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The Prime Minister of Pakistan is the Head of Government of Pakistan. The prime minister is elected by the National Assembly. Members of the National Assembly are elected by popular vote. The National Assembly then elects a Prime Minister for a five year term. Most commonly, the leader of the party or coalition with the most votes becomes the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is responsible for appointing a cabinet. The President has the constitutional reserve power to remove the Prime Minister, through a dissolution of the National Assembly, triggering new elections. The Seventeenth Amendment imposed a check on this power, making it subject to Supreme Court approval or veto.
The office of Prime Minister did not exist during three periods of Pakistan's history, a circumstance different from a vacancy in the office, as a result of the dismissal of an individual Prime Minister by the President. In the first two cases, Pakistan had no Prime Minister from October 7, 1958 until July 3, 1972, and from July 5, 1977 until March 24, 1985 — periods of martial law. During these periods, the President, who was the chief martial law administrator, effectively had the powers of Prime Minister as the head of government, without the title of Prime Minister. In the third case, after Pervez Musharraf's coup, Pakistan did not have a Prime Minister from October 12, 1999 to November 20, 2002. During this time, Musharraf, holding the office of Chief Executive, was effectively the Head of Government.
Shaukat Aziz is the current Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was elected by the National Assembly on August 28, 2004, by a vote of 191 to 151 in the National Assembly.
The office of Prime Minister was created when Pakistan gained independence in 1947. Originally, the Prime Minister was given executive powers, which were later reduced as the power of the Governor-General grew. The office was discontinued in 1958 and revived in 1973. The power of the Prime Minister's office peaked in the late 1990s, with the removal of institutional check and balances, and the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment and Fourteenth Amendments.
The first Prime Minister of Pakistan was Liaquat Ali Khan who was appointed to the position by the first Governor-General, Muhammmad Ali Jinnah. The office of Prime Minister continued until 1958. Many Prime Ministers were removed by the Head of State. In 1958 martial law was declared by Iskander Mirza, and the office of Prime Minister essentially disappeared until 1973. In 1973 a new constitution was written giving the Prime Minister executive power once again, and making Pakistan a Parliamentary system. The architect of that constitution, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, became the Prime Minister.
However, Bhutto was overthrown in 1977, and martial law declared again, with the office of Prime Minister being suspended until 1985 when Muhammad Khan Junejo was appointed by the newly elected National Assembly. This election also brought the eighth amendment to the 1973 constitution, and gave the President powers that balanced those of the Prime Minister. The President was now able to dismiss the Prime Minister and the National Assembly (effectively calling for new elections) without prior consultation with the Prime Minister.
In 1988, Benazir Bhutto was elected as Prime Minister, becoming the first female head of government to be democratically elected in a Muslim country.
From 1990 onwards, the offices of President and Prime Minister would clash, with the President dissolving the National Assembly, and thus dismissing the Prime Minister a total of three times until 1996, with new elections each time. After the coup of Pervez Musharraf in 1999, Musharraf assumed the role of Chief Executive, and was the sole leader of Pakistan. In October 2002, general elections were held, with no party gaining a majority of the popular vote or National Assembly of Pakistan. A new Prime Minister was appointed after much political wrangling, Zafarullah Khan Jamali of the PML-Q, a pro-Musharraf political party.
In December 2003, the National Assembly passed the Seventeenth Amendment, partially restoring the power of the President to dissolve the National Assembly (and thus dismiss the Prime Minister), but making the dissolution subject to Supreme Court approval.
Jamali resigned on June 26, 2004. Interim prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain nominated the Finance minister, former Citibank Vice-President Shaukat Aziz, to the post. Aziz was elected Prime Minister on August 28, 2004, by a vote of 191 to 151 in the National Assembly.
Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan (October 1, 1896 – October 16, 1951) was the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was born in Karnal, India, studied law at the University of Oxford, and was admitted to the English bar in 1922. Returning to India, he joined the All-India Muslim League in 1923 and was elected to the legislative council of the United Provinces. In 1936 he became secretary-general of the league and the chief aide to its founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. As such, he was the principal architect of the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan in 1947. An obvious choice for prime minister, he guided the country through its first difficult years. He was assassinated in October 1951 under circumstances never fully explained.
Khawaja Nazimuddin (July 19, 1894 - 1964) was the second Governor-General of Pakistan, and later the second Prime Minister of Pakistan as well. He was born in Dacca, Bengal (now Dhaka, Bangladesh) into the family of the Nawabs of Dhaka. He received his education from Dunstable Grammar School in England, then Aligarh Muslim University, and later Trinity Hall, Cambridge until the mid-1930s.
After returning to India, he became involved in politics in his native Bengal. Nazimuddin was initially the Education Minister, but climbed the ranks to become the Chief Minister of the province prior to independence. Nazimuddin also became the head of the Muslim League in Eastern India. Upon the formation of Pakistan, he became an important part of the early government. After the early death of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Nazimuddin succeeded him as the Governor-General of Pakistan. At this point in time, the position was largely ceremonial, and executive power rested with the Prime Minister. The first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated in 1951, and Nazimuddin stepped in to replace him.
During Nazimuddin's time as Prime Minister, Pakistan saw a growing rift within the Muslim League, especially between Punjabi and Bengali groups, as those were the two largest ethnic groups of Pakistan, but were separated by India. On 21 February 1952, a demonstration in the Language movement demanding equal and official status to Bangla language turned bloody, with many fatalities caused by police firings. During his reign, a framework was begun for a constitution that would allow Pakistan to become a republic, and end its Dominion status. Progress was made, but Nazimuddin's time as Prime Minister would be cut short in 1953. In 1953, a religious movement began to agitate for the removal of the Ahmadi religious minority from power positions, and demanded a declaration of this minority as non-Muslims. Nazimuddin resisted such pressures; but riots broke out in The Punjab against both the government and followers of this religious minority. Nazimuddin responded by changing the governor of that province to Feroz Khan Noon, but the decision came late.
Ghulam Muhammad, the Governor-General, asked the Prime Minister to step down. Khawaja Nazimuddin refused, but Ghulam Muhammad got his way by invoking a reserve power that allowed him to dismiss the Prime Minister. The Chief Justice, Muhammad Munir, of the "Federal Court of Pakistan" (now named as the Supreme Court of Pakistan), did not rule on the legality of the dismissal, but instead forced new elections. The new prime-minister was another Bengali born statesman, Muhammad Ali Bogra. The dismissal of Nazimuddin, the Prime Minister, by the Governor-General, Muhammad, signaled a troubling trend in Pakistani political history. The Nazimabad and North Nazimabad suburbs of Karachi and Nazimuddin Road of Dhaka have been named in honor of Khawaja Nazimuddin. He was buried at Suhrawardy Udyan of his hometown Dhaka
Muhammad Ali Bogra (1909 - 1963) was a Pakistani statesman of Bengali origin, who served as Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1953 until 1955. Born at Bogra to a family descended from the Nawabs of Bengal, he attended the University of Calcutta and followed his education with a career in politics. In 1937 he began to receive prominence when he was elected to the assembly of Bengal. He would move up within the government of Bengal, serving under Khawaja Nazimuddin as the Health Minister.
Upon the formation of Pakistan in 1947, Bogra was put into the foreign service, and served in Burma, Canada, and eventually as ambassador to the United States. In 1953, he was selected by Governor General of Pakistan Ghulam Muhammad to replace Khawaja Nazimuddin as the Prime Minister.Bogra was a relatively unknown personality to the national political scene of that time. He was serving as Ambassador to the US when he was recalled to take the office of Prime Minister. As Prime Minister, he set out to form a constitution.
In order to complete this, he outlined his famous "Bogra Formula" that sought to form a bicameral legislature. An Upper House would have contained 50 seats, 10 from each province, i.e. with 10 from East Pakistan and 40 from West Pakistan. A Lower House would have contained 300 seats. The lower house seats would be determined by population of province, and East Pakistan would have 165 seats, while the four provinces of West Pakistan would have a combined 135 seats, but would be split among the provinces. A provision was also put in place that stated that if the President of Pakistan were from West Pakistan, then the Prime Minister would have to be from East Pakistan, and vice-versa. The plan was very popular, but was killed when Ghulam Muhammad dissolved the Pakistani Assembly later in 1953.
Bogra was forced to resign in 1955 by the new Governor General, Iskander Mirza. He returned to his post as ambassador to the United States. In 1962 he became the foreign minister of Pakistan, until his death in 1963. He was buried in his hometown of Bogra at present days Bangladesh.
Chaudhry Muhammad Ali (July 15, 1905 - December 2, 1980) was a Pakistani statesman who served as Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1955 to 1956. Born in Jalandhar, he completed his education at Punjab University. Afterwards, he began working in the financial sector of Indian government, and was also one of the highest ranking Muslim civil servants in the British Raj.
Upon the formation of Pakistan, Ali was made the Secretary General of the new nation and was instrumental to setting up a budget for the fledgling nation. In 1951 he was promoted to Finance Minister. Four years later, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali was made Prime Minister by Governor General of Pakistan Iskander Mirza in 1955, after the removal of Muhammad Ali Bogra. While Prime Minister, Ali's greatest achievement was the formation of a new constitution for Pakistan, one that made it a republic in 1956. The constitution was extremely popular across Pakistan, and intended to mix democracy and Islam.
Despite this success, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali failed at healing rifts within his political party, the Muslim League. Splits within the party led to the formation of a new party, the Republican party. The new party claimed to hold the majority of seats in the National Assembly, while the Muslim League contested this and tried to have Ali check the Republican Party. Despite the demands of his own party, Ali would refuse claiming that as Prime Minister, the interests of the nation, and not of his party were primary to him. As the situation deteriorated, he resigned from both the position of Prime Minister, and from the Muslim League. Chaudhry Muhammad Ali died in 1980.
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy (September 8, 1892 - December 5, 1963) was a politician from Bengal in undivided India, and later in East Pakistan, who served as Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1956 until 1957. He is also known for his controversial role in the Direct Action Day of August 16, 1946. Following riots in Bengal during the last days of India's freedom struggle, he was considered a favourite of Muhammad Ali Jinnah who spoke well of him. He is also considered as the first populist leader in Pakistan's history.He is the founder of Awami League, one of the two major political parties of present day's Bangladesh.
Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar (commonly known as I. I. Chundrigar) was Prime Minister of Pakistan for approximately 2 months from October 17, 1957 to December 16, 1957. Chundrigar was born in 1897, and educated at Bombay University. He first came to prominence in 1946, when Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, was asked to nominate several members of Muslim League for the interim government of India under the transfer of power from British rule to independece.
