text:
Albert Arostegui is an upstanding official of this city's Chamber of Commerce - and a fervent Basque nationalist. ''I'm Basque before Spanish,'' he says, ''and the Basque region needs to be treated specially.''
Coming from a conservative businessman, this sentiment suggests why Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez has characterized the Basque problem as the No. 1 threat to the stability of Spain's democracy. Some 70 percent of Spain's 2.5 million Basques either abstained or voted against the new democratic Constitution in 1978. In last February's regional election nationalist parties won a working majority in the three Basque provinces.
Terrorism makes the problem explosive. The Basque separatist group ETA (Euzkadi ta Azkatasuna, or Basque Homeland and Liberty) has a record of violence dating from the mid-1960s. Government officials here say that ETA has killed more than 500 people since the establishment of a full democracy in 1979. Many people fear that more violence could provoke the Army to take power to restore order.
For that reason, Mr. Gonzalez's Socialist government recently took some dramatic steps to combat ETA. It offered to negotiate directly with the organization for the first time - while at the same time strengthening police antiterrorist units and culling information from repentant guerrillas in an amnesty program modeled on Italy's experience with the Red Brigades.
ETA assassinations have dropped from 131 five years ago to 28 so far this year.
Dirtier methods are also being employed. Since last December, eight ETA leaders exiled in France have been assassinated by a rightest counterguerrilla organization called the Antiterrorist Liberation Group (GAL). While Spanish officials vigorously deny rumors of police involvement, they do say GAL has badly hurt ETA.
In the long run, though, the Spanish say that French cooperation is essential to ending the terrorism. Traditionally, the French gave ETA men political asylum. But that policy was reversed earlier this year, and late last month the French approved the first extraditions ever to Madrid of suspected ETA members.
''ETA receives its money and its arms, and stages its raids, from France,'' says San Sebastian's regional civil governor, Jose Julian Elgorriaga. ''So far, the French have arrested only ETA's soldiers, not its generals. Until that changes, ETA terrorism will continue.''
Socialist Party officials say they worry for their lives since a prominent party politician was assassinated last year. Municipal and tourist officials won't allow themselves to be quoted even about San Sebastian's history, because as one said, ''It's asking for trouble.''
Basque nationalists are equally wary. When this correspondent attempted to speak to leaders of the legally recognized political party that supports ETA, the Herri Batasuna, he was chased from the party office, accused of being a CIA agent.
Only history can explain this fear, which affects separatists and centralists alike, and this nationalism, which unites conservative businessmen such as Mr. Arostegui and radical Herri Batasuna activists.
The Basques have long felt stifled and exploited by the Castilian center of Spain. Conversation after conversation reveals that the Basques feel more advanced than ''the Spaniards.'' Basques say they have provided an unfair proportion of the state's brawn and brainpower.
Basque nationalism exploded at the same time as the economy took off, in the 19th century. For centuries, the Basques had a certain degree of autonomy from Madrid. But in 1876, after supporting the losing side in the early 19th century Carlist wars, they lost all their privileges. The revived Basque nationalist movement gained an autonomous government under the republic in 1931, quickly destroyed by the civil war.
Gen. Francisco Franco turned the brunt of his German-trained military might on the fervently pro-republic Basques. In Picasso's painting, the devastating bombing of Guernica became a symbol of man's capacity for butchery. After General Franco's victory, thousands of Basques fled abroad. A Basque government-in-exile was formed in Paris.
Franco ruled with an iron hand. The Basque language was outlawed, public meetings were banned. The police made sure the rules were obeyed.
''If you said anything, you were sent right away to prison,'' recalls San Sebastian's present mayor, Ramon Labayen. ''To us, Franco's police were the Gestapo.''
In 1959, ETA was formed. By 1973, ETA militants were strong enough to assassinate Franco's heir apparent, Prime Minister Luis Carrero Blanco. Following Franco's death in 1975, police surveillance slackened. ETA's terrorism didn't.
The violence continues, even though Spain's new democratic rulers have moved to satisfy Basque nationalist aspirations.
In 1978, the Basques were granted a large degree of autonomy, including powers over taxation, television, education, and police. The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), a moderate party that disavows violence, was elected in 1980 to run the new autonomous region.
This does not satisfy ETA's desire for complete independence. The political struggle between Madrid and the Nationalist Party over the implementation of autonomy has not ended either. The PNV envisions formation of a regional social security system and Basque-language universities. PNV officials also complain that the central authorities are hindering the formation of the proposed Basque police force.
Central government officials say they are willing to negotiate any problems with the autonomy statute. But they add that devolution will proceed slowly as long as the terrorist threat persists. And they say the PNV must stop using ETA as a bargaining chip.
''The PNV says it is opposed to terrorism - and then blackmails us with ETA, '' says Governor Elgorriaga. ''Every time ETA strikes, they come running to us and say, 'Give us this power and that power, and then ETA will disappear.' ''
The result of this political impasse is a debilitating standoff. ETA is far from gaining enough power to start a full-scale war. But it is strong enough to keep the civil guard deployed in the streets, to poll some 150,000 votes through Herri Batasuna, and to carry out one-day general strikes pretty much at will.
Meanwhile, the economy flounders. Investment has come to a halt. Unemployment exceeds 20 percent. San Sebastian's magnificent beach has degenerated into a dirty, faded resort.
The benefits of autonomy must be measured against this sad scorecard. Almost everyone here except ETA says tensions are lower now than during the unsteady transition period from Francoism to a full-fledged democracy.
Even Mayor Labayan is positive. ''Look where I'm sitting,'' he says, from behind his regal-looking desk in the town hall. ''We can speak Basque, write with it in school, and listen to it on television. I'm confident that the rest of the problems can be worked out, peacefully.''
But how long will that take?
''A generation,'' answers Mr. Arostigui of the Chamber of Commerce. ''A generation has to grow up, free and independent, living in a healthy democracy. Only then will there be no more terrorism.''
Next: France's Basques


text:
The Australian medical technology industry includes Australian and overseas companies manufacturing and supplying medical devices, in-vitro diagnostics and medical imaging equipment. The medical technology industry makes a highly significant contribution to the quality of healthcare in Australia. The reimbursement of medical technology in Australia is complicated and occurs in many forms. Some processes are interrelated, for example with Medicare; while others are stand alone schemes.
MTAA Factsheet
What is Driving Increased Expenditure on Prostheses?
Recently, the private health insurance industry has suggested that there is a need for reform of prostheses pricing under the Prostheses List (PL) arrangements, citing the growth in prostheses expenditure over the last 20 years. In response, MTAA has developed a factsheet to identify what factors are driving this increase in prostheses expenditure by health funds.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Look up a list of the largest states in the US. You'll find 15 of the top 20 are west of the Mississippi. And forty of our nation's 59 national parks are in the west, along with hundreds of other attractions managed by either the National Park Service or by individual states. Simply put, the west is a massive playground and the perfect setting for an Iconic West vacation.
