text:
1133: Up Goer Five
Up Goer Five |
↓ Skip to explanation ↓ |
Title text: Another thing that is a bad problem is if you're flying up to space and the parts start to fall off your space car in the wrong order. If that happens, it means you won't go to space today, or maybe ever. |
This comic is an illustration that will later be used in Randall's book 'Thing Explainer', where he took it upon himself to explain a number of things, including the Saturn V rocket shown here, using only the one thousand most commonly-used words in the English language.
This comic is a diagram of the Saturn V rocket. "Saturn" isn't a very common word apparently, and neither is rocket, so Randall decided to use "Up Goer" which is a fair approximation of a craft designed to lift a payload from the earth to space, although perhaps 'thing that goes up fast' may or may not be simpler. The Saturn V vehicle, which was in use by NASA from 1967 to 1972, is the vehicle as a whole. The engines of the Saturn V (the part that makes it go up) were divided into three stages. The first stage (S-IC) had five F-1 engines which burned refined kerosene mixed with oxygen as its fuel. That stage burned for 2 minutes 48 seconds and pushed the whole thing up about 61 kilometers (~38 miles) into the sky. After it fell away the S-II stage was activated. It used 5 J-2 engines in the same configuration as the F-1s, and burned liquid hydrogen mixed with liquid oxygen for 6 minutes 35 seconds pushing the astronauts up to 184 kilometers (114.5 miles). The third stage (S-IVB) was a single J-2 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. This stage was used in two parts, the first was to put the spacecraft into a stable orbit around Earth to perform a systems check and make sure the craft will be safe for going to the moon. This would usually take three orbits around Earth. As they came around the Earth they would burn the second part of the fuel, which is called a trans-lunar injection which put them on course for the moon. The first burn took 2 minutes 45 seconds, which put them in orbit 185 kilometers (115 miles) high.
It was first used as the launch vehicle for the Apollo 4 mission, and it was used as the launch vehicle for most of the subsequent Apollo missions (the exceptions being Apollo 5, Apollo 7, Skylab 2-4, and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project missions, which were launched using the smaller Saturn IB launch vehicle). One of the last missions of this design was the unmanned launch of Skylab, the U.S.'s first space station; for this payloader configuration, the Saturn V launch vehicle was officially designated the Saturn INT-21.
The Service Module (SM) Oxygen tanks have a note that states "This part had a VERY big problem once". This is a reference to the Apollo 13 mission. 55 hours after launch, mission control requested the oxygen tanks contents be stirred to get an accurate reading of its contents. There was a large bang, and power fluctuated throughout the craft. NASA had to scramble to ensure the safe return of the astronauts. Needless to say, the moon landing for that mission was canceled.
The Hindenburg disaster is referenced in the text "The kind of air that once burned a big sky bag and people died and someone said "oh, the [humans]!". The term "big sky bag" is used as the closest approximation of zeppelin which is a big bag filled with a lighter-than-air gas which makes the whole contraption float. The phrase "oh, the [humans]" is a workaround of the simple-words rule, technically containing only the word humans, while being read "concentration of humans" or "humanity". The Hindenburg on the day of the disaster was filled with hydrogen, despite being initially designed for use with helium. Helium cannot catch fire as it is a noble gas and thus completely inert, but helium was unavailable due to a US export ban on the element. The risks seemed acceptable at the time because the Germans had a history of flying hydrogen-based passenger airships. The original quote is "Oh, the humanity!" (See this video about the Hindenburg disaster - the quote appears at 0:47). In the book Thing Explainer in the explanation for The pieces everything is made of (i.e. the Periodic table) hydrogen is again "named" by using a picture of the burning Hindenburg and also this quote is said by Cueball standing next to the square with the element with his hands over his mouth. See more below regarding the book.
The bottom tank, which Randall describes as "...full of that stuff they burned in lights before houses had power" is highly refined kerosene, called RP-1, it is similar to jet fuel, burns well and is not likely to explode; unlike liquid hydrogen, which is much more likely to explode.
Earlier flirts with simple words can be found in 547: Simple and 722: Computer Problems. The use of simple words was revisited again in 1436: Orb Hammer and 1322: Winter.
The comic is based on NASA-MSFC 10M04574 produced at Marshal Space Flight Center. Randall omitted the "S". The image was for sale as a poster from up-ship.com which Randal mentioned. A different scan is downloadable from Heroic Relics.
The phrase "You will not go to space today" has become something of a catchphrase for xkcd — variants of it recur in the title text of images in four What If? articles:
- Building a jetpack out of AK-47s and converting the potential energy. Machine Gun Jetpack
- The one about flying on other planets (the pilot does not want to go to space today.) Interplanetary Cessna
- Launching into Earth orbit (if your rocket cannot hit the right "horizontal" speed, you will go to space today, and then you will quickly come back.) Orbital Speed
- The Pyramid of Giza (the energy that made it is not nearly enough to launch a rocket into space; the title text has another reference to the comic, noting that the tip of the pyramid should point towards space.) Pyramid Energy
Randall has in 2015 written an entire book with this type of simplified language blueprints. Thing Explainer was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on November 24, 2015 and actually had a copy of this comic in it. On the day of the book's release Randall also released a comic with a game, to celebrate the book: 1608: Hoverboard. In this game the space capsule used for landing back on earth is shown, thus both referencing the book and this comic. This part of the space ship can also be seen in the book above the Sky toucher and the moon landing is also depicted in Worlds around the sun. When the book was released Randall had Minute Physics do a "commercial" version of this comic.
The news about the upcoming release of the book was sent out on the Blag in May as New book: Thing Explainer. After that, the book was advertised at the top of the xkcd page with link to the Blag article and links to Preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound, and Hudson. Also, there were two other news with links: "In other news, Space Weird Thing is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in @xkcdbracket's results." (The link was removed sometimes before Monday the 10th of August 2015. within two weeks of the brackets final result was revealed.)
The song Space Weird Thing is a tribute to David Bowie's Space Oddity rewritten in the simple language used in this comic, which is also attributed in the text about the YouTube video. The other news item is related to 1529: Bracket, see that comic for more details.
- US Space Team's Up Goer Five
- The only flying space car that's taken anyone to another world (explained using only the ten hundred words people use the most often)
- [A list of Saturn-V parts, top to bottom, with their "Up Goer" description follows.]
- [Launch Escape System (LES)]: Thing to help people escape really fast if there's a problem and everything is on fire so they decide not to go to space
- [LES side nozzle]: Thing to control which direction the escaping people go
- [LES fuel]: Stuff to burn to make the box with the people in it escape really fast
- [LES bottom nozzles]: Place where fire comes out to help them escape
- [Apollo spacecraft.]
- [Command Module (CM)]: Part that flies around the other world and comes back home with the people in it and fall in the water.
- [CM capsule parts]: People box, door, chairs
- [Service Module (SM)]: Part that goes along to give people air, water, computers and stuff. It comes back home with them but burns up without landing.
- [SM oxygen tanks]: Cold air for burning (and breathing). This part had a VERY big problem once.
- [Lunar Module (LM)]: Part that flies down to the other world with two people inside
- [LM descent stage]: Part that stays on the other world (it's still there)
- [LM feet]: Feet that go on the ground of the other world
- [Command Module (CM)]: Part that flies around the other world and comes back home with the people in it and fall in the water.
- [Instrument Unit]: Ring holding most of the computers
- [S-IVB third stage]: Part that falls off third (this part flew away from our world into space and hit the world we were going toward)
- [Fuel tanks]: Wet and very cold
- [Liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank]: The kind of air that once burned a big sky bag and people died and someone said "Oh, the [humans]!" (used for burning)
- [Liquid oxygen (LOX) tank]: The part of air you need to breathe, but not the other stuff (used for burning)
- [Helium pressurizing tanks]: Things holding that kind of air that makes your voice funny (it's for filling up the space left when they take the cold air out to burn it.)
- [J-2 engine nozzle]: Fire comes out here
- [Fuel tanks]: Wet and very cold
- [S-II second stage]: Part that falls off second
- [LH2 tank]: More sky bag air (for burning) (cold + wet)
- [LOX tank]: More breathing-type air (for burning) (cold + wet)
- [Tank-to-engine fuel lines]: Thing that brings in cold wet air to burn
- [J-2 engine nozzles (qty. 5)]: Fire comes out here
- [S-IC first stage]: Part that falls off first
- [LOX tank]: More breathing-type air (for burning) (cold + wet)
- [Helium pressurizing tank]: More funny voice air (for filling up space)
- [LOX fill line]: Opening for putting in cold wet air
- [RP-1 fuel tank]: This is full of that stuff they burned in lights before houses had power.It goes together with the cold air when it's time to start going up.
- [F-1 engine nozzles (qty. 5)]: Lots of fire comes out here.
- [Bottom of spacecraft]: This end should point toward the ground if you want to go to space. If it starts pointing toward space you are having a bad problem and you will not go to space today.
This comic used to be available as a poster in the xkcd store before it was shut down.
