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'I went back to prison to quiz the Justice Secretary'
Home > Stories > 'I went back to prison to quiz the Justice Secretary'
Nmandi Efobi | 30 May 2018
If you truly want a prisoner to reform and prepare for life outside, how are you reflecting today's society in prison?
A lot of people say the future's bright but I wouldn't have believed I'd be where I am now. I came out of HMP Isis at the start of the year and went straight into employment. I'm now working as an Account Executive at MegaNexus, a company which provides digital services, including the prison intranet 'Virtual Campus', in prisons across the UK. Earlier this month, I was also elected to the new steering committee of the Prisoner Learning Alliance (PLA), helping to provide expertise to inform the future of prison education.
With all these different hats on, I was interested to see what direction the Ministry of Justice would take with the new Education and Employment strategy, so I was really pleased to be invited to hear the Justice Secretary David Gauke launch the report in person.
The thing that excites me most about the new strategy is the role of businesses. It gives me hope when I hear about organisations that are keen and willing to employ people with convictions, who consider it their responsibility to give people a second chance. Former prisoners are human beings just like anybody else, so why not give them an opportunity? They are loyal and hungry; they've got talent and so many skills. They want to prove to themselves and the community that they're an asset, so let them feel part of society and give them the opportunity. They want to change.
Organisations that want to get into prison can face a mountain of barriers before they're able to help
I was glad to hear the Justice Secretary announce that they are looking at making the process of employing former prisoners easier for employers through incentives like a National Insurance holiday. I was keen, however, to follow up with the Justice Secretary on the role of employers inside prison. Organisations that want to get into prison can face a mountain of barriers before they're able to raise their profile with prisoners and help prepare them for the world of work. I wanted to know what steps the government will take to ensure these barriers are removed, or at the very least reduced.
As a keen advocate of using technology to broaden education opportunities, I also asked the Justice Secretary what the government is doing to make prison more modern and up-to-date. If you truly want a prisoner to reform and prepare for life outside, how are you reflecting today's society in prison?
The Justice Secretary acknowledged the importance of digitisation and the crucial role employers can play. But we will have to wait and see whether he gets the financial backing he needs to see these ambitions through.
There were other announcements to feel optimistic about too. I was pleased to hear the Justice Secretary talk about the opportunities Brexit will afford to prisoners coming out and looking for jobs. He indicated that spaces will potentially open up in the job market, meaning more opportunities for former prisoners to find work. I'm also excited about the potential of plans to tailor training in prison around the jobs available in the local labour market.
Going back into Isis just a few months after my release was truly overwhelming and somewhat surreal.
On a personal level, it is difficult to articulate how much the day meant to me. Going back into Isis just a few months after my release was truly overwhelming and somewhat surreal. It is certainly an important chapter in my journey and a very symbolic day. It was a brilliant opportunity too: seeing the governor, officers, librarians and men I was inside with – I could show them what I've learned and how I've used that to shape my experience. I'm wearing a suit now, not prison clothes.
Events like this demonstrate how important the user voice can be in shaping change. I always introduce myself as an ex-offender and I'm not afraid to ask questions – it's better to be a fool for a second than a fool for life. My story is fresh and raw and people appreciate that. People with lived experience can bring something rich and unique to discussions around improving the Criminal Justice System. I can give my lens and my insight into what works and what doesn't, and give a voice to prisoners' experiences.
As a new member of the PLA's steering committee and an ambassador for the Alliance, I watched the day's announcements with an eagle eye – absorbing everything I heard so that we can make things better for people. It was good to see that everyone was singing from the same hymn book, but I'll be watching closely to ensure that these plans become a reality.


The ruling elites are painfully aware that the foundations of American power are rotting. The outsourcing of manufacturing in the United States and the plunging of over half the population into poverty will, they know, not be reversed. The self-destructive government shutdown has been only one of numerous assaults on the efficiency of the administrative state. The failing roads, bridges and public transportation are making commerce and communications more difficult.
Dude, you are depressing me again.
Good job Hedges - the future is now.
I emailed this to Senator Sanders stating that this is the very reason(s) why we need for him to run again. I can only hope he/they read it.
The Pacific North West, Silicon Valley up, has the greatest concentration of tech companies.
There are the Amazons, and then there are many that are working for egalitarian goals.
We also have a proliferation of communes and hippie life.
And homelessness, as the rents are too damn high.
We are going in many directions, including the one Hedges details ad nauseum to a dark depression.
We need to get more Merkleys and Hales into power.
Lets see where we end up in five years. That will be a good indication if we simply have an uphill battle or are going off the cliff.
But in the meantime, LEGALIZE!!!
Except on voting day, regrettably.
Yes, Hedge's vision is possible, but very unlikely in the near future. We all know we are in serious trouble when an evil idiot can become our President. Yet, there are so many hopeful signs in the democratic party and in the low ratings that Trump is mired in. Hedges' opinion piece is riddled with mistakes and highly questionable statements. Half of our nation does not live in poverty. If Hedges' had instead complained of extreme inequality, then that would have been factual. Hedges claiming so much is now irreversible is simply baffling and saying that the end of the dollar as the reserve currency will cause a depression is just looney tunes. If there is one thing that truly worries me, it is that there are so many Americans who are truly ignorant. When a highly intelligent and decent man like Chris Hedges speaks like this, then I get even more worried that the combination of the ignorant, the dispirited, the easily conned, and the self-righteous puritans will ultimately lead us down Hedges dystopian future.
The reserve currency stuff is ridiculous. Look at Japan, their huge debt compared to GDP and the fact that their currency remains strong with low interest rates. Similar situations in other nations and throughout history.
Chris Hedges gives an accurate depiction of what is already happening all around us. Underlying his criticism, however, there is the understanding that this (the way the American Empire is imploding) could have been different if it weren't for the "elites." The Elites are to blame, so Hedges thinks.
Actually, the "blame" lies at the heart of Democracy. Democracy is, in most cases and perhaps intrinsically, an unstable system that naturally ends up in authoritarianism and from there in tyranny. At least, that is what happens with Democracy in societies that don't value education and knowledge, such as the American and Islamic societies. The fact that Democracy appears to have succeeded in Northern Europe and Japan gives us some hope that, under the right conditions, Democracy might be viable in the long run, but we don't know, and it might just be too late to find out.
In one thing Hedges is 100% right, American Christian Fascism is coming, and it will be Hell on Earth.
White evangelicals gave us Trump and most of them seem to hate Christ's main message. It's baffling and scary.
It occurred to me that one of the upsides of having all the wealth concentrating in fewer and fewer hands is that it creates a smaller and smaller target group that needs to be neutralized.
Pretty much everything Hedges describes is well established already. Both political parties of our 'democracy' have been wholly captured by the corporate mafia and are a complete sham. Until we realize this there is no hope for improving our condition.
Overlooked is the effect nature, specifically global warming, will have on our future. Nature is inextricably connected with civilization, not separate from it.
Here in NYC, thanks to Mike Bloomberg, about half the population lives at the poverty level.
There are 2 and only 2 viable choices. We can elect progressive democrats or watch things get worse.
Japans debt is almost wholly owned by the Japanese people. Although Americans hold a lot of US debt so do other countries. While loss of reserve currency status might not bring on total collapse it will bring a profound change to the US economy. Imagine the US having to change dollars to some other currency to buy oil.
The two-party system is a trap, a cage. I do not know the name of my political party. I do not know who the leader is. I DO know what we want. I DO believe there are scores of millions of us. I also know that if we allow ourselves to be corralled into that cage again our voices will NEVER be heard.


Union minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate two floating restaurants under the ongoing water-front development work at Mumbai Port in Mumbai on Saturday.
The two floating restaurants – Queensline Sea Yah and Queensline Neverland – have the capacity to accommodate 475 persons each and boast of open decks, multiple bars and banquet halls.
According to Shripriya Dalmia Thirani, who owns both ships, the floatels will remain operational from noon to midnight. The vessels were reportedly bought for 25 lakh each from Istanbul and refurbished at Mazgaon's Indira docks over the last year.
The floatels will start entertaining guests from Monday night, likely at a cover charge of Rs 2,500 per person. Patrons will be able to book slots online from their website www.queensline.in.
Since the restaurants are being run as a joint venture with Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), a part of their revenue will be shared.
In total, licenses have been awarded for three floating restaurants. While Queensline Sea Yah and Queensline Neverland will be stationed near the Gateway of India, another one will come up at the sea off Girgaum Chowpatty later.
Gadkari will also participate in the Bhoomi Poojan ceremony of MbPT's new Eastern Water Front today, the shipping ministry said in a statement.
Additionally, the shipping minister will launch the Access Control and RFID System as well as development of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
Gadkari will also launch invitation of tenders for Mumbai-Elephanta Ropeway and a Super Specialty Hospital at the Port.
The 8-km long Mumbai-Elephanta Ropeway would be the world's longest ropeway over sea. The project has been envisaged at a cost Rs 800 crore, and will be completed by August 2022.


