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WASHINGTON — Federal regulators have accused former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine of failing to properly manage MF Global, which misused customer funds before its 2011 collapse.
A civil lawsuit filed Thursday by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission seeks to ban Corzine from trading in the futures market and demands that he pay unspecified penalties.
The lawsuit says Corzine bore responsibility for MF Global's unlawful acts because he directly or indirectly controlled the company and its holdings and "either did not act in good faith or knowingly induced these violations."
"He also failed to supervise diligently the activities of MF Global's officers, employees and agents," the lawsuit says.
Corzine has disputed the allegations by the CFTC, which regulated New York-based MF Global.
The CFTC also filed civil charges against Edith O'Brien, the firm's former assistant treasurer.
About $1.2 billion in customer money disappeared when MF Global collapsed. Nearly 90 percent of the money has been recovered for U.S. customers of the firm and around 18 percent for foreign customers.
MF Global has agreed to pay a $100 million penalty as part of a settlement announced Thursday. The money will come from bankruptcy proceedings.
MF Global sought bankruptcy protection in 2011 after a disastrous bet on European countries' debt. Under Corzine's leadership, the firm bet $6.3 billion on bonds issued by Italy, Spain and other nations with deeply troubled financial systems.
The bonds plummeted in value in the weeks before MF Global's failure as fears intensified that some European countries might default.
The firm's $41 billion bankruptcy was the eighth-largest in U.S. history. It was also the first collapse of a Wall Street firm since the 2008 financial crisis ended. Critics have long complained that regulators have failed to aggressively pursue much bigger financial firms, whose high-risk bets nearly toppled the financial system.
Corzine, 66, had been a CEO of Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs before entering politics in 2000. He served as a Democratic U.S. senator from New Jersey and later governor of the state.
Corzine has also been a major fundraiser for Democrats. He took the top job at MF Global in March 2010 after losing his 2009 bid for re-election as governor.
The CFTC's lawsuit says that when Corzine joined MF Global, he planned to convert it into a major Wall Street investment bank that generated revenue from aggressive trading strategies. It notes that he tried to boost revenue by making significant investments in the sovereign debt of some European countries.
The plan worked for a while. The investments became an important part of the firm's revenue even as the investments grew increasingly risky, the lawsuit said.
Yet in the second half of 2011, the risky investments and other factors put significant strains on the company's cash flow and capital. By October 2011, the lawsuit says, sources of cash were drying up.
Corzine and other company employees communicated with one another, by email and sometimes on recorded telephone lines, about the firm's "dire situation," the lawsuit says.
It says a treasurer of the firm's parent company, MF Global Holdings Ltd., told a chief financial officer and another employee in a recorded conversation on Oct. 6, 2011, that "we have to tell Jon that enough is enough. We need to take the keys away from him."
Corzine "disparagingly nicknamed the Global treasurer 'the Gravedigger,'" the lawsuit says
In the last week of October 2011, MF Global violated U.S. commodity laws by using nearly $1 billion of customer funds to support its own trading operations, directly harming thousands of customers, the lawsuit says.
Corzine stepped down as MF Global chief in November 2011, a few days after the firm filed for bankruptcy protection.
Three reports on MF Global's collapse, by a House panel and two court-appointed trustees, placed most of the blame on Corzine. It said his risky strategies caused the failure.
Louis Freeh, the former FBI director who oversaw the liquidation of MF Global's parent, concluded in a report in April that a risky trading strategy and "negligent conduct" by Corzine and his top managers led to the collapse. A few weeks later, Freeh sued Corzine and the other executives.
Shareholders of MF Global also have sued Corzine and other top managers. The investors say they lost about $585 million in just a week as the firm foundered. They accuse MF Global and the executives of making false and misleading statements about the firm's financial strength.
The trustee overseeing the liquidation of MF Global's brokerage operations eventually recovered and returned to customers most of the missing money, tracing it to banks that held accounts for the firm and to other accounts. The trustee, James Giddens, also joined a lawsuit filed by MF Global customers against Corzine and the other top executives.
Corzine testified at three highly charged hearings of House and Senate committees in December 2011 after lawmakers summoned him by subpoena. It was a rare occurrence in Washington: A former member of Congress being called by former colleagues to testify publicly about potential violations of law.
Corzine's testimony offered little to satisfy lawmakers or MF Global customers who lost money. Yet his explanations would be hard to disprove, legal experts said.
He told the three congressional panels that he never intended to "misuse" client money or to order anyone else to do so. Corzine also rebuffed an assertion that he knew about customer money that might have been transferred to a European affiliate just before MF Global collapsed.
Neumeister contributed from New York.


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Vajra Guru mantra
跳至導覽 跳至搜尋
Trulshik Rinpoche says:
Vajra Guru mantra — the twelve syllable mantra of Guru Padmasambhava is:
oṃ āḥ hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ
It is pronounced om ah hung benza guru péma siddhi hung by Tibetans.
Sogyal Rinpoche says:
- The Vajra Guru Mantra is the very heart essence of Padmasambhava. It is also the mantra of all the masters, buddhas, yidams, dakas, dakinis, and protectors. When you chant it, you are invoking the very embodiment of Padmasambhava. [1]
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo says:
- It begins with OM AH HUNG, which are the seed syllables of the three vajras (of body, speech and mind).
- VAJRA signifies the dharmakaya since [like the adamantine vajra] it cannot be "cut" or destroyed by the elaborations of conceptual thought.
- GURU signifies the sambhogakaya, which is "heavily" laden with the qualities of the seven aspects of union.
- PADMA signifies the nirmanakaya, the radiant awareness of the wisdom of discernment arising as the lotus family of enlightened speech.
- Remembering the qualities of the great Guru of Oddiyana, who is inseparable from these three kayas, pray with the continuous devotion that is the intrinsic display of the nature of mind, free from the elaboration of conceptual thought.
- All the supreme and ordinary accomplishments—SIDDHI—are obtained through the power of this prayer,
- and by thinking, "HUNG! May they be bestowed upon my mindstream, this very instant!"[2]
Benefits of the Vajra Guru Mantra
Trulshik Rinpoche says:
- "For the practice of approach it is generally said that one should recite the mantra of Guru Rinpoche 1,200,000 times. If we can accomplish these 1,200,000 recitations, it is said that we will receive the blessing of Guru Rinpoche. It is also said, "With ten million siddhis, you will reborn in a place of vidyadharas." This means if you recite the Vajra Guru mantra ten million times, you will be reborn in a realm of vidyadharas. It is even said that if you recite the 1,200,000 accumulation seven times, you will become the same as Guru Rinpoche in this very life. By reciting the mantra ten million times (literally 'one hundred times one hundred thousand times') you will reach the stage from which you can never turn back. So the benefits of reciting the Vajra Guru mantra are truly inconceivable."
Further Reading
- Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying Appendix Four, pages 393-396.
- Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Guru Yoga (Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications, 1999), 'The Vajra Guru Mantra', pages 51-54.

