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No. 12 Hutchinson (4-2, 2-2) at Neosho County (4-4, 1-3)
When: Saturday, November 25
Where: NCCC Gym, Chanute, KS
Game Time: 2 p.m.
Live Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 1:50 p.m.
Live Video: Blue Dragon Sports Network, 1:50 p.m.
Twitter: @bluedragonsport
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Now back to .500 in Jayhawk Conference play, the No. 12-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team looks for a third-straight victory on Saturday with a road trip to Chanute meet the Neosho County Panthers.
Tipoff for Saturday's game will be at 2 p.m. at the Neosho County Gym. The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and in sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) with Glen Grunwald calling the action. The game will also be streamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network. Airtime for both radio and video is approximately 1:50 p.m.
A staple of Blue Dragon women's basketball, especially since 2003, has been strong defense. That defense has helped the Blue Dragons recover from a 0-2 start in league play. In victories over Pratt and Coffeyville, the Blue Dragons allowed an average of 42.0 points per game with opponents shooting only 24.3 percent from the field. The Blue Dragons are also a plus-49 in rebounding margin in the last two games.
For the season, the Blue Dragons are tied for second in the Jayhawk Conference in scoring defense at 49.0 points per game and leads the nation in field-goal defense at 31.2 percent. Only one team has shot better than 40 percent and three have shot less than 30 percent in the first six games.
Offensively, Hutchinson is averaging 66.7 points per game shooting 42.3 percent overall and 28.6 percent from 3-point range.
Three Blue Dragons are averaging in double figures led by freshman Jada Mickens, who is averaging 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest. Freshman Dejanae Roebuck is averaging 12.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Sophomore Alicia Brown is at 10.3 points per game.
Neosho County enters the game on a two-game losing streak with losses to Independence and an 82-74 setback on Wednesday at Dodge City.
The Panthers are averaging 71.0 points per game, shooting 35.7 percent from the field and 21.6 percent from 3-poitn range. Defensively, Neosho County is allowing 75.3 points per game with opponents shooting 41.7 percent overall and 34.1 percent from 3-point range.
Neosho County is balanced offensively with eight players averaging six or more points per game. Freshman forward Erica Birch is the Panthers' leading scorer at 10.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. She is shooting 55.1 percent from the floor. DeQuandra Lyles is at 8.5 points, Don'Tajah Jones is at 8.3 points and Shariah Smith is at 8.0 points per game.
The Blue Dragons return home on Wednesday to take on the Colby Trojans.


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Crafts and Craftspeople
The crafts we have available for demonstration represent many of the major crafts from history.
Below are a few samples of these crafts from the past.
All are based on archaeological & historical evidence, and our work has included displays for the OPW (formerly Dúchas The Heritage Service) and the National Museum of Ireland.
Hiberno-Viking & Medieval Silversmithing using authentic tools and materials to produce replica jewellery.
See the Monier use Hammer and Die to reproduce coinage from the Viking Age onwards.
Shoes & Bags based on archaeological finds, handmade before your eyes using replica tools.
Essential everyday wooden items from history, replicated and made before your eyes.
Medieval Spinster at work using a drop spindle to turn fleece into yarn. One of the most basic skills necessary for traditional fabric making.
Complicated braid making explained and demonstrated with displays of intricate designs upon the loom and tablets
Learn the secrets of the herbs, their uses in food preparation, as luck charms and their medicinal purposes.
Authentic recipes demonstrated and cooked on an open fire. Using replica cooking utensils and tequniques our experts display traditional preparations.

subset: commoncrawl


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About us
At Sydney Spine & Sports Centre (S3C), we offer professional excellence in the treatment of spine, sport, muscle and joint injuries. In all we do, we believe in getting you better.
- Our passion is chiropractic and physiotherapy
- Our dedication is to help you with your injury recovery
- Our life's work is to create a place people go to get better.
The place you go to get better
The chiropractors and physiotherapists at Sydney Spine & Sports Centre (S3C) had one goal when creating the Balmain and Rozelle clinic. It was simple – create the place where people go to get better. Fast-forward to today and this is still the reason we do what we do. Our focus is to help people recover from pain and get people back to their active and unrestricted lives.
It was our goal to be known not by name or title, but by reputation for helping people with spine, sports, muscle or joint injuries and problems. To become a healthcare clinic that people know, trust and call on in their time of need is what drives us to come to work each day. Chiropractic and physiotherapy was just the profession to allow us to achieve this.
Enabling people to live their pain free lives again
Anyone who has had muscle or joint pain knows how painful it can be. Chronic pain can take over people's lives. Our Balmain and Rozelle chiropractors and physiotherapists are passionate about reducing pain and getting people moving again. Enabling people to live pain free lives, free from the stress and muscle and joint pain.
Making movement feel right again
Remember that time where movement just felt so right? That time where running, bending and twisting was a pleasure? The time you could pick up your grandchildren, baby or partner and didn't give it a seconds thought? At Sydney Spine & Sports Centre (S3C), our chiropractors and physiotherapists want to make movement feel right again. We are dedicated to achieving this with all our patients.
Read more about Sydney Spine & Sports Centre (S3C):


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The Volterra Reality Capture Workshop run by University of Detroit Mercy professors won the 2017 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Innovation People's Choice Award.
The Reality Capture Workshop (located in the city of Volterra, Italy) is a long-term collaborative project to create a complete digital documentation of a historical city and a methodology for the information dissemination.
The workshop was run by Detroit Mercy Associate Professor of Architecture Wladek Fuchs and Detroit Mercy adjunct professor Mark Dietrick of Case Technologies in Pittsburgh. The project was supported by Autodesk Inc. and Autodesk special projects executive Tristan Randall.
"The entire team was absolutely thrilled about the award," Fuchs said. "We knew from the beginning that what we were doing was unique and worthwhile, but it is always a long way from knowing the value of your work to the recognition at the national level."
The main purpose of the workshop is to provide an international educational and research experience in which students and professionals learn to use innovative reality-capture technologies and collaboratively produce three-dimensional computer models of the ancient city of Volterra.
"The primary goal of the Reality Capture Workshop is to push the technology to the limit in human service. To use the 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry to record and preserve digitally valuable historical sites," Fuchs said. "Volterra is a relatively small city, so our ambition is to actually document it all. There are many reasons for it, too, one of them is the ability to monitor the changes in the historical structures over time, or — if necessary — reconstruction if a natural disaster strikes, like it does quite often in Italy. Another goal is to bring together a multidisciplinary team, where we can all learn from each other.
"The quality of the documentation obtained in the new way allowed us to make some very interesting discoveries about the history of the historical sites in Volterra, and the history of ancient architecture altogether. This is not a goal, but the outcome exceeded our wildest dreams."
Detroit Mercy Architecture students participating in the study abroad program in Volterra were able to help with the workshop.
The workshop is organized by the specialists in the field and with the support of the hardware and software companies.