Today we are going to bring light on a very handy tool for designer all around. We have all heard about Photoshop and know how much it is an intrinsic part of their work. But yet it is only just a powerful graphics editor. What we are discussing today is intrinsically meant for designers. The software that we are talking about is of course Adobe Fireworks. It is highly recommended for website designing.
If you are wondering what to call this software then you might get a headache, because when software is so versatile it sometimes cannot be given an identity other than its own. The best thing that you can do is know what you can do with it.
The reason why it is so great is that it allows you to design websites, UI, Rich Internet Application (RIA) which you can edit as both raster and vector. Fireworks has all the features to speed up web design and you can use it to develop interactive wireframes and prototypes.
Fireworks is editable PNG; it simply stores additional metadata for layers, animation, vector data, text, effects. Since it is a vector mobile application development for iOS is also easy. Also it has great extensions available for it. For example TweetFire, which lets you instantly tweet the image/design you're currently working on without leaving Fireworks.
Now on a note of celebration we will have you know that we will be giving away Fireworks wireframing kits for various UI, website designing services among other things. Find their links in our resource box below.
Email us your thoughts at info@letsnurture.com.


If you are a baby boomer woman–and I hope you are, because this site has been created for you–you are well aware of the issues regarding bone density as we get older.
About five years ago, I had my first bone-density test. The results revealed osteopenia in my spine, although my hips were fine. The doctor I was seeing at the time prescribed Boniva, endorsed by Sally Field. After reading about the drug, I decided that it didn't sound like something I wanted to take. It's tough on the esophagus, the stomach, and the bones of the jaw…and I'm simply not a big fan of taking meds in the first place.
I decided that I would continue taking calcium supplements and boost my time in the gym. If my bones continued to weaken, I would agree to go on medication. Since bone-density tests are usually recommended once every two years, that's how long I gave myself to try to change things on my own.
In 2008, I had my second test. It indicated that everything was within acceptable ranges and I no longer fell into the osteopenia category. Not only didn't my bones get any worse, they became stronger.
Since then, I added one more spin class to my workout routine. I'm not doing quite as much walking as I used to do, but I figure five days a week in the gym is pretty darn good.
Last week, I had a third test, and lo and behold–my bone density has increased even more. I know it seems weird to get excited about improving my bone mass, but this news delights me. This is the only body I have, and I plan to keep it in the best possible shape for as long as I can. If I can manage to do that without taking medication, better still.
Two years ago, I had my first bone-density test. The results revealed osteopenia in my spine, although my hips were fine. The doctor I was seeing at the time prescribed Boniva, made popular by the ever-bubbly and still-adorable Sally Field. After reading about the drug, I decided that it didn't sound like something I wanted to take. It's tough on the esophagus and the stomach, and well…it's a drug, and I'm just not a big fan of popping pills unless they can promise some sort of life-altering effect.
So I made a deal with myself that I would continue taking calcium supplements and would also boost my time in the gym. If my bones continued to weaken, I would capitulate and agree to go on medication. Since bone-density tests are usually recommended once every two years, that's how long I gave myself to try to change things on my own.
Two weeks ago, I had my second test. My doctor called today to report that the results were excellent—no sign of bone loss or osteopenia, everything within acceptable ranges.
"You may have had it then, but you don't have it now," came his reply.
I hung up. Incredulous. Not only didn't my bones get any worse, they became stronger. It would appear that I actually reversed the problem.
I'm not saying that my methods are right for everyone. My point is simply that I'm thrilled to have taken a stand on how I want to approach this area of my health—and it worked like a charm.


Our take Ounce counting is tough with winter shells, because the protection you need for foul weather and rough terrain often adds weight. But this blizzard-worthy piece keeps its weight down to summer-jacket levels while still delivering the performance of Gore-Tex Pro shell, the company's most rugged option. We skied through graupel and 40-mph winds in Montana and hauled packs through a downpour with no compromise in protection. Arc'teryx pulls it off with a trim cut and streamlined features—there are no pit zips, but you get hand pockets (tight for skins, but big enough for gloves), an internal chest pocket, and a helmet-compatible hood.
The details The sleeve and shoulder cut never inhibited reaches or rode up, and the cuff is tailored to keep the thumb and forefinger more exposed than usual for detail work, such as tying rope. Extra-narrow seam tape shaves weight while boosting breathability (wider tape covers more surface area inside a shell, blocking moisture transfer).


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bitchy | 'Babylon' flopped hard, so Brad Pitt is furiously updating us on his relationship
by Lawrence Moore January 4, 2023 012
Well, it's official: Babylon is a huge bomb. Damien Chazelle's three-hour film has been described as "polarizing" – meaning a lot of people loathe it – and audiences have overwhelmingly chosen to avoid it. There's no way around it: Paramount will lose tens of millions of dollars on Babylon. Its theatrical release is now two weeks long and the domestic box office is… *insert sad clown trombone* $10.8 million total. The film cost $78 million just to produce, and that's before the promotional and marketing costs. A total disaster.
I said before that I understood why the trade papers were hanging Babylon's failure around Margot Robbie's neck – after all, she was the face of the film, she did the most promotion and she was really selling it like her life depended on it. But guess who else is to blame? Paramount executives, Damien Chazelle and Brad Pitt. Pitt gave zero interviews to promote Babylon and he only showed up at a few screenings/premieres. Pitt was never going to have to "wear" Babylon's failure the same way Margot has to. But he's still paying his crisis managers, so magically, we're getting all of these dumb stories about Brad's relationship with Ines de Ramon. I hope this woman is collecting her checks on time.
Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon welcomed 2023 from Mexico! The couple arrived in Cabo San Lucas ahead of the holiday weekend and celebrated New Year's Eve together Saturday in the popular tourist destination in Mexico's Baja California peninsula.
"They are dating and having fun," a source tells PEOPLE. "They have a good thing going on. There is no stress. Brad is enjoying it."
The insider adds that the actor, 59, "is not seeing anyone else right now" besides the 32-year-old jewelry designer, 32."He is spending more time with Ines," the source says. "He is very happy."
Their getaway comes just under two weeks after de Ramon joined Pitt to celebrate his 59th birthday in Hollywood, California. PEOPLE confirmed in November that Pitt and de Ramon had "been dating for a few months." They were first photographed together on Nov. 13 alongside Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber backstage at a Bono concert at Los Angeles' Orpheum Theatre.
There's something so rote and perfunctory about Pitt's relationship updates. Like, I'm sure there are still People Mag readers who are excited to learn that Pitt "finally" found someone to date, but it just feels so… stage-managed and dry. As I said, I hope Ines is cashing those checks. I wonder if Jennifer Aniston was mad that Pitt took Ines down to Cabo too – Cabo is Aniston's favorite vacation destination! Ah, well. At least we're not talking about Babylon's box office flop.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Austin, – Actor and film producer, Brad Pitt, during the Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix 2022, 19th round of the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship from October 21 to 23, 2022 on the Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas.
Pictured: Brad Pitt
BACKGRID USA 22 OCTOBER 2022
BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID
Austin, TX – Brad Pitt during the Formula 1 (F1) United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
Los Angeles, CA – Celebrities attend the premiere screening of 'Babylon' at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California.
BACKGRID USA 15 DECEMBER 2022
bitchy | King Charles would still welcome back Prince Harry (and only Harry) 'in a heartbeat'
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Lawrence Moore July 15, 2022
bitchy | Are the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge headed to New Zealand this fall?
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bitchy | Prince Harry wore a Spiderman costume in a Scotty's Little Soldiers video
Lawrence Moore December 5, 2022

