Sweet little bites of deliciousness, Nanaimo Bar Bites will transform your Christmas cookie plate.
I really like Nanaimo Bars and have a good recipe on this blog. You can read about them here. They are quite Canadian and just about everyone likes them. They can be made at home but just about every grocery store or bakery sells them as well.
I got to thinking some months ago and thought I'd like to turn the Nanaimo Bars into a ball or truffle-like thing for Christmas--just to make things more difficult for the season, ha, ha. The thought lingered in my mind for months until just this week it came into fruition and Nanaimo Bar Bites were born. And, I must say, I'm pleased with how they turned out. I was able to temper the chocolate which gave them a nice crisp bite into the soft centre. Even without tempered chocolate these will be delicious. Just keep them refrigerated so the chocolate will remain hard when serving.
You may think these are fussy to make and you'd be right. It's much easier to make the Nanaimo Bars and be done with them but the little Bites are so easy to serve and those eating them are delighted with the presentation of the bars in a new form. If you've got a few hours to spare, go ahead and make these. You'll be happy you did.
The recipe is not quite the same as the bars as the graham mixture has to be moister and the icing a little stiffer.
Over low heat place butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and eggs in medium sauce pan. Stir well until it becomes warm and starts to thicken. You may use pasteurized whole eggs if you are concerned about raw eggs. Combine with Graham wafer crumbs, coconut and nuts. Let cool until able to handle.
Form the mixture into small balls using a rounded 1½ tablespoon measure. I made 44 but may have been able to get another 3 or 4 if I hadn't tasted the mixture! 😋 Lay the balls aside until ready to fill with the vanilla icing filling.
Beat butter, sugar, custard powder, salt and vanilla together adding just enough milk to form a stiff icing. Using a rounded ½ teaspoon measure drop mixture unto a plastic wrap or parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Make as many fillings as you have the graham crumb mixture balls. Freeze 10 and start rolling into balls. You may have to refreeze for another 5 or 10 minutes if the icing becomes soft before you have all the balls formed. Once all the icing balls are formed place in freezer for 30 minutes.
When the icing balls are frozen solid remove from freezer and press into the middle of the graham crumb balls. (See picture below.) If the icing balls begin to get soft return to freezer for a few minutes.
When all the balls have been filled, let rest and dry about an hour. If it is warm in your house let them rest in the refrigerator. Remove a few minutes before dipping in chocolate.
Melt chocolate over very low heat. You may use a double boiler or a heat proof bowl set over simmering water. It is best if you use tempered chocolate but if you do not know how to do this just melt your chocolate. Chocolate chips are good for just melting. You may want to thin out the melted chocolate chips with a tablespoon of shortening. Do not use butter. An alternative to chocolate is chocolate candy melts or almond bark. This does not need to be tempered or refrigerated after dipping.
Once the chocolate is melted, dip each ball making sure all the surface is covered. I use a fork for this. Tap off any excess chocolate and slide off unto a flat surface. I use a silicone mat or one of those thin plastic cutting boards. Either one works very well. If using tempered chocolate, the chocolate should set up in a few minutes. Melted chocolate chips or untempered chocolate will have to be refrigerated and may cause streaking in the finished product but this will not affect the taste of the Nanaimo Bar Bites. Once the chocolate coating is dry and hard the balls may be transferred to a covered container. They will keep several weeks in the refrigerator and several months in the freezer.
Makes 40-48 balls depending on the size.
Prepare the graham crumb ingredients. Make sure the walnuts are finely chopped.
Once cool, form balls out of rounded 1½ tablespoon measure of mixture.
Lay the balls aside until icing filling is ready.
While crumb mixture is cooling make the icing centres. Beat the butter, icing sugar, custard powder, salt and vanilla together using just enough milk to form a stiff consistency.
Using a rounded ½ teaspoon measure, drop icing filling unto plastic wrap lined tray. Freeze for 10 minutes and start forming into balls by rolling between palms of hands. If the mixture becomes too soft place back in freezer for a few more minutes and continue rolling.
Place the finished balls in the freezer for 30 minutes or until frozen hard and solid.
When the icing balls have frozen it's time to start filling the graham balls with the centres.
Place a graham ball in the palm of your hand and flatten out. Place a frozen icing ball on top and ease the graham mixture up and around sealing all cracks where the filling may ooze out. The balls should now rest and dry before coating with chocolate. If your room is warm rest them in the refrigerator removing them a few minutes before dipping in the chocolate.
While the balls are resting, melt the chocolate over very low heat. I used a heat-proof bowl sitting on top of a pot of barely simmering water. I try to temper the chocolate I use but you can just melt chocolate chips if you wish.
Dip the balls into the melted chocolate, tapping off excess chocolate against the edge of the chocolate bowl. Slip onto a flat tray. Although I used a cookie sheet in this picture I find a silicone mat works wonders when removing the set chocolate.
I was quite pleased with the finished product. The chocolate tempered properly (YES!!!) and there is a lovely crack to every bit. If you use chocolate chips, keep the Bites refrigerated until just before serving.
Nanaimo Bar Bites will make a fine addition to your Christmas cookie tray.
I love Nanaimo bars but rarely make them because it is hard not to eat the whole pan. These bite-size ones look delightful and would probably freeze well. Last year, on a quest for something different, I dipped my rumballs in dark chocolate instead of rolling them in crumb or chocolate shot. It was worth the effort and I expect these Nanaimo bites will make a nice pairing on my "truffle" plate. I plan to give them a try. Thanks for posting the recipe.
I hear you on eating the whole pan of bars, lol. We are certainly enjoying these little Bites. Have a great Christmas.


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Panimerus kreki är en tvåvingeart som beskrevs av Vaillant 1972. Panimerus kreki ingår i släktet Panimerus och familjen fjärilsmyggor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Fjärilsmyggor
kreki

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I have lived in Barnes all of my childhood and most of my adult life. I grew up working in a Mom and Pop business run by family and relatives — a bar, restaurant, gas station, grocery store, and farming 640 acres of land at the time, one of the biggest farms in Bayfield county.
I served on the Barnes Town Board in the past. In addition, I have been a volunteer fireman and EMT for the Town of Barnes for several years.
My professional activities are as follows; I worked for Aon Corporation, a Fortune 500 company for 40 years in upper management. I have owned with my wife in Barnes a successful beef and dairy farm; also, an antique shop, riding stable, and miniature golf course.
I cannot personally lower your taxes. We can, however, spend your tax dollars more effectively. We have way too much town equipment. We do not have enough space to properly store it all.
The biggest issue facing us today is fire and ambulance protection. This must be addressed and fixed immediately.
Our lakes are our most important asset in our town, not only to lake property owners but also off-lake owners also.
I support all of the businesses in Barnes except two – the trailer court between Outlet Bay Rd. and Hwy. 27. it is a public disgrace to the town. The other is the Buck & Bass report. I do not personally approve of the way they run their business in any way, shape, form, or manner.
If elected, we can hire a town administrator and not raise our taxes to pay the salary. This can be done by lowering, or eliminating the salaries of the Town Board. I don't believe we need to be paid, especially if we have an administrator. In addition, we can accomplish this by purchasing less equipment which is used very little.
The only thing certain in the next ten years is change and we must adapt and keep up with it.


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Q: How to decode a linux kernel symbol To debug a problem I added some debugs in the kernel code to print the address at which a lock is taken, by calling __builtin_return_address(1).
How do I find the symbol (function name) corresponding to the address printed ?

A: Use a Structure Like:
struct my_lock
{
spinlock_t mylock;
char function[64];
};
When you lock, save your function name there. And when you unlock, remove the function name. Also to avoid too many changes in code, you can have the string as global just for debug.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Cristero War is a little-known war consisting of an armed conflict that lasted from 1926 - 1929 between the government of then President Plutarco Calles and a movement of courageous Catholics who opted to defend their Catholic Heritage. This topic still brings the most heated debates amongst the Mexican people who fought and survived this horrific chapter in Mexico's history. The testimonies of those who survived allow us to experience the wounds that still run deep in Mexico's faithful. Priests were executed for celebrating mass, and lay people persecuted for practicing their faith during this bloody war.


