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You can further restrict your selection by selecting a location or applying a filter (at right side)
All locations in Saudi Arabia
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Po Box 844, Makkah
The luxurious Makkah Hilton Hotel & Towers is superbly located in the city centre, offering 1,400 rooms, suites, villas and apartments. Just a few steps from the Holy Haram, the Makkah Hilton Hotel & Towers forms a part of the largest, most prestigious com ... more
King Abdulaziz Road, Ajyad Area, Makkah
Le Meridien Makkah is ideally located near to the Holy Mosque. The hotel consists of 230 rooms and suites, including one Royal Suite, 2 Diplomatic Suites and 24 Junior Suite, with the majority of rooms overlooking the Holy Mosque. The hotel has 2 restauran ... more
P.o.box 1582, Madinah Munawarah, Madinah
Ideally located in a unique spot in the central area ofMadinah with different views of all historical Islamic features especially the Green Dome and Baqie Memorial.The hotel is only 3 minutes walk from the Holly mosque. ... more
Madinahs largest most multi-functional hotel with extensive facilities for families, individual frequent travelers and leisure groups. The closest hotel to Prophets Mosque. Directly linked to the shopping mall with own underground car park. 3 restaurants o ... more
Olaya Main Street, Po Box 57749, Riyadh
Four (04) Star Deluxe First Class The hotel is situated in the business district of Olaya main street surrounded by various shopping malls such as Al Mousa Center,Al Faisaliah Mall and Jewellery shops. It is nearby from the Olaya Computer Market and close ... more
P.o. Box 3297, Khalid Bin Waleed St, Makkah
Located in the holy capital of Islam, next to the Holy Haram and 3 km to the -Al Sitteen- CBD. The hotel features restaurant, cafe shop, room service and all rooms are air-conditioned. Paying shuttle service to airport. . ... more
The Tulip Inn Andalusia Al Khobar is the latest Tulip Inn hotel opened in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. located in Al Khobar city. The hotel features the latest in amenities and services to cater to families and business travelers. ... more
381 spacious rooms, including a number of suites, providing a variety of accommodation types to meet all requirements. Located in the holiest city in the Islamic world, about 10 minutes walk from the Holy Mosque. . ... more
Pobox 51177, Ibrahim Al Khalil Street, Misfala, Makkah
This 4 star hotel is equipped with 248 air-conditioned, spacious rooms including 12 suites and provides a variety of accomodation types to meet all requirements. The Mercure Hibatullah is located in the capital of Islam, within 8 minutes walking dis tanc. ... more
Off Sitteen Street, Po Box 20205, Madinah
Dar Al Iman InterContinental Madinah occupies a choice spot on the piazza of the Holy Masjid Mosque of the Prophet Mohammed. Surrounded by the city®s financial, commercial and shopping districts, the hotel is also within easy reach of historic sites inc ... more
King Fahad St, Central Area, Madinah
Dar Al Hijra InterContinental Madinah is a mere quarter-kilometre (800 feet) from the Prophet's Mosque and offers a magnificent view of Ohud Mountain. You'll walk to shops and the business district, and take a short drive to important sites such as the Qub ... more
P O Box 20944, Madinah
Extensive views over the city are enjoyed from this high-rise hotel in the heart of Madinah. The famous Holy Prophet®s Mosque is located only 25 m from the hotel, which borders the surrounding piazza. Every conceivable luxury comes as standard with extr ... more
Ibrahim Al Khalil Street, Makkah
InterContinental Dar Al Tawhid Makkah is located in front of the Holy Haram, giving most guests uninterrupted views of the city®s religious centre. A number of holy shrines including the Jannat Al Moaalah Graveyard are a short walk or taxi ride away, as ... more
P.o. Box 4009, Makkah
The Sheraton Makkah Hotel and Towers faces the Masjid Al Haram andis only a few steps away from Al Marwah Gate. The hotel features 433 guest rooms and offers the latest in modern amenities. In addition, guests can enjoy dining on site at the Al Shaheen res ... more
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The Jeddah Trident
Le Meridien Jeddah
Moevenpick Hotel Jeddah
Moevenpick Resort Al Nawras Island
Radisson Blu Royal Suite Hotel, Jeddah
All 14 hotels
Locations covered: Jeddah
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World>Middle East>Saudi Arabia


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Here at You and Your Wedding, crafting is something we wish we could do more of, from making our own paper garlands to creating our own favours. But what with searching for dream wedding dresses and endlessly whittling down guest lists, wedding planning can leave little time to get creative.
Luckily for us, the crafting experts at Mollie Makes have teamed up with Comic Relief to launch Crafternoon, a bookazine packed with projects to make and enjoy. £5 from every copy goes to charity! You can buy it here, and it's also available on iTunes and Sainsburys.
We particularly love Lia Griffith's crepe paper peonies, so have pasted a step-by-step guide on how to create them below, so set aside an afternoon and get making! They'll look amazing as a bouquet, or dotted in vases around your venue.
You will need
- The printed template from page 124 of Crafternoon
- One pack of Lia Griffith Honeysuckle extra fine crepe paper
- One pack of Lia Griffith Chiffon extra fine crepe paper
- One pack of Lia Griffith Cypress extra fine crepe paper
- 18 gauge floral wire
- Floral tape flowers
- Low temperature glue gun
- Low temperature glue sticks
- Wire-nose pliers
Step 1
Cut out the templates from page 124 of Crafternoon, then cut your crepe paper pieces according to the instructions show on the template.
Step 2
Gently stretch the middle of the crepe paper pieces to cup and shape all petals and leaves
Step 3
Bend the wire tip into a loop with wire-nose pliers. Using hot glue, wrap the chiffon fringed piece around the wire loop.
Step 4
Crunch and ruffle up the fringed stamen for a more natural look.
Step 5
Glue three (A) cupped petals smoothly and evenly around the stamen. Repeat with three more petals positioning them in between the first three petals.
Step 6
Glue (B) cupped petals smoothly around the first set of petals. Rotate and alternate for a random and natural look, gluing the petals slightly lower on each layer to create depth.
Step 8
Continually check the front of your flower for placement of the next set of petals, then using (C) petals, repeat step seven over the (B) petals.
Step 9
Glue 3 cupped (D) petals smoothly and evenly around the base of your flower. Repeat with the remaining (D) petals, positioning in the spaces between the first (D) petals you placed.
Step 10
Repeat step 9, using the remaining (A) petals
Step 11
Glue evenly-spaced Cypress leaf pieces to the base of your flower and wrap the stem with floral tape.
Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)

subset: commoncrawl


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Some New York University students might not even know until graduation that the school has a mascot, but they always want a photo with the school's Bobcat, says Gaby Marano, 20, one of seven people on the New York University Mascot Team. She made the team at NYU and now helps pick new members, judging them on raw talent and how they might handle certain situations, whether a drunk fan or scared child. She talked to Metro about her responsibilities.
How did you start being the Bobcat?
At NYU, I was walking around a club fair … and I saw the mascot head and I ran over, and I was like, 'What is going on?' … I auditioned, and I made it. The auditions were comprised of making a 90-second skit. You had to do the skit yourself, you couldn't wear the costume, just to test your confidence and make sure you could do it. A big part of being a mascot is you can't talk, so you have to use body language.
What makes a good mascot?
At auditions, we primarily look for raw talent, and that usually comes out when you're very confident. The bigger, the better. Once you are on the team, we teach you more technique and the logistics and how to handle certain situations.
What kinds of situations?
A little kid who's really upset, you don't want to scare them, [or] if you have a drunk fan.
How would you handle that situation?
Bobcat security. We have shirts. It's legitimate. Half the time they take pictures for you, and the other half they just make sure the performers are as safe as possible.
What do people not know about being a mascot?
I think one shocking piece of information is that we count as a varsity sport at NYU. We go to nationals. … There's a whole society of mascots. We're in touch, we talk, we try to get better every year.
What can you do to improve?
I would say practice makes perfect. There's no perfect way to be the mascot, a lot of it has to do with the personality and how you're trying to portray [the character]. Every mascot has a different character. What works for one suit might not work for another suit.
How would you describe your character?
I would describe a bobcat as fierce. We try to give him fierce and peppy and just a lot of confidence, a bit of swagger.
Do you think there's anything different about being a mascot at NYU?
Even though people know about [NYU], our sports program might not be as famous. Whoever comes to the games knows. It would be nice to have a bigger crowd, but that's another thing that we're going to work on next year.
Follow Alison Bowen on Twitter @reporteralison


