text:
On a warm May night, the sound of footsteps and a stranger's voice in the darkness outside his home startled a man in Afghanistan. Alarmed, he went to investigate. He saw that someone had affixed something to his door.
He found a handwritten note: "You have been helping U.S. occupier forces and ... you are an ally and spy of infidels, we will never leave you alive."
Khan, in his early 30s, is only using his middle name out of fear for his life. He had already received a series of death threats — which came, he says, in the form of phone calls to his father from the Taliban. That night in May, insurgents made it clear they knew where he lived.
Khan inspected his home's main gate and found a grenade wired to the doorknob, set to explode if someone opened the gate from inside. He and his father managed to dispose of the device before it could be triggered.
"Fortunately, no one was harmed," Khan tells NPR. He has a three-year-old son, and his wife is pregnant.
Since 2015, Khan has worked on a project for the U.S. Department of Defense that helped prevent Afghan security officials from turning over U.S.-donated military equipment to enemy hands. He says the death threats began shortly after he was hired by the U.S. government, but retaliation against his family worsened — with the Taliban killing four of his relatives since the U.S. announced its withdrawal from Afghanistan last year.
Khan and his wife now keep a 24-hour watch. "During the night, I'm watching from my roof of my home for enemies to not place IEDs [bombs] or mines on my doors," he says. During the day, when he sleeps, his wife takes his place. "We are watching out for anyone that wants to kill us," he says.
A pathway to safety, hampered by delays
In Afghanistan, a crisis is mounting. Taliban and other insurgents are targeting Afghan citizens like Khan who aided U.S. forces. As U.S. and NATO troops completely withdraw from Afghanistan within the next few weeks — the U.S. symbolic deadline is Sept. 11, but forces are expected to be out next month — thousands of Afghans who worked as interpreters, translators, drivers, cooks, cultural advisors and staff for the U.S. military and other U.S. government agencies fear being stranded.
The nonprofit No One Left Behind, which works to help interpreters secure visas, says several hundred Afghan interpreters and their family members have been killed since 2001 because of their association with the United States. The exact number is unknown, as neither the Pentagon nor the State Department keep track.
Afghans who supported the U.S. mission were offered a pathway to safety more than a decade ago. Special immigrant visas are available to those who worked with the U.S. and faced serious threats as a result of their employment. The U.S. has allowed 50 special visas per year to be issued to Afghan and Iraqi interpreters and translators, and has allocated 26,500 visas since December 2014 for Afghans employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government.
But the SIV program, administered by the State Department, is slow and hampered by administrative problems. The process is intended to take nine months to complete, but some applicants have waited years. A 2020 review by the State Department's Office of the Inspector General cites insufficient staffing and the absence of a centralized database.
Today, there are over 18,000 SIV applicants in Afghanistan waiting for approval to come to the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said about half of these are in the early stages of the application process.
The coronavirus pandemic has worsened delays. On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul suspended all visa operations in response to a third wave of COVID-19 cases throughout the country. (The embassy itself has reported more than 100 cases of infection and one death among employees).
"Those of us who are here feel a deep moral obligation to do everything we can," Ambassador Ross Wilson, the U.S. chargé d'affaires at the embassy in Kabul, tells NPR.
"We're working with our colleagues in Washington to try to cut through those numbers as quickly as we possibly can to meet the obligation that we all feel here, and that our country has, absolutely, to people who served us over the course of our time here," he says. "But it is an immigrant visa, and those take a certain amount of time in any country."
Blinken has said if necessary, the U.S. can consider bringing SIV applicants into the U.S. as refugees.
"I feel I've been deceived by the U.S."
The delays and denials have left many Afghans who worked with U.S. forces and agencies feeling betrayed. "It's like deception," says one man in Afghanistan who spoke with NPR on a Zoom call. He's so fearful for his family's safety, he does not want to use his name. "I feel I've been deceived by the U.S."
In 2012, he began work with a contractor on a project with the U.S. Agency for International Development that supported local community development and governance. Now he's receiving calls from insurgents threatening to kill him and kidnap his children.
"They claim they're the Taliban," he says. "They told me on the phone that 'We know where you live.'"
Since 2015, SIV applicants must prove they had two years of qualifying service with the U.S. government. This man had documentation for one year, so his request for a visa was denied.
"Every day, you can see an increase in the Taliban's presence," the man says. "What am I going to do after September? What's going to happen in November? Am I going to even be alive by December?"
Afghan women are especially at risk
In another instance, an Afghan woman who'd worked in procurement and security projects with the U.S. was denied an SIV because she was just seven days shy of completing the required length of service. Keeping Our Promise Inc., a resettlement program for Afghan, Iraqi and Kurdish interpreters and support personnel based in Rochester, N.Y., is helping the woman ask the U.S. for humanitarian parole for her and her mother.
Women who worked with the U.S. are at especially high risk of Taliban retribution. "While Afghans affiliated with the U.S. are broadly at risk from retaliation by the Taliban and other militias, women in particular face ongoing threats, not only for having worked with the U.S., but also for working in positions the Taliban find unsuitable for women," explains Julie Kornfeld, a staff attorney at the International Refugee Assistance Project, a nonprofit that works to bring SIV applicants to the U.S. "The groups that are opposed to women's rights are especially looking to punish women in these positions, and our female clients have reported that they will be hunted down and killed."
NPR was unable to speak directly with any female SIV applicants. However, IRAP provided this written statement from one Afghan woman who worked in U.S.-funded projects for over 3 1/2 years:
"The Taliban are already here, they are just a few kilometers away from the town where I live. They are not going to show mercy, nor would they listen to any justification. They are thirsty for retaliation, especially against women. They even kill civil servants who worked for the [Afghan] government, then imagine the fate of those who worked for the Americans."
"I want the White House's hair on fire"
Bipartisan calls from Congress are putting pressure on the State Department and the Biden administration to accelerate SIV processing. "I want the White House's hair on fire" over the need to ensure Afghans' safety, Angus King, an Independent senator from Maine, told reporters this week. "The time is short, and getting shorter all the time."
"These people have a bull's eye and a target on their back from the moment we leave the country," Rep. Michael McCaul, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned this month. "And if we abandon them, we are signing their death warrants."
Last week, a group of Republican and Democratic senators led by New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen introduced legislation that would lower the SIV eligibility requirement from two years of service to a single year. It would also postpone expensive medical evaluations and provide special immigrant status for certain surviving spouses and children of applicants who have been killed.
In May, the top U.S. military officer hinted toward a more immediate solution. "There are plans being developed very, very rapidly here" for a possible evacuation of Afghans who supported the U.S., Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters.
This month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin tasked U.S. Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie "to come up with options potentially for the transportation out of Afghanistan of civilians that might need it, at various levels and under various circumstances," Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told Defense One. But, Kirby said, "We aren't at a stage right now where evacuation is being actively pursued."
"Please sir, rescue me from the enemy"
Weston Amaya is a retired U.S. Army major who was deployed in Afghanistan in 2011. As an infantry captain, he assisted an Afghan Army battalion stationed in the rugged Pech River Valley in northeastern Kunar province — the scene of some of the war's most relentless fighting.
Amaya says he relied on his interpreter, an Afghan teenager around 18, who was by his side on the morning when mortar and machine gun fire rained down from somewhere out in the mountains. Amaya's interpreter intercepted radio chatter from the Taliban which helped pinpoint the enemy location.
"He was completely fearless," Amaya says. "He and I were having to move from position to position to get the reports, to get the intel. We were moving under fire the entire time."
Since 2013, Amaya has tried, without success, to get his interpreter an SIV. A litany of letters of recommendation from U.S. commanders vouched for his interpreter's bravery and faithful service over the course of three years.
But the U.S. Embassy in Kabul disagreed. In a letter from 2018, which NPR has seen, it informed Amaya's interpreter that he had not met "the requirement of faithful and valuable service to the U.S. government," and his application was denied.
Last month, he received a frantic email from the interpreter, who remains in Afghanistan: "Please sir, rescue me from the enemy. Please do something to save me."
Amaya has renewed his efforts to help his colleague get out.
"Failing to get these interpreters and their loved ones out of harm's way is tantamount to leaving one of our own," Amaya says.
The wait continues
The handwritten death threat and grenade that Khan, the U.S. defense contractor employee, found outside his home last month followed a spate of horrific attacks against his family.
In January, Khan's brother-in-law Mohammad, who also worked with the Defense Department, was shot and killed in front of his 10-year-old son.
Mohammad was driving with his son hidden in the car when insurgents stopped their vehicle. "His small son told me that they were yelling that 'We will kill you,' and 'You have helped U.S. forces,' and when they tried to escape, [Mohammad] was shot," Khan says.
The boy stayed hidden and was unharmed physically. But now he suffers from night terrors, crying out for his father in his sleep.
According to Khan, Mohammad had applied for an SIV in 2010. He was still waiting for his visa when he was killed.
"Here where I live, insurgents are closing in," Khan says.
He himself applied for an SIV in 2018. Earlier this year, he finally receivedchief of mission approval— the first of many steps in the SIV process. His attorney, IRAP's Kornfeld, says it may take months — if not years — before Khan acquires his visa and can bring his family to safety in the United States.
For Khan, the prospect of such a wait is shattering.
"As I receive threats and my father receives calls from the Taliban, I fear that after the U.S. withdraws, if we're left behind, me and my family will be killed by insurgents," Khan says. "Not only me and my family, but many families and many like me will be killed."
H.J. Mai contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Updated October 11, 2021 at 10:54 PM ET
Jon Gruden, the coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, has resignedfollowing news reports that he used derogatory language in emails dating back to 2011.
