Hawaii is a perennial favorite travel destination, and for good reason! Pristine beaches, an array of activities like hiking and diving, and beach weather any time of year – all without needing a passport – make for a perfect vacation.
You can get to Hawaii for nearly free with miles and points from the best airline credit cards. But what about hotels?
Hawaii Is as Magical as Everyone Says It Is. And You Can Visit Using Points and Save $1,000s of Dollars on Your Next Vacation!
We've found 10 of the best hotels in Hawaii where you can stay for free with points!
Looking for the Best Hotels in Hawaii That You Can Book FREE With Points?
To make this list, we looked for hotels that are typically expensive with cash, and a great value with points.
We only included well-reviewed hotels with at least a 4-star rating on TripAdvisor from actual guests who've stayed at the hotels. Million Mile Secrets team members have stayed at some of them, too!
Hawaii is known for "resort fees." And while Hilton and Hyatt do NOT charges these fees, Marriott does. There are 3 Marriott hotels on the list with daily resort fees – but you can use statement credits from certain cards to erase the charges and make your stay truly free! Plus, the deals were so good they were worth including here.
Finally, we've included hotels all over Hawaii – not just in Honolulu! Although Waikiki Beach is world-famous for its surfing – and if you've never visited, you should totally spend a few days in Hawaii's biggest city.
With that in mind, here are 10 of the best hotels in Hawaii to stay at for free using points.
The Grand Hyatt Kauai is the quintessential Hawaiian resort with white sand beaches, perfect pools, and 50+ acres of gardens – on the Garden Island, no less!
Team Member Jasmin Loved Her Stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. And You Can Stay Here Completely Free With Hyatt Points!
But these pretty rooms fetch a pretty penny – as much as $850 a night! But you can stay completely free with 25,000 Hyatt points a night instead.
Kauai is one of the lesser-developed islands, so it really feels like you're getting away when you stay here. The landscapes and oceanfront are stunning and wild.
And 75% of travelers agree! It has an overwhelming number of 5-star reviews. Folks love the pools, grounds, and ambiance.
You can collect Hyatt points for a free stay with The World of Hyatt Credit Card.
Aston is a Hawaii-only chain hotel with locations across the islands. They tend to be well-located or slightly off the beaten path. I stayed at an Aston hotel in Kihei (on Maui) and loved walking to the town center past fresh fruit carts to enjoy a meal of fresh fish tacos and only one Mai Thai.
OK, you caught me – I had 3 Mai Thais. But folks really do love the relaxing atmosphere, staff, and rooms at the Aston Islander on the Beach.
Their prices tend to be cheaper than larger chains, and they have a boutique hotel feel, which can be a nice change. For example, I found rooms for $199 per night, plus taxes.
This chain doesn't have a points program, but you can use the Capital One Venture card to redeem your miles at a rate of 1 cent each for any hotel stay, including here. So you can stay in Hawaii completely free!
Want to stay on the Big Island to explore Hilo, the coffee plantations around Kona, and amazing waterfalls just off the main highway? Of course you do!
Do you want to pay nearly $500 a night to stay at The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort? Of course not!
Guests rave about Hapuna Beach, the swimming pools, and staff. You can stay here for only 35,000 Marriott points per night, plus $30 per night for the resort fee, which includes access to a newly renovated fitness center and CrossFit studio.
You can collect Marriott points for a stay with the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus card.
Then use another card, like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to cover resort fees. We think it's worth paying the small price to save ~$1,000 on a 2-night stay!
Next, we venture to Maui and the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa. Folks love having 40+ acres on renowned Ka'anapali Beach, and more than half the guests leave 5-star reviews about their stay here.
The hotel is a short walk to Lahaina town center. And you'll have plenty of beachfront and pools for relaxing in the Hawaiian sun.
Rooms here can go for ~$450 a night, or you could pay 20,000 Hyatt points for each night.
The Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card is a great card for free nights at this gorgeous hotel.
Remember, you can transfer the Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earn with this card directly to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, and use them for your award stay.
Myself and team member Jasmin stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. I loved the multiple swimming pools, oceanfront, and how easy it is to walk to Waikiki Beach and spots in Honolulu.
The grounds are sprawling, and there are plenty of shops and restaurants to keep you entertained. Guests say it's the perfect place to spend a few days and have everything you need nearby.
Rooms here vary from $200 to $400+ per night, depending on the season and occupancy level. And most award nights are open for ~60,000 Hilton points.
You can quickly earn Hilton points with the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend card.
If you want a pristine hotel right in front of Waikiki Beach, consider the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach. People who stay here love the location, rooms, and old-world charm.
Team member Jasmin stayed here with her family and has memories of dining under a banyan tree in the courtyard. She liked that you could easily walk to lots of places in Honolulu.
While there's a $38 per night resort fee, rooms here typically go for $400+ a night. And you can use 60,000 Marriott points to cover the room rate.
Points earned with the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus can cover the lion's share of your stay. And other cards can erase the resort charge to make your stay free!
If you prefer a Hilton hotel that isn't a huge resort, consider Hilton Waikiki Beach. It's only 1 block from the beach, and folks like having easier access to sites in Honolulu, like Diamond Head, Honolulu Zoo, and dining options downtown.
I found rooms going for ~$280 per night in January 2019. Or, you can use 50,000 Hilton points per night.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card can help you earn free nights here. And because it comes with elite status, you'll get free breakfast, too!
Back to Kauai, and the Kaua'i Marriott Resort in Lihue! This is a proper Hawaiian-style resort, with sprawling pools, beach access, gardens, 5 restaurants, and an on-site fitness center.
Folks ranked it the #3 hotel in town, and like the free shuttle to the airport (which is only minutes away), the jacuzzi, and huge family pool.
I found nights here in January 2019 going for ~$475 per night. Or, you can use 40,000 Marriott points and pay the $35 per night resort fee, which is a much better deal.
If you're driving around the Big Island and want a great place to stop and explore, Kona has cute restaurants, shopping, and activities. I took a tour of a coffee plantation and enjoyed walking around downtown Kona.
The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kailua-Kona is walking distance to plenty of spots downtown. And the location and spacious rooms earn it nearly 5 stars on TripAdvisor.
Rooms here are ~$250 a night over Valentine's Weekend in 2019. Wouldn't it be nice to take your honey here? You can pay with 40,000 IHG points a night and save a bundle.
The IHG® Rewards Club Premier card is a great way to start collecting points for your getaway.
The Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach deserves a spot on the list because it's a fantastic value with Hyatt points – you only need 12,000 points per night to stay.
Room rates are sometimes cheap enough that you can do well to save your points and take a statement credit instead. I found rooms for ~$259 a night in February 2019.
Plus, folks really like the staff, location, and rooms here.
Points earned with the Citi Premier Card are worth 1.25 cents each toward travel, which would cover free nights here if you find a cheap room rate.
And you can always use Hyatt points earned with The World of Hyatt Credit Card when paid rates are high. Either way, your out-of-pocket cost can be a sweet $0!
A trip to Hawaii is within reach when you use points to stay at one of these top-rated hotels for free!
All of these hotels have fantastic locations, places to swim, amenities for families, and did we mention they're in Hawaii? 😉 They also get great reviews from real guests. So which one is best comes down to which island you prefer and which loyalty program best fits your travel needs.
Whatever you decide, it's possible to get a completely free stay in Hawaii, even if you have to deal with resort fees, because lots of cards offer statement credits for travel expenses!
Have you stayed free in Hawaii with points? What's your favorite hotel on the list?


Cs6 Photoshop Amazon Deutsch de Cs5 Adobe Extended Security guards at 63 use an ultraviolet (UV) light to check IDs. This UV reveals hidden images within the hologram of different state IDs.
Cs6 Photoshop Deutsch Extended Adobe Cs5 Amazon de The Illinois Liquor Control Commission, a state agency that regulates licensing, investigations, legalities and the alcohol industry, states that unless the fake ID used was known to be fake, proof that identification was asked for and presented may be used as a defense in court proceedings involving the bar's license being revoked.


