text:
Haumai is a compound word comprising of Hau and Mai, both meaning'I'. It represents the trait of self-importance - one being self-centred and not caring for rules or propriety whether in the social or professional spheres. In the spiritual domain it represents being indifferent to Hukam and going one's own way. It has been called the major trait of human beings - haumai rog maanukh kau deena; p 1140.
Japji Paurri 1 talks of Koorrai tuttai paal - how to break the wall of false-hood - or pretense. Haumai has been described as that wall - Dhan pir ka ik hi sang vaasa vich haumai bheet karaari - p 1263. the soul-wife and Almighty-husband live together but have a strong wall of Haumai separates them. Haumai therefore is the major impediment in the way of the soul being able to find the Supreme Spirit and merge with IT.
In the context of Japji Paurri 2 which says Nanak hukmai je bujhai ti haumai kahai na koe, it is clear that submission is the way to overcome Haumai, i.e. going in one's own way be it in thoughts, words or deeds. Haumai has also been called Aap or self - aap gavaaeeai ta sahu paaeeai aur kaisi chaturaaee - p 722. When one dissolves the self then one finds the Master; there is nothing (more clever) wiser than this. Hukam was told to the soul by the Creator but it forgets. The Guru - Gurbani makes this known- this is what Hukmai boojhai - understanding Hukam means.
Haumai is feeling of self entity , distinct and separated from our Supreme Power i.e Waheguru, an egoistic consciousness of I , me and my.
All negative emotions originate or are shapes of this egoistic consciousness like expansion for I is ahamkar or false prestige, expansion for my is attachment or moh and expansion for me / mine is greed or lobh.
ਮਾਇਆ ਦੁਖਿ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹਉਮੈ ਰੋਹਿਆ ਮੇਰੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਰਤ ਵਿਹਾਵਏ ॥ang 690 line 12
In this context original article by Dr. J.S.Neki in "The Sikh Review" issue December 2002; on Haumai THE CONCEPT OF INDIVIDUATION may be worth reading by our so learned participants in khojgurbani discussions:
I have been thinking about the distinctions between Hukmai and Haumai in the points made in discussiosn here and provided on the panel discussion. it seems complicated because there are a lot of "selfs" described and a lot of connections between different parts or versions of "self".
as i have learning through the discussions, been trying to organize them in this way, although i may be missing some things:
hukam - natural order of my internal soul/self, which is closest to God
hukam(i) - natural order of external world/physical self
hukam(u) - the bridge between hukam and hukam(i)
hukam(ai) - the state of being connected between hukam and hukam(i)
haum(ai) - the state of NOT being connected between hukam and hukam(i)
what I gathered from the panelists describing haumai is that it is more like the connection of hukam(i) and my ego-driven intellect, or also could be described as a body(hau) - mind(mae) connection. the body-mind connection bypasses the soul and is not listening to the internal hukam one has inside.
the question was raised though, as to why focus on the distinctions and separations, when our intellect is always present and we have been planted here in the world with a natural attachment between mind and body.
as i have been thinking about it, it seems one reason to focus on the distinctions is to have better understanding of the various attributes of ourselves and the world, so we have better awareness. but i don't think that is sufficient, because just having knowledge itself doesn't guide me to action.
for example, if i have awareness of two paths on the road ahead, it doesn't guide me as to which path to take.
as i think about my own life, i think perhaps the reason is because there is so much complexity that it becomes very important to locate and listen to the "right" internal direction. it seems to me that the Guru is helping me to find and be guided by my internal moral compass amidst all the other "noise" derived by my intellect, which could take me down the wrong path.
I believe it was Charan Singh Ji who posted the reference to Ank1233 which refers to a teacher speaking in the mind. I am now thinking that maybe the way i connect to hukam as the voice of my conscience, so it is that listening that the naam and shabad keeps pointing me toward.
it would follow then, i think, that hukmai is not like my CONSCIOUS (awareness) is being raised, like merely like some kind of spiritual state of heightened awareness where my knowledge of how the universe works has increased.
rather it would be more like my CONSCIENCE (morality) is being raised, i am being directed toward listening to the voice of conscience to get to a state of righteous living in my actions.
if i bypass my conscience and allow just the intellect and hukam(i) connection, and live in the state of haumae, then any purpose for which i need my conscience to guide me would be missing. all the negative attributes would somehow seem reasonable, like just serving my own physical or psychological appetites, like a narcissist or a psychopath.
i am trying to read and research further to make more connections and see if this way of understanding hukam by relating it to the voice of conscience compared to haumai as just the pull of worldly appetites is consistent with Gurbani. but if i am understanding the meaning correctly, it seems it would be consistent with the text mentioned by Charan Singh Ji on page 1168 and Rawel Singh Ji on page 1140, and Gurdip Singh Ji on page 690. thank you for posting your comments and references, i found they are very helpful.
1) "voice of my conscience, so it is that listening that the naam and shabad keeps pointing me toward."
2) "teacher speaking in the mind"
3) "rather it would be more like my CONSCIENCE (morality) is being raised, i am being directed toward listening to the voice of conscience to get to a state of righteous living in my actions." Eileen Alden
Thanks for sharing great insight jio, providing richness to my evolving Gurmat understandings.
1) Naam/ NaMo = Shabad/SBDo = AnMRiTo= GoRBaNnee points to righteous conduct/that is Naam/NaMo
2) This teacher or say Intuitive Tutor is also the learner - a comprehensive, inseparable continuity - the one that speaks, also listens and reads (ਕਹਤਉ ਪੜਤਉ ਸੁਣਤਉ ਏਕ ॥ ਧੀਰਜ ਧਰਮੁ ਧਰਣੀਧਰ ਟੇਕ) Ank-658)
that is SBDo = Listening ( Sunna), Speaking ( Bola),Seeing ( DaekhaNa - To see) and Reflecting ( DiKhna- Insightfulness) faculities that dwell both INSIDE and OUTSIDE in Oneness for everyone, everywhere. In this sense the mind-body-highermind/soul are not separate, instead, in Oneness - the Meaning!! / Tath Gian/ Quintessential essence/ the creative compassionate/ HoKMo/SBDo/NaMo /AnMRiTo - oscillates, constantly amongst these - inseparable
3) Constant companionship with this resonating, oscillating reflects righteous actions - because only this is Astable - that constantly resonating between unstable states. GoRBaNnee points to this as Satsangat/ Sadh Sangat and encourages staying connected in the company to make sure my actions are transcended with "NaMo" and NaMo flows with me being only a Conduit pipe put to serve HokMo. HOoMae- on the other hand seems: Unawareness, low intensity of learning, researching, forgetfulness, illogical reasoning about what DWELLS ALONG - HoKMo/SBDo/NaMo /AnMRiTo ( NaNK LiKhiaa NaaLae) with three domains of Listening, Speaking, Seeing.
Thank you Charan Singh Ji, you mentioned this huge connection I have been reflecting on a lot:
"that is SBDo = Listening ( Sunna), Speaking ( Bola),Seeing ( DaekhaNa - To see) and Reflecting ( DiKhna- Insightfulness) faculities that dwell both INSIDE and OUTSIDE in Oneness for everyone, everywhere. In this sense the mind-body-highermind/soul are not separate, instead, in Oneness - the Meaning!! / Tath Gian/ Quintessential essence/ the creative compassionate/ HoKMo/SBDo/NaMo /AnMRiTo - oscillates, constantly amongst these - inseparable"
It makes intuitive sense to me that God has made these parts all connected and inseparable but at the same time it is hard to get a grasp of this because there are so many dimensions and this fluid oscillating one-ness that is still hard for me to conceptualize, so I am working a lot on that.
But I think this is somehow related to the idea from Ravinder Singh Ji on today's panel discussion that inspired me when he mentioned a "simbiotic relationship between self-mastery and mastery of living in the world."
I was originally thinking that because I have a soul inside me from the Creator and it follows Hukmo that it is fully formed and so I just have to switch it on and then go straight to what I believed to be the most important focus which is on my outside world actions.
But now I see the self-mastery as purposeful and simbiotically connected with the mastery of living, I think it somehow helps me to better understand the connections of HokMo/SBDo/NaMo/AnMRiTo.
I think I need to adjust my understanding and consider that my soul is not simply ready to go from birth, but instead it is more like a seed. I can understand that the Creator has given me a seed which all of the ingredients that it requires to grow according to the natural order and design. But I see it also needs the proper conditions, even from outside like water and sun, or else it dies and goes to waste.
So even if i can rely on that seed/soul being truly perfect and it is there for me to use in life, and I know it has the potential to guide my actions just as the Creator intended and designed, it is still imperative that I nurture and care for it both internally and externally in order for it to flourish.
For example I could think of self-mastery as one way of internal soul-nurturing, maybe with Simran and clearing way the external veil to allow my soul to grow, rather than just as relaxation technique or for it's own purpose.
I think that the mastery of living in the world would also naturally help nurture this soul-seed because it can't thrive unless it manifests and blooms in the external world. So this would be like living righteously through Naam and doing Seva, not because of pride or even in a state of Haumai just in order to brag about your good deeds.
I feel somehow that it is helpful for me to think of the external world as a positive place for my soul to exist and be able to thrive, not just as a set of obstacles or challenges to endure that is entirely full of Maya and trickery. Sometimes thinking of the external world as an incomprehensible puzzle has a negative connotation for me and it then makes me want to think of my soul as separate and distinct from that negative place instead of connected to it. So I am trying to see these connections in a more positive way like the seed metaphor.
I believe this might be what is meant on page 23:
ਇਹੁ ਤਨੁ ਧਰਤੀ ਬੀਜੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਕਰੋ ਸਲਿਲ ਆਪਾਉ ਸਾਰਿੰਗਪਾਣੀ ॥
ਮਨੁ ਕਿਰਸਾਣੁ ਹਰਿ ਰਿਦੈ ਜੰਮਾਇ ਲੈ ਇਉ ਪਾਵਸਿ ਪਦੁ ਨਿਰਬਾਣੀ ॥੧॥
Thank you also to all the speakers on the panel today with a lot of insights and thank you to the moderators for providing space on the blog to continue the discussion. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.
..just a note with a request to review - one, likely, should not associate HaO /ਹਉ with body + Mae / ਮੈ with Mind only, it will be interesting reseaching more into these , as shared during the first panel dicussion on this theme in view of the following:
ਹਉ ਨ ਮੂਆ ਮੇਰੀ ਮੁਈ ਬਲਾਇ ॥
ਓਹੁ ਨ ਮੂਆ ਜੋ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ ॥
ਮਰਤਾ ਜਾਤਾ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਇਆ ॥੪॥੪॥ Ank 152
Hukam is synonym with Divine Order, Firmaan, Divine Law.
