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Timor-Leste is a multiparty parliamentary republic with a population of approximately 1.1 million. President Jose Ramos Horta was head of state. Prime Minister (PM) Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao headed a four-party coalition government formed following free and fair elections in June 2007. In an exchange of gunfire with armed rebels on February 11, President Ramos Horta was wounded seriously and PM Gusmao was unhurt. As provided for in the constitution, the government imposed a state of emergency from February through May. International security forces in the country included the UN Police (UNPOL) within the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) and the International Stabilization Force (ISF), neither of which was under the direct control of the government. The national security forces are the National Police (PNTL) and Defense Forces (F-FDTL). While the government generally maintained control over these forces, there were problems with discipline and accountability.
Serious problems included: police use of excessive force and abuse of authority; perception of impunity; arbitrary arrest and detention; an inefficient and understaffed judiciary that deprived citizens of due process and an expeditious and fair trial; conditions in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) that endangered health, security, education, and women's and children's rights. Domestic violence, rape, and sexual abuse were also problems.
Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person
a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life
There were no politically motivated killings during the year; however, on February 11, F-FDTL guards shot and killed Major Alfredo Reinado and one of his followers when a band of rebels led by Reinado gained entry to the presidential compound; President Ramos-Horta was severely wounded. A separate group of Reinado's followers attacked the convoy of PM Xanana Gusmao. Gusmao was unhurt. The government formed a joint PNTL/F-FDTL command to apprehend the attackers, and parliament declared a state of siege that imposed a curfew, relaxed legal requirements for searches and arrests, and restricted demonstrations. The application of the state of siege was modified as a state of emergency and extended on several occasions until Reinado's second in command, Lieutenant Gastao Salsinha, and 11 others surrendered to the authorities on April 29.
On April 5, in Bobonaro District, an F-FDTL member shot and killed a civilian who reportedly threatened the F-FDTL member with a machete. The authorities investigated the case and forwarded it to the prosecutor general for further action.
Legal proceedings were ongoing against Luis da Silva, an off duty officer accused of shooting a member of then candidate Xanana Gusmao's security detail at a political rally in Viqueque in June 2007.
There were no developments in the inquiry into the August 2007 case of a PNTL unit firing into a crowd in Viqueque, killing two.
The four F-FDTL soldiers sentenced to 12 years, 11 years, and 10 years for the 2006 killing of eight unarmed PNTL personnel were serving their sentences at the military prison at F-FDTL headquarters in Dili. A local human rights nongovernmental organization (NGO) and government contacts expressed concern that there was no civilian oversight of the prison.
There were no developments in the following 2006 cases: the January killing of three men by Border Patrol Unit personnel; the May mob killing of a police officer in Ermera District; and the May killing of six persons in a house set on fire by a mob. Investigations into other cases stemming from the April-May 2006 violence continued. Some individuals identified for investigation in the 2006 UN Commission of Inquiry Report were subpoenaed to testify regarding their role in illegal arms distribution.
In May President Ramos-Horta granted pardons to a number of persons including former interior minister Rogerio Lobato sentenced for illegally distributing weapons during the 2006 violence and Joni Marques, a pro-Indonesia militia leader, sentenced for multiple killings in 1999 (see section 1.d.).
b. Disappearance
There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
The law prohibits such practices, and the government generally respected the prohibition against torture; however, there were incidents of cruel or degrading treatment of civilians by police and military personnel. Members of Parliament, NGOs, UNMIT, and the Office of the Ombudsman received numerous complaints of use of excessive force by personnel of the Joint Command or regular PNTL during the state of emergency. The Office of the Ombudsman eventually recorded 44 such cases, most involved beatings, mistreatment during detention, threats made at gunpoint, and intimidation. As a result one army officer was removed from the field of operations, 14 soldiers were verbally disciplined, and, at year's end, the remaining cases were under investigation.
UNMIT's human rights unit and NGOs received numerous complaints of excessive force and degrading treatment by the Dili Task Force, a rapid reaction PNTL unit created in December 2007. On May 24, Task Force members severely beat four residents including a woman of Dili's Quintal Boot neighborhood. The case was under investigation by the PNTL's National Investigation Division (NID).
Joint Command forces operating in Ermera during the state of emergency reportedly carried out beatings, intimidation, and unlawful searches and violated villagers' freedom of movement. On March 12, 17 persons complained of mistreatment; and on April 14, 13 persons reportedly were ill treated, two of whom required hospitalization.
F-FDTL personnel deployed in western districts were involved in violent altercations unrelated to their duties. In May a soldier at a wedding party in Letefoho Sub-District, Ermera, opened fire after a woman refused to dance with him. The woman was injured and taken to Dili hospital for treatment. The NID reportedly investigated and sent its findings to the prosecutor general. In a May 11 incident in Lahomea, Bobonaro, F-FDTL soldiers severely beat two merchants. One of the merchants required hospitalization.
In January three PNTL officers were arrested in Suai for having participated in gang-related violence that resulted in 15 persons injured and 20 houses burned.
Delay or refusal by police to investigate allegations of rape or domestic violence was a common problem.
At year's end there were no developments in the March 2007 case in which an armed group wearing F-FDTL uniforms attacked and burned the homes of six families in Dili.
At year's end there were no developments in the March 2007 case when six to 10 F-FDTL uniformed persons attacked several homes near the national hospital.
At year's end there were no developments in the March 2007 case when F-FDTL members detained and allegedly beat approximately 10 persons for disorderly conduct.
At year's end there were no developments in the April 2007 case when PNTL officers in Covalima District shot and beat a civilian.
Other abuses included intimidation of IDP camp residents by groups operating both in and outside of the camps and attacks and intimidation of communities or individuals.
Prison and Detention Center Conditions
There were four government-run prisons, located in Dili, Baucau, and Gleno. Prisoners from the Baucau prison were transferred to Dili's Becora prison pending renovation. Government and local NGO figures listed the number of prisoners in the country as 179. Prison conditions generally met international standards. The F FDTL opened a military prison facility at its headquarters in Dili. A local human rights NGO and government contacts expressed concern that there was no civilian oversight of the military prison.
UNMIT personnel noted allegations of mistreatment of detainees by prison guards during the first 72 hours of imprisonment and a lack of special facilities for the mentally ill who consequently were detained along with other prisoners. Despite some improvements with regard to access to food and water, police station detention cells generally did not comply with international standards and lacked sanitation facilities and bedding.
The government and international forces permitted prison visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross and independent human rights observers. The ombudsman was able to conduct almost daily detainee monitoring in Dili.
d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention
The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention; however, there were many instances in which these provisions were violated, often because magistrates or judges were unavailable.
Role of the Police and Security Apparatus
The president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, but the chief of defense, the F-FDTL's senior military officer, exercised effective day-to-day command. Civilian secretaries of state for public security and defense oversaw the PNTL and F FDTL, respectively. With the formation of the Joint Command, the F-FDTL assumed a role in maintaining public order.
UNMIT continued efforts to reform, restructure, and rebuild the PNTL in the wake of its collapse during the political crisis of 2006. A central element was a "screening" to ensure that each of the approximately 3,000 PNTL officers was checked for integrity and past crimes or misbehavior. Following screening, officers were to go through renewed training and a six-month UNPOL mentoring program. By year's end approximately 2,700 officers had completed the UNPOL program.
Each of the country's 13 districts has a district PNTL commander who normally reports to the PNTL general commander. In spite of improvements due to the UNPOL training, the PNTL as an institution remained poorly equipped and undertrained, subject to numerous credible allegations of abuse of authority, mishandling of firearms, and corruption.
Some police officers did not pass the vetting process and were on suspension pending further investigation. UNMIT conducted human rights training sessions for senior PNTL personnel, and the PNTL received training from bilateral partners.
The PNTL established a Professional Ethics Office (PEO) to enforce discipline and accountability. The F-FDTL Military Discipline Regulations relied on a disciplinary process for alleged human rights violations. However, there was no formal accountability mechanism in place to address misconduct in the military, and lack of capacity hindered the progress of investigations within the police. Government contacts and NGOs reported that cooperation from the police with civilian authorities in serious disciplinary cases was limited.
More than 1,100 ISF personnel from Australia and New Zealand supported the police and security forces.
During the state of emergency, the Joint Command helped provide security at key Dili installations and escorted humanitarian convoys. On some occasions, in violation of clear rules of engagement requiring that the police (international or domestic) be called first in the event of any security threat, the F-FDTL resorted to firing warning shots as an initial response.
