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These are my first two of the Perry's 1st Crusade Hospitaller knights, for a pie-in-the-sky army based around the De Hauteville boys in the 1st Crusade and their fun running the Kingdom of Antioch in the following years.
I hope you enjoy them!
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Women-only carriages on trains are a step backwards, insulting to men and will make problems worse, according to a campaigner.
Labour MP Chris Williamson has suggested that female-only carriages should be created on trains to create a safe space and reduce sexual offences.
Natasha Devon, the co-founder of body image organisation Body Gossip, told Sam Delaney: "When I first heard about it on a very personal internal level I thought that would be lovely I would love to feel particularly late at night that there was a safe place I could go where I couldn't be hassled in any way.
However this idea is actually "a step backwards. Segregating men and women, it's insulting to men."
Devon doesn't want to live in a world "where the whole structure of society is based around thinking so badly of people, but also excusing that behaviour.
"Our ultimate aim should be to make Britain a safe space where people can exist and not feel intimidated" but separating men and women is "only going to make the problem worse.
It would "exacerbate the problem because how do you get to moderate your behaviour or understand what's acceptable? By mixing with people. It's about understanding people from different backgrounds with a different understanding of the world to yourself."
Listen to the full interview above

subset: commoncrawl


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So, now I've found out that the bail justice who let free the violent young man who later mowed down and killed people in Victoria with a stolen car was a volunteer bail justice filling in after hours for the regular paid ones. Can you believe that? A job as crucial to public safety and justice as that, being left at times for volunteers to fill! I have no wish to make any sweeping statement vilifying or questioning the capability of volunteers, but any role of importance in our community should be done by a paid and carefully selected and fully qualified and experienced worker or professional practitioner. Apparently these voluntary bail justices can be very young or unqualified. This is madness and it must stop! This news is astounding enough, but I also find myself agreeing without qualms with today's editorial from The Australian newspaper! This does not happen often.
I've been writing and ranting about the exploitation and stupidity of workfare and excessive use of volunteers in this blog for ages, but there has been no better time than today to demand a stop to this epidemic of unfair, dangerous and recession-mongering over-reliance on unpaid labour and services in Australian society. Businesses large and small exploit the young and inexperienced and the unemployed in unpaid internships and prolonged unpaid training or probationary periods. Training given under such arrangements can be redundant, demeaning or non-existent. All levels of government in Australia: local, state and federal, use the services of volunteers or advertise unpaid internships or cadetships. While these positions can be sought after, competed for and subject to written applications, interviews and clearances just the same as hiring for a paid job, the fact that people are willing to fill these roles in government departments, museums, events, legal roles, welfare roles etc, for zip pay does not excuse the fact that it is not legal to fill roles that are in every way like a job while offering no pay. Sure enough, such roles might offer valuable work experience or "a foot in the door", but that still does not make it acceptable or legal to offer the kind of role that would have once been a paid job as an internship or volunteer role today. There was a day when young people could expect a choice of job opportunities that they could walk into and start earning from, while they were also trained and mentored on the job.
The fact that today applicants outnumber paid jobs does not justify the existence of this slave economy. The volunteer economy is a false economy, because when people work for nothing, they cannot participate in the economy as consumers and thus the money does not go around, and they are also kept reliant on welfare income, which is paid for by taxes. There are other obvious reasons why the slave economy is a stupid idea. It is demeaning and demoralising to the unpaid workers who have no recognised responsibility or standing in workplaces. It is also stupid to expect this unpaid and unrecognised "ghost labour" to perform to the occupational standards, abilities, reliabilities, initiative, levels of responsibility and accountability of hired and paid workers. Can they be held legally responsible for mishaps on their watch? Who knows?
If every mug in Australia who works for nothing solely to stop their dole being cut off, to create work experiences to write into a resume, to train for a job that they have never been offered or to have a life and identity beyond parenting or retirement or a shit marriage all decided today to ask to be paid for their work, what would happen? Some people might gain secure, dignified, safe, paid jobs, rather than no people gaining secure, dignified, safe, paid jobs. That would be something at least.


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To all of our clients, friends and potential clients, thanks for your business in the past year and SHARE appreciates your support, cooperation and understanding. On behalf all of our employees, we would like to extend our Chinese New Year greetings to our clients, friends.
SHARE will be closed for the celebration of Chinese New Year starting on 9th, February 2015 to March 2nd, 2015. We will not be able to arrange the order during the date.
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text: Megan Hilty attended Sammamish High School in Bellevue and the Washington Academy of Performing Arts Conservatory High School in Redmond, Washington. In 2004, she graduated from the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and is a member of Actors' Equity. She is a recipient of the National Society of Arts and Letters Award for Excellence in Musical Theater. Her regional credits include productions of Café Puttanesca, Suds, and The Wild Party. Shortly before graduating from Carnegie Mellon


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smooth operator
Definitionsmoothie , a man of with a polished and winning personality who has amatory and sexual sucess with women; a ladies' man. See ladies' man and philanderer for synonyms.
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Prabhas - Sujeeth Film LaunchedFebruary 13, 2017 15:13
Young Rebelstar Prabhas has been relieved from the work of Baahubali. He even wrapped up the dubbing work of the film and he is currently on break. The actor signed his next project in the direction of Run Raja Run fame Sujeeth. The movie has been launched officially with a pooja ceremony today in Hyderabad. The regular shoot of this untitled movie is expected to start from March and Prabhas is currently busy working on his looks.
Prabhas who has been seen beefed up for the film is currently hitting the gym losing weight for this untitled project. The movie is being planned on a massive budget and is said to be an action entertainer. The film will be shot in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi languages. Vamsi and Pramod will bankroll this project on UV Creations banner and the movie will hit the screens next year. Parineeti Chopra will play the female lead in this untitled project.


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I see a lot of patients with an agonizing query- I am losing a lot of hair these days, what is wrong with me? I have tried so many things but no hair loss prevention treatment is working? I am losing my peace of mind.
What needs to be understood is that the hair is a mirror of the inner ecosystem of our body.
Q- I am losing lot of hair these days? What is wrong with me? Is it the borewell water?
Ans – Losing hair in bunches does not happen because of the wrong shampoo or using borewell water. In such cases a comprehensive blood profile and thorough physical examination to rule out deficiencies or disturbances in metabolism should be done. Hair loss of this kind is generally referred as 'Telogen Effluvium' and is reversible and seldom leads to baldness.
Q- Why I am getting bald at such an early age? My father started balding in late 40's?
Ans- A rise in sedentary lifestyle and growing obesity especially around the abdomen is becoming increasingly common in the younger population. Male – pattern baldness is seen in younger age groups now. It is also seen as a risk factor for heart problems and Diabetes. Doctors sometimes do not emphasise this important fact. Simple changes in lifestyle like exercise and following with other hair a regimented diet (preferably recommended by a qualified dietician) is mandatory with other mandatory treatment for hair fall. This surely can ARREST the balding process.
Q- Which Diet would you recommend for Hair loss?
Ans- I generally recommend a qualified dietician/nutritionist but in general a diet:
Tuna , Sardines , olives and avocadoes are a rich source of the latter, oats, lettuce, parsnips, asparagus, strawberry, cabbage, cucumber, celery, cauliflower and green leafy vegetables also prevent hair breakage. A nutritionist should plan these food items depending on your lifestyle ( whether sedentary or active) and metabolic status( diabetic / non diabetic) in conjunction with the Dermatologist.
Q – Are herbal or professional shampoos (the salon ones) better than the regular shampoos to arrest hair loss?
Ans- Natural surfactants ( as claimed by herbal or organic shampoos) come from plants such as sarsaparilla, soapwort, soap bark, and ivy agave. They have excellent lathering capabilities, but are poor cleansers thus must be present at high concentration. Usually, they are combined with other synthetic detergents. The so called 'organic product' hence remains as a marketing gimmick.
Then we have these special shampoos designed for use with hair coloring procedures are generally only available to licensed cosmetologists, as they are not appropriate for daily cleansing. Other than for colored hair , I do not recommend professional salon shampoos as they have high concentration of surfactants and hence colored hair specific shampoos are inappropriate for daily use.
Your dermatologist is best placed to help you choose the best shampoo after carefully understanding what works best for you and your hair
Q- Any dos and don'ts to prevent hair loss?
Ans- Like everything else in life- prevention is better than cure.
- ·Start hair fall arrest early, it works best- physically (looks), emotionally and financially. See a qualified dermatologist.
- ·Maintain good hair hygiene
- ·Assess your dietary and other habits and make healthy changes.
- ·In general you must avoid chemical treatments to hair including the herbal ones which are designed to change the way your hair looks.
- ·Avoid salon treatments or alternate therapies which have no proven scientific evidence
For hairloss key is to act early and prevention. In the end remember hair is a reflection of inner ecosystem and in most cases hair loss can be arrested.
|Angeline Jolie, Vin Diesel look extremely attractive without hair
However, your physical attribute should never be a cause of stress. There are many renowned personalities including in showbiz who have excelled and look extremely handsome/beautiful without hair. Talk to your dermatologist if hairloss is bothering you.