"I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders," Gruden said in a statement. "I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone."
Among the targets for Gruden's insults were DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and then-Vice President Joe Biden.
The emails emerged from an investigation into workplace misconduct at the Washington Football Club. The offensive terms were used in emails sent from Gruden to former Washington team president Bruce Allen and others. Allen was firedin 2019.
Gruden sent the emails between 2011 and 2018, while he was a color analyst for ESPN's Monday Night Football. Before joining ESPN, Gruden coached the Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The existence of racially disparaging emails were first reported on Friday by The Wall Street Journal. On Monday evening, The New York Times reported on emails that includedhomophobic and misogynistic comments.
Gruden, 58, signed a 10-year, $100 million deal with the Raiders in 2018. By Monday evening, the Raiders had already removedGruden's profile from the team's website.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Screen Protection Plan (Complimentary) for iPhone
Screen Protection Plan ("Plan")
- The Plan
This Accidental Screen Damage Protection Plan governs the registration and support process for screen (also referred to as display, touch screen, touch panel) damages for Apple iPhones ("Device") sold by Apple Mono Brand Retail Stores in India in its original packaging as approved by Apple India Private Limited ("Apple") and purchased by an eligible customer. This Plan is not valid for any devices or products that purchased by a customer post a return from the original customer, even in an unboxed condition or from any other sales channels other than Apple Mono Brand Retail Stores in India. Service Lee Technologies Private Limited (hereafter "Servify") reserves the right to discontinue the Plan without any prior notice and at its own discretion. - Plan Term
Benefits under the Plan begins from the activation date of the Device or purchase date of the Device whichever is earlier, and ends on completion of 180 days from the activation date of the Device or purchase date of the Device whichever is earlier. ("Plan Term") - Plan Activation Process
The Device must be purchased from a listed Apple Mono Brand Retail Store for availing benefits under this Plan. The Customer buying a Device from such Apple Mono Brand Retail Store must register on the iCircle Mobile Application (developed by Capillary Technologies Pvt. Ltd., hereafter referred to as "iCircle App") within 15 days of purchase or activation of the Device, whichever is earlier and by following the steps explained within the iCircle App under 'Benefits' section. Upon successful registration on the iCircle App, the Plan will be activated within one business day, subject to eligibility checks as deemed fit by Servify. It is expressly agreed that the Customer or the Apple Mono Brand Retail Stores provide their data on the iCircle App on their own and, Servify gets only limited details from iCircle App required for activation of the Plan. Also, Servify bears no responsibility towards any data provided by Customer or by the Apple Mono Brand Retail Store on the iCircle App, and the same is provided by them on their own; subject to the privacy policy of iCircle App. - Plan Details
- "Registered" Device
The Device that was successfully registered under the Plan by following the activation process as required within 15 calendar days of purchase or activation of the Device, whichever is earlier is termed as "Registered Device" - Customer
The purchaser of the Registered Device whose name is mentioned on the original invoice is the Customer. The purchaser's spouse, children and parents can be the users of the Registered Device. If the purchaser is a company, Customer shall mean any representative/employee of the company authorized to use the Registered Device. - Benefits Value
Maximum Benefits Value is equivalent to the one time cost incurred for screen replacement, during the Plan Term. Only one Screen Damage Repair Request per Registered Device is allowed during the Plan Term. Any other repairs during the Plan Term or all subsequent repair requests shall be considered as paid repairs only, and the Customer is liable to make payments for such repair requests if undertaken through Servify. In no instance if the Customer chooses not to get the screen damage repaired or is not willing to pay the differential amount applicable for the repair, Servify will refund the Benefits Value to the Customer. - Scope of Service under the Plan
Provided the Registered Device is handed over to Servify or its authorized channels in its entirety during the Damage Repair Request Process & that the customer has submitted the documents as desired under the Plan and have purchased the Registered Device from an Apple Mono Brand Retail Store, the following conditions would be considered under the Plan.- Inclusions
- Suffers accidental physical screen damage affecting the functionality of the screen.
- Suffers damage due to:
- Acts of god perils, fire, lightening and explosion
- Damage during riot, strike & malicious damage
- Exclusions
- Any damages to the Registered Device prior to the Plan activation
- Any damages reported within 7 days of activation of the Plan
- Any damage to the Registered Device:
- due to Intentional act or wilful neglect
- arising before or after Plan Term
- under mysterious circumstances including lost or stolen
- Loss or damage not reported to Servify within 48 hours of the loss or damage to the Registered Device
- due to hire or loan of the Registered Device to a third party or if ownership is transferred
- due to unlawful act including Terrorist activity, War, Nuclear Explosion, Radioactive Contamination, Chemical, Biochemical, Biological, Electromagnetic, Cyber Attack
- caused by incorrect storage, poor care and maintenance, careless use, gross negligence, incorrect installation and incorrect set-up
- due to any experiments or tests and/or alterations resulting to any abnormal conditions of the Registered Device
- Damage caused by:
- a product/accessory that is not the Registered Device
- operating the Registered Device outside the permitted or intended uses described by manufacturer
- service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by anyone who is not an Apple Authorized Service Provider ("AASP") or any failure/damage caused outside the Indian territory
- Third-party products or their effects on or interactions with the Registered Device or the software
- Consequential loss of any kind or description including wear & tear, manufacturing defects
- Cosmetic damage to the Registered Device including but not limited to scratches, dents and broken plastic on ports
- Loss or damage covered by supplier, dealer or Manufacturer's Warranty
- Any loss affecting to SIM card and any ancillary products even if Registered Device results into complete stoppage of working
- Registered Device with a serial number that has been altered, defaced or removed, or has been modified to alter its functionality or capability without the written permission of the original manufacturer of the device.
- Defects caused by normal wear and tear or otherwise due to normal aging of the product
- Issues that could be resolved by upgrading software to the then current version
- Your use of a computer or operating system that is unrelated to consumer software or connectivity issues with the Registered Device
- Damage to, or loss of any software or data residing or recorded on the Registered Device
- Recovery and reinstallation of software programs and user data
- Any loss or damage to accessories and panels even if forming part of the standard pack or to any complimentary or ancillary product/s made available under any promotional scheme
- Inclusions
- "Registered" Device
- Special Exclusions
Servify shall not be liable in respect of loss or damage to Registered Device relating to or caused due to the following:- Loss or damage due to mechanical or electrical break down or derangement, unless such loss is an accidental damage and which is not covered within the Manufacturer's Warranty
- Penalties for delay or detention or in connection with guarantees of performance or efficiency
- Loss due to the Registered Device which gradually develops flaws, defects, cracks or partial fractures in any part not necessitating immediate stoppage, although at some future time repair or renewal of the parts affected may be necessary
- Loss due to deterioration or wearing away or wearing out of any part of the Registered Device that is caused due to or naturally resulting from its normal use or exposure
- Servify shall not be liable if:
- the Customer is found to be involved in any way in fraudulent or illegal activity of any kind whatsoever related to this Plan or Registered Device and/or
- the Plan is activated after 15 calendar days of purchase or activation of the Registered Device, whichever is earlier and/or
- Due to the inability of the Customer to submit any registration or Screen Damage Repair Request related documents in order to process the same by Servify
- In any action, suit or other proceeding where the Servify or underwriting partner(s) alleges that by reason of the provisions of the exceptions or exclusions above, any loss, destruction or damage is not included under this Plan, the burden of proving that such loss, destruction or damage is included, shall be upon the Customer
- Service Request Process
In the event of damage to the Registered Device, you (Customer) is required to:- Immediately (Not later than 48 Hours from the time of the damage) inform Servify through the Servify App or Servify Consumer Web Portal (https://me.servify.tech/) or Call Center Number (1 800 123 333 888) detailing how the damage occurred, place of damage, date & time of damage, and any documentary evidence of the damage as per the process listed on the Servify Platform. The screen damage incident and the request from customer for repairs in totality is referred to as "Screen Damage Repair Request" here.
- Submit all Screen Damage Repair Request related documents as mentioned in the Servify Platform within two (2) calendar days of raising the said Screen Damage Repair Request or within the timelines as communicated by Servify
- The Screen Damage Repair Request is accepted only if it is lodged post 7 calendar days from the date of activation of the Plan and that the Device was in perfect working condition in those 7 days from the date of activation of the Plan.
- The Customer will not handover the Registered Device for repairs at any service centre or point of sales, including at any Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) until confirmed by Servify and a valid Screen Damage Repair Request is registered with Servify as per the process defined hereinabove. It is expressly stated that Servify will not be held responsible for fulfilling any such repair requests where the Registered Device is handed over to a service centre or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) by the Customer before the approval from Servify; any liabilities arising out of such repair requests before the in-principle approval from Servify will be solely handled by the Customer at their own expense.
- Service Fulfilment Process
- Customer may visit the nearest Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) as directed by Servify via its communication channels once such Screen Damage Repair Request has been approved by Servify in-principle, and in writing or via the Servify Platform or on a voice call on the Customer's registered number. Screen Damage Repair will be performed only at the AASP after verification of the entitlement and validity of the Plan. Once the service is complete, Customer will be notified via the Servify Platform and/or through written communication. The Customer can collect the Device post repair or replacement on their own, within the stipulated time as per the Apple service policies.
- If Customer walks in to any AASP before the in-principle approval of Servify, or without the knowledge of Servify and an approval, Servify reserves the right to decline or approve such repair requests and Servify is not responsible for any complaints or claims from the Customer
- Servify reserves the right to change the method by which they may provide repair/replacement service to the Customer, and the eligibility to receive a particular method of service under this Plan. Service options, parts availability and response times may vary according to the city Customer lives in and Servify has no control on the same.