External links[edit]
- First Stage Fact Sheet
- Second Stage Fact Sheet
- Third Stage Fact Sheet
- The Up-Goer Five Text Editor
- A word checker tool written by Randall
Isn't this comic essentially just saying 'rocket science: not actually as complicated as the phrase "it's not rocket science" would have us beleive' -- 126.96.36.199 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)
This comic is also a celebration of what many people, presumably including former NASA employee Randall, consider the greatest technological achievement ever. -- 220.127.116.11 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)
- Nope, Randall thinks delivery pizza is the most important thing humanity ever achieved (http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/638:_The_Search). 220.127.116.11 15:20, 7 May 2015 (UTC)
I'm surprised "ship" isn't among the most commonly used words in English. Where do these statistics come from? Davidy22(talk) 12:35, 12 November 2012 (UTC)
- It makes sense that "capsule" and "spaceship" (as one word) are not in the "ten hundred" most-common words (Really, "thousand" isn't on this list either?), but not "fuel" and/or "tank"? People (context: US Midwesterner) talk about filling up their cats all the time! I'd like to see the original 1,000-word list. (Also: "Up Goer"? Well, it goes up -- that's about ALL it does. Makes sense, I guess.) --BigMal27 // 220.127.116.11 13:13, 12 November 2012 (UTC)
- "people talk about filling up their cats all the time!" Tigerball59 (talk) 01:14, 27 May 2018 (UTC)Tigerball890
Maybe is Randall referring to Simplified Technical English? — Ethaniel (talk) 14:09, 12 November 2012 (UTC)
- There is an entry in the Simple English Wikipedia: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplified_English . The Simple English Wikipedia is interesting to browse, and challenging to write articles for. J-beda (talk) 14:24, 12 November 2012 (UTC)
- Look up Basic English. It is the 850 most used words (or rather the 850 most used words when it was invented in 1930). According to Wikipedia it is still used in some countries as the basic vocabulary to first teach in English. The list of words is here: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Basic_English_word_list . It looks like this could be what he used.iCarewolf (talk) 17:30, 14 November 2012 (UTC)
- The 850 Basic English word list includes "liquid" and "second" but does not include "world", "five" and "third" so we're still looking for the vocabulary list.
- Look up Basic English. It is the 850 most used words (or rather the 850 most used words when it was invented in 1930). According to Wikipedia it is still used in some countries as the basic vocabulary to first teach in English. The list of words is here: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Basic_English_word_list . It looks like this could be what he used.iCarewolf (talk) 17:30, 14 November 2012 (UTC)
I'm inclined to think this is also a nod to 1984's Newspeak, and the dumbing-down effect of an overly controlled language. It's good to simplify (linguistic) complexity, but with that simplification of text comes a simplification of capacity, too. We push back horizons by exploring unknowns, so restricting things to a small set of knowns may be counterproductive. -- IronyChef (talk) 15:13, 12 November 2012 (UTC)
- This is the very point I am trying to make time and again. Some topics cannot be correctly explained to everyone. BTW XKCD #547 had a similar point.
- I think that's a very unfortunate "point" to be trying to make time and time again. My personal feelings aside, it goes against Randall's and xkcd's ethos, as well. Just as in law or any other specialized area, an expert, given a reasonable amount of time, thought, and vocabulary, should be able to explain even very complex ideas to lay persons. If there's a failure to do so, the burden should rest with the explainer. And frankly, that failure might even expose some lack of understanding on the explainer's end, as well. I have discussed this in greater depth below. Orazor (talk) 09:10, 19 September 2014 (UTC)
The comic is almost certainly using http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Basic_English_word_list or another work list like it.188.8.131.52 16:58, 12 November 2012 (UTC)
The phrase in the explanation "Helium is much less prone to catching fire" brought a smile to my lips as there is literally <SIC> nothing less prone to catching fire than Helium. 22.214.171.124 23:10, 12 November 2012 (UTC)
Unfortunately some pedant has changed it to the technically correct, but much less smile-inducing "inflammable". Pitty, it made me smile too.lcarsos (talk) 23:22, 12 November 2012 (UTC)
- Edit: I've reverted it, because the whole edit was fraught with incorrect minor changes. 23:27, 12 November 2012 (UTC)
- Inflammable is wrong. It means the same as flammable. If you mean 'incapable of burning', the opposite of flammable/inflammable is nonflammable. This is one of the subtleties of English which is avoided by using a greater number of simple words! 184.108.40.206 13:01, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
- I wouldn't say Helium is least prone to catching fire. Sure, it's least prone to chemical reaction, but it is prone to nuclear fusion, which looks sort of like fire. On the other hand Iron, while it can be oxygenated, doesn't really catch fire doing that and I doubt it can chemically react in a way which would look that way. -- Hkmaly (talk) 08:42, 14 November 2012 (UTC)
- Fire is strictly defined as the rapid oxidation of a substance in the presence of heat - nuclear fusion is transmutation, not combustion. Iron can undergo a thermite reaction which makes spectacular flying flames. Youtube should have a billion videos of thermite reactions for your perusal. Davidy22(talk)
- Fine steel wool (such as 0000 grade) burns exceedingly well. A survival technique is to use flashlight batteries to make a spark in the steel wool, which then becomes an excellent fire starter.
Since the comic can't use the actual words, it took me some time to find Wikipedia's articles that describe the actual "up goer." In case there's anybody like me who wanted to know more details, I found the Apollo (spacecraft) and Saturn V articles to be very interesting and relevant. BTW, "that stuff they burned in lights before houses had power" is highly refined kerosene. S (talk) 00:34, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
- Thanks for doing the research! I've incorporated this into the explanation. Feel free to add more if you think it needs more. lcarsos (talk) 01:33, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
It would be pretty nice for a day if everyone just spoke using the most used thousand words in his respective language. Just off hand, describing the band name "Led Zeppelin" would certainly be a treat--Dangerkeith3000 (talk) 18:10, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
- Anyone who will not be fired off trying to only speak the most used thousand words for workday is working manually or not at all. -- Hkmaly (talk) 08:42, 14 November 2012 (UTC)
- Or is a school teacher, or working primarily with people who have language difficulties...
I think NASA should rebrand themselves "US Spaaaaaace Team" it's so much cooler than the "National Aeronautics and Spaaaaaace Administration"! --NHSavage (talk) 07:39, 15 November 2012 (UTC)
I have not once heard the word "goer" before this. Thousand most common? 18.104.22.168 16:22, 15 November 2012 (UTC)
- Randall used the verb "to go" and as it's a verb, any conjugation could be considered the same word. I think that's where he got "goer" from. lcarsos_a (talk) 16:29, 15 November 2012 (UTC)
- Well, not a conjugation, a different part of speech. That's a slightly more extreme leap than a change of inflection, but probably still allowable for these purposes. - jerodast (talk) 15:18, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
Someone has made an "Up-Goer Five Text Editor", with a link to a (the?) ten-hundred wordlist: http://splasho.com/upgoer5/. 126.96.36.199 18:46, 21 January 2013 (UTC)
I'm having trouble believing that lift off is not on the common word list. DruidDriver (talk) 01:55, 23 January 2013 (UTC)
On language and explaining
Strongly disagree with the contention at the beginning of this explanation that "This comic is a commentary on the absurdity of boiling down technical explanations for lay people..." On many occasions Randall de-jargonizes/simplifies complex ideas so that they can be understood by most anyone. Heck, he dedicates an entire blog (whatif) to it. In this interview with fivethirtyeight.com, (http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/xkcd-randall-munroe-qanda-what-if/) among others, Randall explains that lay persons, given enough time, patience, and the correct guidance, should be able to understand most any scientific/technical idea.
To wit: "It's tempting to think of technical audiences and general audiences as completely different, but I think that no matter who you're talking to, the principles of explaining things clearly are the same. The only real difference is which things you can assume they already know[.] ... I'm always looking for ways of looking at problems — mental models — that make the answers intuitively clear. Once I've hit on one of those, I just try to explain it as simply and clearly as I can[.]"
Accordingly, I have altered the explanation to reflect this world view. The point of this comic is to illustrate that one should be able to explain complicated ideas to people who lack a technical background using simple language. Granted that Randall is imposing upon himself an unreasonable "ten hundred word" linguistic restriction, but I think that only goes to further his point. Unless the "explainee" is being unreasonably obtuse, the burden falls upon the shoulders of the explainer to help a non-lay audience understand. Orazor (talk) 08:53, 19 September 2014 (UTC)
If you don't go to spaaaaaace today, you need more strutsSteammaster (talk) 18:43, 19 January 2015 (UTC)
- or more boosters! (Both are popular Kerbal Space Program catchphrases.) 188.8.131.52 10:50, 3 June 2015 (UTC)
Maybe we should add a reference to Randall's upcoming book, Thing Explainer. 126.96.36.199 02:14, 28 May 2015 (UTC)
As I understand it, the brackets in "oh the [humans]" are used to indicate paraphrasing (replacing "humanity" with "humans") as is common in English texts. Referring to humanity with the phrase "concentration of humans" seems rather contrived and unlikely. Any opinions on this? --22.214.171.124 18:38, 12 July 2016 (UTC)
I think the brackets are just to say that this is not the true quote.Dontknow (talk) 21:37, 8 March 2017 (UTC)
"escape" seems like it's not acceptable, according to https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/
So, here's an interesting thing I noticed: In the image, the linkage between the Command Module and the Service Module is shown next to the hatch. As such, this depicts a Block 1 Apollo spacecraft, a version that was only used for testing (and Apollo 1) and never actually went to the Moon. The final Block 2 spacecraft would have that linkage on the opposite side. --184.108.40.206 10:25, 11 December 2023 (UTC)
This whole concept reminds me of the conlang Toki Pona. Trogdor147 (talk) 20:41, 28 May 2024 (UTC)


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General Summary of Proposition 65
The "California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986" (more commonly referred to as 'Proposition 65') was enacted to ensure that customers be properly warned when a product contains a substance known to cause cancer or reproductive harm. The law requires the State of California to publish and maintain (annually) a list of substances to be available to the general public. Additionally, the law requires that businesses properly notify residents of the State of California about the presence of these substances in the products they purchase, or that may be present in their homes, workplaces, or that otherwise may be released into the environment. The specific list contains a wide range of naturally occurring and synthetic substances including manufacturing and construction chemicals, pesticides, tobacco, food-additives, solvents, household products, drugs and byproducts created from a specific product usage.
