text:
This document describes how to convert a R3.13 vxWorks application so that it builds with release R3.14.3. It describes procedures such that:
First do a gnumake clean uninstall in the application's root directory to remove all files created by earlier builds.
We will remove junkApp later.
mkdir <top> cd <top> <full path to 3.14 base>/bin/<host_arch>/makeBaseApp.pl -t example junk
cd <oldtop> find *App iocBoot -print | cpio -pvmd <fullpath name to new top>
Copy definitions of external modules excluding EPICS_BASE and
TEMPLATES_TOP from old application RELEASE file.
If sequence programs (*.st or *.stt files) exist in your application, add the SNCSEQ location definition for the R3.14 seq external module
SNCSEQ =<full path to seq module top>The R3.14 seq module must exist and be built with EPICS base R3.14.3
Change "include $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_APP" to "include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG"
Change " include $(TOP)/config/RULES_DIRS" to "include $(TOP)/configure/RULES_DIRS"
Remove existing Makefile
Rename Makefile.Host to Makefile
Modify Makefile as follows:
Change "TOP=../../.." to "TOP=../.."
Change "include $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_APP" to "include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG"
Change "include $(TOP)/config/RULES.Db" to "include $(TOP)/configure/RULES"
Place all definitions between the include lines.
Place any rules after the last include line.
This is the hardest step. The definitions in Makefile.Host and Makefile.Vx must be manually converted to the new configure definitions.
First replace Makefile with the Makefile from junkApp/src.
rm Makefile cp ../../junkApp/src/Makefile .
We can remove the junkApp now.
/bin/rm -fr ../../junkApp
This new Make file has comments explaining how to build the various host and ioc products. Lets consider some examples
Makefile.Host contains definitions like:
PROD += caExample caExample_SRCS += caExample.c PROD_LIBS += ca Db Com ca_DIR = $(EPICS_BASE_LIB) Db_DIR = $(EPICS_BASE_LIB) Com_DIR = $(EPICS_BASE_LIB)
In Makefile these are:
PROD_HOST += caExample caExample_SRCS += caExample.c caExample_LIBS += $(EPICS_BASE_HOST_LIBS)
Makefile.Host (or perhaps Makefile.Vx) contains:
RECTYPES += xxxRecord.h
In Makefile this is:
DBDINC += xxxRecord
Makefile.Host (or perhaps Makefile.Vx) contains:
DBDEXPAND = exampleInclude.dbd DBDNAME = exampleApp.dbd
In Makefile this is:
DBD += example.dbd
NOTES: Change exampleApp.dbd to example.dbd in all st.cmd files. Also this definition assumes that file exampleInclude.dbd exists.
Makefile.Vx contains statements like:
SRCS.c += ../xxxRecord.c SRCS.c += ../devXxxSoft.c LIBOBJS += xxxRecord.o LIBOBJS += devXxxSoft.o LIBOBJS += sncExample.o include ../baseLIBOBJS LIBNAME = exampleLib INSTALLS += iocCore seq
In Makefile these become:
LIBRARY_vxWorks += exampleIoc exampleIoc_SRCS += xxxRecord.c exampleIoc_SRCS += devXxxSoft.c exampleIoc_LIBS += $(EPICS_BASE_IOC_LIBS) PROD_IOC_vxWorks = example example_SRCS += sncExample.stt example_LIBS += exampleIoc example_LIBS += seq pv example_LIBS += $(EPICS_BASE_IOC_LIBS) # example_registerRecordDeviceDriver.cpp will be created from example.dbd example_SRCS += example_registerRecordDeviceDriver.cpp #The following adds support from base/src/vxWorks example_OBJS_vxWorks += $(EPICS_BASE_BIN)/vxComLibrary
After these changes are made the following files are no longer needed: baseLIBOBS, Makefile.Host, and Makefile.Vx
Change " include $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_APP" to "include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG"
Remove the line "DIRS += $(wildcard *ioc*"
Change "include $(TOP)/config/RULES.iocBoot" to "include $(TOP)/configure/RULES.iocBoot"
Change "include $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_APP" to "include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG"
include ARCH = <old arch specification e.g. mv167>
"include ARCH = <new arch specification e.g. vxWorks-68040>"
Change "include $(TOP)/config/RULES.ioc" to "include $(TOP)/configure/RULES.ioc"
If it exists remove the line
buildInstall: cdCommands
Remove the lines
ld < seq ld < iocCore
Change "ld < <libname>Lib" to "ld < <libname>.munch"
Change the statement:
dbLoadDatabase("../../dbd/<name>.dbd") <name>_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase)
If any source file makes calls to recGbl routines make sure it has "#include "recGbl.h". If it doesn't the compiler will issue warning messages and the ioc may issue the message: "undefined symbol: _recGblSetSevr".
The steppermotor, scan, and pid records are no longer in base. If these records are not used in your application, comment out references to them in base.dbd. If these record types are used at your site, they should be downloaded and built with base R3.14 by your EPICS administrator. To update the R3.14 location of these record types in your application you must add appropriate module definitions to your application's config/RELEASE file and change the LIBOBJS definitions.
For example add
PID=<full path to modules directory>/pid
to config/RELEASE.
LIBOBJS += $(EPICS_BASE_BIN)/pidRecord.o
from baseLIBOBJS, and add
LIBOBJS += $(PID_BIN)/pidRecord.oto your application src/Makefile.
You should consider changing any existing old steppermotor records to the new EPICS motor record module supported by Beamline Controls and Data Acquisition at APS.
recDynLink.o and devPtSoft.o are no longer in EPICS base and now exist as separate EPICS modules.You must now add the appropriate module full path definitions to your application config/RELEASE file, and change LIBOBJS location definition $(EPICS_BASE_BIN) to the module definition bin directory in your application src directory files. See "Hardware support changes" below for instructions.
All hardware support (dev, drv and dbd files) except soft support has been unbundled from base R3.14. This support includes the files symb.dbd, drvHp1404a.o, drvEpvxiMsg.o, and drvEpvxi.o. If these are not used by your application, comment out references to them in base.dbd.
Hardware support now exists as separate EPICS modules. The hardware support for your site should be downloaded and built with base R3.14 by your EPICS administrator. You must now add the appropriate module full path definitions to your application config/RELEASE file, and change LIBOBJS location from $(EPICS_BASE_BIN) to the module bin directory in your application src directory files.
For example, remove
from baseLIBOBJS and add
to your application src/Makefile,
and add the line
SYMB=<full path definition for the built module SYMB>
into your application config/RELEASE file .
The host tool dbLoadTemplate has been replace by a new EPICS extension, msi, which should be downloaded and built with base R3.14 by your EPICS administrator. dbLoadTemplate is still supported on iocs. If, in your application, db files are created from template and substitution files you should add the definition
EPICS_EXTENSIONS=<full path name to epics extensions directory>
to your application config/RELEASE file.


text:
Results 1 to 6 of 6
Thread: Vacation with baby
9th January 2013 12:02 AM #1
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Posts
- 21
Vacation with baby
Hi everyone!
I would like to visit my relatives in South Europe, but I'm afraid that would be a long trip for my daughter (2 years old). Is anyone have ever gone on such a long trip with young child?
My husband and I used to travel a lot, before she was born, but now it's rather difficult. You know, all the stuff you need to bring with - nappies, clothes, toys etc.
If you have any experience in those please share it with me.
Thanks, Anni
9th January 2013 08:34 AM #2
Hi Anni,
We have travelled quite a bit with my son. The longest trip we did with him was a 10 hour flight to Malaysia at one year and most recently a family holiday to Spain (when he was 22 months).
It is certainly do-able but I would say that my best advice is to be very well-organised and plan ahead. It is also possible to pack relatively lightly if you research what nappies etc are available at your destination.
One tip I have is to breastfed your daughter/ give her a drink on the take off and landing as this will help to equalise the pressure in her ears.
I pack a goodie bag full of small, inexpensive new toys for my toddler for long journeys. Healthy snacks are also handy!
Travelling with children can be manageable and even fun!
I hope your trip goes well.
Best wishes,
9th January 2013 06:42 PM #3
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Posts
- 21
Thank you for advices ljmarsden!
I'll use all of them! I hope my trip goes well, too.
I have one question: Has your son any kind of reaction, when you traveled by plane? I must say that I'm a little beat afraid of flying.
I've already found shops for things I'll need there (nappies and that kind of stuff).
Kind regards,
Last edited by Anni; 10th January 2013 at 11:01 AM.
11th January 2013 09:03 AM #4
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- Jan 2013
- Posts
- 21
Thanks, jessiebrin!
Bouncy Castle Wicklow seems like a good choice.
12th January 2013 06:06 PM #5
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Posts
- 5
Thanks for share it with us.
14th January 2013 12:31 AM #6
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Posts
- 21
You're welcome!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Would you like to save as your currency permanently or for this visit only?
The room was nice with a re-vamp bathroom (but with some misconception) The waitress of the bar of the hotel, they don't know how to smile apparently
Basically this premises is some rooms over a pub, but nicely decorated and clean. Beds very comfy. We ate in the pub and it was very good. Would definitely stay there again.
The Rooms -from the exterior we could not believe how luxurious and modern the rooms were.The pub was very nice,staff pleasant and polite.Had good breakfast there.The room was far superior say to a Premier Inn or similar and would have cost us a lot more in the city.We chose this hotel because it was in walking distance to concert and the city centre. Bit noisy,but what you come to expect in a city anywhere in the world.
hotel had no details of our booking and initially said there were no rooms available. When the manager eventually found us a room it had not been cleaned
This is not a hotel, but 8 newly built guest rooms over a pub. Nice location. Well-equipped, modern, clean rooms. Friendly staff. A bit of new-faciity diseases: no warm water in the shower on one night, slamming door. A weak WiFi signal - worked ok only in the staircase, not in the room. The need to pay upfront for the whole stay.
The rooms have been newly refurbished and very nicely done. The location was great for exploring the city. It was not clear this is not a "hotel", ie. No room service, ph, etc. The internet was not working. There were issues with the new plumbing. For 2 nights I had no working toilet.. They changed me to a much smaller room that the bathroom worked. They did not offer any compensation for the issues. The first room was at the top of almost 40 stairs, with no lift and no help with luggage.
