text:
Plan Your Next Summer Getaways!
Feel the heat? Of course, cause summer's finally… finally… finally here! That means it's time for Summer Getaways! Everyone's gonna be out and about, school'll wind down and the kids will be anticipating all sorts of trips. It's an ideal time to take the entire family out on short outings or vacations lasting the weekend, maybe even a whole week; as well as meet ups with the relatives in reunions; or in the case of teens and grownups, wet and wild summer festivals!
If you're at a loss on what to do because of the sheer amount of choices, then here are some possible ideas for Summer Getaways to help you out.
These are just general summer vacation ideas for families, just the types of getaways, but we hope they can help you think your plans through. We also included tips for a stress free vacation and ways Enfavr can make your getaway hassle-free!
Here goes:
Splashdown at the Beach
What're Summer Getaways without the beach? See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me. Yes, that is a Disney and Moana reference.
Temperatures are warm enough for enjoying the surf and sand! Better start rummaging through your closet to find those long lost swimsuits and trunks. Grab that wakeboard, strap the life preserver or inner tube on the kiddos cause surf's up! Sunscreen! Don't forget the sunscreen, and check if that bottle in your closet hasn't expired yet!
Here are some great beaches, perfect sites for you to work your tan at! Better yet, if you know some beach-a-holics then go ask 'em for any tips or secret hideaways that'll let you beat the crowds.
Trek, Hike or Bike
Enjoy the great outdoors and the wilderness… without turning into a popsicle! Grab those trekking shoes, your mosquito repellent, even that mountain bike! It's a great opportunity to appreciate Mother Nature and have a healthy workout while you're at it.
Make it a family activity, bring the kids along so they can get acquainted with the trails and the woods rather than stay at home all day with their Xboxes. Or bring your fur-baby, I'm sure they'd love a nice good walk! If you're up for more than a casual romp in the bushes, then consider bringing your trusty if seldom-used tent out of storage. Grab some friends and organize a group camping trip!
If you can't spend a weekend overnighting in the woods, then a day trip or hike is just fine. If you, your little one and your back muscles are up for it… consider using a baby carrier backpack.
Make it Educational for the Kids
Like this Citizen Science Project to get folks acquainted with Mother Nature! What better way to spend the summer than by joining fun-filled and educational activities that'll give both kids and their parents an enriched appreciation of the ecosystem? This has the benefit of raising awareness for, and contributing to, important causes advocated by nature-loving groups.
Surprise Summer Snow Skiing
Yes, you heard that alliteration right! Some slopes in California and Nevada still have snow on 'em and resorts are planning to stay open for two extra months. That means snow through May and maybe even up to July, as CNN reports! So, still remember where you stashed your skis? Or know someone who ain't gonna use em? Well then, go grab a pair and head for these slopes! Cause while everyone's doing "mainstream" things at the beach, you'll literally be the coolest by taking advantage of these surprise summer snowpacks!
The Classic Road Trip
Road trips are a quintessential American pastime! Hunter S. Thompson wrote about his trips. The Blues Brothers did it in that classic movie. Neil Gaiman's American Gods, currently airing on Starz, is a great show about an unbelievable one. In the distant past, the station wagon – a car with wood on it, remember? – was even invented for these outings!
Want to visit the grandparents? Or your kids' favorite cousins? How about Yellowstone Park? See the Grand Canyon! Or something more private, just be with your special someone, for an indulgence-filled jot o'er at Las Vegas, Nevada? (Or be with your best friends, for someone's bachelor or bachelorette party!)
Fuel up the car, strap on your seat turn up the AC and head down the highway! Go stop by at some old fashioned diners. Take the scenic route and count the cattle you drive by. Squabble over the radio stations. Pray for the next bathroom break. Tell the kids to stop saying "are we there yet?" Check out some of those affordable theme parks, spend some money on tokens and see if you can win prizes. Drive safe and have a whole lot of fun!
Volunteering for a Cause
Whether it's at a retirement home, fundraisers for good causes, babysitting or packing relief goods for those in need somewhere in the country or abroad, these can be fulfilling alternatives to the usual summer festivities! These make for unique Summer Getaways and you can meet wonderful people too.
Love the beach? Swim good? Why not be a lifeguard yourself? Save lives and get a great tan while you're at it! If you're really a veteran happy camper then there are places that are seeking new park rangers! Why not? Go protect picnic baskets from Yogi Bear.
Plan and Organize Trips Ahead of Time, Okay?
P.O.T.A.T.O. If you're doing a group outing – like a camping trip – then you better get organized! Plan things ahead so you can spare yourselves a lot of grief, like forgetting to bring flashlights just when it's sundown in the wilderness. Or having not enough toothbrushes… you sure ain't gonna share 'em with your camping buddies. We hope.
Pack the essentials. TP. Antihistamines and inhalers for the allergic and asthmatic! Marshmallows and sticks and Grahams to have S'mores for everyone!
Enfavr Can Help With Summer Getaways! Here's how:
With Enfavr, you can make or accept requests and keep track of 'em. This is really handy if you're dividing resources and tasks, figuring out who brings this, who is borrowing that and the like. On one hand it might not seem so important to keep track of the nitty gritty details, on the other hand it's really important to make sure things get done ahead of time. You can always get ready at the last minute, just like going at the airport, but that means you'll almost always miss something. Or stress everyone out. Don't do that, OK?
Enfavr will enable you to inform the gang if the task has been accomplished or if someone needs help completing what they're supposed to do. If things are too busy or hectic, one can easily lose track of one's responsibilities. Then you run out of toilet paper. Or drinking water. So spare yourselves the hassle.
If the kids aren't coming along, you can also find a babysitter with Enfavr. Maybe the sitter's one of your trusted friends who's not coming? A more indoorsy type. If they prefer to just stay in and read a book or just Netflix And Chill, then ask them a Favr, a babysitting request so they can watch over the little ones at the same time!
The same goes for your pets. If you got a friend who ain't keen on the wilderness, then ask 'em to watch Fido for you. That can be their experience with the wildlife, lol.
Safety! Safety! Safety!
Did we mention… safety? If you're going trekking, try not to go at it alone. Be sure to bring insect repellent. Have a reliable GPS device or navigation app (same goes for road trips). It's really best if you bring someone along – even Fido. Tell someone, your mother, anyone, where you're going and when you'll be back.
Bring lots of water. Bring a noisemaker. Protective clothing because it can get hot but with climate change, the weather can be fickle and sudden rains or temperature drops aren't unheard of. Make sure you've got reflective clothing or gear so you won't get lost in the dark. Familiarize yourself with your destination.
If you're going to the beach (or anywhere else for that matter), then be sure to pay attention to the warning signs! Yes, the lifeguards may be total eye candy but whether it's David Hasselhoff or The Rock, they've undoubtedly got a lot on their plate. They'd also probably rather not scrub jellyfish stingers off of you. So try not to have a cramp when you're out there wading or else you might end up being famous on Youtube.
Make Summer a Blast!
There are lots of places both near and far that'll give you incredible moments, expectedly or otherwise. Some can be high profile destinations, Disneyland, the popular beaches and so on. Others can be pretty low-key, the cliched cabin in the woods, or just a trip home to the parents. Outdoors at night, with nothing but the woods around you, the tent nearby… and a sky full of stars above you. Woah.
Of course, one of the most important things is the company you bring with you. Whether you're on your lonesome or with your favorite people, fam or friends, if you're good with 'em (or yourself) then you're gonna be in for some quality time. Otherwise, well… imagine that 1-star review you gave that unsatisfying restaurant, and apply that to your whole experience. Not fun.
All this means is that it's not hard to have swell Summer Getaways! In fact, it's pretty easy. Homebodies don't even have to go that far out to have a good time. A good place and good people, that's it. Some might even prefer it if everyone else heads off, leaving behind nothing but peace and quiet. Variety's the spice of life, of course. But comfort zones, familiar nooks and crannies, old favorites and spots rife with nostalgia are great too. In a way, memorable moments in the most mundane of places can be quite the surprise!
We're not saying that going out isn't worthwhile, because Summer Getaways are quite the experience. But we're just saying that not going out isn't necessarily not worthwhile either. They aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.
Remember to Give Back
There's one more thing we'd like to bring up regarding your perfect Summer Getaways. Of course when talking about traveling, the first thing one considers is what a place offers the intrepid journeyer… what we'll experience there, who we'll meet, the events, the delicious food…the music. But we ourselves are no less a part of this than our destinations.
We have to remember what WE can give to the places and people we touch in our travels. Let's not leave those places less than they were before we dropped by, let's not give the hosts and locals reasons to grumble. Be polite, don't leave things behind for the cleanup crew, clean up after yourselves and don't be too loud. If a place, be it a movie theater or a quiet religious site, isn't suitable for young kids' preferences, then come back some other time.
With our good behavior, we can enrich our destinations with our presence as well as our tourist dollars! So let's be kind and helpful to our fellow travelers as well. As the saying goes, wherever you go, "take nothing but pictures and leave only footprints."
Of course, you can always buy lots of souvenirs too. Support local industries! The fridge magnet and keychain industries!


