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- Long Street Antique Arcade
127 Long Street: quality, quirky, antique. A fascinating warren of shops for those who like collecting – Weekdays 09h00 to 17h00 and Saturdays 09h00 to 14h00.
- Greenmarket Square
This is a vibrant venue, selling a potpourri of art, clothing and crafts. It is a beautiful setting in the centre of town and a fun place to experience.
- Biscuit Mill Market
At the old Biscuit Mill in Salt River is a wonderful place to taste local produce, listen to music and shop. This market has a huge variety of different foods. This also includes South Africa's organic produce.
- Montebello
This is one of Cape Town's best-kept secrets, for those who want to get out of the usual tourist traps. It used to be a farm that was a stopover for travellers going to Muizenberg on horseback. Now you will find a jeweller in the stables, a forge, a nursery, a gallery and several interesting little shops. It also has a very nice garden restaurant and a coffee shop.
- Hout Bay Market
This is a pleasant Sunday flea market in leafy Hout Bay. It is also great for kids as they offer face painting, a jumping castle and horse riding. From 10am to 5 pm.
- Streetwires
A very good venue on 77 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town, where you can get anything from the functional to the ornamental. This association brings bead workers together to produce a variety of objects from brooches to the life size lion in the hotel's information lounge. Definitely worth a visit, and only a two-minute walk from the hotel.
- Pan African Market
In Long Street (near the corner of Shortmarket Street). It is five floors of masks, clothing and other wonderful things. It is acceptable to bargain down the price of items.


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The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Caraga partnered...
March 28, 2019, Caraga State University underwent an extensive Institutional Monitoring and Evaluation by the Commission on Higher Education Region XIII. The Institutional Monitoring and Evaluation by CHED was openly and warmly welcomed by the CSU family led by its quantum leader, University President, Dr. Anthony M. Penaso. In his welcome remarks, Dr. Penaso assured the new CHED Director for Caraga Dr. Leonida S. Calagui how caring and talented are the people of Caraga.
CHED Regional Director Calagui came from the imperial Manila and managed the CHED National Capital Region (NCR) where people are highly competitive. RD Calague expressed her immense dedication and commitment to help uplift the social development of the people of Caraga Region thru the CHED mandate. She put emphasis on the core values of CHED CARAGA- Character, Accountability, Resilience, Agility, Goodwill, and Adaptability.
CSU President Penaso remarked how CSU appreciates how CSU is seen from the lens of the external public, especially that of CHED. CSU practices the culture of excellence and growth mindset and adheres to the Commission on Higher Education rules and standards and even goes beyond what is expected of it being a state University of quality.
The Commission on Higher Education takes charge in promoting relevant and quality higher education, ensuring access to quality higher education, and guaranteeing and protecting academic freedom for continuing intellectual growth, advancement of learning and research, development of responsible and effective leadership, education of high level professionals, and enrichment of historical and cultural heritages.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ariati Tyeb Papar, Channel 5, character development, mediacorp, opinions, review scripts, reviews, Shane Marduki, Singapore TV drama, story arc, The Hush, toggle
There are some areas where The Hush could have done better, especially with regards to matching character backstories to the roles they play in the series.
Sharifah, the high flying civil servant, lawyer and politician – "I'm not your maid"
Ariati Tyeb Papar, who plays Sharifah, has done a commendable job.
The flaw is not with the acting but with the character's backstory and how her domestic situation is portrayed.
Considering that Sharifah is a lawyer turned "prominent civil service officer", it's strange that the family does not employ a domestic help. The bio says she is a "politician". This is descriptive but not definitive enough. Is she an MP? If this was made clear, I must have missed it. The fact that the newspaper mentions her when reporting the death in The Hush, indicates she is probably an MP – someone drawing a substantial MP's allowance of more than $180,000 per annum, plus she also has a salary of a "prominent civil service officer".
Okay, perhaps she wants to be a super-mum/wife/civil servant/politician and adept at burning shirts. Never mind that she overlooked time management and opportunity cost. However, her character bio does not sync with her screen situation. Perhaps in later episodes she might employ a maid 🙂 But for now, she is quite atypical of a successful career woman in Singapore.
For our purposes, if she has a domestic help, many of the scenes involving her screen family become redundant. Rewrites. New ideas for new situations.
Another character whose bio is in conflict with his role is Insp Koh, played by Shane Marduki.
However, this is merely my opinion and nothing to do with how Insp Koh is portrayed.
Insp Koh's demeanour and approach is questionable especially as he is investigating a small group of neighbours, educated people – including a politician – people who will share notes and can kick up a fuss.