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With over 40 years in the marketplace, Accurpress continues to build on its tested history to manufacture an innovative and complete line of press brakes & shears for every bending and shearing application. Proudly North American made, Accurpress leads the way with high tonnage machines, revolutionary pole bending technologies, tandem machines and robot automation. With over 19,000 machines sold to thousands of satisfied customers, Accurpress continues to build press brakes and shear technology to meet the demands of today's manufacturing environments.
Since the beginning, Accurpress has seen huge changes to the machine tool industry and to this day, everyone at Accurpress continues to stand firm on the original foundation of quality that the company was built on. Every Accurpress machine, including the one you'll buy, is made with 100% of their best efforts. Our business depends on it and so does yours, that's why at Neiman Machinery we are more than an Authorized Accurpress Dealer (serving Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland). We are a proven partner with Accurpress providing you with prompt & reliable service you can trust and deserve. We are ready to serve you and look forward to the opportunity to show you why Accurpress is North America's # 1 selling press brake and shear manufacturer.
The Accurpress precision tooling line has been designed and manufactured to fill a void in the current North American tooling market between general purpose +/- 0.003" and high-end precision +/- 0.0004" tooling.
Precision grade, holding tolences at +/- .0008" and sold at very cost effective pricing. These tools come in a maximum length of 515 mm (20.28") and are produced on high-precision creep feed grinding machines. Each section is laser etched with full descriptionof the tool as well as its maximum tonnage/foot rating. Thye working radii is induction hardened to a minimum of 50 HRC to ensure long-term performance.
Quality control during the manufacturing process and the use of certified materials ensure you excellent value and quality tooling.


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Roseville Family Law Attorney
Roseville Family Law Attorney – At the Law Office of Sara S. Thompson, PC we are dedicated to helping you through what can be a difficult and overwhelming time in your life. We understand that going through the legal system for family law issues can be emotionally challenging, and we will work diligently for you on every step of your case.
To discuss your case and how we may help you, call the Law Office of Sara S. Thompson, PC, a Roseville Family Law Attorney.
- Family Law
- Child Support
- Custody & Visitation
- Spousal Support
- Divorce
- Legal Separation
- Annulment
- Mediation
- Paternity
Sara S. Thompson
Location: 1624 Santa Clara Drive, Suite 120
Roseville, CA 95661
Phone: 916.900.8775
Prior to becoming an attorney, Sara worked as a paralegal for over 9 years with 8 years in family law. She understands the dedication, compassion, and assistance that each client needs and deserves through, what can be, one of the most stressful and difficult times in their lives.
Sara believes that an attorney should not come into the case to cause more conflict and stress, but rather to assist and guide her client's through an already stressful and emotional time. Sara went to paralegal school, and then law school with the desire to work in the area of family law. She enjoys working with and helping people through their divorce and custody issues. Not only does Sara have the working experience, she has the personal experience of litigation in family court. She understands the stress and uncertainty that comes with family law issues.
Bar Admissions
- California
- Lincoln Law School, Sacramento, California
- Honors: Top Grade in Criminal Procedure
- Honors: Top Grade in Wills
- Honors: Top Grade in Remedies
- Dean's List academic years 2011-2012 and 2013-2014
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Member of the State Bar of California and its Family Law Section
- Sacramento County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Member
- Placer County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Member
- Nevada County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Member
- Member of the Roseville Chamber of Commerce
- Member of the Better Business Bureau
- Member of Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
Roseville Family Law Attorney Service Areas
Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Loomis, Penryn, Auburn, Granite Bay, Folsom, Fair Oaks, Carmichael, Orangevale, Citrus Heights, Natomas, Rancho Cordova, West Sacramento, Elk Grove, Newcastle, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley, Sacramento County, Placer County, Nevada County


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We did try to see the eclipse here, but most of the time the sun was behind a cloud and when it was visible we didn't have anything dark enough to look through without diffusing the image so much that we couldn't see the sun anyway.
I'll have to make do with a couple of pictures I took of the near-total eclipse in England a few years ago.
Actually, here's the lunar eclipse we had here a couple of years back:
All three of these are stills from my camcorders, which explains some of the image artifacts.


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City of MesaHome Menu
EngineeringPO Box 1466
Mesa, AZ 85211
Hours of Operation
M-Th 7am-6pm (Admin & Design)
M-Th 6am-5pm (PR, Construction & Materials Lab)
Contact Information
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Fax 480-644-3392
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Fax 480-644-3971
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Fax 480-644-4680
Engineering Design
Engineering Design utilizes both City and Consultant staff to perform analysis, design and bidding of all of the City of Mesa's capital projects with more than 80% of all projects designed by Consulting Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Engineering firms. Staff is comprised of professional and para-professional personnel, including Registered Professional Engineers, Registered Landscape Architects, Registered Architects, Engineering and Architectural Designers, and Engineering and Architectural CADD Technicians. These projects fall into a variety of categories, including:
We want to hear from you! The Flood Control District is partnering with the City of Mesa to assess flooding. Report your flooding and upload photos online at http://arcg.is/mnSKv0
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- Arizona Department of Transportation
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In July of 2018, the City of Mesa Engineering Department initiated a Materials Testing Fee for asphalt, concrete and soils testing. This fee has been added to each Right-of-Way Permit on the Development Services Schedule of Fees and Charges under Civil Engineering Fees. The Development Services Schedule of Fees and Charges can be found by clicking on the Fees & Charges button above.
Engineering Public Relations
Engineering Public Relations provides an information resource to citizens, business establishments, news media and community groups regarding capital improvement projects and permit work. The office also provides extensive outreach to increase awareness about City of Mesa roadway projects and the benefits of new improvements.
- Lane Restrictions and Closures
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- Shop Mesa - Construction Specials
Engineering Construction
Engineering Construction utilizes both City and Consultant staff to perform contract administration, inspections of City of Mesa's capital projects and work done in the public right-of-way by private developers, utilities and materials testing.


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Jayne Anthony Garden Design
Before/Project Brief The design brief for this garden was to create a more interesting layout for the beds and borders, whilst retaining the view out to the distant hills and solving some key issues.
The soil was heavy clay and the site was exposed to very strong winds so soil preparation and selecting the right plants for the conditions were critical in this garden.
Copyright © 2020 Jayne Anthony Garden Design. All Rights Reserved. Site Map.
Website Design by Activ Web Design


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Torquay Hotel Bottle Shop
Our bottle shop at the Torquay Hotel stocks an extensive range of Australian, local and international wines and a vast range of the latest ready-to-drink products. We also carry a huge variety of spirits and both local and imported beers.Full drive-way service is provided by our staff who are happy to assist with wine suggestions.
The bottle shop has been extensively refurbished and you are welcome to park and browse through our wine shop at your leisure and try the tastings on offer.
Being a member of the 'Thirsty Camel Group' we offer very competitive prices as well as weekly specials. Also look out for our regular promotional prize draws. Prizes recently given away have included surf boards, golf clubs, electric scooter, fridge and cooler bags.


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Rasha Ingratta
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For most Canadians buying a home and acquiring a mortgage for purchase or refinance is the single largest financial transaction they will ever be faced with. It's critical that prospective home owners/home buyers prepare themselves before they start the search. Whether it's your first or fifth home let me guide you each step of the way.
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I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for the great customer service I received during the process of my home purchase. Buying a home for the first time can be stressful and scary. Through your professionalism and dedication to my needs, you helped to keep my sanity. Never once did you appear upset with me when I was calling you on the phone daily, and you managed to keep the flow of communication between lawyers and banks. I would strongly recommend you to family and friends to assist them with their mortgages. Thank you for your time and patience.
I cannot begin to express my sincere appreciation to you for your help and guidance through this difficult time for me. After just ten minutes in your office I felt immediate relief. The power of knowledge is incredible, the "not knowing" was what was so scary. I learned more in 10 minutes with you than I did the past 4 months talking to "specialists". I am going to continue to tell friends, co-workers, anyone who will listen, about you, your professionalism, and dedication to your clients. Thank you again Rasha for peace of mind.


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iAmTedKing: Summer camp
Summer camp pro-cyclist style involves long days in the saddle, the Tour on TV and ... chocolate bananas?
Canoe trips, sing-a-longs by the campfire, horrendous cafeteria style food … ah, the fond memories of summer camp. This column arrives to you from summer camp, but of a different variety than the American general public is accustomed to. Namely, I'm pecking away at my computer from 2,309 meters above sea level at our mid-season high-altitude cycling-centric summer camp!
While many divide the cycling season into pre- and post-Tour de France, the hinge of my season is the Giro. So after a race-heavy spring, I returned stateside for the month of June, thoroughly rested up, and began my European race campaign 2.0 at the Tour of Austria. Basically, this is Europe's "other" tour in July, as it embarks the same weekend as a certain three-week French race and spans an arduous eight days. A week of many highs and many lows ensued — more literally than figuratively, as it was a successful race for the team — and we deftly charged across the razor-sharp Austrian Alps.
Much like school wrapping up in mid-June with kids anxiously scurrying off to summer camp immediately thereafter, upon the completion of Tour of Austria I hopped in the car with my German sports director, Jens, and ripped across the European autobahn to begin the cyclist's version of summer camp.
Our staff consists of one head counselor — err, a sports director, rather — a pair of soigneurs and one mechanic, with eight shaven-legged Cervelo TestTeam campers in attendance. While we're not exactly roughing it, we are staying high atop a mountain pass in relatively sparse accommodations.
With very few distractions, we quickly settled into a routine. Here's my day in a nutshell: Wake up by 7:30 when my roommate heads downstairs to overachieve with half hour on the rollers, make coffee, read, breakfast, 30 minutes of rigorous core exercises, kit up and ride with the team for four to six hours. Upon returning home we get a mid-afternoon lunch and a massage every other day, both of which we enjoy while intently taking in the Tour de France on the hotel's one television. From there it's nap, read, or stare at our computers, which plod through impossibly slow Internet. Next stop is dinner, then more time-killing before hitting the hay. Rest and repeat.
One noteworthy aspect of our home base is that we're retracing many of the same roads and climbs we tackled in the final gut-wrenching week of the Giro. Just yesterday we crossed the three categorized climbs that took place on the Gavia stage, thereby netting us more than 4,000 meters of vertical. On occasion I tried to take in the sights during May's Tour of Italy, but navigating the parcours while nearly cross-eyed with exertion often took precedence over being a tourist.
While our camp does not have the aforementioned canoe trips, sing-a-longs or horrendous food, we have added a bit of variety with talk of a whitewater-rafting expedition (although that is yet to materialize, and I have a hunch we'll all inevitably pass up that chance) and a very enjoyable barbecue accentuated by roasted marshmallows and chocolate bananas.*
So with the end of camp in sight, it's soon off to the next series of races. Focus is high, fitness is excellent, and camaraderie is top-notch. Season 2.0 coming right up.
* This concoction is new to me and I'm glad I learned. Slice a banana, still in its peel, wide enough that you can fit in small chunks of chocolate. Dark is preferable, but some folks don't have the palate for the sophisticated goodness of dark chocolate. Wrap the entire banana in foil and place over hot embers for five minutes or so. You will likely get messy eating it, but the banana's caramelized sugars accentuate the (dark) chocolate magnificently.
(Related: All Ted's columns)
This year Ted King is in his sophomore year with the Cervélo TestTeam. After getting a taste for the European peloton with the U.S. espoir national team in 2005, King returned to the United States for three successful years of domestic pro racing. The 27-year-old is a native of New Hampshire and despite his affinity for hearty servings of coffee, he is slowly adapting to the smaller European portions. Slowly. His diaries appear monthly on VeloNews.com; between the scanty portions we serve up, you can follow Ted at www.Cervelo.com/team and www.iamTedKing.MissingSaddle.com. Those of you content with 140 characters or less can track his activities at www.twitter.com/iamtedking.