There is something so soul-stirring about the west. Perhaps no one has said it better than author and historian Wallace Stegner: "One cannot be pessimistic about the West. This is the native home of hope. When it fully learns that cooperation, not rugged individualism, is the quality that most characterizes and preserves it, then it will have achieved itself and outlived its origins. Then it has a chance to create a society to match its scenery."
A list of Iconic West attractions is a veritable 'who's who' of some of the planet's very best, be it natural or manmade. Mountains, canyons, glaciers, rivers, forests, plains, valleys, deserts, the Pacific Coast. The 'big 3' – Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Yellowstone. San Francisco, the Napa Valley, Los Angeles, Disneyland, Las Vegas, Route 66. Native American and western US history and culture. Winemaking, farm-to-table dining, craft brewing and distilling. It's all this and so much more. And to experience an Iconic West vacation in a richer, deeper and ultimately more meaningful way, you'll want our private guides and outfitters at your side. Think of them as an outdoor version of a concierge and tailor…they customize each day based on who you are and what you wish to experience. They are experts in family travel. And not only do they know the off-the-tourist-path trails and the best 'hidden gems', they are actively engaged in preserving and protecting our wild spaces and places.
Nothing says Americana quite like a Historic Route 66 vacation, a trip that will take you along the "Mother Road" from Chicago to Santa Monica, past chaps and cowboy hats at Oklahoma City's National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, to giant steaks and shooting arcades in Amarillo, to the mesmerizing beauty of Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park. By the time you glimpse Santa Monica's famous Ferris wheel, you'll have eaten plates of chili fries, snapped your photo beside classic cars and soaked in all of the weird, yet unmissable sights this famed route has to offer.
Trust our veteran local guides to know which stops are worth it as you sail along on your Route 66 vacation. We promise a few tricks up our sleeve to wow even the most jaded of traveler, sure to make you fall in love with America all over again. Where else could you dress in period costume and have dinner in a historic home with Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln? You will paddleboat along the mighty Mississippi and tour Meramec Caves and the famous Jesse James Hideout. In Kansas – Route 66's shortest stretch – stop in to the National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame Museum. Indulge in to-die-for ice cream at Swan Brothers Dairy Farm and pose beside a 66-foot lighted pop bottle in Arcadia. Drop into the renowned Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo and tour Albuquerque's Old Town. Arizona's Walnut Canyon National Monument enchants with its preserved Native American cliff dwellings. And finally, roll into Santa Monica and snap a final photo at the "Santa Monica 66 – End of the Trail" sign.
> Grand Canyon
> Joshua Tree National Park
> Los Angeles, Beverly Hills & Santa Monica
Whatever you call it – the "PCH," "Pacific Coast Highway" or, like the locals, "Highway 1" – a Scenic Coastal Highway 1 vacation is the quintessential way to experience the riches of California. Glamorous and rugged all at once, this meandering, sometimes isolated, sometimes peppered with charming coastal towns, and yet always with the Pacific horizon in view, iconic roadway is true California. Pull over and drink in a kaleidoscopic sunset and perhaps glimpse a migrating pod of whales. Photograph dramatic cliffs hewn away by ages of relentless pounding surf. Picnic at hidden beaches, lunch with the locals in quaint fishing towns and feel that magical road trip vibe – your worries and cares left behind and a long stretch of road – and discovery – ahead.
Our local experts have mastered the Scenic Coastal Highway 1 vacation, curating itineraries that are brimming with outdoor activities inspired by beautiful beaches, lush green valleys and not-to-be-missed national parks. Try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding in the peaceful waters of Marina del Rey. Head inland to Yosemite National Park and catch a glimpse of Half Dome and El Capitan. Kayak and snorkel in Channel Islands National Park. Pass under the Golden Gate Bridge on a private catamaran sail. Ride the Ferris wheel on the Santa Cruz boardwalk. Since this is the road trip of a lifetime, spend a day with the pros testing the limits of the Audi S Models. Heed the "Call of the Wild" and take a private, guided hike on a noted author's ranch, through the winery and to the peak of Sonoma Mountain. And, of course, don't miss a VIP experience at Universal Studios Hollywood – this is California, after all!
> Los Angeles, Beverly Hills & Santa Monica
> San Diego
> Santa Barbara & Channel Islands
Looking for the ultimate western US road trip? It doesn't get any better than iconic US Route 89, an incredible north-south US highway with two sections – the first from Flagstaff, Arizona, to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park; the second from the northern entrance of the Park to the US-Canada border. Known to some as the National Park Highway, this route connects seven national parks in the American West and branches off to 14 other national parks and national monuments.
A US Highway 89 vacation is the epic national park road trip – if you have the time. As daunting as its 1,252 miles may be, we can craft journeys as short or as long as you wish along the road that showcases the parks most dear to our country. Capture the giant saguaro at sunset at Saguaro National Park. Marvel at the Grand Canyon or hike along its floor. Drive through stunning sandstone formations in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Choke up with emotion (and grab your camera) as the incredible Grand Tetons come into view. See the power of Yellowstone National Park's geysers and meet its resident elk and bison. Head into Glacier National Park – making sure not to miss the access to the renowned Going-to-the-Sun Road. You'll see the most famous of landmarks and those you never thought you'd encounter, from Utah's Big Rock Candy Mountain to Montana's Piegan Pass. Overpowering in scale and iconic in what it reveals, a US Highway 89 vacation is the backbone of our country's big backyard.
> Grand Canyon
> Yellowstone National Park
> Glacier National Park


text:
Janine was sick of looking for love. Instead of trying to find it, this homecoming week she'd promised the only "Hearts" she'd be walking into was a popular club downtown Philly. She wasn't really a party person, but after a breakup and a bad junior midterm report she needed to let loose. James, her ex, was responsible for the F's and the permanent frown stuck to her lips. It was all she seemed to think about lately.
"Girl! Are you just going to sit in the booth all night? Come party!"
Adina, her too loud best friend, stood with her hands on her hips above her. The rest of their flock eyed the prey nearby. They'd come to flirt and made it clear by parting ways to hunt for men the minute they crossed the threshold of sobriety and drunken stupor.
Janine sighed, "I thought I could, but I'm just annoyed and tired."
"Alright, have it your way! Sit here and pout." Adina sashayed back through the crowd in her black and too-small mini dress.
After slurping on the last of her drink, Janine headed to the bar for another. The mass of sweaty arms reaching for the bartender's attention was enough to abandon her quest. Halfway back to her beloved booth, she noticed a slender young man standing in the corner near a speaker. He was a butterscotch tone with a goatee and a pretty smile that seemed to be pointing in her direction.
She quickly looked over both of her shoulders. No one behind her seemed to be returning his grin. She looked back towards the stereo. He was gone.
