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Background note: Hungary.
Official Name: Hungary
Area: 93,030 sq. km. (35,910 sq. mi.); about the size of Indiana.
Cities: Capital--Budapest (est. pop. 2 million). Other cities--Debrecen (208,000); Miskolc (170,000); Szeged (170,000); Pecs (157,000).
Terrain: Mostly flat, with low mountains in the north and northeast and north of Lake Balaton.
Climate: Temperate.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Hungarian(s).
Population (July 2011 est.): 9,996,000.
Ethnic groups: Magyar 89.9%, Romany 4% (est.), German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7%.
Religions (2001 census): Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, Jewish 1%, others, including Baptist Adventist, Pentecostal, Unitarian 3%.
Languages: Magyar 98.2%, other 1.8%.
Education: Compulsory to age 16. Attendance--96%. Literacy--99.4%.
Health (2007 est.): Infant mortality rate--8.21/1,000. Life expectancy--men 69.2 years, women 77.3 years.
Work force (2006 est., 4.21 million): Agriculture--5.0%; industry and commerce--31.0%; services--64.0%.
Type: Republic.
Constitution: Adopted April 18, 2011; entered into effect January 1, 2012.
Branches: Executive--president (head of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet. Legislative--National Assembly (386 members, 4-year term).
Judicial--Curia (supreme court) and Constitutional Court.
Administrative regions: 19 counties plus capital region of Budapest.
Principal political parties: Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Party--center-right; Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP)--center-right; Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP)--center-left; Democratic Coalition (DK)--center-left; Politics Can Be Different (LMP)--Green party; Movement for a Better Hungary (Jobbik)--far-right.
GDP: HUF 27,947 billion (approx. $115.96 billion, at year-end 2011 exchange rate of U.S. $1=HUF 241).
Annual growth rate (2011): 1.9%.
Per capita GDP (2011): $11,596.
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, and arable land.
Agriculture/forestry (2010, 2.94% of GDP): Products--meat, corn, wheat, sunflower seeds, potatoes, sugar beets, and dairy products.
Industry and construction (2010, 25.9% of GDP): Types--machinery, vehicles, chemicals, precision and measuring equipment, computer products, medical instruments, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.
Trade (2010): Exports ($112.7 billion)--machinery, vehicles, food, beverages, tobacco, crude materials, manufactured goods, fuels and electric energy. Imports ($103.11 billion)--machinery, vehicles, manufactured goods, fuels and electric energy, food, beverages, and tobacco. Major markets--EU (Germany, Austria, Italy, France, U.K., Romania, Poland). Major suppliers--EU (Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Netherlands, Poland), Russia, and China.
Ethnic groups in Hungary include Magyar (nearly 90%), Romany, German, Serb, Slovak, and others. The majority of Hungary's people are Roman Catholic; other religions represented are Calvinist, Lutheran, Jewish, Baptist, Adventist, Pentecostal, and Unitarian. Magyar is the predominant language. Hungary has long been an integral part of Europe. It converted to Western Christianity before AD 1000. Although Hungary was a monarchy for nearly 1,000 years, its constitutional system preceded by several centuries the establishment of Western-style governments in other European countries.
Following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy (1867-1918) at the end of World War I, Hungary lost two-thirds of its territory and one-third of its population. It experienced a brief but bloody communist dictatorship and counterrevolution in 1919, followed by a 25-year regency under Admiral Miklos Horthy. Although Hungary fought in most of World War II as a German ally, it fell under German military occupation on March 19, 1944 following an unsuccessful attempt to switch sides. Under Nazi occupation, the Hungarian Government executed or deported and seized the property of hundreds of thousands of its minority citizens, mostly members of the Jewish community. On January 20, 1945, a provisional government concluded an armistice with the Soviet Union and established the Allied Control Commission, under which Soviet, American, and British representatives held complete sovereignty over the country. The Commission's chairman was a member of Stalin's inner circle and exercised absolute control.
Communist Takeover
The provisional government, dominated by the Hungarian Communist Party (MKP), was replaced in November 1945 after elections which gave majority control of a coalition government to the Independent Smallholders' Party. The government instituted a radical land reform and gradually nationalized mines, electric plants, heavy industries, and some large banks. The communists ultimately undermined the coalition regime by discrediting leaders of rival parties and through terror, blackmail, and show trials. In elections tainted by fraud in 1947, the leftist bloc gained control of the government.
By February 1949, all opposition parties had been forced to merge with the MKP to form the Hungarian Workers' Party. In 1949, the communists held a single-list election and adopted a Soviet-style constitution, which created the Hungarian People's Republic. Between 1948 and 1953, the Hungarian economy was reorganized according to the Soviet model. In 1949, the country joined the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA, or Comecon.) All private industrial firms with more than 10 employees were nationalized. Freedom of the press, religion, and assembly were strictly curtailed. The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Forced industrialization and land collectivization soon led to serious economic difficulties, which reached crisis proportions by mid-1953. Imre Nagy replaced Rakosi as prime minister in 1953 and repudiated much of Rakosi's economic program of forced collectivization and heavy industry. He also ended political purges and freed thousands of political prisoners. However, the economic situation continued to deteriorate, and Rakosi succeeded in disrupting the reforms and in forcing Nagy from power in 1955 for "right-wing revisionism." Hungary joined the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact Treaty Organization the same year.
1956 Revolution
Pressure for change reached a climax on October 23, 1956, when security forces fired on Budapest students marching in support of Poland's confrontation with the Soviet Union. The ensuing battle quickly grew into a massive popular uprising. Fighting did not abate until the Central Committee named Imre Nagy as prime minister on October 25. Nagy dissolved the state security police, abolished the one-party system, promised free elections, and negotiated with the U.S.S.R. to withdraw its troops.
Faced with reports of new Soviet troops pouring into Hungary, despite Soviet Ambassador Andropov's assurances to the contrary, on November 1 Nagy announced Hungary's neutrality and withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact. In response, the Soviet Union launched a massive military attack on Hungary on November 3. Some 200,000 Hungarians fled to the West. Nagy and his colleagues took refuge in the Yugoslav Embassy. Party First Secretary Janos Kadar defected from the Nagy cabinet, fleeing to the Soviet Union. On November 4 he announced the formation of a new government. He returned to Budapest and, with Soviet support, carried out severe reprisals; thousands of people were executed or imprisoned. Despite a guarantee of safe conduct, Nagy was arrested and deported to Romania. In June 1958, Nagy was returned to Hungary, and, following a secret trial, was executed by the communist government.
Reform Under Kadar
In the early 1960s, Kadar announced a new policy under the motto of "He Who is Not Against Us is With Us," and introduced a relatively liberal cultural and economic course aimed at overcoming the post-1956 hostility toward him and his regime. In 1966, the Central Committee approved the "New Economic Mechanism," through which it sought to overcome the inefficiencies of central planning, increase productivity, make Hungary more competitive in world markets, and create prosperity to ensure political stability. By the early 1980s, it had achieved some lasting economic reforms and limited political liberalization and pursued a foreign policy which encouraged more trade with the West. Nevertheless, the New Economic Mechanism led to mounting foreign debt incurred to shore up unprofitable industries.
Transition to Democracy
Hungary's transition to a Western-style parliamentary democracy was the first and the smoothest among the former Soviet bloc. By 1987, activists within the party and bureaucracy and Budapest-based intellectuals were increasingly pressing for change. Young liberals formed the Federation of Young Democrats (Fidesz); a core from the so-called Democratic Opposition formed the Association of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), and the neo-populist national opposition established the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF). Civic activism intensified to a level not seen since the 1956 revolution.
In 1988, Kadar was replaced as General Secretary of the MSZMP (the Communist Party), and that same year, the Parliament adopted a "democracy package," which included trade union pluralism; freedom of association, assembly, and the press; a new electoral law; and a radical revision of the constitution, among others. The Soviet Union reduced its involvement by signing an agreement in April 1989 to withdraw Soviet forces by June 1991.
National unity culminated in June 1989 as the country reburied Imre Nagy, his associates, and, symbolically, all other victims of the 1956 revolution. A national roundtable, comprising representatives of the new parties and some recreated old parties--such as the Smallholders and Social Democrats--the Communist Party, and different social groups, met in the late summer of 1989 to discuss major changes to the Hungarian constitution in preparation for free elections and the transition to a fully free and democratic political system.
Free Elections and a Democratic Hungary
The first free parliamentary election, held in March-April 1990, was a plebiscite of sorts on the communist past with the Democratic Forum (MDF) winning 43% of the vote and the Free Democrats (SZDSZ) capturing 24%. Under Prime Minister Jozsef Antall, the MDF formed a center-right coalition government with the Independent Smallholders' Party (FKGP) and the Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) to command a 60% majority in the Parliament. Parliamentary opposition parties included SZDSZ, the Socialists (MSZP--successors to the Communist Party), and the Alliance of Young Democrats (Fidesz). Peter Boross succeeded as Prime Minister after Antall died and the Antall/Boross coalition governments achieved a reasonably well-functioning parliamentary democracy and laid the foundation for a free market economy.
In May 1994, the Socialists came back to win a plurality of votes and 54% of the seats after an election campaign focused largely on economic issues and the substantial decline in living standards since 1990. A heavy turnout of voters swept away the right-of-center coalition but soundly rejected extremists on both right and left. The MSZP continued economic reforms and privatization, adopting a painful, but necessary, policy of fiscal austerity (the "Bokros plan") in 1995. However, dissatisfaction with the pace of economic recovery, rising crime, and cases of government corruption convinced voters to propel center-right parties into power following national elections in May 1998. Fidesz captured a plurality of parliamentary seats and forged a coalition with the Smallholders and the Democratic Forum. The new government, headed by 35-year-old Prime Minister Viktor Orban, promised to stimulate faster growth, curb inflation, and lower taxes. Although the Orban administration also pledged continuity in foreign policy, and continued to pursue Euro-Atlantic integration as its first priority, it was a more vocal advocate of minority rights for ethnic Hungarians abroad than the previous government. During Orban's tenure, Hungary acceded to NATO on March 12, 1999.
In April 2002, the country voted to return the MSZP-Free Democrat coalition to power with Peter Medgyessy as Prime Minister. The Medgyessy government placed special emphasis on solidifying Hungary's Euro-Atlantic course, which culminated in Hungary's accession to the European Union on May 1, 2004. Prime Minister Medgyessy resigned in August 2004 after losing coalition support following an attempted cabinet reshuffle. Ferenc Gyurcsany succeeded Medgyessy as Prime Minister in September 29, 2004.
In the April 2006 election, Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany and his Socialist-liberal coalition were re-elected, the first time since communism that a sitting government renewed its mandate. The SZDSZ pulled out of the coalition in April 2008, leaving the MSZP to govern alone.