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clearvadersname
The bad guys have a point, and should be left alone.
GOOD GUYS WHO LOST
Why hide your Secret HQ
THINGS TO HATE
Mature people are better
Hating travel
Hating i-stuff
Most places are the same as the one in which you live, except that they are less convenient. But if you must travel, below are a few notes that you will never find in any tourist guide.
Travelling in any airline's cattle class is a most uncomfortable way to go anywhere. If Captain Cook had been faced with up to 24 hours in a plane to discover the South East Coast of Australia, as opposed to six months being tossed about in a ship, he might have told the Admiralty that it was not worth the trouble. There are supercilious people in the Northern Hemisphere who would still agree with that statement.
A full day in a train is wearing and dull, particularly as it doesn't have the airplane's in-flight entertainment system, and is noisier so it's more difficult to sleep. Travelling by car is boring and dangerous, if you get sleepy. Walking takes too long; going by horse is not much faster, tiring and there is always the danger of falling off. Bicycling requires real energy. Ships may be fine for some, but once you are on them there is not much else to do but put up with the in-ship entertainment, talk to your ghastly fellow passengers, or retreat to the bar and hope you don't get sea sick.
As for any place you might want to see, everyone else wants to see it too, particularly if the weather is warm. Famous tourists sites such as the second stage of the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum in Rome and the top of the Empire State Building – why on earth do people want to go up the top of the Empire state building? - can be so crowded as to be uncomfortable, especially in the warmer months. In all it is better, and certainly cheaper, to stay at home and play computer games. With information technology advancing in leaps and bounds you will soon be able to virtually visit famous places, both present and past, while remaining at home. This avoids queues, spending money on airplane tickets and dodgy hotels, tiresome custom and security checks, general exhaustion and crowding.
Once you finish the uncomfortable travelling and get past the queues, you will find that famous places are smaller and much less interesting than you thought they would be. The Sphinx in Egypt is a prime example. Admittedly you don't have to queue to see it but the famous face is no bigger than a kitchen table. And you came all that way. Other places are famous for being mentioned in a song or in history, such as Piccadilly Circus in London and Union Square in San Francisco but are otherwise not worth visiting.
Once you get to where ever you're going you are supposed to stand around reading placards put up at spots that are thought to be of interest. In some places visitors could spend the entire day reading these wretched things. Why can't they simply say something to the effect of famous person (whoever) killed here on this date, so that the message can be comprehended at a glance; or 'famous massacre occurred here centuries ago, much suffering'. You can then take in the ambience – the stone work and darkness. Scary place, something bad happened here a while back, got it! Then you can move on. Some details can be added for those who don't mind standing around, feet aching while they read it. If you have any interest in the blind hatreds of a few centuries back, you can always read about it later on your tablet. They have everything on the Internet these days. Pictures are better too.
Many more people got killed through disease, overwork or neglect than got themselves killed by men of high social rank who turned out to be homicidal lunatics, but then who pays attention to the little people dying of mundane causes. Whoever said that history is one damned thing after another was right. Henry Ford also once said that "history is more or less bunk" and he was right too. We are supposed to learn from history, but mostly we cannot even learn from what happened yesterday.
After seeing a famous place, well-meaning people may drag you off to a museum so you can see stuff like, say, equipment the old explorers carted around with them; or some old Roman coins found in a set of ruins. The coins won't work on any of the modern vending machines, and the camping and wilderness shops back home have much better equipment. We should summon up the spirit of those old explorers and send them off to those shops and then ask our summoned spirits what they think of GPS units. Now that would be interesting.
As for art galleries, usually the next stop after museums, they tend to blur. Was that set of canvasses from the French impressionists or the Dutch masters, and are we supposed to care that there is a difference? Contemporary art is best ignored until it gets older, and then disposed of in an environmentally unsustainable way. As for statues, they provide some decoration for large, outdoor spaces and a convenient roosting place for pigeons, but serve little purpose beyond that. Why would anyone want to see a collection of them? As for antique vases, bits of ancient jewellery and delicate latticework, flea markets sell that stuff on most weekends. Admittedly the flea market stuff is not a couple of hundred years old, but it's often better made.
Here are a few notes, in no particular order, on places to avoid.
Rome – one of the few cities that has a set of ruins at its heart which it calls a tourist attraction. Why are two pillars on a slab of stone – all the remains of most of the buildings in the roman forum – worth preserving? Best to knock it down and put up an intact replica, complete with gift shops. Tacky? Possibly, but more interesting for tourists. If you must see anything in Rome check out the Pantheon. It's just as old as the Colosseum, give or take a century, and is intact. Otherwise the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps are over rated, and the museums are too crowded. Am I biased against the place because my wallet was lifted on the Roman underground – a 200 Euro life lesson – well, yes.
The Sistine Chapel – if you want pictures in a church, why put them on a ceiling, especially when that ceiling is as high as that of the Sistine Chapel? Pope Julius II, who commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling in the early sixteenth century, should have insisted on a nice flat white for the ceiling itself and asked for the paintings to be put at ground level, so that people can see them, and there would be more seats for the future billions of tourists.
Vienna – No-one seems to have told the Viennese that Mozart is several centuries dead, and that the Imperial dynasty was deposed a century ago, but then there are also a lot of old buildings they haven't gotten around to knocking down. Sad really.
Paris – the Eiffel Tower is one of those monuments that's famous for being famous. Originally built as the entranceway to the 1889 World's Fair, the fair has long gone but the entrance has remained. Now it doesn't do anything apart from draw tourists. If a gigantic lattice of brown iron work is your thing, then by all means go there. The snack food in the cafes nearby is tolerable. As for the rest of Paris, if gigantic stone buildings filled with paintings of eightenth century scenes make your warm inside, then you may need professional help; otherwise head for Paris. The original builders of the cathedrals could have built them for a quarter of the cost if they had ditched the unnecessary frills.
Pisa – they should straighten that tower. Why it was not torn down soon after the mistake in the design (shallow foundations in unstable subsoil) became apparent in the late 12th century is difficult to understand. The mistake is a celebrated one, but if people like looking at mistakes there are plenty of those closer to home. Whole governments come to mind. Why travel to Italy?
San Francisco – this city's famous tram network is, is fact, quite rudimentary compared to the extensive networks in cities like Vienna and Melbourne. The one bright spot is the ruins of old Federal prison of Alcatraz. As a famous place of misery it attracts grumpy people like myself. In its heyday in the 1950s, the prison housed the hardest, most recalcitrant of the prisoners in the US Federal system. That meant it achieved a perverse attraction for the sort of people who end up in prison. It was a badge of criminal honour to serve a few years there. Shut down by the Kennedys in the 1960s, its main use now is as a tourist site and an occasional film location. Compared to European or even Australian cities the rest of SF is of little account. The best way to get out of this city is quickly.
New York – something can be said for the street life of this city, in that there are a lot of street vendors, but how do any of those vendors afford to live within commuting distances of where they sell tee shirts or knock-off sunglasses? All the places that you may have heard about over the years, such as Soho or Greenwich Village, have become gentrified and that means the real estate is expensive. Even in Harlem, which use to have a dreadful reputation world-wide, apartments sell for $US1 million plus. Otherwise the Statue of Liberty is an overgrown piece of terra cotta, Times Square is not much more than an intersection that may have been a town planning mistake, the Brooklyn Bridge is just a bridge and the Empire State Building is a tall building you can go to the top of, which may be a thrill for some.
Washington – tolerable, if you like monuments, but these always look far better in films than they do in real life, and certainly less crowded. The Lincoln Memorial, for example, looks much better in the 1950s science fiction film The Day The Earth Stood Still, than it does if you look at it yourself. In films, incidentally, famous places are never crowded with tourists and the main characters in them can park their late model cars very close to the monument in question. This easy access to key points in any city, including famous tourist sites, is often more difficult to believe than the ridiculous plots.
Las Vegas – this city is so tacky that it really should be a virtual model. That is, its representation should be stored on a computer. Then you can visit it without the trouble, expense and crowds. You can gamble online, why not put the whole city online? It certainly makes more sense than building replicas of the pyramids and the Eiffel tower and whatever else takes the fancy of the casino owners.
London – So you've seen Big Ben and the Tower Bridge and ridden around in the underground which, surprise, is just like undergrounds anywhere else. One difference is that there are more English people on the trains than in most other places, but that is a hazard of being in England. If you ignore them, incidentally, they don't go away. The tower holds some interest as a famous place of past misery, but the crown jewels are barely worth a glance. Westminster Abbey is tolerable if visiting tombs is your thing, which is creepy. Compared to Versailles, Buckingham Palace looks dumpy. Admittedly there is a live Royal Family to live in Buck Palace but that just means that, unlike Versailles, visitor access is restricted.
Venice – if you like crumbling buildings slowly sliding under the water then by all means go to Venice. As the place lost importance in the seventeenth century none of the buildings have been redeveloped into something more convenient which is a shame. The famous gondoliers are too expensive to be worth the trouble and if you want a trip along a canal filled with over-priced houses, a lot of new world coastal waterside developments have canals, some of which have not silted up. You can hire a rowboat for a few dollars an hour.
Amsterdam – more canals, more museums to this and that. The Dutch version of history emphasises the time when the Dutch were the masters of the sea which is hardly surprising but almost amusing if you are familiar with the British version of maritime history.
All Asian cities – not worth visiting, unless you have business. Sure there are ancient temples and plenty of scenery in Asia, but these are mostly not in the cities which can be seriously polluted and gridlocked. Anything that is authentically Asian is modernised to be just like the West. Unless its brand spanking new in Asia it's no good. Not fair to Asian cities? Perhaps Hong Kong is not gridlocked, but it is difficult to see why anyone would want to live there, unless they were earning a living. Perhaps the harbour is worth a look, otherwise it's the place to go when you are on your way to somewhere else.
Egypt – no Pharaoh in Egypt in its glory days of 3,000 years or so ago, could rest in his pyramid unless he or she (there was one she) had put up another few square kilometres of statues and temples for this reason and that. If you like gigantic stone works that make no sense, unless you follow a detailed archaeological reconstruction, and endless lines of symbols that you can't be bothered learning how to read, then Egypt is the place for you. The Pyramids are just big stone buildings in the desert just outside Cairo which you can take in at a glance. There is nothing inside except for a few empty chambers which you can't visit anyway (at least you couldn't when I went there), and the local authorities don't care for you climbing on them, so all you can do is walk around them while being pestered to buy souvenirs. As for the famous Sphinx, see the note in the main article above. Cairo itself has an interesting, if seriously underfunded museum, if you can stand museums, otherwise the place should be avoided.
© 2017 by Kathy Schulders. Proudly created with Wix.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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NJ Voters Split On Whether Religious Schools Should Get State Bond Money
New Jersey voters are split over whether religious higher education institutions should receive state bond money, according to a new poll released today.
The Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll of 705 voters found that 45 percent think religious institutions should be able to receive the money, while 44 perecnt think they should not.
The Star-Ledger reported in May that Beth Medrash Govoha, an all-male orthodox Jewish rabbinical school in Lakewood, was awarded $10.6 million from the state's $1.3 billion bond issue that was approved by voters in November.
The school became eligible for the funds after the school lobbied Gov. Chris Chrsitie and lawmakers to change the bill to delete a passage banning funds for "any educational institution dedicated primarily to the education or training of ministers, priests, rabbis or other professional persons in the field of religion."
"There is no consensus among Garden State voters. Some see the use of taxpayer funds for religious schools as inappropriate, while others are more sanguine about the practice," said poll director Krista Jenkins. "All schools would like a piece of the pie, and these findings underscore the difficulty of parsing how religiosity should factor into any decision regarding where the funds will go."
The poll also found voters are divided on a bill that would reform the state's alimony system by setting guidelines on how long ex-spouses should pay alimony rather than the current practice of letting a judge decide.
Forty percent oppose the legislation, while 33 percent support it and 26 percent aren't sure.
"The complexity of determining financial support following a divorce is mirrored in
public attitudes," Jenkins said. "Garden State voters support the practice of making someone support his or her ex, but they are not united in their opinion over the issue of lifetime alimony."
The poll was conducted from June 10-16 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.
Source NJ.com