Chundrigar was appointed Minister for Trade and Commerce in the first cabinet of independent Pakistan in 1947. He later served as ambassador to Afghanistan, governor of the North West Frontier Province, governor of West Punjab, and Minister for Law.
After merely a year, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy resigned from his Premiership in October 1957. His resignation came as a result of the President's refusal to convene a meeting of the Parliament to seek a vote of confidence. President Iskander Mirza appointed I. I. Chundrigar as the interim Prime Minister. Being a nominated Prime Minister, Chundrigar held a weak position from the very beginning. He headed a coalition government including the Krishak Sramik Party, Nizam-i-Islam Party, the Muslim League and the Republican Party. The Muslim League had agreed to form a coalition government with the Republican Party on the condition that by amending the Electoral Act, the principle of separate electorate would be implemented in the country. After the formation of the Cabinet, Ministers from East Pakistan and the Republican Party started opposing the proposed amendments. The Republican Party opposed the amendment as it wanted to gain advantage over its political opponent, the Muslim League.
Iskander Mirza exploited the differences between the parties and thus made Chundrigar an easy victim as he remained Prime Minister for only two months and therefore could not give any practical shape to his program.
Malik Sir Feroz Khan Noon (1893-1970) was a politician from Pakistan. He was educated at Oxford University and belonged to one of the most influential landowning families of the Punjab. He held many posts in government both before and after the independence and was an important figure in the Pakistan movement. He was the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom from 1936 to 1941, and in 1947 he was sent as Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's special envoy to some countries of the Muslim world. This one-man delegation was the first official mission sent abroad by the Pakistani government. The aim of the mission was to introduce Pakistan, to explain the reasons of its creation, to familiarize the Muslim countries with its internal problems, and to get moral and financial support.
Noon was Chief Minister of the Punjab province from 1953 to 1956, after which he became Foreign Minister of Pakistan until 1957. On December 16, 1957 he was elected as the seventh Prime Minister of Pakistan. He held this post until October 7, 1958, when martial law was enforced for the first time in Pakistan's history by the Governor General Iskander Mirza. Apart from politics, Noon wrote five books, including his autobiography from memory.
Noon died on December 9, 1970 in his ancestral village of Nurpur Noon, near Sargodha. He was married twice. His wife, Viqar-un-Nisa Noon, was a social worker. Though not originally from Pakistan, spent her entire life working for the betterment of the people of Pakistan.
Nurul Amin (July 15, 1893 - October 2, 1974) a prominent Bengali leader of the Muslim League, served as Chief Minister of East Pakistan, Prime Minister and Vice President of Pakistan. Nurul Amin was elected as the Chief Minister of East Pakistan in September 1948 when Khawaja Nazimuddin was appointed Governor General on the death of Quaid i Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
In the 1954 elections, the Muslim League was comprehensively defeated by the United Front, an alliance between the Awami League led by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, the Krishak Sramik Party of Moulvi A. K. Fazlul Huq, the Nizam i Islam Party of Maulana Athar Ali and the Ganatantri Dal led by Haji Muhammad Danish and Mahmud Ali Sylheti. Even Nurul Amin lost his assembly seat, and the Muslim League was effectively eliminated from the provincial political landscape. In the 1970 elections, Nurul Amin was elected to the National Assembly as one of only two non-Awami League members. Following the declaration of war between India and Pakistan in December 1971, Nurul Amin was appointed Prime Minister by President General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan on December 6, 1971.
However on December 20, 1971 Yahya Khan resigned. and the Deputy Prime Minister (and Foreign Minister) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sworn in as the new President. Two days later, Nurul Amin was appointed as Vice President of Pakistan, the only person to have held this post. He continued to hold this post until the lifting of martial law on April 21, 1972.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (January 5, 1928 – April 4, 1979) was a Pakistani politician who served as the President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973 and as the Prime Minister from 1973 to 1977. He was the founder of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which is one of the largest political parties in Pakistan. His daughter Benazir Bhutto has also served twice as prime minister. Bhutto is often addressed as the Quaid-e-Awam (Leader of the People).
Born in a wealthy and influential family, Bhutto became one of the youngest politicians in Pakistan when he entered the government led by President Ayub Khan. Bhutto rose quickly in power, serving as foreign minister and a close advisor to Ayub Khan during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Falling out with Ayub after the war, Bhutto founded the Pakistan People's Party, which won a majority of seats from West Pakistan in 1970. Bhutto refused to accept the victory of the Awami League, leading to a political and sectarian crisis. After the Bangladesh Liberation War, Bhutto took over as president and the first civilian Chief martial law administrator of Pakistan. In this capacity, he negotiated the Shimla Agreement with Indian leader Indira Gandhi to establish peace.
Under Bhutto, Pakistan adopted a new constitution. Transferring to the post of prime minister, Bhutto nationalised many industries. Pioneering Islamic socialism in Pakistan, he undertook land redistribution and other socialist policies. Bhutto also ordered the Pakistan Army to suppress the insurgency in Balochistan and suppressed a military coup attempt in 1973. However, Bhutto became increasingly unpopular over allegations of corruption and suppression of political opponents. The boycott of the 1977 elections by opposition parties created a political crisis that ended when Bhutto was deposed by the army chief Gen. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. Despite a controversial trial and protests, he was executed
Muhammad Khan Junejo (born August 18, 1932 – died March 16, 1993) was 8th Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was born at Sindhri in Tharparkar of Sindh. After completing his senior Cambridge, he went to UK for a diploma in Agriculture. Junejo started his political career at the age of twenty one. In 1962, he was elected Member Provincial Assembly, West Pakistan from Sanghar. He was appointed Minister in the West Pakistan cabinet in July 1963 and held the portfolios of Health, Basic Democracies and Local Government, Works, Communications and Railways.
After partyless polls were held for the national and provincial assemblies in 1985, Muhammad Khan Junejo was appointed Prime Minister by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. To his credit, Junejo had stood up to Zia on several issues during his term as prime minister, including the issue of the signing of the Geneva Accords to end the fighting in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan. Zia didn't want Pakistan to sign the accords until after the Soviet troops withdrew from Afghanistan but Junejo had instructed his minister of state for foreign affairs to sign them anyway.
Zia was furious, but had bided his time before moving against Junejo. That time came soon after the Ojhri Camp blasts of April 1988. The Ojhri Camp ordinance depot in Rawalpindi was being used to supply US-financed arms and ammunition to the Afghan mujahideen to fight the Soviets. The government ordered an inquiry into the blasts. Junejo made a statement in the National Assembly promising to place the findings of the inquiry before the House. That was the last straw as far as Zia was concerned, and Junejo was dismissed on May 29, 1988 by the President using discretionary powers given under the 8th amendment. All Assemblies were immediately dissolved, and mostly military cabinet members (such as General Rahimuddin Khan) were called to form an interim government. Muhammad Khan Junejo was elected member of the National Assembly in 1990, and died of a serious illness in 1993.
Benazir Bhutto, the eldest child of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, was born on June 21, 1953, at Karachi. She attended Lady Jennings Nursery School and then Convent of Jesus and Mary in Karachi. After two years of schooling at the Rawalpindi Presentation Convent, she was sent to the Jesus and Mary Convent at Murree. She passed her O-level examination at the age of 15. In April 1969, she got admission in the U. S. at Harvard University's Radcliffe College. In June 1973, Benazir graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Political Science. After graduating from Harvard, Benazir joined Oxford University in the fall of 1973. Just before graduation, Benazir was elected to the Standing Committee of the most prestigious Oxford Union Debating Society.
In 1976, she graduated in P. P. E. (Politics, Philosophy and Economics). In the autumn of 1976, Benazir returned once again to Oxford to do a one-year postgraduate course. In January 1977, she was elected the President of the Oxford Union. Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan in June 1977. She wanted to join the Foreign Service but her father wanted her to contest the Assembly election. As she was not yet of age, Benazir Bhutto assisted her father as an advisor.
At the age of 35, she was the youngest and the first woman Prime Minister to lead a Muslim nation in modern age. During her first term, she started Peoples Program for economic uplift of the masses. Benazir Bhutto also lifted a ban on student and trade unions. The P. P. P. Government hosted the fourth S. A. A. R. C. Summit held in Islamabad, in December 1988. On various issues, differences between her Government and the Establishment led to her dismissal by the President Ghulam Ishaq Khan, on August 6, 1990.
Benazir returned to power, by winning the October 1993 elections. The P. P. P. had won the largest share with 86 seats and formed a new Government with the help of alliances, but her own-nominated President, Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari, dismissed her government again in November 1996 on corruption charges.
Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was born in Lahore on December 25, 1949. He is the eldest son of Muhammad Sharif, a joint owner of the Ittefaq Group of Industries. Nawaz Sharif got his schooling from Saint Anthony's High School. After graduating from Government College Lahore, he obtained his Law Degree from the Punjab University. Nawaz Sharif remained a member of the Punjab Provincial Council for some time. He joined the Punjab Cabinet as Finance Minister in 1981. He was able to raise the allocation of funds for the development of rural areas to 70 percent of the Annual Development Program in the Province. He also held the portfolio of Sports and was able to reorganize the sports activities in the Province.
In the general elections of 1985, Nawaz Sharif won with an overwhelming majority, both in the National and Provincial Assemblies. On April 9, 1985, he was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Punjab. On May 31, 1988, he was appointed caretaker Chief Minister, after the dismissal of Assemblies by General Zia. Nawaz Sharif was again elected as Chief Minister after the 1988 general elections. A massive uplift of Murree and Kahuta was undertaken during his term as Chief Minister of Punjab.
On November 6, 1990, Nawaz Sharif was sworn-in as Prime Minister of the country, after his alliance, I. J. I. won the October 1990 elections. However, Nawaz Sharif could not complete his term of five years, and was dismissed by the President in April 1993. He was reinstated by the superior Judiciary, but had to resign along with the President in July 1993.
Pakistan Muslim League again won the elections held in February 1997, and Mian Nawaz Sharif was re-elected as Prime Minister with an overwhelming majority. Taking advantage of his absolute majority in the National Assembly, he added a landmark in the constitutional history of Pakistan by repealing the controversial Eighth Amendment. This Thirteenth Constitutional Amendment stripped the President of his powers, under Article 52(b) of the Eighth Amendment, to dismiss the Prime Minister and dissolve the National Assembly. He added another milestone to the Constitution when his Parliament adopted the anti-defection Fourteenth Amendment Bill. His development venture of the Lahore-Islamabad motorway has also been appreciated by a segment of the society, while others have criticized it for being an extravagance for a developing country.
During his second tenure, his working relationship with the apex court severed, and his differences with the Chief Justice came out in public. He also developed an uneasy relationship with the President, Farooq Leghari, who had earlier been his major political opponent. With the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment, the President was on a direct collision course with the Prime Minster. A few months later, this, and the dramatic confrontation with the Judiciary, culminated in the removal of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, Sajjad Ali Shah, and on December 2, 1997, the resignation of President Farooq Leghari.