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text:
Phillies officially announce trade for Michael Young
The Phillies said they found a third baseman in Michael Young, a 36-year-old veteran who has not regularly played the position in two seasons and posted career-worst numbers in 2012.
This story has been corrected from the original version, which reported that the Phillies paid Michael Young $1.2 million to waive his no-trade clause. In fact, in exchange for agreeing to the trade, Young was compensated $1.2 million by the Texas Rangers and awarded a new no-trade clause by the Phillies.
The Phillies said they found a third baseman in Michael Young, a 36-year-old veteran who has not regularly played the position in two seasons and posted career-worst numbers in 2012.
That says as much about the other options at third base than anything.
On Sunday, the Young trade was made official, with relievers Josh Lindblom and Lisalverto Bonilla headed the other way. The Rangers will reportedly pay $10 million of Young's $16 million salary in 2013. Texas also paid Young a further $1.2 million to get him to waive his no-trade clause, a decision he deliberated for days. The Phillies will grant Young a new no-trade provision.
It was a hefty haul for Young, 36, who was marginalized in Texas despite his tenure and respect.
"He has a tremendous track record," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Sunday. "I know that last year was not his best year. But after talking to the scouts and discussing it intently with the rest of our front office, we felt like this is an excellent person to bring to our club."
Amaro did not return requests for specific comment. Instead, the team issued his responses through a pool reporter from MLB.com.
Left unanswered is why the Phillies say Young is defensively capable of handling third base on an everyday basis, given he primarily served as designated hitter for the last two seasons with Texas. Young won a Gold Glove at shortstop in 2008 and played at third in 2009 and 2010. Advanced defensive metrics rated him among the worst at the position.
Young, a career .301 hitter, batted .277 with a paltry .312 on-base percentage in 2012. His 26 double plays hit into were second only to Miguel Cabrera's 28.
One metric, wins above replacement (WAR), rated Young's 2012 among the worst seasons in modern baseball history. There are only three worse seasons (minimum 600 plate appearances) than Young's minus-2.4 WAR since 1947, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
The Phillies, of course, are banking on 2012 being an aberration. In 2011, Young batted .338 with an .854 OPS and led the American League in hits. He has been an all-star seven times.
"You don't have a great year every year," Amaro said. "He's had some years where he hit .280 and others where he hit .330. But at the same time, even when his numbers aren't extraordinary - and they were still pretty darn good last year, maybe better than anybody we had on our club - the fact of the matter is he's a professional hitter. He's a guy who we know will strive to be the best player he can be. And even when he's not having productive hits, I know he's the kind of guy who makes productive outs. So there's a lot of pluses to this guy."
Young's leadership was often praised in Texas, where he spent the first 13 years of his career. "He's such a professional," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "If there was crying in baseball, I guess I'd cry."
Amaro described Young as "the ultimate team player."
The acquisition of Young leaves Kevin Frandsen and Freddy Galvis as utility infielders. With one of the oldest infields in baseball, those two could serve as insurance policies. One could also become a late-inning defensive replacement for Young.
Amaro's two recent trades were aimed at saving money. Young and new centerfielder Ben Revere will make a combined $6.5 million in 2013. Placido Polanco and Shane Victorino made $15.8 million at those positions in 2012.
With a payroll that is approximately $20 million shy of last season's, Amaro has plenty of flexibility to add offense in the outfield.


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Interior Secretary Ken Salazar intends to step down at the end of March, his office confirms to NPR's Jeff Brady.
Word of Salazar's plan broke over night. According to The Denver Post, the former senator from Colorado intends to "return to Colorado to spend time with his family."
As the Post writes:
"Salazar has said in his four years he is most proud of improving the relationship the federal government has with American Indians, cleaning up the oil and gas program after former departments were plagued with scandal and nepotism, and broadening a clean energy agenda.
"The secretary established seven new national parks and 10 new wildlife refuges. He also launched 18 utility-scale solar energy projects on public lands. ...
"He has also dealt with several natural and environmental disasters, including the explosion of a BP-operated deep water oil well, Deepwater Horizon, in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010. ...
"In his push to grow regulations for domestic energy production on federal lands — particularly post Deepwater Horizon — he often tangled with House Republicans, many of whom have called him one of the worst Interior secretaries in the history of the United States."
It's not unusual for administration officials who have spent one term with a president to leave at the start of the president's second term. Others in the Obama administration who are departing (and their likely successors, if they've been nominated):
-- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.)
-- Defense Secretary Leon Panetta (former Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.)
-- Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (White House chief of staff Jacob "Jack" Lew)
-- Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.
Among those who are set to stay on:
-- Attorney Gen. Eric Holder
-- Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano
-- Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Update at 9:50 a.m. ET. Salazar Drew Criticism From Oil Industry.
NPR's Jeff Brady adds this in a report for our Newscast Desk:
"Salazar's department manages more than 500 million acres of public land — mostly in the West. The department also manages offshore oil and gas leases. After the 2010 BP explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Salazar told CNN that it was his department's responsibility to 'basically ... keep the boot on the neck of British Petroleum to carry out the responsibilities that they have both under the law and contractually to move forward and to stop this spill.' Comments such as that, along with a moratorium on drilling in the Gulf, prompted much criticism from the oil industry and its allies."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Can Kids Get Allergies All Year?
My son has been congested for what seems like months now. He sometimes has a runny nose and itchy, watery eyes, too. Could this be allergies?
– Fiona
If the seasons have changed and your son has continued to have allergy symptoms, it's possible that he has perennial (year-round) allergies, or what's called perennial allergic rhinitis. This type of allergy is usually caused by indoor allergens like dust mites, indoor mold, and pet dander or saliva.
The only way to know for sure, though, is to talk with your doctor, who will ask questions about your son's symptoms and when they happen (for example, when he's indoors, around pets, or in certain rooms of the house). Based on the answers and a physical exam, the doctor might be able to make a diagnosis. If not, the doctor may refer your son to an allergist for skin testing. Skin tests are quick and involve putting a purified form of an allergen either on the skin or underneath it and then watching for an allergic reaction.
If your son is diagnosed with an indoor allergy, you'll need to work on reducing his exposure to allergens. Here are some tips:
- Vacuum regularly using a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter or a double-layer bag.
- To dry out the air, use a dehumidifier (especially in damp areas) or air conditioner, and consider using a HEPA air purifier.
- For dust mite allergies, remove carpets or rugs from your son's room (hard floor surfaces don't collect dust as much as carpets do), and don't hang heavy drapes or keep other items in the house, like stuffed animals, that collect dust. Special covers can be put on pillows and mattresses to seal out dust. Wash bedding weekly in hot water and dry in a hot dryer.
- For pet allergies, keep pets out of certain rooms, like your son's bedroom, and minimize contact. If your child is highly allergic, you may need to consider finding another home for your pet.
- For mold spore allergies, keep your son away from damp areas, such as basements, and keep bathrooms and other mold-prone areas clean and dry. Avoid storing items in damp areas.
If reducing exposure isn't possible or doesn't help, medicines can help ease allergy symptoms. These may include decongestants, antihistamines, and nasal spray steroids.
If symptoms cannot be managed with medicines, the doctor may recommend taking your child to an allergist or immunologist for regular allergy shots (immunotherapy) to help desensitize him to the allergens.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2024 KidsHealth ® All rights reserved. Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com


text:
Weekend Reality Check
There has been much waxing poetical 'round here recently, and much deep thinking inspired by motherhood. One might think that the Bad Mother household was a haven of blithe domesticity, a tranquil domain wherein mother wiles away the hours in cuddle and play with an angelic baby, pausing only to reflect upon the sweetness of maternal love.
One would be mistaken.
WonderBaby is a lovely, lovely child. I adore her. But she is not remotely angelic, unless we understand 'angelic' in the strict Old Testament sense of mighty and punitive and very often bearing ancient weapons of mass destruction.
It may not LOOK like a flaming sword, but trust me. It's an ancient weapon of mass destruction. You do not want it in your home.
She capable of the greatest sweetness, but she is heaven-bent on destroying me. Every exercise of our day involves a mighty struggle, an intense battle of wills that I, inevitably, lose.
To wit: the thrice-daily Battle of the High Chair. WonderBaby has decided that high chairs are for chumps. WonderBaby has decided that she, mighty being that she is, should not be restrained in a high chair. WonderBaby has decided that, should she deign to eat, she should not be expected to do it in such ignominious conditions.
She has further decided that she should not be expected to do so while fully clothed.
So, last night, WonderBaby took her evening meal while standing, facing backward, in her high chair.
While I crouched on the floor behind the chair, plying her with toast and yogourt.
(No, there is no picture. My nine-month old baby was balancing naked, on two sturdy but nonetheless unreliable baby legs, in an assembly line high chair. You want that I should have run for the camera?)
(Fine. I was tempted. But I resisted.)
I think that we can safely say that it is now official: I am her bitch.
Guided by the not-so-benelovent spirit of Michael Landon,* WonderBaby's quest for world domination proceeds apace...
*With thanks to the Junipers for iconographic playwear.