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U.S. Paper Recovery Rate Reaches 65.8 Percent in 2017
Submitted: The Two Sides Team May 22, 2018
WASHINGTON (May 3, 2018) – The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) today announced that 65.8 percent of paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling in 2017.
U.S. paper recovery rate statistics are available at www.paperrecycles.org/statistics.
"Paper recycling brings continued economic, environmental and social benefits to communities across the country," said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. "We thank the millions of Americans who choose to recycle every day for their essential contributions to paper recycling's success."
"Paper is one of the most successfully recovered and recycled commodities in the U.S. because of our strong, market-driven voluntary system," said AF&PA Board Chairman and GEC Packaging Technologies CEO John Rooney. "Our industry will continue to support and implement education programs and initiatives that drive awareness and increase access to paper recycling."
Paper recovery for recycling helps extend the useful life of paper and paper-based packaging products, making it an integral part of the industry's sustainability story. The industry has a goal to exceed 70 percent paper recovery for recycling by 2020 as part of its Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability initiative.
For more information about paper recycling and AF&PA's commitment to sustainability, visit paperrecycles.org.
The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance a sustainable U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products manufacturing industry through fact-based public policy and marketplace advocacy. AF&PA member companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry's sustainability initiative – Better Practices, Better Planet 2020. The forest products industry accounts for approximately four percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures over $200 billion in products annually, and employs approximately 900,000 men and women. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 45 states. Visit AF&PA online at www.afandpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ForestandPaper.
Can Paper Help Save the Planet?
Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association Joins Two Sides North America
Two Sides North America Announces the Election of New Board Members


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← Islam: religion or political ideology?–Part 1
CEOs over federal bureaucracies →
Islam: religion or political ideology?–Part 2
Posted on May 1, 2018	by John Bruce Carver
My most recent post (April 13) began to address a reader's claim that Islam is not a "true religion, but a political ideology masquerading as a religion . . . incompatible with the Constitution." I argued that defining religious doctrines and political ideologies so there's no overlap can be extremely difficult. After all, each is integral to a person's overall way of looking at life. Religious beliefs inform our choices about political systems, just as beliefs about political systems affect our choices about religion. Those overlaps influence fine points of politics (e.g., candidates for office, issues of school bonds) and religion (e.g., baptism, burkhas). But they also influence broad matters of politics (e.g., economic systems, warfare) and of religion (e.g., Islam, Christianity, none).
Let me establish at the outset that I am wary of the effects on civil government by any religious ideology, particularly the manifestly theocratic inclination of Islam. I don't question that Islam is a religion just as truly as is Christianity. It is the theocratic influence that Islam has on politics that frightens me, though over many centuries Christianity at one time or another has been more entangled with politics than Islam. Happily, that sad circumstance is no longer true here.
Due to the Enlightenment the West has for a couple of centuries experienced a historically significant church-state separation. We in the United States benefitted uniquely in that the (admittedly partial) severance, coming at the time of its founding, gave us a head start on a great shift in political philosophy with respect to religion. We owe our great fortune, then, to both an accident of timing (near simultaneous growth of America and of Enlightenment reasoning) and the wisdom of wise—often deist—founders. While in the U.S. there is even now no completely clean separation of politics and religion for each seems set on meddling in the other, there is far more than in countries where Islam is dominant.
So despite there being less religious influence on politics in countries with church-state separation, there's still a propensity for politics and religion to seek liaison with each other. The greater that association, the greater is religion's alliance with all or part of political ideology, and the greater is political ideology's alliance with all or some religious beliefs.
Relating that point to the reader's question that began this post, we can say that Islam (or Christianity) risks becoming less "purely" religion due to political contamination. Conversely, a given political ideology can be contaminated by religious considerations; that is, it goes both ways. This latter effect may seem less obvious than the former but consider a city council (or federal function) trying to make consistent law or administrative choices, but altering what it thinks is best in order not to offend one or another religious group. Those religious considerations showing up in politics—thereby altering its ideology—may seem advantageous to a specific religion, but can result in its appearing to be not a "true religion," but a political ideology masquerading as a religion.
Why can't the obligations of optimal governance and the fulfillment of religious commitments be pursued on their own turfs? Perhaps it would be useful to pose the question another way. What do politics and religion have to give each other? What is it that religion has to gain from influencing politics? What does politics have to gain from influencing religion? I don't know all the ways these questions can be accurately answered. But I do know that which, by itself, is enough to explain the phenomenon: power.
Religion is founded on and bolstered by strong feelings of fear and hope, both assuaged by having access to power. Consequently, religion is often jealous of the power inherent in politics. Specific religions wish for power not only to enhance their missionary desires, but to advance their religious hegemony. Similarly, religious leaders as individuals, if sanctioned by the "powers that be," can fortify their own careers and influence. Piggy-backing on political authority strengthens religion's (and religionists') hands.
In like manner, politics as a field and politicians as individuals desire power useful in taming the zeal of religion where it would conflict with political intentions. The supernatural has little place in the very concrete issues of politics but being identified with popular beliefs and dogma might usefully strengthen the political grip on a populace. Thus might political ideology seek to link itself to the universal, supernatural authority religion promises.
So it is that religion is drawn to politics and politics to religion, each one wanting to share in the approval to which the other has access. Though each possesses power in its own right, the power differs as to derivation and type. Political power is mainly physical and derived from masses of human beings and control of resources. Religion's power is mainly one of deep commitment derived from beliefs about the ultimate human spiritual condition. Combining these power sources produces a supremacy of the combined influence as would be expected, but the cost is loss of the integrity of either or both sources, whether political ideology or religion. Contemplate how much religion and civil government both suffered in order to sustain the beliefs and practices attendant to the divine right of kings doctrine.
Turning to the present and to the spread of Islam in the United States, consider the numbers. Pew Research Center estimates that approximately 1% (3.3 million) of the United States population are Muslim, a number expected to be 2% in thirty years. (In world population, 1.57 billion Muslims form 23% of the total.) The political strength of Islam to influence America's politics or its religious landscape now and for decades to come is clearly not significant whether viewed through a local or nationwide lens. But that growth rate might be more if even a slightly greater Muslim presence causes the U.S. to be more attractive to new immigrants than would have been the case,, thereby causing America to become more Muslim than now projected.
Consider three further points: Assume that scattered fears of Sharia among largely fundamentalist Christian groups in the U.S. are not exaggerated. To be harmful, the political strength that would be needed to change even local laws is unattainable except in very Muslim-concentrated localities. Far more important, government and law at all levels in the U.S. is constructed with principles that some parts of Sharia would violate and is, therefore, in those respects unlawful even in the absence of frenzied fears.
A second: One can describe Muslims as a group, whether world-wide, national, or local. But in one Muslim family or, indeed, in a single Muslim individual, behavior and beliefs might be very different from the group statistic. This is no different from recognizing that, say, individual Methodists might differ widely from the average of Methodists. Therefore, the average belief of 100,000 Muslims is not the belief of 100,000 Muslims.
And a third: It would be insulting and incorrect to suppose that a significant percentage of Muslims would convert from Islam when they are in the U.S. Still, it seems reasonable that converts would be more numerous when socially enveloped by an overwhelming number of non-Muslims, as would be the case in the U.S. Although in Muslim dominated countries, leaving Islam is made difficult or dangerous, it would be easier in the U.S. where individual Muslims are subject to strong forces of conscience and social conformity. The summary of these thoughts is that while frantic fears of a Muslim 2% and even then may be diluted due these considerations, Christians' Muslimophobia will still find plenty to worry about.
Frankly though, my central response to fears of Muslim take-over is largely this: "So what?" It's hard to imagine what meaningful damage Islam presents in a country strongly built on—and consistently practicing—the relationship between government and religion established in the U.S. Constitution. Put another way, as long as Muslims practice their faith as they see it, but without violation of U.S. law, what is to be lost? In the past two centuries the country has peacefully added faiths at odds with rather "standard" Christianity (though not always smoothly). Beliefs once seen as blasphemy just added, in turn, more "producers" in America's religious marketplace. My point is, the law held; Constitutionality prevailed.
Lest my faith in America's plasticity appears to be a Pollyanna trust that America is not vulnerable to control by one religion or them all, especially to any new religion hitting our shores. So I need to point out the critical importance of the Constitution being faithfully followed in protecting America from, at the same time, theocracy and loss of religious liberty, that is, maintenance of both freedom of and freedom from religion. The social contract implied requires public officials willing to stand firm against religious overreach, just as it calls for religion not to encroach on governmental power. Pity, politicians and those who would influence them regularly fail in that duty.
One reason we have not been good at that crucial balance is that there are many religious persons in government and government people in religions. Although we do have the ability to play different roles (e.g., umpiring a kids' game team vs. parenting a player), doing so requires discipline. Religious persons can fulfill their roles as public officials, just as public officials can be true to their roles as representative of the state despite their piety. The importance of distinguishing the different roles and their attendant obligations was played out in the evening news when Rowan County, Kentucky clerk Kim Davis in 2015 demonstrated failure to understand or to accept her roles with respect to same sex marriage, so she defied a U. S. Supreme Court decision. She believed that her role as a religious person justified being disloyal to her oath as a representative of the state. What if she had been Muslim? Would the Christian leaders who flocked to her side have done so? If not, exactly which principles were they following?
Another reason we fail at the religion/state balance is having had decades of only loosely respecting what Thomas Jefferson called the "wall" separating government and religion, we don't notice how in large and small ways we routinely violate the principle. Some Christians, stirred by fundamentalist revisionist David Barton, have even gone so far as to claim that separation was never intended. It seems many Christians, due to being the a majority, have only modest interest in preserving the separation, for they profit from making up rules so as to make government their partner—in federal income taxation, in local property taxation, in public school indoctrination, in the bully pulpit of local county and city councils, in statuary on public lands, law enforcement, and in a plethora of ways. It is my unhappy perception that Americans, due to being oblivious to the ubiquity of these Constitutional violations, fail to appreciate the combined effects of their steady drumbeat.
I acknowledge that it's incumbent on me, after making these comments, to demonstrate the ubiquity of these threats to Americans' religious freedom and civic integrity, particularly as it relates to the fear of Islam which began this discussion. For that reason, I will go further with this series of posts. My point will be that the relevant question for non-Muslim Americans is not what proportion of Islam may, in fact, be political rather than religious, but how America can be saved from Islam's theocratic tendencies by restoration of what our Enlightenment-inspired founders designed in the beginning.
Therefore, in a few weeks I will post "Islam: religion or political ideology?–Part 3, building on the foregoing train of thought. I will argue that while threats to religious liberty do exist, they do not arise from increasing numbers of American Muslims, for Muslims are not a threat to American life and especially not to its precious freedom for religious beliefs, practices, and missionary zeal.