On October 12, 1999, the civilian Government headed by Nawaz Sharif was overthrown by a military coup. Controversy over the Kargil operation, corruption charges, and the "Plane Conspiracy" case are considered to be the main reasons for his ouster. After an extensive trial, Nawaz Sharif was charged and found guilty in the "Plane Conspiracy" case. On request of the Saudi Royal Family, the Government of Pakistan exiled him to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he now lives with his close family. Several cases of corruption against him are still pending decision in local courts.
Malik Meraj Khalid was born in 1916, in a small village near Lahore. He studied Law and began his practice in 1948. He was elected to the Provincial Assembly in 1965. He joined the Pakistan Peoples Party soon after its inception in 1968 and was appointed President of Lahore P. P. P. He was re-elected to the National Assembly in 1970.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto included Meraj Khalid in his Cabinet as Minister for Food and Agriculture and Under-Developed Areas in December 1971. In November 1972, he was appointed Chief of the Party's Parliamentary Affairs, and in 1975 he was given the portfolios of Social Welfare, Local Government and Rural Development. Later he was elected Speaker of the National Assembly. After the execution of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in April 1979, he was nominated member of the P. P. P. Central Committee. But he resigned in January 1988. He was again appointed as Speaker of the National Assembly in 1988. He lost the elections in 1993, and remained aloof from politics for sometime and served as the Rector of International Islamic University.
He was nominated as the Prime Minister of the interim Government in November 1996 and remained in power till February 1997.
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, the 21st Prime Minister of Pakistan, was born on January 1, 1944, at Dera Murad Jamali in Baluchistan. After getting his primary education in Baluchistan, he went to Lawrence College, Murree, for his O-levels. He did his A-levels from Aitchison College and graduation from Government College Lahore. He obtained his Masters Degree in History from Government College, Lahore.
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali began his political career as a member of the Pakistan Peoples Party, which he joined in the 1970's. He was elected member of the Baluchistan Provincial Assembly in 1977 and served as Minister of Food, Information and Parliamentary Affairs in the Baluchistan Cabinet. He also served in the national Cabinet of General Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980's, where he first served as the Provincial Minister for Information, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, and later as Minister of State for Local Government.
Mir Zafarullah Jamali was among several senior members of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League party who defected after General Pervez Musharraf took over in 1999 and formed their own faction, the PML (Q). Mir Zafarullah Jamali being the Secretary General of the PML (Q) was a strong candidate for premiership; he was elected Prime Minister on November 21, 2002, by securing 172 votes out of 329 votes. Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and Shah Mahmud Qureshi of the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians were the other main contenders.
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali is the first ever Prime Minister of Pakistan to come from Balochistan Province. He has four sons and a daughter. Two of his sons, Shah Nawaz Jamali and Javed Jamali are serving in the Army as Captains. Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali can speak multiple languages including English, Urdu, Baluchi, Brohi, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu and Saraiki. He is a middle-of-the-road leader and a soft-spoken person. His love of sports has made a lot of contribution to his well-rounded personality. His main passion was hockey though he also played tennis and football. He was 'Blue' holder of Punjab University in hockey in 1961-65 and also captained its team. He represented Pakistan as a hockey player at international level. He was Chief-de-Mission of the Pakistan Olympic contingent to the Los Angeles games in 1984, where the Pakistan Hockey team won the Gold Medal. For almost two decades, he has been the Chief Selector of the Pakistan Hockey team. Due to his love of sports and a spirit of sportsmanship, he has imbued with tolerance and poise that leads to his successful political career.
Despite his submissive manner Jamali could not share power with President Pervez Musharraf more than 581 days (from 23-11-2002 to 26-06-2004) and was obliged to resign from his office of premiership on June 26, 2004.
Chaudhry Shujaat was born on January 27, 1946 in Gujrat and graduated from Forman Christian College, University of Punjab in 1967. His father, Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi, was a seasoned parliamentarian who played an important role in restoring democracy and human rights in Pakistan and was duly honored as the "Prisoner of Conscience" by Amnesty International. Chaudhry Shujaat entered politics after his father was assassinated on September 25, 1981.
Chaudhry Shujaat became member of the federal parliament (Majlis-e-Shoora) in 1981 and worked till 1985. Chaudhry Shujaat for the first time contested in the general election from Gujrat on both the National and Punjab Assemblies seats in 1985 but had to vacate his Punjab Assembly seat and become a member of the then Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo's cabinet as the Industries Minister. He also acted as the parliamentary party leader of the PML in the National Assembly. He was appointed the Information and Broadcasting Minister in the Junejo cabinet in 1986 and was appointed the Industries and Production Minister in 1987-88.
Chaudhry Shujaat was the interior minister in Nawaz Sharif's first tenure. After losing the election from Gujrat in 1993, Chaudhry Shujaat became a member of Senate and the Chairman of the Senate's standing committee on defence, production and aviation from 1993 to 1997. He won the general election again in 1997 by defeating PPP candidate Ahmad Mukhtar. Nawaz Sharif appointed him the interior minister in his cabinet and was elected the Punjab PML-Nawaz president in 1997.
After the Nawaz Sharif government was sacked on October 12, 1999, several PML-N dissidents formed a group under Mian Muhammad Azhar's leadership. Earlier, Chaudhry Shujaat did not join any group but after Nawaz Sharif's exile, he also joined Mian Azhar and formed the PML (QA) in March 2001. In the general election of October 2002, Chaudhry Shujaat was elected the National Assembly member from Bhakkar and Gujrat but later vacated his Bhakkar seat and acted as the PML-QA parliamentary party leader in the National Assembly. After Mian Azhar's resignation, Chaudhry Shujaat was elected the president of PML (QA) on January 2003. He was elected as Prime Minister on June 30, 2004, four days after Zafarullah Khan Jamali tendered his resignation from the premiership.
Shaukat Aziz was born on March 6, 1949 and brought up in the southern city of Karachi. He received his early education from St. Patrick's School at Karachi and Public School at Abbottabad, graduated from Gordon College, Rawalpindi in 1967 and achieved MBA in 1969 from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi in 1969. The same year, he started his career from Citibank as credit officer in Karachi and served in various countries including Greece, the United States, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Singapore. After being promoted to many positions, as Citibank's head of Corporate and Investment Banking for various regions, Corporate Planning Officer, Citicorp, country Manager for Citibank in Malaysia and in Jordan, a board member of Citibank subsidiaries and of several non-profit organizations, he was appointed Executive Vice President of Citibank in 1992. Before taking leave from Citigroup, he was the head of its global Private Banking division and progressed to a senior post with the bank in New York at the height of a 30-year career in global finance.
He was appointed as Finance Minister by the Government of Pakistan in November 1999 shortly after the army chief's 1999 military coup with the task of revitalizing the sagging economy. As the finance minister, Shaukat's familiarity with a global banking came as an advantage. He was given the responsibility for managing country's Finance, Economic Affairs, Statistics, Planning and Development and Revenue Divisions. He is also Chairman of Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet; Chairman, Executive Committee of National Economic Council and Chairman, Cabinet Committee on Privatization. He became a Senator in 2002.
Shaukat Aziz was criticized for his policy of downsizing in the public sector but he asserts that he made these institutions viable while they were on the verge of collapse. Another allegation against Shaukat Aziz is that as a Finance Minister his policies were not aimed at alleviating poverty as he seldom offered relief to the poor sections of the society. But it is claimed by many analysts that he achieved his target and strengthened the country's economic base; the recent economic figures prove his policies have worked. He improved the country's growth rate by 6.4% a year. For the first time in Pakistan's history revenue collection targets have been met in his tenure and allocation for development has increased by about 40 per cent though this success is attributed largely to debt reduction and securing of hundreds of millions of dollars in loans and aid in return for support in the US-led war on terror. Moreover, despite a series of internal and external distresses, economic situation of Pakistan improved significantly and reserves increased to US$ 10.56 billion on June 30, 2004 as compared to US$ 1.2 billion Oct 1999. Exchange Rate became stable and predictable. Inflation rate dropped to 3.5 % in last 3 years as against 11-12% in 1990's.
He is appreciated by members of his personal staff as a hard worker who always maintained a strong financial discipline. He gave special attention to the development work at Gwadar Port and played an important part in developing other parts of Gwadar and making it an important city in the future. He was promptly nominated by the ruling party for the position of Prime Minister after Zafarullah Khan Jamali resigned. As he had to secure a seat in parliament - a requirement to take up the top post – Shaukat Aziz easily won two seats with a great margin from Attock and Tharparkar in the by-elections.
The current Prime Minister, Makhdoom Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani was born on 9 June 1952 in Karachi but his family comes from the Punjab. Gilani's father was a descendant of Syed Musa Pak, who was a spiritual leader of the Sufi order. He received his early education at the St. Mary's School and La Salle High School located at Multan. In 1970, he graduated in Bachelor of Arts and earned a Master's degree in Journalism from the University of Punjab.
His venture into politics began from the platform of Muslim League of Pakistan in 1978, when the martial law of General Zia-ul-Haq's was in term. He also served as cabinet member during the 3 year governance of Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo. Thereafter, he moved from Muslim League and joined Pakistan People's Party in the year 1988. He then served as cabinet minister again during the rule of Benazir Bhutto, as the Minister of Tourism (1989-1990) and Minister of Housing and Works (January 1990 - August 1990).
As a Prime Minsiter Makhdoom Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani was nominated by the Pakistan People's Party (P.P.P) with the support of coalition partners. He was sworn in as the Prime Minister on 25th March 2008 and took the oath of office from former President Pervez Musharraf. He is also the present Vice Chairman of his political party. Gilani was also a former Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan and a former Federal Minister. Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani joined PPP soon after the Junejo government after a brief stint with Muslim League.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was born on 26 December 1950 in Sanghar, interior Sindh and is the 17th and current Prime Minister of Pakistan. Previously, he served as the federal Minister for Water and Power in the Yousaf Raza Gillani-led cabinet from March 2008 to February 2011. He is a senior leader and politician of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from Rawalpindi District. Ashraf assumed premiership on 22 June 2012, after Yousaf Raza Gillani was disqualified over contempt of court charges. He was shortlisted by the PPP as a candidate for the post and was eventually elected based on a 211–89 vote in the National Assembly.
He graduated from the University of Sindh in 1970 and worked in agriculture before entering politics. He is married and has four children, which include two sons and two daughters. He is originally from Gujar Khan, an industrial town in the Rawalpindi District of the Potohar region in northern Punjab.