subset: commoncrawl


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There's no escaping the fact: Laser sailing hurts.
When my sons were teenagers and just starting to sail Lasers they used to complain about the minor bumps and aches associated with sailing. I used to tell them, "Laser sailing is mainly about pain". An exaggeration of course and, looking back, a scary thing to tell kids. But I don't seem to have caused them too much psychological damage and they are both fine young men now. And they both still enjoy sailing. Or perhaps the pain.
At the sailing seminar I recently attended, the guest instructor, Brad Funk, confirmed my point. He was telling the class one evening that most of us weren't hiking hard enough. "How do you know when you're hiking hard enough? If it hurts it means you're hiking properly!"
The publicity for the course promised "fun and torture". It was accurate on both points. After 5 days of such torture I have the following injuries...
A bruise on my head when it was bumped by the boom. Too tired or too stupid to remember to duck in time.
Aching shoulders.
A nagging pain just below my right shoulder blade that doesn't respond to Tylenol. It gets worse if I sit in the car for several hours. The only cure seems to be Laser sailing. When I sail it goes away.
Bruises on both arms. I think these are caused when I do a capsize recovery. Certainly when I was learning to sail a Laser over 20 years ago I used to get more of these bruises.
A sore on my right finger caused by a hole in my full finger gloves. Sores on both index fingers caused when I switched to my 3 finger gloves. Just can't win.
3 sores on my left knee and 1 sore on my right knee caused when I used my short hiking pants. They got worse when I switched to my 3/4 length hiking pants that cover my knees. Go figure.
A bruise on my thigh caused by walking into a boat on the land. Just shows I don't look where I'm going enough on the land or on the race course.
A very sore big toe. Never had this before. My theory is that in this warm water my feet swell a bit and my hiking boots are too tight for these conditions. The love of my life says it will drop off. I'm not exactly clear whether she's referring to the toe, the toenail or something else.
So if hurts so much why do we do it? Are we all masochists?
No. I think we do it for one reason and one reason only. In the words of the song we do it because...."the pleasure is worth all the pain".
Saturday, April 30, 2005
There's no escaping the fact: Laser sailing hurts.
Friday, April 29, 2005
Run Rabbit Run
The guest instructor on the course, Brad Funk, sailed in his Laser behind each rabbit to give him or her advice on boat handling and on tactics too, if asked. Brad is ranked the #1 Laser sailor on the US Sailing Team which means he is currently the favorite to win the US Spot in the Laser class for the 2008 Olympics. To say he is in a different league to us weekend warriors attending the seminar is an extreme understatement. Meanwhile Rick was in his motor boat videoing the rabbit's sailing. The videotape would be reviewed by the class after sailing.
So the rabbit is the focus of attention for that race and I had mixed feelings about adopting that role. But I hoped Brad would be able to give me some tips and that I might also learn something from watching a close-up video of my sailing style. My turn to be rabbit came in the middle of the afternoon.
Brad sailed up to me before the start of one race and said in his polite way, "Is it OK if I work with you in this race?"
"Sure!" I replied. "How much of a start should I take?"
"What do you think?"
"10 seconds?"
"OK. I think I'll just race you".
What does he mean? Just race me? Isn't he supposed to be going slow and giving me advice? Who does he think I am?
Still it is flattering to be treated as an equal though we both knew that, in truth, our abilities are far from equal. So I start the race 10 seconds early with Brad on my tail and we head for the favored left side of the course. When I tack back to cover the fleet, one of the other students, Jim, crosses in front of me.
"Jim got a good shift. You'll have to hike harder if you want to catch him", Brad suggests.
So I hike harder. Just my toes under the hiking strap. Body flat out. Hope it looks good on the video. And it works. I arrive at the windward mark in first place. Ease the sail controls before the mark. Smooth rounding. Raise the daggerboard. This is going to look good on video. Bear away to sail by the lee and catch a wave. Geeze - I'm sailing waves downwind with Brad Funk and it's all going to be on video.....
WHAM. Before I know what hits me, the boat rolls over and capsizes to windward. A classic Laser "death roll". And I'm swimming. The rest of the fleet sails past. Where is that damn video camera?
Oh well. My only capsize of the whole week and it happens when I'm "on stage". I laugh at myself, right the boat and then I just try and copy Brad's superfast downwind style as the other Lasers disappear into the distance.
As the seminar notes say, "It doesn't matter if you win or lose. The important question is: Did you learn something?"
Rick himself has over 30 years of experience in various classes of boats but is mainly known as a catamaran sailor. The course is so well designed that, although he worked us hard, I enjoyed every minute of it. Rick told us a story toward the end of the course that explained his approach.
Warning. Viewer Advisory. If you are an extreme feminist, of a sensitive nature or despise old men who tell politically incorrect stories that demean the role of women, then read no further.
This is the story. An entrepreneur somehow acquired a 3-storey building and was wondering how to use it to run a business. He decided to turn it into a brothel. On the first floor his staff were all models; on the second floor his ladies were housewives (anyone remember Belle du Jour); and the top floor's service providers were all schoolteachers.
After a few months a friend asked him which group of women was the most successful for him in his business.
"Oh, the teachers are the most popular by far," he replied.
"Why is that?" his friend asked.
"Well the models were too prissy for most customers...'Mind my hair'....'Don't mess up my nails'.....it just didn't work out".
"And the housewives were too bossy....'Hang your pants there'.....'Put your shirt there'...it really discouraged the customers".
"But the schoolteachers told their clients 'We're going to do this...and then we're going to do that...and then that....and we're going to keep doing it and doing it until we get it right".
I don't know if that's a great formula for running a brothel. But it certainly made for a rewarding sailing experience.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Bumper Stickers
My other boat is a Sunfish. No - that's not a bumper sticker but I suppose it could be. I mention it because my Sunfish trailer has various flat surfaces ideal for decorating with bumper stickers. Over the years I've collected a few. Some are the usual sailing stickers handed out at trade shows or sent by vendors every time you order some parts through the mail. Others are ones that just struck me as funny.
Here are a few....
evildoer - this was acquired at a time when it was the most common word in the president's speeches. I bought it to commemorate the time when after an awful start in a Wednesday night race I accidentally said out loud "General Recall". I was just thinking, "I hope there is a general recall". Honest. Anyway half the fleet thought it was the race officer that had shouted out the recall and stopped racing. Oops.
BEWARE OF DOGMA - has a scary picture of a fierce looking doggie
HARKEN Black Magic
Bike - It's Patriotic - is it? Never quite understood this one. Maybe it's about not driving around in gas-guzzling SUVs?
So Many Christians - So Few Lions
SAIL - from SAIL Magazine
Don't Pray in Our Schools and I Won't Think in Your Church
North Sails
Get your MOJO working - a reference to Colie Sails MOJO Laser rigging package
Team Vanguard
Atheism is Myth Understood
Team McLube
Old European on Board - this one is a reference to Mr Rumsfeld's speech where he dismissively talked of old Europe. As I really am an old European it seemed appropriate.
LASER Other boats are just practice - this came with my 2005 Laser class renewal. Just about sums up my view of the Sunfish these days. As some of my stickers seem to be designed to piss off the religious right, I might as well piss of Sunfish sailors as well.
SF - this one of those national letter plates that you see on European cars. In America they always seem to be referencing Long Beach Island or the Outer Banks as if a barrier island connected to the mainland with bridges is really a foreign country. I suspect 90% of the people that see this think it's something to do with San Francisco - but there is a Sunfish logo if you look carefully.
"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully" - G W Bush 09/29/2000 - this one has a cute little picture of Mr Bush looking a lot younger than he does now. I never quite knew the context of this profound expression of our president's political philosophy. Perhaps he was expressing his personal support for the US Sunfish Class Association? Anyway it's a reminder of those innocent days pre-911 when he had the luxury of talking about fish.
WHY BE NORMAL? - Exactly.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Dip and soar in the breeze
"For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to know. The day will come when I will die. So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time. I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze." - Richard Bode, First you have to row a little boat.
All right. Enough talk of death.
It's struck me as somewhat ironic that I've been trying to write a blog about sailing for 3 months and I haven't done any real sailing in that time at all. By "real sailing" I mean racing my Laser. Winter can be a frustrating time for me. But all that's going to change. At the end of this week I head off on a two week road trip.