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Nakto electric bike comes with two styles of frame, both for man and a step-though frame for women. Equipped with Shimano 6 speed derailleur, the 6-speed gear system allows you to reach up to a 25mph top speed. Nakto City E-Bike is affordable, but it's got a lot of features that are found on more expensive models. You can switch between pedal assist and twist-and-go settings and engage the motor with just a flip of a switch when you need an extra push.
Is It Bad To Ride A Mountain Bike On The Road
Before this test we thought more travel on an e-bike would obviously be better. After all, with the motor flattening out the climbs, why not have the extra suspension firepower to smooth out the descents? Sounds reasonable, doesn't it? But in the case of the Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert, the extra travel and weight make the bike less effective and less engaging on all but full-on downhill tracks. And if that's your bread and butter, the Kenevo could well be the perfect topping. Here in the UK though, the Vitus proved more versatile, just as capable and way better value.
Testers found the Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay to perform relatively well on the climbs. The steep seat tube made for a comfortable climbing position and the powerful pedal assist drive unit felt dialed. Its traction could be improved with beefier tires, and the weight of the bike feels a little higher than the competition resulting in some awkward handling at lower speeds. The Giant Trance E+ is also a competent climber, with ground-hugging Maestro suspension, comfortable geometry, and plenty of power on tap when you need it. Our least favorite bike on the climbs was the Ghost Hybride SL AMR. The Ghost has solid geometry numbers, but the pedal assistance felt less powerful and was definitely less consistent than the competition.
What Is The Best Hitch Mount Bike Rack
With an electric mountain bike (or e-MTB) that gives you assistance up to 25kph, it's possible to pack twice as much riding into the same amount of time. Those five great trails that you normally ride after work can now be ridden twice. That boring singletrack climb on your lunchtime loop suddenly becomes the highlight of your day. With the extra push from the motor it's easy to double the distance covered, or do the same ride in half the time.
As a serious,but aging cyclist, have been considering the purchase of an electric assist bike for some years. My primary concern was that the bike needed to provide enough power to assist me to tackle some very steep hills and my weight is near 220 lbs. Having no experience with electric assist, I anticipated the 500 watt motor rating of this ... full review
Is It Legal To Ride An Electric Scooter On The Road
What Is A Class 3 Ebike
Perhaps the cleverest thing of all about the Electric Brompton is that despite all the extra stuff, it folds up exactly the same as the non-powered variety. It's so simple, and unlike certain folding bikes we could mention, what you're left with is a genuinely small thing, rather than something that's about the size of a bike with the front wheel taken off.
Can You Ride Road Bikes On Trails
The durable bike has been designed from the best quality of material for longevity. It is constructed from the high-strength carbon steel frames, which keeps it stable. Besides this, it also an adjustable saddle that can be moved up or down depending on the users' height. With the wider tires, the bike moves smoothly for a great ride. Lastly, it is also very safe and available in different colors.
Can You Ride Electric Scooters In The Rain
The electric motor is located just above the bottom-bracket, and it assists him with a range of power from 250-watts up to 400-watts, applied directly to the outer chainring. The power is not activated by pedaling through a pedelec sensor like many commercial E-bikes available in Europe. Instead, he chose to use a thumb throttle, which he has hidden under a classic bicycle bell.
How Much Is A Electric Bike
The Goplus electric mountain bike is a perfect bike for all kind of outdoors. It has an eye-catching 26" x 4.0" fat tires, which helps you to ride on every surface, even snow or sand easily. The Goplus electric mountain bike has a 36V 10AH lithium battery. After recharging the battery for 4-5 hours, you can comfortably ride a bike for 20 miles at 12.5 km/h speed. This stylish bike provides powerful riding. Also, The Goplus electric bike has three modes to choose from: pure electric mode, assist and throttle – riding without pedaling. If you are looking for a style and power at the same time – this bike is for you.
Do You Need Insurance For Electric Bikes
For the electric mountain bikes, it is vital to check out the battery type. This powerful electric bike comes with a powerful 10.4Ah lithium-ion battery to ensure that it delivers excellent services. Besides this, the bike is also driven by a powerful electric 350W brushless motor for great speed. You can always shift the speed since it uses the 7-speed Shimano system, which makes it great for all users.
Yukon Trails Outback Electric Mountain Bike is an affordable urban bike with a 24 volt motor of 250 watts. The lead-acid battery of 10 AH offers 28 miles in a charge. This mountain bike is manufactured in China. The bike has the solid tires of 1.75 Watt and 24 inches. It reaches up to the speed of 15 MPH due to the rim of 24 inches. You can smoothly ride the bike while enjoying the fresh air. The seat is comfortable to sit for a long time.
How Much Does A Carbon Fiber Mountain Bike Weight
All the models we tested are full suspension all mountain/trail bike models with relatively similar amounts of suspension travel, geometry, and wheel/tire size. The addition of a large battery and a small motor adds significant weight to an e-bike, and they generally weigh in the neighborhood of 50 lbs, approximately 20 pounds heavier than non-e-bikes, and the heavy weight of these bikes makes them more difficult to ride without the support of the pedal assist motor.
How Fast Can A 50cc Scooter Go
A: Electric bikes are designed with compact electric motors which are usually attached to the back of the front wheel and housed in a hub. There are a number of controls with a user interface which is where all the motor operation is done by the rider. Here one can control the speed, braking and other things such as battery management. Some e-bikes have other electric components such as a sensor which also help in geometry and stabilization.
Do You Need To Pedal An Electric Bike
Over the last few years, I've taken my love of the outdoors, hiking, skiing, trekking and exploring to the next level by starting this site. I started a bike shop in Denver, CO, and have seen amazing growth over the last few years. Getting paid to do what I love has been a dream come true for me. That's also what led me to start BikesReviewed.com. In my shop, I spend a large amount of time helping people find the perfect bike for them and the style of biking they're going to be doing. It only made sense that I expanded my reach and got online, making it possible for me to help people all over the world. If biking and staying fit is your priority, too, you've come to the right place.
You can take it to anywhere you like as the bike is perfect for exploring wild trails, discovering the nooks of city streets, and daily commute. The motor produces no noise, so there is no way to disrupt the tranquility of natural trails. The more than 4-inch wide fat tires will roll over even on snowy and sandy tracks. The width of the tires and the full-suspension design will cushion the paths for you and help to cruise through the climbs and bomb down the descents.
Finally, if you've been waiting for the electric mountain bike to come of age, we're happy to report that just happened. The combination of the 27.5+ platform with long-lasting batteries, and the remarkably smooth and elegant motor, all integrated into one sharp-looking design, and augmented by user-friendly software has finally delivered a slick, no-compromises product that you'll want to own. I know we do, the entire IndefinitelyWild team is fighting over who gets to borrow it next.
How Much Does It Cost To Charge An E Bike Battery
How Do I Attach My Blackburn Pump To My Bike
Using that same meticulousness, he built a mountain bike out of titanium in 1995, and it is the lightest in the world. It weighs only 5.855 kg (12.9 lbs), and it became his second "Guinness Book" entry. His latest entry into the record-books came in 1998: only 9.74 kg (21.4 lbs) for the lightest electric bike, of course using his custom titanium frame. The power was from an electric friction-drive similar to the Solex moped, powering the rear tire, but…that drive system would prove to be unacceptable for an off-road mountain bike.
The distance range of an electric mountain bike refers to the distance you can travel on a single battery charge given a specific set of circumstances. All of the e-bikes we tested have roughly the same battery storage capacity, except for the Bulls E-Stream, but external variables like rider weight, pedaling input, terrain, trail conditions, and weather conditions may all affect the length of time or distance that a battery charge will last. To compare the distance range of the models in our test we had the same tester take each of the bikes out in their highest support setting and do laps on a very steep paved hill until the batteries ran down from fully charged to completely dead. When we finished, we recorded the distance and vertical gain that each model was able to complete and easily, and objectively determined our winner.
The bike looks a no different than a regular mountain bike. The 36 V, 8Ah Li-Ion battery is very cleverly designed and disguised as a thermos, so you will not be able to tell whether this is an e-bicycle or a regular one unless you get really close. It is very nicely build, and pretty sturdy; the frame is 100% alloy and the front fork is made with high-grade carbon steel. The bike itself weighs about 45 lbs.
Are E Bikes Legal On California Trails
There's much less of a sensation of the Electrified S2 'fighting back' once you hit 15.5mph, as well. That's helped by the automatic 2-speed gear box, although this does take some getting used to. Because its cogs are very different sizes you can end up with all sorts of cadence problems as it auto-shifts from high back to low. With practice you can avoid this, or of course you could in theory fit a second cog that's closer in size to the first.
It is important to note that the less power you use while riding your e-bike, the longer the battery will last, makes sense right? All of the pedal-assist drive units we tested also have smartphone apps that can be used to customize your support settings and such changes may allow for more or less range on your electric mountain bike. Specialized's Mission Control app has a feature that lets you set a predetermined route, and the app then regulates the motor's support to ensure power lasts to finish your ride.
The Vilano Core electric bike is the perfect bike for both cities and villages. The assist technology that is built-in the bike will help to conquer wind and hills. The Vilano core electric bike has a powerful 10.4AH Samsung Lithium-Ion Battery. With a single charge of this battery, you can reach 15- 25 miles. It has an aluminum frame, but at the same time, the bike is lightweight. The 5-speed setting would help you to choose the right speed you want to go. This electric bike is not only stylish but sturdy as well.
What Should I Look For In A Fat Bike
With most ebikes the choice of motor defines aspects of the frame geometry and to a lesser degree the suspension characteristics of the bike. Not with new Rock Mountain Altitude Powerplay. With its bespoke motor Rocky has been able to design an ebike that reflects the ride quality of a highly evolved 150mm trail bike. With instant power pickup, extended battery life and streamline proportions it's not just the handling of the Rocky that will get you charged up for riding. It's the best bike in this test by some margin, but we had an issue with the motor momentarily cutting and raising questions over it's reliability.
When he was choosing what battery pack to buy from vendors in Asia, he decided to build a custom pack that he would solder together himself from Lithium-Ion cells. When he chooses to ride with his larger battery pack that provides 800 watt-hours, the total weight of the bike increases from 7.66 kg up to 9.90 kg (21.8 lbs). With the impressive marathoner adding some athletic pedaling, the larger battery allows day tours of a distance up to 180-kilometers (120 miles), and climbing over 4000-meters (13,000 feet) in elevation. Says Schiltknecht, "In 2010, I even managed a one-day tour in Valais through the Diablerets [mountains]".
Do You Need A License To Drive A 50cc Scooter
There are many places in the U.S. where you can legally and responsibly ride e-MTB's, and take it from us; they are a heck of a lot of fun. Check with local land management agencies to find out where you are allowed to use an electric mountain bike before taking to the trails. One thing we do know, e-MTB's can be used on any trails that are legal for motorized use, so we took advantage of the wealth of OHV trails in the greater Lake Tahoe area for our testing purposes and had more fun doing it than any of us expected.
What Are The Best Electric Mountain Bikes
In our view, e-bikes are approaching a crossroads in concept and design. Heading off in one direction are longer travel, enduro-style e-bikes, which are largely designed for cruising up and then blasting back down. Plotting a slightly different course is the idea of a lightweight model that rides much more like a normal mountain bike, but requires more work from the rider. Of the two approaches, both have their benefits, but it's the latter that gets us the most excited. Once the overall weight falls into the 16-17kg range (the lightest bikes are currently19-20kg) it's going to be really hard to tell the difference between an e-bike and a regular trail bike on the descents and the flat, but you get the benefit of a gentle push up the climbs.
Why Are Bikes Eco Friendly
The F1-trained engineers at William Advanced Engineering assisted with the electrical parts and the result is a 250W motor that provides pedal assistance via the front hub – which is still a very unusual approach. It draws power from a 300Wh battery pack that sits in a bag and goes on the front where the Brompton luggage rack would normally sit. You can also opt for a larger bag that holds both the battery and your spare suit or laptop or whatever.
Me: I had a total of seven knee surgeries over 14 months, and man, my fitness took a beating. Getting back on a bike was both liberating and frustrating. I just can't go as fast, or as far, as I used to. But, you don't have to fall victim to a flesh-eating bacterial infection during routine a ACL reconstruction to find the idea of an electric mountain bike appealing.
What's The Difference Between Presta And Schrader Valves
Achesin electric mountain bike is designed with an ergonomic design that makes it very stable and easy to ride. Like most of the mountain bikes, this one is built with a good double-layered aluminum alloy wheel which makes it easy to maneuver, lightweight and durable. With its powerful motor and battery system, you can easily cover between 25 to 50 kilometers depending on the nature of the terrain.
If you are an experienced rider this is actually annoying as hell. Personally, I tend to leave whatever I'm riding in a high gear all the time, because my body is like a powerful machine, and I found the way it slowed my escape from the lights quite disconcerting. For beginners, it could be useful, but it's worth remembering that the whole point of e-bikes is that the motor helps you along anyway, so I do really question the usefulness of this.
Are Bicycle Engine Kits Legal
The e-bike movement has been enjoying a massive popularity boom of late. When bikers are preferring to have a little pedal assistance to everywhere, from the daily commute to cruising through city streets, why not have it too while conquering the mountain trails? You know, just for fun? We have also written a complete guide about the best full suspension mountain bikes.
What Is The Best Electric Bicycle
That aside, the Axis is a fantastic e-bike. At 'only' 16kg, it's almost lively by e-bike standards, but it also feels rock solid. It's geared too low in my opinion – I think it's fair to say I am not the target market – but in 8th, you can breeze on past the legally mandated, electrically-assisted 15.5mph. The hydraulic disk brakes will then bring you to a pleasingly rapid dead stop. The range and charging time are good, too. Cheap it is not, mind you.
How Long Do Electric Bikes Last
On the 8.0 specifically, Haibike sets you up with the brand new Yamaha PW-X motor. This motor comes standard with a 500 watt hour battery, Bluetooth connectivity, and 80 nm of torque out the gate. The PW-X also boasts the benefit of a dual chainring up front. This means you'll save some battery if you're willing to work a little harder and use those gears! Speaking of gears, you'll get a Shimano Deore XT drivetrain. Pair that with Fox 34 Float Performance front suspension and a Fox Float DPS rear shock (150mm travel) and you've got a fully-capable, all-around ride.
What Good Are Single Speed Bikes
Lots of electric bike companies love to tout their ridiculously long ranges of travel you can ride on one charge, but sometimes it's a bit too far fetched for the real world, and may leave you disappointed. Luckily, we're here to help you understand what to really expect out of your electric bike battery so that you can have an easier time selecting the right bike for you!
Do I Need A Licence For An Electric Bike