Janine made her way back to booth and played with the sugar on the rim of her drink. Who was he? Why was he smiling at her? Was he smiling at her? Did he….
There was a tap on her shoulder. She turned around ready to let Adina have it, when her mystery man smiled down on her once more.
His name was Giovanni. He wore brown cheek-length dreads that seemed as though they'd been dipped in gold at the ends, a Raven's fitted hat on top of them, plaid shirt rolled to the elbows and ripped jeans. He wasn't Janine's type at all. Usually, she was into the extremely clean cut guy: fresh caesar, polo and asshole written all over. Perhaps, eclectic is what she needed.
Eclectic he was. Giovanni was half Irish and half Nigerian. He was raised in Seattle, but going to school at Ohio State and visiting a cousin. He studied Urban Planning and had a concentration in Fine and Performing Arts, Costume Designing to be exact.
In return, Janine told him about her breakup with James. She told him she was ready to leave Penn State and start her PR company in California. She even told him a few stories of all the crazy people she'd met in her lifetime.
He laughed hysterically as they walked through a neighborhood park after hours. She held his hand, which was incredibly soft for a guy's, something she hadn't done in a long time. She ignored the vibration of her phone, knowing her friends had started to stumble home without her. They abandoned the club scene, embraced the night sky and shared until the sun rose. Janine found herself in front of her University gate entrance telling him good night and watched him walk back into the darkness.
That night, she'd failed at her mission of not looking for love.
Giovanni visited a lot. Within the next month, he popped up every weekend to see his cousin, or so he said, and of course, Janine. He'd pull up in his red BMW and they'd paint the town the same hue. They spent an entire semester deep in conversation: Dining at cheesesteak spots, lounging at Jazz café's and exchanging their innermost thoughts. He was perfect.
Or was he? The fact that Giovanni refused to add her on any social networking sites and didn't seem to exist on any—was a tad weird. Janine soon remembered that it was those very same sites that ruined her last relationship. She shuddered and put it past her. Maybe it was good that he wasn't into the net.
Janine was also perplexed that in almost a month, Giovanni hadn't made a move. During the first two weeks she'd come to the conclusion that he was a gentleman. Now that they were approaching the second month, she began to worry. Either he was gay, not interested or took the friendship stage too seriously. She hoped it was the latter.
One night, while he was getting ready to sleep on her sofa, she came out from her room and asked him outright, "You don't want me, do you?"
He looked at her perplexed, "What do you mean? I'm crazy attracted to you."
"So why haven't you made a move?"
"I guess I'm not ready yet. I want to take things slow. Let's become real good friends before anything else."
He kissed her on the cheek and Janine headed back to her bed. In her slumber, she tossed and turned. Her restlessness was not caused by nightmares, it was because she wasn't convinced.
Halfway through the second month of their "union" the two finally fought. Janine didn't know what to call their relationship, or lack there of, and Giovanni was still using the I'm-not-ready excuse.
There was a heavy silence in the room. Words were thrown, voices were raised and accusations were heard; but there was nothing but breathing now. The sound of a phone rung through the air. Janine snatched her blackberry from the couch that a hurt Giovanni sat and sunk in.
An older woman's voice spoke, "Hello. Hi I'm looking for my daughter Melissa. It seems she's been calling this number, I can tell by the bill."
Janine interrupted, "Melissa? I don't know a Melissa, you must have the wrong number."
"Listen I know she's been calling…"
Suddenly Giovanni placed his hand on hers and pulled the phone away from her ear. Janine could no longer hear the woman yelling at her. He hung it up and whispered, "I'm sorry."
Janine smiled, "I understand. I'll wait until you're ready."
All was silent again.
Janine was frustrated by Giovanni's behavior. She sat in the computer lab of her department and pondered. Only girls wanted to take their time with these things. Perhaps she was being too hard on him. Perhaps he was truly waiting on the right one. Her friend Silah sat next to her and noticed Janine's look of concern.
"What's been going on with you J? You've been a little unfocused lately."
Janine was shocked, "Really? Is it that noticable? I thought I was doing well with keeping up with everything despite all of it."
Silah was a city girl from Seattle but a country dame deep down. She'd lived in Texas for three years before coming to Philly. Unlike Janine's other friends, she was only into graduating and nothing else. Even though she was incredibly beautiful, green eyes that accentuated her short curly dirty blonde hair, she had no time for men or games. This was the type of girl that Janine liked to have on her side during class and study time.
"Despite what?" Silah questioned.
Janine started to tell Silah about what was going on between her and Giovanni. She explained that she thought she was through with men for good and was astonished when he'd come along.
At the end of her story Silah sat stunned. "Wow, I didn't even know you'd moved on from James. Who is this guy, can I see him?"
Janine pulled up her Facebook albums to show her pictures that the "couple" had taken on their various outings. Silah had a curious face on.
"He's cute. He looks ridiculously familiar."
Janine said, "Really? You guys are originally from the same place. It's possible you could know him."
Silah leaned over to Janine's computer and went back to the thumbnails of the album. She clicked on a picture of Giovanni sitting on some steps alone. She turned her face in a weird direction and peered at the image.
After what seemed like a long time, Silah uttered, "Does he drive a red BMW?"
Janine looked confused, "Yes…"
"Is he a performing arts major or minor?"
"Yeah, how did you.."
"Does he go to Ohio State or University or something like that?"
"Yeah! You do know him! Did you guys go to high school or…"
Silah interrupted her, "Janine, I don't know how to tell you this…"
During Silah's hesitation, Janine braced herself for the next words. Silah had probably encountered Giovanni romantically or knew someone who had. Perhaps she had really horrible information about him. Perhaps he was long lost family. Whatever it was, she decided she didn't want to know.
"Wait Silah! Just forget it. I don't want to learn anything bad about him. Just stop…" Janine grabbed her things and started to leave the computer room. It was in this moment that she realized how deep her emotions were for Giovanni. She didn't want to hear anything about his past that didn't come from his own mouth.
Janine looked over at Silah as she was leaving. She was wearing a worried look on her face.
"I'll see you tomorrow Silah."
As Janine began to exit Silah jumped up and said in the quickest way she could, "You should know Janine.…your boyfriend……is a girl."
Janine walked back into her front door in awe. Everything Silah said made perfect sense. After telling Silah she was crazy and needed to seek medical attention, she'd explained everything to her. The puzzle pieces slowly started to come together.
Silah said she went to a Performing Arts High School with Giovanni and he/she made costumes for all the plays. On Halloween he'd/she'd done a great job at concealing himself to look like a guy and he'd/she'd fool everybody at the parties. His real name was Melissa Williams and most importantly Melissa was all girl. Silah said she recognized her face immediately and didn't know how to break it to Janine. They put the name into a search engine, where pictures of a girl who could've been Giovanni's twin sister popped up in several cast photos.
Janine suddenly remembered his soft hand in the park, the woman who mysteriously called in the middle of the night and most importantly his lack of affection.