Considering that the character of Insp Koh "has little patience for fools" – one wonders how smart is his aggressive approach when interacting with the very people who are his greatest source of information and help. Also, I believe police officers are more mindful when conducting public investigations versus private interrogations.
A congenial person who puts his "suspects" at ease while doggedly hunting down the perpetrator of the boy's death would not only be interesting and more watchable, but also a cut-above in his sleuth work. Instead, the show takes the "standard" MediaCorp approach when it comes to portraying police officers – often as aggressive and ready to flaunt the power of their badge and gunbelt.
Shane Mardjuki, who plays Insp Koh is doing a commendable but tough job, balancing roles with character traits. He already has me disliking Insp Koh – which is good for him as an actor. It shows his talent for getting the audience emotive.
However, it does make the Insp Koh character somewhat predictable.
Both Ariati and Shane are obviously talented and for them to shine, they need believable characters to portray. In a drama series, which promises very little action scenes – memorable/believable characters are one of the 3 crucial components.
Nevertheless, I'm invested enough to look forward to Episode 2. This concludes my 3-part review of Episode 1 of The Hush.
If you like what you've read, hit the Follow button and keep abreast of my reviews for Episode 2.


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You are here
As our team works to build our new website and new content features over the coming months, we're also reviewing the Department's video archives. In the below piece, a narrator ask people on the street "what is fusion?" and then, around the 2-minute mark, kicks off a nice introduction to fusion science.
It's worth a watch if you could use a brush up on the basic science, or if you'd just enjoy a reminder of what Americans were wearing a couple decades ago.
With much research and development, scientists at the Department of Energy have done a great deal to advance our knowledge of fusion since the time this video was made. Among the latest advancements, the Department of Energy's NIF laser located at the National Ignition Facility in California recently set two new records, both of which were milestones toward the Department hopefully eventually creating the first ever fusion ignition in a lab environment -- a feat, which among other things, could help the United States become more energy independent.
Stay tuned for more snapshots and videos from the past in this "Vintage DOE" series.
G. Simmons is a New Media Specialist and contractor to the Office of Public Affairs.


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Anyone who knows me reasonably well knows that I love to build / host / create websites[1. I have in fact created them for most people who know this.].
In fact over the period of time I have been doing it I have built between 50 – 100 [2. The exact number is a state secret.].
I have always wanted to do something to make use of this weird desire I have to fiddle with technology and software so I have put together me Website Design and Hosting page. Basically to show off what I have built fairly recently and maybe to drum up some cash. Obviously I wouldn't be charging much [3. The GNP of a small country per page will do.] but it might be something I can do for fun and payment…
We will see what happens.


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School Transfers are one of JC Mini Buses specialties. We have extensive experience in meeting the requirements of students and staff. JC Mini Buses is committed to providing a safe and reliable school service for single classes, sporting groups, or even an entire school.
Many local colleges and schools use JC Mini Buses. They value our prompt service and diligent drivers competent in handling large groups of students. JC Mini Buses take the transport of children, teenagers and young adults very seriously and is dedicated to providing a timely and a safe service for all schools.
JC Mini Buses liaise with the school and its teachers to ensure a satisfying and rewarding experience for all.
Call our reservations team for further information.
Want Personalized attention to your Requirements? Use the Following MethodsCall Us : 1300 662 542


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Tom and Julie Ruby
On September 15, 2007, my brother Tom married Julie Nitkiewicz. It was a Disney Cinderella wedding, complete with a coach made by Tom and my Dad and Mickey and Minnie topiaries. Appropriate seeing as how he proposed on the beach at Disney's Polynesian Resort with fireworks flying high over the Magic Kingdom castle in the background.
Welcome to the family, Jules!! We love you two!


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Binpile was born in Tamás Verebélyi's workshop in 2016. The goal was to create a quality, continuously evolving, environmentally conscious module system that anyone can easily build and rebuild.
The first test element was a bicycle basket, which lasted nearly a year and a half in the winter and summer in Budapest.
Binpile is a thoughtful, finely crafted design of "brick" wood, each piece is a product that can be used on its own, our elements are designed for long-term development, and we constantly develop new modules. New cells can be linked to existing ones on a variety ways, assembly is simple, does not require expertise, there are several mounting modes depending on how they are going to be used.


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For any questions related to Cvent, feel free to contact our Customer Care team.
