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This is a slogan of a training company, which I think is rather unfair and ungrateful to schools. It also has a very limited understanding of what being 'rich' is. While being rich mean having an abundance of desirable qualities and elements in general terms, it is common for many people to equate 'being rich' with one who merely has lots of money.
Even restricting our definition of 'being rich' into the narrow scope of money, schools actually do teach us how to make them. For instance, good language abilities enable me to communicate effectively with others and read up on the fine details of product specifications and commercial laws. Ultimately, having good language skills help me to make money.
Other subjects like maths, science, history and geography are obviously useful tools to make money with, and there are the more subtle ones that I have found even more useful. For instance, even the dreaded non-phonetic Chinese ideograms have helped to improve my pattern recognition abilities, alongside with the more congenial art lessons; and after all, business is but about recognising patterns and striking the opportunities at the right time! And what better way to be trained in precise timing than by learning music? Besides, music is also inherently highly structured and intuitive, which is among the traits of successful businessmen.
So schools do teach us how to make money, and it is just a matter putting all the skills together. More amazingly, schools not only teaches us how to make money but also the moral duties to society, family and self. It teaches us to serve society and that money is but the fuel to our lifestyles, not the source.
In highly urbanised cities, where its people are further and further removed from nature, it is easy to believe that money is the source of life. Yet, money is merely an invention by human beings to store value. The plants don't have money. The animals and the entire nature don't have money; and they live (until they are destroyed by humans). Nature, after all, is eternally regenerative and abundant. As Buckminster Fuller puts it, we are all multi-millionaires by the measures of what nature has already given us.
So why do business 'gurus' say that schools do not impart the skills to become 'rich'? It could be their own myopia that being rich is just merely having money and their own shortcoming of not recognising the business skills that are implicit in all the subjects in school. Perhaps they didn't really understand those subjects when they were in school and have missed the essence in their own education! If not, then they could be using those silly slogans to whip up the feeling of inadequacy among the audience. That is, break their confidence, make them feel that they need something that is missing in their education and that they have to get it fast in order to make money. In other words, they are selling fear. Sadly, that's also a way to
become rich make money - by selling fear.
I have this video of Chris Gardner, the real life character in the movie "In the Pursuit of Happiness". He certainly did not attend any 'how to get rich" classes, but he got there to make lots of money and lots of good morals too! There is another post about him in this blog. For more of him, click here.
Finally, look around you and find out if those well-rounded fabulously ones needed a business guru?
If you are reading from facebook, click here


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Today, The Invisible Man and I had a brief exchange on matters such as collectibles, my new default picture, and permanently altering one's body. All trifles, but it felt like blog material, nonetheless.
I definitely hold Marvin the Martian above all other cartoon characters. This has been the case for the better part of twenty years. However, putting his handsome face on my profile, as well as the accompanying caption was mostly a symbolic move on my part. One of my readers (and quite possibly a second who happens to catch such cryptic things) will understand said symbolism.
Literally, it's quite true. I do still love my Marvin.
Now, I share with you some of my conversation with The Invisible Man along with some extra Marvin goodness.
When I first moved out of my mother's house at 18, I began collecting him. Christmas ornaments, ink pens, cookie jars, desk lamps, etc.
Then I decided it would be very cool to get a Marvin tattoo. I was working in a factory and was quite the oddball for not having a tattoo. Peer pressure. Ever erring on the side of caution, I decided to wait a year(ish) before getting him permanently attached to my body, just to make sure.
A year(ish) later, I was sure.
Now I'm not.
I pretty much hate the fact that there is a cartoon character on my body. It's embarrassing. It's on my lower back, a couple inches shy of having "tramp stamp" positioning. Also, I'm not sure that cartoon characters qualify for "tramp stamp" status.
It's funny what I've learned to live with and love about myself.
I used to be quite a bit heavier than I am now. I have stretch marks here and there. No matter how hard I work (and I do work hard), I have belly flab. The thighs, the butt, the boobs that have seen better days. I'm relatively comfortable in my skin as it were.
But I am so sensitive about the tattoo.
No matter how hot it is, I almost always have an extra "layering piece" beneath whatever shirt I'm wearing so I can have a shirt that's tucked in and, thus, conceals the tattoo when I bend over.
I hate getting in and out of cars as this is where my layering piece almost always comes untucked and I don't want him to show. Strange.
I'm always questioning if I'll have him removed someday if I can afford it or whether I should just accept his presence (like I have the stretch marks) on my body.
It's a good question.

subset: commoncrawl


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Last night Critter sat beside me as I uploaded the photos of our kitchen remodel. I clicked the Publish button and she viewed the latest entry, reading aloud the captions I had placed for various photos. I think this was the first time she had actually read our blog.
She continued to read older entries aloud, surprised I think, about the subject matter in some of them. When she reached the entry about watching the Tony Awards in June, I left the room to give her some privacy. She gave a horrified/astonished yell from the living room. I ran out from the bedroom, "What?!"
"Mrs. Potts won a Tony?!"
Indeed she did.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Mrs. Potts Makes the Worst Pies in London
Last night Critter sat beside me as I uploaded the photos of our kitchen remodel. I clicked the Publish button and she viewed the latest entry, reading aloud the captions I had placed for various photos. I think this was the first time she had actually read our blog.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Kitty Play Structures Also Known As 'Cabinets'
Yesterday we came home to find a few of our base cabinets moved into position. We let the kitties out to explore.
Then The Little Man figured out this mathematical equation:
I never knew Bar-B-Que tongs could come in so handy...
Today the cabinets are in their permanent places but not tightened into place. Monday the contractor who puts in the mocha countertop will come in to measure the cabinets and build his template. The room has less echoes now and is looking more like our dream kitchen.
Labels: Home Improvement, Pets
Monday, July 10, 2006
Amazed, Astonished, Thunderstruck, Floored!
It's been two months since we last saw a sample; now our entire kitchen is covered in this beautiful terra cotta-inspired flooring. Even the kitties approve of the floor, though they are uncertain about the gleeful echoes we produce when oooh-ing and aaaaah-ing over it.
And a lucky bonus... The Plastic Wall is down!
Labels: Home Improvement
Friday, July 07, 2006
Waiting For The Plastic To Fall
We've all discovered a new smell. Drywall dusted plastic. This chalky, dry odor has permeated every inch of our home and sealed itself to our clothes; no amount of kitten bathing has removed it from fur and paws. We eagerly await a time when it will permanently disappear.
A brief photo update on our kitchen progress...
We went from this...
...and with a little help from Mr. GoGoGo to this...
Mr. GoGoGo got some friendly advice from Lumpy, especially with the plumbing.
Lumpy required some assistance as well...
And then our Contractor...
...proceded to do this. We especially love the laundry tub sink, unless it's our turn to wash dishes...
Soon, that big empty space will be filled with this:
We can hardly wait. The floor goes down early next week and then the cabinets.
And then, oh yes, the Plastic will fall.
Labels: Home Improvement, Lumpy