The room was spacious, LCD screen, very modern bathroom with good shower. Wooden floors, street view. Overall a nice place (though we where on business there). The wifi was down due to road works. As this was a business trip that was annoying. However an hotel down the street had wifi and that was a 3 minute walk. Price of the menu was expensive but as close to the city as it was - enough food in the area. We ordered a twin room but got a room with a queen sized bed. Overall a good experience.
The design and the location, which was quite good. Not centered but close to all the attractions. The bathroom could have been a bit cleaner. The heating was ok, but could have been better. The room was on the first floor, next to the street, so it was a bit noisy. A room on the 2d or 3d floor coud have been great !
Modern design, close to city centre Unfriedly, rooms above the bar is noise till late
The room was convenient, good value for money, bright, simply, but well designed and well-thought out.
The location, modern room and value were excellent to be right in the middle of the Temple Bar action. All reviews about noise levels are correct. To be in the middle of the action in Temple Bar means the rooms are loud until very late at night. There was no phone in the room, so if you had questions you had to walk down to the pub. It wasn't terrible considering there are only 5 rooms at this location.
Location, although was noisy but didnt bother us street sweeper at 5 am ha!
In the heart of downtown Dublin near a major entertainment area. Very nice staff, a nice room but it is a bit loud especially on the weekends due to the nighlight on the streets below
Location, atmosphere,
Easy access to the center of activity in Temple Bar, and the room was secure...it felt safe.
farringtons was really central to temple bar excellent staff excellent rooms would def use again
Everything was awesome
The location, The lay out and decor of the room. The shower was one of the best showers i have ever used!
The staff we dealt with prior to check in at at check in were absolutely wonderful-- went way above and beyond to accomodate us!!! The rooms were nice, clean, and comfortable. And, the location, geographically, is convenient for sight seeing in Dublin. This is not necessarily a reflection on Farrington's specifically, but if you value sleep at all, do not stay in Temple Bar!! We could hear every word, scream, song, and toast from the bar below and from the street. This hotel is across from a night club and the crowd is indescribably loud and obnoxious until 4 am. It almost ruined our whole trip, unfortunately.
Location. Price
The hotel was clean and very central for all local attractions/bars/pubs/clubs/restaurants and the room was nice, fairly spacious and modern in decor. The room was very noisy as it is directly opposite to a club which stays open until the early hours but we expected this, but there is also a building site down the road which is noisy and work starts early in the morning. Also, the water was switched off half way through the morning when we were due to check out, meaning that my friend's shower was cut short and I couldn't get a shower at all.
The room provided tea and coffee making facilities - although we had to ask for a new kettle as the lead on the original one in the room was heating up instead of the kettle! The beds were extremely hard and uncomfortable and the bedside lamp shades were being held on by masking tape. The window was old and let in a draft so heating had to be turned up to the full.Having to ring a doorbell to be let in at night was also slightly frustrating.
Staff very helpful over parking, plenty of info material available, good breakfasts, surprisingly quiet (both internal & external noise) Felt a little run-down - eg fittings with no bulb in or damaged bulb. Would have preferred not to have to ring every time to get in the building.
The staff were very friendly and efficient and the room was comfortable though quite small. Tea and coffee facilities in the room. Lots of tourist and city information available. The en suite shower room did the job, but was decidedly minimal on space - barely room to turn round in the shower (and I'm not over weight).
That all four of us could share a room, have individual beds, and be comfortable. It was same price as a hostel, but far better. Great deal! The bathroom was tiny, but it was no problem at all.
very nice, very friendly staff, comfortable
The Clifden Guest house was clean and adequate . first impressions would be greatly improved if rooms had matching bedding instead of a mismatch of colours causing you to be disapointed at first opening of room door , the hallways are very nicely carpetted then open your room door and instantly feel let down .
Very comfortable beds, basic accommodation but good value for money and close to the shops. Quite a walk to Temple Bar Room very basic, bathroom very small and sink was outside in the main room, quite noisy outside
location is good not far to town center . Friendly bath room is really small
the location was brilliant and all the staff were excellent and very helpful the decor could do with updating and the bathroom and shower needs maintainance and repair
Friendly staff, warm rooms on a very cold weekend, very clean excellent value for money and a reasonably central location.
The whole experience,the bar has a great atmosphere with irish folk music,the service was excellent and I enjoyed my long weekend in Dublin.
Noisey area from the bar downstairs confused checkin not very welcoming
The room was clean, spacious, the bathroom updated. Remember this is above a pub so you you do hear everything going on in the streets; early morning deliveries to restaurants & food stores across the street. Lots of stairs.
Bit noisey in the early hours
handy venue for weekend trip to dublin,price reasonable,no strings attached n/a
Fantastic place
Immaculate, friendly, and attendant. No.
The location was good. It was nice to have a Pub to call 'home' while in Dublin. The bathrooms were very tiny. There is no centralized hotel staff, only the bartender in the pub to request services or ask questions.
Location excelllent, toilet facilities very clean, own door key front and to room. No on site staff, deal with them from bar, budget accommodation. Very dark, only curtains no blinds, as one floor up, very visible from street, Floor area not immediatly visible not hoovered very dusty. No light in hall or landing. basic accommodation with double, single, and let down bed, Bring own toiletories.
cheap and near the city centre and also close to bus stops loud environment, really bad smell in the stairs.


text:
Iska call "NSAC" rules Amateur A.
What the hell is Pro B rules???????
The reason why there are a million different rules sets is that everyone wants to do what suits themselves.
Some promoters charge 25 quid for a pro card, others want to milk the most money they can from people and from fighters and charge people the same amount for putting on a show with 20 no-head shot Ammy fights.
End of the day if you are actively promoting 3 different Amateur rule sets on a show you are only making life a lot more confusing and are part of the problem, not the solution
Last edited by iandean; 01-11-2012 at 03:19 PM.
@Ian seriously what is your issue with ISKA? I have had zero issues with them other than they didnt like me doing my own title on Cage Fury.
There are very few shows now that are still using the old "Amateur" and "Semi Pro" rule sets most are now using just the Amateur A rules and pros thats it. There is no way with the costs that go into a show that many could charge under £25 per ticket as most do not have the budget or backing that you at CW have....everyone starts somewhere!!
On an MMA front non BUT that is because they are new to MMA and at least they are attempting to put a single rule set in operation. Fight Ikon used them I do believe
There was never an argument over which UK shows use the ISKA, Ben stated the ISKA call NSAC Rules Amateur A, you said who cares, I was just saying quite a few ISKA shows. For a list of Promotions worldwide that use the ISKA please refer to their website.
I just don't see what they do, maybe they help up-and-coming promoters with stuff, hey i was mocked by 1 ISKA member at a show this yuear as a "big time Charlie" so maybe it's just me.


text:
Match the outside of your Mother's Day gift to be as meaningful as what's inside with custom wrapping paper made special just for mom. Follow these easy steps to create a package that'll steal mom's heart on Sunday.
Step 1
Using a Sharpie Pen, write out a list of words that describe your mom.
Step 2
Roll out enough brown paper to wrap your entire gift (you use brown paper bags or pick up an entire roll at your local craft store). Using a white Sharpie Water-Based Paint Marker, write the words from your list on the brown paper. Once covered in words, add small details using a red Sharpie Paint Water-Based Marker to the paper for a pop of color.
Step 3
Finally, wrap up your gift. Add a ribbon and a bright colored card to pull everything together.
All Done! Happy Mother's Day!


text:
The Jewish people (in and outside of biblical record) were an oppressed people. If you put this in terms of highschool. They were the 'nerds' of the world. They were the essential outsider, the geeks who never got the girl. Their story (in the Torah, Gemara, Mishnah, Tanya and others) out of that oppression seems to be quite document in their literature. During their development as a people, one man stood apart in the eyes of their deity. He was chosen to be the progenitor, or the first Jewish Superhero of the race of this 'holy nation'. [Read more…]
Jewish Superheroes: A look at an oppressed people
June 2, 2010 by 106 Comments


text:
LG Display has introduced a 3D LCD panel boasting full HD resolution.
The panel is a 23-inch 3D monitor LCD panel for use with shutter glasses, and it is able to reproduce both 2D and 3D images.
The panel adopts LG's technologies such as a high performance 3D exclusive controller and copper bus line for faster image processing and better picture quality.
- Wireless broadband developments in Southeast Asia markets
As of 2013, the 10 ASEAN nations had a total of over 700 million mobile subscriptions, with the CAGR from 2003-2013 reaching 24%. This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the various mobile broadband markets in ASEAN and looks at the respective trends in 4G LTE development for those markets.
- 2015 global tablet demand forecast
This Digitimes Research Special Report provides a 2015 forecast for the global tablet market and analyzes the strategies of key market players such as Google, Apple, Intel, and Microsoft.
- 2015 China smartphone panel trend forecast
This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the strategies of key China-based major panel makers BOE, Tianma and IVO for attacking the different market segments through technology and pricing, and their relationship to local vendors Huawei, Lenovo, ZTE, Xiaomi and Coolpad.


text:
They're both veterans of red carpet affairs and Heidi Klum and Catherine Zeta-Jones were in fine form as they arrived at the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday Night (January 11).
She's been open about her own struggles with bipolar disorder and Catherine Zeta-Jones also played an important role in helping her husband Michael Douglas weather his storm with throat cancer.
The "Entrapment" stunner accompanied her hubby to the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies' 5th World Congress event in New York City over the weekend.
Bringing an end to a fabulous weekend, Michael Douglas showed up at the premiere of his new movie "And So It Goes" at Guild Hall in East Hampton, New York last night (July 6).
The "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" star was joined by his supportive wife Catherine Zeta Jones as he schmoozed with Diane Keaton and Rob Reiner ahead of the screening.
Ready to honor one of the industry's finest, Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas were in hand for the 41st Annual Chaplin Award Gala on Monday evening (April 28) in New York City.
Gorgeous in a black and white skirt and a black blouse, the "Chicago" star held hands with her suited up man as they walked the arrivals area at Lincoln Center.
Making a rare public appearance out together, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones arrived at the opening night of "The Library" in New York City on Tuesday (April 15).
Looking beautiful in black, the 44-year-old actress sported a long, black slinky frock while standing arm-in-arm with her hubby.
Celebrating the commencement of 2014 on the snowy slopes, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones enjoyed some frozen fun in Chilly Quebec.
The "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" star posted some family pictures on Facebook, writing, "Happy New Year from Quebec, Canada... where it is minus 10F."