Arrest and Detention
The law requires judicial warrants prior to arrests or searches, except in exceptional circumstances; however, this provision was often violated. The extreme shortage of prosecutors and judges outside of the capital contributed to police inability to obtain required warrants.
Government regulations require a hearing within 72 hours of arrest to review the lawfulness of an arrest or detention and also to provide the right to a trial without undue delay. During these hearings, the judge may also determine whether the suspect should be released because evidence is lacking or the suspect is not considered a flight risk. The countrywide shortage of magistrates meant that police often made decisions without legal authority as to whether persons arrested should be released or detained after 72 hours in custody. This contributed to an atmosphere of lawlessness and impunity. Judges may set terms for conditional release, usually requiring the suspect to report regularly to police.
During the state of emergency, there were at least 11 cases of arrests by the Joint Command or regular PNTL that were not in compliance with legal procedures. There were numerous reports of F-FDTL detaining civilians contrary to rules of engagement, and in at least three cases the F-FDTL removed detainees from PNTL custody. In one case soldiers removed a suspect from UNMIT police custody.
The law provides for access to legal representation at all stages of the proceedings, and provisions exist for providing public defenders to indigent defendants. However, there was an extreme shortage of qualified public defenders, and many indigent defendants relied on lawyers provided by legal aid organizations. A number of defendants who were assigned public defenders reported that they had never seen their lawyer, and there were concerns that some low priority cases were being delayed indefinitely while suspects remained in pretrial detention.
In 2003 the Court of Appeals ruled that the pretrial detention limit of six months and the requirement that such detentions be reviewed every 30 days need not apply in cases involving certain serious crimes; however, the 30-day review deadline was missed in a large number of cases involving less serious crimes, and a majority of the prison population consisted of pretrial detainees.
In May the president commuted the sentences of and pardoned 94 persons. The pardons and commutations were granted without any formal evaluation of the beneficiaries' conduct in prison or ability to reintegrate into society. Some politicians and NGOs challenged the legality of the president's actions.
e. Denial of Fair Public Trial
The law provides that judges shall perform their duties "independently and impartially" without "improper influence" and requires public prosecutors to discharge their duties impartially. However, the country's judicial system faced a wide array of challenges including concerns about the impartiality of some judicial organs, a severe shortage of qualified personnel, a complex and multi-sourced legal regime, and the fact that the majority of the population does not speak Portuguese, the language in which the laws were written and the courts operated. Access to justice was notably constrained.
The court system includes four district courts (Dili, Baucau, Suai, and Oecussi) and a national Court of Appeals in Dili. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for administration of the courts and prisons and also provides defense representation. The prosecutor general--independent of the Ministry of Justice--is responsible for initiating indictments and prosecutions. Until a supreme court is established, the Court of Appeals remains the country's highest tribunal.
Progress in establishing justice sector institutions and recruiting and training qualified judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys was slow. By year's end, 13 judges, 13 prosecutors, and 11 public defenders of Timorese nationality were assigned to the country's judicial institutions. However, the system remained heavily dependent on international judges, prosecutors, and public defenders. Private lawyers continued to represent the majority of defendants in the district courts.
A court operating five days a week was established in Baucau. However, judges, prosecutors, and public defenders assigned to other districts outside Dili did not reside in these areas. Their intermittent presence continued to severely hamper the functioning of the judiciary outside the capital.
Personnel shortages and administrative issues disproportionately affected operations of the Oecussi and Suai district courts, which operated at irregular intervals throughout the year. The trial process often was hindered by nonattendance of witnesses due to lack of proper notification or lack of transportation. The shortage of qualified prosecutors and technical staff in the office of the prosecutor general hampered its work and resulted in a large case backlog. International prosecutors continued to handle sensitive cases related to the 2006 crisis. At year's end there was a nationwide backlog of approximately 5,400 cases. The length of time for cases to come to trial varied significantly, with some delayed for years and others tried within months of accusations.
Trial Procedures
The law provides for the right to a fair trial; however, the severe shortages of qualified personnel throughout the system led to some trials that did not fulfill prescribed legal procedures. Trials are before judges. Except in sensitive cases, such as crimes involving sexual assault, trials are public; however, this principle was inconsistently applied. Defendants have the right to be present at trials and to consult with an attorney in a timely manner. Attorneys are provided to indigent defendants. Defendants can confront hostile witnesses and present other witnesses and evidence. Defendants and their attorneys have access to government-held evidence. Defendants enjoy a presumption of innocence and have a right of appeal to higher courts.
The legal regime is complex and was inconsistently applied. Pending development of a complete set of national laws, Indonesian laws and the UN's transitional regulations remained in effect. The constitution stipulates that UN regulations supersede Indonesian laws; however, this was inconsistently applied. Also of concern was confusion regarding how to apply different sources of law, particularly in criminal cases where the Indonesian penal code remained in effect, but procedure was governed by a national criminal procedure code.
The Court of Appeals operated primarily in Portuguese. The UN regulations, many of which remained in force, were available in English, Portuguese, Indonesian, and Tetum (the language most widely spoken in the country). Laws enacted by parliament, intended to supplant Indonesian laws and UN regulations, were published in Portuguese but were seldom available in Tetum. Litigants, witnesses, and criminal defendants often were unable to read the new laws. Trials are required to be conducted in Portuguese and Tetum. However, the quality of translation provided in court varied widely, and translations into Tetum were often incomplete summaries. The prevalence of other local languages compounded this problem in the districts, particularly in Oecussi.
As in previous years, concerns arose over the lack of witness-protection arrangements. In many violent crimes, witnesses were unwilling to testify because of the high potential for retribution against themselves or their families. Court personnel also reported increased concern regarding their own safety.
The 2006 UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) report recommended prosecution of more than 60 individuals for criminal culpability in the April and May 2006 crisis and investigation of more than 60 others for possible involvement in these crimes.
Despite COI recommendations, the government had not brought charges against the F-FDTL commander or the former minister of defense.
Political Prisoners and Detainees
There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees.
Civil Judicial Procedures and Remedies
Civil judicial procedures were beset by the same problems encountered by the judicial system as a whole. The ombudsman can sue government agencies/agents for alleged human rights abuses; however, its approach has been to refer findings of abuse to the prosecutor general or the leadership of the PNTL or F-FDTL.
f. Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence
The law prohibits such actions, and the government generally respected these prohibitions in practice; however, there were reports of arbitrary interference with privacy and home. During the state of emergency, there were at least three instances in which the PNTL or Joint Command carried out searches without warrants.
A 2003 land law broadly defines what property belongs to the government and has been criticized as disregarding many private claims.
Many Dili residents arrived as internal migrants after 1999 and occupied empty houses or built houses on empty lots. The majority of properties in Dili are deemed state property, and in previous years the government evicted persons from land identified as state property at times with little notice and with no due process.
Section 2 Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:
a. Freedom of Speech and Press
The law provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and the government generally respected these rights in practice. Individuals generally could criticize the government without reprisal, and a UN executive order decriminalizes defamation. However, an Indonesian penal code provision that criminalizes defamation also remains in place. At year's end the Ministry of Justice was pressing charges against a journalist under this defamation law.
There were three daily newspapers, three weeklies, and several newspapers that appeared sporadically. All frequently criticized the government and other political entities editorially.
Television and radio broadcasts were the primary sources for news. However, there was often no reception outside Dili and district capitals, and broadcasts were often irregular due to technical or resource problems. Many persons did not have access to televison or radio.
On January 18, PM Gusmao threatened to arrest journalists who publish "erroneous" information.
On February 22, PNTL officers arrested and beat a journalist who was reportedly in violation of curfew; after 11 hours he was released. The state secretary for security publicly apologized for the use of "unjustified force."
Internet Freedom
There were no government restrictions on access to the Internet or reports that the government monitored e-mail or Internet chat rooms. Internet access was extremely limited.
Academic Freedom and Cultural Events
The government generally did not restrict academic freedom or cultural events. A 2004 law requires that academic research on Tetum and other indigenous languages be approved by the National Language Institute.
b. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association
Freedom of Assembly
The government suspended freedom of assembly and the right to demonstrate during the state of emergency. These rights subsequently were restored in full.
The law on assembly and demonstrations establishes guidelines to obtain permits to hold demonstrations and requires police be notified four days in advance of any demonstration or strike. The law also stipulates that demonstrations cannot take place within 100 yards of government buildings or facilities, diplomatic facilities, or political party headquarters. In practice demonstrations were allowed to take place without the requisite advance notification, and the 100-yard regulation was rarely observed. However, in August PNTL officers cited the rule in arresting over 50 students during a demonstration at the national university (within 100 yards of the parliament). The detainees were released after six to 72 hours of detention, and there were no reports of mistreatment.