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Talk on your mobile phone without wires using the Dragon bluetooth headset. With a 328+ ft (100m) range, you can roam around your office or home without having to carry your phone.
Talk on your mobile phone without wires using the Dragon bluetooth headset. With a 328+ ft (100m) range, you can roam around your office or home without having to carry your phone. Dragon can also connect with your PC for Skype calls simultaneously, allowing you to switch between your PC and mobile phone with a press of a button. With advanced dual-mic noise suppression, the callers on the other end will enjoy crystal clear voice even if you are at an airport or noisy restaurant, or in a car. Works with all bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, computers and PDAs.


There is one question in the interview that no candidate likes to hear. It is the question about expected salary. Salary expectations differ from individual to individual. Unless you happen to guess the exact salary the employer expected to provide, there are a number of risks associated with how you answer this type of question.
Requesting a salary that is too high can cause an employer to lead to a less expensive candidate. Most businesses are suffering from the poor economy and cutting down on salary costs is one way for the company to save money.
High salary requests may also reflect poorly on your character. The interviewer might ask themselves "why does he/she believe they deserve so much money?" and come up with personality flaws (arrogance, etc.) that could prevent you from getting the job.
Requesting a low salary will lead to doubts about your candidacy. It may cause the employer to wonder about your previous work experience. It may cause the employer to ask themselves if you are really "in demand." It may cause the employer to think that you are getting desperate for employment. All of these negative feelings can lead to doubts about your candidacy.
Do NOT discuss your salary at your previous place of employment. No two jobs are equal.
Do NOT discuss other offers that you have received from other employers.
What is the range that you have budgeted for the position?
My preference is to hear an offer first and adjust from there.
There are still aspects of the position that I will not know until I begin. What is the company's expected salary range?
You may be forced to be direct about your refusal to answer questions about salary without a number to use as a starting point. Employers will understand, and if they truly value your potential employment they will be willing to give you a number.
Once you have been given a number you can offer your own counter offer. Consider salary negotiations like buying a car. Haggling is expected. Employers will rarely offer their highest available salary from the start. If you believe you can increase your annual salary, provide a counter offer with an explanation as to why you believe you have earned that value. The employer may counter and you can continue the discussion.
It is also a good idea to come prepared. Thoroughly research the average salary of the company before you get into salary expectations. Free tools at websites like Indeed.com and Monster.com can provide you with estimated salaries of similar jobs in your area. These will give you a firm starting point from which to negotiate from.
Throughout your salary discussions there will be times that you need to be honest to both yourself and your employer. First, if the highest available salary is considerably less than you deserve, you must be willing to walk away. It is difficult for both your reputation and your future employment to take a position that you ultimately will not be able to afford to stick with.
There will also be times that you must be honest with your employer. If the salary they offer is beneath your budget, let them know that you require a position with a higher pay. If they have the funds available and value your potential employment, they will make you the counter offer. If not, they may not be a potential fit for your skills and experience.
Overall, you should avoid salary discussions until you are on the brink of employment. First interviews are never the place to discuss salary. Salary discussions should be saved until the end of your second interview unless the topic cannot be avoided. Once it is time to discuss salary, do you best to make them provide you with the first offer and use the salary research you prepared to conduct the negotiations. That is the best way to ensure that both sides reach an ideal number without affecting the success of the interview.


Binge eating, also known as compulsive overeating or binge eating disorder is the most prevalent eating issue I help with in my Vancouver counselling office. Sometimes binge eating is also referred to, but confused with, emotional eating, which may be related to the fact that certain emotional states can trigger folks to binge eat. Bingeing then becomes a form of self-soothing. It is important to distinguish, however, that not all emotional eating results in binge eating and that the two terms are not synonymous.
I define binge eating as an episode of rapid, uncontrolled consumption of an excessive amount of food, often with the purpose (conscious or not) of dealing with difficult feelings, or avoiding particular emotions. Emotions may include anxiety, overwhelm, guilt, shame, anger, fear, or self-loathing. Sometimes binging also becomes a form of punishment or self-harm. Occasionally it is seen as a reward. Sometimes it is related to a history of trauma. There can also be physiological triggers such as food restriction or an underlying medical condition.
Bingeing should not be confused with other acts of overeating that do not appear to meet an emotional need such as unintentionally taking too much food and feeling over-full. People who binge eat may be overweight or at a normal weight.
If you are committed to stopping bingeing, therapy can help. It is often difficult to recover from binge eating without support. Success in treatment is maximized when your therapy is supplemented by a physician's and dietician's care; therapy alone is not a substitute for medical treatment. If you are interested in getting started in counselling, I welcome the opportunity to hear from you.