It's been a rough year for Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones' marriage, and thankfully they were back together in New York City last week.
Last Sunday (December 22) the "Wall Street" hunk and his "No Reservations" wife wore their wedding bands as they took their kids Carys and Dylan to lunch at Orso restaurant and a performance of the "Motown" Broadway musical.
After Michael Douglas revealed their reconciliation, Catherine Zeta-Jones stepped out donning her wedding ring on Monday (November 4).
The 44-year-old actress kept to herself as she shopped in Greenwich, Connecticut with her diamond sparkler sitting pretty on her left hand.


text:
Planning, Knowhow to Rescue Local Livestock
A news story headlined, "Despite diplomatic glitch, Ashraf debuts
multimillion dollar complex" (Volume 11, Number 571,
April 10, 2011) informed your readers last week
about a new abattoir set up in Bahir Dar Town,
Amhara Regional State, by a group of Sudanese
Read More
Bond Money for Dam, not SWIFT
I was touched by the emotional epic speech by Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi about the "right of the nation" to utilise
the waters of the Nile that flow from its
hinterland. True, Meles made sure that "Project X"
is not meant to bring harm to either Egypt or Sudan.
Making Ethiopia Lighthouse of World
Like most citizens of this country, I was thrilled when I first heard
of the government's decision to build a dam to use
the Nile River to generate about 5,250MW of electric
Early Printing of Charges Biases Public Opinion
In your story headlined, "Prosecutors Charge Former AIB President"
(Volume 11, Number 569) March 27, 2011, the source
of the charges the story was based on was indicated
as the federal public prosecutor.
Gov't Exports Quality,
but Imports Rot
Ever since the days of the Emperor,
it has always been said that Ethiopia has the
potential of becoming the bread-basket of Africa; if
only it develops its enormous agricultural
potential. Instead, it is importing the unhealthy
and inferior palm oil while at the same time it
cannot provide the basic food stuff the populace
requires at reasonable prices.
Rent Gouging Landlords in Need of Checks
The Ethiopian government is committing a serious
mistake in its failure to institute targeted
controls on house rents in Addis Abeba.
Rent control is usually critical where there is
serious shortage of housing; such as the case in
Addis Abeba since landlords tend to take unfair
advantage of the shortages.
New York City, for instance, has instituted rent
control because building owners were gouging renters
due to housing shortages immediately after WWII. To
this day, the city applies well targeted rent
control to ensure affordability of housing while
also making sure new developments are not stifled.
It accomplishes this by targeting older buildings
for rent control, buildings built in the 1940s,
1960s, and 1970s. This ensures new developments are
not subject to the control, in a bid not to
undermine newly developed commercial and residential
real estate development.
The Ethiopian government should also institute rent
controls on older housings in Addis Abeba to stop
the incredible rent gouging. There is no economic
rationale for owners of older buildings to charge
huge amounts for rent, as we are seeing in Ethiopia
Should the Ethiopian government place rent control
on all buildings built prior to 1991, this measure
would largely solve the problems of renters in the
capital without stifling new developments.
This issue is a critical issue for the country. Rent
in Addis Abeba has gone through the stratosphere.
Nearly 40pc Pay Increases, Not Invisible?
Dear Editors,
The news story headlined, "Expensive salary
increments almost invisible," (Volume 11, Number
562, February 6, 2011) was biased and
unprofessional. The reporter chose to only include
the statements of people against the wage increase,
either because it is allegedly too small, or will
increase inflation too much.
This is not balanced reporting. The reporter could
easily have found civil servants who are very happy
about the size of the salary increment. She could
also have talked to experts who would have told him
the wage increase, in a well functioning market,
should not create any significant inflation, for the
impact on the overall economy is too small due the
relatively small number of government employees.
To say that a nearly 40pc wage increase is
invisible, is ludicrous. If those in the private
sector received a 10pc raise, it is considered
large, for most increments amount to five per cent
or less. I expected better from the reporters of
this newspaper.
United States
Handing out Public Property
The one-sided feature headlined, "One man's rubble
another's treasure," (Volume 11, Number 562,
February 6, 2011) prompted me to write this piece.
The monies unlawfully made by the MSEs belong to the
Ethiopian public. If such unjust practices of
funnelling public treasure continue in the same
manner, their ramifications will bring about the
protests erupting around the globe.
The sale by tender and transfer of houses up for
demolition have apparently been taken by the Micro
and Small Enterprises (MSEs).
Who are they? How did they coerce the wereda
administration into playing this part without
crafting secret deals behind closed doors?
The seizure of political power and the wrong
application of public goods and services are utterly
unacceptable. Encouraging embezzlement, fraudulent
acts, corrupt practices, and acts of quid pro quo
adds insult to injury. The wereda administration
should not remain myopic in discharging their
responsibilities which may bring about unforeseen
and bitter circumstances.
We are a long way from witnessing the end to the
social ills and malaise that gnaw at the marrow of
the populace, despite the incumbent's efforts to
decimate the ills and bring equity and fairness to
the people.
Tadele Alemu W. Mariam
Forgiveness unsurprising when inspired by beliefs
Dear Editors,
As the
public debate on whether or not to forgive the
imprisoned former Derg officials lingers on, we are
being treated to all sorts of wayward opinions.
Infrastructure Monuments for Sore Eyes of Poverty Stricken
Dear Editors,
The EPRDF has been claiming that it
achieved continued economic growth over the past
seven years. It has been declaring its success
through the local media in a bid to inform the
international community of its presumed
Gov't Discouraging Ethiopian Involvement in Farming
Everyone has been discussing the
spiralling inflation for some time; then, suddenly,
the price caps were dropped on the public like a
Derg Officials' Imprisonment Lenient Punishment for
It is truly shocking and outrageous to see the son of Aserate Kassa
(Prince), one of Ethiopia's well-known and
distinguished personalities, appeal for forgiveness
on behalf of imprisoned former officials of the Derg
regime, in his views headlined, "Forgiving, not
forgetting, in pardoning convicted Derg officials"
(Volume 11, Number 557, January 2, 2011).
Forgiveness to Heal Wounds of Anger over Derg's Misdeeds
Dear Editors,
The fact that leaders of different religions took the initiative to
engage in a series of consultations with the public
to secure pardons and subsequent releases for former
officials of the military regime who were convicted
of crimes against humanity is good news; it will
ensure the release of my uncle and it is better late
than never.
EDP's Liberal Economic Principles Only Rhetorical
I read your editorial note headlined, "Unwise throwing of good money
after bad to serve populist purposes results in
Greece," (Volume 11, Number 557, January 2, 2011)
with great interest.
Gov't Overspending to Achieve Misery
Dear Editors,
Your editorial headlined, "Unwise throwing of good money after bad to
serve populist purposes results in Greece," (Volume
11, Number 557, January 2, 2011) reminded me of the
Ethiopian saying that goes, "Yetegebe leterabe
ayaznem" (someone who is sated does not feel sorry
for the hungry).
Celebes Bore Public with Mediocrity
Mediocrity takes all forms and obviously abounds in every culture. As
varied as it is, mediocrity is often confused with
excellence in Ethiopia. This is exactly what happens
around "celebrities" who divulge opinions falling on
the blurred line between mediocrity and conventional
wisdom, a form of mediocrity I call "season less."
Ethio Telecom not Building Sustainable Pool
of Indigenous Telecom Management
Dear Editors,
I read your interview with
Debretsion G. Michael, minister of Information and
Communications Technology (MoICT), December 12, 2010
(Volume 11 Number 554).
I have Money, but I Cannot Use it
Sometimes, what we
take for granted is not what we think it is. Take,
for instance, the issue of foreign currency in coin
form. The value of a paper dollar bill could be
equal to the value of 100 dollar cents.
Taxing Significant Majority in Poverty
In the editorial
headlined, "Encouraging measures to boost national
savings, not sufficient" (Volume 11 Number 555,
December 19, 2010) it is stated that "Why not
increase the ceiling for the income tax exemption to
500 Br and lower the percentage progressively for
the remaining."
Underhanded Scheming Underfoot
I read, in the Letters
to the Editor section, a very interesting comment on
the ongoing privatisation of Meta Abo Brewery by the
Privatization and Public Enterprises Supervising
Agency (PPESA) headlined, "Dominant Industry Player
Threatens Industry Competition" (Volume 11, Number
553, December 5, 2010).
Dominant Industry Player
Threatens Brewery Competition
A couple of issues were
brought to mind by the news story headlined, "Int'l
Firms to Submit Proposals for State Brewery,"
(Fortune's Volume 11, Number 550, November 14,
I learnt that the
invitation was made by the Privatisation and Public
Enterprises Supervision Agency (PPESA). Among the
firms invited to submit proposals for the joint
venture (JV) acquisition of the state owned Meta Abo
Brewery is BGI.
Fingerprints for Tax Trip Too Much to Ask
An expert from the
Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority (ERCA) had
an interview with the Voice of America (VOA) about
the ongoing discussion between the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the ERCA on a possible
arrangement to take the fingerprints of taxpaying
Ethiopians in the Diaspora in the United State (US).
Admin Running Amok with Developers
I applaud the editorial
headlined, "City Authorities Have None But
Themselves to Blame" (Volume 11, Number 550,
November 14, 2010).
Alarm for Constitution Violation
I would like to air my
views in a responsible manner as a follow-up of your
editorial headlined, "City Authorities Have None But
Themselves to Blame," (Volume 11, Number 550,
November 14, 2010) which I read with keen interest.
Incredible Acceptance of Rights Watch Report
How can you be so wrong when you write in your
editorial headlined, "Senseless Back and Forth
Following Rights Critique, Unconstructive," (Volume
11, Number 548, October 31, 2010) that, "Better
Business Bureau (BBB) attests to HRW not only meets
its fundraising, expenditure, and financial
accountability standards, but also its quality and
accuracy standards in information it releases."
Report Pretext for Government Criticism
Do not be an
opportunist. When people at Human Rights Watch (HRW)
fire a bullet or two at the government, do not fire
a thousand. Do not be a follow-up commentator.