The forest sector has been facing significant changes in recent years due to various challenges including globalization, international trade, and climate change.
Naturally, this has also changed the nature of forest sector employment. Forestry careers have expanded beyond traditional forest administration and industry jobs. New 'green jobs' match a broader societal awareness for forest ecosystem services, climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental education, recreation, tourism, and nature protection, for example.
These shifts in labour market trends call for a new generation of graduates with a strong foundation of knowledge in the context of current global issues.
"The crucial question we need to answer is: Are we, the world's forestry students of today, prepared for the new expectations and skills society is placing in our hands as future land managers and forest policy decision makers?" emphasises Dolores Pavlovic, President of the International Forestry Students' Association (IFSA).
A new project run by EFI in close collaboration with IFSA and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) has now been started to tackle this question. The joint project is generously funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and will be hosted by EFI in Bonn, Germany.
"The project seeks to provide insight into the future labour market including changing professional skills. This will be done through systematic analysis of the development of employment in the forest sector globally," explains the Head of EFI's Resilience Programme and Bonn Office, Georg Winkel.
"Providing networking opportunities to young scientists across continents and engaging students in international science-policy processes are integral parts of the project," says Alexander Buck, Executive Director of IUFRO. Thus, a traineeship program and the IUFRO-EFI Young Scientists Initiative, which is especially designed for early career researchers from Africa, Asia and Latin America, have already been established. "We are delighted that the seed planted through the previous joint IUFRO/IFSA position has now grown into a full-fledged capacity development project," adds Buck.
The project will start in December 2018 and last for three years. It will combine innovative student-based global empirical social research with networking and capacity building activities for forestry students. Involving the combined strengths of the three partner organisations IFSA, IUFRO, and EFI, and networking with other relevant research and expert activities, the project seeks not only to increase our understanding of transforming labour markets in the forest sector, but also to strengthen international collaboration involving the future forest leaders: forestry students from all over the globe.


text:
Title: Criminal Aliens: INS' (Immigration and Naturalization Service) Enforcement Activities
Corporate Author: US Government Accountability Office
General Government Division
Sponsoring Agency: Azimuth Inc.
Fairmont, WV 26554
National Institute of Justice/
US Government Accountability Office
Sale Source: Azimuth Inc.
1000 Technology Drive, Suite 3120
Annotation: This study examined selected enforcement activities of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) relating to criminal aliens (legal and illegal aliens convicted of crimes) in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami.
Abstract: The study obtained the views of State and local law enforcement agencies on the magnitude of the criminal alien problem and examined records pertaining to how the INS deals with these agencies to address the problem. Although there are no reliable data on the number of criminal aliens, law enforcement officials and INS representatives in the five cities believe that alien involvement in crime is a serious problem. The methods INS district offices use to identify criminal aliens varies. In Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami, INS focuses on investigating aliens in jail after their conviction. In Chicago and Denver, INS has sought to identify aliens after their arrests. In the latter two cities, efforts have been hampered by funding constraints. Two INS systems used to detect previously deported criminal aliens at ports-of-entry do not contain all the needed identification and/or deportation information. Consequently, INS' ability to exclude these aliens if they attempt to re-enter the country at a port-of-entry is limited. In a March 1987 report, the General Accounting Office recommended that the INS ensure that its information systems contain the data needed to help INS identify deported aliens at ports-of-entry. In August 1987, INS reported it has implemented these suggestions. Thus, no additional recommendations are offered in this report. 16 tables and appended supplementary information.
Main Term(s): Alien criminality
Index Term(s): Deportation; Immigration Naturalization Service (INS); Investigative techniques
Note: Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and International Law, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives


The Blue Cross One Step Urine Home Screening Ovulation Test is a rapid chromatographic immunoassay for the qualitative detection of luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine to aid in the detection of ovulation.
The Blue Cross One Step Urine Home Screening Ovulation Test is a complete system to help you predict the time of ovulation, and peak fertility. It is during this fertile time that pregnancy is most likely to occur.
The Blue Cross One Step Urine Home Screening Ovulation Test detects the LH surge in urine, signaling that ovulation is likely to occur in the next 24-36 hours.