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COLUMN: Gun buybacks won't work in America
By Randy Gibson For CNHI Oklahoma
Presidential candidate Robert (Beto) O'Rourke, D-Texas, has caused a stir in the media and among law-abiding gun owners and non-gun owners alike with recent comments made during the past democratic presidential debate. In the debate, O'Rourke said, "(Expletive) yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47."
O'Rourke' proposal to require Americans to turn in AR-15s and AK-47s as part of a mandatory government buyback is not a new one. For at least four decades, buyback proposals have been presented.
In the mind of the majority of law-abiding gun owners, the thought is that buybacks are a farce and are a step toward confiscation of all firearms. Say what you will, that thought process is a very real fact and one that millions of law-abiding citizens will balk at if it became a requirement.
Even some of O'Rourke's fellow democrats are saying the position on mandatory buybacks is going too far. MSNBC's liberal talk show host Chris Matthews called the idea "extreme" and said the mandatory buyback proposal was a losing issue.
Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that it was harmful to make it look like it was an idea supported by all democrats. He reportedly added, "I can tell you one thing: Beto O'Rourke's not taking my guns away from me. You tell Beto that, OK?"
The vast majority of law-abiding gun owners think the same as Senator Manchin. Even if the proposal somehow became a law, there are many problems that would follow, and there really isn't a way to reach the goal of getting all of them back.
First, realize the ones in the hands of criminals are not coming back. Period. Criminals and those already forbidden to have them are not going to turn them in to authorities.
Second, many gun owners would struggle with taking them to the buyback point and handing them over. There are some that would, but realize many would rebel at the notion and would not obey this law.
Third, there are at least 10-15 million AR-15s in this country and an estimated 150 million gun owners. The hundreds of firearm laws on the books today are not fully enforced, and this is an idea not supported by many police officers. Realistically O'Rourke's idea would not even be implemented.
That leads me into the fourth reason. In the mind of many law-abiding gun owners, the thought of a government official with a gun coming to someone's home and taking their gun away is tyranny and is why the Second Amendment was added to the Constitution. Again, think what you want, but that is the mindset of many law-abiding gun owners, and it is one they would stand up against.
Some cities have tried this idea, offering $100 for every gun turned in. I know some who turned in cheap guns that were not worth that price and got their $100 each, took the money and bought newer firearms, including AR-15s, making a mockery of the intended purpose of the buyback program.
Politicians and others can point to other countries all they want, but America is different, and many good law-abiding Americans have a different mindset than those in other places.
Those seeking elected offices need to stop the rhetoric and realize gun buyback proposals won't stop the crime like they hope and will only affect the law-abiding gun owner. It is a losing issue and one that will not work in America.
Randy Gibson is the CEO of RDG Communications Group, LLC, and the former director of the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce and the Texas State Rifle Association.
Hennigan, Mac
Coleman, Mary
Wootten, Sharon
Sharon Gwen Wootten, 78, of Norman, formerly of Noble, passed away on January 19, 2020. Services are pending with McMahans Funeral Home of Noble at a later date.
Tritten, Ronald
Pevehouse, John
How George Kittle went from a signing day afterthought at Norman High to NFL star
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U.K., 17th October: International event organiser, Terrapinn, has announced that it recently acquired Solar & Storage Live from Solar Media Limited. No financial details were announced.
Solar & Storage Live is a U.K. leading solar power and solar storage exhibition and conference. The event will reportedly continue to be supported by Solar Media.


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Philanthropication thru Privatization Project (2008-2021)
[ download the concept note ]
With the resources and capabilities of governments barely growing or in decline around the world, yet the problems of poverty, ill-health and environmental degradation ballooning daily, it is increasingly clear that new efforts, and new financial resources, are urgently needed to address the world's pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.
One promising route to solving this dilemma may be to channel into charitable endowments all or a portion of the proceeds of privatization transactions, a process we are calling Philanthropication thru Privatization, or PtP.
Properly designed and executed, PtP can revolutionize the charitable landscape of countries while transforming privatization into a "win-win" process for citizens, governments, and investors alike.
PtP is not just an abstract idea, moreover. Indeed, some of the largest and most reputable foundations in the world, such as Germany's Volkswagen Foundation, Italy's foundations of banking origin, New Zealand's network of "community trusts," Belgium's King Baudouin Foundation, and over 200 health conversion foundations in the U.S. have all resulted from, or been enlarged through, a PtP process.
Yet these developments have all proceeded in virtual isolation. No one has thought to draw a circle around them and call attention to their striking commonalities. More importantly, no one has thought to highlight the important lessons they might hold for a new approach to privatization that can yield win-win payoffs for citizens and civil society, as well as for governments and investors.
Over the past several years, the PtP Project has identified 643 foundations that have emerged from one or another type of such privatization transactions. To date, nine identifiable asset classes have been involved in such transactions, including state-owned enterprises, other state-owned property, debt swaps, royalties from state-regulated businesses, transformations of nonprofits or mutual, stolen assets, stranded assets, and penalties arising from corporate misdeeds.
Having identified this new route to the creation of charitable endowments, the PtP Project is now seeking to encourage its more widespread use, particularly in regions where charitable institutions and charitable resources are in short supply. It does so in the belief that the assets involved in such transactions are ultimately not the government's assets, but the people's assets—often their only such assets—created by the sweat and toil of a country's workers or belonging to the people as part of their birth right of resources. While the proceeds of such transactions can be used for a variety of purposes, the creation of charitable endowments has surfaced in numerous cases as a highly valuable one, creating permanent assets dedicated to the common good and establishing an alternative private channel for addressing priority issues that may not yet have attracted governmental attention.
The PtP Initiative
The PtP Initiative is the first concerted effort to pursue this option for creating indigenous charitable endowments out of the proceeds of privatization transactions. The project is directed by Dr. Lester M. Salamon, Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies with the assistance of a robust international team of Project Associates; an Advisory Committee chaired by Dr. Wilhelm Krull, General Secretary of the Volkswagen Foundation, and a network of PtP Exploratory Committees operating in different regions of the world.
To date, the Initiative has:
Identified more than 643 PtP foundations with over US$201 billion in assets
Conducted detailed case studies of 22 of these foundations;
Produced a major report, Philanthropication thru Privatization: Building Permanent Endowments for the Common Good, analyzing how these foundations came about and how they have performed;
Organized a blue-ribbon Advisory Committee;
Undertaken a variety of dissemination events, including a two major PtP international conferences;
Launched a series of "How-to" Booklets designed to acquaint citizens with how to apply the PtP approach to the various asset classes in which it has surfaced; and
Launched a series of detailed case studies of existing PtP foundations
Next steps include:
Continued dissemination of the PtP idea through presentations and meetings with key stakeholders in different asset class;
Continued assembly of examples of PtP foundations;
Publication of additional How-To booklets and case studies;
Organization of additional PtP Exploratory Committees in different countries and regions;
Promotion of pilot implementation projects in various locales; and
Publication of an updated edition of Philanthropication thru Privatization: Building Permanent Endowments for the Common Good
The Initiative is administered by the East-West Management Institute (EWMI), an independent not-for-profit organization that has played an instrumental role in building sustainable civil society institutions in countries throughout the world, and has received support from the Charles Stewart Mott, Volkswagen, King Baudouin, la Caixa, and Ford foundations, as well as from a coalition of eight Italian foundations of banking origin. Please visit the PtP Project website to learn more about this Initiative.


It is been observed that the price action is consolidating in between 1060-1010 levels for past 55 days on a daily chart . It is 11 weeks and almost 3 months. This is called a Big consolidation and price war between buyers and sellers.
Now, the price action got that big breakout from the consolidation as it closes below strong support level of 1010. Therefore, it is indicating that sellers victory over buyers and now the price action shall move further down and continue it downtrending pattern.
I think Infy has good support zone around 930-960 range. I will prefer to initiate Long position at that levels. Infy fundamentals are looking good as the company is gearing for Long term Strategy of automation. However, SHORT Idea sounds good at the moment.


'Unprecedented: The Election That Changed Everything', the first-ever book from CNN Politics, chronicles the unpredictable election that saw a Republican field of seventeen candidates against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton battle it out until the blustery billionaire and reality TV star took the White House.
But Trump didn't criticize the contents of the book. Instead, the President-Elect took issue with the photo of him.
"CNN just released a book called 'Unprecedented' which explores the 2016 race and victory. Hope it does well but used worst cover photo of me," Trump said on social media.
The book actually features two distinct covers, the election collage that Trump dislikes and an 'Inaugural edition' featuring a stoic Trump.


