus on the intelligence successes against Soviet strategic nuclear forces and the quality of the intelligence that has made possible accurate assessments of WMD programs in North Korea, Iran, and Libya. Their important insights shed a much-needed light on the process of verifying how the world harnesses the proliferation of nuclear arms and the continual drive for advancements in technology.
AMBASSADOR THOMAS GRAHAM JR. is chairman of the Cypress Fund for Peace and Security in Washington, D.C. He served as general counsel of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency for fifteen years and was President Clinton's special assistant for arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament. KEITH HANSEN is consulting professor in international relations at Stanford University and has spent thirty-five years in US national security deliberations and strategic nuclear arms control negotiations.
"Authors Graham and Hansen have done a superior job of explaining the contributions of intelligence to strategic arms control, the downfall of the Soviet Union, and the continuing contribution to our national security. The book is a tribute to those men and women who toiled long and hard to develop sophisticated collection systems and, likewise, those analysts who turned the collected data into useable intelligence."
-Evan Hineman, Evan Hineman
"Based on three decades of their involvement in the front lines of arms control negotiations, Graham and Hansen are superbly qualified to analyze the critical role of satellites in space and other national technical means in monitoring compliance with arms control treaties. They do that very well in this short and authoritative book that takes the reader on an informative tour of the broad repertoire of treaties that were designed to meet requirements for effective verification and that helped stabilize the U.S.-Soviet confrontation during the Cold War."
-Sidney Drell, Hoover Institution and Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
"I could not imagine two authors better experienced to tell this important story, and to continue to tell it in more detail as declassification permits. Likewise, it is hard to come up with a better example of how good intelligence can generate the transparency which defined U.S. and Soviet stability in the latter part of the twentieth century."
-William O. Studeman, William O. Studeman
Thomas Graham Jr. with Keith Hansen
Spy Satellites and Other Technologies
that Have Changed the Course of History
Seattle: U of Washington P, 2007.
Web. 28 May 2015. [ISBN 0-295-986868-7]
Unending Crisis
In Unending Crisis, Thomas Graham Jr. examines the second Bush administration's misguided management of foreign policy, the legacy of which has been seven major – and almost irresolvable – national security crises involving North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, the Arab-Israeli conflict in Palestine, and nuclear proliferation. Unending Crisis considers these issues individually and together, emphasizing their interrelationship and delineating the role that the neoconservative agenda played in redefining the way America is perceived in the world today.
As a U.S. ambassador, THOMAS GRAHAM JR. was involved in the negotiation of major arms control agreements over the course of nearly 30 years. His publications include Common Sense on Weapons of Mass Destruction, Cornerstones of Security: Arms Control Treaties in the Nuclear Era, Disarmament Sketches: Three Decades of Arms Control and International Law, and Spy Satellites and Other Intelligence Technologies That Changed History.
"A concise, well-written, and thoroughly documented account of how our country lost its moorings over the last decade, Unending Crisisis a must read for all concerned about the role of the United States in a changing world."
-Lt. General (USA Ret.) Robert Gard, former president of the National Defense University
"A book of solid good sense and keen vision from one of our most experienced, dedicated diplomats."
-Richard Rhodes, author of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning The Making of the Atomic Bombm and The Twilight of the Bombs
"Ambassador Graham has written an authoritative and detailed account of the tortuous international negotiations over nuclear policy and how opportunities were squandered."
-General Lord Charles Guthrie, former chief of the UK Defense Staff
"Political leaders and all those seeking to understand the complex history of nuclear diplomacy and attempts to limit the proliferation of weapons should read this book."
-Sir Ronald Grierson, chairman, Blackstone International Advisory Board
Unending Crisis: National Security Policy after 9/11
Web. 28 May 2015. [ISBN-10: 0295991704]
Cornerstones of Security
Cornerstones & Security: Arms Control & International Law in a Nuclear Era
This anthology presents the complete text of thirty-four treaties that have effectively contained the spread of nuclear, biological, and conventional weapons during the Cold War and beyond. The treaties are placed in historical context by individual commentaries from noted authorities Thomas Graham Jr. and Damien J. LaVera, which provide unique insights on each treaty's negotiation and implementation.
During the 1990s, numerous arms control agreements were concluded under U.N. or U.S. leadership. In 1995, one hundred sixty-five nations agreed to indefinitely extend the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Many nations ratified important chemical and biological weapons conventions, a pact to reduce conventional forces in Europe, and agreements to limit testing of weapons of mass destruction. More recent treaties seeking to restrain small arms trafficking and ban land mines are also highlighted and analyzed.
Graham concludes with lessons learned from the collective negotiation and verification history of these treaties, ongoing efforts to limit weaponry, and general observations on the status and effectiveness of these agreements. There is no comparable resource available for diplomats, international lawyers, and arms control specialists.
"Graham's book is both a memoir and an excellent history of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, with which he was involved for more than 30 years. . . . [I]t is an intimate history of events in which he was a major player."
"The SALT, the START, the ABM-Graham had a role in them all, and his detailed descriptions of the skirmishes among presidents, cabinet secretaries, and members of Congress through six White House administrations make for a comprehensive history of American arms control."
"Provides a fascinating composite picture of the limits and possibilities of the legal-diplomatic approach to security and arms control. Graham and his colleagues were constantly forced to maneuver between their determined Soviet counterparts and the equally strong-willed politicians and bureaucrats in Washington. . . . Also illuminating are his chapters on the failed SALT II during the Carter and Reagan years and the rise of hard-line critics of arms control, showing the origins of the split in American strategic thinking that continues today. More optimistically, Graham concludes by pointing to the most lasting arms control success: the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which made the acquisition of nuclear weapons an act of international outlawry."
-G. John Ikenberry, Foreign Affairs
"[This book] is a very important historical document and will undoubtedly be consulted by historians of arms control and American foreign policy in the late twentieth century. Students of bureaucratic politics and organizational behavior will also find in this book a rich mine of ase study material."