Participants gained hands-on experience in using laser scanning, drones and cameras to capture the city and some of its treasured artworks into digital models. They were also able experiment with the new, innovative technologies while collaboratively producing digital replicas of the city.
"Detroit Mercy Architecture students actively participated in the workshop, learning how to operate the 3D laser scanner and how to process the data," Fuchs said. "All students who participated in the SOA Volterra study abroad program were also able to work with the 3D point cloud of the site for the studio project."
The workshop also inspired the School of Architecture to incorporate the technology into some of the coursework back in Detroit.
"Inspired by the outcome of the Workshop, the School of Architecture purchased a drone," Fuchs said. "Many students were trained to operate it, so they can use it in their design studio work as well. They are learning aerial photography and photogrammetry.
"Essentially, the technology and the experience of the Reality Capture Workshop has been immediately applied in the SOA coursework and the overall student learning experience."
The Reality Capture Workshop was a unique project, something the AIA jury certainly noticed saying, "This project is extraordinary in its scope and aspiration and a great example of using typical reality capture tools in atypical ways. The historic preservation advances made by recording and filling in research gaps is admirable, highlighting the need for digital capture in the field. The team's ability to build necessary local relationships and effectively deliver on the research questions amplifies their contribution. We are excited to see how the project develops, scales, and becomes more accessible."
Fuchs is looking forward to continuing the work during the next study abroad program.
"I just can't wait to get more data to analyze and discover new things," Fuchs said. "The award is also an encouragement to continue to work. Not that we had any doubt before, but it gives you additional strength. We are organizing the next round of the Reality Capture Workshop in April."
For more information on Detroit Mercy's School of Architecture and its study abroad program please visit their website at architecture.udmercy.edu. To learn more about the Volterra-Detroit Foundation please visit their website at volterra-detroit.org.


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Taliban storm Pak army HQ, 10 killed
Hold security personnel hostage
Afzal Khan writes from Islamabad
Taliban terrorists were on Saturday night holding 10-15 hostages, including security personnel, hours after launching an audacious attack on Pakistan Army's headquarters in nearby Rawalpindi that sparked a fierce gun battle in which a Brigadier and five other armymen were killed.
While the casualties in the shootout following the assault by heavily armed Taliban militants included a Lt Colonel, four terrorists were also killed.
The hostages include some civilian employees in the Army headquarters.
At least eight militants armed with assault rifles and grenades, dressed in military uniform, came in a white van and opened fire when they were challenged by the armymen at a check post near a cricket stadium outside the fortified General Headquarters of army at 1130 hours.
The Army initially claimed that the situation was under control. But in the night Chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas said four to five terrorists were holding about 10 to 15 security personnel and civilian employees hostage in the building. The terrorists are armed and had explosives.
Abbas said troops were taking steps to "save as many lives as possible" but declined to give details.
Asked if the terrorists holed up inside the building had made any demands, Abbas said, "this is too sensitive an issue and I can't share details with the media right now".
On Tehrik-e-Taliban claiming responsibility for the attack, he said: "we don't know about the veracity of the claim and will let you know once the intelligence agencies give their report".
Over nine hours after the assault began, scores of army commandos and policemen surrounded a security office near the heavily guarded General Headquarters complex where the hostages were being held.
There were reports that officials had established contacts with the terrorists to ensure a peaceful resolution of the hostage crisis. The terrorists were asked to surrender unconditionally.
Earlier in the day, the heavily armed terrorists who came in a van, opened fire at a check post after being challenged, killing all soldiers stationed there.
They then left their van and ran towards another check post, sparking a gun battle that lasted 45 minutes.
Four terrorists and six soldiers, including a brigadier and a lieutenant colonel, were killed in the fierce skirmish.
Abbas said a total of eight to 10 terrorists were involved in the attack. Abbas initially told reporters that soldiers had foiled the attempt by terrorists to enter the General Headquarters and that the situation was "fully under control". However, gunfire erupted again shortly after he spoke to the media.
Abbas said there was "some confusion" as the terrorists were wearing "camouflage uniforms".
Scores of soldiers, including commandos of the elite Special Service Group, were deployed for the operation against the remaining terrorists. Police in Islamabad arrested two suspects with links to the attackers and seized army uniforms, detonators and fuses from them, officials said.
The suspects were arrested from a house in Model Town Humak on the outskirts of the federal capital. Officials said they believed the suspects plotted the attack at the house.
A man claiming to represent the Amjad Farooqi faction of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call to Geo News channel.
The caller demanded that the government halt military operations against militants and make former President Pervez Musharraf accountable for his actions.
Amjad Farooqi is a militant who rose to prominence after the 9/11 terror attacks. He has been linked to the abduction and killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl's and attempts on Musharraf's life.
The terrorists tried to gain entry to the heavily fortified General Headquarters by using a street that connects the Mall Road, one of Rawalpindi's main thoroughfares, to the General Headquarters.
Dozens of army commandos in black uniforms and wearing body armour cordoned off the area around the Headquarters, where traffic came to a standstill after the firing began.
Several army helicopters hovered over the area.
All roads leading to the army headquarters were sealed till late in the evening. TV channels beamed deferred footage from the scene as they believed aides of the terrorists could be monitoring the coverage.
Three channels were also taken off air briefly apparently due to concerns over their coverage of the incident.
Observers said the attack showed that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan still had the capability to strike at high-value targets despite the success of military operations against militants in the northwestern Swat valley.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said a wave of suicide attacks and bombings had left the government with no option but to launch a military operation in South Waziristan, the main stronghold of the Taliban.
There was also a key similarity between today's attack and Monday's suicide bombing of the UN food agency's office in Islamabad - in both incidents, the attackers were disguised as security personnel.
IAF can pull a gun on Naxals
But only in self-defence, says Antony
New Delhi, October 10
With the government approving a Home Ministry offensive against Maoists, Defence Minister AK Antony today said the IAF too was all set to get permission to open fire in self-defence during anti-Naxal operations after laying down safeguards and procedures.
However, he reiterated that the government would not involve them in a combat role in the anti-Naxal operations, which was the primary responsibility of the state government and central paramilitary forces.
"After carefully preparing safeguards and operational details, for self defence only, we will give the operational clearance. When we give permission, we will first inform the Air Force," Antony told reporters here on the sidelines of an international flight safety conference organised by the IAF.
"There is no proposal to deploy the armed forces in anti-Naxal operations. The IAF will have a limited role to transport the paramilitary forces and casualty evacuation. There is no proposal to engage the IAF in a combat role in the operations," he said.
The Defence Minister said the government was "very clear that we will avoid deployment of armed forces to maximum extent in internal security situation." Antony said internal security was "purely the primary duty" of state governments and paramilitary forces and that the Centre would extend all help to them.
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik had a fortnight ago sought Defence Ministry's permission to defend air force helicopters and crew members operating in Naxal-hit areas.
The Defence Ministry's stated position is not to use armed forces in internal security role and that the IAF proposal would have to be considered by a higher authority such as the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to permit the IAF to use force to defend itself when attacked by Maoists.
