text:
New Didi Games
Wedding Banquet That you are a smart waitress one or two enthusiasts wedding party will probably store with your motel. Before long design along with enhance the marriage banquet. They'll appear quickly!
Grocery list You have sixty just a few seconds to receive ones toiletries. Bear in mind this listing along with acquire the items. Obtain every item on the shopping list to maneuver to another degree.
Design Your Wedding Food Perhaps dream about ones wedding party? Beautify the marriage food using carnations bells along with candle lights!
Wedding Food Design Beautify the many wedding party cakes or even decide on only your preferred one!
Wedding Food Design The particular nicest section of a wedding wedding is of course the marriage food! Perhaps you have observed a wedding devoid of one? Just about every pair need a terrific food since it signify their particular lifetime along with style. Be sure that you make the best food get good at!
The Wedding Food A wedding food is the most crucial section of a wedding wedding! Thus it must be the two delectable along with amazing that company should be fascinated! Considering those truth My spouse and i decided to enhance my own wedding party food wanna assist us suppose I would like many brilliant concepts!
Wedding Food Have you any idea why the many wedding party cakes glimpse wonderful? Because it will take many hours to ready a wedding food! The particular pastry cook Jacques is requesting ones assist upon adorning one of these cakes… Display them ones ability along with do your easiest in order to want the newest […]
Dream Wedding Design What exactly is ones aspiration wedding ceremony? Today you might have the opportunity to design along with enhance your own personal wedding party world. We should play this fun adorning sport for ladies!
Fairy Wedding gown Way up Engage in this fun fairy stunning wedding dress upward video game titles for young lady. This particular pretty fairy pair is possessing their particular wedding party from the forest. Make sure you dress up this wonderful new bride along with fine groom. They'll glimpse ideal for this big day. Enjoy […]
Dream Beach Wedding Heavens Breeze offers decided on a wonderful spot to be with her big day but now the lady must obtain the excellent dress. Support the girl make a decision things to have on to be with her excellent illusion wedding party. She is acquired the sun's rays the sea and a lot […]


text:
Apparently, a lot of people think the Toyota iQ is a good idea.
Our original post on the minuscule Toyota questioned whether or not the car made sense for the United States, especially with gas prices well below the $4-per-gallon mark.
I remain skeptical, even though a lot of great comments made valid arguments. If one thing can change my mind, though, it's Aston Martin.
The elite car maker is taking the tiny iQ and giving it a new super-luxo skin, complete with a new grill, headlights, trademark side vents, leather interior, and an all-new name: the Cygnet. Go ahead and laugh if you want – I did when I heard Rolls-Royce was decking out a set of MINI Coopers – but Aston Martin's reworking of the iQ looks like it's going to work.
At first, the Cygnet will be offered only to existing Aston Martin customers at a price of about $33,000. Only time will tell if they'll make them available to the public. The iQ, though, should make it to the U.S. as a Scion in late 2010, as a 2011 model.
I still think the iQ and Cygnet are just too small for the United States, but this comment from reader Jerry Zabin and others like it are pretty convincing:
I just returned from Berlin and I saw the Toyota IQ up close. LOVE IT!!! If this car becomes available in the U.S., I am a definite buyer! Gas prices continue to rise and this car would fit the bill. With US carmakers in peril, it is no wonder…the day of the gas guzzler has passed! In Berlin, gas is nearly $5.25/gallon and you rarely see large cars on the road. Let's get with it America….conservation is no longer optional, it is necessary. The Toyota IQ fits the bill!
If you're like me, you'll take Aston Martin's endorsement of the iQ to heart. Maybe there's something to this small-car thing after all.
Will a $33,000 rebadged Toyota hurt Aston Martin's credibility?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Your browser does not support iframes.
In October, America celebrates the harvest, specifically initiatives to put healthy, locally grown food on our children's plates at school. And it all starts with America's farmers and ranchers.
Many of us who raise our own food, whether in a pot or a small garden, do so as a hobby. If there's too much heat, not enough rain or too many pests, we are disappointed and frustrated, but the love of growing fresh, nutritious foods pulls us through tough times.
It appears, we, Lancaster County, spent two or three thousand bucks in an attempt to determine why the folks across the Catawba don't want us to play on their team or come to their party.
To tell the truth, I seriously doubt if York, Chester and Fairfield counties give a hoot and holler whether any new development ever lands on this side of Interstate 77.
I haven't written to the newspaper in several years. I enjoyed Kershaw resident Charles Ussery's column about the Heath Springs High School's football team during the 1950s. I wanted to let him know how much I liked the column, but I got busy and did not write anything.
Upon moving to Indian Land, I knew I wanted to get involved in my community.
I came across an article in the local paper for an eight-month leadership program sponsored by the Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce.
During the course of the program, I was given the opportunity to see how the county operates and how I could get involved.
I bring a background that includes management skills, operations and budgeting, negotiations, sales and marketing and my most valuable skill, common sense.
I heard on television about a man exposing himself to someone at a large department store and how officials were trying to find him.
I don't know the whole story on that situation, but I've witnessed something, that to me, was just as bad.
Recently, I was walking out of a store after my husband and I bought groceries. A boy about the age of 12 or 13 was waiting for either his mother or sister, who was still in the checkout line.
No matter where I look, taxes and spending are out of control. We need someone who will stop the madness and make government live within its means. I'm proud of the job that our county's Congressman Mick Mulvaney, is doing and I want to elect more people like him at all levels of government.
We need to elect John Hess to Lancaster County Council because he's a local businessman and financial consultant.
I would like to make a comment about Sen. Greg Gregory's recent columns on the road situation in South Carolina. He never mentioned the roads in Kershaw.
No one ever offers to fix the roads around Kershaw. In his columns, he mentioned S.C. 200, why not Highway 601?
Overbrook is ungodly and yet the state will not fix either one of them. We pay $30 road fees and the money is not used to fix our bad roads.
My name is Evelyn Alvarez and I am a student at B. Gale Wilson Elementary School in Fairfield, Calif. I am in the fifth grade and Ms. Andrus is my teacher.
When I'm not in school, I like to play with my dogs after school. My favorite hobbies are to read and draw.
People say I am a great artist. I think that's true. The nicest thing someone said is I'm like Leonardo Da Vinci, but a girl.
I have only been a part of the community in Lancaster County a few months. Even before I came to interview for the job of executive director of HOPE (Helping Other People Effectively) in Lancaster Inc., I checked out the organization in the archives of The Lancaster News. It was so helpful to see that HOPE was so well supported by the newspaper.
As a young girl growing up in the South, my parents frequently felt the need to share their "words of wisdom." The phrase, "there are always two sides to a story" resonates in my mind today.
The TreeTops debacle comes to mind as there is another story behind the Aug. 31 story in The Lancaster News.
This story does not deal with developers, schools, roads or money. It is about democracy and how this form of government failed in the TreeTops situation.
Copyright © 2019
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


text:
|Roasted potato wedges make a tasty side dish.
|Naturally gluten-free roasted potatoes.
Sea Salt Roasted Blue, Red and Gold Potatoes
Comfort food doesn't get any easier. This is fast food at its best.
A bag of tri-colored potatoes
Good extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
Slice and toss smallish blue, red and gold potatoes in some tasty extra virgin olive oil.
Pour them into a roasting pan and arrange the potatoes into a single layer.
Roast until they turn crispy and tender. We stirred them half way through baking time, to make sure each slice was happy and golden. It took, maybe, 30-45 minutes at 375º F. [Remember, we're at high altitude - cooking time for you might vary.]
Season with sea salt.
How did the blue potatoes taste? Different (which did surprise us) and quite delicious. We both loved the more intense root taste. All three colors were sweet and almost buttery. Melt-in-your-mouth winter comfort.
And the best part? Naturally gluten-free.


text:
HERMES VIREVOLTE BAGCategories:Other Brands
Just like great opportunities in life, it only comes once in a while. Hermes rarely introduces new handbags and when they do, we're excited.
The brand needs no introduction about its impeccable quality and sophisticated craftsmanship. And they're famous for holding a waiting list of a waiting list. But here it is, from the Spring Summer 2015 Collection, please meet the Hermes Virevolte Bag.
What is that?
It's a bag with complex shape, never-seen-before. It's a bit slouchy but do not get confused as it's made from leather. This bag holds shape!
The handles are made to sling and it can be adjusted with the buckle anytime you want. It also comes with a shoulder strap to wear on the shoulder.
What's interesting, is the fastening mechanism on the front, which has been luxuriously designed with natural hunter cowhide. When opened, you can find one large inside pocket and that's it. But given the dimensions of the bag, it can hold plenty of your essentials.
Made from Swift Calfskin and Clemence Bull Calfskin, this is another piece of art. The back of the bag is embellished with white stitches, is this for decoration purpose?
The size is 29 x 42,5 x 14,5 (L x H x D) in cm, priced at $5850 USD, €3750 euro, £3430 GBP and via Hermes boutique.


text:
Microsoft | Freeproductkeys | Twitter | Facebook | Google Plus | YouTube | LindedIn | RSS | Windows 10 Key Online | 100% Valid Windows 7 Key |
Product Key Number for Windows 7 - Find and See
How to Find and See the Windows 7 Product Key Number
Published by Brink
29 Mar 2011
|29 Mar 2011
Piriforms Speccy will also show you the product key used under "Operating System".
|My System Specs
|29 Mar 2011
Thank you Aaron. I shall add it to the tut later today. :)
|My System Specs
|23 Apr 2011
Win 7 Ult + Starter, XP Pro +Home, 2kAS, Linux Mint 8, SuperOS
Another free system audit tool which shows product keys for Windows, Office and some other installed software is:
Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit
After downloading and running the tool, it produces a report which displays in your browser. It also shows installed, and missing critical and important updates, and other software that is installed on your PC.
|My System Specs
|05 Jul 2011
Hello Shawn -
Think I'm confused -again! :) Found this thread about Product Keys and Default Product Keys.