First I'm going to Rick White's Sailing Seminar in the Florida Keys. It's billed as "five days of intensive training, fun and torture". Sounds like just what I need.
Then on the way back I'm going to sail in the Laser US Nationals at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina. I've never done a US Nationals before so I expect it to be a humbling experience. But Wrightsville Beach is one of the few dinghy racing locations on the east coast that actually races on the ocean - as opposed to a sheltered bay or sound. So there should be a chance to sail in BIG WAVES - something I rarely have the opportunity to experience. I'm looking at the Nationals as another opportunity to practice and learn.
The last few days I've been checking out my boat and trailer, doing a few minor repairs, making sure everything is in good shape for the coming "fun and torture". Then next week once again I will be out there on the water a-dippin' and a-soarin'.
Monday, April 04, 2005
1. Starts
Sailboat racing is a silly game. The truth of the matter is that in a race that may take over an hour, it is the first 5 seconds that are the most crucial. Get off the starting line slowly and you may never recover.
In a running race it's OK to start slow. Indeed the runners that start too fast may quickly burn out and not be able to maintain their pace. But in a sailing race the reverse is true. This is because races usually start in an upwind direction and the boats that get out in front at the start are sailing in clear wind. Boats just a few feet further behind are sailing in wind that is disturbed by the leaders and so the trailing boats will sail more slowly. The rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer.
I'm not as good as I need to be at starts. If I can get consistently better at starts I know my finishing positions will improve dramatically.
2. Heavy air
Last season I sailed a lot of races in heavy wind in the fall. I can go fast in these conditions but I also capsized too much and got tired too quickly. If I can stay upright and keep going all day in heavy winds, I will do well.
3. Strategy
I know the consistent winners have a plan. They think about the current and the wind and what course around the buoys is likely to be that fastest. Do I want to go right or left on this leg? Which side of the course is the wind strongest? Will the wind change direction, and if so how, and how do I position myself to take advantage of it?
I know the theory of all this but I don't execute. I get so involved in trying to make the boat go fast and how to beat the boats around me that I lose sight of the big picture. I have to "get my head out of the boat", as sailors say, and start thinking strategically more.
So that's it. Just three things. I will start analyzing how to work on these areas and keep track through the year of how I'm doing.
In the corporate world if you don't make progress on your "areas of improvement" we may need to consider "other options". Yikes. Sounds scary.
Culture of Life
First of all we had the intense news coverage of the feuding over Terri Schiavo. Illuminated with old video of this unfortunate brain-damaged woman. Clearly the body was well and the mind was gone. Sadly her mind had really died 15 years ago and her life was much too short and unfulfilled.
Almost at the same time we had the pope's death. The mind was active almost until the end but we had watched the body slowly and painfully deteriorate in recent years. A long life and one of outstanding achievement. But still a slow, painful end full of suffering.
Then this weekend I learned of the recent death of one of my cousins. Actually the first death of a cousin. And she was almost exactly my age and had fought cancer for 10 years. One is reminded of one's own mortality when a parent dies. But when the first family member of the same generation as oneself dies, it becomes even more apparent that our time is not unlimited.
To make things worse yesterday we watched the movie Notebook. It's a chick-flick of course. A sweet romance. But interlaced with a story about a deranged woman in a nursing home whose connection to the young lovers is not immediately apparent. Another sad way for life to end.
How depressing. A brain damaged vegetative state. Painful diseases piling on top of each other. A long, losing fight with cancer. Senile dementia. Fates that none of us wish for ourselves.
What to do? Just keep on living every day to the full. Sailing is a big part of my attempts to stave off the decline of old age as long as possible. Physically it keeps me active and gives me a motivation to stay fit. Mentally it challenges me. Socially it keeps me involved with people of all ages including young children.
Maybe it's just denial. But I do sort of believe the old saying that we all have an allotted number of days on this earth but the days we spend sailing don't get counted.
Or as Jimmy Buffett put it, "I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead".
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Goose Bumps
It all started the previous September as I finished my summer sailing job and was thinking of what to do in the fall to keep fit and avoid gaining weight over the winter. "Why not enter a marathon?", I thought. I reckoned I would need 3 months or so to get into shape and a quick search showed that the Disneyworld Marathon in January was at about the right time of year. So I entered the race, booked a room at Disneyworld, reserved some flights, and told everyone I was running a marathon in January. Now I was committed.
I had an old book about running your first marathon. First problem was that the book reckoned it would take more than 3 months to get fit. So I just started part way through the program running the recommended time each week. Bad idea. I got terrible shin splints from running too far, too fast, too soon.
But I stuck with the program through the fall. It wasn't too hard as the book said that speed didn't matter, just do the times recommended, running as slowly as you like. Except I discovered that for the longest week, a couple of weeks before marathon date, the book told you to run 150 minutes on one day and this would be about 20 miles and "if you can run 20 miles you can probably finish the marathon".
Hmmmm. 150 minutes is 20 miles if you run it at seven and a half minutes a mile. For me the 150 minute run was more like 15 miles. And I knew all the marathon programs said you should do at least one run of 20 miles or more. Luckily I had arranged the program to give me a couple of weeks in hand in case I got sick or hurt. So I repeated the heaviest 2 weeks of the program and extended the long run to 20 miles.
I felt great after the 20 mile run. I felt like I had more miles left in me and could have done it faster. Only problem was that I was doing these long training runs in New Jersey in December with the temperature in the thirties. Race day temperature was eventually in the sixties. Not quite as easy.
The other thing I had overlooked was that the marathon race start time was 6am. When I read the small print in the info provided by Disney it said you had to catch a bus from your hotel at 4am. After the bus ride there would be a long long wait until the start of the race. Yikes.
So that's how my wish to keep fit for sailing led me to be sitting in a parking lot in the middle of the night surrounded by thousands of bare legs covered in goose bumps. I hope this sacrifice is reflected in my sailing race results next season.....
Oh yes, I did complete the marathon. Everything I had read about marathons is true. They ARE long and hard. The last 6.2 miles ARE much much harder than the previous 20 miles. There IS a wall. But I've signed up to do it again next year.
Saturday, April 02, 2005
DHMO Scare
Members are warned that DHMO has been detected at unusually high levels in our lake. DHMO, Di-Hydrogen Monoxide, a colorless and odorless chemical compound is also known as Hydric acid. Its basis is the unstable Hydroxyl radical, the components of which are found in a number of caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid, Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol.
Should we be concerned about DHMO?
Yes, we should be concerned about DHMO! Although the US Government and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) do not classify DHMO as a toxic or carcinogenic substance (as it does with better known chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and saccharine), DHMO is a constituent of many known toxic substances and disease-causing agents, and can even be lethal to humans in quantities as small as a thimbleful.
What are the dangers associated with DHMO?
Each year, DHMO is a known causative component in many thousands of deaths and is a major contributor to millions of dollars in damage to property and the environment. Some of the known perils of DHMO are:
Death due to accidental inhalation of DHMO, even in small quantities.
Prolonged exposure to solid DHMO causes severe tissue damage.
Excessive ingestion produces a number of unpleasant though not typically life-threatening side-effects.
DHMO is a major component of acid rain.
Gaseous DHMO can cause severe burns.
Leads to corrosion and oxidation of many metals.
Found in biopsies of pre-cancerous tumors and lesions.
Is it true that using DHMO improves athletic performance?
Absolutely! With the numerous allegations of amateur and professional athletes using anabolic steroids and/or blood doping to enhance performance, virtually no attention has been paid to the performance enhancing properties of DHMO. It is perhaps the sporting world's dirtiest of dirty little secrets that athletes regularly ingest quantities of DHMO in an effort to gain a competitive edge over an opponent.
Sports-medicine physicians warn that ingesting too much DHMO can lead to complications and unwanted side-effects, but do acknowledge the link to improved performance. DHMO is not currently considered a banned substance, so post-race urine tests do not detect elevated or abnormal levels of DHMO.
What are the symptoms of DHMO overdose?
