text:
Sushant Singh Rajput has been steadily growing into a big figure in Bollywood and has been receiving numerous offers. He made a very impressive debut with Abhishek Kapoor's Kai Po Che and now he was bagged many important and big roles including Peekay with Aamir Khan and Anushka Sharma and Shuddh Desi Romance opposite Parineeti Chopra.
And now he has added another big film to his list. He has been selected for a film based on Charles Dicken's Great Expectations in which he will get a golden opportunity to romance Bollywood's hottest actress Katrina Kaif.
According to the rumours, Abhishek Kapoor shall be directing this movie and though the title of the moive hasn't been revealed yet, the rumoured name doing the rounds is 'Fitoor'.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CF Foundation Advocates "March on the Hill" to Attract Support from Members of Congress
March 14, 2012
On March 8, more than 40 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation volunteers from across the nation came together on Capitol Hill to speak out on behalf of their friends and family members with cystic fibrosis.
Led by National Advocacy co-chairs Amy and Peter Barry, the CF Foundation's "March on the Hill" annual advocacy day included visits with 119 members of Congress representing 28 different states. During the meetings, CF advocates shared their personal stories and asked their representatives and senators to support rare disease expertise throughout the Food and Drug Administration's approval process of new treatments for CF and other rare diseases.
CF advocate families the Bluesteins and Errardis meet with Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) (second from left) to share their personal CF stories and discuss the role of rare disease experts in the FDA's drug review process.
To kick off the day, Foundation President and CEO Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., highlighted how advocates have helped to advance the search for a cure and the development of critical new therapies for those with CF. "By being here today on Capitol Hill, you ensure the voice of the CF community is heard in Congress," Beall said. "Your work advocating on behalf of people with CF has helped make possible the tremendous advancements that are allowing people with CF to live longer, healthier lives."
Congressional Cystic Fibrosis Caucus co-chairs Reps. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL) also thanked the volunteers for their efforts and discussed the importance of advocacy in gaining support for policies that help people with cystic fibrosis.
After a day of meetings, advocates attended a celebration dinner with Reps. Marino (R-PA) and John Fleming (R-LA) who shared their stories as a CF father and CF grandfather, respectively. In support of his daughter and all others with the disease, Marino committed to serving as a new co-chair of the Congressional CF Caucus.
"Our CF advocates and all people with CF are grateful to have gained a new champion in Congress," said Foundation Executive Vice President and COO C. Richard Mattingly. "We are truly grateful for the support of Rep. Marino as we continue working to find a cure for this disease."
Check out more photos of "March on the Hill" in our Facebook photo album.


text:
- antique-good condition. have no space for it! lovely piece!More info Email a friend
Made in Vietnam by Hillsdale. Beautiful woods,teak, etc. NO LAMINATE! 4 chairs w/ material in mint condition. Only 2 years old. Expands to seat 8. Only selling because I am moving. This is a bargain and a solid great piece.More info Email a friend
Beautiful luxury items for sale. Moving to a smaller apartment so must sell many items including televisions, couch, brand new mattress (only 4 months old), nightstand, desk, coffee table and side table. Also available dishes, flatware, stemware, art work...More info Email a friend
Modernage bed good conditions. Beige wood queen. 305-776-7771 $500.More info Email a friend
For sale 3-piece very pretty white wood & blonde pine bedroom set. Inc 6-drawer dresser with mirror & 2-drawer night stand. All with brass & wood drawer pulls. Dresser & night stand need light refinishing. $150 obo.More info Email a friend
For sale is a complete bedroom set in very good condition. Kind size bed with headboard, two night stands, armoire and a dresser with mirror. The dresser and nightstands have marble tops! Selling the complete set. Will take best offer.More info Email a friend


text:
|calendar>>August 9. 2011 Juch 100
Kim Jong Il's Work Reported by Cambodian Media
Pyongyang, August 9 (KCNA) -- The Cambodian AKP and FM 90.5 on August 1 and 2 reported the gist of leader Kim Jong Il's work "Let Us Carry Out the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung's Instructions for National Reunification".