The global economic crisis spilled over into Hungary in autumn 2008, and severely impacted the country. Prime Minister Gyurcsany resigned in March 2009 and was succeeded by a technocratic crisis management government led by Gordon Bajnai, the former Minister of Economy and National Development.
Parliamentary elections in April 2010 brought a Fidesz-KDNP coalition back to power with a two-thirds majority (262 seats). Viktor Orban became Prime Minister. Joining the MSZP in opposition were the newly elected far-right Jobbik party and the Green party, Politics Can Be Different (LMP). Today, Fidesz-KDNP has 263 seats. In the opposition, MSZP has 48 seats, Jobbik 46, and LMP 15; 10 Members of Parliament (MPs) have left MSZP to create a new party, the Democratic Coalition. There are four independent MPs. The Fidesz-dominated Parliament quickly launched an ambitious legislative agenda that has promised to reduce the overall number of seats in Parliament to 199 effective for the next election in 2014, cut by half the number of local representatives, and extended citizenship and voting rights to ethnic Hungarians living beyond the country's present borders. In April 2011, Parliament adopted the country's new constitution, which entered into effect January 1, 2012. Among other changes, the document makes reference to the role of Christianity in "preserving the nation" and sets the term of local government members at 5 years. Additionally, it mandated a process requiring the passage of several dozen so-called cardinal laws on issues such as religion, the media, the restructuring of the judiciary, elections, and the central bank. The majority of these laws were passed in 2011, and their future modification would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The president of Hungary, elected by the National Assembly every 5 years, has a largely ceremonial role, but powers include requesting the winner of a parliamentary election to form a cabinet. That person then presents his program to Parliament, and is in turn ratified by that body as prime minister. The prime minister selects cabinet ministers and has the exclusive right to dismiss them. Each cabinet nominee appears before one or more parliamentary committees in consultative open hearings and must be formally approved by the president. The unicameral, 386-member National Assembly is the highest state legislative body and initiates and approves legislation sponsored by the prime minister. The number of seats will decrease to 199 for the 2014 election. National parliamentary elections are held every 4 years (the last in April 2010). A party must win at least 5% of the national vote to enter Parliament. A 15-member Constitutional Court may challenge legislation on grounds of unconstitutionality; members are appointed by a two-thirds vote in Parliament for a 12-year term of office.
Principal Government Officials
President--Pal Schmitt
Prime Minister--Viktor Orban (Fidesz)
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Janos Martonyi
Ambassador to the United States--Gyorgy Szapary
Ambassador to the United Nations--Csaba Korosi
The Hungarian Embassy is located at 3910 Spring of Freedom St. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-362-6730). Hungary has consulates in New York City and Los Angeles.
Prior to World War II, the Hungarian economy was primarily oriented toward agriculture and small-scale manufacturing. Hungary's strategic position in Europe and its relative lack of natural resources dictated a traditional reliance on foreign trade. In the early 1950s, the communist government forced rapid industrialization following the standard Stalinist pattern in an effort to encourage a more self-sufficient economy. Most economic activity was conducted by state farms and state-owned enterprises or cooperatives. In 1968, Stalinist self-sufficiency was replaced by the "New Economic Mechanism," which gave limited freedom to the workings of the market, reopened Hungary to foreign trade, and allowed a limited number of small businesses to operate in the services sector.
Although Hungary enjoyed one of the most liberal and economically advanced economies of the former Eastern Bloc, both agriculture and industry began to suffer from a lack of investment in the 1970s. Belated reaction to the economic crisis of the early 1970s and deteriorating terms of trade resulted in increasing indebtedness. In response, the Hungarian Government launched a restrictive economic policy in the late 1970s and early 1980s, followed by the "Dynamization Program of 1985," which increased consumer subsidies and investments--mainly in unprofitable state enterprises--eventually leading to a doubling of foreign debt levels. By 1993, Hungary's net foreign debt rose significantly--from $1 billion in 1973 to $15 billion. Liberalization of the economy continued, however, and in 1988-89 Hungary passed a joint venture law, adopted tax legislation, and joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. By 1988, Hungary developed a two-tier banking system and enacted significant corporate legislation which paved the way for the ambitious market-oriented reforms of the post-communist years.
The Antall government of 1990-94 began market reforms with price and trade liberation measures, a revamped tax system, and a nascent market-based banking system. As a result of the collapse of Eastern markets and the inability of state-owned companies to compete with foreign competitors, industrial production fell by 50% between 1989 and 1994, and the country faced high unemployment and inflation rates, as well as a deteriorating trade balance. By 1994, the costs of government overspending and hesitant privatization had become clearly visible. In 1996, austerity measures referred to as the "Bokros package" (for then-Finance Minister Lajos Bokros) improved both the fiscal and external balance situation, and increased investor confidence. Simplified and accelerated privatization led to significant inflow of foreign capital in industry, energy, and telecommunications sectors, and a number of greenfield investments were launched. Hungary's early openness to foreign direct investment (FDI) led to a sustained period of high growth and made Hungary a magnet for FDI in the late 1990s and early parts of this century.
In 1995, Hungary's currency--the forint (HUF)--became convertible for all current account transactions, and subsequent to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) membership in 1996, for almost all capital account transactions as well. In 2001, the Orban government lifted remaining currency controls and broadened the band around the exchange rate, allowing the forint to appreciate by more than 12% in a year. Trade with European Union (EU) and OECD countries now comprises over 75% and 85% of Hungary's total trade, respectively. Germany is Hungary's most important trading partner, followed by Italy and France. The United States has become Hungary's sixth-largest export market, while Hungary is ranked as the 72nd-largest export market for the United States. Bilateral trade between the two countries has increased to more than $1 billion per year.
With more than $60 billion in FDI since 1989, Hungary has been a leading destination for FDI in central and eastern Europe, although this level is beginning to decline. The largest U.S. investors include GE, Alcoa, General Motors, Coca-Cola, Ford, IBM, and PepsiCo, with the overall level of direct U.S. investment estimated at $9 billion. As a result of extensive and continuing liberalization, the private sector produces about 80% of Hungary's output.
Close relationship with the economies of the EU helped pave the way for Hungary's EU accession in 2004. As part of its EU membership agreement, Hungary agreed to meet the economic criteria necessary to adopt the euro. In 2005 and 2006, however, it became clear that not only was a high budget deficit hurting the economy (nearly surpassing 10% of GDP in 2006), but that Hungary was moving away from meeting euro entry requirements, and would be subject to EU excessive deficit procedures. Against this backdrop, in fall 2006, Prime Minister Gyurcsany launched a program of fiscal consolidation by raising taxes, decreasing subsidies, and streamlining the public sector. Businesses complained, however, that increased taxes, particularly on labor, decreased Hungary's economic competitiveness compared to other countries in the region. Greater fiscal discipline allowed the government to reduce its deficit to 3.4% of GDP by 2008, but decreasing government spending during this period also reduced domestic consumption and contributed to a decrease in Hungary's GDP growth.
In October 2008, the effects of the global financial crisis spilled into Hungary. Despite its success in reducing its fiscal deficit, years of high budget deficits and Hungary's high external debt levels fueled investor risk aversion, and negatively affected the foreign exchange, government securities, and equity markets in Hungary. The country was hit hard by global de-leveraging, and weak demand for government bonds. A sharp decline in the share of non-resident investors in the government securities market raised concerns that Hungary would be unable to meet its external financing requirements. In order to increase investor confidence and ensure liquidity in domestic financial markets, Hungary concluded a $25 billion financial stabilization package with the IMF, EU, and World Bank in November 2008.
Under this agreement, Hungary committed to further fiscal consolidation, financial sector reforms, and enacting banking sector support measures. Terms also included periodic assessment of macroeconomic and fiscal targets. Taking into consideration the worsening global economic and financial crisis, the IMF and the EU revised their projections of Hungary's GDP decline in 2009 to -6.7%, and agreed to increase the 2.9% deficit target to 3.9% for 2009. Public debt was expected to increase to 83% of GDP in 2009 before returning to more sustainable levels through fiscal tightening.
To respond to the crisis, the Bajnai government in 2009 enacted a series of economic reforms and spending cuts intended to reduce the tax burden on labor, encourage employment, improve Hungary's economic competitiveness, and offset lost government revenue due to the deeper-than-expected recession. These measures included reforms to the pension and entitlement systems, as well as tax changes to shift the tax burden from labor to wealth and consumption. In addition to cuts in taxes for businesses and employees, tax changes included raising the value added tax (VAT), and a proposal for the introduction of a property tax. In 2009 GDP declined by 6.3%, and the Hungarian Government was able to meet the 3.9% deficit target.
Elected in 2010, the Orban government adopted what Economy Minister Gyorgy Matolcsy described as an "unorthodox economic policy" to help steer Hungary through the economic crisis. This included the introduction of "crisis taxes" targeting banking, energy, telecommunications, and retail sectors. Originally unveiled as 3-year, limited-duration, and extraordinary measures, the crisis taxes were meant to shore up the government budget until more long-term, structural changes were made. In November 2010, the government acknowledged that the "crisis taxes" would exist in some form until 2014, 2 years later than previously asserted. In addition, in 2010 the government discontinued contributions to the voluntary private pillar of the pension system, and imposed financial disincentives on those who chose not to return to the state system. The government has used the resulting budgetary windfall to help reduce the country's debt levels and meet its deficit target of less than 3% for 2011 and 2012.
In March 2011, the government launched its Szell Kalman Plan, which outlines structural reform plans in the areas of local government finance, education, healthcare, employment, and public transportation for 2011-2014. The government began developing more detailed reform implementation plans in each of these areas. Initial market reaction to the plan was positive, and by May 2011, the country had already met its foreign currency financing requirements for 2011 through two large dollar and euro bond issuances.
Amid worsening investor sentiment and distrust toward the government's economic policy, all three credit rating agencies in December 2011-January 2012 downgraded Hungary to non-investment grade, which resulted in a sharp depreciation of the Hungarian forint to almost 350 to the euro and a corresponding increase in government bond yields from below 7% to about 10%. Rising yields and the depreciating forint made the Debt Management Agency's plan to issue 4.8 billion euros worth (approx. $6.3 billion) of foreign-currency denominated bonds questionable and prompted the government to seek a credit line from the EU and the IMF. Discussions are ongoing, but conditions are strict. The EU Commission initiated an infringement procedure in January 2012 requiring Hungary to change legislation hampering independence of the Central Bank, restore the authority of the Data Protection Ombudsman, and other issues. At the same time the ECOFIN Council voted to proceed with an Excessive Deficit Procedure against Hungary on the grounds that its 3% budget deficit target is unsustainable in 2013 unless corrective measures are implemented. The stakes are high for Hungary, which might partially or entirely lose support from the EU Cohesion Funds in 2013.
