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HP brings new tablet-PC hybrid device Envy X2 to challenge iPad
Posted on October 22nd, 2012 David Brooks No comments
It has been years since Apple released its first iPad. HP before brought out its Touchpad to compete with iPad. Now, a new tablet from HP has been leaked online to rival with Apple iPad, the tablet-pc hybrid Envy X2. We know that the new iPad has a large 9.7" Retina Display screen with up to 2048×1536 pixels resolution, which makes it is almost impossible for other tablets to defeat the new iPad. The visual experience to watch HD movies on new iPad is such an amazing enjoyment that no other tablets could replace. So, what HP Envy X2 could bring to us? Are there any shinning points in this new hybrid? Let's take a look.
Though the Envy X2 doesn't come with Retina display alike screen, the 1366×768 pixels screen resolution on the 11.6 inch IPS screen would also produce wonderful video and image effect for users. The touchscreen of Envy X2 also has other functions. By disconnecting the tablet and keyboard via the expansion ports, users could use Envy X2 as a seperate tablet, which means that the Envy X2 is not only suitable for individual customer needs, but also business uses.
The HP Envy X2 adopts Intel Atom Clover Trail processor and operates on the latest Microsoft Windows 8 OS. Users could also install the old Windows 7 or XP OS. Besides, the Envy X2 is also featuring a built-in backup battery to prolong the battery use.
Based on the unique techniques of HP, the HP Envy X2 is said to be a cooler and more practical tablet than iPad. But the problems appeared on HP's previous tablets might worry people. And let's just wait for the official release of Envy X2 to see the results.
Gadget News envy x2 tablet, envy x2 tablet specs, hp, hp envy x2, hp tablet, iPad 3, new ipad, talbet
Top 5 worthy Android tablet alternatives of Apple iPad for enterprise and individual mobility
Out of doubt, the Apple iPads have been top popular tablet among so many tablets in the existing electronic market. Especially since the new iPad comes out, which features the advanced Retina display to allow owners could even watch full HD Blu-ray movies on iPad with its 2048×1536 pixels HD screen resolution, the Apple iPads have attracted more eyes worldwide. The Apple iPads are certainly great buys for would-be mobile customers, but that doesn't mean they can't be replaced by other wonderful tablets, as every tablet would own their own advantages, either in screen display, processor, battery, camera, or price, an important element to help buyers make their decisions. In fact, there are a host of Android-based devices on store shelves right now that might just make Apple's products far less appealing to both enterprise users and consumers.
Today, I would like to share a top 5 list of Android tablets which could be worthy of alternatives of Apple iPad for enterprise and individual mobility. The following devices might not all be able to stand up against the Apple iPad. But for those who don't want to succumb to the Apple craze, these devices might just be worthwhile alternatives of Apple iPad. Check through the following listed alternatives to find out about Android tablets that might be worthy alternatives to the iPad. You'll find more choices to choose.
Obviously, the Amazon Kindle Fire should be a choice for those who want an alternative to the new iPad. The device was claimed to be as a strong rival of Apple new iPad ever since its designing, not only in features, but in price as well. It comes with a 7-inch screen and just 8GB of storage, though, its access to Amazon services and the competitive $199 price tag makes it one worth considering.
Check the specs of Acer Iconia Tab A500: Android Honeycomb, 10-inch capacitive LCD (1024 x 1280 pixel resolution), 1GHz dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 1GB RAM, 5 megapixel primary camera with autofocus and LED flash, secondary 2 megapixel camera for video calling, up to 8 hours battery life, microSD card support up to 32GB, 1080p HD video playback, HDMI port and Dolby Mobile surround sound.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is undoubtedly the best iPad alternative on the market right now. The device comes with a big, 10.1-inch screen and boasts 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity. Though not featuring the same resolution as Apple's Retina display, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 still enables users to have quite excellent visual effect on its 1280 x 800 pixels screen display.
Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet
If the Amazon Kindle Fire is a worthwhile purchase, the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet must be, as well. The Barnes & Noble NOOK Tablet is a 7-inch Android tablet with 7-inch touchscreen IPS display, Wi-Fi, 1GHz dual core processor, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Of course, another advantage of this tablet is also its price, which is the same as that of Kindle Fire.
What's not to like about the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime? On one hand, the device will allow customers to engage in typical tablet activities, but with the help of an additional physical keyboard, it can double as a notebook. That's something Apple's iPad and most other tablets just can't do.
You may want to read
How to convert HD video to tablets
How to watch Blu-ray/DVD movies on tablets
Top 6 Android tablets with 4G network connectivity to compete with the new 4G iPad
Blu-ray Ripper, Free Resources, Gadget News, Recommendations Acer Iconia Tab A500, amazon kindle fire, Apple, asus eee pad transformer prime, iPad 3, new ipad, nook tablet, samsung galaxy tab 10.1, tablet
Windows 8 Release Candidate reported to be released by May with an October retail date
As a time-limited version of an operating system that's all but ready to go and occasionally shared with the public as a final test, the Release Candidate of Windows 8 has been paid great attention from global Windows users. Not long before, it's reported by Bloomberg that Microsoft was looking to an October launch timeframe for Windows 8, which claimed that Microsoft would launch Windows 8 with both Intel and ARM chips, though in disproportionate numbers. The Windows 8 will include about five ARM devices and over 40 Intel-based systems. It's reported that the Windows 8 will be finished by this summer and hit street this October. Now, the latest report from Windows blog WinUnleaked.tk said that the Windows 8 Release Candidate would be going to street as early as the end of May. The blog wrote in a quite sure tone, "We know the Release Candidate of Windows 8 will be shared with the public between the end of May to the beginning of June".
Both blogs provided no sources for their claims. The Bloomberg simply made the claim, then embedded a few screens of the operating system with claims the RC will comprise minor user interface changes from the beta (changes, that is, to the Charm bar, the language input menu and the desktop version of Internet Explorer 10).
That's launch date for the Release Candidate version of Windows 8, but not for the official Windows 8. The latter is still to be believed to have street launch in October, together with the rumors of the release of Windows 8 tablets to compete with Apple new iPad. Mentioning the Windows 8 tablets, the latest report from PCWorld claimed that the "Windows 8 specs include displays that are even sharper than Apple's fabled Retina display, which Apple claims is as clear as the human eye is capable of seeing." The blog said that "Microsoft's newest operating system supports a 10.1-inch tablet screen with 291 pixels per inch resolution, the company says in its Building Windows 8 blog. That compares to the new iPad with 265 ppi." Apple's new iPad has provided excellent digital entertainment for users with its excellent 2048×1536 pixels Retina Display, which produces excellent video experience for users to watch full HD movies. If the reported to be true, the Windows 8 tablets would produce even better experience for users to watch full HD movies on Windows 8 tablets.
Of course, these are just still rumors and speculations towards Windows 8. What you need to do now is just wait in patience for the official announcement of Windows 8 from Microsoft. Stay tuned for more information.
Blu-ray Ripper, Free Resources, Gadget News, windows 8 Apple, iPad 3, Microsoft, microsoft windows, tablet, widows 8 release date, window 8, windows 8 rc, windows 8 release, windows 8 tablets
Top tablet comparison – Apple iPad 3 vs. ASUS Transformer Prime
Just days before, I wrote a post which made a comparison between various tablets, namely Tablet comparison: New iPad (2012) vs. iPad 2 vs. Asus Transformer Prime vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which talks about the differences between different tablets. After that, I also wrote some posts which detailed the comparison between the new iPad and other tablets. Now today, I would like to make another tablet comparison in detail, Apple new iPad vs. ASUS Transformer Prime.
After the comparison of Apple new iPad vs. Motorola Droid Xyboard 10.1 and Apple new iPad vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, it seems that the new iPad made two victories. Now, let's put our hope on the ASUS Transformer Prime and see what the result would be after comparison. Surely enough, the Asus Transformer Prime is bent on showing why it's that other benchmark device. Honestly, it's a clash of the titans with these two behemoths, but much like everything else, there can only be one that can reign supreme from the ashes of battle. Still, the comparison would be divided into several parts. Check bellow:
Display: This is the gorilla in the room: the new iPad has a wonderful 2048 x 1536 Retina Display which even allows 1080P HD Blu-ray movies playback on new iPad. It isn't just sharp; it has 44 percent increased color saturation according to Apple, and very good contrast. The Gorilla Glass clad Transformer Prime has one of the best mobile OS tablet displays on the market. It's a Super IPS + display with a high brightness mode that makes it very viewable outdoors. The contrast is supreme, and to our eyes higher than the iPad 3's, and colors look simply rich… until you see it next to the new iPad. Apple's latest tablet has even richer and deeper colors.
Processor: Thanks to the Apple A5x SoC processor, which consists of a 1GH dual-core CPU and a quad-core GPU, there is nothing that the new iPad can't handle. With the Transformer Prime's quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, it's also lightning quick with its movements, however, our keen eyes notice that the iPad's movement is just a hairline faster.
OS: The new iPad adopts the iOS 5 while the Transformer Prime operates on Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. Both tablets produce excellent user experience.
Storage: The new iPad is available in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities, no external memory storage expansion attached. However, the Transformer Prime provides 32GB and 64GB versions of internal storage, plus its microSD card slot which allows external memory expansion.
Internet & connectivity: Both tablets support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. But the new iPad comes with 4G LTE network connectivity and Bluetooth 4.0, while the Transformer Prime supports only Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR and no 4G network connectivity.
Camera: The new iPad's 5-megapixel iSight camera shows its prowess over its rival in low lighting situations. Specifically, it wins us over with its correct exposure and natural color reproduction. The Transformer Prime is still tolerable with low lighting situations, but it has a noticeable greenish hue with its colors – then again, it has the benefit of an LED flash to counteract its deficiencies. Both tablets support 1080P HD video recording.
Battery Life: Both are Energizer Bunnies. The iPad 3 gets there by the way of a huge battery that's double the capacity of the iPad 2. The Prime has an ample battery and that fifth companion core to save serious power when computing power isn't really needed. Both tablets run about 8 hours on a charge in mixed use. The Transformer Prime gets the nod for its optional keyboard dock that has a secondary battery that adds 4 hours of additional battery life. The Prime also charges more quickly.
Blu-ray Ripper, Free Resources, Gadget News Apple, asus, blu ray to ipad 3, iPad 3, ipad 3 vs. transformer prime, transformer prime
Apple iPad 3 vs. Motorola Droid Xyboard 10.1 – Which one meets you more
Posted on March 22nd, 2012 David Brooks No comments
I just wrote a post named Apple's new iPad vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which makes a comparison between Apple iPad 3 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to help people figure out which one would be better for tablet choosing. Today, I would like to bring another tablet comparison for you to make it clearer in tablet deciding – Apple iPad 3 vs. Motorola Droid Xyboard 10.1. Hope these information would help you know more about these tablet devices.
As the successor to Motorola Xoom, the 10.1 inch Motorola Droid Xyboard 10.1 is reinforced with Corning Gorilla Glass and Motorola's own splash-resistant coating for even better protection. Under the hood, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor brings plenty of software muscle and there's 1GB of RAM to back it up. There's also a 5MP camera on the back, and a 1.3MP shooter up front for image and video shooting. The excellent configuration of Motorola Droid Xyboard 10.1 has made it a strong competitor to Apple new iPad. This post would focus on various features of these two tablets, including: processor, OS, screen display, battery, memory, connectivity, camera, etc.
Processor: The Apple new iPad features with new Apple A5x SoC dual core processor with a quad-core GPU, which maintains a steady response to all of its actions and operations. Furthermore, it doesn't exhibit any bit of slowdown or choppiness with its performance – unlike the Motorola DROID XYBOARD 10.1's 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor, which is effective with most things, but at times, has mitigating distractions with processor intensive tasks.
Screen Display: The iPad's 2048 x 1536 pixels resolution screen makes users even able to watch full HD Blu-ray movies on iPad 3, while the 1280 x 800 pixels resolution screen display in the Droid Xyboard 10.1 is somewhat a shame when compared to the new iPad.
Connectivity: Both these two are able to surf on 4G LTE speeds, but the web browsing performances are different, with new iPad producing smoother browsing experience while Xyboard being choppier sometimes. Other connectivity items include a GPS, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, and mobile hotspot functionality, as well as Bluetooth connectivity. However, since the iPad is newer, it's packing Bluetooth 4.0 while Xyboard features with Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR.
Memory storage: Both tablets are available in 16GB, 32GB, and 32GB capacities – with no expandable options allowed.
Camera: The iPad's improved 5-megapixel iSight camera allows 1080P video recording while the Xyboard supports 720P video recording. From this point of view, the new iPad would be a better choice.
OS: The Xyboard 10.1 operates on the Android 3.2 OS, while the new iPad operates on the latest iOS.
Battery: After testing, the new iPad performs to be used longer than Droid Xyboard 10.1, but both of them could be used at average one day. That would be quite enough for users.
Price: Another important element if you want to get one from them. The new iPad prices start a point of $630 for the base 16GB LTE model, which is less than the full $700 outright cost of the comparable 16GB LTE version of the XYBOARD 10.1.
Apple news, Free Resources, Gadget News Apple, iPad 3, motorola droid xyboard 10.1, new ipad, tablet