Freedom of Association
The constitution provides for freedom of association, and the government generally respected this right in practice.
c. Freedom of Religion
The constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respected this right in practice. An overwhelming majority of the population was Roman Catholic. There were small Protestant and Muslim minorities who were generally well integrated into society.
Societal Abuses and Discrimination
Outside of the capital, non-Catholic religious groups were at times regarded with suspicion. There were reports that Catholics who converted to other religions were subjected to harassment and abuse by community members.
There was no indigenous Jewish population, and there were no reports of anti-Semitic acts.
For a more detailed discussion, see the 2008 International Religious Freedom Report at 2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/irf/rpt.
d. Freedom of Movement within the Country, Foreign Travel, Emigration, and Repatriation
The law provides for freedom of movement within the country, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights in practice. During the state of emergency, in addition to curfews and roadblocks that interfered with freedom of movement, persons in the Emera District, where the remnants of Reinado's followers were believed to be, were obstructed from going to their coffee farms. The government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to internally displaced persons, refugees, returning refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, and other persons of concern.
Travel to the western enclave of Oecussi required visas and lengthy stops at various Indonesian military, police, immigration, and customs checkpoints.
The law prohibits forced exile, and the government did not employ it.
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
At year's end approximately 30,000 residents remained displaced from their homes as a result of the 2006 crisis. Between February and April, international donors and the government ceased monthly food distributions in the camps. The Ministries of Social Solidarity and of Health, with the support of international donors, set up mobile clinics to provide basic health care to residents and provided transportation and logistical support to assist with relocation efforts. In addition the PNTL established security posts in neighborhoods where residents resettled. Around Dili, large IDP camps at the Nicolau Lobato Airport, National Hospital, Dom Bosco, and Dili Port were successfully disbanded. Over 40,000 IDPs left the IDP camps beginning in April and returned to their homes under a government subsidy program which granted families up to $4,500 (the U.S. dollar is the local currency) to leave the camps voluntarily and rebuild their homes. The absence of laws safeguarding land and property ownership remained a serious long term concern for some IDPs.
Protection of Refugees
The laws provide for the granting of asylum or refugee status to persons in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 protocol, and the government established a system for providing protection to refugees. The government granted refugee status or asylum in the past; however, there were concerns that the country's regulations governing asylum and refugee status may preclude genuine refugees from proving their eligibility for such status. For example, persons who wish to apply for asylum have only 72 hours to do so after entry into the country. Foreign nationals already present in the country have only 72 hours to initiate the process after the situation in their home country becomes too dangerous for them to return safely. A number of human rights and refugee advocates maintained that this time limit contravened the 1951 convention. These advocates also expressed concern that no written explanation is required when an asylum application is denied. In practice the government provided protection against the expulsion or return of refugees to countries where their lives or freedom would be threatened.
Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to Change Their Government
The law provides citizens with the right to change their government peacefully, and citizens exercised this right in practice through periodic, free, and fair elections based on universal suffrage.
Elections and Political Participation
The president and parliament were elected in generally free and fair national elections in 2007. The government headed by PM Gusmao is a four-party coalition controlling 37 seats in the 65 seat parliament.
There were 19 women in the parliament. Women held three senior ministerial positions--finance, justice, and social solidarity--one vice-minister position, and one secretary of state position.
The country's small ethnic minority groups were well integrated into society. The number of members of these groups in parliament and other government positions was uncertain.
Government Corruption and Transparency
PM Gusmao and other national leaders publicly acknowledged the extent of official corruption. The law provides for criminal penalties for official corruption; however, the government did not implement the law effectively, and officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices. The Ombudsman's Office by law is the institution charged with leading national anticorruption activities and has the authority to refer cases for prosecution. During the year the ombudsman referred 16 cases of government corruption to the Prosecutor General's Office. In August senior officials in the Ministries of Infrastructure and Health were dismissed for their involvement in corrupt practices. Also in August, eight PNTL officials were suspended for having embezzled funds. At year's end this investigation was continuing.
The country does not have financial disclosure laws. PM Gusmao required that all cabinet officials in his government complete financial disclosure documents, but by year's end none had done so.
The law stipulates that all legislation, Supreme Court decisions (when the court is established), and decisions made by government bodies must be published in the official gazette. If not published they are null and void. Regulations also provide for public access to court proceedings and decisions and the national budget and accounts. In practice there were concerns that public access to information was constrained. For example, the official gazette was published only in Portuguese, although by law it is to be published in Tetum as well. Moreover, its irregular publishing schedule and varying cost meant that few journalists, public servants, or others had regular access to it or knew how to access it.
Section 4 Governmental Attitude Regarding International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations of Human Rights
A wide variety of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. NGOs also played an active role in assisting and advising in the development of the country. National and international NGOs, in coordination with the ombudsman, monitored human rights issues in IDP camps. The government generally cooperated with these organizations, but during the year there were instances of security authorities preventing or resisting efforts to monitor human rights compliance.
There were credible reports that, following the February 11 attacks, members of the Joint Command explicitly warned villagers in Ermera against making human rights complaints. In October a human rights monitor investigating a case in Maliana was assaulted by the local PNTL commander. The commander was subsequently replaced and his successor apologized for the incident.
The Office of the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice is responsible for the promotion of human rights, anticorruption, and good governance, and the ombudsman has the power to investigate and monitor human rights abuses, corruption, and governance standards and make recommendations to the relevant authorities. The Ombudsman's Office was located in Dili and had limited ability to conduct outreach or other activities in the districts. However, in December it opened its first district field office in Oecussi. The Human Rights Monitoring Network, made up of 10 NGOs, closely cooperated with the ombudsman.
On July 15, President Ramos-Horta and Indonesian President Yudhoyono publicly accepted the bilateral Commission on Truth and Friendship's finding that gross human rights violations had been committed during and after the 1999 independence referendum. The report assigned "institutional responsibility" for such violations to the Indonesian Armed Forces. Presidents Yudhoyono and Ramos-Horta also accepted the report's other findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Of the 94 beneficiaries of the May 20 Presidential Decree extending pardons or partial commutations of sentences, nine had been convicted of crimes against humanity committed in 1999.
Section 5 Discrimination, Societal Abuses, and Trafficking in Persons
Government regulations prohibit all forms of discrimination. Nonetheless, violence against women was a problem, and discrimination against women, persons with disabilities, and members of minority groups occurred.
Gender-based violence remained a serious concern. Although rape is a crime, failures to investigate or prosecute cases of alleged rape and sexual abuse were common as were long delays. Authorities reported that the backlog of court cases led some communities to address rape accusations through traditional law, which does not always provide justice to victims. An UNMIT report noted that the definition of rape may be too narrow to protect women's rights to personal integrity; spousal rape, for example, under applicable Indonesian law is not a crime.
Key legislation that would address legal gaps or establish clear guidelines to handle gender-based violent crimes had not been adopted by year's end.
Domestic violence against women was a significant problem often exacerbated by the reluctance of authorities to respond aggressively. Cases of domestic violence and sexual crimes generally were handled by the PNTL's Vulnerable Persons Units (VPUs). Women's organizations assessed VPU performance as variable, with some officials actively pursuing cases and others preferring to handle them through mediation or as private family matters. VPU operations were severely constrained by lack of support and resources. UNMIT reported that women increasingly reported abuses to the police in contrast to previous years. The police were particularly slow to pursue cases where the accused occupied a position of power. Police also at times came under pressure from community members to ignore cases of domestic violence or sexual abuse.
Government regulations prohibit persons from organizing prostitution; however, under the Court of Appeals' interpretation of Indonesian laws, prostitution is not illegal. Nonetheless, in past years there were reports of women being arrested for prostitution.
There was no law prohibiting sexual harassment, and sexual harassment was reportedly widespread, particularly within some government ministries and the police.
There were no reports of gender-based employment discrimination; however, women usually deferred to men when job opportunities arose at the village level.
Some customary practices discriminate against women. For example, in some regions or villages where traditional practices hold sway, women may not inherit or own property. Traditional cultural practices such as payment of a bride price and occasionally polyandry also occurred.
The secretary of state for gender issues in the prime minister's office is responsible for the promotion of gender equality. UNMIT's Gender Affairs Unit also monitored discrimination against women.
Women's organizations offered some assistance to female victims of violence, including: shelters for victims of domestic violence and incest; a safe room at the national hospital for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; and escorts to judicial proceedings. Women's and human rights monitoring organizations formed a committee to monitor violence against women in the IDP camps and to train camp managers to identify and pursue such cases.