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For much of 2001, the partners at Arthur Andersen battled behind closed doors over Enron, a demanding, rule-bending client that paid Andersen more than $50 million a year. At Enron's behest, an Andersen partner considered "too rule oriented" was taken off the account. But the head of the Andersen audit team based inside the Enron building, David Duncan, endured. He was privy to board meetings, conference calls and paper trails as Enron's web of deceit began to unravel--dragging Andersen down too. He's now the government's key witness in its obstruction-of-justice case against his former employer. And he's sure to have fresh...
Will Enron's Auditor Sing?
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Data write request process in Netapp Clustered Data ONTAP (Data Flow)
Data write request process in Netapp Clustered Data ONTAP
For SEO: data write request process
Clustered ONTAP system can be managed either from CLI or GUI (system manager or element manager). There are three different shells available with different scopes: Clustershell, nodeshell, systemshell
Step:1 Access through CLI
-SSH is default method
-One can access clustershell using cluster management LIF (recommended) or the node management LIFs
-Scope: entire cluster
LIFs Management: 'net int show' with display the output of available cluster management and node management LIFs along with their IP's, current node, current port and status
-Access nodeshell within the clustershell
-Scope: limited to one node at a time
-Command to access nodeshell is:
Clus::> system node run
-Access systemshell from within the clustershell
-This is to access BSD shell
-Scope: single node at a time
-To access systemshell:
a. security login unlock -username diag b. system node systemshell c. Login as "diag"
Step: 2 Access through GUI
-Start the system manager client using the IP address of the cluster management LIF
-This is well known interface to all the existing 7-mode administrators and I don't think more explanation is needed here
Dataflow in NetApp cluster-mode
To understand the dataflow in cluster-mode, one needs to understand the four major software components along with other key software components on every node in the cluster, they are as follows:
a. N-blade, network "blade"
b. D-blade, data "blade"
c. SCSI-blase, SCSI SAN "blade"
d. M-host, Management blade
Other components:
-The cluster session manager (CSM)
-RDB units, which is the volume location database
All the above mentioned components are accessed only by well-defined application APIs. The N-blade and SCSI-blade translates client requests into Spin Network Protocol (SpinNP) requests. The D-blade contains the WAFL file system that handles the SpinNP requests. The CSM is the SpinNP layer between the N-blade, the SCSI-blase and the D-blade.
Key Concepts:
N-blade: The N-blade handles the networking, NFS and CIFS requests and then translates to SpinNP requests as inputs to CSM
SCSI-blade: The SCSI-blade handles the networking, FC, FCoE and iSCSI requests and then translates to SpinNP requests as inputs to CSM
CSM: CSM then acts as a communicator between N-bade or SCSI-blade SpinNP requests and input them to the D-blade over UDP/IP
D-blade: The D-blade which contains the WAFL file systems then handles the SpinNP requests and them communicate disks and tape devices using FC
Dataflow on a local node:
1. NAS or SAN clients sends the write requests to a data logical interface (LIF)
2. N-blade (NAS) or SCSI-blade (SAN) which are associated with that LIF translates the NFS or CIFS, FC, FCoE, or iSCSI request to a SpinNP request
3. The SpinNP requests then passed to the D-blade via CSM
4. D-blade then sends the data to NVRAM and to the disks
5. The acknowledgments then works its way back to the client
Dataflow on a Remote node:
1. NAS or SAN clients sends the write requests to a data logical interface (LIF)
2. N-blade (NAS) or SCSI-blade (SAN) which are associated with that LIF translates the NFS or CIFS, FC, FCoE, or iSCSI request to a SpinNP request
3. The SpinNP requests then passed to the "remote" D-blade via Cluster session manager.
4. D-blade then sends the data to NVRAM, NVRAM has two parts one part holds the data which 50% of the NVRAM and time period is 10secs. Whenever first part 50% is fulled it will send to disks for write, either after 10secs it will automatically sends to disks for write when 50% is not full.
5. The acknowledgments then works its way back to the client
data write request process
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Dentist Near Me
Looking for a Dentist near me? Our team at L&R Dental clinic provide exceptional dental care that is both compassionate and uses the latest treatment techniques to ensure all our patients have access to quality oral health.
The concept for L&R Dental began with the dream of two dentists, Dr Leanne Welsh and Dr Rachael Milford, who wanted to invest their professional skills in an area with a strong local identity and a sense of community. During their time at university, they planned their dream dental clinic located in Toowoomba.
Both Dr Welsh and Dr Milford continually invest in their patients by implementing the latest technology to give Toowoomba families leading-edge dental care. Dr Phoebe Fernando found this idealistic approach to dentistry refreshing and joined our team, fully embracing life and work in Toowoomba.
At L&R Dental, we are patient-focused and gentle. Each member of our team became interested in dentistry because of the opportunity it provides to change people's lives by making them feel great about their smiles.
We are committed to delivering the finest dentistry in a warm and friendly environment. This makes taking care of your smile an easy, and even enjoyable, experience. You can learn a little more about our team by reading through our biographies. We can't wait to welcome you to L&R Dental.
Leanne Welsh
Principal Dentist
Dr Leanne Welsh grew up in Toowoomba and completed her secondary education at St Ursula's College. With family ties in the area, her goal was always to study at University, then return to serve in a professional capacity in Toowoomba.
Dr Welsh graduated from the University of Queensland in 2008, with a Bachelor of Dental Science. In partnership with Dr Rachael Milford, a fellow graduate of the UQ Dental School, Dr Welsh formed L&R Dental in 2012 to fulfil her aspiration of running her own practice.
Dr Welsh is passionate about dentistry and regularly attends courses to stay current on new techniques and materials. With a focus on prevention, Dr Welsh works closely with our hygienist to help her patients maintain optimal oral health. Dr Welsh has a special interest in restorative and cosmetic dentistry and the construction of oral appliances for the treatment of sleep apnea.
Outside of work, Dr Welsh is involved in the sport of Equestrian and spends her weekends competing in showjumping competitions throughout Queensland.
Dr Rachael Milford
Principal Dentist
Dr Rachael Milford stayed close to her hometown for her education, completing a Bachelor of Dental Science Degree in 2008 at the University of Queensland Dental School in Brisbane.
Dr Milford fell in love with Toowoomba, where she ultimately decided to work. She is passionate about community involvement and regularly participates in both dental and non-dental events community-wide.
She and Dr Leanne Welsh started L&R Dental in 2012, and Dr Milford has developed a sincere appreciation for the team they continue to develop. She often notes that the L&R Dental team works hard and always gives their very best.
As a people person, Dr Milford truly enjoys getting to know the Toowoomba families that trust L&R Dental with their dentistry. She especially enjoys the feeling of helping patients regain confidence with a beautiful smile.
When she is not working in the dental practice, you will often find Dr Milford gardening or getting fit at a local gym. She enjoys learning something new and the adventure of travelling.
Dr Phoebe Fernando
Dr Phoebe Fernando graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 2000, from the University of Otago in New Zealand. She has worked as a general dental practitioner for many years in various practices throughout New Zealand and Australia. her interest in general dentistry varies from oral surgery, endodontics, restorative therapy as well as educating patients in maintaining their oral health for a life time. All of theses interest are supported with continuing professional development to deliver the best care for all of our patients.
When Phoebe is not busy running around after her children, she loves to read, travel, cook and stay fit. She looks forward to welcoming new patients and continuing care for our regular patients at L&R Dental.
Emma Lorensin
Dental Hygienist
Our dental hygienist, Emma was born in Melbourne and attended primary and secondary school in Bundaberg before heading off to Brisbane for university. At The University of Queensland, Emma bolstered her clinical knowledge, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Oral Health in 2001.
Emma joined our team in 2017 and has settled right in with developing a rapport with patients while she gives their teeth and gums that clean, fresh feeling our patients expect after a visit to L&R Dental.
Our dental hygienist, Emma, not only cleans teeth but also educates patients about best practices and the latest products to help them keep their oral health in excellent condition.
Emma shared that her favourite aspect of being a part of the L&R Dental team is making patients feel comfortable and informed.
When away from the clinic, you will find Emma with her beloved whippet, Beans, and enjoying the company of her family and friends.
Priyanka Vanama
Oral Health Therapist
Priyanka is an Oral Health Therapist that completed her bachelor's degree at Central Queensland University in Rockhampton. She was originally raised in New Zealand and did both her primary and secondary schooling there, before moving to Australia.
After studying some psychology at Griffith University, she realized that her interests lay somewhere else and that's when she decided to pursue a career in the dental industry as an Oral health therapist.
Her passion is to work with children and adults in reducing their fear of coming to the dental clinic and ensuring that they leave with the thought of visiting again. Prevention has always been her main focus, identifying and dealing with the underlying problem before it gets worse.
Joining the L & R dental team was an easy decision as everyone shares similar values and strive for patient comfort. When she isn't working with teeth, Priyanka loves to bake, binge watch Netflix shows, sew and explore the parks in Toowoomba.
Front Office Coordinator
Originally from Redlands City, Kelly moved to Toowoomba in 2019. She joined the L&R Dental team in January 2020 as a Front Office Co-Ordinator.
Kelly is new to the Dental industry and is loving it. She is passionate about learning all aspects of dentistry and looking after our patients. What Kelly enjoys about being a part of the L&R Dental team is the kindness and empathy that every member of the team shows towards each other and our patients.
When Kelly is away from the clinic you can find her spending time with her husband and son, visiting family in Brisbane and renovating her house.
Front Office Coordinator
Maddy is one of the bright faces you will see when arriving at our practice. She started as a Front Office Coordinator this year, while expanding her knowledge into a sterilisation assistant. With a broad range of experience in administration and a Certificate 3 in Business, Maddy loves being able to assist our patients as first point of contact and make them feel relaxed for a calming experience with us.
While Maddy was born in Brisbane, she moved to Toowoomba at a young age. She decided to live abroad for a few years to gain further life experience. After returning home last year she decided to make a change into the dental healthcare industry. Working with the whole team and the patients at L&R Dental has been really grounding for Maddy and fulfils her want to help people.
When she is outside of the practice she enjoys exercising, spending time with her family and working on side projects.
Administration and Dental Assistant
Having moved to Toowoomba from Newcastle NSW, Kristy joined our team in 2018, coming from a medical administrative background.
Kristy is now in the process of obtaining her Certificate III in Dental Assisting.
As an Administration and Dental Assistant, Kristy works across all areas of the practice and enjoys the variety in her work day.
She loves working with the close-knit team at L&R Dental and believes their shared values help everyone work toward L&R's philosophy of quality healthcare with compassion and understanding.
Kristy spends her weekends exploring the parks of Toowoomba with her family, sampling the brunch menu of local cafes, and is determined to master the ability of making pasta from scratch.
Senior Dental Assistant
Hailing from Toowoomba, Kym began her career in dental assisting in 1994 and joined the L&R Dental team in 2017. She has completed her Certificate III in Dental assisting and consistently expands her skills through the full range of procedures we perform.
Throughout her career, Kym has worked with a number of dental teams, and truly enjoys the culture of L&R Dental because it is such a vibrant, patient-focused practice.
When she is away from the clinic, you can find Kym spending time with her family camping and adventuring on day trips.
Dental Assistant
Born and raised in Millmerran, Tanya joined the L&R team in 2018 as a talkative Dental Assistant.
Tanya came to our practice new to the dental industry and has accrued a wealth of dental knowledge since. The harmonious atmosphere and building good patient rapport are what Tanya finds most enjoyable about working at L&R.
When away from the practice, Tanya enjoys staying fit by exercising and being involved in multiple sports including basketball and touch. She also values spending time with her family and friends and wishes to continue travelling abroad.