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Posts Tagged With: violent extremism
Rebooting on Federalism, BBL, and Violent Extremism
Posted on January 16, 2018 by mlimba
In the recent rebooting workshop on federalism, Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and violent extremism, instead of the usual 'what-is-and-what-is-not' presentation, I just shared to the participants my personal observation of the ruling PDP-Laban party's federalism movement, the current status of the BBL in the Congress, and the inclusion of preventing and countering violent extremism (PCVE) in the Masa Masid program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Thank you, DILG-Maguindanao Province, for the invitation and opportunity to share personal thoughts!
Categories: Current Events, Public Speaking, Social Issues	| Tags: Bangsamoro Basic Law, BBL, Department of the Interior and Local Government, DILG, federalism, Maguindanao, rebooting, violent extremism	| Leave a comment
Dear Year 2018
Posted on December 31, 2017 by mlimba
MAKATI CITY (MindaNews/31 December) – I was about to extend my wishes for a "Happy New Year" to my friends online, but then certain things were bothering me; certain questions lingering on my mind. So, what I did instead was to scribe this personal letter to Year 2018:
Dear Year 2018,
Will you be really a 'happy new year'? I'm asking you this rather awkward question because of the undesirable unfolding of events in the remaining days of your predecessor (2017).
After the global attention had been invariably diverted to false flag operations (activities related to terrorism and violent extremism), it is drawn back again to a main global issue – the Palestinian Question – thanks to Donald Trump's blunder.
Will Trump triumph in pushing for his agenda of Zionization of Jerusalem?
Not to mention the internal squabble within the kingdom, will Saudi Arabia be able to rescue itself from the quagmire of Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, and more recently, Lebanon?
Now, two months have already passed since the end of the Marawi Siege. Do you think the Philippine government will be able to aptly 'reinvent' itself (see "Time for government's 'self-reinvention'?" http://www.mindanews.com/…/marginalia-time-for-governments-…), particularly on the pressing issue of the city residents' return, resettlement and reintegration, in accordance to the 30 Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement laid down by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)?
Within this year, Duterte said many times he will father the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to make sure it will come into fruition during his term, with a warning that trouble might brew if the said draft law will not be passed. (See "PPRD calls on Congress to expedite BBL," PTV News, October 30, 2017, https://www.ptvnews.ph/prrd-calls-congress-expedite-bbl.)
Yet just two weeks ago (December 17, 2017), a perceived 'anti-BBL' congressman was allowed to be named as one of the three members of the subcommittee who would take the lead in 'harmonizing' the four BBL bills filed in Congress.
Is the fatherhood to the fetus transferred to someone who is expected to abort it?
Worse still, two days afterward (December 19), the supposed 'father' expressed doubt if the BBL could hurdle constitutional barriers. Was there any lawyer among the government representatives in the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) that could have detected these 'unconstitutionalities' while drafting the BBL? What was the use of the more-than-two-month time interval between the submission of BBL to its supposed 'father' on July 17, 2017 and its filing in Congress as a bill on September 29?
Is the original 'gameplan' really to subsume the BBL into the federalism track? In that case, is there any real guarantee that a BBL compliant with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro / Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB/FAB) can be truly pursued under a federal set-up? In other words, is it reasonable to make a dress without getting first the body size of the person who is supposed to wear it?
As the current Philippine administration's abstention to the UN General Assembly's resolutions about the status of Jerusalem and the plight of the Rohingyas is widely perceived to be 'denial of current wrongs' and is therefore contradictory to the spirit of the 2016 presidential campaign on 'correcting historical injustices', will you not be just a 365-day extension of "That's Entertainment" show in Manila-Davao theaters?
Exactly after 50 years, will you not be a repetition of the year 1968 when our youth would no longer listen to and follow the elders, and eventually pursue their way of expressing the inalienable right to self-determination? What will be the decision of the middle-aged like me: to cling to and always believe in the wisdom of the elders, or to join the youth in charting their own destiny?
Due to these lingering questions, I would rather seek refuge and find solace in this short supplication:
"O Transformer of the hearts and insights!
O Alternator of the nights and days!
O Changer of the conditions and states!
Change our condition with the best of conditions!"
[MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Mansoor L. Limba, PhD in International Relations, is a writer, educator, blogger, chess trainer, and translator (from Persian into English and Filipino) with tens of written and translation works to his credit on such subjects as international politics, history, political philosophy, intra-faith and interfaith relations, cultural heritage, Islamic finance, jurisprudence (fiqh), theology ('ilm al-kalam), Qur'anic sciences and exegesis (tafsir), hadith, ethics, and mysticism. He can be reached at mlimba@diplomats.com, or http://www.mlimba.com and http://www.muslimandmoney.com.]
Categories: Current Events, Social Issues	| Tags: 2018, Bangsamoro Basic Law, BBL, duterte, Marawi City, violent extremism	| Leave a comment
Community-based Religious Education and Preventing Violent Extremism
Parallel 1.B COMMUNITY-BASED RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ROLES AND PREVENTING VIOLENT EXTREMISM: EXPERIENCE FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES
1. How is community playing role in religious education across various context?
2. How can community play bigger role in shaping religious education to prevent [and counter] violent extremism?
Parallel 2.B PROMOTING RELIGIOUS LITERACY EDUCATION
1. How important is religious literacy in our current context?
2. How can religious education increase religious literacy?
Categories: Education, Social Issues	| Tags: jakarta, religious education, religious literacy, Southeast Asia, violent extremism	| Leave a comment
During the second plenary session on "Religious Education and Violent Extremism: The Southeast Asian Context" on the second day, the four speakers from Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines endeavored to address these two guide questions: (1) What are the roles of state and community on religious education and PVE in Southeast Asia? (2) What are the differences and similarities, for example, in terms of
pedagogy and curriculum?
During the open session, somebody from the participants ventured to pose these two questions:
Question to the 3rd Speaker: Considering your proximity to Marawi City in more accurately analyzing the conditions on the ground as well as the 'recapture' of the city by the government troops and the deaths of Isnilon [Hapilon] and Omarkhayam [Maute], the top two leaders of the group/s that occupied Marawi on May 23, do you think we cannot expect another Marawi in the near and medium-term future? Why?
Question to the 4th Speaker: You have made mention of the ARMM Darul Ifta's religious edict (fatwa) against terrorism – a courageous move which is really worthy of appreciation. But I'm just curious: Since the 'fatwa' was originally written and issued in Arabic language, which the overwhelming majority of the youth in the ARMM cannot understand, is it already translated into languages and vernaculars of the common people – Filipino (Tagalog), Visaya (Cebuano), M'ranao, Tausug, Maguindanaon and others?
Categories: Education, Social Issues	| Tags: Marawi City, religious education, Southeast Asia, violent extremism	| Leave a comment
Why Religious Education Matters?
The first plenary session of the Regional Workshop on Violent Extremism and Religious Education in Southeast Asia which kicked off yesterday dealt with the question "Why does religious education matter for preventing violent extremism?" The speakers who dealt with the subject were a Buddhist monk directing a monastic high school in Myanmar and a member of the advisory board of an Islamic university in Indonesia.
My personal take on the issue is as follows:
Before directly answering the question of 'why', stating two hypotheses here is in order. First, religion can either be a bridge or a wall. Like a kitchen knife, it can be used to prepare a very delicious food and it can also be a tool to commit a heinous crime. Second, in the context of violent extremism, religion can either be a driver or a diverter.
Given these two hypotheses, it can then be stated that religious education really matter for preventing [and countering] violent extremism due to the following reasons:
1. Some violent extremist groups use religious narratives and symbols.
2. Religion can be powerful enough to stimulate people to action, for good or bad.
3. Religious education provides political authority and moral ascendancy to any 'messenger' of any 'message'.
4. A 'messenger' of violent extremism, as in many instances, may capitalize on this religious education-rooted political authority and moral ascendancy he/she acquires in addressing his/her audience.
5. Such a 'messenger' who capitalizes on religious education-rooted political authority and moral ascendancy can only be competently combated by an alternative and superior 'messenger' whose political authority or moral ascendancy also emanates from the same religious education.
Categories: Education, Social Issues	| Tags: religious education, Southeast Asia, violent extremism	| Leave a comment
Question on 'Regional Outlook on Violent Extremism'
"We have been talking about the narrative and drivers of violent extremism (VE). When we say drivers, we are referring to the push and pull factors that 'recruit' individuals to VE. And we tend to pay less attention to VE's enablers – that is, factors that make VE and its activities 'resilient'. We are interested to know what UNDP has done so far – from development work perspective – in addressing these 'enablers' of VE."
Supposed question on the Introductory Session about "Regional Outlook on Violent Extremism" by Phil Matsheza, Regional Team Leader, Governance & Peacebuilding, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub
Categories: Public Speaking, Travel	| Tags: jakarta, Phil Matsheza, religious education, undp, violent extremism, workshop	| Leave a comment
'Conference Paper Presentation 101' and 'Conference Panel Moderating 101'?
Posted on December 8, 2017 by mlimba
Before attending a regional workshop on religious education in Jakarta next week, my past two weeks were a series of paper presentations or talks. In a DILG-PPSC jointly organized national training of trainers on preventing and countering violent extremism held in Manila on November 27-29, I was asked to share my working paper on deconstructing media reporting in Mindanao.
Immediately after the closing program I rushed to the airport to catch my 9:40 pm flight bound for Davao City. But sad to note, I arrived at NAIA at 10:09 pm already. Blame it to the traffic jam in the Metro. I booked for the next available flight (around 6 am), but I had to enlist my name as chance passenger for the earliest flight (4 am) that day (November 30) in order to arrive in the next conference venue before the start of the panel session (8 am) where I was invited to talk about the post-Marawi Siege landscape.
The following day (December 1), I had to leave the beach resort (Waterfront Insular Hotel) and climbed up the mountainous part of the city (Malagos Garden Resort) to deliver another talk at the seminar-workshop dubbed "Reporting Marawi, Reporting Violent Extremism" organized by the MindaNews and an institute of Mindanao-based journalists.
Two days afterward, I had to fly back to Manila to moderate the panel on youth radicalization and violent extremism of a forum on the peace process in Mindanao, organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Immediately after lunch, I had to rush to the province of Cavite, outside Metro Manila, to share my thoughts on cultural sensitivity and media reporting in Mindanao at a one-week special course conducted by a national public safety institution.
The next day, I flew to Kuala Lumpur to attend the 7th International Conference on Southeast Asia at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya, and to present a paper on Marawi Siege's security implications to the Southeast Asian region. During the opening ceremony the other day, the convener of the panel on the role of women in conflict zones in Southeast Asia invited me to join her panel, which I gladly accepted, and I talked about the role of women in promoting violent extremism in the Philippines.
In all these presentations as well as in previous experiences in conferences, one recurring thing I have observed time and again is the dismal failure of a considerable number of speakers to observe the time limit (usually 15 to 20 minutes), and correspondingly, some moderators' ineptitude to properly manage the time limit set for each panel. One moderator even emailed me the night before the panel session, asking me to limit my presentation to 10 minutes, while actually allowing my co-presenter in the panel to talk for around 45 minutes and another co-presenter to talk in half an hour.
One panel convener kept reminding me four times to limit my talk to 15 minutes "in order to devote more time to the discussions during the Q&A session". Yet the same panel convener was around 30 minutes late in the panel, and having designated herself as the first presenter, she had two minutes excess to the 15-minute time limit she herself had set.
In view of these and similar experiences in the remote past, I'm just wondering if there's a need for a sort of "conference paper presentation 101" and "conference panel moderation 101."
Please let me know your views and comments.
Categories: Public Speaking, Travel	| Tags: conferences, public speaking, University of Malaya, violent extremism	| Leave a comment
On the Security Dimension of ASEAN-China Relations
Posted on July 17, 2017 by mlimba
GUANGZHOU CITY (17 July) – Shortly before boarding the aircraft for my early morning flight to China last week, I made my last Facebook post, thus: "FB Hibernation. I'm about to undergo a few days of Facebook hibernation. Keep in touch by email then. Logging out now…"
This I posted without stating the reason – that I was then about to enter a country wherein Facebook, Instagram, Google (Gmail, Play Store, etc.) and some other accounts cannot be accessed. In particular, I refer to the official invitation to participate in two academic events, viz. (1) a two-day International Conference and Ceremony to mark the 90th anniversary of Southeast Asian Studies and Overseas Chinese Studies at Jinan University and the 50th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and (2) an eight-day Asia-China Peace and Leadership Workshop (Economic Development, Regional Cooperation, and Conflict Transformation) organized by Jinan University's Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies.
Both events were or are being held in Jinan University, which is one of the oldest universities established in mainland China tracing back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Mandated to spread Chinese learning and culture from North to South and from Chinese overseas, the university was the first in this country to recruit foreign students and is currently the Chinese university with the largest number of international students.
The conference panels such as "Current Studies on Southeast Asia," "Studies on Vietnamese History," "Studies on Myanmar Politics," "Overseas Chinese Studies," "Language and Translation," "Studies on Other Southeast Asian Countries," "Studies on Malaysian Politics," "Ethnic Chinese Business Network and Overseas Chinese," "International Relations in Southeast Asia," and "Studies on Chinese Malaysians" are interspersed with a keynote speech, a forum on Overseas Chinese Research, giving of awards, and a roundtable on ASEAN-China Relations.
The keynote speech was given by Prof. Anthony Reid of the Australian National University while awards were given to best papers published in Jinan University's Journal of Southeast Asian Studies and the Yao Nan Translation Prize.
Apart from meeting presenters from the Philippines such as Prof. Rommel Banlaoi of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, Prof. Aileen Baviera of the University of the Philippine Diliman, and two fellow workshop participants from Ateneo de Manila University and Dela Salle University, the most interesting for me was the roundtable on ASEAN-China Relations on the first day, being attended by the consul-generals of the Southeast Asian countries in China.
The Philippines being the current Chairman of the ASEAN, the Filipino consul-general in China, Marie Charlotte G. Tang, delivered the Opening Address to the roundtable. In our personal conversation after the roundtable, it was equally fulfilling to realize that Ms. Tang was then my direct supervisor when I was undergoing practicum in the China Section, East Asian Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the summer of 1995.
The roundtable discussants included Prof. Reid of Australia, Prof. Baviera of the Philippines, and four Chinese scholars headed by Zhang Zhenjiang, Dean of Jinan University's School of International Studies and the Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies.
