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Embraer and India
The Embraer controversy in a nutshell
The Times of India (Delhi)
10 key facts
The Embraer controversy: 10 key facts, 10 Sep, 2016, The Times of India
Embraer: The aircraft involved
After the August Westland chopper scam, the Congress Party has found itself at the center of yet another potential defence scandal. A Brazilian newspaper reported on Thursday that Brazilian and US authorities were investigating bribes Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer allegedly paid to acquire deals with Saudi Arabia and India. The deal with the Indian government was signed during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure.
Here's your 10-point cheat-sheet on the Embraer controversy.
1.A $208 million deal
In 2008, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) signed a $208 million deal with Embraer for three EMB-145 planes modified to suit the DRDO's and the Indian Air Force's (IAF) requirements. The purchase was made after the UPA governent in 2004 sanctioned a Rs 1,800 DRDO project to develop 3 AEW&C (airborne early warning & control systems) to be mounted on EMB-145 jets.
2. Planes delivered
The first of these planes was delivered to DRDO in 2011, and the other two were delivered in 2013. The DRDO is expected to finish making the AEW&C systems in December this year.
3.What's an AWACS / an AEW&C ?
AWACS or AEW&C can detect incoming hostile fighter jets and cruise missiles faster than ground-based radars, and can also direct fighter jets during air combat operations. India currently has three AWACs - all of which are Israeli Phalcon radars mounted on Russian IL-46 aircraft. India acquired these in a Rs 5,024 crore deal ($1.1 billion) in 2004.
A $ 1 billion deal for two more AWACS is in its final stages. In March last year, the government approved a DRDO project for 2 AWACS, which will be mounted on Airbus A330 jets.
4. The report surfaces
On Thursday, Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported that the US government had launched an investigation into the bribes allegedly paid by company to acquire deals with a state-owned Saudi company and the DRDO. "The company has not released details regarding the state of the investigations, but three people who have been following the case have confirmed to Folha that the deals concluded in Saudi Arabia and India are being examined," the report said.
5.An Indian middleman in the UK?
Embraer allegedly bribed an agent in the UK to secure the EMB-145 deal with the Congress-led government. There are suspicions that the middleman is an Indian businessman.
6. Embraer ready to pay fines
The paper added that Embraer expected to reach a deal with investigating US authorities, and had earmarked $200 million to pay any fines that it might be slapped with.
7.A long investigation
Embraer has been under the US Department of Justice's scanner since 2010. It was a contract with the Dominican Republic that first attracted the US' attention, but the scope of that investigation has now expanded. Deals with eight more countries, including India and Saudi Arabia, are now being looked into.
8. An employee's confession
In May, a veteran Embraer employee informed a Brazilian prosecutor that he'd heard a former sales director at the company reveal to American authorities that foul play was involved in the Saudi deal, Folha de Sao Paulo's report said. The director had said that kickbacks had been paid ahead of the sale of 170 executive Embraer jets to state-owned Saudi oil company Aramco.
9. DRDO seeks explanation from Embraer
The Defence ministry on Saturday said the DRDO would seek an explanation from Embraer. "The DRDO to seek explanation and details from manufacturers of Embraer aircraft on the media reports on the deal signed for the aircraft in 2008. On receipt of information by DRDO, further steps may be initiated," the ministry explained in a tweet. However, it was reported that DRDO chief S Christopher couldn't be reached for comment on the phone or by mail today.
10.Congress slammed
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad slammed the Congress on Saturday after the report surfaced. "The past of the UPA always keeps on appearing with alarming regularity," he said.
With inputs from agencies
The story as it broke
Shobhan Saxena & Rajat Pandit, Sep 10 2016 : The Times of India (Delhi)
Brazil, US probe graft in $208m Embraer jet deal inked by UPA
Payment Made To UK-Based Agent: Reports
In yet another major defence scandal to hit the country after the VVIP helicopter scam, prosecutors in Brazil and the US justice department are now investigating alleged payment of bribes by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer to swing deals with India and Saudi Arabia.