You may not always recognize that you have been a victim of accidental DHMO overdose, so here are some signs and symptoms to look for. If you suspect DHMO overdose, or if you exhibit any of these symptoms, you should consult with your physician or medical practitioner. The data presented here is provided for informational purposes only, and should in no way be construed as medical advice of any sort.
Excessive sweating
Excessive urination
Bloated feeling
Nausea Vomiting
Electrolyte imbalance
Hyponatremia (serum hypotonicity)
Dangerously imbalanced levels of ECF and ICF in the blood
Degeneration of sodium homeostasis
How can sailors protect themselves from DHMO?
Because of the exceptional levels of DHMO now entering the reservoir, it will be extremely difficult for sailors to avoid exposure entirely. However, the risks can be minimized by wearing a full body dry-suit with latex booties together with latex rubber gloves. Ensure that seals at neck and wrists are in good condition and form a very tight fit. Wear goggles and do not sail if there is any risk of splashes to the face.
What is our club doing about this problem?
Rest assured that the Executive Committee is doing everything we can to address this unprecedented threat to our sailing activities.
State Liaison C.E. commented, "I had no idea that DHMO levels were so high. I will be working with other local organizations to see what we can do. With the support of club membership, we will stamp it out".
Commodore R.B. also expressed his concern. "We will have to look into what the liability of the club and its officers will be if any of our members are exposed to DHMO. Members should be aware that the club assumes no responsibility if they suffer problems with DHMO during unsanctioned activities".
Why is the press not covering the DHMO scandal?
It is true that this problem has been largely ignored by the press locally and nationally. But coverage of DHMO can sometimes be found in the mainstream media…... usually around the beginning of April each year.
How can I find out more about the risks of DHMO?
Check out http://www.dhmo.org/. Much of the information above comes from this website.
Race Officer Guidelines
All members scheduled to serve as race committee on Wednesday nights should become familiar with the following guidelines.
1. Fishermen at our lake have a boring life. All they do is stare at the water. Try to make their life more interesting by setting the start line between some anchored fishing boats. Fishermen love to watch the boats sailing nearby and to chat to the sailors.
2. In light winds, make sure you set very, very long courses. If you don't, you'll only have to run more races making for unnecessary work.
3. Most sailors hate to tack. Try and set the first leg of the course so that they can reach the first mark without tacking.
4. Most sailors find it really hard to work out which is the upwind end of the start line. Help them out by setting a start line so that they have to beat to get to one end. Then it is so much easier for the sailors to identify the favored end.
5. Start sequences can be very boring for the sailors. Try livening things up by stopping a 3-minute sequence at any time and restarting it without warning. Another option is to make the 2-minute and 1-minute signals at some random interval after the 3 minute signal. This keeps the sailors on their toes.
6. Don't bother to call any boats that are over the start line. It's not really your job. Alternatively call out a few sail numbers that are over and add "and those other boats that I can't see". Keeps everyone guessing and that is a lot of fun for everyone.
7. Liven up the first leg by driving the committee boat up to the windward mark, and then when everyone is halfway up the beat and spread out on both side of the course, pick up the mark and move it. This is really exciting for the sailors who guessed wrong about where you were going to drop the mark.
8. Have a good rest while the sailors are racing. You have earned it. Chat to the sailors that showed up late for the race. Don't bother to watch the racers. The first boat will always give you a shout when he or she is about to finish.
9. Set a really long finish line. Don't worry if it is so long that you can't read the sail numbers at the other end of the line. You can always ask the sailors to shout out their numbers when they know they have crossed the line.
10. If you get bored, you can always shorten the course. To do this, drive over to the mark that the sailors are approaching and put it in the committee boat. Let the racers guess how they are supposed to finish. Makes them think - which is good for them.
11. If any guests or potential new fleet members show up to race, remind them that the races are for members only and that they should keep clear of the racecourse. This is especially important if the newcomers are juniors, because kids need to be put in their place.
12. If any of the anchors on the buoys look old or dirty, just untie the line and dump the anchors in the reservoir. The rear commodore will be delighted to supply new ones.
13. Set the course as far away from the club launching area as possible. You can usually rely on the wind to die later in the evening, and the sailors really appreciate the chance to practice their light air skills on a long sail back to the beach in the dark.
14. Remember when you are race officer, you are always right. Do not be distracted by advice and comments from any of the sailors. If a sailor persists in telling you how to do your job, it is OK to teach him or her some new nautical terms that may not be in the dictionary.
15. Please make sure that these new race officer procedures are used for all races on or after April 1st 2003.
Happy Sailing!
In 2003 I wrote a spoof article on how to do race committee - but it was actually a list of all the awful things that a race committee can do to screw up the racing and ruin all the sailors' enjoyment. The in-joke was that one poor guy had actually managed to make every single mistake on the list on one memorable Wednesday evening the previous season. He must be very thick-skinned because he's still talking to me.
Then last year I stole an idea I found on the web about this terrible substance in our lake called DHMO. The article was full of dire warnings about how it causes death if inhaled in small quantities, that some athletes are actually ingesting it to improve performance, that it causes thousands of deaths per year etc. etc. DHMO stands for Di-Hydrogen Monoxide. I didn't think you'd need to be a chemist to recognize the jokey name for water, but it fooled a number of club members.
I'll try and post those two article to this blog.
This year for my April 1 edition of the newsletter I included 3 short jokes. One was asking members to look for some propeller cleaning fluid called Prop Wash. Another was a spoof tuning tip about negative mast bend complete with a picture of a boat with extreme mast bend (which was actually an ice boat). And another was bizarre advice about how to avoid infringing the illegal propulsion rule which including such absurdities as holding the tiller in the central position while hailing "One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three Mississippi".
I mailed the newsletter on the last day of March and am awaiting the reaction.
Yesterday I received a desperate email from an out-of-state sailor who had won a trophy at a local regatta. Apparently he took the trophy to an engraver to have his name added to it, and in the process the trophy had been damaged beyond all hope of repair. As the trophy is actually a memorial to a deceased sailor he was devastated and he wants to see if he can replace it without the family and host club finding out about the breakage. He was asking me if I knew where the trophy had been bought originally.
Unfortunately I don't know the history of the trophy so I sent him a short, sympathetic reply with a suggestion of who else he might ask. Aaaaaaaagh. Of course it was all an April Fools joke and I was well and truly fooled.
Guess it serves me right.
Friday, April 01, 2005
12 Ways of learning
One of my favorite sailing books is 'Sail, Race and Win' by Eric Twiname. It is essentially a book about how to coach yourself to sail better. Twiname identifies 12 ways to improve your racing. I'll list them in this blog and then use this as a structure in future postings to talk about my sailing year and my attempts to go faster.
1. Race experience. Twiname points out that for many people this is their only way of learning to race successfully, but it's not actually all that effective. To improve you have to experiment. And most people won't make radical experiments with technique in the middle of a race. He advocates using some races as classrooms and forgetting about the results.
2. Observation. Was it Yoga Berra who said you can observe a lot just by watching? We never have the time to observe ourselves and others while racing. So get out on the RC and watch other racers closely. Have someone take photos or videos of yourself and study the results.
3. Solo practice. Sailors practice so much less than athletes do in other sports. Twiname says this is the fastest and easiest way to improve.
4. Crewing. Crew for a champion and learn from him.
5. Physical fitness. As a Laser sailor I know how important this is. But knowing it and doing something about it are different things.
6. Swapping boats and classes. Each class emphasizes different skills so switching forces you to work on different skills.
7. Paired practice
8. Team and match racing
9. Race post mortem and analysis
10. Reading and seeking advice
11. Group coaching
12. Mental fitness. Once again Yogi Berra said it first, "Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical". Even more true in sailboat racing, I suspect.
What Twiname recommends is to choose 3 major weaknesses that you need to work on and then think about how each of these 12 techniques can contribute to eliminating that weakness. So that's what I will do. I will use this blog to develop my self coaching plan and report on how it works out.