- Customer is eligible for only Screen replacement and not whole unit replacement or any other parts replaced under this Plan. In such a scenario where the repair cannot be completed only by screen replacement or if the Customer's Device is replaced (under Whole Unit Replacement policy of Apple), the Customer must pay for the applicable price difference to avail the benefits under this Plan
- Your Responsibilities
To receive service or support under the Plan, you agree to comply with the following:- Provide a copy of your Registered Device's original proof of purchase, if requested.
- Provide information about the reasons and causes of the damage to the Registered Device
- Provide identity proof if requested by Servify (at the time of raising a 'Damage Repair Request') to verify the User of the Device, on which Plan is activated
- Respond to requests for information, including but not limited to the Registered Device serial number, model, version of the operating system and software installed, any peripherals Devices connected or installed on the Registered Device, any error messages displayed, actions taken before the Registered Device experienced the damage and steps taken to avoid the damage
- Follow instructions Servify gives you, including but not limited to refraining from sending Registered Device that is not subject to damage protection as per the Plan and packing the Registered Device in accordance with shipping instructions as per the Plan
- Make sure to backup software and data residing on the Registered Device. DURING THE FULFILLMENT OF DAMAGE REPAIR SERVICE, SERVIFY OR THE ASP MAY DELETE THE CONTENTS OF THE REGISTERED DEVICE AND REFORMAT THE STORAGE MEDIA IF NECESSARY. Servify, or ASP may return your Registered Device after the service event subject to applicable updates. Servify or the ASP may install latest software updates as part of hardware service that will prevent the Registered Device from reverting to an earlier version of the Operating System. Third party applications installed on the Registered Device may not be compatible or work with the Registered Device as a result of the Operating System update. You will be responsible for reinstalling all other software programs, data and passwords.
- Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, SERVIFY AND ITS EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS WILL UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY SUBSEQUENT OWNER FOR ANY INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO COSTS OF RECOVERING, REPROGRAMMING, OR REPRODUCING ANY PROGRAM OR DATA OR THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA, ANY LOSS OF BUSINESS, PROFITS, REVENUE OR ANTICIPATED SAVINGS, RESULTING FROM SERVIFY'S OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS PLAN. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE LIMIT OF SERVIFY AND ITS EMPLOYEES AND AGENT'S LIABILITY TO YOU AND ANY SUBSEQUENT OWNER ARISING UNDER THE PLAN SHALL NOT EXCEED THE CURRENT MARKET VALUE OF THE REGISTERED DEVICE. SERVIFY SPECIFICALLY DOES NOT WARRANT THAT (i) IT WILL BE ABLE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE REGISTERED DEVICE WITHOUT RISK TO OR LOSS OF PROGRAMS OR DATA, (ii) IT WILL MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA, OR (iii) THAT THE OPERATION OF THE PRODUCT WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL EXCLUDE OR LIMIT SERVIFY'S LIABILITY FOR (I) DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY ITS NEGLIGENCE, OR (II) FRAUD. TO THE EXTENT THAT LIABILITY UNDER SUCH LAWS AND REGULATIONS MAY BE LIMITED, SERVIFY'S LIABILITY IS LIMITED, AT ITS SOLE OPTION, TO REPLACE OR REPAIR OF THE REGISTERED DEVICE OR SUPPLY OF THE SERVICE - Transfer of Plan
- The transfer of ownership of the Plan for the Registered Device from the Device to another party will render the Plan & its benefits null and void
- If the Registered Device is replaced under Manufacturer's Warranty during the Plan Term, then the replacement Device will be termed as Registered Device, with the applicable Plan benefits for the remaining period of the Plan Term.
- General Terms
- Servify may subcontract or assign performance of its obligations to third parties but shall not be relieved of its obligations to you in doing so
- Servify is not responsible for any failures or delays in performing under the Plan that are due to events outside its reasonable control
- You may be required to perform preventative maintenance on the Registered Device to receive service under the Plan, and update the Servify Mobile Application from time to time whenever there is a new version is available on the App Store or as advised from Servify from time to time.
- This Plan is offered and valid only if you are making a purchase in India and using in India
- This Plan is not offered to persons who have not reached the age of majority. This Plan may not be available in all states, and is not available where prohibited by law
- In carrying out its obligations Servify may, at their discretion and solely for the purposes of monitoring the quality of their response, record part or all of the calls between you and them
- Customer agrees that any information or data disclosed to Servify under this Plan is not confidential or proprietary to the Customer. Furthermore, Customer agrees that Servify may collect and process data on Customer's behalf when it provides its service. This may include transferring Customer's data to affiliated companies or service providers in accordance with the Privacy Policy of Servify, details of which are available on its website (https://servify.in/privacy/). Servify have security measures, which should protect your data against unauthorized access or disclosure as well as unlawful destruction. You will be responsible for the instructions you give to Servify regarding the processing of data, and Servify will seek to comply with those instructions as reasonably necessary for the performance of the service and support obligations under the Plan. If you do not agree with the above or if you have questions regarding how your data may be impacted by being processed in this way, contact or Service at the support mediums provided such as firstname.lastname@example.com
- The terms of the Plan, including the original sales receipt of the Registered Device and the Plan Confirmation, prevail over any conflicting, additional, or other terms of any purchase order or other document, and constitute your and Servify's entire understanding with respect to the Plan
- Servify is not obligated to renew this Plan. If either Servify does offer a renewal, they will determine the price and terms
- There is no informal dispute settlement process available under this Plan
- In the event any section or portion of a section of these terms and conditions are deemed invalid, void or unenforceable, that section or portion of a section shall be severed from these terms and conditions, and the remaining terms and conditions shall continue in full force and effect
- These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed under the laws of India
- These terms and conditions do not affect your statutory rights as a consumer, under Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
- Support Contact Details:
- Servify Customer Service Number: 1800 123 333 888 (Toll Free), All days, 9am to 9pm
- Servify Customer Service Email ID: email@example.com


text:
Diversey Consulting is the food safety & risk management services group of Diversey. By creating reliable and solid guidelines for food safety and health & hygiene, we assist you in developing a practical yet credible and risk-based system. A robust food safety & infection prevention system which is the corner stone for you to ensure the safety of your guests and employees. We provide you with global food safety and risk management services from the design of your management system to implementation and training up to monitoring and auditing.
Diversey Consulting In A Nutshell
Globally Capable, Locally Competent
Diversey Consulting has a large experience with international partners. With our global network of high-profiled consultants we have the capacity to service large chains active in many countries. Our local footprint of regional consultants ensures local regulations & business realities are met while respecting the central headquarters guidelines of intercontinental operations. The result is a standardized yet locally customized approach.
Expert guidance
With our professional diverse team of veterinarians, food engineers, microbiologists and food technologists, we ensure a professional and accurate approach. With over 1000 clients in Europe, Americas, Africa, Middle East & Asia we have a broad network of Food Industry experts specialized in Business to Consumer sectors in every region. Our approach is to educate, coach and guide our clients on how to tackle their food safety & infection prevention concerns. This worldwide network of dedicated experts have a solid background on food safety, microbiology and infection prevention. Furthermore they are specifically trained and calibrated for each project and familiarized with local regulations guaranteeing a uniformed and effective approach
Continuous improvement
Our services are continuously updated with new legislative input, recommendations & insights from the scientific world and business operations.
Embracing modern technology
We empower your health and food safety culture by providing you with ultimate technological advances for data management. With our zero-paper approach you can free yourself from data chaos and mountains of paper and create full control and transparency. Our vision is to establish simplification. more accuracy and less paperwork. Gain operational insights with our intuitive dashboards and helicopter views on your food safety activity including corrective actions triggered by the system.


text:
Microsoft HR uses the Power Platform to transform employee experiences
Microsoft used PowerApps to create a a suite of employee engagement mobile apps that have been deployed worldwide to 100,000+ employees. These applications have a clean and modern UI and connect to a variety of backend services, including cloud-based APIs and legacy on-premise systems. In this post we'll take a deeper look at these apps, that are branded as the Thrive suite. We'll describe the successful partnership between the Microsoft HR and IT departments, the decision to use PowerApps, the app functionality, and the solution architecture.
Business scenario
The Microsoft HR team needed a single framework for a suite of applications for employees to discover content and execute tasks. They needed a world class experience for employees to report their vacation time, view the latest company news, see global holidays, look up people profiles, and send kudos to colleagues. The experience needed to be modern, mobile, and customized to meet the high quality bar for HR experiences.
Before PowerApps – solutions, challenges and opportunities
Microsoft employees use various tools for these tasks, many of which are in dire need of a facelift. As one example, the current "TAR" tool for time and absence reporting has not had a major UI update for over 10 years. "Using TAR makes me feel like I'm working for NASA in the 60s", was the comment from a new college hire on seeing the tool for the first time. As a result of the poor UI and lack of mobile experience, many employees simply don't report their vacation. The HR business unit had made two previous attempts to build native applications. The native applications, while providing flexibility on the look and feel, were costly and time consuming to develop. It took months to create a first version, and too long to iterate based on user feedback, resulting in the solutions being abandoned.
Screenshot of the old Time and Absence Reporting tool – outdated UX with no mobile interface
Embarking on the PowerApps journey
In early 2016, the HR team evaluated two third party vendor platforms in addition to PowerApps. The team cared deeply about the user experience. They found PowerApps to be the only option out of the three that provided the necessary level of UI richness. However, at the time PowerApps was still in Preview and did not meet their requirements for performance and reliability. They decided to bet on it and work closely with Microsoft IT and the PowerApps product team to evolve the solutions to be deployable across the entire organization. The teams encountered technical challenges and skepticism along the way. But they persevered through, driving over 300 updates into the product, and continuing to improve the content, the user experience and technical fundamentals. They now have a suite of Thrive apps deployed at scale to over 100k employees. This truly has been a cross-Microsoft success story.