The work, published on August 4, Juche 86 (1997), deals with the undying feats performed by President Kim Il Sung for accomplishing national reunification.
It also formulates the three principles of national reunification, the 10-point programme of the great unity of the whole nation and the proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo as the three charters for national reunification and indicates the tasks and ways for achieving national reunification on their basis.
Copyright (C) KOREA NEWS SERVICE(KNS) All Rights Reserved.


text:
Give a gift
that's both fun
and meaningful.
Though recommended for ages 8 to 14, readers of ALL ages have found "Runt" to be a captivating story with intriguing characters.
See reviews and comments from other readers on the "Reviews" page.
PLEASE NOTE: Books purchased through this website are AUTOGRAPHED by the author, Daniel Schwabauer. This site is the only place to get new, autographed copies.


text:
The term "color blindness" is something of a misnomer. Just as most visually impaired people are not completely "blind," most people who have deficient color perception are not completely "color blind." In fact, only a very small percentage of people suffer from a total lack of color sensation (monochromacy). Rather, color-vision deficiency is the inability to perceive differences between certain colors that other people can distinguish.
The cones are the cause
The human retina contains two kinds of light-receptive cells: rod cells (active in low light) and cone cells (active in normal daylight). Normally, there are three kinds of cone cells, each sensitive to a different spectra. One is maximally sensitive to short wavelengths (peak sensitivity is in the blue region of the spectrum), one to medium wavelengths (peak sensitivity is in the yellowish-green region of the spectrum) and the third to long wavelengths (peak sensitivity is in the yellow regions of the spectrum).
The sensitivity of normal color vision actually depends on the overlap between the absorption spectra of the three cones: Different colors are recognized when the different types of cone are stimulated to different extents. A mild color deficiency is present when one or more of the three cones functions poorly. A more severe color deficiency is present when one of the cones does not function at all or is missing entirely.
And mom's the carrier
Although defective color vision may be acquired as a result of injury or disease, the vast majority of color- blindness cases are hereditary – present at birth. The gene for this is carried in the X chromosome. Since males have an XY pairing and females have XX, color blindness can occur much more easily in males and is typically passed to them by their mothers.
Let's get technical: types of color deficiency
- Protanomaly (one out of 100 males). The protanomalous viewer sees the color red much more weakly than the normal observer, both in terms of its saturation and its brightness. Red, orange, yellow, yellow-green and green appear somewhat shifted in hue towards green, and all appear paler than they do to the normal observer. The redness component in violet or lavender is so weakened for the protanomalous observer that he may fail to detect it at all.
- Deuteranomaly (five out of 100 of males).The deuteranomalous viewer sees the color green much more weakly than the normal observer. Similar to the protanomalous person, he is poor at discriminating small differences in hues in the red, orange, yellow and green region of the spectrum because they appear shifted in hue toward red.
- Dicromasy (two out of 100 males). Those who suffer from this type of color deficiency possess only two out of the three color receptor cones. These individuals normally know they have a color vision problem and it can affect their lives on a daily basis. They see no perceptible difference at all between red, orange, yellow and green. All these colors appear to be the same color for this 2 percent of the population.
The cons and a pro
While there are certain situations where color blindness can cause difficulties – for example, in school, trying to discern information on colored graphs, charts and chalkboards; in the closet, trying to match clothing; in the car, trying to determine the best route on a map; or in the kitchen, trying to tell if the meat is raw or well done – it can be advantageous to those serving in the military. Color-blind people can readily spot camouflage clothing, netting and paint that has been designed to confuse those with normal color vision. Because people with a color deficiency learn to compensate by looking for texture, shape and pattern, this aids them in more easily detecting camouflage.
Design tips
If your client is totally color blind, consider going with a completely black and white color scheme. If your client has trouble distinguishing between certain hues, consider a monochromatic color scheme. Go with their favorite color and use different shades of the same color in the room, being sure to incorporate a variety of shapes and textures for visual and tactile contrast.