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Себастіан Андрес Сетті (; 9 лютого 1984, Казерос, Буенос-Айрес, Аргентина) — аргентинський футболіст, півзахисник грецького «Пантракікоса».

Біографія
У чотири роки почав займатися футболом у рідному місті Казерос, провінція Буенос-Айрес. У 1993-му потрапив до академії «Архентінос Хуніорс», в якій він тренувався до 19 років. Пізніше він пробився в основний склад команди. Всього за клуб Сетті провів 9 матчів. Так як «Аргентінос Хуніорс» боровся за виживання, тому молодим гравцям не давали часто можливість проявити себе і в сезоні 2006/07 він виступав за Альмагро на правах оренди. У команді він зіграв в 20 матчах і забив 1 гол.

Після того Сетті грав за клуб «Гуарані» з міста Асунсьйон, який виступав у Першому Дивізіоні Парагваю. У команді Себастіан провів близько року і зіграв 33 матчі і забив 2 голи.

Влітку 2008 року Сетті перейшов в бельгійський «Антверпен». Всього за клуб зіграв в 44 матчах і забив 6 м'ячів. Після того впродовж року захищав кольори китайського клубу «Чанчунь Ятай», клуб виступав у Суперлізі. У команді він провів 22 матчі і забив 1 гол.

13 січня 2011 року підписав контракт на два з половиною роки з одеським «Чорноморцем». У команді дебютував 19 березня 2011 року в матчі Першої ліги України проти бурштинського «Енергетика» і в тому сезоні допоміг команді повернутись до Прем'єр-ліги. Проте починаючи з початку 2012 року втратив місце в команді і влітку того ж року контракт було розірвано за обопільною згодою.

В липні 2012 року на правах вільного агента підписав контракт з кіпрським «Аполлоном», проте вже за півроку перебрався до Греції, де виступав за клуби «Астерас», «Аполлон Смірніс» та «Пантракікос».

Примітки

Посилання

Аргентинські футболісти
Футболісти «Архентінос Хуніорс»
Футболісти «Альмагро»
Футболісти «Гуарані» (Асунсьйон)
Футболісти «Антверпена»
Футболісти «Чанчунь Ятай»
Футболісти «Чорноморця» (Одеса)
Футболісти «Аполлона» (Лімасол)
Футболісти «Пантракікоса»
Аргентинські футбольні легіонери
Футбольні легіонери в Парагваї
Футбольні легіонери в Бельгії
Футбольні легіонери в Китаї
Футбольні легіонери в Україні
Футбольні легіонери на Кіпрі
Футбольні легіонери у Греції
Футболісти «Атлетіко Сан-Луїс»

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: How to access my HDFS filesystem from another machine? I am running programme which create hdfs directory and put file into it . In java programme i am using congiuraion like this.
Configuration conf = new Configuration();
conf.set("fs.default.name","hdfs://localhost:9000");
conf.set("mapred.job.tracker","localhost:8021");

But now my collegue from another machine want to copy the file present in my HDFS.
For That i am sure He has to connect to my HDFS.
So how my collegue can connect to my HDFS and copy file from it.
My collegue using below code to access my HDFS.
Configuration conf = new Configuration();
conf.set("fs.default.name","hdfs://192.168.1.239:9000");
conf.set("mapred.job.tracker","192.168.1.239:8021");

but it is not working giving following error
14/11/03 16:17:22 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 0 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
14/11/03 16:17:23 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 1 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
14/11/03 16:17:24 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 2 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
14/11/03 16:17:25 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 3 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
14/11/03 16:17:26 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 4 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
14/11/03 16:17:27 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 5 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
14/11/03 16:17:28 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 6 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
14/11/03 16:17:29 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 7 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
14/11/03 16:17:30 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 8 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
14/11/03 16:17:31 INFO ipc.Client: Retrying connect to server: 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000. Already tried 9 time(s); retry policy is RetryUpToMaximumCountWithFixedSleep(maxRetries=10, sleepTime=1 SECONDS)
Exception in thread "main" java.net.ConnectException: Call to 192.168.1.239/192.168.1.239:9000 failed on connection exception: java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused
    at org.apache.hadoop.ipc.Client.wrapException(Client.java:1142)
    at org.apache.hadoop.ipc.Client.call(Client.java:1118)
    at org.apache.hadoop.ipc.RPC$Invoker.invoke(RPC.java:229)
    at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy1.getProtocolVersion(Unknown Source)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606)
    at org.apache.hadoop.io.retry.RetryInvocationHandler.invokeMethod(RetryInvocationHandler.java:85)
    at org.apache.hadoop.io.retry.RetryInvocationHandler.invoke(RetryInvocationHandler.java:62)
    at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy1.getProtocolVersion(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.hadoop.ipc.RPC.checkVersion(RPC.java:422)
    at org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.DFSClient.createNamenode(DFSClient.java:183)
    at org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.DFSClient.<init>(DFSClient.java:281)
    at org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.DFSClient.<init>(DFSClient.java:245)
    at org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.DistributedFileSystem.initialize(DistributedFileSystem.java:100)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem.createFileSystem(FileSystem.java:1446)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem.access$200(FileSystem.java:67)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem$Cache.get(FileSystem.java:1464)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem.get(FileSystem.java:263)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem.get(FileSystem.java:124)
    at com.volcareTest.VolcareTest.VolcareApp.main(VolcareApp.java:27)
Caused by: java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused
    at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.checkConnect(Native Method)
    at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.finishConnect(SocketChannelImpl.java:739)
    at org.apache.hadoop.net.SocketIOWithTimeout.connect(SocketIOWithTimeout.java:206)
    at org.apache.hadoop.net.NetUtils.connect(NetUtils.java:511)
    at org.apache.hadoop.net.NetUtils.connect(NetUtils.java:481)
    at org.apache.hadoop.ipc.Client$Connection.setupConnection(Client.java:457)
    at org.apache.hadoop.ipc.Client$Connection.setupIOstreams(Client.java:583)
    at org.apache.hadoop.ipc.Client$Connection.access$2200(Client.java:205)
    at org.apache.hadoop.ipc.Client.getConnection(Client.java:1249)
    at org.apache.hadoop.ipc.Client.call(Client.java:1093)
    ... 20 more

If my collegue approach is wrong then what is the correct answer.

A: If both manchines are in same network, then
Configuration conf = new Configuration();
conf.set("fs.default.name","hdfs://192.168.1.239:9000");
conf.set("mapred.job.tracker","192.168.1.239:8021");

This must work, If both the machines are in different and then having connected to internet, you can find the public ipaddress of the machine to get connected by ipaddress finder
Hope it helps you.

