Political activist Mike Heichman of Dorchester, spoke against the school closings during a Boston School Committee meeting held at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Roxbury.
Over the objection of outraged students, teachers, and parents, the Boston School Committee voted Wednesday night to close two high schools in West Roxbury over the next two years.
"There is too much disruption to a vulnerable population of students," she said.
Deteriorating building conditions at the campus shared by Urban Science Academy and West Roxbury Academy, which collectively serve 680 students, are forcing their closures, school officials have said. Problems include a crumbling facade and a leaky roof that has caused extensive water damage to the ceiling tiles and floors and may have compromised the electrical system.
But students, teachers, and parents have accused school officials of exaggerating the building problems in an effort to cut spending. They warn that the trauma of the closures will cause lifelong harm to some of the city's most vulnerable students: Urban Science Academy has a special program for students on the autism spectrum, and nearly a third of West Roxbury Academy's students don't speak English fluently.
More than 100 people attended the meeting, some wearing stickers that said, "Don't wreck the WREC community," with the school's mascot on it, a pirate.
Urban Science Academy teacher Amy Eisenschmidt, West Roxbury Academy junior Catari Giglio, 16, and her mother Ingrid Morales applauded for no school closures during a Boston School Committee meeting held at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Roxbury.
She cried after the vote. Others sighed and quickly left the meeting room.
Under the proposal crafted by interim Superintendent Laura Perille, the West Roxbury campus would close in June, but the two high schools would remain open for another year at another site — sharing space with the Irving Middle School in Roslindale.
However, the two high schools would educate only the rising seniors. Officials hope the arrangement will prevent any disruptions to their college application processes and other senior year activities and coursework.
All other students would transfer to different high schools. Officials argue that the underclassmen will have enough time to get acclimated to their new schools without derailing their education and future college plans, although school supporters disagree. These students would have top priority for placement under the school transfer process.
Officials also plan to move some students in groups, such as those in programs for autistic students, to specific high schools.
Perille said in an interview prior to the meeting that the school closure recommendations were difficult to make, but the building conditions left the school system with no other options. She also noted that both the schools had been struggling academically.
Interim superintendent Laura Perille spoke during a Boston School Committee meeting held at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Roxbury.
Opposition to closing the West Roxbury high schools extended well beyond the students, teachers, and parents affected by the proposal. In November, nearly a dozen organizations representing civil rights activists, parents, and educators called on the School Committee to halt all school closings until a long-term facilities plan is released, debated, and approved.
Although school officials have released a long-term facilities proposal, the School Committee has yet to vote on it. That proposal calls for the elimination of all middle schools, adding the seventh and eighth grades to several academically struggling high schools, adding sixth grades to many elementary schools, an unspecified number of school mergers, and building or reconstructing about a dozen schools, including the West Roxbury high school campus, which another existing high school could eventually move into.
Several public officials testified at Wednesday night's meeting.
City Councilors Matt O'Malley and Annissa Essaibi George presented a letter to the School Committee from them, US Representative-elect Ayanna Pressley, and City Councilors Michelle Wu, Kim Janey, and Lydia Edwards urging the board to postpone its vote.
"We are breaking a community apart," said Essaibi George, chairwoman of the council's education committee, as she advocated for keeping both schools open.
Jessica Tang, president of the Boston Teachers Union, also called on the committee to vote against the school closures.
President of the Boston Teachers Union Jessica Tang spoke against school closures during a Boston School Committee meeting held at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Roxbury.


The lobbying process, an extension of the right to be heard and an exercise in democracy, reflects the heart of our American system. Lobbying, a greater degree than most, depends on common sense and luck – a description that perhaps explains its engrossing attractions.
Some legislators prefer that the attention bestowed on them be varied: campaign funds, incidentals such as mailing lists, hosting friends, providing entree to persons and places – all manner of things small and not so small. Loyalty to legislators who support us is essential. It is usually legitimately be translated into endorsements, fund-raising, voter turnout, etc….
Integrity and professionalism are my opinion the cornerstones of all fruitful legislative activity; and it is a fact that there is no place where a person's word is more important, and no place where personal integrity is more relied upon and more appreciated than in the Legislature. Hence, we are fully aware of the fact that as advocates we may influence — but we don't vote. The legislator is the one who casts the vote – the only vote that counts –and they take a natural pride in having it be their vote. As advocates, our job is to really help legislators reach their decisions armed with the most reliable intelligence out there.
Having said that, our general policy is to reserve judgment about the people with whom we deal with until we have had sufficient personal experience to know them. We never censure those who oppose us ons almost impossible to come to agreement with an enemy. Compromise with an opponent is possible and often desirable. Reaching an agreement with a truly hostile antagonist is next to impossible. So unlike many lobbyists, we don't hate our opponents as we strongly believe that to permit ourselves to hate someone , after all, to become to some degree his/her prisoner….is never acceptable in our dictionary.
As Senator William Kelley once said it so eloquently: "The best government consultant is one that has a good track record, actual experience in the way the government works, a willingness to get into the trenches on a client's behalf, good contacts and credibility and a willingness to work toward not only resolving a current problem but devising a strategy to avoid future ones." ….and that's how we opera specific matters – – today's foe may become tomorrow's colleague. The ability to see our opposition in realistic terms is essential to the achievement of workable legislative solutions as it its.


Åland is an autonomous country of Finland and there are many Swedish origin people living in the country. There is no exactly irc servers which is belong to this country at the moment however you will still have chance to meet them in Finnish and Swedish IRC servers. However we don't recommend you to expect much from these. You can still meet people from Finland and Sweden in these servers. Some of servers may not work since we didn't able to test them all for you. We have also introduced some chat sites and social networking websites for you meet people from Åland.
These are some known Finnish and Swedish IRC servers where you can meet people from Aland.
Please note that some of these servers may be dead at the moment. However there are many options for you. You can give a try to these IRC servers.


FATHERS are being urged to open up about mental health with their sons after a survey showed half of teenage boys would be uncomfortable talking about issues including stress, anxiety and depression with them.
(CNN)What happened on a hot summer day two years ago still shakes Dr. Emily Whitgob to the core. The Palo Alto, California-based pediatrician had just started supervising interns at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford.


Provide assistant to the Financial Controller, to provide financial management and analytical support to the Business Units and provide support in financial forecasting.
Take control of the Intercompany accounts, including raising invoices, posting FX, reconciliations.
ACMA trainee (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or AAT qualified with at least 2 years post qualification experience.
Strong organisational abilities, experience of working to tight deadlines and a hands on approach to finance.
Knowledge of accounting principles, good understanding of financial/management information systems and technically competent with finance and accounting knowledge and skills.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to adapt to and implement change.