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Welcome to Padela Motors LLC. Be sure to visit our virtual showroom of inventory available for purchase. There you will see detailed information about each vehicle, a picture gallery, as well as convenient ways to contact us for more information about that vehicle. We are located at 17670 W Little York Rd and are available by phone at 281-781-9132 . You can also get driving directions and hours of service from our user friendly website.


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|Supplying type to everybody
Designed from the perspective of a multi-purpose font family, comprehending the slab-serif and humanist-sans subtypes, the Distéfano typefaces were specifically developed and subsequently tested considering the needs of editorial products, for both print and digital media.
Includes a comprehensive program where formal, style, thickness and slant attributes are especially indicated for the composition of text and headings in newspapers, journals and magazines. For that reason, in addition to the more traditional weights, others, ranging from Light to Black were added.
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This type family bears the name of the most notable argentinian designer, and it is a homage to his work, that influenced the youth of the 50's decade of the 20th century, and especially to him, whom I have always recognized as a friend, and a teacher.


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On my new computer, I didn't want to have
/home on the system SSD but rather on the secondary drive which is a conventional hard drive.
I followed these instructions for moving
/home to the other disk:
A: Move home folder to second drive (actually these specific steps)
But now I realize that the disk is NTFS format.
- Will running
homefrom NTFS be a problem, or perhaps a performance killer?
- Can I convert the HDD from NTFS to ext3 (or ext4?!) without losing all the files, and how?


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View source for Platform UI Command Design
You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reason:
The action you have requested is limited to users in one of the groups: Users, Administrators.
You can view and copy the source of this page.
Template used on this page:
Return to Platform UI Command Design.


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Nepal and Bangladesh are reducing poverty faster compared to India, according to a new study based on the multidimensional poverty index developed at the University of Oxford and used by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in its Human Development Reports.
India also made significant progress in reducing poverty between 1999 and 2006, but at a rate that was less than one-third of the speed of its poorer neighbours, with a reduction in poverty rates of 1.2 percentage points per year [instead of 4.1% (Nepal) or 3.2% (Bangladesh)], the study found.
However, multidimensional poverty was reduced least in the poorest states - such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal - and among the poorest social groups, such as Scheduled Tribes, Muslims, female-headed households and larger households.
According to the study, even India's best-performing states - Kerala and Andhra Pradesh - progressed little more than half as fast as Nepal or Bangladesh in reducing multidimensional poverty, a release from the Oxford Poverty and Human development Initiative (OPHI), which conducted the study, said.
"The success of Nepal and Bangladesh in reducing poverty despite their relatively low income highlights the effectiveness of social policy investments combined with active civil society engagement," said Dr Sabina Alkire, director of OPHI.
The poverty measure used by OPHI, the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), is said to be unique in capturing the simultaneous disadvantages experienced by poor people, such as malnutrition, education and sanitation, providing a high-resolution lens on their lives.
According to researcher Suman Seth, "From 1999-2006 India did very well in certain aspects of poverty reduction; for example, MPI among the scheduled caste groups showed a strong reduction, and poverty among the most destitute went down faster than the average."
She added: "However, it's still the case that the benefits of national poverty reduction have been enjoyed least by some of the poorer groups and regions."
OPHI added that India had not collected official data on MPI deprivations including malnutrition since 2005/6, making India's MPI the least up-to-date in South Asia.
The global MPI, which was developed by OPHI and UNDP in 2010 and has been published in Human Development reports since, assesses multidimensional poverty in 104 countries for which data since 2002 are available.
The study found that were 'star performers': the percentage of poor people in Nepal dropped from 64.7% to 44.2% between 2006 and 2011, 4.1 percentage points per year, while in Bangladesh poverty rates decreased by 3.2 percentage points per year between 2004 and 2007.
In addition to reducing the percentage of poor people, both Nepal and Bangladesh reduced the intensity of poverty. This means that even poor people were on average less poor - deprived in fewer things at the same time - than they had been before, an important element of multidimensional poverty analysis that provides a more balanced picture of poor people's lives, the release added.
The MPI is based on a deprivation score which reflects each person's overlapping deprivations in nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, child school attendance, water, sanitation, electricity, cooking fuel, flooring, and assets.
A person is identified as 'multidimensionally poor' if he or she is deprived in one-third or more of ten (weighted) indicators.