Embraer is alleged to have paid commissions to a UK-based defence agent -such mid dlemen or unauthorised agents are banned under the Indian defence procurement system -in the $208 million deal for three EMB-145 jets inked by the UPA government in 2008. The three EMB-145 aircraft have been equipped with indigenous radars in a Rs 2,520 crore DRDO project to serve as AEW&C (airborne early-warning and control systems) air craft for IAF. The first "modified" aircraft was delivered to DRDO in 2011, with the other two following later. After several missed deadlines, the AEW&C project is now slated to be completed by December.
"DRDO says it is not aware of these developments," said the defence ministry spokesperson on Friday . Despite telephone calls and text messages, DRDO chief S Christopher did not respond to questions. Christopher, incidentally, was the AEW&C programme director and head of the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) before he was chosen to head DRDO in May 2015 by the NDA government. Brazil's top newspaper, the `Folha de Sao Paulo', reported on Thursday that the possible bribery in the 2008 Indian deal was under the scanner of the US justice department, which has been investigating Embraer since 2010, after a contract with the Dominican Republic raised suspicion.
The scope of the investigation has now been widened to examine Embraer's dealings with eight other countries, including India and Saudi Arabia.
The newspaper quoted Embraer's defence sales manager Albert Phillip Close as stating that a former sales director of the company who served in Europe told US investigators that the firm had contracted a representative to assist in the sale of the surveillance systems to India.
As India prohibited hiring of de fence agents, the representative was hired in the UK for the purpose of striking the deal. "The contract with that representative would have been kept in a safe, with one key held by Embraer and another held by the representative," said Close. The Sao Paulo-based Embraer, one of the largest manufacturers of commercial, private and military jets in the world, has not publicly commented on the Indian deal. But the Folha report said at least three company officials confirmed to the newspaper that the Indian deal was being examined for corruption.
The details of bribery emerged in May this year when an employee with more than 30 years of experience at the company made a plea-bargain agreement with the Brazilian federal public prose cutor's office, which is also probing the allegations. The scale of the alleged bribery or the identity of the UK-based agent is yet to be ascertained. In the case of the Dominican Republic, a former defence minister and three others have been arrested for allegedly accepting a $3.5 million bribe from Embraer.
The Dominican Republic deal, signed a year after India placed its order for the three aircraft, was worth $94 million, less than half the amount of the Indian deal. TOI spoke to some Embraer officials but they refused to officially comment on the ongoing investigation.
A senior executive of the company , however, said the investigation was in a preliminary stage."It's all in the realm of speculation unless they reveal the identity of the agent in the UK and establish that money was paid in bribes. India is an important market for us and we would like to continue to do business there. Americans are our competitors in certain sectors in India," he said.
The 2008 deal was a major step in defence cooperation between India and Brazil. As per a statement released by Embraer on July 4, 2008, the contract signed with DRDO included a "comprehensive logistics package comprising ng, technical support, spare parts, training, technical support, spare parts, and ground support equipment".
Embraer has a strong presence in India with a total of 28 aircraft of different market segments, including 21 executive jets across six different models. The company has emerged as the market leader, delivering 35% of the total executive jets in India over the last five years.
Embraer to pay $205m in graft settlement
Embraer to pay $205m in graft settlement, Oct 25 2016 : The Times of India
Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer has agreed to pay over $205 million to resolve charges of corruption and bribing officials in four countries: India, the Dominican Republic, Saudi Arabia and Mozambique.
The charges include $5.76 million allegedly paid to an agent in India in kickbacks for clinching a deal for the sale of three highly specialised military aircraft for the IAF's Airborne Early Warning and Control System.The CBI already registered an FIR in the case. Apart from $107 million penalty to US justice department, Embraer must pay over $98 million in disgorgement and interest to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Retrieved from 'http://indpaedia.com/ind/index.php?title=Embraer_and_India&oldid=69480'