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1 Is my roof suitable for solar?
1. The age of the roof. 2. The overall condition of the roof. 3. The Pitch of the roof. 4. The direction or "azimuth" of the roof. 5. The amount of roof that is affected by shading etc.
2 How much do I need to zero my Bill?
from utility bills then dividing the total by 12 in order to obtain a monthly average. This monthly average is used to determine the project size, necessary for an end of the year net meter reading of zero, in essence no electric bill for the year.
3 How much can I put on my roof?
size of the roof, the amount of roof that is affected by shading, vents that cannot be moved or modified, and the support structure of the roof.
4 Can Panels be put on Mobile Homes?
Acadiana Solar will install Panels only on mobile homes that have roof structure is made of 2″ X 6″ rafters.
5 Can I install only as much as my budget allows?
the clients constraints and the physical limitations of the roof. The client may choose to reduce their bill by percentage, or have budget restrictions. Acadiana Solar will work with the client to produce the desired results.
6 How much does one Panel weigh?
The weight of a Solar Panel is approximately 40 pounds.
7 How much space does one Solar panel occupy?
wattage of the Panel. The panel chosen for a project is the panel that best fits the clients goal and best fits the roof area.
8 Do I need Batteries?
Conventional Grid tie systems use no batteries. Hybrid systems can be designed with batteries but become very expensive and require frequent maintenance. Should a back-up system be necessary it becomes more feasible to install a back up generator.
9 Will I notice when It switches from Solar Power to Utility Power?
The switching of Solar and Utility Power is seamless. There are no light blinking or motor surges.
10 Will the power company pay me if I over produce?
Should the Solar System have produced positive credits at the end of the year, the credits will carry over to the next year. If excess credits are produced and the client decides to collect the credits, the account must be closed. At that time the credits will be paid but only at a 50% rate. Acadiana Solar designs its Net 0 systems so that the credits generated in months that the System over produces will be used up in months that the System under produces thus having no excess credits at the end of the year, and thus always having a dollar for dollar exchange rate on credits.
11 What about permits and interface with Utility and Codes?
12 Will I have a direct interface with the Utility company?
the client has with the Utility is to sign the Net Metering Agreement.
13 How do you tie in my system to the utility company?
Normally a grid-tie system is tied into the Utility Co. through the electrical service panel. Breakers are installed in the service panel that back-feed the panel with power from the Solar System. Any excess solar power produced is credited to your account by the utility company.
14 Why do I need a disconnect next to my meter?
system from the grid while the work is being preformed. This is a double safety precaution as the inverters shut down when the grid is not active.
15 Do I produce more electricity in the Summer or Winter?
consumption may be higher in the summer due to the use of air conditioners. So your Utility bill may be higher in the Summer than the winter.
16 How does the utility company give me my credits?
positive net, and you receive credits for every kwh that you produce over the amount that you received from the Utility. When the sun is not shining you use your credits before you start paying for power from the Utility.
17 Can I transfer my credits from one bill to another?
varies from one Utility to the other.
18 When will the utility install my bi-directional meter?
own inspection and install the bi-directional meter.
19 Where will my inverter/inverters be installed?
20 Is the inverter weather proof?
The Inverter is weather proof and designed to operate outside.
21 Is my roof protected by the panels?
A roof is protected by the panels from direct sunlight (uv rays), direct rain, wind and hail. The roof area beneath the panels will age at a much slower rate than the part that is not under the array.
22 How will the Solar be attached to the roof?
panels to be on the roof as long as the roof is on the house.
23 What about leaks in my roof?
Acadiana Solar takes every precaution to prevent leaks and the best sealer is used for the various types of roofs. We have had no leaks in the in the 5 years that we have been in business.
24 What happens when I have to change my roof?
Because the part of the roof that is under the panel ages at a much slower rate than the part not protected, the roof is often changed around the array and the roof under the array not changed. Should the entire roof need to be changed Acadiana Solar will remove and reinstall the panels for the going solar instillation rate.
25 What is the wind rating of the system?
All of our systems are installed according to the Codes wind ratings for the area. Acadiana Solar will also comply with client request should they desire a higher rating.
26 What about hurricanes if panels are destroyed?
Should panels be destroyed or damaged due to any circumstances they will be covered by your home owners insurance as they are insured as part of the permanent structure.
27 Do I have power during a hurricane?
emergency power, Acadiana Solar recommends that you install a back up generator. They are now very affordable, much less expensive and more maintenance free than a battery system.
Enphase and Acadiana Solar monitor your system over the internet and alert you should a problem arise. Acadiana Solar then schedules a convenient time with you to address the problem.
29 Do I have to clean the panels?
dust, rinsing the panels with a hose removes most of the particulates. Never use detergent on the panels.
There is virtually no maintenance on the system other than an occasional rinsing.
31 Are some panels better looking than others?
Panels are manufactured in various colors and some people prefer some panels over others. Acadiana Solar always shows their clients what is available so the client can choose.
32 How am affected by shading?
Shading will affect the output of the panels. All shading issues are addressed and resolved prior to instillation. The Enphase Inverters used by Acadiana Solar minimize all shading effects should they develop after instillation.
33 What is the efficiency of the panels?
34 What is the warranty of the panels?
years and a 6 year warranty on materials and workmanship.
35 What is the warranty of the inverter?
The Enphase inverters have a 25 year replacement warranty.
36 What is the DC to AC Derate Factor?
of the conversion loss is referred to as the Derate Factor.
37 What are the government incentives?
The state of La is currently out of the money allotted for solar installs, therefore, we cannot guarantee a refund will be given.
The Federal incentive is a 30% tax credit.
38 How do I file for my government incentives?
list of instructions for proper filing.
39 When do I get my incentive money back from the government?
Incentive money is received in the normal income tax refund period.
40 How long will the incentives be in effect?
Federal incentives are scheduled to be in effect until the year 2016, however laws can be changed. In the past State incentives have been renewed every 2 years and at present good through 2016.
41 Do you have financing?
Yes, we currently offer financing through GreenSky an alternative energy finance company.
42 What is the payout time on the system?
Utility rates determine the payout of the system. The higher your Utility rate the quicker the payout. Rates in Louisiana vary from 6 cents to 13 cents per kwh. The pay out for the system can range from 5.5 years to 8.5 years.
43 What is the return on investment?
Utility rates determine the return on investment. The higher your Utility rate the better the return on your investment. The range of your return on investment can vary from 12% to 19%.
44 Will I have to pay taxes on the power I generate?
No taxes are paid on the power that your system generates.
45 How much will I save per month and per year?
The amount that you save will be determined by the size of the system that you install. Acadiana Solar will present to you all of your options and you will determine the size of your system.
46 How much will my homeowners insurance go up?
Home owners insurance generally goes up an average of $70 per year per $25,000 of Solar installed.
47 What is the cost of my system?
48 When are payments due?
50 When can you start?
Your system instillation will be determined by the Acadiana Solar work load and parts availability. The normal start time from signing of the contract is about 6 weeks. You will be given a more specific time at contract signing.
51 How long will it take to install?
A 4,000 watt system generally takes 3 days and an 8,000 watt system 5 days.
52 Who inspects My System before Commissioning?
53 When can I start operating my system?
Your system will be commissioned after the utility installs your bi-directional meter.
54 Are you a member of the Better Business Bureau?
We are currently a member of the Lafayette Better Business Bureau. However we are also listed on Dun and Bradstreet which is a higher rating than the Better Business Bureau.
To be listed on Dun and Bradstreet all company financials must be disclosed and they monitor all aspects of the business not just the complaints.