text:
Audi Takes on Stop Lights: A Must Read
I apologize, I couldn't think of a headline that would adequately convey the brilliance of a new test program Audi has just unveiled in Germany. The company — partnered with local government — has equipped almost 50 stoplights with sensors that relay information to specially equipped cars to — wait for it — tell drivers how fast to drive to catch a green light!
The pilot program is being tested in Audi's home town of Ingolstadt, and the driver alert is just one feature. More significantly, the network of "smart" traffic signals adapts to traffic patterns to deliver optimum light switching. With less stopping, cars use less gas. Less gas used, less pollution, less money spent at the pump, you name it. This is good news all around. Now if we can just get Cars.com to relocate to Ingolstadt, Germany…
More images below.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Kantar Worldpanel is an international company dealing in consumer knowledge and insights based on continuous consumer panels. Through continuous monitoring, advanced analytics and tailored solutions, Kantar Worldpanel analyses what people buy, what they consume and the attitudes behind their behaviour. Clients include brand owners, private label manufacturers, meat, fruit and vegetable suppliers, retailers, market analysts and government organisations.
Kantar Worldpanel is part of the Kantar Group, the Data Investment management Division of WPP. The company consists of 3,500 people across 60 countries.


text:
Trustees & Trustees Annual Report
Trustees Annual Report & Accounts
Phoenix has a board of six trustees from different backgrounds, and together they use they skills and experiences to support the management and strategic direction of the organisation. In addition, there are two young people also represented on the board to ensure that the organisation is 'youth led'.
They all contribute their skills voluntarily to help Phoenix develop and grow.
Financial Statement Year end 31-3-18
Our Board of Trustees
We have a variety of people on our Board of Trustees, some are parents of deaf or hearing-impaired children; others are from business, education or health sector. We are also delighted to have a Youth Advisory Trustee, who represent the youth group to ensure that their voice is heard at the heart of the organisation.
Current Trustees are:
Keith White
I became a trustee with Phoenix when the charity was first started by Jane in 2008, having previously known her through The Elizabeth Foundation, where she had worked as Teacher for the Deaf. I have two daughters, one of whom is hearing impaired with a moderate to severe hearing loss, who has recently started a degree at The University of Central Lancashire in Sign Language & Deaf Studies.
I have worked in the financial services sector in a variety of senior roles, and have been actively involved in supporting children and young adult deaf charities over many years, having previously acted as Treasurer and for the last 4 years as Chair for Phoenix.
John Drewery
I was invited to be a Parent Trustee shortly after Phoenix became a charity. Prior to this I had been Chair of the Fund Raising Committee. Heather & I have three children, two of whom are hearing impaired, Sam with profound sensory neural loss in one ear and Rachel with bi-lateral sensory neural loss. Rachel received a cochlear implant in 2012 & 2014, which has been very successful; she now works for the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People charity in the kennels.
I am an Architect, specialising in school design and working in North London and also a Governor of a primary school in Hertford, which all three of our children attended.
I have run the annual family quiz night for a few years and couple of Juggling workshops for Phoenix in the past and look forward to more when required.
Phil Roberts
My name is Phil Roberts, my wife Esther and I live in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, we have a profoundly deaf teenage son, Joseph, who is a bilateral cochlear implant user and two younger hearing daughters, Sophie & Stephanie. An engineer and sales professional in the machine tool industry, I am passionate about the work of Phoenix as this charity and many of the founders have been instrumental in providing much needed support for my family. I have particular desire to work to see young deaf people prepared for the very best career opportunities, so they can make their mark in business & industry. I also feel very strongly about the need to provide that all important support to parents of newly diagnosed children – we remember all too well what it was like for us. My brief is to support the board of trustees with particular reference to fundraising development for Phoenix. I am committed to seeing the financial stability of the charity to allow it to achieve its goals.
Rebekah Afari & Georgia Rowe (Youth Advisory Trustees)


text:
Back in August of 2017, I began to feel the itch to change up my planning system, which led to my 2018 Bullet Journal Setup. Life has changed so much for me and my family in the past 6 month, and I needed a new system that could keep it in order…along with my business to do's. While I love using all of my beautiful planners, I felt like I needed to be able to keep everything in one place. The search began. Over and over again, BULLET JOURNALING kept coming to my attention. I had to investigate! So for about a month I obsessed, and watched videos on all the different setups, collections and styles of bullet journaling. This was it! This was exactly what I was looking for!
Now 6 months in, and I'm still going strong. Because I spent so much time investigating and figuring out what would work or me, I've pretty much had the same setup this entire time.
Here is the notebook that I use. It's a Leuchtturm1917 notebook that I purchased on Amazon. I found it really hard to find the grid style at Barnes and Noble; they mainly have lined and dot grid.
I keep my bujo planning pretty simple, so these are the only supplies I use.
Inside my bullet journal
To distinguish the start of the new year, from last years planning, I made a page with a cute little bear drawing and a 2018 Year at a Glance calendar.
I made a section in the front for my Level 10 Life, inspired by the book The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod.
My husband and I sat down together in January and talked about our goals for the year, and where we feel we are at right now.
Next is my Monthly calendar. I absolutely need to see my month at a glance, set up in the traditional calendar layout. It just gives me the perfect visual for how busy my month is going to be.
This month I used the extra space on the right to write out PlannerAddicts picture of the day challenge.
And here is my always dependable weekly layout. It's simple, clean and allows me enough space to fit my scheduled events and a to do list.
I am currently using this notebook to keep track of my Meals and Workouts as well. Check out this link to see my blog post about my 21 Day Fix Journey. I'm not sure if I will keep tracking this in my bujo. I may just start using my Lose It app on my phone.
I hope you enjoyed this post. be sure to watch my video for more! Thanks!


text:
Mercedes Lackey's Quotes
Born: 1950-06-24
Profession: Author
Nation: American
Biography of Mercedes Lackey
Magic, like technology, is a tool.Tags: Magic, Technology, Tool
These are my friends, my family. It would be hell on earth to spend the rest of my life leading them into situations where some of them are going to get killed... but it would be worse watching someone well-meaning but incompetent or untrained double those deaths.Tags: Family, Life, Someone
I always work from an outline, so I know all the of the broad events and some of the finer details before I begin writing the book.Tags: Book, Work, Writing
I try to use all of my senses when describing a setting, and try to think of everything that would impact a character in any given scene.Tags: Character, Impact, Try
If there are going to be people out there making war on other people, don't you think it's a good idea for some of those people to at least follow a code of ethics? Not 'honor' but something you can pin down and be sure of, something with the same rules for everybody.Tags: Good, Honor, War
It makes sense for people who are good at fighting to go out and do it-because if they're good at it, that means the fewest number of other people die.Tags: Die, Fighting, Good


text:
Job Description
Develop skills to rebuild, repair, assemble and maintain Baader fish filleting machine, Baader fish trimming and scaling machine and/or Baader fish skinning machine by performing the following duties:
Essential Functions:
- Develop skills to succssfully repair and maintain the Baader electrical systems, including angle encoder, clock, generator, proxitimty switches, step motor and controller.
- Develop skills to succssfully repair and maintain the mechanical systems of fish filleting machines (includes chain drives, bearings, belt drives, pullys, back guides, bone guides, step motor belts, gearboxes).
- Develop skills to succssfully set and adjust the machine guides, knives, spike chains and sliding blocks in accordance with operational specifications and safety procedures.
- Develop skills to succssfully make adjustments to ensure that the desired conversion factors and yield ratios are being successfully achieved.
- Develop skills to succssfully test the machines to ensure step motors and tooling are set up and running in a safe and efficient manner.
- Develop skills to succssfully complete related maintenance documentation which may include machine log books, work orders, test reports, part inventories and part orders.
- Able to understand and implement safe work procedures.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Performs other similar or related duties as requested or assigned.
High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one to three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
Baader Certificate or equivalent training and experience.
Special Training/Skills:
Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
Work Environment:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and moving mechanical parts. The employee is frequently exposed to potentially extreme outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; extreme cold; risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.
Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to climb or balance. The employee is occasionally required to sit; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include distance vision, peripheral vision and depth perception.
Vessel-specific duties, if applicable, include being capable of boarding and departing the vessel without assistance by walking up or climbing a gangplank, stern ramp and/or a vertical ladder. Must also be able to board/exit from a dock, skiff, or a boat. Must be capable of donning an immersion suit in one minute or less without assistance. Must be capable of working long and variable work shifts for extended periods of time.
Shifts may range from 4 – 18 hours, but are typically 12 to 14 hours (with breaks). The length varies depending on project demands and travel requirements.
Mental Activities:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use teamwork skills. The employee is frequently required to use decision making skills. The employee is occasionally required to use interpersonal, customer service, mentoring, problem analysis, training and supervision skills. The employee will occasionally be required to exercise independent judgment, and use discretion
Trident Seafoods is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Affirmative Action – Minority, Female, Disability, Veteran
Refer a friend to this job