ਹੁਕਮੀ ਲਿਖੈ ਸਿਰਿ ਲੇਖੁ ਵਿਣੁ ਕਲਮ ਮਸਵਾਣੀਐ ॥ang 1280
ਹੁਕਮੀ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੁਖ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਈਅਹਿ ॥ang 1
ਹੁਕਮੀ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੁਖ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਈਅਹਿ ॥ang 1
Hukam is also synonym with Naam
ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਆਕਾਰ ang 1
nām kē dhārē sagal ākār .ang 283
ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਜੀਅ ang 1
nām kē dhārē sagalē jant .ang 283
ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥ ang 1
sabh vadiāīā har nām vich har guramukh dhiāīai .ang 850
hukamī utam nīch. Ang 1
nānak nām lagē sē ubarē ang 33
ਬੁਝਣਾ is synonym with ਦ੍ਰਿੜ ਹੋਣਾ , ਪੱਕਾ ਸਮਝਣਾ understanding to the core to the extent that understanding gets reflected in behaviour, understanding to the extent that separation from Akal Purakh (Timeless, Eternal),becomes crystal clear( state of bairag) and yawning for Divine Grace to get merger with Divine emerges automatically.
Haumai is synonym with ਮੈਂ , ਮੇਰੀ an illusion that everything in this world is me or mine or belongs to me. A state of detachment from Divine and attachment with Maya. Haumai generates all evil in behaviour, is also cause of birth and death. ਹਉ ਵਿਚਿ ਜੰਮਿਆ ਹਉ ਵਿਚਿ ਮੁਆ ॥ ang 466
haumai is also creation of Akal Purakh haumai ēhō hukam hai paiai kirat phirāh ang 466.
Gurmukhs are required to subdue their Haumai into Akal Purakh Itself, by removing illusion of me , mine , by flowing into positive emotion of Love for God and Godliness, by dedicating all achievements to Grace of AkalPurakh and thus turn malady of Haumai into cure itself. ਹਉਮੈ ਦੀਰਘ ਰੋਗੁ ਹੈ ਦਾਰੂ ਭੀ ਇਸੁ ਮਾਹਿ ॥ang 466.
ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥ ang 1
This way when Gurmukhs understand Divine order pervading everywhere feeling everything ( including self) belonging to Akal Purakh , delusion of Maya of main meri, me mine shall be removed from them and Tu , Teri Thee Thine shall prevail upon resulting in union with The Ultimate Divine.
Thank you Gurdip Singh Ji for that description in your last two points especially which illustrated some of these elements I have been struggling with. I see your points that positive emotion of Love for God and achievements for God transform the Haumai and that maybe the more I am filled with my understanding or Bujna the more my sense of Akal Purakh and universal truth increases and Main/Meri diminishes.
Listening to the panel today also I heard Dr. I. J. Singh Ji mention the idea of reducing the size of Haumai to a drop in the ocean of Hukam, as compared I imagine to the other way of realizing just a drop of Hukam while around swimming around in an ocean of Haumai. That makes a lot of sense to me.
But I also heard Ravinder Singh Ji ask if Hukam Bujna provides very specific answers like what occupation to have and this is something I have been wondering about - how does it operate in my life?
I was thinking that it is like my conscience and moral compass, so it influences my decisions in a specific way for me in the context of my life. So for example maybe the people in Nazi Germany who helped save Jewish people from death at their own risk had that type of understanding of God. In that case they listened to what God intends them to do in that circumstance and the people who stood by idle during that time were listening to fear, self preservation/me, and living in Haumai.
But I'm not clear as to whether I have enough Hukam Bujna to know how it manifests in life. If I remember correctly, Ek Eng Kaur Khalsa Ji mentioned something about seeing a bright light as guidance. I'm not sure if it can be articulated, but I was wondering if anyone has examples they might share of how the Hukam Bujna guides ones actions so I could get a better sense of how to recognize it.
Thank you!
PiAaRiHo !!
Great sharing on HoKMo and HoMae. Eileen jio's seed metaphor and I J Singh jio's a drop dissolving into Ocean ( finite into Infinite) have some similarities to me. however, before I reflect more , I would appreciate what participants take on following panktia reflected by a panel member
ਹੁਕਮੁ ਸਾਜਿ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਰਖੈ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਅਗਹੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਤੁਟੈ ਤਾਂ ਕੋ ਲਿਖੀਐ ਲੇਖੈ ॥੧॥ Ank 1243
Infact the whole Salok of Mhlaa 2 on reflections of Mhlaa 1 and the concluding Pauree ( Ank 1243)
seems very powerful solutions to understand, decode, solve the riddle of
What is Hukam Bujhae? -
with implications for day to day living.
Everything happens as per the Hukam of Waheguru:-
ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਚਲਾਏ ਰਾਹੁ ॥ (Jap, Guru Nanak, GSS. 2-2).
hukami hukam chalaaeae raahu ||
The Commander, by His command, makes man walk on His path.
ਨਾਨਕ ਵਿਗਸੈ ਵੇਪਰਵਾਹੁ ॥੩॥
naanak vigasai vaeparavaahu ||3||
ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! ਬੇ-ਮੁਹਤਾਜ ਮਾਲਕ ਮੌਜ਼ਾ ਮਾਣਦਾ ਹੈ।
The same concept is enforced in the following Tuk:-
ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥(Jap, Guru Nanak, GGS. 1-7).
hukam rajaaee chalanaa naanak likhiaa naal ||1||
O Nanak! By obeying, the pre-ordained order of the Lord's will.
ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਆਕਾਰ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਕਹਿਆ ਜਾਈ ॥
hukamee hovan aakaar hukam n kehiaa jaaee ||
By the Lord's order bodies are produced. His order cannot be narrated.
ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਜੀਅ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥
hukamee hovan jeea hukam milai vaddiaaee ||
With His fiat the souls come into being and with His fiat greatness is obtained.
ਹੁਕਮੀ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੁਖ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਈਅਹਿ ॥
hukamee outham neech hukam likh dhukh sukh paaeeahi ||
By His command the mortals are make high and low and by His written command they obtain woe and weal.
ਇਕਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਬਖਸੀਸ ਇਕਿ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਸਦਾ ਭਵਾਈਅਹਿ ॥
eikanaa hukamee bakhasees eik hukamee sadhaa bhavaaeeahi |
Some obtain gifts through His order and some through His order are ever made to wander in transmigration.
If we accept that everything works as per command of Waheguru, then there is no room for Ego (houmai):-
ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹੁਕਮ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
hukamai andhar sabh ko baahar hukam n koe ||
All are subject to His fiat and none is exempt from His fiat.
ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥
naanak hukamai jae bujhai th houmai kehai n koe ||2||
O Nanak! if man were to understand Lord's fiat, then no one would take pride (speak in ego).
ਜਿਵ ਜਿਵ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਤਿਵੈ ਤਿਵ ਕਾਰ ॥(Jap, Guru Nanak, GGS. 8-7).
jiv jiv hukam thivai thiv kaar ||
As is the Master's mandate, so are their functions.
Guru Amar Das Ji highlights a Gurmat path to understand Hukam:-
ਆਵਹੁ ਸੰਤ ਪਿਆਰਿਹੋ ਅਕਥ ਕੀ ਕਰਹ ਕਹਾਣੀ ॥(Raag Raamkali M. 3, GGS. 918-4).
aavahu santh piaariho akathh kee kareh kehaanee ||
Come, O dear saints, let us utter the discourse of the ineffable Lord.
ਕਰਹ ਕਹਾਣੀ ਅਕਥ ਕੇਰੀ ਕਿਤੁ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਪਾਈਐ ॥
kareh kehaanee akathh kaeree kith dhuaarai paaeeai ||
Let us speak of the Ineffable Lord, By what means can we find Him?
Guru Ji further suggests the following line of action to become a Gurmukh while exploring Gurbani :-
ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਸਭੁ ਸਉਪਿ ਗੁਰ ਕਉ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮੰਨਿਐ ਪਾਈਐ ॥ (Raag Raamkali M. 3, GGS. 918-5).
than man dhhan sabh soup gur ko hukam manniai paaeeai ||
Surrender all your body, soul and wealth unto the Guru and submit to his will, thus shall you obtain the Lord.
ਹੁਕਮੁ ਮੰਨਿਹੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਕੇਰਾ ਗਾਵਹੁ ਸਚੀ ਬਾਣੀ ॥
hukam mannihu guroo kaeraa gaavahu sachee baanee ||
Obey ye the Guru's order and sing ye the True Gurbani.
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸੁਣਹੁ ਸੰਤਹੁ ਕਥਿਹੁ ਅਕਥ ਕਹਾਣੀ ॥੯॥
kehai naanak sunahu santhahu kathhihu akathh kehaanee ||9||
Says Nanak, hearken O ye saints, narrate ye the inexpressible anecdote of the Lord.
ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤਿ ਆਪਿ ਉਪਾਇ ਕੈ ਕਰਤਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਵਰਤਾਏ ॥
siv sakath aap oupaae kai karathaa aapae hukam varathaaeae ||
Himself creating mind and matter, the Creator subjects them to His command.
ਹੁਕਮੁ ਵਰਤਾਏ ਆਪਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਕਿਸੈ ਬੁਝਾਏ ॥
hukam varathaaeae aap vaekhai guramukh kisai bujhaaeae ||
The Lord enforces His order, He Himself sees all, Through the Guru, He makes some rare one know Him.
ਤੋੜੇ ਬੰਧਨ ਹੋਵੈ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਸਬਦੁ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਏ ॥
thorrae bandhhan hovai mukath sabadh mann vasaaeae ||
He bursts his bonds, obtains emancipation and enshrines the Lord's Name in his mind.
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਆਪਿ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਏਕਸ ਸਿਉ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਏ ॥
guramukh jis no aap karae s hovai eaekas sio liv laaeae ||
He, whom the Lord Himself makes holy, becomes so and fixes his attention on the One Lord.
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਤਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਬੁਝਾਏ ॥੨੬॥
kehai naanak aap karathaa aapae hukam bujhaaeae ||26||
Says Nanak, God Himself is the Creator and Himself reveals His will.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Guru Angad Dev Ji sums up in the following tuks:-
ਸਭ ਤੇਰੀ ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਤੂੰ ਕਾਦਿਰੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪਾਕੀ ਨਾਈ ਪਾਕੁ ॥(Raag Asa M.1, GGS. 464-8).
sabh thaeree kudharath thoon kaadhir karathaa paakee naaee paak ||
Everything, is Thy might. Thou t the Omnipotent Creator, and Thy Name is the holiest of the holy.
ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਵਰਤੈ ਤਾਕੋ ਤਾਕੁ ॥੨॥
naanak hukamai andhar vaekhai varathai thaako thaak ||2||
Says Nanak, through Thy pleasure, Thou O Lord beholdest and pervadest everything Altogether unrivalled Thou art.
ਨਾਨਕ ਏਕੀ ਬਾਹਰੀ ਹੋਰ ਦੂਜੀ ਨਾਹੀ ਜਾਇ ॥ (Raag Asa M. 2, GGS. 475-10).
naanak eaekee baaharee hor dhoojee naahee jaae ||
Nanak, except the One Lord, there is no other abiding place.
ਸੋ ਕਰੇ ਜਿ ਤਿਸੈ ਰਜਾਇ ॥੨੪॥੧॥ ਸੁਧੁ
so karae j thisai rajaae ||24||1|| sudhhu
The Master does that, whatever is His will.
ਆਪੇ ਸਾਜੇ ਕਰੇ ਆਪਿ ਜਾਈ ਭਿ ਰਖੈ ਆਪਿ ॥ (Raag Asa M. 2, 475-7).
aapae saajae karae aap jaaee bh rakhai aap ||
The Lord Himself creates and Himself fashions the world and himself keeps it in place.
ਤਿਸੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਜੰਤ ਉਪਾਇ ਕੈ ਦੇਖੈ ਥਾਪਿ ਉਥਾਪਿ ॥
this vich janth oupaae kai dhaekhai thhaap outhhaap ||
Having created the beings therein, He beholds their birth and death.
ਕਿਸ ਨੋ ਕਹੀਐ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਆਪੇ ਆਪਿ ॥੨॥
kis no keheeai naanakaa sabh kishh aapae aap ||2||
Whom should we address, O Nanak, when He, the Lord Himself is all in all.
ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮੰਨਿਐ ਹੋਵੈ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ਤਾ ਖਸਮੈ ਕਾ ਮਹਲੁ ਪਾਇਸੀ ॥ (Raag Asa, M.1, GGS. 471-13).
hukam manniai hovai paravaan thaa khasamai kaa mehal paaeisee ||
By obeying His command, man becomes acceptable and then obtains the Master's mansion.
ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ਸਵਾਰੇ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਕਉ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ॥੧॥
thinhaa savaarae naanakaa jinh ko nadhar karae ||1||
Nanak, the Master bedecks those, on whom he casts him gracious glance.
Guru Arjan Dev Ji makes it clear by giving a personal example - that absence of ego (houmai) leads to understanding of Divine Hukam:-
ਹਉ ਆਪਹੁ ਬੋਲਿ ਨ ਜਾਣਦਾ ਮੈ ਕਹਿਆ ਸਭੁ ਹੁਕਮਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥(Raag Suhi, M. 5, GGS. 763-5).
Ho Aapahu Bol N Jaanadhaa Mai Kehiaa Sabh Hukamaao Jeeo ||
By myself, I do not even know how to speak; I speak all that the Lord commands.
Finally, according to Guru Nanak Sahib, the giving up of Houmai and understanding Divine Hukam is subject to Waheguru's Nadr/Kirpa/Grace:-
ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਈਐ ਤਾ ਸਹੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਅਉਰੁ ਕੈਸੀ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ॥ (Raag Tilang M. 1, GGS. 722-13).
Aap Gavaaeeai Thaa Sahu Paaeeai Aour Kaisee Chathuraaee ||
Give up your selfhood, and so obtain your Husband Lord; what other clever tricks are of any use?
ਸਹੁ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖੈ ਸੋ ਦਿਨੁ ਲੇਖੈ ਕਾਮਣਿ ਨਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਪਾਈ ॥
Sahu Nadhar Kar Dhaekhai So Dhin Laekhai Kaaman No Nidhh Paaee ||
When the Husband Lord looks upon the soul-bride with His Gracious Glance, that day is historic - the bride obtains the nine treasures.
Thank you Charan Singh Ji, that is a very helpful reference. That helps confirm that the intent behind actions matters, not just the appearance. It doesn't matter if you are washing on the outside if you are still staying dirty on the inside.
It also seems to me as I read the text and reflect on this challenge of day-to-day living that Haumai is somehow related to Bharam, although I know this is not the discussion topic right now.
I just notice that if I am contemplating Haumai and the vast amounts of ego and maya, it fills me with the feeling of frustration like it is a hopeless, impossible task to minimize Haumai. Like Holden Caufield naively trying to erase all the profanity in the world.
I think that hopeless feeling is basically equal to doubt.
So I think if I try to take inventory of my actions and Haumai it is just not productive - not only because it takes up room in my mind which should be filled with Shabad, but also because it is kind of depressing, like looking at the my actions in the world as a glass half-full.
That doubt and hopelessness makes me feel even more separation from God. And yet the whole point of contemplating Haumai and examining my own actions in the first place was to try to get a better understanding of whether I am able to observe myself acting out of Haumai and try to correct it.
I guess thinking about Haumai and how challenging it is to reduce it just doesn't seem to give me any positive guidance, compared to simply focusing my mind on Shabad and Naam, which directly guides me to follow righteous living in the world.
So before, I had been thinking of Haumai only as narcissistic selfishness which separates us from God, but now I see it now more broadly as something that goes hand-in-hand with doubt, which also separates us from God.
Thanks for sharing jio. This understanding is perfect and priceless: "...compared to simply focusing my mind on Shabad and Naam, which directly guides me to follow righteous living in the world." because then the end result is definite, firm, accomplishable, permanent: as following
ਮੇਰੇ ਰਾਮ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਆਰੋਗ ਭਏ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਬਚਨੀ ਜਿਨਾ ਜਪਿਆ ਮੇਰਾ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਤਿਨ ਕੇ ਹਉਮੈ ਰੋਗ ਗਏ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
A conversation with Ravinder Singh Taneja. Few excerpts:
Chetandeep Singh (CDS): As we go about in our daily lives, what are the parameters/indications one can use to judge if one is living/acting in Hukam or Haumai?
Ravinder Singh (RST): The very act of consciously looking if what I did was in Hukam or Haumai is counterproductive and defeats the purpose.
CDS: I am not sure, if I understand this completely. Gurbani, asks us to "Mann Khoj" or contemplate, search inside - observe our thoughts. Through contemplation, I can keep a check on myself, if my thoughts or actions were in Hukam or Haumai. So that I can self-correct or have a feedback/awareness loop on myself. Of course, this checking/contemplation is in Haumai because we are so embedded in Haumai (or the other way around), but then contemplation/self-inquiry/inner search is the way we understand from Gurbani. Your answer, to me, seemed to contradict this.
RST: Sorry, I did not mean to confuse you, and I have contradicted myself before, so I am not surprised! But you also said you were puzzled. Now that is a great sign. Now, this is a question that has nagged me personally for years. Here is what I have learnt over time: see if it helps. In the physical world, it is perfectly legitimate to measure progress based on data (metrics). But in the world of Hukam/Naam there cannot be an "objective" measure for determining or measuring progress vis-a-vis Hukam. Why? Because there as a subjective imagination (me, myself or Haumai) involved in making that assessment. What that means is that the answer (how am I doing?) also has to come from within - from a deeper level. My experience has been that when you do "Mann Khoj" you will "intuit" the answer; it will bubble up. Gurbani provides "intimations" but no direct measure: that is left to each one of us to interpret.
CDS: I completely agree with the subjective imagination part. I have seen this movie personally. And I have also felt the answers / feeling emerge from within. Those feelings are always accompanied by a different sense of peace.
RST: There is another fallacy in your question (to my mind). It implies "progress" i.e. movement towards a destination. And it involves judgement, as you say. That is part of our illusion. To my mind, there is nowhere to go. All one has to do is awaken. No judgements needed, because that brings you right back to square one.
CDS: I agree with that - we have nowhere to go but awaken but the word progress is limited/bound by English language. We can say progress towards awakening :-)
RST: Having made that disclaimer, let me offer a more down-to-earth practical suggestions. While I said one has to awaken and that there are no external measures, I am not suggesting that one should not engage in self-inquiry. Gurbani calls it "aapa cheeni". Introspection, Contemplation and reflection. Here are my personal markers - developed over a lifetime. 1. From being full of questions I don't have any (metaphysical questions, i.e.) But you have to start by questioning everything, including your own conditioning. This the key. 2. From wanting certitude about everything, am happy living not having all the answers. 3. We live in a mystery or a riddle (that is why it is Hukam bhujey, not solving a mathematical problem) 4. Being able to "detach" oneself (not physically) from the world and even oneself. Watch how you (as an actor along with others) are reacting to ever-shifting circumstance.
CDS: I am not sure if I agree on the part about living in a mystery or a riddle. As you pointed out, we are asleep/unconscious and we need to just awaken. Now if we are asleep & need to awaken, then how is it a mystery? We simply need to access/attune into Hukam, rather than viewing it as a riddle. The second Pauri of Japji Sahib says: ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥2॥ "Through Hukam, realize the One (Truth)." The truth is as sharp as daylight - we are who are out of touch with this reality.
RST: When I say riddle/mystery, I mean a couple of things: one, that the way to the Truth (Hukam) is not the way you solve ordinary world problems - whether at home or at work. It is not a linear, mathematical equation. The methodology is different and is akin to solving a riddle or putting together a puzzle and inner faculties have to be leveraged and trusted. We have to trust what our intuition tells us - more often than not, in a situation we tend to rely only on "hard data." Empirical facts (which can mislead). We can't worship at the altar of data alone. Second, a mystery means to me (perhaps I should not call it that) also means that we cannot get to the bottom of it. Guru Ji gives us the analogy of a fish trying to take the measure of the ocean.
CDS: Family settings, kids, friends, co workers help us give an instant insight into our state of mind. What is our internal state of mind while reacting to kids - are we irritated (which I am often guilty of) or calm - how do we react to our spouses, how internally we compare & compete with our peers - any tension in our mind is a reflection of Haumai filled state of mind.
RST: Behaviorally, the markers are more specific and in Gurbani: 1. Watch carefully for the 5 thieves - kam/krodh/lobh/moh/ahankar: how are you reacting these? 2. Where are you spending most of your time (mentally, that is) 3. Acceptance: this is the key. How do you react to failure or a desire unfulfilled? Does it fill you with anger/rage? Do you get carried away when things do go your way?
CDS: Acceptance is really the key. Thank you for reminding. If you find yourself on an even keel regardless of success or failure, censure or praise, I think you are certainly on the path.