The photograph below, contributed by Margaret Kenny, was taken at Turnberry during the war when the hotel was used as a hospital. Margaret's mother, Nurse Wilder, is standing at the right hand side of the front row. Margaret was wondering if anyone could help name the other nurses in the picture. Contact us at nurses@maybole.org if you can help with the names. Click on the image to view a larger photo.
Back Row: from left: Mary Mcculloch, Maggie Dunnachie, Mary Goudie, ??????????, Jean Wilson, ?????????, ??????????, Nurse Fisher, Elsie McQuater.
Middle Row: from left ?????????, ?????????, Bunty Kennedy, May Colquhan, Jean Brown, ?????????, ?????????, Nurse McQuater.
Front Row: from left Nurse Jean McCallum (the sister of the late Minister at Straiton. After the war she worked at Ballochmyle Hospital near Mauchline. Information provided by Herbert Kay), ?????????, ?????????, ?????????, ?????????, Meg Kidd, Rita Wilder (Margaret Kenny's mother).


text:
Christian Paul Luckey ( - ) est un historien allemand des mathématiques arabes.

Formation et carrière
Paul Luckey est né en 1884 à Elberfeld en Allemagne. Il étudie les mathématiques, les sciences et la philosophie à Marbourg, Berlin et Munich. Il enseigne à Elberfeld de 1912 à 1924, avec une interruption due à la Première Guerre mondiale. De 1915 à 1918 il participe sous le drapeau allemand à plusieurs batailles en Belgique et il est blessé durant l'été 1916. De 1924 à 1932, il enseigne à Marbourg.
Il occupe également en 1924 et 1928 un poste d'enseignant en mathématiques appliquées et en histoire des mathématiques à l'université de Marbourg.

Il prend sa retraite précocement en 1932, à 47 ans, et commence à étudier l'arabe à Heidelberg, Berlin, Bonn et Tübingen. Il sert de nouveau dans l'armée allemande durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, jusqu'en . En 1941 il soutient sa thèse de doctorat à l'Université de Tübingen consacrée au traité d'Ibrahim ibn Sinan (907-946) sur les calendriers solaires et intitulée «  ».

Il se marie en 1942 ou 1943 puis se suicide dans le Lac de Constance à Immenstaad le .

Travaux
La première partie de ses travaux fait de lui un des experts allemands en nomographie, avec notamment la publication de Einführung in die Nomographie. I. Teil. Die Funktionsleiter en 1918, plusieurs fois réédité et de Einführung in die Nomographie. II. Teil: Die Zeichnung als Rechenmaschine en 1920.

La deuxième partie de ses écrits porte sur la didactique des mathématiques et les mathématiques élémentaires, correspondant à sa période 1924-1932 à Marbourg.

La troisième grande catégorie de travaux concerne l'histoire des mathématiques. Présente tout au long de sa carrière, elle fait le lien avec ses travaux en nomographie avec l'article « Zur Geschichte der Nomographie », dans lequel il explique l'objectif poursuivi par Ptolémé dans son Analemma (v. 150).
Il s'est intéressé à la géométrique égyptienne antique.

Après ses études d'arabe, Luckey publie une série d'articles importants sur l'histoire des mathématiques arabes, dont six sont publiés à partir de 1938 et trois autres de façon posthume.

Publications
 Einführung in die Nomographie. I. Teil. Die Funktionsleiter. Leipzig (Teubner) 1918.
 Einführung in die Nomographie. II. Teil: Die Zeichnung als Rechenmaschine. Leipzig -- Berlin (Teubner) 1920.
 Die Rechenkunst bei Ǧamšīd b. Mas'ūd al-Kāší (X-142 p.), Wiesbaden : F. Steiner , 1951.
 (trad.) Kitāb fī ālāt al-aẓlāl in Jan Hogendijk (éd.), Francfort : Institute for the history of Arabic-Islamic science at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University , 1999 .

Liens externes

 Bibliographie complète

Références

Historien des mathématiques
Naissance en décembre 1884
Naissance à Elberfeld
Décès en juillet 1949
Décès à 64 ans

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Financial measures to support struggling Australians
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister
Low income earners who have been affected by the global financial crisis will be given help to get back on their feet through a $33 million Australian Government investment.
The funding to provide nation-wide financial support services will include:
expanding the availability of no-interest loans to buy essential household items like fridges and washing machines.
extending matched-savings schemes to help more people develop and achieve long-term savings goals.
These services are expected to benefit over 30,000 low-income Australians.
No Interest Loans
Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service will receive $18.5 million to expand its No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS), StepUP and AddsUP programs.
This will enable Good Shepherd's loans and matched savings programs to be extended to around 25,000 more people in up to 350 locations across Australia.
In partnership with the National Australia Bank, Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service offers no interest loans of between $800 and $2000 for the purchase of essential household items.
In one case, a mother took out a NILS loan to pay for repairs to her car so she could drive her disabled daughter to school and medical appointments.
Matched Savings Schemes
We are also providing $14.5 million to the Brotherhood of St Laurence, in partnership with ANZ, to expand Australia's largest matched savings scheme, Saver Plus.
This funding will more than double the program's reach to provide services for an additional 7,600 people in need, in 60 additional communities.
This scheme helps people on low incomes save for education and training purchases, with ANZ matching their savings, dollar-for-dollar, up to $1000.
For example, with the addition of the matched savings to her own savings, a mother was able to buy her children a computer to do their schoolwork. She now regularly saves the same amount every week.
An evaluation of the Saver Plus scheme by RMIT showed that two to three years after completing the scheme, 70 per cent of participants are still saving at the same rate.
Funding to the Brotherhood of St Laurence will also be used to pilot the new Progress Loans program which provides loans to people who would otherwise be excluded from mainstream credit.
These services are all crucial to helping low income households successfully manage their finances and develop financial capability.
Today's funding announcement supports community organisations to continue to deliver much needed services at a time when their capacity to raise funds has been affected by the global economic downturn.


text:
Will Iraq close all inspectors general offices?
Iraq's parliament has passed a resolution to close all inspectors general offices, a move some fear may open the door to widespread corruption in the country.
Read In: العربية
Iraqi lawmakers are seen during the first session of the new Iraqi parliament in Baghdad, Iraq, Sept. 3, 2018. Photo by REUTERS/Maher Nazeh.
Omar Sattar
state institutions, prosecution, legislation, sairoon alliance, draft law, corruption, iraqi parl, adel abdul mahdi
BAGHDAD — The vote on a "nonbinding" draft law designed to phase out the offices of inspectors general took place March 9 in Iraq's parliament. The major differences between political blocs over the draft law resulted in adjournment of the discussion until the March 14 session. Following a second discussion and vote in parliament, this draft will turn into binding law.
In parallel to the draft law to phase out inspectors general offices, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi announced Jan. 29 a plan to fight rampant corruption, which includes the restructuring of the Supreme Anti-Corruption Council and 40 files on alleged corruption to be treated as a priority in the fight against financial and administrative corruption.
The Supreme Anti-Corruption Council consists of two members of the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq, the head of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, the head of the Commission of Integrity, and a representative from both the inspectors general offices and the prime minister's office.
The council is mainly tasked with "preparing a national strategy to fight corruption, following up on its implementation, overseeing the completion of legal frameworks, preparing a system of legislation, bridging the gaps leading to corruption, and overseeing the completion of an anti-corruption system by the institutional parties."
Given that the anti-corruption council includes representatives of the inspectors general offices, it has reservations about phasing out the offices and replacing inspectors general with prosecutors from the judiciary system. It also perceived that failure of the inspectors general is due to "other outputs, perhaps to the legal challenges to their work, the oversight processes and the clear vision that some of the offices' work policies lack, and that contributed to some of them falling short."
Speaking to Al-Monitor, member of the parliamentary Integrity Committee Laith al-Dulaimi indicated that "the decision to phase out the inspectors' offices consists of a deliberate move initially designed to address the state institutions' weak oversight and overlapping powers between the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, the Commission of Integrity and the competent judicial authorities." He added that phasing out the offices of inspectors general requires dividing their powers between the Federal Board of Supreme Audit and the Commission of Integrity, as well as bridging the gaps in the fight against corruption."
Dulaimi, also a member of the National Axis Coalition, explained that parliament is in favor of any proposal designed to address corruption and has the intention of hosting Abdul Mahdi to have him underline the details of the anti-corruption council. The latter [the council] is not based on any constitutional text and is an integration of the three [legislative, executive and judicial] authorities, which contradicts the principle of the separation of powers."
Moreover, Muqtada al-Sadr's Sairoon Alliance supports the draft law to phase out the inspectors general offices and activate the judiciary role, Sairoon Alliance parliament member Amjad al-Ukabi told New Sabah. He justified that "the multitude of oversight bodies that are in charge of following up on the disbursement of public funds has had a negative impact and resulted in broader corruption in the state."
There is a political bloc that strongly opposes phasing out these offices and considers them to be the main oversight body, according to Fatah Alliance member Rahim al-Daraji. He told Al-Monitor that "phasing out the offices of inspectors general will open the door wide to corruption in Iraq, given that these offices consist of a key source in the fight against corruption and the main drive of the judiciary and Commission of Integrity whose reports bank on the information the inspectors general provide."
Daraji, also a former member of the parliamentary finance committee, said "there are many obstacles to the inspector general's job — most notably is being affiliated with the minister, which obstructs the referral of those accused of corruption to the judiciary. Also, political blocs require the inspector general to turn a blind eye to many corrupt deals. Thus, there is a need to reform these institutions instead of phasing them out — particularly since the government has not provided an alternative. He indicated that "the Supreme Anti-Corruption Council that Abdul Mahdi announced is unconstitutional and a mere title that only seeks to seize the powers of the inspectors general offices. It lacks the plans and tools."
Former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's Nasr Coalition is also against the draft law. Taha al-Difaei, a member of parliament for the coalition, explained that "phasing out the offices of inspectors general would practically imply ending the job of the Commission of Integrity, which gets all of its information from said offices. Therefore, those who seek to phase out these offices are obstructing the fight against corruption."
Difaei told Al-Monitor that "reactivating the [prosecutors] should not affect said offices. The [prosecutors] are linked to the judiciary, while the [inspectors general] offices are correlated with the ministries and Commission of Integrity. Also, the plaintiff cannot assume the tasks of the inspection." He indicated that "the majority of parliamentary questioning in the past years was coordinated with the inspectors general offices."
Inspectors general offices are new to Iraq's administrative system. Established by US administrator Paul Bremer in 2004, these offices are administratively linked to the ministries and the prime minister's office. The inspectors submit their reports to the relevant minister and are not associated with any other independent commission, be it an oversight or judicial commission. Based on that, the inspector general is placed under the authority of the party or political bloc that selects the minister.
The inspectors general offices are not mentioned in the 2005 Iraqi Constitution. They continue to operate upon Coalition Provisional Authority Order No. 57 and have yet to unveil a major corruption case. In fact, Iraq was ranked the world's 13th most corrupt country and was 6th among Arab countries, according to Transparency International. Based on that, the experiment of inspectors general offices at least requires a reappraisal. Yet phasing them out to the advantage of a nonconstitutional council — namely the Supreme Anti-Corruption Council — is far from being the best solution to corruption in Iraq.
The idea of phasing out inspectors general offices cannot be perceived as a step in the right direction unless other moves designed to resolve the problems facing the judiciary are taken in parallel. This is not to mention the establishment of a new oversight system to be fully correlated with the judicial authority.
More from Omar Sattar
Muqtada al-Sadr shakes up Iraqi politics by calling for new Shite bloc
Activists fear Iraqi cybercrime law could limit press freedoms
Iraqi parliament votes on final version of electoral law
Iraqi port revenue surges as anti-corruption move bears fruit
Shelly Kittleson | Corruption and nepotism | Jan 20, 2021
Israel's Netanyahu seeks another delay in corruption trial
Al-Monitor Staff | Courts and the law | Jan 6, 2021
Israeli prosecutors file updated indictment in Netanyahu corruption case
Al-Monitor Staff | | Jan 4, 2021
Iraq devalues dinar to boost economy, factory production
Salam Zidane | Economy and trade | Dec 30, 2020
Omar Sattar | | Dec 21, 2020
More from Iraq
Iraq makes major progress in closing camps for the displaced
Gilgamesh Nabeel | Refugees | Jan 15, 2021
Iraq regains confidence in dealing with outlawed militias
Shelly Kittleson | Armed Militias and Extremist Groups | Jan 5, 2021
Daewoo fulfills Iraq's Faw Port despite obstacles
Adnan Abu Zeed | Oil and gas | Jan 8, 2021