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Project Support Officer
The role can often be required to work in complex and challenging environments with limited resources.
The Project Support Officer reports to the Project Manager who provides broad supervision and guidance. The role is responsible for supporting the Project Manager with the day-to-day operations of the mission and coordinating mission progress and implementation.
He/she maintains a close eye on the operational and financial performance, identifies probable issues that may need attention, supports in problem analysis and solution identification as necessary, coordinate resolution as per action-items assigned, drafting required correspondences to stakeholders concerned and preparation of mission reports.
Project implementation
· Support the Project Manager in ensuring UNOPS Policies and Procedures, Financial Rules and Regulations (FR&R) are adhered to for efficient project implementation and progress;
· Monitor project financials and advise the Project Manager accordingly;
· Track expenditure and take relevant action when required to revise budgets (realignment and amendment);
· Monitor and record best practices and innovative approaches within UNOPS FR&R; identify and show alternative options according to Activity needs;
· Managing information flows and overseeing change controls, risk registers and issue management; document and feedback lessons learned and best practices;
· Supporting the project planning process;
· Maintenance of all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes;
· Management of work packages within the project as and when required;
· Assist the Project manager in monitoring of the project quality indicators and undertaking monthly assurance tasks on behalf of the Project Manager.
· Supervise Project Assistant(s) within the Team, to ensure work efficiency and quality at all times.
Financial and procurement Management
· Maintain all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes.
· Ensure accurate data entry into UNOPS ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system.
· Monitor project budget and financial expenditure and all administrative procedures in line with the work-plan.
· Process direct payments and advance requests and prepare project budget revisions.
· Produce financial reports; including developing financial monitoring and reporting formats as per UNOPS requirements.
· Support the Project Manager by monitoring budgets, cash flow and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met.
· Alert the Project Manager or any financial shortfalls and over-expenditures.
· Propose budget revision and initiate corrective action when necessary.
· Coordinate vendor communications, meetings, and reports as necessary
Project monitoring and reporting
· Provide substantive inputs to assist the Project Manager in the preparation of project reports
· and documents.
· Maintain records of project files and other supporting documents.
· Maintain the following records: Quality Register, Configuration Item Records and all other registers/logs delegated by the Project Manager
· Support the Project Manager in maintaining the following:
· Electronic Blue File,
· Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by Organizational Directive (OD) 12.
· Manage the compilation, consolidation and analysis of relevant data of the mission.
· Assist the Project Manager in the preparation of project completion reports and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
· A Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field (e.g. Business Administration, Logistics, Emergency Management, International Relations) is required.
· A Master's degree will be an asset.
· A minimum of 2 years relevant experience, specifically in the field of Project Management and/or Operations Management is required.
· Experience in humanitarian emergency operating contexts, including humanitarian coordination mechanisms, donors, security, and/or operations management is an asset.
· Experience and demonstrated knowledge of UN rules and procedures in Procurement, Finance, HR Management and administrative rules and regulations will be an advantage.
· Full working knowledge of English is essential.
· Fluency in one or more additional official UNOPS languages is an advantage.
· PRINCE2® Foundation/Practitioner an asset
· Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
· Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
· Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
· Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
· Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
· Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
· Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.
How to Apply
Click on the below link to apply;
Procurement & Logistics Specialist
Under the supervision of the Head of Support Services (HOSS), the Procurement and Logistics Specialist's duties and responsibilities will be to:
· Ensure full compliance of procurement activities with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of a client-oriented procurement management system
· Process Regional Office or Operations/Project Centre procurement business mapping and elaborate/establish internal standard operating procedures in procurement, control of the workflows in the Procurement Unit
· Analyze requirements and synthesis of proposals for cost-saving and reduction strategies
· Synthesize proposals and implementation of contract strategy in the Regional Office or Operations/Project Centre, including tendering processes and evaluation, contractor appraisal, managing the contract and contractor, legal considerations, payment conditions, risk assessment
· Implement the strategic procurement in the Regional Office or Operations/Project Centre, including sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, customer relationship management, e-procurement introduction and promotion, performance measurement
· Prepare procurement plans for the office and projects and monitoring of their implementation
· Implement of proper monitoring and control of procurement processes including organization of Request for Quotation (RFQ), Invitation to Bid (ITB) or Request for Proposal (RFP), receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, their evaluation, negotiation of contracts in compliance with UNOPS rules and regulation
· Manage procurement contracts and implementation of the internal control system which ensures that Purchase orders are duly prepared and dispatched. Timely corrective actions on POs with budget check errors and other problems
· Prepare cost-recovery bills for procurement services provided by UNOPS to other agencies
· Manage e-procurement module and development and management of the rosters of suppliers, elaboration of supplier selection and evaluation, quality and performance measurement mechanisms
· Provide administrative support for the management of programme assets and expendable items
· Ensure proper receipting, storage, issuance, loan, right of use, maintenance, disposal, transfer mechanisms for programme assets, and expendable items
· Ensure preparation and submission of periodic programme assets and expendable reports
· Write off expendable and non-expendable equipment in accordance with UNOPS and DPKO policies and procedures
· Maintain logistics records
· Ensure proper usage and maintenance of programme vehicles
· Coordinate with authorities and relevant stakeholders in managing the procurement and logistics activities (e.g. customs clearances, freight forwarding, gaining authorizations, etc.)
· Ensure record keeping of all procurement and logistical files in compliance with the UNOPS policies
· Ensure availability of all supporting documents for audit and review purposes
· Provide periodic guidance and training to the programme personnel on UNOPS procurement and logistics policies and procedures
· Synthesize lessons learnt and best practices in procurement and logistics
· Manage the procurement and logistics cells
· Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor
· An advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Procurement and/or Supply Chain Management, Law, Commerce, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Economics or related field; OR
· A first-level university degree (Bachelors or equivalent) in Procurement and/or Supply Chain Management, Law, Commerce, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Economics or related field with 7 years of relevant experience is required.
· Relevant experience is defined as experience in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, or Logistics.
· Experience in working with a range of stakeholders in developing and developed countries is desired.
· Fluency in English (speak, read, write).
How to Apply
Please apply using the following link: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=17969


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Though looses Captaincy, Vishal to play CCL
'Though actor Vishal has relinquished his captaincy, he expressed his availability to play few matches in this edition of Celebrity Cr...
Addressing media persons ahead of the tournament in Chennai, Jiiva, said, 'Vishal is busy with his professional commitments and hence he chose not to lead the side.
The team comprises of Viishnu Vishal, Vikranth, Ramana, Bose Venkat,Bharath, Prithvi, Ashok Selvan, Shaam, Charan Kumar, Uday Kumar and Sanjay Bharathi. On 11 January, in their inaugural match, Chennai Rhinos will take on Kerala Strikers.


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Due to high cost and American and European anti-dumping tariff, the business of China solar panel manufacturers was gloomy in past 2 years. During this depression, the renewable energy markets in newly emerging Asian countries became the substitute of China manufacturers. Thai Rayong Industrial Park, 140 kilometers from Bangkok, Thailand, has become the Thai Optical […]
Government Will Start Chipping Away at Protected Areas
Between 2009 and 2012, the Ministry of Environment went on nationwide leasing spree, signing over vast swaths of the country's nominally protected areas to private companies for rubber plantations and other agribusiness ventures.
In the name of jobs and development, the companies have cleared tens of thousands of hectares of forest in and around their economic land concessions (ELCs), giving Cambodia one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. As a show of his efforts to rein in the more wayward ELCs, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced in February that the government had taken back nearly 1 million hectares, a little less than half of the area leased out nationwide.
Plan continues for waterway transport system and hydropower on Red River
Vietnam's Ministry of Investment and Planning (MPI) received the requirement for approval the investment project of Xuan Thanh group (Xuan Thien Co Ltd) about the construction the waterway transport system and hydropower on Red River, the North of Vietnam. MPI has informed the Prime Minister and consulted with MONRE about this project as MPI thinks that this project will have potential impacts to environment by dredging the riverbed or process of hydropower construction. But in order to understanding how specific the impacts, its need to conducting the EIA report.
The Prime Minister has not yet approved this project as its still lack many information and legal documents. Prime Minster assigned MONRE to establish the exploitation master plan of Red River to ensure the sustainable development.
China May Shelve Plans to Build Dams on Its Last Wild River
On a roadside next to the Nu River, Xiong Xiangnan is trying to sell fish to tourists. He doesn't look like a traditional fisherman. Xiong sports a pompadour and wears a brown jacket, jeans, and white Crocs, with a money purse slung across one shoulder. As several of his friends stand around smoking, Xiong makes his pitch.
The fish were very hard to catch, he says. The nets must be set at night and checked early in the morning. That's why he's charging 240 yuan—about $37—for the biggest trophy in his buckets.
Behind Xiong, the Nu River flows freely, bumbling with rapids, swirling with eddies. Some of this water has spilled down from glaciers on the Tibetan plateau, filling a channel that snakes 1,700 miles (2,736 kilometers) through China, then Myanmar and Thailand, before spilling into the Andaman Sea.
China-led AIIB Looks Toward Co-Financing Projects, At Least Initially
Early last year, when the United States' Western European allies began eagerly signing up for China's nascent Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as founding members, it seemed as if Washington was confident that the AIIB would emerge as a poorly governed tool of Chinese geoeconomic statecraft, beholden to lower standards than the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the highly experienced international development banks. At the core of these concerns was a perception that the AIIB would be supplementary instead of complementary to existing development banks–both in terms of its governance and the projects it selected.
A year and a few weeks ago, the AIIB's 57 founding members finalized its charter; in the final days of 2015, the members ratified the bank's Articles of Agreement. Finally, early in the new year, the AIIB opened its doors for business. Now, just over three months into its operations, the AIIB has decided on its first projects. As I'd briefly discussed in April, the AIIB's first projects have demonstrated that concerns a year ago in Washington and Tokyo may have been overstated. For now, the bank appears to be pursuing a modest and complementary approach in selecting its projects.
Southeast Asia's Rivers Run Dry
The dry months before the monsoon rains arrive are often tough for Cambodian fishermen and farmers. But with rivers drying up and drinking water running out, conditions have rarely been as bad as they are now.
The current drought is linked to El Niño, which has been disrupting weather patterns around the world. But the harsh conditions today might only be foreshadowing far worse to come, climate scientists say. Climate change is expected to continue to affect the Mekong Basin region, while future droughts are expected to be exacerbated by a string of major hydropower dam projects.
Experts fear that the present crisis could become the new normal for Cambodia and its neighbors, which have also been hit hard by record temperatures and a long period of extremely dry weather.
The four challenges threatening the Mekong Delta
Located at the end of the Mekong River, the Mekong Delta of Vietnam was formed about 6,000 years from sediments of the river flowing into the sea plus the process of sea regression.
After the country's unification in 1975, Vietnam embarked on the planning and exploitation of the delta. The country has successfully solved the alkaline, acidic and salty problems to develop agriculture, particularly rice cultivation in this region. In 1986, the total rice output of the Mekong Delta was around 7 million tones and currently i25 million tonnes, accounting for 90% of Vietnam's total rice expert turnover.
Residents in Myitsone urge President to end Myitsone Dam project
Residents in the Myitsone Dam project area have urged President Htin Kyaw and the new government to end the Myitsone project so that relocated villagers can return to their villages
"If the new government does not end this project, how must we, the residents, live? Our hearts are pounding. I want to cry. We have suffered repeatedly from troubles. If the project is not cancelled, I am sure that I will die there," Ja Hkaung, whose farmland in Tan Hpe village was confiscated due to the project, said in a press conference.
China's rise takes centre stage at ADB annual meeting
China's growing economic influence through the One Belt, One Road initiative and the newly operational Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank were key topics of discussion at the Asian Development Bank's annual conference in Frankfurt this week.
The Chinese-led AIIB has 57 founding members with others expected to join. The One Belt, One Road (OBOR) project aims to strengthen infrastructure on the land and sea routes from China through Central Asia and Southeast Asia respectively – incorporating some 60 separate states.
Both initiatives affect Myanmar, as a member country of the AIIB and as a host to Chinese OBOR infrastructure projects – including a recently approved US$3 billion refinery near the southern city of Dawei.