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With a foundation built around comedy and talk,The Bob & Tom Show features news, sports, lifestyle content, and interviews with today's top actors, authors and newsmakers. The show is also America's leading media outlet for the best and developing comedians on the circuit. More than just a comedy show, Bob & Tom also feature live performances from singers, songwriters, and musicians coming from all genres of music.
The show has won five Marconi Awards…the absolute highest award in radio from the National Association of Broadcasters. The Bob & Tom Show has released well over 60 comedy CD's and DVD's. The show also has produced specials for Comedy Central and present live comedy concerts nationwide via The Bob & Tom Comedy All-Stars.
From Cleveland, Tom attended Columbia University. After a radio stop in Florida, Tom teamed up with Bob in Petoskey Michigan and formed the morning team which eventually came to Indianapolis. Tom is the one not wearing the LA Dodger cap.
Born in London, Ohio. Chick began his broadcasting journey in West Virginia but eventually made it to WFBQ's sister station in Indianapolis. When they had enough of him, he came on the Bob and Tom Show to do sports, take on announcer and commercial duties and assume the role of the one and only Mr. Obvious.
Check out more from The Bob & Tom Show


text: Integrating Twitter into the classroom Integrating Twitter into the classroom from Matt Duffy Slides above from my presentation tomorrow at AEJMC conference in Montreal. By Matt Duffy| 2014-08-06T19:30:06-04:00 August 6th, 2014|Uncategorized|0 Comments Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! FacebookTwitterLinkedinRedditTumblrGoogle+PinterestVkEmail About the Author: Matt Duffy Matt J. Duffy, PhD, is an academic media scholar. His works have been accepted for publication in the Journal of Middle East Media, the Journal of Mass Media Ethics and the Newspaper Research Journal. An assistant professor of communication, Duffy teaches UAE and international media law at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi. He is an active member of AUSACE, the Arab-US Association for Communication Educators. Follow him on Twitter. Leave A Comment Cancel reply Connect with: Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.


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An albino girl has been found decapitated in Mali in what police say was likely a ritual sacrifice, according to reports.
The girl, Djeneba Diarra, who lived in Fana, a village 125 kilometres north of Bamako, was taken Sunday at around 2 a.m. local time, while "sleeping in the courtyard with her mother and her sister," police told AFP Monday.
The kidnappers climbed a wall with the child, the news agency reports, and her mom tried to give chase but she eventually ran to protect her other daughter who is also albino.
"We demand justice," activist Mamadou Sissoko told AFP. "Her head was taken. This is a ritual crime."
Albinism is a congenital disorder characterized by a partial or total lack of pigment in the skin, eyes and hair. In some regions of Africa, including Mali, superstition persists that albino people's body parts possess magical powers, and dozens are murdered in sacrifices believed to bring good fortune and wealth.
In outrage over the killing, local residents set fire to Fana's paramilitary police headquarters, according to AFP.


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Sims Green Energy Services does not promote or sell any product or service related to your home's energy efficiency. I work for you as a partner to increase the energy efficiency, comfort, and health of your new or existing home. Any recommendations I make are to meet those goals at the least expense possible.
- Home Energy Ratings
- Diagnostic Testing & Analysis
- Blower Door Test (Whole House Air Leakage)
- Duct Blaster Test (Air Conditioning/Heating Duct Work Leakage)
- Plan Review
- New Construction Consulting


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On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew told The New York Times that the Obama administration was considering executive action to discourage corporate "inversions" — transactions in which American corporations move their tax residency abroad by being "bought" by smaller foreign firms, in order to reduce their American corporate tax bills. The same day, the Walgreen Company, the drugstore chain, ended months of speculation by signaling that it would forgo such an arrangement, but a number of large American firms are still considering these transactions.
The language about inversions has gotten heated: In a July speech, President Obama referred to inverting firms as "corporate deserters." But I find it hard to blame the companies, which are just reacting to a fundamental problem with America's corporate tax system: We make arbitrary distinctions between "domestic" and "foreign" multinationals, then try to tax the domestic ones more heavily.
Consider, for example, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Both companies sell consumer products like detergent all over the world, but their tax situations are quite different. Because P.&G. is based in Ohio, the United States tries to collect taxes on its worldwide profits. We don't try to tax Unilever's non-U.S. profits because it's not an American company; meanwhile, Unilever's home countries (Britain and the Netherlands) have corporate tax systems that generally don't tax foreign profits.
As such, P.&G. is at a tax disadvantage. If Unilever makes profits by selling detergent in France or Spain, it has to pay taxes only to France or Spain. P.&G. pays taxes in whatever countries it makes profits in; then, if taxes are lower in those countries than in the United States, it has to pay the difference to the American government when it brings those profits home. Escaping this tax disadvantage is a key reason that firms are interested in inverting.
You might think we could fix that problem by taxing all companies only on their domestic activities, in effect letting every firm invert. Some Republicans advocate this policy, known as "territorial taxation," but it would create its own set of problems. I wrote about this back in April: "If Apple develops the iPhone in California, has a subcontractor manufacture it in China out of parts made in Korea and elsewhere, and then sells it in Europe through a unit in Ireland, how do we decide how much of the profit from sales should be booked where?"
Since the proper allocation of profits within a company is to a significant extent a matter of opinion, taxing only "domestic" profits is an invitation to use accounting tricks to shift income away from the United States toward low-tax jurisdictions.
In other words, taxing corporations involves a trade-off between two sets of distortions. We can keep trying to tax the foreign profits of United States-based multinationals, and rules making inversions more difficult will further this goal, but they will also put domestic firms at a competitive disadvantage with foreign ones.
Or we can stop trying to tax foreign profits, which will encourage firms to turn their domestic profits into "foreign profits"; that will let some companies escape tax on truly domestic activity, and put firms that operate only in the United States (and therefore can't hide their profits abroad) at a competitive disadvantage with multinationals.
There is a third option, which I also wrote about in April: abolishing the corporate income tax and increasing the tax burden on shareholders. The economists Alan Viard and Eric Toder have a plan to do this; they would offset repeal of the corporate tax by taxing dividends and capital gains at the same rate as ordinary income, and by taxing those gains every year, not just when the stock is sold.
The big disadvantage of the Viard-Toder plan is that it would lose revenue. Their added taxes would collect only about half as much revenue as would be lost by abolishing the corporate income tax. But that problem could be fixed by raising income tax rates on the same groups that would benefit from abolition of the corporate income tax. Mostly, that's two groups: rich people, who own most of the personal financial assets in the United States; and nonprofit institutions like universities and pension funds, which would get a windfall from corporate tax repeal in the form of higher returns on their investments.
The Viard-Toder plan has a number of advantages; for example, it would end the tax incentives that encourage corporations to finance themselves with debt instead of equity. Another big plus is that it would make inversion pointless. As long as a firm has American shareholders, the American government would collect tax on income from that firm. The government wouldn't have to figure out how much of Procter & Gamble's profit comes from selling detergent in France, and it wouldn't have to care where companies like Walgreen are incorporated.
Corporations aren't people, so it's a lot to ask for them to be patriotic, especially when they operate all over the world. But we can ask their American shareholders to pay American taxes on their profits.