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I was tired of overwhelming to-do lists. Tired of waking up from stressful dreams that left me feeling like I'd worked all night. Tired of skipping breakfast, scarfing down granola bars between meetings, and racing home at night just in time to drive through my favorite fast-food place before it closed. It was time to try something new.
My only requirement for this two-week experiment was that I spend each morning on activities that would allow me to relax, recharge, and rest. Like reading The Count of Monte Cristo at my favorite cafe. Kayaking down a river. Even just pacing around my apartment dreaming – like I used to do as a kid.
During these two weeks, work would be limited to the hours between noon and 9 p.m.
I was excited. Admittedly, I was also scared. What would happen if I worked fewer hours given that I was already barely keeping up? What would my friends and mentors think? After all, you have to hustle 24/7 to make it big, right?
My assumption, though, was that having several hours of breathing room every morning to think, dream, and relax would have a counter-intuitive effect and actually make me more productive.
Day 1: I woke up around 8:30 a.m. and relaxed in bed for a while. Reaching for my phone, I dreamed up a list of activities to do during my newfound free time. Then I got out of bed, put on sweats and a hat and went for a long walk around the neighborhood. By the time I showered, dressed, and made myself a smoothie, it was noon.
Day 2: Despite setting my alarm for 7 a.m, I slept until 10 a.m. Having watched TV until 3 a.m., I needed the extra sleep. Turns out it's hard to motivate yourself to go to bed early when you don't have to work until noon. I made breakfast and read a few pages from The Count of Monte Cristo. Next thing I knew, it was 11:30 a.m., so I rushed through a hot shower and quickly got dressed. Arriving a few minutes late to my 12:30 p.m. lunch meeting, I felt scattered and lazy and spent the next few hours beating myself up for sleeping in so long.
Day 3: I slept in. Again. And I would have slept longer had my phone not rang. Rubbing my eyes and struggling to sit up, I heard myself telling a friend, "Dude, I can't wait for this experiment to be over." I left my apartment still half-asleep wearing a wrinkled hoodie and jeans and drove to the auto repair shop down the street. My car needed new brakes, and since I was working noon to 9 p.m. every day, a morning appointment had been the only option. Frazzled from the late night and weird morning, I forgot to check my calendar and also missed an important 1 p.m. meeting with my largest client.
Those first three days set the tone for the entire two weeks.
On the morning of Day 14, I sat in bed reflecting on the experiment. Probably most surprising was the fact that it hadn't changed how I felt at all. Despite a dramatic "improvement" to my schedule, I was just as unhappy and just as overwhelmed.
Suddenly, I realized that I was missing the point. The lesson I was supposed to learn from this experiment had nothing to do with my schedule at all. The reason the experiment failed was that, no matter how much my schedule improved or how much time I spent on fun and relaxing activities, I was still me.
I was still beating myself up over every dumb mistake. I was still saying terrible things to myself every time I fell short. I was still constantly worrying that I wasn't good enough, smart enough, or productive enough. I was still eating poorly, still not making time for rejuvenating activities, still overwhelmed by my to-do list. The only thing that had changed was my sleep schedule. And it had changed for the worse.
The lesson I needed to learn was much deeper.
Imagine a little kid playing soccer. He runs back and forth, out of breath, trying his hardest. It's cute to watch because the ball is almost as big as he is. But he's so determined, and he's trying so hard. He even makes a couple of goals, which you find impressive.
Witnessing this scene would make even the coldest heart burn with anger toward the little kid's dad. Words like these leave wounds that aren't easily forgotten, and we know this because we often use them on ourselves when we mess up. Perhaps that's why it makes us so angry to hear them used on others.
But somewhere along the way, as we've grown up, we've decided that we are no longer the cute little kid on the soccer field. We've decided that we no longer deserve encouragement and grace. We've decided that it's better to whisper hurtful things to ourselves than to cheer ourselves on.
While we may no longer see that little kid when we look in the mirror, deep in our hearts we know that we are still very much him. Every morning, we get out of bed and we do the best we know how. It's hard, because our goals and dreams are so much bigger than we are, which makes the fact that we've already done so much pretty impressive. But we also fall short a lot, and that's life.
While this experiment changed my schedule for two weeks, it didn't change me. And that's why it failed. It's been several days since it ended, and my life is now back to normal with it's long hours, early mornings, and late nights. But I'm happier and more productive than I've been in a long time.
While this was definitely the worst productivity experiment I've ever tried, I'm grateful for it because it taught me that I am still the little kid on the soccer field. It taught me that my happiness has nothing to do with where I go or what I do. And it taught me that kindness isn't just for other people. I've decided to start cheering myself on.
– Jesse Lear is the co-founder of V.I.P. Waste Services, a company that contracts with apartment communities to pick up trash and recyclables from residents' doors as a luxury amenity.


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« Should Arsenal go where Liverpool and Manchester have gone?
Bischoff starts to show why we bought him »
Wenger or Usmanov, that's the choice
Reading the blogs and news groups today the comments have reached near hysteria. But there are still a couple of points that haven't been fully explored.
First, there is the rather obvious fact that anything less than fulsome support for the team in forthcoming games will serve no one but the opposition. It's obvious but worth saying – especially with what happened away to Stoke.
Second, less obviously, the choice is not just Wenger or another manager. It is Wenger or Usmanov.
Wenger has brought a unique approach to football through his job, creating World Wide Scouting. One implication of that is that the young players who are recruited – the likes of Fabregas, Clichy, Eboue, Van Persie, Adebayor, Vela, Denilson, etc, must all believe that they have a chance to play for the team. Those who come along behind them won't bother to come, and will go to lesser clubs rather than wait, if they see new purchases endlessly taking their place.
If Wenger goes, World Wide Scouting (WWS) goes, because to replace Wenger with another coach who follows the same approach would be pointless. It is, the argument goes, not Wenger that is wrong, it is his stubborn insistence on WWS and the beautiful game.
The Arsenal supporters who want change want a totally different system – one in which we buy three or four ready-made high price players in January – players who will displace people like Denilson, Song, Diaby etc.
(Just to side track for one moment, it may be argued that the big problem is the issue of centre halves. Wenger argued there that every club under the sun was looking for centre halves last summer – and there were not any available who were better than what we had – until Silvestre came along. Some may think that is just an excuse, but Wenger's position is supported by the fact that even AC Milan, who are capable of spending money when they think it is needed, ended up taking Senderos on loan. Now why would they take a player many Arsenal supporters think himself was a weak link, if there were top centre halves on the market?)
So, back to my point. Wenger is probably the only manager around who runs World Wide Scouting as a method of developing a new team. He tops up occasionally with purchases, but only occasionally.
But the great teams of the Wenger period, that we look back to, were made up of World Wide Scouting buys plus top ups of unknowns – think of Anelka and Vieira at the start of Wenger's reign, topped up by Henry – £11m or so I think, but still unknown in the UK.
So there's no point in getting rid of Wenger to replace with a WWS coach. You get rid of Wenger to bring in a Buy Big Buy Now (BBBN) coach.
Which is fine, except you need money – money not just for the big transfer spree in January and next summer, but for every transfer window to come. More than you might think, because the up and coming players who would have got a chance under Wenger (Bischoff, Ramsey, Nordtveit etc) will leave and will need to be replaced.
So we will need money. Lots of money. The club has some of course – but not enough to replace half the squad – those that the people who want Wenger out deem needing replacement (defensive midfield, goalkeeper, fullback, wide midfield, centre half), plus all the back ups for them as the kids start to do a Bentley.
The banks will lend some more, but not that much (this is the credit crunch remember – the time when Liverpool I and Everton-Bolton can't raise enough to build new grounds – which is why all sorts of special deals are needed. That is why Manchester Bankrupt and Liverpool Insolvency are bankrupt and insolvent, and that is what CSKA Fulham is CSKA Fulham and not Chelsea. There isn't any more money around.
We have one such saviour on the horizon – Mr Usmanov.
So there you have it. We could get rid of Wenger, bring in a new manager (who might or might not be any good) and finance his spending spree by selling the club to Mr Usmanov.
Personally – and of course this is just me speaking – just one regular guy who goes to a lot of games, and has been there since 1957 – I would regret that. I would regret the move away from the Arsenal/Wenger style to the Chelsea/Liverpool style. I make no allegation against Mr Usmanov and have no evidence beyond what I have read on web sites, that he is not a fine upstanding man. But somehow I find I warm more to Mr Wenger than to Mr Usmanov. Nothing personal, just me.
It's funny because I happen to know (don't know why, I just do) that not long after I started watching Arsenal we had 3 successive home defeats. That in 1992 we had 4 successive premier games without scoring a single goal. That in 1995 we had four consecutive premier league defeats.
And I think that by and large I don't want to go back to that. I don't want to watch play like CSKA Fulham. I don't want my club to be owned by a man who made billions out of selling metals in eastern Europe. And no, I don't want our club to be known as the club that threw out the most successful manager it ever had.
November 4th, 2008 | Category: Arsenal stories | 3 comments - (Comments are closed)
3 comments to Wenger or Usmanov, that's the choice
don't believe the hype
I don't think Usmanov wants Arsenal as a play thing on which to lavish his riches. He has always been clear from day one that he is looking for dividends on his shares. I also believe he bought into Arsenal to raise his profile in Western Europe – isn't he planning to float his company on the stock market over here?
Some Arsenal fans are mistakenly under the impression that there are no strings attached to Abramovich's largesse. The reality is that he has loaned Chelsea money and could recall those loans at any time. Why would we want to live or die at the whim of a billionaire benefactor? Wenger's methods have kept the club solvent and competitive and enabled us to grow and develop. But instead of recognising what a great achievement this is, he is being villified for trying to do the right thing rather than following the trend of living above your means.
Nipuna
Milan signing Sendy as proof that there were no good CBs in the market is rubbish. I am sorry to say that. This is the same Milan which signed Ronaldinho when Eto'o was available and are now signing Beckham. When did Milan become the benchmark in signing good players? How can Liverpool find Agger and Skrtel, ManU can find Vidic, but we can only "find" Silvestre (not that he is bad, but you get the point)?
Colonel Mustard
No Arsenal fans wants Wegner out but we a short 3 quality players and his refusal to replace players is self defeating. but what do I know. sometimes it great to live through the harder times.