Get the latest safety updates from our hospitality partners by visiting Source Safely with Cvent
Edmonton is a city that knows what it takes to make amazing happen. It has an energetic core filled with inventive eats, world-renowned festivals, and a sprawling river valley with over 150 kilometers of trails scattered throughout the city. Alberta's capital is also Canada's fastest-growing city and home to 1.1 million friendly residents. Edmonton is located at the northern end of Alberta's central region.
The city is only a three-hour drive from Calgary and connects with major east/west transportation routes to Jasper National Park in the grand Canadian Rocky Mountains. As Canada's northernmost major metropolis, it's also along one of the busiest north/south thoroughfares and acts as the continent's "Gateway to the North." Getting here directly is easy with 60 nonstop flights to and from the continuously growing Edmonton International Airport.
Rogers Place, the home of the Oilers ice hockey team, has moved downtown, and the surrounding ICE District has sparked more vibrancy and energy in the downtown core. ICE District is Canada's largest mixed-use sports and entertainment district, covering five square blocks of downtown Edmonton. The $5 billion, 25-acre development area includes a 77,000-square-foot public plaza, office towers, Ford Hall, a casino, and a wide range of restaurants, nightclubs, theaters, and more.
Edmonton offers numerous lodging options for visitors, including more than 12,000 hotel rooms citywide, 3,000 of which are downtown. In 2016, the new, eye-catching Hyatt Place Edmonton Downtown opened its doors. It is the first location in Canada for the Hyatt Place brand and is situated only 400 meters from the Shaw Conference Centre. Also new are the Crash hotel, a one-of-a-kind, trendy boutique hotel, and the JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District, a premier luxury hotel that will adjoin Rogers Place when it opens in 2019.
Whether you're hosting a meeting at one of Edmonton's conference hotels or conference centers, one thing is for certain: These meeting venues aren't just rooms; they're incubators for great ideas and connections. Awarded for excellence, the Shaw Conference Centre is located in the heart of downtown Edmonton, overlooking the city's beautiful and famous North Saskatchewan River Valley. A world-class facility, the Shaw Convention Centre features unique and exciting architecture, renowned sustainability certifications, inspired cuisine, and the cutting-edge technology needed to make an event successful. You'll also find 522,000 square feet of endless possibilities at the Edmonton EXPO Centre, the city's largest venue. Boasting seven exhibit halls and a grand ballroom, the Edmonton EXPO Centre does big best.
Edmonton is a great place to host a conference. Getting here is simple, the planning is easy, and being here is amazing. But that's not enough. The conferences need to be inspiring. We believe a great DMO works with planners to build conferences that are more enriching and transformative for all. That's what our "all in" brand promise is about. Edmonton Meetings and Conventions operates under the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, and that's a big advantage. It means that when you work with Edmonton Tourism, you are also working alongside the great people at Innovate Edmonton, TEC Edmonton, StartUp Edmonton, and the Edmonton Research Park. We continue to incubate a robust start-up culture on top of our entrepreneurial mindset, and the city is relatively inexpensive when compared with other large cities. Our integration helps us keep clients connected to everything that's happening, and on the horizon, in our city.
As Alberta's capital city, Edmonton is known for its great shopping and vibrant arts and cultural scene. Known throughout Canada as "Festival City," Edmonton hosts more than 40 annual festivals every year, including the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival, the Servus Heritage Festival, and Edmonton International Fringe Festival, the largest fringe theater festival in North America. Clearly, Edmonton is a city that knows how to celebrate. It's also known for its spacious and lush outdoor surroundings. The city is set among gently rolling hills and a deep river valley. The North Saskatchewan River Valley runs through the heart of the city and is the largest urban park system in North America. Visitors can take advantage of a metropolitan city that's also a step away from the great outdoors.
In Edmonton, our Conference Services team is here to help. They'll introduce you to the city's best vendors, find unique offsite venues for delegates, help you with pre- and post-planning, and — here's the best part — introduce you to all the incredible Edmontonians who can take your conference to a whole new level. If your aim is to get outside the boardroom, there are several unique Edmonton event venues that our team can help you discover. The priMED Mosaic Centre is a model of sustainable construction and Alberta's first net-zero, LEED Platinum-certified commercial building. It offers a bright, positive environment for special events. For the adventurer, the Edmonton Aerial Park at Snow Valley opened in 2017 and is now offering customized group experiences. This incredible tower of obstacles and games is the first of its kind in Canada and the third in North America. You can also check out the massive 8,000-square-foot Ranch Roadhouse, a testament to Alberta's cowboy era, or the action-packed environment of Edmonton's REC Room, an adult playground with upscale touches and gourmet eats.