text:
Information on the working groups of the Human Rights Committee
The working groups provide a space where INGOs can share their expertise, work on common proposals and positions and make them heard in the unique setting offered by the quadrilogue - between the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the INGO Conference - in the Council of Europe.
The Standing Committee approved the following working groups for the Human Rights Committee:
I. The European Social Charter
Person in charge: Marie-José Schmitt, European Action for the Disabled (AEH) and Vice-chair of the Human Rights Committee.
For the winter session of the Conference of INGOs the working group is preparing an initiative for the ratification of the Additional Protocol on Collective Complaints by further states, 14 having ratified it to date.
II. Human Rights Defenders
Persons in charge: the International Network Youth Human Rights Movement (YHRM), Human Rights House Network (HRHN) and Gérard Greneron, Vice-chair of the Human Rights Committee.
The areas of work:
- improve the protection of HR work through existing and possibly new mechanisms;
- promote a positive perception of HR work, in the public opinion as well as within public authorities, and act against stigmatization of human rights defenders;
- work on specific cases, both negative and positive.
The work plan will follow.
III. Violence against the Elderly and Human Rights
Person in charge: Alain Koskas, International Federation of Associations of the Elderly (FIAPA).
This theme will be taken up also by the Council of Europe Human Rights Policy and Development Department. The work plan will follow.
IV. Extreme Poverty and Human Rights
Persons in charge: Jean-Gabriel Prieur, International Movement ATD Fourth World, Maritchu Rall, International Association of Charities (AIC), working in relation with projects within the UN and the EU.
Message from the event organised by the Conference of INGOs to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October 2014 in Turin to participants in the high-level conference on the European Social Charter
New: date of the next meeting, Tuesday 21 April 2015, 10h30-13h00
Palais de l'Europe, room 2
V. Lanzarote
Persons in charge : Anna Rurka, European Committee for Home-Based Priority Action for the Child and the Family and INGO Conference representative for family and childhood and Gérard Greneron, European Council of Police Trade Unions and Vice-chair of the Human Rights Committee.
With a view to contributing to the Council of Europe Strategy on the rights of the Child 2012-2015, the Conference of INGOs has chosen to focus on the One in Five Campaign and the Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, also known as the Lanzarote Convention.
VI. Preventing and combating violence against women, domestic violence and trafficking in human beings
Person in charge: Betty Doornenbal, Gender Equality Expert of the INGO Conference
VII. Abolition of torture in Europe
Persons in charge: Michel Aguilar, European Buddhist Union (EBU) and Sylvie Bukhari de Pontual, International Federation of Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (FIACAT).
Concurrently with the adoption of the Recommendation on "Changes in the situation with regard to torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in the Council of Europe member states" on 24 January 2013, the Conference of INGOs decided to establish a working group to follow up this text.
VIII. Human Rights, Co-development and Migrations
Persons in charge:
Hugo CASTELLI-EYRE – European Network Church on the Move (EN-RE)
Marie-Christine DAVY – International Association of Charities (AIC)
Work basis
Coinciding with the adoption by the Committee of Ministers of a Declaration on the UN the Guiding Principles on business and human rights on 16 April 2014, implementing the United Nations « Protect, Respect and Remedy » framework, the working group proposes to:
- raise awareness and involve NGOs in actions targeting respect for human dignity and promoting relevant human rights in relation to the exploitation of the natural resources in Africa, Latin America and Asia by extractive industry companies so that such activity contributes to the development of these countries instead of driving their inhabitants to emigration.
- Make known and support the positive examples that favour human rights and report all situations which violate human dignity, human rights and co-development.
- Prepare a recommendation for the INGO Conference
These working groups are open to all INGOs working on the issues - thank you for contacting the persons in charge.
For the Human Rights Committee:
Michel Aguilar, Chair firstname.lastname@example.com
Gérard Greneron, Vice-chair email@example.com
Iamvi Totsi, Vice-chair firstname.lastname@example.com
Maritchu Rall, Rapporteur firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
OpenID Login
Not a member? Register Forgot Password?
GamerDNA Login
Not a member yet? Register.