text:
Top 10 worst universities in Kenya 2023
October 3, 2018 - Updated on January 13, 2023
Each year Kenyan university rankings are published, focusing on teaching, research, among other factors. With millions of students graduating, undertaking research and publishing scientific papers annually from universities in Kenya, these rankings play an important role in affirming the quality of the learning process. Carefully calibrated performance indicators are used to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons, trusted by students, academics, university leaders, industry and governments.
Here are the top 10 worst universities in Kenya.
Lukenya University
KAG East University
Pioneer International University
International Leadership University (Nairobi International School of Theology)
Uzima University College
The East African University Kitengela
Tangaza University College
Umma University
Kirinyaga University
Presbyterian University of East Africa
Tags: Universities
Top 10 best universities in Kenya 2023
Top 10 African countries with the largest Chinese debt 2023


text:
Indy Stations Involved in Nexstar, Tribune Merger
Monday, December 3rd 2018, 5:44 PM EST
Tribune owns Fox 59 and CBS 4 in Indianapolis.
IRVING, Texas and CHICAGO, Ill. - The parent companies of four Indianapolis television stations are merging. Texas-based Nexstar Media Group Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST), which owns WISH-TV and WNDY-TV, has announced a $6.4 billion acquisition of Illinois-based Tribune Media Co. (NYSE: TRCO), which owns WXIN-TV and WTTV-TV.
The acquisition has already been approved by the boards of directors of both companies. However, the deal remains subject to approval by Tribune shareholders, as well as the Federal Communications Commission and the satisfaction of antitrust conditions.
Nexstar says it intends to divest certain television stations in order to comply with regulatory ownership limits. It is not yet known if any Indianapolis stations will be involved in that effort.
"Nexstar has long viewed the acquisition of Tribune Media as a strategically, financially and operationally compelling opportunity that brings immediate value to shareholders of both companies," Perry Sook, chief executive officer of Nexstar said in a news release. "We have thoughtfully structured the transaction in a manner that positions the combined entity to better compete in today's rapidly transforming industry landscape and better serve the local communities, consumers and businesses where we operate."
Sook says the company has developed a comprehensive regulatory compliance plan which he believes creates a clear path to closing. The acquisition is expected to close late in the third quarter of 2019.
Tribune Media had previously been involved in merger with Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI). However, that deal came to an end in August when Tribune terminated its merger agreement and filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Sinclair.


GENERAL. The purchaser of goods referred to as "Buyer" and Canopy Direct LLC or one of its affiliates or subsidiaries or one its authorized resellers/distributors, as "Seller". This document and any agreement signed by Seller to which these terms and conditions are attached or made a part thereof are limited to their express terms and any modification or additional or different terms proposed by Buyer orally or in writing are objected to and rejected. All orders are subject to acceptance by Seller. If the terms and conditions herein shall be deemed to be an offer by Seller, any acceptance by Buyer is limited to acceptance of the express terms and conditions contained herein. All sales are upon the terms herein contained, whether pursuant to Buyer's written or oral request and notwithstanding any other terms presented by Buyer at the time of such request. Oral statements by Seller's employees or agents regarding the goods or materials or services (the "goods") to which these terms apply are not warranties, shall not be relied on by Buyer, and are not part of any contract. No waiver or modification hereof shall be binding upon Seller unless in writing and signed by a duly authorized representative of Seller.
SHIPPING AND DELIVERY. Unless otherwise indicated herein, Seller shall determine in its discretion and make arrangement for shipment of the goods. All risk of loss, damage or charge with respect to the goods shall pass to Buyer upon shipment by Seller. Shipment or delivery may be made in separate lots or partial shipments. Buyer may not refuse delivery of any lot or partial shipment or refuse payment therefore because of failure to deliver any other lot or nonconformity in any other lot or partial shipment.
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DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES/LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS DOCUMENT, BUYER EXPRESSLY AGREES THAT SELLER IS NOT LIABLE TO BUYER (OR ANY THIRD PARTY) FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING FROM THIS DOCUMENT OR THE SALE OF GOODS. FURTHERMORE, SELLER'S MAXIMUM AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO BUYER SHALL NEVER BE MORE THAN THE VALUE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE ANY NON-CONFORMING GOODS PURCHASED AND PAID FOR BY BUYER.
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New technology means you don't have to worry about your pets going missing. If you want to check on the whereabouts of your pampered pooch you can simply tap an app on your smartphone or tablet and view his/hers exact location.
These devices, dubbed 'smart collars', have an in-built GPS tracking system to ensure you're always one step ahead. Using an app, you can set boundaries of where your pet can access and receive notifications if they stray beyond these borders – meaning you're quickly alerted if they should escape.
The collars can also track your pets temperature and how much exercise they are getting throughout the day.
While this may sound like technology gone mad, research from Grand View has found that the pet tech industry is booming with the global market expected to reach £1.84bn by 2020.
Another pet tech device is FitBark – a bone shaped collar sensor that acts as a fitness tracker. With FitBark you can also sync your own fitness tracker with that of your dog's and compare results with other dogs of the same breed to see where yours ranks.
And if you've ever worried about your pet getting bored while you're out of the house, EasyPlay is the device for you. EasyPlay is a ball that works as both a pet monitor and an interactive toy. Controlled by a smartphone, EasyPlay – which launches in July – allows owners to watch live video of their pets, talk to them, and remotely control a treats dispenser.
With the increasing awareness about pet health, owners are more willing to spend on a variety of tech to keep their pets safe and healthy.
As for the future, given the rising adoption of the internet of things and smartphones, pet tech looks set to continue flourishing.


text:
Q: How do I dynamically allocate memory for the field of a struct? I have this hash structure:
typedef struct _TD_ {
    int size;       /* the size of the v */
    ALG v;          /* the table elements */
} TD;

and a list structure:
typedef struct cellista{
    void *info;
    struct cellista *next;
} TcelulaG, *TLG, **ALG;

and a structure to which info points:
typedef struct cuv{
    int frecv;
    char *s;
}word;

Somewhere inside the program I want to allocate some memory for the char *s like this:
TLG aux;
…
((word*)(aux->info))->s=strdup(str);

and it gives me a warning "assigment makes pointer from integer without a cast...why?