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M WAQAR..... "A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary.Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death." --Albert Einstein !!! NEWS,ARTICLES,EDITORIALS,MUSIC... Ze chi pe mayeen yum da agha pukhtunistan de.....(Liberal,Progressive,Secular World.)''Secularism is not against religion; it is the message of humanity.'' تل ده وی پثتونستآن
Monday, December 30, 2013
Lenin Statue Toppled, Reinstated in Ukraine
Syria: US, Europe begin to realize they need Assad to stay in power - expert
Sun 'flips upside down' while reversing magnetic poles
The sun has undergone a "complete field reversal," with its north and south poles changing places as it marks the midpoint of Solar Cycle 24. "A reversal of the sun's magnetic field is, literally, a big event," NASA's Dr. Tony Phillips said in a statement issued on the space agency's website. "The sun's polar magnetic fields weaken, go to zero and then emerge again with the opposite polarity. This is a regular part of the solar cycle," Stanford solar physicist Phil Scherrer explained. While it may seem like the event could have catastrophic repercussions for the galaxy, its effects are actually more subtle, mostly interfering with space exploration. "Cosmic rays are a danger to astronauts and space probes, and some researchers say they might affect the cloudiness and climate of Earth," said Phillips. Both the aurora borealis and its southern counterpart - the australis - are set to become broader, more frequent, and more visible now that the event has reached its final stage. The process has been slow and steady, with solar physicist Todd Hoeksama telling Metro: "It's kind of like a tide coming in or going out. Each little wave brings a little more water in, and eventually you get to the full reversal." Scherrer explained earlier in December that "the sun's north pole has already changed sign, while the South Pole is racing to catch up." The impact of the process has been extremely far-reaching. "The domain of the sun's magnetic influence (also known as the 'heliosphere') extends billions of kilometers beyond Pluto. Changes to the field's polarity ripple all the way out to the Voyager probes, on the doorstep of interstellar space," Phillips explained. NASA has released a visualization of how the switch occurs. Beginning in 1997 and ending in 2013, it shows the green (positive) polarity switching with the purple (negative) polarity. Solar Cycle 24 has been viewed as quite unpredictable. First, it came late by about a year, with extremely low activity recorded throughout 2009. This prompted astronomers to shift a predicted 2012 peak to 2013. Scientists say the cycle is already among the weakest reported and if the trend continues, the Earth might see another Little Ice Age.
Obama and Clinton Top 'Most Admired' List Again
President Barack Obama is the most admired man in America for the sixth year in a row, and Hillary Clinton is the country's most admired woman, according to a survey out Monday. Each year Gallup asks Americans to name the living man and woman they most admire. In 2013, 16 percent named Obama, a strong showing but down significantly from the 30 percent Obama drew in 2012. Former President George W. Bush and Pope Francis each earned 4 percent while Bill Clinton and Billy Graham got 2 percent each. Hillary Clinton earned the Most Admired Woman designation for the 18th time, more than any woman in Gallup's history. The 15 percent she earned in 2013 is down from 21 percent last year. Behind Clinton is Oprah Winfrey with 6 percent, and Michelle Obama and Sarah Palin, with 5 percent each. Read more: Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton Top 'Most Admired' Survey | TIME.com http://swampland.time.com/2013/12/30/obama-and-clinton-top-most-admired-list-again/#ixzz2p1HSuqxv
Women in Saudi Arabia are caught in a system of gender apartheid
Author Elham Manea
No professional or vocational training, no visits to the doctor, no lawsuits without male approval: Yemeni-Swiss political scientist Elham Manea bemoans the plight of women in Saudi Arabia.I will never forget the words of my father when he turned down an offer to work at our Yemeni embassy in Saudi Arabia in the mid-80s. He simply said: "I have a daughter!" His words came back to me this October 26, when more than 60 Saudi women's activists got behind the wheels of their cars protesting against a ban on women driving in the kingdom. Their demand symbolized in a nutshell what it means for a woman to live in Saudi Arabia: perpetual minors in a system of gender apartheid. Saudi Arabiais the only country in the world that outlaws this right of driving. And yes, depriving a woman of the right to drive serves the purpose of controlling her physical mobility and hence independence. But focusing on the right to drive misses the whole spectrum of the issue. Systematically treated as perpetual minors Women in the Kingdom, a 2008 Human Rights Watch report maintains, are systematically treated as perpetual minors through a system instituted by the state that infringes on their basic human rights. In other words, every adult Saudi woman, regardless of her economic or social status, must obtain permission from her male guardian to work, travel, study, seek medical treatment or marry. She is also deprived of making the most trivial decisions on behalf of her children. This system is supported by the imposition of complete sex segregation, which prevents women from participating meaningfully in public life. Sex segregation is strictly monitored by the government's Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (the religious police) in all workplaces with the exception of hospitals. Unlawful mixing between sexes leads to the arrest of the violators and criminal charges. The brutality of the members of this commission and the unequal punishments men and women receive when committing the same 'crime of mixing' was best described by the Saudi writer Samar Al Muqren in her novel "Ni'saa al Munkar - Women of the Abominable," published in 2008, which she wrote based on her work as a journalist. Reinforcing discriminatory gender roles The ramifications of this system of male guardianship and sex segregation are felt by Saudi women in their daily lives. In the field of education, the general framework of education is tailored to reinforce discriminatory gender roles and what the authorities consider as suitable to "women's nature and future role as wives and mothers." In addition, women's and girls' access to education depends on the good will of male guardians, whose permission is essential for their educational enrollment. Sex segregation undermines women's right to equality in education, especially when female university and professors are often relegated to unequal facilities with unequal academic opportunities. In the field of employment, the Saudi labor code, which came into force in 2006, repeated a former stipulation decreeing that in line with article 4 of the code, which requires adherence to Sharia, "women shall work in all fields suitable to their nature" (article 149). The result is that Saudi women continue to be marginalized almost to the point of total exclusion from the Saudi workforce. Both public and private sector require female staff to obtain the permission of a male guardian to be hired, and employers can fire a woman or force her to resign "if her guardian decides for any reason that he no longer wants her to work outside the home." In jobs in clothing stores, amusement parks, food preparation and as cashiers, guardian permission is no longer required. However, strict sex segregation in the workplace is imposed and female workers are prohibited from interacting with men. The male guardianship system jeopardizes Saudi women's fundamental right to health. Depending on the religious orientation of those working in hospitals, health officials may require guardian's permission for a woman to be "admitted, discharged, or to administer a medical procedure on her or her children." A recent example occurred this July: After a car chase by religious police left the driver dead and his wife and daughter in critical condition, King Fahd Hospital in Baha postponed amputating the wife's hand because she had no male legal guardian to authorize the procedure. Women under this system are denied their legal capacities, rendering them unable to make decisions for themselves. And as legal minors their ability to access and engage with the courts and the government is severely constrained without a guardian. Some of these limitations border on absurdity; mostly they have grave consequences. For instance, women were granted in 2001 the right to an independent identification card; yet this right, which is optional, still requires a guardian's permission to be granted! Excuse me, may I sue you? More gravely, it is nearly impossible for victims of domestic violence to independently seek protection or obtain legal redress because the police often insist that women and girls obtain their guardian's authorization to file a criminal complaint, even when this complaint is against the guardian! Moreover, even when women manage to file a domestic violence case, often the measures taken against the perpetrators are flimsy and shameful. For example, in May, Jeddah's Summary Court convicted a man for physically abusing his wife to the point of hospitalization, but sentenced him to learning by heart five parts of the Quran and 100 sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. Finally, Saudi Arabia applies a personal law system based on the Hanbali School of Islamic Jurisprudence, the most strict and literal among the Sunni schools of jurisprudence. The result is that a male guardian has the unilateral authority to marry off his female ward without her consultation and to dissolve a marriage he deems unfit. Given the effects of this system of guardianship and segregation on women's lives, it comes as no surprise that Saudi women activists have been the most vocal against this system of apartheid. In their shadow report prepared for the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2008, they argued that this principle of "imposing the guardianship of a male over the woman all her life in Saudi Arabia is linked to the inferior look to women and her traditional role in society and family." Alliance between king and radical clerics The perception is certainly inherent in the Wahabi Salafi interpretation of Islam. What makes it relevant though is the Saudi regime itself, because its state's apparatus is the one faithfully implementing Wahabi gender doctrines. An alliance between the Saudi dynasty and the Wahabi establishment has meant that in return for legitimacy, the religious establishment will have a free hand in applying its conservative and reactionary religious provisions in areas of social norms and women's lives. This has made the difference between Saudi Arabia and other countries of the Arabian Peninsula, including Yemen. Survival for the kingdom has meant dependence on the Wahabi religious establishment for legitimacy. It may introduce some measures to make life "less restricted" for women, but the core of "inferiority" still remains the same. The kingdom is also very wary that women's demands for change may turn to an overall social movement for political change. Given the kingdom's shameful records in citizenship and human rights, democracy and good governance, the fear is realistic. Subsequently, a real change in Saudi gender apartheid system is not likely in the near future. In the meantime, women will continue to bear its consequences - living as perpetual minors segregated by law from their male fellow citizens. It seems my father was right after all: Life for a woman is better elsewhere.
Syria's Assad urges fight against Saudi religious ideology( Wahhabism )
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Monday called for a battle against Wahhabism, the political and religious ideology embraced by the Saudi government.
Volgograd blasts: IOC 'confident' Games will be safe
Russian Foreign Ministry: terrorist acts in Volgograd organised by single pattern
At Least 14 Killed in Second Volgograd Suicide Bombing
The Times names Vladimir Putin 'Person of the Year'
Polling Comes to Afghanistan, Suggesting Limit to Sway of President Karzai
CNN Poll: Afghanistan war arguably most unpopular in U.S. history