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We had a fun time at the carnival this year. I had a shift that started at 5:30, so we got there fairly early. Here is my little Spidergirl before heading to the football field.
Every year prior to this one I've had to walk around with her, or have Reagan or our baby sitter there while I worked my shift. This year, I allowed SM to walk around unsupervised for the first time. I told her not to leave the football field and to check in with me every 15 minutes or so. And she did. I was so very proud of her. She would go play a game, then come bring me her prize to keep up with. But, at least she obeyed and checked in.
Once Reagan was there, we ate, then the two of them went into the "Chamber of Chills." Now, I had already seen a few things that had been built for this attraction. Seeing just that on the FB page of the teacher in charge of this attraction was enough to scare me.
After they came out, we went back to the football field for a few minutes. We ran into SM's teacher.
We finished up the night with SM playing on the bungee jumper. I'm not sure you can tell from the pictures, but that is what a tired momma looks like.

subset: commoncrawl


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I am encouraged by some of the comments that people have been expressing about my early thoughts about the UK Liberal Democrats, post the Euro-massacre. I am rather less than encouraged by those self-indulgent folk who have decreed that the Liberal Democrats problems can be solved by an early change of leadership. Especially since it is self-evidently not the case.
I say self-indulgent because, actually, I think Nick Clegg has actually come very close to quitting. I think he has taken this defeat extremely personally. I would like to ask those who are open enough to front the #libdems4change what they hell they think they are going to gain by replacing Clegg with Cable?
Its not as if we have not been here before. The short-run sugar hit of the attention of a leadership change would soon lead to the media doing to Vince what they did to Ming Campbell under unfortunately similar circumstances. Change must come in time, but it has to be measured and intelligent, not the force majeure that allegedly perennial rent-a-critic Matthew Oakeshott and John Hemming seem to think is required. Incidentally, Hemming has clearly not consulted with Parliamentary colleagues, who would tell him in no uncertain terms that he is making a complete balls up of things.
So Clegg is safe, and probably rightly so.
The problem is that this is now a very difficult chess game, and making decisions in the heat of the moment will bring about precisely the massacre that the #libdems4change say they want to avoid. The fault is in the image of the party at least as much as the image of the leader. So I earnestly entreat my friends and colleagues across the party to take a time out and reflect about the faults of the party as a whole and how we can re-establish our message based on our core values, rather than the tactics of short-run policy making or stabbing Nick Clegg in the back.
This is about portraying our values, creating trust, remaining true to Liberalism.
It is not about the media narrative of leadership crisis, treachery and party splits.
So enough already, or we will be headed back to our constituencies and preparing for unemployment and a Britain which will be massively worse off as Liberalism is eclipsed for who knows how long.


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"The Apparition" wafts out of the ether like the ghosts of bad movies past, the very picture of the cinema's dog days of August.
It's a "Paranormal Activity" knockoff, without the found footage conceit. And it's science versus ghosts, in a limp salute to "Paranormal," and "Ghostbusters" before it.
Ashley Greene of "Twilight" and Sebastian Stan of "Captain America" play a young couple who find themselves living in a haunted house in a mostly foreclosed desert subdivision.


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Course Grid
Allows you to quickly find and sort through your class database providing customizable data that can include enrollment statistics past, present and future classes, income, available seats and much more.
Class Data and Enrollment Statistics
Allows you to quickly find and sort through your class database providing customizable data that can include enrollment statistics past, present and future classes, income, available seats and much more.
Provides student data in each class that includes canceled classes, completed classes, and the final grade. Customized demographic data can be included in this report for further analysis. Classes can be filtered by date, category, and much more.
Customizable student demographics and be included. The sign-in sheet can include your organizational branding. The class roster can be exported into Excel.
Get a real-time accounting of every class you currently have running on the system. You can run this on a routine and emailed directly to you on a schedule showing class enrollment size.
Student Data
This provides course data on each student that incudes enrollment status, completed and canceled classes, final grade, class dates, and student demographics. The report can be filtered by groups (such as organization), students, date range and much more.
The number of completed and not completed class are displayed for each student. Individual student transcripts can be printed as a PDF for exported into Excel.
This can be filtered by class dates and categories and included those that attended and not attended.
Promote future classes based on demographics and/or class history.
Students can view classes they have enrolled in as well as completed or transcripted courses. They can be exported as a PDF file.
Financial Reports
Calculate instructor payment by set fee, per student, or class income percentage. Include course fixed expenses. Run a P & L report comparing overhead to class income.
There are 3 different reports that gives you complete reporting on orders, payments, payment status and other related order details.
Other Reports
Provides the ability to create a report from scratch using any fields and student account data. Templates can be made and each report can be exported as a CSV Flat File to be imported into a 3rd party application as well as set to run on a scheduled routine.
There a numerous reports that include:
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No Show
Clock Hour Summary
Email Audit Trail
Daily Accounting
….and many more
9200 Irvine Center Dr. Suite 100
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Words that start with anglicizatio
Found 2 words that start with anglicizatio. Browse our Scrabble Word Finder, Words With Friends cheat dictionary, and WordHub word solver to find words starting with anglicizatio. Or use our Unscramble word solver to find your best possible play! Related: Words containing anglicizatio
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Warrior Evolution 3X Lacrosse Head Review
Lacrosse heads are one of the most important pieces of your lacrosse stick. When looking at the Warrior Evolution 3X lacrosse head review, keep in mind price, value, NFHS and NCAA regulations, your position, and style of play. Also, decide on how much pinch, stiffness, weight, and stringing options you need, and if the Warrior Evolution 3X meets your needs. Warrior Lacrosse has proven its quality for years, so you've come across a good lacrosse head. The Warrior Evolution 3X should give you what you need, with a price tag of $89.90. Checkout some other Warrior lacrosse heads before you buy one, and be sure to watch the Warrior Evolution 3X lacrosse head video review if we've posted one!
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The ultimate head all around offensive head is new and improved with the Evolution 3. Lax.com Pro's love the new aggressive sidewall design that features the 2-shot mold process for increased durability and stiffness. Slimmer scoop allows for smoother transition in and out of the pocket. This head is very durable and a must have for every midfielders repertoire. The Evolution 3 is legal for all players except NCAA. The Evolution 3X is legal for all levels of play and is just a little bit wider at the throat giving it additional strength at making it a great choice for advanced level defensemen as well.
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Based on the Warrior lacrosse heads pinch, length and width, it's legality changes. In the 2015 lacrosse season, you may use lacrosse heads marked U or X at all levels of play (NCAA and NFHS). You may only use lacrosse heads marked HS (NFHS) in high school lacrosse. When buying a lacrosse head, be sure to reference if it's legal for high school or college lacrosse.
Warrior Evolution 3X Lax Shaft Video Review
- $89.90