Hungary's key national security focus since joining NATO in 1999 has been contributing to the stability of the region while integrating its armed forces into NATO's force structure. Hungary takes a keen interest in NATO expansion and in the transatlantic link. It shares a more acute sense of the threat than many other European countries and is watching events in the Balkans, Ukraine, and Russia with great interest. Hungarians believe that Hungary's own security and that of its ethnic minorities in neighboring countries will be best served by a peaceful, unified region, which will be achieved when EU and NATO membership is extended to the entire region.
Hungary has been slowly modernizing and downsizing its armed forces since it left the Warsaw Pact in 1990. Transitioning from a heavy, slow-moving Warsaw Pact force to a lighter, versatile NATO force, the Hungarian military went from 130,000 in 1989 to approximately 24,000 combat and combat support forces in 2008. Implementing a new training, logistics, and leadership system and a new Joint Forces Command structure, the Hungarian military has gained considerable practical experience working with NATO and other forces serving in international military missions (about 1,000 at any given time). Hungary was especially helpful during the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords in the Balkans from 1995-2004, when its airbase at Taszar was used by coalition forces transiting the region. Hungary currently leads a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan. It deployed an additional Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT)--operating in partnership with the Ohio National Guard--an Air Mentor Team, and Special Forces personnel in Afghanistan. The Hungarian military is also deployed in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Cyprus, and the Sinai Peninsula on international peacekeeping and stabilization missions. Hungary's Papa Airbase is the home base of the Strategic Airlift Consortium's C-17 operations, expanding its contribution to NATO and other European partners. Hungary's military still faces numerous challenges to its modernization program, as reflected in the country's defense budget, which in recent years has dropped to less than 1% of GDP, well below the NATO target of 2%.
Except for the short-lived neutrality declared by Imre Nagy in November 1956, Hungary's foreign policy generally followed the Soviet lead from 1947 to 1989. During the communist period, Hungary maintained treaties of friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance with the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic, Romania, and Bulgaria. It was one of the founding members of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact and Comecon, and it was the first central European country to withdraw from those now-defunct organizations.
As with any country, Hungarian security attitudes are shaped largely by history and geography. For Hungary, this is a history of more than 400 years of domination by great powers--the Ottomans, the Habsburgs, the Germans during World War II, and the Soviets during the Cold War. Hungary's foreign policy priorities, largely consistent since 1990, represent a direct response to these factors. Since 1990, Hungary's top foreign policy goal has been achieving integration into Western economic and security organizations. To this end, Hungary joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in May of 2004. Hungary also has improved its often-chilled neighborly relations by signing basic treaties with Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. These renounce all outstanding territorial claims and lay the foundation for constructive relations. However, the issue of ethnic Hungarian minority rights in Slovakia and Romania periodically causes bilateral tensions to flare, including in June 2010 when the Parliament offered Hungarian citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living outside its borders. Hungary was a signatory to the Helsinki Final Act in 1975, has signed all of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)/Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) follow-on documents since 1989, and served as the OSCE's Chairman-in-Office in 1997. Hungary's record of implementing CSCE Helsinki Final Act provisions, including those on reunification of divided families, remains among the best in eastern Europe. Hungary has been a member of the United Nations since December 1955.
During the first 6 months of 2011, Hungary held the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first time. The priorities of the Hungarian presidency, as outlined in its program entitled "Strong Europe," included the promotion of Roma integration, supporting growth and increasing employment in the EU, expansion of the Schengen border regime area, and the enlargement of the European Union, with special emphasis on Croatia's accession.
Relations between the United States and Hungary immediately following World War II were affected by the Soviet armed forces' occupation of Hungary. Full diplomatic relations were established at the legation level on October 12, 1945, before the signing of the Hungarian peace treaty on February 10, 1947. After the communist takeover in 1947-48, relations with Hungary became increasingly strained by the nationalization of U.S.-owned property, unacceptable treatment of U.S. citizens and personnel, and restrictions on the operations of the American legation. Though relations deteriorated further after the suppression of the Hungarian national uprising in 1956, an exchange of ambassadors in 1966 inaugurated an era of improving relations. In 1972, a consular convention was concluded to provide consular protection to U.S. citizens in Hungary.
In 1973, a bilateral agreement was reached under which Hungary settled the nationalization claims of American citizens. In January 1978, the United States returned to the people of Hungary the historic Crown of Saint Stephen, which had been safeguarded by the United States since the end of World War II. Symbolically and literally, this event marked the beginning of improved relations between the two countries. A 1978 bilateral trade agreement included extension of most-favored-nation status to Hungary. Cultural and scientific exchanges were expanded. As Hungary began to pull away from the Soviet orbit, the United States offered assistance and expertise to help establish a constitution, a democratic political system, and a plan for a free market economy.
Between 1989 and 1993, the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act provided more than $136 million for economic restructuring and private sector development. The Hungarian-American Enterprise Fund offered loans, equity capital, and technical assistance to promote private-sector development. The U.S. Government has provided expert and financial assistance for the development of modern and Western institutions in many policy areas, including national security, law enforcement, free media, environmental regulations, education, and health care. American direct investment has had a direct, positive impact on the Hungarian economy and on continued good bilateral relations. When Hungary acceded to NATO in April 1999, it became a formal ally of the United States. This move has been consistently supported by the 1.5 million-strong Hungarian-American community. The U.S. Government supported Hungarian European Union accession in 2004, and continues to work with Hungary as a valued partner in the transatlantic relationship. Hungary joined the Visa Waiver Program on November 17, 2008.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis
Deputy Chief of Mission--Timothy A. Betts
Public Affairs Counselor--Edward Loo
Political/Economic Counselor--Paul C. O'Friel
Management Counselor--Eric R. Kettner
Regional USAID Mission Director--David Leong
Commercial Counselor--Robert Peaslee
Senior Defense Official and Defense Attache--Col. Robert Duggleby, USA
Consul General--Jeffrey Lodinsky
Environment/Science/Technology Attache--Mark Canning
The U.S. Embassy in Hungary is located at Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest 1054 (tel. (36) 1-475-4400).
Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings, Trip Registration
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises Americans traveling and residing abroad through Country Specific Information, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings. Country Specific Information exists for all countries and includes information on entry and exit requirements, currency regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. Travel Alerts are issued to disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or unstable.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://www.travel.state.gov/, where current Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings can be found. The travel.state.gov website also includes information about passports, tips for planning a safe trip abroad and more. More travel-related information also is available at http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.
The Department's Smart Traveler app for U.S. travelers going abroad provides easy access to the frequently updated official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps, U.S. embassy locations, and more that appear on the travel.state.gov site. Travelers can also set up e-tineraries to keep track of arrival and departure dates and make notes about upcoming trips. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad (requires iOS 4.0 or later).
The Department of State encourages all U.S. citizens traveling or residing abroad to enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). A link to the registration page is also available through the Department's Smart Traveler app. U.S. citizens without internet access can enroll directly at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. By enrolling, you make your presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency and so you can receive up-to-date information on security conditions.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4-USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778); TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793. Passport information is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. You may speak with a representative Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
Health Information
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) and a web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. The CDC publication "Health Information for International Travel" can be found at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentYellowBook.aspx.
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Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://www.state.gov/, the Department of State web site provides timely, global access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including more Background Notes, the Department's daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov/ Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free export counseling, help with the export process, and more.
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Michigan will debut all-maize uniforms Tuesday vs. Ohio State
Michigan point guard Trey Burke wore some eye-catching new basketball shoes at Monday's news conference that the Wolverines will debut for Tuesday's big matchup with Ohio State at the Crisler Center.
The shoes, which are almost blindingly maize, are part of Michigan's "bleed-out" uniform that will be almost entirely maize. The uniform color scheme is part of the school's "maize-out" effort, in which fans who attend the game are being asked to wear maize-colored clothes.
It will be the first time Michigan's basketball team wears a "bleed-out" uniform.
On his radio show, Michigan coach John Beilein briefly addressed the all maize jersey-and-shoes combination.
"They brought us some shoes earlier in the year and they had a green tint to them," he said. "They were yellowish color ... so we said no. They brought back these beautiful shoes, and our kids are (excited), that are truly a bright maize. They're excited to wear them."
Was this Beilein's idea to wear them Tuesday?
"I do very little of that area," he said. "The players, the captains, (equipment manager) Bob Bland, Adidas, our assistant coaches, (director of basketball operations) Travis Conlan. I've got enough on my plate (to avoid) where the fashion goes."
Monarrez and Snyder write for the Detroit Free Press, a Gannett property