Winter!: Prepare for holiday gaming!
Game Night!: This weekend! https://www.facebook.com/events/317792721696252/
New Releases: What upcoming games are you looking forward to?
Answer this question....: Eyup or Nope?
So Gamers...: how is it going?
Fercberk...: Ask us a question or two on our Facebook Page! http://www.facebook.com/gamerDNA
Need Help?: Ask us a question or two on our Facebook Page!
Facebook!: Gamers! Check out our Facebook page!
Youtube!!!: Check out our Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/smg1170?feature=mhee
Gamers......: meh
Closing in:
Perching Tyrants = Fun times :P
Game Traits applied to Asheron's Call 2 (PC) by Helenne
Member actions:
Great game, but the grind is somewhat unkind.
I enjoyed playing this game in Beta, however it didn't hook me. Looked very pretty, but lacked...
Incredible game with the steepest learning curve of any MMO I have ever seen. Sadly its too...
An amazing game that breaks the traditional fantasy MMO genre, and does so with intense Ship...
Mythic look as if they have a winning successor to DAoC.
The number of players who play "Bad Company" that also play "Bad Company 2."
gamerDNA®, Contents are Copyright 2006–2015 PLAYXPERT LLC and Live Gamer Inc. gamerDNA and the gamerDNA Logo are trademark and property of Live Gamer Inc.


text:
From June 19th through the 26th I participated in the 9th Annual Paint San Clemente event in Southern California. There were a lot of artists participating in the event, since there was no jury, only a pretty steep entry fee. The prize money was enticing though, so it was worth the trip down to SoCal.
Day One:
Quick Draw
There were probably a good 40 artists painting from 2 models in the front lawn of the San Clemente Art Center where the Quick Draw took place. It started off as a cloudy hazy afternoon and by the time the bell was rung, it was a warm sunny day. I took a shot of the painting midway through.
I used the leaves in the foliage around here to create interesting negative shapes around her, and also lead to the focal point. Here is the finished painting:
I received an Honorable Mention award for the painting. I believe I was the only one who got an award for a portrait painting.
Day 2:
No painting that day. I went to the Getty Center to check out the Jean-Leon Gerome exhibition. No photos were allowed, as in any exhibition on loan, so here are some shots of the other things in the museum.
Day 3:
Day 3 started out with a trip to the Huntington Library and Gardens. It was quite the amazing place! The gardens were a delight to explore, and the art collection was fantastic! I took a lot of photos there, and I plan on using a lot of them in future works of art.
The portrait gallery full of Gainsborough's was breathtaking! I could have just sat in that one room for hours!
Being charged with inspiration, I went out to the first plein air painting of the week. I went up Highway 1, by the Ole Hanson Beach Club. The sun was setting, and I was painting almost directly into the light. I had to wear sunglasses to paint this one. Unfortunately this is the only picture I have of it right now:
Day 3:
I went to the Irvine Museum on Tuesday. It was recommended to me by Alfredo Tofanelli that I check it out maximum inspiration. He was very very right! Amazing early California Impressionists filled this gallery, which was the size of a decent gallery. Looking at how they paint makes me realize how much I need to go to get to their level, because I'm sooooo far away still… The way they vary the hues while keeping the values the same is dazzling. You can't see it with these meager jpegs. You have to look at them in person…
Beautiful cloud studies by Paul Grimm, an artist I had never seen before…
Elmer Wachtel
One of my favorite paintings there… A must-see-in-person…
Being extremely inspired I went and painted 2 new paintings out there:
I also went back and finished the painting from the day before. I wasn't satisfied with the refinement of the piece, plus there were some parts that needed detail, like the buildings on the left.
Day 4:
I painted in Malibu Canyon isntead of San Clemente. This wasn't for the official paint-out, more for the experience of painting out there. There was no place really to park and get any reference of the canyon, so I had to find a trail which was not quite as spectacular. I practiced simplicity in this piece. It took about the same amount of time to do as the first one in after the Irvine Museum visit, even though there are a lot less strokes. I think the color relationships in the foreground like the shadow is the most successful part of this piece.