Tagarev, Todor. Europe and the Balkans during the Strategic Transformation of the European Union: Implications for Ukraine In CSDM Views. Sofia: Centre for Security and Defence Management, 2012.
Tagarev, Todor. Europe and the Balkans during the Strategic Transformation of the European Union: Implications for Ukraine In CSDM. Sofia: Academy of Sciences and Head of the Centre for Security and Defence Management, 2012.


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Ninth century A.D. Driven from Norway by endless wars and dwindling resources, a Viking raider, Eivor, leads a clan of Norsemen across the icy North Sea to the rich lands of England's broken kingdoms. Their mission: establish a new, permanent home, no matter the cost.
In Assassin's Creed® Valhalla, you are Eivor, a fierce Viking warrior raised on tales of battle and glory. Explore a mysterious and beautiful open world set against the brutal backdrop of England's Dark Ages. Raid your enemies, grow your settlement, and build your political power in the quest to earn a place among the gods in Valhalla.
Wars will rage. Kingdoms will fall. This is the age of the Vikings.
WRITE YOUR VIKING SAGA – Advanced RPG mechanics allow you to shape the growth of your character and influence the world around you. With every choice you make, from political alliances and combat strategy to dialogue and gear progression, you will carve your own path to glory.
VISCERAL COMBAT SYSTEM – Dual-wield powerful weapons such as axes, swords, and even shields to relive the ruthless fighting style of the Viking warriors. Brutally decapitate your foes, vanquish them from afar, or stealthily assassinate targets with your hidden blade. Challenge yourself with the most varied collection of deadly enemies ever found in an Assassin's Creed game.
A DARK AGE OPEN WORLD – Sail from the harsh and mysterious shores of Norway to the beautiful but forbidding kingdoms of England and beyond. Immerse yourself in the Viking way of life through fishing, hunting, drinking games, and more.
LEAD EPIC RAIDS – Launch massive assaults against Saxon troops and fortresses throughout England. Lead your clan in surprise attacks from your longship and pillage enemy territories to bring riches and resources back to your people.
GROW YOUR SETTLEMENT – Construct and upgrade buildings that allow for deep customization, including a barracks, blacksmith, tattoo parlor, and more. Recruit new members to your clan and personalize your Viking experience.
MERCENARY VIKINGS – Create and customize a unique Viking raider within your clan and share it online with friends to use during their own raids.
France Germany Czechia Italy --- Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czechia Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Monaco Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden
The customer may, in accordance with Article 43 of the Consumer Protection Act (ZVP), withdraw from the purchase within 14 days of receiving the shipment and return the product without explanation of their action. The deadline starts one day after the date of receipt of the ordered goods. The goods must be returned to the seller by post, no later than 14 days after the notification of withdrawal from the contract (purchase).
In such a case, we undertake to return the money for the received payment to the customer as soon as possible and no later than within 30 days of receiving the request for the return of the goods. The seller returns the received payments to the customer with the same means of payment as used by the customer or as a credit or in the form of gift cards if the consumer expressly agrees to this method. Upon withdrawal from a contract where a bonus, discount code or promotional code has been used, these funds are considered a discount and are not returned to the customer. Only the paid amount is returned to the customer. When withdrawing from the contract, the gift card is considered as a means of payment and therefore the amount of it, in the event of withdrawal from the contract, is returned to the customer.
The cost related to the withdrawal from the contract that the consumer is liable to pay is the cost of returning the goods. Shipments with cash payments are not accepted. Returned goods must have all associated equipment, original packaging and documentation. The customer is responsible for reducing the value of the goods if the reduction in value is a consequence of handling that is not strictly necessary to determine the nature, characteristics and operation of the goods.
The customer has no right to withdraw from the contract:
for goods or services the price of which depends on fluctuations in markets over which the company has no control and which may occur within the withdrawal period;
for goods manufactured according to the exact instructions of the consumer and adapted to their personal needs;
in the case of contracts for the supply of audio or video recordings or computer programs, if the consumer has opened the security seal (the opening of the security seal is considered to be breaking the wrapping foil or destroying the security label at the serial number.)
Notice of withdrawal may be made by the customer in their user account or by an unambiguous statement clearly stating that they are withdrawing from the contract. It is considered that the customer submitted the withdrawal statement in time, if they submit or send it within the time limit set for withdrawal from the contract. The burden of proof regarding the exercise of the right of withdrawal is borne by the customer.
Return of goods is made by post. The goods are sent to the seller: Colby d.o.o., Ob Dravi 6, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
If the purchase is made by a legal or natural person performing a gainful activity, regardless of its legal organizational form or ownership, these provisions do not apply to it. We enable legal or natural persons who perform a gainful activity to return the delivered items within the warranty conditions.
In your user account, mark the goods you want to return and fill in all the necessary information,
Attach a copy of the invoice for the goods you are returning,
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Send the goods to the address: Colby d.o.o., Ob Dravi 6, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
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About igabiba
igabiba is an online store that, with its comprehensive offer, has been providing countless memories for gamers since 1993 and providing them with constant stream of new products. igabiba is a website that every gamer should keep open in a tab.
You can find everything in one place at igabiba. Whatever your interests, we believe there is something for everyone. Browse a wide range of games, consoles and gaming accessories, or just close your eyes and write down your next purchase on a slip of paper.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Rate Alfred Molina And Earn Movie Points!
Photos of Alfred Molina
Alfred was born on May 24th, 1953. Known to his close friends as Fred, he has been a credited actor since the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Alfred Molina has yet to establish a position as a bankable star. He has starred in two films including the 2015 documentary movie Eyes Closed as the character Himself - Actor and the 2000 drama film Chocolat playing Comte de Reynaud.
Alfred has made such a successful career in supporting roles, that it actually surpasses most leading actor's careers. He has appeared in twenty-eight films including: the 2014 action film Swelter as the character Doc, the 2011 action movie Abduction playing Burton and the 2011 adventure release Rango cast as Roadkill.
Alfred Molina has earned salaries up to $3,000,000 for his acting. His most commercially successful project to date has been the 2004 action film Spider-Man 2, which brought in $374,000,000 at the box office.
Alfred has stayed out of the media limelight, having been featured in one magazine article.
Tweet Alfred Molina
Tweets by @OfficialMolina
Alfred Molina Roles
Auditioned for the part of Rimmer in _"Red Dwarf" (1988)_ .
Review Alfred Molina's Work
Alfred Molina Movies
Eyes Closed 2015
Himself - Actor
Swelter 2014
Rango 2011
Abduction 2011
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 2010
Sheik Amar
The Tempest 2010


This enquiry was received from a bespoke solutions provider to the Canadian heavy lift and transportation market. Primarily supplying to the oil, energy, mining and petrochemical markets, their capabilities include jacking, lifting, weighing, ballasting and transportation. They operate a fleet of heavy lift cranes with capacities from 50te to over 1000te.
The requirement was for 55te telemetry load shackles that could function in the sub-zero temperatures of the Canadian winter, so had to be robust enough to operate consistently in temperatures as low as -40°C. The customer had seen our standard TELSHACK-B load shackles on our website, but as they are rated to -20°C, were not quite suitable. Utilising over 30 years of load measurement experience, our design engineers were able to adapt the design to make it suitable for their requirement.
A total of 14 load shackles were supplied, which were fitted to a lifting beam to enable load testing to be carried out. Suspended from a 750te crane, the load beam has 14 sliders along its length, each of which were fitted with a load shackle. Any number of sliders can be used for a lift, depending on the size and weight of the item being lifted. The sliding mechanisms enable the lifting strops to be positioned in such a way as to ensure the load is evenly distributed along the length of the lifting beam and that it is evenly balanced.
For the purposes of testing the beams load capacity, a number of counter weights were lifted and the resulting loads recorded. The photograph below shows two load shackles in use, but over the course of the tests all 14 were in operation.
The LCM4573 telemetry load shackle was designed using the standard TELSHACK-B range as a basis for the product. Utilising our 30 years of load measurement experience we were able to have this custom product designed and manufactured in 6 weeks by replacing some of the key component parts with variants that had lower operating temperature ratings than the standard load shackle range.
The load shackles operated satisfactorarily during the load tests in temperatures of around -30°C. The customer subsequently ordered a further 14 shackles for the testing of an additional lifting beam.