text:
As your trusted professional Real Estate partner, our team will help you find the best homes in the Middle Tennessee area within your price range. Whether you are looking to purchase an existing home, new home construction, land, condos, town home, or commercial property, you have come to the right place.
Together we will sell your home or find you the home of your dreams at the best possible price, terms, and conditions as quickly as possible. Buying and selling a home is one of the biggest events in your life and we have the experience and track record you are looking for.
Search Property Listings Now:
Simmons Ridge
Nestled in the heart of Tennessee, just minutes from Nashville is the Simmons Ridge community. Simmons Ridge is located in the southeastern area of Franklin Tennessee, surrounded by the natural beauty of Tennessee and convenience of Franklin and Cool Springs.
Homes from the $280's
Serving Williamson County for over 20 years.
Franklin REALTORS is located in Franklin, TN, just south of Nashville. We specialize in Williamson County properties but provide services for all of Middle Tennessee.
Get Started Today!
Land Development
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Franklin REALTORS
144 Southeast Parkway, Suite 230
Franklin, Tennessee 37064


text:
Archive for December 2010
Indian nuclear posturing
The Daily Mail
INDIA'S upcoming "indigenous" nuclear powered submarine Arihant, which was launched last July at Visakhapatnam, is likely to become operational by 2012. Indian defence planners are contemplating to use INS Arihant for 'deterrent patrol' aimed at providing the ability of a retaliatory 'second strike' in wake of a nuclear attack. The submarine, when on patrol, will carry its full load of nuclear-tipped missiles that can be launched from under the sea and hit targets hundreds of miles away. INS Arihant is the first of a series of three ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) that India proposes to build. Two types of N-tipped missiles are being developed for Arihant. One of them would be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM)-K-15 Sagarika-with a range of 700 km. This has been tested several times using a pressurized canister submerged under water to mimic a submarine-style launch. A longer range 3,500 km missile is under test and one such test has already been conducted. Indian Navy is trying to flex its muscles in the Indian Ocean and is trying to emulate its mentor the US. During the Cold War "deterrent patrol" was a norm adopted by the US and the erstwhile USSR when their submarines trawled under sea for days. The two super-powers are known to have conducted more than 200 such patrols annually. It is meant to 'deter' an adversary from launching a first N-strike on the nation as the submarines can then launch the retaliatory strike within minutes. India claims that it is faced with a two front scenario, China and Pakistan and belligerently boasts that it can tackle both simultaneously. Whereas, neither China nor Pakistan have expressed any hostile designs towards India, yet it would like to pose such fabricated threats only to justify its uncalled for arms buildup and nuclear posturing. Recently, China has developed two SSBNs that are termed as 'Jin-class' in military circles and these carry 12 N-tipped missiles. The Chinese Navy has been conducting patrols in the last two years. The UK and France are the other countries that have similar capabilities. A nuclear submarine is required for such patrols due to its ability to remain submerged and undetected for longer periods.
Indian nuclear ambitions can be gauged from its Naval Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma, who in rare acknowledgement of the country's nuclear abilities, declared: "We have a declared policy of no-first-use…But we have Arihant….. When it is commissioned and goes to sea, it will be on deterrent patrol. The triad (nuclear) would be there when Arihant is commissioned." Referring to the nuclear triad, he stated that it would be complete only when India has strategic nuclear missiles that could be launched from land, air and sea. The N-submarine will form the third leg-often termed as the most reliable and stealthy-of nuclear triads on land, air and sea-based platforms. The Indian nuclear doctrine elucidates that the nation should possess the capability. On land, India possesses or is in the process of possessing a family of nuclear-tipped missiles, including the Agni series and Prithvi variants. In the air, the Sukhoi and the Mirage have the ability to deliver N-tipped munitions.
The fact is that despite its nuclear posturing, India's "indigenous" projects have been having "hiccups", The Admiral admitted to glitches in India's Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) project saying the 40,000-tonne warship could not be launched this year but will be done in the middle of next year. On the Navy's future acquisition and capability enhancement programs, Verma said there were 36 ships and submarines on order in various Indian shipyards and that these programs were largely on track. Indian indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is already obsolete, even before its induction. India may be dreaming of becoming a world power and definitely behaving like a bully on the block but it has to traverse a long way before it can become one.
India's Mythical Beliefs……
By Brig Asif Haroon Raja
Indians believe a lot in myth making. They derive pleasure in pretending what they are not. Governed by the yearning desire to be called a big power, they have been making strenuous efforts to fulfill their dream. After achieving a so-called military victory in former East Pakistan in 1971 with the help of former Soviet Union and Mukti Bahini, the Indians started imagining that India had become mini-super power of South Asia. To put a stamp on self-perceived status, it conducted nuclear test in 1974 but got dismayed when it found Pakistan not getting over awed.
While India never reconciled to Pakistan's existence and vied to re-absorb it within Indian union, Pakistan's defiance and refusal to accept India as a regional policeman further antagonized Indian leaders. In sheer disgust India judged Pakistan as the main stumbling block in its drive towards attaining its ambitions. Armed freedom struggle by few thousand Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir against 750,000 Indian troops became a cause of degradation and embarrassment for India.
Once India came close to USA after 1990, it kept on playing upon US-western sensitivities concerning Islamic fundamentalism, cross border terrorism and Islamic bomb so as to keep Pakistan in their bad books. Nuclear tests by Pakistan threw cold water on its sinister designs. After suffering humiliation in the battle of Kargil in 1999, Indian leaders burnt with impotent rage and yearned to teach Pakistan a lesson. After 9/11 their joys knew no bounds since the new rules framed by USA to tackle terrorism suited them the most. They found the farce of terrorism a perfect stranglehold to entrap Pakistan and macerate it.
However, its first attempt to browbeat Pakistan into submission through 2002 military standoff backfired. It had cost Indian exchequer over $2 billion and nearly 800 fatalities without any side firing a single shot. Indian military kept posturing belligerently from January till October 2002 but seeing equally aggressive response of the other side, it couldn't pick up courage to cross the border. The thought of nuclear exchange was too scary despite the fact that it enjoyed 5:1 conventional superiority and also had three times more nukes in stock. Ultimately Indian forces had to sheepishly withdraw thereby giving Pakistan, ten times smaller in size and resources moral and psychological ascendancy over India. It was too frustrating for Indian leaders claiming to be strongest military power of South Asia and an economic power house to have been humbled by a peripheral state.
The fiasco made Indian military realize that given Pakistan's nuclear capability and will to fight, conventional war was ruled out as a viable option. Earlier on, it could not browbeat Pakistan in 1986-87 through its Exercise Brass-tacks or its 1990 offensive deployment in Kashmir. In all the previous wars and offensive military standoffs, 19-20 days taken to mobilize the combat troops from peacetime stations to forward deployment areas had allowed Pakistan sufficient reaction time to assemble and move forward its troops to meet the challenge. Hence another way out had to be found.
Taking a leaf out of their Guru Kautilya's book, the Indian planners reread his guidelines which had been successfully employed after the inconclusive 1965 Indo-Pak war to subvert former East Pakistan. Indo-US-Israeli think tank got together in late 2002 and scratched their heads how to ensnare Pakistan. A way had to be found out how to floor Pakistan without letting it brandish its nukes in defence.
It was decided that India will lure Pakistan into a web of friendship, weaken it from within through cultural invasion from the east and covert operations from Afghan soil. Intelligence agencies of USA, Israel, UK, Germany and Afghanistan were to assist RAW. India was to apply the military instrument only after making Pakistan morally, politically, economically and militarily sufficiently weak and extracting its nuclear teeth.
It was in the context of Pakistan's nuclear capability and Pakistan's nuclear doctrine envisaging first strike option in any future Indo-Pak war whenever its threshold was threatened which perplexed the planners. All agreed to defame and demonize Pakistan's nuclear program through an orchestrated propaganda war and to work out number of contingency plans how to disable or steal the nukes.
During the course of heated discussions, some wise guy came up with a bright idea that if Pakistan's nuclear response rested on the basis of its core areas getting threatened or overrun, why not to tailor the offensive in a manner that invading forces remain well away from the core areas and to confine the war to battle of frontiers thereby giving no justification to Pakistan to exercise its nuclear option.
Scanning the map of Pakistan, it was pointed out by Indian planners that there were several tactical objectives of politico-economic significance strung along the border. In their reckoning there were 8-15 such objectives available. To offset the problem of prolonged mobilization time and to retain vital element of surprise, someone suggested pre-positioning brigade size mechanized battle groups backed by dedicated artillery and air support close to the border. They brainstormed that Pakistan lacking in strategic depth could ill afford to lose any space and as such would respond with full force to retake the lost objectives. It was perceived that tactical and operational reserves of Pak Army in all likelihood would get consumed and its strategic reserves would get poised towards most threatened penetration. With bulk of Pak Army getting embroiled in battle of frontiers and up to three corps stuck up in war on terror, it would allow Indian Army to launch its main maneuver if required towards deeper objectives.
That is how Cold Start doctrine was conceived; work on the new doctrine commenced in real earnest and the first draft was ready in 2004. It envisaged cutting down mobilization period from 19 days to 72 hours by pre-positioning 8-15 self-sufficient battle groups of two armored regiments and one mechanized infantry regiment or vice versa close to the border and each group assigned shallow objectives of tactical importance. By end 2008 it was polished up and was ready for use. Point of nuclear overhang as mentioned by Gen Kapoor figured out since the doctrine envisaged giving control of tactical nuclear weapons to the operational commander in the field so as to be able to clear any opposition putting up stubborn resistance.
With the passage of time as the misfortunes of Pakistan's multiplied because of covert operations jointly launched by six intelligence agencies from Afghanistan, it pleased India immensely and it animatedly imagined that Pakistan's fragmentation was round the corner. Indian leaders got so euphoric and megalomaniac that they began imagining India to be next to USA in the world ranking. Already living in the world of fantasy and strongly believing in myths and notions, they started humming tunes of 'India shining' and 'India an economic powerhouse'.
India was well set to put Cold Start doctrine into practice by end 2008/beginning 2009 since in its view the situation had become ripe to strike the internally enfeebled foe militarily. By then, covert war by anti-Pakistan intelligence agencies had done extensive damage. Over 100,000 troops had got irretrievably involved in fighting the militants in the northwest and Pak Army's image had sunk low. Mumbai attacks were stage-managed to put Pakistan in the dock and to give an excuse to Indian strike formations to move forward. Forceful response by Pak armed forces, speedy pullout of formations from northwest to eastern border to restore defensive balance, enthusiastic support given by the nation to the forces and above all Pakistani Taliban's announcement that they would fight the aggressors shoulder to shoulder with the Army and that they would send its suicide bombers into India deflated the jingoism of Indian military under Kapoor. Like in 2002, its second standoff also ended in humiliating withdrawal.
The plot makers held an emergent meeting and it was decided to further intensify propaganda war to build up a perception that Pakistan had become the most dangerous place on earth and its nukes were unsafe and posed a threat to world safety. It was also decided to step up acts of terror in all major cities of Pakistan through their agents and paid terrorists, and to force Pakistan to launch military operation against militant's strongest positions in Bajaur, Swat and in South Waziristan. Pakistan specific Af-Pak policy was framed to convert Pak-Afghan border into a single battleground. While India was to mount relentless pressure on Pakistan by blaming that it was involved in Mumbai attacks, the US-NATO from the other end was to adopt an aggressive posture by insisting that it intended to operate inside FATA. Drone attacks against suspected targets in Waziristan were also to be accelerated. It was hoped that multiple actions would create conducive conditions for Indian military to launch the limited war by close of 2009.