A: I resolved my problem , I just changed in my core-site.xml configuration file
instead of localhost:9000, i changed it to 192.168.1.239 for fs.default.name property and same with my java code too , now it works

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Baseer-Ul-Haq monitors snow clearance operation, stresses on restoration of essential services
Ramban: 2377 Kanal state land retrieved, illegal structures demolished in single day
Meet Azmat Ali- Woman with a Mission to Save Kashmiri Culture
A Kashmir with abundant resources, where you simply scatter seeds and harvest fruit, and everybody is a friend and a welcome guest. A place where stories are told under the stars and songs are sung around the fire, where wisdom passed on to robust, hopeful young people. That is the Kashmir, Azmat Ali Mir is trying to capture and preserve for generations to come.
A mission-minded woman, Azmat Ali Mir recently organized a grand Kashmiri cultural event 'Koshur Saal' thousands of miles away from Kashmir. In her childhood days, she was moved to respond to the suffering and poverty she witnessed around her in Kashmir. With the profit garnered from the grand event at Bangalore, Azmat strives to carry on the mission to serve the poor, sick and uneducated – especially craftsmen, children to help the Kashmiri traditional arts live.
Many times, it has been like trying to catch lightning in a bottle, as the Kashmir she seeks to show the world is one many cannot quite fathom. It is in sharp contrast with the images of blood, violence, guns, stones and an unending cycle of killings.
"But we are blessed. Beautiful culture, lovely weather," Azmat says. "When my mother cooks, she always takes into account extra people who may visit unannounced. She can do this because everything in Kashmir is available in abundance."
Azmat still vividly remembers the day her mother-in-law cooked a dish from the Indian cuisine for her, "i was down with stomach ache and that moment, when my mother-in-law cooked khichdi' for me, i had the sight of mutton soup in my eyes, i remembered how unique our culture was," she told The Kashmiriyat.
"Barely a month back, on that day," she adds," we started planning a small get together of our Kashmiri friends." The initial plan was a get together of good friends, however the word kept spreading and finally we had to organize a mega event, "the first of its kind in Bangalore."
Zareef Ahmed Zareef- Kashmiri poet at Koshur Saal in Bangalore
The Kashmiriyat editor Qazi Shibli spoke to Azmat Ali Mir on her mission to change the notion that all things Kashmiri things are evil and related to the conflict. She has come a long way from 1993– when she was born– to organizing cultural events at her college in Srinagar. She laments that Kashmiris need to retrace their roots and save the dying art and culture of the place. Azmat feels that there is a need for all of us to know how important cultural identity and pride is.
Aged 25 from Pandrethan area in the outskirts of Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar, Azmat Ali Mir is a computer engineer and currently employed as an Area Sales Manager by a Bangalore based Corporate firm. "The Kashmir i have grown up in was no different that the Kashmir of today, nothing seems to have really changed," she said remembering the outbreak of Militancy in the early 90s.
"I kept organizing events since my early college days, i always have had this passion for our culture, for the music, the love of arts and architecture, i have wanted these things to survive the catastrophe of time, The Kashmiri Tilla, Paper mache, our food, the music, the handicrafts, we cannot afford a Kashmir without all these beautiful things and all i am trying to assure is these things survive," she said.
Azmat Ali started planning for the grand Kashmiri event Koshur Saal by mid-December, "by December 20, they had hundreds of people willing to join the event," she recalls. "The evening was special as we got to see a gathering of hundreds of Kashmiris, lovely Kashmiri music and poetry complimented by a delicious Kashmiri food," she said.
Though the event was attended by hundreds of people from across cultures and religions, artists performed, Azmat says, "Publicity was never my aim, i would chose to work for Kashmir culture behind closed doors, but i would want to work tirelessly to save my identity."
Kashmir handwoven Shawl
She plans to invest the money collected from the event for the dying Kashmiri crafts. "I have seen it, people do not have avenues to keep their newer generation in tact with the traditional Kashmiri arts, we will make sure with the money we have collected that we provide for such centers where younger people can be provided craftsmen skills," she told The Kashmiriyat.
Craftsmen skills are crucial for me as a socioeconomic exercise; the preservation of crafts matters because for many people, this is their livelihood. It is their respect and dignity, as well, so preserving the people and their lives means preserving their crafts and heritage. Much of Kashmir's heritage would be lost if people lost their traditional skills.
Kashmir is a craft-rich place. The craftspeople are very isolated and not being noticed or given any advice. "I combined my interest in aesthetics with improving the life of the maker of that beautiful art," she said.
There are carpet makers, skilled painters, brass workers and wood-carvers. Carpet and shawl weaving led to beautiful embroidery, because someone had to stitch the salwar (loose trousers that are tight at the ankle).
I saw genuine happiness among these 'craftsmen' and 'primitive' people. I saw talent, but they are keeping their children away from it. "The beauty of our culture needs to nurtured and allowed to grow," she says nostalgically.
Wazwaan- The traditional cuisine of the Kashmir Valley
"I am trying to put Kashmiri culture on a bigger stage for the world to see," she says. "We want to show that you can be educated and still appreciate culture. We are documenting Kashmiri culture so that a Chinese can one day prepare Ghosht Aab [part of Kashmiri cuisine] with the recipes we leave behind."
Azmat who is married to a non Kashmiri in Bangalore says, "I have filled up my in-laws place with everything that's possibly Kashmiri, right from Paper-mâché to woodcarving. I even made a pheran and pashmina shawl for my non Kashmiri husband even though it's not even that cold in Bangalore and I make sure he wears it."
This Army Day, Lt. Bhavana Kasturi Will Be The First Woman Ever To Lead A Contingent
On Security front, what faces India in 2019?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home » Boston
Quincy mayor to Walsh: If you want to put addicts back on Long Island, buy a ferry
By adamg on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 2:22pm
Quincy Mayor Tom Koch said today that not only will he fight plans to rebuild the Long Island Bridge, he wants a say on any developments on Long Island.
In a message posted today, Koch said that while he appreciates Marty Walsh's commitment to recovery, as well as a courtesy call Walsh made before announcing his intentions to rebuild the bridge, Walsh should not count on any support for the bridge on the other side of the Neponset.
Although Boston owns Long Island, the road approaches to the former bridge go through Quincy. Since the evacuation of the island's homeless shelters and treatment facilities in 2014, the island has been used only for a summer camp and a farm handed over to the b.good chain.
Koch wrote:
While I appreciate Mayor Walsh's intentions, I see no reason why any vision for the reuse of Long Island cannot be achieved through water transportation. To stake the future of the island to a new bridge just doesn't make sense to me – both from a financial perspective and from a neighborhood perspective.
Mayor Walsh called me on Sunday to let me know he'd be announcing his intention to rebuild the bridge during his Inaugural, and I appreciate the open lines of communication he has created with our community since taking office. I also have a great deal of respect for his vision and his commitment to our shared fight against addiction. I'm confident that this communication and an open dialogue between the two cities will continue as the future vision for the Island takes shape. Quincy must have a seat at the table
In the weeks after the bridge's closing, Boston public-health officials rejected the idea of ferrying patients to the island by boat because of possible problems getting them to a hospital for acute care during bad weather.
H/t Jennifer Denning Wolfe.
Free tagging:
Allergic to rebuilding things?
By anon on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 2:25pm.
Tom Koch, that is?
He should have the nickname "tiny".
Voting closed 0
One question for Mayor Koch
By Anonnn on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 2:32pm.
How many Quincy born or residing addicts are treated in Boston?
Boston should be sending
Boston should be sending bills to all the deadbeat cities and towns throughout Massachusetts and greater New England that deport their addicts to Boston.
105 of them.
By Pete Nice on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 3:11pm.
give or take 3.
86 born in Boston Hospitals,
17 North Quincy graduates
27 Quincy High graduates
5 BC High graduates.
I think the issue is paying tens of millions of dollars for a bridge. Not really cost effective.
not a leg to stand on
Looking at the map, I don't think Mayor Koch has standing to oppose the effort to rebuild L.I. bridge. My take is that he voicing an objection because the people who live nearby prefer to eliminate the traffic.
I don't think he has standing to oppose the bridge because L.I bridge goes between two Boston owned properties Moon Island and Long Island. The public thoroughfare from squaw rock to Moon Island is intact. Although you can delay efforts with injunctions I don't see Quincy as having the legal authority to prohibit Boston from rebuilding the bridge and then gaining access to it via public thoroughfare.There's been an easement since before it was built in 1950 that would be Moon Island Road. They don't want the addicts. Neither does Roxbury near Cass and Mass.
what public thoroughfare?
By tape on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 5:13pm.
There's a police gatehouse at the Squaw Rock end of the causeway and you can't drive onto it.
Wecurity for BPD gun range on Moon Island.
The road itself is a easement
Until the 1990s you could
Until the 1990s you could walk to Long Island. Once the causeway became too decrepit to safely walk across and BPD/BFD decided that having the public potentially wandering into the active firing range/fire training school was unsafe, the little booth went up to restrict access.
Voting closed 12
Restrictions in place in mid 1980s
By anon on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 3:06am.
Visited a patient at a nursing home there during mid 80s and there was a guard before you got to moon island.
The booth.....
By Pete Nice on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 8:18am.
Is staffed by Department of Mental Health Police officers. I think they are called "campus" police officers in the state system, but that booth is not staffed by Quincy or Boston police officers.
In terms of police/fire jurisdiction, Boston (and I assume other cities) often will respond to address in bordering towns because of geography. If there was a fire or crime on Long Island, the Quincy police and fire would show up (with the DPH having police authority on the actualy property).
There is a "gated" (with a chain) road in Brookline with two address in Boston (Sgt. Crossway off of Perkins St.) The last two houses are in Boston but if they call 911 the Brookline Police and Fire will respond). I'm guessing if there were a murder or something the Boston police would have jurisdiction but it's making me think now.....
By Stevil on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 11:43am.
For $100 million, buy some suitably zoned land in Quincy and just build the shelter there. Is moon island suitable?
Just do what's best from a cost/services standpoint. Who cares where they put it?.
At $100 million and even $400 per sf, you can build a pretty decent facility with hundreds of beds.
What suitable zoned land in Quincy?
By cinnamngrl on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 11:31am.
That's ridiculous. The buildings on Long Island were built in the early 20th century when buildings were actually built well. That's how they got away with zero maintenance for so many years. The Idea that you could build a comparable facility in Quincy for even 100 million is dumb.
There are definite negatives to shipping off the cities undesirables, but it is helpful with substance abuse. We provided support and care without locking anyone up. If you wanted to leave, it couldn't be an impulse. You had to wait for transportation.
Did you know all the buildings are connected by tunnels?
By Stevil on Sat, 01/06/2018 - 5:58pm.
And modern building standards in a mainland setting are worse than 75 year old buildings on an island?
Can I come live in your imaginary lucy in the sky with diamonds world?
yes, buildings were built
By cinnamngrl on Sat, 01/06/2018 - 7:28pm.
yes, buildings were built better prior to WWII, and no trolls are welcome.
Lucy, lucy, Lucy
What will we do w u?
Having worked at a BPHC
By anon on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 6:05pm.