subset: commoncrawl


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CHICAGO >> Kevin Ollie might take an NBA head-coaching position, but it might not be with the Lakers.
An undisclosed NBA team not named the Lakers reached out to Ollie about interviewing for its vacant head coaching position, leaving the UConn coach mulling over the team's latest extension offer, according to a league source familiar with the situation.
"A team has come at him hard. It's going to be interesting," the source said. "He's always preferred UConn. But he may have a decision to make."
Ollie's current contract runs through the 2017-18 season, but both Ollie and the Huskies are mindful of his increased market value stemming from UConn's recent NCAA championship and heightened NBA interest. Ollie's contract offer is believed to be about double the $1.25 million he made this past season.
The Lakers have not formally reached out to any candidates, including Ollie, because they want to see what position they receive in the NBA draft lottery on May 20 before narrowing down their choices. Ollie has been interested in listening to any Lakers pitch after growing up in Los Angeles as a Crenshaw standout. But a source familiar with Ollie's thinking expects him to make a decision "soon" on his coaching future.
Feeling the love
Kentucky forward Julius Randle may have inadvertantly created a new Twitter hashtag: I want to play with Kobe.
Randle gushed about idolizing Kobe Bryant, both his childhood idol and possible future teammate.
"It would be extremely fun," said Randle, who will interview with the Lakers on Friday. "There's a lot I could learn from and pick his brain just on how to get better and dealing with adversity."
The Lakers are one of several teams that will speak with Randle, who is expected to be a top prospect after posting a nation-leading 24 double-doubles with the Wildcats. He reported talking with Utah, Orlando, Cleveland and Minnesota on Thursday, and plans to meet with Sacramento, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Boston today.
Randle expressed confidence the Lakers can rebuild quickly. They could use Randle's services as a dependable rebounder and rim protector.
"I can fit in well," Randle said. "I can bring a lot to the table on both ends of the floor."
Mutual interest
The Lakers may have a Hall of Fame point guard, but they still need an upgrade.
Though they plan to keep Steve Nash for the final year of his $9.8 million contract, the Lakers plan to bolster that position amid uncertainty surrounding Nash's back injury that kept the 40-year-old out last season for all but 15 games.
The Lakers took that first step on Thursday by interviewing Marcus Smart, who starred as Oklahoma State's point guard for the past two seasons. "It would be a good fit," said Smart, who expects to have an individual workout with the Lakers. "They're looking for a point guard and somebody that can come in and take control That's the type of person I am. I'm a leader."
Smart also marvels at Nash, who is in fourth place on the NBA's all-time assists list (10,335).
"Steve Nash is one of the premier point guards to play the game," Smart said. "He still has some left in the tank. That's incredible for him to be doing that at his age. He's very crafty and he keeps defenders on his toes. You never know what he's going to do."
Injury update
Pau Gasol reported improvement in his health after missing 12 of the Lakers' last 13 games because of vertigo.
"I feel great. My vertigo problems are finally over," Gasol wrote Thursday on his personal Web site. "I'm not physically frustrated or mentally tired. I can't remember the last vacation when I was feeling this good."
Gasol plans to ramp up to complete workouts by June. Though Gasol will spend part of his summer in July weighing his free agency options, he also prepare for the 2014 World Cup of Basketball, which takes place Aug. 30 to Sept. 14 in Spain.


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LONDON (Gray News) – If you're a Spice Girls "Wannabe," Airbnb has just what you want.
The original Spice Bus from the 1997 movie "Spice Word" can be booked for a very limited time this summer.
The bus will be at Wembley Park in London on June 14 and 15 – the same two nights the Spice Girls will perform at Wembley Stadium.
The rate is about $110 a night, plus any taxes or fees. The bus will be available to book on Wednesday, May 22, at 8 a.m. British Summer Time. That's 3 a.m. EDT.
As you might expect, the bus is pretty posh and not too scary.
"The outside of the bus looks exactly as it did in the Spice World movie, with its iconic Union Jack-painted exterior," Suzanne Godley's description in Airbnb says.
"Inside, guests will have the run of both floors, which have been lovingly renovated with little nods to each of the Spice Girls and some fairly bold interiors. The bus can sleep up to three people, with two sharing a double bed and one on a single day bed."
Sadly, there are some things the Spice Bus doesn't have. There's no kitchen, no running water, no Wi-Fi and no bathroom. But there is a separate bathroom nearby with towels provided and complementary water and snacks will be available on the bus.
So, if this is what you want, what you really, really want, get up early Wednesday morning to book your piece of Spice Girls history.
Copyright 2019 Gray Television Group, Inc. All rights reserved.