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Well here is the first book we have created to support the Queens Diamond Jubilee. The children and teachers used literacy and art lessons to create their poems, question and their pictures of the Queen, guards, castles, new stamp and alternate front covers. They all did really well. The Lady in Waiting responded
The Queen wishes me to write and thank you all for the splendid pictures, letters and poems you have contributed.
You can find them at our site www.languagesupportuk.com under the LSBooks section.
Arabella Age 8 wrote
Dear Your Majesty,
My name is Arabella and I live in Kingsteignton. I have a very important question for you. Does it hurt when you put your crown on your head? Thank you so much for reading my letter. I hope you have a super Jubilee.
Leon aged 10 wrote:
Your Majesty,
My name is Leon and I am 10 years old and my favourite thing is the marvel comics and my favourite character is Spiderman. Mam, I have a question I would like to ask you.
If you were God what would you do to help the earth and why? Hope you have a great life on the throne.
Yours faithfully Leon.
Daisy aged 11 wrote an acrostic poem
Joyful celebrations that everyone is looking forward to,
United we stand
Blue, read and white flags flying high in the sky above our heads
Incredibly long time that she has reigned over our nation
Long Live the Queen!
Excitementis flowing through everyone's veins
Elizabeth 2nd our Queen for 60 years.
Seth aged 9 chose to write a limerick
A Queen with a dazzling crown,
Who lives in such beautiful grounds,
You have seven corgi's,
That go for a walkie,
And walk to the end of the town.


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Do you want to jump on the bandwagon and start a business that has a hipster slant to it? Been thinking for ages but can't come up with the name and branding? Fear not as this new tool will help you instantly come up with a name within a few clicks! Actually happens to be a very smart marketing tool for a domain name company. Great marketing by them and a bit worrying how real all the names sound!
Home /
Want To Start A Hips...
Want To Start A Hipster Business? Use This Handy Name Generator


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Discover How a Powdered Supplement Benefits the Health
While many people strive to consume a healthy diet, it is nearly impossible to obtain adequate nutrients every day through eating. Filling in nutritional gaps with quick and easy supplements helps. According to research, a powdered supplement benefits the body over pills, tablets, and capsules by offering up to 95 percent absorption when blended into a liquid. This is because nutrients in liquid form go straight to the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive process. When it comes to pills, tablets, and capsules, nutrient absorption rates fall to around 10 to 20 percent. In addition to offering better nutrition, liquid nutrients are much easier to swallow. Three types of powdered supplements in particular make popular choices for supplementary nutrition.
Green Superfood Powder
Green superfood powder creates a beverage packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients when mixed with water. This powdered supplement benefits the body in many ways with a combination of healthful green ingredients like alfalfa, chlorella, spirulina, and wheat grass and many extras like fruits, vegetables, enzymes, and probiotics.
An animal-based study published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine showed that one green ingredient ─ alfalfa ─ offered protective effects for the livers of rats when given in tandem with a known liver irritant. Animal studies have also shown that alfalfa lowers blood glucose levels in diabetic mice, and this is just one of many healthful ingredients available in green powdered supplements.
Originating in Peru, the maca plant offers a host of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and protein through its roots. Research shows that supplementation with dried maca root powder may increase energy levels in healthy people and those living with various health issues. In one study, researchers timed a group of healthy cyclists who completed a 40 km bike ride before taking maca and completed the same ride after taking maca for two weeks. Results showed significant improvements in the completion times of the cyclists, which researchers attributed to increased energy levels.
Protein Powder
People who exercise regularly or who have trouble swallowing often appreciate protein powder that can be blended into a beverage. Available in a wide array of flavors like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and banana, protein powder comes with varying levels of carbohydrates dependent upon what is needed by the user. Different types of protein may include soy, rice, whey, or casein protein.
A powdered supplement benefits the body in many ways. Whether people need the nutritional punch provided by a green supplement powder or the occasional energy lift offered by maca powder, supplementary beverages make a delicious and easy way to obtain valuable nutrients. Supplement powders can be found at local whole foods and nutrition stores or conveniently ordered online through natural supplement websites.


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Doctors at the Cayman Islands Hospital cannot be sued if a patient suffers death or injury as a result of their negligence under current Cayman Islands Law, a judge has ruled.
In a judgment published Friday, Justice Richard Williams upheld the contentious section 12 of the Health Services Authority Law that provides blanket immunity from medical malpractice suits for anyone who works for the authority, except in cases where "bad faith" can be proved.
He said he reached that conclusion despite being personally "uncomfortable with such immunity."
The judge adjourned his decision on a separate application that the law is incompatible with the Cayman Islands Bill of Rights, to give the attorney general another chance to join the case and justify that policy in court.
The ruling follows arguments in the case of Norene Thompson, whose child suffered serious birth defects as a result of what she alleges was the negligent management of her labor and delivery at the Cayman Islands Hospital. The doctor involved has denied that she was negligent and the merits of the claim have not been assessed at this stage.
In an earlier hearing, the Health Services Authority asserted that its staff are exempt from liability under section 12 of the HSA Law.
The disputed section states, "Neither the authority nor any director or employee of the authority shall be liable in damages for anything done or omitted in the discharge of their respective functions or duties unless it is shown that the act or omission was in bad faith."
Lawyers for Ms. Thompson and her daughter had argued that section 12 of the HSA Law should not be seen as giving immunity in cases of medical malpractice. They suggested this was inconsistent with other areas of legislation and that it cannot have been the intention of legislators to bar patients who suffered at the hands of negligent medics from the right to sue.
Justice Williams ruled against them on this point. He said the "plain and unambiguous wording" of section 12, exempted the defendants from liability unless a patient can prove "bad faith" – which essentially means the injury was caused deliberately.
However, he said the implications of this interpretation were "troubling" and adjourned a separate application, from lawyers acting for Ms. Thompson, that the law be declared incompatible with human rights guaranteed under the constitution.
"The issue as to whether a statute providing immunity against claims in damages, including for clinical negligence, is incompatible with the Bill of Rights is one of great public importance," he said.
He noted that the attorney general had initially indicated that he did not wish to "intervene" in the case, but said the issue was of such public importance that it would be difficult for the court to make a ruling without his input.
The judge added that the government may want to reconsider the implications of that immunity.
"Although the unambiguous and clear words in [section 12] may be consistent with the Legislature's cost cutting and protective public policy prevailing eleven years ago at the time of its enactment, a later Government may feel it appropriate to openly clarify to the voting and wider public, who it is obligated to serve and protect, whether its declared policy is to retain legislation that denies remedies in tort for medical negligence against the Authority, its directors and its employees and to explain the justification for such a policy at this time.
"In light of the expressed view that civil liability can be regarded as an important mechanism to ensure quality of health service, one might ask whether such immunity from claims in damages for the Authority, its directors and employees inspires or hinders patients' confidence in the Authority and the services it offers," the judge wrote.
The ultimate decision on whether section 12 is compatible with the Bill of Rights may come too late for Ms. Thompson and her daughter, who is now 10 years old.
Even if the court decides the law breaches human rights guaranteed under the constitution, it is not certain that this could be applied to cases which pre-date the Cayman Islands Constitution, which came into effect in 2009, four years after the birth of the child.
Justice Williams opined, "The separate issue about the retroactive effect of the Bill of Rights is also one of great public importance."
The ultimate outcome could have implications for a number of other cases, including for the family of Kate Clayton, a British dive industry worker who died last year as the result of a failed tracheotomy procedure at the Cayman Islands Hospital, according to a U.K. coroner's ruling.
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Latics manager Lee Johnson believes Saturday's clash with Crewe Alexandra will be a tough encounter but is confident of victory.
The gaffer, who is nearing a year in charge of the football club, has watched Saturday's opponents a few times this season and admits it's a game the club needs to win.
He said: "It will be a great one to win because we can nudge away from them. We've also got a better goal difference than them and sometimes that can count as an extra point at this stage of the season. I've seen Crewe a lot and it will be a tough game. They've got spirit and certain players back fit so it will be a tough game.
"It's two evenly matched teams with both really wanting the points so we'll certainly be going there to get the points.
"We certainly look a bit stronger physically going into the game. Worrall is back due to the clause of the loan and Clarke-Harris isn't suspended anymore. Dayton is also back to we've got a selection conundrum."
After indicating on Tuesday night that he might try and get extra players on board, the manager revealed that he almost managed to sign a couple of players but the deal fell through at the final hurdle.
"It's been difficult trying to bring players in. We had two players lined up but they both got injured yesterday which didn't help," commented the boss. "There is not an awful lot of players available at the present moment but the ones that are, are from the under 21 leagues. We are trying very hard to add a bit of strength to the side.
"There is no doubt we've used too many players this season. There has been certain circumstances as to why we've used too many players. Some was injury, other loss of form so going forward, we want to be using half the amount we've already used."
The travelling support so far this season has been superb and Johnson heaped praise on the fans, calling for a similar atmosphere on Saturday.
"The supporters have been fantastic at away games," said the 32-year-old. "It's not too far away so I'm sure there will be many there to cheer us on. We'll make sure we'll acknowledge them because they spend there time and money to support the boys so it's good to give something back."
Watch the full interview on Latics Player now.