If permitted, the IAF would deploy its Garud special force commando to man the guns to be mounted on the helicopters operating in the Maoist-hit areas for transporting paramilitary personnel and for casualty evacuation. — PTI
'US not to walk away from Afghanistan and Pakistan'
Press Trust of India / Washington October 10, 2009, 13:01 IST
As President Barack Obama reviews the Af-Pak policy, a top US official today said that Washington stands firm on its long-term commitment to the region and US will not walk away from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"We are talking about how to best carry out that commitment, how we can best serve our interests and those in the region," Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley told reporters.
"I have heard no one say that we are prepared to walk away from Afghanistan or Pakistan or the region, expressly because it is in our interest," he said.
"I have heard no US Government official, from the President down wards, say that there's anything but a long-term commitment to the region and a long-term commitment to Afghanistan and Pakistan," Crowley said.
His remarks come as Obama continued his review of the new policy with his top security advisers amidst requests by his army for inducting around 40,000 more troops in Afghanistan.
Given the fact that former Soviet Union left Afghanistan in 1988, leaders from Pakistan and Afghanistan of late have expressed their apprehension that the US may do the same when its objectives in the region to defeat the al-Qaeda and the Taliban are achieved.
"Now, how will we do that best going forward? That is the purpose of these series of meetings and this broad review," he said.
IAF gets the green signal to fire back at Naxals
Vishal Thapar
BIGGER ROLE: Commandos on board IAF helicopters can fire back if attacked by Naxals.
New Delhi: Indian Air Force (IAF) now has the licence to open fire at Naxals but Union Government has added that the permission is limited to returning fire only in self-defence.
The decision to let the IAF fire back on Naxals marks the beginning of the direct use of military force against Left-wing extremists. So far, the role was limited to just providing logistical support to the police force.
Now many massacres later the Union Government has finally given the green signal for the use of lethal military force against the Naxals
"After carefully preparing safeguards and operational details for self defence we will give them (IAF) operational clearance only for self defence," said Defence Minister AK Antony in New Delhi on Saturday
Despite its writ being severely challenged by Naxal attacks across the country, the United Progressive Alliance Government is still very reluctant to go all-out against Left-wing terror.
"There is no question of Air Force engagement in offensive operation in Naxalite situation," added Antony.
IAF helicopters operating in Naxal-hit areas will now be protected by Special Forces commandos on board
"In the helicopters we will be mounting guns. They will be manned by Garud Force which is our expert force and they are the people who will be undertaking this," IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik had said on October 8 at the Hindon Air Force Base during the 77th anniversary celebrations of the IAF.
So the Mi-17 IV chopper will increasingly be used by the IAF to assist police and paramilitaries in operations against Naxals.
The decision also marks the entry of elite Special Forces in the state's combat against Naxalism.
Promote Maj Gen, HC directs Cabinet
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 10
The Delhi High Court has directed the Cabinet to promote a Major General whose elevation was held up after the CBI registered a corruption case against him, to the rank of Lieutenant General within 15 days.
Observing that the government cannot, under the present circumstances, withhold the promotion of Maj Gen AK Kapur, a Division Bench, comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Mool Chand Garg also ruled that if so warranted subsequently, the government was free to initiate action against him in accordance with the law.
While imposing costs of Rs 10,000 on the government, the court also awarded consequential benefits to the petitioner. Consequent to the orders, General Kapur, who would have retired in his present rank at the end of next month, would be able to serve for two more years and occupy the top-most position in the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC).
The CBI had registered an FIR against General Kapur in October 2007 on the basis of sourced information, which the officer contended were anonymous complaints against him. The FIR was lodged just prior to the Special Selection Board (SSB) and the case prompted Army Headquarters to impose a ban on his promotion.
He moved court and in February. The HC directed the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) to re-examine his case and take a fresh decision on the case within a month. Promotion to the ranks of Major General and equivalent and above in the armed forces is done by the ACC on the recommendations forwarded by the respective SSBs.
General Kapur's counsel said while the SSB had recommended his promotion, the ACC did not approve of it even though no fresh evidence or any material detrimental to the petitioner had come up subsequent to the HC's order.
The court had earlier also observed that the SSB was held after the CBI case was registered and it had considered it appropriate to recommend the petitioner for promotion, finding nothing adverse in his career profile.
The petitioner had also contended that the CBI investigations were still underway since the FIR was lodged about two-and-a-half years ago. During hearings, the CBI representative had stated that the agency had sought sanction for prosecution from the government.
Islamabad still not sincere in fighting terror: Antony
LAHORE: Islamabad is still not sincere against terrorism, the Hindustan Times quoted Indian Defence Minister AK Antony as saying on Saturday. He told reporters that Pakistan "has to contain" terrorists operating from its soil. He asked Islamabad to act against terror groups in its own interest and "not to satisfy India". On Saturday's terror attack on Pakistan Army's headquarters in Rawalpindi, Antony said: "This again shows Pakistan should take determined action against terrorists." daily times monitor
GHQ Attack - India Strikes Again
Kashmir Watch, Oct 10
By Zaheerul Hassan
At about 1130 hours on October 10, 2009, a white color Suzuki Car tried to target General Headquarters of Pakistan Army located on Mall Road Rawalpindi. According to the witness the shooting began when a carry vehicle was intercepted by army personnel for routine checking at army check post near GHQ. Four miscreants wearing camouflage uniform opened heavy and indiscriminate fire while sitting in the vehicle. According to Major General Athar Abbas brave soldiers of Pakistan Security Forces killed the terrorist and brought the situation within one hour after sacrificing their lives. The current attack is a series of Indian proxy war against Pakistan and its security Agencies.
The proxy war started when Pakistan security forces achieved splendid victory against Swat militancy and were going to start Operation against Indian sponsored Taliban of Waziristan. It is notable here that it is third attack in two weeks or so. The current wave of sabotage activities are directly linked and sponsored by notorious South Asian agency RAW. There is a chance that RAAM is facilitating its master agency RAW. Earlier, on October 5, 2009, RAW trained terrorist blasted himself outside the UN's World Food Programme offices in Islamabad and then again on 9 October, 2009 at least 50 people were killed and many injured in a suspected bomb blast near a market in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilliani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani strongly condemned the blast and said Pakistan could not be deterred in its effort to fight extremism and terrorism and would continue its quest to bring peace by eliminating the terrorists.