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It is not a surprise to learn that Fort Lauderdale is well-placed when it comes to being amongst some of the world's best fishing locations. Therefore, it will certainly not come as a shock to learn that the International Game Fish Association claims a spot in Fort Lauderdale for the world headquarters of their Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum.
"Reeling In" History & Fun at the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum
Florida's Largest Carolina Skiff Dealer Set for World's Biggest in-Water Show
Dusky Sports Center is smack dab in the middle of Florida's prime boating waters, and coincidentally near the world's largest in-water boat show. The boating industry knows the event as the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, set for Nov. 1-5, 2017.


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Wolf Blitzer delivers the most important breaking news and political, international, and national security stories of the day. Tune to The Situation Room weekdays 5-7pm ET on CNN.
The chairman of Goldman Sachs Lloyd Blankfein speaks on immigration after a meeting at the White House on the subject.
RELATED STORY: Unions could again be key to immigration reform
Hi Wolf, I totally disagree with this corporate criminal. All he cares about is money. The more people that we let into the country equals a higher population. Over population is the cause of all the worlds problems. Do we want to be like India or China. Hell No!
Michael Knutson
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Snap: Spring in Belmont
Spring shows in the form of Stonehenge Avenue daffodils, or jonquils as some like the call these floral harbingers (but technically called Narcissus), in the Belmont neighborhood. Saturday's weather will continue sunny, but clouds are expected Sunday with showers Monday as a front moves in. (photo by Don Neuland)
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0.51 Inches of Rain on the way, as reported by Accuweather this evening, and forecast on Saturday by Mr.Spencer. Looks like all the brooks and streams will be babbling this Spring.
Happy first full day of Spring ! Technically the first day of Spring was yesterday here's why :
"Saturday, March 20, is the first day of spring in 2010 in the Northern Hemisphere. This is known as the Vernal Equinox.
Simultaneously, places in the Southern Hemisphere observe the Autumnal Equinox.
The official time for the Vernal Equinox 2010 is 1:32 p.m. EST on March 20."


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Search Maps
MapManatvs gelegen op de Noot [sic] Riuier. Manuscript. Pen-and-ink and watercolor. Covers New York City region. Pictorial map showing buildings and points of interest. Depths shown by soundings. Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as a raster image. Described in Terrae incognitae, v. xvi, 1984. Richard W. Stephenson's The Henry Harrisse collection ... , p. 40; the third volume has binder's title "Manuscript maps of New-Netherland and Manhattan...
- Contributor: Library of Congress - Vinckeboons, Joan
- Date: 1670


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"I am happy that we're same post 'Bigg Boss'" : Gauahar on Kushal
After the grand finale of 'Bigg Boss Saath 7', there was speculation that actress Gauahar Khan and Kushal Tandon will go separate ways. But belying all skepticism, the couple has now decided to carry their relationship further.
Confirming this, Gauahar said: "Yes, I am in Goa with Kushal and a whole lot of friends. After the long 105 days that I spent in 'Bigg Boss', I am finally unwinding."
Gauahar admits there was an apprehension within her that the equation between Kushal and she may change after the show. But to her relief and joy, things are absolutely unchanged between them.
"I am amazed and delighted to realize that we are exactly the same people that we were inside the 'Bigg Boss'. I am looking forward to a great 2014 for the two of us," she said.
Kushal too had expressed a similar misgiving regarding Gauahar when he was evicted a week before the grand finale.


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May 10, 2009 is this years day to celebrate Mom's. No matter if her children have 2 or 4 legs (not to say that us humans have more than 2 legs, but my children are 2 Jack Russell's and they should join in the celebration). I blogged about my Memory Boxes in December and the response was over whelming.
One of my favorite boxes I have done has been for Margaret Roach of her famous Frogboys.
They are a blast to make and assuring who ever opens the box with their Memory Box inside will have a big smile.
Let these inspire you. They have me every time I make one. The Memory Box pictured of the 2 big black dogs, Raggs a Newfoundland and Devon a Newf/Lab mix are no longer with me, they are waiting with some others at Rainbows Bridge.
[nggallery id=4]


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Anyway, before the baby wakes here is a spot of dyeing that I did recently on a silk shirt that I chanced upon at the Melbourne Suitcase Rummage. I finally got those Silver Dollar Eucalyptus leaves to pay out their red orange tones and I love the result.
It's amazing what a few leaves, a handful of rusty nails, some string and a little water can do. I've run into two of my fellow Beautiful Silks India Flint workshop companions in the past month in Melbourne and on both occasions we have all by chance been wearing eco-dyed silk garments. Thank you India for your inspiration.


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Purpose and Mission: The purpose of the Archnet Pedagogy Collection is to make well-crafted and practical resources publicly available for those teaching the subject of Islamic art and architecture. The collection provides useful aids in a variety of media that can assist instructors in how they might approach and understand this diverse and prodigious subject matter and its extensive historiography in order to teach it more effectively. Sourced predominantly from the vast Archnet website, which contains both image and textual sources in a single location, the collection includes both prepared lectures as well as the ability for individuals to create their own using the 'thumbnail bar' feature. The prepared lectures are available for download as PowerPoint files and can be easily tailored to meet an instructor's specific needs. The ultimate goal of the Pedagogy Collection is to facilitate and enhance the teaching of art and architecture produced by predominantly Muslim societies by showcasing the rich possibilities of Archnet.
Click on the image to the right to view the collection. Among the resources you will find are:
Finally, we remind you that this collection is under development, and that we welcome you comments, suggestions, and contributions.


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Yo, ho, ho...it's a pirate's life for me?
Related Articles
- Rough seas? Vagg, Jon // British Journal of Criminology;Winter95, Vol. 35 Issue 1, p63
Discusses piracy in Southeast Asia, with emphasis on the Riau Archipelago or the waters around Singapore and the Indonesian islands to its south. Factors behind the wave of attacks in the archipelago; Cultural acceptance of piracy; Piracy as a product of economic development and dislocation;...
- In Asian waters, sea pirates eschew eye patches, steal ships via Internet. Tan, Abby // Christian Science Monitor;6/13/96, Vol. 88 Issue 139, p7
Reports on the onslaught of sea pirates in Philippine waters. Increase in the number of reports of Chinese vessels robbing international merchant ships in the nation's waters during 1995; Wholesale stealing or hijacking of ships; South China Sea area as one of the most vulnerable to attacks and...
- Modern-day PIRATES. // Junior Scholastic;12/8/2008, Vol. 111 Issue 8, p4
The article reports on the growing threat brought by the modern-day pirates from Somalia, who had attacked over 90 ships in the water around the Horn of Africa in September 2008.
- Pirate's Shooting Raises New Security Questions. // Journal of Commerce (1542-3867);4/5/2010, Vol. 11 Issue 14, p8
The article focuses on a report from The Associated Press about the killing of a Somali pirate by private security contractors which protect a Panama-flag cargo vessel off the Horn of Africa.
- Buccaneer Days Returns to Two Harbors Sept. 30. Nu Yang // Log Newspaper;9/30/2011, Issue 904, p21
The article reports on the 22nd annual Buccaneer Days on September 30, 2011 in California in which participants must prepare their pirate attires.
- A fleet of villains. // National Geographic World;Nov96, Issue 255, p8
Reports on piracy related topics in the United States. Includes trouble spots, Captain William Kidd, Samuel Bellamy.
- Jon Vagg, 'Piracy, Corruption and the Rule of Law: Some Correlations.' Presented at the Conference,' Modern Piracy: New Methods for an Old Trade,' U.S. Mariners' Museum, Newport News, Virginia... // Trends in Organized Crime;Summer1998, Vol. 3 Issue 4, p72
Presents an excerpt taken from the report entitled `Piracy, Corruption and Rule of Law: Some Correlations,' by Jon Vagg which was presented at the Conference `Modern Piracy: New Methods for an Old Trade,' held at the United States Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia on November 3-15, 1997.
- Eric Ellen, 'Piracy,' in Eric Ellen (ed.), Shipping at Risk: The Rising Tide of International Organised Crime, The International Maritime Bureau of the International Chamber of Commerce's... // Trends in Organized Crime;Summer1998, Vol. 3 Issue 4, p80
Presents an excerpt taken from the article `Piracy,' by Eric Ellen, which appeared in the report released by the International Maritime Bureau of the International Chamber of Commerce's Commercial Crime Services entitled `Shipping at Risk: The Rising Tide of International Organized Crime,'...
- Buccaneer's bivouac. Childress, Diana; Gallo, Beth // Cobblestone;Jun93, Vol. 14 Issue 6, p8
Lists the best pirate hideouts, those which lay within easy striking distance of major shipping lanes. Tortuga; Cow Island; Port Royal, Jamaica; Juan Fernandez; New Providence Island; Madagascar; Barbary Coast, North Africa; Gardiners Island, New England Coast; More.