Lack of Libraries, Reading Culture Hurt Potential
Public and private libraries are scarce in this
country. Readers, who are scarce themselves, have a
hard time obtaining the books of their choice. The
youth are more content with bits and pieces of
information, especially that of an entertaining
nature, than in-depth analysis of issues of
importance for the betterment of our desperate
Local Media to Report Gov't Abuse, Not Cheer Unbalanced
Rights Watch
I just read your editorial headlined, "Senseless
Back and Forth Following Rights Critique,
Unconstructive," (Volume 11, Number 548, October 31,
2010). I felt like you diminished my enthusiasm for
your newspaper by pouring cold water over my head.
Chamber Finds Procurement Process Sound
To date, Fortune has covered the Addis Abeba Chamber
of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (AACCSA) in a
number of stories, the great majority of times in a
fairly balanced way.
Dev't Bank Yet to Approve Strategic Plan
Dear Editors,
The front page news
story headlined, "Dev't Bank Discloses Five-year
Strategic Plan," (Volume 11, Number 546, October 17,
2010), raised recent developments within Development
Bank of Ethiopia (DBE).
However, the story
contained some misleading information in claiming
that "DBE's management board approved the strategic
plan sometime in August." It should be corrected as
being a provisional strategic plan which has not yet
been approved by DBE's management board.
Ababu Kassa
Acting Manager, Business Promotion and
Communication Process of Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE)
Awash VP Initiates Resignation
Fortune's radar news story headlined, "Awash Int'l Bank VP among
Rumours," (Volume 11, Number 546, October 17, 2010),
stated that Eshetu Fantaye resigned from his
position as vice president for Corporate Services
"over a disagreement with the board of directors,
sources close to the bank disclosed to Fortune."
Awash International
Bank is not aware of the identity of "these sources
close to the bank" from which the information was
obtained. The vice president's resignation was not a
result of "a disagreement with the board of
directors," as stated in the newspaper, but was
initiated by him and his request was accepted by the
We request that the
newspaper correct the factual error. We hope that
the newspaper will be more cautious regarding the
accuracy of information it reports pertaining to our
bank by obtaining required information from
officials who are authorised to disclose information
of the bank.
Such officials will
normally disclose information on the record, thereby
helping the newspaper to avoid referring to
anonymous sources as "sources close to the bank." We
believe that the newspaper should ensure that the
information it disseminates is always correct in
order to maintain its reputation.
Abebe Deressa
Manager, Planning and Business Development Department
Awash International Bank (AIB)
Science Ratio Plan Shaky, Implementation
Needs Reforms First
There are good and bad news circulating among
private institutions at this moment. The good news
is that the Ministry of Education (MoE) is to relax
some of the stringent measures it took a little over
a month ago.
Kudos to Girma Wake
In Fortune's article
headlined, "Ethiopian CEO Leaves Legacy as Airline
Takes Off," (Vol. 11, No. 544, Oct. 3, 2010), the
writer, Hailu Teklehaimanot, fails to mention Girma
Wake's prior three decades of service to Ethiopian
Airlines (ET) from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Girma's prior knowledge
and experience with ET operations are what enabled
him to steer the company on a profitable course upon
his return in 2004.
Only 10 years prior to
his return, Girma was part of an exodus of senior
management from ET, due to controversial period
under Seyee Abreha, then acting chairman, who fired
and replaced dozens of senior ET management members.
Those were dark days for ET, with senior management
who gave decades of service being fired without
pension or a means to support their families.
Girma Wake's return and
leadership of ET is not only a success story but
also vindication for the former unsung heroes of ET
management. A job well done, and best wishes on a
well-earned retirement!
Selamta B.
City Needs Lasting Solution to Cemetery Crisis
Reading Fortune's article headlined, "Exhausted
Burial Ground Forces Remains out of Graves," (Vol.
11, No. 544, Oct. 3, 2010), I am struck by the
persistent lack of progress by religious leaders and
government authorities in finding a lasting solution
to inadequate burial plots.
ETC Deserves Criticism, Not Recognition
I was baffled to read an
unwarranted reply from the Ethiopian
Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) headlined, "ETC
Deserves Recognition," (Volume 11, Number 543,
September 26, 2010). ETC demands recognition in this
reply letter.
I believe such an act is
only possible because there is no authority that
regulates the malaise ETC has created, and that the
corporation has the guts to criticise a newspaper
that reported the concerns of many thousands of
Managers at the ETC and
the responsible government agency whose job is to
regulate them should be criticised for making
Ethiopia the least developed nation in ICT and
telecommunications services by all the Indexes of
the International Telecommunications Union (ITU),
and the GSM-Association.
The criticism should
extend to the company: having stifled innovation,
new ICT services and growth of new telecom service
provider companies through its monopoly; destroying
the capacity development training facility, the CTIT;
holding Ethiopia hostage to foreign experts; telling
the lie that CDMA 1X (EVDO) is a next generation (NGN)
technology; and destroying the independent
regulatory function of the Ethiopian
Telecommunications Agency (ETA).
The consequences are
that there are no checks on the quality of network
service, while customers complain. ETC deserves
My heartfelt
appreciation to the newspaper, for making the voices
of subscribers heard.
A Reader
Good Example by Shipping Lines, New Institute
I read your news story
headlined, "ESL Charts Future with Landlocked
Maritime Academy," (Volume 11, Number 543, September
26, 2010) with interest. The state owned Ethiopian
Shipping Lines (ESL) wants to train and develop
indigenous human capital in the maritime and marine
engineering fields.
Despite the landlocked
nature of Ethiopia, such investment in training and
education guarantees long term and sustainable
growth for the maritime industry and the services it
can render to the Ethiopian society. It is an
initiative that ought to be recognised and
I do hope that other
organisations such as the Ethiopian
Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) learn from ESL
and Ethiopian Airlines that development of
indigenous expertise is a necessity for the long
term ICT development and sustainability in the
Astewaynew Grum
Nairobi, Kenya
Excellent Editorial on Education
Dear Editors
Your editorial headlined, "New Blanket Education
Policy Throws out Good with Bad" (Fortune Volume 11
Number 542, September 19, 2010) was not only
superbly written but also well-timed and is right on
the nail.
ETC Deserves Recognition
This is in response to Fortune's coverage
headlined, "Connectivity Malaise," (Volume 11,
Number 538, August 22, 2010). The newspaper
allegedly described that both the fixed line and
newly launched code division multiple access (CDMA)
wireless Internet connectivity, deployed by the
Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC), have
failed to deliver on their promised speed and
capacity, during peak hours, over the last two
Unconstructive Feedback for Award Winning Office
Dear Editors,
We, at the Documents Authentication and Registration
Office (DARO), were happy to see a commentary by
Yohannes W. Gabriel headlined, "Good-looking Notary
Offices Fail to Serve Public," (Volume 11, Number
539 August 29, 2010). We believe that feedback from
the public is vital for our improvement.
Birr's Adjustment Too Abrupt
Dear Editors,
The 20pc exchange rate adjustment on a basket of
currencies on September 1, 2010, is a reasonable
step to encourage exporters except that it caught
market participants by surprise. As a result, we
have observed arbitrary increases in prices. In some
shops, trading was even at a standstill, until the
dust settled.
Rent Seekers Prey on Vulnerable Consumers
Dear Editors,
A colleague of mine went to buy a plasma TV in one
of the famous shops around Teklehaimanot. I had paid
10,900 Br for a 32-inch a month ago. My colleague
decided to go for it; incidentally, it was the same
day that the government officially devalued the Birr
from 13.63 Br to 16.35 Br to the dollar.
Executive Action Self-defeating for Education Sector
Dear Editors,
In open societies, changes in government policies
are usually predictable due to debates in public,
preceding such changes. The legislative and
executive organs are accountable to the electorates,
and, hence, weigh their policy changes against the
interests of their constituencies. Dissenting voices
are also heard within a ruling party opposing a
shift in policy in such societies.
Education Directive Hypocritical, Leads to
Nat'l Crisis
Dear Editors,
The news headlined, "Education Ministry Bans
Distance Learning" (Volume 11, Number 539, August
29, 2010) is quite a surprise for many, and the
directive, as it stands, smacks of hypocrisy,
considering the fact that a considerable number of
Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)
leadership earned their degrees through distance
Lively Debate on Advertisements, Lending Laws
I am delighted that Yohannes Woldegebriel and Liku
Damtew (PhD) have debated on the laws of
advertisement and usury. I just wanted to add my
view on the subject by questioning what both have
said and did not say.
Read More
Collective Cowardice Forsakes Noise Limits
Binyam Idris's view headlined, "Biggest Offender: A
Mistaken Opinion" (Volume 11, Number 538, August 22,
2010) does not seem to understand the meaning of
freedom of religion. Under the Federal
Constitution, he is of course free to practice his
religion, but this freedom does not mean that he is
free to enforce his beliefs on others or demand that
they participate in his rituals.
Health Sector, Research Institute in Dire Straits
Dear Editors,
It is true that our country is striving to get out
of poverty. However, it is unthinkable to achieve
success without competent organisations that are
committed to live up to the public's expectations.
One of the sectors that need reengineering and
sustainable development is the health sector.
It is in this sector, which is full of black holes,
that the nations' only health and nutrition research
institute, a.k.a. Paster, where I worked for a few
years, lies.
Ever since its reorganisation in 1995, the institute
has not performed anything of substance or satisfied
its customers, members of the public.
It is only the tip of the iceberg. Mandela's famous
phrase, "tragic failure of leadership," to describe
Zimbabwe's election aftermath, suits the current
situation at the institute.
Euclid Tesema
will Become Ethiopia's Next Generation ICT?
Lack of management and technical expertise at the
Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) is
once again in the news. A good initiative undertaken
by the previous ETC management was to start the
College of Telecom & IT (CTIT) for indigenous human
capital development in the areas of information
communications technology (ICT) management and next
generation networks.
of Education Calls for All Concerned
On your Letters to the Editors' page (Fortune Vol.
11 No. 536, August 8, 2010), a certain Yirgalem
wrote a 'Systematic Approach to Quality Education.'
I wish the issue would attain nation-wide appeal to
provoke scholarly debates. Unless there is a genuine
discussion, which involves all stakeholders, the
entire education system is sure go to from bad to
Street Vendors Deserve Leeway
This is in response to your story headlined,
"Vendors' Struggle to Survive Invites Road
Accidents" (Vol. 11 No. 536 August 13, 2010).
Rejection at Swedish Embassy, but Why?
My brother-and sister-in-law reside in Sweden. My wife and daughter had
wanted to go for a visit for a short period of one
month, upon the invitation of our relatives.