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I wrote this on December 22 of 2012, and I couldn't quite post it at the time. Maybe it was too raw. I just found it and decided to go ahead and post it now.
Words can't express...
Last Saturday evening, December 15th, after everyone was in bed, I finally sat to read about the headline news that I had been avoiding. I clicked my browser to the Washington Post and read about a disturbed young man, who murdered his mother, and then then went to the school where she worked and executed 20 little kids between the ages of five and seven. He finished by murdering school staff prior to turning the gun on himself.
My eyes filled with tears and for more than an hour I wept. That was nearly a week ago, and tonight, as I sit here banging out these words out my eyes again are filling with tears. I am overcome with an immediate sense of what we've lost.
My little bugaboo is seven. He is beautiful, excited about life, adventurous, bursting with curiosity, and easy to love. Every morning in December, he bounces down the stairs, scampers to check the advent calendar and delights in gifts left behind by elves for him and his brothers.
I might get in trouble for telling you that he has a secret super hero identity. He has only shared this information with me, his mom and his brothers. I've been sworn to secrecy, so I won't reveal which superhero he is. He is concerned that "robbers" not use that information against him while he fights crime.
Last year, I helped coach his soccer team, and each Tuesday & Thursday, I worked in vain to create order out of chaos. I coaxed and cajoled a group of six and seven year olds trying to direct their focus to moving a soccer ball in one direction or another. Ultimately, there wasn't much interest in soccer. However, I was amused by the light saber duels that took place during both soccer practice and soccer games. These kids were fun and excited. Each one a miracle, a beautiful treasure, our hope for the future. So as I read about the tragedy in Newtown Connecticut, I couldn't help but to imagine my little soccer kids being gunned down. I imagined the fear in their eyes and the screams as they were violently sent from this world. To be honest, I can't bear the idea.
It is impossible to imagine the pain of losing a tiny little person, who calls me Dad or coach or uncle Mike. These little people represent my hope for the future. They are pure possibility and sheer inspiration.
To the school staff who sacrificed their lives protecting our little babies, I say thank you and more importantly, I'm so sorry you lost so much. Though my words are insufficient and I can say nothing to adequately honor your memory and sacrifice, it is all I have and it is what I can offer at this moment along with my deep sorrow.
To the parents, struggling to survive this tragedy, I can only offer my deepest condolences. I can't imagine what you are going through. Your future has been stolen from you and it is horrible. I am so sorry that you have to endure this tragedy.
To my own kids, the kids I coached, the kids I know from Sunday School, and the kids from my son's school, I say you are beautiful and I love you.


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President's Circle
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The military and police will deploy 40,000 personnel to safeguard the 2018 Asian Games, set to commence in slightly more than two weeks. (Antara Photo/Galih Pradipta)
Police, Military to Deploy 40,000 Personnel to Safeguard Asian Games
Jakarta. The military and police will deploy 40,000 personnel to safeguard the 2018 Asian Games, set to commence in slightly more than two weeks.
Around 15,000 athletes and officials from 45 countries will participate in Asia's biggest multisport event, co-hosted by Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra, between Aug. 18 and Sept. 2.
Top concerns during the event include street crime, terrorism, traffic congestion and haze.
In Jakarta, the world's 12th most congested city, police will implement an odd-even traffic system between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily for the duration of the Asian Games.
Around 600 closed-circuit television cameras have meanwhile been installed in Palembang, while several additional police stations will be opened in the Indonesian capital to prevent street crime.
"Regional police units in South Sumatra, Jakarta, Banten and West Java will be the busiest during the Games," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said in Jakarta on Tuesday (31/07).
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry recently also declared its commitment to ensure that the Asian Games are not disrupted by haze, saying it has been working hard to extinguish hot spots in Sumatra – the area most prone to forest fires.
Most event during this year's Games will take place at the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Jakarta and Jakabaring Sport City in Palembang, while some events will be held at other venues, such as jet ski at Ancol in North Jakarta, pencak silat at Taman Mini in East Jakarta and cycling in Subang, West Java.


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Grand Central: BOE's Patience on Rates May Be a Virtue
The Wall Street Journal's Daily Report on Global Central Banks for Monday, August 11, 2014:
The Bank of England last published a "normal" Inflation Report in August 2008, the month before Lehman went under. Back then, there were some hints of alarm, but absolutely no indication that the BOE would spend more than half a decade trying to get the economy growing again.
It is a year since the BOE served notice that a rise in its benchmark interest rate was on the way by setting out the conditions that would have to be met before policy makers would consider such a move, and there is a feeling of impatience in the air.