If you missed the Main Event or just want to watch it again, stream in English and French.
More information about the tournament you can see in my earlier Post.
The Main Event featured 16 teams, 8 invited and 8 teams that qualified through two Open qualifiers.
Invited teams: Team Dignitas, Fnatic, mousesports, FlipSid3 Tactics, PSG esports, We Dem Girlz, Renault Vitality and compLexity Gaming.
Teams that qualified: Savage!, Nordavind, Team Secret, Method, Team WLF, Triple Trouble, The Clappers and " :) " aka Smiley Face. Uniquestars got the fifth place in Open qualifiers #1 and got qualified because Fnatic backed out due to players being unable to play.
The biggest favorite lost in the finals!
If you were to ask almost anyone following the event "who would take the Grand Prize" the answer would most likely be Team Dignitas. But in the Finals (Team Dignitas vs Triple Trouble) that was played in "best of 7" format Triple Trouble took a very convincing victory (4 - 1) and won 2550€. Team Dignitas got 1350€ and Runner ups (Method and Renault Veloctiy) are taking home 450€.
Special Prize for "The Play", best play of the tournament, voted by community isn't announced yet, you can cast your vote HERE.


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The Day That Finally Came
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The Montana-based Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians became the 574th Indian tribe to be recognized by the United States government in December, 2019, after over 150 years of trying. Headquartered in Great Falls with more than 6,000 enrolled members, the Little Shell Tribe is connected to all area Anishinaabe tribes, including the Chippewa, Cree, and Assiniboine people, and, particularly, the Métis, or mixed-race. La Tray draws stories from historians like the late Nicholas Vrooman and Verne Dusenberry to reveal the larger reality behind the "Little Shell" name, including how conflict with the US government led to the fracture and spreading out of what were once tight, family-based bands, their members often finding refuge on other reservations and marrying into other Montana tribes, like the Blackfeet and Salish people. The program helps people better understand who the Little Shell are, and their part in the history of North America.
Presenter Bio
Chris is a Métis storyteller and an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He is the author of One-Sentence Journal: Short Poems and Essays from the World at Large. His next book, Becoming Little Shell is coming from Milkweed Editions in 2022.
Chris La Tray
Author, Independent Scholar, Journalist, Philosopher, Poet
chris@chrislatray.com
www.chrislatray.com
Letters to a Young Poet
Song of the Dawn Priests: A History of the Crow People

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Becky & Me Toys was founded in 2002 by Peggy Sebert and her daughter, Becky. Peggy is a former teacher with 15 time period classroom experience in pre-school to 3rd grade. Becky calibrated in the Spring, 2005 from the University of american state Urbana-Champaign, with a major in archaeozoic Childhood Education. It has been said that "play is the study of children".
It has been rumoured that that 42-year-old style designer married woman Roy is 'Becky' - the woman Beyonce refers to in the buy Sorry, in what is believed to be a annotation to the 46-year-old rap mogul's alleged infidelity. favourable the song's release Roy posted an Instagram message in which she appeared to out herself as the 'other woman' stating: 'Good body covering don't care, but we purpose filming good lighting, for selfies, or mortal truths, always.
Here's the thing: Becky G knows precisely what she wants and has no qualms letting the planetary experience it's simply sleeveless to tiptoe around her carnal desires. Born Rebbeca Marie Gomez, Becky pens her inner-most thoughts concerning the bedroom and the type of guy she's uncomplete to in "Mayores," using Bad Bunny's bad-boy charm to drive her message home. But just how explicit Becky G, verse one I same to be treated like a female aristocrat though sometimes I forget to act equivalent one in bed I corresponding to be told poetry In the ear at time period when we do the nasty Becky G, construction I corresponding a gentleman, that is interesting That is a corking friend, but a corking lover What does a few extra years matter? Becky G, line I like them older Those we call gentlemen The ones who unsealed doors and send flowers I same the large onesthat I can't fit in orifice the kisses he wants to furnish me,that drive me crazy Crazy, whoa oh, oh, oh Crazy, whoa oh, oh, oh Bad Bunny, literary genre two I'm not old but I have a bank news report like one If you want to bed, I'll bring you the feed like-minded me, there is none, a gentleman with twenty-one I'm with all your crazy thing You want an old man, are you sure?