Although constrained by weak capacity and limited resources, the government was committed to children's rights and welfare, and fully engaged with international organizations and NGOs working in this area. The constitution stipulates that primary education shall be compulsory and free; however, no legislation had been adopted establishing the minimum level of education to be provided, nor had a system been established to ensure provision of free education. According to UN statistics, approximately 20 percent of primary school-age children nationwide were not enrolled in school; the figures for rural areas were substantially worse than those for urban areas.
In rural areas heavily indebted parents sometimes provided their children as indentured servants as a way to settle the debt. If the child was a girl, the receiving family may also demand any dowry payment normally owed to the girl's parents.
Violence against children and child sexual assault was a significant problem. Some commercial sexual exploitation of minors occurred. The Indonesian penal code, which remains in effect pending the promulgation of a national penal code, is ambiguous regarding statutory rape, specifying only that it is a crime to have intercourse with someone who has not reached the age of consent for marriage. This age is specified as 15 in the Indonesian civil code.
Thousands of children remained at risk due to their continued displacement. The capacity of the state, communities, and families to protect children was seriously challenged. Incidents of child abuse, including sexual abuse, were reported both inside and outside the IDP camps. Underreporting of child abuse was a problem.
Many students living in IDP camps enrolled in schools near their camp. However, camp-based education was not provided at several IDP camps.
Trafficking in Persons
The Immigration and Asylum Act prohibits trafficking of adults and children, whether for prostitution or for forced labor; however, in recent years there were reports of women and girls trafficked into the country for prostitution. In addition during the year there was increased concern that growing poverty created conditions conducive to domestic trafficking.
A local NGO estimated that more than 100 foreign prostitutes in the capital might be victims of trafficking. Several establishments in the capital were known commercial sex operations and were suspected of being involved in trafficking. Trafficking victims in the country were almost exclusively forced to work in the sex industry. Reports of trafficking for forced labor have not been verified.
While the police conducted raids on brothels and massage parlors in Dili during the year, credible reports indicated that some police and customs officials colluded with such establishments or with those who trafficked foreign women into the country to work in them.
The government cooperated with various international and NGO programs. The Alola Foundation, an NGO, provided assistance to female victims of trafficking and advised the government on trafficking-related issues.
During the year the Prosecutor General's Office expanded its antitrafficking education campaign and financially supported other antitrafficking programs with assistance from local and international NGOs. The government held two workshops for police, military, civil servants, NGOs, and government officials to raise human trafficking awareness and combat widespread ignorance about the trafficking issue. High-level officials served as keynote speakers at the workshops, and antitrafficking and gender-based violence posters containing emergency contacts for victims were distributed throughout the districts to assist potential victims.
Persons with Disabilities
Although the constitution protects the rights of persons with disabilities, the government had not enacted legislation or otherwise mandated accessibility to buildings for persons with disabilities, nor does the law prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities. There were no reports of discrimination against persons with disabilities in employment, education, or the provision of other state services; however, in many districts children with disabilities were unable to attend school due to accessibility problems. Training and vocational initiatives did not address the needs of persons with disabilities. During the year some persons with mental disabilities faced discriminatory or degrading treatment due in part to a lack of appropriate treatment resources or lack of referral to existing resources. Mentally ill persons were imprisoned with the general prison population and were denied needed psychiatric care. An office in the Ministry of Social Solidarity is responsible for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.
National/Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Some tensions between persons from the eastern districts (Lorosae) and persons from the western districts (Loromonu) continued, although this was greatly diminished from levels witnessed during the April and May 2006 national crisis.
Relations were generally good between the ethnic majority and members of several small ethnic minority groups including ethnic Chinese (who constitute less than 1 percent of the population) and ethnic-Malay Muslims.
Other Societal Abuses and Discrimination
The law makes no reference to homosexual activity. Gays and lesbians were not highly visible in the country, which was predominantly rural, traditional, and religious. There were no reported instances of discrimination.
There were no reported cases of discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS.
Section 6 Worker Rights
a. The Right of Association
The country has a labor code based on the International Labor Organization's standards. The law permits workers to form and join worker organizations without prior authorization. Unions may draft their own constitutions and rules and elect their representatives; however, attempts to organize workers generally were slowed by inexperience, a lack of organizational skills, and the fact that more than 80 percent of the workforce was in the informal sector. In 2004 the government established official registration procedures for trade unions and employer organizations.
The law provides for the right to strike, but few workers exercised this right during the year. The law on assembly and demonstrations could be used to inhibit strikes but was not used in this way.
The Immigration and Asylum Act prohibits foreigners from participating in the administration of trade unions.
b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
While collective bargaining is permitted, workers generally had little experience negotiating contracts, promoting worker rights, or engaging in collective bargaining and negotiations.
There are no export processing zones.
c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor
Government regulations prohibit forced and compulsory labor, including by children, and such practices were not known to occur.
d. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment
The labor code generally prohibits children under 18 from working; however, there are circumstances under which children between the ages of 15 and 18 can work, and there are exceptional exemptions for children under 15. The minimum age did not apply to family-owned businesses, and many children worked in the agricultural sector. Child labor in the informal sector was a major problem. In practice enforcement of the labor code outside of Dili was limited.
e. Acceptable Conditions of Work
The labor code does not stipulate a minimum wage; however, employers generally used and employees expected a wage of $85 per month as a minimum standard. This amount provided a basic standard of living for a worker and family. The labor code provides for a standard workweek of 40 hours, standard benefits such as overtime and leave, and minimum standards of worker health and safety. A National Labor Board and a Labor Relations Board exist, and there are no restrictions on the rights of workers to file complaints and seek redress. Workers have the right to remove themselves from hazardous conditions without jeopardizing employment; however, it was not clear that they could avail themselves of this right in practice.


text:
If there's one thing I'm always going to remember about the 2012 election, it's that it was the moment I first saw the white male monopoly lose its vise-grip on American culture. Not that white men aren't in charge anymore—they are, and they will probably always be a dominant political bloc—but there's a sense that they're no longer entitled to win just for playing. They're going to have to enter and roll, just like the rest of us (the dice are still weighted, duh, but baby steps). Mitt Romney was a white dude's white dude, and 62% of white dudes had no doubt that their dude would win. Because, hey, he "looked like a president." That fantasy imploded on election day—and, with it, a whole lot of never-before-questioned white confidence.
Perhaps not so coincidentally, over the course of Obama's first term, what started as a fringe dude subculture has flourished into a thriving online community—the self-described "Manosphere," a safe haven/echo chamber for men who feel discriminated against, ignored, and blamed. Potentially false rape charges and "unfair" child support payments deserve equal or greater outrage, they say, alongside actual rapes and centuries of systemic, enforced poverty. And I don't mean that those problems are bullshit—all injustices deserve attention and care—but we're trying to cure cancer over here. You have a stuffy nose.
When your philosophy—reinforced over and over by other men who are just as scared as you—dictates that men are the real victims and women are the oppressors, the only surefire escape is retreat into traditionalist behavior models where everyone "knows their place." Then everything will be okay again. Then we'll have a president who "looks like a president." But believe that all you want—we can never go back. You can't get the toothpaste back in the tube.
And the fact that there's metaphorical toothpaste fucking everywhere is profoundly frightening to a lot of men, whether they realize it or not. That anxiety seems to be so instinctual, it's beginning to seep out of the more absurd fringes of the blogosphere and into the thinking of otherwise presumably reasonable men. Mainstream manhood is starting to look a little shaky.
You can see the anxiety in sulky hand-wringing about old dudes' right to be found attractive no matter what, as in Richard Cohen's absurd column last week:
In "North by Northwest" and other movies, Grant - for all his good looks - represented the triumph of the sexual meritocracy - a sex appeal won by experience and savoir-faire, not delts and pecs and other such things that any kid can have.
You can see it faintly in even the most innocuous dating advice, which unfailingly advises women not to be "too loud" or "too funny," as though a blank canvas is the ultimate turn-on. And, as though, the very concept of "dating advice"—telling people how to artificially alter themselves so as to best attract a potential partner—isn't a normative idea that's damaging to both genders.
You can see it in the panicked traditionalism of the Tea Party. You can see it in the nauseating "Nice Guy" complex. You can see it in insecure young dudes who think big muscles and homophobia will make them "manly."
And you can especially see it in snide, boo-hoo editorials about how white men get a bad rap and it's just not fair:
From what I read, we're all the same, all guilty, all part of that hard-core white patriarchy, sitting here in the country club man-cave on our brown leather Chesterfields (apparently a fancy kind of couch), staring at the moose head over the fireplace.