Edmonton's restaurants are reinventing the food scene, as young chefs view the city as the best market to try new concepts and work with local, ethical producers. Our restaurants cover the culinary spectrum, with over 3,000 dining options and 97 authentically Edmonton restaurants to enjoy. Three Edmonton restaurants have been named among the Top 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada by EnRoute magazine, making us the only city to have three entries included. Bar Clementine, Cafe Linnea, and Alder Room are the latest must-try establishments for your next visit to the city.
Along with the performing arts, Edmonton has a strong focus on visual arts, as seen in over 80 museums and cultural centers, which showcase not only Albertan artists but those from around the world. Construction on the new Royal Alberta Museum is complete, and the new downtown location will open in 2018. It will be the largest museum in western Canada, with over 84,000 square feet of programmable space and galleries that tell 14,000 years of Albertan history. The architecturally iconic Art Gallery of Alberta offers endless opportunities to explore the arts and dive deeper into culture, including over 5,000 works that range from painting to sculpture to photography. Fort Edmonton Park is Canada's largest living history museum. Nestled on 158 acres of river valley property, it gives the distinct impression of being far away from it all and offers meeting spaces for more than 2,000 delegates. Provincial funding allowed for the realization of the planned Indigenous Peoples' Experience and the expansion of the Hotel Selkirk accommodations.
All average costs based on U.S. Government Per Diem rates as published by the U.S. General Services Administration.
Edmonton enjoys four distinct seasons that typically transition easily from one to another. During the winter months, Edmonton's average temperature is -15°C, but temperatures have been known to drop to as low as -35°C. The average temperature throughout June and July is 22°C, though significantly higher temperatures are recorded regularly.
The city is fairly dry in terms of precipitation, with an average of 144 centimeters of snow per year and 38 centimeters of rain. Warm, dry weather makes summer the best time to visit and enjoy long days in the city.
Edmonton Convention Centre
Built into the side of the riverbank in the heart of downtown Edmonton, the Shaw Conference Centre (SCC) overlooks the beautiful North Saskatchewan River Valley and is only a 30-minute drive from Edmonton International Airport. One of the most notable features of this visually appealing structure is the abundance of windows that allow sunlight to flood the building. Opened in 1983, the SCC is one of Canada's premier meeting, entertainment, and convention venues and has won recognition for its architecture, cuisine, and environmental stewardship. Managed by Edmonton Economic Development to provide economic and social benefits to the community, the venue has an exceptional staff to create exceptional customer experiences for half a million guests annually. The SCC also delights your guests with award-winning fine dining. Executive chef Serge Belair is considered one of Canada's top culinary experts; named National Chef of the Year in 2012, he has been a key influencer in building Edmonton's brand and reputation as an international culinary destination.
The SCC's commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship helps connect clients, guests, and the local community to the special river valley location, where indigenous peoples have been gathering for thousands of years. The SCC has a number of environmental best practices in place, including a Green Meetings Toolkit to assist clients with planning green events, as well as in-house recycling and compost programs and a food recovery program that contributes to a 62% annual waste diversion rate. The SCC is the first conference venue in Canada to receive Green Key Level 5 certification and one of only five venues in Canada to receive the prestigious ASTM International sustainability certification.
Underground parking for up to 500 vehicles is available next door to the SCC at Canada Place, and ground transportation is located only one block away. The SCC was upgraded in 2006 with the addition of the 26,000-square-foot Hall D, an impressive room that holds 2,000 guests theater-style or 1,200 for a sit-down dinner. Its 30-foot-high windows offer some of the most spectacular views in the city. This addition brought the SCC's total floor space to 110,000 square feet, making the facility capable of handling conferences of up to 6,600 delegates. The meeting level has 20 different salons designed to accommodate everything from small groups of up to 20 guests to larger meetings of up to 400 people. Space ranges from 395 square feet to 3,720 square feet and is configurable in a variety of ways. The assembly level features Halls A, B, and C and Salons D, E, and F, as well as dressing rooms and producers' offices. The Pedway level, shared with Hall D, contains boardrooms and provides enclosed pedestrian access to restaurants, hotels, and shopping. All catering, from coffee breaks to cocktail receptions, is done onsite.
Edmonton EXPO Centre
The 522,000 square feet of flexible space — with room for more than 1,725 show booths — at the Edmonton EXPO Centre allows you to create customized theme areas, group together common exhibitors, and establish exceptional pathways. This venue offers seven halls and "Hall D," a flat-floor show hall with tiered seating capable of hosting 3,200.