Cares More about Resources than Rights in Its Support of
This is in response to Andualem Aragie's insightful
viewpoint headlined, "West's Lofty Rhetoric,
Dangerous Miscalculation on Ethiopia" (Volume 11,
Number 534, July 25, 2010) in the midst of the last
death throes of the private press in Ethiopia.
The West's current priorities, particularly those of
the United States (US), are fighting terrorism and
controlling Africa's natural resources, the latter a
longstanding neocolonial priority. In the Ethiopian
context, this means fighting radical Islamists in
Somalia and vying with China for control of oil and
other natural resources in the Ogaden and Gambella.
Rhetoric aside, human and democratic rights are way
down on its list of priorities, which is why the US
is now supporting the Ethiopian Peoples'
Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). As Andualem
eloquently demonstrated, it is arguably the most
cynically repressive regime on the African
Systematic Approach for Quality Education
As the Ethiopian New Year is fast approaching, it is
customary to put private higher education
institutions in the spotlight. The timing is
understandable seeing that the school year is to
start soon. The irony is that those who are expected
to regulate the sector have not been able to put the
record straight and sort out the problems.
Election, Nat'l Politics Discourage People
The 2010 national elections came to an end with the
Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)
securing a landslide victory over the opposition
parties. Following the announcement of the
provisional electoral results by the National
Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), the EPRDF
mobilised and mustered its supporters on the
following day in the major towns of the country and
trumpeted its victory while at the same time
denouncing Human Rights Watch (HRW)for its harsh
criticism of its conduct during the elections.
Claim against Ministry of Foreign Affairs Unfounded
Dear editors,
Last Sunday, Fortune carried a front-page story
headlined "A Cry for Justice" (Volume 11, Number
533, July 18, 2010) concerning Askallukan Trading
Plc, claiming that the company had defrauded
hundreds of people over trips to South Africa.
connection to this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MoFA) of the Federal Democratic Republic of
Ethiopia was dismayed to see a suggestion that it
had in some way endorsed the company.
The ministry would like to point out that it has
never had any contact with the said entity at any
time. It has never endorsed the company in any way,
nor has it ever been asked to do so.
The ministry understands that Fortune was quoting
persons demonstrating in protest against Askallukan.
The reporter should, however, have checked with the
ministry before repeating such unfounded and
inaccurate claims.
of Foreign Affairs
Public Diplomacy and Public Relations Directorate General
Rising, State Must Protect Its Citizens
I understand that most of the readers of this
newspaper are in the upper strata of society, with
their own fenced compound in a secure neighbourhood.
I also know that the issues raised here mostly
reflect the concern of these particular members of
World Cup or
Life Cup More Important
At times of national or international events,
whether it be political turmoil, macroeconomic
instability, or socio-cultural changes, it tends to
muster all the attention and focus of the majority
of people.
Read More
Chez Fasil Clarifies Details
Please allow me to express my heartfelt appreciation
for the feature headlined, "Fusion in Wining,
Dining" (Volume 10, Number 522, May 2, 2010) on
Pleasant Chez Fasil Restaurant & Bar.
would also like to clear three points that were
misstated in the article, which I believe need to be
corrected at the earliest time possible.
It is true that I have over two decades of
experience in hotels and restaurants in Europe and
North America. But I did not say I worked as a chef
in those places.
My culinary knowledge did not come from a formal
education at culinary schools. Rather it came from
the passion and curiosity I developed while working
in Europe and North America.
first met Marcus Samuelsson here in Addis ten years
ago and not in New York as stated in the article.
Fasil Mengistu
EPRDF Learns from 2005 Debates
There are few weeks left until the fourth national elections. So far,
the campaign is going well. The Ethiopian Television
and Radio Agency (ETRA) has broadcasted eight
debates that have shown the core policies of each
political party, including the incumbent, the
Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).
The incumbent is conducting its debates as a contender, and not as a
governing party. The opposition parties have also
been doing their best. But I found the incumbent to
have been overwhelming in most of the debates.
If the EPRDF had done a similar campaign, including its debates, in
2005, we might not have paid as high a price during
the turmoil that followed, or we might not have had
such turmoil in the first place. Most of the
demonstrators were ill-advised by the debates
conducted by the opposition parties.
The EPRDF has not repeated the same mistake. I see the leaders from the
party, such as Redwan Hussien, have debated
overwhelmingly better than those from the opposition
parties. I think this demonstrated a big lesson
learned from the 2005 election.
Maseresha Brehanu (Teke)
Incumbent Deserves Constructive Criticism
I teach biology in a primary school in Addis Abeba.
I always read Ayenew Haileselassie's columns. He often opposes,
criticises, and ridicules what the government has
been doing in bringing development to this country.
As citizens, we should admire the good things and constructively
criticise the shortcomings and poor performances of
the government rather than simply attack it. Our
support and criticism for the government should be
constructive and free from hatred, for it will bring
no positive impact on the ongoing development of the
country otherwise.
The right to speak and write guaranteed in our Constitution happens to
be real during this regime; we ought to appreciate
this. We all know how the 17 tragic years of the
passed without any development.
I do not see it fair to ridicule our infant democracy, which needs
encouragement in its struggle to stand firm.
Mesfin Arage
Indecent Exposure Feeds Many
I am interested in reading your lucid columnist, Lulit Amdemariam. I
enjoy reading her eye-opening essays on often
unnoticed issues from all walks of life.
In her last column headlined, "Eye Candy" (Volume 10, Number 521, April
25, 2010), she tried to show us how, unlike other
cities, Addis Abeba offers neat and gorgeous people.
I see a developing trend that young people are denying themselves food
and drink as part of their weight loss bid, hoping
that they get a slim body posture regarded as the
ideal body shape.
Lulit has exhaustively mentioned what we see on the streets, in cafes,
and in restaurants are appealing to the eyes and
give us a sense of fulfillment and peace. But I
think Lulit has missed the other side of the ledger.
What we are witnessing with our naked eyes are men and women being
enticed by indecent clothing styles which expose or
suggest sexually tempting body parts. That is
ungodly and alien to what is Ethiopian. It could
have unforeseen social ramifications.
More often than not, beholders are tempted by what they see and get
carried away to the point of no return. Its
devastating aftermath should be obvious to anyone;
widespread promiscuity, rising rates of teen
pregnancy and abortions, the spread of sexually
transmitted diseases, and the erosion of the family
and home life.
While admiring the awesome beauty of men and women as creatures of God,
one should never forget that any abuse of those
gifts will not go unpunished. As a rule of thumb "Do
not take a second look."
Dawit Haile
Clarification on VAT
I recognise the government's endeavour to give its citizens access to
primary education, but I have a concern that the
qualitative dimension does not seem to get
I heard Demeke Mekonnen from the Ministry of Education say, "Quality
education can not be achieved instantly, it is
something that would appear or occur in the
endeavour to ensure quality education," on a
televised debate.
But I would argue that to attain quality education, we must be on the
right road.
Primary school is the ground upon which basic education is based, so as
to pursue quality. Students who come to primary
school do so with a lot of problems in tow. So the
task of a teacher is not merely teaching in class
but avoiding any problems that could become
obstacles to the teaching and learning process.
In order to avoid such problems, a teacher must have extra time
allotted in their schedule to allow rest and
personal activities in order to make a better
living. This may include pursuing their non teaching
education to get a high paying job and tutoring
pupils at home to earn additional income.
Teachers are expected to provide solutions to enable students to become
strong citizens. And yet the income that teachers
earn from this career is not enough to make a
living, even though the government grants rent
allowances for teachers in the capital.
The government should make the profession of teaching primary school
respectable by granting a good enough salary to the
teachers, who play a huge role in ensuring quality
Should the government discharge its responsibility in this aspect,
teachers will be able to carryout their activities
wholeheartedly for sustainable quality education.
By Mesfin Arage
PM Not Mistaken about VAT
This is in response to Abebe Shitaye's question in the Letters to the
Editors section of last week's issue headlined,
"Clarification on VAT" (Volume 10, Number 520, April
18, 2010).
To my understanding, the Prime Minister was talking about businesses,
not consumers, when he said that value-added tax
(VAT) is calculated on added value. And this is true
whether it is services or goods.
The hair dresser for example would not work for this argument because
the VAT is paid by the customer. But if, for
example, a subcontractor charges 1,000 Br for the
main contractor on a certain project, and the main
contractor adds a 100 Br margin (value) to this
service, the VAT paid by the main contractor to tax
authorities would only be 15 Br, 15pc of the added
This is simply because businesses are allowed to recover the VAT on
goods and services they buy. I think the Prime
Minister is right.
Melaku Missione
Voters Think Differently from Country's Dishonest
Ayenew Haileselassie, a political columnist for this paper, wrote a
piece two weeks ago headlined, "Democracy on Magic
Carpet" (Volume 10, Number 519, April 11, 2010) in
which he said, "... it is better that the EPRDF
continue to stay in power than to have another chaos
to wreck havoc in the country. That is a fear driven
choice made in favour of the status quo, overriding
the natural desire for change."
I personally think that it is not about maintaining the status quo.
Rather, we do not have honest and accountable
opposition political parties that can shoulder the
responsibility of governing this country.
We live in a society in which all transcendent values such as honesty
have been removed from our politicians. There
appears to be no moral standard by which anyone can
say right is right and wrong is wrong. What we live
in is, in the memorable image of Richard Neuhaus, "a
naked public square."
When the public square is naked, truth and values drift with winds of
public favour. There is nothing objective to govern
how we are to live together.
We are now surprised to discover that the Ethiopian political situation
yields what is planted. When a politician is
dishonest, no one will swarm alongside them begging
for a scrap of conversation or a handshake.
Today, voters cannot be purchased in Ethiopia. That time has passed for
good. To treat politics and morals separately is
What is honesty and dishonesty in politics? Someone, in a very brisk
way, might pose a very blunt question: "Is it
possible for a politician to be honest at all?"
During the national elections held in 2000, we stood like sheep in
short lines, silent with no interest to vote. Many
stood in queues quietly chewing on their
fingernails. Five years later, the national
elections changed this. People were more vocal when
they were unhappy with aspects of the voting
Today, things have changed. We are more sober and sombre. We are better
prepared to vote and more vigilant over the
integrity of the election process than ever before.