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Interactive music and movement, musical storytelling and rhythm games come together to use songs for teaching children fitness and exercise.
Songs For Teaching Children Fitness & Exercise
This multi media curriculum module taps into the power of music by using songs for teaching children fitness and exercise. The children will enjoy hopping on one foot, crawling like a crab, flying like a super kid, pushups, squats and more.
The children will learn to play shakers, scrapers, bells, drums and triangles. They will use the instruments to play rhythms and tell a story about a grouchy monster in the forest who learns to be friendly when the children invite him to their picnic.
Engaging and Highly Energetic Songs
These engaging and highly energetic songs prompt children with specific movement instructions, built right into the lyrics of the song, to make movement and exercise a joy. As a teacher or a parent you will want to be moving right along with the children, there by creating positive interactions and positive associations with exercise as something that they enjoy sharing with their teachers, parents and peers.
Easy to Access Online or in Hard Copy
Stream the audio, video and song cards right from your internet connected TV, smart phone, tablet or desktop computer. HArd copies including CDs and DVDs are also available.
Science Show the Benefits of interactive Music and Movement on Children's Health
Scientific studies show the benefit of interactive dance games on children's health.
Aspects of development addressed in this module:
- Physical Development
- Interactions Among Children
- Music and Movement
- Purposeful Movement
- Engagement and Persistence
- Shared Use of Space and Materials
- Relationships and Social Interactions with Adults and Peers
- Cooperation with Adults and Peers
- Spacial Relationships
- Language and Literacy Development
- Social Emotional Development
- English Language Development
- Cognition
- Gross Motor Manipulative Skills
- Gross Locomotor Movement Skills
- Fine Motor Manipulative Skills
- Performing Arts: Music, Drama/Dance


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I'm known to be guilty of it, I admit it.:)
And this truly is the last of our old Steve Jobs comics! We are down to a small handful of random old posts and then it's go time on the newness. We're pretty excited to get creative again, this will be a fun Fall and Winter!


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I'd been writing since I was in the 5th grade, but Alex and Alonzo was my first foray into erotica. I started writing it as a response to the one-dimensional portrayals of Black and Latino men that I would read in popular gay magazines at the time. Those stories were clearly not written by Men of Color. When two black men have sex, they don't comment on the skin tone of their partner. Every Latino is not a gangbanger, every Black Man a thug, every Asian a submissive bottom. I know that the men of color I met were not only intensely sexual beings, we were also complex emotional beings, and while it's just porn, I knew we could to better. This is my attempt to be better.
Alex and Alonzo is the adventure of two men who meet and fall in love, and having mind-blowing sex with ALOT of very interesting people along the way. The overlapping short stories offer the reader glimpses into a sexual world lurking just beneath the skin of our world. It's a world where a retired 4-star General runs an exclusive whorehouse for the elite from his country home. A world where your domineering boss is the submissive sex slave of your dreams. Most importantly, it's a world where two men meet on the train to Dupont Circle.
The first two stories, The First Night and The Anniversary, short erotic stories that tell the story of how Alex and Alonzo meet are available on Amazon. I am currently working on a full-length novel about the world that they inhabit, scheduled to be published in the Spring of 2017. Below are two exclusive unpublished excerpts from my new, as-yet-untitled novel.


text: Trump's campaign feasts on Harris' past criticisms of Biden COVID-19: NCDC confirms 423 new cases in Nigeria Konta in good spirits day after health scare at Top Seed Open Four-goal Shakhtar Donetsk set up Europa League semi-final against Inter Milan Bauchi Govt. partners UNESCO on mobile learning for school children Sevilla reach Europa League semi-finals as Wolves pay for penalty kick miss Zamfara security c'tee denies resignation of members Police arrest 3 for allegedly robbing fishermen of N1.6m in Lagos New Zealand city of Auckland prepares for lockdown as mystery COVID cases emerge IPAC wants INEC to adjust timetable for Ondo, Edo polls Gov. Wike dissolves Task Force on Illegal Street Trading, Motor Parks Akeredolu admonishes governors to support community policing Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris for vice-presidential running mate Biden picks California Senator, Kamala Harris, as running mate AU body underscores need for investment in potato farming in Nigeria Lagos empowers 1,100 vulnerable women, indigent residents with work tools Access Bank rewards 9,000 for digital platforms transactions ILO, NECA collaborate to eliminate child Labour in Nigeria International Youth Day: Atiku tasks youth on fight against COVID-19 New CIS president unveils next level agenda NYSC strengthens partnership with research institute INEC fixes all pending by-elections for Oct. 31 Auno: Borno Govt resettles 560 displaced families OYSG approves promotion, gratuity for 97 civil servants dismissed in 2012 Economic Sustainability Plan: Association urges FG to engage private sector Sanwo-Olu Listens, gives succour to 50 vulnerable Lagosians Osun landlords groan over alleged "outrageous" Land Use charges EFCC arrests 3 corps members, 19 undergraduates for alleged internet fraud in Ibadan NCPC boss urges Southern Kaduna people to remain calm, hopeful Stakeholders differ on use of safety tunnels, fumigation in fight against COVID-19 Congestion: Maritime agencies working toward 24-hour port services — Jamoh Abia govt. to reabsorb sacked 5,853 teachers Insurgency: NAF assures Borno of unrelenting security effort ESUT holds retreat for new administrators Edo COVID-19 death toll hits 100 — Commissioner Niger Govt. inaugurates 30-man economic advisory committee Court restrains Edo govt from publishing defamatory materials against Okunbo, Oshiomhole CIIN lauds FG's approval of African Trade Insurance Agency Lagos State Procurement Agency (Amendment) Bill 2020 scales 2nd reading Kwara speaker calls for improved security in border communities Poultry farmers seek FG, Oyo govt.'s intervention to save industry Monarchs task Lagos State Govt on provision of infrastructure Nigeria disability data bank takes off in FCT CACOVID: Gov. Bagudu warns against diversion of food palliative Minister inaugurates committee on implementation of N75bn youth fund PDP swears in Enugu State executives NJC approves appointment of 6 new High Court Judges for Kano NSE market indices drop further 0.58% Man, 44, docked over alleged cheating of woman of N75,000 Assault: Police dismiss Inspector in Osun


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Fawad Khan Dressing Styles. Fawad Khan, the former singer of a band named 'Entity Paradigm', and his commencement on a road to a successful acting career ever since the dissolving of the band. Apparently, the limelight actor has got so much more to give to the world than just his matchless looks.
To the times when he set his fans' hearts on fire with his performance in everyone's favorite romantic play Humsafar, to the times he finally entered into the Bollywood industry for bigger opportunities and gain even more fans in India alongside Pakistan. But one aspect of the personality never changed — his fashion endeavors. So let's take you on a road of the glamor-stricken wardrobe of Fawad Khan.
Latest Outfits and Looks of Fawad Khan
RECOMMENDED: Bollywood Celebrity Kids-15 Most Stylish Kids in India 2019
#27 – His Lux Style Awards 2015 Style
His lux style awards outfit with the most luxurious looking suit makes him quite at the top of men's fashion in both India and Pakistan. As critics claim that he dresses the best among so many of his competing stars in the industry.
#26 – Fawad Khan on Kapoor and Sons Promotion
As good as his dressing was in Kapoor and Sons itself, it's even better when he was to be spotted by the media during its promotions. No doubt his net worth is skyrocketing to about $2 million. His beard definitely gives him so much swag, check out Beard Styles For Oval Faces – 20 New Styles To Try This Year
#25 – Fawad Khan In Koovs Man and G-star Raw
This image surely features a quite distinct and eccentric look of Fawad, even his hair and attire seems out of the blue – in which he dressed up for Koovs Man and G-star Raw style.
#24 – Fawad Khan Brooks Brothers Outfit
His brooks brothers outfit depicts endless class and style that coincides artistically with his such unique of a personality. As his clothing styles are usually capable of doing that frequently.
#23 – His Vogue Beauty Awards Style
His vogue beauty style awards look, says a lot about how far has he progressed in not just his acting career, but his fashion priorities are just as top-notch and are definitely leveling up to the career he is building for himself.
#22 – Fawad's Sneakers-with-Suit Look
Probably one of the rarest humans to wear sneakers with a suit, in just the most right, acceptable and classic way. As Khan is usually capable of nailing the most eccentric and underrated styles and make them stylish again. For some more amazing hairstyles, have a look at Zayn Malik Hairstyles-20 Best Hairstyles of Zayn Malik All the Time
#21 – Fawad's Iconic Suit Style
The one personality who wears sneakers with a suit in an immensely symbolic and unique way that just makes it so oddly admirable.
#20 – Fawad Khan in His Indian Couture Week Outfit
His Indian Couture week outfit has added quite a lot of vigor to his demeanor and posture and surely adds a bit more bulk to his attire.
#19 – A Dreamily Handsome Look
On the promotion days of his first released film Khoobsurat alongside Sonam Kapoor. And he managed to win hearts with his dressing even before a fully released film. Do check out Hrithik Roshan Outfits-30 Best Dressing Styles of Hrithik Roshan
#18 – Fawad Khan in a Giovani Outfit
The 34-year-old celeb happens to have attached a stigma to himself for wearing suits in hundred different styles and each is equally very classic.
#17 – Fawad Khan Kapoor and Sons Style
His Kapoor and Sons style and outfits are nearly as good as his own personal fashion preferences and the 34-year old looks just as attractive as any young bloke. Do check out awesome looks and outfits of his costars from the movie: Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt.
#16 – Fawad Khan's Formal Look
The Sisley shirt and dark washed denim are another one of his most profound getups. Will work best as a spring men's style!
#15 – His Flawless Coat Style
His flawless coat style will work best if you wear it on a wedding, fancy party or a big day at work.
#14 – Fawad Khan in a Nehru Jacket
The jacket in literal terms referred to as 'Nehru jacket' finds its way into the wardrobe of a $2 million worth of an actor.
#13 – Fawad Khan's Evening Look
Nothing, just the new Bollywood's emerging star's evening casual outfit style and you are absolutely awed.
#12 – Fawad Khan Style in Humsafar
His most symbolic and representative look on the sets of Humsafar, alongside Mahira Khan, gives us all vibes and deja vu essences of the deep chemistry.
#11 – Fawad Khan's Traveling Style
The celebrity impression never goes away even if you happen to be doing something as minor as going to the airport.
#10 – Fawad Khan in Khoobsurat
Although, he happens to have dressed much better in his other projects. His wardrobe in Khoobsurat is no less.
#9 – Fawad Khan Promotional Style
His promotional outfits and styles are one of the best. Only he can pull off a unique coat outfit as one, with this much of class.
#8 – The Suit-with-Specs Look
The suit-with-specs look of Fawad Khan is no less than the most sophisticated one. He surely knows his stuff of pulling off nerdy specs with a suit like a pro.
#7 – Fawad Khan Raghavendra Rathore Outfit
Rarely, does he out on something desi or cultural, but when he does, he beats everyone in that as well.
#6 – Fawad Khan Winter Style
The winter style of a classic sweater, specs, and tie, makes it quite desirable for anyone who has a craze of winter vibes.
#5 – Fawad Khan's Swag
His endlessly dashing vibes drop in, in nearly every single outfit that he puts on. Let's see what else is to come up in the next year with his next movies-inspired outfits in Maula Jatt 2.
#4 – Fawad Khan's Summer Look
In a photo shoot that was supposed to advertise summer-wear suits for men, so surely you can take ideas of what works and looks best in summer with the unique summer look of the 34-year old star.
#3 – Fawad Khan's Summer Colors
Gives a whole lot of ideas about what colors work excellently in the hot heat of summers.
#2 – Fawad Khan Street Style
#1 – Fawad's Fancy Look
On the promotional days of his released films, with his co-star and Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor. The idyllic outfit comprising of a palely dark blue jacket gives quite a lot of impression.