Day 5:
I ended up starting really late this day. I went to the Pasadena Museum of California Art to check out the California Art Club Gold Medal Show. A lot of very strong work there, even though the overall quality was varied. If you go to their site you can check out the art on display.
This was a rush job. The composition is weak and the trees are too unresolved, but there are some decent things going on the piece. There's a good sense of atmosphere going on, at least.
Day 6:
I painted a couple of pieces that day. I painted a hotel on the beach which I forgot to get a picture of, but is on display at the San Clemente Art Association Gallery. In between the two paintings, I checked out the Randy Higbee Gallery in Costa Mesa. He has a lot of good frames for very cheap. Go to kingofframe.com if you want to see what he offers. I went back to San Clemente and went up to the hills to capture this scene. I feel like I could have exaggerated the planes a bit more to get a better sense of distance.
Day 7:
I barely got my 2 pieces turned in on time, couldn't have done it without Al and Carole! After we got our pieces turned in we went out to Dan McCaw's studio. Dan was gracious enough to spend the whole afternoon showing his work and talking to us about his philosophies on art and creativity, as well as his own lifelong-struggle to find his own voice. His work must be experienced in-person to get the full effect.
Here he is showing off his sketchbooks. They are amazing!
He even treated us to lunch across the street! What a guy! A few members of our party went away with a piece or two from the studio that they purchased. Very cool, very inspiring but in a much different way than the museums were… I felt very fortunate to experience the company of an artist at his level in a casual way and not at a lecture hall. Check his blog out at http://danmccaw.wordpress.com.
We went over to the CAC Gold Medal show because they hadn't seen it yet. Once we got back to San Clemente, the pieces were done being judged and so were up for display. Pretty solid work overall. Al and Carole both did some awesome pieces. I walked away with the 4th and 2nd place award for the pieces I don't have good pictures of(figures, right? 4th place was the beach scene). We went out for drinks and delicious dessert afterwards, a perfect way to cap off a great week had by all….
About Sergio Lopez
North Bay Area based Fine Artist Sergio Lopez. Oil paintings, gouache paintings, plein air paintings, and charcoal drawings. http://www.themainloop.com
- Web |
- More Posts (182)


text:
BY Lisa Caplan on Fri April 29th, 2011
Vampire Rush HD is part a hack 'n slash dungeon crawler part tower defense game and the combination works. So do the rich bright graphics, the controls and all the little details that went into this killer new game.
Continue reading →
BY Mike Lata on Thu April 28th, 2011
If you are a fan of tower defense or hack 'n slash games you should be in for a treat. Chillingo is releasing a hybrid title called Vampire Rush with an iPad HD and standard version.
Continue reading →
BY Casey Tschida on Tue April 12th, 2011
Chillingo, a top publisher of iOS apps, has announced their upcoming games line-up for spring 2011. Teamed up with a few top developers and some newcomers, these "coming soon" titles are looking to make their memorable splash on iDevice gamers everywhere.
Continue reading →


text:
- Home
- Accommodation
- What to
see & do
- Transport
& rentals
- About NZ
- Conferences
- Time & Distance
- Hot Deals
Hi, I'm Kristy, editor of the AA Travel's complimentary monthly travel newsletter, GO-SEE-DISCOVER. Here at AA Tourism we're all about inspiring people to get out and discover what's in their own backyard - or further afield - here in New Zealand.
So, if you're looking for Hot Travel Deals, competitions, inspiring travel stories or just need ideas on what to see and do when you're on holiday, subscribe to GO-SEE-DISCOVER and follow your adventuresome spirit from there.
Click here to subscribe and you're off.
With holiday planning made easy, inspiration is only a click away! Go on, you know you want to - Go...See...and Discover New Zealand.


text:
male - 46 years, Nigeria
48 visitors
Meet Adesayodele on Twoo
Check his profile
Your visit won't be logged.
Your visit will be logged.