For almost two hours, the roundtable discussion significantly centered around the ASEAN's degree of success or failure, various obstacles to ASEAN integration, and current challenges and prospects of ASEAN-China relations.
In the open forum, I raised the following question:
"Throughout this two hours Roundtable, I was expecting to hear – even a bit – about regional security from a non-conventional framework. By non-conventional framework, I refer to security threats not coming from a neighboring state or states, and a global or regional hegemon, but rather coming from transnational violent actors such as the ISIS.
"As the ISIS is recently losing territorial ground in both Syria and Iraq, the possibility for this group to look for Southeast Asia whose Muslim population is more than those of Arab countries combined together is becoming more palpable. As we all know, a city in an ASEAN country – I'm referring to Marawi City in the Philippines' southern island of Mindanao – has been captured by ISIS-linked groups, and the alleged reports of participation of some Indonesians and Malaysians in the siege must bring a toll of alarm to the region.
"My question is: Is it not high time now to include this security concern to the main agenda of the ASEAN-China relations?"
One of the discussants responded by saying, among others, that there have been already many ASEAN meetings about transnational issues including security threats coming from transnational non-state actors, but in the end she confessed that "But as to whether this concern will become part of the main agenda in the ASEAN-China relations or not, I don't know."
This confession, I think, is worth contemplating now, considering the existence of Uyghur Muslim minority issues in China and the threat to the Chinese government as expressed in ISIS media outlets.
Categories: Current Events, International Relations	| Tags: asean, china, guangzhou, jinan university, security, Southeast Asia, terrorism, violent extremism	| Leave a comment
Is 'Terror' Marawi's Single Story?
Posted on July 3, 2017 by mlimba
By Mansoor L. Limba – July 3, 2017
(The following is a modified transcript of the 20-minute presentation of a working paper "The Marawi Crisis: A Derridean Reading" at the Forum "Terror in Marawi: Looking through Different Perspectives," organized by the Social Sciences and Education Cluster at Ateneo de Davao University, June 30, 2017.)
My esteemed co-panelists – Sir Dennis [Coronel, MA] and Ma'am Diana [Taganas, CPA, MA] – Ma'am Carmen [Sabino, RP, RPm] and her team of young and energetic organizers, my fellow students, and other members of the academe who are present in this forum: Good afternoon and "salamun 'alaykum" (may peace be upon you)!
At the outset, I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers for giving me this rare opportunity to share my thoughts and views on the current crisis in Marawi.
Let me begin by narrating my favorite introductory anecdote in this regard. In a peace-building symposium-workshop last year, there was a casual conversation between (1) a Muslim NGO worker and (2) a Mindanao-based non-Muslim journalist.
This conversation suddenly turned into a heated argumentation over the 'correct' description for such groups as the Abu Sayyaf and others. The Muslim NGO worker argued that they are 'un-Islamic' because "what they are doing are against the teachings of Islam!" The non-Muslim journalist countered by saying that they are 'Islamic' because "They use Islamic symbols, metaphors and justifications in their acts of violence!"
That heated argumentation, actually, calls to mind postmodernism's recurring themes, one of which is Jacques Derrida's 'grammatology' or semiotic analysis given in his writings. According to this prominent postmodernist, textual is the way in which the social world is constructed, and interpreting the world reflects "the textual interplay at work," or the concepts and structures of language.
According to Derrida, there are two ways of exposing textual interplays, viz. (1) deconstruction and (2) double reading (Derrida, "Of Grammatology," 1976). By 'deconstruction, he refers to a means of showing how all theories and discourses rely on artificial stabilities produced by the use of seemingly objective and natural oppositions in language – for example, light/darkness, knowledge/ignorance, white/black, friend/enemy.
In a bid to demonstrate how these stabilizations operate, Derrida subjects the text to double reading: (1) a repetition of the dominant reading to show how it achieves its outward coherence and (2) the demonstration of the internal tensions within a text that result from the use of ostensibly natural stabilizations. In doing so, Derrida's aim is not to come to a 'correct' or even 'one' reading of a text, but to show how there is always more than one reading of any text.
Taking postmodernist Derrida's 'grammatology' or semiotic analysis as the theoretical framework, this brief presentation, which hopefully will become a working paper, shall explore the textual interplay at work in this forum's framing of words (i.e. 'extremism,' 'religious extremism,' and 'terror') about the Marawi Crisis. Using Derrida's 'deconstruction' and 'double reading' tools, in this brief presentation I shall scrutinize these three terms, viz. (1) extremism, (2) religious extremism, and (3) terror in Marawi.
Case 1: 'Extremism'
It is mentioned in the invitation letter that there shall be a forum on "Terror in Marawi: Looking through Different Perspectives." It is also stated thus, "…the SSE Cluster is inviting you to be one of its key speakers to discuss religious extremism" (emphasis added). One implication that can be inferred here is that the 'terror' in Marawi is a product of 'religious extremism'.
In Countering/Preventing Violent Extremism (CVE/PVE) trainings and workshops, the first session is usually allotted to conceptual clarification, and the first question being posed always is something like this: Is to be 'radical' or 'extremist' necessarily bad and, therefore, condemnable?
Basically, we define 'radical' to be the one that advocates fundamental and/or drastic change. When we say 'extremist' we usually refer to someone that holds a view or displays a behavior or action different from the 'usual'. Consciously or unconsciously, whenever we say 'extremist' we are imagining in our mind a spectrum having two ends which are the 'extreme' parts while its middle is what we imagine to be the norm or 'normal' as adopted by the majority.
George Washington was definitely a radical during the American War of Independence, because instead of maintaining America under the British Empire, he was opting for American independence! Andres Bonifacio was a certified extremist, because instead of just reform under Spanish sovereignty, he was fighting for separation from Spain! Nelson Mandela was a convicted terrorist for the Apartheid regime in South Africa, and because of this heinous crime, he was imprisoned for almost three decades!
By the way, how about the young Jewish man who had the audacity to turn upside down the money changers' table in the Temple of Solomon? (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-47; John 2:13-16) He would also address his fellow Jews as "You serpents, generation of vipers!" and "a wicked and adulterous generation!" (Matthew 23:33; 16:4) He must be an extremist during his time!
As you see, knowing the context of such terms as 'radical' and 'extremist' is very important.
Case 2: 'Religious Extremism'
Let us equally pose this fundamental question: Is 'religious extremism' necessarily bad, and thus, blameworthy?
How about the case of one who voluntarily makes the 'vow of celibacy and poverty' to become a nun or priest? Accordingly, he or she makes this decision as a religious 'calling'. How about the case of a teetotaler who totally abstains from alcohol, on account of religious conviction? How about the case of a non-smoker in a country or city of smokers, who refrains from smoking due to a religious reason?
Is their 'religious extremism' necessarily bad?
It's not, of course, because there is a missing element here, namely, violent imposition or compulsion. If a would-be nun voluntarily makes a vow of celibacy and poverty, it's just okay. It will not be okay if she begins to impose celibacy upon all women by force. If a person does not drink alcohol, it's just okay. He will become questionable when he starts forcing the hook, line and sinker of his teetotalism down the throat of the people around him. If the would-be nun and the teetotaler do so, they may be accused of violent extremism in the name of, or under the guise of, religion.
Case 3: 'Terror' in Marawi
Let us now consider the third and last case – 'terror' in Marawi.
The title of this forum is "Terror in Marawi: Looking through Different Perspectives." As I read this title for the first time, my take – correctly or not – was that it is like saying, "Let's talk about toothpaste from different perspectives, but let's just talk about Colgate!" That is to say, "Let's come to talk about Marawi Crisis from diverse views and opinions, but let's just talk about its 'terror' dimension!"
The fact is that the Marawi Crisis is a multi-dimensional issue, and 'terror' is just one of the many dimensions of the Crisis.
Aside from its 'terror' dimension, how about (1) the historical context, in particular the Philippine government's failure to fully implement the peace agreements it has signed for decades? How about (2) the Philippine military intelligence's success or failure? (As can be recalled, during the first day of the Marawi siege, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told us that there was no failure of military intelligence because there were already such reports of the siege, but what was lacking was 'appreciation' of those reports. Perhaps the Secretary fails to realize that the public knows that intelligence report without proper appreciation of it is no 'intelligence' at all. It's just a wanton stockpiling of tons and tons of raw materials and information data!)
How about (3) the role of LGU's peace and order councils in preventing the siege, in particular that of the BPATs (Barangay Peace Action Teams) in all barangays of the occupied business district of the city? How about (4) the issue of alleged unholy marriage between local narco-politics and terrorism?
How about (5) the actual terror of the 'war on terror'? (I am referring to the reports of military's mishandling in checkpoints and lootings of properties in areas of the city they control.) How about (6) the issue of Philippine military modernization (specifically the challenge of modern urban warfare, and more serious than that, the challenge of asymmetrical warfare in the information age)? How about (7) the question of excessive use of force in the form of aerial bombardments against enemy targets? (What prevents the onset of snipers versus snipers scenario, by the way?)
How about (8) the problems related to the evacuees and internally displaced people (IDPs)? How about (9) the issue of rehabilitation, resettlement and internal migration?
And how about (10) the melodramatic accounts of survivors, sometimes risking their own lives for the sake of others with a different religious affiliation?
Undeniably, these are all Marawi stories, as well.
By scrutinizing the three terms (extremism, religious extremism, and 'terror' in Marawi), we can say that textual is indeed the way the social world is constructed. It is the same reason why we call part of the South China Sea as "West Philippine Sea" and the Benham Rise as the "Philippine Rise."
As a 'middle ground', instead of 'religious extremism' an alternative term is 'violent extremism (in the name of, or under the guise of, religion). And an alternative title that can be considered for this forum is: "The Marawi Crisis: Looking through Different Perspectives."
In conclusion, the universe is not a monopoly of binary equations. The world – the Marawi Crisis included – is not always a case of "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." Zero-sum is not always the game in town. In the Derridean jargon, there is always a multiple reading of a text.
To take 'terror' as Marawi's single story is no doubt a dangerous game to play.
Categories: Current Events	| Tags: Derrida, marawi, marawi siege, postmodernism, violent extremism	| Leave a comment
A Prison Called PVE
Mansoor L. Limba on March 20, 2017
MAKATI CITY (20 March) – In August last year, I flew to Davao City – not primarily to witness and join the week-long celebration of Kadayawan Festival – but to attend two events related to history as an academic field of discipline.
Last week I flew there again – not primarily to join the Dabawenyos in their four-day Araw ng Dabaw (Davao City Founding Day) holidays – but to sit as a panel to a dissertation defense on halal practices in Region 11, to witness the launching of a book on human rights, and finally, to attend, as a representative of the academic sector, a three-day workshop on PVE.
PVE. Yes, it's Preventing Violent Extremism.
While the topic was already more than enough to send shivers down one's spine, the insignia "PVE. Reimagine. Redefine. Rethink." of the UNDP-funded workshop dubbed "Redefining Radicalization: Streamlining PVE/CVE Efforts of Institutions" was even quite intriguing, to say the least.
It naturally elicits such questions as "What is the dominant 'imagination' about PVE? What is the conventional definition of violent extremism? What is the common thinking about radicalization? What is the problem with such an imagination, definition and thinking so much so that it demands re-imagination, redefinition and rethinking?"
Dissecting dichotomies
As early as the first workshop on the definitions and conceptual assumptions of radicalization and violent extremism, three words could easily be identified as implicit culprits, viz. radicalization, violence, and extremism. Are they supposed to be culprits all the time? Guided by this question, the first open forum would border on intellectual jousting coupled with occasional jokes on Moro piracy vis-à-vis foreign intrusion.
If understood to mean "the process of instituting a fundamental and comprehensive change," is radicalization always bad? Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Einstein were certified radicals who have brought scientific revolutions.
Is violence or the use of physical force always condemnable? Wars of national liberation – prior to, during and after the two world wars – were all violent in nature. George Washington was undoubtedly violent. So was Andres Bonifacio.
Is extremism always blameworthy? In the business world in which mediocrity – or to be average – is a heinous crime punishable by death, extreme ideas and innovative minds are natural recipes for survival and eventual success.
Even in the second workshop that attempted to identify the 'positive' and 'negative' instances of radicalization, there was no sufficient time to appreciate the many grays in between these opposing poles (positive and negative). A knife in motion can either be 'moral' or 'immoral' while a knife in inertia is 'amoral'. In other words, a knife used to commit a crime is 'bad' while a knife used in the kitchen to prepare foods for hungry stomachs is 'good' whereas a sleeping knife is neither good nor bad, in absolute sense.
In short, whenever there are artificial constructs, which are arranged hierarchically such that in the case of opposites in language one term is always privileged over the other, the anomaly of such dichotomies must be dissected.
How about PVE via 'TVE'?
Meanwhile, from the first session down to the presentations of the three foreign experts on the second day, what can be observed was that the issue of PVE has been mostly treated and discussed through social science lenses – economic, sociological, psychological, anthropological.
On the other hand, what is given less attention is the fact that the main identity and meta-signifier of many violent extremist groups is religious in nature with very strong theological underpinnings.
In the case of ISIS, its main identity is rooted in the notion of 'Islamic State' and the revival of the caliphate (khilafah) which is an important theme in Islamic political thought and political jurisprudence.
There is no denying that social injustices, poverty, and psychological factors are significant drivers of violent extremism, but the fact is that these elements are dealt with by these groups within the framework of Islamic metaphors and symbols.
Is it enough to issue a religious edict against terrorism (http://armmrdi.blogspot.com/p/resource-centre.html) in Arabic language (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByHDjAlc3Q7ibE5mbWVYT0tHNjA/view) without translating it into any of the languages understandable to the local youth – such as English and Filipino?
Is it enough to argue that there is nothing Islamic in those groups (https://phisoblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/final-paper.docx), by citing a few Qur'anic verses here and there?
If you do so, they could instantly throw you with tens of Qur'anic verses, a double or triple number of narrations from the corpus of hadith (Prophetic traditions), and everything including the kitchen sink from the works of such Muslim figures as Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Jawzi, and Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab.
As such, in order for any PVE program to be considered comprehensive, there is a logical need to understand the 'theology of violent extremism' (TVE) – the same language these groups astutely use to convey their message and gain recruits.
On hindsight, unless these two points, among others, are addressed, PVE will remain a conceptual prison that necessitates Derridean 'deconstruction' and 'double reading' – and thereafter, re-imagination, redefinition and rethinking.
Categories: Current Events, International Relations	| Tags: Bangsamoro, cve, isil, isis, islamic state, Mindanao, moro, pve, violent extremism	| Leave a comment