CDS: Well, this is a really elevated state of existence. ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਆਤਮ ਗਹਤਾਵੈ ॥ ਜੀਵਨ ਮੁਕਗਤ ਸੋਊ ਕਹਾਵੈ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਹਰਖੁ ਤੈਸਾ ਉਸੁ ਸੋਿੁ ॥ ਸਦਾ ਅਨੰ ਦੁ ਤਹ ਨਹੀ ਗਬਓਿੁ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਸੁਵਰਨੁ ਤੈਸੀ ਉਸੁ ਮਾਟੀ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਅੰਗਮਰਤੁ ਤੈਸੀ ਗਬਖੁ ਖਾਟੀ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਮਾਨੁ ਤੈਸਾ ਅਗਭਮਾਨੁ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਰੰਕੁ ਤੈਸਾ ਰਾਜਾਨੁ ॥ ਜੋ ਵਰਤਾਏ ਸਾਈ ਜੁਿਗਤ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਓਹੁ ਪ੍ੁਰਖੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਜੀਵਨ ਮੁਕਗਤ ॥7॥
RST: Another marker: Are you filled with Vismaad? Awe and wonderstruck at the Universe we live in? Or is it mundane and humdrum?
CDS: Personally, I have not felt Vismaad. It eludes me. My existence is pretty mundane. Actually, my state of mind oscillates between I am responsible for everything and letting it go - lifting that weight of responsibility and giving it to God/Universe/Life force.
RST: To your point about Vismaad - I understand the vacillation, I suffered from most of life. I also suffered from a different understanding of "letting go" and treating the world as an illusion. The result: I was never fully "dialed in" to what I was doing because to me it was all futile. This impacted relationships (never bothered to nurtured them), work (never cared too much about it) and even my personal self. It was when I stopped listening to all the Kathakars/Pracharaks etc and actually started to dig into the Sri Guru Granth Sahib myself (with no preconceived notions) that I began to see the error of my ways.
CDS: At one level it is all futile. At a cosmic scale, we don't have any significance. There was no earth few years back & there will not be an earth many years later. We all eventually die. That is the way it is. But the way, I use this futility to my benefit (or I think so), is when I am in a negative frame of mind - when I have an argument with my wife - or a conflict with friends - to let it go - because life is short & this argument/conflict doesn't hold any meaning in a bigger scheme of things. How did you overcome this futility - How Sri Guru Granth Sahib changed your way of thinking in this respect ?
RST: At a physical level, yes, we are insignificant from a cosmic perspective. But we are also "jot saroop" - a unique expression/signature of that One. In that sense, very significant. We need to add our "color" (talent, competency) to the universal tapestry, no matter how insignificant. In an orchestra, even the little triangle (physically insignificant) gets its say: the big Bass and Trumpets and percussions stop. I think of the Universe somewhat like that.
CDS: What about "letting it go"?
RST: It is a skill to be able to balance the dynamic between "being in control" and "letting it go." It shifts every moment depending on the circumstance. With a child, you have to be in control, but as they grow older, have to learn to let go and we parents often don't know how. Just look at our families. My 90 year old grandmother was still scolding my 70+ father and getting away with it! Charming to see him stare at the ground in deference - but you get my drift. Likewise with work: there are things to be done and delivered and one has to be engaged (as I discovered). In other words, enlightenment means being able to function with multiple skill sets and applying them as the moment demands.
CDS: I have a close to 4 year old son & a 2 month old daughter. With a child, I agree, a lot of times we have to be in control. But I have seen myself transforming into a control freak in the name of being in control. I am discovering that there is another way - of following inner Hukam - of going with the flow with children, rather than forcing my will on them. The mornings I do this, are better. The more I listen to his cues carefully, rather than forcing my will, the pleasant is the experience for both.
RST: Control is tied to expectation and therein lies our problem. It is a learning at every instant. No instants/moments are the same or predictable, yet Control wants to make them so - hence expectation and constant disappointment. This is the classical structure at work. The learning also is how much control in a given moment or experience. Inner centered but outwardly driven.
CDS: You mentioned the word Vismaad. Can you elaborate on what it really means?
RST: Vismaad teaches you that you ARE RESPONSIBLE for a GREATER GOOD. We just have to look beyond our belly. We are One, just circumscribed in a body and subject to a three dimensional world and all the properties associated with such a world.
CDS: It is amazing, the way things just are - IK. On the other hand, we have been burdened/forced to play this game (or being in Haumai & live in Hukam) - vagaries of Akal Purakh !!!
RST: This is the biggest illusion there is! This the fundamental Bharam in Punjabi which we have labeled Haumai. It thinks this is being done to it. Bani is telling us you are doing it. After all there is none other.
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Note: In this twenty second Paurri of Asa Di Vaar, the set of five Sloks or prologues below are on t...
ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੨ ॥ ਏਹ ਕਿਨੇਹੀ ਆਸਕੀ ਦੂਜੈ ਲਗੈ ਜਾਇ ॥ ...
ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮ: ੧ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਫਿਕੈ ਬੋਲਿਐ ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਫਿਕਾ ਹੋਇ ...


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Come explore the Silk Road as the Great Principality in the North hosts its Coronet Tournament and Investiture! Roses Tourney will take place after the Coronet Tournament. A variety of activities, including youth activities and a special site token activity, are planned throughout the weekend. In addition, all artists and craftsmen are called to display their many talents in an Arts & Sciences display. A schedule and description of events and activities will be available on site.
Join Oerthans and guests in a bardic circle around the fire pit on both Friday and Saturday night. Any other fires must be in an above ground container. Taste the wonders of a locally raised pig and pies from along the Silk Road in the Saturday feast.
If you would like to host a Saturday fundraiser breakfast or lunch, please contact Sheva email@example.com.
Sunday morning, wake up with traditionally made Turkish Coffee in a fundraiser to support the Shire of Hrafnfjord!
Vendors and Merchants are invited to bring their wares. Please contact the Merchant Co-ordinator Rin (Benjamin Bryant) at email@example.com
Other Site Information
While it is unlikely that there will be bears, moose do frequent the area and bears are sometimes present during the summer. Be sure to be bear aware.
Please contact the autocrat with size requirements for either mundane or period tents.
RV's will park in regular parking. There are no hookups.
Bring your own water; there is no water available on site.
Event Steward:Silvia of Thrace (Larissa Notter)
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: 907-202-4822
Rodeo Grounds Loop Road (Rodeo Grounds Loop Road, Soldotna Alaska )
From all points north: Take the Seward Highway south to the Sterling Highway exit. Follow the Sterling Highway to Soldotna. Take the first right on Kalifornsky Beach Road (K-Beach Road). After crossing the bridge over the Kenai River, turn right onto Rodeo Grounds Loop. Our site is outside the Rodeo Grounds after approximately 1/4 mile. Please get your spot from the traffic director, unload, and then park in the parking lot.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Villisca murder ax and a lamp taken from the crime scene on June 10, 1912 as evidence. This is the only Villisca "crime scene" photo known to exist.
We recently received the following query via VilliscaMovie.com for Villisca axe murder historian Dr. Edgar V. Epperly. We have our own thoughts regarding the theory/questions below, and we will share those in a future post. --Kelly Rundle, Director, Villisca: Living with a Mystery


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Keith keeps hitting me up wanting to short BKC. I keep thinking; where is the down side shorting a franchised business model trading at 12.2x NTM EPS? That is of course the earnings numbers are too high! It's hard to get back the marketing MOJO once it's gone!
Right now Business week running a story on BKC "Burger King's Big Misstep" - CEO John Chidsey wrested control of marketing from his franchisees; now he's losing business to McDonald's
As a point of reference I also had this on the portal a month ago - 4/20:
Last week Burger King said its EPS results were negatively impacted by significant traffic declines in the month of March, resulting in lower than expected margins.
Importantly, Germany (BKC's second largest company-owned market) and Mexico (the only company-owned market in Latin America) experienced the largest declines in traffic. The same trends hold true in the US and Canada, where same-store sales were 1.6%. With 3%+ pricing, the decline in traffic is significant.
In the mature QSR market, a successful advertising strategy is critical to driving incremental customers into the stores. Rarely, will a QSR company or stock do well without a successful advertising campaign. Over the past few years the resurgence of the "King" as a marketing icon was critical to Burger King's success.
From an advertising standpoint, Burger King has recently made two critical missteps with its edgy advertising tactics. First, critics are up in arms about the suggestive new SpongeBob "square butt'' commercial that juxtaposes a beloved children's character with sexy women dancing suggestively. Why would the company take a children's cartoon character, SpongeBob, and combine it with the backs of well-toned female dancers, wearing SpongeBob's brown pants with phone books in them to make them "square butts"; all set to the tune of Sir Mix-a-Lot's 90's hit, "Baby Got Back"?
Today, I learned that Burger King had to apologize to Mexico after Mexico's ambassador to Spain alleged that the company's new Texican Whopper advertisement released in Europe demeans his country's national flag.
Burger King's advertising issues are nothing compared to poor Domino's. I think it will be very difficult for anybody to order a sandwich or a pizza from Domino's without imagining a curl of cheese being stuck first in the cook's nose, or worse thinking about an employee hawking a loogie into your Cheesy Bread! At Burger King, the judgment of some of those in the marketing department needs to be questioned.


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More Bureaucratic Oppression
AML Registration at Law.Soc.
It was easy enough, after a few days of interrupting our usual hectic business schedule, to obtain Disclosure Scotland documents for each of the partners in this firm. However, getting together over the Law Society Registration process took another few days and then pinned us down for longer than we anticipated. Eventually, however, we got the job done and, hopefully, that is the name of our firm removed from the "Current Outstanding List" currently held by the Law Society.
My recommendation to all members is to get the job done, just as quickly as possible. We should then re-group at a later date to find out whether anything can be done about the current storm of bureaucratic oppression which threatens to destroy our business viability.
In order to take on this process you should click on this link https://www.lawscot.org.uk/members/business-support/financial-compliance/anti-money-laundering/new-aml-registration-requirements-frequently-asked-questions/
AML Registration
One of the reasons I gave up running my own firm - compliance for small practice units is overwhelming


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PC-based Control from Beckhoff offers users an integrated control and drive platform that covers all aspects from the field level to the IT level, including pre-print, print and post-print. PC-based control enhances production efficiency and flexibility as well as the application scope of printing machines. In view of increasingly complex requirements for packaging printing, traceability of the production process or production of small batch sizes, this aspect is becoming ever more important.
Highly integrated PC Control solution replaces special hardware
Scientific Automation from Beckhoff stands for an extended notion of automation, in which all automation and application functions run on a central PC and are mapped in software. It is based on high-performance PC hardware, using cutting-edge processor technology. The Beckhoff Industrial PC series integrate the latest second-generation Intel® processors, i.e. Intel® Core™ i3, Core™ i5 and Core™ i7. The CX2000 Embedded PC range now makes multi-core technology available in compact embedded devices.