Even ordinary people know how the voting process is
supposed to go. As history teaches us, political
"gamblers" put competence to bad use. They are
skilled but ruthless. The gambler's close kin is the
political "troublemaker," who pursues his soaring
ambitions by any means necessary, whatever the
risks, regardless of the costs to others.
Remember the 2005 National Elections process? How many young people
were pushed to "Kinijit's mob politics" and paid
unnecessary sacrifices to those desperado
Today, we are witnessing the neopolitical "fanatics" who are just as
dishonest as they are blinded by the conviction that
they are right in all cases.
The fanatic is inflexible and full of inertia, a steamroller ready to
flatten everything in the way. We can imagine or
even tease out these names from our opposition
parties who are gamblers, dishonest, and fanatic.
The opposition parties in our political platforms are not only
monopolising power, but their reformist or
disgruntled factions have now also taken over the
mantle of the opposition. Time will tell how they
are really pariahs of Ethiopian politics.
". . . it does not mean that we cannot identify honest politicians when
we see them," writes Kwasniewski.
Immanuel Kant described two types of politicians.
The political moralist wants to "hammer out morality" in keeping with
the requirements of politics construed as a cynical
game. It is a label that easily applies to all the
types of dishonest politicians I described.
The moral politician rejects cynical pragmatism but does not succumb to
naïve moralisation.
An honest politician is someone who regards politics as a tool for
achieving the common good. That is why actual
governance is so often the best test of political
Do we now expect the outpouring of emotions that had accompanied
leaders of the opposition parties whenever they
visited their support bases?
I do not think so, for we, the voters, have begun to think differently
from our blind politicians. The times have changed.
What has not changed are our politicians' ambitions.
Mekuria Mekasha
Teachers Instrumental for Quality Education
Dear Editors,
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's response for
clarification on the impact of value added tax (VAT)
on the consumer, appeared before Parliament last
week. This is not clear to me.
VAT is a tax calculated and paid on the added value,
not on the total value, according to the Prime
Minister. It seems he has forgotten that the
application of VAT on the service value is not
transferable, not perishable, not stored, and not
visible. On the service transaction, VAT is applied
on the total value and not on the added value as it
is a 'one-stop-transaction.'
For instance, if the price paid for the services of
hair dressing is 150 Br, then VAT is calculated on
the total amount and not on the hair dresser's, say,
50 Br margin. The service sector is one-third of the
economy and should not be neglected as such.
VAT is applicable on the total value on goods
initially. It is only on the second, third ...
transactions that VAT is applicable and payable on
the added value.
Have I misunderstood the Prime Minister?
Uncalled-for Attack on Tewodros
am one of your readers online. I do enjoy your
newspaper. I do refer it to friends and others who
are interested in knowing about Ethiopia from all
However, I was very disappointed to read a column by
Ayenew Hailesellasie headlined, "Democracy on Magic
Carpet" (Volume 10, Number 519, April 11, 2010). It
has a paragraph that reads, "Today, we prefer to
think of him as a hero who chose to kill himself
instead of falling to the British. But, sorry to say
this, I believe he was just a loser."
do enjoy Ayenew's writings. However, to call
Tewodros a loser was an uncalled-for attack on his
dignity. I sincerely and respectfully ask your
newspaper to remove the word "a loser" from your
pages. I know your publication has a reputation to
live up to.
Silver Spring, MD
United States
Involvement Necessary for Economic Growth
read the message by Aragaw Belay headlined, "EDP:
History in the Making" (Volume 10 Number 519, April
11, 2010). The message is no different from the
illusionary thinking of the rest of members of the
Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP). Illusionary
because it is mere ambition that does not consider
the objective reality of our country.
Liberalism is a concept most related to the degree
of government involvement in economic matters.
Liberals argue that governments role in economic
matters should be limited; they term this as "small
It is true that "small government" or liberalism may
work in economically advanced countries where the
market mechanism plays the crucial role in
regulating the economy. In these countries, supply
and demand revolve almost around the equilibrium.
Yet, the governments of advanced countries did not
stop interfering in economic matters as observed in
the United States and other European countries
during the economic crises in economic sectors such
as the financial and automotive manufacturing
Ethiopia is not an economically advanced country;
but just starting to develop, if not, grow. The
market mechanism is too weak to regulate the
economic system.
Does Aragaw Belay mean that government involvement
in economic matters should be avoided? Why would
Aragaw's party complain about the EPRDF when it
comes to electricity, sugar, and cement prices? Did
the EPRDF hinder businesspeople from investing in
these sectors?
There is no problem with "big government" as long as
it is democratic and developmental.
The EDP seems ambitious; although ambition and
stretching have sometimes positive impacts in
driving forward to achieve goals. But too much
ambition is equal to illusion.
What is the relevance of comparing Obama's election
campaign agenda to the Ethiopian case? The two
countries have no similar realities. We need
visionary not illusionary leaders; and we need more
pragmatic than conceptualist leaders. This is the
secret to the development of China.
think the problem of EDP members is lack of
experiential knowledge. Their involvement in
practical political and executive leadership is
limited. Their perception of the world is straight.
The world is like a ball on a smooth floor that one
does not know which direction it moves after a
slight touch.
Shitaye Kassa
ETC Buries Its Head in Sand
completely agree with Getachew T. Alemu's assessment
in his commentary headlined, "In Age of Broadband,
Ethiopia's Education Remains Hostage to 'Chalk'n
Talk'" (Volume 10, Number 513, February 28, 2010).
By all the indexes of the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) - ICT and Telecom
Indexes, 2007/o8/09 - Ethiopia is categorised as
least developed in Africa. Ethiopia and North Korea
are the only countries which have yet to liberalise
the telecom industry or are countries that deny the
private sector the opportunity to invest in the
telecom network and ICT services.
It is a pity that the information officer from the
Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) was
still compelled to make his case and tried to bury
his head in the sand in front of these glaring
Wrong Word for Hawassa's Residents
keep on enjoying my weekly "diet" of Fortune, which
keeps me informed and inspired. Girma Feyissa's
insightful commentaries are always an added
pleasure. However, in Girma Feyissa's recent piece
headlined, "City Built from Blue Prints" (Volume 10,
Number 519, April 11, 2010) I happen to detect a
malapropism, which goes to negate the gamut of
Girma's line of thinking.
In his concluding remark, Girma Feyissa stated:
"This is a metropolis that harbours people of all
nations and nationalities."
While I am more than happy to stand corrected, the
word "harbours" is a malapropism, a misnomer of a
word which gives an unintended meaning. One harbours
a grudge and ill feeling. Or in its noun form,
harbour is a shelter for the seamy side of society,
hence, one could talk about a city becoming a
harbour for criminals.
As Girma's otherwise flawless, "City Built from Blue
Prints" has portrayed effectively, Hawassa (Awassa)
has, indeed, become "the flagship" of nations,
nationalities and peoples.
Mulugeta Aserate
Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Gov't Has No Option But to Jam
Your columnist, Ayenew H. Sellasie wrote in his
piece headlined, "The Gathering Storm", (Volume 10,
Number 517, March 28, 2010) that "an extreme case is
Meles's public assertion that his government would
jam the Voice of America (VOA)."
Read More
Lack of IT Education Leads to French ETC Management
I believe that the Ethiopian Telecommunications
Corporation (ETC) has been handed to a group of
French managers because existing managers are
incompetent and the company has foolishly killed the
capacity building College of Telecom and IT (CTIT).
We chose instead to pay dearly for French managers.
Read More
Asteway Girum
EDP: History in the Making
History is knocking on our doors. A political
landscape bound with principles and standards for
the Ethiopian Election 2010 is before us. Let us
open our doors, our minds, and our hearts and speak
our thoughts. Let us begin the debate. It is time
for more honest debates to instil policy confidence
into the electorate. It is when the public becomes
perspicacious that they can buy the right policy.
Read More
Argaw Belay
The EDP's Parliamentary Candidate
Loudspeaker War in Addis Abeba
I realise that with the elections just round the
corner and with campaigning in full swing, the issue
of noise pollution may not seem a priority, but I
feel that it is in fact a democratic issue that must
be addressed.
Read More
Tony Hickey
General Manager
Ethiopian Quadrants PLC
ICT Liberalisation Not Answer
We have read the commentary by Getachew T. Alemu
headlined, "In Age of Broadband, Ethiopia's
Education Remains Hostage to 'Chalk'n Talk'" (Volume
10, Number 513, February 28, 2010), which criticised
the telecom sector.
Read More
Abdulmena Mohammed Hamza
Past Generation Has Greater Commitment than Ours
I would like to respond to a comment forwarded by
Mersea Kidan headlined, "Failure of Past Politics:
Dichotomous Thinking" (Volume 10, Number 517, March
28, 2010). In his response to B. Kassa headlined,
"Win-lose Politics Leaves No Room for 'Third Way' "
(Volume 10, Number 516, posted on March 21, 2010),
Mersea was unable to find any valuable, logically
reasoned and sufficiently strong argument except his
criticism of "that generation."
Read More
Samuel Zenebe
EPRDF Needs Diversity to Survive, Even within Itself
As a concerned citizen in the current Ethiopian
political arena, I prefer the Ethiopian Peoples'
Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) to stay in
power and administer Ethiopia until such time that a
strong, conceptualist, as well as potentially
pragmatic opposition party is able to lead Ethiopia
to prevail and mature.
Read More
Belayneh Kassabelay
Earthquakes Cause Condos Construction Jitters
I am very pleased with the issue Samson Tesfaye raised in your
newspaper, published on March 14, 2010, headlined,
"Earthquakes in Ethiopia: Preparedness Vs.
Procrastination" (Volume 10, Number 514).
Seeing what happened in Haiti, I was concerned
with the same issue. I understand that we are in a
different geological and geographical location. We
may not face the kind of natural threat we witnessed
in Haiti. But what will happen if some natural
catastrophe was to occur?
The reason I ask this question is to encourage the concerned body to
give much more emphasis in connection with the way
construction work is undertaken.
I do support the construction of condominium houses, but I remember
people were concerned with the mushrooming condo
construction – the way they are built.
Are they built properly? Do we have building codes suitable for
earthquakes? How strictly are these building codes
I know that there are organisations and privately owned consulting
firms assigned to do such jobs. But those engaged in
the construction work and the people who are
assigned to supervise quality control should listen
to their common sense and learn to do the right
thing for their people and country.