text:
- Description:
ITE can estimate
: Shannon entropy, Rényi entropy, Tsallis entropy (Havrda and Charvát entropy), complex entropy, Phi-entropy (f-entropy), Sharma-Mittal entropy,mutual information
: generalized variance, kernel canonical correlation analysis, kernel generalized variance, Hilbert-Schmidt independence criterion, Shannon mutual information (total correlation, multi-information), L2 mutual information, Rényi mutual information, Tsallis mutual information, copula-based kernel dependency, multivariate version of Hoeffding's Phi, Schweizer-Wolff's sigma and kappa, complex mutual information, Cauchy-Schwartz quadratic mutual information, Euclidean distance based quadratic mutual information, distance covariance, distance correlation, approximate correntropy independence measure, chi-square mutual information (Hilbert-Schmidt norm of the normalized cross-covariance operator, squared-loss mutual information, mean square contingency),divergence
: Kullback-Leibler divergence (relative entropy, I directed divergence), L2 divergence, Rényi divergence, Tsallis divergence, Hellinger distance, Bhattacharyya distance, maximum mean discrepancy (kernel distance, an integral probability metric), J-distance (symmetrised Kullback-Leibler divergence, J divergence), Cauchy-Schwartz divergence, Euclidean distance based divergence, energy distance (specially the Cramer-Von Mises distance), Jensen-Shannon divergence, Jensen-Rényi divergence, K divergence, L divergence, f-divergence (Csiszár-Morimoto divergence, Ali-Silvey distance), non-symmetric Bregman distance (Bregman divergence), Jensen-Tsallis divergence, symmetric Bregman distance, Pearson chi square divergence (chi square distance), Sharma-Mittal divergence,association measures
, includingmeasures of concordance
: multivariate extensions of Spearman's rho (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, grade correlation coefficient), correntropy, centered correntropy, correntropy coefficient, correntropy induced metric, centered correntropy induced metric, multivariate extension of Blomqvist's beta (medial correlation coefficient), multivariate conditional version of Spearman's rho, lower/upper tail dependence via conditional Spearman's rho,cross quantities
: cross-entropy,kernels on distributions
: expected kernel (summation kernel, mean map kernel, set kernel, multi-instance kernel, ensemble kernel; special convolution kernel), Bhattacharyya kernel (Bhattacharyya coefficient, Hellinger affinity), probability product kernel, Jensen-Shannon kernel, exponentiated Jensen-Shannon kernel, Jensen-Tsallis kernel, exponentiated Jensen-Renyi kernel(s), exponentiated Jensen-Tsallis kernel(s).conditional entropy
: conditional Shannon entropy.conditional mutual information
: conditional Shannon mutual information.
ITE offers
solvers for (i) Independent Subspace Analysis (ISA) and (ii) its extensions to different linear-, controlled-, post nonlinear-, complex valued-, partially observed models, as well as to systems with nonparametric source dynamics,
several consistency tests (analytical vs estimated value),
illustrations for information theoretical image registration, and
distribution regression with applications in (i) supervised entropy learning and (ii) aerosol optical depth prediction based on satellite images.
ITE is
- written in Matlab/Octave,
- multi-platform (tested extensively on Windows and Linux),
- free and open source (released under the GNU GPLv3(>=) license).
Note (new): Python implementation (https://bitbucket.org/szzoli/ite-in-python/).
ITE mailing list: "https://groups.google.com/d/forum/itetoolbox".
Follow ITE:
- on BitBucket: Python (https://bitbucket.org/szzoli/ite-in-python/follow), Matlab/Octave (https://bitbucket.org/szzoli/ite/follow),
- on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ITEtoolbox).
Share your ITE application: "https://bitbucket.org/szzoli/ite/wiki".
- Changes to previous version:
Conditional Shannon entropy estimation: added.
Conditional Shannon mutual information estimation: included.
- BibTeX Entry: Download
- Corresponding Paper BibTeX Entry: Download
- Supported Operating Systems: Linux, Windows
- Data Formats: Matlab, Octave
- Tags: Conditional Entropy, Conditional Mutual Information, Entropy, Mutual Information, Divergence, Independent Subspace Analysis, Separation Principles, Independent Process Analysis, Association Measure, Measure Of Concordance, Measure Of Independence, Nonparametric Estimation, Distribution Regression
- Archive: download here
Other available revisons
Version Changelog Date 0.63 Conditional Shannon entropy estimation: added.
Conditional Shannon mutual information estimation: included.
June 9, 2016, 23:42:14 0.62 Von Mises expansion based estimators: included for 7 unconditional quantities (Shannon entropy, Shannon mutual information, Kullback-Leibler divergence, Rényi divergence, Tsallis divergence, Pearson Chi^2 divergence, Hellinger distance.
Analytical value (for Gaussian random variables) and quick test: added for the Hellinger distance.
April 17, 2016, 17:19:00 0.61 Explicit additive constant computation in generalized kNN based Renyi entropy estimators: enhancement suggestion has been added.
Analytical value computation of the exponentiated Jensen-Renyi kernel-2: simplified.
February 8, 2015, 14:04:27 0.60 Quick test on the Tsallis divergence: introduced.
Pearson chi square divergence estimation in the exponential family (MLE + analytical formula): added.
June 3, 2014, 00:17:33 0.59 Adaptive partitioning based Shannon mutual information estimators: added.
Quick tests: updated to handle the new estimators.
May 16, 2014, 22:13:48 0.58 3-way interaction indices based on the embedding of the (i) Lancaster interaction and (ii) 'joint - product of the marginals' signed measures to a RKHS: added.
Quick tests: updated to cover the new estimators.
April 29, 2014, 22:08:50 0.57 Kullback-Leibler divergence estimation based on maximum likelihood estimation + analytical formula in the chosen exponential family: added.
A new sampling based entropy estimator with KDE correction on the left/right sides: added.
Quick tests: updated with the new estimators.
April 10, 2014, 18:35:22 0.56 Distribution regression (supervised entropy learning, aerosol optical depth prediction based on satellite images): added.
MMD distance computation based on U-statistics, expected kernel: upgraded to cover new kernels (exponential, Cauchy, Matern, polynomial, rational quadratic, inverse multiquadratic).
March 27, 2014, 22:06:54 0.55 Shannon entropy and cross-entropy estimation based on maximum likelihood estimation + analytical formula in the chosen exponential family: added.
Quick tests: updated with the new estimators.
March 8, 2014, 00:18:00 0.54 Renyi and Tsallis entropy estimation based on maximum likelihood estimation + analytical formula in the exponential family: added.
Quick tests: updated according to the new estimators.
February 24, 2014, 18:28:32 0.53 f-divergence estimation based on second-order Taylor expansion + Pearson chi square divergence: added.
Shannon mutual information estimation based on KL divergence: added.
Quick tests: updated with the new estimators.
February 2, 2014, 14:04:19 0.52 Sharma-Mittal divergence estimation: added using (i) maximum likelihood estimation + analytical formula in the exponential family, (ii) k-nearest neighbors.
Quick test for (i) Sharma-Mittal divergence, (ii) Shannon mutual information: added.
Normal variables: added to the Pearson chi square divergence quick test.
January 10, 2014, 00:02:47 0.51 ITE has been accepted for publication in JMLR; citing information: added.
Block-MMD (maximum mean discrepancy) estimator: added.
'Extreme large' k in kNN based estimators: an overflow issue discovered + corrected.
+Some refactorization, documentation upgrade.
December 29, 2013, 17:36:00 0.50 Entropy and Kullback-Leibler divergence estimation based on power spectral density representation and Szegő's theorem: added.
Different noisy examples have been added to the image registration quick test.
December 18, 2013, 20:53:28 0.49 MMD (maximum mean discrepancy) estimation based on U- and V-statistics: incomplete Cholesky decomposition based accelerations added.
Refactorization; improved navigation in the documentation.
December 1, 2013, 16:44:15 0.48 Sharma-Mittal entropy estimation based on
k-nearest neighbors (S={k}): added.
maximum likehood estimation + analytical value in the exponential family: added.
November 11, 2013, 19:26:39 0.47 Chi-square mutual information estimation based on Pearson chi-square divergence: added.
Shannon entropy estimation based on an alternative linearly corrected spacing method: added.
November 1, 2013, 19:29:12 0.46 Phi-entropy (f-entropy) estimation based on the spacing method: added.
Pearson chi square divergence (chi square distance) estimation based on k-nearest neighbors: added.
October 21, 2013, 19:31:52 0.45 Exponentiated Jensen-Tsallis kernel-1 estimation based on Tsallis entropy: added.
Exponentiated Jensen-Tsallis kernel-2 estimation based on Jensen-Tsallis divergence: added.
October 9, 2013, 21:44:21 0.44 Exponentiated Jensen-Renyi kernel-1 estimation based on Renyi entropy: added.
Exponentiated Jensen-Renyi kernel-2 estimation based on Jensen-Renyi divergence: added.
October 1, 2013, 18:16:38 0.43 Exponentiated Jensen-Shannon kernel estimation: added.
Jensen-Tsallis kernel estimation: added.
September 20, 2013, 19:56:45 0.42 High-level information theoretical estimators: 'eval' changed to 'function handles' -- speeds up computations.
Cost object initialization: now allows setting field values (alpha, number of kNN-s, ...) through its argument. => possibility to override default values, automatic inheritence in meta estimators.
Quick tests introduced: consistency of the estimators (analytical vs. estimated value), positive semi-definiteness of Gram matrices determined by distribution kernels, image registration.
Refactorization; documentation: improved.
September 7, 2013, 16:46:42 0.41 Probability product kernel estimation based on k-nearest neighbors: added,
Jensen-Shannon kernel estimation: added.