Install RTM, then activate w/ key in October?
I have a store bought Vaio pre-installed with 7 Pro x64. PK on OEM sticker (bottom of laptop) starts off with VYPxx -xxxxx etc. However, Speccy shows PK as H9Mxx-xxxxx etc. But Magical Jelly Bean makes no mention of a Product Key, just a Default PK (starting with H9Mxx-xxxxx etc - same as Speccy) and a Default PK2 (starting with HYFxx-xxxxx etc.) Neither Speccy nor MJB make any reference to PK on OEM sticker. To confuse matters more, SIW and Belarc both show HFYxx-xxxxx (the MJB Default PK2) as my Product Key.
If I ever need to reactivate, do I still use the PK on OEM sticker? And why two different Default PKs with no mention of OEM sticker PK?
|My System Specs
|05 Jul 2011
Hello Lee,
A OEM will use a volume license key to activate with to allow them to clone Windows 7 preactivated to make the factory installation process faster on the assembly line. This key is the same for all of the OEM computers with the same model number. This is the default product key used to activate Windows 7 from the factory.
The product key on the sticker on a OEM computer is provided by the OEM, and can only be used on that specific computer.
You could use either number to activate the Windows 7 with on that computer though. :)
|My System Specs
|05 Jul 2011
Ah-hah! (Lightbulb becoming illuminated.) I completely forgot about mass production and VLKs. Thank you, Shawn.
|My System Specs
|05 Jul 2011
MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
Here's another small, non-install program that I've grown fond of:
ProduKey - Recover lost product key (CD-Key) of Windows/MS-Office/SQL Server
|My System Specs
|05 Jul 2011
Already in the list in the tutorial.
|My System Specs
|Thread Tools
|Similar help and support threads
how to get a Win 7 Pro ISO with only hp product number
Hello! I have an HP elitebook 8460p for which I have a product number for Win 7 Pro, but I would like to be able to download the OS in ISO form to perform a clean installation. For that I need 25 numbers from the OS DVD and the product number does not fill the requirement. How do I do...
|General Discussion
Product Key Number - Uninstall and Deactivate in Windows
How to Uninstall the Product Key Number and Deactivate Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 This will show you how to uninstall the product key number of a local or remote Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 computer so it will no longer be activated by that product key and left in a unactivated...
Win XP Product Key Number-How to find it
Greetings, I have a Win XP disc that I purchased with a computer some time ago. I have purchased a number of Win XP computers over the years. I can't seem to find the product ID. I want to install it a a virtual machine on Win 7. Any idea on how to get the product ID? Thank you. ...
Product Key Number - Change
How to Change the Product Key Number in Windows 7 This will show you how to change the product key number in Windows 7 so that you can use another product key number to activate your Windows 7 with instead. This can be helpful if you have entered the incorrect or no product key number...
Changing product/serial number on Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
Hi all, New here, I hope that this is the right place for this. I bought a machine a short while ago and it has come up with a popup saying that 'You may be a victim of software couterfeiting' and also on the bottom right corner I have the Windows 7 build 7601 'This copy of Windows is not...
|Windows Updates & Activation
|Our Sites
|Site Links
|About Us
|Find Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:52.


text:
Main Content:
Women's Dress and Skirt Sale
Gap Women's Dress and Skirt Sale
Find some of our prettiest women's dresses on sale at Gap.
Women's Dresses on Sale Gap Collection
Savvy shoppers love our dresses for women sale event. Save money on the latest dress styles and trends. Find a variety of looks in this selection including sleeveless and long-sleeve versions. These gorgeous dresses are available in fashionable black, gray and white solids, as well as bright prints, stripes and dots. Our dresses represent the latest trends in color and design. This style assortment gives you a choice of tank dresses, maxi dresses, shifts, sheath dresses and more. Whether you want a dress for a special occasion or want to expand your wardrobe for work or casual occasions, we have what you want.
Discount women's dresses are made from a variety of fabrics including 100% natural cotton and cotton blends. Busy women love the fact that our dresses are washable and require very little care. The dresses we offer on sale have the designer features women want in their clothing. Find shirring, double stitched pleats and top stitching, hidden zippers and more. Our dresses feature slim silhouettes in a variety of lengths so that you can find the look you want. Our dress sizes range from regular to petite, plus, maternity and juniors. You'll be so happy you found these sale dresses that are made with such quality construction.
Style Tips
The best possible fit for the woman who wants versatile fashion is what you find with the dresses on sale from Gap. Make a great buy on dresses you can wear for a variety of occasions. Add a jacket and heels for any work event. Wear a belt with our dresses and some flats and you're all set for lunch with your friends or an afternoon of sightseeing. Our gorgeous outlet women's dresses look amazing when you pair them with a waist length, unbuttoned cardigan. Try the latest trend of pinning some faux flowers to the top corner of the dress bodice or place them at the waist. Our mid length sale dresses can be worn in any season. For warm weather, slip on a pair of summer wedges with one of our dresses and tie the whole look together with a simple straw bag and a fun straw hat. For cold weather, add boots, tights and a long sweater for the ultimate in chic.
Get the fit and style you want at affordable prices when you shop for women's dresses on sale at Gap.


text:
Greg Mitchell on media, politics, film, music, TV, comedy and more. "Not here, not here the darkness, in this twittering world." -- T.S. Eliot
Thursday, December 27, 2007
'NYT' admits: Ron Paul not a neo-Nazi
"A post in The Medium that appeared on Monday about the Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul and his purported adoption by white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups contained several errors. Stormfront, which describes itself as a 'white nationalist' Internet community, did not give money to Ron Paul's presidential campaign; according to Jesse Benton, a spokesman for Paul's campaign, it was Don Black, the founder of Stormfront, who donated $500 to Paul. "The original post also repeated a string of assertions by Bill White, the commander of the American National Socialist Workers Party, including the allegation that Paul meets regularly 'with members of the Stormfront set, American Renaissance, the Institute for Historic Review and others' at a restaurant in Arlington, Va. Paul never attended these dinners, according to Benton, who also says that Paul has never knowingly met Bill White. Norman Singleton, a congressional aide in Paul's office, says that he met Bill White at a dinner gathering of conservatives several years ago, after which Singleton expressed his indignation at the views espoused by White to the organizer of the dinner. The original post should not have been published with these unverified assertions and without any response from Paul."
15 comments:
- arty said...
More and more, the NYT Magazine and the Internet seem to be made for each other, in the worst sense.
The thing is driven by its quest for "buzz," whether through photography, typography, or just running downright lazy, stupid text.
On the positive side, it sells lots of ads, as do NFL games on TV.
- Thursday, December 27, 2007
- Frank said...
Of course Ron Paul is not a neo-Nazi. I am stunned that the NYT would even consider suggesting it. It makes me question the NYT's motives. Ron Paul represents a real threat to corporatism; the New York Times Company owns almost two dozen regional newspapers (15 dailies). That represents a lot of power (if "information" is power). When the political and economic power of a country rests in the hands of such groups, then a corporatist system is in place. Ron Paul has pledged to tackle corporatism and return government to its constitutional role. I can see why some might want to smear Ron Paul's name.
- Thursday, December 27, 2007
It's good to know "The gray old lady" is just as neglidgible as the rest of them; and certainly willing to slam a candidate before they check their sources.
The american public is just shocked by this. I'll tell ya, we're all just shocked.
- Thursday, December 27, 2007
I have yet to see a favorable piece done on the only honest politician I have ever seen (Ron Paul). Fox news smears him whenever they mention his name and most other big media do worse they ignore him. This is just one more of those hit pieces. The media is trying to make up your mind for who to vote for. Its pretty sickening that they can get away with it. If an honest politician like Paul gets slammed for wanting to bring back the US Constitution and the Bill of Right then this country is in bigger xxxx than you know.
- Thursday, December 27, 2007
Ron Paul is a big fat liar and would make a worse president than Bush/cheney.
Don't listen to what he says, look at what he does in the House!
If you read the bills that Ron Paul supports, you can come to only one conclusion, and it is not a very good one.
See for yourself:
Kevin Schmidt, Ojai CA
- Thursday, December 27, 2007
The NYT has become the Post. It's ethical value has long been one owned by corporate America.
The American public stopped depending on the Times for real Democratic journalism years ago...this story only shows the velocity of it's continued decline into the realm of irrelevence.
- Friday, December 28, 2007
- EvilPoet said...
Caveat emptor. Mark's Law of Monetary Equalization: A fool and your money are soon partners. (Source: Murphy's Law)
- Friday, December 28, 2007
Ron Paul bloodied himself by keeping money sent by Don Black, Stormfront founder and former Klansman,
http://eyeonhate.com/dixie1a.html (last item)
and then obliging Black by appearing in this photograph:
While the august NYT is in verification mode, will it press Paul on why he continues in secrecy mode?
From 1985 to 1992, he published the Ron Paul Political Report which became the Ron Paul Survival Reportin 1993.
Taking a leaf from the Book of Secrecy by Dick Cheney, Ron Paul steadfastly refuses to release those newsletters.
He asks for our vote. We ask him to stop hiding his newsletters so we may better understand who he is and what he represents.
We want to know if his newsletters are the basis of his reputation as the Voice of the Radical Right in Congress.
Did his newsletters prompt support from folks like this:
- Friday, December 28, 2007
there should be a blog note observing that urls that spill over into the margin are truncated.
or, the blogger should take pity and move the spilled over part of the url to the next line.
- Friday, December 28, 2007
To access two urls split in the note above, join the lines with no spaces:
Ron Paul bloodied himself...
Paul obliging Black...