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Last week, West Bridgewater selectmen voted, 2-1, to send a letter asking the state Legislature to offer communities the option to assess a 5 cent per grocery bag tax.
With a shopping cart full of reusable cloth and thermal bags, Alice Carlson of Bridgewater said a proposed tax on plastic and paper grocery bags could be a good idea.
"Cloth bags hold more. There's less mess in the house. They're strong and durable," said Carlson, a retiree who was shopping Wednesday at Trucchi's Supermarket in West Bridgewater.
If revenue was used for landfill care or to clean up waterways, she said she wouldn't mind paying a 5 cent per bag tax.
"If it were to go into the general fund, I would mind," she said.
But Henry Simpson of Pembroke said taxing grocery bags is a bad idea and communities should instead offer rewards to shoppers who recycle bags or use reusable bags.
"Every which way we turn, we're paying taxes. We're paying one way or the other," said Simpson, 58.
Last week, selectmen voted, 2-1, to send a letter asking the state Legislature to offer communities the option to assess a 5 cent per grocery bag tax.
Supermarkets would charge customers for the bags and revenue would offset a community's costs to run landfills and recycling programs.
Now, selectmen Chairman Jerry Lawrence, who proposed the fee, said he has changed his mind and is against a grocery bag tax after getting calls from residents mostly opposed to the measure.
"I want to let people know I represent them and I listen," said Lawrence, who is seeking re-election in April in a contested race against challenger and former Selectman Richard Freitas.
"Maybe a tax isn't the right way to do it, but we need to do something," Lawrence said, adding that Trucchi's uses about 2 million plastic bags a year.
Trucchi's owner Jim Trucchi said it wouldn't be fair to assess the tax on one supermarket in one small town.
"If I get competitors around me who don't charge for the bags, then people may go to the competitors," Trucchi said, adding the supermarket is one of West Bridgewater's biggest taxpayers.
Lawrence said he agreed that a local-option tax could drive shoppers from Trucchi's, West Bridgewater's only supermarket, to communities without the tax.
"I don't think a community should pass a tax that handicaps or singles out a business," he said.
And with the economic meltdown and proposals to increase gas and other state taxes, Lawrence said now is not the time for a local option or statewide grocery bag tax.
One woman shopping at Trucchi's Wednesday, who would only identify herself as a West Bridgewater resident, said it's good that selectmen are deciding not to support the tax.
"The way the economy is, not right now," she said. "People have enough grief and bills. I don't care how small it is: It adds up."
Brian Houghton, vice president of the Massachusetts Food Association, which represents the state's supermarkets and grocery stores, said the supermarket industry is already under assault with proposals to tax snacks, soda, meals and liquor sales.
He said the key to reducing distribution of paper and plastic bags and increasing recycling is education and not a "regressive" and "counter-productive" tax.
The Massachusetts Food Association is working with the state Department of Environmental Protection on a memorandum of understanding to be signed by mid-March.
Under the agreement, stores would increase sales of reusable bags and do more to encourage recycling plastic bags; DEP would offer technical assistance and connect stores with haulers to take away plastic bags for recycling, Houghton said.
"The problem isn't the bags, but what people do with the bags after the fact," he said.
Trucchi said voluntary efforts by supermarkets to recycle plastic bags and encourage use of reusable bags are cutting down use of paper and plastic bags.
He said Trucchi's sold 17,000 reusable cloth bags last year, which cost customers 99 cents per bag, and cut plastic bag consumption by 13 percent.
Customers can bring their plastic bags, even bags from other stores, to Trucchi's to be recycled, he said.
"More and more people are coming into the store now with reusable bags. People have really taken to it," Trucchi said.


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We will replace any damaged products if you return them within 30 days of purchase. Please contact us here to find out how to send damaged products back to our nearest warehouse and we will process the replacement after we receive them. We believe in our products and want you to have the best possible online shopping experience, so we also offer a 30-day 100% money back guarantee if you're not happy with our products. We will process your refund after we receive the returned products, provided they are returned within 30 days of purchase. Please contact us here to find out how to send them back to our nearest warehouse. For any products that are not damaged, you will need to pay the cost of the return and we encourage you to use a trackable service as any lost returns cannot be reimbursed. Please always include your order confirmation number in the subject line so we can be super speedy when replying!
Shampoo your hair as normal. Then evenly distribute a generous amount of product to your towel dried hair. Leave for 5 to 10 minutes then rinse with warm water. For super damaged hair or for even better results, keep the masque in overnight and wash out in the morning.


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Cyberattacks have breached the Pentagon and sent businesses into bankruptcy. Still, it might take a cyberdisaster that causes damage on the scale of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to get lawmakers to pass legislation aimed at shoring up the U.S.'s infrastructure.
The White House has proposed an executive order to address part of the problem, but Gen. Keith Alexander, the director of the National Security Agency and commander of U.S. Cyber Command, says that is not enough.
The Pentagon has a pilot program that will help private companies work with the government to help them protect their own information.
But that program "doesn't give us the ability to work with the Internet service providers and allow that to benefit the rest of the critical infrastructure and the rest of government," Alexander said during an Oct. 1 panel discussion at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. "That's really what we need this legislation for."
An executive order also would fail to address liability protections to shield companies from lawsuits over information-sharing that are needed to encourage participation, says Susan Collins (Maine), the ranking Republican on the Senate Homeland Security Committee and a co-sponsor of cybersecurity legislation.
"I think the executive order is a mistake," Collins says. "I fear that it actually could lull people into a false sense of security that we've taken care of cybersecurity."
This article first appeared in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report.
-- Jen DiMascio


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Structures of a Sugar Maple Tree Lesson Plan: Build-A-Tree Interactive
In this lesson plan which is adaptable for grades 6-12, students use a free online science interactive to learn about the structures and substructures of a sugar maple tree. Students work in teams to identify a tree's parts and structures, predict how the tree will change throughout the seasons, and attempt case studies where a problem with the tree must be linked to the structure affected.
Students will:
- Work collaboratively to identify a maple tree's parts and structures
- Predict how the tree will change throughout the seasons and use an online science interactive to check and analyze their responses.
- Use problem solving skills in various case studies, linking variables to the tree structure affected.
- Interactive whiteboard
- Computer with internet access
- Four small dry erase boards, iPad/tablets, or large sheets of paper
Preparation:This lesson plan features an interactive activity in which students learn about the structures and substructures of a sugar maple tree. Build-A-Tree is a drag and drop interactive in which players are tasked with assembling a sugar maple tree across different seasons from a set of structures. Players may then attempt case studies where a problem with the tree must be linked to the structure affected. After completion of all the seasons of the sugar maple tree, players may then assemble the annual life cycle of the tree through all four seasons.
To prepare for this lesson, preview the Plant Growth movie and the Build-A-Tree interactive, and plan how to adapt the resources for your students' needs.
Lesson Procedure:
- Play the Plant Growth movie to review what students have already learned about plant structures.
- Project the Build-A-Tree interactive for the class to see. Divide the class into four groups, and tell students they will have the chance to compete in teams to assemble a sugar maple tree across different seasons. The game will be played in three sections: identifying tree parts and structures, predicting how the tree will change throughout the seasons, and attempting case studies where a problem with the tree must be linked to the structure affected.
- The interactive begins in early spring. Read the text to the left of the illustration, then choose one part of the tree that's listed on the right. Challenge students to work with their team to define the part, and write a definition on a small dry erase board, iPad/tablet, or even a sheet of paper. On your signal, have each team hold up their definition for you to read.
- Click on the tree part and read the definition that's now displayed on the left. Compare the definitions to those that students generated. For quicker game play, the teacher can determine whether each team's definition is accurate enough to receive points (3 points for an excellent answer, 2 points for a good answer, 1 point for partially correct response, or 0 points for an inaccurate response.) For more in-depth game play, display all the team's answers at the front of the room and have the class analyze them together. You could rank the responses from most thorough and accurate to least, awarding the top-rated response 3 points, the second top-rated response 2 points, etc., with the fourth-place response earning no points. Keep track of each team's points on the board.
- After discussing all the early spring tree structures, ask each team to predict how the tree will change in late spring. Each team should make a list of the changes they anticipate.
- Click on each tree part for late spring and read the descriptions together. Students can circle the changes they correctly identified on their board/device/paper during the discussion. Afterward, record the points for each team.
- Repeat the exercise for summer, fall, and winter and talk about the accuracy of students' predictions. After completion of all the seasons of the sugar maple tree, you can then assemble the annual life cycle of the tree through all four seasons.
- For the final aspect of game play, explain that you will be introducing case studies where a problem with the tree must be linked to the structure affected. Click on one of the case studies at the top of the screen, and have each team work together to determine combinations to try. Each team should write down their strategy. Have one player from each team take turns coming up to the interactive whiteboard and entering their solution, and award points based on the the level of success each strategy produces. Alternatively (and to save time), you could assign a different variable to each group.
- Encourage students to reflect on the structures they explored through the interactive. You may want students to conduct further research about one of the problems raised in the case studies, and make additional real-world connections. Or have students compare what they've learned to another Spongelab interactive, What Plants Need.