–Political Science Quarterly, Winter 2003-2003
With Damien Lavera. Cornerstones & Security: Arms Control & International Law in a Nuclear Era. Seattle: U of Washington P, 2003.
Disarmament Sketches
Disarmament Sketches: Three Decades of Arms Control and International Law
Thomas Graham Jr. played a role in the negotiation of every major international arms control and non-proliferation agreement signed by the United States during the past thirty years. As a U.S. government lawyer and diplomat, he helped to shape, negotiate, and secure U.S. ratification of such cornerstones of international security as SALT, START, and the ABM, INF, and CFE treaties as well as conventions prohibiting biological and chemical weapons.
Graham's memoir offers a history of the key negotiations which have substantially reduced the threat of nuclear war. His is a personal account of bureaucratic battles over arms control in six administrations, navigating among the White House, Congress, cabinet secretaries, and agencies with overlapping responsibilities and often competing interests. No comparable text brings together detailed analyses of so many pivotal documents in the history of the Cold War; it offers abundant primary source material for historians, international lawyers, and arms control specialists around the world. Disarmament Sketches also charts the rise and fall of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, the only U.S. government agency with primary responsibility for arms control policy, and lays out an agenda for continuing progress in reducing weapons stockpiles around the globe.
Throughout his career, Graham has worked tirelessly to reverse the nuclear arms race and to persuade leaders around the world to make their nations safer by renouncing and reducing their weapons of mass destruction.
AMBASSADOR THOMAS GRAHAM JR. is president of the Lawyers Alliance for World Security, based in Washington, D.C. He served as general counsel of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency for fifteen years. As President Clinton's special representative for arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament, he led the successful U.S. government effort to indefinitely extend the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In 1996, he led a worldwide effort to successfully support the conclusion of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty negotiations. He has taught at Stanford University, University of Virginia, Georgetown University, and University of Washington.
"For thirty years, [Thomas Graham] has been an indefatigable warrior for the true and just in the long battle to reduce the risk of nuclear war through equitable and verifiable arms control measures. The issues surrounding that battle have been serious and complex. Some have been among and within the executive agencies; others among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government; and others have involved continuous coordination with and among our allies. Tom hasbeen at the center of those controversies longer than anyone else. He has known the history, the semantics, the ambiguities, and the politics of these issues."
-Ambassador Paul Nitze, from the Foreword
"Thomas Graham was at the center of all the controversies surrounding national security and arms limitation through the dark days of the Cold War and he continues in that position today as the world community now searches for a new world order. To understand this subject, crucial to our historical era, this book should be read."
-Robert S. McNamara, former U.S. secretary of defense
"Graham, based on direct and significant personal experience, has catalogued and explained the effort to achieve a more secure world over the past thirty years. This is an important book."
-Lloyd Axworthy, former foreign minister of Canada
"Tom Graham, in a sense, was present at the creation of much of modern arms control. I commend his book, Disarmament Sketches, for the insights that it contains and the dedication of its author to a process so important to our national security."
-General John M. Shalikashvili (USA-ret.), former chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
"I have been privileged to be associated with Ambassador Thomas Graham in many multilateral disarmament endeavours and have always been impressed by his diplomatic skills, wise judgment, and total dedication to the cause of disarmament and non-proliferation."
-Jayantha Dhanapala, undersecretary general for disarmament affairs, United Nations, New York
Thomas Graham Jr. Disarmament Sketches: Three Decades of Arms Control and International Law
Seattle: U of Washington P, 2002. Web. 28 May 2015. [ISBN-10: 0295982128]
Common Sense: on Weapons of Mass Destruction
In our post-9/11 world of shoe bombers and cyber-terrorism, a crude nuclear device no larger than a baseball could devastate a major city. As we live in fear of attacks of unknown proportion, why do people remain confused and complacent in the face of potential disaster?
Ambassador Thomas Graham Jr. believes that a tide of misinformation has led to the public's lack of understanding of the vital issues. Here, in a straightforward and comprehensible style, Graham concisely provides the background necessary to understand the news and opinions surrounding WMDs. Common Sense on Weapons of Mass Destruction presents accessible, up-to-date facts on:
-nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism
-chemical and biological weapons
-land mines and small arms
-missile defense and WMDs in outer space
-WMDs in the Middle East and Asia
"Thomas Graham Jr. has cut right down to the essentials about mankind's most dangerous weapons. The general public will be encouraged to demand better policies."
– Hans Blix
"If security and arms control seem arcane, this vivid, succinct guided tour by a master diplomat with decades of hands-on experience is the authoritative antidote."
– Richard RhodesPulitzer Prize-winning , author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb
"An eminent expert, Thomas Graham writes for the layman and his message to the nuclear powers is searing: change course or risk self-destruction."
-Hon. Douglas Roche, O.C. former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament
Thomas Graham, Jr., Common Sense: on Weapons of Mass Destruction, Seattle: U of Washington P, 2007. Web. 28 May 2015. [ISBN: 029598466X]
Sapphire: A Tale of the Cold War
"A young woman navigates a maelstrom of danger, deceit, and crisis during perhaps the most dangerous period of the Cold War, the years 1954 to 1961."–Publishers Weekly
"How does this author get in the head of a female spy in the 1960s? What's more–how does he get into the White House as JFK talks arms deals? Well, with a little bit of applied knowledge and a hefty dose of inspiration." —Sara Schreiber, Goltune
"Graham has a lot of incredible material at his disposal in this refreshing historical thriller."
—Sara Budzik, Foreword / Clarion Review
"The book is historically accurate, despite the fictional main characters, and will introduce readers to some of the little known intrigue in Hungary, Jordan, and Iran at a time when the U.S. and Russia were plotting moves and counter-moves…. Ambassador Thomas Graham Jr. … clearly knows the territory."–BlueInk Review
"Graham successfully invents believable scenarios, adeptly weaving in characters both real and fictitious…. An enjoyable, well-developed addition to Cold War espionage thrillers."–Kirkus Review
Sapphire: A Tale of the Cold War by Thomas Graham, Jr. (AuthorHouse, 2014) ISBN: 978-1-4969-2785-9
November 27, 2018 Thomas Graham, Jr.
Amb. Graham's Wikipedia entry
Amb. Graham's Bio
Send a message to Amb. Graham
Interviews & Occasional Papers
Legislative Testimony
Letters & Videos