Today, most of the development efforts are driven out of Chennai and Hyderabad. The folks developing the front-end experience have technical backgrounds, but no professional app development skills. Eric McChesney who leads the program from the HR side commented, "this is the most customer obsessed team I've worked with, they have a tinkering mentality that is a personality match to PowerApps".
Meet the duo who drove the Thrive effort – Pat Dunn (left) from Microsoft IT
and Eric McChesney (right) from the HR business unit
The Thrive suite powered by PowerApps
The solution is a suite of applications branded as Thrive with a mission to "create a single employee experience for all Microsoft employees to use on their phone or the web". These experiences run on mobile devices, the web and in embedded scenarios, such as within Bing. Here is a quick look at each of the applications currently deployed in production:
Thrive Home – the Home app is where it all begins, employees start here to keep up with company news, get important alerts, see tasks at a glance, find and launch other Thrive apps, or see their employee profile. The Home app acts has a hub to discover and launch other Thrive apps. The feed includes notifications from these related apps. So, for example, when an employee's vacation is going to expire, they will receive a notice in the Home app that includes a link to launch the Time Away app.
Thrive Time Away – With the US Time Away app, you can be in line at the airport and check your vacation balance, submit your time away, set your out of office auto reply, and send an out of office invite to the people with whom you work the most. All of this can be done in under a minute. This app has one version for US employees and another for international, to meet the different local country guidelines around vacation reporting.
Thrive Kudos – The Kudos app takes an earlier web solution that only worked on the corporate network and adds enhanced mobile capabilities accessible from anywhere. Using Delve Analytics, it suggests the people you work with the most, or lets you search for anyone in the company directory. You can give kudos to a colleague and view kudos received by your colleagues. Each kudo message has a badge with a customized icon that reflects one of Microsoft's cultural values.
Thrive Holidays – With the Holidays app you get notifications for upcoming holidays. You can see a list of holidays, get more information about each holiday, and choose to add them to your calendar with a single tap. If you're traveling or have teammates in other countries, you can easily switch to another country to raise your cultural awareness or plan your travels better.
Thrive People – The People app allows you to quickly find people in the employee directory and view their profiles. You can browse the org view for any employee and understand reporting structure, contact them via your device's native features (phone, text, email), view their LinkedIn profile and more. You can manage your consolidated profile and view or edit your work as well as personal information.
Global HR Conference app – Over 1,500 employees attended a Microsoft global HR conference in Fall 2017. All attendees used a mobile PowerApp for scheduling, registration, networking with colleagues, Yammer integration, submitting session and conference surveys, and real-time polling. It included a networking game with a customized leaderboard to promote attendees to connect with each other. A second PowerApp was created for conference admins to manage the content that was displayed in the attendee app – allowed for easy upload of users attending the conference, survey and polls data, and more. The PowerApps conferencing solution continues to be customized for other conference events at Microsoft.
Thrive Paystub (coming soon!) – The US Paystub Notice app will let you instantly view your paystub every pay period. You will receive a notification to let you know you've been paid, which gives you a simple way to go view your paystub. From within the app, you may go into the full paystub and view all the details on your device along with browsing relevant FAQ content related to the payroll process.
Thrive integration with Bing
The Thrive apps are embedded within Bing for business search. For example, if you search for {vacation}, you get the Time Away app as a search result. You can run the app and report vacation time directly as an embedded experience, without leaving Bing. The Bing for business integration is currently in an internal preview and will be made public in the coming weeks.
Business impact and benefits
Some of the key benefits that the Microsoft HR and IT teams have gained from betting on PowerApps:
- A clean, simple and delightful user interface that resulted in a world class experience for Microsoft employees. These apps showcase the pixel-perfect UI fidelity that is possible with the PowerApps Canvas designer.
- Greater engagement – the previous solutions never went beyond ~500 users, whereas the new mobile experiences are already above ~20K users per month as of Sept 2018.
- A center of excellence on the Power platform – the combined teams from IT and HR have re-engineered how they think about developing mobile solutions and continue to develop new experiences. As Pat Dunn notes, "we can now snap in new experiences and respond quickly to requests from the business."
- The apps are built once, and can be embedded in multiple experiences, which helps drive awareness and usage. Integration with Bing for business is one example, where employees can now report their vacation directly on Bing via an embedded PowerApp.
- The apps deep link into each other and can be launched directly from other web experiences. For example, a peer feedback web page deep links into the Kudos app to quickly view the Kudos recevied by the employee.
- As an early adopter of the Power platform, the Thrive team drove approximately 300 updates into PowerApps via feature requests and bug reports.
- External customers have been inspired by the Thrive apps. As one example, a large energy company created their own employee news app in just two weeks after seeing the Thrive Home app in action.
Solution architecture
The Thrive mobile apps are built as PowerApps Canvas apps. They apps use Custom connectors to call middle-tier APIs provided by Microsoft IT. These APIs connect with:
- On-premise SAP payroll system for activities such as reporting vacation time and looking up paystub information.
- Office 365 graph APIs for getting people information and performing calendaring activities.
- Enterprise Card Stream – backend service built by IT team to surface content and tasks to users.
- Microsoft Flow is used to send push notifications to the mobile apps, like notifying a user when their receive a kudo.
Related reading
- Technical case study – Redesigning business applications at Microsoft using PowerApps
- Blog – PowerApps discoverability in the enterprise
- Blog – PowerApps discoverability in the enterprise – part 2
Pat Dunn's presentation at the Business Applications Summit 2018


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"At the heart of any terror is the fear of losing what we find meaningful."
Mark Z Danielewski
archaic Russian word meaning "to back out of a situation due to fear"
Ok. This is not a philosophical thought, this is simply about terror, fear and losing something meaningful.
This is not about finding meaning in life, this is about losing what is meaningful in the here & now.
This also gave me the opportunity to share one of the unpronounceable words in the Russian language – vzbzdnyt.
In an everyday Life in which we are bombarded with ongoing changes, pressure on what we should change, and a pop culture pounding us with screeching voices of 'change or be left behind' it sometimes seems like what is meaningful to us has no value to anyone other than our self.
Therefore we keep on finding ourselves in positions and places where things that are meaningful to us are being grabbed by change and ripped out of our hands. That is why we keep … well … vzbzdnyt. Or at least we try to back out of these situations … out of fear of losing what is meaningful to us.
Let me share what I believe are the two most common situations that we find what is meaningful is threatened to a point where we fear losing it <sometimes almost to a point of terrifying us>:
– Losing yourself.
This one should create terror in our hearts.
What do I mean?
What is more meaningful in Life than yourself? Your identity? Your honor and dignity … and well … all those things?
Nothing, if not much.
And, yet, day in and day out Life, society, work and anything else you can think of is prying at any chinks in your esteem and tugging at any doubt or question you may have with regard to who you are and what you believe in.
Even if you are not sure of 'who you are' you fear losing something meaningful because you may never get it back.
This can be terrifying.
This can induce terror.
While many people smarter than I advocate standing your ground and holding on to yourself as tight as you can … well … I don't advocate any one solution.
Stand your ground, but, if backing out for fear of losing yourself is the only, and best, path available? Go.
I tend to believe that not losing yourself isn't about taking pride in HOW you do it, it is taking pride in the fact you actually figured out a WAY to do it.
– Losing what you know <or what you believe>.
Most of the time this one creates unneeded terror.
Simplistically, it is wrong to think that what you currently believe will ultimately provide meaning, or purpose, for your life.
Yup. Far too often we seek in 'what we know now' to define meaning.
Well. Actually … it is living life that really provides the answer <not 'what I know now' or any philosophical reflection>.
I have rejected the view that life's purpose can be understood by looking backwards to its origins.
But that doesn't mean the only alternative is looking forward to its ultimate end.
Just as the restaurant staff are fulfilling their professional purposes in the present simply by doing their job, couldn't we fulfill life's purpose in the present simply by living our lives?
Julian Baggini
Living Life is all about expanding what you know and, well, that means losing the shit that you no longer believe.
The reason why we find this terrifying? We actually often find something meaningful in … well … oddly … ignorance.
Well. That sounds frighteningly idiotic. But a little ignorance, a little less knowledge, can actually be comforting.
Losing that comfort is scary … even terrifying.
Therefore we hold on to what we currently believe <even if it is ignorance> with tight ragged claws.
This is self inflicted terror.
This is self inflicted fear.
This is misguided identification of what is meaningful.
Life is terrifying if you think about shit too much.
Life is terrifying if you think about the WRONG shit enough.
Sometimes life seems purposeful and meaningful and sometimes it seems pointless, meaningless and even absurd.
Just as terrorists succeed only when they create fear, aspects of Life succeed in creating terror only when they generate fear.
Notice I used 'create' and 'generate.'
In and of themselves <terror> … they are nothing.
Life is meant to be lived and, sure, we will always feel terror when we fear losing something meaningful.
All I think I know is that if you truly identify what is meaningful to you <and not make up meaningless meaningfuls> you will be more likely to be steadfast in the face of fear and not give terror the opportunity to … well … win.
And you will not only win in the here & now … you will win in the then & there.
All I think I know is, well, don't let fear win.
Originally published September 2015


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Today is the first day of a quilty new year!