July 12, 2013, 21:33:42 0.40 Bhattacharyya kernel estimation based on k-nearest neighbors: added,
Expected kernel estimation: added,
Kernel on distributions (K) object type: added.
June 23, 2013, 13:13:27 0.39 Symmetric Bregman distance estimation based on nonsymmetric Bregman distance: added,
Symmetric Bregman distance estimation using the k-nearest neighbor method: added.
June 12, 2013, 13:12:52 0.38 Jensen-Tsallis divergence estimation: added,
Bregman distance estimation: added.
June 1, 2013, 10:20:00 0.37 K divergence estimation: added,
L divergence estimation: added,
kNN squared distance computation: refined.
May 12, 2013, 15:35:39 0.36 Jensen-Rényi divergence estimation: added,
Jensen-Shannon divergence estimation: added.
April 26, 2013, 18:45:27 0.35 An alternative Jacobi optimization based ICA solution with general entropy/mutual information estimators: added; The method extends the RADICAL ICA scheme to general objectives.
April 2, 2013, 10:37:51 0.34 Jacobi optimization based ICA solution with general entropy/mutual information estimators: added. The method extends the SWICA scheme to general objectives.
March 22, 2013, 11:41:05 0.33 Two one-dimensional Shannon entropy estimators based on the maximum entropy method: added.
March 6, 2013, 09:44:47 0.32 ICA and ISA structures: introduced for unified treatment of the estimators. It will also enable embedding of general ICA optimization algorithms such as the Jacobi method.
'stepwiseLS' mAR estimator: deleted.
'kdpee.c': MSVC does not provide log2. A more elegant solution: added.
February 25, 2013, 12:42:40 0.31 EASI (equivariant adaptive separation via independence) real/complex ICA method: added.
Adaptive (k-d) partitioning based Shannon entropy estimation: added.
February 9, 2013, 11:31:39 0.30 Upper tail dependence via conditional Spearman's rho: added.
Multivariate conditional version of Spearman's rho weighting the lower tail: added.
January 25, 2013, 15:11:25 0.29 Lower tail dependence via conditional Spearman's rho: added.
Multivariate conditional version of Spearman's rho weighting the lower tail: added.
January 13, 2013, 11:38:17 0.28 Multivariate extension of Blomqvist's beta (medial correlation coefficient): added.
Average pairwise Spearman's rho: added.
January 2, 2013, 22:51:22 0.27 Approximate correntropy independence measure estimator: added.
Correntropy induced metric, centered correntropy induced metric estimators: added.
Correntropy, centered correntropy, correntropy coefficient estimators: added.
Handling of identically constant random variables in distance correlation computation: included.
December 28, 2012, 14:41:57 0.26 Distance covariance estimation via HSIC (Hilbert-Schmidt independence criterion): added.
Energy distance estimation via MMD (maximum mean discrepancy): added.
Energy distance estimation: added.
We computed the square of distance correlation: sqrt included.
December 22, 2012, 14:12:33 0.25 Distance covariance, distance correlation estimation: added.
December 15, 2012, 10:20:06 0.24 MMD (maximum mean discrepancy) estimation based on U- and V-statistics: added.
December 12, 2012, 12:16:05 0.23 Three multivariate extensions of Spearman's rho (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient): added.
Association (A) cost object type: added.
December 7, 2012, 18:33:26 0.22 Cauchy-Schwartz and Euclidean distance based divergence estimators: added.
Cauchy-Schwartz and Euclidean distance based quadratic mutual information estimators: added.
December 1, 2012, 13:33:31 0.21 Kullback-Leibler divergence estimator based on cross-entropy and entropy: added.
Cross-entropy estimation based on k-nearest neighbors: added.
Cross cost object type: added.
November 25, 2012, 20:56:32 0.20 Two Shannon entropy estimators based on the distance (KL divergence) from the uniform/Gaussian distributions: added.
Shannon entropy estimator based on Voronoi regions: added.
November 21, 2012, 13:55:09 0.19 Two k-nearest neighbor based Kullback-Leibler divergence estimators: added.
compute_CDSS.cpp: 'sqrt(T)' -> 'sqrt(double(T))', to increase compatibility with compilers.
November 21, 2012, 13:47:05 0.18 8 sample spacing based 1d Shannon/Rényi entropy estimators: added.
November 10, 2012, 12:53:37 0.17 - Edgeworth expansion based Shannon entropy estimator: accelerated (C++ alternative).
- 'Tsallis entropy <- Renyi entropy' meta estimator: added.
November 6, 2012, 22:18:43 0.16 - Edgeworth expansion based Shannon entropy estimator: added.
- Lookup table for the underlying H/I/D estimation formulas: added (documentation).
November 2, 2012, 16:03:25 0.15 The Hellinger and Bhattacharyya distances are now available in ITE. They can be estimated via k-nearest neighbor methods.
A '/'->'*' typo: corrected in 'DL2_kNN_k_estimation.m'.
October 29, 2012, 17:27:28 0.14 - Monte-Carlo simulation to compute the additive constants in Rényi entropy estimation: added.
- some accelerations/compatibility enhancements: performed.
October 29, 2012, 12:31:34 0.13 - Tsallis entropy is now available in ITE. It can be estimated via k-nearest neighbors.
- A '/'->'*' typo: corrected in 'HRenyi_kNN_k_estimation.m'.
October 27, 2012, 22:14:18 0.12 - Schweizer-Wolff's sigma and kappa: added.
- Hoeffding's Phi computation: scaled-up.
October 27, 2012, 21:21:27 0.11 multivariate version of Hoeffding's Phi: added.
October 20, 2012, 23:30:17 0.1 Initial Announcement on mloss.org.
October 11, 2012, 07:47:43
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*Note: games are non-refundable once this plan is purchased. Any refund we issue under our usual Terms Of Service will have the retail value of $6.99 deducted from the refund price.
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Home > Busway & Plugs > Bus Plugs > SLJC363004GJD6 Siemens Bus Plug
Product description:
Siemens SLJC363004GJD6 Sentron low-amp breaker style bus plug; 300 amp, 600 volt, three-wire with ground. Reconditioned and guaranteed with a one year warranty.
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2 results arranged by date
New York, May 24, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists called on the governments of Yemen and Bahrain to end all intimidation and harassment of and physical violence against journalists. In Yemen, on Saturday, a journalist was attacked and repeatedly stabbed by unidentified assailants. In Bahrain, the authorities continue to detain and abuse journalists.


text: Athletic | Boxing | Bridge | Country | Cricket | Cycling | Fitness | Football | Golf | Gun | Gymnastics | Nightclubs | Photography | Rugby | Sailing Horton Gun ClubHorton gun club in Northamptonshire should be a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) of United Kingdom and the National Small-bore Rifle Association (NSRA). The benefits of being a member of the NRA is obvious in the fact that if you wish to hold a Firearms Certificate (FAC) for target shooting you must be a Full Member of a Home Office Approved (HOA) Club. As the NRA is a HOA Club in it's own right, members can use the NRA as their Primary club when applying for an FAC. The NSRA is the national governing body for all Small-bore Rifle and Pistol Target Shooting in the United Kingdom, including Airgun and Match Crossbow Shooting. Rules on gunbuying and licencing in the UKTo buy a shotgun in Britain you need to hold a Shotgun Certificate, and to buy a rifle you need to hold a Fire Arm Certificate. You can ask for forms for these from your local police station. Ask also to speak to your local Horton police firearms liaison officer, who will tell you what you need to fill those forms out to his or her satisfaction. They may also want to see a 'good reason' for you wanting a gun, such as membership of Horton gun club or for pest control. They usually want to see that you will keep your gun or guns in a secure place, such as a steel gun cabinet bolted to a wall. You have to store ammunition separately. A shotgun is described as a smooth-bore gun (not being an air-weapon) which has a barrel not less than 24 inches with a bore diameter not exceeding 2 inches. A firearm usually describes a cartridge-loading, rifled-barrel longarm (rifle) with a barrel not shorter than 300mm. Overall length of the firearm must not be less than 600mm unless it is a muzzle loader. Firearms include: muzzle-loading rifles or pistols; shotguns with a magazine capacity greater than three; airguns with power ratings exceeding 12 ft/lbs for rifles and 6ft/lbs for pistols; and historic pistols kept at home as part of a collection or kept at a designated historic site and used for non-competitive target practice. People who apply for a Firearm Certificate for a rifle or muzzle-loading pistol from 1 October 1997 need to be a member of a rifle or muzzle-loading pistol club approved by the Home Office or Scottish Office under the Firearms Acts if they intend to use the gun for target shooting only. Muzzle loaders are now the only legal useable handguns available to UK shooters (apart from the historic cartridge firing handguns kept at designated sites). However, in order to conduct your shooting you will need a supply of blackpowder which as a classified explosive, has its own restrictions requiring the acquisition of a blackpowder certificate from your Horton police force. It is an offence to fire a gun within 50 feet of a roadway, public footpath or bridleway if by doing so any member of the public is endangered. It is an offence to carry a loaded gun in a public place without good reason. An gun may be considered loaded even if the bullets (or pellets in the case of air rifles) are in a detached magazine. Post 1997 rule changesFrom 1997, firearm and shotgun certification became more stringent. Among the extra hurdles added, people who now apply for Firearms Certificates have to provide two referees, and the police are able to revoke a Firearms Certificate in cases where the holder no longer has a good reason to possess firearms or ammunition. Certain types of firearm are hard to obtain in Britain without a stringent Home Office licence. These include automatic weapons and most handguns. The 1997 handgun ban also made buying any gun more difficult. These transactions have to take place face to face rather than by mail-order, as before. The 1997 Firearms (Amendment) Act made it illegal to send to any individual who is not a Registered Firearms Dealer a gun that requires a certificate or any metallic ammunition of .22 calibre and above. This also applies to transfers of ammunition which requires a Firearms Certificate. It does not apply to shotgun cartridges. Guns can, however, be sent by a Registered Firearms Dealer (i.e. any gun shop) to another RFD. If you buy your guns mail order you will either have to set up a relationship with a friendly local RFD or be prepared to travel. Not all RFD holders will be happy to accept guns that have been retailed by other dealers and all are perfectly entitled to levy a charge for this service. You have to be aged 14 or over to have a Firearms Certificate. If you are aged less than 14 you can have a Shotgun Certificate as long as you have your parent's signed permission. You must be aged 14 or over to purchase an airgun and ammunition. If you are aged between 14 and 18 years, you may borrow a gun or have one bought for you by someone aged 