Support for the war in Afghanistan has dipped below 20%, according to a new national poll, making the country's longest military conflict arguably its most unpopular one as well. The CNN/ORC International survey released Monday also indicates that a majority of Americans would like to see U.S. troops pull out of Afghanistan before the December 2014 deadline.Just 17% of those questioned say they support the 12-year-long war, down from 52% in December 2008. Opposition to the conflict now stands at 82%, up from 46% five years ago. "Those numbers show the war in Afghanistan with far less support than other conflicts," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. "Opposition to the Iraq war never got higher than 69% in CNN polling while U.S. troops were in that country, and while the Vietnam War was in progress, no more than six in 10 ever told Gallup's interviewers that war was a mistake." The U.S. timetable for Afghanistan calls for the removal of nearly all troops by roughly this time next year, and that can't come fast enough for the vast majority of Americans. Just over half would rather see U.S. troops withdrawn earlier than December 2014. Only a quarter say that America should still have boots on the ground in Afghanistan after that deadline. Fifty-seven percent say the conflict is going badly for the U.S. and only a third say America is winning the war in Afghanistan. "Independents have a much gloomier view of the war in Afghanistan than Republicans or Democrats," Holland said. "That may be because a Republican president started the war and a Democratic president has continued it, so there may be some residual support among people who identify with either party." Some 2,300 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan since the war began in the autumn of 2001. The U.S. is quickly drawing down its forces in Afghanistan. If a bilateral security agreement that would keep up to 10,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan after the end of 2014 isn't signed in the near future, the U.S. could withdrawal all forces from Afghanistan at the end of next year. The poll was conducted for CNN by ORC International between December 16 and 19, with 1,035 adults nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points. The discontent evident in the CNN poll is also seen in two other national surveys conducted earlier this month. Two-thirds of those questioned in an ABC News/Washington Post poll said the war has not been worth fighting, and an Associated Press/GfK survey showed 57% saying the U.S. did the wrong thing in going to war in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Billions of dollars have no bearing on poor's fate: Report
Afghanistan: 1st snowfall in Kabul brings joy & hassle
Afghanistan: Ashraf Ghani emerges as leading candidate in pre-election survey
According to a new survey report, Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai has emerged as the leading candidate as compared to other presidential candidates. Glevum Associates and its Afghan research partner AIRC in its latest survey report 'Afghan Presidential Pre-Election National Opinion Survey Findings' revealed that Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzay currently has a 4-point lead over his nearest rival Doctor Abdullah Abdullah (29% compared to 25%, respectively). According to a statement released by Glevum Associates, the survey was conducted in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, with around 2,500 Afghans questioned about the upcoming elections. The survey report consists feedbacks of 2,148 likely voters, which was conducted between November 27 and December 3, 2013 using face-to-face interviews. Glevum Associates in its statement said that the sampling margin of error is + 2.11 with a 95% level of confidence. For subgroups, the margin of error is larger. The survey report also revealed that Abdul Qayoom Karzai is next most popular with 8%; Professor Sayaf is at 6%; Zalmay Rasool 6%; and Rahim Wardak 5%. All other candidates are below 5% at this time. About one in ten likely voters (11%) remain undecided. A large majority (89%) say that they would not vote for a candidate with a history of involvement in corruption. Similarly, 78% indicate that they would not vote for a candidate with a history of human rights violations, according to the survey report. Glevum Associates in its survey report also stated that a majority of those surveyed (59%) would or might vote for a female candidate for President. Fully 82% would or might vote for a candidate who asked a woman to run as a vicepresident. Half (50%) think it important that a presidential candidate supports women having more freedom. In the meantime, 49% of the respondents insist that the new president must address the security issues, while 17% insisted on economic issues and only 6% of the likely voters said that the new president must address education. The respondents were also questionned regarding the relations of the candidates with the United States, where a larger majority (71%) would vote for a candidate who wants positive relations with the United States. Meanwhile, a sizable minority (40%) considers it important that candidates should want to keep some international troops in Afghanistan after 2014, according to the survey report.
Pakistan: Rs 15 lacs spent on President's portraits from national treasure
Around Rs 15 lacs was spent from national treasure on the portraits of the President Mamnoon Hussain which would be put on the President House's lounge walls. Meanwhile, the presidential spokesperson said that it is not good to spend so much money on the portraits, adding that the issue would be investigated. Mamnoon Hussain as a president of Pakistan hired a photographer Qamar Pervez from Lahore for the photo shoot. Family members of the president also have their photo shoot from the same photographer which costs Rs 1.5 lacs.
Five Killed, Including Two Children, In Separate Pakistan Attacks
Five people, including two children, have been killed in violence across Pakistan. Two police officers were killed and another was injured in an attack on December 30 in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi. A local police official told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that four unknown attackers on motorcycles opened fire at the police officers near a Shi'a mosque. Earlier on December 30, an apparent bomb planted outside a house in the Charsadda district of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed a woman and two children. The chief of the local police station, Hassan Khan, told RFE/RL that the dead were members of one family. Two other members of the same family were taken to hospital with injuries. Charsadda lies close to Pakistan's troubled northwestern tribal region where troops have been locked for years in deadly battles with insurgents.
Pakistan Needs a Mandela
Kashif N. ChaudhryOne of the world's most celebrated heroes passed away this week. Nelson Mandela was known for his persistent and heroic struggle against the South African apartheid -- a system of racial segregation enforced through legislation after World War II -- under which the rights of the black population were severely curtailed. Social discrimination was wanton, ugly and frequently violent. Mandela's stance is best stated in his quote: "During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for and to achieve. But, if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." Many Pakistani friends on social media shared Mandela's inspiring quotes in celebration of his grand legacy. They showed great admiration for the man who spent his life fighting for the equal rights of his people. They were in awe of his tireless struggle for the emancipation of blacks from the callous discrimination they faced in South Africa. I was happily surprised, yet confused. These were the same people who endorsed -- and continue to endorse -- the anti-Ahmadi laws of Pakistan in a recent debate. They justified the continued persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan. How could a person celebrate Mandela's fight against discrimination in his society and condone the same bigotry against a community at home? How can we love the doctor and the disease he fights, at the same time? Today, Pakistan is the only country in the world to deny a section of its citizens the basic human right to identity. Ahmadi Muslims are forbidden calling themselves Muslim by the State's constitution. Through the same abuse of legislation, the state denies its Ahmadi citizens the basic freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and worship as promised by the United Nations Charter of Human Rights and the very preamble to the constitution of Pakistan. Ahmadi Muslims live under continued threat of imprisonment for "posing as Muslims" -- a vague phrase that is left to the mullah's (cleric's) interpretation and includes everything from writing 'inshAllah' (God willing) on a wedding card to sacrificing a lamb on Eid, from saying the Salam (Islamic greeting of peace) to reciting verses from the Quran. Hundreds have been rounded up for such 'crimes' since the promulgation of the anti-Ahmadi laws in 1984. While applying for Pakistan's national identity card and passport, Pakistani Muslims are routinely required to prove their 'Muslimness' by attesting to the non-Muslim status of the Ahmadis and by insulting the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. This de jure persecution comes along with its more opprobrious de facto counterpart. The hatred against Ahmadis in society is well known and well documented. Religious clerics regularly demonize the Ahmadiyya community and call for further banishment of its members. Many radical clerics openly call for the death of all Ahmadis. Ahmadis are regularly discriminated against at work places and schools. All 23 Ahmadi students enrolled in a popular medical college, for instance, were expelled in the recent past, following strong protests by right-wing student groups. Sporadic incidents of expulsions on the basis of faith are commonplace. Boycotts are routine. Posters and banners presenting Ahmadis as traitors of the country and Islam are plastered all across the country, including academic institutions, businesses, bus stops and random walls. Anything remotely linked to the Ahmadis is met with calls for restrictions and bans. The bigotry against the Ahmadis is so deep it is hard to quantify. The hatred is so widespread it cannot be measured. Reminiscent of the South African apartheid, the Ahmadi community is viciously ostracized in Pakistan today -- and has been for the last many decades. Mandela was not merely a person. He represented a noble cause. If my Pakistani friends' admiration for him is true, they have the perfect opportunity to become a Mandela of their own. All they need to do is raise their voice for equal rights and equal status of their Ahmadi citizens. They must call for the repeal of all discriminatory amendments in Pakistan's constitution and all such ordinances passed in law that take away Ahmadis' fundamental human rights. They must speak up against the rampant hatred against Ahmadi citizens and embrace them as their fellow countrymen -- equal in all regards. They must ensure an end to the never-ending hate speech and calls for violence against the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. Like Mandela, they must also live by his goal of a free and equal society and they must be prepared to die for it. South Africa was lucky to have him. Pakistan's own apartheid now calls for a Mandela.
Number of polio cases reach 82 in Pakistan this year
The number of polio cases in Pakistan reached 82 this year with five new cases reported in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas as the crippling disease remained endemic in the country. Four cases were reported from North Waziristan Agency and one from South Waziristan Agency. The infected children are aged between 10-28 months. A health official said polio vaccine was not administered to these children, Express Tribune reported today. On Saturday, the number of cases in Pakistan was reported to reach 77, up by nineteen from the whole of last year. With the new cases, the count has increased to 82 this year. Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world where the polio virus is still endemic. Violence against vaccinators and suspicions about the polio vaccine were cited as reasons for the increase in cases. The Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups hampered efforts to immunize children, denouncing the vaccines as a "western plot" to sterilize Muslims and a cover for spies. A polio worker was killed on Saturday and two others injured when unidentified gunmen attacked Peshawar's Matni Hospital in northwest Pakistan. The gunmen opened indiscriminate fire after entering the hospital and fled from the scene. Polio vaccinator Zahid Gul was killed instantly and two others sustained severe injuries. Polio campaign teams have been under constant attack in Pakistan's restive northwest by the Taliban and its allies. On December 21, unidentified militants gunned down a polio worker in the Jamrud Tehsil area of Khyber Agency. On December 13, gunmen had attacked two separate polio teams in northwestern Pakistan, killing one polio worker and two guards.
Pakistan's Shia Under Attack: Police officers killed outside imambargah in Rawalpindi
The Express Tribune News
Two police officers were killed and another injured in a firing incident in Rawalpindi, Express News reported on Monday. The officers were deployed for the security of an imambargah in the Race Course area of the city. Police said four unidentified armed men attacked the police officers. The injured – who is in critical condition – was taken to a hospital for medical assistance.