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Balamrit is specially designed formula for children made from few very gentle digestive herbs. These herbs have strong recommondation in Ayurvedic texts for various diseases of children. This compound is enriched with carminatives and gentle anti spasmodic agents which quickly relieves symptoms of GI upset like flatulence, griping and diarrhea. Apart from this it also facilitates proper absorption and assimilation of essential food elements and ensures adequate weight gain in infants and children.
promotes healthy growth and strengthens the body's immune system


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Thursday, June 02, 2011
Intimations of mortality
Over the last few weeks I have been following an interesting medical path in French Catalonia. On May 24 a short ride in a fast ambulance and an emergency operation brought to a halt the painful effects of an inflamed appendix coupled with an abscess on my abdomen wall. I was discharged from hospital a couple of days ago and am now holed up in a hotel near Perpignan with my wife, an iPod full of Bach, Jonathan Harvey and Titi Robin, and some good books while awaiting medical clearance to fly back to the UK next week. Thanks go to my quite wonderful family and apologies to the monks at the Dashang Kagyu Ling - Temple of a Thousand Buddhas for cancelling my stay at such short notice. Blogging will be resumed but bear with me if it is somewhat sporadic. Header photo was taken at the Abbey of Arles-sur-Tech shortly before my appendix intervened. More on the composer who set Thomas Traherne's Intimations of Immortality here.
Photo is (c) On an Overgrown Path 2011. Report broken links, missing images and errors to - overgrownpath at hotmail dot co dot uk
10 comments:
- Antoine Leboyer said...
Dear friend,
Sorry to read about this. Best recovery.
- 5:50 pm
- Scott said...
Likewise. All the best ...
- 7:31 pm
- BDR said...
I was wondering where you were, imagining you having fun. Speedy healing!
- 7:53 pm
- Elena said...
Feel better! Always nice to hear your thoughts.
- 9:20 pm
- Civic Center said...
Get well, Monsieur Pliable. Lots of love.
- 11:54 pm
- billoo said...
Get well soon, pli! Judging by the hotel, mortality doesn't seem too bad a fate!:-)Have you seen wings of desire, btw?
Take care,
- 8:27 am
- Pliable said...
Billoo, thanks for that. Yes, the hotel is quite nice. But one of the downsides of mortality is hospital food - even in France! Wings of desire are currently limited to vin rouge which I am not allowed to drink for a while.
- 9:27 am
- Bookhound said...
Sorry to hear your news - hope you're soon feeling better.
- 11:18 am
- Reinhold Behringer said...
Best wishes for recovery!
- 11:06 am
- Lyle Sanford, RMT said...
What a drag! I'd been thinking of you off gallivanting around, having fun, poking around galleries and record shops, photographing signs and sights, and looking and listening for musics offering "transmission".
Glad you seem to be over the worst and wishing you a speedy recovery.
- 1:40 pm


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10. WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY: Invictus
See what happens next … RUDYARD KIPLING: If and WALT WHITMAN: O me! O life!
William Ernest Henley (1849-1903) was an English poet who's main claim to fame is writing this beautiful poem. Henley was diagnosed with tuberculosis and had one of his legs amputated when he was 17. In spite of this disability, Henley went on to live an active and successful life and used his experience to write Invictus when he was 26.
– This poem was introduced to me by a friend who cherishes it so much she has the word 'Invictus' tattooed on her shoulder.
– The main bully was inspired by the mutant leader from The Dark Knight Returns.


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※ Medal Winner
So You Want to be President? illustrated by David Small. Text: Judith St. George (Philomel)
In illustrations rendered in a harmonious mix of watercolor, ink, and pastel chalk, David Small employs wiry and expansive lines with an echo of political cartooning investing this personable history of the presidency with imaginative detail, wry humor, and refreshing dignity. 'Small's illustrations liberate the presidents from years of bulletin-board duty. He humanizes these oh-so-familiar icons with art that captures the spirit of the individual and collectively provides a genuinely enlightening overview of this unique American institution,' said Connie Rockman, chair of the Caldecott Award Selection Committee.
※ Honor Books
Casey at the Bat , illustrated by Christopher Bing / Text: Ernest Lawrence Thayer (Handprint)
The immortal ballad of Ernest Thayer finds new life through Christopher Bing's innovative treatment. Pen and ink scratchboard 'engravings' in late 19th-century style are seamlessly blended with memorabilia and trompe l'oeil recreations in an homage to the great American pastime. 'Using the latest technological applications, Bing has firmly placed Thayer's poem in its own historic era. Layering the illustrations with detailed contextual background and a confident, even cocky depiction of Casey, Bing brings the world of the Mudville Nine to life for a new generation,' said Rockman.
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type illustrated by Betsy Lewin. Text: Doreen Cronin (Simon & Schuster)
Farm-smart cows recycle outdated technology, a manual typewriter, to improve barnyard conditions. Lewin's illustrations help tell this tongue-in-cheek story about bovine agitators locking horns with Farmer Brown in a battle of will and wit that results in a comically satisfying conclusion. 'Seemingly simple watercolors and fluid, confident black lines supported by careful color choices, dramatic shadows, and dynamic page design combine to create a lighthearted pictorial experience,' said Rockman. 'Every detail is just right and every page gives a new perspective on this novel situation.'
Olivia by Ian Falconer (Atheneum)
Olivia is an inquisitive, creative, confident piglet who is 'very good at wearing people out.' Falconer's illustrations bring to life this little piglet who dreams big dreams and keeps everyone busy. 'With the touch of a minimalist, Falconer has fully created an exuberant character using black lines, delicate charcoal shading, generous white space, and spots of brilliant red.'
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Several weeks ago, I wrote about the SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO, and how it is an essential cure or amulet for the year, given that gold and the characteristics of the Piyao (also spelled as Pi Yao, Pixiu, Pi Xiu, Pixie, Pi Xie) are essential for the year since the year is depleted of metal element which is the sign of wealth of the year. This means that the year is depleted of wealth luck, money luck, or financial luck.
Note: What makes the SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO special is the designed made by Guru Lama and the gold used for it. The gold used to make the SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO, comes from the gold placed under an image of a Buddhas or Bodhisattvas and it has received the energies of the chanting and recitation of mantras and sutras or pujas from Bhiksus, Bhiksunis, and high lamas like Guru Lama, making it a highly energized gold. You can read it more thoroughly by clicking here. Or by checking the links below.
However, I also said that the SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO, or the PIYAO is also a very powerful cure or protection against minor negative entities.
Although I cannot go into details, I want to share how my SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO has absorbed a great deal of negative energy from negative entities. And if it didn't absorb it I might have been the one to personally absorb them.
I was introduced to family who have been experiencing some haunting from what is believed to be some very strong negative entities, this was confirmed by Guru Lama. As said, I cannot really go into details and thus will focus on what happened to me, or rather to my SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO.
I was requested by this family to visit their house, and to my surprise Guru Lama agreed. When I arrived in their house, I can feel without a doubt the very strong presence of several negative entities! The negative entities are so strong that I felt uncomfortable and had to request to talk to a nearby coffee shop.
The following day, I just notice that one of the horns or my SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO has a hairline crack!!! Guru Lama later confirmed that it absorbed some negative energy from the entities. I decided to have to have it fixed but later on I had donated it to a temple.
The second time I met them, I met one of the family member believed to be possessed by one of the negative entities in the house. The 'leader' so to speak for the lack of a better term. I shook his hand and had a short discussion with the person. When I went home, I noticed that my SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO has flattened!!!! It looks like that it has melted. Again, it has saved me from a very powerful negative energy.
Although not very clear, you can actually make out the part where it flattened. You can actually compare with the above photo.
I did wear my KALACHAKRA gold pendant, VAJRAPANI RUEL, but the SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO has absorbed a lot of the negative energies because I personally touched something and someone who 'embodies' the negative entity! And guess what, it was the hand which has the SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO!
I know this story may be scary for some. But for me, it simply shows that the SPECIAL GOLD PIYAO simply works. It works giving us wealth as the other personal miraculous testimonies show, but more than that it also works on protecting us from negative entities!!!!
If you want to know more about the Special Gold Piyao, please read the following posts:
- A Special Gold Piyao Empowered By A Crystal to Invite Wealth Luck!
- Understanding the Special Gold Piyao: Your Questions Answered!
- Wealth Luck Comes in with the Special Gold Piyao: A Personal Testimony of A Reader!
- Wealth Miracles Due to the Special Gold Piyao!
- Increase in Salary and a Financial Bonus: A Special Wealth Luck Received By A Reader in Singapore After Wearing the Special Gold Piyao for Just One Day!
For questions, comments, and suggestions please email email@example.com