Gen Kapoor living in the world of fantasy kept the temperature high by threatening to launch a limited attack under nuclear overhang. Without being provoked, he got so worked up that he made the whole world giggle when he boasted that his Army could bulldoze its way through the combined armies of China and Pakistan. One wonders, what's stopping him from bailing out US-NATO in great distress by making minced meat of dreaded Taliban. His battle groups deployed in isolation along the border got tired of idling and started doubting the wisdom of impractical and mythical Cold Start doctrine which didn't make any sense. They dread the call for a sudden plunge into the mouths of hungry sharks lying in waiting.
Pakistan Army on the other hand took the threat of limited war in a nuclear scenario dispassionately and prepared a wholesome response to nip the evil in the bud whenever it tried to sprout up. Glaring flaws in the new scheme provided grist for humor in uniform. When Indian Army could not deliver, feeling upset the RAW launched series of terrorist group attacks in Lahore and Rawalpindi to give vent to its frustration.
Ominous schemes worked out by Pakistan's adversaries got a severe blow as a consequence to Pak Army gaining a decisive edge over militants after achieving outstanding successes in Bajaur, Swat and South Waziristan in quick succession. This development coupled with the security situation in Afghanistan getting out of control of occupation forces at the dawn of 2010 changed the whole complexion and put the schemers on the back foot. It compelled the US to start leaning on Pakistan rather than on India.
Pakistan Army instead of getting weakened has become more robust, professional and is well led and has maintained its defensive and offensive balance. Its mettle in war on terror and UN missions has been widely acclaimed by the world. Gen Kayani proved his mental calibre at the largely attended meeting of NATO at Brussels. It was for the first time that a non-NATO officer had this privilege to address the august gathering and he deeply impressed them. For full one year he has been resisting the pressure of USA to mount an operation in North Waziristan which is laudable.
The ISI is looked at with awe and envy. Single-handed it has successfully battled with world's six most advanced intelligence agencies and has frustrated their designs. In the recently held Cambrian Patrol exercise organized by British Army in Wales in October, which is considered to be the world's toughest exercise and in which teams from all over the world including India took part, the team of 35 FF in which I had served stood first and won the gold medal. Three cheers to the winners who have made us all proud.
With the induction of AWACs, JF-17 jet fighters, new batch of F-16 CD model jets, the PAF is feeling much more confident. With balanced ratio of hard hitting submarines and surface warships and improved early warning means and naval air arm, the navy too is in high spirits. Pakistan's nuclear deterrence is intact and its wide arrays of guided missiles including cruise missiles are much superior to Indian missiles. Gen Shamim Wyne is an excellent choice to head Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee who surely will further refurbish inter-services coordination and cooperation as well as the nuclear set up. Pakistan armed forces imbued with high pitched zeal do not believe in myths but have complete faith in Almighty Allah. They are focused on India and are well poised to take on the Indian challenge.
Indian parliament attack – what it achieved for India
By Momin Iftikhar
It might have been overshadowed by the Mumbai terrorist strike in Nov 2008 but attack on the Indian Parliament on 13 Dec 2001, on all accounts, remains a watershed in the jerky evolution of Indo-Pak relations, particularly in shaping the course of the Kashmir resistance movement. With the only accused awarded death penalty still awaiting the disposal of his mercy petition, the nine year old incident in which five unidentified gunmen attacked the building of the Indian Parliament, remains a happening thing, yet to be finally wrapped up.
All the five attackers were killed during the attack while four persons were arrested on charges of abetting the attackers as facilitators. These included Mohammad Afzal, a former JKLF militant who had surrendered in 1994, his cousin Shaukat Hussain Guru, Shaukat's wife Afsan Guru and SA R Gilani, a lecturer of Arabic at the Delhi University. After a year of trial a POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) Court found all four guilty; awarding death sentence to men while Afsan was given five years' rigorous imprisonment. On appeal the Delhi High Court acquitted Professor SA.R. Gilani and Afsan Guru on 29 Oct 2003 due to absence of incriminating evidence while upholding the death sentence for the remaining two. The case was raised to the Supreme Court, which in its verdict on Aug 3, 2005 lifted the death sentence for Shaukat leaving him with an imprisonment of ten years while confirming the death sentence for Afzal Guru. It is Afzal, the ultimate fall guy of the incident, who awaits the hangman's noose pending the disposal of his mercy petition by the President of India for the sixth year running.
Coming within hundred days of the September 11 strike, the Parliament attack seemed fortuitous from an Indian foreign policy perspective; tightly following a well scripted narrative. Two aspects had made this charade compelling for India. First, the Taliban rout by US had opened new vistas for exploitation for India in its search for a foothold in Afghanistan. A marked Indian advantage was the coming to power of an anti Taliban Government in Kabul, lifted into saddle by authority of UN-sponsored conference in Bonn, Germany. The new leadership comprised primarily of the Northern Alliance elements- a motley assortment of Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazara warlords whose desperate survival in face of the Taliban onslaught had only been made possible by a no-holds-barred Indo-Iranian support. Pakistan's west flank stood exposed and India was bent upon making most of the unexpected opportunity by exploiting Pakistan's proximity to the Taliban to project it as sponsor of terrorism.
Second; India wanted to use the windfall opportunity to paint the freedom struggle in Kashmir with the broad red brush of terrorism. Pakistan's emergence as an indispensable US partner in the war on terror in Afghanistan didn't augur well for the Indian designs. There was a need to not only shift the international anti terrorist spotlight on Pakistan itself but also on the Kashmir specific militant organizations whose claims to represent the internationally sanctioned cause of self determination bestowed upon them the status of freedom fighters – a mantle which chagrined India much.
Once the parliament attack materialized India developed the scenario with the alacrity of a preplanned war game. Within hours it had accused ISI – and Pakistan Government of complicity without the benefit of any supporting evidence. For the first time in thirty years it recalled its ambassador to Pakistan. It also ended rail and bus service between the two countries and banned Pakistani commercial aircraft use of India air space. In a most alarming gesture it started the mobilization of troops within a week of the incident along the entire 1800 miles border between the two countries, confronting Pakistan with the largest ever hostile concentration of forces.
The ratcheting up of the coercive diplomacy yielded tangible results for India. On 26 December the US responded by the addition of LeT and JeM, both Kashmir centric militant organizations, to a State Department list of "designated terrorist organizations" – a momentous step that Washington had apparently been trying to avoid. This US action reinforced India's long sought position that supporting the Kashmiri armed struggle was illegitimate. As summarized by the New York Times; "Pakistan after 50 years of battling India over Kashmir, must now abandon the armed struggle there and rely hence forth on political means of confronting India."
To divest the Kashmiri armed struggle of its indigenous moorings the term "cross border terrorism" began to circulate immediately following the attack and became inseparable component of any Indian diplomatic interaction related to Kashmir Issue. It is worth recalling that till then Indians had not referred to decade long uprising in Kashmir as terrorism. The Lahore Declaration signed by Indian Premier Vajpaee bears ample testimony to this fact. But following 9/11 the world changed and the line separating freedom struggle from terrorism had vanished, providing India with a great opportunity to project itself as a victim of terrorism instead of being an unabashed oppressor of Kashmiri population.
Immediately following the parliament attack India unleashed a reign of terror to break the back of Kashmiri resistance. To drive home the 'victim of terror syndrome', it managed to airlift hundreds of Taliban fighters from Afghanistan jails and used them as clay pigeons to conduct fake encounters in IHK; cashing in on India's long association with Northern Alliance warlords, now in power in Kabul. The trend become deeply embedded in the Indian army culture whereby fake encounters in Kashmir have become the short cut for the up and coming ambitious Indian army officers intent upon securing a promising career.
India accused Pakistan for it and treated the attack on the Indian parliament as a casus belli; taking the subcontinent to the brink of a war. It would be interesting, though, to note as to what the Indian judicial system found out after four years of deliberations. The Indian Supreme Court, in its verdict of Aug 2005 cast aside charges of a 'Pakistani Connection'; throwing overboard the story of conspiracy linking ISI, Masood Azhar, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Ghazi Baba, Tariq, and the rest. All that the judgment refers to is that five unidentified armed men attacked Indian parliament and died, and that Mohammad Afzal participated in the conspiracy. Sadly, this aspect has gone unnoticed in India by design and the world at large by default.
India and China talk trade deals and friendship, but they are bitter rivals
Like tectonic plates grinding up against each other in the Himalayas, China and India are locked into a rivalry that is going to set the global agenda for decades.
For three days this week, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited New Delhi, signed trade deals, dined with Indian politicians and spouted the rhetoric of friendship.
"China and India are partners for cooperation, not rivals in competition," he told an Indian business conference, after a Chinese trade delegation signed 48 deals worth more than US$16-billion.
"There is enough space in the world for the development of China and India," Mr. Wen insisted.
But beneath the polite diplomacy and mutual compliments, India and China remain wary of each other, locked in a volatile Cold War-style rivalry that is filled with conflict, mutual distrust and resentment.
As their economies grow, the world's two most populous nations – home to two-fifths of the global population – are competing for energy resources, food and opportunities. They have conflicting global aspirations; a 4,000 kilometre-long disputed border, a history of war and a decades-old struggle for regional influence.
When Mr. Wen arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday, Chinese engineers in Tibet were blasting through the last part of a mountain tunnel to link the last isolated county in China to the mainland's main highway system.
China celebrated the feat as a nation-building marvel and broadcast the event on national television.
Indian newscasts, however, noted the new tunnel, in a region bordering the disputed northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, will now enable China to rush troops to an area, which Beijing claims is really part of Tibet.
In almost the same breath, Indian experts also note China's stranglehold on Tibet gives it control of most of the headwaters of India's main rivers.
New Delhi has long feared China may one day dam and divert those waters to replenish its parched western provinces and China has talked recently of diverting up to 200 billion cubic metres of water annually to the Yellow River from the Brahmaputra River, which enters India at Arunachal Pradesh, before flowing on to Assam and into Bangladesh.
"Simmering tensions over territory, overlapping spheres of influence, resource scarcity and rival alliance relationships ensure that relations between the two rising Asian giants will be characterized more by competition and rivalry than cooperation for a long time to come," warned Mohan Malik, a professor at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies in Honolulu.
"The main objective of China's Asia policy is to prevent the rise of a peer competitor to challenge its status as the Asia-Pacific's sole 'Middle Kingdom'," he said. "As an old Chinese saying goes, 'One mountain cannot accommodate two tigers'."
The stark discrepancies between democratic India and authoritarian China were on display in New Delhi just two days before Mr. Wen arrived. In an effort to warn off Tibetan protesters preparing to demonstrate against Mr. Wen, a nervous Chinese ambassador, Zhang Yan, told reporters bilateral relations with India are "very fragile, very easy to be damaged and very difficult to repair."
"They need special care in the information age," he said. "To achieve this, the [Indian] government should provide guidance to the public to avoid a war of words."
India's Foreign Minister, Nirupama Rao, responded coolly but politely saying China has nothing to fear from India's "vibrant and noisy democracy."
Two events have permanently strained relations between Beijing and New Delhi – China's 1950 invasion and occupation of Tibet and China's defeat of India in a brief 1962 border war.
India now plays host to more than 120,000 Tibetan refugees, including the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 following a failed uprising.