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Q: The notification can't skip to another activity? my code is
public class AlarmReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
public Notification mNotification = null;
public NotificationManager mNotificationManager = null;

@Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
    Toast.makeText(context, "time up!", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    mNotificationManager = (NotificationManager) context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
    mNotification = new Notification(R.drawable.icon, "tip!",
            System.currentTimeMillis());
    mNotification.contentView = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(),
            R.layout.notification);
    mNotification.contentView.setTextViewText(R.id.tv_tip, "click to see the description");
    Intent notificationIntent = new Intent(context,NotificationTip.class);
    notificationIntent.putExtra("description", intent.getStringExtra("description")) ;
    //notificationIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
    PendingIntent contentIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 0,
            notificationIntent, 0);
    mNotification.contentIntent = contentIntent;
    mNotificationManager.notify(0, mNotification);
}

}
While when I click the item in notification ,I can't get to NotificationTip activity,so what's wrong with this code?

A: following line
 Intent notificationIntent = new Intent(context,NotificationTip.class);

needs to be
Intent notificationIntent = new Intent("X");

Where X is the intent action name. this you have to add as intent filter in  your android manifest file.

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So, my new extension is 250, I created it as 250 and selected it from the list of extensions when I started the phone, and it works as 250. but..
Why does the phone have a 'username' of 302 and how can I change it to match the extension number ?
the account_id is the name (identifier) of the line attached to the phone.
The account_id part I already know, because that is the same as the 'extension number' at least in my config.
The thing I am trying to find out is how to change the 'username' part - it seems to be automatically generated.
Well, that wasn't what I was wishing for but thanks for the quick reply! We are starting to roll out quite a few Digium D40's and D70's in our enterprise and use multiple servers for redundancy and for offloading voicemail, queuing, and conferencing to "feature servers". DPMA is working well in this environment and makes provisioning for a lot of phones very easy to manage. Here's hoping applications and features show up in the near term for DPMA and Digium phones that can take multiple server arrangements into account!