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Saturday, April 29, 2017
Do the Right Thing
The hottest day of the year in Brooklyn. Sal is an Italian American who runs a pizzeria in an mostly black neighborhood. His son Pino, a racist, and Vito work in the pizzeria, as does African-American Mookie, who is still in bad relations with his girlfriend, Tina, with whom he has a child. There are also several other characters in the neighborhood: the old Da Mayor, who drinks to forget how his family is hungry; Smiley, a mentally disabled man who sells photos of Martin Luther King, Jr. on the street... When Buggin' Out complains that Sal's pizzeria doesn't contain a single photo of African-American on the wall, Sal throws him out. Buggin' Out thus wants to boycott Sal's place. That evening, he brings Radio Raheem who plays loud music on his radio in Sal's place. When Sal loses his temper and smashes the radio, it escalates into a fight, which ends in a police officer killing Raheem. This incites a riot in which people burn down Sal's pizzeria.
Spike Lee's breakthrough film that talks about racial relations in America is good, yet it once again proves one thing: that social issue alone doesn't always subsume genuine greatness. "Do the Right Thing" is one of those films without a real story, an episodic, 'slice-of-life' film that instead just follows 24 hours in life on a particular place, which is legitimate, yet not all episodes are equally great. For instance, the side-character of Ossie Davis' Da Mayor leads nowhere, nor does that of racist Pino — both of their arcs are left incomplete and do not connect at the end, and thus the storyline seems slightly unfocused and random at times. Lee is also contrived at times: would Buggin' Out really freak out and make such a fuss over a guy accidentally passing over his sneakers with a light bicycle? Isn't that overreacting? Isn't that silly? However, Lee proves to have a steady hand and directs the movie in an elegant way, whereas he has a talent for writing good dialogues here and there — for instance, when Buggin' Out, who has a "hip" hair due, wants to persuade three men to boycott Sal's pizzeria, one of them has an appropriate response ("You should boycott the goddamn barber that messed up your head!") or the sequence where Mookie talks with Pino and cannot understand his racism even though the man admits all his favorite basketball players, comedians and singers are all black (Magic Johnson, E. Murphy, Prince). It is also interesting how the film contemplates that nobody in the neighborhood is happy with their lives due to various problems (unemployment, low-income jobs, "grey" existence...) and thus the heat wave only serves as a catalyst for people to take out their frustrations on someone, the wrong one, even though that doesn't address their problems at all, nor does it give a solution. The most was achieved out of the brilliant Danny Aiello as Sal, who gives a truly excellent performance that carries the entire film.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 10:58 AM No comments:
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Johnny Guitar
The Wild West, 19th century. Johnny Guitar arrives to a desolate saloon because he was invited there to play music by his ex-lover Vienna, who opened the joint hoping to cash in on passengers of an upcoming railroad station. However, she is being harassed by Emma and Mr. McIvers from the nearby town, who want to chase her away and steal her land, and thus put all the blame on her whenever he other ex-lover, Dancing Kid, and his gang, are suspected of robbing a carriage. When the Dancing Kid robs a bank, one his wounded friends, Turkey, finds an asylum at Vienna's saloon. Emma, McIvers and others find him there and, as punishment, burn the saloon and hang Turkey. However, Johnny saves Vienna from hanging and the flee to the Dancing Kid's hideout. In a gun duel, Vienna manages to shoot Emma and thus reunites with Johnny.
Even by today's standards, "Johnny Guitar" is one of the most bizarre westerns of the 20th century since screenwriter Ben Maddow decided to deconstruct it by designing such a "male genre" as a feminist film in which the men are mostly just passive observers while the main protagonist and the main antagonist are both women, Vienna and Emma, played brilliantly by Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge (who allegedly couldn't stand each other privately during filming, which just contributed to their tension). Actually, it is puzzling why the movie is titled "Johnny Guitar", anyway, instead of "Vienna". Such a modern take on it gave the film freshness, yet a part of that freshness was still deducted due to an overlong running time, a few clumsy sequences (Emma shoots Tom, who then accidentally shoots the Sheriff) and wooden dialogues, especially in the first half where there are too many explanations and introductions featured in overlong dialogues between the characters who just meet, yet they have to tell everything to the audience. Director Nicholas Ray copes good with the film, even adding a few neat touches (in the lynching sequence, Emma and her evil gang all wear black clothes, while Vienna wears a white dress; when Tom is shot trying to protect Vienna, his dying words are: "Look... everybody's looking at me. It's the first time I ever felt important!", almost summing up the fate of every supporting character in every story) whereas Vienna's tough posture as the boss of the saloon gives the film a strong feminist touch for the 50s (She even says: "All a woman has to do is slip - once. And she's a "tramp!" Must be a great comfort to you to be a man!"), though even feminist tones can only go so far, since the film needed more humor and satire which should have sprouted naturally from such an unusual, upside-down concept.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 11:10 AM No comments:
Thursday, April 20, 2017
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Burma, World War II. The Japanese army brings a group of captured British soldiers to a POW camp in the jungle, ordering them to build a bridge over the river Kwai, needed for their railroad transportation. Colonel Saito insists that every POW, including officers, must work in order to complete the bridge by the 12 May. However, Colonel Nicholson refuses to work, citing the Geneva Conventions that exempts officers from forced labor. Saito thus orders Nicholson to be sealed off in a solitary confinement. However, Nicholson doesn't give in, and Saito yields to his demands. Once Nicholson is declared in charge of commanding the construction, the bridge is built in time. Commander Shears manages to escape from the camp, contact the US army and return with a small platoon with the assignment to blow up the bridge. Upon finding out the bridge is wired, Nicholson actually intends to stop the platoon, but is hit, falls on the detonator and blows it up, anyway.
One of the classics from the 50s, a widely critically recognized film, "The Bridge on the River Kwai" still seems as fresh as on its day of premiere thanks to David Lean's elegant direction and smooth pace: you just watch the first 7 minutes of it, and you immediately want to see it until the end. 50s movies have a different philosophy of telling a story than modern ones, insisting more on classic narration and longer scenes, yet when a story is interesting, it is timeless. The basic premise is simply fascinating: it starts off like a typical POW war drama, yet it quickly turns into a clash of two individuals with integrity — between the strict-by-the-law, disciplinary Colonel Nicholson who insists that officers cannot do forced labor and the rigid, goal-oriented Commander Saito, who insists that every prisoner must work. Their clash of stubbornness is captivating and you never know who may blink first, turning almost into a duel between a British Sheldon Cooper and a Japanese Sheldon Cooper, who both insist the other one is wrong.
Alec Guinness is simply excellent as Nicholson, giving him a sense of dignity and stoic endurance as a person who would rather starve to death in solitary confinement than budge an inch from his principles. Yet he can also be contemplative, especially in his memorable monologue on the bridge: "But there are times when suddenly you realize you're nearer the end than the beginning. And you wonder, you ask yourself, what the sum total of your life represents. What difference your being there at any time made to anything." Though Sessue Hayakawa is equally as great as Saito, who is sardonic: when he is informed three prisoners died while trying to escape from the camp, he just says: "It was a pointless task. It was like an escape from reality". A third contribution in the film is the very good William Holden as Commander Shears, who gives the story spice thanks to a few cynical lines. In one scene, he speaks to a military nurse on the beach: "Don't call me Commander, it's very unromantic! How would you like it if I called you 'Lieutenant Lover'?" A small complaint is that the last third loses a lot of energy and ends up rather dry at times, exhausting itself only with the monotone scenes of Nicholson and his men building the bridge, even though their "Stockholm syndrome" was already explored sufficiently, since longer doesn't always necessarily mean better. Still, this is compensated through a finale that almost reaches Hictchcockian levels of suspense in the long sequence where the platoon placed explosives under the bridge, but didn't reckon with the water level drop which leaves the wires suddenly visible above the river during the day, all ending in a finely tuned ending that speaks about the meaninglessness of war: everything is built only to be destroyed in it.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 1:09 PM No comments:
Monday, April 17, 2017
Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus of Nazareth; drama series, Italy / UK, 1977; D: Franco Zeffirelli, S: Robert Powell, Ralph Richardson, James Farentino, Olivia Hussey, Ian McShane, Anne Bancroft, James Mason, Laurence Olivier, James Earl Jones, Cyril Cusack, Ian Holm, Michael York, Stacy Keach, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quinn, Rod Steiger, Ernest Borgnine, Peter Ustinov, Claudia Cardinale
In Canaan of the 1st Century AD, Joseph is engaged to Mary who gives birth to Jesus Christ after she heard a dream of God who told her that her child is going to be the Messiah. The Three wise men visit her and give her presents. 33 years later, Jesus starts to gather disciples from fishermen around the Sea of Galilee, among them Peter and Matthew. Jesus is also baptized by John the Baptist in Jordan, but the latter is arrested and executed by the Roman guards. Jesus becomes a popular religious teacher and even starts healing the sick and disabled. He travels to Jerusalem where he raises Lazarus from the dead and attacks the merchants for defiling the temple with their money and goods. Zealot Barabbas approaches Jesus in order to try to create a unified Jewish front against the Roman occupation, but Jesus refuses any violence. Finally, Judas betrays Jesus to the Roman soldiers, hoping to force him to perform miracles in front of them. Pontius Pilate is reluctant to convict Jesus, but the crowd votes to free Barabbas instead, and thus Jesus is cruficied. However, three days later, his body is gone and he appears in front of his disciples again.
One of the most expensive and ambitious TV projects of the 70s, this 4-part miniseries was met with huge approval by the Christian audiences: unlike other standard Bible movies depicting the life and death of Jesus Christ, director Franco Zeffirelli attempts a slightly different approach here and there, trying also to "fill in the blanks" between some Gospels which were left underdeveloped or incomplete. One such example is found in the first episode, depicting Joseph as an elderly bachelor who gets engaged to the young Mary. Upon finding out she is pregnant, even though they never slept together, he asks a man for advice who informs him that stoning is the punishment for infidelity, and later Joseph has a dream where he imagines men chasing and stoning Mary, which terrifies him. This episode serves its purpose, because it expands Joseph from a one-dimensional sketch into a character who has no heart to complain against Mary, which works really well, even later on (it basically rhymes with the sequence where Jesus saves an adulteress from stoning).
Another great example of expanding the story is when young boys throw a balloon with alcohol into fire, causing it to explode, in order to tease Mary Magdalene in her home, who is, it is implied, a prostitute. These two moments are welcomed and refreshing, but once Jesus shows up, the story basically goes back to "autopilot" and follows the Gospels rather conventionally, refusing to add any surprises or new, invented moments. This leaves "Jesus of Nazareth" a little bit dry and stale, yielding to predictable formula of other adaptations of the New Testament, especially in decision to have Robert Powell just stare into the camera at times, portraying more his holly, mythical feature than his human character. A small delight are great, exotic locations in Morocco and Tunisia, which give it an aesthetic touch, as well as an star ensemble in small roles, with two standing out the most: Ian McShane as Judas (!) and Rod Steiger as Pilate ("How do you govern these people?"). A few neat dialogues are also welcomed ("Men must change before kingdoms do.") and the emotional, yet also sober tone of the series gives it a certain charm that helped it hold up fairly well to this day.
In Canaan of the 1st Century AD, Joseph is engaged to Mary who gives birth to Jesus Christ after she heard a dream of God who told her that her child is going to be the Messiah. The Three wise men visit her and give her presents. 33 years later, Jesus starts to gather disciples from fishermen around the Sea of Galilee, among them Peter and Matthew. Jesus is also baptized by John the Baptist in Jordan, but the latter is arrested and executed by the Roman guards. Jesus becomes a popular religious teacher and even starts healing the sick and disabled. He travels to Jerusalem where he raises Lazarus from the dead and attacks the merchants for defiling the temple with their money and goods. Zealot Barabbas approaches Jesus in order to try to create a unified Jewish front against the Roman occupation, but Jesus refuses any violence. Finally, Judas betrays Jesus to the Roman soldiers, hoping to force him to perform miracles in front of them. Pontius Pilate is reluctant to convict Jesus, but the crowd votes to free Barabbas instead, and thus Jesus is cruficied. However, three days later, his body is gone and he appears in front of his disciples again.
One of the most expensive and ambitious TV projects of the 70s, this 4-part miniseries was met with huge approval by the Christian audiences: unlike other standard Bible movies depicting the life and death of Jesus Christ, director Franco Zeffirelli attempts a slightly different approach here and there, trying also to "fill in the blanks" between some Gospels which were left underdeveloped or incomplete. One such example is found in the first episode, depicting Joseph as an elderly bachelor who gets engaged to the young Mary. Upon finding out she is pregnant, even though they never slept together, he asks a man for advice who informs him that stoning is the punishment for infidelity, and later Joseph has a dream where he imagines men chasing and stoning Mary, which terrifies him. This episode serves its purpose, because it expands Joseph from a one-dimensional sketch into a character who has no heart to complain against Mary, which works really well, even later on (it basically rhymes with the sequence where Jesus saves an adulteress from stoning).
Another great example of expanding the story is when young boys throw a balloon with alcohol into fire, causing it to explode, in order to tease Mary Magdalene in her home, who is, it is implied, a prostitute. These two moments are welcomed and refreshing, but once Jesus shows up, the story basically goes back to "autopilot" and follows the Gospels rather conventionally, refusing to add any surprises or new, invented moments. This leaves "Jesus of Nazareth" a little bit dry and stale, yielding to predictable formula of other adaptations of the New Testament, especially in decision to have Robert Powell just stare into the camera at times, portraying more his holly, mythical feature than his human character. A small delight are great, exotic locations in Morocco and Tunisia, which give it an aesthetic touch, as well as an star ensemble in small roles, with two standing out the most: Ian McShane as Judas (!) and Rod Steiger as Pilate ("How do you govern these people?"). A few neat dialogues are also welcomed ("Men must change before kingdoms do.") and the emotional, yet also sober tone of the series gives it a certain charm that helped it hold up fairly well to this day.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 2:23 PM No comments:
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Tomorrow May Never Come
New York. Naina Kapur (23) is an student of an Indian expatriate family. She lives with her widowed mother, Jennifer, and two younger siblings, Shiv and Gia. Their Indian restaurant is running badly, and this, together with her father's recent suicide, exacerbates Naina's depression. Her friend Rohit is in love with her, but she regards him nothing more than a friend. One day, a young man, Aman, moves to the house next door and quickly gains sympathy of the Kapur family. He lovable attitude, jokes and his help to reform the restaurant into a successful joint cause Naine to fall in love with him. However, Aman is hiding that he is suffering from a terminal disease, and thus decides to help Rohit conquer Naina's heart is six days. Upon finding out about his disease, the Kapur family says farewell to Aman in the hospital.
This Indian version of the "Cyrano de Bergerac" story, just with a terminally ill man trying to help a shy friend gain the heart of a woman he loves instead of the French protagonist with a huge nose, was met with appropriate warm welcome by the audiences and critics alike, and signalled the feature length debut film by director Nikkhil Advani. Set in New York, with the often Bollywood topic of the family of Indian immigrants living abroad for an exotic touch, "Tomorrow May Never Come" suffers from too many unnecessary supporting characters instead of focusing only on the love triangle as well as an too melodramatic finale, yet it has a lot of virtues evident in fresh, modern and highly comical set-up of the storyline, a one where the protagonists don't just sing their problems away, but actually try to tackle them in real life, which is refreshing for Bollywood, whereas Shah Rukh Khan delivered one of his finest performances as lovable and comical Aman, who remains optimistic despite knowing that his days are numbered, and even manages to comfort Naina and bring her out of her depression.
There are several solid jokes here — in one scene, Naina and her friend 'Sweetu' are sitting on a ship, when Aman shows up and introduces himself to 'Sweetu': "Hi! I'm the new neighbor of grumpy!", pointing at Naina. Upon finding out that 'Sweetu' fancies a hip-hop guy, Frankie, Aman stages a scene where he shouts that 'Sweetu' dumped him because she loves Frankie ("Frankie, this girlfriend of mine wants to leave me for you. She says you are cool, sexy, she says your hairstyle is wow!"), which causes Frankie to approach 'Sweetu' and invite her to a party. In another sequence, the 'golddigger' Camilla knows that Rohit is rich, and thus she inserts a ring in the glass during their dinner in a restaurant and feigns to every guest that she "accepts" Rohit's marriage proposal, despite his utter confusion. Luckily, Aman helps him out of the trap and tells Rohit to say to Camilla that he renounced all his fortune. When Rohit returns back to the table, he tells her just that — and in the next jump cut, we see Aman sitting in Camilla's place, jokingly saying to Rohit: "I accept!" Not every joke works, yet many of them are sweet and sympathetic, as well as modern: for instance, in the period when Aman tries to help Rohit gain the heart of Naina in six days, there is a neat touch of a waiter looking directly into the camera and saying: "Day One"; then the next day some student girls looking into the camera and saying "Day Two", etc. Likewise, when he gets serious, Aman can be very mature (the scene where he says to Naina: "You cannot wish your father's tears, but you can stop him from crying by smiling. Is that a wrinkle showing up?"). A couple of musical moments typical for Bollywood are superfluous, yet even they have their moments (such as the funky Hindi version of "Pretty Woman" sung on the street), all ending in a very good, unassuming little film.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 12:31 PM No comments:
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