text:
Army chief slams BEML on Tatra, awards it Rs 1,500-cr deal
Business Standard, 31st May 12
The outgoing army chief, General V K Singh, claims he scuttled a Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) bid to sell overpriced Tatra vehicles to the Indian Army. But, in February 2012, the army quietly signed a contract with BEML for an even larger and more controversial purchase: a $275-million (about Rs 1,500 crore) contract for 204 armoured recovery vehicles (ARVs).
Last week, the army chief declared in a television interview that he knew the WZT-3 ARV contract was a scam and BEML should be investigated in detail. He called the Tatra deal "a wake-up call for us to start examining other areas where things could have gone wrong".
But in February, BEML was nominated, without bidding, for the lucrative order for additional WZT-3 ARVs. Disregarded entirely was the fact that in three previous contracts for a total of 352 WZT-3 ARVs (44 in 1999; 80 in 2002; and 228 in 2005), BEML had disregarded the contractual stipulation to indigenise the ARV. Instead, the Indian defence public sector undertaking (DPSU) imported fully built ARVs from a Polish company, Bumar, fitted cosmetic Indian components and supplied these to the army.
The WZT-3 ARVs are essentially T-72 tanks kitted for repair and recovery, rather than for fighting. Instead of a gun and turret, the T-72 is fitted with a heavy-duty crane, winch and repair equipment. This allows the ARV to travel cross-country with tank columns, repairing tanks that break down.
The purchase of these essential vehicles has been fraught with controversy. In 2003, Brigadier Inder Mohan Singh was a Deputy Director General in the Master General of Ordnance (MGO) Branch, which handles the procurement of "in-service equipment," as the WZT-3 was since 1999. He has told Business Standard the tendering process was manipulated to ensure BEML emerged the lone bidder. The tender was sent out to only two PSUs, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) and BEML; only BEML bid. When Larsen & Toubro threw its hat in the ring, the defence ministry's acquisitions chief ruled it out as an "unsolicited bid". That left BEML, the single vendor, at liberty to dictate terms.
Top L&T officials verify this happened, though the company has declined to comment officially, since it had not been invited to bid.
Brig I M Singh says Ukraine then wrote in, offering their T-72 based ARV for trials. This was an attractive offer, since Ukraine was willing to use the T-72 chassis and running gear that India was already building near Chennai, while importing only the recovery gear. This, saysby Singh, would have made their ARV 30-40 per cent cheaper than the WZT-3. He put up an official proposal that the Ukrainian ARV be invited for trials, since this was a Rs 1,000-crore contract that should not go to a single bidder.
That idea was quickly shot down by the MGO himself, Lt General V K Jetley, whose brother, Colonel Virendar Jetley, had been employed by Bumar India, a joint venture between Bumar Poland and the New Delhi-based Chemon Group, headed by prominent Delhi cigar baron, Chetan Seth. "Within days, I was removed from the ARV cost negotiation committee," says Brig Singh.
Chetan Seth, interviewed by Business Standard, confirms Col Virendar Jetley was his employee. However, he denies any influence was exercised.
Arms dealers have long sought a link with the MGO's office, which controls a large chunk of the defence budget.
The owner of Vectra, Ravi Rishi, now under the CBI scanner in the Tatra case, employed two successive MGOs soon after they retired: Lt Gen R I S Kahlon, from the time he retired till his death last year; and Lt Gen S J S Saighal, who hit the limelight when Eurocopter, which employed his brother, Lt Gen H S Saighal, won a massive Indian contract for 197 light helicopters. The defence ministry overturned that decision after rivals protested.
With the contract for 228 WZT-3 signed in 2005, Bumar Poland began sending shiploads of ARVs to Mumbai. While BEML was supposed to indigenise these quickly, Brig I M Singh says BEML did absolutely no work on the ARVs.
"The Bumar ARVs did not even go to the BEML plant. When the ship from Poland reached Mumbai, we would send drivers to unload the ARVs. They would load the ARVs onto a train to Ordnance Depot, Kirkee, from where the frontline units would collect them," says Brig Singh.
Chetan Seth admits the ARVs never went to BEML but claims some Indian parts would be fitted onto the ARVs in Ordnance Depot, Kirkee. "It took some time, but we indigenised drivers' periscope sights; drivers' adjustable seats; periscopes; and radios. We had a team of five Polish engineers in Kirkee," avers Seth.
Approached for comments, BEML chief, V R S Natarajan, said he would respond in a press conference once the army chief retired. When pressed for answers, he asked for an emailed list of questions, to which he has not responded.
Meanwhile, another Chetan Seth company, Optic Electronics, was providing an illustration of how "indigenisation" worked in the WZT-3.
According to a senior Chetan Seth employee, Optic Electronics functioned from an SEZ in Noida, importing surplus parts from East Europe depots, touching these up, and then re-exporting them at a 500 per cent profit.
"Optic Electronics would import the day sights for each WZT-3 ARV for $5,500. These stained, often rusty, parts would be cleaned up and re-exported to Bumar Poland for around $25,000. These would then be fitted onto the WZT-3," says the Seth employee on condition of anonymity.
Chetan Seth says he built day sights in partnership with a Polish company called PCO. He admits providing day sights for the WZT-3, but denies they were surplus parts from junkyards.
Ironically, the "indigenisation" of the WZT-3, which never crossed even 20 per cent, was being done through low-tech routes like ploughs, driver sights, towing ropes and seats, even as India was running a full T-72 tank manufacturing line at Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, and building T-72 engines at the Engine Factory, Avadi.
Business Standard learned during a visit to Avadi last November that the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) had quoted a price of Rs 40-50 lakh per engine for the WZT-3, but BEML rejected this as too high. Consequently, Bumar continues to source the engine from East Europe. The OFB's quote has also been rejected for the latest order for 204 WZT-3 ARVs, which bodes ill for any prospect of indigenisation.
The ministry of defence has not responded to an emailed request for comments.
Posted by Broadsword at 12:16 35 comments:
Labels: defence planning, Defence Production, Indian Army, Land systems, Ordnance factories, Private Sector, russia, vehicle
Thank God that's over...
On April Fools' Day 2010, while taking over as Chief of Army Staff, General V K Singh identified his foremost goal as restoring the army's "internal health". On Thursday, in what surely will be a frosty ceremony, he will hand over to his successor, General Bikram Singh, an army whose generals are badly divided. Not even in the 1950s and 1960s, when the ambitious Lieutenant General B M Kaul exploited his proximity to Jawaharlal Nehru to split the officer community into pro-Kaul and anti-Kaul factions, did India witness the sorry spectacle of an army chief publicly denigrating his top commanders.
Where did V K Singh go wrong? Many argued (including this columnist) that the army chief was within his rights to take his government to the Supreme Court. This after the defence ministry rejected his petition to adjust his date of birth, and thereby allow him another 10 months in office. But once the Supreme Court judges rubbished his case in court, forcing him to withdraw his petition, V K Singh faced the prospect of an anonymous retirement just four months away.
His desperate riposte was ill-judged from the start. Soon after his setback in the Supreme Court, a group of illustrious citizens, including a retired navy chief, Admiral Ramdas, filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court that rested on the communal narrative of a Sikh conspiracy to get General Bikram Singh into office. While the petitioners cannot be conclusively linked with V K Singh, the evidence suggests that they were at least manipulated by him. On February 10, the day V K Singh withdrew from the Supreme Court, the general's henchmen approached me with a detailed briefing on "Operation Moses". Reduced to its cringe-worthy essentials, this had Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife; Planning Commission Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and his wife; former army chief General J J Singh and his wife; and the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (every Sikh down the chain, you get the drift?) in cahoots to get V K Singh out of office on May 31, 2012, when Bikram Singh would be poised to take over from him. I declined to pursue these improbable and slanderous allegations. Regrettably, Admiral Ramdas & Co approached the Supreme Court, challenging Bikram Singh's appointment.
Perhaps this communalism should not have been a surprise. After all, the Rajput card was played without compunction whilst V K Singh was fighting his date of birth battle. A group of Rajput parliamentarians was dispatched to the prime minister to plead on his behalf. When a proxy was needed to file a Supreme Court writ petition on the general's date of birth, the "Rohtak Grenadiers' Association", packed with the general's fellow-Rajputs, was conveniently at hand.
Sadly for V K Singh, nothing worked. The PM politely reminded the Rajput MPs that the army must remain apolitical. The Supreme Court, less politely, dismissed the Rohtak Grenadiers' Association writ petition. And the apex court, while throwing out the "Operation Moses" writ petition in end-April, scolded the petitioners for communalising the issue.
With avenues closing fast, V K Singh apparently decided to use his office to launch himself into politics. By end-March, he had donned the garb of an anti-corruption crusader. First an earlier interview was dusted out in which he described turning down a Rs 14 crore bribe by one of his senior generals; that was followed in short order by the leak of his letter (still a whodunit!) to the PM warning about the army's poor state of operational readiness. The insinuation was clear: with corruption below him and indifference above, V K Singh alone was a bastion of morality. Last month, in an unabashedly political move, the chief travelled to Ballia for a Samajwadi Party function to unveil a statue of former prime minister Chandra Shekhar.
Last Friday, the outgoing chief proved that he had lost any lingering trace of judgement. Sharing a platform with R K Anand – a disreputable lawyer who the Supreme Court convicted for contempt of court after an NDTV camera caught him buying off a key witness in the notorious BMW kill-and-run case – V K Singh launched a public tirade against one of his corps commanders, Lt General Dalbir Singh Suhag, ironically accusing him of making public a show-cause notice issued to him. Suhag was apparently being targeted as the army chief who would take over from Bikram Singh. Earlier that day, V K Singh had attended an ex-servicemen's rally in Dharamsala, where he sat listening as former Congressman Vijay Singh Mankotia flayed the government.
Fortunately, it is time to turn the page. It would be a mistake to believe (as Pakistan's generals are prone to do) that the Indian Army will remain deflated for long. The young and mid-ranking officers, and the rank and file, remain untouched by V K Singh's shenanigans. Bikram Singh has his task cut out for him: to apply a healing touch and to visibly and conclusively bury the vendettas that V K Singh pursued. The corrosiveness of the outgoing chief will itself make his successor look good. Above all, Bikram Singh must embrace the virtues of silence. An army chief expresses himself with tanks and guns, not in lengthy interviews on news television.
Posted by Broadsword at 07:47 103 comments:
Labels: Broadsword, Indian Army, Inside Tales, Morale
Defence industry staggers under rising dollar, seeks MoD protection
With the dollar hardening almost 25 per cent from Rs 45 a year ago, to Rs 56 on Wednesday, our import-dependent defence is obviously taking a hit. The 13.15 per cent rise in the latest defence budget --- from Rs 1,70,937 crore last year, to Rs 1,93,407 crore for 2012-13 --- has been wiped out and more. The picture is even bleaker when inflation is factored in, which runs at about 15 per cent annually for defence equipment.
The damage extends to the Indian defence industry, which even in "indigenous" weaponry uses a substantial share of foreign components and systems, ranging from 30-70 per cent. Until last year, the Defence Ministry (MoD) sheltered the defence public sector --- which includes 8 defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) and 39 Ordnance Factories (OFs) --- through a mechanism called foreign exchange rate variation (FERV), which adjusted their income to cover forex fluctuations. In contrast, the private sector has stood exposed to foreign exchange (forex) risk.
Consequently, many private players stare at unexpected losses. Take Larsen & Toubro, which won a Rs 1,000 crore contract in March 2010 to build 36 fast interceptor craft for the Indian Coast Guard. These are 110-tonne patrol and rescue vessels that are propelled by water jets at a scorching 44 knots (81 kilometres per hour). L&T says that about 40 per cent of the vessel is imported, including the engine and the water jets. Given a profit margin of 10 per cent, the L&T quote catered for a forex component of Rs 360 crore. Given the rupee's fall, that forex component has risen to Rs 445 crore today. L&T says it is struggling to break even on this contract.
Or take Bangalore-based Alpha Design Technologies Ltd, which won a Rs 48 crore contract last September to build target designators for the air force, laser beams that "light up" a target, allowing a laser-detecting aircraft bomb to ride the reflected beam to the target for a pinpoint strike. When Alpha submitted its bid in Nov 2010, the dollar was worth Rs 44.37; today it is 25 per cent higher. Given that 70 per cent of the target designator is imported, Alpha faces a substantial loss.
"We were competing against DPSUs like Bharat Electronics Ltd, which the MoD covered against FERV risks. With profit margins in defence electronics barely 5 per cent, how could we afford forex hedging?" asks Colonel HS Shankar, CMD of Alpha.
Industry sources tell Business Standard that forex hedging costs were about 6% per cent annually, when the rupee was stable. A three-year hedge, essential given the time taken for discharging defence contracts, would have cost 17-18 per cent. With the rupee in freefall today, a three-year hedge will cost a vendor 30 per cent.
"With the rupee nose-diving, quoting for fixed price contracts has become extremely risky without hedging at high cost. Imagine the plight of Indian bidders when competing for Indian defence contracts against foreign companies who are anyway automatically protected," says MV Kotwal, President (Heavy Engineering), L&T.
Now the private sector has asked industry bodies, CII and Ficci, to approach the MoD for protection. Business Standard has learnt that Ficci will be considering the issue at its National Executive meeting on May 29th.
So far, the MoD has been entirely unsympathetic. L&T's Kotwal says that private sector companies had asked the MoD to treat them at par with the DPSUs, which enjoyed FERV protection. The government acceded to that request in the latest Defence Procurement Procedure of 2011 (DPP-2011), but not in the manner requested.
"Instead of allowing FERV for the private sector, DPP-2011 denied it to both the public and the private sector!" says Kotwal.
In fact, DPP-2011 shelters Indian vendors from FERV in global contracts, i.e. when an Indian company competes and wins in an international tender. However, FERV shelter is disallowed in the contract categories of "Buy (Indian)"; "Buy & Make (Indian)"; and "Make" categories, which are open to Indian companies alone. The only exception is for DPSUs, when the MoD nominates them as the source for procurement or production.
CEOs of defence manufacturers point out that they already absorb significant risks, including potential fluctuations in commodity prices, especially aluminium and steel. But they say it is unfair to expect them to cater for rupee fluctuations that stem from the government's macro-economic policies.
"When the government buys from a foreign arms vendor it absorbs the forex risk, but it wants fledgling Indian defence manufacturers to absorb that risk themselves. The private defence industry is just learning how to walk; it cannot yet carry the forex risk. If the MoD is serious about building a private defence industry, it should not transfer forex risk to us," says Rahul Chaudhary, CEO of Tata Power (Strategic Electronics Division).
Across the defence sector, there is recognition that the ongoing forex-related turmoil is rooted substantially in the MoD's inability to develop manufacturing capabilities in the materials, components and sub-systems that that go into modern weapons systems.
"India has successfully integrated high-tech weaponry like the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft; the Arjun tank; even a nuclear submarine. But as long as the MoD does not build capability in basic components that we continue to import --- such as Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) chips and image intensifier tubes and thermal imaging detectors for night vision devices --- even these indigenous programmes carry extensive forex risk," says Major Karun Khanna, Advisor to Alpha Design Technologies.
The rupee depreciation has also affected capital procurement from overseas vendors. Says KPMG's defence analyst, Neelu Khatri: "The capital budget allocation of Rs 79,579 crore in April was worth US $15.6 billion then; today it is worth just $14.22 billion. An effective cut of $1.42 billion means a 9 per cent procurement cut for a nation that is heavily dependent on imports and already suffering alarming rate of equipment obsolescence."
Labels: defence planning, Defence Production, DRDO, HAL, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Land systems, LCA, Missiles, MMRCA, offsets, Ordnance factories, Private Sector, shipbuilding, Software
Naval training sailship completes 5000 nautical mile odyssey
The Indian Navy's training sailship, the Mhadei, arrived at Kochi Port today after completing a grueling 5000 nautical mile odyssey to South East Asia. The vessel, skippered by naval pilot Lieutenant Commander Abhilash Tomy, was on a training voyage to provide off shore sailing experience to two officers and four sailors.
The Mhadei began its voyage from its base port, Goa, on 17th March. Over the next two months, it sailed to Ezhimala, Kochi, Port Blair, Langkawi and Phuket. Lieutenant Commander Tomy terms it a good experience despite having to face the gathering monsoon winds on their return leg.
The vessel will cast off from Kochi on 29th May to return to Goa. Mhadei had created history when Commander Dilip Donde of Indian Navy became the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe solo in May 2010.
Posted by Broadsword at 11:29 2 comments:
Labels: Indian Navy, region
Afghanistan: withdrawal by 2014, military aid ends by 2024
Business Standard, 23rd May 12
The NATO summit in Chicago that concluded on Monday put the stamp of finality on a western withdrawal from Afghanistan by 31st Dec 2014, leaving security thereafter in the hands of Afghans. Starting next summer the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) will assume the lead role in imposing security across the country, with western forces moving to a backup role. The question of who will pay the ANSF's $4.1 billion annual tab remains unanswered for now.
Announcing the withdrawal of the 40-nation, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which has overseen Afghanistan's security since 2001, a joint communiqué stated on Monday, "ISAF's mission will be concluded by the end of 2014. But thereafter Afghanistan will not stand alone."
That generosity will last only for a decade; NATO says that Kabul must support its own forces by 2024. "Afghanistan's yearly share (of the security budget) will increase progressively from at least US$500m in 2015, with the aim that it can assume, no later than 2024, full financial responsibility for its own security forces," says the communiqué.
During the interim period, NATO's support remains conditional on Kabul's "commitment to a democratic society, based on the rule of law and good governance, including progress in the fight against corruption." The western insistence on corruption-free governance has been a major irritant for President Hamid Karzai.
Turning the screws on Karzai, who must constitutionally step down as Afghanistan's president after completing his second term in 2014, NATO leaders stated, "The forthcoming elections must be conducted with full respect for Afghan sovereignty and in accordance with the Afghan Constitution. Their transparency, inclusivity and credibility will also be of paramount importance. In this context, continued progress towards these goals will encourage ISAF nations to further provide their support up to and beyond 2014."
So far, ISAF has functioned under a "peace-enforcement" mandate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Now NATO will seek a fresh UN mandate for its new mission that would be confined to training, advice and assistance. The communiqué noted. "We will ensure that the new mission has a sound legal basis, such as a United Nations Security Council Resolution.
The joint communiqué papered over serious rifts within NATO. Newly-elected French president, Francois Hollande, insists on withdrawing French forces from Afghanistan by 2012, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to salvage NATO's honour through a synchronised pullout. These divisions are being gleefully exploited by the Taliban, which registered its presence at Chicago with a 3-page statement urging NATO countries to follow France's example.
The ANSF already has responsibility for security across half of Afghanistan, according to time lines that were mandated in the November 2010 NATO summit in Lisbon. In the first phase, which was completed in July 2011, the ANSF took charge of Kabul city, six smaller towns, and two of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. In the second phase that began last November, Afghan forces assumed responsibility for a much larger area: six provinces, seven cities and 40 rural districts. With the completion of the third phase, which President Karzai announced on 13th May, three quarters of Afghanistan will be under ANSF charge. But the most violent areas --- like southern Afghanistan, where Taliban influence is strongest --- are still controlled by western forces.