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Council Expert Says Putin Eager to Repair Relations With U.S.
September 25, 2003 5:09 pm (EST)
- Interview
- To help readers better understand the nuances of foreign policy, CFR staff writers and Consulting Editor Bernard Gwertzman conduct in-depth interviews with a wide range of international experts, as well as newsmakers.
Stephen R. Sestanovich, a top Russian expert who served in the Clinton administration as ambassador-at-large and special adviser to the secretary of state for the newly independent Soviet states, says last weekends Camp David meeting demonstrates that Russias Vladimir Putin and President Bush have successfully managed to undo most of the damage done by their disagreement over Iraq. As for the possibility that Russia may send troops to Iraq, Sestanovich says Putin has left the door open.
The Councils George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Sestanovich also says that Putin, the overwhelming favorite to win re-election next March, presides over a government dominated by his KGB cronies and riddled with corruption.
More on:
The interview was conducted by Bernard Gwertzman, consulting editor for cfr.org, on September 24, 2003, and updated on September 28, 2003.
President Bush met with President Putin of Russia on Friday and Saturday at Camp David. Can you draw some conclusions on the general state of Russian-American relations?
You cant gauge the state of Russian-American relations without answering the question: compared to what? Lets do this thought-experiment: can you imagine Bush receiving either [French President Jacques] Chirac or [German Chancellor Gerhard] Schroeder at Camp David for two days and having the visit go off without a single difficult moment? Obviously not. To say this doesnt necessarily mean that Russia has somehow become closer to the United States than either France or Germany, but it does mean that Bush and Putin have successfully managed to undo most of the damage done by their disagreement over Iraq. In fact, I think its fair to say that the United States has not made this transition as successfully with any other foreign government as it has with Russia.
Of course, the really interesting question is what either of these two presidents wants to do with the relationship in the future. Camp David revived some opportunities, but it didnt tell us much about how Bush and Putin intend to use them.
More on:
What did we learn from the Russian position on Iraq? Is it likely that Moscow will provide any help?
This was an all Axis of Evil summit. Iraq, Iran, and North Korea were far and away the most important topics. Interestingly, the meeting suggested that Iraq may be the easiest of these three for Russia and the United States to deal with. Putin made it pretty clear that he is not going to make the United States sweat over the details of a new U.N. Security Council resolution. I suspect the French are rather unhappy with the way Putin handled the issue of a timetable for transferring power to the Iraqi governing bodies. He indicated this just isnt an urgent matter for him. In an appearance at Columbia University before going down to Washington, Putin even went so far as to compare Iraq and Chechnya. It was a mistake, he said, for Russian forces to pull out of Chechnya altogether in 1996. The result was only to give international terrorists a safe haven from which to threaten others. That mustnt happen in Iraq: order is important. If this is whats inside Putins head as he thinks about Iraq, hes not going to have trouble handling the issue with George Bush.
As for sending Russian troops to Iraq, there are a lot of Russian political figures who oppose this idea, and Putin has not endorsed it— hes merely left the door open. But if he wants a dramatic symbol of Russian-American cooperation, hell probably keep coming back to the idea of troops. Nothing else really sends that message as effectively as a military presence.
The Russians are the main nuclear supplier to Iran. How would you describe Putins talks with Bush on this problem area?
U.S. officials describe their Russian counterparts as saying all the right things about Iran— and, for a change, it isnt just privately or for foreign audiences that theyre saying these things. Over the past six months or so, Russian officials all the way up to Putin himself have been emphatic about how Iran has to accept new, more intrusive international inspections. Theyve said that the burden is on Iran to prove to the International Atomic Energy Agency that it doesnt have a weapons program, that it has to stop trying to evade its commitment to return spent nuclear fuel from the nuclear reactor that the Russians are completing at Bushehr, and so on.
The Russians are a little wobbly in explaining what theyll do if Iran rejects all these appeals. What the United States doesnt yet know is whether the Russians are avoiding this issue because they think it would be diplomatically counterproductive to threaten Iran, or because in the end they dont intend to do very much.
Theres been one very interesting shift in the way the Russians frame the Iran problem. They used to treat it as a case of unwarranted U.S. pressure on Russia to do something. Now they treat it as a case where Iran has obligations to other countries— including Russia— that it hasnt met. Once the issue gets re-defined in this way, Putin has more room to turn against the Iranians without looking like a tool of the Americans.
Can the United States expect much Russian cooperation on stopping the North Korean nuclear weapon threat?
The Russians have handled the North Korean issue in much the same way as the Iran issue. Their public line has been tough— telling Pyongyang that it mustnt go ahead with nuclear weapons. But as with Iran, the Russians have been far less strong and far less clear about what would happen if North Korea continues to defy the rest of the world.
Now the Russians probably tell themselves that they dont have a lot of leverage over North Korea, and thats true enough. But thats not the only reason that their policy matters. If the Russians take a tough line on this issue, itll put more pressure on China to do the same thing and thereby guarantee that the North Koreans face a united phalanx of the great powers.
What are the main domestic problems facing Putin?
Let me go back again to where we were two years ago. At that time, Putin was seen— both here and in Russia— as having made a move toward the West that had implications far beyond foreign policy. It meant he understood Russia had to become a truly Western country. Today, those expectations seem at a minimum premature, and maybe naïve. Russia is clearly further from Western democratic norms than it was two years ago, or at the start of his presidential term [he took office when Boris Yeltsin stepped down on December 31, 1999]. His first term in office, which ends next March, has been marked by a rollback of press freedom. Its been marked by the growing domination of the Russian regime by members of the military and intelligence establishments. Putin himself is, of course, a KGB alumnus, and he seems to have decided that his fellow alumni are the best pool of people to draw from in running the Russian bureaucracy and even filling the ranks of electoral politicians. Now who are these people and how do they see their place in Russian politics? They share, I believe, an incredible corporate arrogance, a conviction that they are the most— maybe, the only— qualified people to deal with the practical problems of running the country, and they can do it the way they want. They also seem to believe that they havent benefited as much as they might like from the transformation of the Russian economy.
You mean they want a cut?
Exactly. Not to reverse privatization, but to share in it. Most analysts in Russia will tell you that the KGB folks around Putin feel that they havent gotten as much as they deserve of the new wealth created since Russia became a market economy. And thats how many of these same analysts explain the confrontation we now see between the new business elite and the old intelligence elite.
So the reason for the arrest of Platon Lebedev— the chairman of Menatep, the financial group that owns most of Yukos, the largest and fastest growing oil company in Russia— was to shake him down? What was he charged with?
So far its unclear exactly what Lebedev will be charged with. He is being investigated for the alleged embezzlement of state assets— to the tune of a couple hundred million dollars— in the 1990s. But hes almost surely not the real target of the pressure being put on him. The real target— perhaps not the only one— is Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, the chairman of Yukos and someone who is seen by Putins entourage as having violated the ground rules that Putin established when he took office for good behavior by the oligarchs in the business elite. At the time, Putin told the oligarchs they were free to make money but they shouldnt interfere in politics. Khodorkovsky has funded opposition political parties— he claims to have done so with the explicit assent of the Kremlin— and has even hinted that he may have political ambitions of his own.
What about the KGB cadres who want a greater share of the wealth— is that pure corruption?
As opposed to impure? Its a good part of the way the Russian bureaucracy does business.
Do they get kickbacks?
Yes. But its not just cash. More interesting than mere bribery— the selling of jobs or the buying of favorable policies— is the expectation of government people that their position enables them to claim a share of the wealth of private business.
How do they do that? Do they get shares of stock?
Under-the-table arrangements that allow government officials in invisible ways to become part owners of big business.
So Russian bureaucrats constitute a kind of official mafia?
Thats certainly what the political opposition claims. They say that Putin, having promised almost four years ago to deliver a dictatorship of law, has perpetuated and deepened a corrupt relationship between business and the upper echelons of political power. Its ironic: when people first heard this phrase, the fear of many was that the enforcement of the law might be too rough. Now the complaint is that the law simply isnt involved at all.
Does Putin have his own political party?
Its a kind of tradition in post-Communist Russia that the president not be the leader of a political party. But over the past dozen years there has always been a party, known informally as the party of power, that was seen to be favored by the Kremlin and to represent its political agenda in parliament. In the early 1990s, this was the role of the party of Yegor Gaidar, the leading reformer of the time; subsequently, it was true of the party of Viktor Chernomyrdin, the prime minister in the mid-to-late 90s. Today the party of power goes by the name of United Russia. It is essentially a party of office holders, regional officials, and some business figures. It tries to trade on its position as the favorite of the Kremlin to gain votes and bestow favors.
Is it popular with the voters?
Right now, United Russia looks as though it will disappoint those who thought it might put the Communists out of business in [parliamentary] elections [to be held in December] and score a really sweeping victory. But it still has a chance of finishing first, possibly second behind the Communists. Polls show it going back and forth, trading the lead with the Communists, each of them getting support in the mid-20 percent range.
Isnt it remarkable that the Communists can still win races?
They have managed to hold on, but they dont seem able to add to their electorate. The Communists are still mostly the party of older people. You find few Communist voters who are in their early 20s. Russias economic boom doesnt help the Communists either: it hasnt by any means benefited everyone, but it has created a spreading feeling of well-being, a sense that the country at last may be moving in the right direction.
What is the current makeup of the Duma?
Putin has a strong position in the current Duma. The predecessor of United Russia did well in the last elections, coming from almost nowhere in the fall of 1999 and capitalizing on Putins sudden popularity in the successful early phases of the Chechen war, which had just broken out again. Then it linked up with a number of other parties in the Duma. Right now, Putins position in parliament is so strong that many commentators treat the Duma as a spent force in Russian politics.
So Putin is likely to do well in the parliamentary elections and to be re-elected to another term as president in March?
I dont know anyone who thinks Putin will not be re-elected. In fact, most Russian political discussion is about 2008 and who will succeed him then. The reason its not considered too early to talk about that election is that many people argue it will be decided behind closed doors, in the Byzantine maneuverings of oligarchs and KGB types that are already under way.
Are there electoral issues— the war in Chechnya, for example— that will hurt Putin?
Its probably a small drag on his popularity. Polls show fewer people believe Putins Chechen policies are working, but it seems the issues voters care most about are the economy, corruption, and a lack of confidence in the integrity of political leaders and the political process. I think the word that shows up most among voter complaints is poverty. Whats interesting, however, is that this doesnt seem to make for a large or growing protest vote. It would probably be healthier for Russian politics and Russian policy if Putin and his colleagues did have to worry that people were going to bring these frustrations into the polling booth.