At Edmonton EXPO Centre, the staff takes a team approach to executing your event — providing single points of contact each step of the way, with a dedicated sales manager starting the process. Upon signing your license agreement, the sales manager will introduce you to the catering or event manager, who will support your development of the event's logistics, from room choice and setup to scheduling, parking, and food service.
The convenient ground- and dock-level receiving bays and efficient service corridors make moving in and out as stress-free as possible, and the reliable business technology infrastructure will power your event and keep your attendees online and connected.
A talented food and beverage team is equipped to work with organizers to create menus that complement the programming throughout the entire day, including buffets, plated meals, action stations, and themed breaks. A menu planning guide offers more information about your options and about the authentic, locally sourced foods that the team incorporates.
The EXPO Centre is also expertly prepared to meet all your technological needs. The business technology team works side by side with planners to understand service requirements, traffic flows, and anticipated applications. The infrastructure features network ports, Wi-Fi and high-speed internet, and scalable bandwidth — everything required to power your event's success.
Delta Hotels Edmonton South Conference Centre
Total Meeting Space – 36,000 Sq. Ft.
Conference Centre at The University of Alberta
Total Meeting Space – 18,000 Sq. Ft.
Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
Located on the southwest side of the city, Edmonton International Airport is 30 minutes from the downtown core. It is one of the fastest-growing and largest (by area) major Canadian airports, and as traffic increases, so has its service. It was recently named the Most Efficient Airport in Canada in its category by the Air Transport Research Society. Serviced by 23 commercial airlines, the airport offers nonstop flights to 60 domestic and international destinations, including cities such as Amsterdam and the new direct flight to San Francisco. The airport recently underwent an expansion, and The Premium Outlet Collection Edmonton International Airport, opened in 2018, is a new shopping experience for the 8.4 million tourists who visit the Edmonton area annually. The airport is a front-runner for cutting-edge developments, including 100% paperless boarding passes and virtual lounges. It also was the first Canadian terminal to achieve LEED Gold certification.
Airline carriers serving Edmonton International Airport
Travelers are welcome to hop aboard VIA Rail's passenger train and take the scenic route into Edmonton. VIA Rail's Canadian Train and Western Route tours run through the scenic Rocky Mountains and Jasper National Park as it makes its way from Vancouver to Edmonton, with stops in Maple Ridge and Kamloops, British Columbia. From the east, passengers en route to Edmonton may board the Canadian at any one of dozens of points, including Toronto, Winnipeg, and Saskatoon. During the winter months, the Snow Train runs between Edmonton and Jasper National Park. The railway station is located about 5.5 kilometers from the city center.
Getting around is easy when you think of all the options. Many of our hotels, venues, and world-famous markets are linked directly to downtown's 40-kilometer indoor pedestrian network (Pedway). Plus, above- and below-ground Light Rail Transit, buses, and taxis take delegates throughout the city in all four seasons with ease.
The city's bus system encompasses over 1,000 buses and 40 community buses, with additional electric buses set to hit the streets in 2019. The system covers more than 180 routes, including stops at or nearby the West Edmonton Mall, the University of Alberta, and the Shaw Convention Centre. Most buses run between 4:30 and 2 a.m. and connect passengers with the light rail transit system. Fare is CA$3.25.
Edmonton's Light Rail Transit system runs both above and below ground through 18 stations, from the northeastern community through the downtown core. As of 2016, it is one of the most utilized light rail systems in North America, with over 112,000 daily weekday riders. The LRT runs daily from 5:30 to 1:30 a.m., every six minutes during peak hours, and fare is CA$3.25. Edmonton is in the process of significantly expanding its LRT network. The first phase, connecting Edmonton's south-central and northwest downtown, was completed in 2015, with further expansion to north Edmonton planned.
Edmonton has most of the major car rental companies (including Enterprise, Budget, Thrifty, and others) to help you get on your way. Major car rental companies servicing the Edmonton area have offices at Edmonton International Airport on parking level P1.
Edmonton offers a multitude of cab companies to help you get around. Edmonton International Airport is serviced by Airport Taxi Service, which costs CA$55 to downtown. Prearranged Executive Black Car service from Prestige Transportation is available and includes the chauffeur meeting guests at the luggage carrousel. Skyshuttle Airport Service is $18 for a one-way transfer or $30 round-trip, and its services are found by Door 7 on the arrivals level of Edmonton International Airport. For custom travels and groups, charter services can be suggested through the Conference Service Team at Edmonton Tourism.
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The Maintenance of Madness: How Australia Funded a Warlord in Afghanistan
The Federal Cabinet has approved the deployment of about 300 additional Australian troops to the Middle East to help train Iraqi forces in their fight against Islamic State. The deployment will be for two years from the middle of may, and the troops join 200 existing special forces troops already in deployment in the region.