TwinCAT 3 with active multi-core support, i.e. optimal distribution of the application across the available CPU cores, enables the processor power to be fully utilised. Doing away with special hardware not only simplifies the process communication, but also reduces the costs for hardware and engineering through integration of all functions in a single development environment. High processor power in conjunction with EtherCAT, the high-speed Ethernet system, results in an optimised control and communication architecture, known as XFC technology (eXtreme Fast Control).
XFC and EtherCAT – high-speed-automation in printing machines
Beckhoff offers an extremely fast control solution in the XFC technology: it enables I/O response times of less than 100 μs, resulting in significantly enhanced machine performance. In combination with fast EtherCAT I/Os it is possible, for example, to implement the register control with standard control and drive components, without the need for special hardware and dedicated drive controllers. High-speed communication between the I/O signals and the controller offers machine manufacturers advanced options such as Motion Control with many axes, synchronised through the distributed clocks of EtherCAT (100 axes in 100 μs), with nanosecond precision. The distributed clock functionality guarantees fast and exact identification of print marks, for example. It is implemented with standard components, and TwinCAT automation software facilitates programming via the common programming languages.
TwinCAT 3: efficient engineering and free choice of programming language
Efficient software engineering is enabled through embedding in Microsoft Visual Studio® as an integrated development environment. TwinCAT 3 supports all common programming standards, including C/C++, integration of Matlab®/Simulink®, and the object-oriented IEC 61131-3 extension, and thus enables optimum programming for the respective task. Ready-made and frequently used IEC 61131-3 blocks for web tension control, winding and unwinding algorithms, register control in conjunction with very fast signal processing and comprehensive Motion Control functionalities are available as software libraries. This results in significant engineering benefits for the user.
Highly dynamic drive technology for printing and paper machines
With its comprehensive range of scalable drive solutions Beckhoff covers a wide range of applications, including axes for adjusting the print rollers, high-precision drives for the actual printing units, and high-performance winding and unwinding units.
The EL7201 servo terminal for direct connection of servomotors up to 200 W forms a full, compact Servo Drive that is suitable for lettershop handling, transport and sorting processes, for example. The EtherCAT Servo Drives of the AX5000 series are designed for higher loads up to 170 A. The new Beckhoff servomotors of the AM8000 series offer optimum dynamics and energy efficiency as well as high availability. One highlight of the AM8000 motors is the one cable technology. This means that only one standard connection is required for feedback and power, which results in a significant reduction of material and installation cost and enables flexible application.


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Tips to Identify the Best Auto Detailing Services
Most often, appearance of something provides the first impression of the particular item, which is applied in car industries since the attention of buyers and onlookers can be easily captured by perfectly auto-detailing the car. Need for excellent auto detailing services has instigated professional auto detailing companies to come up with an exceptional platform where quality auto detailing services can be availed that will definitely satisfy the customers considerably. Therefore, it is advisable for individuals with aim of enhancing the outlook of their cars to make to it that they conduct an intensive research about the best auto detailing companies with proven records in assurance of satisfactory services.
Quality auto detailing services are usually offered in a wide range of options ranging restoration of the original luster of the car, to shampooing of the car making it easier to achieve an exclusive interior and exterior car outlook. You can conveniently book appointments with auto-detailing technicians so as to reveal individual interests and concerns that can be employed in development of well-outlined auto detailing service plans that will definitely satisfy clients fully. It is unbelievably true that auto detailing services are usually customized into excellent options to a level of solving all auto detailing problems since removal of odors from mildew, mold, pets, cigarettes, spoiled beverages and spoiled foods are assured satisfactorily.
Professional auto detailing services are offered by a dedicated service team that is willing to assure twenty-four hour service options making it possible for timely replies to be assured for all queries assured through phone calls and emails to a level of assuring faster services during emergency incidences. In addition, professional auto detailing services are assured as per the modern technology by embracing the finest polishers and buffers that can provide the car with a distinctive finish as well as a sweet aroma that is achieved after using the best air freshener options. Concerned auto detailing technicians usually hold full licensing options from the government for legal operation assurance while the obtained accreditation with regulatory boards assure quality auto detailing services that are considerably scrutinized.
All auto detailing technicians are insured and bonded as a form of motivating them to provided quality services not forgetting that they hold good credentials and long-term experience in offering quality auto detailing service options. Professional auto detailing companies often create a mutual trust with the clients by offering their quality services at comparatively reduced charges along with attractive discounts to a level of satisfying many clients with affordable solutions. In conclusion, in the moment of seeking for the best auto detailing technicians, you can easily go through the latest reviews availed at modern websites with custom designs so as to help the clients to book appointments with technicians and also get regular updates from any desired place.
A Simple Plan For Investigating Services


text: Alexandre Prokoudine napisaÅ(a): > On 3/8/07, Oleksandr Moskalenko wrote: > >> Alexander, >> >> Read my message again. I didn't say Ubuntu wouldn't eventually fix the issue, >> did I? I'm happy that they put their act together, so when Feisty is released, >> it might be much better platform for running Scribus then Dapper/Edgy was for >> many users. > > If my memory serves me well, Edgy didn't have this issue either :) > Not quite, e,g. see the notes added by J. Assad and yannek: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/scribus/+bug/37711 M. ___________________________________________________________ Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm. Hier gelangen Sie zum neuen Yahoo! Mail: http://mail.yahoo.de


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Latin AmericaIn 2010, NCH Capital made the strategic decision to direct the entrepreneurial vision and deep-value philosophy of its founding partners toward Latin America. The NCH Latin America office in Rio de Janeiro is a natural extension of our longstanding participation in emerging markets and our belief in the unique opportunities they offer. Following three years of successful incubation with the private capital of the NCH founders, the NCH LatAm Fund (long-biased equity) was opened to outside capital on January 1, 2014.
NCH Latin America office is led by James Gulbrandsen, Partner and Chief Investment Officer. Jim's team of six professionals manages mostly proprietary capital at present. The seasoned investment and operations teams are part of the fabric of the local business community and are based in Rio de Janeiro, with the full support of the NCH infrastructure in New York.
The NCH LatAm Fund invests exclusively in Latin American equities, with current allocations to Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru; we actively research other LatAm markets where compelling inefficiencies may prevail. Our team conducts intensive primary research, with the goal of developing high conviction ideas to be matched with commensurate portfolio concentration. We believe value is created when we can identify three important characteristics in a company i.e.: actual growth expectations, long term balance sheet returns, and perceived vs. actual risk.
For more information please contact:
Vanessa Koury
(212) 641-3220
NCH Capital Inc. 452 Fifth Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10018


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While they say not to judge a book by its cover, the reality is that people do. A unique, innovative brand is what makes your company stand out from the pack. And getting it right from the very beginning with the help of a branding agency in NYC will give you advantage over the competition.
Branding your company is one of the most challenging – and fun – aspects of business development. You want to make sure your brand reflects your organization's values and target market from the get-go, because it's something you'll live with for years to come.
As a leading brand strategy agency in New York, we can help you create the best possible branding for your company and avoid the mistake of subpar branding with our professional brand development services. Our strategy involves much more than developing a logo or marketing collateral. We also integrate hard data, looking at how customers perceive your brand, and how that perception influences the decision to purchase.
There are many factors involved in creating eye-catching and representative branding, and we don't overlook any of them. We aim to make your brand distinctive, down to the smallest details – your logo, website, and typography, to name a few, should have a unique voice that speaks for your organization.
Our NYC brand agency combines innovative technology, industry leading analytics, and brilliant creative designs to give you a brand that will both encompass everything your business represents and catch the consumer's eye.
There are many questions to ask yourself when building a new brand or re-branding a company:
It's easy to create a logo that looks good, but smart branding goes far beyond that. At FinalStepMarketing, we create brand designs that both reflect and resonate with the people who buy your products or use your services.
There is a good reason why owners invest a fair bit of time and money into branding their companies. Successful branding can have strong influence on buyer behavior, if on a subconscious level. It takes a keen eye for detail and an understanding of marketing psychology to create a brand that will persuade.
We stand by our slogan in our brand design strategy: "Statistically Driven, Creatively Defined." Our design strategy includes comprehensive demographic research to create an influential, powerful brand that will drive repeat business and make your marketing messages that much more powerful.
At our NYC branding agency, you get much more than you would from individually hiring designers, content writers, and strategists. We know all aspects of branding including consumer behavior analytics and market research and leave no stone unturned with our comprehensive approach. Known as one of the top branding agencies in NYC, we have proven success in developing and designing brands for both new and existing companies.
Call us today at (646)-504-0611 for a free 30-minute branding strategy consultation and learn more about how our agency can assist you with developing an original brand for your company.


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- Graphics
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This scene mockup is photo-based for maximum realism, allowing you to input your artwork with a simple copy and paste.
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"You'll see, you'll see, you'll see after the election," Trump said.
Trump claimed that the tape represented an "illegal act" by NBC.
Legal experts might beg to differ. But the GOP nominee's comments on Fox were striking — if only because he continues to keep the "Access" tape in the news.
The vulgar tape of Trump and Billy Bush talking about women — recorded in the run-up to a promotional 2005 segment for "Access Hollywood" — resurfaced in early October.
After an NBC producer recovered the tape, senior network executives became involved in the talks about how and when to broadcast it. Legal questions were reportedly a concern, but executives had made the decision to go ahead and air it on "Access Hollywood" and NBC's newscasts.


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It's been almost a month since Jumbo Wild supporters blockaded the entrance to the Farnham Creek road to stop Glacier Resorts Ltd. from building a road and portable platter lift in the Jumbo watershed of the East Kootenays. And without a guarantee from the province and developer the protesters say they're not going anywhere.
"We're going to keep the blockade up until we get commitments from the province and the proponent that no further road building or construction will take place this year, or until the weather makes it so (construction) is not an option any more," said Dave Quinn of Wildsight, which is coordinating the Jumbo Wild campaign to prevent the development of a four-season resort by Glacier Resorts. Jumbo is located west of Invermere in the same drainage as Panorama Mountain Resort.
The conflict was not over Glacier's resort proposal, which passed the provincial Master Plan process last year despite objections by local residents and governments. The blockade is the result of a tenure to operate a ski training facility on Farnham Glacier that was originally awarded to the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA) and recently transferred to Glacier Resorts. Glacier Resorts built an 800-metre road to the Farnham Glacier, and was preparing to install a portable platter lift when Wildsight learned about the development and rallied the public and local First Nations to create a blockade.
Work stopped immediately, but Quinn says they will maintain the blockade until they are assured that the work will not continue through the winter. The concern, says Quinn, was that the province awarded the tenure without consulting the public, existing tenure holders, First Nations, local governments or other agencies. The tenure area also increased from 240 hectares to 1,400 hectares.