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Undistributed Update, Part II: More Pics Plucked for Exhibition and Release
by Anthony Kaufman
Not to pat ourselves on the back (okay, we are), but indieWIRE has been highlighting the under-appreciated films of the American independent and foreign sectors since 1998, when our first contributor's poll of the best undistributed films of that year appeared. (That's before Film Comment and the Village Voice published similar stories). While times have significantly changed in the last six years, many of the same players, such as Strand Releasing and First Run Features, are steadfastly playing the indie game and continuing to pick up our unsung favorites.
Now with the California Film Institute's series "indieWIRE Undiscovered Gems" (which is running now through April 15 at the Smith Rafael Film Center), we will join Film Comment, the Village Voice, and even Roger Ebert with showcases of overlooked films, composed of many movies that do not have U.S. distribution. It seems like it's never been a better time to make a movie without a distributor in place. (That's a joke.)
While a majority of the 12 films playing at the Film Institute's Smith Rafael Film Center look like they will eventually get releases in TV, on DVD, and in theaters, countless other worthy films are still forgotten, tied up in legal battles, or just plain too weird or racy for even the art-house niche market. (What is going on with Larry Clark's "Ken Park" — on our 2002 list — anyway?)
In the second part of our update of films playing at the California Film Institute's series, here are the six remaining movies showing in the series and brief updates on their distribution status.
"Bright Leaves"
Director: Ross McElwee
(U.S., documentary)
Update: First screened as a work-in-progress at the 2002 IFP Market, documentary veteran McElwee's latest comic and touching investigation into his Southern heritage was acquired by First Run Features late last year, after a notable run at festivals from Cannes to the New York Film Festival. "First Run has proudly distributed all of Ross's films, for almost 20 years now," says First Run VP Marc Mauceri. "We saw a cut of 'Bright Leaves' when it screened at the IFFM, and also we were at Cannes when the final version premiered there." The film is slated for release on August 25 at the Film Forum. Last week, First Run also released McElwee's landmark 1986 work "Sherman's March" on DVD, "packed with wonderful extra features," adds Mauceri, "and we plan to release other early McElwee films on DVD as well."
What's Next: McElwee hasn't yet decided on a new project. Says the filmmaker, "Too busy with what's now — namely, getting 'Bright Leaves' out into the world."
Director: Randy Nargi
(U.S., narrative)
Update: Who says indieWIRE doesn't make a difference in filmmaker's lives? After the Film Sales Corporation's Andrew Herwitz saw "G-Sale" on our 2003 list of best undistributed films, he signed on as worldwide sales agent and is beginning to screen the film for companies. Nargi never banked on distribution. "Our strategy was to spend a year on the festival circuit and gauge audience reaction to see if 'G-Sale' was worth wider distribution. If the film didn't connect with audiences, we didn't want it out there," he says. "Fortunately, 'G-Sale' has had a tremendously positive audience response." And critics, from Moira Macdonald to Richard Jameson, have come out in support of this garage sale mockumentary in the vein of Christopher Guest.
What's Next: Nargi's Washington-based production company Bogwood Films has a handful of new indie comedy projects in the works: a sequel to "G-Sale" called "For Sale By Owner," about the suburban misadventures of an empty-nest couple trying to sell a home themselves; a TV pilot based on "G-Sale" called "The Bogwood Chronicles," about the citizens who attend the Bogwood Community College adult education program; and a spoof of Miramax-like foreign films ("Chocolat Sur Mes Pantalons") about a world-renowned Italian/Irish opera singer who returns to a small seaside town in Italy to try to recover his lost voice.
"Jesus, Du Weist" (Jesus, You Know)
Director: Ulrich Seidl
(Austria, documentary)
Update: Mean-spirited and misanthropic or sensitive and confessional, you decide. Austrian filmmaker Ulrich Seidl's portrait of church-goers speaking their sins and wishes to the camera, "Jesus, You Know" was acquired at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival and will be released this fall by Leisure Time Features, which also distributed Seidl's last film "Hundstage" (Dog Days). "I saw 'Jesus, You Know" at the Toronto Film Festival last year and liked it very much," says Leisure Time's Bruce Pavlow, who says his release of "Dog Days" bodes well for Seidl's latest controversial work. "It did respectable box office numbers and got some great reviews as well as scathing ones. It is an extreme film, so that was to be expected. John Waters called it his favorite film of 2003 along with 'Irreversible,'" adds Pavlow. Kino International also released "Dog Days" on video and DVD, which has been selling quite well, according to Pavlow.
What's Next: Seidl is currently working on a new fiction feature.
"The Movie Hero"
Director: Brad Gottfred
(U.S., narrative)
Update: A regional fest favorite last year (Rhode Island, Austin, Cinequest), Gottfred's zany debut "The Movie Hero" has since won awards at the Texas Film Festival and the York International Film Festival. Starring Jeremy Sisto as a man who believes he's being filmed for an imaginary audience, the comedy has yet to sign a distribution pact. With producer Houston King hired as sales rep, Gottfred says, "We are talking to several companies right now after getting our first offer last week. We've won enough 'audience awards' at fests that we're feeling good that a distrib will seize that as a sign the film works."
What's Next: Gottfred has several projects in the pipeline. "I am trying to line up a home for 'Reapers,' a low budget 'sexual horror' film," he says. "I also have a romantic comedy about a private eye searching for a witch entitled 'Enchantment' that's getting me some good feedback." He is also producing "The Great Unknown," which he describes as "Memento" with dreams, from a script he co-wrote, and a martial arts indie called "Mobster 78."
"Sunset Story"
Director: Laura Gabbert
(U.S., documentary)
Update: While "Sunset Story" had been listed on the Rafael calendar as a Strand Releasing acquisition, Gabbert's affecting portrait of senior citizens at a retirement home for political progressives has not yet signed with a distributor. However, a deal is forthcoming. "All we can disclose is that 'Sunset Story' is about to be sold and the terms are being negotiated," says producer Eden Wurmfeld. In a separate email, Gabbert says, "The good news is that 'Sunset Story' will definitely have a theatrical release this fall in at least 10 cities." Last year, the film won prizes at the Los Angeles and Tribeca Film Festivals and took part in the International Documentary Association's InFact theatrical tour across the country.
What's Next: The "Sunset Story" team is working on developing the true story into a narrative project. Gabbert is also working on a feature film that she co-wrote with Lisanne Skyler ("Getting to Know You").
Director: Gyorgy Sjomjas
(Hungary, narrative)
Update: Blending documentary and fiction, Transylvanian folk music and a plot about youth gangs (or vagabonds) in post-Soviet Budapest, Sjomjas's "Vagabond" appears bound to face the distribution limbo of most pictures from Hungary (though the recent "Hukkle," a 2002 best undistributed film from newcomer György Pálfi, was an exception, getting a small release in 2003.) Born in 1940, Sjomjas is of an older generation of Hungarian filmmakers. His early feature work ("The Wind is Whistling Under Their Feet," "The Wall Driller") played in small venues in the '80s, but he is largely an unknown figure among current art-house viewers in the U.S. Unfortunately, it may stay that way. (The only Sjomjas film on video in the U.S. appears to be 1979's innovative western "Bad Guys," available from Facets Multimedia.)
What's Next: Reportedly, Sjomjas has been making folk music documentaries.
[ Read Part 1 of our Undistributed Update. ]
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.


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Some interesting information about Virginia is the various nicknames the state is known by: Old Dominion, Cavalier State, Mother of States, Mother of Presidents, Mother of Statesmen and Birthplace of A Nation. The "Old Dominion" designation stems from the fact that Virginia is one of the 13 original English colonies, with its former capital city of Jamestown serving as the first settlement of the British Empire in the New World.Continue Reading
Virginia derived its name from Elizabeth I, popularly known as England's Virgin Queen during the colonial period. When the first English settlers arrived in Jamestown, the colonizers established silk cultivation as the primary economic activity. The product of this venture was intended for trading with King James' court. However, a blight fungus caused a decline in silk production and tobacco soon replaced the silk industry. As of 2015, tobacco is one of the major cash crops in the state.
Virginia gained the nickname "Mother of Presidents" due to its status as the state that where eight United States Presidents were born: George Washington, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, William Harrison, James Monroe and Woodrow Wilson. Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe were four of the first five serving U.S. Presidents.
The Old Dominion is also home to several renowned landmarks, including the Blue Ridge Mountains, Arlington National Cemetery, Dulles International Airport, NATO headquarters, Monticello, Mount Vernon and the Pentagon, which is the world's largest office building. The famous oratorical piece "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" was delivered by Patrick Henry in St. John's Church in Richmond, which is Virginia's modern-day capital city.Learn more about United States


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AN Australian "hospital in the sky'' is poised for immediate deployment to Ukraine but the medical Squadron Leader, Dr Jo Darby is hopeful her team's skills will not be required.
Dr Darby, the Squadron Leader of the Air and Medical Evacuation unit normally based at Amberley has been at Eindhoven Military Base for the past few days and has had her team practising with the Dutch medical team to fully integrate any mission that may arise.
BREAKTHROUGH: Ukraine approves armed officers at crash site
TRIBUTE: Dockers honour Maslin family
MEMORIAL: Abbott announces date
The sophisticated Australian facilities in the C-17A plane allows for some practice unfamiliar to the Dutch who are more used to treating patients in a Hercules.
The Australian team of two doctors, a specialist anaesthetist, two nurses and two medics is able to use liquid oxygen piped to patients through a converter and hoses, as well as electricity, which helps with the running of medical equipment.
Yesterday they practised with the Dutch air force medical team led by flight surgeon Linda Boogwaard.
A convertible hospital ward can be set up inside the C-17A, essentially using two pallets of equipment that can treat four intensive care patients as well as 24 patients not as badly injured. In all, about 36 stretchers could be fitted inside the plane.
Dr Darby said the team was waiting in The Netherlands and would be in the air within an hour of any emergency.
"We're on standby for deployment,'' she said.
"We are purely here in case of any potential casualties. We hope we are not needed but if there are we are fully prepared.''
Dr Boogwaard said working with the Australians was seamless and they were enjoying the facilities of the C17A.
"If there are any Dutch patients we will work with the Australian team so that the patient feels comfortable dealing with someone who speaks Dutch."
The Australian team will take the lead on the evacuation of any serious injuries that are transported in the C-17A.