The Australian contingent will be joined by more than 100 New Zealand military personnel. They will be based at Taji military complex north of Baghdad, which is considered an "enduring base" by the United States Military, one of 14 such bases in the country.
Prime Minister Abbott made statements regarding the deployment at a press conference on the 3rd of March this year.
"We won't have a combat role. It's a training mission, not a combat mission. This is not just about Iraq, this is about our national security."
A casual glance at the history of conflict in the Middle East will show that military intervention does not, as the government claims, increase national security, in fact it performs the exact opposite function, creating heavily armed and motivated militia groups with the spurious justification of prior Western aggression for their continued aggression.
Defence Department secretary Dennis Richardson has let it slip that highly trained military personnel, likely indirectly trained by US or Coalition forces, make up the leadership of ISIS:
"[ISIS] is led by experienced former Iraqi generals and others with substantial military experience."
ISIS is, in effect, the current incarnation of AQI, or Al-Qaeda in Iraq, a branch of the central body of Al-Qaeda with links to Osama Bin Laden and notable members of the terrorist organisation. Older readers and the more historically astute will remember that the United States was responsible for training and arming mujahideen forces against the then Soviet Union during its war in Afghanistan, including Bin Laden and his compatriots, who later became instrumental in forming the modern day iteration of Al-Qaeda.
The official reason for deployment is to help the Iraqi government prepare sufficient forces to maintain the momentum of the counter-attack against Islamic State and regain control of its territory.
Abbott noted that Australian personnel will "not be working with irregulars, we don't work with informal, armed groups."
It turns out that this statement is entirely false and doesn't accord with the documentary record.
Around November 2010, under the then Gillard government, six senior militia fighters loyal to Afghan warlord Matiullah Khan were flown to Australia to train with elite special forces as part of a "covert strategy to strengthen military operations against the Taliban."
Matiullah Khan is known in the press as "Australia's biggest ally in Afghanistan". His uncle is former Uruzgan governor Jan Mohammed Khan, who has a reputation for corruption, brutality and double dealing.
In a few short years he went from being a taxi driver to a millionaire running security for NATO convoys in the area. He was appointed chief of police in Uruzgan province, despite numerous allegations of human rights abuses. There are reports that he has dealings with drug smugglers and Taliban insurgents.
We have contracted with his private army, Kandak Amniante Uruzgan, to provide security services to the bases around his compound in the Uruzgan province.
Under an arrangement with the Ministry of the Interior, the Australian Government pays for roughly 600 of Matiullah's 1,500 fighters, including Matiullah himself, despite the fact that the force is not under government control or oversight.
Matiullah Kahn was killed in Kabul earlier this year in March by a suicide bomber.
From the Pakistani Daily Times:
"Khan's militia has been involved in mass murder, rape and abductions of men and women.
The New York Times reported that he was earning $ 2.5 million a month through highway robbery, abduction, drug trafficking and extortion. Once, Khan warned his opponents that he could eliminate them by purchasing suicide bombers with the money he received from the Australian army.
WikiLeaks of the US embassy pinned him as a stand-over merchant, a wealthy warlord and drug trafficker.
Australian intelligence knew he was a corrupt war criminal but, despite the US army's opposition, the Australian army and intelligence corps lobbied to make him an inspector general of the Uruzgan police in 2011."
From Green Left Weekly, citing a story published in the Dutch Daily, De Pers:
"The extent of Matiullah's brutality was shown in a massacre reported on by the July 18 Dutch daily De Pers.
The paper said the previous month, Matiullah's army made a surprise attack on a meeting of 80 people in Shah Wali Kot district in Kandahar province. Five people were killed in the ensuing shootout.
The remaining 75 were knifed to death.
Mohammed Daoud, the district chief of Chora, told De Pers: "As torture, they were first stabbed in the shoulders and legs. The corpses were treated with chemicals to make them unrecognisable.""
In this interview released several days before his death, the contents of Matiullah's office suite are described as containing "plaques of appreciation from the Australian Federal Police" and a "boxed boomerang – a gift from Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, formerly head of the Australian Defence Force.
From the same interview, detailing a raid on a nearby village by Jan Mohammed Khan and Matiullah Khan:
"One man told me how his son was made to lie on the ground – and then they drove a truck over his head."
These accounts are horrifying, and our complicity in them more so. Indirect involvement in these abuses, though despicable, could be rationalised as a product of the idea that we are working towards some greater good, and indeed, it seems this is the justification for our involvement from many of the sources mentioned in the above interview and publications.