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Your favorite bag might just be one you make yourself with the guidance of this free mini-class. Kristin Link of Sew, Mama, Sew! offers easy-to-follow instructions for a drawstring bag you can embellish with embroidery, rubber-stamps or more, and a soft-sided bucket bag that's perfect for holding toys or craft projects. You'll learn clever tips for making drawstrings, adding exterior pockets, and reinforcing your bag. Both bags can be customized to any size. If you want to make a personalized gift, share a project with youngsters or just whip up an easy, fun bag for yourself, you'll love this class.
Class Preview
Meet your instructor, Kristin Link of "Sew, Mama, Sew!" and learn about the fabulous bags you'll make in class.
Drawstring Bag Part 1
Follow along with Kristin as you sew and embellish the drawstring bag's exterior. You can use embroidery, rubber stamps or other techniques to personalize your bag. You'll also sew the lining.
Drawstring Bag Part 2
Add the lining and user-friendly drawstrings to finish a darling bag that can be used anywhere from the beach to the classroom. If you're a knitter or crocheter, this bag is great for holding individual projects and keeping your yarn clean.
Bucket Bag Part 1
Kristin shows how to prepare your fabric and sew the exterior, lining and pocket of a playful bucket bag that can hold toys or craft projects.
Bucket Bag Part 2
Sew along with Kristin as you add the bucket bag's lining, make the handle and attach it to the exterior. And just like that, your bag is finished and ready to use!


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MrSeb writes "Today is World Backup Day! The premise is that you back up your computers on March 31, so that you're not an April Fool if your hard drive crashes tomorrow. How do Slashdot users back up? RAID? Multiple RAIDs? If you're in LA, on a fault line, do you keep a redundant copy of your data in another geographic region?"
Read more of this story at Slashdot.


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To all Employers and Helpers, please be informed that Philippine Consulate are now requiring all transfer process(finished contract, financial, relocation, employer deceased) to use an employment agency for submission of the employment contracts(ID407) as they are controlling the number of people processing due to the COVID19.
AsiaXPAT - Find a Foreign Employer Agency is the number one resource for finding a full or part-time domestic helper in Hong Kong! Our team interviews hundreds of domestic helpers in Hong Kong who attend our office each week ensuring that their site bio is an accurate and up to date.
We have a vast range of candidates including mature domestic helpers with decades of experience, as well as helpers with Chinese, Western and Mediterranean culinary skills. They can assist with many tasks including housekeeping, gardening, baking, laundry, car washing, childcare, pet care, care for a person with special needs and elderly care.
Hiring a domestic helper in Hong Kong directly from the AsiaXPAT database saves both the employer and helper money. Our extensive database features many Hong Kong domestic helpers from countries including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
Our experienced team will guide you through the entire process of finding a domestic helper in Hong Kong. We thoroughly interview every helper attending our office about their skills and experience, so we can quickly match the ideal candidate to your requirements. Once a shortlist of HK domestic helpers is identified, one of our consultants will co-ordinate the interviews.
When you have decided on which helper you will hire, our consultants will handle everything including organising medical and immigration documents. If your chosen candidate is from the Philippines, in order to allow them to work as a domestic helper in HK, we would send paperwork to the Philippine Consulate and Hong Kong immigration department to secure their visa.
Our goal is to make the process of hiring a domestic helper in Hong Kong low-cost and hassle-free to both employers and helpers!
Contact Thessa and her team on 3468-2051 or email the skills and experience you require in a helper to email@example.com and we will get back to you as soon as we find the best candidate that suits your household.


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Moderators: kerble, Electrical-Staff
RBoyer wrote:if you wind up with cake-covered balls, then you're being overzealous
charliedon'tsurf wrote:Damn this one is a real pickle. I listen to Joy Division more often, but I listen to way more bands directly influenced by Birthday Party. I have to think about this more before voting.
placeholder wrote:I'm in The Family Ghost. I don't like mentioning my band by name too much because I feel cheesy doing it.
DrAwkward wrote:Hyperbole. It's a device i enjoy from time to time.
I have to ask, do you like any music that has balls because your taste in music is very faggy?242sumner wrote:hench wrote:joy division by a mile.
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Mia Goth in New 'Garden Variety' Edit for Vogue US' April Issue
Actor Mia Goth, who starred in Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac in 2013, is not your typical 'Garden Variety' girl as she appears in a new editorial for Vogue US&rs quo; April issue. View Images below; Credits Photography by Steven Klein Styled by Grace Coddington Hair by Julien d'Ys Makeup by Diane Kendal
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Guess who's the new face if Kenzo, it's Britney Bi**h! Pop star, Britney Spears is Kenzo's new bold,vfearless face. For t he campaign she unleashed the Britney of the 80s, the strong, bold and beautiful Britney. The 1980s were a mixed fashion bag for Britney Spears. "I used to wear big bows on top of my head," the pop star said on the eve of her first luxury fashion campaign debut. "I mean, ugly…
Adwoa Aboah is Allure Magazine's April Skin Issue Cover Girl
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Dami's BBN Daily: Rehatching The Near Past, Series Of Week Long Challenges, First Wager Championship, Ceebi Representing The Whole House & Diary Session Venting!
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Lagos Fashion Week A/W Presentations 'Seasons', Official Schedule is Out
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Jayden Smith X G-Star are Creating a Sustainable Denim Line
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Canon Launches Nationwide 'Live for the Story' Campaign Photo Competition
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Brother Love p.k.a P.Diddy, Preaches Stylish Love For GQ's Annual Style Bible
Brother Love, previously known as Puff Diddy or P.Diddy is GQ magazine's most recent cover star. For the issue he spreads style and love dressed in the finest for their annual fashion bible series. Brother Love, who made his GQ cover ambitions no secret finally achieved them this year with this April cover where he discussed a range of topics, from another name change, to his favorite artists,…
Rihanna is a name that would go down in fashion history as one of a kind, it would be known for bold statements and trend setting, for iconic looks and boundary/rule breaking, for creating stylish moments that would inspire the next millenials and those after, and of course the attitude to say a thousand words in with one look.
The attitude that is Rihanna always comes complete with her edgy choices which extends to accessories as well. And perhaps this is why a completely dressed Rihanna always comes with stylish sunnies to match the look and vibe.
From casual airport looks, to elaborate performance style and dressy red carpet moments (who wears vintage sunnies to the red carpet but Rih), Rihanna's eye wear style is truly unmatched and one of a kind.
Today we look at some of her most stylish eyewear moments in her style file. View some of our very best below;
Style File – Rihanna's Journey to a Zillion Stylish Sunnies Rihanna is a name that would go down in fashion history as one of a kind, it would be known for bold statements and trend setting, for iconic looks and boundary/rule breaking, for creating stylish moments that would inspire the next millenials and those after, and of course the attitude to say a thousand words in with one look.
Over the weekend, the WACO Theater Center's second-annual Wearable Art Gala in Los Angeles was held, and had in attendance Beyonce, Blue Ivy and Beyonce signees, the Bailey sisters, Chloe and Halle.
The event which is Co-founded and hosted by mother-of-Beyoncé-and-Solange Tina Knowles Lawson and her husband Richard Lawson, invited its guests to dress as characters from Wakanda, the fictional world in which the newly released "Black Panther" takes place. And its celebrity attendees certainly took advantage of the theme and arrived in the most beautiful, elaborate looks.
But certainly most noteworthy at the event were queen B herself, in a dress that can only be described as made of golden vibranium from the pits of Wakanda. Beyonce's body-hugging, custom gown was inspired by an ancient Nubian warrior queen and designed by Indian fashion house Falguni Shane Peacock. The dress featured an extravagant gold train and strategically placed metallic cutouts designed to mimic the armor worn by Nubian armies.
Then the Bailey sisters duo of Chloe and Halle, who brought their wild Afro Bohemian ways to the carpet in geometric patterned couture ensembles of cream and beige.
Both elaborate displays of red carpet Wakandian style were gorgeous and noteworthy no doubt, but whose interpretation and style won dress of the night?Gold Vibranium and Geometry – Beyonce and Chloe X Halle's Take on Wakandian Style Over the weekend, the WACO Theater Center's second-annual Wearable Art Gala in Los Angeles was held, and had in attendance Beyonce, Blue Ivy and Beyonce signees, the Bailey sisters, Chloe and Halle.