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


There are some cynics out there who might argue that claiming an enthusiastic interest in drinks is purely a smokescreen for addiction.
Think about it: the man who drinks a bottle of gin in a day is an alcoholic; the one who tries a glass of 28 different gins in a day is a connoisseur; the one tries those 28 while sat a park bench wearing fingerless gloves, an eccentric connoisseur - but a connoisseur none the less.
The same can be said of food and coffee. Geekery on either subject is just a socially acceptable excuse for gluttony or caffeine dependence.
I'm really not here to judge. Any interest is fine by me, as long as it's legal. Trainspotting, foodspotting, beer spotting, coffee spotting all helps to keep people busy, fed and my Instagram account full of tasty looking stuff - besides the trains, of course.
Drinks Galore is an event definitely pitched at those addicted enthusiasts who not only love to drink, but are keen to understand what it is they're drinking.
Hosted, this time, in the always trendy Hoxton Hotel, the host - Mark Jennings - and presenter - Jesse Estes, of Tequila Ocho - laid on a cocktail (Tommy's Margarita) followed by six different tequilas and a few nibbles.
As always, it's good to have someone with knowledge of an entire category, rather than just a single brand, lead a tasting. I've had it with whisky and now with tequila: a range of drinks given to you from different brands and placed in the wider context of the spirit as a whole, rather than just each in isolation.
It's far more interesting and far engaging than a single brand tasting, where it's often easy to believe that an entire drinks category is dominated by a single player.
Sipping our way through the five tequilas and one mezcal (I said six tequilas before for ease), Drinks Galore was a great reminder of why I'm so fond of these spirits. Real tequila and mezcal has such wide and deep flavours - they're so far removed from the stuff folks slam on stag-dos it's untrue.
The insight is brilliant too, although by the time you're on the fifth drink the conversation with your neighbours has picked up and the poor guy is struggling a little to keep any order to proceedings. It doesn't really matter though; you're here for interest, but more importantly you're here for fun. Besides, what more does an addicted enthusiast need?
Drinks Galore have covered whisky, rum and tequila. The topic of the next event has yet to be decided, but sign-up to their mailing list and you'll be one of the first to discover what that event will.


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Match preview: Chicago Fire vs. Philadelphia Union
Posted by Ryan Rose on July 10, 2018 at 12:00 pm
Who: Philadelphia Union (8th in the East, 21 points, 6-3-9) vs. Chicago Fire (7th in the East, 23 points, 6-5-8)
What: 2018 regular season game
Where: Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL.
When: Saturday, July 11 at 8:30 pm
Watch: PHL17, ESPN+
Whistle: Ismail Elfath; Kathryn Nesbitt, Apolinar Mariscal; Rubiel Vazquez; Silviu Petrescu
Wednesday sees a midweek game with two mid-table teams battling for a playoff spot midseason. Should Chicago Fire emerge victorious, they will leap frog Montreal Impact into the sixth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Should Philadelphia Union take three points from Toyota Park, they will be tied with Montreal at 24 points-a-piece.
Scouting report: Chicago Fire
Projected Chicago Fire Starting XI
This is not the Chicago Fire of last season, but they're getting there. After starting the year off slow, Chicago went undefeated through all of June, riding a five-match unbeaten streak until their loss to Vancouver Whitecaps. Nemanja Nikolic on the other hand, started the season off looking like a back-to-back Golden Boot winner, only to hit a slump midseason. That slump may be over, however. Nikolic has scored in his last two appearances.
Nikolic and winger Aleksandar Katai both have eight goals, and Chicago's midfield is strong both offensively and defensively. If the Union take their center away, Chicago can still push the ball to the wings and bring it back in quite well. With Nikolic averaging 1.6 shots over his last five games, Andre Blake will most certainly have to put some work in.
Injury report: OUT: Djordje Mihailovic (M – right ACL surgery), Michael de Leeuw (F – left ACL surgery), Matt Polster (D – MCL surgery), Patrick McLain (GK – hamstring injury), Luis Solignac (F – left quad injury); QUESTIONABLE: Drew Conner (D – right calf injury)
Suspended: None
Scouting report: Philadelphia Union
Well, it's July. That means the Union are heading for Slumpsville – or at least that's what some fans think. While C.J. Sapong has caught a lot of heat for his failure to finish and David Accam has been kept off the field, other aspects of the team have been coming together. With each game that passes, the midfield trio of Medunjanin, Bedoya, and Dockal fall more in sync, creating more opportunities. Auston Trusty seems to have plateaued a bit (although he was already playing at a rather high level), but Mark McKenzie continues to improve.
Still, the fans are right. Sapong needs to score. He can contribute to the high press all game – and yes, that is key – but his primary role is to score goals. Chicago have scored in every match since May 12, averaging 1.8 goals over their last 5 matches. With the Union's young backline subject to giving up goals, the Union will need to generate some offense.
Injury report: Josh Yaro (D, concussion)
Suspended: None.
Key matchup: Andre Blake vs. Nemanja Nikolic and Aleksandar Katai
It's been said already, but Nikolic scores goals. Last year's golden boot winner has two goals in his last two matches and two shots in three of his last five. Aleksandar Katai, meanwhile, has racked up an impressive 62 shots this season. Auston Trusty and Mark McKenzie may be able to limit those numbers, but it's safe to say that Nikolic and Katai will see an opportunity at least once. But while Nikolic scores goals, Blake stops them. Third in MLS with 67 saves, Blake is perhaps the best pure shot-stopper in the league. It will be interesting to see who will come out the hero for his side.
Player to watch: C.J. Sapong
It's such a sports writing taboo (such xG (expected goals)a sports writing taboo), but… Sapong is due. It really is true though. Forget the fact that the Union's single season record holder for goals scored has only two goals on the season. What should catch everyone's eye is that Sapong's falls somewhere around 6.57. That's not too far behind Nemanja Nikolic and far ahead of Aleksandar Katai. Chicago have given up six goals in their last three matches. If Sapong is going to turn his season around, now would be the perfect time.
Prediction: Philadelphia Union 1 – 1 Chicago Fire
Both teams will be fighting hard for that last playoff spot. Chicago is solid at home, but they haven't been phenomenal at keeping the ball out of the net. A Nikolic or Katai goal is likely, but so is a Union goal – from whomever it may come.
Author: Ryan Rose Ryan Rose is a freelance filmmaker and writer in the Greater Philadelphia Area and one of the daily editors for PSP. A graduate of Hofstra University, Ryan returned home to Philly in 2014 - mainly for the sports if he's being honest with himself.
Zizouisgod says:
Ryan – Gantar is the ref for Wed
"What should catch everyone's eye is that Sapong's falls somewhere around 6.57"
Maybe all that means is we are capable of creating good chances but our Striker isn't capable of converting them?
joe b says:
Sapong should not start another game this year. If the Union fail to make some deal to trade Accam and Sapong or go out on the open market and get a DP striker soon, the season is over.
Burke is still the best option until they get help. Curtin is just insane for staying with Sapong.
Accam still has trade value to someone who needs outside speed. He can not be kept here any longer.
They are stuck with Simpson until the end of the year. The ownership is just awful and Ernie is not saying anything about making a move for a forward. So Sad.