She reached for her phone, now infuriated, and started to dial Giovanni/Melissa's number. Suddenly she realized that she had the perfect way of confirming it all.
Since there was no NAME caller ID on cellphones, she'd never seen his/her name pop up. She text Giovanni: "Call my house phone."
The house phone rang and it read: MELISSA WILLIAMS 555-0293
Janine answered, "Hello Melissa."
Giovanni was Melissa. Melissa ran away from home a year before college started and never called her mother again. When they found out she was a lesbian, they immediately outcast her. When they wanted to apologize for what they'd done—she wouldn't let them.
Traumatized by her family's reaction, she formulated a way to keep anyone—including classmates, friends and loved ones—from knowing about her secret. She'd visit straight clubs, just enjoying the view of beautiful women, hoping no one would recognize her. She didn't mean for what happened with Janine to take place.
Janine sat on the other end of the line as Melissa told her story. She almost felt sorry for her. Still, she was hurt, betrayed and most definitely pissed.
She finally spoke, "Your life story is crazy. I'm sorry that's happened to you, but you lied to me. I'm sorry, I can't forgive you." She hung up.
Janine spent the rest of her night writing her racing thoughts in a journal. How could she have been so stupid? How didn't she know? How many other girls had she swindled? Was she the first? Did it matter?
She fell asleep with the notebook and pen in her hand and soon the sun rose on her heavy heart.
Janine woke up to a knock on the door. She looked at the clock, it was 8am. She was sure it was Silah coming to check on her.
She opened the door to find an unfamiliar and beautiful girl her age adorned in a pink Abercrombie & Fitch hoodie, skinny jeans and sneakers. Her butterscotch face gleamed in the sun and her teeth glistened as she spoke, "I drove all night…"
Suddenly the unfamiliar girl's face, adorned in golden tipped dreads, registered. It was Giovanni….Melissa.
She spoke again, "I just want to talk."
To be continued…


text:
Let us consider, a real life scenario at work, where two colleagues are trying to help each other:
Shalini: "Hi Gaurav! Can you please provide me an information on 'Top selling product on quantity & value'? I will need that for streamlining the 'Production order & planning'."
Gaurav: "Sure, just give me a while."
Shalini: "Request for another favor, I will also need the report on 'Top customer for quantity & value' for last quarter. Need this for insights on 'Customer credit control'.
After a while, Gaurav provides all the reports as requested by Shalini.
Can you relate to the above conversation at work, when your colleague's help is needed, to complete a task? Just like Gaurav & Shalini, MIS & ERP just as good colleagues, often complement each other for efficient business process management.
An ERP, is a business management tool that collects all the information from different departments of a business to provide a collective automated insight for better business decisions. It is a central storehouse of information, which can integrate, automate & streamline, for a systematic business operation.
MIS or Management Information System, is a planned system of evaluating, analyzing & processing business data to produce meaningful & useful information, which empowers the management to take right business decisions.
For proper functioning of an efficient ERP, i.e. automating a business process, the need of information accessibility arises. As, information processing is one of the vital requisites for any business, the need for an effective MIS comes into play, which helps ERP by providing reports & information. The system ensures that appropriate data is collected from the various sources, processed, and sent further to all the needy destinations.
Let us take a quick look at few uses of MIS in an organization:
- Planning & decision making – MIS reports are used for planning & deciding on the operation process of a business. If we refer to the above conversation, the report on "Top customer for quantity and value" can be used to plan the other process "Customer credit control".
- Collection/Recording/Storage – For any particular transaction or event, MIS helps in collecting information, recording the same & store it for future business insights. This is crucial for any business, as the information can be fetched anytime for operational requisites.
- Controlling – MIS can be used for controlling a set of information. Filtered data can be used by the management, for efficient business planning. This ensures efficiency & effectiveness for optimum analytics. E.g. At the start, Shalini requests a report on 'Top customer for quantity and value' for last quarter, from Gaurav to analyze "Customer credit control". With MIS, the report can be extracted & analyzed by applying appropriate filter.
- Measuring – MIS plays an important role in measuring the business performance by collecting & analyzing sales data, production cost & revenue earned.
So, now let us take a quick look at, how an efficient MIS collaborates with an ERP solution, to provide strategic business plan for an organization.
Few type of MIS reports for manufacturing businesses are as follows:
- Location/branch wise sales analysis for quantity and value: It provides sales analysis report, either location wise or branch wise, as applicable for any business. The report provides insight on both quantity, value of the products sold & this can facilitate in preparing a better sales plan.
- Monthly/yearly sales trend: It provides report on sales trend, either monthly or yearly. This enables a business, to study the sales analytics to make necessary forecasts & estimates.
- Top selling products for quantity and value: This helps a business, get insights on the fast moving SKU's and help in crafting relevant strategies.
- Top customers for quantity and value: This report provides details of key customers in terms of quantity and value. Providing relevant data, to design customer focused schemes/ programs.
- Operation/work center wise production: A production analysis report of any particular operation or work center of a business helps in better planning.
- Monthly production/plan/dispatch analysis: This will help in production planning & dispatch analysis in a business. Future plans can be formulates basis this information.
In addition to the above, there are multiple reports/analytics data that an MIS can provide, which can help an ERP to bring different data points at one place. An efficient MIS, is an essential pillar for a highly effective ERP solution.
An MIS, therefore, plays a vital role in the management, administration and operations of an organization, to help facilitate in efficient decision making. However, an MIS alone cannot help to streamline the operational efficiency in your business. For this a robust, accurate & modern ERP solution is needed. The strength & performance of a team, is directly attributed, to the sync between different members & how well they collaborate with each other. Similarly this collaboration, can be seen & is essential between an ERP & MIS. An ERP solution with the offering of an MIS can be beneficial. Give your business a robust ERP solution. EPPS ERP solutions provides highly scalable, modern & mobile ERP solutions, backed by a strong MIS module, which can help in providing accurate business insights & acumen to streamline your operational efficiency. Click here for easy to use & innovative solutions, to strategize your business.


text:
The United States Military has experienced a tremendous increase in substance abuse, but this can be reduced by adding certain steps according to a new report by the Institute of Medicine. This report shows that additional screening and updated treatment methods and protocols for substance abuse may effectively lower the rate of addiction and substance abuse in the military. The recently released report shows that:
- 1 in 5 active duty service members are heavy drinkers
- Binge drinking among active service members rose more than 12% in the decade between 1998 and 2008
- Active duty military members who reported misusing prescription medications went from 2% in 2002 all the way up to 11% in 2008
- Military members and their families face numerous barriers to substance abuse treatment in some cases
- Outdated treatment methods used for substance abuse treatment in the military prevent many members from receiving effective treatment
Charles O'Brien, who is the Center for Studies of Addiction at the University of Pennsylvania and the report committee chairman, released a news report that states "We commend the steps that the Department of Defense and individual service branches have recently taken to improve prevention and care for substance use disorders, but the armed forces face many ongoing challenges. Better care for service members and their families is hampered by inadequate prevention strategies, staffing shortages, lack of coverage for services that are proved to work, and stigma associated with these disorders. This report recommends solutions to address each of these concerns." The report contains a number of recommendations to help decrease the rate of addiction and substance abuse associated with military service.