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Events at The Hotel and Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay
PUBLISHED: 09:51 14 March 2012 | UPDATED: 21:09 20 February 2013
Up and coming thrilling events at the Watergate Bay Hotel & Extreme Academy include Polo on the beach, surfing, kite surfing, thundercat racing and much, much more! Never a dull day at Watergate Bay!
Polo On The Beach Tuesday 11th September
Polo On The Beach at Watergate Bay is now in its sixth year and this year is looking to be the biggest and best yet featuring Britains most talented polo players as they transfer their skills to the beach. The action is up close and personal; thundering hooves complete with the sound of the surf. Its free to attend and spectators can enjoy refreshments at the beach champagne bar as they watch the drama unfold.
www.watergatebay.co.uk/polo/index.htm
Watergate Bay Re-development
We are nearing the end of the most extensive stage of the evolution of The Hotel & Extreme Academy. Already the new Living Space has re-opened with extensive views of the bay, a new open plan kitchen, more seating for guests, a bigger menu and a cosier feel, its the perfect place to socialise and relax. By the summer you will be able to take a dip in the 25m infinity pool and hot tub with ocean views like no other , devour your favourite book in the snug, stroll down the new timber boardwalk to the beach, or simply chill at the caf-bar. There will be the chance to try out the new active spa with treatment rooms, a sea view gym and a studio.
http://www.watergatebay.co.uk/activespa/index.htm
British Kite Surfing National Course Racing 21/22 April
The kitesurfing Course Racing kicks off at Watergate Bay. This event is all about speed with up to 30 competitors in each two lap race, its a real spectacle as the countrys best kitesurfers fight for position along a course that runs the width of the bay.
www.watergatebay.co.uk/events.htm
English Nation Surf Championships 5/6/7 May
This is an iconic event in the surfing calendar. So much action is squeezed into this competition as up and coming surfers battle to topple established champions from the throne. With three divisions open, ladies and longboard this competition is one of the longest running in the sport and titles are hotly contested.
ThunderCat Racing 19/20 May
ThunderCat Racing arrives at Watergate Bay for the first time. Watch the fastest motorised catamarans zoom along the shoreline in two days of high-octane sport. Its like Formula One racing on water and waves make it even more exciting.
The Big Sing Friday 15th June
This unique event returns to the Bay for a glorious celebration of the coastline, with workshops ad beach activities during the day ad an evening of music, drama and dance. Its the perfect way to welcome summer by the sea.
UK Surf Rowers League Saturday 14th July
The event has to be seen to be believed, taking to the surf in big, sturdy boats, teams of five rowers confront the surf head on only the bravest need apply! These men and women are fit and fearless and the resulting competition is spellbinding.
European Longboard Tour 29/30 September
This is where longboarding gets serious; the cream of the longboard surfers from all around the continent battling for points in the campaign to become European champion. The skill level is astonishing and the competition is fierce.
British Stand Up Paddle Association National Championships 13/14 October
This two day paddle surfing fiesta is always fun, with plenty of surf and distance racing action. It may be a heritage sport, all about grace and athleticism, but that doesnt stop the competition being top class.
Cornish pasties in Cornwall: 12 of the most authentic places to go
15 of the best afternoon teas to try in Cornwall


In this passage we see the rebellion of Saul through partial disobedience. Now Saul had trouble before as the word of God shows in 1 Samuel 13, but in this sin we see what cost him the kingdom.
The story before us is simple God told Saul to destroy the Amalekites because of the fact that they had attacked Israel when they were coming up out of the land of Egypt. Not only were they to kill the Amalekites but they were to kill their livestock also. Saul not only did not kill the king of the Amalekites but because of fear of the people he also left the best sheep, oxen, lambs and all that was good. When Samuel shows up he ask Saul what was the meaning of the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the oxen that he heard. Saul gave him an excuse that they saved them for a sacrifice. This is where we see the famous response of Samuel from this chapter.
22And Samuel said, hath the LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is a iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hath rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
As a direct result of this disobedience we see Saul lose the kingdom and also the fellowship of Samuel.
What can we learn from this lesson?
Now most of us would say that we would never commit witchcraft or idolatry, but all of us rebel sometimes, whether it be against God, our parents, our bosses, or the other authorities God has placed in our lives.
Note that Saul left the good animals alive and wanted to sacrifice them unto the Lord, Samuel told him that God is more pleased with obedience than sacrifice.
Many times we don't totally disobey but we do it partially, like finding ways to get around the rules or bending them in our favor etc.
Remember that idolatry is covetousness (Colossians 3:5), this would apply here to putting our own wants and wishes ahead of God's.
Saul lost the kingdom and eventually his life but note also that he lost the fellowship of Samuel (verse 35).
We must weigh all the cost, remembering some bridges once burnt are very hard to rebuild.
1) What was Saul told to do in regards to the Amalekites?
2) How are rebellion and witchcraft connected?
3) What are some things we can learn concerning Saul's partial disobedience?
4) What did this disobedience cost Saul?


A tropical cyclone that's currently passing over the Pacific Islands has had its rating increased to Category 5, according to US government data.
The increase makes Cyclone Donna the most powerful Southern Hemisphere cyclone ever recorded in May.
Wind gusts of up to 260km/h have contributed to the increase, with air pressure dropping overnight in Fiji to 948hPa - and CNN say it could now be even lower.
Cyclone Donna is expected to weaken as it heads towards New Caledonia over the next two days.
Vanuata's Torba province was ravaged by the storm over the weekend, with homes and other buildings damaged.
The cyclone briefly doubled back on Saturday night, bringing severe winds and flooding to Vanuatu's northern islands before continuing its trajectory southwest.
Red Cross Vanuatu coordinator Dickinson Tevi told Newshub on Sunday the islands are experiencing major issues with water access and quality, after supplies in the north were contaminated during heavy downpours.
Access to fresh food is also anticipated to be a significant problem for the Pacific Island's affected areas.


Billericay Community Cinema, Billericay Library, 143, High Street, CM12 9AB.
Doors open at 2.30pm. Film starts at 3.00pm.
Very competitively priced refreshments available.
Sales of refreshments help keep our ticket prices low. Please do not bring your own refreshments into the cinema (baby food excepted).
Billericay Community Cinema requires that parents and/or guardians are responsible for their children at all times whilst attending a @BillericayCine film show.
No child may be left in the Library without a parent or guardian present.
There are 70 ticket(s) remaining.
Billericay Community Cinema is a local, not-for-profit and purely voluntary group dedicated to bringing a little bit of Hollywood to our High Street. Films will be shown twice a month - on a Thursday evening for Adults with a Family Show on a Sunday afternoon.
Fri, March 29 2019, 5:56 PM : RT @Gateway978: #FilmFriday now with @RosalynConnors chatting with Pete Mitchelmore from @BillericayCine #Billericay .


text:
MoU was signed between UMT and the National Incubation Center
Home - News and Events - MoU was signed between UMT and the National Incubation Center
(UMT) and Innovators Garage (IG) on August 04, 2022 through CENTIN/Futurizm,
Purpose. The purpose of this MOU is to establish a collaboration for Innovation & Entrepreneurship programs between University of Management & Technology (UMT) and Innovators Garage (IG) including but not limited to development of "Zindigi Prize Program". This Programis Pakistan's largest social entrepreneurship program which brings PKR 5 million worth cash prizes for universities & PKR 30 million worth of scholarships for potential students.
Under this collaboration IG will establish Zindigi Prize Campus Programand collaboratively work with UMT to enable engagement of Pakistan's youth in Innovation & Entrepreneurship programs to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


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        userQuery.next();
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Allah (swt) repeatedly reminds us that He is the Most Forgiving. Below are Quranic verses and hadiths about Allah's Forgiving Nature.
Forgiving yourself is an important part of being a Happy Muslim. We have all made mistakes in life. If Allah is willing to forgive us, then we should be willing to forgive ourselves too.
…And seek God's forgiveness! Truly God is much forgiving and Merciful.
O Believers! Turn to God with a sincere repentance.
Whoever repents, believes and does good deeds, he shall be among the successful.
He is the Acceptor of Repentance, Compassionate.
Whoso does evil or oppresses his own self and thereafter seeks God's forgiveness shall find God most Forgiving, Merciful.
But those who do evil deeds, then repent and believe, they will find your Lord Forgiving and Merciful.
Anyone of you who does a misdeed through ignorance then repents thereafter and makes amends, then verily He is Forgiving, Merciful.
The Quran repeatedly tells us to turn to God for forgiveness.
Our Lord! Forgive me, my parents, and the believers on the Day of Reckoning.
We are encouraged to ask God's forgiveness for ourselves as well as others.
When comes the Help of God, and Victory, and you do see the people enter God's religion in crowds: Celebrate the praises of your Lord, and pray for His Forgiveness: For He is Oft-Returning (in Grace and Mercy).
Along with celebrating God's praise we are supposed to ask His forgiveness.
(God says) O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.
(God says) O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you.
Never lose hope in the mercy and forgiveness of Allah.
Eid Mubarak and Inspirational Quotes from the Quran and Sunnah!
Honestly i am motivated and more faithful now i am a sinner and thought i can not be forgiven but with this great verses and hadith ALAHMDULILLAHI. ASTEGFIRULLAH.
Alhamdulillah … May Allah forgive all of us.
What does Islam says about forgiving others?
It is different from seeking forgiveness from your creator for yourself. How do we avoid revenge, grudgefulness, severed relations and resentment? Will you shed some light on this?
…Overlook with a gracious forgiveness.
The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto; but if a person forgives and makes peace, his reward rests with God; He loves not those who do wrong.
Do not do evil to those who do evil to you, but you deal with them with forgiveness and kindness.
A true believer treats others in a better way than they treat us.
There was a merchant who would lend to the people, and whenever his debtor was in difficult circumstances, he would say to his employees, "Forgive him so that God may forgive us." So, God forgave him.
Thank you for your all explanation. All are really helpful to me. I have a question, I suffer much psychologically due to some familial problem. Will Allah give me return or forgive my other sin or remove those problems?
Walaikum as Salam, yes dear sister For every suffering you go through, Allah forgives your sins. Please remember to pray to Allah to help you through this hardship. Here's an excellent article about hardship in Islam.