This article attacks a problem for which I have heard many solutions: How can you offer file downloads on the Internet and protect them from unauthorized downloading?
As I specified earlier, IIS sends registered extensions to the aspnet_isapi.dll. Figure 1 shows you the IIS window where the list of registered extensions is found. You can find this dialog box by clicking on "Configuration" after viewing the "Properties" of a Web site or a virtual directory. A fortunate by-product of having registered extensions handled by aspnet_isapi.dll is that any files with these extensions are subject to ASP.NET Forms Authentication. While this article is not meant to be a tutorial on Forms Authentication, I'll demonstrate quickly how it works.
Custom HTTP handlers are classes that implement the IHttpHandler interface.
This code prohibits users from accessing any page in a site without first going through an authentication process. If an anonymous user attempts to access a Web page, the code automatically redirects them to the Login.aspx page. It's up to the site developer to decide which authentication technique to use in this page, but in ASP.NET 2.0 a developer can easily accomplish this using the new security controls. (See Wei Meng Lee's article on the Security Controls).
Now, I just said that this code prohibits unauthenticated users from accessing any page, but what I really should have said is that it prevents unauthenticated users from accessing any file that gets intercepted by aspnet_isapi.dll. This will all make sense in a few paragraphs.
To walk through what I want to accomplish in the rest of this article, I need to describe some specifics of my e-commerce site that I'll be using.
My site allows users to purchase software online. Users need to first register on my site before they can make any purchases or downloads. For the purposes of this article, I have a table for Users and a table for Products, each entity identified by a User Name and a Product ID. When a user makes a purchase, I create a record in another table that joins the user to that product using these fields. I'll call this table UserProducts.
The goal is to store all my software product files in a folder called Files, which resides under my Web site root folder. The Products table has a field for the product file name which corresponds to one of the zip files in my Files folder. I'll call this field ProductFileName.
So without any protection, I can simply accept a user purchase, and then send the user a link via e-mail to the zip file where they can download it; but that isn't secure at all, so I'll take it step-by-step.
First I want to protect all zip files from unauthenticated users. I want to subject all files ending with the extension ".zip" to ASP.NET Forms Authentication so that anonymous users cannot access them. Although this step is not crucial, it adds more security on your files—which is not a bad thing.
Usually if you browse directly to a zip file on a Web site, the site prompts you to either open or save the file to your disk. I want ASP.NET to intercept a request to add files ending in a "zip" extension, so I need to add that extension to the list of application mappings in IIS.
I start by opening up the IIS management console and locating the site (or virtual directory) in question. Right-clicking and selecting "Properties" displays Figure 2. If I click the "Configuration" button in the "Web Site" or "Virtual Directory" tab, I see the list of extensions and which DLL has been assigned to handle them (Figure 1). I need to add the "zip" extension to this list so I click the "Add" button. Enter "zip" in the extension text box and click the "Limit to verb" option button.
Figure 2: Web site (virtual directory) properties.
Figure 3: Browsing to aspnet_isapi.dll.
In the Verbs text box, enter GET,HEAD,POST,DEBUG which indicates that "zip" files will be intercepted by aspnet_isapi.dll for those types of HTTP requests. In the "Executable:" text box you need to browse to the location of the aspnet_isapi.dll file (Figure 3). You'll find this file in the C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\ folder under the proper framework version folder. My entry will look like Figure 4.
Figure 4: Adding the "zip" extension mapping to IIS.
Figure 5: Mappings with zip extension at the end.
After I make this entry, my mappings list looks like Figure 5. Note all the other extensions in this list to which you normally would not browse, such as VBPROJ, CONFIG, etc. The aspnet_isapi.dll intercepts these extensions for protection purposes also. This is the reason you are redirected to a "denial" page when you attempt to browse to a web.config file.
After I've made this entry in IIS, if I try to directly browse to a zip file on my site IIS will redirect me to the Login page if I'm not authenticated. These changes now protect my files from anonymous users; however, once you login to my site, the doors are open and I still don't want this.