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WASHINGTON — When surveillance cameras began popping up in the 1970s and '80s, they were welcomed as a crime-fighting tool, then as a way to monitor traffic congestion, factory floors and even baby cribs. Later, they were adopted for darker purposes, as authoritarian governments like China's used them to prevent challenges to power by keeping tabs on protesters and dissidents.
But now those cameras — and many other devices that today are connected to the internet — have been commandeered for an entirely different purpose: as a weapon of mass disruption. The internet slowdown that swept the East Coast on Friday, when many Americans were already jittery about the possibility that hackers could interfere with election systems, offered a glimpse of a new era of vulnerabilities confronting a highly connected society.
The attack on the infrastructure of the internet, which made it all but impossible at times to check Twitter feeds or headlines, was a remarkable reminder about how billions of ordinary web-connected devices — many of them highly insecure — can be turned to vicious purposes. And the threats will continue long after Election Day for a nation that increasingly keeps its data in the cloud and has oftentimes kept its head in the sand.
Remnants of the attack continued to slow some sites on Saturday, though the biggest troubles had abated. Still, to the tech community, Friday's events were as inevitable as an earthquake along the San Andreas fault. A new kind of malicious software exploits a long-known vulnerability in those cameras and other cheap devices that are now joining up to what has become known as the internet of things.
The advantage of putting every device on the internet is obvious. It means your refrigerator can order you milk when you are running low, and the printer on your home network can tell a retailer that you need more ink. Security cameras can alert your cellphone when someone is walking up the driveway, whether it is a delivery worker or a burglar. When Google and the Detroit automakers get their driverless cars on the road, the internet of things will become your chauffeur.
But hundreds of thousands, and maybe millions, of those security cameras and other devices have been infected with a fairly simple program that guessed at their factory-set passwords — often "admin" or "12345" or even, yes, "password" — and, once inside, turned them into an army of simple robots. Each one was commanded, at a coordinated time, to bombard a small company in Manchester, N.H., called Dyn DNS with messages that overloaded its circuits.
Few have heard of Dyn, but it essentially acts as one of the internet's giant switchboards. Bring it to a halt, and the problems spread instantly. It did not take long to reduce Twitter, Reddit and Airbnb — as well as the news feeds of The New York Times — to a crawl.
The culprit is unclear, and it may take days or weeks to detect it. In the end, though, the answer probably does not mean much anyway.
The vulnerability the country woke up to on Friday morning can be easily exploited by a nation-state such as Russia, which the Obama administration has blamed for hacking into the Democratic National Committee and the accounts of Hillary Clinton's campaign officials. It could also be exploited by a criminal group, which was the focus of much of the guesswork about Friday's attack, or even by teenagers. The opportunities for copycats are endless.
The starkest warning came in mid-September from Bruce Schneier, an internet security expert, who posted a brief essay titled "Someone Is Learning How to Take Down the Internet." The technique was hardly news: Entities like the North Korean government and extortionists have long used "distributed denial-of-service" attacks to direct a flood of data at sites they do not like.
"If the attacker has a bigger fire hose of data than the defender has," he wrote, "the attacker wins."
But in recent times, hackers have been exploring the vulnerabilities of the companies that make up the backbone of the internet — just as states recently saw examinations of the systems that hold their voter registration rolls. Attacks on the companies escalated, Mr. Schneier wrote, "as if the attack were looking for the exact point of failure." Think of the mighty Maginot Line, tested again and again by the German Army in 1940, until it found the weak point and rolled into Paris.
The difference with the internet is that it is not clear in the United States who is supposed to be protecting it. The network does not belong to the government — or really to anyone. Instead, every organization is responsible for defending its own little piece. Banks, retailers and social media hubs are supposed to invest in protecting their websites, but that does not help much if the connections among them are severed.
The Department of Homeland Security is supposed to provide the baseline of internet defense for the United States, but it is constantly playing catch-up. In recent weeks, it deployed teams to the states to help them find and patch vulnerabilities in their voter registration systems and their networks for reporting results.
The F.B.I. investigates breaches, but that takes time — and, in the meantime, people want to bank online and stream television shows. On Nov. 8, Americans will have to look up where they are supposed to vote, and, in a few cases, they will cast their votes on the internet. Yet the voting system is not considered part of the nation's "critical infrastructure."
The head of the National Security Agency, Adm. Michael Rogers, said recently that experts were looking at the problem the wrong way. "We are over-focused on places and things," he said in a talk at Harvard. "We need to focus on the data," and how it flows — or doesn't flow.
That is where the internet of things comes in. Most of the devices have been hooked up to the web over the past few years with little concern for security. Cheap parts, some coming from Chinese suppliers, have weak or no password protections, and it is not obvious how to change those passwords.
And the problem is quickly expanding: Cisco estimates that the number of such devices could reach 50 billion by 2020, from 15 billion today. Intel puts the number at roughly 200 billion devices in the same time frame. (Assuming the global population is around 7.7 billion people in 2020, that would be about six to 26 devices per person.)
Security researchers have been warning of this problem for years, but that caution has largely been written off as hype or fear-mongering. Then Brian Krebs, who runs a popular site on internet security, was struck by a significant attack a few weeks ago. The company protecting him, Akamai, gave up. The malware behind the attack, called Mirai, had a built-in dictionary of common passwords and used them to hijack devices to become attackers.
Chester Wisniewski, a principal computer research scientist at Sophos, a security company, said that attacks like the one on Dyn "might be the beginning of a new era of internet attacks conducted via 'smart' things."
"There are tens of millions more insecure 'smart' things that could cause incredible disruptions, if harnessed," Mr. Wisniewski added in an email.
It is possible, investigators say, that the attack on Dyn was conducted by a criminal group that wanted to extort the company. Or it could have been done by "hacktivists." Or a foreign power that wanted to remind the United States of its vulnerability. The answer may not come by Election Day, but the next wave of attacks very well could.


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POLL: Your Favorite Holiday Pie — Holiday Baking Championship
11/20/2014 13:07
So far on Holiday Baking Championship we've seen the bakers take on cookies in the premiere and just this past Sunday they made desserts inspired by sugar and spice, a classic combination. This coming Sunday the bakers will be making one of the most-iconic holiday desserts, pies. Not only that, but they'll have to bake three different kinds to impress judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale. But that doesn't mean there won't be any twists and turns in the challenge.
Ahead of the episode, vote on your favorite holiday pie and let us know in the comments why it's your favorite.
Tune in this Sunday at 9|8c to see how the competition unfolds and who goes home for the least-successful pies.
What's Your Favorite Holiday Pie?


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Instantly recognisable, Mickey's silhouette appears in bright-finished pewter. Supplied with a cord to wear, it also makes a great key fob.About the collectionAn array of Disney-licensed collectibles, celebrating Mickey Mouse's 90 years in cinema since 1928.
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My daughter has a couple of American Girl dolls with beautiful curls. Unfortunately even with gentle play, their hair becomes a mess. Every few weeks or whenever I notice it, I will take them aside and fix their hair.
It seems a lot of moms have the same problem with their daughter's dolls but might not know how to fix it.
This is the way I fix Caroline's hair also Saige and Kanani too;
First I separate small sections and brush each one straight. Next I curl the hair around my finger and let it go. I repeat with each section all the way around. I use the American Girl hair brush.
Their hair comes out very nice. It may not be factory or salon exact but it does look close and certainly a lot better.