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Management Accountants Relish Their Expanded Role
New opportunities for management accountants that not long ago would have seemed unlikely are increasing in number thanks to new technology and business strategies. These developments, highlighted in a study by DePaul University Professor Gary Siegel, reveal dramatic changes taking place in corporate America. "[Management accounting] is nothing like it was 10 years ago," Siegel said. Among his findings: Corporate accountants now are involved in a wide variety of strategic planning activities, believe their value and image have improved, spend more time communicating with other employees than formerly, serve on cross-functional teams and enjoy their new status. Perhaps not surprisingly, the study also points out that management accountants' work hours have increased.
Businesses Warming to E-Commerce
Almost half (47%) of CFOs polled in a recent survey said their firms currently offer products or services over the Internet. The survey, conducted by RHI Management Resources, also revealed that more than half (54%) of CFOs would consider doing more business online if costs could be reduced and internal staff had greater technical expertise.
McGladrey Names Top Web Sites
RSM McGladrey announced the winners of its competition for midsize business Web sites. The awards recognize outstanding sites representing the manufacturing, distribution and financial-institution sectors. In picking the winners, McGladrey identified three key trends of which midsize businesses should take note. In the manufacturing sector, National Instruments Corp.'s site ( www.natinst.com ) won for its enhanced customer support; in the distribution sector, the Web site of VWR Scientific Products ( www. vwrsp.com ) won for its integration of e-commerce systems; and among financial institutions, the Santa Barbara Bank & Trust site ( www.sbbt.com ) won for building loyal online communities.
Financial Advisers Concerned Over Long-Term-Care Planning
According to a survey the International Association for Financial Planning recently conducted, many Americans wait about 10 years later than they should to begin planning for long-term health care. Of 250 financial advisers who provide guidance in this area, more than half said the best time for individuals to start such planning is when they are in their 50s. However, most people postpone decisions on long-term care until they reach their 60s. The survey indicated that procrastination topped the list of reasons people gave for not being financially prepared. The Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA) said that in 1997 about 7 million people over age 65 needed long-term health care. The HIAA expects that number to rise to 9 million by 2005 and to nearly 70 million by 2030.
Former British PM Addresses PICPA
As distinguished lecturer at a September gathering of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs, former British Prime Minister John Major delivered a message with international implications. According to Major, the transformation of populous developing nations into full participants in international trade will give them greater influence in global affairs. Coupled with Europe's unified economic policies, this will create greater competition for American companies. Major recommended that America adopt a long-term approach to formulating its international policy. He also stressed the Western powers' inability to police the world alone and the danger of alienating the world's "middle nations," whose resentment, he said, may one day assume formidable proportions.
CFOs Forecast Solid Fourth Quarter Financial Hiring
CFOs expect hiring of accounting and finance professionals to rise a net 10% in the fourth quarter of 1999, according to Robert Half International Inc.'s latest survey. While 85% of CFOs surveyed anticipate no change in hiring activity, 12% said their companies plan to add personnel in the next quarter; another 2% expect to cut staff levels. The national poll includes responses from 1,400 CFOs of companies with more than 20 employees.
Consultants' Pay Reflects Major Changes at Big Five
Booming compensation for top-level consultants, says a new survey by the Ransford Group, New York-based professional services consultants, is but one indication of dramatic change at Big Five firms. The survey reveals that since 1995, partner compensation has increased 48% (for senior managers, 64%), compensation disparities among firms have decreased 50%, it takes an average of two years longer to make partner and signing bonuses have become commonplace.
Expect an Increase in Suits in 2000
A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts a blizzard of Year-2000-related lawsuits at the beginning of next year. Plaintiff's lawyers are waiting until the damage is done to begin litigation, the report said. It predicted compensation sought for Y2K cases involving systems failures that result in supply chain failures and involve multiple companies would be significantly larger than those for the small number of cases settled this year.
"The plaintiffs' bar appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach," said Phillip Upton, a partner at the firm and the author of the report.
Few Use Empowerment Credits
A survey of 2,400 businesses in federal empowerment zones revealed that less than half of the companies eligible to use special tax credits did so. The results of the GAO survey, which were published in a report this fall, showed large companies (46%) were more likely to take advantage of the credits than smaller companies (10%).
Of the three tax incentives available—an employment tax credit, a special increased expensing deduction and a tax-exempt facility bond—the employment tax credit was used most often.
NY Opens Ranks to Non-CPAs
The New York State Society of CPAs opened its membership to non-CPAs. Introduced this fall, five new associate categories will extend membership to non-CPAs employed in CPA firms; accounting students; auditing, tax and accounting professors; recognized members of foreign institutes of accountancy; and CPA candidates. Associates are entitled to all the benefits of society membership except the right to vote and the ability to serve as officers and directors.
New York is the second state society to include non-CPAs as members: California was the first.
Firm Reaps Rewards of Initiative
This year, for the sixth year in a row, Deloitte & Touche LLP landed a spot on Working Woman's list of 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. It also made Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work for in America.
According to the firm, its success is a result of an initiative it began in 1993 to improve retention and build career opportunities for its women employees. This year 18% of the firm's new partners were women. And of all the partners, women comprise 13%. When the program began in 1993, only 6% of the firm's partners were women.
The initiative has been so successful that Deloitte has decided to share its expertise in employee retention with its clients. This fall the firm started a new practice group—human capital advisory services—to take advantage of its success.