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Q: Using jQuery in ASP.NET When using the AJAX functionality in jQuery, do I also have to have ASP.NET AJAX/.NET 3.5 installed also? or can I only use ASP.NET AJAX?
I'm unclear on whether or not I'm able to use AJAX in ASP.NET without ASP.NET AJAX or not.

A: No, you don't need ASP.NET AJAX installed to use the AJAX functionality of jQuery.
You can call PageMethods and Web Services without needing a ScriptManager control (which generates the JavaScript proxy objects that allow you to use familiar syntax to call web services and page methods).
Article on using jQuery to directly call ASP.NET AJAX page methods
Article on using jQuery to Consume ASP.NET JSON Web Services

A: Let me first clarify the use of jQuery. jQuery is simply a javascript library, and it has nothing to to with ASP.NET or any other server side platform such as PHP or JSP.
So you can simply use jQuery side by side with ASP.NET, or even combine jQuery with ASP.NET 3.5 that has AJAX built in.
You can also use jQuery's AJAX if you like, and it still can run in ASP.NET. If you want to combine both, please test your aspx page first if you also want to use ASP.NET's UpdatePanel with jQuery's AJAX, since it can bring incompatibilities between them.

A: No, if you're using jQuery you don't need ASP.NET AJAX installed.

A: ASP.NET Ajax is not needed in order to use jQuery, but the two work well together, hence the support from Microsoft.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Oandu–Võsu hiking trail constitutes the first section of the RMK Hiking Route Oandu-Aegviidu-Ikla. The hiking route runs through the primeval forests of the former Oandu–Koljaku Nature Reserve on the prehistoric Seljaku road. The trail is passable on foot and by bicycle.
Sights The trail runs along the prehistoric Seljaku road, through the primeval forests beneath Koljaku–Oandu terrace. Diverse landforms and forest communities.
Winter accessibility Cross-country ski track in winter.
For walkers: please do not break up the tracks!
Driving directions Drive 73 km on Tallinn– Narva road (E20), turn left at Viitna (sign 17 km to Võsu). Drive 6.5 km on Viitna–Võsu road to the Palmse village, turn right (sign 6 km to Sagadi). Drive on Palmse–Sagadi road, cross Rakvere–Haljala road (sign 2.5 km to Sagadi manor) and drive to Sagadi Manor. Turn left there (sign 5 km to Altja fishing village), drive 3 km on Sagadi–Altja road and pass the RMK Oandu campsite. Drive 150 m and turn right at the roadside sign of Oandu Nature Centre and drive to the parking area. The trail starts from the parking area.


The American TFP > Traditional Marriage Crusade > The Twenty-Eighth State?
So far, twenty-seven states have amended their constitutions to protect traditional marriage. Pennsylvania may be on the way to becoming the twenty-eighth state.
On March 17 the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on the proposed amendment. The next day a vote was held to see if the bill would make it to the Senate floor. In a 10-to-4 vote, the proposition passed. All now that is required is the somewhat formidable approval of both legislative chambers in two consecutive two-year sessions and final approval through a state referendum.
Seventeen state senators sponsor the proposition with Senator Michael Brubaker as the prime sponsor.
Signs with "HONK for Traditional Marriage" received support from passing drivers in downtown Harrisburg. Throughout the morning, TFP pipers played bagpipe music that filled the air punctuated by the shrill honking of many horns.
If the proposed amendment is approved, the change will only take place in 2009.
This entry was posted in Traditional Marriage Crusade and tagged what we do by Jose Walter Ferraz. Bookmark the permalink.


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They Said They Summited Everest. Their Photo Said Otherwise
Shadows were one issue
By Arden Dier, Newser Staff
Posted Feb 2, 2021 7:51 AM CST
Updated Feb 6, 2021 7:00 AM CST
An aerial view of Mount Everest, looking north from Nepal. (Wikimedia)
(Newser) – Two Indian climbers who claimed to have summited Mount Everest, making them eligible for national awards, actually faked the ascent. That's according to authorities in Nepal, who began investigating after questions were raised about the pair's 2016 summit photo. At first glance, Narender Singh Yadav and Seema Rani Goswami appeared to be huddled at the top of the world. But one climber wore an oxygen mask unconnected to an oxygen tank and held flags that were completely straight, suggesting a lack of wind, per Everest Today. Plus there were shadows in opposite directions. Government investigators were pointed to these issues in August, after Yadav was selected to receive India's highest award for adventure sports, reports the New York Times. Yadar, who was 21 in 2016, now claims to have climbed the highest mountain on five of the seven continents.
Nepalese tourism officials had initially believed the evidence presented for Everest, awarding Yadav and Goswami official climbing certificates in 2016. However, the government now says the submitted photos were faked. "Their claims for Everest summit couldn't be established," an official tells the Times. This comes after two other Indian climbers, husband and wife police officers, were found to have doctored summit photos in 2016. The Times notes Indians who summit Everest "are often given national awards." Or, if they work for the government, they might receive "promotions and lifelong benefits." Yadav denies that this was his motive, however. He maintains the climb happened and has filed a police complaint against his Nepalese guide. Climbers found to have faked a summit climb may be banned from all of Nepal's mountains for 10 years. (Everest has a new official height.)