18 or over, and you may use it without supervision on private property where you have a right to be. If you are under 14 you may use an airgun on private property but you must be supervised by someone over the age of 21 at all times. It is unlawful for an under-14-year-old to possess a gun and ammunition without supervision. A person under eighteen is prohibited by Firearms Act (Amendment) Regulations 2010, No 1759 from purchasing or hiring any firearm or ammunition as defined by section 1 of the 1968 Act and a shot gun and ammunition as defined by section 2 of the 1968 Act Gun Age RestrictionsUnder 14 yearsYou can hold a shotgun certificate but you cannot hold a firearm certificate, purchase or hire shotguns until 18 years old (Even if the holder of a relevant certificate) or receive a gift of a shotgun until 15 years old (Even if the holder of a relevant certificate). Under 15 years oldYou can hold a shotgun certificate, hold a firearm certificate and receive a gift of a Section 1 firearm from the age of 14 years old (If authorised by the relevant certificate). You cannot purchase or hire a shotgun until 18 years old (Even if the holder of a relevant certificate), Purchase or hire a firearm until 18 years old (Even if the holder of a relevant certificate), receive a gift of a shotgun until 15 years old (Even if the holder of a relevant certificate), have an assembled shotgun unless supervised by a shotgun certificate holder over 21 years old (Even if the holder of a relevant certificate), have an uncovered / unsecured shotgun until 15 years old (Even if the holder of a relevant certificate). Under 18 years oldYou can hold a shotgun certificate, hold a firearm certificate, receive a gift of a shotgun from the age of 15 years (If authorised by the relevant certificate), receive a gift of a firearm from the age of 14 years (If authorised by the relevant certificate), possess a shotgun if covered and secured from the age of 15 years (If authorised by the relevant certificate). You cannot purchase or hire shotguns until 18 years old (Even if the holder of a relevant certificate), purchase or hire firearms until 18 years old (Even if the holder of a relevant certificate). |


text:
Washington – The Belarus Democracy Act of 2003 moved one step closer to reality today when it passed a subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee.
The bipartisan resolution, H.R. 854, is a measure designed to bolster democratic development in a country held hostage by the dictatorial regime of Alexander Lukashenka. The Europe Subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee approved the measure today, referring it to the full Committee for consideration.
"The United States Congress is one step closer to putting words into action in support of the oppressed citizens of Belarus," said United States Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), prime sponsor of the House bill. "I am more optimistic today that we will soon be able to say to the Belarusian people that we are with you in word and in deed."
"The Belarusian people deserve to live in a society where democratic principles and human rights are respected and the rule of law is paramount," Smith added. "I hope that this bill will help put an end to the pattern of clear, gross and uncorrected human rights violations by the Lukashenka regime and serve as a catalyst to facilitate Belarus' integration into democratic Europe."
"The Belarusian people have suffered so much both under past and current dictatorships. They deserve our support as they work to overcome the legacy of the past and develop a genuinely independent, democratic country," Smith continued.
One of the primary purposes of the Belarus Democracy Act is to demonstrate U.S. support for those struggling to promote democracy and respect for human rights in Belarus despite the formidable pressures they face from Lukashenka's anti-democratic regime. A similar version of the Belarus Democracy Act, S. 700, is pending in the United States Senate.
The Belarus Democracy Act authorizes an increase in assistance for democracy-building activities such as support for non-governmental organizations, independent media, including broadcasting into Belarus, and international exchanges. The bill would expand sanctions against the Lukashenka regime, denying high-ranking officials of the regime entry into the United States. Strategic exports to the Belarusian Government would be prohibited, as well as U.S. Government financing, except for humanitarian goods and agricultural or medical products.
U.S. executive directors of international financial institutions would be encouraged to vote against financial assistance to the Government of Belarus except for loans and assistance for humanitarian needs. The bill would also require reports from the President concerning the sale or delivery of weapons or weapons-related technologies from Belarus to rogue states.


text:
Sixty years ago, South Korea was an economic wasteland. Today, it is not only the world's 11th largest economy, but also a vibrant democracy and an emerging cultural force. This transformation is the subject of a new book, Korea: The Impossible Country, by Daniel Tudor, Korea correspondent for the Economist. He argues that, thanks in part to its neighbors, South Korea is all too often overlooked. A pity, he says, since "South Koreans have written the most unlikely and impressive story of nation-building of the last century."
In less than two weeks, on Dec. 19, South Korea's story will take another turn with the election of a new President. To get a feel for what's at stake, TIME talked to Tudor about the book, the election and, of course, Seoul's unpredictable neighbor, North Korea. Here are some highlights:
(TIME's Asia Cover Story: History's Child: Park Geun-hye)
So, what is 'impossible' about South Korea?
If you go back to the 1950s and the early 1960s, Korea was really one of the poorest places in the world. People didn't expect it to survive, and many people expected North Korea to take it over eventually. I was talking to this guy who was an adviser to former dictator Park Chung-hee, who said, 'We were the poorest, most impossible country on the planet.' For Korea to have gone from this sort of messed-up, disorderly, broke country into a wealthy democracy — it would have been impossible to imagine. But the Korean people have done it.
For young people in Korea now, however, life is full of impossible targets. You have to go to the right university, get the right job and marry the right person. And when your kids are born, you have to put them through the same trials and tribulations. Life is in some ways impossible.
You suggest that South Korea doesn't get the level of interest it deserves. How so?
Korea probably gets overshadowed by China, Japan and North Korea. The first is a massive growth story. The second is famous as a cultural powerhouse. North Korea is just famous for being a pretty extreme dictatorship. By comparison, South Korea struggles to stand out.
Historically, Korea has been closed off; it had sort of an inward character. Now that is changing, but the perception has not caught up with reality. Korea right now changes so quickly — politically, socially, economically — there is always something going on, and it's never boring.
Right, South Korea is just weeks away from a presidential election. What are the key issues?
The two main candidates [Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in] are very, very different people, but their promises are pretty similar. I think that is because the Korean public wants two specific things, in terms of the economy at least. First, a crackdown on corporate conglomerates. Second, to increase the size of the welfare state.
Korea has one of the lowest levels of welfare spending in the [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]. This is due to Korea having been a developmental, high-growth country where things were sacrificed to barrel ahead. It was a matter of growth above all else. The headline numbers were more important than the stories behind them. But now we are seeing more of an interest in quality of life and the distribution of wealth.
Outside South Korea, I think people assume North Korea is at the top of the agenda.
If you live in Seoul, or if you live in Pusan, you go to work in the morning, come home at night, you see your family and you go to the shops on the weekend — you are living a normal life, and North Korea is just not part of that. You are concerned about education, your children, if you have them, about how much salary you get, the ordinary stuff that people in Canada or Brazil worry about.
Maybe really old people, the people who can still remember a united Korea — I'm sure it is very important to them. But to somebody who is 20 years old now, they don't know anybody from North Korea, they don't know much about North Korea, they can't go, so it is not a reference point for them.
(MORE: North Korea Plans Satellite Launch: Why Now?)
What about gender? The front runner in this election, Park Geun-hye, is calling for 'a women's revolution' should she win.
I don't think [her candidacy] is a revolution. She has a very specific political brand that really comes from the Park name, from her father. It is not like she is a woman who has come from nowhere and by purely her own virtue has become a front runner in the presidential election. Those who vote for her will mostly be those who can remember her father and liked him. So I don't see this as being a great watershed moment for women.
Generally, Korea should have a women's revolution, yeah. If you look at big companies in Seoul, you see a lot of younger women, but not older women. We will have to see if this younger generation of women starts getting married and having kids, will they be able to go back to work, or not?
Why is that so important?
The people born around 1960 are going to retire in the next few years, and there is going to be a massive, massive cohort of people who need pensions. And, meanwhile, nobody is having kids anymore: the average Korean woman has 1.2 children in her lifetime. So, in a few years, there will be nobody, really, at work, working to pay the pensions of these people. So you need women in the workforce to fill that gap even. But because raising a child in Korea is so horrendously expensive, people only have one kid. If more women were working, if they had a double income, maybe those families would be able to have another kid, and that would help solve this problem. So there is a need for better child-care facilities. That's a really big thing. All the main candidates are talking about that now.
Also, it is a matter of fairness and choice.
So who is going to win the election?
[Laughs.] It is going to be close. That's all I'll say.
MORE: South Korea Roars Again


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Disabled Man Claims Delta Forced Him to Crawl On and Off Plane
Kanaan said the airline subjected him to "appallingly outrageous treatment."
July 29, 2013— -- A partially paralyzed man is suing Delta Airlines, claiming he was forced to crawl on and off his flights and across the tarmac because he wasn't provided with the equipment he needed to board and exit the plane, according to a complaint.