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Home / Leica APO-SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2 ASPH "LHSA Edition", black
Leica APO-SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2 ASPH "LHSA Edition", black
2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the International Leica Society (LHSA). To commemorate the occasion, Leica has produced a special anniversary edition of the APO-Summicron-M 50 f/2 ASPH. The lens has been designed to resemble the Summicron 50mm f/2, which was introduced in 1954 together with the Leica M3. Though originally launched as a retractable lens, it was subsequently also available as a rigid version from 1956. The contemporary APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH. exploits fully
2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the International Leica Society (LHSA). To commemorate the occasion, Leica has produced a special anniversary edition of the APO-Summicron-M 50 f/2 ASPH. The lens has been designed to resemble the Summicron 50mm f/2, which was introduced in 1954 together with the Leica M3. Though originally launched as a retractable lens, it was subsequently also available as a rigid version from 1956. The contemporary APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH. exploits fully the capabilities of modern digital camera systems in terms of contrast and resolution. With the Special Edition, this unparalleled imaging performance has been combined with the vintage look and feel of a 1950s Summicron. The lens body features a brass exterior with either a black paint or silver chrome finish. The era of early Summicron lenses is further referenced in the separate lens hood and lens cover, both of which are also made of brass, and finished to match the selected lens.
The Special Edition is limited to 500 units, comprising 300 black paint and 200 silver chrome models. The distance scale is engraved in red, while all other engravings are inlaid either in white (on the black paint models) or black (silver chrome models). The special-edition serial numbers are shown on the aperture ring, while the LHSA logo is inscribed (without inlay) on the bayonet ring, just above the 'Made in Germany' lettering. In addition to the warranty card, test certificate and user manual, the premium-quality packaging also contains a certificate of authenticity.
Leica has collaborated with the LHSA on several special editions to date. The Society, which also publishes a quarterly magazine titled 'Viewfinder', is specifically dedicated to the exploration of Leica's history and products. Previous LHSA special editions include a set comprising a classic MP of 1956 with a retro-style Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH.; a black-paint M6 TTL; and a Leica MP (released in 2003) with Leicavit, in a hammertone finish.