Enfield Town came away from Stompond Lane with a hard earned victory in a scrappy game that won't live long in them memory of either side's supporters. The game did have some good points and was lit up by Leon Osei's superb 25 yard free kick in the first half which made the score 1-1 after The Swans had scored early in the game. Walton's support were not happy at the free-kick decision given by the referee who stopped the game after he adjudged no advantage was gained from the play after a foul was committed. See the video highlights to make up your mind if it was the right decision?
The home supporters were even more incensed at not being given a penalty kick early in the second half when Rudi Hall appeared to handle the ball in the area. It was a case of the only people in the ground not to see the incident seemed to be the Referee and his Assistants. As one Town fan put it at the time 'we dodged a bullet there'.
A penalty was given at the other end when a Walton player appeared to trip Micahel Ewang in the box. Upon looking at the replay it looks at though it was the right decision although the already annoyed Walton players didn't seem to think so.
The disjointed nature of the game may be down to the fact Steve Newing made a number of changes to his recent starting XI thus allowing players who have been on the bench some much needed game time and the home side having a number of new players making their debut in their team.
To use several cliches it's a case of at the end of the day in a Cup game away from home it's the result that really counts and the victory now puts Town's winning run to four games!
....when no advantage was adjudged to have been gained (after approx 3 seconds) he pulled the play back before the ball went out of play...a decision which didn't go down well with the Swan's support.


Users who have upgraded to Mountain Lion and have never installed (or uninstalled prior to the upgrade) will find that the install fails with the error message "vpn.pkg is damaged and can't be opened. You should eject the disk image." This is due to the new security protections in Mountain Lion. To allow the install toproceed, go to System Preferences->Personal->Security & Privacy. Launch the Secuity and Privacy applet. Cick on the General tab to highlight it. Click on the lock icon to allow changes. Under the heading "Allow applications downloaded from:" click on the Anywhere radio button. Now double click on the vpn.pkg install package. The installation should proceed as normal. When it is finished, you can change the Security & Privacy setting back to the previous setting.
Go to your START menu or go to your file management window.
IF you use the file management window, find the box at the top that lists the directory you are currently in.
Won't connect or gives an error? Make sure that you check the "Connect using different credentials" when you connect to the drive. You MAY have to use IASTATE\netid as the username (or try netid@iastate.edu). If you don't see the "connect using different credentials", enter your netid and just hit enter.It will show an error but it will then give you the connect option.


If your employer sells its business (or part of it) you may have gained protection from dismissal or detriment pursuant to the Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006.
You may also have a right to be informed and consulted about what's going on.
Has your employer contracted out your work or job?
If your employer contracts out your work, your employment may automatically transfer to the business that takes over that work. For example, say you work as a cleaner for a solicitor's office. You are employed by the firm of solicitors based at the office. The firm of solicitors decide to contract out the cleaning of its offices to an outside contractor.
It is likely that on the transfer of the work, your employment would automatically transfer to the outside contractor, on the same terms and conditions of employment. If the contractor tried to change your terms and conditions you may have a good claim in the Employment Tribunal.
So, what happens if that outside contractor then loses the contract to another contracting company? Well, depending on whether you still clean the same offices, your employment may transfer again, this time to the new outside contracting company. In fact, your employment could even transfer back to your original employer (i.e. the firm of solicitors) if it decided it wanted to bring back work in-house again.
At each transfer, you would have protection in relation to your employment terms and start date. You would also be entitled to be consulted.
Many employers forget (or don't know) that it has an obligation to consult all employees affected by the transfer of a business.
To continue with the example set out above, the firm of solicitors would be required to consult with you. However, it may also have an obligation to consult its Office Manager who may be affected by the changes.
The outside contractor may also have obligations to consult its existing employees if they are affected. For example, the outside contractor may decide that following the transfer (and you joining the company) it is overstaffed such that it intends to make one of its cleaners redundant.
The obligations on your employer to consult are quite technical and complicated. Many employers end up not consulting at all or failing to properly consult in accordance with the law.
A failure to properly consult could mean you become entitled to an award of 13 weeks' gross pay. If you or your colleagues believe you may not have been informed and consulted by your employer (properly or at all) we would be happy to speak to you on a confidential basis. We may even be able to bring a group claim (acting for you and all the affected employees) on a no-win no fee basis.