Despite "assuming security responsibility" for large swathes of Afghanistan, the ANSF remains incapable of operating independently. Western forces still provide crucial logistic support; medical facilities; air support and mentoring. Experts say it will take at least a couple of years for the ANSF to operate independently.
The biggest loser at Chicago was Pakistan's president, Asif Zardari, who accepted a special invitation to Chicago but couldn't get to meet his US counterpart. According to US press reports, President Barack Obama is believed to have made a meeting conditional on Islamabad agreeing to reopen American supply routes from Karachi Port to Afghanistan. Despite a meeting between Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and President Zardari, that deal was not closed.
At a press conference after the summit, US president Barack Obama acknowledged "tensions between ISAF and Pakistan, the United States and Pakistan," but pointed out that, "they are being worked through both military and diplomatic channels."
Referring to the extremism and instability in that country, Obama declared that "it is in Pakistan's interest to work with us and the world community to ensure that they themselves are not consumed by extremism that is in their midst."
Labels: region, russia, strategy, US military
NATO leaders, eyeing exit, to pledge support to Afghan forces today
On Sunday and Monday, at a keenly-watched meeting in Chicago, NATO leaders will argue over who should pay the US $4.1 billion bill for the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) after the pull-out of foreign troops by end-2014 leaves Afghan security largely in the hands of Afghans.
Currently, a NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) oversees Afghan security, along with US military forces that operate independently of ISAF. Starting from 2015, an Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP), numbering some 352,000 troopers, would assume full responsibility for security. Their numbers would be reduced incrementally to 228,000 by 2017.
NATO has assessed that Kabul would require about US $4.1 billion annually for maintaining this force. High-level Washington sources say the US is trying to peg its contribution to $2 billion; NATO countries could contribute another $1 billion; the Afghan budget would pay for about $500 million; leaving a $600 million gap that must be filled in Chicago.
So far, NATO countries have been less than forthcoming. Germany has pledged $193 million annually; the UK has offered $110 million per year; and non-NATO member, Australia, will pay $100 million per year for the next three years. Over several years now, NATO members have regularly failed to meet their financial commitments towards ANSF training.
Afghan authorities are pressing Washington to fill the budget gaps. Afghanistan's deputy foreign minister, Jawed Ludin, pointed out at a press briefing in Kabul this week that, "The $4.1bn is the cost not of 352,000 [soldiers and police] but of the reduced size, which is 228,000. The United States will be paying for the extra soldiers that will be needed between 2014 to 2017."
Washington faces difficulties in allocating more money, given the depth of anti-war sentiment that is playing out in Chicago, where busloads of demonstrators are arriving to protest the war. The US has lost almost 2000 soldiers during a decade of war in Afghanistan. Another 4,500 US citizens lost their lives in Iraq.
The US draw down from Afghanistan plays out in the strategic backdrop of the US "pivot to Asia," presented by President Obama in January. "We're turning the page on a decade of war," Obama had said, announcing that the US would turn away from Europe and West Asia towards "the arc extending from the Western Pacific and East Asia into the Indian Ocean region and South Asia."
However, Washington is negotiating an arrangement with Kabul that could allow for a residual footprint of some 25,000 to 30,000 US troops in garrisons in Afghanistan that would focus on "counter-terrorist operations," a euphemism for drone strikes against radical jehadi forces.
On Sunday, Afghan president Hamid Karzai will hold one-on-one talks with Obama in Chicago. There is no meeting scheduled between Obama and Pakistan's president Asif Zardari, but his attendance suggests a cooling of tensions between Washington and Islamabad. Pakistan has blocked the move of US logistic supplies through the country after at least 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a NATO air strike on their border check post last November. Seen as a key player in any solution in Afghanistan, Pakistan is believed to have been lured to Chicago with the promise of $1 billion in released grants and an estimated $1 million per day in transit fees for the move of supplies into Afghanistan.
NATO last met in the US in 1999, two years before Al Qaeda terrorists brought down the World Trade Centre twin towers, triggering the war in Afghanistan. The 9/11 attacks led NATO member countries to invoke, for the first time ever, the common defence provisions of the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949. This mandates that an attack on one member country will be regarded as an attack on all of them.
Labels: region, russia, strategy, US military, West Asia
Impending change of guard at Southern Naval Command... Vice Admiral KN Sushil to retire on 31st May
Today, Vice Admiral KN Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command spent time with his sea going units, the last time he will do so before retiring from service on 31st May. A proud submariner, Admiral Sushil was among those who inducted the Shishumar Class (HDW) submarines into the Indian Navy. As the first Inspector General Nuclear Safety of Indian Navy, Admiral Sushil did the ground work for inducting advanced nuclear submarines like INS Chakra into the navy.
In the maneuvers held off the Kochi coast today, eight ships from the Southern Naval Command participated. INS Tir, from the Kochi-based 1st Training Squadron was the FOC-in-C's flag ship. Dorniers, Seakings, Chetaks and Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters from INS Garuda also participated. The admiral exhorted the men on board to keep the Naval Ensign flying high and remain sharp and ready to defend the interests of the nation.
Posted by Broadsword at 15:19 No comments:
Labels: Indian Navy
Delays, challenges for Indo-Russian fighter
Seven years before its scheduled completion, the defence ministry (MoD) has already announced a two-year delay in the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) that India and Russia will jointly develop.
Defence Minister AK Antony has been saying that the FGFA would join the Indian Air Force by 2017. On Monday, his deputy, MM Pallam Raju told parliament that "The fifth generation aircraft is scheduled to be certified by 2019 following which the series production will start."
The FGFA is the flagship of the Indo-Russian partnership. Both countries say it will be the world's most advanced fighter. But interviews with Indian designers who have overseen the project suggest significant disquiet. There is apprehension that the FGFA will significantly exceed its current $6 billion budget, because this figure reflects the expenditure on just the basic aircraft. Crucial avionics systems would all cost extra.
On the positive side, Indian designers say the FGFA project will provide invaluable experience in testing and certifying a heavy fighter aircraft that is bigger and more complex than the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), India's foundational aerospace achievement.
The Russian and Indian Air Forces each plan to build about 250 FGFAs, at an estimated cost of US $100 million per fighter. That adds up to US $25 billion each, in addition to the development cost.
The FGFA's precursor has already flown. In Jan 2010 Russian company, Sukhoi, test-flew a prototype called the PAK-FA, the acronym for Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Frontovoi Aviatsy (literally Prospective Aircraft Complex of Frontline Aviation). Now, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will partner Sukhoi to transform the bare bones PAK-FA into an FGFA that meets the Indian Air Force's requirements of stealth (near-invisibility to radar); super-cruise (supersonic cruising speed); networking (real-time digital links with other battlefield systems) and world-beating airborne radar that outranges enemy fighters.
But Sukhoi insists that the PAK-FA already meets Russia's requirements, says NC Agarwal, the HAL design chief, who spearheaded the FGFA negotiations until his recent retirement. HAL worries that Russia might ask India to pay extra for further development, particularly the avionics that transform a mere flying machine into a lethal weapons platform. That would leave the $6 billion budget in tatters.
The IAF clearly wants a top-of-the-line FGFA. According to Ashok Nayak, who spoke to Business Standard as HAL's chairman before retiring last Oct, the IAF has specified 40-45 improvements that must be made to the PAK-FA. These have been formalized into an agreed list between Russia and India, which is called the Tactical Technical Assignment.
A key IAF requirement is a "360-degree" AESA (airborne electronically scanned active) radar, rather than the AESA radar that Russia has developed. Either way, India would pay Russia extra: either in licence fees for the Russian radar; or hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, for developing a world-beating, 360-degree AESA radar.
Nor is the IAF clear on whether the FGFA should be a single-seat fighter like the PAK-FA, or a twin-seat aircraft like the Sukhoi-30MKI. A section of the IAF backs a single-seat fighter, while another prefers two pilots for flying and fighting a complex, networked fighter. During the ongoing Preliminary Design Phase (PDP), for which India has paid $295 million, a two sides will determine whether developing the PAK-FA into a twin-seat aircraft (inevitably more bulky) would reduce the FGFA's stealth and performance unacceptably.
"The single-seat FGFA is essential for the IAF, and we will transform the Russian single-seat fighter into our single-seat version with a large component of Indian avionics. The twin-seat version will depend on the PDP conclusions," says Nayak.
The PDP also requires Sukhoi to hand over design documentation to HAL, providing it a detailed insight into the design processes of the PAK-FA. Since India took years to decide to join the FGFA project, HAL missed out the design phase entirely.
The 18-month PDP, which terminates this year, will be followed by the "R&D Phase," which could take another 7 years, says the HAL chairman. The FGFA will be designed in both countries; some 100 HAL engineers already operate from a facility in Bangalore. Another contingent will move to Russia to work in the Sukhoi Design Bureau.
"Our boys will learn the Russian language; their way of working; their design rules; their design norms. We are left hand drive, while they are right hand drive. The Russians say they will part with all these things," says Nayak.
But the most valuable learning, say HAL executives, will happen during the FGFA's flight-testing. "Unlike the basic design phase, which we missed out on, we will actually gain experience during flight testing. This phase throws up dozens of problems and we will participate in resolving these, including through design changes."
HAL engineers recount the complexity of flight-testing the Tejas LCA. "Fuel flow to the engine was a challenging issue. As the LCA flew, its centre of gravity shifted because fuel was consumed unevenly between its 7-8 fuel tanks. So we learned to balance the fuel between tanks, completely changing the design of this system during flight-testing. Similarly, we had to strengthen the wings when we mounted the R-73 missile. All this you learn only by experience," says Agarwal.
Despite the LCA experience, HAL engineers believe that the 30-tonne FGFA is a far more complex challenge. They estimate that flight testing such an aircraft without Russian help might take 15 years, as long as the LCA.
HAL designers also relish the FGFA's specific challenges. For achieving stealth, its missiles, rockets and reconnaissance payloads are concealed in an internal bay under the wings. Before using these, a door slides open, exposing the weapon for use.
The Russians clearly believe that HAL possesses useful capabilities, including the ability to design the AESA radar. Also attractive is India's experience in composites.
"The LCA program has generated a high level of expertise in composite materials within the National Aerospace Laboratory and some joint teams. The FGFA requires "higher modulus" composites, which can withstand the 120-130 degree Centigrade temperatures that arise whilst flying at Mach 1.7 speeds," says Agarwal.
Despite the continuing imponderables, HAL believes that the FGFA project provides genuine technological skills, far more useful than licensed manufacture. "We will pay some $6-7 billion to France for the licence to build the Rafale in HAL. In the FGFA project, a similar sum will bring in genuine design knowledge that will help us in the future."
Labels: defence planning, Defence Production, DRDO, HAL, Indian Air Force, LCA, MMRCA, russia, strategy, US military
Bridging the gulf on Iran
Barely masked by the warm sunshine here in Washington on Mothers' Day is a stormy political mood over Iran's defiant refusal to halt uranium enrichment despite the most far-reaching economic sanctions in recent times. That failure is being blamed partly on India, especially in the US media, for New Delhi's refusal to terminate oil imports from Iran and, instead, to deepen trade ties with Teheran. "Delhi is turning out to be the mullahs' last best friend," trumpeted The Wall Street Journal. With Team Obama's political gaze focused on re-election in November, the White House fears that a pre-emptive military strike by Israel on Iran's nuclear facilities might transform the discourse of the election campaign.
That fear was fanned last Tuesday by the dramatic formation of a national unity government in Israel, when the leftist Kadima Party hopped over from the opposition to join Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's Likud government. To American observers, the Israeli polity seems to be closing ranks for a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel had formed a national unity government, in similar fashion, before launching the fateful Six Day War against an Arab coalition in 1967.
Washington has tried to restrain Israel by arguing that tightening sanctions would bring Iran around. But several countries, including India, make this a difficult argument to sell. India buys some 350,000 to 400,000 barrels of oil from Teheran everyday, since our energy requirements do not allow the tap to be turned off suddenly. Although Iran's share of our oil imports is just 10.4% today, down from 16.5% in 2008, that translates into a billion dollars a month for Teheran.
India, everyone admits, is not alone in importing oil from Iran. Teheran obtains greater support from Beijing and Moscow, especially in the UN Security Council. But given the media perception that New Delhi must constantly repay the debt of the US-India nuclear agreement, India's oil purchases are portrayed as the most unkindest cut of all.
Interestingly, the top leadership in Washington does not share this media and think tank obsession. Washington is displaying sensitivity to Iran's role in the Indian strategic calculus: as an oil supplier; as a gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia; and as an emotional locus for Indian Shia Muslims. Washington knows that New Delhi does not want a nuclear Iran; India voted against Iran in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) twice, in 2005 and 2009. The US is also aware of Iran's unrelenting assault over decades on crucial Indian interests, e.g. the Jammu & Kashmir issue, in bodies like the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).
New Delhi has also pointed out that some 4 million Indians live and work in West Asia. A major regional conflict stemming from an attack on Iran could force India into a major evacuation, far larger than those that were necessary during the two US wars against Iraq (1990-91 and 2003) and during Israel's invasion of Lebanon (2006).
And so Washington, for now, is not reacting to the media drumbeat that an ungrateful New Delhi is siding against Washington on a crucial foreign policy issue, just as it had on Libya and Syria. This reflects intensified conversations between New Delhi and Washington, and a growing maturity in the relationship. New Delhi has been understanding of America's engagement and even arms supplies to Pakistan --- surely a key Indian foreign policy concern --- and now the US is accommodating India's compulsions on Iran. Their strategic objectives converge: neither likes the idea of Teheran brandishing nukes. The divergence is on how that is best achieved.
New Delhi, with its own experience in beating sanctions in the quest for nuclear weapons, believes that coercion alone would only deepen Iranian determination. Alongside the spectre of economic disruption and military force, Iran must be offered a face-saving withdrawal through cast-iron security guarantees. Given America's physical presence on both its flanks, Israeli sabre-rattling and the contemporary lessons of Iraq, Libya and Syria (in contrast to nuclear North Korea and Pakistan), it would be surprising if Teheran were not to conclude that nuclear weapons are the only guarantee of regime survival.
India can offer more than advice, howsoever sage. Negotiations with Iran are going nowhere, although the so-called P5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members, plus Germany) will meet Iranian negotiators later this month. The ongoing process is based on mutual deception. Teheran is fighting a rearguard action to gain space for its nuclear weapons programme; meanwhile the P5+I is arm-twisting Iran without addressing its core concerns. The technical issues of verification, inspection and relocation of nuclear fuel that are discussed up-front must be complemented with a back-channel process that addresses the key issue of Iranian insecurity. New Delhi, as the only agent that enjoys trust in all the key capitals --- Teheran, Washington, Riyadh, Tel Aviv, Ankara and Moscow --- must offer itself as back-channel interlocutor. For years, New Delhi's strategic policy of multi-alignment has built trust and equity in these countries. Stepping up to the plate would enhance Indian stature; cement relations with important regional and global powers; and defuse the threat of a confrontation that can only end in turmoil.
Labels: nuclear, region, russia, strategy, US military, West Asia
INS Viraat completes 25 years in the Indian Navy on Saturday, 12th May 2012
25 YEARS OF INS VIRAAT- 12 MAY 1987 TO 12 MAY 2012
On 12 May 1987 HMS Hermes became INS Viraat under the command of Capt (later Vice Admiral) Vinod Pasricha. Commissioned in Nov 1959 as HMS Hermes, the ship completed 28 years in the Royal Navy and saw combat in the Falklands Campaign.
The commissioning signal from the Naval Headquarters said:
"Your commissioning today marks an important milestone in the development of our Navy's blue water capability. May your operational prowess match your gigantic name and good fortune attend on you wherever you may sail. I wish all officers and men a happy, challenging and rewarding commission"
The message from the crew of the Hermes read:
"Bringing forward HMS Hermes for hand over to the Indian Navy and commissioning as INS Viraat… It is with a mixture of sadness, pride and confidence that we today handover this magnificent ship to the Indian Navy; sadness in that we with our happy memories witness her passing from the Royal Navy, pride in the capabilities noting that she will be in good hands and confident that she will prove equal and worthy of all the aspirations the Indian Navy have for her as Viraat. The Captain, officers and ships company of HMS Hermes congratulate the Captain, officers and ships company on the majesty of INS Viraat and may good fortune attend all who sail in her quest to control the sea and be all powerful.
INS Viraat has been maintained and run by the Indian Navy for a quarter century after that, making Hermes-Viraat one of the longest serving aircraft carrier in the history of naval operations anywhere in the world. This says something about the Indian Navy's capability in maintaining and operating warships.
In 2009, when the Hermes-Viraat completed 50 years in service, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma, who commanded Viraat from 08 Nov 1996 to 13 Dec 1997 said:
"The fact that a warship designed in 1940s and built in the 1950s could evolve and adjust to the technological and strategic imperatives of the post war years, the Cold War and continues to have utility in the 21st century is testimony to the men and women who built her and also those who have contributed to transforming her over the years.
The ship's motto is "Any Mission, Any Time, Anywhere"
Some other interesting facts of INS Viraat
When commissioned in 1987, her envisaged life was 10 years....
INS VIraat's last major modernisation and life enhancement refit was undertaken in 2008-09 enabling a life extension of a few more years ie till the arrival of Vikramaditya ie definitely till 2013...
INS Viraat was the flag ship of the western fleet during Op Parakram. With its full strength of Sea Harriers embarked, Viraat was central to the Western Fleet deployment for over six months. She was at sea with Capt (now VAdm) DK Joshi as the Commanding Officer and RAdm (later VAdm) JS Bedi as the Fleet Commander.
She is currently commanded by Capt Ajendra Bahadur Singh, the 19th CO of the ship.
Ship has seen 18 Commanding Officers, three of which three went onto become Chiefs of Naval Staff --- Adm Madhvendra Singh, Adm Arun Prakash and Adm Nirmal Verma.
Ship has done over 40,000 hours of steaming and traversed over 5,00,000 nautical miles across the proverbial seven seas. The ship has undertaken over 20,000 hrs of flying from its deck.
INS VIRAAT - LIST OF COMMANDING OFFICERS
S NO.
CAPTAIN VINOD PASRICHA NM
CAPTAIN MADHAVENDRA SINGH
CAPTAIN ARUN PRAKASH VRC NM
CAPTAIN MADANJIT SINGH
CAPTAIN YASHWANT PRASAD
CAPTAIN JAGJEET SINGH BEDI VSM
CAPTAIN VIJAY SHANKAR
CAPTAIN NIRMAL KUMAR VERMA
CAPTAIN SK DAMLE NM VSM
CAPTAIN RF CONTRACTOR
CAPTAIN DK JOSHI NM VSM
CAPTAIN ANIL K CHOPRA
CAPTAIN PRADEEP CHAUHAN
CAPTAIN SPS CHEEMA NM
CAPTAIN GIRISH LUTHRA
CAPTAIN AR KARVE
CAPTAIN ANIL KUMAR CHAWLA
CAPTAIN HARI KUMAR
CAPTAIN AJENDRA BAHADUR SINGH
Onwards till date
All major refits of Viraat have been undertaken by the Cochin Shipyard Limited. The extension of the ship's life far beyond initial expectations is stands as a testimony to the high levels of workmanship and dedication of the yard staff at Cochin Shipyard.
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Charging ahead in Kashmir