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Oh Nelly.
I'm tired.
Like could fall over any second and sleep for days tired.
I've been AWOL this week because I was teaching VBS in the mornings
and was pretty much worthless from exhaustion in the afternoons.
I forgot how high-energy teaching is.
Last Friday I set up my classroom.
I love setting up classrooms.
I loved the theme of Kingdom Rock this year.
I love mid-evil stuff.
Castles, knights, kings, queens, princesses, dungeons...
So fun and majestic.
Then Friday night Nana and Papa took the kiddos, so I could go on a date with this dapper fellow.
Saturday morning we had Nutella crepes with homemade coconut syrup.
It was divine.
I love food.
Love, love, l.o.v.e. food.
My Aunt Glennie once said, "There are two types of people. Ones that eat to live and ones that live to eat." Then she asked which one I was.
I said, "I live to eat. Hands down."
She said, "That's my girl."
And handed me a bowl of ice cream as big as my head.
By Tuesday afternoon I was too tired to even think about making lunch or supervising activities for my kids after 2 days of VBS.
So we headed to Chick-Fil-A.
Because that's how I roll.
They didn't seem to mind.
This little guy is such a snuggler.
And I can't get enough of it!
Wednesday we had bounce castles at VBS, and the volunteers had pizza and extra bounce time afterward. It was crazy fun.
Brody Bear loves his dinosaur.
I love his cute little, "roar."
I find this thing everywhere.
We play a little game around here called Diaper Head.
It's a pretty simple game.
Right before you change Brody's diaper, you put a clean diaper on your head and yell, "DIAPER HEAD!" Everyone does it.
It's really for Brody's benefit, but
it's impossible not to laugh when you have a diaper on your head.
And now you know what it's like to be raised in our house.
So in summary:
Living a fulfilling life means...
Eating good food, teaching VBS, snuggling, playing with dinosaurs, wearing diapers on your head, and growing a garden.


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for all your drinks needs!
online - get a response within seconds
1,000s of drams in stock
Oh, and they never expire...
We can't actually ship Blair Athol 23 Year Old 1993 (Special Release 2017) to you in United States at the moment. We're working on a solution, but until then, here are some alternatives:
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Blair Athol is a distillery you may know from Diageo's Flora and Fauna series or independent bottlings. In fact, this is the first official release since 2003 and the distillery's first appearance in Diageo's annual Special Releases. It's matured in European oak butts that have been scraped, toasted, recharred and refilled with fortified wine in the UK before being filled with whisky, the result is a deep, rich single malt. 5,514 bottles have been produced.
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Nose: 'Sherried' off the bat with peppermint creams. Burnt toffee, Christmas spice, orange and sweetpea strike a good balance between sweet and savoury.
Palate: Toffee apples lead the way on the rich, firm palate, again without things getting too sweet. Some raisins in the tail.
Finish: Creamy with lingering plum, grapefruit squash and nettle notes.
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Rich and rounded with toffee and caramel sauce drizzled over singed fruit cake. Light notes of sweet baked apple float over the top, along with light, spicy fruit cake. Darker and more savoury notes of damp earth and green leaves hide underneath. Water dials up the savoury notes, revealing barrel char and bitter cocoa but balancing it with sweet cream.
10th June 2018


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In the book Connect the Stars, Aaron and Audrey, two kids with (un)superpowers meet at a camp in the center of the desert. Audrey can tell when people are lying and Aaron can recall everything he's ever seen. They work together on a team throughout challenges but one of the campers goes missing. Jare, the camp counselor, gets hurt which leads to Aaron and Audrey having to work together to find the camper, but will their friendship be able to survive throughout this strenuous challenge? Will Aaron and Audrey forget about their differences to save a life? Marisa De Los Santos and David Teague have crafted a beautifully written, noteworthy novel, whose characters will resonate throughout your heart for an elongated time. Aaron and Audrey discover the true meaning of friendship, and overcoming challenges throughout their journey through the bare, famine filled desert. Connect the Stars is an inventive novel filled with passionate and earnest characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Each page will leave you grasping for the next. "Sometimes you have to get lost to find yourself".
Connect the Stars
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Natalie Carslake, a student at Hopewell, is writing reviews of ARC copies to encourage others to read new books.
April 2016


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Karen Wilkinson
Karen Wilkinson is a budding gardener with previous experience working in the hydroponics industry. Her background includes daily reporting, technical writing, marketing and promotions. After spending years living along California's northern coast, she made her way to Sacramento where she currently lives and breathes the yoga lifestyle.
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We are not going to define a good guitarist for you or even give you a motivational talk on how easy it is to learn to play guitar tricks and solos online. We are going to tell you three little secrets that no guitarist will tell you. We can promise you will love the tips or even playing guitar at all. But again how will you know if you never try this out today!
Structure your learning experience
Some people will tell you not to structure your learning and give plenty of convincing reasons not to but if you want to cover some ground you need a plan. It is very difficult if not impossible to play good music without understanding all fundamentals. A structured program will get you ready faster making sure to equip you with everything you need for a head start.
Learning guitar takes time
Everyone is telling you how fast you can learn and how easy it is but the truth is that the guitar is a sophisticated instrument. As versatile as they get, it is for some a walk in the park and for others the very material nightmares are made from. Just the same, have confidence that you will rock and roll. Just not the first day! So manage your expectations so you are not frustrated when you have to relearn simple things for longer.
And more time!
Practice! Practice! Practice! And when you are done, practice some more. Its that simple, play more and you will get better. Muscle memory is not quite like your brain function. You have to do it many times over and get it wrong more than a few times to finally get it right. And when you finally get it, its best to move on to the next level of playing. You will have all the time to play when you are through with the online course so rather than stalling, you had better move forward.
Stating best guitar lesson online
So you don't really ever have to do anything unless you really want it badly. In that case, don't be a stickler for the rules or even your own playing schedule. You can play yourself to sleep if that's what you want to do -if its even possible. Don't consume more blogs on how to play guitar like a pro, play on! Don't get it twisted, we hope you come back often for some handy tips on how to up your game but the point is not to know them for the sake of knowing but to be inspired to play even better. While there is no such thing as teaching yourself to play guitar independent of anybody else, there are as many playing styles as are guitarists. Learn from everyone that inspires but find your own style, make it relevant to you. That's how to learn guitar faster with the best guitar online lessons.


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Ever felt like wanting to ride a horse along a picturesque beach? We found this article in Horse & Hound all about a trip to Holkham beach. There's a reason the Household Cavalry choose Holkham beach to take their horses for a summer break each year — riders can paddle, splash and gallop … [Read more...]
Meet the KRC Team!
Horse Riding Lessons & Livery Service in London Welcome to Kingston Riding Centre has been in operation since 1979 under the ownership of Lynne and Joe Mastroianni. We offer horse riding lessons and a full livery service in London. We welcome you to the Kingston Riding Centre web-site where … [Read more...]
Livery Service
Olympic size outdoor arena
Large 60x20 floodlit outdoor arena, with viewing gallery. International competition surface recently refurbished with a All-Weather Martin Collins Eco track surface. Full set of show jumps. … [Read more...]
Hacking Horse Riding in Royal Richmond Park
The stables are situated within minutes of the Kingston Gate of Richmond Park where we take our riders for daily hacks. It is the perfect tranquil setting for hacking amongst the deer and wildlife. Queen Victoria herself rode in the park and recorded in her journal one "heavenly day" when she … [Read more...]


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With the onset of winter, thousands of migratory birds from Siberia and Austria have started landing in famous Pong Dam wetland for their annual sojourn. The cackle of birds is also drawing attention in Hamirpur district too this year.
The lesser-known Bella near Nadaun in the district has attracted a number of migratory birds this season, which may increase as per experts. But there are reports of poachers becoming active in the area posing threat to birds.
Till now more than 2,000 birds have been spotted on the shallow waters of the Beas.
The major species, which have been spotted in the waters of the river, are ruddy shelduck, coots, cormorant and common poachers.
A huge flock of these ducks here has been attracting the locals as well as tourists to the spot, but the threat to the birds have increased as reports of poachers moving around in the wee hours in the area has also been reported.
Villager Sunil Kumar said, "The hunters move to the riverside in the wee hours, when it is still dark."
The flesh of the birds is in great demand and is sold at a high price. The land around the river of Bella village has good bio-diversity and is one of the reasons for attracting birds.
The valleys in Himachal host 36 per cent of the migratory bird population and out of 1,228 species of birds reported in India, 447 have been spotted in the waters of the state, as per a report.
Subhash Prashar, DFO, Wildlife, said, "We have taken steps to protect the migratory birds and the territorial wing of the Forest Department and the police are also keeping eye on the poachers."
The Tribune (05-12-2013)


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openstack HA: sometimes getting unable to establish connection error
In My 2 controller openstack HA setup ( using a galera cluster with two mysql nodes) sometimes I am getting the below errors when I try to create heat stack (which is used to create a instance with floating IP).
1) ConnectionRefused: Unable to establish connection to http://controller-vip:9696/v2.0/ports...
I verified neutron port 9696 on both controller node they are in listening state.
2) keystoneauth1.exceptions.connection.ConnectFailure: Unable to establish connection to http://controller-vip:8004/v1/ca1d107...
I verified heat port 8004 on both controller node they are in listening state.
Every time I am not getting these errors. Only sometimes I am getting this error. When I looked at syslog I have observed below warnings. Not sure whether these are related to above error.
Warning] Aborted connection 102541 to db: 'keystone' user: 'keystone' host: 'controller01' (Unknown error)
[Warning] Aborted connection 103782 to db: 'nova' user: 'nova' host: 'controller01' (Unknown error)
Could you please help me in fixing this issue.
Thanks, Satya.P
I guess you have some timing problems here. Make sure that all database related timeouts (in OpenStack, on all Galera Nodes and in HAProxy) match. Since OpenStack uses DB pooling w/ open, idle connections per default, you need to inform HAProxy about the higher timeouts.
cheers, hauke