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Posted: Feb 13 2018, 07:38 AM
SLF Newbie
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Not that it's that difficult to install a new certificate, but does anyone know why the secure boot certs expire every three years? Given that this is an OS with a ten year support cycle, I'd personally prefer to see the expiration date set to be the same as when the OS goes out of support.


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Vitamin E 'could increase stroke risk'November 5th, 2010 - 11:18 am ICT by ANI
London, Nov 05 (ANI): A new study has revealed that taking vitamin E could slightly increase the risk of a particular type of stroke.
An international team of researchers has found that for every 1,250 people there is the chance of one extra haemorrhagic stroke - bleeding in the brain.
Researchers from France, Germany and the US studied nine previous trials and nearly 119,000 people.
But the level at which vitamin E becomes harmful is still unknown, experts say.
The study was carried out at Harvard Medical School, Boston, and INSERM in Paris.
Researchers found that vitamin E increased the risk of this kind of stroke by 22 percent.
The study also found that vitamin E could actually cut the risk of ischaemic strokes - the most common type of stroke - by 10 percent.
Ischaemic strokes account for 70 percent of all cases and happen when a blood clot prevents blood reaching the brain.
Experts found vitamin E could cut the risk, equivalent to one ischaemic stroke prevented per 476 people taking the vitamin.
However, they warned that keeping to a healthy lifestyle and maintaining low blood pressure and low cholesterol have a far bigger effect on cutting the risk of ischaemic stroke than taking vitamin E.
While none of the trials suggested that taking vitamin E increased the risk for total stroke, the differences were notable for the two individual types of strokes.
The authors concluded: "Given the relatively small risk reduction of ischaemic stroke and the generally more severe outcome of haemorrhagic stroke, indiscriminate widespread use of vitamin E should be cautioned against."
Previous studies have suggested that taking vitamin E can protect the heart from coronary heart disease, but some have also found that the vitamin could increase the risk of death if taken in high doses.
"This is a very interesting study that shows that the risk of haemorrhagic stroke can be slightly increased by high levels of orally taken Vitamin E, although what is a high level has not clearly been ascertained," the BBC quoted Peter Coleman, of the Stroke Association, as saying.
"More research is required to discover the mechanism of action and the level at which Vitamin E can become harmful.
"We urge people to maintain a lifestyle of a balanced diet, regular exercise and monitoring their blood pressure to reduce their risk of a stroke but would be very interested in seeing further research into this study," he added.
The study appears in the British Medical Journal. (ANI)
- Stroke risk much higher if sibling had stroke - Apr 11, 2012
- New drug limits brain damage in stroke - Jul 27, 2012
- Vitamin B12 may protect against Alzheimer's disease - Oct 19, 2010
- Even blowing nose could trigger stroke - May 06, 2011
- Vitamin E supplement ups chances of prostate cancer - Oct 12, 2011
- Post-menopause, women more vulnerable to heart attacks - Jun 12, 2012
- Red wine may protect brain against stroke damage - Apr 25, 2010
- 'Vitamin C keeps dementia at bay' - Sep 12, 2012
- Vit D deficiency 'doubles stroke risk in whites, not in blacks' - Nov 15, 2010
- Red wine shields brain from stroke damage - Apr 22, 2010
- Slightly high BP raises chances of stroke - Sep 29, 2011
- Smoking, exercise influence Vitamin E's effect on pneumonia risk - Feb 18, 2011
- MicroRNAs could increase amputation risk in diabetics - Jan 13, 2011
- Unhealthy diet raises heart risk for obese teens - Mar 23, 2011
- New stroke pill more effective than traditional remedy - Nov 16, 2010
Tags: bleeding in the brain, blood clot, brain researchers, cholesterol, coronary heart disease, france germany, haemorrhagic stroke, harvard medical school, harvard medical school boston, healthy lifestyle, heart disease, inserm, ischaemic strokes, london, low blood pressure, low cholesterol, paris, risk reduction, stroke risk, vitamin e


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Menzel, Adolph Friedrich Erdmann von (1815-1905). Medium: colour lithograph. Frederick II (German: Friedrich II.; 24 January 1712 ? 17 August 1786) was a King in Prussia (1740?1772) and a King of Prussia (1772?1786) from the Hohenzollern dynasty.[1] He is best known as a brilliant military campaigner and organizer of Prussian armies. Provenance: Private Collection / Peter Newark Pictures. Photographic rights held by The Bridgeman Art Library.
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Dunedin looks to revamp its image
The city of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand is on the hunt for a new slogan. The city's marketing team have decided to drop the current nondescript slogan I am Dunedin, which it admits is getting a bit old.
The city is apparently planning a nationwide search for a new slogan and marketing strategy. The I am Dunedin slogan was introduced by the City Council in 2001, replacing the similarly nondescript branding campaign, That's the Spirit of Dunedin.
Dunedin is also known as 'The Edinburgh of the South', but its most recognisable slogan was in the late 80s/early 90s with the bubbly It's all right here, which came with its own catchy little campaign song.
However it was often confused with (or replaced by) the lacklustre 'It's alright here', or more recently by locals as 'It's a Riot here' after a run of late night street parties by the city's students (and friends).
(Unfortunately Otago University took the antics all a bit seriously, invoking 'Code of Conduct' clauses to kick students out, forcing the cancellation of the annual First Year Toga Parade through Dunedin's main street, cutting up sponsorship contracts with alcohol companies, and trying to buy up pubs close to campus with the stated intent of simply closing them down. In the words of their own marketing campaign, Get Over It!)
But Dunedin still wouldn't come close to winning the award for the country's worst city/town slogan. Te Puke probably scores New Zealand's top prize for its former pearler - Stop and taste Te Puke - which didn't go down well with tourists not used to pronouncing the town's name.
Hamilton's old slogan was a sign of self esteem, More than you'd expect. South Canterbury is also big on hopeful dreams. For years Rolleston has branded itself The Town of the Future, but the future has so far refused to move in.
Timaru tries to assure tourists the town still has a pulse with its slogan Feel the Heartbeat, while Mayfield somewhat optimistically informs motorists Blink and you will miss out. But there's no holds barred in keeping visitors in Ashburton, which loudly proclaims Whatever it takes!
There are some chirpier slogans around New Zealand though. Kerikeri goes the happy route, with It's So Nice They Named It Twice, while Matamata opts for comfort, You matter in Matamata.
In the Southland town of Tuatapere, large signs proudly declare it New Zealand's Sausage Capital, but to be fair I don't think anyone else is actually challenging for the title.
Invercargill has the more cryptic The City of Water and Light, perhaps referring to the fact that it's always raining in the south, but that doesn't deter the boy racers.
In Wanganui, they're still debating whether or not the town's new slogan should have an H in it (Whakit, it's still the same old place), although Wanganui used to have more optimism, telling people It's well worth the journey.
Some places don't even bother with a slogan, although Shag Point (south of Moeraki) could do with one. It's never really lived up to its obvious potential as a hotspot for young luvvin' ;-)
Can you help Dunedin City come up with a world-beating new slogan and brand? Avid Twitterers have been busy tweeting their suggestions already...
@five15design: At least it will be dry in the Stadium
@five15design: We've only had a couple of mass murders
@zazie9: Dunedin: Four seasons in one day, three of them are winter
@CherylBernstein: Dunedin: Not nearly as bad as Invercargill
@ajamesgreen: Dunedin, Edinburgh of the South (but with more rain)
@ajamesgreen: I can see Antartica from my house
@markleggett: It's not that cold. Harden up. Dunedin.
@Artandmylife: If you like bagpipes, you'll LOVE Dunedin
@hamish_keith: We burn the sofa at both ends
@HamishCR: Home of the ironically named Maori Hill
@Artandmylife: Dunedin - lots of famous NZ's used to live here
@Artandmylife: We used to be the biggest city in NZ, you know
@BexieLady: "Better than Gore" for 6 days in a row
@BenShipley: 100% in favour of global warming
@badtom Dunedin: it's not all bagpipes and binge drinking. Well, not entirely.
* ODT - Dunedin looks for new slogan
Posted at 9:56 pm