- Friday, December 28, 2007
Ron will get marginalized like Richardson, Edwards, Nader. I get calls here in Minnesota to subscribe to NYT. I decline saying, "I can't help it subscriptions are down, but I'm looking for news. Thanks for sitting on the domestic spying story 'til after the election."
- Friday, December 28, 2007
- shredder said...
Liberals are scared of the rule of law (Constitution) and their girls in the media got the memo to slander.
Think for yourself. Truth, rule of law, Dr. Ron Paul in 2008.
- Friday, December 28, 2007
Don't be surprised. Just find who really runs the show there. And then just spread the word who they are. So who's gonna make who look bad?
- Friday, December 28, 2007
- Ernest Spoon said...
From The Des Moines Register 12/28/07
Minuteman leaders give support to Paul
By JASON PULLIAM • REGISTER STAFF WRITER • December 28, 2007
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul Thursday picked up endorsements from several individual leaders of the Iowa Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, an anti-illegal immigration group.
Ron Duncan, the deputy director of the group's Iowa chapter, and Mark Land, Taylor County Minuteman leader, each offered the Texas congressman their personal endorsements.
Craig Halverson, director of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps Iowa chapter, said the group as a whole will not endorse a candidate, but its members are free to support candidates as private citizens.
Halverson declined to provide the membership numbers of Tancredo's citizens group or the Iowa Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, but described the state's Minuteman branch as one of the nation's fastest-growing chapters.
- Saturday, December 29, 2007
- Vigilante said...
Administrator, Can you save me the trouble of looking up the link to the NYT web site item?
- Sunday, December 30, 2007


text:
See our Classes & Departments page for links to our teacher and/or classroom blogs.
The Board Chairs of the four metro school boards have issued a statement asking the Minister of Education to reconsider the Alberta Government's ban on seclusion rooms (Ministerial Order 006/2019) https://t.co/276eSkXIiP #yycbe https://t.co/T3TH2c98k5
RT @MrNrod: @CappySmartCBE had the pleasure of hosting @yyCBEdu Chief Superintendent @UsihChristopher today! Thank you for visiting, listening, sharing, and connecting with our staff and students. #SuperCappy #WeAreCBE https://t.co/sfhHkr5GgT
Will your child be using a yellow school bus or Calgary Transit to get to school this school year? Check out some important updates, including route maps, on our website: https://t.co/9QubIOxKVE #yycbe https://t.co/XA8aFglF7k
Welcome back to our modified calendar school students! Hope you and your teachers a great first day of classes. We wish you a wonderful school year full of learning! #WeAreCBE https://t.co/S3u5xdyIIa


text:
Organisations in Central and Eastern Europe with High Employee Engagement Are Achieving Better Business Results, Says Aon Hewitt
03 Dec, 2012, 08:30 GMT
SOFIA, Bulgaria, December 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Aon Hewitt, the human resource solutions business of Aon plc (NYSE: AON) has announced the results of its annual Best Employers study for the Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) region. The top regional Best Employers by category were announced at a ceremony in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The research shows a strong correlation between high employee engagement and better business results. On average, CEE Best Employers companies:
- out-perform on financial targets (108% of EBITDA goal realisation versus 93% for other organisations),
- have lower staff turnover rates (6% turnover versus 9% for the rest of the organisations),
- have lower absenteeism (3.5 day/employee versus 5.5 day/employee in the rest).
The study, which Aon Hewitt has run in Central and Eastern Europe since 2001, recognises companies that stand out from their peers through the high quality and effectiveness of their HR practices which have a positive impact on business results. The study looks at both employer and employee perspectives with business indicators to provide a fully objective picture.
Best Employers study 2012 - the numbers:
- Eight countries - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Slovakia and Turkey.
- More than 400 companies
- More than 250,000 participating employees, including 41,000 managers
- More than 2,600 senior leaders
- 29 Best Employers (three rankings according to size of company)
Rising employee engagement
This year's study showed that the level of employee engagement in the CEE region has increased by three percentage points since 2011, reaching the average level of 58%. The highest level of employee engagement in the region is in Bulgaria (67%), and the lowest in Poland (48%). At Best Employer companies, engagement reaches 80%, 22 points higher than the regional average.
Despite the differences in employee engagement levels among countries, there are common and distinctive qualities that set Best Employers apart. Magdalena Warzybok, CEE Engagement Practice Director at Aon Hewitt, said:
"Best Employers stand out in the way they reward and recognise their employees. That will be by offering adequate pay and attractive benefits packages as well as career opportunities. They have an excellent reputation in the job market and show real consistency between this external image and the real internal working experience of their employees. Finally, the quality of their senior leadership teams and their focus on people is a true differentiator."
Edward Stanoch, Aon Hewitt European Talent Practice Market Leader, said:
"We are very grateful to the participants of the Best Employers study. In continued economic uncertainty, we are pleased to see that more and more companies are acting to keep their employees engaged. It has become a business cliché that an organisation's greatest asset is its employees, but each year this study demonstrates the truth of that phrase. Good HR processes, well designed reward packages and better management do lead to more engaged employees. They, in turn, contribute more effectively and the whole business benefits."
List of Regional Best Employers
Large sized companies (>1000 local employees)
1. Operator Gazociągów Przesyłowych GAZ-SYSTEM Poland
2. McDonald's Bulgaria
3. Mars Russia
4. Lidl Bulgaria
5. DHL Express Russia
6. Provident Hungary
7. Lietuvos draudimas Lithuania
8. Tele2 Russia
9. Magyar Telekom Hungary
Medium sized companies (251 - 1000 local employees)
1. Tenex Russia
2. Microsoft Russia
3. Dom Kredytowy NOTUS Poland
4. Microsoft Czech Republic
5. Hilti Russia
6. Grupa Pracuj Poland
7. Takeda Russia
8. Telefónica Slovakia
9. FGSZ Földgázszállító Hungary
10. Red Hat Czech Czech Republic
Small sized companies (< 250 local employees)
1. ANKOL Poland
2. JT International Czech Republic
3. Philip Morris Slovakia
4. Tavex Bulgaria
5. Kecskeméti TERMOSTAR Hőszolgáltató Hungary
6. Mars Sales Hungary
7. Roche Slovakia
8. InterContinental Budapest Hungary
9. Et netera Czech Republic
10. Adform Group Lithuania
About Aon Hewitt
Aon Hewitt is the global leader in human resource solutions. The company partners with organisations to solve their most complex benefits, talent and related financial challenges, and improve business performance. Aon Hewitt designs, implements, communicates and administers a wide range of human capital, retirement, investment management, health care, compensation and talent management strategies. With more than 29,000 professionals in 90 countries, Aon Hewitt makes the world a better place to work for clients and their employees. For more information on Aon Hewitt, please visit http://www.aonhewitt.com.
SOURCE Aon Hewitt


text:
Bharatiya Janata Party released the party manifesto in New Delhi. BJP promises a new POTA-like law and also woos the poor and middle class with many promises. Many senior BJP leaders including party prime ministerial candidate LK Advani, President Rajnath Singh, Manifesto Committee Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi and spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad. Following is the full text of BJP's Lok Sabha Elections 2009 manifesto.
To build a prosperous, powerful nation, recall India's past
Indian civilisation is perhaps the most ancient and continuing civilisation of the world. India has a long history and has been recognised by others as a land of great wealth and even greater wisdom. But India has also experienced continued foreign attacks and alien rule for centuries and this has resulted in a loss of pride in India and its remarkable achievements. Indians, particularly educated under the system of education imposed by the Britishers, have lost sight of not only the cultural and civilisational greatness of India, but also of its technological achievements and abounding natural resources.
History tells us that India was a land of abundance. The country has been blessed with great natural fertility, abundant water and unlimited sunshine.
According to foreigners visiting this country, Indians were regarded as the best agriculturists in the world. Records of these travels from the 4th Century BC till early- 19th Century speak volumes
about our agricultural abundance which dazzled the world. The Thanjaur (900-1200 AD) inscript ions and Ramnathapuram (1325 AD) inscript ions record 15 to 20 tonnes per hectare production of paddy. Now, even after the first green revolution, according to Government statistics, Ludhiana in the late-20th Century recorded a production of 5.5 tonnes of paddy per hectare. It is, therefore, imperative that India rediscovers an agricultural technology which incorporates all the inputs from our own wisdom and agricultural skills that made us a land of abundance in food.
Indian economy was as flourishing as its agriculture. Foreigners from Magasthenes to Fa-Hian and Hiuen-Tsiang have described and praised Indian material prosperity. Indian villages around 1780 in Bihar have been cited as an example of cleanliness and hospitality. The streets were swept and watered and the people had a remarkable sense of hospitality and attention to accommodate the needs of the travellers.
Old British documents established that India was far advanced in the technical and educational fields than Britain of 18th and early-19th Century. Its agriculture technically and productively was far superior; it produced a much higher grade of iron and steel. The Iron Pillar at Mehrauli in Delhi has withstood the ravages of time for 1,500 years or more without any sign of rusting or decay. Metallurgists of the world have marvelled at this high degree of sophistication in technology. Textiles formed the great
industrial enterprise of pre-British India. Up to the late-18th Century, India was the leading producer and exporter of textiles; China was then a close second.
Indian advancements in astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, physics and biological sciences have been documented and recognised all over the world. Contributions in the field of medicine and surgery are also well known. Ayurveda and Yoga are the best gifts from India to the world in creating a healthy civilisation. India knew plastic surgery, practised it for centuries and, in fact, it has become the basis of modern plastic surgery. India also practised the system of inoculation against small pox centuries before the vaccination was discovered by Dr Edward Jenner.
Fa-Hian, writing about Magadha in 400 AD, has mentioned that a well organised health care system existed in India. According to him, the nobles and householders of this country had founded hospitals within the city to which the poor of all countries, the destitute, the crippled and the diseased may repair.