The government maintains that it did not have to consult with stakeholders as it was only a transfer of licences, from CODA to Glacier Resorts, and because the portable platter is consistent with the prescribed use of the area for skiing. However, given the controversy over the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort and opposition of First Nations to the development, Quinn says the province was obligated to at least inform the public about the changes.
"Nobody knew what was going on until the proponent brought in earth moving equipment and started to build a road to the glacier," said Quinn. "The proponent said it had to do with CODA and their plans to run a training camp, but we contacted CODA and they said it was not the case. There was no public consultation, no First Nations consultation, no other stakeholder consultation with other tenure holders that have an interest in the area, including a heli-ski company and guide company, and no body of government was notified.


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Fields Auto Group
JRB Group Architects
Construction Manager
Chrysler Corporation brought FIAT back into the United States for the first time in 25 years and Fields Motorcars opened the first dealership in Illinois.
In coordination with construction completed on a new Fields Volvo Dealership in Northfield, IL, the new FIAT dealership moved into an existing location in Highland Park, previously occupied by Volvo. ICI's ability to develop and effectively coordinate the schedules of these two projects was crucial in allowing for a smooth transition.
The scope of work for the fast-track FIAT project included complete demolition of the facade storefront, interior finishes and existing signage, immediately after the Client's transition from the space.
Complete renovation of the showroom and other sales / customer areas took place within a non-stop, eight (8) week, schedule. To ensure a quick transformation, ICI coordinated with Fields Motorcars and JRB Group architects during preconstruction to identify, coordinate, and place orders for FIAT approved materials.
RELATED: Fields BMW Northfield 2016 Expansion and Renovation


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As a roadie, my favourite cycling kit of 2013 has to be lycra of course. I write a blog called Women Who Cycle which I established in 2011. In 2013 I decided to step up the promotion of the blog and have my own custom kit designed.
The company I chose to create the kit was Tineli, a New Zealand company that has an office in Australia who I discovered at a bike trade show.
Tineli kindly sent me a sample kit to try which meant it was easy to order the right size and choose the options I wanted. It was important to me that it be women's kit, not just small men's sizes. I find it never fits as well and the chamois needs to be women's specific as well.
I had to buy a minimum of 10 items of each, so I offered it to some of my female friends who readily agreed to help promote the blog.
Before the kit was born I had a logo designed and of course for me there was no other option but to go with my favourite colour – red.
It's all about colour coordination so the kit matches my lovely Specialized Amira Expert bike and my shoes (S-Works women's), socks, gloves (Specialized), helmet (Bell Volt) all match too.
I'm lucky that I live in a temperate climate like Sydney so I can wear this all year round. I just add arm warmers, leg or knee warmers and a gilet in the colder months.
Nicola Rutzou is our Australian correspondent, who also created and writes at womenwhocycle.com, a blog and resource for women who love cycling.


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After a peaceful Daley Plaza rally that police estimated drew fewer than 3,000 people, members of the National Nurses United boarded buses while several hundred Occupy protesters and their supporters headed into the Loop for small spontaneous marches. Groups of 200 to 300 protesters snaked their way toward the Michigan Avenue bridge. After resting at Grant Park in the evening, the protesters peacefully drifted off in search of a place to sleep.
Check back through the day for updates.
Click HERE for maps on how the NATO summit will affect getting around.
Click HERE for gallery of NATO protest photos
Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune
Protesters with the Occupy movement gather to rally outside Chicago Police Department's Harrison District station, where several protesters are being detained.
Under the watchful eye of nearly two dozen police officers, the last of the protesters hanging out in Grant Park along Michigan and Congress cleared out as the park officially closed tonight.
"It's officially 11 o'clock," shouted Spencer Thayer, a legal observer from the National Lawyers Guild, noting the park's closing time.
At that, the last of the 16 or so protesters began walking away.
Some protesters had announced plans to sleep at area churches providing shelter for the weekend. Others talked of finding a soft spot along the Lake Michigan beachfront.
Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune
Out-of-town volunteers who were in Chicago to protest NATO joined the Anti-Eviction Campaign and neighbors on the Southeast Side to renovate an abandoned house for homeless families to move in next week.
Many Occupy protesters who gathered in Grant Park after a day of marching through the Loop started to trickle out into the night in search of a place to stay, warned by organizers that they can't stay past the park's 11 p.m. closing time.
An Occupy organizer who identified herself only as "Hawk" shouted to a loose collection of about 50 people near her that anyone who didn't want to be arrested should leave by 11.
A moment later as she spoke with a reporter, she summed up her advice for protesters: "Don't be an idiot."
Some protesters were told they would be transported to First Lutheran Church of the Trinity at 31st and Halsted. One protester, who would not give his name, told the crowd that was too close to the Bridgeport apartment raided Wednesday night by Chicago police who arrested several people -- including some protesters--in an ongoing investigation.
"This is the same neighborhood that just got raided, if you want to take that chance," he said as about 30 people set out on foot. "I don't want to take that chance."
By shortly after 10 p.m. the couple dozen protesters left in the park near Michigan Avenue and Congress were nearly outnumbered by police.
The protester at the center of a minor melee on the Michigan Avenue bridge acknowledged his role in the incident -- and his ability to evade police -- as he walked barefoot around Grant Park Friday evening.
The man, who identified himself as Samuel Blantz, a 23-year-old homeless Iraqi war veteran from Springfield, Mo., told a Tribune reporter that he was marching with a group of demonstrators when they nominated him to climb atop the bridge house and pull down an official NATO banner.
"I tried to bring it all the way down but I couldn't because the cops started to get in close," he said.
He managed to pull down half of it and ring the bridge house bell before jumping back to the ground. He immediately found himself swarmed by police officers, sparking a minor skirmish in an otherwise peaceful day of protests. He said his fellow protestors yanked him from the cops' grasp and pulled him to safety. A Tribune photographer captured the tug-of-war.
Blantz said he rang the bell as a signal of unity among the participants in the Occupy movement and tore the banner as a statement against the world leaders scheduled to meet in Chicago this weekend.
"I did it for the sake of showing that we do not like NATO and their treason against us," he said.
One police officer appeared to strike her head on the bridge during the incident. Another protester obtained an officer's baton and threw it across the bridge before authorities managed to stop the march and push demonstrators back toward Wacker Drive.
Protesters quickly formed a circle around Blantz, making it difficult for police to identify him as the person who sparked the incident, he said. He was given a new shirt to disguise his appearance. One of his shoes had fallen off during the melee, so he threw the other into the Chicago River, he said.
Blantz said he received a medical discharge from the military last year after being diagnosed with
"They decided to let me go," he said. "They thought I was a liability."
Blantz, who re-injured his index finger during the skirmish, said he so far had not been spotted by law enforcement despite the heavy police presence in Grant Park.
"But don't get me wrong, I am still a little bit paranoid about that," he said.
(Chicago Tribune photo staff)
A look back at the first rally of NATO weekend in Chicago, where thousands of protestors from National Nurses United and a variety of Occupy chapters marched to Daley Plaza on Friday, May 18, 2012.
While protesters marched through the Loop Friday, onlookers expressed curiosity, patience and even nonchalance at the predominantly peaceful demonstrations.
Office workers peered out windows and watched the marches from outside their office buildings, many taking pictures or video on their cellphones and smart phones.
"So far, so good," said Rick Lukasik, an architect from Flossmoor who drove downtown for business with the city. Hours after the nurses rally, he stood in a quiet Daley Plaza, where police outnumbered the handful of protesters who lounged or slept on stone benches.
"What protest?" he asked, gesturing toward the largely empty plaza around him.
He parked at the ramp at Millennium Park without trouble. Lukasik's strategy for navigating major events in Chicago is simple -- drive directly into the area people have been told to avoid, because everyone else will have avoided it.
Taking a break from her job in the Clerk of Circuit Court's Office, Danielle Banks said she had not been inconvenienced at all by the protesters or heavy police presence.
"I was actually surprised it was OK," Banks said.
Working at the corner of Van Buren and Michigan, Jen Pang has seen a stream of police and protesters coming by the Osaka Sushi Restaurant where she works.
She said neither police nor protester has bothered her or the business. There are fewer people working downtown today so business has been quiet.
"No protesters have come in here. Police have. They want to use the bathroom or get some food," said Pang, 47.
She said she's glad to see people expressing their opinions and isn't bothered by the protesters.
At Al's Beef on Wabash, Jermaine James, 26 of Chicago, said he agrees with a lot of what the protesters are saying. He thinks the economy still is struggling and working folks are having a tough time.
He said he didn't join them because, "I got to work."
Gloria Prowell, 47, of Hyde Park, said she bought a camera just to document the protests.
"I think it's historic," she said as she made her way home from her restaurant job. "I've lived in Chicago all my life and haven't seen anything like this. It looks peaceful, so I'm happy about that. They have a right to be here, but they have to be calm. The police are being calm."
Erica Tafavoti, 19, and Brittany Harrington, 22, are
They had been here all week on a business school outreach trip visiting Chicago companies. Their professor told them they needed to have a cultural experience in Chicago and he eagerly agreed when they suggested they wanted to follow the protest they'd been reading about all week.
They arrived at Daley Plaza just as the rally was ending but then followed the marches. Both we're awed by the spectacle.
"It was not something we'd see in Oklahoma," Tafavoti said. "There were a lot more cops than I thought and a lot less protesters than I thought."
Harrington said it was "exhilarating," but both women said "no comment" when asked for their thoughts as business majors on the protest's anti-corporate message. They laughed, and then agreed they had a hard time discerning exactly what the demonstrations were about.
"I'm glad they all came together but I'm not sure what their message is," Tafavoti said.
The Loop marches appear to have lost momentum, with remaining protestors dropping their signs and their expletive-filled chants during a collective break at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Congress Parkway.
With their numbers far smaller than they were a few hours ago, some demonstrators used the down time to sun themselves or drink some water. A few could be heard drumming buckets, but the crowd otherwise seem fairly subdued.
Police officers largely have responded to the lull by removing their helmets or chatting amongst themselves. The CPD bike patrol, however, continues to form a barricade to prevent protestors from stepping onto Michigan Avenue.
Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy arrived on the scene a short time ago and is meeting with supervisors.
Protest organizers said they plan a demonstration training session in Grant Park at 7 p.m.
(John Chase, Tim Desrochers, Chicago Tribune)
Hundreds of demonstrators attempted to cross the Michigan Avenue bridge during a NATO protest march Friday afternoon, but police blocked most from crossing. One protester tore down part of a NATO banner, and a protester was detained by police.
More than 100 protesters are sitting down in the middle of LaSalle Street outside the Federal Reserve building.
The group is just north of the crosswalk on Jackson Street.