text:
About Melanie
Services & Help
Melanie in the Community
Melanie Mark
Hli Haykwhl Ẃii Xsgaak
MLA, Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Strong Communities
The B.C. Liberal government is putting families last. They have refused to address our province's shameful record of child poverty, which has remained the worst in the country for a decade. They have neglected critical services like education and health care, and have created a province where fewer young people have the opportunity to succeed. New Democrats are working to create a more fair and inclusive society, because we believe that no one should be left behind and denied the opportunity to succeed.
B.C.'s efforts front and centre at anti-money laundering meeting
British Columbia's world-leading legislation to end hidden ownership will be featured as part of a special meeting in Vancouver focusing on anti-money laundering strategies across Canada. "People in B.C. have paid the price for money laundering. It's distorted our economy, …
Renters facing eviction get support through rent bank funding to Vancity
Renters facing short-term financial difficulties will soon get more help and avoid evictions with new funding for community rent banks. Rent banks provide emergency low-cost or no-cost loans to help renters facing eviction. As part of Budget 2019, the Province …
Collective efforts aim to prevent sexual violence on campus
Students, post-secondary institutions, community organizations and the Province are working together to prevent and respond to sexual violence in order to make campuses safer for everyone. The Moving Forward Together: Building Capacity to Prevent and Respond to Sexual Violence on …
Minimum wage increases June 1
B.C.'s general hourly minimum wage will increase to $13.85 from $12.65, and the minimum wage rates for liquor servers, resident caretakers and live-in camp leaders will all also increase, effective June 1, 2019. Regular increases to minimum wages are one way …
New legal aid service to help more people find early resolution
The Legal Services Society (LSS) has introduced a provincewide legal aid service that will be available to people who would not normally qualify for legal aid. By reducing eligibility rules, legal aid lawyers will be able to help more people …
B.C. to study billing transparency, fairness in cellphone contracts
Frustrated by the lack of transparency in cellphone bills — from clarity about fees to the absence of plain language that makes contracts confusing — consumers want to see changes, and government is looking for information to help. The Province has …
B.C. deterring money laundering in post-secondary system
As the next step in cracking down on money laundering in British Columbia, government is working with public and private post-secondary institutions to ensure they are not targets for money laundering after being identified as one of several vulnerable sectors. "We …
More than 20,000 new homes underway for people throughout B.C.
Partnerships with organizations like the Union Gospel Mission, which is breaking ground on new housing for women and children, are behind the success of the more than 20,000 new homes complete or underway in nearly 80 communities throughout the province. …
More students supported by SOGI-inclusive education
All 60 B.C. school districts and several independent schools have joined the B.C. SOGI Educator Network to further help educators make schools safe and inclusive for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities (SOGI). Education and community partners gathered …
Government to hold public inquiry into money laundering
The Province will hold a public inquiry into money laundering that has distorted British Columbia's economy, fuelled the overdose crisis and driven up housing prices. The decision to proceed with a commission of inquiry follows three independent reviews that found …
In B.C.
Find links to government services and answers to your questions!
Stay informed on what's happening in your community
My First 100 Days
Melanie in the Legislature
Advocacy tips and resources
#1070-1641 Commercial Dr
V5L 3Y3
Melanie.Mark.mla@leg.bc.ca
©Copyright BC New Democrat Caucus 2019. All rights reserved. Website design by Raised Eyebrow Web Studio


text:
Diferenciálna topologíja je matematična disciplina, ki obravnava diferenciabilne funkcije (preslikave) in diferenciabilne mnogoterosti. Je tesno povezana s sorodnim področjem, diferencialno geometrijo, skupaj pa predstavljata geometrijsko teorijo diferenciabilnih mnogoterosti. Diferencialna topologija raziskuje (globalne) geometrijske invariante brez metričnih ali simplektičnih form.

Mnogoterost je topološki prostor, ki krajevno izgleda kot n-razsežni kartezični prostor . Sestavljen je iz kosov , zlepljenih med seboj s homeomorfizmi. Če so ti homeomorfizmi diferenciabilni, dobimo diferenciabilno mnogoterost.

Opis in pregled

Diferencialna topologija obravnava značilnosti in strukture, ki za opredelitev zahtevajo le gladko strukturo na mnogoterosti. Gladke mnogoterosti so 'mehkejše' od mnogoterosti z dodatnimi geometrijskimi strukturami, katere so lahko ovire za določene vrste ekvivalenc in deformacij, ki obstajajo v diferencialni topologiji. Prostornina in riemannovska ukrivljenost sta na primer invarianti s katerima se lahko razločuje različne geometrijske strukture na isti gladki mnogoterosti, oziroma določene mnogoterosti je moč gladko »poravnati«, kar pa mogoče zahteva popačenje prostora in vpliv na ukrivljenost ali prostornino.

Gladke mnogoterosti so na drugi strani bolj toge od topoloških. Milnor je leta 1956 odkril, da imajo nekatere sfere več kot eno gladko strukturo (glej eksotična sfera in Donaldsonov izrek). Tedaj je osupnil topologe s konstrukcijo eksotične diferenciabilne strukture na 7-sferi, ki je gladka mnogoterost, homeomorfna, vendar ne difeomorfna . Kervaire je obravnaval topološke mnogoterosti brez kakršnekoli gladke strukture. Nekatere konstrukcije teorije gladkih mnogoterosti, kot je npr. obstoj tangentnih svežnjev, se lahko izvedejo v topološkem smislu, nekatere pa ne.

Eden od glavnih predmetov v diferencialni topologiji je raziskovanje posebnih vrst gladkih preslikav med mnogoterostmi, potopitve (imerzije) in submerzije, ter preseki podmnogoterosti prek transverzalnosti. Še splošneje se raziskujejo značilnosti in invariante gladkih mnogoterosti, ki jih prenašajo difeomorfizmi, še ena posebna vrsta gladkih preslikav. Morseova teorija je samostojna veja diferencialne topologije, kjer se topološke informacije o mnogoterosti izvajajo iz sprememb v rangu jacobiana funkcije.

Razvoj

Med intuitivne predhodnike in začetnike diferencialne topologije sodijo Betti, Riemann, Klein, Poincaré in von Dyck. Kot samostojno področje se je diferencialna topologija začela počasi razvijati v začetku 20. stoletja, intenzivneje pa v 1950-tih z deli Hurewicza, Whiteheada, Pontrjagina, Foxa, Whitneyja, Thoma, Kervairea, Smalea, Milnorja, Hirscha, Novikova, Thurstona, Donaldsona in drugih. V zadnjem obdobju se je pokazala globlja povezava med diferencialno topologijo in fiziko (teorija strun), kjer je med drugim gonilna sila Witten. Thom, Milnor, Smale, Novikov, Thurston in Witten so prejemniki Fieldsove medalje, Milnor pa tudi Abelove nagrade. Med pomembne slovenske raziskovalce na področju diferencialne topologije sodijo: Lukman, Mrčun, Pavešić, Vrabec.

Diferencialna topologija in diferencialna geometrija

Diferencialno topologijo in diferencialno geometrijo opredeljuje njuna podobnost. Obe prvenstveno raziskujeta značilnosti diferenciabilnih mnogoterosti, včasih z različnimi strukturami.

Ena od glavnih razlik leži v naravi problemov, ki jih posamezna disciplina želi obravnavati. Po enem pogledu se diferencialna topologija razlikuje od diferencialne geometrije po raziskovanju večino tistih problemov, ki so po bistvu globalni. Iz zornega kota diferencialne topologije sta na primer svitkasti krof in kavna skodelica v nekem smislu enaka. To je po bistvu globalni pogled, po katerem z opazovanjem samo drobcenega (krajevnega) kosa enega ali drugega objekta ni moč razločiti ali sta ta dva objekta enaka v tem smislu. Zato je treba opazovati celotni (globalni) objekt.