Pakistan: PTI's road blockade attracts veiled complaints from Afghan officials
A Pakistani trade delegation's talks with Afghan counterparts and senior functionaries were overshadowed by veiled complaints from the hosts about the 'unpredictability' of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's land route due to protests and insecurity. Trade delegates, who just returned after a three-day visit to Kabul, told Dawn that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's road blockade at Peshawar had added salt to injury for Pakistan's trade with Afghanistan, making Afghans to go for other options to fulfill their import needs. "They told us in plain words that Pakistan is no more their first option for bilateral and transit trades," said Zahidullah Shinwari, president of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A delegation of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, involving 21 businessmen and professionals from Karachi, Peshawar and other cities, undertook a three-day visit to Afghanistan from December 23. Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a director of the joint chamber, said Afghan businessmen and officials expressed displeasure over the ongoing road blockade at Peshawar. "They complained that the road blockade in the name of stopping supplies to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has proved a last nail for the normal trade, adding to their costs of doing business with or via Pakistan," said Mr Sarhadi. The echoes of complaints about obstacles to normal trade because of the blockade made rounds during the delegation's meetings with Afghans during the visit, according to delegates. "We were not feeling comfortable about easing restrictions on trade with Pakistan because of troubles at home," said Mr Shinwari when asked about the level of confidence with which they raised their issues with Afghan authorities in the face of PTI's ongoing road blockade against drone strikes since Nov 23. He said the road protests had done more harm than good to strengthen trade ties between the two countries. According to Mr Sarhadi, the delegation, led by the chamber's co-chairman Zubair Motiwaala from Karachi, held meetings with senior Afghan functionaries, including the country's vice-president Ustad Mohammad Karim Khalili, commerce minister Kargar, deputy commerce minister Muzzamal Shinwari, customs director Gul Bacha, and private businessmen. The delegation focused on convincing the Afghans to lower import duties on Pakistani items from the existing ratio of 110 per cent. It solicited favourable treatment for visa applications by Pakistani businessmen. A case for waiving $100 fee on Pakistani containers on way to Central Asian markets via Afghanistan was also made. Mr Sarhadi said they also suggested the Afghan authorities to construct 'export houses' and warehouses to help exporters save money spent on handling charges and demurrage. On their part, said Mr Shinwari, the Afghans raised the delays in clearance of their transit trade items at Karachi. Afghans, he added, complained that delay in clearing the consignments caused them Rs200,000 to Rs250,000 additional costs on account of detention charges. "They said that they had already diverted their transit business to Iran," said the KPCCI chief, adding the recent road blockade had strengthened their idea of taking Pakistan as the second option for trade. Though the senior Afghan functionaries, said Mr Shinwari, did not refer to the PTI's ongoing road seizure, they did express their reservations tacitly. The Afghan authorities, said the businessman, pointed out that Pakistan had subjected the transit good to Afghanistan to five different types of securities, including insurance, digital trackers and other conditions, at a time when it could not guarantee an unhindered land route for transporters. They told the delegates, said Mr Shinwari, that they did not consider Pakistani route dependable and as a result they had already shifted 70 per cent of the transit business to Iran.
ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان جیل ٹوٹنے کی انکوائری رپورٹ پی ٹی آئی کی صوبائی حکومت نے سردخانے میں کیوں ڈالی؟
by Aamir Hussainiڈیرہ اسماعیل خان جیل پر دیوبندی تکفیری طالبان کے حملے اور 253 قیدیوں کو رہا کرائے حانے والے واقعے پر جو انکوائری ٹیم قائم کی گئی تھی اس کی مرتب کردہ رپورٹ سامنے آگئی روزنامہ ڈان کے رپورٹر اسماعیل خان کی اس رپورٹ کے حوالے سے ایک خبر 29 دسمبر 2013ء کی روزنامہ ڈان میں شایع ہوئی اسماعیل خان اس رپورٹ کو "معلوم دشمن کے سامنے لاچار قانون نافذ کرنے والے ادارے،ڈی آئی خان جیل بریک عدم تیاری کا نتیجہ"کا نام دیتی ہے اسماعیل خان کا خیال ہے کہ اس رپورٹ کا بغور مطالعہ کسی بھی آدمی کی ریڑھ کی ہڈی میں سنساہٹ پیدا کرنے کے لیے کافی ہے ریڑھ کی ہڈی میں سنساہٹ پیدا کرنے والا وہ خاکہ ہے جو اس رپورٹ میں موجود ہے جس کے مطابق پولیس اور ملٹری کی پوزیشنیں بالکل حملہ آور طالبان کی پکٹوں کے سامنے تھیں جس آسانی کے ساتھ دھشت گردوں نے قانون نافذ کرنے والی ایجنسیوں کو مفلوج کیا،253 قیدی چھڑائے اور پھر اپنی قبائلی پناہ گاہوں میں لوٹ گئے اس سے تو ریاست کی کئی سطحوں پر خطرے کی گھنٹیاں بجنی چاہئیے تھیں ایک تجزیہ نگار کے مطابق یہ حملہ مختصر وقت کے لیے ٹاؤن پر قبضہ تھا لیکن کچھ کرنے کی بجائے یہ رپورٹ شیلف میں رکھ دی گئی ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان جیل پر یہ حملہ 29 اور 30 جولائی کے درمیان رات کو ہوا 20 سے 25 محسود جنگجو،ان کے پنجابی طالبان اور ازبک جنگجو ساتھی جنوبی وزیرستان سے اپنی کمین گاہوں سے نکلے اور راستے میں کسی چیکنگ کے بغیر8:30 رات کو جیل کے سامنے ٹاؤن ہال پہنچ گئے 3 گھنٹے کے اندر عسکریت پسنددوں کی 7 ٹولیوں نے جیل کے اردگرد سڑکوں اور چھتوں پر پوزیشنیں سنبھال لیں اس پکٹنگ کا مقصد سیکورٹی اہل کاروں کی رسائی یا راستوں کو سیل کرنے سے روکنا تھا شہر کے مشرقی اور مغربی حصّوں سے کسی کا جیل کی طرف آنا ناممکن بنادیا گیا تھا اس کے بعد بم دھماکے اور فائرنگ شروع کردی گئی مقصد سیکورٹی اہلکاروں کو کنفیوژ اور عام شہریوں کو ہراساں کرنا تھا جیل تک آنے والے تمام راستوں کو کاٹنے کے بعد جیل کے مرکزی دروازے کو راکٹ اور گرنیڈ مارکر توڑ دیا گیا جیل کے تمام سیل اور بیرک کھولے گئے -253 قیدی آزاد کرالیے گئے شیعہ مذھب سے تعلق رکھنے والے چار قیدیوں کو باقاعدہ شناخت کرنے کے بعد زبح کردیا گیا حملے کے بعد 25 منٹ تک ایک طالب سٹی ڈی ایس پی کا کوڈ نام طارق ٹو استعمال کرے پولیس فریکونسی پر پولیس کو چتاونی دیتا رہا اور شہر کو زمین بوس کرنے کی دھمکی دیتا رہا انکوائری کمیٹی کے مطابق جیل کے اندر تمام کاروائی 45 منٹ میں مکمل ہوئی تاہم جیل کے اردگرد پکٹنگ بنائے لوگ دو گھنٹے تک وہاں رہے حملہ کرنے والی پارٹی دربان روڈ اور آرے روڈ سے جیل تک پہنچی جبکہ کئی ایک جنگجو بنوں روڈ سے فرار ہوئےجبکہ پکٹنگ کرنے والے شہر کے اندر غائب ہوگئے تاہم اس رپورٹ میں یہ نہیں بتایا گیا کہ خاکہ میں فوج اور پولیس کی پوزیشنوں کو جس طرح سے خاکہ میں عین حملہ آوروں کے سامنے دکھایا گیا ہے انھوں نے کیا ایکشن جنگجوؤں کے خلاف لیا؟ 27جولائی کو ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان کی ایڈمنسٹریشن کو انٹیلیجنس رپورٹ ملی تھی کہ طالبان جیل پر حملے کی تیاری کررہے ہیں انکوائری رپورٹ اس حوالے سے کی جانے والی تیاریوں کی خبر بھی دیتی ہے رپورٹ میں پولیس،سول ایڈمنسٹریشن،ایلیٹ فورس کے ضلعی افسران کے خلاف تادیبی کاروائی کرنے کی سفارش کی گئی مگر ایسا کوئی کام نہیں کیا گیا پاکستان آرمی کا کہنا ہے کہ وہ اس واقعے کی اپنی انوسٹی گیشن کررہی ہے رپورٹ میں جنوبی وزیرستان پولیس کی جانب سے عسکریت پسندوں کی نقل وحرکت بارے رپورٹ نہ کرنے کو بھی ایک بڑی وجہ قرار دیا گیا ہے مگر جنوبی وزیرستان کے پولیس حکام کے خلاف کسی کاروائی کی سفارش نہیں کی گئی کیونکہ حملے کے وقت جنوبی وزیرستان آئین کی شق 245 کے تحت آرمی کنٹرول میں تھا اس رپورٹ میں پولیٹکل ایجنٹ کے کردار کو یکسر نظرانداز کردیا گیا جس کو بنوں جیل جملے کی پاداش میں افسر بکار خاص بنادیا گیا تھا ڈی آئی خان جیل پر حملے کی پیشگی اطلاع بارے چیف منسٹر کے پی لاعلمی کا اظہار کرتے ہیں لیکن کمشنر ڈی آئی خان کا 29 جولائی کو چیف منسٹر کے پی ایس او کو لکھا گیا خط موجود ہے جس میں اس حملے کے امکان اور سول ایدمنسٹریشن کی تیاری بارے خبردی گئی تھی انکوائری رپورٹ میں چیف منسٹر کے سٹاف کی کال کا ریکارڑ چیک کرنے یا فورنزک شہادت اکٹھی کرنے کا کوئی تذکرہ نہیں ہے چیف منسٹر کی بے خبری کا سبب یا تویہ ہے کہ انھوں نے صبح بریفنگ نہ لی یا ان کو ان کے پرسنل سٹاف افسر نے خبر ہی نہ دی سب سے اہم بات اس رپورٹ کی یہ ہے کہ انکوائری کمیٹی نے خبیر پختون خوا حکومت کو سفارش کی کہ وہ فوری طور پر وفاقی حکومت کو فاٹا میں عسکریت پسندوں کی تنظیموں کے ہیڈکوارٹرز کو تباہ کرنے کے لیے ٹھوس پالیسی اور اقدامات اٹھانے کو کہے اس رپورٹ کے مطابق تحریک طالبان پاکستان ایک ایسا عفریت ہے جو نہ صرف کے پی معاشرے اور قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں کو تباہ کررہا ہے بلکہ وہ پورے ملک کی بقاکے لیے خطرے کا سبب بنا ہوا ہے اس رپورٹ میں یہ کہا گیا ہے کہ "یہ سوچنا غلط ہوگا کہ افغانستان میں غیرملکی فوجوں کے انخلاء کے بعد حکومتی تنصیبات اور سیکورٹی اہلکاروں پر حملے بند ہوجائیں بلکہ غیرملکی فوجوں کے انخلاء سے طالبان کا نیٹو سے مقابلہ ختم ہوگا جبکہ تحریک طالبان پاکستان فاٹا میں رہے گی تو مطلب صاف ہے کہ پاکستانی ریاست اور عوام پر حملے جاری رھیں گے رپورٹ کہتی ہے کہ سیٹلڈ ایریاز میں چاہے کتنا مضبوط سیکورٹی نظام قائم کرلیا جائے حملے نہیں رک سکتے جب تک دھشت گردوں کی محفوظ جنت کا خاتمہ نہ کیا جائے اس رپورٹ کو پاکستان تحریک انصاف اور جماعت اسلامی پاکستان کی مخلوط حکومت نے ملکر سردخانے کی نظر کیوں کرڈالا؟ اس رپورٹ کی فیصلہ کن سفارشات دونوں جماعتوں کی طالبان کے حوالے سے اب تک اختیار کی جانے والی پالیسی کو ایک حماقت اور پورے پاکستان کے پرامن شہریوں کی جان سے کھیلنے کے مترادف ثابت کرتی ہیں پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے چئیرمین عمران خان اور امیر جماعت اسلامی منور حسن کیا بتاسکتے ہیں کہ ان کی کے پی میں حکومت نے ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان جیل بریک کی انکوائری رپورٹ کو سردخانے کی نذر کیوں کیا؟ آخر اتنی واضح سفارشات کے باوجود وفاقی حکومت کو خط لکھکر فاٹا میں دھشت گرد تنظیموں کے اڈے تباہ کرنے کو کیوں نہیں کیا گیا؟ تحریک طالبان پاکستان اور اس کے جملہ اتحادیوں نے ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان جیل میں جو 5 شیعہ ذبح کئے کیا اس کے بعد بھی ٹی ٹی پی کی بربریت اور درندگی میں کوئی شک رہ جاتا ہے؟ پھر پی ٹی آئی کے چئیرمین اور کے پی حکومت ٹی ٹی پی کا دفاع کس - See more at: http://lubpak.com/archives/300807?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#sthash.9trzcIXA.dpuf
Pakistan: D.I. Khan jailbreak: damning report
IN the years that Pakistan has been mired in militancy and terrorism, there has been no dearth of detractors maintaining that it is the inefficiencies of different arms of the state — if not outright collusion — that has allowed matters to reach such a pass. This charge is hotly denied, by state representatives who say they have no part in the mess, and by a citizenry that cannot digest the levels of ineptitude on part of the leadership that this would imply. Unfortunately, there is no denying that with distressing frequency, evidence of such monumental incompetence surfaces that questions cannot but be raised about the state's levels of political will and operational ability. In this category must be included the revelations about July's Dera Ismail Khan jailbreak, when militants managed to free over 250 prisoners without so much as a peep from the law enforcement and security apparatus. The report of the inquiry commission tasked with investigating the incident, the contents of which were made public by this newspaper yesterday, constitutes an indictment of the security and law enforcement agencies. It ought to have served as a wake-up call of no minor proportions at all levels. Instead, it was shelved — to the utter lack of surprise of those familiar with the head-in-the-sand approach in Pakistan. The report notes that over two dozen Mehsud militants, accompanied by several more from Punjab, Uzbekistan and other places, managed to travel all the way from South Waziristan to D.I. Khan. Once there, they set up pickets at 10 strategic locations around the prison, cutting off security and law enforcement personnel's access to the area. Shockingly, most of these pickets were located not far from police and military checkpoints. The militants blew the prison's gates open with rocket-propelled grenades and over the next 45 minutes or so conducted a "methodical" search of the cells and barracks, freeing prisoners and even identifying and executing four members of a minority sect. Having done so, they dispersed; some headed back to South Waziristan, others melted into the city. All this was achieved with virtually no interference from the security and law enforcement apparatus, which had in the preceding days been beefed up, according to the report. It could be argued that a jailbreak on such a large scale would have been difficult to counter — except that not only had a similar incident taken place before, this time there was even intelligence that an attack was imminent. Clearly, no lessons were learnt from the assault in Bannu last April, claimed by the TTP, which resulted in nearly 400 prisoners being sprung from jail. Further, in the case of D.I. Khan, the civilian and security administrations had been made aware of the threat and had even made efforts to ward it off. If this was the state of preparedness of the authorities in an area which has long borne the brunt of militancy and terrorism — one that has, with great fanfare, been announced as having been brought back into the fold of the state's writ — what the situation must be in other areas can only be guessed at. Most worryingly, perhaps, the report notes that about half an hour into the assault on the jail, a militant came onto the police wireless frequency to taunt the law enforcers and to say the city would be razed to the ground. The confidence is astounding; the image conjured is of a savvy, well-equipped militant network running merry rings around a helpless state and security apparatus. The report refers to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan as a "Frankenstein" and warns that as long as "even a semblance of these outfits" exists, the violence will continue unabated and all strengthening of the security apparatus will be in vain. Is the state refusing to look the threat in the eye? Is it shying away from recognising the enormity of the problem? Or, even more disturbingly, is it impotent, unable to muster the strength and intelligence that the task requires? On the answer to this question hinges the future of the country.