Our direct involvement in war crimes in the region however, cannot be rationalised away.
Reports from The Age in 2009 describe cover-ups by the ADF of attacks on civilians by SAS soldiers in Iraq around 2006-7. The attacks in November 2007 resulted in the murders of three men, two women and one child in a house that allegedly belonged to an insurgent.
In the same month, the newspaper reported the use of SAS patrols as death squads, carrying out assassinations in Afghanistan.
One has to ask the question: how exactly does action of this sort confer an increase in our national security? If the Iraqi military is to be trained by the same forces responsible for the financial support of a local warlord and who have engaged in war crimes of their own, I don't see it as unreasonable to suppose that ethics and adherence to international law will be covered as an afterthought, if at all.
The approach of fighting fire with fire has been an abject failure in stemming the tide of radicalised Islamic extremism in the Middle Eastern theatre, and this new deployment of troops into the region is simply more of the same.
We cannot hope to bring peace to the Middle East with the sword.
This article was originally published on the author's blog, which you can find here.


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HUNT, HAROLDSON LAFAYETTE (1889–1974). H. L. Hunt, oil tycoon, the youngest of eight children of Haroldson Lafayette and Ella Rose (Myers) Hunt, was born in Carson Township, Fayette County, Illinois, on February 17, 1889. He was educated at home. In 1905 he traveled through Colorado, California, and Texas. By 1912 he had settled in Arkansas, where he ran a cotton plantation that was flooded out by 1917. In 1921 he joined the oil boom in El Dorado, Arkansas, where he became a lease broker and promoted his first well, Hunt-Pickering No. 1. He claimed to have attained a "fortune of $600,000" by 1925, the year he bought a whole block in El Dorado and built a three-story house for his family. His El Dorado investments and a venture called Smackover taught Hunt lessons about the cost of wasteful practices and excessive drilling. Both fields were depleted rapidly. He also lost money on the Florida land boom, and by the time he got interested in the East Texas oilfield in 1930, he seems to have been broke again.
Hunt is in the famous photograph that immortalizes the drill test for Daisy Bradford No. 3 and the opening of the East Texas oilfield. On November 26, 1930, he made a deal with Columbus M. "Dad" Joiner that made him owner of the well and all Joiner's surrounding leases. Hunt used $30,000 that belonged to P. G. Lake, a clothier from El Dorado, and planned to make subsequent payments from revenue to buy out Joiner. He knew Joiner was beset by problems of oversold interests in the well. By December 1, 1930, Hunt had his own pipeline, the Panola Pipe Line, to run oil from the East Texas field. By 1932 the Hunt Production Company had 900 wells in East Texas.
In 1935 H. L. Hunt, Incorporated, was superseded by Placid Oil Company, and the shares were divided into trusts for Hunt's six children. In late 1936 Hunt acquired the Excelsior Refining Company in Rusk County and changed the name to Parade Refining Company. It was residue gas from this company's lines that caused the New London Explosion on March 18, 1937. Most of the people involved in that catastrophe were employees of H. L. Hunt. In 1937 or 1938 the family moved to Dallas. On April 5, 1948, Fortune printed a story on Hunt that labeled him the richest man in the United States. It estimated the value of his oil properties at $263 million and the daily production of crude from his wells at 65,000 barrels.
On November 26, 1914, Hunt married Lyda Bunker in Arkansas. They had six children. On Armistice Day 1925 a Franklin Hunt married Frania Tye (probably short for Tiburski) in Florida. They had four children. On November 11, 1975, after H. L. Hunt had died, Mrs. Frania Tye Lee filed a civil complaint against Hunt in which she revealed the history of their relationship. They had married in 1925 and lived together in Shreveport until 1930, when they moved to Dallas. In May 1934 "Franny" had discovered Hunt's other marriage. Hunt apparently shipped her off to New York and in 1941 provided trusts for each of the four children. A friend of his, John Lee, married her and gave his name to the children. Lyda Bunker Hunt died in 1955. In November 1957 Hunt married Ruth Ray and adopted her four children, who had been born between 1943 and 1950. Ruth Hunt admitted in an interview that H. L. Hunt had, in fact, been their real father. H. L. and Ruth Hunt became Baptists.
In his later life Hunt promoted "constructive" politics in two radio shows, Facts Forum and Life Line, which he supported from 1951 to 1963. In 1952 Facts Forum endorsed Senator Joseph McCarthy. In 1960 Hunt published a romantic utopian novel, Alpaca, and in 1968 he began to process aloe vera cosmetics. He died on November 29, 1974.