text:
Star witness for Jackson doc sanctioned by judge
AP Special Correspondent
LOS ANGELES (AP) – A scientist who was the star defense witness in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor was sanctioned Wednesday by the trial judge and fined $250 for violating a court order during his testimony.
Dr. Paul White, a pioneer in the use of the anesthetic propofol, said he didn't think he was doing anything wrong when he told jurors the judge had forbidden him to testify about conversations with Dr. Conrad Murray.
Murray's lawyer J. Michael Flanagan argued at Wednesday's hearing that White was inexperienced as a witness. But prosecutor David Walgreen accused White of purposely trying to sabotage the case.
"I had no idea your honor had told me not to go into this area," White told the judge. "I apologize profusely."
White portrayed himself as a novice at testifying.
"This is not something I do for a living," he said. "I did my best to answer questions as truthfully and honestly as I could."
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said his instructions to White and the lawyers were clear and repeated many times in chambers and in open court. He said White openly disobeyed.
Flanagan replied by criticizing the judge's rulings during the trial and said, "You didn't give me an opportunity to explain to him in more detail how you felt about the situation."
The judge snapped, "It's not about me, Mr. Flanagan."
White drew frequent prosecution objections during his testimony on Oct. 31 when he seemed to be referring to things Murray told him in confidence.
Pastor told White outside the jury's presence to stop trying to sneak in references to private conversations he had with Murray. The witness had suggested his opinions were partially based on what Murray told him, but those talks were not submitted as evidence.
"It's deliberate and I don't like it," Pastor said at the time. "It's not going to happen again."
But it did, when White told jurors: "I'd like to talk to you about this, but the judge told me I couldn't."
At that point, Pastor threatened to find the doctor in contempt of court and fine him $1,000. He changed his mind Wednesday and issued a civil sanction of $250. He gave White until Dec. 16 to pay the fine or appeal.
Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death, is in jail awaiting sentencing on Nov. 29.
Outside court, White told reporters he was disappointed by his experience during the trial.
"I think any fine at all is inappropriate," he said. "I didn't think I did anything wrong."
AP Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney contributed to this story.


text:
Katherine Karriker-Jaffe, PhD
Senior Scientist
External BioMy NCBI Link | NIH Bio (pdf)
ExpertiseHow community and cultural determinants create racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in alcohol and drug use and its problems.
Current Projects
- National Alcohol Surveys (NAS) Resources (A Center Core Component) (Principal Investigator)
- Alcohol's Harms to Others: Multinational Cultural Contexts and Policy Implications (Scientist)
- Hotspots: Understanding Areas of Concentrated Alcohol and Drug Problems at the US-Mexico Border (A Center Research Component) (Scientist)
- Social, Individual and community influences on alcohol use disorders and other mental health behaviors in Mexican Americans (Principal Investigator of sub-contract)
- Impacts of Recreational Marijuana Legalization and Retail Outlets in Washington (Scientist)
Completed Projects
- Social, Developmental and Genetic Epidemiology of Alcohol Use Disorders (Principal Investigator of sub-contract)
- Alcohol's Harms to Others among US Adults: Individual and Contextual Effects (Multiple Principal Investigator)
- Alcohol Consumption & Mortality in the US 1950-2000 (Co-Investigator)
- Alcohol Use among Asian American Adolescents & Young Adults: Do Subgroups Differ? (Co-Investigator)
- Acculturation and Alcohol among U.S. Latinas (Co-Investigator)
- Identifying Modifiable Influences on Alcohol Problems in High-Risk Neighborhoods (Principal Investigator)
- Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Alcohol Outcomes: Moderators and Mediators (Principal Investigator)
- Effects of Disadvantage and Protective Resources on Alcohol-Related Disparities (Co-Investigator)
- Understanding Racial Disparities in Heavy Drinking over the Life Course (Co-Investigator)
- Inter-relationships Between Life-course Alcohol Patterns and Health Conditions (Scientist)
Selected Publications
- Mulia N., Ye, Y., Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Zemore S.E., and Jones-Webb, R. (2018). Protective factors as an explanation for the "paradox" of black-white differences in heavy drinking. Substance Use and Misuse, 53(12): 2003-16 Abstract or Full Text
- Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Li, L., & Greenfield, T.K. (2018). Estimating mental health impacts of alcohol's harms from other drinkers: using propensity scoring methods with national cross-sectional data from the United States. Addiction, 113(10) 1826-1839 Abstract or Full Text
- Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Greenfield, T.K., Mulia, N., & Zemore, S.E. (2018). Ten-year trend in women's reasons for abstaining or limiting drinking: the 2000 and 2010 United States National Alcohol Surveys. Journal of Women's Health, 27(5) 665-675 Abstract or Full Text
- Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Room, R., Giesbrecht, N., Greenfield, T.K (2018). Alcohol's harm to others: Opportunities and challenges in a public health framework. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 79 (2) 239-243 Abstract or Full Text
- Amy A. Mericle, Lee A. Kaskutas, Doug L. Polcin, and Katherine J. Karriker-Jaffe (2018). Independent and Interactive Effects of Neighborhood Disadvantage and Social Network Characteristics on Problem Drinking After Treatment. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37 (1) 1-21 Abstract or Full Text
- Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Lönn, S.L., Cook, W.K., Kendler, K.S., Sundquist, K (2018). Chains of risk for alcohol use disorder: Mediators of exposure to neighborhood deprivation in early and middle childhood. Health and Place, 50 16-26 Abstract or Full Text
- Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Room, R., Giesbrecht, N., Greenfield, T.K. (2018). Alcohol's harm to others: Opportunities and challenges in a public health framework. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 79 (2) 239-243 Abstract or Full Text
- Klinger, J.L., Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Witbrodt, J., Kaskutas, L.A. (2018). Effects of distance to treatment on subsequent alcohol consumption. Drugs: Education Prevention and Policy, 25 (2) 173-80 Abstract or Full Text
- Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Ohlsson, H., Kendler, K.S., Cook, W.K. (2018). Alcohol availability and onset and recurrence of alcohol use disorder: examination in a longitudinal cohort with co-sibling analysis. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 42 1105-12 Abstract or Full Text
- Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Witbrodt, J., Subbaraman, M.S., Kaskutas, L.A. (2018). What happens after treatment? Long-term effects of continued substance use, psychiatric problems and help-seeking on social status of alcohol-dependent individuals. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 53 394-402 Abstract or Full Text
- Mulia, N., Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Witbrodt, J., Bond J, Williams, E., Zemore, S.E. (2017). Racial/ethnic differences in 30-year trajectories of heavy drinking in a nationally representative U.S. sample. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 170: 133-141 Abstract or Full Text
- Chartier KG, Karriker-Jaffe KJ, Cummings CR, Kendler KS (2017). Review: Environmental influences on alcohol use: informing research on the joint effects of genes and the environment in diverse U.S. populations. The American Journal on Addictions, 26 (5) 446-460 Abstract or Full Text
- Karriker-Jaffe KJ, Ji J, Sundquist J, Kendler KS, Sundquist K (2017). Disparities in pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorders in the context of universal healthcare: a Swedish register study. Addiction, 112 (8) 1386-1394 Abstract or Full Text
- Karriker-Jaffe, K.J., Au, V., Frendo, M., Mericle, A.A. (2017). Offsetting the effects of neighborhood disadvantage on problem drinking. Journal of Community Psychology, 45 (5) 678-684 Abstract or Full Text


text:
The Nuk3town bonus map was suppose to be available today on Xbox One. However, Black Ops 3 players are reporting that the map is unavailable for their platform. Moreover, The Giant can't be accessed as well on Xbox One, which is causing quite a lot of frustration among users.