Bilawal House clash
Clashes between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and PPP workers before Bilawal House in Karachi were continuing for the second day at the time of writing these lines. Some workers, mostly PTI, were reportedly arrested by the police. The fracas began on Saturday when PTI leader and MNA for the constituency in which Bilawal House lies, Dr Arif Alvi, turned up with his workers and threatened to demolish the security wall around the residence that was erected while Asif Ali Zardari was president. In September this year, a challenge to the wall in the Sindh High Court against denying access to the road to the public was upheld, later endorsed by the Supreme Court. The PTI leaders and workers 'suddenly' decided it as their pubic duty to demolish the wall and recover the road for the general public. This inevitably aroused resistance from the PPP workers who vowed to protect their leaders. The clashes that ensued and continued on Sunday, when Dr Arif Alvi had threatened the wall would be demolished, resulted in one half of the road being opened by the police, which claimed the court decision required proper implementation while ensuring security for Bilawal House and its residents. The latter requirement entailed setting up security cameras and other equipment to monitor the road. Whatever the case, the question remains whether it is appropriate for a political party to take upon itself the mantle of vigilante implementer of legal decisions. The courts may have found in favour of public convenience, but even they would be aware of the continuing security threats to Asif Zardari and his family. In the first place, if the PTI felt aggrieved, it should have approached the court for speeding up implementation of the decision to clear the road. On the other hand, while in a democracy peaceful protest is the inherent right of everyone, it does not offer license to parties or individuals to take the law into their own hands. The clash therefore was entirely and predictably because of the PTI's provocation before Bilalwal House. The conclusion is difficult to resist that the timing of the move was no coincidence. After all, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his speech at Garhi Khuda Bukhsh on the sixth death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto took Imran Khan and the PTI to the cleaners. But whereas Bilalwal employed the weapon of language, the PTI workers in Karachi were only a step removed from employing the language of weapons or force, hardly in conformity with a law abiding, civilised and democratic stance. The penchant of the PTI to resort to taking the law into its own hands (e.g. the NATO supply blockade) owes itself to some serious psychological problems from which the party appears to be suffering. First and foremost, most PTI leaders and workers appear full of righteous indignation, stemming from their exaggerated sense of entitlement to power and running the country, an ambition they had convinced themselves before the 2013 elections was within their grasp, but which was cruelly exposed by the results. The PTI's inability to come out of that sense of entitlement and disappointment that its dream lay shattered except for the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has pushed the party into a confrontational mode with all and sundry. Thus Imran Khan has been at loggerheads with the judiciary (let off with a mild reprimand, unlike other political worthies who ran foul of the courts during the previous government), the Election Commission of Pakistan, the election tribunals before whom the PTI has challenged the results of four constituencies (which, even if the results are changed, would hardly constitute a tsunami), the PPP, PML-N (both of whom are constantly berated by Imran Khan for being in cahoots with each other for vested interests) and all and sundry manner of critics or people who question the PTI's holy writ. The merits of removing the wall and clearing the road for public access before Bilawal House should be settled between the administration, courts and security establishment to ensure access to the public does not compromise the security of its residents. Bilawal's challenge to the terrorists in his Friday speech has pitched him centre-stage against the terrorists, and given the track record, retaliatory actions against him and his family cannot be ruled out. The PTI's insistence on immediate implementation of the court's orders smacks less of concern for the public and more of dangerous politicking over an issue that entails security threats to the Bhutto-Zardari family.
Balochistan: Confusing protest
So stupefying indeed it is that Balochistan's government ministers and lawmakers would be descending on Islamabad to stage protest against mounting kidnappings for ransom in the province. Isn't law and order constitutionally the provincial domain and its maintenance the provincial responsibility? Then, why are the ministers and lawmakers rushing on to Islamabad for something that they themselves should be tackling? If there is some internecine tiff obstructing them to curb lawlessness and eliminate kidnapping, they should tackle it. If the security apparatus is not delivering, they must plug off the chinks in its armour and make it to perform. And if they think that some law-enforcement agency is not amenable to their control, they can set out to discipline it; and if not under the provincial government's writ, they can just ask for its withdrawal. Why to run to Islamabad? Why are they itching so flutteringly to follow suit of their predecessors, who accumulated in mountains public disdain, scorn and ridicule for similar funny stunts instead of putting their act together? It was in their stint that kidnapping for ransom turned into the province's most booming industry. Nobody was safe from the grab of kidnappers. Doctors, lawyers, professors, you name it, and all were there on their hit list. Yet that ruling mob sat pretty, moving not even a finger to hobble the wicked criminals. So much so, Hindu jewellers and businessmen, who together with Parsi merchants made up the kidnappers' choicest quarry, left the province in numbers and migrated mostly to India. Even as that could have possibly brought Pakistan internationally accusations of persecution of minorities, the mob was least pushed. More shockingly, a minister of that mob claimed publicly that his some ministerial colleagues as well as provincial legislators were involved in abductions for ransom. Although he later backtracked, when summoned to the court to testify, probably fearing vengeance and reprisals, the street listened and believed him. The incumbents too would fare similarly in public rage and fury if they take to evasive pursuits instead of confronting the challenges confronting their troubled province headlong. Their work lies in Quetta, not in Islamabad. Their corrupt and incompetent predecessors have left Balochistan in their trail as a sprawling junkyard, with its law and order condition abysmally dismal. This isn't brought out any poignantly by the current popular discourse about Balochistan, which in itself is highly populist and motivated. The province has not just the malaise of missing persons and dumped bodies to afflict it grievously. Scores of innocent Baloch children, women, men and elderly persons have been losing lives or limbs, unmourned and unlamented, in the blasts of improvised explosive devices that militants plant on roads and pathways in the countryside. Hundreds of Punjabi settlers have been slain and many more driven out by Baloch extremists in the Baloch region. Sindhis too are having a rough time at their hands. The Urdu-speaking migrant teachers and professional too have moved out of the province in flocks for fear of their lives after the community was targeted murderously by insurgents. Not even the Pakhtuns have been spared from this deadly chase. The grief of on this score palpably is no little. It is colossal, and heart-rending. And if it is still going unnoticed, it is because the human rights nobility, the media gentry and the political aristocracy find it not populist enough to be part of their favourite discourse. But the state cannot ignore it, nor can push it under the rug. It has to come to the rescue of the distressed, whoever or whatever the pedigree. But, for the present, the provincial government has not the adequate means to face up to this onerous job creditably. Only a small patch of the province's territory is under the police writ. Not equipped any awesomely is the police even to secure this swathe for its residents' safety of lives and security of their businesses and properties. The rest of the province is wholly under the policing of levies. Say whatever apologists want, this force in official uniform is undeniably just a private militia of sardars, chieftains and their scions, nothing less, nothing more. It practically is mere additional force given to these feudal barons at the state expense to fatten their own private armies and beef up their muscle power to fight out their own feuds and fracas more bloodily. The situation thus stands gravely aggravated for the incumbents to tackle it any effectively. And their task could become all the more harder, given the low morale which the paramilitary FC must be in believably for the wholesale castigation it has been subjected to on one pretext or the other over these times. The incumbents would hence be only on a very sticky pitch if they do not understand that what they are actually to do. Kidnappings definitely cannot be put paid by paying visit to Islamabad or, for that matter, to Timbuktu. The task necessarily requires the raising of a credible, dependable and trustworthy security apparatus. And that requires deep thinking, meticulous planning and hard decisions. Hence, the incumbents, both ministers and lawmakers, should better stay back and bang their heads together how to do it and start working on it.
Blast in Peshawar kills woman, two children
The Express Tribune NewsA blast in Peshawar killed three people including a woman and two children, Express News reported on Monday. The blast, which took place at a house, left another child injured. The child was taken to a local hospital for medical assistance. The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) reached the blast site and initial investigation revealed that explosives were planted inside the house. Previous blasts
VBMP Long March reaches Sakrand town of Sindh
http://balochwarna.com/The long march of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons completed its day 17 of march toward Islamabad on Sunday and reached to Sakrand town of Sindh.
Imran intent on destroying the country, says Bilawal
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The U.S. Justice Department's decision to try and block Anheuser-Busch InBev's (ABI) US$20-billion deal to purchase the 49.8% of Mexico's Grupo Modelo that it doesn't already own has prompted a downgrade at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Analyst Nik Oliver lowered his rating on ABI to neutral from buy and cut his price target to €66 from €73, telling clients that the brewing giant's plan to "vigorously contest" the decision could take six to 12 months, with the uncertainty capping upside for the stock's valuation.
Removing Modelo from his forecasts results in a 6% and 9% cut to Mr. Oliver's fiscal 2013 and 2014 earnings per share estimates for ABI.
"In deals involving antitrust issues, it is common for the acquirer and competition authorities to engage in substantial negotiations before resorting to court action," the analyst said in a note to clients. "We are thus surprised that an agreement was not reached."
He laid out three potential scenarios. The first is that the DoJ did not offer any concessions. Another possibility is that ABI believes its legal case is strong enough to avoid any potentially harsh concessions. The third scenario could be that ABI thinks the deal doesn't create value with such concessions.
Mr. Oliver noted that the DoJ has won about 75% of the anti-trust cases that have gone to court. However, he pointed out that the tone of ABI's response and willingness to go to court suggests it believes it has a strong case.