Having worked at a BPHC program on Long Island, BEMS responds to medical calls and there is a Boston Fire House on the island itself. I also worked at a volunteers of America program and for any non-emergency (aka sect 12s), they used a private ambulance company.
Moon Island is within Quincy's jurisdiction but fully owned by Boston
Are you're saying
Are you're saying the laws of Quincy apply on Moon Island but it's owned by Boston. I doubt it. Got a link?
By anon on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 12:00am.
It is in Quincy. You could have just googled it, but
For others interested
By boo_urns on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 11:53am.
It's basically the first couple of sentences in the Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_Island_(Massachusetts)
(you'll want to copy/paste that whole thing because I'm bad at using the link features on here).
under the jurisdiction
By anon on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 12:39pm.
Moon Island (Massachusetts) Wiki:
Moon Island is situated in Quincy Bay, in the middle of Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, and is the location of the Boston Fire Department Training Academy, and Boston Police Department shooting range. All of the land on the island is owned by the City of Boston but the island is under the jurisdiction of Quincy, Massachusetts.[1] It is also part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.
The wiki says " [Moon] island is under the jurisdiction of Quincy, Massachusetts" but the footnote, a Boston Globe article, doesn't seem to back that up:
BostonGlobe:
Abrupt closing of Long Island Bridge was slow to arrive
universalhub comment 643583
http://www.universalhub.com/comment/643583#comment-643583
Moon Island is a bit of an oddity, legally speaking. It is within the City of Quincy, but the property owner is the City of Boston. Therefore Boston needs a building permit from Quincy before they can begin construction. Both parties have been through this several times recently with regard to projects at the Police Range and the Fire Academy.
Quincy has no laws - but the
Quincy has no laws - but the state does. Quincy has regulations.
SI pero no.
By Perry Jamison on Thu, 01/04/2018 - 6:02am.
Technically, you are correct. In reality, however, Mayor Joch abides by neither.
Addicts in Boston
By Khandee on Thu, 02/22/2018 - 4:26pm.
It is a shame when you have to drive pass Malnea Cass Highway, Massachusetts Ave., (near Boston Medical Center, the addicts just hang around, trust me it is not a pretty site at all.
By M on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 6:31pm.
It's not Quincy's money, right?
I'm a newish (past few years) Quincy resident&I'm befuddled by the vitriolic negative response. How much traffic are we talking? My understanding was that it was buses running people back and forth (and not disembarking anywhere in Quincy). I thought it was just a few buses in the morning&again in the afternoon/evening - am i mistaken?
(And, no snark - I'm really genuinely curious about why Quincy is making such a big deal about this when i can't identify the dog it has in this fight)
What about all the people who
What about all the people who will work there, supplies, deliveries....the list goes on and on.
By Waquiot on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 9:58pm.
Being objective, there are 3 reasons why both Koch and Phelan, rivals that have alternated the mayor's office practically forever, have been against repairing and now rebuilding the bridge.
First, until about 20 years ago, the shelter dropped off the residents at North Quincy station in the morning, basically dumping the homeless problem in Quincy (ignoring that there were probably homeless Quincy residents, but whatever). To be fair to Boston, they stopped doing that, but this is New England, where we remember things.
Second, Boston barred access to the island to Quincy residents. Well, they barred access to most Boston residents, too, but what does Quincy care about that. They want to be able to visit the island and Boston said no.
Third, Moon Island. Part of Quincy but owned by Boston. Boston uses the island as a shooting range, bomb disposal area, and fire training. Essentially, Boston does in Quincy the crap they don't want to do in Boston.
Sure, I blame those a-holes Koch and Phelan, but Menino acted like Menino and now we are where we are.
By M on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 7:10am.
Very useful, i appreciate your insights.
Er, ah, the plan is to open a
Er, ah, the plan is to open a large residential detox facility, not reestablish Long Island's former level of overnight homeless shelter capacity. That and Boston has every legal right to do so no matter what anyone thinks to the contrary, including rebuilding the bridge on its dime.
Em, okay
By Waquiot on Thu, 01/04/2018 - 10:48am.
But I don't mention that. I just note the history, which, you'd be surprised to know, concerns the past, not the present or the future.
Boston cannot connect the bridge to Moon Island without the input of Quincy.
Quincy is being Quincy
What you need to appreciate is how Quincy lifers believe that the rules don't apply to them. Do so and suddenly a whole lot of the local nonsense will make sense.
Born?
Very funny!
Only a scant few communities have their own maternity service hospital, and even then it is regional. Anybody less than 30 years old would have been born at South Shore Hospital or in Boston.
Does this Mayor Koch go around asking..
By Brighton-ite on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 4:28pm.
"How'm I doin'?"
By adamg on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 4:29pm.
I think he pronounces his name differently.
Why waste money on a bridge. You could probably build and staff 4 centers for about 25 years with the same money used for a bridge.
Or you could use a ferry
By BostonDog on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 2:47pm.
It's not too far that they couldn't get people off in a hurry in case of an emergency and they can close shop in the rare cases where a big storm is approaching. Inhabited islands aren't exactly new.
Or Boston could figure out a way to construct
By roadman on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 2:53pm.
a new bridge without having to use an approach road that goes through Quincy.
Just don't build them in
Just don't build them in Dorchester or Roxbury or Mattapan. We're already overloaded with halfway houses and homeless shelters. Let's build them right in Downtown Boston, next to Saint Frances House.
I'm not opposed
By erik g on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 3:20pm.
but where are you going to put them? The NIMBY runs strong in this state, and I can't imagine you'd get through the legal battles that would ensue from proposing a spot in (say) Boston for any cheaper than the cost of the bridge.
Let's put toll booths in
By cden4 on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 2:58pm.
Let's put toll booths in Boston at the end of the Neponset Bridge. If Quincy people want to drive on Boston roads, let them pay! :-P
Whatever We Must Do
By hundel on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 5:34pm.
Please don't make my dumpling run from Dorchester to Quincy any more expensivre than it needs to be. :p
Emergency transport
By mg on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 3:10pm.
It would be much cheaper to have a helipad and medivac patients in an emergency than to build a new bridge.
Wouldn't helicopter transport
By RoseMai on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 4:22pm.
Wouldn't helicopter transport also be difficult in inclement weather? Or would a helicopter be better than a boat transport?
citation or pooya?
By Jeff F on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 4:29pm.
Sincere question.
I'm wondering where you, and others here, are getting the data that the cost of running a ferry service, and medivacing patients and staff in the case of dangerous weather, would be less than the cost of constructing a bridge.
IANACE, but looking online, it seems like US based ferry services of similar size cost ~5mil/year to operate. The estimate for the LI bridge replacement is $80m. Even figuring in a million or so per year in maintenance and repair, that's still a break even of less than two decades for a more robust solution.
Is there any publically available analysis (even very rough) of the costs of these proposed solutions yet?
Mea Culpa, I didn't think a Mayor could be that dumb.
By section77 on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 3:14pm.
But we are seeing real Kelly's-In-The-Square grade intelligence here.
In the weeks after the bridge
Best to just let them die in the street then. We can build them a shelter, but since we can't build it in a manner that EMS can get to them fast enough, we're not allowed to build it at all.
Nice NIMBY play, Mayor Koch.
By Fitz on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 3:30pm.
Nice NIMBY play, Mayor Koch. Did this guy stop pretending to play a Democrat yet and finally switch to the Republicans? Where should the Boston hospitals and social services send the bill for all the Quincy residents we treat here? Shameless.
I'm certain Quincy's mayor
By Hugo on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 3:48pm.
I'm certain Quincy's mayor would be singing a different tune if Boston wanted to build luxury housing on Long Island and re-connect it to the mainland. "Oh, we'd love to have your well-to-do driving through our town".
BTW - did the old shelter ever create problems in Quincy? I can't imagine it was more than a few buses and employee cars driving across the bridge each day.
34 times a day for the MBTA shelter bus on weekdays
By cinnamngrl on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 4:45pm.
The shelter I worked at had 6 trips back and forth to North Quincy. And of course, all the employees.
So actually the bus trips were frequent, but the buses didn't stop anywhere in quincy so other than the bus noise I guess you just hate people. By the way, 12 of the morning routes were express to the financial district in Boston.
What I would actually like to know is, what is the legal method for Quincy preventing bridge reconstruction. A legal challenge could add to the costs.
Ah, ok
That's useful. So it was more than a few buses. But, uh, is that it? That's what Quincy is mad about? (Not asking this to anyone in particular, just still, as expressed above, trying to wrap my head around why Quincy is reacting as if Walsh suggested paving over the harbor or something)
Maybe those kids who found
Maybe those kids who found the missing millions from TD Garden can find a way to get the money. If they could find that, God know where else they could find "promised" money. Can we ask Millennium Partners, or The Boston Foundation, or any other of these Mega Wealthy hobnobbers for some cash ? What about the epic-wealthy Chinese investors? I say we hire those smart kids to find some money to build the bridge since they seem be more results-oriented than our politicians.
The Bridge will never be built
Marty will send Senator Liz to lobby President Trump for federal funds for the project. Trump would rather give federal funds to the Rocket Man in North Korea to rebuild his bridge to China than give money to Liz and Fast Eddie to rebuild the bridge to Long Island.
Dude, calm down
Walsh said Boston would pay for the bridge. We're talking $100 million, not $1 billion.
$1 billion?
By Beanzzz on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 8:54pm.
Remember the big dig? That came in a few bucks over budget, as I recall. That bridge could end up being a billion buck boondoggle when all's said and done. History has a way of repeating itself.
By RWC on Tue, 01/02/2018 - 5:00pm.
Everyone (boston residents)
Everyone (boston residents) should get to use Long Island - it should not be restricted use. It would be a great nature area. If we pay for it we should be able to use it!! Build the bridge.
It was a great nature area -
It was a great nature area - I used to go birding there, and I drove across the bridge to do it. There are beautiful views of the harbor and the city, but you can't access them unless you're an addict or mentally ill.
If the homeless are so precious to Boston, then house them in Boston, not on an island. You do know that the harbor islands are traditionally where Boston put its prisons and glue factories, right? Now, they dump life's disabled, and they're proud of themselves.
Build the damn bridge. Quincy
Build the damn bridge. Quincy, never knew it to be filled with such snobs. It's not as if it's in rural
western Massachusetts... yes, there will be traffic, shocker.
This is the section of Quincy
By anon on Sat, 01/06/2018 - 8:55am.
This is the section of Quincy where a few residents own million dollar homes. That's the reason Koch is putting up such a stink.
It's an old stink
By Waquiot on Sat, 01/06/2018 - 11:50am.
When Koch first started raising it, the homes were only worth a half million, three quarters of a million tops.
Slight edit- I think I've been confusing Koch and Sheets. Whatever, there's been a stink emanating from Quincy about this for decades.
In other Boston news
Ah, New England: One day it's 70, the next day, snowflakes come down
Massholes have always been with us
Need a CharlieCard? Head to your local Boys and Girls club
That's a lot of kids
Boston doesn't want investor-owned Airbnb units? Investors use loophole to try to turn buildings into 'boutique hotels'
Walsh calls for more spending on affordable housing