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You Pay: $172.00
The TOA CA160 60W Mobile Mixer Amplifier is the perfect compact mixer/amplifier for public address and emergency paging applications. The CA160 works on a standard 12 VDC battery and cranks out 60W of power into four or eight ohm speaker loads.
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My dictionary defines "myopia" as "a lack of discernment or long-range perspective in thinking or planning." This would have been a pretty good definition of the accusation leveled by Ralph Nader at progressive Gore supporters. The rap, according to Naderites, was that "frightened liberals" had blinded themselves to the opportunity to build a genuine progressive opposition party in exchange for a few pro-choice Supreme Court Justices and the odd rhetorical gesture. That's why, even when it became clear that Nader held the balance between Gore and Bush in key states like Florida and New Hampshire, he refused to release his supporters. Nader actually looked forward to a Bush presidency because it would "galvanize" progressives and teach the Democrats a lesson.
Back then it may have been possible to argue that Nader was simply naïve. He lusted after matching funds for Greens. He fell for Bush's false promises and moderate-sounding rhetoric, failing to pay sufficient attention to the extremist agenda they cloaked. Nader may also have been taken in by the punditocracy argument that Bush would not dare upset the centrist balance of politics, given the narrowness of his likely mandate and the opposition to most of his policies in virtually every election poll.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee, indeed. Just sixty days into the Bush presidency, the myopia is clearly on the other foot. Nader argued that while Gore might have been superior to Bush on social issues like choice, virtually nothing separated the two candidates on issues relating to wealth and corporate power. How unfortunate, therefore, that George W. Bush has already:
§ convinced the House of Representatives to pass a $2 trillion tax cut, of which 43 percent will go to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans;
§ signed a bankruptcy bill, vetoed by President Clinton, designed to squeeze poor and middle-class people with medical emergencies, childcare payments and the like, but which does nothing to curb banks' predatory lending practices, which target the young and poor;
§ signed a bill overturning Clinton Administration work rules requiring employers to address conditions causing repetitive stress syndrome–affecting more than 1.8 million workers, nearly two-thirds of whom are women–in what looks to be the opening shot in an all-out war against organized labor;
§ torpedoed global efforts to combat planetary warming–breaking a campaign pledge and humiliating his EPA chief–by ruling out regulation of carbon dioxide emissions (after Nader lauded Bush's support for such measures as "historic");
§ proposed the opening of "all public lands [!]," including national monuments, to drilling by his oil company cronies;
§ undermined John McCain and Russell Feingold's efforts to control the abusive, antidemocratic campaign finance system;
§ subverted the South Korean peace process–and humiliated his own Secretary of State–to preserve arguments for the costly Star Wars boondoggle.
Note that I haven't even mentioned the appointment of extremists like John Ashcroft and Theodore Olson, who will be advising Bush about whom to appoint to the federal bench; or Gale Norton, the James Watt protégée now heading the Interior Department, who believes polluters should be trusted to be self-policing; or Andrew Card, the automobile industry's chief lobbyist, now Chief of Staff; or Michael Powell, the new head of the FCC, who has no interest in moderating media mergers. And I haven't said a word about so-called social issues.


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Sherman Payne - Classified (Short Film)
Posted: 16 May 2009 07:00 AM PDT
Sherman Payne is an old friend of ours from the Philaflava Forums who happens to be an award winning filmmaker and screenwriter. He is currently pursuing his master's degree at Columbia University's prestigious film division, and has a penchant for incorporating hip hop music, imagery, and themes into his work. In 2007, he was named Filmmaker-in-Residence at The Ghetto Film School where he taught filmmaking to youth in the Bronx, New York. The embedded video you see above is his first film, from 2007, titled Classified.
Classified clocks in at a little under fifteen minutes but manages to exude thoughtfulness and eccentricity even in that short amount of time. The story centers on a seemingly ordinary Harlem youth named Chris (played with commendable restraint by Terron Jones, who fittingly bears a slight resemblance to the late Big L). Chris' everyday struggles are like those of any urban youth, ranging from attempting to establish a more functional bond with his incarcerated father to keeping his fridge stocked and feet covered by immaculate kicks. But life is never mundane for too long, right?
Chris' stonefaced composure and uncomplicated outlook are challenged and ultimately altered, in a huge way, when he nonchalantly decides to address his privations by answering an oddly vague job listing. Payne's skillful writing and direction move this mini-drama forward with just enough bizarre Twilight Zone appeal sprinkled in to add extra dimension to already weighty themes like generation gaps and the balancing of individual wants versus collective needs. Play the video and see for yourself.
Nowadays Payne is working on his latest film, Cred, a drama about Wynton Richardson who returns to the neighborhood he grew up in as a building superintendent. When noisy tenants ignore his pleas for silence, Wynton is drawn into a spiral of masculine one-upsmanship that forces him to utilize behavior and friends he thought he left behind. Music plays a big role in this film, too. Payne and the producers of Cred are now soliciting hip hop songs to be played from the nosy tenant's apartment. According to Payne "this is a chance for indie and up-and-coming hip hop acts to have their music included in a film that is sure to have a successful run on the festival circuit as well as likely showings on HBO in 2010." Check it out:
What we're looking for: music should be dense, noisy, glitchy, and have a sense of urgency. Think Bomb Squad era PE or 90's era RZA beats. Some of the songs that have inspired us while working on the film are "Liquid Swords" by GZA, "Here I Come" by the Roots, "You Know What I'm About" by Big L , and "Juice (Know the Ledge)" by Eric B. and Rakim. But please do not hesitate to submit songs that don't fit this profile. Send any mp3s or wavs to firstname.lastname@example.com. We ask that you are the sole owner to the rights of any songs you send and that you're willing to sign a simple release granting us the right to use the song in the film (this is a non-exclusive release, meaning you still own the song and can do with it as you please). Also, we'll include your website or myspace info in the credits so everyone who sees the film knows where to find you online.
Think your music can hang with the boom-bap of yore? Give it a shot, and submit your song to Sounds Like The 90s, too.
-- Thun
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stickler version 0.1.1 has been released. gem install stickler http://copiousfreetime.rubyforge.org/stickler Stickler is a tool to organize and maintain an internal gem repository. At times it is useful to have complete control over the availability of the gems for you testing, staging and production environments. In these cases you probably do not want to accidentally type 'gem update' and get a new untested version of a gem installed on your machines. This is where Stickler helps. Configure stickler with the the names and versions of the gems you require for your deployment and it will organize and setup everything that is necessary for a standard web server to function as your internal gem distribution server. {{ Release notes for Version 0.1.1 }} * 1 minor bugfix * remove unnecessary require 'progressbar'
on 2008-10-12 10:12


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Membership Admission
Member admission is valid for general admission and does not include special events. Children visiting on your membership must be your children or grandchildren under the age of 18 years. If you are bringing a guest, the child of the guest is not included on your membership.
Naming members on your membership will give you greater flexibility. If you are visiting the Garden and one of the named members will not be attending that day, you may bring a guest in their place. Note: at least one of the named members on the membership must be present.
Membership Helpline Hours
Members receive personal assistance with any membership questions. The Membership Helpline is open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. / daily / October – May and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. / weekdays / June – September. You may contact the Membership Helpline at 480 941.3517 or email@example.com.
Early Member Hours
The Garden is open an hour early every Wednesday and Sunday for members only. Member Hours are 6 a.m. - 7 a.m. May through September and 7 a.m.- 8 a.m. October through April.
Early Closures
The Garden does occasionally close early for special ticketed events or private events. Please check the Visiting page for up to date information about early closures. The Garden is closed on July 4, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Membership Cards
You will receive a membership card for every named member on your membership. Member mailings will only be mailed to one address. You may begin using your membership immediately after purchase. To visit before receiving your membership cards, please bring your receipt as your temporary membership card. You may call the Membership Helpline at 480 941.3517 to receive your membership number.
Replacement Membership Cards
If you have lost your card, please call the Membership Helpline 480 941.3517 or send an email to email@example.com, please include your member number, if you have it, and we will send you replacement cards.
If you have not received your membership cards within 3 weeks of your purchase, please call the Membership Helpline 480 941.3517 or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com to verify that we have the correct address on file.
Third Member
For an additional $35, a third member can be added to any level of membership, with the exception of Aloe Vera Club. If you are visiting the Garden, you may bring a guest in place of any of the named members that will not be attending that day. However, one of the named members on the membership must be present.
Membership Tax Deductions
A portion of membership is tax deductible. Each membership has a fair market value and the amount that is tax deductible is what you paid for the membership less the fair market value. You will receive a note on the membership letter with the enclosed membership cards, indicating the tax deductible amount for your records.
For your reference, here is the listing of the Fair Market Values for each of our levels of membership. Please note that this is the amount of your membership purchase that is not tax deductible. The fair market value for two year memberships would be twice the price indicated below.
Fair Market Value
- Aloe Vera Club: $20
- Senita Club: $40
- Cholla Club: $80
- Agave Century Club: $139
- Boojum Tree Club: $179
- Ocotillo Club: $268
- Golden Barrel Club: $387
Waiving Benefits
Should you wish to have your membership fully tax deductible, you may waive your membership benefits. If you waive your benefits you will not receive guest passes or invitations to events, but will continue to receive free admission and discounts.
Name Changes
We only process name changes at the time of renewal, or within 30 days of purchase.
Lost Guest Passes
We do not replace lost/misplaced guest passes. If you have questions about guest passes, please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com and include your member number listed on your membership card.
You may upgrade your membership at any time to make a greater contribution to the Garden's mission.
If you want to upgrade your current membership, you may pay the difference between the two levels and you will begin receiving the new benefits immediately. Your membership expiration date will stay the same.
Another option is to upgrade by paying the full price of the new membership level. You will begin receiving the new benefits immediately and if you choose this option, your membership expiration date will be extended for 1 year from your current expiration date.
Early Renewals
When you renew your membership before it has expired, your membership will be extended for 1 year from your current expiration date.
Reciprocal Members
Members of the Desert Botanical Garden will receive free admission or discounts at over 300 gardens, arboreta and conservatories across the United States and Canada. Please check http://ahsgardening.org/gardening-programs/rap before visiting another garden to verify they are part of the program and to see what benefits you will receive. We recommend that you call all gardens ahead of time. Each garden has its own unique admissions policy and some gardens have certain exclusions for special events, etc.
Members of other gardens on the American Horticultural Society (AHS) reciprocal list may enter the Garden for free. You MUST have your membership card with you in order to receive the 2 free adult admissions. Any other membership benefits from the reciprocal Garden do not apply such as discounts at the Garden Shop, on events or the seasonal butterfly exhibit.
If you have a nanny that brings your children to the Garden without you, they would need to be named on your membership card. Please call the Membership Helpline 480 941.3517 or send an email to email@example.com to add them to your membership.
As a guardian or a mentor you may bring the child you are mentoring on your membership. This includes mentors through organizations such as Mentor Kids USA, CASA, or Big Brother Big Sister.
Handicapped Adult Child
If you have a handicapped child who is 18 years of age or older and would not be covered by your membership, we will add your child's name to your membership card at no cost to insure their entrance.
If you are disabled and have a caregiver, and are unable to visit the Garden without them, we will add "& Caregiver" to your membership at no cost.
Address Sharing
We occasionally share member information with other local cultural organizations, however, we do not sell our lists to private companies. If you would like to be added to the do not share list, please email email@example.com with your information.
Seasonal Address
If you have a seasonal address, please email email@example.com with both addresses and the dates you reside at each location.
Applied Admission
If you are not a member and are considering joining, you may visit the Garden before deciding and apply your admission towards a membership when you leave. This is valid only on the same day as your visit.
Matching Gifts
In general if your company matches gifts, they may match the tax-deductible portion of your membership. If you waive your benefits they may match the entire gift. Check with your employer for company policies on matching gifts.
If your membership is being paid through a foundation your membership benefits must be waived.