"They receive every kind of requisite help. Physicians inspect their diseases, and according to their cases, order them food and drink, medicines or decoctions, everything in fact that contributes to their ease. When cured they depart at their ease."
It has been established beyond doubt by the several reports on education at the end of the 18th Century and the writings of Indian scholars that not only did India have a functioning
indigenous educational system but that it actually compared more than favourably with the system obtaining in England at the time in respect of the number of schools and colleges proportionate to the population, the number of students in schools and colleges, the diligence as well as the intelligence of the students, the quality of the teachers and the financial support provided from private and public sources.
Contrary to the then prevailing opinion, those attending school and college included an impressive percentage of lower caste students, Muslims and girls.
Mahatma Gandhi was absolutely right in saying that India was more illiterate in 1931 compared to its state of literacy 50-60 years ago, i.e. in 1870. India had also an expertise in ship building, as also in extensive manufacturing and uses of dyes, and also in manufacturing paper. India had a share of about 22.5 per cent of world GDP in 1600 AD which during British domination suffered a steep decline to 12.25 per cent in 1870, while the British share in the same period rose sharply from 1.8 per cent to 9.1 per cent. When Britishers left India, the economy was completely shattered and India's share in world manufacture, trade and GDP declined further. Even after 62 years of Independence, India's share in world market remains less than one per cent. India's prosperity, its talents and the state of its high moral society can be best understood by what Thomas Babington Macaulay stated in his speech
of February 02, 1835, in the British Parliament.
"I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief, such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such high caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self esteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation." This policy was implemented very meticulously by Britishers and the education system was created to make Indian's ignorant about themselves. No nation can chart out its domestic or foreign policies unless it has a clear understanding about itself, its history, its strength and failings. It becomes all the more important for any nation to know its roots which sustain its people in a highly mobile and globalised world. Leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Sri Aurobindo, Mahatma Gandhi and others who spearheaded the freedom movement had built the struggle around a clear vision of India's civilisational consciousness. Indian ways of thought and action were in the centre of their political action. These leaders had a vision
to reconstruct the political and economic institutions of India as a continuum of the civilisational consciousness which made India one country, one people and one nation. It is unfortunate that the leaders of independent India quickly discarded this vision and continued to work with the institutional structures created by the British which had nothing to do with India's world view and its vitality which were responsible for its survival despite continued outside attacks and alien rule.
During the six decades of our independence, governance of our country, except for a short period, was with the Congress and its associates. It was most unfortunate that they never thought of creating a socio-economic and political paradigm of governance drawing from the civilisational consciousness of India. They, instead, tried to emulate whatever was being practised in this or that Western country. The disastrous results are before us.
What was required after independence was to reorient India's polity to bring it in consonance with the seeking and sensibilities of the Indian people. Failure to do so has resulted in a fractured society, vast economic disparities, terrorism and communal conflict, insecurity, moral, psychological and spiritual degradation, and a state apparatus unable to handle any of these problems. Attempts are sometimes made to apply palliatives to manage the affairs but nothing succeeds. What is needed is to arrive at a consensus about the 'Idea'
of India and also about the seekings and preferences of the people and how they find expression in various socio-economic, political organisations and cultural, aesthetic and ethical sensibilities of the people of India.
The civilisational consciousness of India has been well defined by the sages and philosophers and has its roots in Bharatiya or Hindu world view. This world view is holistic and spiritual. It accepts that diversity is inherent in the scheme of creation; it is the manifestation of the same cosmic entity in different forms. Hence it not only accepts diversity but respects it and even more celebrates it. Hindu or Bharatiya view of life seeks unity in diversity. It is an inclusive approach and one can say that Hinduism is the most ennobling experience in spiritual co-existence. The Bharatiya mind has contemplated beyond national boundaries and the Vedic Rishi declared in the hoary past Vasudhaiva Kutumbukam – that the world is a family.
India's worldview are known to have extended from Bamiyan / Kandahar to Borobudur / Indonesia on the one hand, and Sri Lanka to Japan on the other. Imprints of Indian culture are found in some other parts of the world as well. In ancient times India was isolated in geography but not in cultural relationship, trade and commerce. The belief in essential unity of mankind is a unique feature of Hindu thought. The Vedic Rishi had also declared that Ekam Sad Viprah Bahudha Vadanti (truth or reality is one but
wise men describe it in different ways). This is essentially a secular thought in the real sense of the term because it accepts that one can follow his own path to reach the ultimate. Hindus are well known for their belief in harmony of religions. And because of this world view almost all religions practised in different parts of the world have existed peacefully in India and will continue to do so. But it appears that even after six decades of independence India has not been able to discover its innate vitality and its sense of time and consequently has lost its direction and will to act. The drift is acute and has encompassed all aspects of national life. The situation needs a change and a new paradigm is called for, for creating a prosperous, progressive and powerful India whose voice is heard in international fora.
India can achieve this goal provided the people seriously set to this task. We are endowed with vast human and material resources. Indian youth have demonstrated their capabilities in various walks of life and proved their competence.
In science and technology, space and atomic energy, despite handicaps and lack of world class facilities, they have done remarkably well. In industry, business and management and information communication technology, they have successfully taken challenging risks. With this energetic and vibrant youth power and by prudently harnessing natural resources, Indians can perform miracles provided they work with self-confidence
and pride in India. We have to assure a prominent role and full opportunities to our youth in the decision-making process. They are the future and the propellers of our prosperity.
India need not blindly copy this or that model of development; it should evolve a model suited to its genius and resources. The Integral Humanism suggested by Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay provides such a model. India should be original, India should innovate, and India should move upwards on the ladder of global leadership. The global scenario demands a solution, a radical solution to save the world from the impending disaster of the Great Economic Recession and terrorism looming large all over the world. India is destined to play its historic role at this crucial juncture and for this the BJP is committed to work for creating a modern, powerful, prosperous, progressive and secure India.
Dr Murli Manohar Joshi Chairman Manifesto Committee April 3, 2009.
For stability & security India needs a decisive leader
A quirk of fate brought the Congress to power at the Centre in the summer of 2004. The United Progressive Alliance that it put together, which was able to secure parliamentary majority with the help of the Left parties, has shown remarkable lack of cohesiveness with individual Ministers representing the Congress' allies running their allotted Ministries like their personal fiefdom. This was a Government totally divorced from the twin principles of collective responsibility
and accountability.
The nation was thus burdened with a Prime Minister who was in office but not in power; and, a Government that was in power but not in authority. This was supposed to be a Government that would work for the welfare of the aam admi – the common man. As it prepares to exit office after five years, the Government has nothing to show by way of extending a 'hand' to the aam admi.
This Government will be remembered for four things. It was headed by the weakest Prime Minister the country has ever had. Its reversal of NDA's policies has led to a mounting sense of insecurity fuelled by repeated terrorist attacks, Maoist insurgency and separatist violence which together have claimed hundreds of innocent lives. Its gross mismanagement of the economy has caused inflation, job losses and lockouts. And, it has shielded corruption at high places by misusing agencies of the state, namely the CBI.
The Congress has tried to whitewash its terrible record on the national security front, especially its abysmal failure to protect citizens from terrorism, by making cosmetic changes in antiquated laws. This is clearly not enough. It has sought to gloss over the increasing cost of food, which is eight per cent higher than in 2008, and many times more than in 2004, by projecting misleading statistics.
Lakhs of people in the unorganised sector have lost their jobs over the past year. Skilled workers are losing their jobs in the organised
sector. This is far worse than unemployment because it impoverishes families dependent on assured income and dampens the national spirit.
The worst hit are India's youth, especially those who are looking forward to enter the job market. The Congress-led UPA Government has gifted them with a bleak future. As for the poor, they feel abandoned by the Congress-led regime. The much-publicised National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme has turned out to be as much a flop as all other schemes of the Government. It is a telling comment on the UPA's performance that a whopping 55 million people have been pushed below the poverty line over the past five years. This is according to a study by the Indian Statistical Institute, based on data collated by the National Sample Survey Organisation; the real figure could be much higher.
In rural India, thousands of farmers have committee suicide to escape the burden of mounting debt and grinding poverty. They are victims of Government apathy. An equally damning indictment of the Congress-led UPA regime is galloping urban poverty. An estimated 23.7 per cent of the population in cities and towns lives in slums, according to 'India: Urban Poverty Report, 2009', amid squalor, crime, disease and tension. Such glaring deprivation and denial, such rising numbers of people below the poverty line, contradict this nation's aspirations. They are obstacles to India's emergence as a great power and need to be
removed through remedial Government intervention. The stability of the NDA years helped India to prosper. The drift of the UPA years has put India in reverse gear. The BJP will restore the stability which India desperately needs.
The BJP, immediately upon coming to power, will address the key issues of security and economy. It will resume the employment-generating, prosperity-creating policies of the NDA government headed by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, through massive investments in infrastructure projects, by nursing agriculture back to health, and by making credit easily accessible to industry, while ensuring the safety and security of all people from the depredations of terrorists. India today faces a severe crisis of leadership. The nation needs determined and decisive leader who has the capacity, commitment and conviction to take command of the situation and lead from the front. The country needs a leader who can restore Government's credibility and the people's confidence in themselves. The polity needs a leader who values consensus over conflict, consultation over confrontation. Then alone can good governance replace the all-round failure of the Congress.
Shri Advani has an exemplary record of service to the nation covering over six decades. A leader of impeccable integrity, he was one of the chief crusaders for democracy during the Emergency (1975-77) and spent 19 months in jail. He led the Ayodhya movement, the biggest mass movement in India since
Independence, and initiated a powerful debate on cultural nationalism and the true meaning of secularism. Along with Shri Vajpayee, he was the principal architect of the BJP's triumph, as the head of the National Democratic Alliance, in forming a stable and successful non-Congress coalition Government at the Centre (1998-2004). As India's Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, he ably assisted Shri Vajpayee in steering the ship of the nation through difficult waters.