More Chicago police officers are arriving on foot and police are trying to divert traffic on Jackson around the crowd.
The lack of employees working in Chicago's Financial District is not surprising to local retailers, given NATO's presence, but it is definitely having a negative impact on business.
Custom tailor and shirtmaker Richard Bennett at 175 W. Jackson Blvd. is typically busiest on Fridays, said owner Albert Karoll. But not today.
"As a retailer, we depend on traffic," Karoll said. "When people are told to stay home, either by their business or the media, those are all potential clients we're losing. As a small business owner, it's had a colossal effect on business."
Karoll normally serves several dozen people on a Friday, but today he has had only three walk-in customers, and a few "sympathy orders" from out-of-town clients who wondered if business had been hurt by NATO.
The store is typically open on Saturdays, but Karoll is closing tomorrow and is removing his display merchandise from the window as a precaution.
"I'm doing it not to tempt someone who might say, 'this is a business that caters to the 1 percent.'"
Karoll likened the anti-climactic reaction to NATO Friday to that of Y2K.
"The mayor promised an economic impact on the city, but I fear it's going to be a negative one," Karoll said.
Careid Surprenant, gallery manager at Picture Us Galleries at 230 S. Clark St., agrees. She had been warned of an action-packed and possibly dangerous weekend, but she didn't think anything would come of it.
"The buildings around here have been ramping up for this, and I had a feeling it wouldn't be much of anything," she said. "Not much has happened. It's dead, business-wise."
The store usually sells about $1,000 in merchandise on a Friday, but Surprenant said she had only sold about $30 worth.
The store is normally closed on weekends, but it will be open for normal business on Monday.
A group of about 100 protesters did make it across the Michigan Avenue bridge, but the group dissipated as they headed north on Michigan Avenue.
Once north of the river, the group was blocked from walking in the street by police officers on bicycles, and so the protesters took to the sidewalk on the east side of the street.
As protesters approached, officers called to each other, "shields down," and pulled down face protective shield on their bicycle helmets.
A line of officers on bicycle had formed a wall between the sidewalk and the street, but the group of protesters appears to have mostly broken up.
The two groups of protesters that had been marching through the Loop converged at Michigan Avenue shortly before 3 p.m.
Police, who had allowed the groups to wander through Loop streets largely unrestricted, stopped them halfway across the Michigan Avenue bridge, not allowing them to go further north.
On the bridge, one protester in a black shirt and Mohawk jumped up and pulled down a NATO banner on the bridge. One police officer appeared to strike her head on the bridge. Another protester obtained a police officer's baton and threw it across the bridge. One protester was detained in the scrum.
Unmarked police vans and squad cars were parked on the Michigan Avenue bridge and a contingent of police bicycle officers moved on to North Michigan Avenue directly in front of
Even after the protesters largely dispersed from Michigan Avenue, police secured the bridge and no traffic was allowed. Other nearby bridges are open.
Loop workers watched the impromptu march from their offices windows as the downtown streets seemed devoid of the typical tourist traffic often found in Chicago on warm Friday afternoons.
Drivers became impatient, however, as demonstrators snarled traffic by walking among cars and bringing the streets to a standstill.
A group of about 100 protesters did make it across the Michigan Avenue bridge, but the group dissipated as they headed north on Michigan Avenue.
Once north of the river, the group was blocked from walking in the street by police officers on bicycles, and so the protesters took to the sidewalk on the east side of the street.
As protesters approached, officers called to each other, "shields down," and pulled down face protective shield on their bicycle helmets.
A line of officers on bicycle had formed a wall between the sidewalk and the street, but the group of protesters appears to have mostly broken up.
Two groups of protesters who left the Daley Plaza rally in different directions are cutting winding paths through the Loop and onto Michigan Avenue.
Police on bikes and others on horseback were following the groups as they snaked onto Michigan Avenue and off.
Police are allowing them to use the street and stopping cross traffic.
One of the groups has as many as 200 people and the other has more than 100 people.
Metra said it did not have any hard statistics on Friday's ridership, but spokesman Michael Gillis said reports from conductors indicated ridership was "noticeably lighter than usual."
He declined to estimate a percentage of normal ridership.
Gillis said Metra had no projections for weekend ridership, but Monday's ridership is expected to be similar to Friday's.
Reports from passengers indicated that Friday's ridership was far below normal.
One regular UP West Line passenger said the normally bustling Elmhurst station was "like High Noon" -- deserted.
Another regular rider called his BNSF Line train from Naperville about one-third less crowded than usual. Also, plenty of parking was available at usually jammed parking lots.
(John Chase, Chicago Tribune)
After the National Nurses United rally broke up, several hundred demonstrators marched south down LaSalle Street, ignoring police orders to stay on the sidewalk. Police officers eventually allowed protesters to continue walking on Loop streets, and conducted rolling road closures to allow protesters to pass.
NATO Secretary General
Sheffield Avenue and Clark Street will be closed from Roscoe Street to Grace Street and Addison Street and Waveland Avenue will be closed from Wilton Avenue to Racine Avenue.
On Friday and Sunday, regular Cubs parking and traffic restrictions are in place, the agency said.
The agency also said that "these measures may be revised as needed."
Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy estimated the crowd between 2,400 and 2,800. He said there were no arrests.
Near the end of the rally, there was a confrontation between police and a protester, whom other protesters described as a "medic."
The protester was removed from the area by a police officer. Protesters then yelled at the police officers before leaving the plaza.
The protesters moved south on Clark Street, walking in the middle of the street. Police ordered the group, numbering some 500 or so, onto the sidewalk. But after a block or so, the crowd moved back into the street. Police officers followed them on bicycles as protesters yelled expletives and chanted "The whole world is watching."
As the rally dispersed, two separate impromptu marches formed.
About 100 or more demonstrators marched south on Deaborn Street, turned east on Van Buren and then headed north on State Street. Protesters are shouting "expletive-NATO" and "These are our streets."
Police are walking behind them and allowing them to fill the street. Cross-street traffic is stopping as is traffic on Van Buren. The crowd is flowing around cars stopped in the street.
Also, a couple hundred protesters are heading north on Michigan Avenue around Millennium Park in the street in the northbound lanes.
They're chanting "The banks got bailed out, we got sold out" and "1..2..3..4...we want a class war."
Police conducted rolling road closures to accommodate the march. Demonstrators walked down Michigan Avenue and onto Monroe Street, as officers blocked ongoing traffic.
The city did not allow a permit for a march, just the rally.
Musician Tom Morello, formerly of the band Rage Against the Machine, speaks at National Nurses United rally. He took the stage and played several songs.
The Lake Shore Drive closure for this weekend's NATO summit will be expanded on Sunday to close the roadway from Grand Avenue on the north end to 39th Street on the south from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The drive is closed from Balbo to 39th the rest of the weekend.
In addition, Randolph Street will be closed from Lake Shore Drive to Michigan Avenue from 4 to 11 p.m. Sunday.
The city also said that on Sunday, Monroe Street from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive and Garland Court from Madison Street to Randolph Street will be closed. Expect intermittent closures on Sunday on Michigan Avenue from Randolph to Jackson Drive and Jackson from Michigan to Columbus.
One of the draws of the nurses rally has been the promise of Tom Morello, guitarist from Rage Against the Machine.
He's taken the stage and played a
Morello is playing electric guitar as another musician plays an acoustic and sings.
The band launched into
So Morello stopped to teach the crowd how to sing along, exhorting them to make more noise. Then he got the crowd to jump up and down to rhythm.
Someone released colored confetti that blew across the plaza fountains and landed among spectators.
Morello finished up during a small scrum between protesters and police. The rally is beginning to disperse. Nurses are getting on buses.
Vendors working the crowd are selling T-shirts that read "The 99%: Too big to fail."
The normally full parking garage at the CME Group's offices was "very sparse" Friday morning, said Chairman Emeritus Leo Melamed, a sign that many people worked from home.
Melamed said employees in "non-critical" positions were given the option to work remotely from home, and many did.
"It's very, very quiet today," Melamed noted.
Melamed said he wasn't worried about the NATO summit coming to the city, and instead believes "it's valuable for the city to showcase itself."
(Matthew Walberg, Chicago Tribune)
Demonstrators gathered for the National Nurses United protest filled about Daley Plaza. The demonstration has been peaceful so far, with many protesters chanting, singing and dancing.
The cafe tables at
Other than the sound of helicopters circling above, the atmosphere was like most other warm, sunny days in the park, but employees at the Park Cafe kiosks said they had served only about half the amount of customers they typically do on a Friday.
"It's slower than usual for a Friday," said Park Cafe employee Pierre West. "We usually get about 30 customers per hour, but today it's been about 15."
A few feet away sat Alex and Jenni Meyers at a cafe table. The couple is visiting Chicago from Friday through Sunday from Carmel, Ind. with their three young children.
They said they weren't aware of the NATO Summit until after they planned their trip, but they decided to follow through with their trip, despite learning about the summit.
The family arrived to the city around 10 a.m. and plan to visit the area museums Friday before they close -- a suggestion from their Chicago-resident family members, whose condominium they are staying in for their vacation -- but Saturday and Sunday they plan to stay at the beach or the condo's pool.
"We're intentionally not doing anything tomorrow because of NATO," Alex Meyers said.
Palm Springs, Fla. resident Debbie Sellers decided to venture to Chicago Friday after finishing a work conference in Milwaukee, despite a warning of the NATO summit from a fellow conference attendee.
"He said, 'Oh you're not going to want to go, there's going to be protesters everywhere.'"
But aside from seeing just one group of protesters, Sellers was pleasantly surprised to find a relatively calm downtown area -- at least away from Daley Plaza.
"There's tons of security, and cops are out in full force, so it seems fairly safe," she said.
With Daley Plaza about 75 percent full, tour buses, some yellow school buses and police vehicles lined all sides.
A line of uniformed officers is watching crowd. Clustered in the middle of the crowd are groups of three or four uniformed officers in regular street garb. Quite a few have visible zip cuffs on them.
Fencing about waist-high lines Clark Street along the plaza, open only at the crosswalk for the County Building/City Hall complex.
Groups of uniformed police officers are standing in front of the fencing on the plaza.
The Daley Center concourse under the building is closed, with police guarding it. There is a cluster of bike cops at Randolph and Clark.
While a skit plays out, some protesters with cameras climbed up on the haunches of the Picasso sculpture. About 10 were standing on the sculpture taking photos before police moved in and ordered them down.
Later, Chicago police took a flag pole that a Buffalo man was using to swing a "CoExist" flag during the nurses' rally.
Chris Phillips, 31 of Buffalo, said a police officer told him the pole was a potential weapon and asked him to remove the flag from the pole. The police told him he could pick up the pole after the rally, he said.