We're all pigs. We all kept our women barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. We were Ward Cleaver, keeping June at home when she could have been a brain surgeon, expecting her not only to make dinner, but lunch, too, passing our 1950s porcine values on to Wally and the Beav.
Yeah, yeah, yeah—as though certain men deserve some sort of credit for not being completely entitled sociopathic assholes. Congrats, bro. That masterpiece of sour defensiveness? That's not from some obscure man-blog. It's from a mainstream newspaper. White male victimhood is going national. And I mean, okay, men, your feelings are hurt. I get it. Total strangers are making fun of you for being a big white dork. And they don't know you—maybe your life hasn't been easy like the proverbial "white guy" that everyone says is rolling around in megabucks and ruling the world. You're not running the world! You don't even have one megabuck! It's not fair!
But here's the thing. It's not that your life has been easy, per se, it's just that certain hardships have been absent—hardships that affect other groups in ways that are most likely invisible to you. You're not personally being blamed for anything, nor is anyone asking you to abandon your own interests and concerns. You're simply being asked to acknowledge and help dismantle a system that is rigged in your favor, because it's the right thing to do. Opportunity is not a limited resource—other people having stuff does not mean you don't get to have stuff. It'll be okay. In fact, it'll be better.
The so-called "War on Men" isn't a war on men at all—it's a war on inequality. Oh, you're feeling marginalized and underrepresented? Complain to me after you've been marginalized and underrepresented for 200 years. You haven't even made it a day (mainly because it's not actually happening to you yet—you have always had and WILL always have representation). And we can tell that you aren't really subjugated, because if you were you would be coming to us, the supposed dominant group, for help—just like we're forced to come to you, groveling, and beg for our reproductive rights, marriage rights, and equal pay for equal work. Instead, you're insulting and alienating us and trying to shove us back down where we "belong." Women and people of color and LGBT Americans have the right to complain because we've fucking earned it. And we're kind of busy here, working on a project called "equality." Let me know when you're done flipping out over losing 1% of your privilege. We could use your help.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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text:
Browns beat sloppy Steelers 20-14
November 25, 2012
TOM WITHERS,AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers have more to worry about than starting a 37-year-old, third-string quarterback.
Their playoff lives are in peril.
Chris Rainey's fumble with 2:25 left — Pittsburgh's seventh turnover — was recovered by Cleveland's Phil Taylor and the Browns handed their hated rivals a potentially devastating loss, 20-14 on Sunday.
Charlie Batch, forced to start at quarterback for Pittsburgh because of injuries to Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich, was picked off three times and the Steelers (6-5) lost five fumbles, the last on a final-play lateral to help the Browns (3-8) beat Pittsburgh for just the second time in 18 games.
Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden sustained a head injury in the final minutes, allowing backup Colt McCoy to come in and finish off a victory that Cleveland fans will savor long after this season ends.
Rookie Trent Richardson rushed for 85 yards, scoring the go-ahead touchdown for the Browns on a 15-yard run in the third.
Batch finished 20 of 34 for 199 yards.
For one of the few times in recent years, the Browns were finally able to win a close game. And this one had to please new owner Jimmy Haslam, who had a minority share of the Steelers before buying the Browns for $1.05 billion in August.
One of his goals was to revive one of the NFL's fiercest rivalries, which has been shaded in yellow and black for most of the past decade. Even with the loss, Pittsburgh is 23-5 against Cleveland since 1999, but in each of the seasons they lost one game to the Browns, the Steelers missed the playoffs.
That could happen again. Pittsburgh came in trailing first-place Baltimore by two games in the AFC North, and will visit the Ravens next week.
Coach Mike Tomlin has a lot to work on before then.
All four Pittsburgh running backs fumbled and while Batch didn't necessarily hurt the Steelers, he didn't make enough big plays either. The Steelers were also called for several holding penalties that slowed drives.
Wide receiver Plaxico Burress, re-signed by the Steelers during the week, did not have a reception but did draw an interference penalty in the end zone.
Weeden finished 17 of 26 for 158 yards, but the 29-year-old was taken to the locker room in the closing minutes. He banged his head on the leg of teammate Joe Thomas as he fell to the ground and got up groggily. The Browns then turned to McCoy, their former starter who sustained a concussion the last time the Browns faced the Steelers on a vicious hit by James Harrison.
Pittsburgh lost linebacker LaMarr Woodley in the first half with a left ankle injury.
Phil Dawson kicked field goals of 28 and 32 yards for the Browns.
Cleveland's fourth takeaway set up Richardson's TD run.
Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown, picked on during the Steelers' late scoring drive in the first half, intercepted Batch at Pittsburgh's 31.
Two completions by Weeden got it to the 10, and after a false-start penalty, Richardson burst up the middle, ran through some arm tackles and scored to make it 20-14.
The Steelers led 14-13 at halftime despite losing three fumbles, converting just one third down and keeping Batch under wraps.
One play after Brown was called for pushing Burress in the end zone, Rainey, on the field only because the three Pittsburgh running backs ahead of him fumbled, scored on a 1-yard TD run after being stopped for no gain.
Rainey was stuffed on a carry over center by several Browns, who knocked him backward. Rainey, though, kept his legs moving and ran untouched into the end zone with 1 second left before halftime.
The Browns capitalized on a fumble by Isaac Redman when Weeden hit tight end Jordan Cameron for a 5-yard TD, giving Cleveland a 10-7 lead in the second quarter.
Redman fumbled at Pittsburgh's 10 and when he came to the sideline, he and Rashard Mendenhall, who coughed the ball up earlier to set up a field goal for the Browns, got an earful from running backs coach Kirby Wilson.
Weeden had been struggling in the red zone of late, but he hooked with Cameron, who scored his first career TD.
Cleveland was winning the battle of field position, pinning Pittsburgh deep and daring Batch to try and throw and beat them. He had little success, and the Browns took a 13-7 lead on Dawson's 32-yarder, making him 21 of 21 this season.
It took the Steelers just 71 seconds to take a 7-0 lead.
On Cleveland's third play, Weeden's pass to Greg Little was tipped at the line by Steelers end Brett Keisel and caught on the fly by Lawrence Timmons, who took it back 53 yards.


text:
RF Explorer is a handheld digital spectrum analyzer, aimed to provide a very affordable tool for work in all ISM popular frequency bands. It is based on a highly integrated frequency synthesizer which offers high performance, compact size, low consumption and low-cost.
It has been designed to be used equally well outdoor and indoor, and can be connected to a Windows PC using standard mini-USB for additional features and higher display resolution.
We also prepared a nice EVA case for RF Explorer, check it out here
Pocket size and light weight
Solid aluminum metal case
Spectrum Analyzer mode with Peak Max and Hold, Normal, Overwrite and Averaging modes
Integrated RF Signal Generator
Lifetime free firmware upgrades available, open to community requested features
High capacity Lipo for 16hs+ of continuous run, rechargeable by USB
Windows PC client Open Source
Can be extended with internal Expansion Modules for additional band and functionality
Frequency band:430-440 MHz
Frequency span: 112 KHz-10 MHz(enhanced to 30 MHz if an Expansion Module is connected)
Graphics LCD 128x64 pixels, great visibility outdoors
PC Windows client supports Windows XP/Vista/Win7 both 32 and 64bits
Backlight for great indoor visibility
Standard SMA 50 ohms connector, a matching antenna is included
Amplitude resolution: 0.5dBm
Dynamic range: -115dBm to 0dBm
Absolute Max input power: +5dBm
Average noise level (typical): -110dBm
RF Generator amplitude: 0dBm to 20dBm
Frequency stability and accuracy (typical): +-10ppm
Amplitude stability and accuracy (typical): +-3dBm
Frequency resolution: 1Khz
Resolution bandwidth (RBW): automatic 2.6Khz to 80Khz
Weight: 185g
Size: 113x70x25 mm
This product is designed by RF-Explorer,
For more info and to get started with your RF Explorer, visit the start page.
For questions and support, please visit https://support.rf-explorer.com.
For the software for RF Explorer series, please click the following logo for more information:
If you'd like to buy or change the RF Explorer Battery, please click here.
|G.W 257g
|Lithium Cells / Batteries contained in equipment UN3481 - PI967
|RF Explorer - 433M


text:
Odor Removal & Odor Control in Clovis, California
Odor control in Clovis, California restrooms matters. Remember your first family trip to a neighborhood ice cream parlor? The sweet smell of freshly baked waffle cones welcomed you at the door. You'll likely always associate that smell with happy family outings and treats. Being responsible for customer satisfaction, you want your customers, employees, and guests to associate scents within your company with pleasant memories as well. When restroom odors threaten to mar your company's reputation, you can fight back with Clovis odor removal services by Cleanup Man. Since 2008, Cleanup Man has been eliminating foul odors within various types of commercial buildings, including offices, medical facilities, schools and restaurants. If you're interested in a fresh-smelling facility that will leave a lasting positive impression, call (559) 238-7789 to find out more about our odor control products and services.