text:
Islam, Women and Feminism ( 1 Jan 2018, NewAgeIslam.Com)
Top Hollywood Women Launch Anti-Harassment Plan
Photo: This combination photo shows actress who have made allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein. (AP/File)
• Women's Sections in Notary Offices to Open Soon in Saudi Arabia
• Iceland Becomes First Country To Legalise Equal Pay
• Algeria Breast Cancer Survivors Shunned As 'Half-Women'
• This British Woman of Kashmiri Origin Is Taking the Hijab to the Global Market
• Israel Charges Palestinian Girl Who Slapped Soldiers
• Muslim Storefront Aims to Encourage Women to Be Entrepreneurs
• Women Are Leading In Iran. Where Is Their Voice Of Support From The Left?
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/top-hollywood-women-launch-anti/d/113788
AFP | Published — Tuesday 2 January 2018
WASHINGTON: More than 300 major actresses and female writers, directors, agents and other entertainment executives unveiled an initiative on Monday to tackle pervasive sexual harassment in Hollywood and working- class jobs across the US.
Time's Up includes a legal defense fund that has so far raised some $13.4 million of its $15 million goal to provide subsidized legal support to women and men who were sexually harassed, assaulted or abused in the workplace.
The plan gives special focus to low-wage agriculture workers, housekeepers, janitors, factory workers and waitresses.
"Harassment too often persists because perpetrators and employers never face any consequences," read a "letter of solidarity" on the group's website.
The open letter, published as a full-page ad in The New York Times and the Spanish-language La Opinion, opens with "Dear sisters" and closes "in solidarity."
Time's Up also calls for more women in positions of power and leadership, as well as equal benefits, opportunities, pay and representation for women, and urges the media to turn the spotlight on abuses in "less glamorized and valorized trades."
"We remain committed to holding our own workplaces accountable, pushing for swift and effective change to make the entertainment industry a safe and equitable place for everyone," the letter reads.
It also vows to tell "women's stories through our eyes and voices with the goal of shifting our society's perception and treatment of women."
And it calls on women to wear black at Sunday's Golden Globes as a statement against gender and racial inequality, as well as raise awareness about the group's efforts.
The movement was formed after a deluge of allegations disrupted or ended the careers of powerful male leaders in entertainment but also in big business, politics and the media, sparked by the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct scandal.
Time's Up members include actresses Cate Blanchett, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman and Meryl Streep, Universal Pictures chair Donna Langley, feminist writer Gloria Steinem, lawyer and ex-Michelle Obama chief of staff Tina Tchen and Nike Foundation co-chair Maria Eitel.
arabnews.com/node/1217531/offbeat
Women's Sections in Notary Offices to Open Soon in Saudi Arabia
Ruba Obaid | Published — Tuesday 2 January 2018
JEDDAH: Saudi female lawyers welcomed the decision to open sections for women in courts, as they believe this move will facilitate procedures for women, especially in family and marital cases.
Minister of Justice Walid Al-Samaani approved the opening of new women's sections in notary offices, and the creation of special areas to receive women to respect their privacy.
He also directed the quick preparation of trained female staff to work in women's sections and notary offices to provide the necessary services with the required speed and accuracy.
Sawsan Al-Qadhi, a Saudi lawyer, believes that there is still a long way to go toward involving women in the Saudi judicial system. "This decision can be helpful in providing assistance for females and provide jobs for female graduates, but its ultimate impact is not enough for us as legal practitioners and lawyers," she told Arab News.
She added: "It is not unusual for women to work in courts in Saudi Arabia; they have always been there, but mostly in charge of minor responsibilities like reconciliation, checking and guarding. I surely support opening up new fields of work for women, but I believe that women should have decision-making power just like men. We see young Saudi women working everywhere, but the working mechanism always depends on men."
Asked about the future of women working in courts, she said that women may get the chance in the future to work as judicial assistants but they may not be able to get positions beyond that; it has to do with judicial law, which is known to be a complicated issue.
According to Abdul Aziz Al-Naser, an adviser to the minister of justice, women's sections in notary offices in Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Dammam, will open soon.
Al-Naser said in an interview on Saudi TV that these jobs would be offered to Saudi females holding master's degrees in different fields.
arabnews.com/node/1217636/saudi-arabia
Iceland becomes first country to legalise equal pay
A new law making it illegal to pay men more than women has taken effect in Iceland.
The legislation, which came into force on Monday, the first day of 2018, makes Iceland the first country in the world to legalise equal pay between men and women.
Under the new rules, companies and government agencies employing at least 25 people will have to obtain government certification of their equal-pay policies.
Those that fail to prove pay parity will face fines.
"The legislation is basically a mechanism that companies and organisations ... evaluate every job that's being done, and then they get a certification after they confirm the process if they are paying men and women equally," said Dagny Osk Aradottir Pind, a board member of the Icelandic Women's Rights Association.
"It's a mechanism to ensure women and men are being paid equally," she told Al Jazeera.
"We have had legislation saying that pay should be equal for men and women for decades now but we still have a pay gap."
Iceland, an island country in the North Atlantic Ocean that is home to approximately 323,000 people, has a strong economy, based on tourism and fisheries.
For the past nine years, it has been ranked by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as the world's most gender-equal country.
The Global Gender Gap Report uses markers such as economic opportunity, political empowerment, and health and survival to gauge the state of gender equality in a country.
Since the reports began in 2006, Iceland has closed around 10 percent of its total gender gap, making it one of the fastest-improving countries in the world.
The new legislation was supported by Iceland's centre-right government, as well as the opposition, in a parliament where nearly 50 percent of all members are women.
"I think that now people are starting to realise that this is a systematic problem that we have to tackle with new methods," said Aradottir Pind.
"Women have been talking about this for decades and I really feel that we have managed to raise awareness, and we have managed to get to the point that people realise that the legislation we have had in place is not working, and we need to do something more," she added.
The Icelandic government plans to completely eradicate the wage gap by 2020.
Gender inequality worldwide
According to the latest WEF report, the top five best performers in the global gender gap are Iceland, Norway, Finland, Rwanda and Sweden.
Yemen, on the other hand, is currently the lowest-ranked of the 144 countries measured in the report.
The war-torn country has been low-performing in terms of economic participation and opportunity for several years.
Fifty-two countries fell below the global average in 2017, including China, Liberia and the United Arab Emirates, while 60 saw their overall gender gap decrease.
Hungary was the only European country to be ranked lower than the global average, having scored poorly on political empowerment.
aljazeera.com/news/2018/01/iceland-country-legalise-equal-pay-180101150054329.html
Algeria breast cancer survivors shunned as 'half-women'
This file photo shows Linda, an Algerian mother-of-three who was abandoned by her husband after being diagnosed with breast cancer, sitting in Algiers on Nov. 15, 2017. (AFP)
ALGIERS: As if losing a breast to cancer was not traumatic enough, Algerian mother-of-three Linda was then spurned by her husband for being "mutilated" and a "half-woman."
"Cancer? It's nothing compared with being rejected after 18 years of marriage," the 50-year-old medical assistant said, still clearly upset years later.
Linda is one of hundreds of Algerian women to have been abandoned by their husbands or fiances after being diagnosed with breast cancer, a charity says.
Thousands of women are found to suffer from the disease every year in Algeria, leaving many with no option but to surgically remove a part of their body deeply associated with their feminity.
Hayat says her fiance dumped her after she told him she had an emergency operation to remove a breast.
"He told me: 'I want a whole woman, not three-quarters of one'," the 30-year-old student said, bursting into tears.
Samia Gasmi, the head of a cancer charity, says many women are dropped by their husbands just after they are diagnosed, leaving them alone to face drastic treatment — and sometimes even without a roof over their heads.
"Some sink into depression," said the head of Nur Doha, which means "Light of Day" in Arabic.
"Others end up in shelters because they have nowhere else to go once their husbands abandon them."
In a country where breast cancer is viewed as a private matter, patients are often reluctant to speak up — even sometimes hiding it from their own family.
"These women view their illness as shameful," Gasmi said.
One woman refused to tell her own sister, she said, while another started wearing the Islamic scarf before chemotherapy so her husband's family would have no idea when her hair started falling out.
One patient "chose to die with her two breasts rather than accept any removal."
All women interviewed by AFP refused to appear in front of a camera and refused to give their second names.
Sociologist Yamina Rahou says this feeling of shame comes from the "pain of having a body part that symbolizes feminity amputated."
Patients who have had a breast removed feel they no longer fulfil the role society demands of a woman, the researcher at the Social and Cultural Anthropology Research Center in Oran said.
Theologian Kamel Chekkat, of the Algerian Clerics Association, insisted men rejecting their wives after they have a breast removed is un-Islamic.
"It has nothing to do with religion, it's education," he said.
Islam "urges spouses to support each other," he said, and an honorable man should look after his wife.
But not all men follow the code of conduct.
Saida, a doctor who is now 55, says she met her husband at university.
We "married for love. He even took part in protests for women's rights," she said.
But when she had a breast removed to fight cancer, he sought a divorce and custody of their son even before she had been released from hospital.
To add insult to injury, she said, he cleaned out her bank account.
"I hit rock bottom," Saida said. "I didn't have the energy to fight everything" at once.
Between 9,000 and 10,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed a year in Algeria, according to Farid Cherbal, a professor and expert in cancer genetics at the University of Algiers.
That is five times more than 20 years ago, which experts say is due to better means of detection, as well as lifestyle changes such as less physical activity, unhealthy diets and smoking.
Around 3,500 Algerian women die of the disease a year, Cherbal says.
Leila Houti, an epidemiologist and lecturer at the University of Oran's medicine faculty, said breast cancer was often diagnosed too late.
Among the survivors who have become single, some despair of ever finding a life partner again.
"Who will want a woman like me?" asked Safia, a 32-year-old who has lost 10 kilogrammes (1.5 stone) in a year due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
But life is beginning to improve for others.
Saida, the doctor, won custody of her son.
Five years after her operation, Hayat, the student, is healing after therapy, breast reconstruction abroad and the support of friends and family.
And Linda, shunned by her husband for being a "half-woman," is in remission and doing well with her children's support.
With hindsight, she said, cancer actually freed her of a man who beat her and stole her salary.
This British woman of Kashmiri origin is taking the hijab to the global market
Qazi Wasif posted 4 hours ago 8 shares
Mehreen Amjad, a British-born entrepreneur of Kashmiri origin – started the Coco Hijab London e-commerce platform in January 2016 when she found it difficult to find hijabs – a veil worn by Muslim women, and stoles, in the UK.
Having had prior experience in the fashion industry Mehreen says that being a hijab lover and having worked in the field for many years, she understands what women want and are looking for.
"As I wear the hijab I felt that I should take the initiative to source these products and launch a brand which was accessible and relatable to women," she says.
Kashmiri in origin, Mehreen was born and raised in the UK. She grew up in a business environment and was taught that every goal could be achieved through hard work and dedication. Her father had multiple businesses that her parents managed.
While wearing the hijab itself was the inspiration to start Coco Hijab, Mehreen also experienced that wearing a hijab outside an Islamic country had become increasingly difficult due to the growing fear of Islamophobia.
It prompted her to launch a mainstream brand that would encourage women to wear the hijab and take pride in it without being judged.
The website features all types of hijab, including a limited edition collection, accessories and a special section dedicated to Cashmere.
"Coco Hijab is an extension of what I believe in, and my aim is to make the hijab accessible to all. I want women to take pride in what they believe in and not hide away from the hijab."
Mehreen believes that the hijab is a part of her identity and is a statement for those who meet her.
She has a 'no model' policy and all the women featured on her website are Muslim women who love wearing hijab. Mehreen believes that Coco Hijab provides a platform to Muslim women to step forward and not only tell their stories but also share their journey with the hijab and the styles that best represent them.
I find people don't appreciate and value the hijab for what it truly has to offer."
Faith in the concept
After completing her course in law, Mehreen went on to purchase a franchise of Mail Boxes and currently owns one in St Johns Wood and Kilburn where they specialise in business setups, but Coco Hijab was a concept she always wanted to pursue.
Women always face obstacles just because of the gender inequality in the corporate and business world; however, Mehreen feels blessed as people around have been supportive.