China brands the Dalai Lama a separatist and insists he is using his base in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamsala to fuel rebellion inside Tibet.
After riots broke out in Tibet in March 2009, China's government-controlled news media were filled with anti-Indian rhetoric calling New Delhi "reckless and arrogant" and warning India not "to misjudge the situation as it did in 1962," when China successfully staged a month-long war against India all along their Himalayan border.
India still lives in the shadow of that conflict, resenting her defeat and complaining China illegally occupies 26,500 square kilometres of Indian territory.
"The wounds of the 1962 Chinese invasion have been kept open by Beijing's public and assertive claims to Indian territories," said Brahma Chellaney of New Delhi's Center for Policy Research. "China continues to occupy one-fifth of the original state of Jammu and Kashmir. Its recent claim over the entire Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and aggressive patrolling of the border region signify that China is not interested in maintaining the status quo."
As a result, India has moved two army divisions close to its Himalayan border and built three new airstrips in the foothills.
"The India-China strategic dissonance is rooted not only in their contrasting political ideals and quiet rivalry but also in Beijing's relentless pursuit of a classical, Sun Tzu-style balance-of-power strategy," Prof. Chellaney said. "In order to avert the rise of a peer rival in Asia, China has sought to strategically tie down India south of the Himalayas."
India has long resented China's close ties to its traditional rival Pakistan, arming Pakistan's military, helping Islamabad build nuclear weapons and promoting Pakistani claims to Indian territory.
But New Delhi has watched in frustration recently as China also increased its strategic assistance to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Burma [Myanmar] – countries India always regarded as part of its sphere of influence.
Nearly 90% of Chinese arms sales go to countries located in the Indian Ocean region. In addition, Beijing has helped build ports in Gwadar, Pakistan, and Humbantota, Sri Lanka, as well as in Burma and Bangladesh, in what analysts have called a "string of pearls" strategy to build naval bases and military listening posts across the Indian Ocean.
The Chinese-built Gwadar port and naval base, near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz and close to Pakistan's border with Iran, is one of the world's largest deep-water ports and could allow China to park submarines in India's backyard.
It may also serve as the terminus for an energy pipeline taking oil from the Gulf region, through Pakistan, directly to China.
A similar pipeline is planned from a Chinese-built port on Burma's Ramree Island to transport oil from Africa and the Middle East to the Chinese province of Yunnan.
"This effort to encircle India by sea with strategically positioned naval stations from Hainan in the east, to Gwadar in the west, and on land by promoting bogus Pakistani claims that undermine India's territorial integrity, takes the 'Great Game' to a new and more dangerous level," warned Jaswant Singh, India's former defence and foreign affairs minister.
China's rising economic and military power is driving formerly non-aligned India into seeking a loose alliance with the United States and its Asian partners (Japan, South Korea, Australia) to counterbalance Beijing.
But New Delhi has also sought to engage China, promoting its white-collar, services-led economic growth as a natural counterpoint to China's blue-collar, manufacturing-driven economy.
Bilateral trade between the two Asian rivals has surged from a mere US$262-million in 1991 to an expected US$60-billion this year.
During Mr. Wen's visit, the two countries set a bilateral trade target of US$100-billion-a-year by 2015.
But sharing their new wealth has also produced new tensions. China is India's biggest trade partner. But that trade is skewed heavily in China's favour, with China exporting almost twice as much to India as India sells to China.
Nearly 70% of India's exports are low-cost raw materials compared with China's more expensive manufactured goods.
It is no coincidence India has initiated more anti-dumping complaints with the World Trade Organization against China than anyone else.
"A Sino-Indian rivalry in southern Asia and the northern Indian Ocean may well be a dominant feature of Asian geopolitics in the 21st century," Prof. Malik said.
National Post
Under Water
The very future of microcredit in India is in danger, which is a shame for the country's poor
HER sobbing can be heard throughout her village, Nagaram, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (AP). When visitors from Hyderabad, the state capital, some 80km (50 miles) away, cross the threshold of her bare little house, Narsama Anthaiah flings herself prostrate and wailing onto the dirt floor to touch their feet. Her theatrical grief is heartfelt. Two months ago her husband, aged 40, drowned himself. The AP government blames unlikely villains: microfinance institutions (MFIs), which have been expanding fast in the state. Microcredit-small loans to the poor, ideally to start a tiny business-has until recently been seen as one of best hopes for the three-quarters of Indians who still live on less than $2 a day. But the political fallout from such deaths has put paid, at least for now, to the industry's expansion. It could even destroy it altogether in AP, and conceivably beyond.
The blame the MFIs shoulder is unfair. Farmer suicides are lamentably common in India. Anthaiah took his own life as a payment loomed on a 15,000 rupee ($333) MFI loan. Heavy rain had waterlogged his cotton crop and left the family struggling to pay the interest rate of 36% a year. But the couple, who had borrowed to build this house, also owed 34,000 rupees to a local moneylender, who charged over 50%.
Even so, Anthaiah's name features on a government list of 85 MFI "victims", who had taken their own lives by November 16th. The government has reacted by introducing an "ordinance" forcing MFIs to change their practices-cutting interest rates, changing from weekly to monthly repayments, etc. Opposition politicians, scenting votes, have encouraged borrowers to default. Not surprisingly, recovery rates for some lenders have plunged from close to 100% to around 20%.
This is a huge problem for Indian microcredit. AP is not so much the jewel in its crown as the crown itself. The country as a whole has seen a spurt in microcredit, overtaking, in the number of borrowers, Bangladesh, the global movement's fountainhead. AP accounts for at least half India's total, with more than 25m borrowers, up from 8m in 2007. Indeed, the MFIs' very success in AP is the source of their present troubles.
There have been abuses. Chasing growth, MFIs seem to have piled into the same villages, lending to the same people. Some "recovery" methods have involved intimidation. In Godhumagudu, not far from Nagaram, Laxmi Peta is mourning her 16-year-old daughter Lalitha. The family ran up 66,000 rupees in debts from five MFIs to pay for the wedding of their elder daughter. Unable to meet a payment, they went away to seek help from the new in-laws, leaving Lalitha alone. An MFI officer arrived, along with the village head and the four other members of her mother's "joint liability group"-fellow villagers who had taken collective responsibility for the debt. After their harangues, Lalitha drank pesticide. Her mother treasures a tattered suicide note. It advises her not to take out any more loans, except for her young son's education.
The MFIs, however, are less abusive, as well as far cheaper, than traditional moneylenders. Their troubles in AP stem from a mixture of institutional rivalry, politics and ideology.
Among the MFIs' biggest critics is Budithi Rajsekhar, boss of the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty, an arm of the state government formed in 2000 to run its own microcredit programme. Set up with World Bank money, this involves a network of "self-help groups", each of 10-15 women, who pool savings and then have access to bank finance. According to Mr Rajsekhar, there are now about 1m groups, with 10m members, covering 8m-9m households, or 95% of the state's rural poor. The MFIs "poach" their clients for their smaller, five-member, borrowing syndicates, and "dump" unneeded loans on them.
The antipathy is mutual. For the MFIs, the government's groups offer too little credit, too late. The MFIs offer an alternative to the old-fashioned usurer. But their success in AP has made them a political target-large numbers of voters owe them money. The main opposition Telugu Desam Party lost power in 2004 partly because it was seen as in thrall to the IT industry and foreign investors. Championing poor MFI borrowers was a cost-free way of burnishing its credentials with the rural poor.
Ideologically, many in India worry that large MFIs have become for-profit firms. The biggest, SKS, was launched by Vikram Akula as a charity, with (according to his divorced and embittered wife) donations from the guests at their lavish wedding. In July it floated on the stock exchange. The issue was 13 times oversubscribed and valued the company at $1.5 billion. It has a star-studded share register and board of directors, and a great appeal for those who like to think you can do well by doing good.
Saints and sinners
Even charitable microcredit, however, is less fashionable than it was. Other countries' microlenders, too, have had crises. In Pakistan's Punjab province, for example, it became fashionable in 2008-09 for politicians to encourage borrowers to default on microloans. And this week the movement's patron saint, Muhammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi economist and Nobel laureate, was cleared of allegations of diverting Norwegian aid money from one arm of his Grameen bank to another. The film making the accusations also aired arguments that microcredit may do more harm than good. In fact, research suggests that it does work-for some people some of the time, as you would expect. It is not a magic bullet, but nor is it intrinsically harmful. In Nagaram, where Mrs Anthaiah still has to pay off the moneylender with only her own labour to sell, her self-help group is arranging a loan to tide her over. India's problem is not too much microcredit, but too little, too narrowly directed.
Ex-CJI refutes HC judge on 'Raja letter'
Former chief justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan on Wednesday refuted the claim that a Madras High Court judge had written to him about a lawyer's attempt to influence a case by taking then telecom minister A. Raja's name.
Balakrishnan said that Justice Reghupathy had sent the letter to H.L. Gokhale, then chief justice of the Madras High Court, and not to him.
Balakrishnan said that Gokhale sent him a one-page report about Justice Reghupathy's letter but he cannot recall what it contained.
Asked specifically if there was any mention about Raja trying to influence Justice Reghupathy in a criminal case, Balakrishnan categorically said he could not recall.
The Madras High Court had on Tuesday ruled that action be taken against lawyer Chandra Mohan for trying to influence Justice Reghupathy by using Raja's name in a criminal case.
India police raid minister's homes in telecoms probe
NEW DELHI – Indian police on Wednesday raided two homes of a former telecoms minister who is alleged to have sold off mobile phone licences at knock-down prices in a scam that cost the government billions of dollars.
A spokesman for the Central Bureau of Investigation said A. Raja's residences in the capital New Delhi and in his constituency in the southern state of Tamil Nadu were searched by police.
Raja, who resigned last month, is accused of changing bidding rules to favour selected companies who were often ineligible to compete for the lucrative second-generation (2G) mobile phone licences.
The licences were sold in 2008 at cut-price rates that denied the treasury up to 40 billion dollars in lost revenue, according to the national auditor.
The scandal, which could prove to be the biggest corruption case in India's history, has engulfed the Congress-led ruling coalition and is seen as one of the government's most serious setbacks since it came to power six years ago.
In a campaign for a cross-party investigation, the main opposition parties have stalled parliament for weeks.
The government has refused to agree, saying that the police and state anti-corruption bodies are both investigating the sales.
Raja belongs to a regional party that is key to the Congress alliance holding onto power, prompting accusations that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was slow to act against him after the 2G sell-off.
Raja's lawyer, T.R. Andhyarujina, told the Supreme Court last week that his client had only been following procedures established by previous ministers.
If Kashmiris want 'azadi' give it to them: minister
The remarks of Sham Lal Sharma, a senior Congress minister in Omar Abdullah cabinet – who has reportedly advocated "azadi" for the Valley and trifurcation of the state – has put the state and the central governments in an embarrassing situation.
Sharma's remarks have invited criticism from not only the opposition BJP, but his own party and cabinet colleagues as well. "If Kashmiris want Azadi, give it to them. But make Jammu a separate state and give UT status to Ladakh," said Health Minister Sharma said at a rally in Bani, 200 kms from Jammu, on Sunday, much to the discomfort of senior party leaders, including MP Saifuddin Soz, who were sitting on the dias. While there are voices for 'azadi' in Kashmir, people in Jammu and Ladakh complain of discrimination in all spheres, Sharma said, adding that "this was the only solution if you (Centre) want real development of the state"."Kashmiris take away major share of funds allocated by the Centre. On the other hand, those who get discriminated remain silent," he said. Such a situation cannot be tolerated for long, he pointed out. BJP leaders Nirmal Singh and Ashok Khajuria described the minister's public statement as treason and demanded his immediate arrest and dismissal from the state cabinet.