About meMore about me
- Name
- ades ayodele
- Date of birth
- 18/12/1968
- Location
- (Lagos)
- Native language
- English
Guestbook 13
i am interested in you
My Name is miss Rose i saw your profile today at (netlog.com) and i love it i think we can click from their!please i will like you to email me back through my email thus;(firstname.lastname@example.com) …
posted by rose_kamara54
31 January 2013
Sign guestbook
48 visitors since 18 June 2011.


text:
It is always gratifying to read of one's research efforts, but the sting in the tail of 'Field flowers bring in the aphid eaters' (New Scientist, Science, 16 October) needs a reply. I can't remember who, on reading their obituary said 'Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated' but Clare Putnam's report of my former employment at The Game Conservancy Trust raised several eyebrows at my present employer (The Game Conservancy Trust) and the Inland Revenue.
I would like to make it clear to all eyebrow raisers that I am alive and well and working very very hard at our Fordingbridge Headquarters and my P45 has, for now, been put back into the file.
Nick Sotherton The Game Conservancy Trust Hampshire
To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content.


text:
Arorangi, Cook Islands
Photos from ArorangiPictures of Arorangi (176)
Hotel Deals in Arorangi
Videos from ArorangiArorangi Videos (2)
Travel Blogs from ArorangiArorangi Travel Blogs (24)
En Route to Rarotonga, Cook Islands
We've spent the last two days at sea and will drop anchor in Rarotonga, Cook Islands tomorrow. We have passed the International Date Line which is an internationally agreed imaginary line running along the 180˚ meridian of longitude that separates ...
Cook Islands
15 October. At Auckland airport Uschi' mobile got lost. Where is it?? Uschi in panic mode!! But the NZ security guys are really relaxed and honest. Uschi had left it in the basket and they picked it up. Puh...,,, Arrival at Rarotonga with delay round ...
Fish and Hips
... the Maori greeting we had received when we had done their cultural performance. From here we learnt about Polynesian culture in the Cook Islands, from their sacred places to their medicine (I didn't ask about it's evidence base, didn't seem polite) ...
Born to be Wild
... New Zealand.) The time passed swiftly enough and soon we were touching down at the airport in Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Islands. A man entertained the crowds waiting at the baggage carousel by playing some native tunes on his guitar and after the ...


text:
|Home > Nation Archive
|Print this story
About the Federal
National Council
/ 14 July 2011
DUBAI - The Federal National Council (FNC) is a group of 40 representatives, out of which eight each represent Abu Dhabi and Dubai, six each from Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, and four each from Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah.
The electoral college of each emirate will elect half the members of the FNC from the respective emirate, while the Ruler of the Emirate will nominate the remaining half. The electoral college members can nominate themselves as candidates in the emirate they represent, provided they meet the eligibility conditions set forth in the Constitution.
The National Election Committee (NEC) has posted the names of the electoral college members on its website www.uaenec.ae. Citizens can check if their name is included in the electoral college of the emirate they represent by visiting the website. The website has advanced search options that enable to locate names by first name, last name, date of birth or the identification number issued by the Emirates Identity Authority.
The NEC was established in February 2011 by a decision of the UAE Supreme Council, to exercise all powers necessary to oversee the election of representatives from the seven emirates in the country to the Federal National Council (FNC). It is chaired by the Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs.
|Print this story
|comments powered by Disqus
|Most Popular Stories


text:
BEIRUT: Alaa al-Aswany is unfazed when he is referred to as an eternal member of the opposition. In fact, the celebrated Egyptian novelist who is passionate about politics is so amused by the description he lets out a timid laugh. "I am actually really pleased with the concept of opposition," he tells The Daily Star during a telephone chat. "What can I say ... every time I am optimistic about a new regime I am surprised that sooner or later it veers toward tyranny and corruption and I'm forced to stand in opposition."
Unlike Taha al-Shazli – one of the main characters in Aswany's bestselling novel "The Yaacoubian Building" (2002), who escapes the state's oppression only to join an Islamist radical group that leads to his tragic demise – the writer is far from reactionary and despises all blind partisanship.