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Induction of cell cycle arrest via the p21, p27–cyclin E,A/Cdk2 pathway in SMMC-7721 hepatoma cells by clioquinol
Zhiwei Huang,
Lianqiu Wang,
Lifeng Chen,
Yifei Zhang and
Ping Shi
Page range: 463 - 471
Accepted: 14 Jul 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acph-2015-0034 © by Zhiwei HuangThis work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.
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Recent approaches in the drug research and development of novel antimalarial drugs with new targets
Intensive critical care and management of asthmatic and smoker patients in COVID-19 infection
Effects of tranquilization therapy in elderly patients suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases: A meta-analysis
The opposite effect of convulsant drugs on neuronal and endothelial nitric oxide synthase – A possible explanation for the dual proconvulsive/anticonvulsive action of nitric oxide
Ampelopsin induces MDA-MB-231 cell cycle arrest through cyclin B1-mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in vitro and in vivo
Effects of 3R, 16S-2-hydroxyethyl apovincaminate (HEAPO), donepezil and galantamine on learning and memory retention in naïve Wistar rats
Tablet characteristics and pharmacokinetics of orally disintegrating tablets containing coenzyme Q10 granules prepared by different methods
Sodium butyrate attenuate hyperglycemia-induced inflammatory response and renal injury in diabetic mice
Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether-mediated nanostructured lipid carriers enhance trans-ferulic acid delivery by Caco-2 cells superior to solid lipid nanoparticles
The in vitro anticancer effects of FS48 from salivary glands of Xenopsylla cheopis on NCI-H460 cells via its blockage of voltage-gated K+ channels