The BJP is proud that it is seeking the people's mandate in the 2009 general election, along with its allies in the NDA, under the leadership of Shri Advani. The BJP is contesting the 2009 15th Lok Sabha election on a Manifesto that commits the party to an agenda for change guided by three goals: Good governance, development and security.
Our focus will be on the nation's youth, on addressing their concerns and helping them achieve their aspirations. We will lay emphasis on empowerment through excellence by providing quality education. We will ensure the security of life and property. Reviving the economy, re-orienting it towards agriculture, rural development, and unorganised and informal sectors; creating adequate employment opportunities for the youth; pushing back the price line; and, investing heavily in infrastructure projects are at the top of our agenda.
The BJP believes that after five years of drift and missed opportunities, the time has come for a Government that
works, a Government that cares. Our primary concern will be India's rapid, inclusive, equitable and all-embracing development and stable growth that benefits the largest number of people. We will invest in rural development; we will ensure higher agricultural productivity and guarantee an assured income to farmers; and, we will protect the livelihood of the masses while creating myriad opportunities of gainful employment.
National security: Fear shall no longer stalk this land
The last five years have been a nightmare for the people of this country as terrorists, separatists and insurgents have led the effete UPA Government on a macabre dance of death and destruction. From the daring attack on Delhi on the eve of Diwali in 2005 to the fidayeen raid on the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, from the horrendous bombings in Hyderabad (including at Mecca Masjid), Bangalore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Guwahati to the slaughter of worshippers at Sankat Mochan Temple in Banaras, the terrorists have struck repeatedly with impunity as the Prime Minister spent sleepless nights agonising over the plight of terror suspects and eagerly offered to reward the kith and kin of terrorists killed in action. The UPA began its tenure by dismantling the anti-terror regime put together by the BJP-led NDA Government: The Prevention of Terrorism Act was scrapped; investigations were halted; and, prosecution was slowed down. The mastermind behind the daring attack on Parliament House, Mohammed Afzal
Guru, was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court after being prosecuted under POTA. But a dissolute Government headed by an irresolute Prime Minister has failed to carry out the execution, sending out a clear message to India's enemies: They shall not be punished till such time the Congress is in power. It is, therefore, not surprising that terrorists should have repeatedly attacked our cities, leaving behind a bloody trail of death and destruction. Delhi, the nation's capital, and Mumbai, the country's financial capital, have been hit twice, as has been Bangalore, India's technology capital. As if the bombings of the commuter trains were not enough, the ISI despatched fidayeen for a multiple strike on Mumbai which began on November 26, 2008, and lasted for more than 60 hours. Never before has India been seen to be so helpless in the face of terror.
Terrorism sponsored by Pakistani agencies is only one of the reasons behind the fear that grips the people in cities, towns and villages. The life and limb of the aam admi is equally in danger on account of Maoists who have expanded their theatre of violence to 156 districts across 13 States. The inter-State coordination mechanism put in place by the NDA Government has been dismantled and State Governments have been virtually left to fend for themselves in the face of mounting Maoist hostility. In Jammu & Kashmir, separatists continue to use the services of Pakistani terrorists to promote their agenda
of relentless violence. In the North-East, insurgents have remorselessly killed and maimed innocent people. The situation in Assam is particularly of concern as the ULFA, which had been all but smashed during the NDA years, has regrouped and rearmed its cadres, and unleashed a relentless wave of terror. The Congress State Government has done nothing to either prevent this violence or punish ULFA; instead, unconditional talks have been offered to the killers!
Internal security is also imperilled by unchecked illegal immigration across our eastern border. The vulnerability of these illegal immigrants has been time and again exploited by the ISI and its jihadi front organisations as well as local terror cells to carry out bombings and provide logistical support to foreign terrorists. The Supreme Court has described illegal immigration as an act of 'external aggression' while striking down the IMDT Act. But the Congress, both at the Centre and in Assam, has tried to circumvent the Supreme Court's judgement through executive orders. The Gauhati High Court last year lashed out at the State Government for doing nothing to stop the illegal immigration. The High Court highlighted how a Pakistani, who had entered Assam via Bangladesh, contested Assembly elections unchallenged. Vote-bank politics has not only changed the demography of vast stretches of eastern and North-East India but also eroded the authority of the state. India is sitting on a tinderbox. The consequences
of this unabated illegal immigration are bound to be disastrous.
In its dying days, the UPA Government has tried to fool the people by tampering with outdated laws and setting up a National Investigating Agency to fight terror. But such half-hearted efforts to calm anger and disquiet following the 26/11 outrage are neither enough nor the right approach to tacking the menace of terrorism.
The BJP will initiate the following measures within 100 days of coming to power:
1. Revive the anti-terror mechanism that has been dismantled by the Congress; improve upon POTA to ensure it is more effective as an instrument of deterrence and a tool to prosecute offenders without innocent people being harassed; and, strengthen the operational role of the National Investigating Agency.
2. Give assent to laws drafted by State Governments for dealing with organised crime and terrorism; encourage other State Governments to adopt similar laws.
3. Launch a massive programme to detect, detain and deport illegal immigrants.
4. Completely revamp the internal and external intelligence agencies and review the existing system of coordination, convergence and dissemination of intelligence inputs. A massive exercise will be undertaken to modernise intelligence agencies so that they are better equipped to use technology and cope with the rapidly changing trends and patterns of terrorism at home and abroad. The National Security Council will be made the hub of all sector-related
assessments. It will be accountable for real-time intelligence dissemination; intelligence agencies will be held responsible for lapses. Appointments to intelligence agencies will be on merit and not because of political patronage as has been the system during the Congress years.
5. A Digital Security Agency will be set up to deal with cyber warfare, cyber counterterrorism, and cyber security of national digital assets.
6. State Governments will be provided with all assistance to modernise their respective police forces and equip them with the latest weaponry and communications technology.
This will be done on a mission mode approach. The police are the first responders to any crisis situation. Drawing lessons from experience, police forces will be trained and fully equipped to deal with situations similar to that of Mumbai and in meeting the challenge posed by Maoists and insurgents.
7. Border management will be reviewed and improved. Punitive measures will be introduced to block illegal immigration.
8. India's vast coastline is virtually unprotected. Coastal security will be strengthened for better patrolling of Indian waters and preventing terrorists from taking the sea route to enter India. A National Maritime Authority will be set up to coordinate coastal security.
9. Special courts will be set up for speedy prosecution of those involved with acts of terrorism. Their trial shall be fair and justice will be done to the victims swiftly.
Coercive measures, including diplomacy, will be used to deal with countries which promote cross-border terrorism. India will engage with the world in the global war on terror while not compromising on its domestic interests, primarily protecting citizens from the ravages of terrorism.
11. The Centre will facilitate better inter-State coordination and real-time intelligence-sharing, apart from helping States to raise anti-insurgency forces, to face the threat posed by Maoists. The 'Chhattisgarh Model' will be used for counter-Maoist operations. At the same time, every effort will be made to address the social and economic issues that make the ground fertile for Left-wing extremism.
12. Any talks with insurgent groups will be conditional and within the framework of the Constitution. The BJP will send out a simple message, loud and clear, to terrorists and their sponsors: They will have to pay a heavy price for each innocent life lost. Retribution will be swift and exemplary. The authority of the state, which has been diminished by the Congress in pursuit of vote-bank politics, shall be restored.
National Identity Cards for All The BJP will launch an innovative programme to establish a countrywide system of multi-purpose national identity cards so as to ensure national security, correct welfare delivery, accurate tax collection, financial inclusion and voter registration. Voter identity cards, PAN cards, passports, ration cards and BPL cards are already
in use though not all with photo identity. The NDA proposes to make it incumbent for every Indian to have a National Identity Card. The programme will be completed in three years. The National Identity Card will contain enough memory and processing capabilities to run multiple applications. Through it the NDA will ensure efficient welfare delivery and tax collection. The card will also be linked to a bank account. All welfare payments, including widow and old age pensions, through the wide range of schemes such as Mother and Child support/ Kisan Credit, Students Assistance and Micro-Credit will be channelised through the National Identity Card. The card will make it possible for individuals to save and borrow money; for farmers to get bank credit, also establish accurate land titles data. The National Identity Card will also strengthen national security by ensuring accurate citizen identity, thus tracking illegal immigration. All financial transactions, purchase of property and access to public services will be possible only on the basis of the National Identity Card which will be made forgery and hacking resistant.
Engaging the world: India's voice shall be heard
The BJP believes a resurgent India must get its rightful place in the comity of nations and international institutions. The BJP also believes in a multi-polar world with no nation having overriding powers over others. Towards this end, the BJP in power will engage in meaningful diplomacy with nations
across the world on equal terms. The BJP's foreign policy will be based on the principle of enlightened self-interest.
The BJP desires good relations between India and the USA and will strengthen the India US strategic partnership on the principle of equality. But we will not compromise on either India's national interest or relations with another friendly country. The BJP will restore the balance that has been disturbed by the UPA Government.
India's traditional relations with Russia and the Central Asian Republics will be refashioned to keep pace with current realities and derive maximum mutual advantage.
We will pursue friendly relations with the European Union, West Asian countries and South-East Asian nations. It will further strengthen relations with Arab countries and pursue enhanced cooperation with Israel – the two are not inter-linked and both are beneficial for India.
The dialogue process of solving the outstanding border dispute with China, which was initiated by the NDA Government under Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee's leadership, will be revived. We believe that both India and China can prosper and rise together; increased economic cooperation can contribute to this.
India has a special role to play in the Indian Ocean region and we will pursue this vigorously. The BJP believes in forging enduring friendly and cooperative relations with India's neighbours. We also believe that political stability, progress
and peace in India's neighbourhood are essential for South Asia's growth and development: SAARC is a good platform to promote these goals.