Kinfe Mulugeta
Earthquakes in Ethiopia: Preparedness Vs. Procrastination
Earthquakes occur in Ethiopia along the Rift Valley and its
surroundings. A few notable past earthquakes include
Kara Kore in the 1961, Serdo in 1969, and Dobe
(Afar) in 1989.
The level of destruction of an earthquake, among other things, is a
function of its magnitude and proximity to built-up
areas. If an earthquake strikes a remote place, its
impact would be negligible. However, if it strikes
close to densely populated areas the impact could be
In recent weeks, the world has witnessed two major earthquakes – in
Haiti (January 12, 2010) and in Chile, on February
27, 2010 – with totally different outcomes in terms
of human and economic loss. The Chilean earthquake
was a much stronger magnitude 8.8, while the Haitian
earthquake was a magnitude seven.
However, the magnitude of destruction is significantly less in Chile
than it was in Haiti. The number of lives lost in
Chile is estimated to be in the hundreds whereas in
Haiti it is in the hundreds of thousands.
Why such a disparity?
The answer is in the earthquake preparedness. Chile is a country that
has been hit by major earthquakes in the past and
has adopted strict building codes that would
withstand a certain level of ground shaking, while
Haiti did not. Unfortunately, the effect is
reflected in the level of destruction and number of
lives lost.
Earthquakes have happened in Ethiopia and will happen in the future,
that is a given. The magnitude of the earthquakes,
however, should not be as big as the ones in Chile
or Haiti.
How prepared is the country in the event of an earthquake?
The recent construction boom in the country has seen the erection of
high-rise buildings in Addis Abeba and other cities.
Do we have building codes suitable for earthquake prone areas? How
strictly are these building codes enforced?
Earthquake preparedness also involves raising public awareness of the
potential problem. It would be wonderful to hear
from the appropriate government officials on the
issue of earthquake preparedness in the country.
Which scenario will play out in the event of an earthquake striking a
populated area in Ethiopia – Chile or Haiti?
Samson Tesfaye
High Time to Lower Tax on New Vehicles
Recently, there was a price decline in the used car
market due to rumours that tax, on imported new
vehicles, is to be scrapped. What aroused my
tremendous interest in the subject and prompted me
to write this is the high price of vehicles (used or
new) which is unthinkable for many.
When considering the advantage of lowering taxes on
new cars, a win-win situation arises for the general
public and the country as well; especially in terms
of the savings we all get by discouraging the import
of used cars.
When we buy used cars, consider the disadvantages:
these vehicles with an average age of 10 years and
over 100,000km would incur additional costs in
repair and foreign currency for their spare parts
from the minute we import and start using them; they
are short lived and would need to be replaced by
another car; not to mention the cost to the
environment; some of the accidents on the road would
be because of the mechanical failure sure to happen.
short, we are becoming the dumping ground of old
cars for the wealthy European Union (EU) and the
Middle Eastern countries.
the other hand, the advantages of new cars are that
they: do not require repairs or spare parts for
years which saves our much needed hard currency;
last much longer; and are safe to drive providing
the owner peace of mind.
should also remember that in order to buy a car
somebody needs to save the whole amount and pay cash
upfront – because financing for the purchasing of a
car is non-existent. This reality makes cars out of
reach for many who could be car buyers. Financing
for new cars also has to be considered, by our
banks, for people who would qualify.
Additionally, lowering taxes as mentioned above
should be considered in order to introduce and
encourage imports of electric cars. Electric cars
may come in handy in light of: all the hydropower
dam projects, the low cost of electricity in our
country and the anticipation of all the excess
electricity we are to have. This is in comparison to
the unpredictable and unstable imported petrol which
is drying out our foreign currency reserve.
it is high time to consider scrapping some of the
taxes on new vehicles; especially on electric cars
and ethanol/ bio fuel vehicles as well.
By Ayenew
A Demand That's No More or
dominating concern in the minds of those of us citizens of
this country is the fear of prosecution from trumped up
charges that can put us behind prison for years to come for
matters that are only a figment of a wild state of
imagination, as perceived by the powers of the day, as a
threat to their authoritarian rule of uncontestable state
To prove
the above assertion, the Prime Minister was in Parliament on
Thursday, March 18, 2010; speaking with confidence, and
exuding arrogance, that anyone who speaks out against the
EPRDF government during this election campaign will be
prosecuted after the May 2010 election. Why he wanted to
wait until the end of the election period is anybody's
guess; I venture to assume that his effort is necessitated
not to offend the donor community whose continued financial
support is essential for the basic functions of his
government to continue as a government.
What all
this boils down to is the fact that those of us involved in
the May 2010 election campaign have to choose between going
to the state prison for speaking out the facts as we see it,
or glorify the miserable achievements of the ruling party of
the past 18 years for mismanagement, corruption, and poor
governance, as a benchmark for all Ethiopian politicians to
aspire to.
When we
speak out for lack of checks and balances in the federal
system of our government, it is to avoid this kind of
supremacy of one branch of the government taking matters
into its own hands, and acting with impunity, as the judge,
jury, and prosecutor; infringing upon our natural and
constitutional rights as citizens of this country. In a
democracy, citizens, (leave alone candidates in a campaign),
are free to speak their mind for or against the achievements
of the government or lack of it, without fear of
freedom of expression is guaranteed in the Ethiopian
Constitution; it is always exercised with caution and fear,
lest we offend our 'supreme leaders', who wish to be
worshiped for their unimaginative and incompetent governance
of this country and its people in abject poverty for the
last 18 years.
To make
matters worse, I was watching a clip of the Prime Minister's
interview on the BBC, expressing his government's intention
to jam the Voice of America Radio that was being transmitted
to Ethiopia.
What is
going on?
We are
already denied access to some website pages, and now the
radio! It appears to me that the ruling party has reached an
extreme state of paranoia that is dangerously close to
exposing itself and the citizens of this country to greater
calamity that cannot be remedied in years to come.
We have a
Constitution that proclaims all kinds of rights and
privileges of a democratic society to its citizens. In
actual practice, though, we are being governed by the whims
of those who are working day and night to shield us from the
positive effects of democracy by way of harassment and
intimidation for speaking out against authoritarianism and
lack of democracy as guaranteed not only in our own
constitution, but also that of the United Nations
Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 to which our own country
is a signatory.
In a poor
country such as ours, to deny the populous the opportunity
to have access to print and electronics media is not only a
violation of the professed constitutional rights of the
citizen, it is also to condemn the people of Ethiopia to an
ever widening poverty, ignorance, and isolation from the
benefits of science and technology that is freely enjoyed by
citizens of the rest of the world.
and everything we say during this campaign could be used
against us. Our own response would be: our freedom and
liberty cannot be objects of negotiation that we wish to
submit to the ruling party for fear of prosecution. Come day
or night, rain or shine, we are determined to live and die
as free men with all our human dignity, constitutional and
natural rights respected to the full extent of the law. We
ask for no more and no less.
Temesgen Zewdie
Temesgen Zewdie is a member of Parliament and the Unity for
Democracy and Justice (UDJ)
I Can't Believe I'm Writing
Dear Editors,
I once
heard about an incident that had driven Oprah Winfrey mad
when she came to visit Addis Abeba. The alleged story had it
that she was infuriated by customs officers at the airport,
who apparently did not recognize who she was, for they
ignored her while giving priority to other arrivals who
happened to be whites; little did they know that they were
her security personnel.
Customs Frustrates Customers
Dear Editors,
arrived at Bole International Airport on an international
flight early on the morning of September 4, 2009. I had to
seek Customs clearance for an exercise equipment which I had
brought with me.
clerk on duty in the 'assessment' booth did not seem to know
how to locate the described items on the computer. This
process took a long time. Altogether the process took almost
90 minutes due to the inefficiency of the Customs officers
Unshakeable Habit of PM's under Unoriginal Assault
I am
writing after reading Lulit Amdemariam's column headlined,
"Professor, PM" [Fortune, Volume 10, Number 503, December
20, 2009].
respect and encourage the right of every Ethiopian to
freedom of expression and thought. And it is heartening to
see her and other members of the private press speaking out
under often difficult circumstances. However, when it comes
to the mainstream media, I believe there needs to be a
minimum level of professionalism and ethics demanded - out
of respect for the public and the subject involved.
are Not Stranger to Ethiopia
Dear Editors,
We would
like to draw your kind attention towards the news story
published in your newspaper headlined, "Stranger Comes to
Town" [Volume 10 Number 486, August 23, 2009], and further a
letter from a reader headlined, "India, International
Standards Differ" [Volume 10, Number 487, August 30, 2009].
Embassy of India would like to express its disagreement
regarding both the printed items, as they have incorporated
wrong facts, baseless allegations, and a biased story.
Fortune's Case Really Historic?
news story headlined, "Fortune Wins Landmark Case against
Ayat" [Volume 10, No. 476, June 14, 2009] gives extensive
coverage to the court battle your publisher has fought
against Ayat Share Company.
Family Distances Itself from Memorial Institute
Dear Editors,
attention has been drawn to an advertisement by the Sylvia
Pankhurst Education and Training Institute entitled Sylvia
Pankhurst Memorial Institute, on page 11 of your issue of
June 7, 2009 [Volume 10 Number 475].
I have given my approval to naming a school after my mother,
I have not been asked, and have not agreed to the use of my
mother's name for the said Sylvia Pankhurst Education and
Training Institute. Neither I, nor members of my family,
hold any position or have any affiliation with the Institute
share company.
Pankhurst (Professor)
A Case for Telecom Privatization
I read
the news headlined, "Amharic Office Word Application
Software Almost Complete" [Volume 10, Number 473, May 24,
2009]. It was great to know that the age old language of
Ethiopia is entering the information age. My appreciation to
the three organizations: Microsoft Inc., the Ethiopian
Information Communications Technology Development Agency (EICTDA)
and the Addis Abeba University (AAU).
However, all this effort is of no use as long as a single
monopoly operator owns the generation and transmission of
information and networks without the involvement of the
private sector. As a result of such a policy, Ethiopia, with
telecommunications services for over a century, is now known
as a prime example of least developed countries (LDCs) in
the information communications technology sector.
private sector is excluded from owning a network, and small
and medium enterprises, which could provide local language
based content services, are absent from the scene. Perhaps
Microsoft Inc. and the other influential
organizations should clearly take a stand against the
disabling policy on telecom and ICT monopoly in Ethiopia.
then can we talk and expect innovative and sustainable
development through ICT.