By design, there is a strong perception that attack on Kabul Embassy was launched by Indian intelligence agency to malign Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) agency of Pakistan. The revealed opinion proved correct after listening Afghan Ambassador T Jawad comments to USA's statement given to the PBS news channel on October 8, 2009. In that interview he mentioned that they are pointing the finger at the Pakistan intelligence agency, based on the evidence on the ground and similar attack taking place in Afghanistan. In fact it is a proven fact that Afghanistan and its intelligence agency with the tacit support of RAW is promoting terrorism in FATA, Balochistan and interior Pakistan too. It is mentionable here that Pakistan is facing horrible foreign sponsored militancy. As a result of war against terror more than a thousand of brave Pakistani soldiers and civilians have become victim of militancy. More than 2.8 millions Individuals were internally disabled. According to the sources, the Indian Air Force has stationed its MiG 29 aircrafts at Adampur near the Pakistani border to strengthen its air defence capabilities and minimise reaction time. The deployment of MIG-29 and troops revealed that India may intensify the sabotage activities in the interior Pakistan in the near future and likely to go for Air strikes in already marked areas around GT Road. It is mentionable that BBC, on October 27, displayed a documentary movie regarding the eighth anniversary of the US-led NATO invasion of Afghanistan. It stated that now this war is being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, and "it will soon spread in Pakistan."
New Delhi started this proxy war once Pakistan is on limelight as result of debate on Kerry-Luger Bill. Earlier India also rocked her Embassy at Kabul at the occasion of G-8 conference in July 2008. The nation (including Pak Army) seems united against the objectionable clauses related to Pakistan security. According to the sources John Kerry and Richard Lugar are visiting Islamabad shortly to discuss and remove the bugs and concerns of Pakistan over the bill. Hence, there are likely chances that Obama's administration will re-evaluate and make it acceptable to Pakistani nation and security forces after removing the objectionable clauses. New Delhi never ever digested any success of Pakistani Intelligence agencies and security forces against foreign sponsored militancy and made another try to prove Pakistan as heaven for terrorists. If we visualise and read the South Asian security situation then we can say that basically India has proved herself South Asian Don and is continuously busy in storming terrorism in the region. The recent blasts point out to the Indian intelligence agency collaboration with RAAM and Mossad who collectively have seemed to plan the series of blasts in Afghanistan and Pakistan with a view to use pressure tactics and built opinion to force Washington to refrain from providing economic aid to Islamabad.
Concluding, I must say that World community should ask India to stop backing Hindu Taliban who are playing with the lives of Innocent people. She must know that Pakistan Security Forces are alert enough to meet any kind of potent threat. We salute our forces and those soldiers who scarified their lives for the nation and their Gazi comrades.
Author can be reached at: firstname.lastname@example.com
IAF Jaguars to conduct military exercise with Oman
October 10th, 2009
NEW DELHI - The Indian Air Force's (IAF) deep penetration strike aircraft Jaguar will fly down to Oman this month for a military exercise.
"To further military diplomacy and for addressing issues of inter-operabililty, IAF will be conducting a series of international exercises. Our fighters will be going to Oman for a bilateral exercise," IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik told IANS.
The Royal Omani Air Force is the only other force in the world which still flies the British-built Jaguar, known as Shamsher in the IAF.
About half complement of the squadron, about five or six jets, are likely to go for the exercise to be conducted in the third week of October. The IAF's 'Flaming Arrows' Jaguar squadron will be participating in the exercise.
"With only two air forces flying the combat jets, there have been training exchange programmes with Oman on this front," a senior IAF official said Saturday, requesting anonymity.
India and Oman have agreed to step up cooperation by upgrading their joint military exercises and already have a memorandum of understanding on defence in place. Last year, Oman offered to provide berthing facilities for Indian Navy's warships patrolling the piracy-hit waters off the shores of Somalia.
Oman military personnel are already being trained in Indian military training institutions.
Oman has also been seeking assistance from the Indian armed forces to set up credible supply systems for their defence equipment.
In the line of fire
Saurabh Prashar, TNN 10 October 2009, 12:51pm IST
Proximity to one of north India's oldest Army firing ranges has proved deadly for eight villages in Panchkula. Limbs and lives have been lost.
It's time the soldiers took their target practice elsewhere, say villagers
Ajmer Singh still vividly remembers the day 26 years ago when burning splinters from a mortar shell that detonated in his agricultural field cost him his right hand and an eye. Two others lost their lives in the incident and though he survived , Ajmer, now 40, still lives in fear as blasts continue to shatter the peace of Bhood-Mandlai in Haryana's Panchkula district, some 55 km from Chandigarh.
The area's proximity to one of north India's oldest Army firing ranges has left many scars. A visit to the locality with 400-odd houses reveals cracked walls and heart-rending tales of families left to nurse wounds inflicted in the last 50 years. "Every family here has a victim and yet the administration has ignored our long-standing demand for shifting the firing range," rues Ajmer. The firing range spans 50 km and covers eight villages, a river and more than 50 acres of arable land.
The Army, however, lays the blame squarely on residents for not heeding warnings. Acting spokesperson of Western Command Naresh Vig says, "Villagers and local authorities are informed before any exercise. We take all measures to ensure training is safe but others also have to take precautions."
While village elders blame the men in olive-green , the younger generation isn't so quick to point fingers. They say scavenging for scrap from unexploded shells often proves deadly for villagers. "Casualties are reported when people try to collect metal from live or dead shells," says Bhir Singh, a college-going student of Mandlai. Ved Parkash Bakshi, another local, says that some villagers put damp sacks over fired shells and the resulting explosions have led to many deaths. Official figures of fatalities from this dangerous scrap hunt have been put at 60 since the 1980s. As recently as September 13, three children died after a live shell went off while they were trying to extract metal. In every blast case, the police initiate proceedings under Section 164 of the CrPC (accidental death).
Ram Saroop, who frequently goes to the firing range to collect metal fragments, knows he is playing with fire. "It is poverty that has dragged people like me into this risky job. I know it's dangerous but the money I earn from selling the scrap to junk dealers keeps the kitchen fires burning."
Having stared death in the face 40 years ago, Bachan Singh, 65, still can't believe his lucky escape. He remembers the day his friend, Karma, brought home a shell to pound for its metal. "There was a loud boom and then I woke up in Civil Hospital, Naraingarh, with tiny metal pieces embedded in me. The pain was unbearable." When Bachan got back home without his right arm and eye, he was told that the explosion had thrown Karma five feet in the air, killing him on the spot. Another friend, Amro, was left without four fingers.
Daler Singh, 75, of Pattli Ki Bhood jumps at every loud sound. "It was worse 50 years ago when bombs fell on our houses. In the last 10-odd years, the Army has stopped the practice of firing from tanks," says a relieved Daler.
Though casualties have fallen over the years - the last deaths were reported in 2002, when Ram Sharad, 35, and Nar Singh, 18, of Mandlai were killed - houses bear the brunt of heavy shelling even today. Pointing to the cracked walls in Pattli Ki Bhood, husband of panch Satya Devi, Ajmer Singh (namesake of victim Ajmer), says, "As our village is situated at a height, the impact here is much more than elsewhere."
The Army says it gives villagers enough time to clear out. Major Amit Bedi, who was busy with a mortar-attack training schedule when TOI spoke to him, said the district administration was informed of exercises in advance and a copy of the schedule sent to the tehsil office and the police station concerned. He suggested three solutions to check losses: Increase sources of livelihood, educate people and take strict action against those who cross into the firing range during practice sessions.