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We have received reports that players are unable to access both The Giant and Nuk3town maps on the Xbox One. We are currently aware of this issue and we are looking into it. Please make sure to try restarting the console as this may resolve the issue.
Like mentioned above, please try to restart your console and see if that helps. Let us know if that fixes the problem. Call of Duty Black Ops 3 is now available on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
Last-gen versions have also rolled but with multiplayer mode only. You can see a comparison of current and last-gen versions of Black Ops 3, here; or check out the review round up for Treyarch's entry for Black Ops series.


text:
The Zoo is Calling
There's something about spring that makes us want to get outside and enjoy everything nature has to offer. During this season, there's no better place for animal lovers than the zoo. There they can admire domestic and exotic animals of all shapes and sizes while enjoying the beautiful spring weather.
The weather plays an important role on deciding when to visit the zoo. As primarily outdoor venues, warm temperatures and sunshine will bring guests into the zoos in droves, while cold and wet conditions might keep others at home. But how do animals react in different climates and seasons?
We compiled a list of 10 of the most amazing U.S. zoos and asked them, "What role does weather play in zoo life?" Read on to find out which zoos made our list, and how animals cope with the weather.


text:
Will fear govern our neighborhoods?
Someone in a position to know has finally said it: Michigan's neighborhoods may become unsafe.
This ought to be of concern to an increasingly older populace.
The source of the observation is no less than Attorney General Bill Schuette, Michigan's chief law enforcement official.
Picture yourself 10 or 20 years from now -- or whenever it is you expect to retire.
Will there be enough police officers to adequately patrol your neighborhood?
If you discover someone trying to enter your home, how long will it take police to respond -- if you are able to get to your cell phone?
Will grandmothers be afraid of walking their grandchildren through the streets? Will senior citizens become afraid to leave their homes?
"That kind of fear does exist," said John Sellek, a spokesman for Schuette.
Is this scare-mongering?
Well, Schuette points out that Michigan faces the double tragedy of losing more than 3,200 law enforcement officers since 9/11, while also being home to four of America's top 10 most violent cities.
Oakland County seat Pontiac is one of the four cities -- and criminals don't respect geographic boundaries.
Schuette has called for the addition of at least 1,000 new cops in communities statewide. He said the officers could be funded by the Legislature with approximately $140 million of Michigan's current budget surplus of nearly $450 million.
Schuette views the 1,000 officers as "just a starting point" toward rebuilding the protection needed, Sellek said.
Senior citizens are quickly becoming one of criminals' prime targets, both of violent crime and fraud, Sellek said. Without adequate law enforcement, there will be no way to investigate scams and educate seniors.
Auburn Hills Police Chief Doreen Olko agrees on the need.
"How do we keep our neighborhoods secure?" Olko asked. "I'm concerned over the long-term."
Auburn Hills has seen its number of police officers decline from 59 in 2007 to 49 now.
"And we're a fiscally sound city," Olko said.
Because of early releases of prisoners to cut costs at Michigan prisons, the city has "more felons on our streets," she said. In addition, the decline in funding for mental health services leaves police officers as the only people left to deal with such problems.
"We need more police officers," Olko said.
She also noted that with reductions in pension benefits, officers will have to work longer, leading to an older workforce -- not necessarily a good thing in such a highly demanding physical job.
However, state Reps. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, and Vicki Barnett, D-Farmington Hills, question Schuette's funding approach.
"I'd like to see future citizens have as many tools -- transparency, metrics, public dialogue -- as possible to ensure that the debate of priorities in spending of tax monies can be as clear, focused and productive as possible," McMillin said.
And he is not particularly worried about safety in the communities he represents.
"Based on history, I think Rochester, Rochester Hills and Oakland Township do a good job prioritizing public safety dollars," McMillin said.
Barnett, a former mayor of Farmington Hills, also questioned the funding, pointing out that the surplus is a one-time source of money. It would be better if the state restored revenue-sharing fund to local communities, she said.
"We absolutely need more police and firefighters," Barnett said, "but we need a more stable rehiring situation."
Schuette also proposed legislation known as VO-4 that targets the worst repeat violent offenders by establishing a minimum prison sentence of at least 25 years for criminals convicted of a serious violent crime after already being convicted of any three prior felony convictions. The result would be that serious, violent repeat offenders would be lodged in prison in order to stop the severely damaging and incredibly expensive repeat violent crimes that negatively affect Michigan families and the state's ability to fully recover, Schuette said.
But Barnett pointed out that Michigan's current mandatory sentencing guidelines have already led to Michigan having a higher incarceration rate than any of its neighboring states, and that places a burden on the state budget.
In any case, it's all food for thought and a subject that requires long-term thinking. The idea of living in an unsafe neighborhood is unsettling.
Glenn Gilbert is executive editor of The Oakland Press. Contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com or 248-745-4587. Follow him on Twitter @glenngilbert2.


text:
After recieving your financial aid award you will need to accept or decline your loans, report private scholarships, notify the financial aid office of any changes in your enrollment assumptions, and ensure that all loan applications or supplemental financal aid materials are completed.
You can access your financial aid award through your Financial Aid Requirements channel in MyBethel.
1. Estimate your school bill
By subtracting your offered aid from your estimated school bill, you can start planning for how you'll pay the remaining balance if there is one, with cash or loans. Your charges may vary by term depending on the number of credits you take.
By subtracting your gift aid from your estimated school bill, you can start planning for how you'll pay the balance (cash or loans). Your charges may vary by term depending on the number of credits you take.
2. Accept or Decline Your Loans
If you need to borrow loans, compare your options. This will help you find the best loan for you.