I am sew excited to begin this journey with you all. The subject for my first Let's Bee Social linky party post, is an introduction to my Quilt Along for 2014!
I am hosting the Oblongagonalong in February! You can read more about the oblongagon here. And the finished quilt I made previously can be seen here.
I have posted a schedule on my new Quilt Along 2014 page which can be found just below the blog header. And I have added the quilt along button to my right sidebar. Sure hope many of you will be able to squeeze this quilt along into your busy plans!
So I was thinking of beginning the quilt along the first week of February.
I don't know what I did that has caused the one block on the top left to not show as filled in!!! |
What I am wondering is, if you are interested in participating in the Oblongagonalong, would you wish to make a smaller quilt? These blocks are made from 6" squares. You would be able to get 7 blocks per WOF strip, and this layout would require 3 strips of each of the 15 prints, or 1/2 yard of each print.
These are some thing that you may want to alter for your planned quilt:
Size of block - You may want to use a larger square to make your blocks
Size of quilt - You may want to make a smaller or larger finished quilt
Layout of blocks - You may want to do a random layout or an alternate pattern
With or without borders - You may wish to add a border.
Here are a couple possible modifications....
This example is using 8" blocks.
This would give you 5 pieces per WOF strip.
This quilt shown is approximately size 50" x 56".
Again that top left block is blank! |
This example is using 10" blocks.
This would give you 4 pieces per WOF strip.
This quilt shown is approximately size 51" x 56" and shows a random placement.
Blank block again! |
This example shows another layout option.... A flower design.
I think I broke my EQ7! |
For anyone who would like to participate, I am willing to custom design your project on my EQ7. You want 8" oblongagons? Done! You want to make a smaller quilt? Doable! Don't hesitate to ask! I will gladly work with you through email correspondence to work up your own personal design.
Interested in hosting a linky party? Visit InLinkz here to plan your party!!!
Have you heard about Craftsy? I can't say enough good things about this site!
As an independent designer, I am tremendously appreciative of the Craftsy site. Craftsy is the leading authority on all things craft related and is a wonderful source of online inspiration!
I started out taking a few of their Free Craftsy Classes. They also have reasonably priced classes for every technique imaginable. Want to learn more about Designing Modern Quilts? They have a class for that! Are you a fan of Star quilts? Then this is a class you won't want to miss.... Oh My Stars! Have you always envied a person's ability to choose the perfect quilting color combinations? Color Play for Quilters is the class for you!
Check out the incredible selection of Free Quilting Patterns at Craftsy! As a bargain hunter like me, you will be happy to know that Craftsy is often promoting sales on their quality Quilting Supplies.
Interested in earning a commission by promoting Craftsy? Clicking on this link will allow you to sign up to join the Craftsy affiliate program, too.
Craftsy membership is free! And they offer so many free classes!
Here are a few examples:
Learn How To Piece, Patch, Quilt!
A New Look at Longarm Quilting with Mandy Leins!
Free Quilting Patterns!
Free Embroidery Patterns!
Free Online Quilting Class!
Wishing you all a Quilty New Year!!!!


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On This Deity: The Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan
This time last year I published a piece over at Dorian's site, On This Deity. It commemorated the final withdrawal – on this day in 1989 – of Soviet troops from Afghanistan and the end of that disastrous, bloody and futile invasion.
In my piece I draw the obvious parallels between the ill-fated Soviet occupation of that central Asian country and the modern US-led Western occupation. In both cases the stated reason for the invasion was to combat terrorism. In both cases the invaders believed they were liberating the people of Afghanistan from the clutches of an aggressive religious fundamentalism. In both cases the occupying forces went about trying to install relatively progressive policies: the insistence on a national legal system that would supersede tribal and Sharia laws; the promotion of greater equality for women (just as, if not more, aggressively pursued by the Soviet puppet regime than by the US puppet regime it should be noted); the establishment of secular health and education facilities; the de-politicisation and secularisation of the police force and civil administration.
All of these policies were pursued vigorously by the Soviet occupiers. Just as they have been by the western forces. And – I would suggest – with roughly the same level of success. Perhaps the current occupation has it slightly easier thanks to the relative lack of external support for the Afghan militants. Whatever aid being supplied to the Taliban opposition by dissident Saudis, sympathetic elements within the Pakistani security forces and Iranian smugglers is as nothing compared to the huge resources made available to the mujahideen by the CIA during the 1980s. Indeed, it was fairly obvious to the world that the United States was fighting a proxy war against the USSR in Afghanistan. They pumped money, weapons and military training personnel into Afghanistan on a massive scale and in so doing, they strengthened the ultra-reactionary Islamist elements within Afghan society. Those very same elements who are now killing US and other western troops today.
Rarely has the old adage about being careful what you wish for been so dramatically demonstrated in the arena of world affairs. The United States wished to turn the fundamentalist elements of Afghan society into a force capable of resisting a superpower. I suspect they no longer find Charlie Wilson's War quite so clever.
Just as with the fall of the Soviet Union – an empire that was militarily over-extended and consumed from within by an economic system that was unfit for purpose – the United States must surely now face up to its own slow collapse. They are mired in debt that nobody sane believes will ever be repaid, and which is being aggressively ignored by both debtor and creditors alike in the mistaken belief that the elephant in the room can be trusted not to break the furniture so long as nobody talks about it. They are rapidly reaching the limits of their ability to intimidate the world with military power (how long before China decides to repossess the US 5th fleet in lieu of the money they are owed?) And while there is currently little sign of a wane in their cultural influence, that too can hardly be far away. On top of that, the rifts in US society – between their own religious fundamentalists and the besieged bastions of liberal secularism – threaten to rip the nation to pieces from within.
Just as the collapse of the Soviet Union cannot be blamed on their invasion of Afghanistan – the invasion functioned both as a symptom of that collapse and one contributing factor; so the US involvement in that nation will not, historically, be viewed as the reason for the decline of America. However, it will be heralded as an obvious symptom of western self-delusion and over-extension. And I suspect it will also be considered a contributing factor – albeit a relatively minor one, compared to our psychotic financial system and the inability of consumer capitalism to cope with resource depletion.
So today we pause to recall the final humiliation of the once proud Red Army. And we take a moment to look a few years into the future at that humiliation being mirrored on the other side of that old Cold War divide.


text: The Academy of Applied Science administers STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) programs where students apply scientific knowledge to life, research and inventions. Our programs spark creativity in young students, encourage the rising generation of teen mathematicians, scientists and engineers with recognition for their efforts, and provide scholarships and apprenticeships for high schoolers interested in pursuing careers in math, science and technology. The founder of the Academy, Robert H. Rines, defined the Academy as a catalyst...indeed, our influence, encouragement, and assistance annually reach over 12,000 students nationwide.


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EOS Adult Violet Circle Lens Review + Juny's Sequin Cardigan Winner
6:11 PMHi everyone, Happy New Year! I can't believe it's already 2010. ^O^
I just wanted to quickly congratulate Stacey on winning Juny's Sequin Cardigan Giveaway. I've given Juny your e-mail and she should get in contact with you soon to get your shipping info. :D It will be a nice happy holidays present. I hope you find lots of fabulous outfits to wear your cardigan with! Thank you to all of the entrants and Juny assured me that she would love to do another giveaway in the future too. In the meantime, visit her super cute shop www.junys.com for Asian fashion and accessories.
So today I have part 2 of 3 circle lens reviews of lenses sponsored by PinkyParadise.com. These are the EOS brand Adult Violet lenses.
So my first impression of these lenses was WOW they are really light and in-your-face pale violet. It's not as natural as the Adult Grey or Brown that I love so much. It may be that the lenses I received were different opacities, but for some reason they just looked a bit more reptilian than I am 100% comfortable with. A good word to describe it is "exotic" as it's not a typical color you see in a lens.
Don't get me wrong, I think they are also gorgeous. Lavender is one of my favorite colors but I think I prefer the darker lens to the lighter one. :P They are 14.0mm in size with little-to-no enlarging effect since they don't have a dark limbal ring.
Here is a shot of the lens vials and case. Fishies. ^O^
The pattern in the vials. Cute pink color, but even here you can see the opacity difference.
And how they look on me
A close-up on the eyes. See how much darker the right one is than the left? I like the right side better. :3
It looks less natural in brighter lights! I still like the darker side better. >.<
I know my video review probably sounds more positive than my review here but it's because it looks a lot better in real life and on video. Upon review of my photos, I don't like how it turns out quite as well in still pictures so that's something to think about if you are deciding on what color or style to buy.
Still very cool and exotic, but I don't think it'll be a lens I reach for as often as my Adult Grey or Brown.
Again, if you'd like to purchase these, they are from www.pinkyparadise.com.
Everyone have a wonderful first week of 2010!
Just to reiterate the disclaimer, I did receive these lenses as part of a sponsorship by Pinky Paradise, and as always, my reviews are my 100% honest opinion. ;)
26 comments
I think they look gorgeous on you!! I love them, and those contact cases are so darned cute!
Happy New Year!I think its quite pretty still <3
And idk if its really the opacity of the lenses or our eyes because I got the EOS brown from prettyandcute and one side looked true gray while the other looked honey yellow :C
At least both of yours are the same color lol.I still think they're super pretty! I know what you mean about feeling "reptilian," my geo twins make me feel like a lizard/cat or something XP
ReplyDeleteSoooo pretty. I really wanted to buy these but the one picture I saw made them look so scary!
Happy New Year!Yea, you still manage to pull it off but it's definitely not as breathtaking as the adult greys are on you.