Iz zornega kota diferencialne geometrije sta krof in kavna skodelica različna, ker ni moč zavrteti kavno skodelico tako, da se njena postavitev ujame s krofovo. To je tudi globalni način obravnavanja problema. Pomembna razlika pa je, da geometrija za odločitev oblike objekta ne potrebuje celotnega objekta. Z opazovanjem le drobnega dela ročaja skodelice se lahko odloči da se kavna skodelica razlikuje od krofa, ker je ročaj tanjši (oziroma bolj ukrivljen) kot katerikoli del krofa.

Diferencialna topologija, rečeno zgoščeno, raziskuje strukture na mnogoterostih, ki v nekem smislu nimajo zanimive krajevne strukture. Diferencialna geometrija pa raziskuje strukture na mnogoterostih, ki imajo zanimivo (ali včasih celo infinitezimalno) strukturo.

Bolj matematično gledano je problem konstruiranja difeomorfizma med dvema mnogoterostima enakih razsežnosti inherentno globalen, ker sta krajevno dve takšni mnogoterosti vedno difeomorfni. Enako je problem računanja količine na mnogoterosti, ki je invarianta pod diferenciabilno preslikavo, inherentno globalen, ker bo vsaka krajevna invarianta trivialna v smislu, da je že izkazana v topologiji . Še več, diferencialna topologija se ne omejuje nujno na raziskovanje difeomorfizma. Simplektična topologija, poddisciplina diferencialne topologije, raziskuje globalne značilnosti simplektičnih mnogoterosti. Diferencialna geometrija raziskuje probleme, ki so lahko krajevni ali globalni, in imajo vedno kakšne netrivialne krajevne značilnosti. Zaradi tega lahko diferencialna geometrija raziskuje diferenciabilne mnogoterosti, opremljenimi s povezanostjo, metriko, (ki je lahko riemannovska, psevdoriemannovska ali Finslerjeva), posebno vrsto porazdelitve (kot je npr. struktura CR) in podobno.

To razlikovanje med diferencialno geometrijo in diferencialno topologijo je vseeno zamegljeno pri vprašanjih, ki se posebej nanašajo na invariante krajevnega difeomorfizma, kot je npr. tangentni prostor v točki. Diferencialna topologija se ukvarja tudi s takšnimi vprašanji, ki se posebej nanašajo na značilnosti diferenciabilnih preslikav na , na primer tangentni sveženj, tokovni svežnji, Whitneyjev izrek o razširitvi itd.

Kljub temu pa razlikovanje postane jasnejše v abstraktnem okolju. Diferencialna topologija je raziskovanje (infinitezimalnih, krajevnih in globalnih) značilnosti struktur na mnogoterostih, ki so brez netrivialnih krajevnih modulov, diferencialna geometrija pa je raziskovanje (infinitezimalnih, krajevnih in globalnih) značilnosti struktur na mnogoterostih, ki imajo netrivialne krajevne module.

Opombe in sklici

Viri

Zunanje povezave

 Diferencialna topologija na MathWorld

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If there ever was a time for Chilean students to leave their mark on the country's educational system, that time is now. Michelle Bachelet came to office on March 11 promising education reform as one of the three central priorities of her government—along with a tax reform that will provide $8.2 billion to pay for the education reform, and a constitutional reform that will purge the last vestiges of dictatorship from Chilean democracy. But student leaders are concerned that the government will use the movement's dynamic slogans as mere window dressing for cosmetic reforms that do little more than lend legitimacy to the country's current voucher-based education model. With May's massive march, and a second march on June 10, they sought to prove that they won't sit back and watch if the policies proposed by the government don't live up to their expectations.
Chilean students have been seeking substantive education reform since 2006, just months after Michelle Bachelet first took office. Then, in the "Penguin Revolution" named after the white shirts and black jackets of most Chilean high school uniforms, the country's secondary students organized marches and school occupations to demand free public transportation for students, the elimination of the fee to take the PSU (the Chilean SAT), and high-quality education for all. Bachelet initially tried to suppress the movement, and only when that became politically impossible did she agree to address the students' concerns. She offered free public transportation to the poorest 20 percent of public school kids, PSU grants for 80 percent of those who took the test and emergency funds to rebuild dilapidated school buildings. She also invited eight high school and eight university students to form part of an eighty-one-member presidential advisory committee on education reform. Despite these gains, Chilean student leaders say she never took serious steps to address the fundamental inequality in the Chilean educational system.
That failure is what brought students back onto the streets in 2011 and 2012, when hundreds of thousands of high school and college students marched down the Alameda, occupied their schools and even went on hunger strikes to demand education reform. Those protests forced then-President Sebastián Piñera—whose administration was "ideologically opposed to the student movement's ideas," according to Patricia Schaulsohn, a lawyer and education analyst at the think tank Educación 2020—to address the issue of burgeoning student debt: He replaced student bank loans that carried 6 percent interest rates with government loans with only 2 percent interest.
Beyond these concrete changes, it's hard to overestimate the impact the sustained protests have had on Chile's political system. They've placed education at the center of an evolving national discussion about the country's future. Thus, in the November 2013 elections, all nine presidential candidates included education reform in their platforms. Also, four former student leaders, who had once led marches down the Alameda, were elected to the Chilean Congress. Camila Vallejo, one of these former leaders and current MPs, said in her acceptance speech that Chilean conservative parties are "in the ICU" because of the progressive resurgence brought about by the student movement. And President Michelle Bachelet came to office promising to do what she didn't during her first administration: overhaul Chile's educational system, from its universities all the way down to its preschools.
The Chilean educational system has three fundamental flaws. First, from preschool on, it's extremely segregated by social class: rich kids go to school with rich kids, and poor kids with poor kids. In 1981, Pinochet's dictatorship instituted a voucher system to fund primary and secondary education, with the government giving every public school, and every subsidized private school, a set monthly payment for each of its enrolled students. In theory, this means that schools have to improve in order to attract students and that students are free to choose the best possible school. But, in practice, Chile's poorest students go to public schools (41.2 percent of schools), which charge no tuition fees; middle-class students go to subsidized private schools (48 percent of schools), which charge parents an additional $20 to $160 per month beyond what the state gives them; and the children of Chile's elite go either to private schools (10.8 percent of schools) or to the country's highly-selective public schools, which have demanding entrance exams.
The second fundamental flaw in Chile's education system is the huge gap between how well the children of wealthy families and those of poor families perform on standardized tests like the PISA.
And, third, getting a college education is extremely expensive, and those who drop out (in some majors, upwards of 40 percent of those who enroll) as well as those who attend less prestigious schools are unlikely to earn the income necessary to pay off their student debt.
If Chile's problems sound uncomfortably familiar, there's a reason for that, says José Joaquín Brunner, a professor at the Diego Portales University and the director of the UNESCO Faculty of Comparative Higher Education Policies. If any country has the same problems plaguing its schools as Chile—and can learn the most from the solutions being proposed by Chilean activists—it's the United States. The best way to improve the quality of Chilean education would be to start by reducing the system's overall inequality, says Brunner, in imitation of Southeast Asian and northern European education models.
Thus, "the central objective [of any educational reform] is to create a system that compensates for socioeconomic and cultural inequalities that start in infancy," says Brunner.
To do that, in Chile as in the United States, the government needs to construct more preschools for poor children and to improve the quality of existing preschools, because it's in early education that "the battle is won or lost," says Schaulsohn.
Michelle Bachelet's got this covered—on paper, at least. Her policy platform (an almost 200-page document published during her campaign outlining her goals) includes a plan to construct 4,500 new daycare centers and 1,200 new preschools over the next four years and to improve teacher training and school accreditation at the preschool level.
In fact, Chileans across the political spectrum, including student leaders, agree that the government needs to improve the country's preschools, that the country needs better teacher training and teacher salaries, and that public schools should be run by school boards (similar to those in the United States) rather than, as they currently are, by mayors.
That's where the consensus ends and the debate begins. The primary controversy revolves around who should pay for education: the state, or individuals. The student movement has always maintained that education is not an economic good but rather a fundamental right, and that it should therefore be financed by the government. For Chileans brought up after Pinochet's ouster in 1990, doing so would be one more way of ridding the country of the dictatorship's neoliberal legacy. Bachelet's policy platform appears to support the students' vision. But it's unclear if it's possible for the Chilean state to fully fund the country's educational system, even with the $8.2 billion that the tax reform will theoretically bring in.
"In terms of equity, it would be the worst solution," he concludes.
Instead, Brunner says, the government should continue charging tuition, even in state-owned universities, to those who can pay, and it should extend scholarships that cover everything from tuition to books and public transportation to all those who cannot pay.
Gabriel Boric, a former student leader and current MP, counters that, "given Chile's current conditions, we're able to have a model of development that includes the whole population and that doesn't segregate according to class, which is what commercializing education produces." To pay for an education reform of this magnitude, he recommends an even deeper tax structure reform than the one proposed by Bachelet: a reform that shifts from reliance on sales taxes to reliance on both a progressive income tax as well as royalties paid by the copper mining companies that operate in Chile.
On May 19, Education Minister Nicolás Eyzaguirre introduced a bill that would eliminate tuition fees in schools that receive money from the state and put an end to entrance exams at the country's most prestigious public high schools.
The bill was quickly attacked from all sides. On the left of the political spectrum, student leader Melissa Sepúlveda says it fails to replace the voucher system with direct school financing and thereby continues to treat education as a good, not a right. Vouchers also make it harder for the state to supervise schools' use of funds, she says.
On the right, Sylvia Eyzaguirre, of the think tank Center for Public Studies, argues that ending family tuition payments will be too expensive. Since almost 90 percent of Chile's 12,500 primary and secondary schools are either public or subsidized, giving each of them $160 more for every student every month would cost $5.5 billion a year—that is, more than half of the $8.2 billion that Bachelet's tax reform is expected to raise.
And, at the National Institute and the Barros Arana National Boarding School, two of Chile's most prestigious public high schools, the students occupied their schools and refused to allow classes or administrative activities in order to protest the elimination of entrance exams. The police evicted the students from the National Institute on June 13, after a three-week occupation.
Only after passing these reforms does the government plan to work on reforming higher education, and Bachelet's policy platform offers only the barest outline of her plans. She promises to "make progress toward universal free education" by extending state scholarships to students from the poorest 70 percent of Chilean families. (Currently, those from the 60 percent poorest families receive state scholarships.) And she plans to introduce a requirement that, in state-funded universities, at least 20 percent of the students in each major must be from the 40 percent poorest families.
Student leaders have been meeting with teachers, professors, university presidents and education experts in order to write an alternative series of reforms to those proposed by the government. The students' efforts will be directed toward the primary demand that Bachelet has not promised to deliver during her time in office: free, universal higher education.
If Chile, over the next four years, manages to improve its preschools, decrease inequality in its educational system and figure out how to fund higher education for its poorest citizens, the United States should take heed. But, beyond concrete reforms, MP Boric says the biggest lesson for students in the US is the importance of taking to the streets to demand change.