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Our Sesame Place hotel, located across the street from Sesame Place® amusement and water park, offers the ideal location for a family vacation. Create memories with family and friends and enjoy convenient transportation to and from the park with our complimentary Sesame Place Shuttle. Spend time with the ones you love, without the hassle of having to drive and find parking at the theme park. General parking at Sesame Place is $17, VIP Parking is $30; enjoy the convenience of our complimentary hotel shuttle and save!
Access our complimentary Sesame Place Shuttle, and make the most of your stay with the great benefits below.
Shuttle service runs every 30 minutes to and from the park.
The Sesame Place Shuttle begins at 8:30am and runs all day; the last shuttle is 30 minutes after the park closes.
Book the Character Breakfast? Our Sesame Place Shuttle is available to take you over to the park early to begin your day.
Drop off and pick up from the park is in designated shuttle area.
Explore the park with ease - our Sesame Place Shuttle can accommodate strollers for your little characters.
Our shuttle can accommodate up to 12 passengers, advanced reservations are not required however you must provide your room key to access the shuttle.


text: WHO says campaigns to eradicate polio is yielding results The polio virus has not infected anyone in the two African countries during the last 12 months, leaving only Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan as countries where the disease is still classified as endemic, the World Health Organisation said. "Polio has been endemic in our country for all of recorded history. The best tools of our age finally defeated this enemy, who has been with us from pharaonic times" Egypt's Health Minister Dr Hatim Mustafa al-Gabaly said. Misguided boycott Geneva-based WHO failed to meet its long-standing target of eradicating polio globally by the end of last year after hard-line Islamic clerics in northern Nigeria led an immunisation boycott in 2003. They claimed the polio vaccine was part of a US-led plot to render Nigeria's Muslims infertile or infect them with Aids. The Nigerian vaccine boycott was blamed for causing an outbreak that spread the disease across Africa into the Middle East and as far as Indonesia. But WHO said the disease could be eradicated everywhere but Nigeria in the first six months of this year. WHO said the success in Egypt and Niger was the result of intense efforts to halt Africa's epidemic by speeding up the introduction of new vaccines into affected areas. In the last three months of 2005, the number of cases in India and Pakistan also fell by more than half compared to the previous year. Jonathan Majiyagbe, a former president of Rotary International, who has contributed more than $600 million to eradicate polio said: "To fully exploit these new tools, government commitment in Nigeria must remain high at all levels to ensure that all children are vaccinated." SOURCE: Agencies


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It is a list, but it's difficult to put it correctly, it's more the first that springs to my mind thinking back on the year that has passed by.
#1. Just for the sheer pleasure and luxury of being able to follow and share one bottle of 1982 Château Mouton Rothschild over several hours with just one fellow drinker. A magnificent bottle, the best one I've had, opened randomly (word not chosen randomly) by itself. Normally these shows up at crazy tastings were one bottle overshadows another, and one just gets small sips as there are lots of people around the table. That is off course how many of us actually get to taste these expensive gems. Fantastic evening and night. The wine showed all exotic treats and layers one expects from it. 100
#2. A Vega Sicilia Vertical tasting in Helsinki, Finland with a total of 17 new vintages for me of Unico, stretching back to 1921. Some of the highlights of the evening were the 1946, 1964, 1986, 1996, 2002 vintages, with many runners up. We started the tasting with the 1964 as the host had read that some crazy Norwegian had given the wine a perfect score. I wonder who that could be?
#3. I have had this a few times now, and spotted this one quite quickly blind. The stunning 1970 Château Latour is a cathedral of a wine. So massively built, yet layers of fruit and complexity, stunning. Hugely impressive wine. 100
#4. Yes, I am a Mouton guy, always have loved the bold exotic expression, and here is another Mouton, 1986 Château Mouton Rothschild this time, opened in May. It needed four hours in decanter to run on all cylinders, but wow, then it ran smoothly. Layers of lush and pure fruit, incredible length. 100
#5. The only reason this isn't further up is its youth. 2014 Comte Liger Belair La Romanée. WOW! The purity, the delicacy, the nuances, the layers, the playfulness, the brightness. It feels transparent until you try another great wine besides it, and it just runs over it. The length is amazing! Wish I could afford cases! 100
#6. 2000 Château Latour just left me dreaming. It is youthful still, but the layers and depth showing up in there is stunning. Refined and just ads on and on the more air one gives it. Amazing stuff. 99
#7. Three times 1916 Château Malartic Lagraviére. The bottles were opened at L'Academie du Vin dinner in Bordeaux. Two bottles fairly similar, one less so. To be able to have a go at bottle variations on a wine one hundred years old, that is just amazing! Best wine got 94!
#8. Getting a glass of 1996 Le Pin at Helsinki Airport. Not a producer I taste much, and not something I expect to find at an airport. The coravin system isn't perfect, the wine seemed a little to evolved for its age, but anyways, quite a treat.
#9. Probably my most delicious sparkling this year. At the above mentioned Vega-Sicilia vertical, this 1975 Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill from magnum was poured. A subtle, refreshing, delicate, nuanced, lively and refined Champagne. Served blind, I was off quite a bit, I guessed 1988 Salon. Stunning once in a lifetime experience!
#10. The random moment, in the middle of the night, when I first get a 1938 Barros Colheita blind, and then a 1865 Niepoort Colheita. Let's just say I was miles off both vintages blind! Both superb.
#11. A magnificent trip to Mosel in August arranged by the German Wine Institute. I had an excellent guide for two of the days with Slow Mosel, and fantastic visits in both vineyards and wineries up and down Saar, Ruwer and Mosel. Superb visits at Zilliken, Selbach-Oster, Dr.Pauly-Bergweiler, Vollenweider, Weiser-Künstler, Kettern and more. The trips organized by the German Wine Institute are always great experiences. I really fell back in love with Riesling on this trip to Mosel. Mosel made me fall in love with the variety, but I'm not as geared up for the love of the bone dry ones as many. My God have good a proper Kabinett can be!
#12. A trip to Douro, tasting lots of beautiful wines, young and old. Having some excellent food in Porto, and beautiful Colheitas from Kopke in the vintages 1938 and 1935. But the vitality of the 1917 Barros Rich Tawny probably sticks to my mind the most.
#13. A week in Romania was an eye-opener. It changed my view on an entire country, as well as on their wines. There might be some future stars here.
#14. Getting to taste a massive amount of wines from Albert Bichot as they let me sniff and taste around their cellars for three days. Including some very rare birds like the 300 bottles production of Richebourg! Amazed at their generosity.
#15. Going to Grand Jours de Bourgogne with a fairly crazy fellow Norwegian dreaming of buying a castle so he could throw burning oil on visitors he didn't like. Rarely have I laughed as hard and as much, at the same time as there were so many stunning wines on display, ready to be tasted. It was some fantastic days in Burgundy.
There were many more fantastic wine moments in 2016, as well as the loss of some wine friends. It's been a roller coaster of a year, with lots of emotions. Can't wait to see what 2017 will bring. Oh shit, I forgot a pretty interesting Marques de Riscal vertical going back to 1910…..


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Christopher Davies
Christopher Davies is an experienced writer with numerous television credits (including BAFTA-winning The Revolution Will Be Televised and BBC 2's Revolting) and a number of projects in development. He has also contributed to The Telegraph, Wired, Maxim, Playboy, Bizarre, Eurogamer and The Escapist among others. He was part of the writing team behind the recent Radio 4 political comedy pilot, Lobbyland and has a comedy in development Ugly Duckling Films.
Agent : Georgina Ruffhead
CV : Click here...
Categories : Film, TV, Comedy
Out of Control – Dragon Films – polish and re-write of feature screenplay (co-written with Alistair Griggs)
Lobbyland Series 2 (Naked Productions/BBC Radio 4) Political Comedy series commissioned with Alistair Griggs and Jon Harvey
Time to Time (Sitcom in development with Ugly Duckling)
Lobbyland (Hat Trick/BBC Radio 4) Political Comedy series commissioned with Alistair Griggs and Jon Harvey
Ministry of Justice (Monkey Kingdom) Writing Commission
Untitled Sketch Show (Monkey Kingdom/Channel 4)
Revolting (Hat Trick/BBC 2)
Lobbyland (Radio 4)
Project X (Hat Trick)
Steve-O Saves The World (Renowned Films)
Brexageddon (Hat Trick/BBC)
Embedded (spec project)
Unspun (Avalon Television)
Free Speech (working title) (Outline/Channel 4)
Auto (spec project)
Project X (Hat Trick)
Creature Feature (spec project)
Mother Preston (spec project)
Legal Aliens (sitcom in development with Hat Trick, 2015)
Democracy Dealers (Hat Trick)
You, Me And Them (additional material, Hat Trick, 2015)
Untitled Mona Yousefi project (Hat Trick)
Untitled Kayvan Novak project (Objective)
Action 15 (Don't Panic)
Mindshare (Don't Panic)
Contract (comedy-drama in development with Hat Trick)
Protest (sitcom in development with Hat Trick)
Absolute Prankers (Comedy Central,)
The Subversives (spec project)
The Revolution Will Be Televised (Series One, Two, Three, Hat Trick 2012 – present)
Bad Teeth (Hat Trick, online)
Fake Reaction (Series One and Two, ITV, onwards)
Going Native (Hat Trick)
Boom Town (Knickerbockerglory)
Big Brother's Bit On The Side (Channel 5)
National Jokers (Objective)
The VIP Show (Running Bare)
Absolute Zero (Objective)
Argumental (Tiger Aspect)
The Mad Bad Ad Show (Objective)
Hit The Road, Jack (Magnum Media)
Comic Relief (BBC)
Olivia Lee Chats Them Up (Edinburgh Show)
The Pranker (Running Bare)
Do The Right Thing (Objective)
Science Of Attraction (Objective)
The Idiot Awards (Two Four)
Olivia Lee: Dirty Sexy Funny (Comedy Central)
Robert's Web (Objective)
The Late List (Channel 4)
The Impressions Show (BBC)
Channel 4's Comedy Gala (Open Mic)
Immoral Dilemmas (Objective)
Facejacker (Hat Trick)
Mashbox (BBC)
The TNT Show (Objective)
School Of Comedy (Left Bank Pictures)
The Kevin Bishop Show (Objective)
The Weakest Link (BBC)
Tonight's The Night (BBC)
Tonightly (Objective)