Hey, have I wished you a Happy New Year, yet?? If not, Happy New Year!! Hehe.- David LiuJanuary 3, 2010 at 4:03 AM
The reason why you have two ''different'' colours is because you put your lens in the upside down, if you get what I mean.
So try to flip it, lol...
I hope you get what I mean, because I got the same effect, and decided to try the other side... they're so pretty!! ^^ I like how light they are but still very natural on you..
Happy New Year 2010!So Liz Taylor-ish...love it! But I can see why you would go for the darker colors more. Either way, they look really nice on you. :)
ReplyDeleteMeiBelle: Thank you! Yeah I really love the cases. It's so simple and makes organizing my lenses that much easier (and cuter)! Happy New Year!
hana: Yeah, the Adult series has a reputation of having inconsistencies with opacity. It's sad because it's probably my favorite lens series! On yours it does make me wonder if they mislabeled one lens as grey instead of brown though. :P
ect: Yeah, Geo Twins series has a really harsh pattern! This one is probably less so but the more opaque side is certainly lizardy. >.< so sad.
April: Aww, thank you. ^^
Cris: Sure, I've been meaning to do a tutorial on my everyday makeup look, which is what this is and never got around to it. I'll put it on my list. :)
Serenie S.: Really? Where did you see pics? All the pics I saw of these lenses on other girls made them look really pretty. They probably got a nicer pair than me. :(
Alien unnie: Yeah, I agree I don't think it looks awful but it's not as great as the other Adult lenses. Happy New Year to you too! We should video chat if you find your webcam. ;)
David Liu: Haha, if only this was the answer! ;) I had the lenses on the correct way. The opposite side is clearly very white on Adult series lenses and obviously the wrong side. Even in the vials you can see that the lenses themselves are different opacities. I appreciate the tip though. XD
Mary in Wonder: Thank you, hehe. Maybe it would've been more realistic if they were BOTH the lighter color too?
Ceecile ~Priscilla Clara~ ^^: Yeah, thats what I love about the Adult series. It's a nice effect that seems to fade into your eyes better than other "crystally" patterned lenses. Thank you very much and Happy New Year!
Shop N' Chomp: Ooh la la, hehe! Maybe these lenses would look better if I got a perm. XD Thank you very much. I actually really love lighter lenses but this pattern just looks too harsh in the lighter one in my opinion. That's why the soloticas were nice, since they are light but smooth and blending into the eye still!Jen, I LOVE you in the purple! I want some badly, but I have to figure out how this works with prescription lenses. Actually, I'm sure I can't wear them because I also have astigmatism. :(
ReplyDelete- AnonymousJanuary 3, 2010 at 5:27 PM
Grats to the winner. (:
I like the colour of the lenses and they are kinda opaque in a way, but still really pretty. You still look amazing with them on even though you think they look kinda weird. It's all good. ;D
Hope your first week of the new year is amazing! how do circle lenses fit on the eyeball compared to regular colored contacts? I always got my Freshlook contacts online and they come in a standard diameter. But since I have small eyes they can be difficult to put in and sometimes my eyes get irritated. Since circle lenses are bigger I would guess that they would be more uncomfortable so I'm scared to buy them!
These violet lenses look so lovely on you! I really want all the EOS Adult lenses now. You are such an enabler, haha.Nicol: aw, thank you sweetie. you're welcome. ^^
Krystal: Unfortunately, I don't think the Adult series come in torics but I do know other circle lenses do. Ask your doctor, if you astig isn't bad you might be able to wear regular lenses with a slightly modified prescription.
Cindy: LOL! I'm glad you think it still looks nice. XD They are pretty opaque and bright. Hope your first week of 2010 is amazing too!! :D
Rachel: Actually, you should look at the diameter of the actual lens. These lenses only have a 14.0mm diameter while Freshlook Colorblends have 14.5mm, so they are actually smaller. I find circle lenses to be more comfortable than colorblends and a LOT less drying. Everyone's eyes are different though so you'd have to try it yourself to see. ;)you probably heard this a lot but girl you're so pretty!
visit me sometime.
I am Denise KatipuneraI think they look awesome on you, but I get what you mean about them being too unnatural.
Also am I the only one who hasn't been able to get PinkyParadise to load? ): I've been trying since your last post about them (I need those cases they are the cutest things ever)I wish it was mislabeled and for a moment I thought I mixed my gray lenses with the brown and removed them as soon as I got home (the horrors of discovering you look like some enchanted witch midway shopping with no way to remove them T_T) and both were indeed the same brown/yellow color.
So I guess its my eyes T_________Ti was just thinking of getting purple lenses, thanks for the wonderful review! i think it looks gorgeous


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IMPLANT BREAST RECONSTRUCTION (Restoration)
In review, I've quickly covered Stages I & II of Breast Restoration surgery. Now, let's look at breast reconstruction using implants instead of your own body tissue. Implants are chosen by hundreds of thousands of women every year to restore a natural looking figure with two breasts. Some women choose to start this process immediately (Immediate Restoration) by having the surgeon place the tissue expanders at the time of the mastectomy…under the same anesthesia and using the same incision. Remember, the expanders are the precursor to the permanent implants. They slowly and gently expand the chest tissue to allow for the implants at a later date. Read more about this: https://www.davinciplastic.com/
BREAST IMPLANT SURGERY… When it's time to place the saline or silicone implants…usually 3-4 months (I help you decide which is best for you), the surgery is scheduled to do the implant(s) placement. This involves going through the same incision used to place the expanders, removing the expanders and precisely placing the correct implants. General anesthesia is used for this procedure. The incisions are closed and healing begins taking place. Stage II is now complete. Healing for all surgeries takes times and varies with each individual. Activities are restricted at first, but you gradually move back into full activities…looking and feeling great.
ABOUT IMPLANTS…Today's implants are the most advanced and safest of all time. You can choose from either saline or silicone filled implants (both are FDA approved) and both types come in a spectrum of sizes and shapes, and have either smooth or textured surfaces to meet the many individual needs of women today. Implants are not for everyone, but for those who choose them…they restore natural looking, contoured breasts, enhanced self confidence and return to a normal lifestyle.
ABOUT BOARD CERTIFICATION… I am a board certified reconstructive surgeon with specialization in breast reconstruction. Board certification does not guarantee certain results, but it does ensure that you are working with a surgeon who has been trained by the experts, has had years of extra education and experience and vast knowledge to draw from. I am ranked among the "Top Docs" in the Nation who perform reconstructive surgeries successfully everyday…not bragging…but you need to know some docs are highly skilled and trained…others are not.
Next time I'll discuss Stage III breast Reconstruction…known as Beautification. Be sure to read the previous blogs if you missed them.
Stay Well,
Dr. Steven Davison
"At DAVinci…I combine the supreme elements of art and surgical science."


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In preparation for a recent seminar, I pulled together the following list of twelve post-Brinker class certification opinions in wage and hour cases, including the three that were depublished just over a year ago:
Hernandez v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, 146 Cal.Rptr.3d 424 (2012), depublished 12/12/2012
Lamps Plus Overtime Cases, 146 Cal.Rptr.3d 691 (2012), depublished 12/12/2012
Tien v. Tenet Healthcare Corp., 147 Cal.Rptr.3d 620 (2012), depublished 1/16/2013
Morgan v. Wet Seal, Inc., 210 Cal.App.4th 1341 (2012), review denied
Bradley v. Networkers Int'l, LLC, 211 Cal.App.4th 1129 (2013), review denied
Dailey v. Sears, Roebuck and Co., 214 Cal.App.4th 974 (2013), review denied
Faulkinbury v. Boyd & Assoc., Inc., 216 Cal.App.4th 220 (2013), review denied
Bluford v. Safeway Stores, Inc., 216 Cal.App.4th 864 (2013), review denied
Benton v. Telecom Network Specialists, Inc., 220 Cal.App.4th 701 (2013), review denied
Jones v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, 221 Cal.App.4th 986 (2013), review denied
Martinez v. Joe's Crab Shack Holdings, 221 Cal.App.4th 1148 (2013), review granted, No. S214864
Williams v. Superior Court (Allstate Ins. Co.), 221 Cal.App.4th 1353 (2013), review denied, No. S215887
Of the opinions that remain published and citable, all except Morgan and Dailey hold that class certification was either properly granted or improperly denied.
Petitions for review were filed in all twelve cases. After depublishing the first three opinions, the Supreme Court summarily denied review six times in succession, until last week, when it granted review in Martinez, with briefing deferred pending resolution of Duran. (Duran is not on the list above because it preceded Brinker.) Also last week, the Supreme Court gave itself an extension of time to grant or deny review in Jones.
What Martinez and Duran have in common is that they are both misclassification cases. The Martinez opinion also specifically referenced Duran:
The [trial] court rejected as unfair plaintiffs' proffered trial plan, under which their expert, Richard Drogin, proposed to assess the rate at which managerial employees are engaged in nonexempt tasks through statistical sampling methods. [Citation].15
15 The Supreme Court has granted review of a decision heavily relied upon by the trial court in denying class certification. (See Duran v. U.S. Bank National Assn. (2012) 203 Cal.App.4th 212, review granted May 16, 2012, S200923.) One of the issues presented in Duran is the validity of using statistical surveys to establish liability.
Martinez, 165 Cal.Rptr.3d at 92 & n.15.
Jones, by contrast, is not a misclassification case, and the plaintiffs in Jones did not rely on or proffer statistical sampling proof. Williams is not a misclassification case, either. That's the case in which the trial court decertified the class in reliance on Dukes; the Court of Appeal summarily denied the plaintiff's writ petition; and the Supreme Court issued a "grant and transfer" order directing the Court of Appeal to consider the writ petition on the merits.