The incidents have left the local authorities worried. Says deputy commissioner Pankaj Yadav, "We can't interfere with defence policy but the subject of the firing range will be taken up at the civil-military liaisoning conference to be chaired by principal secretary and top Army officials which will be held after October 13." Some 25 years ago, the defence ministry had reportedly decided to shift around 90 villages from the area but that plan was shelved. For the shellshocked villagers, life's become a minefield.
First person
Ice Station Taurus
One armyman was the rock India built its Siachen castle on
Saikat Datta
In the army, they knew him as 'Bull' Kumar, awed as his mates were by the strength of his thick, muscular neck. Col Narendra Kumar earned this sobriquet at the National Defence Academy, then in Dehradun, during the first boxing match he fought. His rival was a senior cadet, S.F. Rodrigues, who went on to become the chief of army staff. Col Kumar lost the bout, but the 'Bull' epithet stuck.
Since then, Col Kumar has done everything in his long military career to justify the name his colleagues gave him. Like the bull, he loves a challenge, sniffs it even before others can see it, and goes at it in a single-minded pursuit, indifferent to consequences, full tilt, tail up. It was these qualities of his that ensured the Siachen glacier became an integral part of India.
Bull Was There: Narendra Kumar tells the story of all those years in the cold
The heroic story of Col Kumar dates to 1978, when he took a major expedition to the inhospitable glacier. This was six years before India launched Operation Meghdoot to thwart Pakistan's designs on the Siachen glacier. No doubt, he knew the mountains well, commissioned as he had been into the Kumaon Regiment and consequently having spent the better part of his military career surrounded by troops born and bred in the rugged hills of Kumaon. Yet glaciers aren't just stunningly beautiful mountainscape: they can numb, daze and kill you. Col Kumar, posted as the commandant of the army's High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Gulmarg then, knew he was heading into uncharted territory. "This was the first major expedition into the unknown," he says, reminiscing about it in his flat in Delhi. "We had some reports that the Americans were showing Siachen as part of Pakistan in their adventure maps."
What Kumar and his team planned was to reach the glacier's snout, its lowest point, where the ice melts into water, and then trek up the 77 km of treacherous crevasses, mountains, passes and snow-covered peaks to reach the source. The colonel knew the stakes were high, that this mission could decide the future of India's strategic outreach and establish a critical wedge between Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and the swathe of Indian territory the Chinese had occupied in the aftermath of 1962. "Our equipment wasn't the best, we didn't have any maps," he recalls. "We were going in blind and all we had was a rough idea of the peaks which had been named by the British decades ago."
Bound to each other by thick ropes, trekking across the harsh terrain for weeks on end, Col Kumar became the first Indian to climb the Sia Kangri peak, which offers a majestic view of the Siachen glacier. But there was also a surprise awaiting the team—a Japanese mountain expedition facilitated by the Pakistan military had a presence there. After a "sit-rep" (situational report) was dispatched to the army headquarters, the team went from peak to peak, staying ahead of snow avalanches to chart the area.
Bull Kumar led other expeditions till 1984, losing four toes to frostbite. His sacrifice wasn't to go waste.
Cut to 1984: intelligence information convinced the army headquarters that the Pakistanis were planning to militarily occupy Siachen and the heights of the nearby Saltoro ridge. There was evidence: in the autumn of 1983, a team from the Indian army's elite Ladakh Scouts had sighted a Pakistani special forces unit from the ssg in the Siachen area. This prompted the area army headquarters to immediately draw up plans for a major operation in the summer of 1984. The fourth battalion of the Kumaon Regiment was assembled and equipped for Operation Meghdoot, which had as its bulwark Kumar's maps, films and his knowledge of the area.
On April 13, 1984, Operation Meghdoot finally got under way. Air force choppers, their engines clattering in protest at being pushed to the limits of technological possibility at incredible heights, began to drop soldiers at Bilafond La which is today part of the Siachen Base Camp. For the first time in history, India had stamped its claim on the Siachen glacier. The sturdy Kumaonis then trekked up the glacier to secure the two major passes—the Sia La and Gyong La—even as the Pakistanis were scrambling their troops into the region. The Kumaonis moved up the Saltoro ridge, overlooking the approach from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and Sia Kangri to establish posts that would give India the command of the glacier. With hands veritably frozen around their 7.62 mm rifles, Indian troops battled the elements to establish a military foothold in what would become the world's highest battlefield.
"At times, you face impossible choices on the glacier. We always moved in pairs, bound to each other by rope. At one point, my buddy fell into a crevasse. For 45 minutes, I grappled with the idea of dying with him or cutting him loose and saving my life or to hang with him till the cold killed us both. I am glad that I never cut the rope." In those 45 minutes, the buddy crawled up, the duo living to continue their foray from peak to peak.
India needs to modernise military inventory: Minister (Interview)
October 10th, 2009 - 12:36 pm ICT by IANS Tell a Friend -
By Ritu Sharma
Ladakh, Oct 10 (IANS) Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju has expressed concern at the aging inventory of the Indian armed forces and said its modernisation is on the priority list.
With the army's artillery modernisation plan in a limbo for decades, the air defence of the army becoming obsolete and the navy grounding its Sea Harrier combat jets, Raju said the government was alive to the problem.
"We need to modernise very fast. We have problems, with vendors getting blacklisted. These are setbacks. We are aware of the urgent need for modernisation," Raju told IANS in an interview.
The army has been waiting for 23 years for new artillery guns - a crucial element of its modernisation drive. The wait got longer with the blacklisting of artillery manufacturer Singapore Technology whose howitzer was the frontrunner for a Rs.29 billion ($612 million) order for 140 guns.
Singapore Technology was also a contender for a Rs.80-billion order for 400 155mm/52-calibre towed artillery guns as well as the indigenous manufacture of another 1,100 howitzers through the transfer of technology route.
The army had purchased 410 Bofors 155mm howitzers in 1986 but the deal was mired in corruption charges and the name of then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was dragged in. The Supreme Court eventually found no wrongdoing but the taint stuck to Bofors, as a result of which it was not considered for a new order.
Another area of concern is the air defence set-up - required to protect field formations and vital installations - that is approaching obsolescence.
"It (air defence) is one of our shortcomings. We are working on that," Raju said, when asked about the army and air force's obsolete air defence system.
The L-70 air defence gun, which forms the backbone of the air defence system of the army, has been in use for nearly 44 years.
The air force had purchased Pechora missile units from Russia between 1974 and 1990. Most of the units have become defunct due to aging and lack of support.
The navy's aviation has run into problems, with its fleet of Sea Harrier combat jets grounded. The aircraft have met accidents at an alarming rate. Inducted in 1980s, the navy has been left with only 11 aircraft.
"As the fleet ages, problems come up. The Sea Harrier requires to be replaced," the minister added.
A recent crash of the Sea Harrier in the Arabian Sea left a pilot dead.