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The newest (and definitely welcome) addition to the queer cafe scene, Q Café is a haven for those looking for a warm atmosphere. The staff is really friendly and although the crowd is rather mixed, the majority here are still men, yet it's obvious that all are welcome. Two floors of ambiance, including a non-smoking lower level section, makes Q Café a good choice for anyone and everyone. They have a few munchies on hand and also a gluten-free beer, Celia. Don't forget to try the popular Czech drinks on tap, Kofola (a herbalish-tasting cola) and Malinovka (raspberry lemonade); both were popular during the communist era and continue to be so today. If you're looking for LBGT literature, check out their library, a work in progress, which has books and gay magazines you can read while lounging around waiting for your beau.
Address: Opatovická 12, Prague 1
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday 12:00-midnight
Wifi: Yes
Non-smoking section: Yes
Credit cards: ?
Web: http://www.q-cafe.cz/en/who-we-are/cafe/


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You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'Video' category.
The Kabir Project is, among others, a series of 4 documentary films by Shabnam Virmani in quest of Kabir, the 15th century mystic and poet whose lifetime is shrouded in mystery, but whose dohas (couplets) survive in different forms and places, from the folk singers in Madhya Pradesh to the qawwals in Pakistan, transcending caste, religion, and borders. Each of the films can be watched independently, and bear titles from dohas of Kabir.
In Had Anhad, we meet Prahlad Tipaniya, the 'rural rockstar' as Virmani calls him, a popular folk singer from Malwa in Madhya Pradesh who, like other artistes covered in the film, not only sings these dohas but also demonstrates a deep understanding of the couplets. From there, the film travels to Pugal in Rajasthan to the house of Mukhtiyar Ali where we hear a different rendition of Kabir. We are then taken across the border to Pakistan where we meet Farid Ayaz and hear his wonderful rendition of Kabir's doha Bhala hua, a part of which is reproduced below:
bhala hua mori gagri phooti, mein paniya bharan se chooti re
bhala hua mori maala tooti, mein raam bhajan se chooti re.
Glad that my (earthen) pot broke, I am now relieved of the task of filling water.
Glad that my prayer beads snapped, I am now relieved of the task of praying.
Through these seemingly playful verses, Kabir calls for giving up blind practice and seeking a deeper understanding of one's self, or the God within. In another couplet, he observes:
chalti chaaki dekh kar, so diya kabira roye
do paatan ke beech mein, saabath bacha na koi
seeing a millstone, Kabir laments,
between the two grinding stones, nothing remains intact
Life wears one out. Nothing can be expected to remain the same. To this, someone (presumably his son, Kamaal) responds:
chaki chaki sab kahe aur keeli kahe na koi
jo keeli ke paas me, baal na baaka hoye
all speak of the grinding stones, no one speaks of the center (the eye of a millstone where the grains are dropped for grinding)
one that stays close to the eye remains untouched
Staying close to one's core – beliefs/values/personal faith – is the way out. Kabir's dohas convey a message that resembles Sufi and Buddhist thought – one of searching within, of breaking away from ritual, idol worship, and religious institutions and norms and instead following a personal and direct approach to divinity. Consider, for example the poetry of Bulleh Shah, a Sufi poet in the 17th century rendered wonderfully by Abida Parveen.
je rab milda nahateya dhoteya
te rab milda dadua machiya nu
je rab milda jungle phireya
te rab milda gayian vachiyan nu
ve miyan bulleya rab unhanu milda
athe diliyan sachiyan achiyan nu
if God were to be found by bathing and washing
then he would have been found by frogs and fishes
if God were to be found by wandering in forests
then he would have been found by cows and beasts
O Bulleh Shah, God is to be found by those
whose hearts are true and sincere
Consider now the following passage from the Dhammapada
They make holy wherever they dwell, in village or forest, on land or at sea. With their senses at peace, and minds full of joy, they make the forest holy
Here was an effort at the democratization of divinity from the confines of temples, the purvey of priests or the dogma of caste, religion and ritual; an effort at change reinvented with every passing age by free and discerning minds. And what better medium to pass this message other than through music that is easily accessible to one and all, passed down from one generation to another, moving across boundaries, and morphing into the local dialect.
The part titled Koi Sunta Hain (someone hears us) in this 4-part series features Kumar Gandharva, renowned Hindustani classical singer responsible for introducing Kabir to the Hindustani classical stage. Kumar Gandharva is known to have discovered Kabir while recovering from tuberculosis after being told by his doctors at 23 after a stellar rise to fame, that he may never be able to sing again. In addition to Kumar Gandharva's beautiful renditions of Kabir, we hear from his student, Madhup Mudgal, a sublimely sung Murshid nainon beech nabi hain (the master resides between the eyes).
In one of his performances, Farid Ayaz suggests that one should not view Kabir as a person but as a perspective. The 4 films can be thought of as a perspective of profound depth and a journey through space and time. The films can be viewed here.
Baabul mora naihar chooto jaaye is a popular thumri that expresses the sadness of a bride leaving her father's home. Renditions of this thumri include those by Bhimsen Joshi (a personal fav), K. L. Saigal, Girija Devi, and Jagjit Singh among others. Hidden in these lines is a lesser known story – an allegorical reference to the agony of a deposed king separated from his home, his people, and exiled in a faraway land.
बाबुल मोरा, नैहर छूटो ही जाए
चार कहार मिल, मोरी डोलिया उठायें
मोरा अपना बेगाना छूटो जाए
आँगना तो पर्बत भयो और देहरी भयी बिदेश
जे बाबुल घर आपनो , मैं चली पिया के देस
babul mora naihar chuuto hi jaaye
chaar kahaar mil, mori Doliiyaa uthaaye
more apanaa begana chhuTo hi jaaye
anganaa to parbat bhaye, dehlii bhayi bides
je baabul ghar aapano, mai chali piya ke des
that translates to
O father, I depart forcibly from my home
Four men gathered to lift my palanquin
my loved ones will become strangers
the innermost portals of my home will be unreachable
as I leave my father's home and go to my husband's country.
On 7th Feb, 1856, Wajid Ali Shah, poet of the above thumri was finally deposed of his title as the Nawab of Avadh by the British and sent into exile to Matiaburj, in the neighborhood of Calcutta. Wajid Ali Shah has been described, at the one extreme as a voluptuary that "lived exclusively in the society of fiddlers, eunuchs and women, and at the other extreme as an avid patron of the arts responsible for a revival of the kathak and thumri, enhancing Lucknow's reputation as the cultural center of that age.
While it is difficult to decipher the real Wajid Ali Shah from all that has been written about him, his own words such as the thumri above offer a window into some of his thoughts. One can well imagine a king in exile, saddened by separation from his home, his people, and a past that remains a fleeting memory, and perhaps consoling himself that, like the new bride moving to her husband's home, he will recreate aspects of his home in this place of exile.
The reference to the 'four bearers of the palanquin' (chaar kahaar mil, mori Doliiyaa uthaaye ) has also been interpreted as the four bearers of the coffin. The Nawab may have thought of the move to depose him as portending the end of his life , and interpreted thus, the thumri takes on a heightened sense of melancholy.
Picked up the only Wodehouse at the local library some weeks back, and have since been reliving some of the Jeeves-Wooster magic. The book is titled Very Good, Jeeves, and is, in the unlikely instance that you are unfamiliar with the series, a collection of short stories centered around the master-manservant duo of Bertie Wooster, a somewhat foppish character without a vocation thanks to an inheritance, and Jeeves, his über-smart valet often counted on to extricate his master from seemingly inextricable situations that often involve aunts and friends. A few of the other recurring characters in these stories are Wooster's aunts – Aunt Agatha (the "nephew-crusher"), and the relatively benign Aunt Dahlia. One might say that Jeeves-Wooster are to British humor what Holmes-Watson are to detective fiction, set in and around the Edwardian era.
There are far too many passages of interest in the book to cite, and they may not stand by themselves as being funny unless one reads them in context. If your interest has been piqued, a close second to reading the book may be to watch the Jeeves and Wooster television series that is available on youtube. Go on, pip-pip.
Via the tweet of a friend , I came across this Channel 4 video on the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November last year. The video is a detailed documentary on the attacks with interviews of people caught in the line of fire or affected by it, and communication exchanges of the terrorists. It's amazing how easily we forget and move on, and maybe that is a good thing, or may be not.
It's been a summer of movies. Watched the latest Harry Potter movie with a group of potterheads and muggles (defined here as someone that has not read the books or watched the movies before, in addition to lacking magical abilities). I'd classify myself someplace in between – haven't read the books, have watched all the movies so far. At the end of the movie, the potterheads liked it, the muggles did not. My opinion of the movie is, unsurprisingly, somewhere in between. It did help me recover from the experience of watching Bruno a week earlier – a funny and brave movie, but to what purpose?
I don't remember how I first found out about Derren Brown – the English magician and mentalist. I've since become an intrigued and amazed follower of videos on YouTube of his shows broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK. Some of his acts are explained by him, most are left to the viewers to deconstruct.
His recent video, The System, is both interesting and intriguing, and I will not saying anything more lest I break the suspense. Here are parts 1,2,3,4,5, and 6
For those old enough to remember this series on Doordarshan, I khojed up videos of Bharat Ek Khoj on YouTube. For the uninitiated, Bharat Ek Khoj (translated "Discovery of India") is a television series from 1988 based on Nehru's book Discovery of India.
My memories of the series are inchoate except for the tune in its title track. Two episodes watched so far and I can say with confidence that I would not have comprehended the philosophical inquiry or appreciated the culture dose of classical music and archaeology footage back in 1988. If there was a cartoon network in 1988, the 1988-me would have most likely changed the channel. Certain things take time to appreciate, and Bharat Ek Khoj is one such.
While I was absconding from this blog:
- I had been hooked on to Heroes – "an epic drama that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities", in the network's own words. It was this very description of the show and my disinterest in superhero stuff that had kept me from watching it. However, faced with limited choices after I had exhausted the 3 seasons of The Office that Netflix had to offer, I decided to take a bite off this sci-fi apple. What followed was a video-game like addiction to the series, eager interest accumulating with each episode, only to be halted abruptly by a pop-up 2 weeks ago and only 2 episodes short of the finale, stating that I had exhausted the 17 hour monthly online viewing limit. Here on begins the real-world twist. On Jan 15 at the Macworld Expo Apple announced its latest online movie rental service, much to the drooling delight of the ever appreciative Mac fan. My cause for content, though, was different. In a preemptive competitive move, Netflix removed the cap on online viewing time. I suppose I won't have to use my superpowers to go back in time and view the pending episodes, risking a possible disruption of the space-time continuum.
- I watched most of the Planet Earth series. Truly fascinating accounts of the natural world in all its pristine g(l)ory that is beyond a description in words. Video excerpt
I had a long argument once with a friend concerning the US involvement in Iraq. The specific point of contention was the international policing done by the US, and I argued against it reasoning, among others, that such tasks are better left to the UN. My favoring of the UN was countered by the argument that the UN had been ineffective in Darfur and it was up to the more powerful nations to take on this role. I must confess, ashamedly so, that I was not well aware of the specific details of the crisis in Darfur, let alone the role of the UN (or lack of it) in that region, until watching the Frontline documentary, On Our Watch, yesterday
If the United Nations could die of shame it would have been dead years ago.
The above line (attributed to Tom Stoppard ) cited within the first few minutes of the documentary sums up the consequences of UN inaction in Darfur. In my opinion, this inability highlights the apathy of its constituent member states, some more than others, and consequently our own individual apathy to what happens in a part of the world that appears to be of little consequence to our own lives, economically or otherwise. 4 years and 21 UN resolutions later, lack of concrete UN action has led to 200,000+ dead, not to mention other atrocities perpetrated on the affected people.
There was one more thing I was not aware about – The Genocide Olympics, as the 2008 Beijing Olympic games have come to be referred by activists highlighting the genocide in Darfur. This was done to draw attention to China's support for the Sudan government that has been held responsible for the civilian killings in Darfur. It helps to know that even where nations fail as a collective, individuals can still make a difference.
There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world.
Ponderful! Wikipedia link to the Pale Blue Dot.
Two other talks at TED that I felt were worth watching – Debunking third world myths and New insights on poverty and life around the world. The speaker, Hans Rosling, is a professor of global health at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Using his data visualization software called Gapminder, Dr. Rosling presents statistics and insights in a manner far more interesting than I have encountered before. In these videos, he uses visual statistics to demonstrate the narrowing gap between the so called developing and industralized countries over the years, in terms of family size and per capita income among other indicators. These examples emphasize the importance of this new way of visualizing data, and the insights that one can gain from such a visualization.
Having watched the first video, I wondered if the second one could be any more interesting. You've got to wait until the end of the second video before you decide.