A: You are calling malloc() and you've not declared malloc() by including <stdlib.h>. By default, functions are assumed to return an int so you're supposed to declare a function before using it.
Because you have not included <stdlib.h>, you are assigning int to a char * which is a pointer. Hence you get the warning "assigment makes pointer from integer without a cast".

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Arcadia advocated on behalf of this client to the court regarding access to her medication. She had been sent to jail after a hearing and lost access, which would have been detrimental to her mental health. After the judge read the letter which explained the progress she has had since entering the program and the effects of not having medication could have on her, he dropped the charges. The client's mother reported that her daughter had appeared lost in the world of drugs, alcohol and bad company, but that now she cannot believe the changes in her daughter. The daughter has been dealing with her legal charges, taking the bus daily to receive her medication, has registered for hairdressing school, and has stayed off drugs and alcohol since January 2017. The mother reported that her daughter looks healthy, strong and has self-esteem. This particular client and her mother have become closer as their trust increases.


Arizona's Leading Custom Audio Shop!
Welcome and thank you for visiting Cardenal Car Stereo's brand new web site. We are the Phoenix area's number one source for entry level to high-end car audio, auto security, custom interior design and installation, and auto accessories. If it can be done to a vehicle of any kind we can do it better than any one else. We have even been known to do things that many other shops consider to be impossible.
Serving "The Valley of the Sun" for over 27 years has been a long and trying journey but we have come out on top. We have gone from a small, relatively unknown shop to building fully custom show vehicles for top customizers and for vehicle manufactures such as Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Hyundai, Saturn, and Pontiac. This however as not gotten in the way of our number one customer… YOU!
So please come down and see us at our shop in Glendale Arizona and find out just how easy it can be to own the world's coolest car.
© 2019 Cardenal Car Stereo. All rights reserved.


text:
The Latest: Pilot out of hospital after fighter…
NewsEducation
The Latest: Pilot out of hospital after fighter jet crash
PUBLISHED: August 18, 2016 at 12:00 am | UPDATED: September 12, 2018 at 12:00 am
NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — The Latest on the fighter jet plane that crashed at Nellis Air Force Base (all times local):
The veteran pilot who ejected from a fighter jet after an exercise with a military weapons school at an Air Force base near Las Vegas has been released from the hospital.
A Draken International spokesman said that the pilot, who is not from the Las Vegas area, has been treated for minor injuries from the Thursday morning plane crash. Draken pilots are civilian contractors who role-play with the trainees by pretending to be enemy pilots.
The pilot had just finished a combat training exercise that typically lasts about an hour and a half when he self-ejected as he was returning to Nellis Air Force Base.
He was alone in the A-4 Skyhawk, a fixed wing single-engine aircraft built in 1970 and a fighter jet model used by the military in the Vietnam era.
No one else was hurt.
The other aircrafts in the exercise landed safely.
An official says a veteran pilot had just completed an exercise with a military weapons school at an Air Force base near Las Vegas when he ejected as the plane went down.
Draken International"s Scott Poteet said Thursday that the pilot had just finished a combat training exercise that typically lasts about an hour and a half when he self-ejected as he was returning to Nellis Air Force Base.
The man who has more than two decades of fighter pilot experience was alone in a Skyhawk jet opposite Nellis" weapons school trainees early Thursday.
Draken pilots are civilian contractors who role-play with the trainees by pretending to be enemy pilots.
Poteet said the six-month weapons school is akin to "getting your Ph.D in flying."
The pilot was hospitalized with minor injuries.
Military officials and local police say an aircraft has crashed in a desert area near Nellis Air Force Base after the pilot ejected with minor injuries.
A base spokesman said the crash happened about 7:40 a.m. Thursday on public land adjacent to the base.
Tech. Sgt. Anthony Kuhn says the pilot ejected from a civilian contractor aircraft and was receiving medical treatment.
The type of aircraft wasn"t immediately described.
The aircraft crashed less than a mile from the northern end of Nellis runways.
There was no immediate report of damage to any facilities on the ground.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor says the agency was notified that a military aircraft was involved. He said Nellis was handling the response.
Letter | Don't believe Glover's feigned victimhood
Wharf to Wharf's elite Top 100 blurs line between goal, obsession


At Genco we believe that having your hair cut should not be a chore. It should be something that you look forward to, not only because you are guaranteed to leave us looking your best, but you actually find the whole experience relaxing and up-lifting. We have put a lot of thought into all the details of the Genco experience from the tunes we play in our salon to the coffee we serve.
Your hair and how it makes you look and feel is the focus for the first 5 minutes of your time with your mens hair stylist. We will take our time to understand you, and how your look fits in within your lifestyle, work, and how much time you are prepared to spend getting ready in the morning. Your mens stylist will also make sure that your hair style fits your face shape and general personality. The idea is that you leave us not only looking great but feeling great.
Choose from a wide selection of complimentary drinks. From Gin and Tonic to a cup of herbal tea. Beer wil be nice and chilled and our coffee is served in individual caffetiers. It is a bit like travelling first class. But less stuffy.
SHAMPOO, CONDITION, FULL BODY MASSAGE?
Clean hair makes it easier to cut and allows for a better finish. Enjoy a scalp massage whilst we apply the hair conditioner, and enjoy the shiatsu massage given to you by the chair you're lying on. This really relaxes you.
RINSE, HOT/COLD TOWEL AND MOISTURISE?
So now you've had your haircut, we rinse your hair to get rid of all the loose cut ends, and then finish with a nice hot or cold towel over the face (dependent on whether it is cold outside or hot outside) – just a last little treat to help you totally melt away. Then we apply moisturiser with SpF. We're a bit mad about protecting your skin. It also means that you not only look great, but you feel great.
Precision styling, a thorough re-check for shape, side burn length, finish at the back of neck and away you go – once both you and us are absolutely happy with the cut . If you've had a re-style, we'll give you a little training session on how to create the look at home – especially if you have to apply product you're not used to, or have to dry your hair differently.