It took her two years to launch the website (cocohijablondon.com)
She has various people to assist her with operations, including a photographer, graphic designer and other freelancers.
Mehreen says that it was important to have people from different backgrounds and faiths in order to ensure that Coco Hijab didn't lose sight of the goal which is diversity.
"Diversity is important when you're trying to spread a brand and message," she says.
"When you start up any business you have to be prepared to work long hours. Socialising becomes a thing of the past and so do your hobbies. A business needs to be nurtured, only then will it grow," she adds.
Mehreen was initially nervous about the startup as she was not sure about people's reactions. Also, the e-commerce business is a complex one but her perseverance paid off and she witnessed a steady growth in her business, and now wants to expand.
"I tried not to lose focus on my goal as that can cause chaos in establishing a brand. I believe in keeping it simple and do something that's within my area of interest."
Mehreen understands that doing any business is a risky proposition but the key to success comes from a focus on a goal and being realistic about achievements. She believes that business takes time and one has to learn to be patient.
She wants to expand her business to other parts of central London and to other parts of the world as well.
For her future ventures, she is planning to collaborate with designers from Kashmir.
https://yourstory.com/2018/01/this-british-woman-of-kashmiri-origin-is-taking-the-hijab-to-the-global-market/
Israel charges Palestinian girl who slapped soldiers
Reuters | Jan 2, 2018, 10:43 IST
RAMALLAH: An Israeli military court on Monday indicted a teenage Palestinian girl who was filmed last month in the West Bank slapping Israeli troops who refused to respond.
Palestinians have since hailed Ahed Tamimi, 16, as an icon in their fight against Israel. In Israel, the footage sparked debate about the soldiers' refusal to react.
The court indicted Tamimi on several accounts including attacking soldiers as well as for previous altercations with Israeli forces. It extended her remand for eight days.
She was filmed in December outside her family home, pushing, kicking and slapping the soldiers, who fended off the blows without retaliating. Her father Bassem has said she was upset when she approached the soldiers after her 15-year-old cousin had been shot with a rubber bullet. The military confirmed rubber bullets had been used following what it said was a violent demonstration, but had no information about who was shot.
Bassem called Monday's indictment a "political trial" saying Israel dug up old incidents as well as the one filmed in order to "justify her arrest."
Tamimi was arrested at her home in a pre-dawn raid three days after the confrontation, amid an uproar in Israel.
Tamimi has made headlines in the past, most famously in 2015 when she bit a soldier's hand as he held her brother in a chokehold in an attempted arrest.
She is from Nebi Saleh is a village of about 600 people, most of them members of Tamimi's extended family. For eight years, villagers along with Israeli and foreign activists have protested weekly against Israeli policies in the West Bank.
In a separate case, the family of a female Palestinian lawmaker who has been jailed without charge since July said her detention has been extended for another six months.
Khalida Jarrar has been held under an Israeli policy called administrative detention, which allows Palestinians to be arrested for months at a time without any charges being filed.
Jarrar, who is in her mid-50s, is a popular figure among Palestinians and is known for fiery speeches against Israel. In 2015, Israel sentenced her to 15 months for incitement to violence.
Jarrar is a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a left-leaning faction opposed to peace with Israel and is branded a terrorist group in the West. The group was involved in hijackings and other major attacks in the 1970s but has largely scaled back its militant activities in recent years.
Her husband, Ghassan Jarrar, said Israel was holding her for political reasons.
"The court didn't find anything to convict her. Therefore, they referred her to administrative detention where they don't have to present any specific charges," he said.
Israel's Shin Bet security agency referred questions to the military, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/israel-charges-palestinian-girl-who-slapped-soldiers/articleshow/62333682.cms
Muslim Storefront Aims To Encourage Women To Be Entrepreneurs
By Virginia Alvino Young • Jan 1, 2018
A new retail storefront is the latest effort by the Muslim Women's Association of Pittsburgh to empower women and support its mission.
The association opened a Muslim women and children's shelter three years ago, and helped finance it through the sale handmade goods like knit ware, quilts and pottery. Now, they're selling those items at the FEW OF A KIND store, which opened in Oakland in September.
Executive Director Sarah Martin said her organization sees their faith as being one which empowers women.
"Muslim women, since the days of the Prophet, have been encouraged to be educated, to work, and to be producers, and so we're keeping a long line of traditional Islamic values," said Martin.
The organization also provides classes for women to work on leadership and financial skills.
"We encourage women to be entrepreneurs and we provide a space where they can bring their goods and develop concepts for small business," said Martin.
The store, located at Craig Street and Centre Avenue, also serves as a Muslim bookstore, and interfaith community space for lectures and classes.
wesa.fm/post/muslim-storefront-aims-encourage-women-be-entrepreneurs#stream/0
Women are leading in Iran. Where is their voice of support from the left?
Stephen L. Miller By Stephen L. Miller | Fox News
The most striking images coming out of the Iran human rights protests are not of men – they are of women. And while American media was slow and even hesitant to pick up that anything at all was actually happening – this, while protests ignited for what is now six full days around Iran, nine years after the Green Movement protests began – Twitter was flooded with videos and photos on the ground, in defiance of the Iranian regime's social media policy.
Almost none was more striking than a young Iranian woman standing atop a container and shedding her hijab – a garment mandated and enforced upon her and all women in Iran – while simultaneously waving it as a flag. It was an act of defiance much like that of the Iranian chess champion Dorsa Derakhshani, who was expelled from competition in Iran for refusing to wear a headscarf in competition.
There were unconfirmed reports that the unidentified girl was taken into custody and the spot where she stood had become a makeshift shrine, but because of the scattering of information on the ground there's no way to confirm that.
Nevertheless, she became an immediate symbol for the growing movement now in its fifth full day. Twitter avatars were changed to an illustration capturing the moment. The drawing was spread on Facebook. But she wasn't the only one.
Another video spread on social media shows a woman confronting security forces and proclaiming "Death to Khamenei" while crowds around her join in.
Political support for the women of Iran would of course contradict the careful echo chamber narrative Democrat politicians spent months crafting in support of President Obama's nuclear deal with Iran.
Mind you, this wasn't inauguration protests from January of last year with celebrity activists screaming freely into microphones about how much they've thought about blowing up the White House. This was a woman endangering her life and possibly the lives of her loved ones to stand up to government forces of a hardline Islamic theocracy. She was risking death. And yet, nevertheless, she persisted.
Another woman was seen on tape declaring "You raised your fists and ruined our lives. Now we raise our fists. Be men, join us. I as a woman will stand in front and protect you. Come represent your country."
Another image that managed to make its way into some mainstream coverage shows a young woman – reported to be a student – covering her face as she runs from tear gas just outside the University of Tehran, her fist raised defiantly in the air. She was a symbol of a growing secular youth movement merging with thousands of others protesting the regime's involvement with Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria.
And as the protests entered their fifth night, another striking video on Twitter shows a woman demanding fair wages and an end to regime attempts to silence them. Women reportedly led protests in the city of Isfahan.
Every one of these searing images are of women. Women are the predominant face of this blossoming revolution. Women are risking the most to speak out against the Iranian Mullahs. So the question must be asked: Where are the women's movement supporters in the United States and Europe, which gathered en masse to protest a newly inaugurated American president last year?
More specifically, empowered by the cultural muscle of #MeToo celebrity leaders and Women's March organizers such as Linda Sarsour: Why are you silent? If these nameless women can speak out in the face of true tyranny, risking actual imprisonment and death, why can't you?
Iranian women are not adorning pink knitted hats, or costumes resembling female genitalia. They won't be attending award shows. They aren't wearing red cloaks and bonnets inspired by their favorite Netflix show. No, these brave women are caught on videotape and in photographs for the world to see, and the women's movements have yet to barely offer so much as a tweet or a Facebook post of support. The official Women's March Twitter account has tweeted exactly zero times in support of women protesting in Iran. Zero.
Among such "women's" leaders as Tamika Mallory, Carmen Perez, Janaye Ingram and Linda Sarsour, only one tweet has been offered at all about the protests, and that came from Sarsour and had nothing to do with the women at all, but President Trump. "Is it just me or is Trump praising Iranian protesters AND at the same time also banned Iranians from entering the USA?"
What seems to be lost on Ms. Sarsour is that these women are currently risking their lives and protesting – not for the right to come to the United States – but for the rights to live and thrive in their own country.
I do sympathize with Sarsour and the women's movement of the political left and their sudden predicament with supporting these brave women. Women in Iran are shedding their hijabs while progressive women's movements in the United States try to hold them up as a symbol of empowerment and feminism – going so far as Shepard Fairey-esque illustrations attempting to mainstream the hijab into pop culture.
What's empowering about the hijab is the choice to don one. Muslim women in the United States have that choice. Women in Iran do not. If these pro-women groups are all about choice for depraved women around the globe, now would be a good time to speak up on behalf of them.
Women in Iran are standing in defiance of the regime's financial support of Hezbollah and Hamas rather than fair wages and human rights. But for progressive women's groups to oppose Hamas in the face of these protests, it would mean abandoning months of pro-Palestinian support, capped off last week when pop singer Lorde cancelled her Tel Aviv show.
Sarsour, as a self-professed leading advocate for Muslim women in the United States and around the world, should be asked to clarify her position by journalists who are all too eager to present her with awards and speaking gigs: Does she support the women of Iran or the hardline theocracy that is currently brutalizing them?
Remaining silent in the face of this growing movement is another black eye for Sarsour in particular, who is facing charges of ignoring complaints of sexual abuse while she was director of the Arab American Association.
Of the prominent supporters for progressive women's movements in Congress, only Bernie Sanders has offered measurable support for the protestors, tweeting, "It is the right of all people to speak out against their government. The government of Iran should respect this right and heed the voices of thousands of Iranians who are demonstrating across the country for better opportunities and a better future." Not hard stuff.
Chuck Schumer found time to tweet out support of the New York Giants football team keeping quarterback Eli Manning, but not for the women now splashed across news services worldwide.
Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand – leading progressive women's rights advocates all – have not only not released statements in support of these women, they've said nothing in support of the protests at all. Not a press release. Not a tweet. Nothing.
Hillary Clinton has not offered support of the women beyond a tweet stating she hopes "their government responds peacefully and supports their hopes." Hate to break it to the onetime self-declared ceiling breaker, but the government is very much not responding peacefully nor are they supporting their hopes. They are, indeed, emboldened financially by an Iran Nuclear deal she herself claimed partial credit for.
Powerful women in entertainment have never been hesitant to raise their voices and organize in support of their personal beliefs. And today, because of the #MeToo wave, they have never been more influential in politics or culture. Yet they remain silent. First Lady Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump could also certainly publicly show support, but would the left then just simply write off joining them?
Political support for the women of Iran would of course contradict the careful echo chamber narrative Democrat politicians spent months crafting in support of President Obama's nuclear deal with Iran – which is in fact a major reason for the uprising happening now. The Mullahs squandered most of their financial windfall from the Iran deal on support for terror groups such as the Assad regime, Hezbollah and Hamas after promising to invest it in the people at home. The people of Iran have had enough of these empty promises.
More importantly, the women of Iran have had enough and are leading the way, with or without public support from the self-declared women's groups on the left around the world, who have decided they are the public voice of resistance for women – except in places where a collective voice of support could actually help women the most. Their ideas of empowerment apparently stop where their politics start.
Despite a world attempting to rationalize looking away, a solitary woman stood up in defiance of the rule of law, risked her life and removed her head scarf. She did this at the risk of arrest, or death. She did this without public support from women's groups who claim their entire existence is to support this very act of defiance. While they remain silent, I'm with her.
foxnews.com/opinion/2018/01/02/women-are-leading-in-iran-where-is-their-voice-support-from-left.html