The U.S. Geological Survey says a small earthquake shook the Salina area early Saturday morning.
According to the agency, a magnitude 2.8 earthquake was centered about five miles east of Salina. It was a little north and a little east of the intersection of E. Country Club and S. Woodward Roads. The earthquake happened at 12:20 AM.
The earthquake was felt throughout Central Kansas.


When TWC announced they have been merging and would now be referred to as Spectrum, we had been assured it would not change a thing for the consumer. Nearly all of the procuring channels have contracts that have similar provisions that the small enterprise proprietor ought to concentrate on. On the other hand, shopper complaints associated to TELEVISION dwelling procuring have additionally increased – shopper complaints obtained by the Korea Client Company (KCA") elevated by 37.5% from 272 in 2011 to 374 in 2013.
If you wish to watch a newly premiered film on the showcase channel than you must pay an amount of Rs 50 to look at a single movie with none break. The home procuring channels may even compete fiercely for star hosts to promote their gadgets as there is a robust emotional bond between widespread hosts and prospects which help appeal to prospects to their channels.
However pretty much as good because it sounds, small businesses must familiarize themselves with a number of the pros and cons of selling via these kind of sales channels. I've never purchased anything from a procuring channel, but understand they have a very consumer friendly return coverage.
Residence buying channels in western nations are inclined to adopt the short infomercial format which focuses on conveying the capabilities and features of the products. HSN, QVC , ShopNBC , Canadian Shopping Channel and many different tv/Internet format based sales channels supply firms with a compelling product the opportunity to sell an amazing number of products in a very short time.
If you find yourself promoting by way of a shopping channel community you are promoting beneath a consignment methodology though the language of their agreements doesn't name it that. Person may even choose even single channels to mix them for forming their customized channels.