text: Through an intensive application, presentation, and interview process, the CGUHS Future Farmers of America (FFA) was selected as the 2018-2019 Chapter of the Year. This ranks the chapter 1st out of 83 chapters across the great state of Arizona. FFA members traveled to Tucson, AZ, and attended the Arizona Association FFA 90th State Leadership Conference, 90 Years A Legacy, June 6-8. Some highlights of the conference included: the Conduct of Meetings and Parliamentary Procedures teams competed; Ashton Redd was a finalist and earned 2nd Place in Prepared Public Speaking; Ashton Redd was elected South Central District President; Amanda Hartman was named an Honorary State Degree recipient; five (5) State Degree recipients were named; and three (3) American Degree recipients were named. We are extremely proud of our members, their dedication, time, and talents that make this chapter #1 in Arizona! The CGUHS FFA is sponsored by Mr. Casey Farnsworth.


text:
Happy 2015. Hopefully the year is off to an inspirational start.
A few shots of the fam taking a New Year's Day stroll (I know I'm a week late but hey).
Was able to pick up a pair of these recently. Hard to come by in my size. Although I would have preferred a DS pair, I was able to cop for a good price.
From Sneaker News:
In 2005, Undefeated teamed up with Nike on the Dunk High in the slimmer 'NL' form; the Dunk NL stood for 'No Liner', which featured a interior stripped of its thick padding to achieve a sleeker profile (a precursor to the current 'Deconstruct' Dunk Highs). UNDFTD's uninhibited use of bright colors was matched perfectly with the supreme materials on the shoe, which feature a high-quality brown leather on the toe, the wine-colored heel, and the calf-skin leather used on the toe-box and tongue. This 2005 masterpiece was a Tier 0 release and limited to just 5,000 units worldwide, and surely stands as a definitive 'Dunk' of our time – rife with colorways and materials and seamlessly adapting the 'NL' construction without shedding the Dunk's original heritage of basketball sport.
Undefeated x Nike Dunk High NL
Blue Reef/Cotton Candy-Black
I'm into sneakers. I've been into sneakers, shoes, kicks, trainers, runners, tennis, whatever you call them for a long time.
I always thought a nice pair of shoes were something to be appreciated, but the inception of desire was when I first laid eyes on that special pair.
It was my sophomore year of high school. I alighted the bus and made my way through campus to the lunchroom doors. In my way was a small crowd. Curious to see what was going on, I joined the throng.
I was dumbfounded by what I saw. The only way to describe them was a pair of marshmallow moon boots. The shoes were made of a bright royal blue material; something like high-tech polyurethane. There was a semi-translucent sole with circular indentations meant to enhance grip and traction. At first I couldn't tell what brand shoe they were, until I spotted a small white swoosh near the toe area. There is so much more about the shoe that boggled my mind, but I just don't have the time to share it all.
I had to know more. My buddy gave me the skinny: Nike Air Foamposite One, the newest and most innovative in footwear tech to come out of Beaverton, OR. My mind was blown; how could create such a thing?
I was determined to get them, alas my heart sunk when I found out the retail price: $179.99. I just started working during summers, but that price was way out of my reach. The same buddy told me he knew a dude who bought two pairs: one to rock (wear) and another to hoop in (play basketball). I was incredulous, but inspired nonetheless. I wasn't able to raise the necessary funds for my pair until sometime later. I scoured virtually every obscure sneaker spot in NYC looking for that elusive size 11.5. While hunting, other Nike offerings caught my attention. At my height during College, I had over thirty pairs of sneakers in my rotation. It's was where virtually all my money went. I didn't care; I was like Ash Ketchum. My "sole" purpose was to acquire.
I eventually did score my pair of Nike Air Foamposite Ones. They are the up there, along with my current rotation; a fraction of what it used to be. The quantity may have decreased due to new priorities (wife, children, Cheez-its, etc.) but the love still remains.
What was/is your love, and what started it all for you?