Vaughan Grant has been appointed as GM, Supply Chain for the recently merged Foodstuffs North Island.
Vaughan has a wealth of experience in the supply chain and retail industries. He is currently the Acting Chief Executive for PlaceMakers and has also held the roles of General Manager, Commercial and Group Supply Chain Manager for this Fletcher Building owned group.
Prior to his time at PlaceMakers, Vaughan held a range of roles at Woolworths Australia over a ten year period that included major change management and systems implementations (SAP) and was responsible for setting their long term logistics strategy and implementation.
Vaughan joins us at Foodstuffs North Island in December. Please feel free to forward this communication to those in your business who you should know.


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IN MEMORY OF WD GOAD
Truck Raffle
A Legacy Remembered
Over 13 years ago, WD and his friends got together and decided to do a car show which would benefit Rockbridge Area Hospice (RAH). RAH cared for WD Goad's mother, Lutie Goad, in the mid-90's as she approached the end of her life. WD was touched by the support RAH provided Lutie and the Goad family both before and after her passing. He wanted to give back.
Goad's Body Shop, along with Kenney's, first hosted a car show as a fundraiser for Rockbridge Area Hospice in 2008. More than 10 years later it grew to become known as the premier car show on the east coast. In 2019, car enthusiasts from as far away as Alabama displayed and admired over 800 vehicles and raised over $100,000 for RAH. 2020 was expected to be even bigger, but unfortunately COVID-19 had other plans, cancelling the well-attended fundraising event for the year.
In 2021, we lost our longtime friend and supporter, WD Goad, who was the brains and driving force of the Goad's Classic Cruise-In operation. WD was a humble and generous human being who cared deeply about people and went to great lengths to lend a hand to those he saw in need. The car show was just one example of that.
WD's cruise-in efforts have raised approximately $450,000 for RAH over the last decade. To honor his memory, we hosted the first WD Goad Memorial Truck Raffle, raffling off a brand new 2021 Ford-150 pickup truck. Mitzi Austin of Buchanan, VA was drawn as the winner on December 21, 2021.
This year, we plan to continue the legacy Goad left through the 2nd Annual WD Goad Memorial Truck raffle, raffling off a 2022 Ford Ranger Lariat. For more information on this raffle, click here.
We want to say thank you to everyone near and far for your commitment and support throughout the years of the Goad's Classic Cruise In and now through the WD Goad Memorial Truck Raffle benefitting Rockbridge Area Hospice. We hope to continue this lasting legacy for years to come!


He rose to fame with his song Rise Up and after his gig in the city in June last year, DJ/ Producer Yves Larock is back to get Mumbai's movers and shakers get into the groove all over again, with more to offer.
Larock will also be on a whirlwind tour of Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Bangalore. The GUIDE got talking with the 33-year-old Swiss sensation.
It's been more than a year since your last visit to the city. What brings you back here?
I have the pleasure to come back to India! I am doing a small tour of 4 dates in India across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Bangalore. My management is working hand in hand with a great Indian company that is representing me; so a full tour has been organised and I hope to be able to come again very soon to this place of beautiful people.
From your previous experience, do you feel Mumbai's crowds prefer a different sound compared to the international audience?
The crowd in Mumbai has a very good knowledge of Dance music so I will be able to perform a fresh and new sound because I know that the crowd will follow it pretty well!
What kind of music can we expect from you this time?
Well, I usually follow the crowd... my goal is that every body should be happy during the performance. My job is to please and make the people happy! I will probably perform my latest tracks but will also play a few new promos that I received from friends who are producers.
Any previously unheard tracks in store for the Mumbai audience?
I will try a couple of new productions that I worked on over the last few weeks. I will surely play the remix If you're Lonely by my Russian friends Swanky Tunes. It is one of my latest tracks. I will also play the new track that I composed with Tony Sylla, titled Viva Las Vegas. And of course, I will test my newest single called The Zoo and then, there's my all-time favourite track, Rise Up!
There are millions of things - I am in the studio working as much as I possibly can, I'm a bit of a studio junkie. There's nothing I love more than locking myself away in the studio, messing with music, pushing buttons, using filters, getting instrumentals down, working with great vocalists and gradually seeing a track come together. I'd probably stay in there all night and all day but I don't think my wife would be very happy about that.
Any plans for collaborations with Indian artists?
Unfortunately, I don't have enough knowledge about Indian artists to plan a collaboration... I'd love to though.
Have you had a chance to listen to any of our traditional or Folk music?
Yes!! Last year, I tried to listen to as much traditional music as possible but this tour will also be my challenge to know more about Indian music.
Have you had the chance to catch up on music or movies from Bollywood?
I watched a few while I was in India last time, I feel embarrassed to admit that I don't remember the names of the movies ... But I appreciated the stories that were genuine - this is not what we get to see in Europe.
According to you, what music genre will shape the music or the Club music industry over the next couple of years?
Apart from the music what are you looking forward to in the city?
Curry, of course... also sightseeing and there is another detail that makes me happy: I have heard that the winter in India isn't too cold. I will be leaving Switzerland, there at the moment it's full winter it's -5 degrees with a lot of snow ... I am really looking forward to seeing the sun in India.


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Yale Model Government Europe (YMGE) is a constituent program of the Yale International Relations Association (YIRA) at Yale University. Founded in 2010 under the auspices of the YIRA Independent Initiatives Program, YMGE is now a registered civic organization in the Czech Republic. The inaugural conference, YMGE 2011, took place in November 2011 in Prague hosting delegates from around the world. The second annual YMGE in 2012 drew 300 students from 25 countries spanning four continents. From 2013 onwards, YMGE has been hosted in Budapest, Hungary, and has now risen to about 375 attending delegates each year. Beginning in 2019, YMGE has relocated to Lisbon, Portugal, where it has expanded its attendance to include delegates from across the globe.

Conference information
YMGE was created in an effort to reimagine the Model United Nations conference in a way that would be both more educational and more dynamic for delegates. It combines the best of American and European conference styles to create a hybrid, crisis-based format. The conference comprises two types of sessions. In standard committee debate, delegates in YMGE's 12x12 crisis fixture are placed in a Cabinet representing the different ministers of each of 12 European Union nations, where they address pressing issues within (and sometimes across) their nations' borders. When YMGE's unique crisis arc is revealed, delegates shift into Councils, which are 12 E.U. bodies made up of ministers of the same position from all 12 Cabinets. During these crisis sessions, delegates have the urgent responsibility of dealing with the crisis at hand within the bounds of their Council's authority and power. As in the real world, these committees form the framework of an integrated Europe: when something happens in the world that affects one committee, it affects all committees. Every committee will be kept abreast of developments in each of the others; if a new policy passed by the Belgian cabinet has repercussions in Denmark, it will be up to the Danish ministers to react.

Outside of this 12x12 crisis structure, YMGE offers four Specialized Bodies for novice and intermediate delegates alike. While these committees are not integrated into the crisis, they feature dynamic issues that challenge delegates to think effectively and creatively.

Mission
With the development of the mission to provide an innovative, collaborative, and inspiring environment in Europe for high school students to engage in high-level debate and diplomacy, YMGE has changed its slogan to "Inspire, Collaborate, Innovate" to accurately reflect the qualities that the conference embraces.

In preparation for the 2013 conference and others moving forward, Secretariat members have revised YMGE's mission, vision and values.

Leadership
YMGE's leadership consists of a Secretariat of eight members. At its helm, YMGE's current president is Ahmed Alananzeh. Two Directors General, making up the Senior Secretariat, manage YMGE's Committees and Operations sides. Committees encompasses all of the Cabinets, Councils, and Specialized Bodies that delegates participate in, recruitment of Yale University undergraduates to lead committees, and YMGE's educational mission. Operations leads YMGE's recruitment efforts of European and international delegations, programming during the conference, and all logistical aspects of the conference.

Five Under-Secretaries-General make up YMGE's Core Secretariat, in charge of International Recruitment, European Recruitment, Conference, Branding, and Committees. Sixteen Directors prepare and lead YMGE's Cabinets, Councils, and Specialized Bodies.

Hosts
 2011 - Prague, Czech Republic
 2012 - Prague, Czech Republic
 2013 - Budapest, Hungary
 2014 - Budapest, Hungary
 2015 - Budapest, Hungary
 2016 - Budapest, Hungary
 2017 - Budapest, Hungary
 2018 - Budapest, Hungary
 2019 - Lisbon, Portugal
 2023 - Athens, Greece

See also
 List of Yale University student organizations
 Model Congress
 Yale Political Union
 Yale International Relations Association

References

External links
 Yale Model Government Europe website
 Yale International Relations Association website
 Yale Model United Nations website
 Yale University website

Yale University
International conferences
Youth model government