When you know which loan(s) you'd like to borrow, you will need to accept or decline your offered loans by accessing your financial aid offer through your Financial Aid Requirements channel in MyBethel..
Select the appropriate academic year from the drop down list.
Click the Accept Financial Aid Offer tab. Decide how much of your Direct Unsubsidized Loan or PLUS/Private Loan Eligibility you want to borrow for the full year, and follow the instructions.
Click Submit Decision.
a. If you accept your Unsubsidized Loan and you're a new Bethel borrower, you must complete both loan entrance counseling and a master promissory note (MPN). Be sure to select "Complete Loan Agreement" to complete the MPN and "Complete Loan Counseling" to access the counseling session. These are two distinct separate steps on the website.
Select Minnesota as the School State when completing these requirements. You will need reference information for two people with different U.S. addresses.
b. If you accept the PLUS/Private Loan Eligibility this indicates to the Financial Aid Office that you will be applying for a Graduate PLUS loan or a Private Loan. There is a separate application process for these loans.
3. Report Private Scholarships
Let us know about any private scholarships (this includes employer reimbursement and any other outside aid you might be receiving for this school year) by accessing your financial aid offer through your Financial Aid Requirements channel in MyBethel. Then, select the appropriate academic year from the dropdown list.
Once you're in your financial aid offer information, click the Resources/Additional Information tab and follow the instructions.
4. Notify Financial Aid of Changes in Enrollment Assumptions
Enrollment assumptions used to prepare your financial aid offer are listed on the bottom of the financial aid offer. Use the online update form to notify the financial aid office of changes in your anticipated enrollment.
5. Check Your Status
View the status of your documents and requirements through your Financial Aid Requirements in MyBethel.
Items marked with a red flag need to be completed.
You'll need your Bethel Community Account to access your financial aid info online.
Still need to set up an account? Go to Bethel's account system and click Activate My Account.
6. Sign up for Proxy
While privacy laws prohibit us from sharing financial aid offer information with your parents, spouse, or other third party, we have provided a way for you to authorize others to view such information in your student account: proxy access.


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It is time that ICG be exposed for what they are. The narrative they made is interestingly supposed to look independent and balanced but in reality it is done on behalf of Myanmar to justify what the government is doing now against the Rohingya. Let there be a solution and not to justify violence. They have articulated their case without supporting evidence or justification. This is intended to influence the ASEAN Retreat.
FBSHApost@18 December 2016


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Before anything else, there's one thing we'd like our customer to know.
Our motto is 'We don't just sell balloons, we deliver happiness!'. Every member of our baloon-selling team is a child deep down inside who just can't have enough of colorful balloons.
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Wednesday, December 16, 2009
This is Indrajal #2 and I have edited the scans and added some "saturation"
to the images. Also I have tried to remove any dull marks, dabs of oil on the images
and crop, rotate them with some added :pixel resolution".
after you download and read it, let me know your feedbacks / suggestions about the
enhancement of image quality.
Gone are the days when the blogs were busy with comments, visitors like Chandan, Old Man mozz ( he still is a regular :), Phuktya, Col. Worobu, Chatur Cheeta, Sagnik, and all my friends.
I hope some day the hustle-bustle will resume.....just like we all revived the lost Indrajals....
Actually I am appearing for my PG exams, M.E. Printing which is a heavy load of
mathematical subjects, but i thought i would post a comic here to relieve of some pressure...
I will be free by 23rd them i will post more regularly, till then, enjoy!
54 comments:
- Unknown said...
Hi Sameer,
You are taking so much pain to re-create the old magic.
We are indebted to you.
All the best for your exams.
- Thursday, December 17, 2009
- Indrajal Comics Treasures said...
HI Abhi,
nice to hear from you after a long time...it seems you need to keep a piece of cheese so that all come to eat it!! :))
please let me know how is the quality of the images after you read it and any suggestions.
- Thursday, December 17, 2009
Hi Sameer,
This is fabulous.
All the IJCs!!!!!---- In order, Complete from cover to cover and that too in HQ!!!!!!!
No thanks is enough for this gigantic effort.
My Best Wishes
- Thursday, December 17, 2009
Hi Sameer,
Sorry, In excitement I forgot to wish you all the best for your Exams.
Best Regards
- Thursday, December 17, 2009
Hi Sameer,
I have seen the comic and it looks wonderful.
It seems that you have really given a lot of your time and expertise to achieve this outcome.
Patchwork, removal of the stains and creases, touchings for rubbings etc.are wonderful.
I have noticed that you have done something for the small part of page nos. 1, 12,15,17and 19 missing as well apart from other pages.
Thanks again for such a good comic.
Best of luck for your exams.
Best Regards
- Thursday, December 17, 2009
- Indrajal Comics Treasures said...
Rakesh, dosent matter if u forgot, i am happy that you felt happy! if my small effort can make some one smile and forget his ensions atleast for a fraction of moment, i feel my efforts were wothwhile!
thanks, I really need the luck :)) as i have a couple of tough subjects!1
- Thursday, December 17, 2009
- Unknown said...
Am I slow in commenting? Maybe I am the tortoise. :)
all the luck to you for exams.
I used to watch movies during my exams to release tension.
Apaplya savaee astaat.
- Friday, December 18, 2009
- Indrajal Comics Treasures said...
Phuktya, leka marathith comment takat ja, nahitar dusrach koni tari watto! :))
me pan abhyas kartana movies baghto....mala pan saglya "changlya savaee ahet"..phakta tuch kahi changla manus ahes ase samju nakos! :))
ani ekda mal phone kar kiva mala tuza cll no email kar..gappa maru!
- Friday, December 18, 2009
- Chatur Cheeta said...
Hi Sameer!
Let me remind you that we friends are always there for you when you need/miss us, although we may not be visible/communicating due to various preoccupations.
Best of Luck for your examinations.
- Friday, December 18, 2009
- Rafiq Raja said...
Your work shows off in the quality of the comic. Thanks much for the effort Sameer, and by the way you left my name out ;)
Best of Luck for your exams too :)
- Friday, December 18, 2009
- Old Man Mozz said...
Hi Sameer,
Thanks again for reposting all the IJC in HQ...
All the best for your exams.
Once you have finished, I will be on holidays so may not be able to post further comments
So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and also to all the lovers of this blog.
- Friday, December 18, 2009
- Quizzerix said...
great show..all the best for your exams
- Saturday, December 19, 2009
- Indrajal Comics Treasures said...
thanks boss!