text:
Reviews / Review: SCO delivers vivid musical firework
https://www.shetnews.co.uk/?p=14927
THE Scottish Chamber Orchestra has been visiting Shetland intermittently for about 30 years: touring Scotland is one of its prime functions, and this year the deployment of its 24 strong string ensemble, under the direction of violinist Alexander Janiczek, has enabled the orchestra to tour Shetland itself – at Aith in the West Mainland, Burravoe in Yell, and at Mareel in Lerwick.
So it was that on a dreich July evening, when the leaden grey of the sky had almost completely enveloped the summer landscape, Aith public hall became the venue for a vivid musical firework display.
The programme began with the spirited and – as ever with this composer – uplifting Concerto in D Minor for two violins, by Johann Sebastian Bach. Benjamin Marquise Gilmore, leader of the orchestra, joined Janiczek for the solo violin performance.
It's worth remembering that until about a hundred years ago, the only way to hear music close-up was to see it being played. Actually to witness an orchestra in full flow, its diversity and unity, the expressiveness and deftness of the musicians themselves, considerably adds to the whole musical experience.
The fluidity of the two soloists' "conversation", especially in Bach's middle Largo movement, was a joy to behold. Is "celestial" too fancy a word to describe such mathematically precise yet delightful music?
Interestingly, the SCO programme notes describe the "infectious playfulness" of this concerto as: "if anything, more appealing to the players than to the listeners." I think the audience – numbering about 60, filling the hall to capacity – may in this case have begged to differ.
A Divertimento has, coincidentally, been defined as a piece that should entertain both players and listeners equally, and Béla Bartόk's modern interpretation, the second work in the programme, certainly did so, engendering at its end rousing applause, and sheer delight on the faces of the musicians. It is an astonishing creation, full of surprises and contrasts, changing tempo, at times furiously paced, with elements of Hungarian folk dance woven in.
Written in (an also astonishing) fifteen days in the summer of 1939, it was Bartόk's last work to be written before he left Europe for New York, in the face of the nazification of his native Hungary. Although the middle Adagio movement perhaps reflects the composer's awareness of impending war, the overall theme is buoyant, even light-heartedly mischievous, especially in the pizzicato interval before the finale.
This brilliant performance ended the first part of the concert. Everyone seemed to be positively glowing in its aftermath. After the interval we were treated to a calmer, more soothing mood with Dvořák's Two Waltzes.
Although the waltz is a Viennese tradition, and Dvořák baulked at the idea of a "Slavonic" dance of that name, there is definitely a non-Viennese feel to the melodies, the second in particular, with its upbeat rhythm. If not Czech, then they were recognizably Dvořákian.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky provided the final, four-movement work of the programme in the form of his Serenade for Strings. Though classified as a Late Romantic composer, Tchaikovsky pronounced the opening movement to be his homage to Mozart (himself a composer of serenades), whom he idolised.
Yet it has an indelible romantic quality in its soaring and sweeping melodies and rhythms, with – as it were – a wandering and wondering waltz replacing the comparatively stiff formality of a minuet in the second movement.
This is followed by the poignant Élégie, and the final movement is a two-part "Tema Russo" (Russian Theme), the first slow and muted, while the second repeats the opening theme of the serenade and ends in a majestic and resounding variation of it. Once again the passion and sheer physical and emotional intensity of the orchestra was evident, and was well rewarded by the audience's prolonged applause.
I confess to wondering, during the interval, why Bartόk's Divertimento had not been chosen as a concert finale, as it had been so incredibly forceful. (One audience member said she would not have been surprised if all the hall windows had been blown out by it!)
However…prolonged applause brings forth an encore, and nothing could have surpassed the choice of Italian composer Vittorio Monti's Hungarian gypsy dance, Czardas, for virtuosity and energy. Here Janiczek, who is of Polish and Czech descent, really displayed his formidable talent as a solo violinist, at the same time directing, without the signals of a conductor, the ensemble in perfectly disciplined, yet apparently spontaneous, unity.
But what gave the dazzling, breathtaking conclusion of this pyrotechnical display another, generous, dimension was the knowledge, imparted to us by Janiczek, that the dance had been arranged for strings by a member (and advisor) of the orchestra, viola player Brian Schiele.
I hope I am not being naïve in my admiration of the SCO as a cohesive, democratic, and joyful ensemble, which we should be mightily proud of and welcome back to these shores with all possible haste. Encore!
A unique introduction to classical music