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(Truthstream Media.com)
How Many Knew that Google Was Involved in Regime Change, and that Silicon Valley Helped NSA Spy on Americans?
If technology has definitely changed our way of life, then those who control that technology hold the power of rulers, or think that they do.
Researcher and reporter Aaron Dykes appears on the Wednesday, June 12 edition of Anthony Antonello's Silence is Compliance (fprnradio.com) to discuss the increasingly vital role that high technology is playing in the schemes of the secretive Bilderberg group as well as in the lives of ordinary people.
•READ MORE: Secretive Bilderberg Using Disruptive Tech to Stir Revolution
While most are aware that Google is the top search engine in the world and has incredible influence over the Internet, including which sites are promoted and linked to, few know about the admitted role the Google's think/do tank "Google Ideas" has played in fomenting regime change in Arab Spring nations through the efforts of its leader Jared Cohen.
•READ MORE: Google Hails Age of Cyber War & Digital Revolution
Part of the role played by the former State Department advisor and now Google Ideas head in Egypt and other foreign nations is revealed in the book Cohen co-wrote with chairman of Google, Inc., Eric Schmidt, who routinely attends the influential clandestine confab that includes top industrialists, bankers, politicians and European royalty – and who play a decisive role in pivotal global affairs.
•READ MORE: Google's 'Regime Change' Agent, Jared Cohen
Meanwhile, the recent revelations about the NSA's surveillance of Americans' phone and Internet activities is only amplified by the numerous spy tech and data mining hub firms fielded by Bilderberg insiders like Steering Committee Peter Thiel, the PayPal founder and Silicon Valley Don, known for financing adventurous start-up firms, out-of-this world experiments including floating libertarian cities and private space flight, and for backing leading Internet sites including Facebook.com.
•READ MORE: 'Big Data': Bilderberg Firm Palantir Works for NSA Spy Agenda
One such company co-founded by "PayPal Mafia Don" Peter Thiel, include Palantir, the data mining firm named after the "seeing stones" in Lord of the Rings, who've been contracted by the NSA, CIA and other intelligence firms to collect, track and analyze vast amounts of information on society, including potential threats as well as dissident organizations and journalists worth of being targeted or watched. Palantir's CEO and co-founder Dr. Alex Karp was selected by Thiel to attend the 2013 Bilderberg conference, along with other private intelligence firms like Stratfor and other tech leaders like Amazon.com (CEO and founder Jeff Bezos has attended multiple times now).


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The odds of hitting a hole in one during golf? Don't bet on it. And when it comes to a husband and wife both hitting holes-in-one during the same round of golf, the chances approach "winning the lottery" levels.
But married couple Jason and Rene Collins, both of Park Ridge, beat those odds, both hitting holes in one during a round of golf June 3 at their country club course.


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Create lyrics explanationSelect some words and click "Explain" button. Then type your knowledge, add image or YouTube video till "Good-o-meter" shows "Cool" or "Awesome!". Publish your explanation with "Explain" button. Get karma points!
John Waite – Love Is A Rose To Me lyrics
Love is a rose to me
Growin' desperate and I'm desperately
Reliving memories
For love is a rose
And when you look at me
There's no one that I would rather see
You make me feel complete
For love is a rose
Love is a rose to me
Picked and pressed in books of poetry
Young lovers never see that love is a rose
Love is a rose to me
Lyrics taken from http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/john_waite/love_is_a_rose_to_me.html


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Each week, Financial Post contributor Mary Teresa Bitti revisits CBC's previous week's episode of Dragons' Den. She captures what the cameras didn't and in the process provides a case study for readers, zeroing in on what pitchers and dragons were thinking and what the challenges for the deal are going forward.
The pitch On this week's family episode, Montreal brothers Fabio (a lawyer), Joe ( in finance), Matteo (marketing) and Luciano (a chef) were hoping to make their mark in the snack food business with Bad Monkey Popcorn.
"We all had our careers and we were OK with them, but we weren't super happy," said Fabio, who co-owns the business with Joe. At their regular family dinner night, the brothers started talking about how they could put their skills together to start a company. "We were actually eating popcorn at the time. Joe said, 'don't you think we can make a better popcorn than this?'"
While researching their favourite childhood snack, they learned popcorn was worth hundreds of millions of dollars in the U.S. and was controlled by a few very large players, none of which only make popcorn. Going up against multi-billion dollars companies didn't bother the brothers, nor were they worried about not having much capital. What they did have was a clear vision to build a company with the attitude of Red Bull, the price point of Walmart and the quality of Starbucks.
"The magic trifecta," noted Fabio, who is the chief operating officer. It was their mother who suggested the name, reminding them she used to call them little bad monkeys.
Bad Monkey Popcorn launched at Montreal's Grand Prix. "What makes Bad Monkey Popcorn different is our attitude," Fabio said. "That's why we introduced the product at the Montreal Grand Prix. We convinced them to give us prime location. After that, everybody wanted us, Just for Laughs, Cirque du Soleil, we didn't start in the grocery stores, we said, let's focus on our brand, and be part of every cool event."
Festivals and corporate events continue to help create buzz and awareness. A strong social media marketing campaign complements its very visible presence in the community. People started talking and the brothers leveraged that interest to get into grocery stores.
"We pitched it as not only are we selling you a product but also a service. We're going to go on social media and tell our thousands of followers to go buy the product at your stores."
The company moved into 10,800 square feet, from its original 375 sq. ft. facility, and now has 18 employees and shelf space in 217 grocery stores in Quebec. It also just landed a contract with Walmart in the U.S. for 150 stores, is on shelves in Germany and Britain, and will be available in Ontario in the next eight months.
"We wanted to make our mistakes at home in Quebec before going into Ontario, but the demand is there," Fabio explained.
Customers are responding to the quality. The popcorn, which comes in 22 flavours, is made from round, fat mushroom kernels with no hard interior eliminating any extraneous bits getting stuck in your teeth. A 200 gram bag retails for $2.99.
At the time of the pitch, the company had sales of $340,000. This year, it is on pace to almost triple that. Gross margins sit at 50 per cent but the company hopes that will dramatically improve when volumes rises.
The deal Fabio and Joe asked for $150,000 in exchange for a 20 per cent equity stake, valuing the business at $750,000. The money was earmarked for automating the bagging process, which was being done by hand. But they were also looking for an adviser with experience in manufacturing and distribution.
Michael Wekerle made an offer, asking for a two per cent royalty instead of an equity stake; Joe Mimran was ready to give the entrepreneurs what they asked for; but it was Manjit Minhas's offer of $300,000 for a 30 per cent stake that got their attention. "When she upped the money and the equity stake, we believed she would be more committed," Fabio said.
Depending on who you speak to that deal is either dead or still on the table.
"The deal didn't make it through due diligence," Fabio said, explaining that after meeting with Manjit's father in Montreal "there was no meeting of the minds."
When she upped the money and the equity stake, we believed she would be more committed
Bad Monkey Popcorn has since taken on a Quebec-based investor and has than doubled the stores it sells in, with distribution in place in Europe and Mexico City. "He helped us tighten our ship, get profits up, negotiated our lease and financing with the banks," Fabio said.
A dragon's point of view Minhas said she is still considering the deal. As for her initial interest, she said she liked that it's a family business. "That touched my heart …. They've done some fabulous things in an industry that is not unique but to get to the next level they need more money for marketing, branding and distribution. I knew I could help them with that."
An expert opinion John Cho, partner at KPMG Enterprise, liked the complementary skill sets the brothers bring to the business and what they've achieved to date. "I do wonder about how they are positioning their product. Is it based on pricing or quality? If the demand continues to grow and they are able to create a buzz then they have the ability to increase their prices without impacting volume. If the strategy is to keep prices low, then they may be leaving money on the table," he said.
He also wondered what happens if the business is a big success. Will the brothers who are employees be able to participate on the upside even though they aren't assuming the same risk?


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WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS/AP) — The director of national intelligence is trying to set the record straight after leaked documents revealed information about two top-secret intelligence-gathering programs.
James Clapper said Thursday night that the disclosure of an Internet surveillance program is "reprehensible" and a document leak about a phone records program could cause long-lasting and irreversible harm to the nation's ability to respond to threats.
Clapper said news articles about the programs contained inaccuracies and omitted key information. He's declassifying some details about the authority used in the phone records program because he said Americans must know the program's limits.
Those details include that a special court reviews the program every 90 days. He said the court prohibits the government from indiscriminately sifting through phone data and queries are only allowed when facts support reasonable suspicion.
(Copyright 2013 CBS San Francisco. All rights reserved.)