D. Baraka Kanaan, 40, of Haiku, Hawaii, filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Hawaii against Delta Airlines and 20 of the carrier's employees and agents. The suit, filed on July 23, seeks damages after he endured "intense physical and extreme emotional suffering" from the ordeal.
In the suit, Kanaan said the airline subjected him to "appallingly outrageous treatment" both on his flight to Nantucket, Mass., on July 27, 2012 and on his flight back to Maui, Hawaii, two days later.
READ MORE: Amputee Vet 'Humiliated' on Delta Flight
Kanaan, who suffered partial paralysis of his legs after a car accident in 2000, called Delta weeks before his flight to Nantucket, Mass., to let them know he needed an aisle chair and a lift to get off the plane and into his wheelchair, the complaint said. The airline told him he'd be accommodated upon his arrival.
But when his flight landed at Nantucket Airport, he was told by a flight attendant that the airline didn't have the equipment he needed and that the crew couldn't get him off the plane, according to the complaint.
As a result, Kanaan was "forced to crawl down the aisle of the airplane, down the stairs of the aircraft and across the tarmac to his wheelchair without any assistance."
But even though Kanaan reported the problem to Delta and was assured he'd be given what he needed on his trip home, the same thing happened to Kanaan on his flight to Hawaii.
Kanaan was told that neither an aisle chair nor a lift was available to help him on the plane. Once again, he was forced to "crawl across the tarmac, up the stairs of the aircraft, down the aisle and hoist himself into his seat," the complaint said.
The only thing the airline offered him was "a piece of cardboard to put down so his clothes wouldn't get dirty," according to the suit.
Under the Air Carrier Access Act, the airline is required to provide passengers "with a lift, aisle chair and other equipment as needed or requested," the suit said.
While the Delta disability desk offered to compensate Kanaan with 25,000 miles and $100 voucher, the lawsuit also states, the offer was not enough to quell his fears that he'd be forced to crawl again if he flew with the airline.
Kanaan's attorney, Richard Holcomb, told ABC News that while his client was upset that the issue could not be resolved, he's glad that his story is out as the airline has "done other egregious things to disabled people" in the past.
Kanaan's complaint states, "Just a year before, Delta received no less than 5,000 complaints against it and was ordered to pay record breaking fines for its persistent 'egregious' mistreatment of disabled passengers."
A spokesman for Delta Airlines declined to comment on the pending lawsuit.


text:
Selected references and readings for SQL and PostgreSQL.
Some white papers and technical reports from the original POSTGRES development team are available at the University of California, Berkeley, Computer Science Department web site
Judith Bowman, Sandra Emerson, and Marcy Darnovsky, The Practical SQL Handbook: Using Structured Query Language, Third Edition, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-201-44787-8, 1996.
C. J. Date and Hugh Darwen, A Guide to the SQL Standard: A user's guide to the standard database language SQL, Fourth Edition, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-201-96426-0, 1997.
C. J. Date, An Introduction to Database Systems, Volume 1, Sixth Edition, Addison-Wesley, 1994.
Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, 3rd Edition, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-805-31755-4, August 1999.
Jim Melton and Alan R. Simon, Understanding the New SQL: A complete guide, Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN 1-55860-245-3, 1993.
Jeffrey D. Ullman, Principles of Database and Knowledge: Base Systems, Volume 1, Computer Science Press, 1988.
Stefan Simkovics, Enhancement of the ANSI SQL Implementation of PostgreSQL, Department of Information Systems, Vienna University of Technology, November 29, 1998.
Discusses SQL history and syntax, and describes the addition of INTERSECT and EXCEPT constructs into PostgreSQL. Prepared as a Master's Thesis with the support of O. Univ. Prof. Dr. Georg Gottlob and Univ. Ass. Mag. Katrin Seyr at Vienna University of Technology.
A. Yu and J. Chen, The POSTGRES Group, The Postgres95 User Manual, University of California, Sept. 5, 1995.
Zelaine Fong, The design and implementation of the POSTGRES query optimizer, University of California, Berkeley, Computer Science Department.
Nels Olson, Partial indexing in POSTGRES: research project, University of California, UCB Engin T7.49.1993 O676, 1993.
L. Ong and J. Goh, "A Unified Framework for Version Modeling Using Production Rules in a Database System", ERL Technical Memorandum M90/33, University of California, April, 1990.
L. Rowe and M. Stonebraker, "The POSTGRES data model", Proc. VLDB Conference, Sept. 1987.
P. Seshadri and A. Swami, "Generalized Partial Indexes ", Proc. Eleventh International Conference on Data Engineering, 6-10 March 1995, IEEE Computer Society Press, Cat. No.95CH35724, 1995, p. 420-7.
M. Stonebraker and L. Rowe, "The design of POSTGRES", Proc. ACM-SIGMOD Conference on Management of Data, May 1986.
M. Stonebraker, E. Hanson, and C. H. Hong, "The design of the POSTGRES rules system", Proc. IEEE Conference on Data Engineering, Feb. 1987.
M. Stonebraker, "The design of the POSTGRES storage system", Proc. VLDB Conference, Sept. 1987.
M. Stonebraker, M. Hearst, and S. Potamianos, "A commentary on the POSTGRES rules system", SIGMOD Record 18(3), Sept. 1989.
M. Stonebraker, "The case for partial indexes", SIGMOD Record 18(4), Dec. 1989, p. 4-11.
M. Stonebraker, L. A. Rowe, and M. Hirohama, "The implementation of POSTGRES", Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering 2(1), IEEE, March 1990.
M. Stonebraker, A. Jhingran, J. Goh, and S. Potamianos, "On Rules, Procedures, Caching and Views in Database Systems", Proc. ACM-SIGMOD Conference on Management of Data, June 1990.


text:
NEW ORLEANS – An effigy of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell dangles from the front porch of a New Orleans home that is otherwise festively decorated with Saints paraphernalia.
With restaurants and bars gearing up for an influx of Super Bowl XLVII visitors, the "Refuse to Serve Roger Goodell" page on Facebook had 107 likes as of Friday.
A portrait of Goodell covers the bull's-eye on the dart board at Parkview Tavern.
And floats in the unabashedly lowbrow Krewe du Vieux parade in the French Quarter last weekend displayed larger-than-life likenesses of Goodell in acts that defy polite description.
New Orleans is celebrating the return of Saints coach Sean Payton after a season of NFL banishment as a result of the "bountygate" scandal -- when the team ran a pay-for-hits program. But Goodell, who suspended Payton and other current and former Saints players and coaches last year for their roles in the system, is being ridiculed here with a vehemence usually reserved for the city's scandal-scarred politicians.
"They believe he completely used the Saints as an example of something that was going on league-wide," said Pauline Patterson, co-owner of Finn McCool's, an Irish Bar in the Mid-City neighborhood where the words "Go To Hell Goodell" are visible over the fireplace.
Some of Goodell's critics say the disarray resulting from what they believe were unfair suspensions led to the Saints' 7-9 performance this year -- and a missed chance to make history.
"We had a real shot of being the first team in history to host the Super Bowl in our own stadium," Parkview Tavern owner Kathy Anderson said. "He can't give that back to us."
Goodell suspended the coaches and players after an investigation found the Saints had a performance pool offering cash rewards for key plays, including big hits. The player suspensions eventually were overturned, but the coaches served their punishments.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu is among those saying that people in this city, known for its hospitality and history, should mind their manners and remember the not-too-distant past.
"Roger Goodell has been a great friend to New Orleans, and it's a fact that he's one of the people instrumental to making sure that the Saints stayed here after Hurricane Katrina," Landrieu said in a statement. It was a reference to the days after the storm, when 80 percent of the city was underwater and the damaged Superdome became a shelter for thousands of the displaced.
Then-Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and his second-in-command, Goodell, are credited with working to keep the team from abandoning New Orleans for San Antonio.
"If not for Roger Goodell, we would not have this Super Bowl," Landrieu added. "And we will need him since we want to host another one."
Saints quarterback Drew Brees said the game is validation of everything the city's gone through to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina.
"There's no question, yeah. And I think people will see that when they come down, as soon as people come down that haven't been there in a while," Brees said Friday while in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. "The city knows how to entertain, knows how to treat people right. The tourism industry's huge, so we're excited to host this big game. Obviously it's the biggest sporting event in the world, and the city will be ready for it."
But some are in no mood to back off when it comes to Goodell.
Anderson said she understands city leaders' desire to put their best foot forward, but that it also is important for Saints fans to be able to vent.
"Whether I have Roger Goodell's face on my dart board is not going to change anybody's mind about the Super Bowl," Anderson said.
People should not take the barbs too seriously, said Lynda Woolard, a Saints fan who has been tracking some of the barbs on social media. "Nobody's saying there should be violence against the man," Woolard said.
"It's tongue-in-cheek," Patterson agreed.
Still, some diehards are ready to put it all behind them.
Patrick Brower, owner and manager of the Dirty Coast T-shirt shop, said Friday that he's pushing black-and-gold wear at his shop, choosing to unify Saints fans without bashing the commissioner.
"We've got to look forward here," Brower said. "The more time we spend in the past, it's just not beneficial."


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Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Baby B is finally here!!
This appeared in Hi Blitz!
It's all in the bag….!