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text:
<?php

namespace Hostbase;

use Shift31\HostbaseClient;
use Aws;
use Aws\Ec2;
use Aws\Rds;

class AWSImporter
{

    protected $hbClient;

    protected $awsSdk;

    private $awsRegions;

    private $baseDomain;

    private $filterRegex;

    /**
     * @param $config
     */
    public function __construct($config)
    {
        $this->hbClient = new HostbaseClient($config['hostbaseUrl']);

        $this->awsSdk = new Aws\Sdk([
            'version' => 'latest',
            'credentials' => [
                'key' => $config['accessKey'],
                'secret' => $config['secretKey'],
            ]
        ]);

        ## Below is due to https://github.com/aws/aws-sdk-php/issues/243
        ##
        ## Negates having to have hardcoded regions :)
        ##
        putenv("AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID={$config['accessKey']}");
        putenv("AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY={$config['secretKey']}");

        $command = 'aws ec2 describe-regions --output json';
        $this->awsRegions = json_decode(shell_exec("{$command}"));
        ##

        $this->baseDomain = trim($config['baseDomain'], '.');

        $this->filterRegex = isset($config['filterRegex']) ? rtrim($config['filterRegex'], '/') . '|' . 'Tags/' : null;
    }

    protected function importToHostbase ($fqdn, $data)
    {
        echo "Importing $fqdn..." . PHP_EOL;

        try {
            // add
            echo "adding..." . PHP_EOL;
            $this->hbClient->store($data);
        } catch (\Exception $e) {
            echo $e->getMessage() . PHP_EOL;
            try {
                // update
                echo "updating..." . PHP_EOL;
                $this->hbClient->update($fqdn, $data);
            } catch (\Exception $e) {
                echo $e->getMessage() . PHP_EOL;
            }
        }
    }

    /**
     * Import ec2 instances
     */
    public function importEc2()
    {
        # Go through each region, get instances
        foreach($this->awsRegions->Regions as $region) {

            $ec2 = $this->awsSdk->createEc2(['region' => $region->RegionName]);
            $allInstances = $ec2->describeInstances()['Reservations'];

            if(!empty($allInstances)) {
                foreach ($allInstances as $reservation) {
                    foreach ($reservation['Instances'] as $instance) {
                        $data = array();

                        while ($thisTag = current($instance['Tags'])) {
                            if ($thisTag['Key'] == 'Name') {

                                if (preg_match('/^aws2/', $thisTag['Value'])) {
                                    $fqdn = preg_replace('/^aws2/', '', strtolower($thisTag['Value'] . '.' . preg_replace('/aws1/', 'aws2', $this->baseDomain)));
                                } else {
                                    $fqdn = strtolower($thisTag['Value'] . '.' . $this->baseDomain);
                                }

                                $data['fqdn'] = $fqdn;

                            } else {
                                $data[strtolower($thisTag['Key'])] = strtolower($thisTag['Value']);
                            }
                            next($instance['Tags']);
                        }

                        # If the $fqdn varible didn't get set before this point, ignore this instance
                        if (!isset($fqdn)) {
                            echo "Instance: " . $instance['InstanceId'] . " has no 'Name' tag defined, skipping..." . PHP_EOL;
                            continue;
                        }

                        foreach ($instance as $key => $value) {

                            # Ignore the keys that match our regex filter from config.ini
                            if (preg_match($this->filterRegex, $key)) {
                                continue;
                            }

                            if ($value == 'false') {
                                $value = false;
                            }

                            if ($value == 'true') {
                                $value = true;
                            }

                            # No need to have Array for these, make them flat
                            if ($key == 'State') {
                                $data[$key] = $value['Name'];
                                continue;
                            }
                            if ($key == 'Monitoring') {
                                $data[$key] = $value['State'];
                                continue;
                            }
                            if ($key == 'Placement') {
                                foreach ($value as $k => $v) {
                                    $data[$k] = $v;
                                }
                                continue;
                            }

                            $data[$key] = $value;

                        }

                        $this->importToHostbase($fqdn,$data);
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }

    /**
     * Import RDS dbinstances
     */
    public function importRds()
    {
        # Go through each region, get instances
        foreach($this->awsRegions->Regions as $region) {

            $rds = $this->awsSdk->createRds(['region' => $region->RegionName]);
            $allDBInstances = $rds->describeDBInstances()['DBInstances'];

            if(!empty($allDBInstances)) {
                foreach ($allDBInstances as $instance) {
                    $data = array();

                    $fqdn = strtolower($instance['Endpoint']['Address']);

                    $data['fqdn'] = $fqdn;

                    # If the $fqdn varible didn't get set before this point, ignore this instance
                    if (!isset($fqdn)) {
                        echo "DB Instance: " . $instance['DBInstanceIdentifier'] . " has no endpoint address defined, skipping..." . PHP_EOL;
                        continue;
                    }

                    foreach ($instance as $key => $value) {

                        # Ignore the keys that match our regex filter from config.ini
                        if (preg_match($this->filterRegex, $key)) {
                            continue;
                        }

                        if ($value == 'false') {
                            $value = false;
                        }

                        if ($value == 'true') {
                            $value = true;
                        }

                        $data[$key] = $value;

                    }

                    $this->importToHostbase($fqdn,$data);

                }
            }
        }
    }

    /**
     * Import ElastiCache instances
     */
    public function importElastiCache()
    {
        # Go through each region, get instances
        foreach($this->awsRegions->Regions as $region) {

            $ec = $this->awsSdk->createElastiCache(['region' => $region->RegionName]);
            $allCacheClusters = $ec->describeCacheClusters(['ShowCacheNodeInfo' => true])['CacheClusters'];

            if (!empty($allCacheClusters)) {
                foreach ($allCacheClusters as $cluster) {
                    $data = array();

                    $fqdn = strtolower($cluster['ConfigurationEndpoint']['Address']);

                    $data['fqdn'] = $fqdn;

                    # If the $fqdn varible didn't get set before this point, ignore this instance
                    if (!isset($fqdn)) {
                        echo "Cluster Instance: " . $cluster['CacheClusterId'] . " has no endpoint address defined, skipping..." . PHP_EOL;
                        continue;
                    }

                    foreach ($cluster as $key => $value) {

                        # Ignore the keys that match our regex filter from config.ini
                        if (preg_match($this->filterRegex, $key)) {
                            continue;
                        }

                        if ($value == 'false') {
                            $value = false;
                        }

                        if ($value == 'true') {
                            $value = true;
                        }

                        $data[$key] = $value;
                    }

                    $this->importToHostbase($fqdn, $data);
                }
            }
        }
    }

    /**
     * Import Elb resources
     */
    public function importElb()
    {
        # Go through each region, get elb resource
        foreach ($this->awsRegions->Regions as $region) {

            $elb = $this->awsSdk->createElasticLoadBalancing(['region' => $region->RegionName]);
            $allElasticLBs = $elb->describeLoadBalancers()['LoadBalancerDescriptions'];

            if (!empty($allElasticLBs)) {
                foreach ($allElasticLBs as $lb) {
                    $data = array();

                    $fqdn = strtolower($lb['DNSName']);

                    $data['fqdn'] = $fqdn;

                    # If the $fqdn varible didn't get set before this point, ignore this instance
                    if (!isset($fqdn)) {
                        echo "ELB Resource: " . $lb['LoadBalancerName'] . " has no DNS name..." . PHP_EOL;
                        continue;
                    }

                    foreach ($lb as $key => $value) {

                        # Ignore the keys that match our regex filter from config.ini
                        if (preg_match($this->filterRegex, $key)) {
                            continue;
                        }

                        if ($value == 'false') {
                            $value = false;
                        }

                        if ($value == 'true') {
                            $value = true;
                        }

                        $data[$key] = $value;

                    }

                    $this->importToHostbase($fqdn, $data);

                }
            }
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I wanted to include some of the photos I took yesterday but----for some unknown reason---the photos I had transferred from my iPhone photo file to my laptop photo files refused to cooperate and copy to this file. Weird. That has never happened before. I then tried to copy some of my other photos of flowers I'd taken earlier this year, and they also refused to copy. So----in the photos absence, you and I will have to play "Let's Pretend" and pretend we see photos of blooming purple and white petunias and deep red petunias. Needless to say, I'll be visiting the Simply Mac store here in Fort Collins tomorrow and solve this weird mystery. I'll keep all of you readers posted.
I'm loving this wonderful warm spell we're still having here in Northern Colorado. Temps were nearly 80 today with plenty of sunshine, of course. Part of one of the gifts these warm temps have brought is my pretty annual flowers are still blooming. Love it, love it.
So, for this post, I'm simply going to celebrate flowers with a few photos I took yesterday afternoon. Of course, all the flowers are past their prime blossoming but they're still colorful. And I love it. I simply love bright and colorful annuals. Some of my favorites are the simple and sturdy petunias. There are so many colorful varieties available every spring, it's hard to limit our choices. But most of us have specific places where we can plant. In my front garden which surrounds the walkway and the front entry area, I plant in the brick planter plus a variety of pots which I've collected over the years.
Flowers bring me a great deal of pleasure. Do any of you folks still have flowers blooming where you live?