This dual income property in the sought after Glenwood Heights Estate just West of the Toowoomba CBD is a 6 bedroom dual income property. It has a 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, single garage dwelling on one side and on the same on the other side..
Whatever your lifestyle, Glenwood Heights has everything you need in close proximity.
Located just a short drive West from the Toowoomba CBD, Glenwood Heights Estate is only minutes from Schools, Childcare, Shopping Centre's, St. Hospitals and the new Brisbane West Airport (Wellcamp). With flights direct to and from Sydney on Qantaslink. Direct flights to Melbourne, Townsville, Cairns on NorthAir. Plus a weekly commercial 747 Cathay Pacific flights to Asia exporting fresh produce from the Toowoomba area. Major industries include manufacturing, wholesale, and agriculture and with more than 23 private schools, a technical college, and university, Toowoomba can be considered a major educational centre.
Researchers have described Toowoomba City as being the 'Economic Engine' of the region. Equals to a strong local economy not relying on one industry. Long-term solid stable growth is ensured.
Toowoomba and the wider Surat Basin is a regional centre that is continuing to experience high growth and increased investment generated by an active resource sector, growing infrastructure requirements, seasoned agricultural productivity and many other successful industries.
The Toowoomba region continues to maintain its development spend on projects proposed, approved and awaiting commencement and underway, with current conservative estimates seeing an $11 billion development spend in the region. Keeping in mind that a number of projects that were featured in the previous report have now been completed, the $11 billion figure includes approximately $1.6 billion of additional projects that have come to light in the last six months. Projects currently underway see a $3.1 billion development spend in the region. The total development spends for projects approved and awaiting commencement hit $3.3 billion, with new projects in this section including a $1 billion Solar Electricity Farm, a $12 million 24-Hour BP Service Station and a $43 million new Bunnings store. In addition to this, a number of new and exciting proposed projects in the region have contributed a total of $4.3 billion in development spend. Some of these projects include three major developments by FKG including meat processing, cold store and milk processing facilities totalling $244 million, and a $60 million extension of the Oakey Beef Exports facility.
QANTAS recently announced (Sept 2018) Toowoomba to be the training centre for 20,000 new pilots. The first intake is about to start in 2019 with 500 in the first intake and they all need to rent in Toowoomba.
With a residential population fast approaching 200,000 people, Toowoomba offers plentiful business opportunities, as well as being a great place to live and raise a family.


text:
Voice Recognition Redux
August 11, 2005 December 25, 2015 Dr Bob
Several months ago, I upgraded my voice recognition software to Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 8. I have been using voice recognition software for over five years now, and have been very satisfied with it, although older versions could be maddening at times–and hilarious at others. This version is amazingly accurate–my only complaint since upgrading is that I am not having nearly as much fun proofreading my notes as I have the past.
Voice recognition software is rather remarkable technology, and to watch the medical version crank out complex terms with aplomb is almost magical. The software does not make spelling errors, but contextual errors are relatively common, and need to be carefully screened before sending your documents out the door.
A few of the contextual swaps I have encountered are as follows:
What I said: The patient said Viagra wasn't working, and wanted to try Cialis.
What it typed: The patient said Viagra wasn't working, and wanted to try and see Alice.
What I said: The patient was thoroughly reevaluated by her previous physician.
What it typed: The patient was thoroughly violated by her previous physician.
What I said: The patient will be started on depot testosterone.
What it typed: The patient will be started on devil testosterone.
What I said: The patient has prepubertal pubic hair changes.
What it typed: The patient had puréed pubic hair oranges.
The accuracy of this latest version has made such–ahem!–interesting errors quite a bit less common — to the point where I was becoming a bit complacent about careful proofreading. That is, until today:
What I said: The patient was seen several years ago for problems of urge incontinence, and has been on Detrol with good symptom relief.
What it typed: The patient was seen several years ago for problems of urge incontinence, and has been on a troll with good symptom relief.
And you thought they spent their entire lives living under bridges…
General Interest Computer, Humor, Medicine
Quality in Medicine – Pt 2:
Jack Daniels On Tour


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Syngas is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon usually formed by gasification of coal, solid waste or other carbon containing fuel at high temperatures (>700C) and subsequently used as a feedstock for the Fisher Tropsch process for gas to liquid production. Gasification of coal typically produces a stream which contains moisture, particulates, carbonyls and corrosive gases as well as mercury, arsenic, cadmium and H2S. Impurities must be sufficiently removed prior to subsequent process steps as they can poison the catalysts. Contaminants can also contribute to erosion and corrosion of critical plant components.
While it has been possible to analyze most trace contaminants in the syngas streams off line, there is a strong requirement for real-time on line analysis. To achieve these objectives there has been a focus on spectroscopic techniques for real time measurements within the various process streams. Raman spectroscopy is particularly well suited to analyze synthesis gas components, such as H2, N2, O2, CH4, CO, CO2 etc. for real time applications, which makes it very interesting for the use in monitoring and control of gaseous streams in steam methane reformer technology of natural gas feedstocks to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Raman spectroscopy offers a rich variety of sampling options which enable multiple remote measurement points with varying temperature, pressure and matrix constituents to be collected simultaneously with one instrument.
New Innovative Analysis Technologies plays an important role for process development and optimization. Raman Spectroscopy is suitable for diverse applications, particularly for online applications in Syngas Processes. Gas NEN Conference is an opportunity for us to share our approaches in Process Analysis, exchange of latest developments and exchange with other professionals. Groupmanager at Airliquide Research and Development in the field of Analytical Science. Competencies in Process analysis, Gas, Solid and Liquid analysis.