What's with women and handbags? Oh…. billions! One day I shall meet my dream woman, Mayawati, and the only thing I'd wish to discuss with her – you've guessed it – is handbags. Mayawati is India's official Bag Lady. And here's why I think Hermes should exclusively design for and dedicate a bag to our pyaari Mayawati. Birkins and Kellys don't quite cut it in India. Every B-grade starlet in Bollywood possesses several – fakes, of course. And socialites in droves parade their limited edition trophy bags along with the latest, not-so-limited toy boy. Agree, both make great eye candy. But think about the poor brand! It has taken Hermes a few decades to convince the world there's nothing quite as desirable as a Kelly or Birkin. But now that desi starlets, poppets and bimbettes have started flashing their acquisitions on Page 3, the bags are doomed! This is where Mayawati comes in. Hermes should sign her up as a brand ambassador instantly. Forget those anorexic actresses with attitude. Signing Mayawati would be an absolute coup! An audacious and imaginative move that would make international headlines. Given all her statues ( always but always with a handbag), the marketing opportunities are pretty impressive. Every great leader \ dictator is associated with a symbol. Gaddafi had his head gear. Che's beret remains a huge political –cum- fashion statement. Gandhiji' s round eye frames are considered cool. Anna appropriated the Mahatma's topi. Netaji preferred breeches. Rajiv Gandhi's trademark Gucci loafers are widely copied by young netas of today. Indira Gandhi's handloom one–offs are Sonia's legacy now. And Maya Memsaab's rexine handbags are so closely associated with her personality, I half –suspect she goes to bed with a handbag slung around her wrist.
Interestingly enough, I attended a high profile Halloween party last month. A soiree hosted by India's most applauded banker. Along with the witches and devils in scary gear, one couple really stood out. Our neighbour Pomi arrived with a garland of currency notes around her neck, her feet shod in heavy duty rubber chappals . She was, of course, carrying a hideous plastic handbag. Just in case people didn't get her attire,or understand her tribute to Mayawati that night, her husband Bharat was dressed as his wife's official bagman ( dhoti, dark glasses, shoes and socks ). He walked in dragging a large suitcase to stash the cash. That was not just a clever fancy dress, but an enormous statement that wasn't lost on the moneymen present! This sexy Mayawati really rocked the party . That night itself, I made a few mental notes. Hermes has recently opened a suitably swishy flagship store in Mumbai ( I have yet to visit… but I'm not a Birkin babe). The more I thought about the Mayawati Bag, the better sense it made! She has the numbers. And does she have the lolly! If even one hundreth of her followers buy her bag, that's one hell of a lot of money in the bank! I would love to own one, myself! Why should I carry a bag inspired by Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco when I can support Maharani Mayawati of Uttar Pradesh?
Let's hope Mayawati does not dilute her impressive equity. It has to be Hermes or nothing! Mayawati is way bigger than Paris Hilton, who came to India to sell her handbags. If Mayawati positions and markets herself strategically, she could become the Planet Earth's biggest Bag Lady. She has the potential to beat Imelda Marcos, whose staggering shoe collection became a talking point for the world. The Hermes representatives in India claim sales shot up after the famous 'Bagwati' spoof in 'Zindagi….'. According to them, there is a long waiting list for an identical bag in the two India stores ( the first one opened in Pune – which says something about Pune and its purchasing power). If a Bollywood spoof and shrewd product placement could generate so much press ( and instant sales), imagine the impact a Mayawati Bag would have. And since timing is everything, it would make perfect sense to work on the launch immediately. The Elections are round the corner. And the heat this generates in U.P. can be capitalized on even as we speak. Mayawati is going to dominate our mind space in 2012. She is a pretty powerful brand in her own right. Since India will be seeing a lot of this lady in the coming year, and we all know Mayawati and her bag can never be parted, Hermes should move ahead tout suite and … well, bag her, before someone else does. I have visualized the design in my head. It features the Taj Mahal ( remember Mayawati's memorable Taj corridor plan?). The bag will have to be large enough to balance the lady's own proportions ( this is important - all future statues will necessarily commemorate Mayawati's international rise to fame and glory). As a prime ministerial candidate, it is important to create a bag that reflects Mayawati's personality, which is awesome and daunting. By then she's bound to be on all the world's Rich Lists. Officially, at that. We can't have her carrying the wrong bag. Indian Izzat ka sawal, hai.
How about it, Hermes?
30 comments:
I am so loving your love for Mayawati :) And Louis Vuitton is done to death as well....
- November 16, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Don't forget to add her photograph on the bag....
Cheers! - November 16, 2011 at 11:29 PM
- Another Kiran In NYC said...
I often wonder if she carries a small pearl handled revolver in that bag just like the Angrez Queen and apni Bindu in so many the movies!
- November 17, 2011 at 1:39 AM
- Archana sonagre wasatkar said...
wow, no wonder if mayawati carry a revolver with her. ur blog reading is a fun for me. thankyou
- November 17, 2011 at 11:27 AM
- Roy samir said...
Hi mam, i have a special news paper dated 15th august 1947(Statesman). due to my financial crisis i am going to sale it. wd you please like to buy this artifact?
- November 17, 2011 at 3:28 PM
- चंद्रमौलेश्वर प्रसाद said...
Bags make the difference when they are carried with the likes of Mayavati and Paris Hilton :) Bon Voyage... Hope U would be reading excerpts from your book.
- November 17, 2011 at 10:41 PM
- Pratap said...
Awesome column Shobhaa.
Thank You!! - November 18, 2011 at 10:22 AM
- Sunita Ghosh said...
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- November 18, 2011 at 1:20 PM
- Viveksheel said...
Well years later Maya will be remembered for all the statues , gigantic parks, F1 circuit and as you said it Hermes bags :)
- November 18, 2011 at 1:35 PM
- HampersNationWide(China) said...
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- November 18, 2011 at 5:10 PM
- Latha said...
Those bags made by breeding crocodiles & snakes & skinning them alive cost $6000 to $50,000. Who'll pay for them ? As usual the hard earned tax money of UP dalits who are taken for a ride after promising the moon & getting their votes ?
- November 18, 2011 at 5:55 PM
- Gargi Bose said...
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- November 18, 2011 at 6:17 PM
- Mouthful said...
Why can't you talk about her state's pathetic economic model; why don't compare when she took to being a CM 4 years ago and what UP is now. All you still see is her handbags and statues. Maya wants to win with symbolism and if likes of Shobha can fall victims to it, the Dalits are ought to. Day by day, you are ending up to be a sad end of once-a-good-story. Reborn afresh or otherwise...You tout Maya to be a future PM: on what basis? What is the point inviting death when the country is already to a dead end? Shunning everything else, I think you would keep doing it like I have always kept reading you. And yeah! if someone has to criticize somebody, the least thing one can do is to keep reading the blogs, books,tweets of that person. Hire some new thoughts Maam! Or create some. To candy-make: why not challenge the most pettable of your convictions, if nothing else, just for the sake of challenging.
- November 19, 2011 at 2:22 AM
- Mouthful said...
'Put Shobha to move, force Shobha to change...
We won't budge, unless she improves her image...
The lady once we loved, we want it back...
O Gripping Devil! don't make Shobha a slack.." - November 19, 2011 at 2:26 AM
- Digital Worx said...
its a big moment for the bachchans. Wish them all the luck.
just anything - November 19, 2011 at 9:22 AM
- Rumpa Das said...
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- November 19, 2011 at 11:47 AM
- ankita said...
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- November 19, 2011 at 1:18 PM
- आशु said...
Shobha Ji,
In the face of what else is going in this world..why this is such a big news and why are you spending you talented expression to sometimes discuss frivolous and petty topics? - November 20, 2011 at 12:35 AM
" mainly to check for myself whether or not people read in that part of the world"
Let me inform you that be it Dubai or Sharjah, we have much more elite and literate people than you. - November 20, 2011 at 12:10 PM
- Pearl said...
I went for Keenan and Reuben's rally yesterday and was saddened to see young children collecting petitions for a law to be passed for our protection. At 36, I wonder why do I need to convince the government that it needs to protect me or the ones protecting me? What is the judicial system present for right now? How many signatures before its worth passing? How many signatures are worth the lives of Keenan or Reuben or countless others whom we are unaware of?
I was surprised to hear the manner in which the identification process took place in the prison-with absolutely no protection for the witnesses at all. Couldn't a one way glass be held or atleast burkhas arranged? and why were the criminals allowed to alter their appearance?
And the most shocking of all was that the waiter Mohsin Khan who carried Keenan to the hospital was sacked? For what? Does he or me or anyone else have the right to know why? Does the government not have the right to question this act?
Is there anything that you as a person who has a platform to speak can do to join the Zero Tolerance campaign against eve teasing and injustice towards woman and the ones protecting women? - November 20, 2011 at 2:35 PM
- Latha said...
@Pearl-The waiter Mohsin Khan who carried Keenan to the hospital was sacked? And the culprits were laughing all the way stating that they will come out soon. Now the TV channels also don't follow the story. What's going on ?
- November 20, 2011 at 7:55 PM
@Pearl & Latha,
We are so used to the chalta attitude that a time has come when each and every girl/woman will have to defend herself from these RATS (can't call them Romeos)and the guy that takes on these wimps must ensure that he takes the first two culprits along with him so that he does not have to sacrifice his life in vain.
Trust me with what is going on there is no other solution. - November 20, 2011 at 11:35 PM
- Thefingeek said...
awesome thats the attitude
women should be protecyed rather than humiliated
and a big moment for the bacchans :D - November 21, 2011 at 4:03 AM
- Thefingeek said...
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http://www.talenthouse.com/creativeinvites/preview/a6ddd55410938f1c7c74b0da4762fc82/345 - November 21, 2011 at 4:03 AM
- Lassia said...
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