It will of course be interesting to see if the Supreme Court decides to take up either Jones or Williams. I am told that the petition for review in Williams cited this blog's post on that opinion, in which I pointed out that the Court of Appeal had correctly construed Dukes (hardly a reason for the Supreme Court to grant review).
UPDATE: On March 12, 2014, the Supreme Court denied review in Jones, and on March 19, 2014, the Supreme Court denied review in Williams.


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agosto 16, 2018
Taiwan, 180km east of China, is known for modern cities, traditional Chinese temples, hot springs resorts and dramatic mountainous terrain. Taipei, in the north, has a number of busy night markets, as well as Chinese Imperial art at the National Palace Museum. Taipei 101, a 509m-tall, bamboo-shaped skyscraper with an observation deck, rises above the city.


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George Percy Grainger (1882–1961), musician, was born on 8 July 1882 at Brighton, Melbourne, only child of John Harry Grainger, architect, and his wife Rosa (Rose) Annie, née Aldridge, of Adelaide. John Grainger (1855–1917) came originally from Durham, England, and was educated there and in London and France. He migrated to Adelaide in February 1877 to take up a post in the Engineer-in-Chief's Office; he resigned in mid-1878 to concentrate on his extensive private practice. Soon after his marriage to Rose on 1 October 1880 he set up in private practice in Melbourne, where he had made a name for himself in 1879 as winner of a competition for the design of the new Princes Bridge. Later, as chief architect in the Western Australian Department of Public Works in 1897–1905, he was responsible for sections of the Western Australian Museum and Art Gallery, the Public Library of Western Australia and the Perth Law Courts, and for the first stage of Parliament House. The fine Wardens' Court in Coolgardie was designed by him. A close friend of David Mitchell and his family, he designed Dame Nellie Melba's Coombe Cottage, built at Coldstream near Melbourne in 1912. | Percy Grainger around 1912 |
Percy Grainger's parents, his mother particularly, had little doubt that he would be 'an artist'. The boy obliged by showing precocious talent in both graphic and musical arts, the first of which developed under his father's, the second under his mother's tutelage. He had three months formal schooling at the Misses Turner's Preparatory School for Boys in Caroline Street, South Yarra, probably in 1893 or 1894. His piano studies continued from 1892 with Louis Pabst, then, after Pabst's departure for Europe in 1894, with his pupil Adelaide Burkitt. He studied harmony for a brief period, possibly with Julius Herz. His first composition, a birthday gift for his mother, dates from 1893. In September 1890 John Grainger had returned home to England on a visit, leaving his wife and son in Melbourne. Though he was back in Australia by the end of that year, he did not rejoin his family. Thereafter they met only occasionally, in Europe and Australia. Percy first came before the public eye as a pianist at a Risvegliato concert in the Masonic Hall, Melbourne, on 9 July 1894. Various other public performances included three appearances at Walter James Turner's People's Promenade Concerts at the Exhibition Building in October 1894. The boy's 'exceptional talent' was repeatedly noted. In May 1895, following a benefit concert in the Melbourne Town Hall under the direction of George Marshall-Hall, Grainger left with his mother to further his musical studies in Germany. He never returned to Australia to live but retained a ferocious nationalism, an intense love of the landscape and a rather quixotic view of the virtues of the Australian character. |
Grainger in a promotional photo for Steinway in the early 1920s | Grainger entered Dr Hoch's Conservatorium in Frankfurt-am-Main at the minimum age of 13. Over the next four and a half years he studied piano with James Kwast, taking counterpoint and composition classes with Iwan Knorr. Several compositions date from these years, including the earliest of his settings of Kipling. He continued his lessons in painting and drawing with Georg Widmann. A Frankfurt graphic artist and amateur musician, Karl Klimsch, had a profound influence on Grainger, who later described him as 'my only composition teacher'. A solo recital given in Frankfurt on 6 December 1900 marked the end
of Grainger's student years and the beginning of a long and arduous
concert career which took him first to London, where he lived with his
mother from May 1901 to August 1914. |
Grainger benefited greatly from the close-knit strength of the Anglo-Australian community in London in the first years, but he was soon accepted by the best society. He played several times before royalty, accumulating an impressive collection of aristocratic tie-pins and cuff-links. His 1907 solo recital enjoyed the patronage of Queen Alexandra. Various landmarks highlight the growth of his pianistic career through these London years: his tour of the English provinces with Adelina Patti in 1902; his studies in Berlin with Ferruccio Busoni in 1903; his tour of Australasia and South Africa as a member of Ada Crossley's concert party in 1903–04; further extensive tours with Crossley of the English provinces in 1907, and of Australasia in 1908-09. His career as a virtuoso was enhanced by the publicly expressed admiration of Grieg, who selected Grainger to play his concerto under his baton at the Leeds Festival in 1907. Though Grieg died before the festival, Grainger's reputation as 'the greatest living exponent' of Grieg's piano music was established. That year, also, began a close friendship and professional association with Frederick Delius. From his first Danish engagements of 1904, Grainger's European touring circuit grew annually to include regular appearances throughout Scandinavia, as well as in Holland, Germany and Switzerland. In 1913 he was gave concerts in Finland and Russia. Between times, in London, he took pupils, played at 'at homes' and went about in society in the way Rose considered essential to 'getting on'. The pace was relentless and the financial pressures considerable, especially since from about 1906 he was supporting both his parents. Grainger was a man who could not afford to fail. In later years, although his earning power was immense, this financial pressure was exacerbated by an almost self-destructive generosity. |
Although there were performances of his music from as early as 1902, the Balfour Gardiner Choral and Orchestral Concerts of 1912 and 1913 really brought Grainger before the public as a composer, and as conductor of his own music. Success was instantaneous. Schott & Co., London, began publishing his music as fast as he could prepare it. There were numerous performances throughout Britain and in Europe, and he began to add conducting to his concert activities. In October 1911 he took the professional name of 'Percy Aldridge Grainger'. The Graingers' sudden departure for the United States of America at the beginning of September 1914, traumatic in its immediate effects and later repercussions, cost them the goodwill of many of their patriotic upper-class British friends. This hostility was to some extent ameliorated when Grainger joined the U.S. Army as a bandsman in June 1917. He did not see active service, but he did appear a number of times in uniform at concerts in aid of the Red Cross and other wartime charities. He became a naturalized American citizen on 3 June 1918. | Bandsman Percy Grainger playing the alto saxophone, ca. 1917 |
On being discharged from the army on 7 January 1919, Grainger embarked on what was perhaps the most flamboyant decade of his career. Lionized as a pianist and fêted as a composer, he was acclaimed as 'a latter-day Siegfried' and a worthy successor to Paderewski. Essentially the pattern of constant touring, teaching and composing did not change. Financial security came gradually: in 1921 he bought the house at White Plains, New York, in which he lived until he died. Much of his music was now published by the firm of G. Schirmer Inc., New York. His record-breaking piano piece Country Gardens, a piece which most music-lovers associate above all else with his name, was published by Schirmer's in 1919. Grainger's father had died in Melbourne of syphilis on 13 April 1917. His mother's suicide in April 1922, from despair at rumours of incest and gathering effects of syphilis, was a crushing blow. She had been his constant companion, 'managed' his business, social and emotional affairs, guided his career with single-minded purpose. Her influence was definitive; her death left Grainger with a lifetime legacy of guilt and remorse. |
Ella Grainger in her wedding dress in 1928 | Grainger visited Australia twice during the 1920s, privately in 1924 to see his mother's family, then in 1926 on a concert tour for J. C. Williamson's. Both tours marked new departures. On the 1924 tour he began to present, albeit privately, a new type of 'lecture recital', concerts in which he talked as much as he played and in which his choice of music was determined primarily by his own cultural interests, however much these might go against the mainstream of audience taste. The results were often controversial. The 1926 tour was significant more for personal reasons. Returning home from Australia to the United States he met on board ship a Swedish-born poet and painter, Ella Viola Ström. They were married on 9 August 1928 at a public ceremony at the conclusion of a concert in the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles. Ella was Grainger's 'Nordic Princess', a woman of outstanding beauty, 'generosity, joy-in-life and commonsense'. The marriage restored to Grainger the kind of exclusive companionship he had had with Rose. There were no children. |
Grainger returned to Australia in 1934-35, touring for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Income from this tour established the 'Music Museum and Grainger Museum' in the grounds of the University of Melbourne. He also gave a series of twelve radio talks called 'A commonsense view of all music'. Museum and broadcasts sprang from a single impulse: the desire to educate the Australian musical public to a 'universalist' view of music, celebrating the superior achievements of the composers of the 'Nordic group', but also embracing a selection of the world's musics, folk and art, Western and non-Western, 'primitive' and 'sophisticated', ancient and modern. In these activities Grainger was projecting the universalism of his outlook. His musical eclecticism and aesthetic curiosity opened his mind to the beauties of an extraordinarily wide range of music which he variously collected, transcribed, edited, arranged, taught, performed and wrote about. The impulse to explore other cultures led him to the study of languages. He was fluent in some half-dozen European languages and their dialects, and read and studied as many more. His idiosyncratic and vigorous English prose style, exemplified in his enormous correspondence, shows the same fresh approach to language. An obverse of this eclecticism was a rather cranky concentration on notions of Nordic racial superiority and language purification. The letters also document Grainger's complex sexuality, his regular practice of flagellation, and his private absorption with what he called his 'cruelty instincts'—which were tempered in reality by an intense and tender approach to human relationships. |