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Vaccinated soccer star dies at 25 after suffering heart attack during training
A vaccinated soccer player passed away at the age of 25 due to a heart attack. Marcos Menaldo, who plays for Club Deportivo Marquense, died on Jan. 3, 2021, during a training session in the city of San Marcos, Guatemala.
Menaldo complained of breathing difficulties during Marquense's Jan. 3 training session at Marquesa de la Ensenada Stadium, the team's home turf. He received emergency CPR at the stadium before being transferred to the Hospital de Especialidades – where he died.
Marquense club president Hernan Maldonado confirmed the Guatemalan defender's untimely demise. "It was 11:00 [a.m.] when they called me to inform that Marcos had fainted in training. They transferred him to the assistance center where they did everything possible. But unfortunately, the death was confirmed," he told ESPN.
Maldonado expressed sadness over Menaldo's death. "One does not come out of astonishment. A young, dynamic and jovial person – this happens to him. It is quite strong and shocking because you lose not only a player, [but] you lose a friend."
The football club has refused to release an official statement as of writing until it has received consent from Menaldo's family and more details about his death, according to the Daily Star.
Menaldo is not the only soccer player that complained of breathing difficulties during training. Several other soccer players experienced cardiac issues while on the pitch, FC Barcelona striker Sergio "Kun" Aguero among them.
Aguero, who hails from Argentina, collapsed 41 minutes in during the team's Oct. 30 match with Deportivo Alaves. Medical staff examined Aguero before he was taken to a nearby hospital – where he was diagnosed with tachycardia, a faster-than-normal heart rate. While the soccer star survived the ordeal, the tachycardia diagnosis put an end to his playing career. (Related: More vaccinated soccer players fall ill with sudden chest pains; incidents linked to COVID-19 vaccines.)
The Argentinian announced his retirement from professional soccer on Dec. 15, 2021. "When I did the first tests, the doctors called to say there was a very big chance that I shouldn't continue. I got it into my head, thought properly and decided: I've decided to stop playing professional soccer. It's a very difficult moment, but the most important thing is my health," Aguero said.
Brighteon.TV hosts discuss how the COVID-19 vaccines affect athletes
Several Brighteon.TV hosts touched on the issue of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines negatively impacting athletes such as Aguero and Menaldo. "CLO2TV" host "Bob The Plumber" Sisson and his co-host Marien Barrientos talked about Aguero's Oct. 30 collapse during the show's Nov. 4, 2021 episode.
"Aguero dropped on the field playing, he was taken to the hospital – and he now has heart problems. This is a guy who's been playing soccer for years; one of the top players in the world. Because of this tachycardia, he's going to be out of the field for three months. If everything goes OK, then he can go back to playing. But they don't know how he's going to respond to treatment," Barrientos told Sisson.
She added that Aguero was "one of the most cared-for players" in the world of soccer, having passed all physical examinations before he was signed on. However, Barcelona required all players and staff members – Aguero included – to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough told Dr. Bryan Ardis of "The Dr. Ardis Show" that athletes having cardiac issues have become more and more common following the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. "We know in athletes at this level that 80 percent plus have received the vaccine at the collegiate and professional competitive level," McCullough said during the show's Nov. 24 episode.
The cardiologist also mentioned why athletes tend to dismiss the early signs of cardiac issues until it is too late. He told Ardis: "These athletes do not want to miss a practice, let alone a game. If they have some subtle chest pain, it's possible it could be overlooked or not reported."
"The last thing we can do is let an athlete take a vaccine, develop myocarditis and then actually go into competitive sports. We don't know who's received the vaccine as the athletes actually don't reveal them because of non-disclosures. The great concern here is that this is now sports-induced myocarditis and cardiac death." (Related: Questions swirl about COVID-19 vaccine injuries after several high-profile soccer players experience heart problems.)
Watch the video below about Icelandic soccer player Emil Palsson suffering a heart attack in the middle of a game.
This video is from the Tammy Cuthbert Garcia channel on Brighteon.com.
VaccineDeaths.com has more about Marcos Menaldo and other athletes dying from cardiac issues after getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
TheSun.co.uk
InfoWarsArmy.com
Brighteon.com 1
Tagged Under: athletes, Cardiac Arrest, coronavirus vaccine, covid-19 pandemic, heart attack, Marcos Menaldo, soccer players, Vaccine dangers, Vaccine deaths, vaccine injury, vaccine wars, vaccines, Wuhan coronavirus
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Abbey Humphreys Husband: "Twenty Somethings: Austin" Star Reveals She was Married! Her Dating Life Explored
Abbey Humphreys was married! Twenty Something Austin star revealed she was married to her ex-husband for six years.
By Vibha Maru
Abbey Humphreys is one of the casts of the Netflix reality show "Twenty Somethings: Austin." She made headlines following she entered the house in Austin. The show was released on December 10, 2021. if you're interested in abbey Humphreys, we have her information below.
Abbey Humphreys is a native of Houston, Texas, born on December 10, 1995, and graduated high school from her hometown. Abbey has two siblings; her brother is Josh Humphreys and a sister, Annie Humphreys. she is most close with her sister Annie. Abbey is 5ft 3 inches tall, and her zodiac sign, according to her date of birth, is Sagittarius. she is also known as an Abbey Freeze by her Instagram user name.
Abbey Humphreys Husband: Is She Married?
This news might come as a shock, as Abbey previously never mentioned her relationship, but in her recent interview, TwentySomethings: Austin star revealed she was married. In the interview, Abbey said she divorced her husband in 2021, though she didn't reveal her ex-husband's identity.
According to the reports, Abbey and her former husband were high school sweethearts, and a few months into their relationship, the former couple tied the knots in 2015. Sadly, their marriage didn't survive long; after six years into their marriage, Abbey Humphreys and her ex-husband parted ways.
Abbey, who revealed she was barely 20 at the time of marriage, had something important to share, a piece of advice, to be precise. Abbey from Twenty Something said, "don't get married before your prefrontal cortex is developed, because you will change immensely in your 20s and there's a high chance that your significant other will change as well, and maybe you won't change in the same ways."
After the divorce, Abbey Humphreys is single, but it seems she will find someone new on the show! "Twenty Somethings Austin" is divided into two parts; while the first six-episode didn't hint she will fall in love, let's hope there will be some interesting twists in the next part.
"Twenty Somethings Austin Season 2" will premiere on December 17, 2021. If you haven't watched the show already, go, watch it! Because we might drop some spoilers next!
Abbey Humphreys Journey on Twentysomethings: Austin (Spoilers)
After entering the house in Austin, she became close with one of the cast members, Kamari Bonds. From what we saw in the show, Abbey and Kamari started to spend more time together. The 26-year-old is the second oldest cast member in the Austin house, after Keauno Perez, 28.
TwentySomething: Austin brings eight people from different parts of the country under the same roof; The people in the house will try to find success in life and love in the liberal outpost and home to SXSW. And about Abbey, it's always good to see her around. Abbey doesn't shy away from showing her edgy, stylish and intellectual side. However, she thinks she still needs to figure out what to do with her life. (You do you, girl!)
In the shows' all glory, what's interesting is, these eight individuals, who are strangers to each other, will try to open up and reveal some secrets as well. Abbey Humphreys did something similar; she revealed she is bisexual and belongs to an LGBTQ community. (You go, Abbey!) Since it's all-new for her as she recently came out, Twenty Somethings Austin star added she wants to explore her life through the show.
While revealing some more, Abbey also admitted she was unemployed before she joined the show, and it's still the case. In parts, we can see the show documenting Abbey's life as she struggles to find a job because she runs out of money. By the look of it, Abbey seems out of practice as her last job was in 2019, at "Olive Garden," and she doesn't have a good experience from her last job. (It's like a movie, kinda thang!)
Abbey Humprey Boyfriend: Is She Dating Someone After the Divorce?
Abbey is single, but there's this guy with whom she likes to spend most of her time with. After checking her Instagram profile, we found she is close with "Luke Alexander Stege." Abbey and Luke are comfortable around each other; however, she revealed she is not dating him. (They are just good friends!)
Coming back to the show, we suppose something is going between Twenty Something Austin Cast, Abbey Humphreys and Kamari Bonds. But again, it's too early to assume anything; let's hope what season 2 unfolds.
Since we are talking about Abbey's social media profile, you should defo check her TikTok profile. She is a star on the platform with over 6.2 million likes and 131K followers. She usually posts about her clothing hauls, whats she's up to and mostly posts a video responding to comments. If you're wondering where she is now, what she does? Her TikTok might help you thoroughly. You can find her at @abbey.freeze.
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Martin Gelbspan Girlfriend: The Bachelorette Contestant Admits He was a Dating a Girl Before the Show! His Relationship Explored