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Why Cover Up Clovis Restroom Odors When You Can Remove Them?
Customers will associate a smelly restroom with a dirty business. If you've done all that you can to make your space smell more pleasant, but have been unsuccessful, call the Clovis odor control pros at Cleanup Man. Most "over the counter" products don't eliminate odors; they just mask them. Covering up odors can sometimes make unwanted smells worse. For over 15 years, Cleanup Man has been using quality products and time-tested techniques to neutralize and remove stubborn odors from restrooms in Clovis. We recommend cleaning bathrooms and removing trash daily to help control bacterial growth; common sources of odors. We use odor control products that eliminate and neutralize smells rather than just scent the air.
Importance of Eco-Friendly Odor Control in Clovis Commercial Restrooms
We are are all exposed to indoor and outdoor air pollution every day. Some people are more sensitive to these contaminants than others, but exposure is never recommended. Many cleaning and odor control products Clovis businesses use contain chemicals that give off toxic fumes or volatile organic compounds. The uptick in reported allergy symptoms has started a smart trend towards the use of more eco-friendly Clovis restroom cleaning products. Cleanup Man offers odor control products that don't harm humans, pets, or the environment.
Industries That Benefit From Odor Control Services in Clovis
All businesses can benefit from clean-smelling facilities, because they result in increasing the comfort and care for your clients and employees. For companies that operate in the fitness, hospitality, food service and healthcare industries, odor control isn't a nice-to-have amenity; it's a necessity. When gym locker rooms and corporate and Clovis restaurant bathrooms smell fresh, your clients get the idea that your operations are clean, safe, and healthy. If you're ready to affirm a positive image with your customers through effective Clovis odor control, give Cleanup Man a call at (559) 238-7789 for a quote.
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Home Owner, Carpet Cleaning in Clovis, CA2019-10-14
★★★★★ - "They did a very good job on my carpet. It smelled fresh and looked clean. They were out of the scotch guard I wanted. They said they could come back and spray the walk area, but I am unable to move the furniture by myself due to pinched nerves in my back. I would want it sprayed all over not just in the walk areas. They were very nice and friendly."
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Home Owner, Carpet Cleaning in Clovis, CA2019-08-16
★★★★★ - "Friendly and professional staff! Carpets came out great!"
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★★★☆☆ - "Excellent and professional service at reasonable prices. My tile looks brand new and I would absolutely recommend them to family and friends."
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★★★★★ - "Our carpets came out great. The owner was very communicative and responsive to all my questions. He and his helper came out to clean the carpets in our home and they look amazing!"
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★★★★★ - "Great service! They did a fantastic job getting our carpets cleaned . We had a he at traffic area from our kitchen into the livingroom and they did a great job getting it all out . They were fast and efficient."
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★★★★★ - "They came by and cleaned our living room and play room and then our 6 microfiber dining chairs which have been spilled on for 7 years by my 3 kids. Those chairs are SPOTLESS even after they dried. I figured some stains would come back but no! Even our carpets are so clean with none of the stains coming back through. Very impressed!!"
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Kia, Carpet Cleaning in Fresno, CA2020-09-03
★★★★★ - "They stripped and apply two coats of sealer and two coats of wax to our clubhouse floor and adjoining rooms. I've been a member here since 2001 and our clubhouse has never look as beautiful it does now. They worked through the entire day and night to get the job done. Tell your crew that we appreciate all the hard work they did and thank you Antaiwn. I would definitely recommend your services to anybody."
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Ray Meyers, Commercial Cleaning in Fresno, CA2019-10-14
★★★★★ - "Did a great job!!! There was a water spot left, when I called, they came back within couple of hours. Great service!!"
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Home Owner, Cleaning Service in Oakdale, CA2019-08-16
Home Owner, Deep Cleaning Services in Fowler, CA2019-08-01
Bambi Wright, Carpet Cleaning in Fresno, CA2019-08-01
★★★★★ - "We are a family in Madera, and we absolutely loved the service he provided for us! He did a wonderful job, and took his time to make sure it was done right. Very decently priced! We will definitely use this company again."
Robin Nino, Carpet Cleaning in Madera, CA2019-08-01
★★★★★ - "Antaiwn and the staff from The Cleanup Man did a remarkable job cleaning old carpeting that would otherwise have had to be replaced. I didn't have high expectations after my experiences with other carpet cleaning firms. The Cleanup Man got out All the stains and smell, giving the entire house a clean, bright feel. I chose their Platinum option; it was the right choice for this old house. They have quite an involved process that includes placing corner protectors so their hoses don't damage walls. They pre-treated; put down pet stain and odor removal products; vacuumed that treatment out then cleaned, both rotary and steam, the carpet. WOW!! Did I mention they did the same for some sofas and chairs? All with the same excellent results. The entire crew were hard-working, professional, polite and friendly. They explained their process and happily answered all my questions. I opted for their 6-month cleanup program and look forward to their return. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this company. Thank you all, gentlemen!"
Robin Brown, Carpet Cleaning in Selma, CA2019-08-01
★★★★★ - "Great service! Kevin did a great job with our service! Our carpets look amazing"
Yolanda C., Carpet Cleaning in Madera, CA2019-03-21
★★★★★ - "Consistent, on time, friendly, informative, will be doing business again. My carpets look great brought them all the way back to life"
Nicole N., Carpet Cleaning in Fresno, CA2019-03-11
★★★★★ - "They do a great job I been using them for years they clean my store and restaurant they clean my carpets and strip and wax the floor. I RECOMMEND cleanup man to clean your place."
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Dan L., Carpet Cleaning in Fresno, CA2019-03-11
★★★★★ - "Antaiwn has worked for me in both the commercial and residential settings. His commitment to his craft is impeccable and he will never leave a job until it is done exactly to the customer's satisfaction. I would highly recommend any of his services to whatever your needs may be. He also is a great guy, he sat with me on my driveway for 3 hours on Halloween and helped pass out candy to the neighborhood kids. Bravo!!!"
Jeff L, Commercial Cleaning in Fresno, CA2019-03-11
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Amazing Star, Carpet Cleaning in Fresno, CA2019-03-11
★★★★★ - "The cleaning men's was very nice and got all the stains out my carpet fast."
Catera J, Carpet Stain Removal in Fresno, CA2019-02-25
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Bryan A., Carpet Cleaning in Fresno, CA2019-02-25
Matt G., Commercial Carpet Cleaning in Fresno, CA2018-11-14
Chris K, Carpet Cleaning in Hanford, CA2018-11-07
★★★★★ - "I want to thank Kevin R. and his son for the stupendous job they did cleaning our carpet. I had given up on it ever looking halfway decent. But to my delight, they restored it to its former beauty! Thank you again for the skill and professionalism you exhibited!"
Bonnie D. in Fresno, CA2018-07-05
Shawn, Floor Cleaning in Fresno, CA
★★★★★ - "Crew was professional and courteous. Work was done fast, and my carpets look and smell great despite previous stains and odor. I have already recommended Clean Up Man to friends and coworkers."
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Raquel Overall in Fresno, CA
★★★★★ - "They made my 15 year old carpet look better than it has in years! I usually rent a machine but, the clean only seems to last a week. It has been a month since Cleanup Man has been here and the carpet still looks good. Very friendly staff and quick."
Natalie Berg, Carpet Stain Removal in Madera, CA2016-06-13
★★★★★ - "Very professional & honest about what your carpet needs. Very fair pricing. I added our staircase at the last minute & they were able to make time to do them as well. Carpets look great & plan on using them again for upkeep in the future."
Jennifer Carrillo in Fresno, CA2016-06-13
★★★★★ - "Great service, very professional, and educational. I would like to recommend cleanup man carpet cleaning services to you."
Willie H., Carpet Cleaning in Fresno, CA2016-06-13
★★★★★ - "They showed up 30 mins early which was so great but I felt so bad because I kept them waiting . So A+ for that.! And my carpet looked so great after they were so done. So many spill stains and foot track and it's like it was never there."