(Ritu Sharma can be contacted at email@example.com)
Indian Army looks for 'A few Good Officers'
October 8, 2009
Special Forces in Indian Army facing acute manpower crunch
by Christina Palmer
New Delhi—Believe it or not, the otherwise world's 2nd largest army is starving to have just a few good officers in its ranks despite having an overall strength of around 1,100,000 personnel, making it 2nd largest after China and its top brass has now decided to look out for a few good officers to be positioned to its special wings and even the volunteers with high mental and physical strength are being sought after.
According to a national English Daily of India, the Mid Day,The elite Special Force units of the Indian Army need a few extra hands. And the Army has decided to take a strong step.
The Army has planned to compulsorily send two passing-out officers to Special Force (SF) units to maintain the sanctioned strength. Two volunteers from each batch of Indian Military Academy (IMA) and Officers Training Academy (OTA) will be sent to the seven PARA (SF) units.
"SF units require men with very high mental and physical strength. Even highly trained officers from military academies fail to fulfill the criteria set by the Special Forces," said a senior Army officer, wishing anonymity, writes the Mid Day Sources in the Army said, Mid day reports, almost 70 per cent of officers from Seven PARA have been deployed across the country. The PARA have a sanctioned strength of 35 officers but due to the decreasing number of new inductions, most of the units are functioning with only 10 to 12 officers. "These are specialised units and only the best can go through the training. Even though we are heavily short-staffed there is no question of compromising on quality.
Thus the existing strength is made to bear all the strain," said the officer. The strain increases further as the existing officers are sent off to several schools related to battlefield training in the country to undergo mandatory courses and exercises. Consequently, the units are operating with an average strength of five to 10 officers at most times. In some units there has not been any new induction in the last one-and-a-half year. "The criteria to join the SF units are tougher than in any other unit in the Army. More than half of the officers who opt for SF units are rejected in the 90 days probation period," said an Army officer, wishing anonymity.
It remains a fact that most of the Indian army troops are fighting insurgency movements in around a dozen different parts of the country and are sick of this style of warfare. This has raised the level of frustration and depression amongst the officers and soldiers of the Indian army which has lead to the alarming ratio of suicides and killing of fellow colleagues by Indian Army personnel.
A recent article over at the BBC News website claims that the Indian army is loosing more soldiers to suicide than to enemy action. The statistics for this year alone are a bit weird. According to the article, over 72 soldiers have lost their lives in combat this year, but approximately 100 soldiers have committed suicide. So – what's going on then? It seems the key issue is leave, or rather the lack of it. Most experts attribute the growing stress to low morale, bad service conditions, lack of adequate home leave, unattractive pay and a communication gap with superiors. To quote from the article: "Soldiers get angry when they are denied leave and their senior officers themselves take time off. It triggers a reaction, they are well armed and they take their own lives." This one is certainly for the "Weird" category here. Just take a look at the following key statistics:-
Since 2004, 282 soldiers have been killed in militant attacks.
Since 2004, 408 soldiers have taken their lives, killed colleagues or died after colleagues ran amok of the 408 soldiers, 333 killed themselves.
Maybe it's just me, but doesn't this seem a bit wrong to you? Well armed (and trained) soldiers who get bitchy because their leave has been cancelled decide to a) retaliate using their well honed skills, training and equipment or b) kill themselves in protest.
Renu Agal of BBC Hindi service New Delhi describes this phenomenon in these words, "Nobody quite knows why Lt Col Jha pulled the trigger on himself – he had been serving in the military for the past 14 years. According to his mother, Lalita Jha, "there was no tension, no problems. I just can't understand why he did it". He is far from the only soldier to take his own life this year – Capt Sunit Kohli, Maj Sobha Rani, Lt Sushmita Chatterjee… the list goes on. In fact, the Indian army is losing more soldiers in these incidents than in action against the enemy.
The army has lost 72 soldiers to enemy attacks so far this year. But over 100 soldiers have already taken their lives. In addition, another 32 have been killed by their colleagues.
What is happening to the army? The million-strong force is clearly under tremendous stress. Though it has not fought a full-blown war in decades, the force is bogged down in fighting domestic insurgencies, guarding restive borders and sometimes quelling civilian rioting.
Most experts attribute the growing stress to low morale, bad service conditions, lack of adequate home leave, unattractive pay and a communication gap with superiors. Retired Maj Gen Afsar Karim, who has fought three wars, says that the stress may be high among soldiers because of lack of leave.
"The army is involved in a [difficult] long running internal security environment. There is lack of rest and they get very little leave. Lack of leave increases his stress," he says. "Soldiers get angry when they are denied leave and their officers themselves take time off. It triggers a reaction, they are well armed and they take their own lives.''
Then there is the question of what many say is low pay – starting salaries in many jobs in middle-class India are double that of a new soldier, and for many of them the army no longer holds out the promise of a good life. Retired Maj Gen Karim suspects that with the increase in numbers of soldiers, cohesiveness is being eroded. "In our times, we used to know the names of our soldiers, where they came from. We used to meet their families, but now the army has expanded manifold and this cohesiveness is gone," he says, on what precisely is causing these soldier deaths. Lalita Jha, mother of Pankaj Jha, hopes that she will find out more about her son's suicide. "I am sure the army will look into the matter and find out what happened," she says.
Before more soldiers take their lives, one hopes. Although the Indian Army top brass has now come up with a unique experiment of posting glam girls ( Prostitutes) to meet the natural desires of male soldiers, (http://www.dailymailnews.com/0909/08/FrontPage/FrontPage5.php) yet it is still looking for "a few good men" to care of its elite combat wings as nobody with a slightly higher caliber in the Indian army is not willing to serve there.


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We know that there's a number of activities and things to do in New York, but somethings are simply not worth missing out on.
Here are 10 Reasons you can't miss the Brooklyn Home Tours:
- Get inspired! Thinking about building a new home or undertaking a renovation? Meet the architect or designer who can bring your design to life!
- Take in impactful and astonishing views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan skylines unlike any you've seen before.
- Preview a restaurant in Williamsburg before it opens to the public. Freehold will be opening its doors to an exclusive space where you can listen to the architects and designers speak about each of the homes at Meet the Architects Night.
- Ever experienced a shower with a ceiling exposed to the sky? Come stand in a transformational bathroom that makes you feel as though you are in an Amazonian Waterfall.
- Learn what it took for a home to achieve LEED GOLD certification, with a façade made of recycled wood from the Coney Island Boardwalk to comfortable outdoor lounge chairs made of orange construction fencing.
- Meet skilled millworkers and designers from around Brooklyn. See their craftsmanship in-person and have them build your next custom piece of furniture.
- Discover a Red Hook home that helped to establish new building code and galvanized the future of home building in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
- Start your day of right by taking a trip on the Manhattan ferry to Greenpoint, closely located to the ticket pickup at the Brooklyn Expo Center.
- Spend a charming May day walking through Brooklyn taking in the different neighborhoods of the borough. See how homes differ from Williamsburg to Red Hook.
- Experience the pages of Dwell in real life.