text:
Dirk Nowitzki's well-documented struggles this season have led the perennial All-Star forward to determine that he is not deserving of an invite to the mid-season showcase. From the Dallas Morning News: "Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki has played in 10 consecutive NBA All-Star games. He also is coming off a season in which he won his first championship and was named the NBA Finals' Most Valuable Player. But Nowitzki sounds like he doesn't expect to be an All-Star this year. He wasn't voted in as a starter. Those results were announced last week. Coaches vote on the seven reserves in each conference. Those results are scheduled to be announced on Thursday. Nowitzki was asked after [Mondays's] practice whether he thinks he can make a case for himself for being included in this month's All Star game in Orlando. 'Not really,' he said. 'I mean, averaging whatever, 15, 16 points, I don't think you should be an All-Star. But we'll just have to wait and see. I think there's a lot of great young talent in this league that deserves to go. I think LaMarcus Aldridge has been stiffed the last couple of years. He's a great young player, fun to watch. You know Blake (Griffin); and (Kevin) Love is playing great, so there's a lot of talent at my position. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.'"
Dirk Nowitzki is Not an All-Star, According to Dirk Nowitzki


text:
While most refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers on the market today have automatic defrost controls, some models are available with manual defrost.
Automatic defrost refrigerators work by heating the interior refrigerator coils at regular intervals. This prevents frost from building up and allows for effective cooling of the refrigerator or freezer. However, because it introduces a heating element to the cooled space, the refrigerator uses more energy than it otherwise would.
By contrast, a manual defrost does not contain automatic heating elements. While this reduces overall energy use, it requires the owner to defrost the coils manually. This is because as frost builds up on the coils, airflow is restricted and the coils will not cool as efficiently. The frost comes from the moisture out of the air that enters the freezer when you open the door, and also from moisture out of food. Too much frost can prevent the door from closing properly and cause other damage. Proper maintenance is necessary to realize the energy savings of manual defrost refrigerators. A general rule of thumb is to not allow frost to build up more than one-quarter of an inch.
Defrosting should be done only when necessary, but should be done as soon as necessary. The amount of time duration in between defrosts varies as to how often the door is opened, and the relative humidity in your kitchen.
Because the defrost process can take several hours, it is best to plan ahead because you will need to take everything out of your refrigerator and freezer. Anything that needs to be kept cool during the defrost should be put in a cooler with ice. To manually defrost your refrigerator and freezer:
- Take everything out of both the refrigerator and freezer and turn it off.
- Open all the doors to allow warm air to circulate inside.
- Place towels at the bottom of the compartments to collect and absorb the liquid as it melts.
- Once the machine is completely defrosted, clean the inside with soap and water.
- After washing, rinse the inside with non-soapy water to remove soap residue, wipe with dry towels, and allow to air dry for at least an hour. It is important that the refrigerator be clean and dry before turning back on. Once it is completely dry, return any food to the refrigerator and turn it back on to the appropriate temperature setting.
- DO NOT chip, scrape, or pry at the frost build-up.
- DO NOT use heat sources such as a blow dryer, they can damage the plastic interior of the refrigerator and/or present a shock hazard.
As always, if you have any questions regarding the proper care of your refrigerator or freezer, refer to your owner's manual or contact the manufacturer. Manufacturers recommendations always take precedence over general rules of thumb.


text:
Trading Volume: Implications of An Intertemporal Capital Asset Pricing Model
NBER Working Paper No. 8565
We derive an intertemporal capital asset pricing model with multiple assets and heterogeneous investors, and explore its implications for the behavior of trading volume and asset returns. Assets contain two types of risks: market risk and the risk of changing market conditions. We show that investors trade only in two portfolios: the market portfolio, and a hedging portfolio, which allows them to hedge the dynamic risk. This implies that trading volume of individual assets exhibit a two-factor structure, and their factor loadings depend on their weights in the hedging portfolio. This allows us to empirically identify the hedging portfolio using volume data. We then test the two properties of the hedging portfolio: its return provides the best predictor of future market returns and its return together with the return of the market portfolio are the two risk factors determining the cross-section of asset returns.
Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX
Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w8565
Published: Andrew W. Lo & Jiang Wang, 2006. "Trading Volume: Implications of an Intertemporal Capital Asset Pricing Model," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(6), pages 2805-2840, December. citation courtesy of
Users who downloaded this paper also downloaded* these:
Contact Us