Asteway Abebe
Is AU's
Priority Cash or Development?
When I
was covering the 4th African Health Ministers Conference for
my government earlier this month, I was delighted to meet
African officials in large numbers for the first time. I
felt blessed for being assigned to Addis Abeba, as my first
African posting. In naivety, I used to think Africa was as
homogenous as are most European countries. I was fortunate
to learn that the diversity is immense, and incredible.
Journalists Must Support Each Other
Dear Editor
I read
the commentary by Lulit Amdemariam headlined, "Ethiopian
Journalism" [Volume10, Number 473, May 24, 2009]. It was a
timely and fascinating piece.
media houses usually ignore such indispensable issues.
Journalists in our country are seen complaining about their
profession only when they are imprisoned, charges are
pressed or when a new media law is imposed on them.
Textile Labour Union Needs Reality Check
I was
amazed to read a story headlined, "Local Textile Labour Case
May Go International" [Volume 10, Number 470, May 3, 2009].
This story says a local employer and union's case may go
international because the case was not getting resolved here
in Ethiopia.
cannot believe the union chose this particular time to take
it that far. Its leaders are thinking about getting in touch
with the employer's clients through the International
Conference of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) in order to urge
them not to buy the product from the local factory.
are they thinking? Where have they come from? Do they live
in the same world we live in? Do they follow the news on
what is going on around the world, that countries are doing
all they could to make it through this turbulent times? Have
they heard stories of employees losing their jobs, in
millions, and companies getting bankrupt? Do they know that
employers and employees are working together to avoid
bankruptcy of their companies so employees have job security
(even on a concession basis) during these trying times?
Besides, when they say they will contact the exporter's
clients and ask them not to buy the product, have they not
heard about the foreign exchange crunch this country is
they were not aware that the products exported by individual
companies do bring back the hard currency we all (as a
country) depend on. I suggest they should get a reality
check; they should also be thankful that their members do
have jobs during these tough times while millions are
desperately looking for one.
timing is so bad that instead of taking their case to
international level, they should rather focus on increasing
productivity. Our work attitude should change too. Working
together with management, we should find a way we could be
more a productive workforce.
industrial production output is too low, even when compared
to other Third World countries.
We should keep in mind that our industries, all imported
machineries purchased with foreign exchange, are established
after consuming huge investment capital. If the exported
products were not competitive enough, those industries could
get bankrupt and close their doors with loss of jobs as
avoidable consequences. It is in all our interest to see the
success of these companies.
should also be careful not to send the wrong signal to
prospective investors, both domestic and foreign.
Ayenew Awole
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text:
I'm connected to my VMware box with Netcat. I uploaded the WinVNC.exe and VNC.reg from the windows_binaries folder.
When i execute these files it opens a connection on port 5800. I use TightVNC to connect to the box but it tells me that i can't connect because i have no password set. I see theres a password in the reg file in HEX. But i need help setting the password
as that one obviously doesn't do it.
All help appreciated! Thx.


text: Jones is a Hip Hop Radio Personality who grew up in New York and began DJing as a teenager. He moved to the south to attend Fisk University in Nashville, TN, where he became popular as a DJ on and off campus.Jones began interning at 101.1 The BEAT, and eventually landed a dream job as an On-Air Personality and Mixshow DJ. Jones often describes himself as being a Fan 1st and a DJ 2nd. When interviewing celebrities, this humble quality let's him drop the ego and connect.His personality is relatable and approachable. One of his best talents is how naturally he commands attention on the microphone and on camera. Along with radio, Jones is a pro at Hosting & DJing Clubs, Concerts, Special Events, and Mixtapes. In his spare time he's loves producing music and recording with upcoming artists. Jones truly lives a Hip Hop Lifestyle. Contact Call 615-737-1011 Text JONES to 64895 Reply STOP to cancel. Standard text message and data rates apply. Email email@example.com Social


text:
St George Illawarra's demand for two NRL competition points has been flatly refused by head of football Todd Greenberg.
The Dragons are still seething following Melbourne winger Young Tonumaipea's try after the fulltime siren sealed a dramatic come-from-behind 28-24 victory for the Storm at AAMI Park on Monday.
NRL referees chief Tony Archer subsequently admitted the on-field officials made an error in not blowing fulltime after the play-the-ball from Tonumaipea in the build-up to the try occurred 0.6 seconds after the siren was sounded.
Dragons veteran chief executive Peter Doust then took the step of calling for both his club and Melbourne to be awarded two points from the game and hinted at legal action.
But Greenberg rejected the request on Wednesday and said mistakes were simply part of the game.
"This is rugby league and we will not get everything right. We're doing our best but it's not easy," Greenberg said.
"Decision of referees and match officials are in real time.
"Them asking for two points is not going to happen. It was never considered."
In addition to the gut-wrenching defeat, that stretched their losing streak in Melbourne to 15 years, the Dragons were unhappy they had to defend for the last 30 seconds with 12 men after back-rower Joel Thompson was withdrawn under the new concussion rules.
Coach Steve Price and veteran winger Jason Nightingale both said this week their team had been penalised for adhering to the rules, prompting calls for the introduction of an 18th man on the bench.
Greenberg praised the joint-venture for taking the concussion law seriously but said there were no plans for any changes to the interchange numbers.
"I was really pleased with a number of clubs over the weekend, particularly the Dragons," he said.
"They were making sure player safety was put first and foremost and made sure they were taken off when there was head knocks.
"That is the exact application and how the policy is.
"How that applies to clubs and how they use their interchange is up to them."
Nightingale has urged his teammates to put the injustice of Melbourne's try behind them and get their NRL season back on track.
Following a strong start to the campaign that yielded three successive wins, the Dragons are 3-3.
Price's side will host the Warriors on Saturday and Nightingale said dwelling on what could have been could work against them at Kogarah Oval.
"The evidence is there and it was pretty disappointing, but that's rugby league," Nightingale said.
"We really have to focus on the good things we did in the game, which were quite a lot. If we keep thinking about it, then it's not going to help.
"The short turnaround is the best thing after a gut-wrenching loss. You don't really have time to think about it as you have to move on and prepare for the next game."


text:
Keep up-to-date
with all the happenings at the
International Owl Center
by signing up for our e-newsletter
If you're a regular to the Rusty and Iris live cam, you have probably "met" at least some of our chat room moderators. A few have opted to let you see the face behind the name so you can get to know them just a little bit.
Merle Russell, aka merlibird, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She spends a lot of time with her grandsons; she has four and loves them all very much. The rest of her time is spent watching Rusty and Iris, the world's most wonderful owls according to Merle! She admits to have a 'thing' for Rusty, but most of you all already knew that.
Maxi23 (Maxine Keene in real life) lives in metro Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She participates in various classes at the gym: power-flex, Pilates, yoga, Insanity and other cardio routines. She enjoys watching and learning about Rusty & Iris and their offspring. She has a great appreciation for the interconnectedness between animals, plants, and minerals.
The International Owl Center advances the survival of wild owl populations through education and research. We plan to accomplish our mission through biological and cultural programs and displays, green building design, citizen-science and other research, international exchange of information, the World Owl Hall of Fame, the International Festival of Owls, and other means.
© 2013 International Owl Center
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text:
Global Mobile, a WiMAX licensee in Taiwan, presented a HTC WiMAX smartphone during Computex Taipei 2009.
The HTC MAX 4G, claimed to be the world's first integrated GSM/WiMAX handset, features a 3.8-inch 800x480 WVGA touchscreen display and runs Windows Mobile 6.1, according to the company.
The device comes with 8GB of onboard memory and supports GPS, WiFi b/g and Bluetooth.
The HTC MAX 4G has hit shelves in the Russia market.
- Wireless broadband developments in Southeast Asia markets
As of 2013, the 10 ASEAN nations had a total of over 700 million mobile subscriptions, with the CAGR from 2003-2013 reaching 24%. This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the various mobile broadband markets in ASEAN and looks at the respective trends in 4G LTE development for those markets.
- 2015 global tablet demand forecast
This Digitimes Research Special Report provides a 2015 forecast for the global tablet market and analyzes the strategies of key market players such as Google, Apple, Intel, and Microsoft.
- 2015 China smartphone panel trend forecast
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Washington : Government Printing Office
|Public Law 89-154
|Alibates Flint Quarries and Texas Panhandle Pueblo Culture National Monument, Tex. Establishment.
|Sec. 2
|39 Stat. 535.
16 U. S. C. 1 et seq.
|Sec. 2
|49 Stat. 666.
|Sec. 3
Page 1052
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior may designate, acquire and administer as a national monument lands and interests in lands comprising the Alibates Flint Quarries and the Texas Panhandle Pueblo Culture sites, together with any structures and improvements thereon, located in and around Potter County, Texas.
(a) The property acquired under the provisions of the first section of this Act shall be set aside as a national monument for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States and shall be designated as the Alibates Flint Quarries and Texas Panhandle
Page 1053
Pueblo Culture National Monument. The Secretary of the Interior shall administer, protect, and develop such monument, subject to the provisions of the Act entitled "An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes", approved August 25, 1916, as amended and supplemented, and the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the preservation of historic American sites, buildings, objects, and antiquities of national significance, and for other purposes", approved August 21, 1935, as amended.
(b) In order to provide for the proper development and maintenance of such national monuments, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to construct and maintain therein such markers, buildings, and other improvements, and such facilities for the care and accommodation of visitors, as he may deem necessary.
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $5,000 for the acquisition of land and not to exceed $260,000 for the development of the area.
Approved, August 31, 1965.


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EMU accepts applications for admission on a rolling basis throughout the year. However, it's best to apply as early as possible, up to 15 months prior to your intended start date.
A priority admission deadline is the last day completed application files must be submitted in order to be admitted in time for the start of your intended semester.
The following guidelines provide information about how the timing of your application may affect your consideration for admission and/or financial aid:
Domestic students should apply by:
International students should apply by:
Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or who have transcripts from outside the United States are subject to the deadlines for international students. International applicants who need an I-20 should apply as early as possible.
Entering freshmen and transfer students are automatically considered for academic scholarships at the time of admission, based on availability of funds. In addition, students who have submitted FAFSA information are automatically considered for federal financial aid and/or additional grants.
For priority scholarship and financial aid consideration, EMU strongly recommends that students submit completed admission and the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by the following dates:
Incoming Freshmen:
Incoming Transfer:
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