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During his studies in graphic communication and photography, creating a visual communication studio was on Dennis' life agenda. The idea first came to him while in school studying photography. A course in Graphic Design 101 required him to create a magazine ad promoting a product or service. Inspired by the "buzz" he got from looking through magazines like Rock and Ice, Alpinist, and Backcountry Magazine, Dennis quickly learned that creating a "buzz" through visual communication including print design, website design, and especially photography was a career path he wanted to be on. With the advent of internet, FedEx and a mobile phone, this visual communication studio could be anywhere.
After landing in Bozeman, MT in 2006 and not wanting to leave, Dennis is proud to call Bozeman home. Here in the mountains, he, along with Anna and their two dogs SkyDog and Mister Tripp, continue to enjoy traveling, climbing, biking, skiing, hunting, and owning an alpaca farm in Montana.
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Brian enjoys the outdoors skiing, mountain biking and hiking. He also has a passion for music, working on production with local artists, DJ-ing at parties, events and on the air at KGLT.


text:
Colin Trevorrow Will Answer All Of Your Rey Theories
Johnny Brayson
Tuesday, 12 January 2016 - 7:03PM
After watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens, many of us were left asking: What's the deal with Rey? Is she Luke Skywalker's daughter? Han and Leia's second kid? Obi Won Kenobi's granddaughter? Was she a Jedi trainee who had her mind wiped? Does she have some big secret she's not telling us? Well, fear not. All will be revealed when it comes to Rey... at least by the time the end credits roll on Episode IX.
The director of that film, Colin Trevorrow, spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the great Rey mystery, and here's what he said:
"I've seen all of the theories… What I do know is that we're going to make sure that that answer is deeply and profoundly satisfying, because Rey is a character that is important in this universe, not just in the context of The Force Awakens, but in the entire galaxy, and she deserves it. So we'll make sure that that answer is something that feels like it was - it's something that happened a long time ago [in a galaxy] far, far away, we're just telling you what happened."
Fair enough. But since his movie doesn't come out until 2019, does this mean our questions about Rey will remain unanswered even after 2017's Episode VIII? Are we really looking at a four year wait to find out who Rey's parents are? Looks like we can take our time perfecting those theories, because it might be a while before we get any answers.
Via: Collider.
Today's Amazon Finds: A Life-Size Yoda Statue and a Bag of Unicorn Farts


text:
The Democracy Way (Straße der Demokratie) is a 280 km long tourist trail between Freiburg im Breisgau and Frankfurt am Main, made up of sites linked to development of democracy in the area during the revolutions of 1848 in the German states.

Grand Duchy of Baden
1848 in Germany
Revolutions of 1848
German tourist routes


text:
Q: Best practice for tracking upstream in fork on github Summary: What are the best practices for handling long running tracking of upstream repositories where you want to maintain a set of local changes?
I want to keep a fork on github up-to-date with the upstream but still allow clear tracking of changes unique to the fork. (for this discussion, assume that upstream points to the main project repository and that origin refers to my fork of the repository)
Imagine I have something like this where I forked a repository when upstream/master was at E.
Upstream:
A-B-C-D-E-F

Fork:
A-B-C-D-E ----- P ------T
         \-L-M-/ \-Q-R-/

After forking the respository I created two feature branches (L-M and Q-R) to add new features I needed and merged them back to my origin/master.  So now my branch has improvements that don't exist upstream.
I find that upstream has a couple of interesting fixes so I want to get back into sync with upstream.  Based upon most references I have found (git hub fork), the recommended way to do this is to merge upstream/master into your origin/master and continue on your way.  So I would issue commands like:
git checkout master
git fetch upstream
git git merge upstream/master
git push

Then I would end up with repositories that looks like this:
Upstream:
A-B-C-D-E-F

Fork:
A-B-C-D-E ----- P ------T-F'
         \-L-M-/ \-Q-R-/

There are a couple of problems I see with this though.

*

*I don't actually have commit F in my repo, I have F' which has the same content, but a different hash.  So I can't easily reference commits between the two repositories and know that I have a change. (it gets even more complex when considering that upstream probably has  more than one change and has it's own set of feature branches that have been merged)

*As I move forward and continue doing this it becomes increasingly difficult for me to know what changes I have in my repository beyond what is in the upstream.  For example I may submit some of these changes back upstream while continuing to add my own refinements.  After several iterations of this, how does anyone looking at my repository know how it differs from upstream?  (is there a git command to find these changes?)

*Similar to #2, how would someone find a fix in upstream and check to see if my fork contains the fix?
I guess the root of the problem is there is no way for me to guarantee that my repository is in "sync" with the upstream at any given point because the code and the hashes are not the same.  So how do I go about tracking the changes accurately and keep myself from going insane trying to keep things in sync?
Note: I had considered using rebase to keep rebasing my repository off upstream, but this has an entirely different set of issues.  For example if anyone references my respository through submodules, branches, etc then the history rewrite will break their references.  Additionally, I don't think my branch history would survive the rebase so I would not have a complete view of all the feature branches I had made and the associated history.
How do other people handle this?  What are some best practices I should be looking into?

Update:
Based upon feedback from Seth, I created a set of test repositories to show what I was talking about and how it works out the way he says.
The repositories are:

*

*upstream

*fork
They should show more clearly how merging from upstream looks when there are local changes as well.

A: You are incorrect in your assumption.  You said in your text example that you would be running the git merge command.  If you really meant this, and not git cherry-pick (and for the record, git-merge is the best practice in the situation) then you do NOT get F` in your branch, you get F.  Perhaps a picture:
After the fetch but before the merge, your repos look like this:
Upstream:
A-B-C-D-E-F  [master]

Fork:    /-F                  [upstream/master]
A-B-C-D-E ----- P ------T     [master]
         \-L-M-/ \-Q-R-/      [Other branches]

After you merge, your repo will look like this:
Fork:    /-F-------------\    [upstream/master]
A-B-C-D-E ----- P ------T-U   [master]
         \-L-M-/ \-Q-R-/      [Other branches]

New commit "U" in your repo will be a merge commit, just like commits "P" and "T".
git cherry-pick would create "F'" as you indicated in your example.  Don't do that.  git rebase can sometimes support rebasing branches git rebase -p but it doesn't always work.  Also, that is rewriting public history, which is a bad idea.
I have a document on git best practices: Commit Often, Perfect Later, Publish Once  You might specifically want to investigate the workflow section for further inspiration.

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