But the BJP will be guided solely by national interest while dealing with India's neighbours. Towards this end, its decisions and actions in power will be determined by the following: Pakistan: There can be no 'comprehensive dialogue' for peace unless Pakistan a) dismantles the terrorist infrastructure on territory under its control; b) actively engages in prosecuting terror elements and organisations; c) puts a permanent, verifiable end to its practice of using cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy; d) stops using the territory of third countries to launch terror attacks on India; and, e) hands over to India individuals wanted for committing crimes on Indian soil.
Nepal: The BJP will re-craft India's Nepal policy to rid it of the UPA's biases that have influenced India's response to events in Nepal with which our country shares a common civilisational and cultural history. India-Nepal relations must be based on friendship, mutual cooperation and harmony of interests. Towards this end, existing arrangements will be reviewed and revised bearing in mind mutual interests and benefits on the basis of dialogue. The BJP would like to see Nepal emerge as a stable, prosperous country, and will strive to strengthen age-old fraternal ties.
Bhutan: Existing close relations
with Bhutan will be strengthened.
Bangladesh: The BJP will pro-actively engage the Government of Bangladesh on issues of mutual assistance and benefit. A friendly Government in Dhaka is in India's interest.
Sri Lanka: The BJP believes that Sri Lanka has the right to deal with terrorism on its soil. At the same time, the political, economic and human rights of Sri Lanka's Tamil minority community must be protected by the Government in Colombo. The BJP will pursue a robust relationship with Sri Lanka and regain the initiative that has been lost during the last five years.
Afghanistan: The BJP believes that India has an important role in helping the people of Afghanistan to rebuild their country and stabilise their society, as well as secure their lives from the depredations of the Taliban operating from Pakistani sanctuaries. The BJP will further build upon India-Afghanistan relations and work in close association with the international community to ensure a stable, secure and prosperous Afghanistan.
Mother India's Children Abroad
The BJP will maintain close contacts with people of Indian origin who have settled on foreign shores. It has been the consistent policy of the BJP to promote the interests of people of Indian origin living abroad. During the NDA years, special efforts were made to revive and revitalise the ties between Pravasi Bharatiyas and their ancestral land by institutionalising the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, honouring
achievers and introducing the PIO card. Those efforts will be given a further boost.
Defending India: No compromise, no concession
The Indian Army, Air Force and Navy need to be strengthened in view of rapidly changing regional and global realities. Tragically, the services have been ignored by the Congress and failure to address the concerns of the Army, Air Force and Navy has bred undesirable discontent. The BJP will address all pending issues immediately. It will be guided by the following solemn commitments while dealing with the defence of India:
1. The long-pending acquisition of military hardware will be expedited through absolutely transparent means in a time-bound manner.
2. Budget allocations for defence forces will be spent without being allowed to lapse. The criminal negligence of the defence forces by the UPA Government has resulted in nearly Rs 24,000 crore by way of budgetary allocations being allowed to lapse over five years. This not only endangers the lives of our soldiers but also the security of the nation.
3. Our forces are performing a service to the nation and deserve better pay and privileges.
Towards this end, the BJP is committed to the following measures: a. The pending issues of pay and privileges will be revisited and resolved to the satisfaction of the defence forces. The modalities for setting up a separate Pay Commission for the forces will be expedited; b. All personnel of the Army, Air Force and Navy, as also
paramilitary forces, will be exempt from paying income tax on their salaries and perquisites; c. The honorarium for winners of gallantry awards like Pram Vir Chakra, which is abysmally low at Rs 500 to Rs 3,000, will be increased ten-fold to Rs 5,000 to Rs 30,000. This will be done with retrospective effect; the honorarium will be tax free. d. The principle of one rank, one pension will be implemented; e. Incentive-based steps will be taken to make joining the defence services an exciting proposition for young men and women to overcome the shortage of officers; and, f. Incentives will be offered to State Governments for ensuring honourable settlement of retired personnel of the defence services.
4. The present shortage of defence personnel at all levels will be met by making the Services an attractive career option. This would include competitive pay and privileges, and pension benefits. This task will be completed in a time-bound manner. 5. The capacities of Defence Research and Development Organisation will be enhanced. The PPP route will be explored for conventional defence production bearing in mind the nation's needs and to make India a competitive player in the global market by 2020.
Independent strategic nuclear programme: We will assert India's sovereignty
The BJP believes that India's strategic nuclear programme has been deeply compromised by the Congress. The gains of Pokhran-II and subsequent development have been frittered away for
gains that have accrued to those who wish to see India's nuclear programme to be contained, rolled back and eventually dismantled.
The BJP will reverse this drift. India's indigenous thorium technology programme will be expedited and given all financial assistance, correcting the grievous wrong done by the UPA Government. India needs nuclear energy, but not at the cost of our national strategic interests. The Congress has fooled the people of India by selling the over-hyped India-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement as an absolute necessity and how it will help light up people's homes. It has done so by suppressing two crucial facts. First, as the CAG has pointed out, the UPA Government did not make the smallest effort to tap India's own nuclear fuel supplies. Had it done so, our reactors would have produced many times more power than at present. Second, nuclear power is tremendously expensive and not affordable for the aam admi. The India-US nuclear deal, in the final analysis, is not about empowering India but disempowering India by making us dependent on American supplies and tying us to discriminatory regimes from which Pakistan is free.
The BJP will honour India's commitments to prevent proliferation. But it will pursue an independent nuclear policy based on the following:
1. All options will be kept open and all steps will be taken that are necessary for the technological advancement of India's civil and military nuclear
2. Maintain a credible minimum deterrent that is in tune with changing realities.
3. Seek cross-party consensus before agreeing to any control regime, including CTBT, FMCR and MTCR.
In view of the uncalled for and regrettable secrecy with which the Congress and the Prime Minister dealt with the India-US nuclear deal, the BJP proposes to introduce an amendment to the Constitution to make it mandatory for Government to seek Parliament's approval/ratification by two-thirds majority before signing any bilateral or multilateral agreement that impinges on India's strategic programmes, territorial integrity and economic interest.
Food security: We will make India hunger-free
The BJP views food security as integral to national security. The spectre of a looming food crisis haunts the developing world as never before. With the agriculture sector suffering on account of the Congress' gross negligence, India faces a real threat of food scarcity. With India becoming a net importer of food under Congress rule, there is genuine concern about food security. Three factors have contributed to increasing food scarcity and the resultant sense of growing insecurity among the masses. First, the real income of workers and farmers has not kept pace with the rising cost of food, thus reducing their purchasing power. Second, the public distribution system has been severely crippled by the Congress-led Government which has been more interested
in importing food grains and selling them at a high price than in securing the needs of the people. Third, with an additional 55 million people pushed below the poverty line over the last five years, there is widespread malnourishment. The economic recession has only worsened the situation and made it grimmer, especially for workers in the unorganised sector.
The BJP believes people have the right to food. To ensure food security for all and eliminate hunger, we will: 1. Provide 35 kg of rice or wheat every month to BPL families at Rs 2 per kg under an improved and expanded Antyodaya Anna Yojana. This will be available against 'Food Coupons' redeemable at both PDS and private outlets.
2. Allocate more funds for expanding, universalising and improving the functioning of the Public Distribution System.
3. Preventing families from slipping below the poverty line.
4. Setting up community kitchens in extremely impoverished areas with the help of NGOs through shared funding.
5. Aggressively addressing the problem of widespread malnutrition, especially by expanding the scope of the existing mid-day meal scheme.
6. Encouraging the production of cereals and discouraging the conversion of fertile farm land for dubious industrial projects.
7. Ensuring a sufficient level of food stocks are maintained to meet any exigencies due to possible global food crisis which could be severely debilitating and make imports prohibitively expensive,
if not impossible.
Energy security: We will protect India from future crises
India cannot afford to lose any more time on securing its energy requirements. The Congress's response to this issue has been episodic at best, often resulting in India failing to secure its energy interests even as other countries in the neighbourhood, most notably China, have spared no effort to single-mindedly pursue the goal of securing their energy needs for the present and future.
At present India is largely dependent on imported oil and gas to meet its energy demands, especially demand for power although our per capita power consumption is only a sixth of the world average. Sixty-seven per cent of our power supply comes from fossil fuels, of which 70 per cent is imported. With market fluctuation and manipulation, as it happened in 2008, this makes us vulnerable to external factors.
The BJP proposes to invest heavily in developing non-fossil fuel-based clean energy sources, especially for electricity production. Our goal will be to add at least 120,000 MW of power over the next five years, with 20 per cent of it coming from renewable sources. Similar emphasis will be placed on developing alternatives to petrol and diesel to lessen the burden of imported oil and gas as well as meet the challenges of climate change. Adequate support will be extended for developing hybrid technologies and their applications. There will be special emphasis on developing renewal energy
sources, especially solar energy, wind energy and run-on-the-river technology, and bio-fuel. Innovation will be rewarded.
Impetus will be provided for the production of non-conventional energy by enabling people and firms to bank it in the power grid and draw it at the time of their need.