Molika I., Carpet Cleaning in Parlier, CA2016-06-13
★★★★★ - ""
Floor Cleaning at a restaurant2016-06-10
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As promised, Microsoft delivered an interim build of Windows Vista--build 5219--to attendees of the Professional Developers Conference (PDC 2005) in mid-September 2005. That build, which later went out to technical beta testers (and will reportedly be given to MSDN subscribers as well), represents an interesting but incomplete look at the progress Microsoft has made since July's Beta 1 release. Microsoft is also referring to this build as Windows Vista Community Technical Preview (CTP 1), or as the September 2005 CTP. That notation is important: There will be an October 2005 CTP as well, and likely a November CTP. The goal is for monthly builds from here on out, and public monthly builds beginning with Beta 2 in December. Now that's transparency.
As I first reported in my showcase, Windows Vista Product Editions Preview, Microsoft has heady plans for future Windows Vista builds, including DVD video authoring and Movie Maker HD publishing features, advanced photography functionality, and Windows Media Player 11, among other things. Build 5219 has none of these features. However, it does feature a number of improvements over Beta 1. In this review, we'll examine the delta between this build and Beta 1.
Build 5219: What's new?
As an interim build of Windows Vista that exists on the Beta 2 code tree and is thus a superset of the functionality we saw in Beta 1, build 5219 offers new features, but is also a bit rough around its virtual edges. Here are some of the new features found in this build, broken down by category.
Desktop and shell
Just booting into build 5219, you can see a number of functional and aesthetic changes. The taskbar in this build is now translucent--compared to an opaque black color in Beta 1--and more elegant looking. That translucency won't help you get work done more quickly, but it does hint at fit and finish improvements to come. The taskbar improvements don't end with this simple graphical change, however. When you mouse over the taskbar buttons of running tasks, a new taskbar preview window pops-up (Figure), giving you a nice visual reminder of the underlying window. What about when the taskbar is grouping buttons? Why, the pop-up stacks up, of course (Figure).
Copy and move operations are much smoother in build 5219 than they were in Beta 1. For example, I often had problems dragging and dropping before, and had to resort to Copy/Cut and Paste instead. Now, everything works properly.
Task switching has also improved, and in two different ways no less. The typical ALT+TAB key combination, which switches you between running tasks, has changed to a more visual presentation, codenamed Flip, that previews the contents of each application's window as you navigate through the list. There is also a second new kind of task switching, codenamed Flip 3D, which is instantiated by hitting Windows Key + Spacebar; this style of task switching open windows in a stacked, three-dimensional view that appears to have been lifted wholeheartedly from Sun's Project Looking Glass, an advanced UI effort that will result in a future Linux and Solaris interface. No matter its origins, Flip 3D is cool looking (Figure).
Help, though still woefully incomplete, does offer more information and is even occasionally (very occasionally) helpful (Figure). Tray icons and other UI elements now display a new rounded balloon help pop-up (Figure). Instead of cryptic desktop clean-up options like Tile Windows Horizontally and Tile Windows Vertically (as in XP), build 5219 now offers simpler options such as Show Windows Stacked and Show Windows Side by Side (Figure).
Windows Sidebar
As I first reported two months ago (much to the software giant's chagrin), Microsoft has completely overhauled the Sidebar from early Longhorn alpha builds and has reintroduced it into the Windows Vista code tree. Though it's not enabled by default in build 5219, you can turn this feature on pretty easily, so I did so (Figure).
There's a lot more here, but I'll be writing a lot more about Windows Sidebar soon. Stay tuned for a preview showcase that will highlight all the new information about the Sidebar, Sidebar Gadgets, and Windows XP compatibility.
Internet Explorer 7
Microsoft has made significant improvements to Internet Explorer (IE) 7 since Beta 1 and more are planned for future builds (Figure). At PDC 2005, Microsoft announced a new IE 7 feature called ActiveX Opt-In, which should answer the number one concern most security-conscious people (including myself) have with IE today: Many ActiveX controls are unsafe, have been silently installed on users' systems, and are often quite difficult to remove. With ActiveX Opt-in, the only ActiveX controls that will run in Web pages are the ones you OK. High-volume, trusted ActiveX controls such as Flash will of course be allowed automatically.
As with the Windows Sidebar, IE 7 is feature-rich and deserves more coverage. I'll be providing a second IE 7 Preview shortly that will cover the new IE 7 features more comprehensively.
Ultimate Edition features: Media Center and Tablet PC
Windows Vista build 5219 reports that it is Windows Vista Ultimate Edition--see my Windows Vista Product Editions Preview for more information about the various product editions, or SKUs, that Microsoft plans for this release. That means that it includes both Media Center and Tablet PC functionality. (In Windows Vista, there will no longer be Media Center and Tablet PC Editions of the product.)
I have a lot more to say about the Media Center and Tablet PC functionality in Windows Vista, mostly because there are some new features in each when compared to today's shipping versions of XP Media Center Edition 2005 and XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, respectively, but I'll cover that in a future showcase.
Premium games
Build 5219 also includes a peek at some of the new premium games that Microsoft will include in the Home Premium, Ultimate, and all business editions of Windows Vista. These games include new versions of a number of old favorites, but also new games such as Chess, Purple Place, and Shanghai. The icons for each title are all new (Figure) as well.
The new Chess game (or Chess Titans as its sometimes called) it actually a 3D chess version (Figure) that can be played at various skill levels, using different board and piece designs, and against a computer or human opponent.
Purble Place meanwhile, is aimed specifically at young children and features bright, large graphics (Figure). It's designed to help children recognize colors, shapes, math, and patterns. There are actually two mini-games within this title, Build-A-Purble (Figure) and Comfy Cakes (Figure).
Shanghai (Figure) is one of my all-time favorite games, and I've actually purchased various versions of this title for different computing systems over the years. (It's sometimes called Shanghai Solitaire.) You can choose from different board designs (Figure) and various tile sets and backgrounds. Successful tile removals are celebrated with a little poof animation. It's quite nice.
As for the classic Windows titles, they've all gotten a nice makeover. FreeCell (Figure), Hearts (Figure), Solitaire (Figure) and Spider Solitaire (Figure) now sport the same gorgeous backgrounds and card styles. Even Minesweeper looks sweet (Figure).
New productivity applications and services
In Windows Vista, Microsoft will be dramatically improving some of the baseline productivity features of the Windows OS. That means, among other things, that the system will include a consolidated contacts store that the company expects all email and related solutions to use or synchronize with, and a new Windows Calendar, similar to Apple's iCal, that, among other things, lets you publish your schedule to standard ICS (Internet Calendar System) format and even to RSS (Real Simple Syndication) (Figure). I'm told that future versions of the Windows Calendar will be even more full-featured than the version found in build 5219. Certainly, that won't be hard: This version doesn't even let you create new events or tasks, and the only available view is 7-day.
Windows Backup (codenamed SafeDocs) has been overhauled since Beta 1 (Figure). You can configure a backup schedule now, specify where that backup will be written to (CD/DVD, local disks, shared folders on network drives), and specify which files to back up (Figure).
Windows Vista build 5219 also includes an integrated Shadow Copy client, which you manage from the Shadow Copies tab of the Properties dialog for your hard drive (Figure). This feature, which first originated in Windows Server 2003, lets you cache older versions of data files so that you can recover information in the event of an error. So if you overwrite a critical file, or inadvertently change part of a document, you can "go back in time" and access older versions.
Let's see how this works. First, you need to enable Shadow Copies from the aforementioned dialog. Then, after you've mucked up a file, you can access its Properties dialog in Explorer and navigate to the Previous Versions pane (Figure). Here, you can select between various different versions of the document (and your time travel experience is complete). This is a great feature, and I'm glad to see it being added to the Windows client.
In Beta 1, User Account Protection (UAP) was disabled by default, but you could enable it with a Start menu icon. In build 5219, that situation is reversed: UAP is on by default, and you can still disable it, though I'd imagine the graphical option to do so will be removed later in the beta cycle. Here's what's odd. Unlike in Beta 1, UAP doesn't really pop up all that often for some reason. In fact, it kind of makes me wonder whether it's really working at all. I've been able to perform a number of admin-level tasks without needing to logon in build 5219.
The Parental Controls functionality is basically carried over from Beta 1, but with a nicer-looking interface (Figure).
In build 5219, Microsoft has enabled a new Windows Vista feature called Super Fetch, which examines your system over time, determines which applications you most typically load, and then preloads code from those apps in order to later speed application launch times and responsiveness. Super Fetch isn't just about caching, however. In a potentially blockbuster move, this feature will also let you use USB-based flash memory sticks as additional RAM for Super Fetch. That's right, folks: Stick in a 1 GB USB stick and you get 1 GB (or whatever) of super-fast cache RAM (encrypted for security) and an instant speed boost. I don't yet know a lot about this feature, but suffice to say I'm expecting a briefing soon. This could be revolutionary, especially for notebook users who can't easily boost RAM (or do so at all).