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Brussels – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates bluntly criticized NATO nations on Friday for what he said were shortages in military spending and political will, warning of "a dim if not dismal future" unless more member nations scaled up their participation in the alliance's activities.
NATO has struggled for a generation to define its place in a post-cold war world, and its member nations have frequently quarreled about the scope of the alliance's commitments and their individual responsibilities.
With little indication of any change in policy among the more reluctant member nations — notably Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Turkey — Mr. Gates's harsh words seemed likely to increase pressure on an alliance already deeply strained by differences over sharing the burden in Libya and Afghanistan.
Perhaps most significantly, Mr. Gates issued a dire warning that the United States, the traditional leader and bankroller of the alliance, is exhausted by a decade of war and and its own mounting budget deficits, and simply may not see NATO as worth supporting any longer.
"The blunt reality is that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the U.S. Congress — and in the American body politic writ large — to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense," Mr. Gates said.
Mr. Gates complained of what he called a "two-tiered" membership structure, "between those willing and able to pay the price and bear the burdens of commitments, and those who enjoy the benefits of NATO membership but don't want to share the risks and the costs." He added that some NATO partners are "apparently willing and eager for American taxpayers to assume the growing security burden left by reductions in European defense budgets."
He criticized NATO nations for failing to meet their commitments in Afghanistan — or for imposing sweeping restrictions on those forces they do send — which he said hobbled the effort.
And despite NATO's decision to take command of the air war in Libya, the alliance is running out of bombs after just 11 weeks, he said. The operation would fall apart without a continued large infusion of American support, Mr. Gates added, since other NATO nations have not invested in the weapons required to carry out lengthy combat operations.
While Mr. Gates made his case Friday in strong language, his complaints were not entirely new. Last year he warned of the dangers of the "demilitarization of Europe," and there are long-standing American frustrations at the discrepancy of military capabilities and spending on the two sides of the Atlantic.
That theme has been echoed by NATO's Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who has called on European allies to spend more on "smart defense" by pooling resources and cooperating more effectively.
"There is clearly a longstanding concern about the transatlantic gap in defense," said Oana Lungescu, NATO spokesman when asked Friday about Mr. Gates's comments. "There is a risk that European allies may fall further behind in terms of technological development because of low levels of defense spending."
Mr. Gates has spent his final weeks before retirement speaking forthrightly on issues that ranged from preserving Pentagon spending to sustaining combat forces in Afghanistan. But his address on Friday to the Security and Defense Agenda, a Brussels policy center, was among the most pointed and challenging ever delivered by the former C.I.A. director who has served eight presidents of both political parties.
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Despite signs of real progress in Afghanistan, the mission has been weakened by "the inability of many allies to meet agreed upon commitments," Mr. Gates said. The war effort also has been hobbled by "national 'caveats' that tied the hands of allied commanders in sometimes infuriating ways," he added.
The defense secretary was even harsher in his critique of NATO's command of the Libya operation. After an initial bombing campaign run by the Americans, the alliance took over the air war and Mr. Gates warned that NATO may not be up to the task.
"The mightiest military alliance in history is only 11 weeks into an operation against a poorly armed regime in a sparsely populated country — yet many allies are beginning to run short of munitions, requiring the U.S., once more, to make up the difference," Mr. Gates said.
While the Libya war was unanimously endorsed by NATO nations, less than half are participating, and less than a third are carrying out strike missions.
"Frankly, many of those allies sitting on the sidelines do so not because they do not want to participate, but simply because they can't," Mr. Gates said. "The military capabilities simply aren't there."
The Libya operation has proven the alliance is desperately short of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as aerial refueling planes — all are crucial to modern combat. The United States still is supplying the largest share of all of those to the NATO effort, even thought it pulled most of its strike aircraft out of the operation.
Mr. Gates said the problem has been lack of military investment on the part of too many NATO nations. "For all but a handful of allies, defense budgets — in absolute terms, as a share of economic output — have been chronically starved for adequate funding for a long time, with the shortfalls compounding on themselves each year," he said.
Mr. Gates did offer a prescription. "Looking ahead, to avoid the very real possibility of collective military irrelevance, member nations must examine new approaches to boosting combat capabilities — in procurement, in training, in logistics, in sustainment," he said.
Stephen Castle contributed reporting.
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Tag Archives: American Ghetto Portugal.The Man review
"American Ghetto" by Portugal. The Man – Album Review and Stream
Listening to "American Ghetto," the brain categorizes sounds and rhythms heard by referencing them against other bands and sounds heard before, but it isn't long before it's apparent that nothing quite fits for Portugal. The Man. Because the band creates an intriguing blend of snyth-laden ambience, delicate vocals, beautiful harmonies, and inspiring lyrics that pull […]More
Sandra B. Olinger |


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An official website of the United States government
FOR DATA ONLY: (202) 691-5200 USDL 08-1712 FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN Thaddious S. Foster: (202) 691-6443 THIS RELEASE IS EMBARGOED MEDIA CONTACT: (202) 691-5902 UNTIL 8:30 A.M. (EST), TUESDAY, http://www.bls.gov/ppi NOVEMBER 18, 2008 REPORT ON QUALITY CHANGES FOR 2009 MODEL VEHICLES Passenger Cars The value of quality changes for a sample of nine 2009 model year domestically produced passenger cars included in the Producer Price Index (PPI) for October averaged $170.08, according to estimates by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor. This change represents 14.55 percent of the average $1,168.77 increase in manufacturers' invoice prices for this year's models as compared with last year's models. The retail equivalent value of these quality changes averaged $185.18, representing 14.08 percent of the average $1,315.63 over-the-year increase in manufacturers' suggested list prices. Light Trucks The value of quality changes for a sample of seventeen 2009 model year domestically produced light trucks included in the PPI for October averaged $675.41. This change represents 40.65 percent of the average $1,661.73 increase in manufacturers' invoice prices for this year's models as compared with last year's models. The retail equivalent value of quality changes for domestically produced light trucks averaged $746.38, representing 39.48 percent of the average $1,890.41 over-the-year increase in manufacturers' suggested list prices. ******** Estimates of the value of quality change are based on a review by the BLS of data supplied by producers for similarly equipped 2008 and 2009 domestically produced models priced for the Producer Price Index. Most of the estimates of quality changes in this release are derived from information supplied for the Producer Price Index for October. These data also form the basis of some of the new vehicle quality adjustments for the Consumer Price Index (CPI). However, it should be noted that, effective with the release of data for January 1999, changes made solely for the purpose of meeting air pollution standards are no longer considered quality improvements for CPI calculation purposes.