Reviving the national economy: From recession to job-generating growth
The UPA Government's mismanagement of the national economy and fiscal indiscipline has resulted in frittering away the tremendous gains of the NDA years. The slowing down of India's growth has had an adverse impact on people across the country. To control inflation, the UPA Government drained liquidity out of the system, which, in turn, hobbled both the organised and unorganised sectors. It is now desperately trying to reverse that flawed policy, but clearly such half-hearted measures are not sufficient. The situation calls for determined, direct and visible Government intervention. The BJP plans to do so through robust policies aimed at revitalising the economy and placing India on the path of employment-generating growth coupled with rapid development. Towards this end, the BJP will take the following measures: 1. Put in place a low tax, low interest regime so that people have more money and their purchasing power increases, which in turn will serve as an impetus for the economy. 2. Exempt income up to Rs 3 lakh from Income Tax. Women and senior citizens will receive an additional exemption
benefit of Rs 50,000. 3. Income of all senior citizens by way of pension will be exempt from Income Tax. 4. To incentivise savings, all interest earned on bank deposits other than by corporates and those who have business income shall be exempt from tax. 5. Dispense with clubbing of agricultural income with other sources of income for determining tax liability on other income. 6. CST will be abolished and GST will be rationalised between 12 and 14 per; FBT will go. ESOPS and MAT tax regime will be rationalised and made equitable. 7. Firm action will be initiated to minimise the presence of black money in the national economy. We will take determined steps to bring back the money (estimated at Rs 25,00,000 crore and Rs 75,00,000 crore) illegally stashed in Swiss bank accounts and tax havens, and use it for infrastructure development, housing, health and social welfare schemes. 8. Arrest the loss of jobs and reverse the trend of joblessness which is far worse than unemployment by making massive public sector investments in job-generating infrastructure programmes, especially building of roads and highways, and linking of rivers.
5. Hindustan Diamond Corporation will be provided full support to help the diamond industry tide over the crisis caused by the global economic slump. It will provide raw diamonds to the cutting and polishing units and bank them for future trade.
6. Highways construction, which got a boost during the NDA years, will once again feature high on Government's
agenda. We will build between 15 and 20 km of highways every day.
7. The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the largest rural connectivity programme initiated by the NDA Government, will be fully implemented in the first three years.
8. Bring down interest rates for housing loans so that housing becomes affordable, accessible and revives the stalled real estate sector which has witnessed huge job losses.
9. Enhance the capabilities of the manufacturing sector by easing credit availability.
10. Promote SMEs and the retail sector which can generate a large number of jobs and make a meaningful contribution to the national economy. The criteria for classifying SMEs will be reviewed.
11. Introduce reforms to improve productivity and greater capital formation.
12. Give a boost to tourism by selecting 50 tourist destinations and investing heavily in their infrastructure and communications. Tourist arrivals will be doubled.
13. Impose countervailing restrictions on foreign companies operating in India, especially in the services sector, which, on account of domestic laws of their respective countries, have introduced restrictions on hiring Indian employees with valid work visas.
14. Regulatory bodies which are supposed to monitor the performance and balance sheets of companies will be strengthened to prevent corporate fraud that dents India's image as well as has a direct impact on the market and investors.
15. Make India
proud of Indian products, and make Indian brands globally competitive.
16. Ensure a decent level of consumption for all without encouraging consumerism.
Urban India: Looking ahead to the future
As the national economy grows and jobs are generated, there will be a matching increase in the pressures on urban centres. Apart from assisting State Governments to renew and revive existing cities and replace festering slums with hygienic, affordable living quarters, the BJP will review and recast the Urban Development Policy. We will specifically do the following, bearing in mind the challenges of the future:
1. In pursuit of the principle of 'Shelter for All', 10 lakh dwelling units for the poor will be constructed every year.
2. Fifteen new cities, with world class infrastructure facilities and amenities, will be built in five years.
3. For existing urban centres, basic infrastructure facilities and amenities of water, drainage, roads, electricity, environment and solid waste management will be enhanced for a clean and healthy city life.
4. Peripheral areas of cities will be developed on the basis of 'rurban' concept to minimise migration: The physical infrastructure facilities will be that of urban areas but the heart and soul will be of rural areas.
5. GIS-based mapping of urban properties and title certification will be concluded.
6. Practical, pragmatic measures will be adopted to
deal with emerging urban problems like vehicular traffic overload.
Agriculture: Debt-free farmer, prosperous India
The pitiful state of our farm sector is best exemplified by debt-ridden farmers committing suicide. The UPA Government, while actively promoting the import of food grains, has callously ignored the plight of India's farmers. There are three immediate concerns which will be addressed by the BJP in a time-bound manner: Ensuring assured income for farmers; freeing farmers from the burden of mounting debts; and, increasing public investment in agriculture. Everything can wait, but not agriculture. To make India's farmer debt-free, the BJP will:
1. Waive agricultural loans.
2. Set up a commission to study the entire gamut of farmers' loans and come up with an actionable solution to the deepening crisis within six months.
3. Set a maximum ceiling of 4 per cent interest for agricultural loans to farmers from banks.
4. Introduce a pension scheme for aged and helpless farmers.
5. Make agriculture profitable by reducing the cost of inputs, enhancing yields and reviewing the present method of determining prices.
6. Implement a Farm Income Insurance Scheme through which both price and produce will be insured. In the event of loss of crops, farmers will be compensated under this scheme so that they do not suffer any loss of income.
7. Promote nature-friendly cultivation and incentivise organic farming
to arrest soil quality depletion. Special marketing assistance for organic produce.
8. Introduce value addition schemes to reduce wastage and invest in food-processing units which will generate jobs for rural youth.
9. Create irrigation facilities for an additional 35 million hectares of land in five years: This will generate rural jobs as well as benefit farmers. Drip irrigation will be promoted along with better water management and use of check dams.
10. Ensure quality power, seeds and other inputs.
11. Heavily invest funds in agriculture to reverse the trend set by the Congress-led UPA and make the farm sector an equal engine of growth along with industry and the services sector.
12. Strengthen National Rural Bank and allied services.
13. Promote horticulture, floriculture, pisciculture and poultry for generating additional jobs and supplementing incomes.
14. Create additional grazing land and encourage the maintenance of ponds and water bodies.
GM Seeds: No genetically modified seed will be allowed for cultivation without full scientific data on long-term effects on soil, production and biological impact on consumers. All food and food products produced with genetically modified seeds will be branded as 'GM Food'.
Land acquisition for infrastructure, farmers interests will be protected
The Central and State Governments, for long, have acquired land, through an opaque process, to hand it over
to private parties under the umbrella of 'public purpose'. The UPA Government has approved 572 Special Economic Zones that cover 50,000 acres, three times the size of Singapore. This is clearly absurd and spells disaster for the farm sector. The BJP will adopt a National Land Use Policy which will protect the interests of farmers. Its implementation will be monitored by a National Land Use Authority which will work with State Land Use Authorities to regulate and facilitate land management. The powers and functions of the National Land Use Authority will be similar to those of other regulatory bodies. The BJP will bring about amendments to existing laws to rectify anomalies pertaining to land acquisition. Farmers will be compensated at market rates for any land acquired for infrastructure purposes. The BJP will not allow the conversion of fertile farmland for industrial/ commercial projects or Special Economic Zones.
The entire issue of Special Economic Zones and acquisition of land for industrial use will be addressed after a careful scrutiny of the Parliamentary Standing Committee's report and factoring in the need to protect the farm sector and enhance food production.
International Trade Agreements
The BJP shall fight against the protectionist trend which is emerging in some developed countries. We will safeguard the country's interests in all bilateral and multilateral trade agreements by avoiding to accept any new unilateral
or less than reciprocal commitments. Our Government will renegotiate all such past commitments that are inconsistent with national interests, especially to ensure food security and affordable health care. We will not hesitate to roll back any concessions and facilities not reciprocated by the counterparts. The BJP will safeguard the interests of our vast technical manpower and ensure maximum market access in future agreements depending upon the offers made by the trade partners.
Retail Trade
The BJP understands the critical importance of retail trade in the context of employment and services provided by them, and thus favours a dominant role for the unincorporated sector in retail trade. Towards this end, it will not allow foreign investment in the retail sector. After agriculture, the retail sector is the largest employer of nearly four crore people.
We will:
1. Adopt all necessary measures to safeguard the interests of small and tiny retail vendors.
2. Ensure availability of working capital needs for such vendors through credit at not more than four per cent interest.
3. Study the feasibility of a slab-based 'Compound Tax' for traders to free them from needless harassment and end corruption.
4. Set up an empowered committee to recommend welfare measures, including a pension scheme, for small traders.
Labour: The BJP will holistically address the long-pending issue of labour reforms, bearing in mind the long-term
interests of the working class. It will do so through close consultation with representative bodies of labour and employers. We are committed to ensure the following:
1. Making secret ballot compulsory for trade union elections, by suitably amending the Industrial Disputes Act.
2. Launching a training programme for trade unions to play an effective and positive role.
3. Setting up a 'Workers Bank' to deal with the banking requirements of labour in the organised and unorganised sectors.
4. Ensuring adequate compensation for any labour that may be retrenched, with the first option being redeployment.
5. Setting up a National Child Labour Commission.
6. For labour in the unorganised sector, revise minimum wages; expand safety net. Cooperative Sector
Every effort will be made to encourage the cooperative sector. Towards this end, the BJP will do the following:
1. Exempt cooperative banks from paying income tax.
2. Frame a model law for cooperative societies for nationwide implementation.
3. Amend the Multi-State Cooperative Act to remove current lacunae and anomalies.
4. Set up a Central regulatory authority for cooperative bodies.
Consumer rights
The rights of consumers will be further strengthened. The BJP will set up an experts committee to deal with the following issues:
1. Setting up of services specific arbitration courts to settle consumer disputes.
Creating a mechanism for whereby consumers can participate in a structured consultative process with Government.
3. Making consumer product labelling more content information specific.
Youth power: Empowering young India
India's population, unlike that of Western nations, is getting younger by the day. More than half of our citizens are aged 25 and below; nearly two-thirds are aged 35 and below. The aspirations and ambitions of the youth are fuelled by rising literacy and awareness levels. It is the Government's duty to help them achieve these aspirations and ambitions, and make them capable of taking on all challenges and converting them into opportunities. The BJP will fulfil this duty by framing policies in consonance with the concerns of 'Young India' and aimed at unleashing the abilities of the youth, who will be the driving force of this nation's emergence as an awesome knowledge power. The BJP's Manifesto has been drafted keeping the aspirations and ambitions of the youth in mind.