After moving from a rural area to Chicago, the young Carrie is stuck doing a poorly paid job in a factory. After her finger gets caught in the sewing machine, she is fired and contacts a man she met on the train, Charlie, and he allows her to move in with her. They start a relationship, but Carrie falls in love with George, the manager of a restaurant. George runs away with her to New York and leaves his wife, Julie, children and job behind. However, out of work, the happy couple quickly starts succumbing to harsh poverty, since nobody wants to hire George since he took money from his old employee's vault to flee with Carrie. Finally, Carrie finds a job as a dancer and leaves George. Some time later, she finds out he became homeless and decides to return back to him. Upon finding out how rich she is now, an embarrassed George now leaves her.
Starting as a typical, idealistic love story between two people who are already married/engaged to someone else, "Carrie" shocks the viewers even more with its second half that works almost as an inversion of many other movies that end with a "happily ever after" — showing instead how the happy couple now lives in poverty and misery after running away, turning darker and darker, until it ends in one of the most tragic endings of the 50s, an indignation that in capitalism there can be no true romance. It is almost as if the story presents a world where people can have only one thing in life — either they can be in love and live in poverty or live a wealthy life without love — but not both. William Wyler once again proves what an competent director he is, whereas Laurence Olivier immediately proves that he is a rare actor with class (he knows his wife controls all his money, but he still wants a divorce to be with Carrie: "I found someone who loves me and I'm going to have that before I die!"; the sequence in the New York bar that shows his humiliation when he now has to work as an ordinary waiter...), yet this adaptation of Theodore Dreiser's novel "Sister Carrie" turned the socially critical context a little bit too melodramatic and syrupy, especially in the overlong running time, whereas the dialogues are plain. A richer writing would have been better, thought the movie is still quality made.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 4:03 PM No comments:
Saturday, April 8, 2017
Ender's Game
In the future, an alien ant-like species, called the Formics, attacks Earth and kills millions. However, they are stopped by pilot Mazer, who crashes his plane into their queen ship, and thus disabled all of them. 50 years later, Ender Wiggin is a teenage cadet who is bullied by his older brother, but adored by his sister. His intelligence is noticed by Colonel Graff who enlists him to train on a space station because he needs a commander who will allegedly counter-attack the Formics. Due to his ingenuity and creativity, Ender rises through the ranks and is brought to a former Formic planet, close to the home world of the alien race. Ender meets Mazer there, who is still alive, and who helps train him. Ender and his unit engage in a computer simulation of the attack on the planet of the Formics and destroy it - however, he soon finds out it wasn't a simulation, but the real thing. He is shocked that he committed genocide and is convinced the Formics only had defensive units, not offensive anymore. Ender quits the army and meets a dying Formic queen on the planet. He takes her egg and decides to help it recover on another planet.
The film adaptation of Orson Scott Card's eponymous and critically recognized novel, "Ender's Game" is a terribly underrated film, displaying a rare, intelligent and philosophical example of science-fiction films, but, alas, the majority of the audiences just want simplistic action without having to learn anything, and thus the movie had a box office result which sells (or rewards) its quality way too short. Even though it was released almost three decades after the novel was first published, the movie's dialogues and themes still seem as fresh as ever, thanks to Card's timeless writing, with only minimal flaws when translating it to the screen, since the story is simply clever, starting as a strategist military plot (Colonel Graff places high hopes in the intelligent outsider Ender, hoping to create the right conditions to ferment a "new Napoleon" who will fight against the alien race of the Formics) only to sweep the expectations in the dark, bitter plot twist near the end, contemplating about some high concepts revolving around the propaganda of the military that tricks even the brightest people into thinking that offensives are only defensive, and thus justified, which leads to terrible consequences and trauma.
Some of the dialogues are comical ("You cheated!" - "Your mother cheated, that's why you look like a plumber!") or smart (when Bonzo forbids him to train with others in front of everyone, Ender asks him to step outside. Ender knows Bonzo can change his mind, yet doesn't want to look like a coward in front of everyone, so he goes: "If you wan't, I can pretend you won this argument. Then tomorrow you can tell me you changed your mind"; "We won! That's all that matters!" - "No. The *way* we win matters."), and all of them display a grand scheme in which Ender figures what the others want and tries to make the mill run his way by persuading them to follow his goal. Harrison Ford is remarkable in the role of Colonel Griff, convincingly portraying a man willing to do anything to achieve his goal, and who thus serves almost as a warning to what Ender may become as a grown up. The story is dense and there is no empty walk at all, though it seems slightly rushed at times whereas the open ending hints at a sequel that never happened — however, wanting even more from a story is a good sign. The cast is immaculate, the directing surprisingly restrained and calm whereas the film offers food for thought, and thus, despite a few shortcomings, it is wonderful that this movie got made at all.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 2:19 PM No comments:
Friday, April 7, 2017
The Conquest of the Pole
At a meeting, scientists are trying to find ways how to reach and explore the North Pole, with several factions disagreeing on the methods. Professor Maboul takes his crew on a flying machine, while other expeditions fail trying to make such a long journey with cars or balloons. Finally there, Maboul and his expedition encounter a snow giant which attacks them, but they shoot it. They also discover the magnetic needle and climb onto it to spin around its axis.
1912 was the last year in which legendary pioneer of cinema, director Georges Melies, worked on before ending his movie career due to bankruptcy, and "The Conquest of the Pole" is thus one of his last achievements: slightly overlong and with obvious restructuring of the "exploration" concept from his own film, "A Trip to he Moon", with typical "static" shots where the camera doesn't move, yet it conquers the viewers with its sheer energy, charm and audacity, displaying the authors ingenuity from his best days. Though it lasts for 30 minutes, "Conquest" declines to explore the narrative or offer some better character development, instead relying only on cardboard set designs of walls and ice on the North Pole, yet it still has enough good moments that carry the film, among others thanks to its childishly-naive tone from a time when the majority of the world was still unexplored. The highlight is definitely towards the finale when the expedition encounters an "ice giant", but a one that is only shown from his chest up, emerging from a hole, grabbing some crew members with his hands, which offers interesting mise-en-scene and awe. "Conquest" is Melies "light", a film refusing to explore more of its own narrative only to explore a new world, yet it still works as an interesting cinematic artifact suitable for exploring the early days of cinema.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 2:24 PM No comments:
Monday, April 3, 2017
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, now works for the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. led by Nick Fury. Upon finding out he cannot access some of the data on his computer, and reporting it to senior S.H.I.E.L.D. official Pierce, Fury is wounded in an assassination attempt. In a surgery, he is pronounced dead. Rogers and Natasha Romanoff start to investigate and find a bunker with a secret supercomputer holding the digital memory of Arnim Zola, who reveals to them that the underground organization Hydra infiltrated agents into S.H.I.E.L.D. and persuades a new plan of a global totalitarian dictatorship: since the people resisted it in World War II, now Hydra wants to saw chaos and crisis in the world, persuading people to accept security at the expense of freedom. Fury reveals he has feigned his death and joins with others to stop Pierce, who is a Hydra agent and wants to send Helicarriers into orbit which will kill millions of people around the world, who are a threat to Hydra's plans. Fury, Natasha and the others stop that, whereas Rogers recognizes the assassin Winter Soldier as Buck Barnes, who underwent experimentation during WWII.
Despite a few good moments and some admirable efforts to make Marvel's superhero film franchise a tad more mature, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is basically a light cartoon version of "Three Days of the Condor", abandoning thought provoking questions for simplistic, fast action. The Marvel Cinematic Universe already became a too established franchise for any director or author to try out something truly unique, daring, risky or innovative which would stray away from the entrenched routine, though it was certainly an interesting choice by screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to try to make a homage to 70s paranoia thrillers: one of the highlights is certainly the sequence where Natasha and Steve Rogers discover the secret bunker, where the computer programme tells them about the secret plan of the Hydra organization to saw chaos and conflicts around the world in order to try to persuade people to voluntarily give away their freedom in exchange for security, even pointing out how "people resisted and fought for their freedom during World War II", and now this new approach is taken. This is indeed a scary and frightening concept, with allusions to the time from when the movie was made, yet it is left surprisingly underdeveloped and scarce.
How were these crisis instigated throughout the world? What is the motivation of the Hydra agents in S.H.I.E.L.D. to proceed with it? What is their ideology? How far would they go? All these and many other interesting questions are left rather unanswered, and instead the story only relies on endless action, which isn't that great, anyway: the sheer amount of explosions does not equal inspiration. When Nick Fury seemingly dies from the assassination, this gives the film weight and credibility — and thus when it turns out he is alive later on, this seems like a cop-out which simply doesn't dare to try out something different from the safe terrain. The characters always encounter ostensibly hopeless situations, but they always survive, anyway, since sequels have to be made with them. Certainly, this stale formula could have worked with a tad more style, fun and ingenuity, yet they are absent as well. Still, having Robert Redford play the opposite role of himself in "Condor" is effective and gives for an refreshing casting. There is also a pivotal sequence somewhere in the first third: Natasha kisses Steve in public on the escalator to try to hide from agents looking for them. Later on, in the car, Natasha asks Steve this: "Alright, I have a question for you, of which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it." - "What?" - "Was that your first kiss since '45?" This is when Natasha and Steve transform from one-dimensional sketches into genuine characters for a moment, and it is so charming because the viewers get the impression that there is more to them than just running and punching villains around. If there were more of such moments of them interacting like humorous people, like grown ups, this might have actually been a fun franchise.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 11:57 AM No comments:
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Captains Courageous
Harvey Cheyne (12) is the spoiled child of New York millionaire Frank Cheyne. Harvey is so used to the power of his father that he uses and exploits his fatherly instinct to persuade him to do whatever he wants. When he tries to blackmail a student in his private school and bribe a professor, Frank decides to teach Harvey a lesson on a ship. However, Harvey falls into the sea and is rescued by fisherman Manuel. Since the ship is suppose to spend three months in the Atlantic, the fishermen intend to have Harvey help them on board until they reach land. Harvey again tries to cheat in order to win a bet in fishing against Jack, but Manuel refuses this kind of behavior and scorns him. Eventually, Harvey finds a mentor in Manuel, but he drowns during a storm. Back on land, Harvey, now mature, is reunited with his father.
"Captain Courageous" is today brought up only as a footnote in film lexicons as being the movie that secured Spencer Tracy's first Oscar as best actor, a treat he would repeat again the following year with "Boys Town" where he plays a similar role of a mentor to a kid, yet other than that, this sea drama does not hold up well with the flow of time nor does director Victor Fleming ever rise to the occasion, settling only for a good, though standard and predictable allegory of a spoiled kid being taught a lesson when he has to spend some time doing humble, hard labor. The 12-year old Freddie Bartholomew is great in the leading role of Harvey who basically self-taught himself to use his rich father as a magic wand to get whatever he wants, ranging from either sweet talking to him or playing a victim, trying to enrage him into hating his "enemies", and thus this opening act still seems relevant and applies to behavior of spoiled, rich kids.
Tracy shows up some half an hour into the film, and he really delivers a very good performance, but it is hindered a bit by the disappointing, archaic decision to have his character basically be a caricature lower-class immigrant who uses broken, improper English in his sentences ("You crazy. Nobody bad around here. You gonna' work or no?"; "Hey? What you doing?"; "I can do this as long as you can"), who thus doesn't have that much wisdom as the authors intended. Manuel works the best when he bonds with Harvey on a humorous level ("Don't laugh! You laugh no good! I-I-I-I-e.... Like a seagull!"; when teaching him how to prepare a bait for fishing, he goes: "This fish don't go to school and don't learn French, but he pretty smart!") yet gets heavy handed when he uses some typical, banal Christian preaching about the "fisherman and the savior" from that time. The writing could have been better, since it develops its message in a thin, simplistic way, though the story still impresses with its idealism and a few exciting sea sequences, such as when two ships almost collide with each other during the storm. Not a classic, yet still a good moral lesson.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 3:14 PM No comments:
Saturday, April 1, 2017
The Ukraine Crisis
In March 2014, mass murderer Vladimir Putin orders the annexation of Crimea in order to create Greater Russia. Regardless of all of this, Ukraine still managed to topple the pro-Goreshist president Yanukovich and elect an anti-Goreshist, pro-European government led by Petro Poroshenko. The eastern parts of Ukraine, backed by Goreshist Russia, create ISIL-like psuedo states, the Luhansk and Donetsk "Republics", which demand a secession and to be part of Goreshist Russia. This leads to the war in Donbass, since Ukraine wants to protects its territorial integrity. After the Malaysia Airlines flight was shot down (and the Dutch commission confirmed the perpetrators were pro-Russian rebels), the EU, USA and other nations imposed sanctions against the Goreshist.
The first case of annexation in modern, civilized Europe after 70 years, not recorded since the Bolshevik-Nazi regimes, was the topic of the short documentary "The Ukraine Crisis", which explored one of the most shameful acts of the 21st century, the resurgence of Russian irredentism and its genocidal, neverending path of blood needed to sustain their Goreshist territorial nationalism— a one which does not even shy away from again murdering the people who already barely survived their genocide, the Holodomor. For such a vast topic, the documentary is too short to truly give a worthy dissertation on the complexities and specifics of the crisis, yet gives a neutral, balanced and rather sober view, interviewing both sides and avoiding emotional or patriotic appeal. A major complaint could be raised that the authors neglected to mention the Crimean Tatars, whose ethnic cleansing led to the Goreshist seizing their land, whereas minor complaints could be raised towards editing or production values, as well as too short time given to the interviewees. Still, the movie flows nicely and in the end refuses to choose a side, instead giving an appeal towards a peaceful solution. It is also a welcomed and refreshing approach from many other propaganda films made about the topic, showing a creepy part of history, with an ironic subtext: a one where Russia annexed Crimea — and subsequently became the smallest country of Europe.
Posted by Marin Mandir at 2:47 PM No comments:
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Rolex Sea-Dweller ref 1665
The Rolex Sea-Dweller ref 1665 is one of the most sought-after vintage Rolex models of today. Especially the so-called Single Red and Double Red versions are sold for record prizes at auctions. Rolex created the Sea-Dweller to solve problems COMEX, a professional dive company, had with diving at great depths.
Before Rolex released the Sea-Dweller reference 16600 as we know it, they produced a specially prepared Submariner for the French dive company COMEX. Due to the depths they worked at, the divers experienced failure in the watches during decompression, as crystals broke due to an internal build-up of pressure from helium.
Rolex modified regular Submariner watches (reference 5513) to incorporate a helium escape valve and later issued examples with their own reference specifically for COMEX, which became the reference 5514. With this development Rolex launched a new reference fitted with helium escape valves for commercial production, and in 1967 the first batch of ref. 1665 Sea-Dwellers were released to authorized dealers and select divers for testing. These first watches, of unknown quantity but believed to be fewer than 100, were released prior to obtaining a helium-escape valve patent and feature the words 'Patent Pending' on the case reverse.
Later the so called Single Red Sea-Dweller, first without Gas Escape Valve, was released. This Sea-Dweller Submariner 500M was only produced for a few years and are very rare these days. Starting in the late 60's, Rolex produced the incredibly famous Double Red Sea-Dweller, also called DRSD by Rolex fans. This was the first sea-dweller to be able to reach a depth of 2000ft or 610 meter.
The original Sea-Dwellers were offered with red printing on the dial until 1977. Research by collectors has enabled us to distinguish four versions of dial development
- MK1: Only found on the 'Patent Pending' examples, the Sea-Dweller and Submariner print are of equal size. The red print was printed over the white; now-a-days many have faded to a pink or almost white text; the Rolex logo, also named coronet, has a characteristic, heavier style.
- MK2: The Submariner 2000 text is smaller, the coronet remains the same. This version is found on both the 'Patent Pending' and early 'Patented' versions.
- MK3: The red print remains similar to the MK2 although the depth rating text is heavier. The coronet, now more elongated, undergoes significant changes.
- MK4: The final version of the original dials is again a slightly heavier print for both the red and white text; the loop of the 6 (of the date font) is now closed rather than open. The coronet has broader fingers and a more pronounced open 'foot'.
Due to their waterproof characteristics all Ref. 1665 'Double Red Sea-Dwellers' featured the case serial number on the inside of the case back to prevent switching during service. Early examples used the last 3 digits of the serial number, the later ones the full serial number. Below are photos of a MK2 and MK3 dial, and of the Great White with a Mark I dial.
By the end of the 70's Rolex changed the dial with two red lines of text to a dial with all white text, the so-called Great White. Since Rolex didn't change supply to the different parts of the world all at once and since Rolex used already produced parts, before producing new parts, the change from Double Red Sea-Dweller to Great White didn't happen overnight. Some Great White versions still had a Double Red caseback and in the far east Double Red's where deliverred much longer, some even reported until the early 1980's. In the USA nd Europe the change to Great White was made in 1977.
Since there's just too much to say about vintage Rolex Sea-Dwellers i'll suggest some websites for those who like to read more about this magnificent mother of all dive watches:


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Leaked picture shows off the Motorola DROID RAZR Ultra, or does it?
Not so fast. Considering the customization on the back of the phone, this could be the Motorola Moto X. On Wednesday, we told you that the eagerly awaited model will offer engravings on the back of the unit. This doesn't appear to be an engraving though.
It's a mystery, no doubt about it. The good news is that with the full page ad for the Motorola Moto X that ran in some of the country's largest newspapers on Wednesday, we are definitely closer to having the curtain go up on Motorola's new devices.
Thanks Anonymous Tipster!
source: gforgames


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ADNOC Group awards BSS Technologies, Well Casing Cathodic Protection for their ADNOC Onshore Fields in UAE.OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS : Dangote Refinery & Petrochemical Project- Nigeria | AI Dabbíya Surface Facilities - Phase III - ADCO | Reganne Nord Development - Sonatrach, Algeria | Algeria CAFC PJ(SITE) Algeria- Sonatrach/Daewoo | GLL LNG Terminal at Mudra- Adani **** BSS Tech TR manufacturing division started producing ATEX certified Transformer ****
You are about to take your first step towards a new and exciting career at Bin Sari Specialized Technologies.
BSS Technologies offers candidates the opportunity to work within a forward thinking and cutting edge establishment in the field of Asset Integrity Management and to be part of an experienced team.
Why BSS Technologies ?
At BSS Technologies you will join people who share ideas and work productively; people who like what they do. Established in 1998 with head office at Abu Dhabi, further adding manufacturing unit in Dubai and branches in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, India, Malaysia, Qatar, and Oman. We have developed an international capability in corrosion engineering, specifically in the field of Cathodic Protection in survey, design, engineering, manufacture, installation and support across our products and services including Anodes, JBs, TRs, Remote monitoring and control (RMCS) etc.
Our healthy personnel management practices and shared values and behaviours enable us to create an ideal work environment. As our product line grows and our geographical presence widens we provide added value for our customers, new business opportunities, continued innovation and stronger relationships with our business partners. What does this mean for your career? Unlimited possibilities!!!
Working at BSS Technologies
Our global customers, diverse workforce, and innovative technologies combine to offer you dynamic career opportunities with tremendous growth potential. To succeed in your career at BSS Technologies you will need to understand and appreciate the critical role of our values and behaviours.
BSS Technologies offers a Competitive Salary with Career Growth Opportunities and a Full Benefits Package including Medical, Company Vehicle, paid Vacation etc.
Project Manager
NACE Certified CP Engineer
Responsibilities (may include but are not limited to):
CP Supervisor
CP Technician