text:
Adventures In Paradise:Mixed by AllyAl
This is not music, this is a trip!
Condition of the Heart Volume 5 : The Music of Prince : Mixed by AllyAl
June 06, 2017 02:19 PM PDT
Howdy Listeners
Hope all is well with you
The 5th and final instalment of the Condition of the Heart series, a journey through love, lust and heartbreak. To celebrate what would've been Prince's 59th Birthday I delved in to the ( mostly ) post 80's output ( to prove I'm not just an 80's snob )
So without foither ado, please enjoy...
Condition of the Heart Volume 5
All comments welcomed
Al12"S OF FUNK 3 : Prince B-Sides, Remixes and Extended Versions : Mixed by AllyAl
April 12, 2017 02:51 AM PDT
Howdy Listeners
Hope all is well in your worlds
For your listening pleasure the third and final instalment of the 12"s of Funk series, featuring the music of the late, great Prince. When I started to put this mix together I thought I might mot have enough material and then realised I'd not used some stone cold classics on the previous two, almost like fate
So without foither ado, hey you ! get out on this dance floor !!
12"s of Funk 3
all comments welcomed
AlFree Your Mind : Funkadelic, Westbound 70-75 : Mixed by AllyAl
February 16, 2017 09:39 AM PST
"If you will suck my soul, I will lick your funky emotions"
and so it began...
First signed to Westbound in 68 and dropped their first album ( Funkadelic ) in 1970. There where various line ups over the next 5 years but the quality of the recorded output always remained the same high standard. The mix features music from their their first seven albums with Westbound, Funkadelic, Free Your Mind ( And Your Ass Will Follow ), Maggot Brain, America Eats It Young, Cosmic Slop, Standing on the Verge of Gettin it on and Let's Take It To The Stage ( I didn't include Tales of Kidd Funkadelic because it was released after the band left Westbound for Warner Brothers, and it was contractual obligation as oppose a labour of funky love, plus it was hard enough breaking down 7 albums into a mix !!! )
The mix features many of my favourite tracks from that period and I've chosen the tunes with more of a guitar heavy lean. The Funk however, was never faked. Probably my favourite group of all time, please enjoy a different kind of SOUL !! The Funkadelic on Westbound Records
Nice one
AlWild is the Wind : The Music of David Bowie : Mixed by AllyAl
January 02, 2017 04:16 AM PST
Howdy Listeners
Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2017
now to the music
Been sitting on this mix for a little while, made it for myself when Autumn hit. I always feel melancholy around that time of year and not in a bad way either. It's the first anniversary of Bowie's passing on the 10th January, and what would've been his 70th Birthday on the 8th so I thought it would be an ideal time to share it. It's a 50 year retrospective of some of my favourite melancholic and moody tracks. His voice had such a range of emotions, unmatched by any other rock/ alternative vocalist in my opinion. His talent will be forever greatly missed but at least we still have his music and all the memories connected with it. A mix more for the connoisseur than the casual fan I think, but give it a listen, you never know
So without further ado, please enjoy
Wild is the Wind : The Music of David Bowie : Mixed by AllyAl
enjoy !
all comments welcomed, please feel free to share far and wide
AlWU TANG IN THE CUT 2 : KILLA BEEZ : Mixed by AllyAl
October 12, 2016 11:42 PM PDT
It's been a long time....
Howdy Listeners
Hope all is well in your worlds. New mix from me, a follow up to my second most downloaded mix ( 24,000 and counting !! ) Wu Tang In The Cut. Whilst the first mix centered on the the first Wu album and the first group of classic releases I've opened up the selections here to include some of the affiliated groups and producers, as well as tracks from Forever and the secondary solo releases
SUUUUUUUU without foither ado, please enjoy !
WU TANG IN THE CUT 2 : KILLA BEEZ : Mixed by AllyAl
All comments welcomed
AlTHIN WHITE FUNK : David Bowie 74 - 83 : Mixed by AllyAl
April 04, 2016 12:47 PM PDT
When Bowie passed at the beginning of the year it hit me harder than I expected. I'm a huge fan and his music has been part of my life for the last 42 years, lots of memories attached. One of the greatest artists of all time in my opinion, maybe THE greatest......subjective though obviously, its music, no right or wrong
For my second Bowie mix I decided to explore his "funkier" material from 74 > 83. Not Funk like James, but funky, groove based, sometimes with a Disco lean, but always done in a Bowie ( and the bands he surrounded himself with a the time ) way
without foither ado
please enjoy
THIN WHITE FUNK : DAVID BOWIE 74 - 84 : Mixed by AllyAl
Let's Dance
Nice one
AlVANGUARD : THE MUSIC OF D'ANGELO Mixed by AllyAl
September 09, 2015 09:45 AM PDT
It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you, without a dope mix to step to....
Howdy Listeners
Hope all is well in your worlds
D'Angelo over the last 20 years is an artist, which for some reason, I've let other peoples opinions affect mine, good or bad. When Brown Sugar dropped 20 years ago I loved it, one of my favourite albums of the 90's. When Voodoo dropped, I liked it but didn't get caught up in the hyperbole ( had our first baby on the way, life was hectic, maybe that had something to do with it, I blame Busta THERE'S ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT !! ) Then came the 14 year wait for Black Messiah, released at the back end of 2014. Was this going to be on some Phantom Menace level of disappointment or was it going to be a triumphant homecoming ? Again the hyperbole made me sceptical but I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the album a lot. How do I feel 9 months later though ? Like turned to love and the album is still in steady rotation. Also got to see him live this year at the Apollo in Manchester. I was listening to BM in the car with my eldest son, asked him what he thought of the album ? He replied "Really good !" Told him he was doing a show in Manchester and would he fancy going ( his first concert was Prince the previous year ) and enthusiastic "yes !" followed. It was a great show ( met my boys the Soul Twins there too, you should check their podcast, its ace ! ), D is a great performer, a real class act and the band were tight, and my son loved it. D'Angelo is old school but still remains very relevant, without trying to pander to current fads unlike some I could mention
Anyways, briefly back to Voodoo, once I'd booked the tickets I thought i should refamiliarise myself with his back catalogue. Brown Sugar still banged, and then Voodoo came on......and I realised I'd love it all along, it felt like meeting an old friend that I'd lost touched with, and that basically what inspired the mix. Its album tracks, remixes and the odd guest spot. Something for the avid fan and casual listener I think
Anyways with foither ado's, please enjoy
VANGUARD : THE MUSIC OF D'ANGELO mixed by AllyAl
The Charade
All comments welcomedPENETRATION FUNK : A ParliaFunkadelicment Thang : Mixed by AllyAl
February 04, 2015 08:19 AM PST
Howdy Listeners
hope all is well with you
For Valentines Day I bring forth to you the good times, 90 minutes of P-Funk slow jams. Now this being the Funk Mob probably best not to expect straight up romance, but 17 bass heavy, guitar solo, funky synth laden freaky tracks
PENETRATION FUNK : A PARLIAFUNKADELICMENT THANG : Mixed by AllyAl
Amorous - The Brides of Funkenstein
December 06, 2014 02:37 AM PST
Howdy Listeners
Hope all is well with you
New mix to celebrate the Birthday of my favourite clothing label out of the UK TRICKETT
with a foreword from Chief pot & bottle washer Iain
"The mix is just a favourite of each member of staff and we must apologise for the start of it, my Dad likes modern country! These are just a selection of songs that have got us through packing socks over the last year.
We are a small brand that is enthused by sport and in particular sport from North America. Everything that we do is deeply rooted in sporting culture and collecting things. We take a great pride in where are products are made (the USA, UK and Canada) and the attention to detail. The mix is also to celebrate our launch of a new burger that we are launching with the Twister Burger company in Sheffield, it's a tasty treat so get down to their restaurant in Sheffield from the 23rd December. All artwork by Tom J Newell too. He is lovely."
check out more from them here >> http://trickett-england.co.uk/products-page/ Their products are fantastic and their service is second to none, well worth a look
check out more from Tom here >> https://twitter.com/tomjnewell http://instagram.com/tomjnewell
so without foither ado, please enjoy !
TRICKETT TRIO TUNED : Mixed by AllyAl
Marching Chiefs intro
nice one
AlPREMIER BEATS Volume II : Mixed by AllyAl
November 06, 2014 10:51 AM PST
Howdy Listeners
Hope all is well in your worlds
DJ Premier is without a doubt one of the greatest Hip Hop producers of all time. Throw in the fact he was also one half of one of the greatest Hip Hop groups of all time too, his status as a living legend can go unquestioned in my book, salute
This mix features just some of my favourite Preemo beats ( you can find Vol I on my mixcloud page here >> http://www.mixcloud.com/AllyAl3000/are-friends-eclectic-radio-show-8913-dj-premier-beats/ ) but I have plenty more so no doubt there'll be other volumes
so without foither ado, please enjoy !
MIX HAS NOW BEEN AMENDED AND FEATURES BOTH PARTS TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE ( Thanks to Jehan of the Music Snobs )
PREMIER BEATS Volume II : Mixed by AllyAL
New tracklist
DJ Premier intro
all comments welcomed
Next Page
Podcast Summary
Hi Everyone
unlike my other page (http://allyal.podomatic.com/), this one will be a little more artist/genre specfific. Mainly hip hop, funk, house and soul but you never know what else might turn up, stay tuned!
About AllyAl
Howdy Peoples New podcasting page from me. Slightly different from the AFE page because the mixes here will be more artist/ genre specific. If you're stumbling on to me for the first time however, check out my other podcast page here http://allyal.podomatic.com/. Also have a weekly radio show, every Sunday 9-11pm UK Time ( 4-6pm EST ) 2 hours of non stop music, no chat http://uvr20.net/ Are Friends Eclectic ? Please drop by if you can thanks for listening
Your donations make this
podcast possible.
Favorite Links
Allyal 's Friends
Subscribe to this Podcast


text:
The Financial Advisers Disciplinary Committee (FADC) was established in December 2010 by the Minister of Commerce to conduct disciplinary proceedings arising out of complaints regarding Authorised Financial Advisers (AFAs) referred to it by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA).
The FADC has the ability to make determinations and impose penalties ranging from recommending to the FMA that it cancel an AFA's authorisation, through to imposing a fine not exceeding $10,000.
Last modified:


text:
Planet hunters have found hundreds of planets outside the solar system in the last decade, though it is unclear whether even one might be habitable. But it could be that the best place to look for planets that can support life is around dim, dying stars called white dwarfs.
In a new paper published online March 29 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Eric Agol, a University of Washington associate professor of astronomy, suggests that potentially habitable planets orbiting white dwarfs could be much easier to find -- if they exist -- than other exoplanets located so far.


text:
Still Life and Collage Cabinet for Ex.t
September 19, 2011 § 7 Comments
Still Life
Collage Cabinet
Still Life and Collage cabinet is produced by the Italian bathroom brand Ex.t.
Still Life creates a still life of your everyday objects and most precious collectables well displayed and easy accessible. This freestanding cabinet can fit all the spaces of the home, as a single piece or together, filling up an entire wall.
Collage Cabinet is a mix between contrasting geometrical shapes, material properties and colour shades. Each cabinet of the family is different and can be combined with the others in various ways to create your very own collage.
Exhibited at Cersaie Bologna 2011, IMM Cologne 2012, Fuori salone Milano design week 2012
§ 7 Responses to Still Life and Collage Cabinet for Ex.t
stunning! i love everything, this palette is perfect and the "scandinavian taste" is my favourite… I wil write about it on my blog for sure 😉
[…] nice, and refreshingly nontraditional bathroom furniture, by Swedish designer Sigrid Strömgren in collaboration with the Italian bathroom brand Ex.t. I love that it doesn't scream […]
[…] source from Sigrid Strömgren Posted in Bedrooms, cupboard | Tagged cabinets, closet, cupboard, luxury cabinets, […]
me gusta!!!
[…] RK Designs /// Quiet Design […]
[…] Still Life and Collage Cabinet for Ex.t […]