Originally submitted by Dwell Staff


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Corporate partners, delighted with our innovative approach
"Absolutely superb. Whilst the sessions were fun, when you stepped back to look at the bigger picture, I could see how this related to the way we work as individuals and in teams. I found the day most successful." –Participant in staff development day
Whether you're in the public, private or voluntary sectors, you can benefit from our team events and staff support services, including:
- Employee Assistance Programmes
- Team development events
- Office choirs
- Coaching
Offering staff access to on-site therapeutic services such as Art, Drama or Music Therapy can lessen days lost to sick leave or stress. This can improve productivity and output, whilst also taking care of an organisation's most precious asset – it's employees.
"This proved to be such a valuable part of the leadership and team development on our leadership programme and we would be looking to use Chroma's approach again" – Nurse Training Lead, NHS Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Uni Health Board


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Below are forms available for download. To save as a PDF simply right click on the text and select "Save Target As". To open in a new window, right click and select "Open In New Window".
NOTE: To view the PDF files, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. If you do not have it, please click on the link below to download it for free.
Adobe Acrobat Reader: www.adobe.com/products/reader


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The Port of Galveston Parking Lots. Once you park your vehicle, a complimentary shuttle bus will quickly bring you to the Terminal. If you wish to go directly to the parking lots upon arrival at the Port, the Port's shuttles can transport you, your party, and luggage directly to the Cruise Terminal for check-in. While on the cruise, your vehicle will be parked in a safe and secure parking lot that is patrolled 24/7 by the Port's Police Department.
Galveston Park N Cruise is the closest parking lot to the cruise ship terminal. The gated lots and carports are first class but for those who want the best, they offer the ONLY secured INDOOR PARKING available. For your convenience you may first drop off your luggage and passengers at the terminal. Porters will be there to assist you. Or you may go directly to the lot and park, then just simply walk across the street to begin your fun.
Directions to the Cruise Terminals:
Driving from the East:Take State Highway 87 West to Galveston Island.
Use the Port Bolivar vehicle ferry system. (Please allow additional time for delays at the ferry landing). Exit the ferry onto Ferry Road / Highway 87. Turn right onto Harborside Drive. Continue approximately 20 city blocks. Turn right onto Kempner / 22nd Street and continue to the cruise terminal Cruise Parking.
Driving from the North & West:Take Interstate 45 South to Galveston Island.
Take Exit 1C. Follow the Exit 1C feeder road to Harborside Drive (Highway 275). Turn left onto Harborside Drive. Continue 4.7 miles to Kempner / 22nd Street. Turn left on Kempner / 22nd Street and follow to the Cruise Terminals.
For GPS or Map, please input the following information to find the correct locations:
Cruise terminals - 22nd Street and Harborside Drive. Parking lots - 33rd Street and Harborside Drive.


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Benedict Cumberbatch must be one of the oddest-sounding names in the acting profession. It puts you in mind of a flamboyant gentleman's outfitters on Savile Row, or an undertaker in Dickens. So much so that his father chose Carlton instead as his stage name because it cast fewer shadows. But his 36-year-old son has made his unusual moniker part and parcel of the beguiling spell he currently casts over audiences. Neither he nor the name are traditional leading-man material. Those slanty blue-green eyes and hollow cheekbones, and that freckly ginger colouring make him, he has remarked, a dead ringer for Shergar, the missing-presumed-dead racehorse.
One critic spotted his passing resemblance to Sid the sloth in Ice Age, while a blogger likened him to an otter. News that he is to appear in next year's Star Trek sequel-of-the-sequel-of-the-sequel is causing a flurry of "looks like" pairings of photographs with Mr Spock. Most, it should be said, have been posted by men. With the opposite sex, the star of Atonement, War Horse, Sherlock, and now the new, upmarket TV adaptation of Ford Madox Ford's Parade's End, can boast a 30,000-strong Twitter fan club called the Cumberbitches. There's that unlikely name proving its worth again. Carlton wouldn't have lent itself so easily to manipulation, but then it might have provided a bit more cover now that Cumberbatch's every move makes headlines and is accompanied by the sort of hysteria usually reserved for boy bands.
Perhaps the desire to establish a few boundaries between himself and his public is why Cumberbatch – or Bandersnatch Cummerbund as The Washington Post recently dubbed him (the pun is more obscure than your standard Private Eye corruption, but it is testament to his global reach) – has of late started sounding a bit sour. Once he gave charming, modest interviews fanning the flames by revealing that he had "been broody since the age of 12".
Of late, he has been straining to dispel his lovely-boy-next-door reputation. First he lashed out at Downton Abbey as "atrocious" – a kick in the teeth for the Sunday evening audiences who have propelled him to Hollywood stardom. Worse, he used the
F-word in his attack on the serial. This is the man who used to be unable even to allow "Cumberbitches" to pass his cupid-bow lips, referring to them as Cumberbabes instead. Then he split with Olivia Poulet, his actress girlfriend since drama school (she plays Emma Messinger in The Thick of It). There is a well-established cliché of men who achieve fame dumping the women who supported them on the way up, and Ben Batch, as the red-top gossip columnists refer to him, has started playing up to the image of Cumber-batchelor (sorry, it's catching).
He has been photographed on the red carpet with fashion designer Anna Jones and, more recently, with Lydia Hearst, the inevitable supermodel, on his arm. Next he took a lazy swipe in the forthcoming issue of Reader's Digest at the Prime Minister – decrying "fat-faced flatulent Cameron's efforts at Toryism". Hardly Sherlock-like analysis. Given his own chiselled facial bones, it felt a bit cheap – like Keira Knightley picking on Ann Widdecombe because of her looks. And finally, he has been busy bemoaning, as an Old Harrovian, "posh-bashing" and threatening to decamp for America. But if there is a strategy here to cool things down with his fan base – and, remember, Cumberbatch "toyed very seriously with the idea" of being a barrister, and so knows his way round conjuring an argument out of nothing – then it seems to have backfired. It has only made us love him even more. The Guardian, no less, has done him the compliment of praising his defence of those born with a silver spoon, while Julian Fellowes – a more predictable defender of the upper crust – has laughed off Cumberbatch's tantrum over Downton. "I have known Benedict since he was a little boy and I couldn't be fonder of him," he said this week. The thing with The Batch is that he is so obviously much more than the latest posh, pretty(ish)-boy English actor lapping up his 15 minutes of top-billing.
He effortlessly blurs the line between being a leading man and a character actor. Usually, you do the first young and briefly, then fade from memory, or you bide your time until jawlines sag before making your mark. Cumberbatch seems to have pulled off both at once. Take his choice of roles. He has studiously avoided the Hugh Grant, foppish rom-com route. And he manages, when the part requires it (notably in Sherlock), to carry an asexual air with him. Moreover, he avoids the obvious – giving a wide berth to efforts to make him David Tennant's successor as Doctor Who – and goes instead for unlikely and potentially unlikeable parts. His Holmes could, in less subtle hands, have seemed remote and somewhere on the autistic spectrum.