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- Poland
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Akram Khan, a mesmerizing dancer, has recently captivated the attention of both the media and fans. This comprehensive profile aims to provide meticulous insights into Akram Khan's a professional journey, relationship status, presence on Wikipedia, biography, net worth, achievements, and other pertinent aspects of their life.
Who is Akram Khan?
Akram Khan, a celebrated dancer and esteemed Instagram influencer, has garnered widespread recognition and amassed a devoted following on social media. Influencers of this stature, like Akram Khan, often generate income through various avenues, including brand endorsements, affiliate marketing, and sponsored content on their social media channels.
Akram Khan
July 29, 1974
48 years old
Birth Sign
Award-winning English contemporary dancer who performed at the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony. In 2006 he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production for Zero Degrees.. Akram Khan's magnetic presence on social media opened numerous doors.
Akram Khan ventured into the realm of social media, utilizing platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, where they quickly established a dedicated community of followers.
Throughout their career, Akram Khan has achieved several remarkable milestones. They have experienced notable growth in their influence, which has resulted in numerous collaborations with well-known brands and lucrative sponsorship opportunities for Akram Khan.
Akram Khan demonstrates a relentless passion for progress and advancement, evident in their aspirations to pursue upcoming projects, collaborations, and initiatives. Supporters and followers can eagerly anticipate Akram Khan's enduring presence in the digital sphere and beyond, as they embark on exciting new ventures in the days to come.
Akram Khan has embarked on a remarkable journey, transitioning from a social media enthusiast to a prominent and influential figure in the industry. With a promising future ahead, we eagerly anticipate the captivating ventures and endeavors that Akram Khan has in store for their devoted followers and the global audience.
When Akram Khan is not captivating audiences on social media, they wholeheartedly engage in a diverse range of hobbies and interests. These pursuits not only offer moments of relaxation and rejuvenation but also provide valuable perspectives and inspiration that enrich their work.
How old is Akram Khan?
Akram Khan is 48 years old, born on July 29, 1974.
In the ever-changing landscape of social media, characterized by constant evolution, Akram Khan has demonstrated remarkable adaptability. By staying informed about emerging trends, exploring new platforms, and continuously refining their content strategy, Akram Khan not only maintains a strong presence in the industry but also ensures long-lasting success.
Relationship Status and Personal Life
As of now, there is limited information available regarding the relationship status of Akram Khan. However, we are committed to keeping this article up to date with any new developments that may arise, ensuring that our readers remain informed.
Throughout Akram Khan's path to success, they encountered and overcame numerous challenges. By openly sharing their experiences with these obstacles, Akram Khan's resilience and perseverance have become a source of inspiration for countless followers. Their story serves as a powerful encouragement for others to pursue their dreams relentlessly, undeterred by the challenges they may encounter on their own journeys.
How Rich is Akram Khan?
The estimated Net Worth of Akram Khan is between $2 Million USD to $4 Million USD.
By engaging in collaborations with a diverse array of influencers, celebrities, and brands, Akram Khan has significantly expanded their reach and influence. These collaborative efforts have led to various projects, such as the creation of clothing lines, hosting events, or developing joint content. These initiatives not only enhance Akram Khan's public image but also create fresh avenues for growth and achievement.
Recognizing the significance of guidance and support, Akram Khan generously imparts valuable insights and personal experiences to aspiring social media influencers. Through mentorship and advice, Akram Khan actively contributes to the advancement of the industry, fostering a sense of community and camaraderie among fellow creators.
Beyond their flourishing social media career, Akram Khan exemplifies a deep dedication to giving back. Engaging actively in diverse philanthropic endeavors, they demonstrate a profound passion for creating a positive and meaningful impact in the world.
Akram Khan FAQ
How old is Akram Khan?
Akram Khan is 48 years old.
What is Akram Khan BirthSign?
When is Akram Khan Birthday?
July 29, 1974
Where Akram Khan Born?


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28 Followers
22 Following
Decent black tea
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to leave a comment.
I love tea. Some say I'm obsessed.
I don't drink green tea and I don't like iced tea. I also drink my tea naked with the exception of Earl Grey which gets just a bit of milk (not cream) and sugar.
I'm open to swapping tea! :-)
The Frozen North


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Sorry, there are no Victoria Justice dates.
Victoria Justice's star continues to rise. The 19 year-old, originally from Hollywood, FL is the star of her own hit Nickelodeon series Victorious and recently completed filming a Paramount feature film due for release in 2012. On top of that she is a budding sensation in both music and fashion worlds alike. In her Nickelodeon series, Victoria plays the musically talented "Tori Vega," who unexpectedly finds herself navigating life as a student at "Hollywood Arts High," an elite performing arts high school.
Victoria's vocal talents are showcased on Victorious, the first official soundtrack from the series. The rest of the cast accompanies Victoria on the 10 original and infectious pop tunes.
A number of the songs have already turned into bonafide smashes, including the driving "Freak the Freak Out," which has sold more than 600,000 copies on iTunes. Other hit singles off the record include "Beggin' On Your Knees," "Best Friend's Brother," and the shows theme song "Make it Shine," which was co-written and produced by Dr. Luke. Combined the album's first four singles have surpassed 1.8 million total digital downloads on iTunes to date.
The Victorious soundtrack was released in August and debuted at #5 on the Top 200 charts and #2 on the Pop Charts in it's first week.
Victoria, who's been profiled on top entertainment shows such as "Nightline" and declared the new "It" Girl by no less than Perez Hilton, has come a long way from singing along to Barney's "I Love You" theme song as a tot growing up in Hollywood, Fl.
The Seventeen Magazine cover girl started appearing in commercials when she was eight. "I was always comfortable in front of a camera and loved comedy. I wanted to give acting a try, so mom brought me out to L.A. for the summer because she knew that I would love it," Victoria says. "She has always believed in me and supported me in pursuing my career."
"Zoey 101" creator Schneider casted a 12-year old Victoria as Lola Martinez, but by the time "Zoey" ended its run in 2008, it was clear that she was ready for her close up. Schneider created "Victorious" for Victoria and Tori is a role she relishes.
Victoria has been nominated for Teen Choice and Kids' Choice Awards, an NAACP Image Award, an ALMA award, as well as an Imagen Foundation Award.
The busy starlet recently wrapped filming on her first ever lead in a feature film entitled "Fun Size," alongside Chelsea Handler and Johnny Knoxville. She plays a teenager who loses her little brother when they go trick-or-treating in the comedy directed by Josh Schwartz. The film is due out in the fall of 2012.
Victoria is currently working on a new solo album and is currently filming season 3 of her hit TV series Victorious.


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OBVERSE OF THE LUNAR HORSE COIN. 10x 31.1 GRAMMS. STRAIGHT FROM TUBE IN A NEW CAPSULE. UK BUYERS ONLY PLEASE. The item "10x 2014 BRITANNIA MULE SOLID SILVER BULLION COIN WITH LUNAR HORSE OBVERSE £2 4″ is in sale since Sunday, June 21, 2020. This item is in the category "Coins\Bullion/Bars\Silver Bullion\Coins". The seller is "tamworthsilver" and is located in Tamworth. This item can be shipped to United Kingdom.
- Year: 2014
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
- Fineness: 0.999
- Coin: UK Britannia


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Innovation: The key to the survival of the oil and gas industry
Bart Cornelissen, Monitor Deloitte strategy partner and EMEA Oil & Gas Consulting Leader
There is agreement among oil and gas executives that innovation matters. Yet a Monitor Deloitte study examined how oil and gas companies are adopting innovation and found that executives are spending progressively less on research and development. Read more of this LinkedIn blog post …


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A woman in an exclusive San Diego neighborhood awoke Friday to a stranger showering in her bathroom, police said.
San Diego police detained a man a few feet from the home on Palo Verde Terrace, overlooking Interstate 8 and Fairmount Avenue.
The home is about a mile into a gated community off Mesquite Road and Yerba Santa Drive.
The woman called 911 just after 5 a.m. reporting that she woke up when she heard someone showering.
She didn't know the man and called police. The man eventually left on his own, officials said.
He was described as in his 30's wearing no shirt and blue shorts with a backpack.
Within a few minutes, police arrived and arrested the man a few feet from the home.
He was identified as 42-year-old Allan Kosenback.
San Diego police officers said he accessed the home through an open door.
When they stopped him outside the home, Kosenback had the resident's towel in his backpack, police said.
Neighbors said it's unnerving to hear of something like this happening in their community.
"Of course, it's very startling. I live in a gated community. You would hope that someone just can't walk into the neighborhood," resident Norman Greene said.
Visitor Scott Hoover said the incident would be disturbing for anyone.
"I would obviously be upset if someone violated your premises," Hoover said.
Kosenback was taken to County Mental Health. Police do not anticipate charging Kosenback in the incident.
No one was injured.