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November 15, 2019 12:52:00
Posted By DanielOuellette
Daniel Ouellette delivers a multilingual, experiential tour de force that fuses the musical traditions of New Wave, Techno-Pop, New Age, and World Music with lyrics in English, Spanish, and French. An eclectic mélange of electronic music, projected visuals, props, and traditional (and nontraditional!) instruments, his interactive, high-energy shows blend playful performance art with true musical talent in an engaging "you had to be there" style.
Latest release: Water Witching (Oh Linda, you're giving me one of your hats?) EP released on 1.31.19 on Meanie Jeannie Records.
12:03:18: Dracula Is Coming to Town! Single
10.01.18: CD There Are Such Things! - Countess Zaleska
7.7.17: Falling in Love Again - Charity sing for Elephants for Autism
6.17.17: CD Lepidoptera
3.2.17: Hey Beastie - Charity single for Famous Fido
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At the Think Wellbeing Centre, you can take charge of your health from a holistic perspective. Our range of treatments combines a health science approach with complementary medicine, to help you enhance and maintain whole-person wellbeing. The Think Wellbeing Centre is the student clinic of the Australasian College of Natural Therapies (ACNT). ACNT is the premier college of natural medicine in Australia and trains more than 2,000 students each year from all over the world. All sessions are supervised by qualified and highly experienced practitioners. We run the Centre in conjunction with two other Laureate colleges, all offering a range of professional and affordable services:
- counselling and psychotherapy at the Jansen Newman Institute
Nutritional Medicine Practitioners draw upon the traditional and evidence based understandings of utilising food as medicine, along with therapeutic nutritionals; to enable those seeking treatment to manage complex health conditions such as stress, fatigue, digestive disorders, as well as cardiovascular, hormonal and immune concerns. Through comprehensive case taking and holistic analysis, our student practitioners are able to tailor dietary & nutritional prescriptions to best suit your individual health goals, incorporating nutritional recommendations and supplementation.
Work towards optimal health using your body's own healing mechanisms. Naturopathy takes into account your symptoms, emotional wellbeing, diet and lifestyle to treat the underlying causes of disease from a holistic perspective. Depending on your individual needs, you may be treated with dietary advice, herbal remedies, flower essences or nutritional supplements.
Western Herbal Medicine
Western Herbal Medicine is a holistic approach to preventing and treating illness. Work towards optimal health with a tailored treatment plan based on the use of medicinal plants. Western Herbal Medicine can assist with weight loss, sleep, stress, allergies and much more.
* Please note: Due to breaks in the academic calendar, not all treatments are available at all times. Please contact the Centre for availability.
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Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
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Fitzroy VIC 3065
03 9416 1448


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I think I got that quote right, from about the 45-second part of this short video of BKS Iyengar talking to a group of students. He seems to describe it as the "same as I'm teaching."
For all you history buffs:
Sort of a throwback Thursday. Maybe other quotes jump out at you?
Posted by Steve