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I apologize that the warning message is confusing let me try and help clear up some of the confusion?
You are correct that the warning message is telling you that the RS is close to exceeding its memory_limit and that you should increase it if necessary. It may hit this briefly and you will be okay or it may continue and the RS will either stop replicating or it could shutdown? In a lot of cases your host should have enough RAM and you can increase the parameter. In other cases RAM is limited on your host which brings me to the second part of the message.
This is the suggestion to reduce 'cache sizes', this means any RS parameter that uses memory from the memory_limit. This could be sqt_max_cache_size, dsi_sqt_cache_size, dist_sqt_max_cache_size, sts_cache, exec_nrm_request_limit etc. The most common and biggest users of the memory_limit are the sqt_max_cache_size, dsi_sqt_cache_size and dist_sqt_max_cache_size and you could look at those to see if they could be reduced, even temporarily to allow a big replication job to finish and if RAM is limited on your host?
Another way to see if you can reduce some of the RS parameters that use memory from the memory_limit is to tune it using the RS Monitors and Counters package that can be found on the Replication Server Wiki page. You can download the package and it contains documentation on how to set it up, collect the counter data and run the reports to evaluate. You may find that some configuration parameters that you have set are to big and can be reduced to free up more of your memory_limit.
I hope this helps with some of the confusion regarding this warning.


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As I sat down to write this post,
there were so many things that popped into my head as possible topics. Recently, numerous ideas, thoughts,
strategies and changes for my classroom have been running through my mind. So, instead of playing "Enie Menie Minie Mo"
to decide which topic to write about, I'll just give you a sightseeing tour through
the mind of one special ed. teacher. Buckle your seatbelts!
As I discussed in a previous post, making true
inclusion happen for my students has been weighing heavy on my mind. I've been
reading everything I come across related to the topic. I actually discovered a great blog that has been posting tips for
making inclusion happen in schools. The author pushes for what I call "full-blown"
inclusion, where students with even the most severe disabilities are educated
alongside their peers.
I also came across a very interesting article on the CEC SmartBrief (which I
suggest you ALL read daily) that approached inclusion a different way. The article
described "reverse-inclusion," which has been effective for one high school;
this setup brings general education peers into the special education classroom.
My goal for next year is to have my students in one general education class
beyond the related arts classes they currently attend. I have to admit,
however, that I'm incredibly nervous about getting all this started. How do I
start something completely new and that will be foreign to many teachers and
students? Where do I begin?
I've been thinking a lot about my students'
reading skills, too. I want them to be able to read and understand information
they encounter in the community and feel they are not currently prepared for
this. Many of them can spout off sight words from a list but fail to generalize
this to real-world materials. What are the best ways to practice this both in
the classroom and community?
With spring here and alternate assessments
complete, I'm ready to take some exciting field trips. I want to choose trips
that are beneficial for my students and teach them valuable community and
social skills. Where should we go? What things should we do?
There are always worries running through my mind
about whether or not I'm meeting my students' needs in the best way possible. I
turn over new ideas and strategies in my head constantly and try to figure out
if things we are currently doing are proving successful. With all this careful
consideration, I rarely make spur-of-the-moment decisions.
However, I created a new classroom job completely
off-the-cuff about two weeks ago called "study buddies." I pair one of my students who functions
higher with one of my students who needs more help with class work and have them
work together for the day. My motivation was making it easier on myself to ensure
everybody finished independent tasks like note-taking, signing in, counting
money, etc. I was really shocked when I
started noticing that my students who were assigned to help began completing
their work quicker, neater and with greater accuracy. I noticed that they were
following the other class expectations much better, as well. I asked one of my "study buddies" about his
recent good work and behavior in class, and he gave this explanation: "Spending
more time with my classmates and helping them do things has really helped me
get my mind off of all the hard work I have to do." I was amazed. He had
learned the valuable lesson that thinking of others always makes our problems
seem smaller.
What did I learn? Some of the most important lessons
learned aren't the ones I spent hours researching or planning to present. They
just happen as me and my students do life together. What other ways can I setup opportunities for
my students to learn these valuable life lessons?
As you probably noticed, for
every idea swimming around in my head, there is a question to go with it. I
welcome any guidance or suggestions. This concludes the tour through the mind
of a special ed. teacher; you may now unfasten your seatbelts and exit the


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Tabriz Refinery to Produce Quality Diesel
EghtesadOnline: Tabriz Refinery in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan plans to launch a unit for the production of ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) in the coming months, the refinery's managing director said on Saturday.
"With the aim of lowering the environmental footprint of the fuel, Tabriz Oil Refinery is developing a scheme, worth €100 million ($112 million), to produce ULSD, which conforms to Euro-4 emission standards," Gholamreza Bagheri was quoted as saying by ILNA.
ULSD is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel that contains more than 90% less sulfur than regular diesel. Since 2006, almost all of the petroleum-based diesel fuel available in Europe and North America has been of a ULSD type.
The refinery has also improved its gasoline output to Euro-4 standards at a cost of €265 million ($296 million). The measure is seen as an important step to reduce air pollution in the city, one of the country's metropolises, Financial Tribune quoted Bagheri as saying.
The official stressed that as mazut is a heavy, low quality fuel that harms the environment, the refinery's total mazut output is being exported.
Iran's mazut target destinations mainly include China, Singapore and some other Asian states, which use the fuel as feedstock in the power plants. Domestic refineries have reportedly been tasked with reducing their mazut production to 10%.
Bagheri said that Tabriz Refinery has succeeded in cutting annual water evaporation within its facilities by 50% to 40 million cubic meters a year.


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On Saturday evening,my children decided to have pizza for their dinner!
But..it was not the normal pizza..
It was...Poitiers Deep Dish Pizza!
I've tried the pizza before..and it turned out so well and delicious too..We love it!
The ingredients are simple and it did not take hours to make it!
Nasrin and Wafeeq love to help me in preparing the ingredients and the best part..
'campak-campak cheese tu"..suka sangat!
Kena cucuk-cucuk sikit di tengah-tengah supaya cepat masak..
Well done!Boleh makan!Yummy!
Actually,I got the video receipe from about.com..
There are so many delicious receipes that we can get from it!
Thank You about.com
You made my cooking life easier!
Ini resepinya dengan video..
Deep dish Pizza