Aswany actually believes that writers must stand at the far-left side of the political spectrum in a bid to defy tyranny and uncover government corruption.
A man well versed in the history of France's revolutions, Aswany never tires of repeating that he has no political ambitions and is not seeking any official post, and states that the combat against tyranny is a national and moral obligation.
"See, we're not living in democratic and stable states like the U.K. or France where only those who have political aspirations deal with politics.
"Here, in the Arab world, we are waging an operation for liberation; liberating our countries from dictatorships. This is not playing politics; this is a national duty we should all engage in."
Although the challenges that lay ahead are numerous and complicated, Aswany will not abandon his optimism, highlighting that the revolution in Egypt is ongoing.
"A revolution is not a coup d'etat whereby a dictator is replaced by another one," he says. "It takes years and hard work for the outcomes of revolutions to crystallize."
Even the violence Egypt has witnessed in the past weeks since Islamist President Mohammad Mursi significantly expanded his powers and called for a referendum on a controversial draft constitution has not left Aswany discouraged or afraid of the fate of a revolution that his writings had implicitly contributed to instigate.
The dentist-turned-novelist sees the recent wave of demonstrations as a "healthy sign" and an integral part of the revolutionary process.
"For 30 years the Muslim Brotherhood were used as a scarecrow by the old regime of [ousted President Hosni] Mubarak to justify tyranny," he adds. "Now that the Muslim Brotherhood have acceded to power and their flaws have flown to the surface, Egypt is once again snubbing religious fascism and this is very positive."
Aswany says the secular Egyptians who granted Mursi their votes against his contender Ahmad Shafik, a Mubarak regime holdover, were astounded to see the new president serve solely the interests of the Muslim Brotherhood.
He argues that the Brotherhood's general guide in Egypt, Ahmad Badih, and Khairat al-Shater, the powerful official in the organization's political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, have decided to highjack Egypt's new constitution.
"They want to devise a constitution that will guarantee that no one else but the Brotherhood will win every single time," he said.
According to the long-term vocal critic of Islamist fundamentalists, Saturday's referendum on the constitution is "null and void."
"Regardless of the outcome, this referendum is null and void because it is based on an unfounded text drafted by an illegitimate committee," Aswany continues.
But Aswany, who ends his op-eds in Egyptian newspapers with the sentence "democracy is the solution," in contrast to the Brotherhood's slogan "Islam is the solution," is still a staunch believer in democracy even if it brings his opponents to power.
The novelist's devotion to democracy, however, was severely questioned last week.
A tweet dated Dec. 8, in which Aswany wrote that illiterate Egyptians must be banned from voting on the new constitution since they are incapable of reading and grasping its content, created an uproar in intellectual circles in Egypt and elsewhere. Some went so far as to accuse the novelist of racism and elitism.
The 50-something Aswany rejects the charges, saying he never considered those who are illiterate as a lower class. He goes on to clarify that he was talking about a nationwide project to wipe out illiteracy, which "has become totally unacceptable in post-revolution Egypt."
He adds that during the tenure of late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel-Nasser, whom Aswany describes as the "most prominent socialist leader," those who could not read or write were banned from applying for driving licenses and from running in elections for the House of Representatives, Majles al-Shaab.
"I really don't understand why the proposal was vehemently attacked and misinterpreted," he says. "If you want to eradicate illiteracy you have to give these people clever incentives."
Yet politics, democracy and literature are not Aswany's sole fields of interests. He is actually one of Egypt's main lobbyers for women's rights. It is with intense pride and excitement that he depicts the role Egyptian women played in the uprising.
"Egyptian women stood in the forefront," he says. "I think the revolution reminded us of the true value of our women."
Aswany's promotion of women's rights is clearly reflected in his writings. In fact, rarely has an Arab writer excelled in painting a real picture of women and succeeded in representing even their most intimate emotions and reactions.
Unlike the vindictive and sexist approach adopted by many Arab authors with regards to women, Aswany's method of dealing with his female characters is endearing and highly perceptive.