After removing the flag from the pole, Phillips jumped up on a concrete planter in Daley Plaza and screamed, "This is the flag the police don't want you to read!" as he waved around the "CoExist" flag.
Several dozen Chicago police officers in body armor turtle suits were staging in the basement food court area of the James R. Thompson Center, just outside the Illinois Secretary of State vehicle services center.
Lugging gear, backpacks and even full-size coolers on rollers, they then gathered and headed into the pedway toward City Hall.
A crowd is filling up Daley Plaza, site of the first major protest rally this weekend.
National Nurses United members marched over from the Sheraton.
On the stage, nurses are warming up the crowd with a song-and-dance routine to "Dancing In The Street."
They're changing some of the lyrics, however. "Dancing in the street" is replaced by "It's time to tax Wall Street." The nurses are teaching the crowd the new version.
Streets around Daley Plaza already closing: Dearborn Street already closed at Madison. Washington closed at Clark Street.
Portions of the Stevenson and Dan Ryan expressways will close a little early tonight because of the NATO summit, officials said today.
The Chinatown feeder ramp from the inbound Dan Ryan to the northbound Stevenson (I-55) will be shut down at 9:30 p.m. tonight, and some lanes on the northbound Stevenson north of the Dan Ryan will begin to close at 10:30 p.m.
The Stevenson will shut down completely between the Dan Ryan and Lake Shore Drive at midnight for the duration of the summit. Lake Shore Drive will also be closed from Balboa to 39th Street for the summit.
Protesters began trickling into the
About a dozen people stood on the southeast corner, smoking cigarettes, chatting and holding a banner that states, "Tell me again who the terrorists are. I'm not quite stupid enough yet."
Some got curious looks from pedestrians, many dressed in
"I expect 99.8 percent of people will be peaceful this weekend," said Frank Esposito, 42 of Carol Stream.
He's been unemployed for 15 months, having worked as a copywriter and technical writer in the past.
He said he's protesting because he hasn't seen any of the results of an improved economy.
"None of it has trickled down to me," he said. He said he's going to join the nurses' march because "nurses have helped a lot more people than NATO has."
Security officials are standing outside nearby office buildings but no incidents have caused them to act.
This is just a few blocks west of the trio of federal government buildings, which are surrounded by concrete barriers and Homeland Security Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs.
At 10:45 a.m., about 200 protestors stood in the center of the plaza, some of them dancing to the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love."
On the corner of Clark and Washington, a man carrying a sign denouncing the
"Lemme see that whistle," the officer said, holding out his hand. "People are tired of you blowing the whistle."
The man handed over the whistle and argued with police for several moments.
"That's my property, that's's my whistle," he said as reporters and passers-by stopped to watch, some recording the exchange with their cell phones.
After a few moments, the officers handed the man his whistle back, which he promptly began blowing.
As much as city officials were hoping for business as usual during the NATO Summit period, commerce appeared to be lighter than normal for a Friday morning.
While commuters relished extra space on their trains, cabbies, bakeries and smoothie makers reported sluggish traffic as many Loop workers apparently stayed home as the city girded for its first major protest demonstration later today.
"In the early morning, I'm supposed to get a little money with short trips here and there, but there's nothing," said cab driver Hector Ansong. "The customers I'm used to picking up are not there. I don't know where they've gone to."
He estimates his breakfast traffic was half the usual. "I may close early," he said, as he tossed some blueberries and strawberries into a blender.
Down the aisle at the marketplace, which is located next to the downtown Metra station, a worker at Delightful Pastries estimated morning sales were off 10 to 15 percent compared to a usual Friday.
"We anticipated it and put in less than normal for our order from our main bakery," said Ryan Sims, assistant manager at the Polish bakery, which offers up Continental fare, from croissants and macaroons to paczki and kolaczki.
For commuters, the lighter traffic meant ease in finding parking at suburban station lots and in finding seats aboard the trains.
"Typically, it's very full and there's no place to sit, but today we were almost sleeping in our chairs," said Mohammed Shahan, who commutes from Mt. Prospect to the
Some of the businesses were considering curtailing hours over the weekend, and possibly shutting down on Monday, the final day of the summit, due to expectations that the downtown will be even emptier then and to fears that demonstrations could turn violent.
"If there are riots, it's better to be out of here," said Sims.
But Niemczyk, who plans to close for a three-day weekend, sees an upside to the NATO summit's effect on his business.
"It's an extra weekend off, to be honest," he said.
(John Chase, Chicago Tribune)
Protesters began converging on the Loop for the first major NATO protest of the weekend, organized by the National Nurses United. Frank Esposito, 42, of Carol Stream, said he came to support their cause.
Tourists gawking along the Chicago River this morning snapped photos of skyscrapers and hopped aboard tour boats as usual this morning, but all under the watchful eye of the U. S. Coast Guard.
Some of the first outward signs of atypical security for the NATO summit were on the water this morning, with at least two small Coast Guard boats idling on the river.
One was behind the Sheraton Hotel near Columbus, with a machine gun mounted on the front and two helmeted men sitting in back. A Coast Guard helicopter patrolled the lake shoreline.
The hotel is where a protest march could kick off today as marchers make their way to Daley Plaza. President Barack Obama is expected to stay there beginning Saturday night.
Meanwhile at the plaza, a school bus full of nurse protesters clad in red shirts and green felt "
Police have so far declined to discuss or even acknowledge the arrests, and the details of the alleged raid are murky.
Police reports obtained by the Tribune show that nine people were arrested Wednesday in the 1000 block of West 32nd Street for allegedly making or possessing Molotov cocktails. None of them have been charged, according to police sources.
Read more HERE.
By 10 a.m., the police presence at Daley Plaza was low. In the surrounding area, officers on bicycles waited in groups of 3 to 5 wearing motorcycle-type helmets with fold-down full face visors in place of their lighter bicycle helmets.
A handful of National Nurses United support staff were at the plaza. Event organizers said they expect nurses will begin walking from the Sheraton Hotel to the plaza around 10:30 a.m. following a morning meeting.
NATO weekend got off to a calm start traffic-wise this morning.
Motorists on most Chicago-area expressways and toll roads experienced congestion-free travel times to downtown.
A radio traffic reporter on AM 560 WIND Chicago described the morning rush reverse-commute as "non-existent."
Ridership on the
There was some confusion, however, among Metra passengers over the implementation of rigid security measures banning food, liquids and carry-on items larger than 15 inches by 15 inches by 4 inches. Those restrictions will be in place Saturday through Monday.
"Zero restrictions, zero security for boarding passengers in North Shore suburbs (on the Metra
Parking bans and street closings are already in effect in the South Loop near
Additional major road closings affecting portions of the Kennedy and Stevenson expressways and Lake Shore Drive will begin at midnight and run until the Monday evening rush period, officials said.
Workers were setting up the stage and sound system early Thursday morning, but Daley Plaza was otherwise empty of protesters or event organizers.
A row of portable toilets and hand washing stations were in place along Dearborn Street, and metal fencing surrounded the fountains and the Picasso statue in the square.
Metal barriers had also been placed along sidewalks surrounding the outside of the plaza.
Paul Tisa, of Sacremento, Calif.-based Metro Media Productions, was overseeing the crew of local union workers from IATSE Local 2 as the built the stage and hung banners behinds the platform.
"It's pretty bare-bones basic," he said of the set. "It's just the nurses coming out here to have a good time and talk about the things they're passionate about."
Workers set up barriers Friday morning near Daley Plaza as Homeland Security vehicles lined the street. Other workers boarded up windows. The first big protest of the weekend is expected at noon, with a demonstration by a nurses group expected to draw thousands to Daley Plaza.
A rally in Daley Plaza today -- led by a California-based nurses organization that chartered more than a dozen buses from cities across the country -- will be the first major challenge for Chicago police who have been reacting to smaller demonstrations all week.
In addition to members of National Nurses United, the rally at Daley Plaza will draw demonstrators from the Occupy movement and myriad other protest groups who have been focused on this weekend since President Barack Obama announced last year that world leaders would gather here for both the NATO and G-8 meetings.
Although Obama decided in March to move G-8 to the presidential retreat at Camp David, protest groups have merged their criticism of military and economic policies to make Chicago the singular focus of demonstrations.
Over the last week, plans have changed more than once for the nurses demonstration that first received a city permit in January as a march from the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Streeterville to Daley Plaza. City officials changed their minds last week and said the growing publicity around the event and the news that political activist and former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello would perform posed too great a challenge for city emergency authorities.
Officials moved the march's end point to the Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park, but after a few days of negotiations with the nurses union, they worked out a compromise returning the rally to the plaza across the street from City Hall. The nurses, about 1,000 of whom are staying at the Sheraton for a simultaneous convention, said they will walk to the plaza from the hotel using sidewalks rather than on the street, which would require a parade permit.
There have been only a handful of arrests and altercations at the protests leading up to the NATO weekend. But on the eve of the first major demonstration, lawyers for some NATO protesters held a news conference to accuse Chicago police of strong-arm tactics in an alleged overnight raid in Bridgeport.
Witnesses allege police broke down a door in an apartment building near 32nd and Morgan streets at 11 p.m. Wednesday and detained at least eight people who remained in custody Thursday, according to the National Lawyers Guild, which is representing some protesters.
"The Chicago Police Department has basically disappeared as many as eight activists," said Kris
Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy was asked about the allegation after announcing at a Thursday news conference that there had been "zero arrests, as far as protest activity today." Asked about the Bridgeport allegations, McCarthy said only that there was an "inquiry" authorities were looking into and he would have to gather further information before commenting. His spokeswoman declined to answer any questions about the situation.
Witnesses who alleged they were detained at the scene before being released said police searched the units while refusing to show the occupants a search warrant, said Sarah Gelsomino, an attorney with the lawyers guild. The officers then left but returned with a warrant that witnesses claimed was not signed, she said.
When police detained the people, they also seized parts of a beer-making kit, including bottles and caps, and a cellphone, said guild lawyer Sarah Gelsomino.
Earlier in the day, about 75 protesters marched from President Barack Obama's re-election headquarters to the German, Canadian and British consulates of countries that belong to NATO, protesting the alliance's involvement in the war in Afghanistan and other military action.
One protester held yardsticks connected to a cardboard model of a drone to protest drone strikes by the United States, which he said have killed hundreds of innocent people.
"As Afghans, we are in contact with people in Afghanistan, and they do not want this war. They have had enough," said another protester, Samira Sayed-Rahman, a member of Afghans for Peace. "Thousands upon thousands of Afghans have been slaughtered in a war that is not benefiting the United States at all."
Later in the afternoon, about 60 bicyclists met several dozen other activists to again protest outside the Canadian embassy, decrying oil exploration and extraction from the nation's tar sands.


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