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(Image: Rebekah Hope / Soul Like The Sun)
Artist of the Week: Mariah Belgrod
Seattle Refined: How long have you been writing/performing?
Mariah Belgrod: If you ask my family, I have always had the eye on the spotlight and been a performer at heart. I used to stand on the landing of my grandmother's stairs and steal her fancy hats to perform weekly cabarets for everyone. That being said, I have been performing since the age of 7, where I found my passion for the stage at the Fulton Theatre in my hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I found a community of people that I wanted to grow up to be like so quickly, and it became a home away from home. I did numerous musical theatre performances over the years, but I found my passion and niche for being a pop artist when I was 18 when I downloaded a singing app, Smule. This is also when I dove into the scary yet rewarding world of songwriting and expressing my feelings on paper. I feel extremely lucky to have found my passion and place in the world at such a young age and to have been given the opportunity to continue to do it!
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Tell us about your artistic process and the different stages that work into it.
My artistic process is very free-flowing and spontaneous, which is ironic because my mind is very planner-oriented. I usually think of music when I am doing other things — showering, cooking, and yes, even sleeping (those voice notes will never see the light of day). I usually start with a little ditty from one of those moments and see what feels right with it. I could never view music as a logical act (i.e. y + x = z) because there is no logical way to do it. It really is all about feeling what is natural and raw and getting that down. For sure, there are moments of editing and self-doubt along the way, it takes a lot to share yourself with other people and be vulnerable, but that makes for a more real product in the end!
Where does your inspiration come from? What other musical artists inspire you?
I am an empath. I feel so many emotions, both my own and other people. For so long, I wasn't sure what to do with all of these feelings until I discovered songwriting. My inspiration comes from my emotions, my wanderlust, my itch for storytelling. Getting words on paper to make people connect and relate to me and the world inside my head. The other musical artists that inspire me are Maisie Peters, Charlotte Lawrence, Fletcher and Astrid S. If you haven't heard of them yet, I suggest you get them on your playlist pronto!
What kind of genre is your music? What kinds of things do you write about?
My genre of music is empowering pop. I like to write music that will leave my listeners feeling empowered and ready to tackle the day. Being from such a small town, I was raised to be really community-driven, and I strive to foster and love my community of Lil Ryders! With all the Seattle clouds and rain, it has been fun to dream of warmer days and summer romances, so that topic has been coming up a ton in my writing. More recently, amidst COVID, I have found myself writing more moody music. I am someone who manages anxiety and depression, so having music as an outlet has been really helpful in guiding those emotions.
Do you have one song that means more to you or is extremely special to you?
My newest single, "Team Player," is extremely special to me. This is the first song I got to be super involved in every aspect of. From the writing to production, to mixing and mastering, to release. I was grateful to be able to record it and have the production done with Creation House Records, with some long-time and talented friends pulling the strings to my vision. I was also able to share it on a music platform that helped inspire my desire to be a pop artist, Smule. On the app, I have been able to have hundreds of people sing my own song with me and make it their own. The creativity is endless. I released the track completely independently too, which made its success that much more rewarding. It was my vision through and through, and I feel so fulfilled knowing that.
What experiences in your life have shaped your music/art?
I touched on it earlier, but my anxiety and depression continue to shape my music. A big experience that shapes my music is how I packed my bags, dropped out of college, and moved 3,000 miles from Pennsylvania to Washington. This came with a lot of excitement, fear, and loneliness, and a ton of music has come from this experience. I have had to push myself out of my usual comfort zone and have met a lot of people along my journey too. I have fallen in love and had falling outs. One of the things about being friends or in a relationship with a musician - you've probably had a song written about you, for better or for worse!
You can find my work anywhere you listen to music. Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, etc. — if you look under Mariah Belgrod, you can find my discography! I hope you take a listen and feel in a better mood about tackling your day. You can also keep up with my musical shenanigans under my Instagram account, @MariahBelgrod. I post various music covers and requests, yummy food pics and you can see my teddy bear of a puppy, Addie!
What's next for me is continued growth. I am being a sponge and soaking up every piece of wisdom another music lover like myself can offer. I am also trying to be supportive of other artists, especially now. So much of the industry has been based around competition and numbers, and I would love for everyone to make it about growth and support together! With my own music, I am constantly writing and feel I am ready to release a body of work to leave my mark on the world. I am in the starting stages for that and trying to find a producer I feel will be a perfect fit to make my vision and sound come to life. In the meantime, I have a few singles in the works that I am excited for the world to hear.
Lastly, how do you take your coffee? We ask everyone!
I am not a huge coffee drinker (much more of a hot chocolate kinda gal), but when I do get it, it's definitely an iced french vanilla latte!