- Saturday, December 19, 2009
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Monday, August 27, 2007
The End of the Arabs? Part One
For a start, he minimises the extent to which the US occupation has contributed to the disintegration of Iraq. I do not wish to deny the sectarian and ethnic fractures which exist in Iraq and other Arab countries, but it is reasonable to expect that any country, having suffered dictatorship, war, sanctions, and then the overnight collapse of all its institutions, would enter a period of chaos and division. Galbraith accurately records Western support for Saddam Hussain throughout the Iran-Iraq war, when he was gassing Kurds, and the American refusal to intervene when Republican Guards were slaughtering southern Shia in 1991 (the massacres happened under the eyes of American forces occupying the south at the end of the Kuwait war). He describes the criminal failure in 2003 of the occupying forces to stop the looting and burning of every ministry except the oil ministry, of military arsenals and even yellowcake uranium stocks the Americans claimed to be so concerned about in the run-up to the invasion, and of the national museum and national library. (He doesn't examine claims made at the time by Robert Fisk and others that masked men with Kuwaiti accents were bussed in to certain ministries to set fires professionally.) The attack on Iraq's – and the world's – heritage is of course a cultural crime far greater than the despicable Taliban destruction of the Bamyan Buddha statues. Bombing and looting ravaged what was left of Iraq's civilian infrastructure. The Iraqi state was destroyed within the first week of occupation, long before the sectarian killing began.
Galbraith charitably calls incompetence what may more realistically be seen as deliberate divide and rule policies. Certainly arrogance, stupidity and corruption have played a large role – the arrogance and stupidity which allowed Americans to park their tanks on the ruins of Sumerian cities; the corruption which allowed Halliburton to profit by the billion from reconstruction which never happened, and which put Americans in their early twenties, and with no knowledge or experience of Iraq, in charge of entire sectors of the Iraqi economy simply because they were members of the right 'think tank' or prayer group. At a certain point, however, it seems naïve to put all the mistakes down to incompetence. From the very beginning it was obvious to me and the people I talk to that a violent assault on an Iraq already crippled by war and sanctions would not result in a prosperous, unified democracy. It was obvious that every 'mistake' made would further damage national unity. I and my friends are not geniuses, and unlike the neo-conservative and Zionist architects of the invasion, we aren't paid to study the Middle East.
The immediate and sweeping dissolution of the Ba'ath Party, the army and security forces made it inevitable that people would look to the nearest militia or criminal gang to provide security and material supplies. Before long each area had its dominant gang, and the country was a free competition zone for Shia, Sunni, takfiri, and Kurdish militias, American and British troops, South African and Latin American mercenaries, imported Wahabi nihilists, kidnappers and drug traffickers, and so on. John Negroponte, who had made a career setting up fascist death squads to destabilise leftist democracies in Latin America, was brought in to organise Kurdish and Shia militia into 'police' to pacify militantly Sunni towns. Meanwhile, Bremer at one stroke abolished Iraqi economic independence, opening every sector of Iraq to privatisation and foreign control.
These supposed 'mistakes' give us a much clearer picture of the real purposes of the invasion than all the journalistic psychoanalysis of a traumatised post-September 11th America or of its ignorant president. The war was designed as corporate rape of a resource-rich country. Having the Iraqis split into tiny units, each fighting the other and looking for an external sponsor, guarantees that there will be no unified Iraqi force to pose a serious threat to the corporations or their imperial and Zionist facilitators.
Despite the hatreds unleashed by the sectarian war, the number of Arab Iraqis I've met who want the disintegration of their country to be formalised is precisely zero. The neat picture 'The End of Iraq' presents of three clearcut post-Iraq zones is not realistic. Iraq has splintered into smaller pieces than the three zones Galbraith describes. In the south, the Badr Brigade and the Mahdi Army battle for supremacy. In al-Anbar, the battle is between the tribes, the Ba'ath, and al-Qa'ida. Baghdad, supposedly part of the Sunni zone, has a Shii majority. Mosul is a largely Sunni Arab city with a largely Kurdish hinterland. For these cities and other mixed areas such as Diyala and Babil a formalised partition would lead to greatly intensified ethnic cleansing. The horrific bomb attacks which recently killed 500 Yezidi Kurds happened within the context of a forthcoming referendum on which northern areas will join the Kurdish zone.
And if Iraq is allowed to formally splinter, where does the break-up stop? The Arabs of the Jezira in eastern Syria have more in common ethnically, culturally and tribally with the Arabs of al-Anbar than they do with the urban Levantine Arabs of western Syria. There are almost two million Iraqi refugees in Syria, most in Damascus, very many of them Sunnis who have nowhere to return to if Iraq is not put back together. An ethnic-sectarian Sunni state would also pull at the fabric of Jordan, as artificial a state as they come with its three populations of urban Iraqi Sunnis, Jordanian Beduin, and Palestinian refugees. And in Syria, if the Sunnis were to give their allegiance to a sectarian identity, what would stop the Alawis demanding a state in the north west, or the Druze in the Hauran? Which would bring us back to an early French imperial plan for Syria. I could go on, ad infinitum, to prospects for the division of Saudi Arabia, and Iran, and further afield.
Division is a disaster for all but imperialists. If the map must be changed, we should aim for fewer state units, not more. Yet Arabism as manifested so far has clearly failed. I'll examine why in part two.
3 comments:
- Maysaloon said...
Hmm..very interesting. I have my own views about Arab nationalism as an ideology and believe it is doomed to a failure. I'll be interested to know why you think so though.
On another note, have you ever thought about registering your blog with Syria Planet? It's an excellent blog aggregator run by Yazan and all you have to do is e-mail him a link to your blog. Have a look on syplanet.com
- carlo said...
I agree with most of what you say. However, you did not really prove it was not incompetence. Instead, if precedence is relevant, Bush government has been racked by incompetence in all domains: Katrina, the management of the attorney generals, the handling of the social security reform proposals. True, I think now there are people who perceive that chaos in the Middle East is to their advantage and purposefully make Bush pursue it. But I think it was serendipity, don't you?
- qunfuz said...
Wassim - I'll be interested to hear more of your views on Arabism, especially as your blog describes you as Syrian Arab - with the mphasis on Arab.
Carlo - I'm sure that it's incompetence for Bush personally. Apparently Bush didn't know what a Shia Muslim was at the time of the invasion. For the neo-cons in the think tanks, however, I think it was worse than incompetence. Yes, Katrina is an intersting comparison, even if Katrina wasn't planned in the way the invasion was! With katrina, it looks like the Bush regime just didnt care about the poor and black people left in new orleans, at last not until they realised they wer facing an image disaster.


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take care and all the best,
m . . .
Posted by mike . . . at 9:57 AM
3 comments:
- Randeep Katari said...
ah! Thanks for posting this mike! I was actually regretting not asking you what he was up to when we met. Which, by the way, thanks for everything, it was great finally meeting you. I really appreciate what you said to my dad and all.
Hope all is well!
- Monday, August 11, 2008
- "TORI CAT" said...
Thanks for the link to Jason's books!!
I look forward to reading them!!
Best wishes and keep up the awesome work
Kindest regards,
- Thursday, August 21, 2008
- COMIKXGUY said...
will do
- Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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