text:
Tyrann Mathieu: We're legitimate contenders, but have to go through Seahawks
Posted by Josh Alper on July 24, 2015, 7:53 AM EDT
Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu went into last season at less than full strength while finishing up rehab from a torn ACL, but health isn't a concern for him this summer.
It's not a concern for too many of his teammates, either. Quarterback Carson Palmer says he isn't even thinking about his knee after his own ACL rehab and the rest of the team is in good condition with training camp about to start. That's one of the reasons why Mathieu called the Cardinals a "pretty good team" and "legitimate contenders" during a Thursday visit to the Rich Eisen Show.
In order to be more than that, though, Mathieu knows that the Cardinals are going to need to find a way past the team that's been the best in the NFC for the last two seasons.
"I've never been a fan of disrespecting people who have earned it, so for me it would have to be Seattle," Mathieu said when asked about the team to beat this year. "Those guys went to the Super Bowl two times in a row and they have everything that we want. We'll definitely have to go through Seattle again this year."
The Seahawks beat the Cardinals twice last season, which loomed large at the end of the season when the 12-4 Seahawks got the division title over the 11-5 Cardinals. Some of the names and faces will be different this time around, but it seems like a good bet that those two games will again have a lot to do with who wears the crown in the NFC West.
27 responses to "Tyrann Mathieu: We're legitimate contenders, but have to go through Seahawks"
dagon27 says:
The 49ers will beat them both.
niners816 says:
Every team is a legit contender…….in July. I think it's funny when someone says "your team is going to suck this year", that's what we call "new fans" or "Seattle fans". But in all seriousness, I wouldn't be surprised if every team from the NFCW has a winning record.
fitzharvard says:
Stay focused on the Seahawks and watch what happens.
The Rams
laces out says:
Assuming they don't regress, he's right.
sb44champs says:
Cards aren't even in the Top 5 in the NFC
r502 says:
QB health and overall play will doom the Cards again this year.
jjackwagon says:
I wouldn't be surprised if every team from the NFCW has a winning record.
LOLOLOLOL
Your 9ers will not have a winning record. They will be lucky to get five wins. But thanks for the laugh.
LOLOLOLOLOLOL
waxthat says:
Agree, completely. Let the hating commence.
schmitty2 says:
Cards are one tough team and if Nick Foles can be anywhere near where he was 2 years and finally stay healthy for once the Rams can be flat out dangerous. I just hope the Niners end up in the cellar.
revren10 says:
You won't need to worry about the seahawks with the league increasing PED testing that team is done for
MostlyRight says:
Seahawks and Cards are legit and depending on Foles Rams might be right there with them. Palmer needs to stay healthy though.
clssylssy says:
Agreed Seattle is ONE major hurdle to the playoffs but this team needs to find a way to stay healthy & shouldn't bank on Palmer lasting the entire season when he's never been able to yet. IF the Cards had the defense they did the last few years they might be a contender (defense carried them) but , major needs were not addressed by GM in offseason + loss of of Todd Bowles leaves me skepticle.
focushawk72 says:
All the talk about this kid being a punk coming out of college, but he seems like a smart humble young man. Go Hawks!
No grown man should ever type "lol" let alone type "lololololol"
Frazier28/7 says:
we'll see how losing their D-coord goes.
sadly, I think the NFC goes through green bay this year to get to the super bowl.
xavier179 says:
You really aren't contenders until you release Arians. He single handed defeated your team last season. When Palmer went down and then his replacement went down he did little to go out and look for a competent qb. If you are going to a playoff game you can't have that mindset.
jumboli says:
Please know your facts before you post this garbage.
Palmer has played a full 16 game season 8 times, including the year after he tore his ACL the first time.
The Cards biggest need was to improve the offensive line to help the run game. So they sign a top free agent in Iupoti, one of the best run blocking guards in the NFL, and draft DJ Humphries in the first round.
imsaneinthebrain says:
When was the last time a Seahawk was busted for peds? U can keep hating and we will keep winning. The separation is in the preparation. Go Hawks!!!
dericivy says:
Three years of why the Seahawks are going to get worse from the commentators here.
Three years of the haters being wrong.
Haters never learn.
poison66 says:
Cards will finish ahead of the SeaSquawks this year as Palmer is healthy and improved offensive line. …
nflviewer says:
I'm not a Cardinals fan or a Seahawks fan, and I don't know much about Tyrann Mathieu, but what he said is the type of comment I'd like to hear if I was a coach or front office person for a team that was an 11-5 playoff team the year before:
Confidence without arrogance and understanding of the obstacles in front of his team (note how he doesn't dismiss the Seahawks but instead views them realistically and with respect).
joepescisballs says:
This is complete nonsense. Who was he going to get, late in the season that was any good? At least half of the teams in the NFL need better starting QBs; Arians was going to find some guy off the street that could compete?
Once Stanton went down it was over. He did the best he could given the circumstances.
fanofpft says:
Lil bird V big bird.
Love all these so called experts that hate the Cards…there are 4 legit teams that have a shot in NFC…
Sleepers are
rjwalnuts says:
The Cowboys had NO problem punching Seattle in the mouth for 4 quarters in their own yard last season, so it's not like it's impossible.
socalseahawker says:
Don't deny this comment, but that got Dallas where? Congrats on your week 6 win.
bluetalons says:
dagon27 says: "The 49ers will beat them both."


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Endocrinology, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Chesterfield, United Kingdom.
A 40 year old man with CAH and significant needle phobia presented with left leg pain in January 2011. He had been discharged from follow up at another trust. Medications were hydrocortisone 10 mg BD and fludrocortisone 100 mcg OD. Admission haemoglobin was 19.9 g/dl, haematocrit 0.554. A thorough work up to investigate causes of polycythaemia revealed the only significant abnormality as a testosterone of 45.7 nmol/L (8–27), with low gonadotrophins. The blood sample for 17-OHP and adrenal androgens was lost; he had venesection on initial admission but was reluctant to return. He denied lack of concordance. When he agreed repeat testing 17 OH progesterone and adrenal androgens confirmed under replacement with glucocorticoid resulting in high testosterone and adrenal androgens. Hydrocortisone was stopped and dexamethasone 1mg nocte started resulting in suppression of adrenal androgens and exposing secondary hypogonadism due to gonadotrophin suppression from adrenal testosterone. Investigations See table below Conclusion We describe polycythaemia due to androgen excess in a man with suboptimally treated CAH. Androgen excess leads to polycythaemia via stimulation of erythropoiesis, and although this is documented, androgenic polycythaemia in CAH has rarely been reported. Our patient's case highlights the dangers of androgen excess in CAH, and is a reminder of why such patients should remain under the care of endocrinologists.


text:
Q: efficiently insert when statement in explode "sub query" I have the following column named data which is part of a data frame with multiple columns:
[{"country": "FR", "createdAt": "Mon, 07 Dec 20 16:35:10 +0000", "id": 1, "stuff": ["a"]}, {"country": "UK", "createdAt": "Mon, 07 Dec 20 16:35:10 +0000", "id": 2, "stuff": ["a", "b"]}, {"country": "DE", "createdAt": "Mon, 07 Dec 20 16:35:10 +0000", "id": 3, "stuff": ["a", "b", "c"]}, {"country": "IT", "createdAt": "Mon, 07 Dec 20 16:35:10 +0000", "id": 4, "stuff": ["b"]}]

I want to explode this column named data to have a data frame with columns for each key-value pair. There is also a nested array with the stuff key which I want to flatten with a conditional statement.
I have the following set of command which is working ok:
#reading api response
df = spark.read.json(sc.parallelize([json.dumps(response)]))
#first call
df = df.withColumn("data", explode("data")).select(
  col("data")["country"].alias('country'),col("data")["createdAt"].alias('creation'), col("data")["stuff"].alias('stuff'))
#second call
df = df.withColumn("stuff", when(array_contains(df.stuff, "a"),"a")
                       .otherwise("Other"))
display(df)

However I'm wondering if it would be possible to insert the second WithColumn statement with the array_contains method in the "first call" with the explode statement. I feel like it is a bit redundant to have to call the df three time.

A: It's not possible to put the second withColumn statement in the first call because stuff column is inside of an array column, so there isn't a way to avoid these two steps (from what I know about Spark).
To reduce method calls you could do:
df = (df
      .selectExpr('inline(data)')
      .select("country",
              col("createdAt").alias("creation"),
              "id",
              when(array_contains("stuff", "a"), "a").otherwise("Other").alias("stuff")))

To avoid calling select again:
df = (df
      .selectExpr('inline(data)')
      .withColumnRenamed("createdAt", "creation")
      .withColumn("stuff", when(array_contains("stuff", "a"), "a").otherwise("Other").alias("stuff")))

Under the hood both options will do the same physical plan and execution

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


- Welcome to the user manual for Zabbix 3.2 software. These pages are created to help users successfully manage their monitoring tasks with Zabbix, from the simple to the more complex. + Welcome to the user manual for Zabbix 3.4 software. These pages are created to help users successfully manage their monitoring tasks with Zabbix, from the simple to the more complex.