In the latter part of his life, Grainger's surplus energy and time were directed into two large-scale projects: the completion and arrangement of his museum in Melbourne, and his White Plains-based experiments in what he called 'free music'. In pursuit of the imagined sound of his free music, a music unconstrained by fixed pitch, regular metre and human performance, he built mechanical music machines which combine the makeshift and the futuristic. The museum building was finished and opened on a return trip to Melbourne in 1938. His concert activity continued on a reduced scale through the 1940s and 1950s. He even began to enjoy the special advantages that came with age. 'When I take part in a concert', he wrote in 1951, 'the concert-givers are only glad that one doesn't have a stroke on stage, and they don't expect one to play the right notes any more'. The last decade of Grainger's life was shadowed by illness, and he underwent major surgery several times. Overwhelmed by a sense of his failure as a serious composer, his habit of bitter introversion intensified. Despite these inhibitions he continued his work, visiting Australia and his museum for the last time in 1955–56 and giving his last public concert performance on 29 April 1960. He died of cancer in the White Plains hospital on 20 February 1961. His gross estate was valued in the United States at $208,293. His remains were brought to Australia for burial in the Aldridge family grave in Adelaide, where his mother was also buried. His wife died at White Plains on 17 July 1979. | The Kangaroo Pouch Free Music machine in the lounge at 7 Cromwell Place ca. 1952 |
Of Grainger the pianist the New York Times's music critic Harold Schonberg wrote, 'He was one of the keyboard originals—a pianist who forged his own style and expressed it with amazing skill, personality and vigor'. This opinion may be measured against the many gramophone records Grainger made in a long recording career from 1908 to 1957. He also cut Duo-Art piano rolls with the Aeolian Co. in the United States, though these are generally regarded as less reliable guides to an artist's playing because of the possibilities of editorial interference. Something of his style at the keyboard and on the conductor's rostrum can be seen in a short silent film, probably made by Schirmer's for promotional purposes in 1920. His reputation as a composer was indelibly stamped by the success of Country Gardens, and he became known primarily as the composer of cheerfully extroverted piano pieces. In fact, he wrote very little originally for the piano. In recent years, as the growing number of recorded performances draws attention to the quantity and variety of his output, his reputation has revived and grown again. His compositions for military band are regarded as classics of the genre; his settings of British and Danish folksongs are acclaimed for their sensitivity and appropriateness. The fact that Grainger's appearance matched his talent was a not insignificant component of his success. As a young man, his Byronic good looks and his golden hair were almost as much admired and as often remarked as was the strength and vigour of his playing. In later years he affected a markedly eccentric presentation, a personal style which, if nothing else, made for good 'copy'. Grainger's pianistic feats were complemented by a vigorous athleticism; long-distance walking was a favourite if intermittent pastime. Throughout his life he abstained from alcohol and tobacco and in his middle years he became a vegetarian. There are several portraits, most notably two by Rupert Bunny (1902 and 1904) and one by Jacques-Emile Blanche (1906) in the Grainger Museum, and a charcoal sketch by John Singer Sargent (1908) in the National Gallery of Victoria. |
Kay Dreyfus, 'Grainger, George Percy (1882–1961)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/grainger-george-percy-6448/text11037, published first in hardcopy 1983, accessed online 25 January 2021. This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 9, (MUP), 1983 |


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(This post was last updated at 1:31 p.m. ET.)
On Thursday, the United States revealed that it now has "high confidence" that the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons against rebel forces.
This is a significant development because President Obama has often said that such a finding would cross a "red line" in the civil war that has killed at least 93,000.
The big, looming question today is: Now what? We'll keep trying to answer that question throughout the day. But we'll start with a rundown of the latest developments:
-- Small Arms?: During a press conference with reporters on Thursday, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes would not give details as to the type of "military support" the United States would now provide rebels.
Quoting "American officials," The New York Times reports today that the Obama administration has decided to supply the rebels with "small arms and ammunition." For now, the Times reports, the administration has not decided whether it will supply rebels with antitank weapons. The paper adds that anti-aircraft weapons are "not under consideration."
-- Less Than Expected: NPR's Deborah Amos, who has been covering the conflict, tells Morning Edition that for the rebels, the new U.S. position is "less than expected."
The rebels have been asking for heavy weaponry that could take on the kind of fire power Bashar Assad has.
"For them it's an incremental shift," Deb said. They are much more focused on the upcoming battle for Aleppo.
-- U.K. Support: Rhodes also said the United States would begin to work with the international community. Today, British Prime Minister David Cameron said they share the "candid assessment" by the United States.
Cameron tells the paper:
"I think it, rightly, puts back center stage the question, the very difficult question to answer but nonetheless one we have got to address: what are we going to do about the fact that in our world today there is a dictatorial and brutal leader who is using chemical weapons under our noses against his own people."
-- Questioning Intelligence: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he opposes military aid to the rebels. Not only that, but he cast some doubt on the U.S. intelligence assessment that found the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons.
"The validity of any information on the alleged use of chemical weapons cannot be ensured without convincing evidence of the chain-of-custody," Ban said, while calling for the on-the-ground investigation to continue.
We've added a separate post on this issue.
-- The Question Of Russia: Russia has been Assad's most ardent supporter — on several occasions thwarting attempts by the United Nations to step into the situation. As The Telegraph reports, the Kremlin has maintained there should be no foreign intervention in Syria.
The paper reports that MP Alexei Pushkov, the chairman of the Russian State Duma's international affairs committee, was unconvinced by the evidence of chemical weapons use. Pushkov said on Twitter, according to The Telegraph:
"Information about the use by Assad of chemical weapons has been fabricated in the same place as the lies about (Saddam) Hussein's weapons of mass destruction... Obama is taking the same path as George Bush.
"Why would Assad use 'a small quantity' of sarin against the fighters? What would be the point?! In order to give a reason for outside intervention? There's no logic in that."
-- Diplomacy Still An Option: NPR's Michele Kelemen reports that Secretary of State John Kerry has not given up on Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Obama are set to meet next week.
NPR's Deb Amos adds that this announcement by the United States comes just after the rebels suffered a significant defeat in the city of Qusair. Some worried, Deb said, that such a victory would embolden the Assad regime to walk away from the peace talks they had agreed to.
"This announcement appears to be an attempt to recalibrate the balance of power on the ground, but still in the service of a negotiated settlement," she said.
-- A No Fly Zone: The Wall Street Journal reports that among the options for the United States is setting up a no-fly zone over Syria. The paper says:
"Asked by the White House to develop options for Syria, military planners have said that creating an area to train and equip rebel forces would require keeping Syrian aircraft well away from the Jordanian border.
"To do that, the military envisages creating a no-fly zone stretching up to 25 miles into Syria which would be enforced using aircraft flown from Jordanian bases and flying inside the kingdom, according to U.S. officials."
-- 'Caravan Of Lies': Reuters reports that the Syrian Foreign Ministry called the White House statement about the use of chemical weapons a "caravan of lies." The ministry also said the decision by the United States to provide military support for the rebeles reveals a "flagrant double standard" when it comes to how it deals with terrorism.
The Assad regime calls the rebels terrorists.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Why are there so many cats in the kitchen you ask? Probably because you're feeding your cats Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Lamb Burgerini Canned Cat Food and they simply cannot get enough. Your kitty is going to feel like one fancy cat once you give them a bowl of this food. Full of lamb, tuna, and lamb lung this wholesome food is full of protein and free of any grains, GMOs, MSG, and carrageenan for a balanced meal in each can.
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SURREY, BC – After a sluggish first half of the year, property sales in the Fraser Valley started picking up speed in the summer and finished strong in December, but not enough to surpass last year's sales totals.
The Board's Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) processed 15,487 sales in 2019, a 0.6 per cent decrease compared to 2018's 15,586 sales and the lowest total sales volume for the Fraser Valley since 2013. The total dollar volume of MLS® transactions for the year was $11.2 billion, dropping from $11.8 billion sold during the year prior.
In 2019, total sales of the three main residential property types – detached, townhome and apartment – was 13,773. Of that total, 5,770 were detached, 3,888 were townhouses and 4,115 were apartments. Year-over-year, sales of detached and townhomes increased by 0.6 per cent compared to 2018, while apartment sales dropped by 4.2 per cent.
"Comparatively, 2019 was slower than normal for our region," said Darin Germyn, President of the Board. "Earlier in the year, we were still feeling the impact of the stress test introduced in 2018, but with steady job growth in our region and a stable economy, we've seen sales in the last few months return to above-average levels."
In December the Board processed a total of 1,247 sales, the third best December since 2010. Active inventory finished at 4,686 units in December, 20.3 per cent lower than the 10-year average for the month, with a total of 948 new listings entering the market throughout the month.
Germyn added, "Some sellers have been holding back on listing, waiting until the market improves, with the result that supply in many areas currently is quite tight; so if you're looking to enter the market in 2020, now is a good time. Without a healthy supply of inventory in the coming months, we could see upward pressure on prices."
A total of 30,568 new listings were received by the Board's MLS® system in 2019. This year was the second lowest for new inventory for the Board in the last decade.
MLS® HPI Benchmark Price Activity
- Single Family Detached: At $953,700, the Benchmark price for a single-family detached home in the Fraser Valley increased 0.2 per cent compared to November 2019 and decreased 1.2 per cent compared to December 2018.
- Townhomes: At $514,900, the Benchmark price for a townhome in the Fraser Valley in the Fraser Valley remained on par with November 2019 and decreased 3.2 per cent compared to December 2018.
- Apartments: At $405,500, the Benchmark price for apartments/condos in the Fraser Valley increased 0.2 per cent compared to November 2019 and decreased 3.1 per cent compared to December 2018.