Drivers and hardware compatibility
From a driver and hardware compatibility standpoint, build 5219 doesn't appear to offer any improvements over Beta 1. The same problematic devices still cause issues in this build, in my experience, and after installing the build on several machines, I feel relatively sure that Microsoft hasn't yet made any hardware compatibility headway. This is absolutely not a problem for an interim build like this, though it would be disheartening to still have these issues in Beta 2, now due on December 7.
What hasn't changed
The data visualization and organization features from Beta 1 appear to have moved forward unchanged in build 5219, which is fine, since they worked quite well previously. There are still a few display issues with stacks--for example, album stacks in Music still display incorrectly (with stock Windows Media Player icons), though differently than they did in Beta 1 (where the album art used was almost always incorrect). Again, since we're seeing a snapshot of Vista development that isn't guaranteed to pass certain quality bars, this is not an issue at all.
The Start Menu and Control Panel appear to have not changed. The build still includes Windows Media Player 10, and Sync Center is still completely dysfunctional, as it was in Beta 1. The Recycle Bin still displays wadded up paper balls even after you empty it, though you can hit F5 to refresh the desktop and fix the icon to appear empty (just like Beta 1).
The power management pop-ups, which confusingly offer decidedly different views depending on whether you mouse-over the tray icon (Figure), single-click it (Figure), or right-click it (Figure), doesn't appear to have changed.
Software compatibility is as woeful in build 5219 as it was in Beta 1. In fact, software compatibility on the 32-bit version of build 5219 is roughly comparable to software compatibility on the 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional (x64 Edition). That's a cute way of saying that it sucks. I tried to install my expansive list of gotta-have-it applications on this build with mixed results. Standard, well-written applications like Microsoft Office 2003 installed without question, and even updated themselves through Microsoft Update. I was also able to install Adobe Photoshop Elements 3, Adobe Reader 7, Google Desktop, Apple iTunes, Microsoft AntiSpyware, Microsoft Digital Image Suite 10, Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6, Napster, Nero 6.6, Google Picasa 2, Apple QuickTime Player Pro 7, SecureZIP 8, and SnagIt 6 without any issues.
The list of applications that wouldn't install, however, is quite long as well. Diskeeper 9 was missing in action, as were the Microsoft PowerToys TweakUI and Command Line Here, Microsoft Virtual PC 2004, and ZoneAlarm Security Suite. Some of these, obviously, are pretty crucial. Your mileage may vary, depending on which apps you use.
If you consider the time before Windows Vista Beta 1 as a wasteland of inactivity, as I do, then you'll likewise be pleased to hear that we're entering a brand new era of monthly builds, each of which will add new features and functionality. These interim builds, of which build 5219 is the first, will not provide the fit and finish one might expect of a major milestone like Beta 1, but that's OK. In fact, I'd much rather get rougher but more frequent builds than have to wait several months between major beta releases. Taken in this light, Windows Vista build 5219 is exactly what it should be: A functional and demonstrable improvement over the Beta 1 feature-set. In other words, Windows Vista is finally real and finally on the fast track toward completion. We're going to see regular progress, and we're going to see regular improvements, and build 5219 is just the beginning. At the height of my disappointment over the WinHEC 2005 build (see my review), I described Windows Vista as "a train wreck." Now, my earlier assessment is no longer accurate and Microsoft has turned things around admirably.
That said, Windows Vista build 5219 is not appropriate for the casual user and it certainly shouldn't be considered as a candidate for a daily-use OS. The hardware support is still abysmal, and the feature set is still sorely lacking. Numerous applications will not install. As we get closer to Beta 2, these issues should improve, and dramatically. When that happens, finally, Windows Vista will be ready for a much broader audience. Finally, I can say with confidence that we're well on the way.


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Photos by Coco of COCOCOZY
|Close up of the COCOCOZY display in Atlanta features two new throws – Stripe in peacock blue and Quatrefoil in brown!(above)
Who knew that Atlanta would be this amazing in terms of design? Well I'm sure all of the "in-the-know design crowd" knew. I didn't.
I got here on Thursday late night toting two huge suitcases; one with clothes and shoes (jam packed) and the other filled with several new COCOCOZY throws and the new fabric swatch book we just had made.
In the morning yesterday…I got a bit of a late start…so at about noon, I wheeled my goods over to see my collection at the presitgious Christian Mosso & Associates Showroom in the AmericasMart building.
The building was abuzz when I arrived. Buyers, designers, exhibitors all prattling about design…oooohhing…awwwing…poking…examining…touching…feeling…scrutinzing…enjoying all of the fabulous design on show. This market is HUGE.
So I wheeled my huge Tumi filled with throws up to the 9th floor and I came upon the most gorgeous showroom ever…it just happened to be the Christian Mosso & Associates Showroom…my showroom…woohoooo! It is elegant. Light, airy, filled with stunning textiles collections, lots of attractive people nicely dressed floating around and smiling. The showroom is owned by husband and wife team Christian and Laura Mosso…who are just amazing. The showroom is managed by Nicole Wicking who is equally as amazing, nice, helpful and so much fun – a new friend I think in Atlanta.
I didn't get great pictures yesterday because I couldn't get my camera settings right…but the showroom is filled with some of the best names in linens and textiles. Peacock Alley, Pine Cone Hill, Serena & Lilly, Brahms Mount, PomPom, Ankasa, Coyuchi, Designers Guild, Kumi Kookoon and so many more great textile lines in the 20,000 square foot showroom. Whoa…I feel like I'm with the big guys now.
Because this is my first show in this showroom, I have a small little corner…a lovely little display wall in the window on end. I was so happy to see COCOCOZY in its permanent home in Atlanta. The entire collection isn't here and I don't have a formal booth set up…but this will do for now. I am very happy.
Had lots of interest and a great customer come in from Chattanooga, TN last night..she bought nearly the whole collection. Wow! She was really quite chic and cute too. Will tell you more about her and her store in the future.
So far so good in Atlanta!
|The COCOCOZY display corner at the Christian Mosso & Associates showroom in Atlanta (above)
|Peacock Alley section at the Christian Mosso Associates Showroom in Atlanta (above)
More on the showroom and my neighbors there….gorgeous linens…and the overall show to come! Got a chance to walk around the temporary booths yesterday and there are some awesome furniture goodies. This market must be millions of miles long…me and a friend from Brahms Mount got lost yesterday looking for a particular manufacturer. It is truly design heaven.
Happy Saturday to you!
P.S. I must give a big huge shout out and thanks to my fantastic assistant Katie. She is just amazing. She made sure all of the goods got here to Atlanta. She is a total professional and a delight to work with. Katie started with me about two months ago and has just been so helpful. She is not here with me but she'll be coming to the New York show with me. Nice work Katie! (Also, some other good news regarding the New York Gift Fair… my sister might spend a day or two in the booth with us in NY as well…if she can get off of work (she's a busy attorney but she is going to try to come))!
P.P.S. A huge rug manufacturer came by to talk to me about possibly partnering on a project…that was exciting…we'll see what happens there.
P.P.P.S. Tonight our showroom is having a party with a band. And all day they have snacks, food and drink for clients and passersby. It is such a nice way to spend the day…in a showroom with gorgeous textiles, chatting with designers and manufacturers, sharing stories and making new friends. I feel very lucky.
All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY


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Holy butt-clencher, Batman! Quake 3 Arena has somehow found itself ported to the iPhone. Details are thinner than my scalp is on hair, but the video clearly shows a networked game going on in full swing. You may be thinking this sounds semi-neat, but let me tell you this; the game uses the freaking accelerometer for direction control, while shooting is done simply by tapping on the touchscreen. Now, I'm off to collapse in a euphoric pile, you check out the video and then do the same. There's no word on the release yet, but hopefully it will show up somewhere once I am out of my aforementioned, euphoric pile state. We'll keep you posted. [Crunchgear]
Vizio's Latest TVs Go All Quantum


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Thursday, October 24, 2019
Jonathan Lovvorn, Faculty Co-Director of the Law, Ethics & Animals Program (LEAP) at the Law School, gave a talk as part of the Animal Law Speaker Series.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Thursday, June 27, 2019
A rendering of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project in New York City, part of a flood protection system planned after Hurricane Sandy. Hilary Meltzer '92 says the city has been at the forefront of municipal climate mitigation and resiliency efforts.
Friday, March 22, 2019
Thursday, March 21, 2019