We propose to review, revive and re-launch the National Service Scheme and National Cadet Corps as effective vehicles to involve the youth in nation-building and reinforcing their national spirit. Their participation in the decision-making process and decision-making bodies will be actively encouraged.
The BJP also proposes to launch a unique 'National Knowledge Incubation Programme'.
This will involve
the setting up of 'Incubation Centres' for meritorious students from all strata of society. To begin with, at least one per cent of the best brains will be deployed for mentoring at the 'Incubation Centres'. Adequate resources will be provided for the programme. A National Student Bank will be set up to meet the banking requirements, including study loans, of students, at 4% rate of interest.
Education for all: Literate India, powerful India
The BJP will give education its due place in governance to achieve social, economic, cultural and technical advancement. Education will be the Government's instrument to reduce poverty, promote health, protect the environment and advance gender equality. Central allocation to education shall be raised to six per cent of the GDP. Our goal is to spend nine per cent of GDP on education by involving the private sector.
A National Education Commission will be constituted to propose a comprehensive policy for the 21st century. The content and process of education shall be made responsive to the needs of the times and the aspirations of the young. The existing digital divide will be removed by extending the outreach of information technology to every child.
Particular emphasis shall be laid on value education, inclusive education, education of the migratory tribes and other deprived groups and all those who need additional support. The examination system will be reviewed for extensive reform.
following are the highlights of the BJP's agenda to ensure education for all: School Education
1. The success story of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, launched by the NDA in 2002, shall be strengthened, extended and concretised further in quality, content and support systems.
2. Implementation of the mid-day meal scheme shall be revitalised on modern management lines. Akshaya Patra Scheme will serve as a model for this purpose.
3. Effective steps shall be put in place to provide skills acquisition.
4. Primary school timings and vacations shall be flexible and decided upon by the local community and the Parents-Teachers Associations.
5. Universalisation of secondary education shall be speedily implemented. Special emphasis will be given to girls' education at the secondary level.
6. All assistance will be provided for a national madarsa modernisation programme.
7. Close linkages between school education and higher education shall be built into the system.
Vocational education
1. Widespread network of providing skill orientation and vocational training shall be established. Provisions for certification of skills acquired traditionally or through private initiatives shall be made.
2. Additional structures and facilities shall be created at secondary stage to provide generic vocational skills to every child who is willing to do so.
3. A fresh countrywide initiative shall be launched to bring about
an attitudinal transformation among parents and communities towards skill development and vocational education.
4. Industry shall be persuaded to play a greater role than at present to prepare skilled manpower, which will be of mutual benefit.
Higher Education
1. Institutions of higher learning shall be given full autonomy, coupled with accountability, in real practice.
2. Access to higher education shall be expanded without any compromise on quality and content. Private initiatives shall be encouraged within the broad educational priority parameters and provisions for focus groups.
3. Manpower planning shall be put in place and made active and effective. Higher education prepares top-level manpower for every sector. Hence, its quality and relevance have a multiplier effect.
New National Policy on Education
Immediate steps will be initiated to appoint a National Commission on Education, the report of which shall lead to the formulation of a new National Policy on Education that will replace the NPE-1986/92. This Commission shall undertake continuous envisioning of educational plans, strategies methods, material and research to make India a knowledge power and develop several institutions of higher learning and research as centres of international pursuit of knowledge and learning.
Ragging to be made a criminal offence with stiff punishment
The BJP will frame a law to deal with the menace of ragging. All
cases of ragging will be tried in fast-track courts. School/college/university authorities will be held culpable for failing to implement the law.
Science and technology: Over the moon and beyond
The BJP in power will aggressively promote science and technology for the well-being of all citizens and India's progress as well as its emergence as force on the global scene. We believe our science and technology system has to be infused with new vitality if it is to play a decisive and beneficial role in advancing the well-being of all sections of our society.
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee had promised Chandrayan – India's mission to the Moon – and it has been fulfilled by our scientists. We now propose to take the mission a step forward:
Chandrayan – II will see Indians stepping on the Moon in the next five years.
We will take India into the 'Super Computer' era to enhance the nation's defence capabilities and scientific research and development.
The BJP recognises the central role of science and technology in raising the quality of life of the people of the country, particularly of the disadvantaged sections of society, in creating wealth for all, in making India globally competitive, in utilising natural resources in a sustainable manner, in protecting the environment and ensuring national security. Our objectives will be aimed at:
1. Ensuring food, agricultural, nutritional, environme


text:
Cubs foiled on Wrigley Field's 100th birthday
CHICAGO -- Once again, Jeff Samardzija deserved the win, but the D-backs spoiled his day and Wrigley Field's birthday party.
Aaron Hill hit a two-run triple to highlight a five-run ninth inning and lift Arizona to a 7-5 victory over Samardzija and the Cubs, who were celebrating Wrigley Field's 100th anniversary.View Full Game Coverage
CHICAGO -- Once again, Jeff Samardzija deserved the win, but the D-backs spoiled his day and Wrigley Field's birthday party.
Aaron Hill hit a two-run triple to highlight a five-run ninth inning and lift Arizona to a 7-5 victory over Samardzija and the Cubs, who were celebrating Wrigley Field's 100th anniversary.View Full Game Coverage
"It's a big day; you want to show up. We had a good turnout with the fans and a lot of former players in the crowd, and everyone went out and battled and tried to get it done," Samardzija said. "It just didn't turn out the way we wanted to."
The D-backs' rally meant a no-decision for Samardzija, who was in line for his first win in his fifth quality start of the season. Justin Ruggiano belted a two-run homer for the Cubs, who were trying for their third straight win for the first time since last July 26-28. Ruggiano, though, was injured in the ninth.
Arizona trailed, 5-2, in the ninth against Pedro Strop, who walked Chris Owings. Tony Campana reached on an error by shortstop Starlin Castro, who couldn't turn a potential double play ball.
"I tried to be too quick on that play," Castro said. "It's impossible to make a double play with that kind of guy running. All I have to do there is make sure I get one."
Pinch-hitter Eric Chavez walked to load the bases, and one out later, Martin Prado lined a single that bounced off second base and deflected to right to drive in two and close the deficit to 5-4.
"That was a weird inning," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "I've never seen a ball hit the corner of the bag on a ground ball. That's a first for me."
"I think [second baseman Darwin] Barney would have got it," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said of Prado's grounder. "We probably would have got one run out of it. Instead, it lets the guys advance another base and [Miguel Montero] gets the big hit."
Strop struck out Paul Goldschmidt, and James Russell took over and served up a RBI single to Montero to tie the game at 5. Justin Grimm took over for Russell, and Hill greeted him with a triple to right, driving in two. The play may be costly, as Ruggiano fell on the bullpen mound trying to catch the ball and had to be helped off the field. He underwent an MRI with a left hamstring injury.
The Cubs' lack of a consistent closer is creating problems. Jose Veras lost the job after a blown save April 11 in St. Louis. Strop, Hector Rondon and Grimm are Renteria's options now.
"At the beginning with the first hitter, I really didn't have my command, but after that, I got my rhythm and feeling where to throw the ball," Strop said. "The first hitter, I definitely didn't have my stuff. I was trying to get my body warm. I don't want to make excuses -- I have to be ready for that first hitter. In that inning, you cannot be walking guys. It's dangerous. You fight to get the first out, and when you get the first out, everything is different."
Samardzija may have to throw a complete game to get a win. The right-hander scattered seven hits and walked two over 7 1/3 innings, and his ERA now is 1.53, among the best in the National League. In fact, Samardzija hasn't won in his last 11 starts, and eight of those were quality starts.
Samardzija isn't frustrated.
"I'm going out and doing my job," Samardzija said. "As a starting pitcher, you know when you're pitching every fifth day and you come out -- you have to have a short memory as a pitcher. You start carrying over start to start, that's when it starts to snowball on you. You keep doing your work and competing for the team and hope for the best."
"If he keeps pitching the way he's pitching, he'll have victories," Renteria said. "There are also times when guys don't pitch too well and they garner a win. This one was a tough one, for sure. We have to get over it, because we have another game tomorrow."
It'll be back to normal at Wrigley. Wednesday's pregame birthday festivities featured a parade of past Cubs, including Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Andre Dawson and Fergie Jenkins, plus Chicago Bears greats Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers, who also played at Wrigley. Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig took part in the celebration.
The players wore throwback uniforms, with the Cubs dressed in the Chi-Feds outfits and the Diamondbacks as the Kansas City Packers. Those teams played the first game at Wrigley on April 23, 1914, when it was Weegham Park.
The crowd of 32,323 sang "Happy Birthday" to the ballpark in the middle of the fifth inning.
All the hoopla didn't affect the players, however. They had a game to play.
"You're sitting in the bullpen and everything is happening -- 100 years, the celebration and all that," Strop said. "But as soon as you get the call to get in the game, you're not thinking about that, you're thinking about getting your team off the field and into the clubhouse."
The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the second when a run scored on Owings' fielder's choice.
The Cubs took a 3-1 lead in the fifth. Mike Olt singled to lead off, the first hit off Wade Miley since Junior Lake singled in the first, and he moved up on a wild pitch and a single by Welington Castillo. Barney then hit a chopper to Goldschmidt, who lobbed the ball over the covering Hill for an error, and Olt scored. Samardzija hit a sacrifice fly to go ahead, 2-1, and another run scored on Emilio Bonifacio's groundout.
Cody Ross added a RBI single with two outs in the D-backs' sixth, but Miley walked Anthony Rizzo to open the sixth and Ruggiano followed with his first home run to go ahead, 5-2.
Was Wednesday's game just another Cubbie occurrence? Renteria doesn't think so.
"I don't think about what is or isn't in the past," Renteria said. "That plays no part in my thinking."
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat.