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A Chained Sanity
Memories are something that hurt to someone who has no good ones. How can somebody not have any good memories you ask? Well if you listen then I can tell you.
My body felt as though I had been ravaged yet I was merely in my home. I was found on the doorstep of this asylum when they had found me. They knew not my name so they gave me one. Chains. I never knew that there was such a thing as a last name for a person or that there were other people. The first time that I knew was when I was five and that is as far as my memory would let me remember back to. I was allowed to go almost anywhere in the asylum but I was not yet allowed to go to the torture chambers.
The best place for me to start would have to be my first sign of authority. My home was in the prisoner cells. I would make what I could out of the conversations with the convicts which usually was not very much. Otherwise I read as many books as possible. The guard or guards as I later found not in my age, taught me the basics of school and was actually a very good teacher. Then again he was not human. They would do their experiments for the day as the other taught me. I learned very quickly and it wasn't just bookwork. I learned how to use a scythe and was very adept at unarmed combat.
It started when I was talking to one of the prisoners and we could actually keep this one going for more than one sentence. He told me to get out of this place what they do here is evil and I had to run as I could. Then the guard walked in on him and me. "You know your not to speak to the prisoners!" and that was the first time it had hit me that they had no good intent for these people and these people had no hope for their release. He walked over to the cage and banged on the bars with his hand. The prisoner jumped then came to the front of the cell. His bandages covered the many bloodied scars he had from here. The blood had soaked through to leave stains. Other guards walked in to the room and walked over to me and stood watching the first. He raised his scythe and drew the blade to the front then ripped the end with his other hand. He brought the blade down with so much force it split the prisoners skull and dug into his torso and protruded from the front with the tip. He removed the blade from his victim and let the body drop. The blood and other organs fell from his body. He looked at me and pointed at the door. Those glowing green eyes were all that I ever saw of them and they shown brightly in his hood. The guards grabbed me and dragged me away.
They were not happy and locked me in my cell or my room for a month with food everyday I was there. When they let me out I obeyed what they told me. They said that since I had seen so much I could now associate with the prisoners if I wanted to so bad. So they put me in the torture rooms. They made me clean off the corpses from the devices they used. They cooked people alive; they crushed them and spiked them. They pulled people apart limb from limb and ripped them in half. They drowned others in oil and then lit it on fire while they were still in it. From all the flaws that had happened I gained many scars and became inhumanly strong. I learned what fear was and looked it in the eyes and laughed at it. Then when I had aged to eighteen we learned I was also very fast.
The one-day they came in to take me to my quarters and made a flaw. They pushed me with they're hands and I had had enough of this so I set my foot down and grabbed a scythe from the nearest guard and cut the two of them down and ran. It seemed like forever before I found the front door but I did. When I saw it I jammed the scythe in there so hard that the main shaft broke in half. I grabbed the top and wedged it in their even more. The blade was strong enough to hold against my strength. I pushed it to one side and was creaking open the door. When it was far enough open I slid out and into the open air.
The chasm was larger than I could jump and the bottom was to far to fall. The asylum was on a floating island in the middle of the canyon. The skies were black and thunder struck everywhere around me. The only sign of nature was the lone dead tree across the pit I floated on. I began to turn to look at the building of pain but was seized by the wrists. Two giant strong arms grabbed my body. I struggled against him but to no use. They dragged me back inside the hellhole. " You want out of here? Fine you will be out of here in chains." I heard a guard say as they dragged me away. They took me to an ornate door and opened it to reveal a whole new universe. The area around me ebbed with blue and white energies and the ground was a solid floating marble that shouldn't have been. They brought in a set of ten foot chains and dragged me over too them. The chains had spikes that came from the wrist parts. They all started to chant in a cryptic tone and the chains glowed an evil green aura. The head guard then took the chains and took my right hand. " If you go back to the torture rooms you wont have these on you." He told me in a deep echoing voice. " I would rather die then kill another innocent. " I told him spitting into his hooded face. He clamped down on my wrist with the top of the chain bar. The spikes went into my hands and I could feel the evil magick embed itself in my arm and the pain was unbearable but I never showed them the pain. I never gave them the pleasure. He grabbed my left arm and put the shackle on that wrist to but not so friendly this time. My body felt weak but I never dropped to the ground and submitted to their taunts. Then we all teleported to the highest platform and there was a lone wall in the center of it. They dragged me to that accursed wall. They took the end of the chains and attached them to the hooks on the wall. " You're strong but we'll see how strong you really are." The head master scoffed at me. They then disappeared. I stood there and tried to fight the pain but to no avail.
I fell to the floor in a heap and looked at the surroundings. The walls ebbed like ripples in water and gave off a very bright light so that it was never dark. Otherwise there was nothing to be called as a scene or any of the sorts. Then I heard something. It was a scream form someone somewhere. I tried to stand to look for the scream but heard nothing again so I fell back to where I was. I heard a man say no and then another scream. This time I had to see what was going on. I got up and fell back down before I was on my knees. I tried again and was on my shins and hands and I felt exhausted. I kept on pushing and was eventually on my feet. Whatever curse they had put on my shackles they had made it to steal my power. I felt so tired after such little movement that I was about to collapse again.
I walked very slowly to the edge of my platform and looked over the side. There was an endless amount of barren platforms over into the abyss. I stared in disbelief. There was no logic in reality that this place could exist and yet I now lived in it. So did countless more lost souls. They screamed as they jumped the edge into oblivion and then I heard the others scream within their insanity as they saw the unthinkable demons that haunted them. I could hear their voices and I could never think of another thing to scare me again. I had seen it all and lived through it. I had seen death and laughed at him and mocked him for not taking me when he could have. There was nothing now. Nobody to talk to or listen to but then again I never did have anyone. So then again it wouldn't even matter. There was nothing. The ebbing walls spoke to me. They told me I was pointless. The reason I'm here is that my parents had left me because they didn't want me in the first place. My head hurt so I slept. My eyes never closed but I slept. I heard those screams but I slept. I never cared at all what I did or if I died so why was I nervous now?
I left myself to do nothing for a month, as it seemed. I sat there only eating the rations that they teleported to me daily. It was a basic bread and water diet. The chains drained more of my power daily and there was nothing I could do about it, or so I thought. One day I looked at the nothingness and decided to stand. I got up as hard as it was but I did. My feet were free so I gave a weak kick but my leg went up. At that moment I realized what it was I needed to do to get out of here. I raised my hand and gave a punch.
For two months all I did was develop my immunity to the pain. I fought the air and kept creating moves wherever they would be useful. They never came to check on me making it easy to practice as long as I want. I never slept, I couldn't. It was too horrific if I closed my eyes to long id see the images from the slaughterhouse. I could hear the screams of those tormented souls and the ones who were already lost. I couldn't save them I wanted to but I never could. So I promised them this. I would escape and tell their torturous tales. That would soon come to pass.
After I had mastered my fighting technique after a year of training I decided to take a break. But how could I without going even more insane. Then it hit me. Meditation. I sat down and closed my eyes and saw those horrid pictures again. But this time I could almost control them. I worked to make them change I worked to get them out of my mind. For two months I devoted myself to making those pictures change but I didn't know that I was changing outside as well as inside. I found this a week after the third month of meditation. My food had teleported in as usual. I didn't want to move so I just looked at it. Then the plate shook. I couldn't figure it out then I looked at it again. I wanted the plate closer so I willed for it. Then the plate skidded over to my side like I had shoved it closer. I then looked at the glass and it lifted. I wanted it closer and it came to me with ease. I hadn't realized but in my meditation I had also been levitating.
It had been a year and a half that I had been in here. I hadn't said a single word since I had yelled at the warden. I didn't know if I could still talk and I also didn't care. I would leave my actions do the talking. I continued to practice my meditation as well as my combat skills. The chains now seemed an extension of myself and I knew that they would never come off. I began to loosen them from the walls and day-by-day they came farther and farther out. I was waiting for the day that I would finally get free of at least the wall. I still couldn't sleep. I would just rest my body after working for a good long while. I could never close my eyes without seeing the pain of the ones that were tortured by my hand and the guardians. I realized that in my anger I could find a lot of subdued power. There was no way I wasn't escaping from this hell when they came for me. It would be another year and a half before they came for me. For that remaining time I just trained my mind and body for as long as I could.
Then the day finally came when they wanted me. The Large doors form a few hundred feet below as they open to let the evil beings in. They appeared next to my side all seven of them. " Had enough weakling?" the head master asked. I said nothing to any of them. They cut the chains free of the wall and set me free finally. They teleported me down to the major platform and walked me out of the realm of timelessness. I could see that the world had changed since I had been gone. Now they were hanging dead bodies as if they were trophies. They walked me farther into the asylum with my arms hanging at my sides. They could never have known how strong I had become. I dragged my shackles across the ground for ten feet behind me. They walked me back to the cells surrounding me the whole way. The warden led us with two of his cronies in back of me and two at both my sides.
We arrived at a secluded cell in the middle of the prison, as he opened it he turned to me. "Now you shall see how the people who you tortured lived in fear of us." He said to me with a cackle. I merely looked up at him and smiled. It was a smile that only a man who had nothing to lose could show, one that had seen death and laugh with him, a man who had gone insane. In an instant the head of the cloak of the head master was on the ground and the rest followed. His essence dispersed forever into the air of the prison. The rest of the guards looked around in fear, as I was nowhere to be seen for I was moving to fast for even their eyes. The two on the left of me were next. With a cross slash I made the two of them disperse forever as well. I picked up one of the scythes that they coveted so much, and looked over at the other four. Two charged at me and in one cross slash they were in two pieces each. The other two were in horror as I plowed through them cutting the one in the side as I darted. They gave chase soon after I ran. I knew my way around the prison so I was at the front door in a minute or so. I dug the scythe deep inside of the door and saw the first sight of day in such a long time. I remembered the problem I faced though I walked forward and fell to my knees. But I heard a clanking sound. The scythe had gone off the edge of the platform and made a solid bridge that crossed the gap.
I ran across dragging the scythe behind me. I turned to see a guard following me. The one I had cut on the side ran across the bridge but never touched his scythe to the ground. I lifted mine and the bridge left him to fall. He was caught by the tip of his scythe and hung there under the bridge with no way to climb up. I could see his energy draining fast and he was nervous I could feel it in him. He fell as the last of his power gave out and plummeted into the oblivion below. His comrade had merely gone inside and let them all die without so much as trying to help them. I threw the scythe over the edge never wanting to see the accursed thing ever again. I took a long hard look at my torture camber. The towers ranging upward from it, the turret tops sloping down over the roofs, and those two windows in the front that glowed green so as to look as though they were evil eyes, ones less evil than the actual inside. Those halls that glowed green all the time and radiated evil to all that lived within its bowels, and that other realm that I had lived in for those few years. I blanked them from my memory as I left and walked into the canyon.
My world is that of a place that only others can have nightmares about. The demons stalk you and if you cant fight you will die. Alone I sit here waiting for that moment when my freedom will come to me. I have lost all hope and my sanity to a world of pain and torture and I shall never find the light again.
The chasm had spanned a mile or two but it was easier to traverse then I had figured. They had made paths to get to the accursed place and back. I would never see that place ever again. I walked on through the field and passed a lone tree in the middle of the field. It was tall and wide but not so much as so that I could not jump into it. It had leaves that were a beautiful shade of green. They floated to the ground when the wind blew through the air. That was when I realized I needed some new clothes. I didn't even have a shirt, and my pants were horribly made and were torn to pieces with holes all over them. They were a dull gray color and I did not want them any longer. I walked on onto a hilltop were I could see the nearest town. It looked like your average little town out in any place anyone would go. I expected that they would just ignore me from their regular point of view. I was dead wrong.
I walked into the front of the town not making any commotion when every person nearby turned and stared at me. I paid no homage to their gawking stares and continued onward. I walked around the corner and everyone followed me to the nearest armor shop. I walked in and the girl at the counter greeted me. As I walked in she was looking under the counter and there was now a crowd outside that had been following me for the past two blocks. She looked up at me and smiled. I was shocked that she didn't stare at me like the rest. "They aren't used to seeing new faces around here." She told me as she walked up to the counter. "I don't have any money to pat with so what can you give me as a hand out for a pour lost soul?" I almost begged at her. "You seem like a nice guy so I tell you what. If you promise to return as soon as possible to repay what you owe I will give you what you need. Deal?" She explained to me in a generous tone. " I agree to your terms. Thanks are not enough for you." I thanked her profusely and she brought me to the back of the shop where no one could see us. She opened a door and it showed many styles of shirts and pants that almost anyone could where no matter what size. I looked around and found a pair of long baggy black pants that appealed to me very much. They had pockets on the side of the legs and a chain ran from the side pocket to the back on the left side. Two zippers ran up the sides of the legs on the pants so that if unzipped they would expand to an even wider leg width. I changed into those and looked at them and myself in a mirror. The pants looked good but I looked like crap. My hair was out of place in the strangest way in that it was everywhere. It was a black color from what I could see.
This was the first time that I had ever truly looked at myself. I had scars all over my chest and some hurt to the touch. I looked myself up and down. I was a very thin person compared to how strong I truly was. Most people would overlook me if I just walked by without my chains and with a shirt on. I looked around at the girl and smiled. She was kind to me with no money or friends and I owed her more than she knew. I looked up and saw some cloaks hanging off the walls. I walked over and took off a dark brown one and tried it on. It fit perfect. I walked back to the pants and grabbed three more pairs and slid them into the side pockets of the cloak, which made them feel lighter. We walked back to the front of the store and she rang up the items and handed them to me. She asked me why I hadn't bought a shirt. I simply said this. "I need not more weight to drag around." She looked at me and shrugged her shoulders. She posted my bill on the wall and she looked at me. She handed me a pen. I scrawled my name onto the list of items and looked at her and smiled. I put on the cloak and pulled the hood over my head. I walked out of the shop with a crowd forming around me yet moving out of the way at the same time. I merely looked at them all and kept my pace going. I walked until I had found the gates and proceeded out of them. I looked out and back into the town to see everybody dispersing from the main gate that I had just traversed. I followed the path as I walked along without a word to anyone or anything. I walked until the sun set and it was dark out. I stopped under a tree and made a fire. I looked up to see the stars that I had heard so much about. I walked out to the top of the hill that was nearby to take a look at my surroundings.
It was so expansive that I had no idea where to go next but that would be something I would worry about later. For now I could enjoy the scenery around me. There was a forest nearby and a few trees scattered here and there. The field had high grass all around and was very large in size compared to all the places I had lived. I looked out and smiled. I was finally free, I had lived in a world of torture for so long and now I could choose for myself where I wanted to go. Yet I didn't have a clue of where I wanted to be at the moment and where I wanted to go. I walked back to my fire and found something covered in the cloak that I was wearing. I moved the cloak out of the way and was surprised to see a pair of black combat boots under the clothing. Inside the left boot was a note. "Since you never purchased a shirt here's a little something to keep your feet from going bad. Sincerely your friendly neighborhood shopkeeper." I looked down at it and smirked while trying on the shoes. The girl had made a god guess as to my size. They were merely one size to big. I tied them tight and set myself into meditation for the rest of the night.
The sun crested the hill as I came out of my state of levitation. I came to the ground softly and without a sound. I walked over to the brunt out embers of the night's previous fire. I stopped them out to make sure no more of a fire would spread. I walked over to my cloak and lifted it up and slipped it on with the hood over my head. I walked off into the field and made the first steps of freedom in my life for a better world.
Into a hell and out of a torture I walk my path of death and loss only to find that the world is without happiness for those who cannot fight for it. I help all those that I can but what does it matter when the ones you fight for are the ones who take the happiness from the rest of the worlds and slaughter the innocent. They steal the life from the kind only to take the pain they give returned ten fold by someone like me, some one with a heart to guide them.
It had been a long time since I had seen the prison and I had no intention of ever see it again. The world was even more expansive than I thought it to be. It merely gave me more time to handle all of the problems that I had faced in the trials of that prison. They kept me away from the world for so long and now I was going to show them what I have in myself to live my own life. I had wandered the world for a year to try and find a way to repay the debt I had to that shopkeeper. Sure mercenaries and bounty hunters get paid massively, but I wanted no more death in the world to any people of any kind. I had many people harass me for being quiet and not as social as they wanted me to be. At bars I was very secluded and always sat at the back of the bar and made sure that I was concealed so as to not draw attention to myself from anybody to boisterous about their exploits. Sure here and there I would carry on a conversation with somebody, but it was never of any concern to me. I was also very kind to the children that I had come across in my many travels. That was one of the few times that I would actually remove my hood for them. I would watch them and play with them until their bodies were completely worn out. Then I would bring them home to their parents and usually get a gratuitous thank you from them. I never stayed in any actual inns just floated around until I was out of the town. As you all know I never slept so I had no need for a bed of any sorts. I was a plain and simple wanderer with a secret that no one would ever know.
As I was walking on a dirt path in a very empty patch of woods I had the strong inkling that I was about to hit a landmark in my life. The trees were fully bloomed but there were no animals that lived in any of them. I didn't really want to think about the strangeness of the lifeless forest. I looked around and noticed that the wind never made any movement in the forest. It was beyond strange and I wanted out of there soon. The cold of the place was in my bones but not in my skin. I did not get chills I merely got soul frozen and I couldn't concentrate on where I was. Then it seemed out of nowhere there was a large castle in front of me. With nowhere left to go I decided on my worse judgment to enter. I closed the giant door behind me. On the outside it looked like an ordinary, if not smaller than, average castle. When I looked around it was that of a ingle roomed giant. In the center the floor was that of glass. I walked over to the glass and walked down to see it was a giant black hole in the floor. It swirled like a vortex of eternity with lightning bolts and clouds striking the vortex hear and there. "It is a beauty isn't it." Came a young female voice from my back. I turned to look at her and saw a girl around my own age. By this point I was that of the age of twenty. I kept the space between us decent but not far enough to be uncomforting. She had long dark brown hair past her lower back. Her eyes were that of the color purple. This was strange for I hadn't seen that color of eyes before. She was an attractive girl but at this time in my life I wasn't concerned with that aspect of living. I merely wanted to find who I was. She walked over to me and stopped about an inch from my face. "I know who you are Chains." She told me reassuringly. The odd part about the interaction was that I didn't feel scared. I almost felt safe with her there. "I am your angel Chains. I am here to help you when you need it. I will show up to you in times of confusion and loss. I will be your guide." She said as she took my hand in a comforting gesture. "My name is Estra and I will be here for you." She said as she put her hand over my eyes. She closed them and as I felt her warmth disappear I opened them to find myself in the middle of the field where I had started my journey a few years before.
Twenty-two is an age that will stay with me for the entirety of the rest of my life. It always reminds me of what my life should have been like. I had been walking through the woods as I so often did when it had gotten dark. I made a fire and settled in for my rest for the night. I looked at the stars and started to zone out for a little while. Then I heard a noise and darted upright. "You're chains aren't you?" came a female voice. I turned and saw a woman with long flaming red hair walk out for the tree line. "Yes I am and who would be inquiring this of me?" I asked her. "I am Leila Arestan. I am a messenger from your sister. She wants to see you." she told me walking closer. I lowered my guard a little. She seemed to be no threat to me.


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Stevens Creek Software is one of the premier software developers for the Palm Computing and iPhone platforms, with fourteen shipping applications on the former and five on the latter. We have been developing handheld software for more than ten years, and have the expertise to deliver a solution to you quickly.
Perhaps our most important application is PalmPrint, which is the only general-purpose printing software for the Palm platform, supporting multiple connection methods (serial, parallel, and infrared) and multiple printing languages (Epson, PCL, and PostScript). Take An Order! is software which lets salespeople take orders (or put together bids) in the field and (using PalmPrint) print out receipts or quotations on the spot. In use in more than a dozen countries worldwide, Take An Order! makes use of the Symbol SPT 1500 with its built-in barcode scanner. On Hand is our inventory/asset management application which has been customized for a number of our users, and which also runs on the Palm or Symbol devices. Other applications from Stevens Creek Software include UnDupe, which removes duplicates from Palm databases, SnailMailer, the mailing list management software for the Palm, PocketTimer, for timing and scoring races, AreaCoder and ZipCoder, for updating area codes and zip codes when they change, Handy Randy, for generating random numbers, and others you can read about on our home page.
While the heart of our business is developing commercial, horizontal software packages, we do consider development of customer and/or vertical software where that development relates to the main thrust of our business, as illustrated by the applications described above. On area of particular interest is software in which printing is an essential component, such as our Take An Order! and PocketTimer applications. If you are interested in exploring further questions of custom software development, please email us with at least a preliminary description of your interests.
Want to know how our work stacks up? Read on...
2001 - Stevens Creek Software's President, Steven Patt, becomes one of the first "Palm-Powered Certified Developers"

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No jurisdiction to review decision on PAYG withholding credits - Re Confidential
02 May 2014
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal has decided that a decision by the Commissioner in relation to a taxpayer's entitlement to PAYG withholding credits does not form part of an "objection decision" and is not reviewable by the Tribunal. The Tribunal in this case also affirmed the Commissioner's decision to impose a penalty on the basis that the taxpayer had made a false or misleading statement by claiming a PAYG withholding credit.
The taxpayer was the sole director and secretary of a company. In his individual tax return he disclosed taxable income in the form of salary or wages paid to him by the company. He also claimed a PAYG withholding credit for amounts withheld from payments of his salary or wages.
The Commissioner conducted a review of the taxpayer's income tax return, and issued an assessment in which the claim for the PAYG withholding credit was disallowed. The Commissioner also imposed an administrative penalty of 50% of the claimed PAYG withholding credit, on the basis that he had, by claiming that credit, made a false or misleading statement for the purposes of s 284-75(1) of Sch 1 to the Taxation Administration Act 1953 and that he had a shortfall amount as a result of that statement which resulted from recklessness as to the operation of a taxation law (ss 284-80, 284-85 and 284-90 in Sch 1 to the TAA).
The taxpayer purported to object to the primary assessment on the basis that he was entitled to the PAYG withholding credit in issue. He also objected to the penalty assessment.
The Tribunal accepted that it lacked jurisdiction to review the Commissioner's decision concerning the taxpayer's entitlement to the PAYG withholding credit. A credit for PAYG withholding which appears on a notice of assessment arises only by reason of the operation of s 18-15(1) of Sch 1 to the TAA and is not a particular of the assessment but rather a particular of the statement of account between the taxpayer and the Commissioner. Accordingly, a taxpayer cannot properly object to an assessment on grounds concerning entitlement to PAYG withholding credits. Such a claim does not constitute dissatisfaction with an "assessment" for the purposes of s 175A(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936. To the extent that the taxpayer's objection purported to be against the primary assessment, it did not form part of nor constitute a "taxation objection" within the terms of s 14ZL of the TAA. The taxpayer's objection was only properly made against the penalty assessment.
The consequence was that the Commissioner's decision on review that the taxpayer was not entitled to the claimed PAYG withholding credit did not form part of the "objection decision" within the terms of Pt IVC of the TAA, nor constitute an objection decision in itself. The Commissioner's decision with respect to the PAYG withholding credit was not capable of review by the Tribunal.
As to the penalty, the Tribunal noted that there was no documentary evidence before the Tribunal in the form of books and records containing accounting entries made contemporaneously with the making of payments by the company to the taxpayer, nor any evidence, save for a payment summary created after the assessments had issued, that the company had complied with its reporting requirements. The taxpayer admitted that, in fact, no withholding had occurred. The Tribunal therefore found that the taxpayer's return constituted a false or misleading statement, and that the taxpayer had been reckless as to the operation of the taxation law.
The Commissioner's decision on penalty was affirmed.
Re Confidential and FCT [2014] AATA 257 (AAT, F J Alpins DP, 30 April 2014).


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Beth Ann Caspersen, Quality Control Manager, and Lynsey Miller, Director of Sales & Marketing for Advanced Coffee, recently visited coffee producers in Uganda. Lynsey reflects on some takeaways here:
Check this out.
The farmers of Gumutindo co-op in Uganda would not have these things if they just were going at it as a single individual farmer:
The Tangibles


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O. HAMMERSTEIN VERY ILL.; Impresario in German Hospital and May Be Operated On.
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January 03, 1918
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#2 Herkimer softball sweeps #10 Onondaga Lazers at home
Herkimer, NY-- #2 Herkimer softball comes from behind in two games versus #10 Onondaga yesterday afternoon. In game one Onondaga scored early putting pressure on the Generals scoring one run in the first. Herkimer lead-off slapper #5 Taylor Fry (Gasport, NY) roped one into right-center which the defense couldn't handle. Fry was able to capitalize on the miss read from the Lazer outfield and scored the tying run on an in the park home run. Onondaga responded in the second challenging Herkimer with another four runs.
The Generals remained unproductive until the fourth where they were able to scratch one run, but it was the fifth inning where they made their mark. The rally began with one out as #14 Lacy Nealy (Montrose, PA) drew a walk. Pinch running for Nealy was #21 Alexis Ramos (Utica, NY). #8 Morgan Sgarlata (Oneida, NY) continued the inning hitting a hard ground ball to third base which resulted in an error leaving both Ramos on second and Sgarlata on first. Next up was sophomore #33 Bailee Haddad (Frankfort, NY) who hit a one-run line drive double which closed the score gap 5-3 with runners on second and third and one out. Herkimer freshman #1 Allison Lockwood (Windsor, NY) tied it up scoring both runners on a line drive single. Lockwood scored later that inning from an overthrow from the Lazer's third baseman to give Herkimer their first lead of the game. Onondaga remained scoreless and Herkimer would add on two more in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 8-5 to finish it.
Game two for the Generals felt like a repeat of the first to start. Again, Onondaga took an early 1-0 lead after the first inning. Herkimer wouldn't tie it up until the third from a line drive single by Fry scoring Ramos who had earned a bloop hit single to start the inning. Ramos had stolen second base putting her in scoring position for Fry. Onondaga would regain the lead in the fourth 2-1, but the Generals sparked a fifth inning rally once again, this time scoring 11 runs. Every Herkimer hitter in the lineup reached on base and every Herkimer hitter would score.
This fifth inning rally began with Fry leading off with another line drive single. Next up was freshman captain #25 Shannon Moore (Norwich, NY) who hit a ground ball to the shortstop and reached first as Fry beat out the race to second on the fielder's choice. #20 Molly McGuire hit a short line drive single to load the bases for Lacy Nealy who hit her first collegiate grand slam which gave the Generals a 5-2 lead. The rest of the lineup would reach and score before the Lazers recorded their first out of the inning. Onondaga was deflated and remained scoreless in their last at bats falling to Herkimer 12-2 in five innings.
Herkimer looks to continue their success this weekend as they travel to Genesee Community College Saturday April 22nd 1 & 3 p.m., and Niagara Community College Sunday April 23rd 12 & 2 p.m.


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Emily Maitlis wiki, bio, age, children, salary, children, net worth
Emily Maitlis is a British journalist as well as a newsreader for BBC. She also presents the news programming across the national TV channels of BBC which also include Newsnight and bulletins on the BBC One and BBC News Channel. In January of 2014, she became an acting political editor of the Newsnight until Allegra Stratton's maternity leave ended in the later year. She is the native of Canada. She came into this world on 6th September of the year 1970 which has now made her reach at the age of 45. She was born to a Jewish family. She is the daughter of Peter Maitlis and wife Marion Maitlis. Her father is a professor, FRS, Emeritus Professor of the Inorganic Chemistry at University of Sheffield.
Her parents are British but she was raised up in Sheffield. She went to get her education from a local King Edward VII School. At the beginning of her career, she first started to work as a trainee hairdresser. She also got enrolled at the Queens' College located in Cambridge and got graduated from there. Prior to her work in news, she was also a documentary maker in China and Cambodia. In addition to that, she had also worked for NBC Network as well as she was based in Hong Kong. She had also spent her six years with the NBC Asia initially as business reporter where she used to create documentaries. She also worked as a presenter in Hong Kong covering collapse of tiger economies in 1997.
Emily had also covered transfer of the sovereignty over Hong Kong along with Jon Snow for the Channel 4. After that, she moved to Sky News in UK as business correspondent and then to the BBC London New when that program was relaunched in 2001. She is now presently one of the main presenters of the Newsnight on BBC Two along with Kirsty Wark, Evan Davis and Laura Kuenssberg. Additionally, she also presents the relief shifts on BBC News channel which also includes the BBC News at Five and may occasionally present BBC News at One that is also broadcast on the BBC One. She also presented US 2012 program on BBC One in 2012.
Beautiful journalist is married to her husband named Mark who is an investment manager. She also has two children, both sons together with her husband. There is no any news found about when and where did the couple exchanged their vows with each other. As she was born in the month of September, her birth sign is Virgo. She can speak Spanish, Italian, French, and Mandarin Chinese. Emily stands at the height of five feet and seven inches that is 1.70 m.
She is of White ethnicity and she belongs to British nationality. Despite she has already reached at her mid forties, she has still managed to look young, charming and beautiful. Her work has made her earn a handsome amount of salary and her net worth is estimated to be in millions. There is no information found about her weight. Besides that, more news related to her bio, family background and other activities can be obtained from various sources.


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If ever you're having a bad hair day, naturalistas, pump up the volume on "NA-TU-RAL," a track crafted by Harlem rapper Qu'ality.
The feel-good record knocks as an ode to God-given curl patterns on which the New York MC boasts, "She got that Poetic Justice. That Badu. That India Arie. Jill Scott, too."
Incorporating a Carol's Daughter name-drop and a hat tip to protective styles (locs, braids and the like), the hair-toasting tune and accompanying video filled with women rocking natural 'dos is "a token of appreciation."


text:
Anissa Kate- Take the Mike
Priva takes a rear CP during DP in Private Porn Vacation: Cannes.
Maki Takei: looks like acp in dp, then another acp
Moderator: Raytech
shindr wrote:Honorable mention to Tina Kay for sucking/jerking a load into her mouth while being creampied in JacquieEtMicheleTV's "Gangbang Explosif."
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text: On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 12:13, Brian <firstname.lastname@example.com> wrote: >> You could run Debian Live on a USB stick (or any other live distro, >> really). Boot your work machine with that, and you will have a trusted >> machine. Use that to ssh to your home machine. > > I suppose this 'trusted machine' doesn't have a key logger on it? > Check the keyboard cable, good idea. Only a hardware keylogger would be an attack vector once the machine is booted from removable media. A key would help here, as it is not typed in anyway. >> And follow the advice that others have already given you. Specifically, >> disallow password authentication. That is a biggie. Even if you have a >> strong password, others on your home machine may not. As already said, >> you can use AllowUsers in sshd_config to allow only specific users to >> have ssh access. > > A strong password is no less secure in brute force terms than a key so > there is no reason to disallow it on those grounds. You can also be sure > you have never left it at home or elsewhere. > A strong password can be keylogged, a key cannot. -- Dotan Cohen http://gibberish.co.il http://what-is-what.com


text:
The former media firm Wright Webb Syrett recently hit the headlines when stacks of client files were dumped in a building skip.
Nearby drinkers who came across the files were treated to details of the affairs of a string of celebrities including Sean Connery, Gillian Taylforth and Bill Wyman.
With the information super highway offering a gateway to computer-held information, firms are understandably on their guard about keeping client information confidential.
When Eversheds installed its nationwide electronic communications network earlier this year, security was a high priority.
Each of the 12 UK offices and Brussels and Jersey have now been linked by email so desk-to-desk communication is becoming a normal part of life for lawyers and support staff.
Novell Groupwise has been adopted as the nationwide email product and there are a number of effective security measures built into the software that help keep confidential information secure.
Sensitive information can be effectively screened from unauthorised access and the sender uses the 'notify when opened' feature so they know when the message has been read by the recipient.
We use private leased lines rather than commercial telephone networks for all inter office communication which gives us additional security.
Great store is placed on computer security generally and, as well as strong physical security in our offices, we also use password access controls at log on and password-controlled screen savers.
Every disk that is sent to us by clients, counsel or other sources is checked for viruses.
Our document management software, Softsolutions, has a document check out feature so our daily scrutiny of the network logs shows every document that has been copied from the network onto disk and taken off site.
Security of information is even more of an issue as teleworking becomes more commonplace. Lawyers often work away from the office on laptop computers and dial in to the network via normal or mobile telephone lines. Again, access has to be closely controlled and monitored.
The ability to check quickly for conflict problems is important. A nationwide communications network has been set up so that each office can dial into a central database before new matters are taken on.
We are working on a convergence program for practice management systems in each of the offices so there have been a number of technical difficulties in getting the information into the same format from around the country but these have now been overcome and our conflicts checking procedures are working well.
Eversheds has decided to adopt the same practice management system in every office and this will make it much simpler to collate our financial and marketing information, as well as client conflicts information, on a national basis.
When this level of information is regularly transmitted between offices we will start using data encryption.
Video conferencing equipment has also been installed in a number of our offices for an extended trial. The benefits of this technology are obvious but the costs are substantial.
It also poses some interesting security issues and we have to resolve these before we make this investment.
Security of electronic information is a major issue for all businesses large and small. Lawyers have adopted electronic funds transfer and computer banking enthusiastically and are used to the rigorous security measures in this area.
We are all aware of the risks from unauthorised "hacking" into our networks and communication systems and we have specified in our IT strategy the same standards for data transfer as we have for funds transfer.
We are very aware, however, that this is an area where we have to keep developing our practices and systems to maintain the confidentiality that our clients expect.
John Oliver is director of finance and administration at Eversheds, London.


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In their latest venture, the Venky's, via their film production business subsidiary Bala Entertainment, and Bollywood actor Sohail Khan shall produce an animation movie 'R-10' in association with Ronaldinho, on whom the protagonist of the movie will be based.
The animated movie would see Ronaldinho star as the central character named R-10 that saves the planet from aliens using his footballing skills.
Interestingly, Ronaldinho already has a comic character to his credit – 'Ronaldinho Gauho' – which is a hit in more than 37 countries around the world.
And that is what led to the idea of a movie, as Balaji Rao revealed to Goal.com, "His brother (Roberto de Assis Moreira) came to me and he said can we do this (the movie) and showed me a comic on his name, already in circulation in 37 countries, and I agreed and said we should do this as an animated movie. It will be a very big project for Bala Entertainment."
Giving more details on the project, the Managing Director of Bala Entertainment said, "R-10 is a very prestigious project for us given the growing passion for football in India and the rest of the world. The movie will have the best of the global animation talent working on it. And when it comes to football, who else but Ronaldinho to do justice to a mega concept such as R-10. With a persona of a hero of millions of hearts, Ronaldinho makes for the biggest canvas for movie-making the world has seen in recent times."
Ronaldinho in 'R-10'
Venky's Joint Managing Director B. Venkatesh Rao also revealed in a press release that the movie shall be released in May 2014, the year of the football World Cup.
Expressing his excitement at the project, he stated, "The global release of R-10, The Movie in May 2014 will be our tribute to the FIFA World Cup that starts in Brazil in June later that year. Nothing can beat the excitement of an animation movie that features the Brazilian football superstar in the backdrop of the Football World Cup. The movie will celebrate football, the biggest religions of our times, along with one of the biggest footballing legends in the middle of it all."
Ronaldinho himself was pleased to star in the movie, and was also thankful for the welcome afforded to him in India.
He said, "The welcome I have received in India is overwhelming – right from Mumbai to Pune. And I'm amazed at how India is so similar to Brazil. Launching R-10 in India is like launching it at home. It's a great feeling. It's also a matter of honour to feature in a football movie in the year when Brazil hosts the World Cup. I hope my friends and followers in India will like the movie."
How do you stay up with football when on the move? With http://m.goal.com –your best source for mobile coverage of the beautiful game.


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25 Jul 2005
calvin's friendster blog
well, in case anyone who is still reading my blog in australia (ahem -- i thought i scared most of you off with my geeky posts in the last month), calvin has a new blog at
friendster blog
he did mention that he couldn't update his blog without it sending all his friendster-friends an email. i just got 3 this morning from friendster about his single blog entry. what the hell is going on there??
, if you like,
i can host a blog for you
so you don't have to use friendster's crappy spam blog. anyway, in the meantime, i've put you on my sidebar! woohoo, i haven't updated that in ages now. anyone else i know who has a blog?
btw, calvin's blog is all about his own self centred life. mostly about him playing poker, getting buff and sleeping. the formula for his blog is quite simple, add one part complaining, 3 teaspoons of "hehehe" and one part optimistic complaining :) (btw, that is quite similar to my blog)
anyway, did i mention that friendster is the slowest web app on this planet? those guys wouldn't know database design if it hit them in the face and then screamed at them for an hour. i was trying to set my prefs to get rid of those spam emails because i've already got calvin's blog syndicated on my RSS reader, but i couldn't find the option, and had to wait 3 minutes per page load.
You can reply to me about this on Twitter:
Tweet to @liquidx


text:
Originally posted on Fox Sports Detroit | Last updated 3/29/13
If you went to bed at a reasonable time Thursday, you missed something spectacular in the Red Wings-Sharks game. No, not a goal the Wings lost 2-0 but Pavel Datsyuk pulling off a move that would have made Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving and Trey Burke proud. Datsyuk got the puck in the corner, and dazzled Sharks left wing Logan Couture with a series of stick flicks that finished with a fake poke between Couture's legs. By the time Datsyuk pulled the puck back that time, Couture was so discombobulated that he simply fell over while the Red Wings star skated away. Mickey Redmond couldn't keep the awed laughter out of his voice while breaking down the replay. See the video above. To make it worse for Couture, he was celebrating his 24th birthday. It's not known if Datsyuk wished him a happy birthday after leaving him sprawled on the ice.
PLAYERS: Pavel Datsyuk, Chris Paul, Logan Couture
TEAMS: Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Clippers, San Jose Sharks
TEAMS: Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Clippers, San Jose Sharks
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text:
|December 2006
Loveless of Memorial Named to RN Panel of Judges
Sandy Loveless, clinical manager for Memorial Home Health, Chattanooga, Tenn., has been selected by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to serve on the RN Panel of Judges. The panel evaluates RN tests to ensure that the questions are appropriate for new graduates based on their academic coursework and clinical knowledge. Loveless is one of only 11 judges chosen nationwide this year, and is the only representative from the field of home care.


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Tag Index > steve-geffrard
Judah-Herrera KO'd Following Pre-Fight Weigh-In Brawl
Zab Judah's return to the ring was scheduled for Thursday night at the Space in Westbury in Westbury New York against journeyman, Hevinson Herrera. After an altercation at the weigh-in earlier today, ...Read More
Ishe Smith Edges Cornelius Bundrage, Wins 154 Lb. Belt
In the evening's opening bout, D'Mitrius Ballard had a successful pro debut by stopping Kelly Henderson (0-2) at the 1:06 mark of the first round in their super middleweight contest. Henderson was ne...Read More
D'Mitrius Ballard and Steve Geffrard Ink With Golden Boy
LOS ANGELES - Golden Boy Promotions is pleased to announce the latest additions to its roster with the signing of former amateur stars D'Mitrius Ballard of Maryland and Steve Geffrard of Florida to ex...Read More


text:
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Lauren Sweetser
Director: Debra Granik
Runtime: 100 min.
Verdict: Your typical middlebrow Oscar bait with the annual share of false character arcs and misery-exhibition.
Genre: Drama
What's the point of this shot? Below I grab a couple of frames. Have a good look at it. This is a little moment during a scene where our 17-year old protagonist, or let us address her as the film expects and unfortunately demands of us – our 17-year old heroine. She is Ree Dolly (Ms. Lawrence) and she's out to find out her missing father who has, in his turn, missed a court hearing. The moment below is when she meets this woman in the frame, who happens to have had an extra-marital affair with her father. The woman has a little party going on in her house on account of her Ma's birthday and there are a whole lot of folks singing and playing cards and drinking and having their definition of a good time.
And I ask again. What's the point of this kind of a composition? The woman, I don't remember her name and I don't remember the film bringing up her name either, is so obviously the subject because in a moment or two from now Ree would knock on the door and this woman would get up and welcome her in and take her inside and talk to her and give her some kind of a lead. If this was a random woman, it might have been acceptable because it would then have been one of those off the cuff moments that pretend to raise a film above the plot by adding a little bit of vérité to the proceedings. But no, this woman is an essential element to resolve the plot, and by having her out of focus in a frame that is pretty equally divided between the foreground and the background, what we're getting down to here is a composition that seems to make no sense to me. The woman swayed her head to the music and here I was confused about the purpose or nature of the shot, narratively or aesthetically.
And just like this shot, one feels, or to not get too imposing on you dear reader, I feel much of the film exists in neitherland. Winter's Bone isn't concerned with following a plot as much as it wants to follow Ree and her family, and provide us one of those voyeuristic pleasures that tend to assuage our primitivist tendencies when we come across a slideshow of poverty. Kitsch is what we call it, and there's no finer definition of the word then what Milan Kundera supplies. So yeah, Ree is supposed to run from pillar to post to find her dad who happens to have quite a reputation in the local drug manufacturing world. He is missing, and she got to find him in time before the court evicts them off their only house. Misery is rampant but I should it is considerably less melodramatic than a Ron Howard slideshow.
Still, Winter's Bone is no whodunit. There's a mystery but the film does not intend to be a puzzle. At least it is not constructed as one, and I would like to give the film the benefit of the doubt, because you see constructing a story is much more of a tough job than merely placing the camera as Ree knocks doors in what could be called a casual cluelessness. Not that it is a problem, but the film does not have even a single shred of an off-the-cuff moment. Those moments which actually satiate our voyeuristic needs. There are lines which only serve to talk about the plot, and there are characters who only come about to advance it. Not a problem again, but then it needs to be an involving mystery, right? So yeah, we are back to neitherland.
This neitherland troubles me. It is a wholly immoral place for a film like Winter's Bone to be in, since it is supposed to reaffirm the triumph of humanity, and the existence of compassion even in the bleakest of places. I am all for it, but what disturbs me is the way Hollywood gets there most times. This is one of those times, where characters first exhibit bad tendencies, and then a scene reveals their other side. One would remember the Matt Dillon character from Crash. Here, there's a whole bunch of them. There's her uncle Teardrop (Mr. Hawkes) who feels positively malevolent when he first appears. The way he psychically handles himself around her even hints a touch of sexual danger against Ree. There's the woman group who beat Ree to pulp, only to help her later for no particular reason. You see, one cannot argue that this is a case of sudden resurgence of humanity upon realizing Ree's condition because, hey, this is a small village where everybody knows everybody. There are a handful of houses, one feels. These women, and everybody already know Ree's condition.
This is the kind of transformation, and this is the kind of vantage point in a narrative is what bothers me. Everybody in this town might be involved in Ree's tragedy, so to speak, but then there's a manner to show the moral predicament it causes for them. First showing them as ugly, and then transforming them into good people is a manipulation, not an observation. There's no breathing space in any of the sequences. There's no life other than what's supplied by the script. A drama such as this could learn considerably from Wendy and Lucy in terms of letting the viewer feel it for himself, or Gone Baby Gone on how to go about talking about morality and humanity in a rather bleak world.
What further bothers me about Winter's Bone is the skewed nature gender equation. Something tells me this is an all-feminine world. I am perfectly alright it, but somehow the guys seem to get a rough deal. I wouldn't want to dwell too much on that though, because Winter's Bone is a mediocre middlebrow offering, with no sense of a truth to it. The editing is curious at places, where the cuts jerk you out of the scene. Say for instance, Ree is walking away and the camera cuts to another angle, still from rear, and we just wouldn't know the purpose. A cut is supposed to transition to the next scene, and when a character is walking away it is an action that is leading to the next event. A cut there, during that action, suggests the scene is continuing, and if it doesn't, it feels really odd. And trivial. Just as the film.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Posted by Satish Naidu at 10:10 PM 2 comments Links to this post
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text:
Hello all,
I hope you can help me.
I was given the following code:
var o = { a: 1, b: "1.0", c: false, d: true };
var a = "b";
... and they wanted the results to the following:
o.a ==> 1
o[ a ] ==> 1.0
Now, I understand that this an equal to or greater situation, but when I run it in console I get a syntax error. Everything I have read says that javascript uses ' <= ' and ' >= " not the double equal sign with the greater than or less than. Am I crazy?
They also tossed this out ..
o.a == o.b ==> true
This too generated a syntax error and when I adjusted it to a => I get a ReferenceError, left-hand side in assignment error.
Could somebody shed some light on this. Are these 'accurate' queries and I just don't know what I am doing or are these queries written wrong?


text:
|Problems? Is your data what you think it is?
Re^2: Quest for the Elusive Non-Blocking SSL Clientby andal (Hermit)
|on Dec 21, 2010 at 10:47 UTC ( #878217=note: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
Hm. I have IO::Socket::SSL running on Linux box. I didn't even install it, it came bundled with perl (gentoo linux)
But as a side note, the openssl library really sucks for not providing direct support for non-blocking reading/writing. I guess thinking only in threads plays its role in design. Please, don't take it as complain. Just pointing out, that things are not simple even outside of Perl :)
In Section Meditations


text:
|2,300 sq. ft.
|Property type
|Minimum Stay
|1 - 10 nights
Come enjoy all that The MountainView TrailHouse has to offer. Placed on a gently sloping meadow, this inviting home sits on over ten private acres and demonstrates exceptional views from every window. Built in 2004, the MountainView TrailHouse is an efficient and well maintained home that has all that you would need to enjoy and relax on your vacation. You can also bring your pets (2 dog max)!! You can be assured by over 101 reviews and 14 years of satisfied guests comments that this will be your choice with confidence. We are also happy to offer our Hot Tub with great VIEWS of the sunsets while you are soaking. You won't have to fight for a spot like the ones shared hot tub at the big resort. Ours is cleaned between every guest and belongs to you and your family friends.... only!
#1***The Only Vacation Rental in Jay area with over 100 *5* STAR Reviews!!!!!
****The 'MountainView Trailhouse' Facebook page has recent news, more photos and video. 'Like' us on FaceBook to stay up to date with specials.****
NOTE: The MountainView TrailHouse been in business for over 11 years and you have "my" guarantee. Check our many reviews! You may rely on the accuracy of the calendar that appears on VRBO. It is extremely up to date.
**Our calendar is extremely up to date!** Click on the calendar link to the right and book early, we are frequently filled to capacity.
Every room is equipped with brand new furniture and appliances to guarantee dependability and comfort. New fireplace, free unlimited long distance, hot tub, dining for 10 (on 1 SINGLE TABLE!) and 46' flatscreen TV with built in surround! As the snow piles up outside you can relax and count on reliable winter maintenance to plow as often as needed. With the best snow in the east and an average of 30+ powder days, enjoy downhill skiing, boarding, or cross-country at Jay Peak Ski Resort which is the second highest peak in Vermont. It is located less than seven scenic miles away. Oh yeah and Jay Peak has the only indoor water-park open all year! A full-size waterpark called the PUMP HOUSE is open with a lazy river, a handful of waterslides including a Six Flags-style Aqualoop, and a surfable indoor wave. Ask about our DISCOUNTED LIFT TICKETS WITH NO BLACKOUT DATES!! Savings for every ticket every day. You can also spend the day exploring endless miles of snowmobiling along the VAST (trail) directly on the property. If you wish to stay close, you can always snowshoe or hike the surrounding open meadow and wood lands as well.
Our goal is to provide our guests with the warm comforts of home in a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Discover why the privacy of this house is a great alternative to B&B's, Inns or condos.
Take a look at what our previous guests have said.
'This house exceeded our expectations, big, beautiful, clean, gorgeous view, well-maintained property, close to conveniences, well equipped. My kids loved it from the second they walked in - all five of them. I would highly recommend this home to anyone and everyone.
'Thanks for a wonderful time Mike!'
Lindi and Andre
Your Jay home is the homiest home we have ever rented. Everything was so inviting, soft, clean, organized, scenic, well-decorated... It was just like home. I loved the gate at the top of the stairs on the deck; what a great way to keep pets and children happy. We even did our yoga routine on the deck; it was so peaceful. The views, day and night, rain or shine, were fantastic...breathtaking! We could see for miles and miles. If I had to describe our stay in one word, I would choose TRANQUIL. We were surrounded by tranquility. Thank you for sharing your home with us.
Nancy (summer 2008)
Click on 'Comments' below for more entries in our guestbook.
After a day of activities come back, relax, take in the spectacular view and enjoy the warming afternoon sun on the deck, (Seating for 16!) or create your own après ski party in the fully-equipped game room with a new Brunswick pool table, board games, dart board, TV/DVD/VCR and CD player and extra refridgerator. You can also choose a book from our shelves and enjoy quiet time in one of our 2 recliners in the living room, also a great view. You will find entertainment and space for the whole family!
For a summer retreat, The Mountainview Trailhouse lives up to its name being less than a mile from the trailhead of the infamous Long Trail. Or if you prefer, The Appalachian Trail is not far either. Special rates for hikers! If you would like the refrigerator stocked, let us know. You can also cool off at the local swimming hole, complete with rope swing, only a short five-minute drive from the house! Or take a 20-minute trip into Newport to Lake Memphremagog for sailing, jet skiing, boating, or relaxing.
For autumn, there is no better place to book your trip. Perfect for leaf peepers or your private romantic getaway. There are endless miles of scenic drives in NEK. Although you will find you do not need to go far. We have covered bridges, beautiful country landscapes, and rustic barns all within a five-minute drive. It is truly one of the last untouched gems in Vermont. The Jay Peak area is full of activities and beautiful scenery in every season.
Call toll free for more information or to book your next getaway while dates are still available.
Check in time is anytime after 3:00PM . Please call to make arrangements if you're going to be earlier. We will try to accommodate you.
Checkout time is 10:00AM.
Cancellation Policy: Should you need to cancel, for any reason, we require a minimum of 30 days notice (prior to your arrival) in order to refund a full deposit. This policy applies to arrival and departure dates also. Deposits are refunded less 30%. Please call our toll free number below if you have any questions.
Deposit policy: A deposit of 50% will reserve your dates. For any reservation made 15 days or less prior to stay, the full amount is required.
Keywords: Peaceful, private, quiet yet close to lifts
Our constant goal while owning this house is to create a comfortable and affordable home that we hoped to find when went on vacations. Now that we are just about done with the work, I doubt we will be going anywhere else. We really love our house and hope you will to. This is not a worn down rental house, we like to call it VACATION HOME.
Mike purchased this house in 2004
We love to ski, hike, swim and just relax. There are so many covered bridges, scenic drives and swimming holes within a few miles. Great hiking on easily accessible trails right from the front door. Skiing at Jay Peak!! We also love the quiet, peaceful surroundings of our secluded property although it is only 6.5 miles to the mountain.
Peace, privacy and quiet, alone with your family and friends. We are the only house at Jay with the gorgeous views form the hot tub, dining table for 10, a fireplace and a complete game room.
Special time was when we saw moose tracks while walking, flights of geese going south. Enjoyed the beautiful weather just wish the leaves were further along. We really enjoyed your lovely trail house and would highly recommend it to anyone!
This is our 7th year in a row staying at the Mountainview Trailhouse and we continue to be impressed. Mike the owner takes care of everything you could possibly need and beyond. After our trip was complete Mike asked if anything needs his attention because he is constantly improving and wants to be sure everything is 100%. This year, Mike even upgraded the cable package for us within 8 hours of asking since we couldn't get a TV channel we were looking for. And of course, Jay Peak delivers on every level as well with the best snow/trails/glades in the east. Do yourself a favor and book the trip, you won't regret it!
Wonderful house located close to town and Jay Peak. Modern furniture and appliances throughout this clean, well maintained, newly built 4 bedroom home. Game room contains foosball, darts, DVD/VCR/Stereo and pool table, great for hanging out in when not on the slopes. We also enjoyed the beautiful master bedroom with private balcony. Owner is very professional and caring. Highly recommended.
My friends and I just stayed here for a long weekend of skiing at Jay Peak. The house is very close to the mountain and ideal for a ski getaway. There were 10 of us, and the house fit us all comfortably across the bedrooms and pull out couches. We really enjoyed all the features of the house, including games (darts, pool table), outdoor hot tub and sleds. It was also nice to relax by the fireplace after a long day of skiing. The open floor plan on the first floor allowed for our large group to be comfortably together in one room. Mike, the owner, was also very responsive and provided lots of information on the area. I would happily stay again!
We loved staying at this house! Amazing views and fit our group of 10 perfectly:). We loved the wide open yard for our dog and the privacy. The hot tub was great after a day of skiing! And it is only a short drive to the ski hill and waterpark. We would definitely come again!
We usually stay slopeside, but I booked this trip a little bit later this year and everywhere slopeside was full. Lucky for me I stumbled upon this gem! We had a party of 10 and there was plenty of space for everyone. Full kitchen, washer/dryer (even though we didnt use them), plenty of beds, game room in the basement, surround sound, excellent cable, hot tub etc etc. Everyone had a blast and as it seems our group grows every year, it was nice to have more space than the slopeside condos. Easy drive to the mountain. Excellent views! Mike was great in dealing with our arrival as well as departure and made sure we had everything we needed. Everyone in my party had an absolute blast!
JAy Peak and this property are so impressive. Big views, mountains, real solitude and quite are what you can expect from this place. The owner is on top of all the details, has a lot of pride in his house and is a great communicator. The house has it all, games, videos, wi-fi, instant fireplace, up and down stairs, a good kitchen for cooking and hanging out, open floor plan, a pool table, foosball, and two fridges.
Jay Peak is known for the most snow in the North East. There is a waterpark there and all kinds of fancy ski restaurants and stuff. The house has trails within walking distance that are easy in the winter too. We had two families in there and never felt crowded and all slept comfortable. Mike and his place are legit!
Dogsledding, Snowmobiling, Duty Free Shopping less than 10 minutes away, Leaf Peeping, Jay Peak, Local Auction, Relaxing quietly on your private balcony overlooking beautiful mountain range without a house in sight.
|Refundable damage deposit
|Cleaning and Hot Tub Maintenance
|Tax Rate
Rates may vary depending on length of stay and time period. Inquiring guests are encouraged to contact. SERVICE FEE is collected by this listing site (Homeaway/VRBO) 100%. It is NOT an extra charge by The MountainView TrailHouse. By choosing to book through this site you are agreeing to pay their service fee. Pet fee will be charged when owner confirms. 2 dog is max.


text:
|Syntactic Confectionery Delight
pack, 1 pix gif, and mod_perl speedby nop (Hermit)
|on Jan 29, 2003 at 03:25 UTC ( #230844=perlquestion: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
nop has asked for the
wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:
I'm a new user of pack, and just getting started with mod_perl.
I'm using this code to send a 1 pixel clear gif under mod_perl:
That code above seems to work, and runs instantly on a winnt & indigo perl box.
As I mentioned, I'm a new user of "pack." After reading about pack in perlfunc, I tried specifying the length in the pack statement ('H85') vs. using the star ('H*'), like this:
This second version runs extremely slowly on the same system, taking 3 or 4 seconds to load the (invisible) image.
Many thanks
Back to Seekers of Perl Wisdom


text:
Charlotte Bobcats Make the Right Move by Adding Al JeffersonJuly 5, 2013
The Charlotte Bobcats just managed to sign a top-five free agent without holding him at gunpoint. Let that sink into your brain for a minute.
The Bobcats have gone after a ton of free agents in the past, and they've never been able to land anyone of significance. Even their own draftees tend to leave the team as soon as they can.
But here we are, with Marc Stein at ESPN reporting that the Charlotte Bobcats have agreed with Al Jefferson on a contract that will keep Big Al in Charlotte for at least two years, with a player option for a third.
Even more surprising? They did it slightly under market value for the big guy.
Big Al was said to be asking for a four-year deal around $60 million by Chris Broussard of ESPN, and it was said he wasn't going to make his decision until after Dwight Howard had chosen a team. Waiting for Dwight to pick his team would've been a smart move for Jefferson monetarily, as his value would have skyrocketed by teams looking to pick up a big talent at center with Howard off the board.
But something about Charlotte made Al Jefferson forfeit his original plan and his contractual asking price. Fewer years, less money and suddenly, the Bobcats have a very dangerous frontcourt.
What made Jefferson decide to sign for Charlotte when he could have gotten more money and a longer contract elsewhere, like Dallas or Houston? Why did he decide to sign with Charlotte?
Those are questions that will likely be asked when the deal can be made official on July 10th.
But my guess is that Jefferson must have seen something he liked in Charlotte.
Perhaps he enjoyed the ever-growing and beautiful city of Charlotte. Perhaps the idea of playing for a team loaded with potential made him want in. Jefferson has been praised for helping develop other big men with the Utah Jazz, so maybe he wants to be part of a team that is on the brink of tasting excellence with the core it's developed.
Jefferson is one of the best offensive post players in the game. His moves backing in and facing up are second to none.
Constant foot movement, ball faking, strength to push into the paint, and the ability to finish at the rim, take a quick hook shot or even step back to take a 14-foot jumper all make Jefferson's offensive ability a mouthwatering idea for a Bobcats team that has never had that kind of inside presence.
He'll also fight for second-chance points. A number of times, he has put up quick tip-ins in high-pressure situations. He grabs a ton of rebounds and is a double-double machine.
Even his passing has improved over the years, especially while he was in Utah, where he was regularly double-teamed. Jefferson has learned how to pass out of double-teams and how to find the open man for easier points rather than trying to force shots.
Over the course of his three seasons with the Utah Jazz, Jefferson averaged 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.4 percent from the field. He has never averaged less than 49.2 percent from the field in his career, and is a career 50.0 percent shooter.
He has averaged or nearly averaged a double-double every season he's been in the NBA, with the exception of his first two seasons in the NBA while playing with the Boston Celtics straight out of high school.
Jefferson's new team is going to benefit greatly from his presence on the offensive end.
With the team adding the controversial but smart pick Cody Zeller to be a stretch-4 and help spread out the floor, Jefferson's ability to bang in the paint will help open up more room for Zeller to shoot and get to the basket. It will also help Michael Kidd-Gilchrist find better lanes to slash to the rim.
Point guard Kemba Walker now has two big men to play pick-and-roll offense with, so don't be surprised to see Walker average close to eight assists per game. His ability to score will still be invaluable, but with a frontcourt that is actually functional, he won't be required to take as many shots. Adding Big Al and Zeller will enhance Walker's playmaking abilities.
The knock on Jefferson? Well, to put it bluntly, he's not a very good defender.
He's not tragically bad, but he's bad enough for it to warrant mentioning. If he had the lateral quickness to be a good, solid defender in the paint, he'd likely be a max-contract player. But his defense holds him back a bit.
Some fans are disappointed by the addition of Jefferson, not because of the player, but because his addition could very well take Charlotte out of the top five in next year's lottery, a draft completely loaded with players all the way into the second round.
While I'd love to see Andrew Wiggins on this team, the addition of Zeller alone was going to get Charlotte a few more wins as it was, while teams like the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers fall into complete rebuilding phases, with several other teams looking to be bottom feeders as well.
Simply put, Charlotte was going to be too good to be bad enough to have the worst record regardless of Jefferson.
And even with the worst record, they would still only have a 25 percent chance at getting that top pick.
With a top-eight protected pick from the Detroit Pistons and a top-12 protected pick from the Portland Trail Blazers set to come to Charlotte, I wouldn't worry too much about next year's draft.
The simple fact is that Charlotte has acquired the first big-name free agent in the history of the franchise, and he was a steal. Jefferson is going to impact this team in a major way right out of the gate, and he's going to make the bigs on the team better as well.
Working with legendary center Patrick Ewing could also help Jefferson's deficiencies on defense, as Ewing tries to teach him some tricks on D—specifically, working on how to efficiently guard the pick and roll.
The Charlotte Bobcats, as long as they retain Gerald Henderson, not only have a young, talented core, but now have a big man that can take games over and post 20-10 nights on a regular basis.
That's a big deal for a franchise that has never had a player capable of putting up those types of numbers.
Hate the signing or love it, one thing's for certain: With the addition of Zeller, a.k.a. The Big Handsome, at power forward and Big Al at center, the Bobcats have a dramatically improved frontcourt to go along with what was already an extremely gifted backcourt.
And of course, to make room for Jefferson's contract, Tyrus Thomas—the much-maligned, inefficient, angry, lazy and cancerous locker room presence—will be amnestied, as reported by David Aldridge. While the Bobcats will still have to pay out the rest of Thomas' roughly $18 million over the next two seasons, at least his ineptitude won't count against our cap room.
Like I said, love it or hate it, but there's no denying that Big Al Jefferson will be an astronomical improvement on and off the court for this team over Tyrus Thomas.


text:
5mm V-Belts and V-Ribbed Belts Datasheets
BanFlex® (3M, 5M, 7M, 11M)
from Bando American, Inc.
from Bando American, Inc.
The small cross section of the BanFlex ® belts makes them the preferred choice where short center distances and small diameter sheaves are required on compact equipment designs. The 60 ° sidewall angle and precision molded, seamless construction allows for precise belt-to- sheave meshing in... [See More]
- Metric: 5mm
- Belt Length: 7.09 to 90.55
Neoprene V Belt
from F.N. Sheppard & Co.
from F.N. Sheppard & Co.
Backings can be applied to outside of Base Belts. F.N. Sheppard would like to assist in the selection and design process. Select the Base Belt and then let us know your application and thoughts, we can then give you suggestions and advise on choosing the Additional... [See More]
- Metric: 5mm (optional feature); 6mm (optional feature); 8mm (optional feature); 10mm (optional feature); 13mm (optional feature); 17mm (optional feature); 20mm (optional feature); 22mm (optional feature); 25mm (optional feature); 32mm (optional feature); 40mm (optional feature)
- Type: Single Band
- English: A/4L (optional feature); B/5L (optional feature); C (optional feature)
- Belt: Neoprene
Eagle Opaque 80 -- 4940006
from Fenner Drives
from Fenner Drives
Ideal for light- to medium-duty applications [See More]
- Metric: 5mm; 8mm
- Belt: Urethane / Polyurethane
- Type: Single Band
- Minimum Pulley Size: 1.75


text:
28 February 2006 18:30
FileHelpers Library(via)
The FileHelpers are an easy to use library to import/export data from fixed length or delimited files.
17 January 2006 19:15
FileHelpers 1.5.0 - Strong Type your Flat File(via)
The FileHelpers are an easy to use .NET library written in C#. Is designed to read/write data from flat files with fixed length or delimited records (CSV). Also has support to import/export data from different data storages (Excel, Access, SqlServer)
1 (2 marks)


text:
Recognition's and Reviews
Reviews From Our Past Brides
Without a doubt the best decision we made in our planning process! Jill & Margie know what they are doing, they sincerely care about your special day, & will do anything they can to make your dream come true! The barn is absolutely incredible. Every single guest that attended could not say enough positive words about the venue, staff, & entire experience. The character and decor of this facility was something we just couldn't pass up & it's a great thing we didn't! Thank you for making our dream day so wonderful! Autumn Hash
The venue and setting were beyond our expectations. Margie and Jill were able to perfectly create the image and feel we were looking for with their wonderful taste, creative touches and overall wedding expertise. We really appreciated Margie's day-of-coordinating as well as her helpful wedding advice throughout the entire planning process. Everything was incredibly stress-free and easy-going, which was exactly what we were hoping for! We'd recommend them as the number one venue for weddings in Tennessee in a heartbeat! Ty & Jenny
I could not have asked for a better wedding venue! Jill and Margie were so helpful working with me as I planned my wedding from out of town. It was the perfect place to have the ceremony and reception in one spot. They have done such a great job making the grounds so beautiful that even without extra wedding decor it is just lovely. Family and friends are still talking about what a beautiful venue and wonderful time. The day, the place, everything was perfect! Emily Boyd
Margie and Jill are fantastic, they took care of everything. I didn't have to lift a finger on my wedding day, which was very important to me. I really got to sit back and enjoy the day, and atmosphere of The Barn and Old Farm House with my wedding party and family. I would highly recommend The Barn to anyone looking to have an outside/farm wedding.
Not only is The Barn already decorated very elegantly but they have a whole room of treasures you can use. I hardly had to buy or make anything for the wedding, which was another excellent selling point. All in all the best experience, wish I could do it all again! Jennifer Burke
Thanks again for everything. Our wedding at High Point Farms was everything we could have dreamed of and more. You and Jill were a pleasure to work with and i'm so happy that we chose to use your beautiful venue for our special day. I can't imagine anywhere that would have been any more perfect! Lainie and Andrew
My husband and I could not have selected a more beautiful, unique outdoor wedding venue. The Barn at High Point Farms radiates rustic, natural, and is absolutely one of a kind! This venue allowed us to fuse our personal touches into what was already a setting that appealed to our outdoor-loving minds, in order to create a breathtaking, DIY wedding. We couldn't have asked for more professional yet personable individuals to work with. We would absolutely recommended this wedding venue to all of the other rustic, country, DIY-loving brides out there! Erin Jones
My husband and I had a small, intimate ceremony at the barn in October 2012. From the very beginning my husband and I new this was a hidden jewel. The owners were so helpful during our venue selection, even before we had made them our choice. They were straight forward about pricing and had the best pricing for the type of venue. Along the way we utilized Margie and Jill (the owners) for recommendations for other vendors and services that we needed. They allowed us to come to the barn as much as we needed to make final decisions. They were so easy to work with and always contacted us in response to any questions or concerns so quickly. Not only was it a great venue in terms of ease of planning; they were so helpful the day of the ceremony, REALLY cutting down on stress by allowing us to make last minute add ons that came up because of weather and other things that popped up that cannot be planned for. Margie and her husband were there in the background making suggestions but never being overbearing in the least while we prepared for our ceremony.
And of course we cannot forget to mention how great the actual ceremony was. Such a beautiful location with a million options for photos and special moments with friends and family. This venue could not have been more perfect for the type of ceremony my husband and I wanted, but it also works great for larger ceremonies due to the space and flexibility of set up (several outside options, inside the barn for backup, etc).
I can honestly look back at my wedding at the Barn and say that it was a dream come true thanks to the beautiful location and wonderful owners! Katie Maynard
I discovered The Barn by seeing that a friend from high school had gotten married there a couple years before my engagement. I knew after seeing her pictures on Facebook that I was interested in the venue. I was working on a short time frame after getting engaged in May of 2013 as I was studying for and taking the Ga Bar Exam that July and wanted to nail down my venue and date before locking myself away to study. Jill and Margie quickly responded to my first inquiries and scheduled an immediate consultation the following weekend. Jill was great during the tour answering the thousands of questions I had – and then once we left to think things over Margie was kind enough to send me an email to warn me that another couple was inquiring about our date. We decided to book and it was the best decision we made regarding our wedding. In the months leading up to the wedding Margie was great to always respond to my emails of questions – and even lending extra advice when it came to various vendors or other general wedding advice. I returned to The Barn in the months leading up to the wedding on three separate occasions. This required Jill to take time out of her weekends to meet me and give me and whoever I brought with me additional tours and to answer more questions. She never once hesitated to allow me to come and was always welcoming during the tour. I decided to pay the extra money for the "add-on's" of having Margie & Jill decorate for me (using some decorations I provided and using some of their freebies) and for day-of wedding coordination. I planned my wedding completely on my own – with no wedding planner. I cannot express how well spent this money was. Jill and Margie helped bring my (at times rather vague) vision to fruition. I also did not have to worry about organizing vendors or wedding party the day of b/c Margie was in charge of coordination. The day was simply perfect – and we owe that largely to the services provided by Margie, Jill, and their family! Autumn Turner
Jill and Margie are very easy to work with. They help you with the barn layout and any questions that you might have. The "once you have booked" link is very useful and it allows brides to really prepare their day with ease. The Barn at High Point Farms is overall a spectacular place to get married and will keep your guests talking about how great your wedding was. Ashley Poe
My husband and I are very outdoorsy people, and we wanted a wedding and reception that reflected that. I looked at many barn wedding venues in TN and GA, and I absolutely fell in love with the Barn at High Point Farms. We held our ceremony in the grove outside the barn with tree branches forming a perfect, natural arch. We then held our reception in the barn. It's not climate controlled except for the dance hall, so I was very happy we chose a date in early May. Between dancing, a bonfire, a grove strung with lights and a baby goat for guests to hold, and corn hole, guests had a variety of activities to do that evening. I really loved that about the venue. I'm not a dancer, so I've always found wedding receptions pretty boring. Even non-dancers can have fun at the Barn. The barn is decorated so beautifully that we didn't have to spend a fortune to decorate. Though a bit pricey, the Barn at High Point Farms was everything I dreamed! Kate
From the beginning Jill and Margie were a pleasure to work with. I had an extremely hard time finding the venue I wanted. I didn't want a stuffy traditional wedding. I wanted something fun, laid back, and with a bon fire! This barn was exactly the setting I wanted. One good thing about this place is the bride can make it what she wants. You aren't forced to have a certain caterer or ceremony site, you can have it how you want it. What drew me at first were the beautiful pictures on their website. I was a bride on a budget so viewing the pictures I was thinking this place would be out of my price range, but it wasn't! I would recommend the barn to everyone. Honestly, it is hard for me to write this review and tell you all the good things about this place because I was satisfied with everything, the people, the service, the atmosphere, the animals, everything. If you have any doubts watch the video on their website! Tina and Seth