An acute observer of humanity and human beings, Aswany understands that patriarchal attitudes and a misinterpretation of religion stand behind the oppression of women in this part of the world.
Aswany's female characters are a delicious read indeed. In his novel "Chicago" (2007), the reader is amazed by the power of love that has transformed Shaima Mohammadi from a timid and taciturn medical student into a charming woman.
In "The Yaacoubian Building," the writer's meticulous description of Bouthaina's "large amazed hazelnut eyes" is likely to distract the reader, even if for a very short while, from pitying the crushed young woman who watches her modest dreams shatter, one after another.
Aswany believes that a "flawed yet widely spread reading of Islam" – one that portrays women as a source of temptation and as objects only fit for cleaning, cooking and procreation – has contributed to worsening the conditions of women in the Arab world.
"In the last 20 or 30 years such a backward reading of Islam has spread; it is very ... very alien to Egypt's reading of the religion," he stresses. Aswany continues that women in his country were more emancipated at the turn of the century then they are now.
"In 1924, when women stopped wearing the Turkish burqa, revolutionary leader Saad Zaghloul hosted a big ceremony in central Cairo at Midan al-Ismailiya, which is now known as Tahrir Square," he recounts.
He adds that Zaghloul's famous adage that Egypt will never be emancipated if its women are not emancipated still stands.
To Aswany, who will submit the final draft of his latest novel, "The Automobile Club," to his publisher in January, we are living in an era of major change, not only in Egypt but in the whole of the Arab world.
The novelist dislikes the term "Arab Spring" used to refer to the series of protests that swept the Arab world in 2011. "I don't like this term," he says. "It was imposed on us by the Western media."
Aswany argues that change is contagious among Arabs, and says that Arab countries share strong ties and change will sooner or later engulf the Arab world.
"We are witnessing the end of tyranny in the Arab world," he says.
Aswany maintains that after winning their independence from foreign occupation in the 20th century, Arab countries fell in the hands of dictators. "This is a form of internal occupation," he adds. "It's even more tyrannical than foreign occupation."
Armed with his usual optimism, the novelist considers that the clock is ticking for Arab tyrants.
"We might not get rid of them all at once since each country is a case of its own, but in my opinion, in 20 years democracy will reign in the Arab world," he concludes on a confident note.
Your feedback is important to us!
We invite all our readers to share with us their views and comments about this article.
Disclaimer: Comments submitted by third parties on this site are the sole responsibility of the individual(s) whose content is submitted. The Daily Star accepts no responsibility for the content of comment(s), including, without limitation, any error, omission or inaccuracy therein. Please note that your email address will NOT appear on the site.
Alert: If you are facing problems with posting comments, please note that you must verify your email with Disqus prior to posting a comment. follow this link to make sure your account meets the requirements. (http://bit.ly/vDisqus)
King Salman urges Lebanese to elect president
Aoun, Geagea bury the hatchet for good of Lebanon
Salam holds 'fruitful' talks with Saudi king


text:
Mortar recipe
Hi all, looking for some mortar recipe advise.... I have the refractory cement and sand but don't really know what ratio to mix them... This would be used to hold the bricks together.
Secondly, I then need a recipe for the mortar with added perlite, to clad the brick dome.
Re: Mortar recipe
search homebrew on this forum. it will explain it.
Re: Mortar recipe
I think most everyone uses 3:1:1:1 (sand, portland cement, lime, fireclay)
I used that everywhere and 6 months later and >15 pizza parties no issues!
Re: Mortar recipe
If you have actual refractory cement (Calcium aluminate), then you simply mix it with 3 parts fine silica sand.
If you are making the homebrew, it is as above, except you can use from 3-6 parts sand by volume.
Re: Mortar recipe
Regarding the mixture for insulation over the dome, use Portland cement and perlite or vermiculite. Using refractory cement for this layer is not necessary as the temp has dropped by the time it reaches it, the refractory cement is way more expensive and its pot life is really short. For over the dome mix I use a 10:1 vermiculite:cement ratio.
|All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:12 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2015, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
© 2006/10 Forno Bravo, LLC