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Salaried service evolves to the benefit of all GPs
Go freelance and make the world your oyster
GP Dr Claire Bailey was able to sail around the world  at very short notice
Well it is not very often that you are given the opportunity to sail around the world, especially on Christmas Eve at 10pm.
I had just settled in for a family Christmas when I got a call from the US asking if I was free to join the crew of Cheyenne on a non-stop around the world trip.
Cheyenne, to those who may not know, is a 120ft carbon fibre rocket (sailing catamaran) that currently holds many of the world speed sailing records. I had failed to get on the crew for the last record attempt and had given up hope when I got the call.
We were to take part in a new race starting from Qatar in the Middle East in just four weeks' time with a prize of
$1 million for the first boat  the highest purse in sailing so far.
I am a freelance GP and have spent the last three years working in the NHS and with the Royal Navy. I have been a sailor for 20 years and done a lot of offshore racing, including world speed record attempts.
Luckily I had not booked myself up with work for the New Year so I had the flexibility to be able to say yes. I thought how different it would have been if I was a partner trying to arrange time off at short notice.
So after putting together the medical kit I flew out to the Middle East.
Qatar is an odd place  a desert peninsula in the middle of the Persian Gulf  and certainly had never hosted or even seen racing boats of this kind before. In fact, a well-known travel guide gives it the title of the most boring place on the planet to visit. I didn't agree with this opinion and thought eating dates in the desert at sunset was quite romantic.
In total, four boats entered the Oryx Cup. This may not seem many but there are only five or six of this kind of racing boat in the world.
Before I knew it the race had begun and I was on a diet of freeze-dried food, sleeping four hours a day and only
having two spare T-shirts for the next two months.
Oh, I forgot to mention I was the only girl on the boat, and for the 13 crew there were only eight bunks.
Our route took us past Iran into the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka. We passed by just after the Tsunami and saw the effects despite being 1,000 miles offshore. Roof tops, trees and straw houses drifted past for three days.
We only really had two medical problems on the whole voyage and both were in the first week. The navigator had a nasty olecranon bursitis from leaning too hard on the charts. And one crew member suffered a violent allergic reaction to the latex seals on his drysuit.
The tropics were left behind all too quickly and we entered the Southern Ocean. The next five weeks were spent being constantly hosed by huge waves and freezing despite wearing everything we owned. As we emerged around Cape Horn I got the chance to change my clothes for the first time in four weeks and realised I had lost more than a stone in weight. But I was still enjoying myself.
However, it doesn't really matter what you think when you are that far south because if you want to quit or things go wrong, nobody is coming to get you.
We managed to survive hitting a hammerhead shark, shredded sails and an electrical fire before starting to head north again, passing the Falkland Islands and dreaming of warmer climes.
Suddenly at 6 o'clock one morning there was a huge bang. We were travelling at 30 knots (about 40mph) and came to a dead stop. The mast had fallen down due to a corroded fitting and crashed into the side of the boat.
Luckily no one was hurt. The process of cutting away the sails and rigging began. We stood and watched as more than $2 million of equipment sank to the bottom of the ocean and realised our race was over.
Six days later we were rescued and towed into Belgrano naval base in Argentina. Although this was a huge disappointment, we were glad to reach land safely.
Now, after a spell of skiing rehabilitation in Chamonix, I have returned to work as a freelance GP. I sent myself on the hot topics course for GPs as a refresher and to relieve the guilt of not working for three months. Only medics could think this way!
I would have no hesitation in recommending a year or two as a freelance GP for anyone who's newly qualified. Financially there is no real disadvantage, especially as now you can contribute to the NHS pension scheme.
Freelance work allows you to experience many different working environments and gives you the freedom to do that thing you always wanted to do before settling into a more permanent contract.
There is no excuse  just do it!


13mm skull crystal beads. #5750 Swarovski Crystal Red Magma beads. Precision facets provide exquisite detail on these stunning skulls. These beads make great conversation starters!
These skulls make the most striking earrings! They are cunningly faceted and as you expect from Swarovski, they are quality pieces.
Swarovski has finally done creepy with a flair only they can create. These skulls are lovely - somewhere between human and alien in some very imaginative colors!