text:
Jennings and Kovalev head June 14th NBC card
Gabriel J Gonzalez @GabeJGonzalez Thu, May 16 2013
BETHLEHEM, PA - When NBC Sports Network Fight Night returns to the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA, Friday, June 14, it will feature a competitive triple header that promises more of the great action the series has become known for. The three hour telecast will begin at 8 PM ET. In addition, all three headliners will find themselves in "must win" fights, critical for their career advancement. The pressure will be great for them to collect a win and remain on track for the big fights that lie ahead for each of them.
Russian knockout artist Sergey Kovalev, 20-0-1, 18 KOs, has built tremendous momentum in the last year. His showy and brutal knockouts over Gabriel Campillo, Lionell Thompson and Darnell Boone, all in the past 12 months, have made him a feared man in the light heavyweight division. He's won fans, polished his record, and climbed the ratings. A slip up now, would derail his momentum and force him backward.
Further, the fight on June 14, is a 12-round IBF Elimination Bout that could vault the winner into a title shot. Talk about "must win". Kovalev must defeat Cornelius "Da Beast" White, 21-1, 16 KOs, of Houston, TX, on June 14th to keep moving forward. Another big KO would certainly help his cause, but White will be looking to play the spoiler and leapfrog over the better known light heavyweight.
Like Kovalev, Philadelphian Bryant Jennings, 16-0, 8 KOs, needs to win in Bethlehem. "By By" is coming off his breakthrough year when he went from unknown heavyweight prospect to bona fide contender. Jennings fought and won five times in 2012, but June 14th will be his first start of this year.
Currently Jennings is ranked #3 in the IBF, which means he is on the brink of a world championship opportunity. To stay on track for that, he cannot afford a loss. Jennings will face Andrey Fedosov, 24-2, 19 KOs, a Russian heavyweight now living and fighting out of Hollywood, CA, in a 10-round co-feature bout. He's won three in a row and is aching to breakthrough, much like Jennings did last year. If he can topple the Philadelphian next month, he certainly will get the attention he desires.
Welterweight Ronald Cruz, 17-1, 12 KOs, will also have his back against the wall on June 14. However, Cruz must win for a very different reason than Kovalev and Jennings. Cruz, of Bethlehem, PA, returns to the ring for the first time since suffering his first professional loss. Last September, Cruz dropped a close split decision to Antwone Smith in the same Bethlehem ring.
To complicate things, Cruz' return was delayed due to surgery to repair a hernia last winter. Now 100% healthy, Ronald will be raring to go on fight night. However, he may have his hands full on June 14th.
Facing Cruz will be the hard-hitting, Bronx-based Ray Narh, 25-2, 21 KOs, of Ghana. Narh is a battle-tested pro who brings more experience, a higher knockout percentage, and a height advantage into the bout. However as usual, hometown hero Cruz is expected to bring out his loyal Bethlehem fan base, who will support their man 100% and help to level the playing field in this pick 'em fight.
This jam-packed triple header will be the 4th edition of NBC Sports Network Fight Night in 2013 and will begin at 8PM ET. By the looks of the stakes in each bout, it might be the best so far.
ABOUT FRIDAY, JUNE 14
The Jennnings-Fedosov, Kovalev-White and Cruz-Narh fights top a seven-bout card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. Doors open at 6:15pm ET. Tickets priced at $50 and $75 and $130 (luxury suites) can be purchased through the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000). Tickets also are on sale at www.peltzboxing.com, www.SandsEventCenter.com, and www.Ticketmaster.com. In Bethlehem, tickets are available at Deja Brew, Inc., 101 West 4th Street (610-865-2739) and at Pronto Insurance Notary, 232 East 3rd Street (610-419-6790). NBC Sports Network will televise the Jennings-Fedosov, Kovalev-White and Cruz-Narh fights, beginning at 8 pm ET, Friday, June 14th. The card is promoted by Main Events and Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions, Hitz Entertainment and Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.
Navarrete-De Vaca & Benavidez Jr-Collazo Inaugural Fight Card on ESPN
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Nakatani vs Lopez
Fri, Jul 19 2019
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text:
Stages of Money Laundering: A Practical Example
July 21, 2019 Customer Due Diligence, Monitoring
In today's world, procedures relating to anti-money laundering have become part and parcel with correct and careful business practice.
According to a study conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, it is estimated that, in 2009, proceeds generated by drug trafficking and organised crimes amounted to 3.6% of the global GDP, with 2.7%, or about EUR 1.4 trillion, being laundered.
Naturally, it is difficult to procure precise statistics due to the illegal nature of such transactions, however, in the last decade, there has been a shift towards increasing the importance of compliance. Anti-money laundering ("AML") regulation has been revised and strengthened to challenge the advanced methods used by criminals to legitimise illicit funds.
Globalisation and the rise of the Internet continue to shape daily life, including the way in which business is conducted. The concerns this has brought about are addressed in the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive, set to be implemented by EU member states by 2020 to replace the rapidly inadequate 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive.
The developing legal landscape, while certainly valuable in safeguarding global industries from criminal efforts, present several hurdles in the way of compliance. Non-compliance with AML, Know Your Customer ("KYC"), and sanctions regulations can not only lead to the further propagation of money laundering, but also hefty fines levied against one's business, as has happened to entities ranging from small companies to globally ranked institutions. A recent case occurred in the United States in May, where the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority imposed a USD 17m against a financial services firm for several points of non-compliance, such as an insufficient customer identification system.
To avoid such penalties and to strengthen one's business reputation, it is vital to first know what the threat one is dealing with consists of.
The crime of money laundering is the process of making quantities of funds generated through criminal activities, such as drug trafficking or terrorist funding, appear to have originated from a legitimate source. The criminal proceeds are considered "dirty" and the process "launders" it to make it look clean.
The means by which money is laundered vary in appearance and complexity, ranging from business fronts such as restaurants and carwashes to gambling, property investment, shell companies and trusts, and the purchase of virtual currencies. While different money laundering models may have extensive differences, money laundering methods can ordinarily be said to possess three identifiable stages:
Placement – Here, the dirty money is placed into the legitimate financial system, to remove the funds from their original place of acquisition.
Layering – This consists of obscuring the trail of the funds from their source.
Integration – Finally, processes are conducted so that the laundered money may be held and used legitimately for the purposes intended by the criminals.
Understanding each stage is important in preventing one's business from being a potential target of such illicit activities.
PEPs and Money Laundering
When entering into a business relationship, it is important to examine the potential risk of money laundering. Risks associated with a potential customer can originate from geographical, product-based, interface, and personal characteristics. It is important to screen for these, as each may lead to increased risk of exposure to money laundering.
Some potential customers pose an inherently higher risk, and correct compliance requires that these are always subjected to more rigorous due diligence processes. An example of such are politically exposed persons ("PEPs"). A PEP is generally described as a natural person who is or has been entrusted with prominent public functions. This generally includes politicians, generals, judges, and other persons in public positions. It also includes the immediate family members, or persons known to be close associates of such persons.
The law requires the application of enhanced due diligence to PEPs, meaning that it is important to maintain a robust risk approach to screen such individuals. This is necessary because, while PEPs are generally thought to be under heavy scrutiny by the media and the public eye, it must be borne in mind that PEPs are individuals with significantly higher status, access, and influence than normal.
Corrupt officials use money laundering as a means to siphon public funds and to conceal bribery. When such crimes are committed, they tend to be highly complex and involve multiple individuals and processes. However, in several cases, the means could still be categorised into the three stages.
The Azerbaijani Laundromat
In September 2017, a massive leak by the Organised Crime and Reporting Project (OCCRP) linked the country's President, Ilham Aliyev, and a number of close associates in the Azerbaijani elite, of running a slush fund and an international money laundering scheme. Numerous European banks and financial institutions were also implicated.
The key component in the case was the usage of legitimate institutions to create the appearance that the funds involved were legally obtained. Bank records, which spanned from 2012 to 2014, showed the laundering of USD 2.9bn from Azerbaijan.
One of the institutions used for this measure was a small branch of Danske Bank, situated in Estonia. Danske admitted it had not performed the necessary steps required for due diligence when the money was deposited into accounts and claimed nothing seemed amiss at the time, despite warnings from the Estonian government from as far back as 2007. Thus, the first stage of money laundering, Placement, was achieved by the transfer of the funds to the institution.
Using Danske as the first stop for transactions, the second stage of laundering the money could commence: Layering, which is the further movement of funds through transactions. The transactions were mainly conducted via four shell companies in the UK, two of which were Scottish limited partnerships, which at the time did not require disclosure of the owners of the company, allowing the individuals who owned the shell companies to remain anonymous. This has been changed with new legislation enacted in June 2017. These offshore companies were reportedly used to pay-off European officials to sway their votes on matters related to Azerbaijan.
Finally, the third stage could be achieved: Integration. The funds were integrated into the financial system through the sending of the money to various countries to be spent as investments. This included jurisdictions like Kazakhstan, Turkey, Iran, the UK, and Germany. The funds were also used to purchase luxury goods and to line the pockets of the perpetrators.
At present, Danske Bank is still under investigation in numerous European countries. However, it has already faced numerous consequences. The bank was ordered by Estonian authorities to close its operations in Estonia and potentially faces billions in fines. In addition, ten local employees were arrested in Estonia. The bank's operations have also ceased in three other nations, and the CEO, Thomas Borgen, has been removed from his position by the board of the bank.
The Azerbaijani Laundromat raises many AML issues. Firstly, proper due diligence was not conducted when these funds were first transferred to Europe. The second issue is PEPs misappropriating public funds through the means accessible to them because of their position and influence. Their ability to manipulate their local financial institutions for their benefit demonstrates the high risk when conducting business with such persons. Furthermore, several European officials were implicated in the scandal, which highlights the need for greater vigil by regulators and operators in the financial world.
What Steps Should be Taken to Prevent this in Future?
PEPs are viewed as engendering higher risk due to their access to public funds and foreign resources, as well as their influence, as was highlighted in the Azerbaijani Laundromat scandal; which was further linked to the Russian Laundromat scandal.
As advancements are made in an almost cashless society, the tools and methods of money laundering continue to augment in complexity, and a greater number of mediums, jurisdictions, and services are used to make illicit funds appear legitimate. Certain older methods have also experienced a resurgence.
In the case of the Azerbaijani Laundromat, the flaws of the Danske branch were highlighted almost at the offset of the branch opening, especially in the performance of due diligence. Therefore, one of the most important parts of correct compliance is adopting appropriate measures to screen customers for risk assessment. To accomplish such, it is important to make use of the appropriate tools to detect factors, such as the presence of a PEP within the ownership or control structure, during the initial period of onboarding and monitoring. Current AML legislation is assisted in this regard by technology that has been developed to allow businesses to operate at optimal efficiency without compromising compliance.
The information, views, and opinions in this article are being provided solely for educational and informational purposes and should not be construed as advice. StartKYC Ltd has not verified and consequently neither warrants the accuracy nor the veracity of any information, views or opinions included in this article.
5 Steps to Customer Due Diligence September 8, 2019
Stages of Money Laundering: A Practical Example July 21, 2019
Money Laundering in Real Estate February 24, 2019
Blockchain Technologies and Cryptocurrencies – A threat or opportunity for Anti-Money Laundering and Funding of Terrorism January 29, 2019
Should I do business with a PEP? November 19, 2018
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