He won plaudits for his Vincent Van Gogh in 2010's Painted With Words, and awards for playing both Victor Frankenstein and his monster in Danny Boyle's National Theatre adaptation of Mary Shelley's Gothic horror novel. His latest role – opposite childhood friend Rebecca Hall – as the repressed and cuckolded Christopher Tietjens in Parade's End continues this theme of playing characters that aren't immediate audience-pleasers, and yet finding in their tragedy a human warmth.
As an actor, he's more Daniel Day-Lewis than Daniel Craig. And for all his recent posturing on posh-bashing (his description of "roughing it" by going to Manchester University rather than Oxbridge is priceless), Cumberbatch isn't nearly as grand as that surname and his alma mater might suggest. His parents are jobbing actors. Timothy Carlton's long list of credits rings few bells, while his mother, Wanda Ventham, is still routinely tagged as having played Cassandra's mum in Only Fools and Horses. She took well-paid roles on TV and in West End farces to pay the school fees, in preference to the RSC, he has said, but the couple still needed a scholarship to send young Benedict to Harrow.
The choice arose, he explained, after his prep school head recommended it as the antidote to the "hyperactive nightmare" that gripped him as a child. So placing him isn't as easy as it first appears, or sounds. Whether he's billed as Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Carlton or Ben Batch, there is that chameleon-like quality about him that seems set to prove far more enduring and intriguing for audiences than his angular, slightly wonky features, his current run of high-profile roles, or even his clumsy attempts to make us stop liking him.
Parade's End starts on BBC2 on August 24


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Tulip Trade Event also in 2019 in your agenda! 20 till 22 March 2019
Tulip breeding will be highlighted for three days during the Tulip Trade Event. In March 2019, exporters and breeders countrywide will hold their open days at the same time. The Tulip Trade Event is already set to become the business promotional platform for the tulip sector and will held the forth edition in 2019.
It will be particularly convenient and efficient for overseas business partners, who can easily view the full product range of all their potential trading partners in the Netherlands in just a few days.
Are you looking for more information about who will be participating? Would you like to plan your trip? Then click here
A diverse range of businesses from some parts of the Netherlands will participate in the Tulip Trade Event. The map clearly indicates the location of the various exporters and breeders. This will enable you to arrange your visit to the Tulip Trade Event and help you plan which companies you would like to visit.
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I recorded this interview with Sarah in the early morning hours of Tuesday, November 20th 2012. It was much later in the day for her. While we were talking she said she could hear the sounds of gunfire and possibly shells just blocks away from where she was staying. She says when the sound of shells pick up, she and the rest of her family gather in a room together in an attempt to spend the possibly last few moments of her life together.
[NOTE: I'm continuing to effort interviews with Israelis to present a balanced view on this vlog. Right now, interview requests are pending, responses are slow.]


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I read. Shocking, isn't it?
I could see their point if I wrote horrible reviews of competitors books, but that's not how I roll. Seriously, my mother taught me "If you can't say something good it's better to say nothing at all." Even if I don't like something other people might, and I try to always find something positive to say. If I don't like anything about a book I'd rather keep my mouth shut, and I generally don't write reviews giving less than three stars.
When it comes to products that fall apart within two minutes of delivery I can be a little harsher, but not when it's about books. Someone poured a little part of themselves into writing, and differing tastes is no reason to be rude.
What do you think? Agree? Disagree?


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Ducati is preparing for the new riding season with the "Ducati Dream Tours" -- a weekend getaway that combines the pleasure of riding a Ducati unit across the renowned roads surrounding Bologna and the memorable experience of visiting the popular Italian motorcycle Factory and Museum. The adventure begins on Friday with lunch at the Ducati Factory, prior to a guided tour of the legendary home and Museum of Ducati motorcycles in Borgo Panigale, Bologna.
Guests can then pick up their pre-selected Ducati motorcycle and travel on a guided-ride through "Motor Valley", also known as the Apennines of Emilia Romagna, to the hotel of "Monte del Re" in Dozza.
The gorgeous hotel was converted from a classic 13th-century monastery. It is popular for its regional cuisine. On Saturday, guests can experience guided rides into the mountains along roads which official Ducati test riders themselves have recommended. Lunch will be held in the countryside before returning to the hotel riding a Ducati.
Sunday's tour has the same schedule, but guests return to the Ducati factory late in the afternoon. The Ducati Dream Tour is a great option for those who want a luxurious and seamlessly organized Italian motorcycling weekend holiday. In line with the Ducati Travel Experience program, the well-known Italian brand provides an array of models for the tours such as the Hypermotard 796, Monster 1100EVO, Multistrada 1200 Touring and Diavel.


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DAYTONA BEACH -- As one might expect in a city of 61,000, scores of churches dot the neighborhoods of this tourist destination – but only one is known as the "church where you can get the cross."
For the last seven years, Community UMC has been the source of a free cross pendant necklace that's touched lives not only in the surrounding community but across the city, state and beyond.
"It's an opportunity just to simply share and witness for Jesus," says Pastor Ken Zimmerman, who started the practice after seeing a woman personally engaged in a similar ministry at First UMC, Tarpon Springs, on the west coast of Florida. "We've had folks take them back overseas and come back and ask for more."
The practice is simple: Church members wear a cross necklace that they can then give to others when an opportunity to share the message of Jesus presents itself, although Zimmerman makes sure to add it's not a heavy-handed practice.
"There's no need to pound it into anyone," he says.
First-time guests at a worship service at Community UMC also receive a cross necklace as a welcome gift, with instructions to "wear and share." And when community members arrive at the church to benefit from its outreach programs, including a food pantry, they receive a cross necklace as well. In fact, people have stopped by just for a necklace and nothing else.
"We always ask them if you know what it's about," Zimmerman says.
Although Zimmerman says a common initial response when someone is offered a necklace is "No, I can't take it," about 12,500 necklaces have been given away in the last seven years.
The inexpensive gifts are ordered from a catalog company and provided by an individual church member no longer in Daytona Beach.
People from all walks of life – motorcycle riders, Vietnam veterans, teachers and panhandlers -- all sport the symbol of Jesus' love for humankind.
"It crosses all socioeconomic (groups)," Zimmerman says.
If church members have given away their cross within any given week, they can share their stories at Sunday worship during a time set aside for "cross testimonies." Members can then choose to get another cross to share.
People facing homelessness have come back to the church as a result of being given a necklace, Zimmerman says. And even children, like the 6-year-old who gave a necklace to a panhandler, are moved by the practice.
It's a tradition that's spreading, as other churches adopt their own cross necklace ministry. Churches in The Villages and Lakeland, as well as in the state of Tennessee, have started sharing cross necklaces, according to Zimmerman.
As for Community UMC, the tradition has, quite literally, become linked with its name: The image of the cross from the necklace has been incorporated into the church's printed material.
– Karen L. Shaw is a freelance writer based in Tampa.