Sprint branded Galaxy s10+ works!!
I can confirm that I successfully activated a Sprint branded Galaxy s10 plus pre-ordered from the Samsung shop app. It was delivered to me today and I took it to my nearest boost Mobile store and it was done in minutes!! So far it's flawless and I'm super happy with it. Also I opted for the sprint variant instead of the unlocked variant when I pre-ordered because from my experience carrier branded phones receive updates faster then the unlocked phones.
Re: Sprint branded Galaxy s10+ works!!
To answer your questions I used the Sim card that was already pre-installed in the phone when I took it out of the box it does say sprint on it though, also if it helps it did include another Sim card kit with the phone with an extra Sim card that I didn't use the Sim part number is SIMOLW416TQ I'm guessing you would need that Sim card kit.


Gourmet Ads, the global food advertising network, today announced that it will acquire the privately held Healthy Ads network. The acquisition of Healthy Ads will not only expand overall audience numbers, but also introduce a new audience of consumers who focus on a healthy lifestyle.
Christie plans to continue the use of the Healthy Ads brand, which will exist alongside Gourmet Ads and be available programmatically for the first time in the coming weeks. In addition, this will allow buyers the ability to use first-party data from both Gourmet Ads and Healthy Ads to reach niche audiences such as 'active moms' and 'healthy home cooks'.


text:
Sir James Denning Pearson FRAeS Wh.S.Sch (8 August 1908 – 1 August 1992) is a former Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Limited.

Early life
He was born in Bootle. His father died when he was eleven. He grew up in Cardiff.

He gained a First Class degree from Cardiff Technical College.

Pearson became a Whitworth Senior Scholar in 1930 having used his Scholarship to do steam turbine research at Metropolitan-Vickers and in 1985 became President of the Whitworth Society.

Career

Rolls-Royce
He joined Rolls-Royce in 1932. During the Second World War, he was Chief Engineer at the R-R shadow factory in Glasgow, producing 150 Merlin engines a week.

He oversaw the expansion of Rolls-Royce into the jet aero-engine market in the 1960s.

Personal life
He married Eluned Henry in 1932, and they had two daughters.

He was knighted in the 1963 New Year Honours. He became an FRAeS in 1964 and was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Aero Club in 1967. He died in the Amber Valley of Derbyshire.

References

External links
 New Scientist profile in August 1962
The Papers of Sir (James) Denning Pearson

1908 births
1992 deaths
Alumni of Cardiff University
Businesspeople from Cardiff
English chief executives
Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society
People from Amber Valley
People from Bootle
Rolls-Royce people
20th-century English businesspeople
20th-century Welsh businesspeople

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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All cabin charters are organized on a Saturday – Saturday basis. The gulets we use all have air conditioned cabins and range from 5 to 7 cabins.
Click on the "Send inquiry" button and tell us about your required travel dates and wishes. We will check availability and send you all the details direct to your email.
Croatia Cabin charter cruises are organized in smaller vessels accommodating 8 to 14 guests.
The routes are determined and organized in advance and they are not changed during the cruise (unless due to weather).
If you like to meet new people from all over the world then this is for you. You can meet all kinds of different, fun and adventurous people on a gulet cruise.
Gulets are quite often compared to boutique hotels. They are small and nice vessels with a soul. This has the advantage of more personal travel but it can not provide the luxury of a huge cruise liner.
You have several Croatia cabin charter options to choose from starting from Split, Trogir and Dubrovnik and on gulets in different category ranges.
Gulets in Croatia all have guaranteed departures. They do not need a minimum number of people booked in order for the cruise to be organized. When you book, you are 100% sure.
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Supplement for one way route: €60 per person per week.
Depending on sea and weather conditions, the organizer reserves the right to make necessary changes to the tour itinerary to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests.
Port taxes and guests taxes payable on spot at a rate €35 per person per week – only for cabin charter programs with gulet San.


Jaguar has just unveiled one of the wildest vehicle technologies ever seen. Officially known as "Follow-Me Ghost Car Naviagtion," the brand new technology system projects an illuminated "ghost car" out in front of the vehicle, allowing the driver to sit back and relax while the Ghost Car leads the way by making all of the appropriate turns and stops.
"Driving on city streets can be a stressful experience, but imagine being able to drive across town without having to look at road signs, or be distracted trying to locate a parking space as you drive by," said Jaguar Land Rover's director of research and technology, Dr. Wolfgang Epple.
In addition to the "Ghost Car," the system also projects a series of strategic information onto the windshield, including parking guidance, stop light duration, and geographic landmarks. This, of course, is a technology that has become fairly popular in more and more newer model vehicles.
Currently, there isn't a release date set for the technology, but there are rumors floating around that it could be featured in the next generation Jaguar XJL Portfolio or Range Rover Autobiography.
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