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WASHINGTON, May 11: Washington's Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars recently organized a useful one-day colloquium on Pakistan–India trade as experts and officials shared their thoughts on the initiatives and issues.
The following is a summary of the comments provided by the Woodrow Wilson Center
Last fall, the Pakistan government announced its intention to grant Most Favored Nation (MFN) status to India, replicating a decision made earlier in New Delhi and potentially laying the groundwork for greatly expanded trade between the two South Asian neighbors. While fundamental disagreements remain unresolved, Islamabad's MFN decision suggests that it is prepared to deepen trade ties. Optimists assert that increased trade and the ensuing socioeconomic benefits can build constituencies in both countries for more cooperative bilateral relations, thereby also opening the door to progress on core political and security issues
In the opening panel, Ijaz Nabi of Lahore University of Management Sciences argued that enhanced trade with India would allow Pakistan to become an "economic hub" in Asia, thereby enabling Pakistan to benefit from China's trade surplus and ample savings; from resource-rich Central Asia and Iran; and from rising India. Pakistan has served as this hub before; in the pre-colonial era, several important trade routes ran through present-day Pakistan—extending from Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia in the west to India in the east. These routes were later severed by colonial-era borders and poor relations with India. For Pakistan to once again become a hub for these east-west trade routes, Nabi argued, it must not only liberalize trade with India, but also strengthen infrastructure and improve employability and worker productivity in the areas serving the former trade routes, including the upper reaches of Sindh Province in southern Pakistan and the cities of Lahore and Peshawar further north.
Arvind Virmani, providing an Indian perspective, echoed Nabi in his robust support for a deeper bilateral trade partnership. Virmani, of the International Monetary Fund, said that media coverage tends to fixate on the risks and negatives of Pakistan-India trade. He called on Indians and Pakistanis to better "publicize the positives"—such as the fact that more trade would eliminate the "deadweight losses" resulting from diverting commerce to third countries. He cited a variety of research findings that underscore the economic benefits of liberalized trade. For example, a study produced by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations concludes that the free trade agreement between India and Sri Lanka has allowed for more economies of scale. Virmani concluded that the regional trade crossroads discussed by Nabi can be re-established by rejuvenating the South Asia Free Trade Agreement, an arrangement long undermined by Pakistan-India enmity.
Ishrat Husain of the Institute for Business Administration in Karachi highlighted some of the factors that risk
derailing the Pakistan-India trade regime. First, a terrorist attack on India traced back to Pakistan could prompt New Delhi to retaliate by clamping down on trade. Second, opposition political parties in both countries could take virulently anti-trade positions that pressure Islamabad and New Delhi into supporting less trade-friendly policies. Third, "losers' lobbies"—powerful industries in both nations that feel threatened by greater trade—could prevail on their governments to impose retaliatory measures on trade. Finally, the powerful Pakistani and Indian media could take up the cause of smaller industries that suffer from trade liberalization. Given these risks, Husain concluded, it is essential that the trade relationship be carefully and proactively managed by both sides.
In his keynote address, Pakistan commerce secretary Zafar Mahmood offered a historical overview, underscoring how bilateral trade ties between Pakistan and India have often blossomed even while the political relationship wilted. In 1948-49, 56 percent of Pakistan's exports were sent to India. For the next several years—a period of tense political relations—India was Pakistan's largest trading partner. Between 1947 and 1965, the two nations entered into 14 bilateral agreements related to trade facilitation. This "spirit of pragmatism" was shattered in 1965, when the two countries went to war over Kashmir and trade became one of the conflict's casualties. Commercial relations would lapse until 2011, when the Composite Dialogue process—launched in 2004 but suspended after the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks—was restarted, with trade one of the focus areas. Mahmood admitted that even with both sides now committed to ramping up trade, many in Pakistan's private sector "remain unconvinced and deeply apprehensive" about transacting with India. Yet he rejected the notion that Pakistan's security establishment is equally reluctant: "I can say with all honesty that during this normalization process, no one from the security establishment has ever contacted me to even discuss this issue."
Pakistani businessman Amin Hashwani led off the afternoon panel by asserting that the present moment offered an historic window of opportunity for the two nations to move beyond the enmity of the past. Like Mahmood, Hashwani insisted that the Pakistani security establishment does not oppose increased trade with India. Indeed, according to Hashwani, it is New Delhi that remains preoccupied with its South Asian neighbor, as evidenced by Indian's rising military budget and its force deployments along the Pakistan border. The rapid growth in trade between India and China, he declared, has convinced Pakistan that it is possible to achieve progress on economic issues even when important geopolitical differences remain unresolved. At the same time, he wondered whether the two sides were prepared to seize the opportunities now before them. India, as the larger economy, he declared, must take the first steps, particularly in the area of non-tariff barriers, so as to give Pakistan the courage to move forward. He also cautioned that the two sides must not allow their competition in Afghanistan to disrupt progress toward enhanced trade ties. Personal chemistry at the person-to-person level already exists, he concluded; the typical Pakistani and his or her counterpart in India are ready to forge a new relationship. It is up to the political leadership of the two sides, and most particularly civil society, to see that this opportunity is not lost.
Nisha Taneja declared that her analyses for the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations have convinced her that bilateral trade between India and Pakistan could easily reach $25 billion, nearly 10 times its current level. She first outlined some of the impediments to trade in the past—for instance, until quite recently trucks had to be offloaded at the border, their contents carried across to the other side, and then reloaded on trucks from the other country. Although "unprecedented" progress on bilateral trade has occurred recently, transaction costs such as bribes and non-tariff barriers such as cumbersome procedures and non-transparent regulations remain huge problems. The two countries must permit FDI (foreign direct investment) flows, address the infrastructure bottlenecks on each side of the border, and sensitize their respective media to the advantages of trade normalization. The youth of each country must also be brought into the process of change, she argued. Agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, IT, energy, and the entertainment sector are all ripe for expanded bilateral trade, she concluded.
The World Bank's Kalpana Kochhar focused her remarks on the regional implications of increased trade between Pakistan and India. South Asia cannot take its rightful place in the Asian century without much greater regional integration, she asserted. Moreover, poverty and conflict are concentrated in South Asia today, and trade offers a powerful solution to both. Perhaps for this reason, she continued, the region has witnessed notable developments in regional integration in just the past two years, mentioning agreements linking India and Bangladesh, Nepal and India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, India and Afghanistan, and India and Sri Lanka. Yet the bilateral Pakistan-India link lags, as evidenced, for instance, in trade flows: nearly 10 percent of Bangladesh's trade is with India, while for Sri Lanka the figure exceeds 17 percent. Yet only 4.2 percent of Pakistan's trade is with India. Kochhar urged the two countries to move quickly to harvest "low hanging fruits," by giving priority to a few transit routes as a means of building confidence, easing financial constraints that currently hamper trade, and increasing the frequency of air, rail, and bus services between the two.
While participants registered strong support for enhanced Pakistan-India trade, they did not hesitate to highlight the challenges. Several speakers spoke of the need to loosen visa restrictions, and of the broader imperative of a freer flow of people as well as goods. Husain noted that the mindset of customs officials in both nations continued to be one of suspicion, not facilitation. And Nabi emphasized the need for a much better cross-border banking system. Still, conference panelists declared that the reasons for pushing forward on trade are compelling, with immense potential payoffs for both sides—and beyond the region as well. As Mahmood stated, "Although the [trade] process between the two countries is bilateral, the entire world has a stake in peace in South Asia."
Related articles
- Business Set To Boom Between India And Pakistan (blogs.the-american-interest.com)
- US sees Pakistani missile test a planned launch; urges restraint, improved Pak-India dialogue (myglobalcommunitytoday.wordpress.com)
- US applauds positive outcome of Zardari-Singh meeting (myglobalcommunitytoday.wordpress.com)
Categories: Economy