text:
Why Apple Can't Sell Me on Lightning Headphones
By Henry T. Casey 2016-06-22T14:50:02Z
Apple doesn't have the best track record when it comes to audio accessories, and Lightning headphones would just make things more messy.
Ever since I first heard the rumor that Apple plans to eliminate the iPhone's headphone jack, I've pondered about how this could push me, an iPhone user since the 3G, to an Android device. And now, the Wall Street Journal— which has a strong track record with Apple rumors — is reporting that the company will not include a headphone jack in the iPhones it releases this fall.
Image: Shutterstock / Vladimir Arndt
This news comes from "people familiar with the matter" who told the Journal's Daisuke Wakabayashi and Eva Dou that the "Lightning connector will serve double-duty as a port for charging the phone and for connecting headphones." So now I'm hoping that my iPhone 6 Plus lasts until Apple sees the error in its ways, and I'm also on the lookout for news of new Nexus phones, because I have no interest in life without the headphone jack.
MORE: Best Headphones and Earbuds for Enjoying Music
This change is supposed to enable a slimmer, more water-resistant iPhone, two features that I don't think are worth eliminating the port for. As Samsung and Lil Wayne have shown, smartphones with headphone jacks can still be water (or rather, champagne) resistant. Sure, Apple will likely release an adapter for headphones that use the 3.5mm jack, but the last thing I need in my life is another dongle.
Does Apple expect me to buy adapters for my MacBook Pro, work laptop, recording microphone, PS4 controller and every other piece of hardware I own? Am I supposed to carry an adapter to every party, so if someone passes me an auxiliary 3.5mm jack, I can still contribute songs?
Apple makes and sells a lot of adapters. I don't want another one.
For a moment last night I considered what would happen if Apple introduced new, Lightning-based Beats headphones that were affordable and on par with my current pair. That hypothetical headset may make the new phone a less bitter pill to swallow, but they wouldn't work with anything else I own.
An iPhone without a headphone jack doesn't just limit the headphones you can use, it adds a strain to digital lives everywhere. If I bought this new iPhone, I'd become the jerk with a device that doesn't work with my friends' speaker systems. Apple may argue I should use AirPlay in those situations, but that technology is far less ubiquitous than the 3.5mm jack.
If Apple ever claims that its Lightning ports offer greater reliability than the traditional headphone jack, it should address the corrosion problems in existing Lightning cables that lead to wonky connections. This Apple support forum thread shows that the company acknowledges this is an issue and the only fix is having them send you a new cable, so new Lightning port headphones better have detachable cables.
In a post on his Daring Fireball site, renowned Apple-blogger John Gruber suggested that a move away from the 3.5mm jack is akin to the company switching from the 30-pin connector to the Lightning port. Not only is this wrong because an iPhone with just one Lightning port (and no adapter) doesn't allow you to charge and use headphones simultaneously, but changing power cables is much easier than finding and buying a new audio accessory.
And what of the headphone jacks in Apple's own MacBooks and iMacs? While Gruber thinks the company "probably" won't remove the audio port there, he goes so far as to suggest people "Cough up the extra $29 for a new pair of Apple EarPods," which is laughable. Apple's packed-in headphones may have improved slightly over the years, but their lack of a good fit and still-meh audio quality makes them an accessory of last resort for me.
Gruber argues that "The essence of Apple is that they make design decisions 'no one asked for,'" which suggests that Steve Jobs knew, and Tim Cook knows, best. This reminds me of the Apple Watch, a product that the company launched without providing a compelling reason for me to buy.
Unless Apple has some unexpectedly convincing explanation for how removing the 3.5mm jack will improve the music-listening experience, I'd say the next iPhone is a device that no one asked for.
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From a Alaska Democratic Party press release: Alaska is still reeling from the culture of corruption that took over the state and was exposed by the FBI almost two years ago. Just two weeks ago, Former Representative Vic Kohring (R-Wasilla) reported to prison after being convicted of bribery, conspiracy, and attempted extortion. And last week, State Senator John Cowdery (R-Anchorage) was indicted, charged with bribery and conspiracy. Senator Ted Stevens is currently under federal investigation by the FBI and IRS.
On July 30, 2007, Stevens' home was raided by FBI and IRS agents as part of a court authorized search warrant. It has been 350 days since the raid on Stevens' home and he still refuses to discuss the case or how he is paying his legal fees. Stevens has taken more than $80,000 in political contributions from VECO. Meanwhile, VECO has been awarded more than $30.9 billion in contracts.
Currently: Senator Ted Stevens Remains Under Federal Investigation.
1999: VECO Was Awarded $70 Million in National Science Foundation Contracts. In 1999, VECO was awarded a five-year National Science Foundation contract worth $70 million to provide logistics and support for polar research without having any previous experience in the field.