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Weekend Wishlist(Last Updated On: August 4, 2020)
Here's what I'm thinking of picking up or just plain lusting over this weekend.
1. Wet n Wild MegaLast Salon Nail Color, 2% Milk Wet and Wild 2% Milk Mega Last Nail Color:(as seen over at Obsessive Cosmetic Hoarders United)
I'm usually not one for sheer nail colors. However, I love the shiny barely there look this polish gives.
2. MAC 'Indulge' Lipstick Feed The Senses (as seen over at Temptalia. I love pink lippies and this one looks easy to wear.
3.Laura Mercier Rouge Nouveau Weightless Lip Colour in Cafe as seen over at ( Makeup and Beauty Blog).
4.Dior 'Diorshow Mono' Eyeshadow in Mordore 653 as seen over at Blushing Noir is a gorgeous golden brown I need in my life!
5.Laura Mercier 'Tightline' Cake Eyeliner
A lovely reader suggested I try this out since nothing seems to last on my eye balls beyond an hour or so. I've never tried a powder liner before, but I"m game. Especially since it has the word cake in the title -drools-.
What's on your wishlist this weekend?


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This wordy fairy tale by the creators of Silver Threads is rooted in history; according to an introductory note, the setting is "during the Famine instigated by Stalin in 1930's Ukraine." But the volume suffers from the tall-tale quality of the narrative and the exaggerated characterizations. After one of "the Dictator's soldiers" appears on the farm where Marusia lives with her father, he announces, "Your wheat and your farm now belong to the People." He and his compatriots confiscate the crops of every farmer in the village. But Marusia hides one sack of grain that keeps them all alive during the hard winter, and plants seeds from which a magic stalk grows, attracting a large stork. The bird carries her on its back to a land of plenty so she can restock her village's supplies. In a predictable turn of events, another of the Dictator's soldiers makes a similar journey on the stork's back, but hordes so much grain that he and his sacks tumble off into the ocean. Unfortunately, the prose is often overblown when coupled with the oafish characters depicted (e.g., it is "the Dictator's wish that this land be filled with graves"). The villains—and even the victimized Ukrainians—appear as caricatures in the artwork, which does little to vitalize this heavy-handed narrative. Ages 6-8. (Apr.)
Release date: 12/01/2000
Genre: Children's


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Price: $45.00
Quantity: 1 available
Book Condition: Collectible: Very Good
Signed by author on title page without inscription. In protective acid-free archival quality acetate cover.Bottom corners bumped. Dust jacket shows creases where the corners were bumped.The hardworking single mother of a young daughter, Joanna Brady still feels the acute pain of loneliness and loss, and the hole that was left in her heart when her policeman husband was brutally murdered. But Sheriff Brady is the law in Cochise County, and she will never allow her private trials to interfere with the job she was elected to perform, especially now that murder has shattered the small town's fragile peace.
Title: Rattlesnake Crossing (Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 6) by Jance, J.A.
Categories: Signed, Limited Editions, First Editions, Mystery,
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Avon: 1998-08-01
Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Collectible: Very Good
Jacket Condition: Very Good
Type: Hardcover
Inscription: Signed by Author
Item: 17.00 Item
Seller ID: 2-6-80
Keywords: Signed, J.A. Jance, Mystery, First edition Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 6,


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In politics, the theory of Realism holds that man is by nature a selfish creature, which compels states to seek self-interests in international relations. Consequently, it leads to conflicts since states seek the same interests such as security and natural resources. However, different versions of realism advance different perspectives of the nature of international relations. For instance, Classical Realism and Neo Realism posit that the desire to guarantee national security and maximize relative power is the major goal for states' engagement in international relations. This essay discusses the role of realism in influencing the behavior of states in international relations.
The theory of realism was advanced Hans Morgenthau in 1948. Classical realism argues that states' behavior is by and large influenced by the "human nature," the desire to own or control more resources and military power than others. Its tenets rest on the assumption that "the political order and the way states act on international arena are predicated by human factors, i.e., human ambitions and aspiration that determine the direction of international politics" (Aliyev 112). Accordingly, Morgenthau argues, "the struggle for power at the international level is largely the result of animus dominandi, the 'political man's urge to dominate others, a concept influenced by Nietzsche's metaphysics on the 'will to power' (Peterson 100).
States achieve this by achieve by maximizing their "size of population and territory, resource endowment, economic capability, military strength, political stability and competence" (Waltz 131). Thus, states do not participate in international relations to attain altruistic goals, but to serve their private self- interests. However, rather than lead to more anarchy and war, the involvement of different states in international relations help maintain a balance of power. This is because superpowers and other states having nuclear capabilities "realize the consequences of such a war, and therefore, use nuclear arsenal as a means of deterrence and balance of powers" (Waltz 8). In order to maintain peace and stability, each state struggle to gain or exercise some power, and in the process establish military and political equilibrium.
Nevertheless, one of realism's major weaknesses is the failure to recognize the role of domestic forces in influencing the behavior of states at the international level. For instance, countries experiencing internal wars may be forced to seek foreign help. In this case, man's nature or the pursuits of self-interests play little influence in determining the behavior of states. On the contrary, such states are pushed by the desire for survival.
In his 2005 State of the Union Address, President Bush spoke of the Iraqi invasion as a means of helping the Iraqi people establish a democratic regime (The White House 2012). However, this statement masks the realist motive of the United States; an undemocratic Iraqi under Saddam posed a serious challenge to U.S. interests in the Middle East. The U.S. is well known for its insatiable demand for natural resources. In addition, it is under constant pressure to maintain its super power status by suppressing nations that tend to challenge her hegemony. Thus, the Iraqi war was one way of removing a threat to U.S. hegemony as well as gaining access to the Middle East's oil resources. This outcome further weakens the realist view that the existence of different opposing interests help to maintain a balance of power. As the U.S. demonstrated, superpowers can have their way regardless the position of the smaller states, or even of those with significant military power to challenge the super power. It is not surprising, therefore, that the U.S. can still bully other countries regardless the position taken by emerging superpowers like China, Japan, or even Russia.