Stanley H. Brown, H. L. Hunt (Chicago: Playboy Press, 1976). H. L. Hunt, H. L. Hunt: Early Days (Dallas: Parade, 1973). H. L. Hunt, Hunt Heritage (Dallas: Parade, 1973). Harry Hurt, Texas Rich (New York: Norton, 1981). Vertical Files, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.
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The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this article.Handbook of Texas Online, Jerrell Dean Palmer, "HUNT, HAROLDSON LAFAYETTE," accessed August 05, 2020, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fhu59.
Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Modified on February 5, 2019. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
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Call for Papers: Texas Center for Working-Class Studies
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We are excited to announce that for our January 2013 meeting, Dan Crowell will be our guest speaker. Dan is a legend in the diving community and one of the few Scuba Divers who has taken his passion for diving to levels most can only dream of. He's the former Skipper of the dive boat the "Seeker", a former commercial hardhat div … Read More
Ever wonder what it's like to go on an extended underwater photography assignment to some of the ocean's most diverse locations? At September's NYUPS join photojournalist Joe Tepper as he recounts and regales the crowd with the epic adventure of his recent 40-day Indo-Pacific assignment. For more than six weeks Joe traversed the … Read More
Evan Kovacs is currently working with the Advanced Imaging and Visualization Lab at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which has had him filming with the deep submersible ALVIN, the ROV Jason and elsewhere around the world. At our August meeting Evan will talk about past and upcoming projects. Currently he is working with the lab to develop the … Read More
People go scuba diving for many reasons. Some divers are interested in the natural beauty of coral reefs, and the animals that call this environment home. Wreck divers are interested in man-made objects that have ended up underwater by disaster. Ships sink because of bad maintenance, fire, weather, collisions and war. Once sunk, the wreck becomes a … Read More
Matt Weiss and Keri Wilk from DivePhotoGuide recently took the Nikon D800, Nauticam housing, and Sea & Sea YS-D1 strobes to Mexico. They gave all this new gear a complete workout in the Cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula. Besides all the new toys, the team brought down 17 strobes! Their plan was to photograph these beautiful decorated cave systems th … Read More
Howard Rosenstein is a photographer and explorer based in the Red Sea. He worked on eight National Geographic features over a span of 30 years with David Doubilet and Dr. Eugenie Clark. At our May NYUPS meeting Howard will talk about exploring and photographing the Red Sea since 1971. Howard Rosenstein grew up in Southern California, his first SCU … Read More


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Hillary won tonight's debate. Bambi's already released a wah-wah press release. You get the feeling he's been so pampered he doesn't know how to fight. He needs his cult because he can't stand up for himself. Have the Democrats ever had a weaker candidate in a primary than Bambi?
He is just pathetic. He is a bad speaker and a liar. He was really praying he could get away with saying "I disowned" Jeremiah Wright and when George Stephanopolis called him on that he quickly had to back up and say he disowned Wright's words. But he is so prone to lying he was hoping to get that out there.
His attack on Small Town Americans was brought up and he still couldn't apologize. "I can see how people were offended" blah, blah, blah. They were offended because your remarks were offensive. You called the gun nuts, who hated non-Whites and hid behind religion. That's offensive.
And yet he claimed that he wanted to unite. He's all about the insults. He is just so haughty. You keep expecting him to holler "SNAP!"
We need a candidate with experience and maturity and Bambi has neither.
Steve Duin, you are pathetic.
So is Marc Cooper aka The Pooper. It's cute the way he's all offended at The Huffington Post (no link to trash and that's all that site and Airann Huffington are). Little Poopy is offended by Hillary because he has a long history of hating women. He hates women because he is, was and always will be pathetic. Don't forget his attack on Jane Fonda when she was planning to speak out against the Iraq War on a bus tour. Marc Cooper's nothing but an idiot. His ass got kicked out of KPFK because of exactly what he tries to do to Hillary in his nonsense column.
I won't say "I'm not going to smear but . . ." Babmi's friends with Bill Ayers. That's reality. They're a lot closer than the media's reported and that's reality as well. He needs to get honest about it.
Some people won't care, some will. That's reality. Bill Ayers was part of an armed revolution attempting to overthrow the United States. That's reality as well. I'm sorry that this makes Pooper uncomfortable but you can't hide reality.
Poopsie tries to minimize it.
It can't be minimized because Ayers and Bambi are much closer than the media has reported. It would be a real shame if Bambi kept lying and photos of the two at Ayers' house with other people that scare off Middle America were present.
It would be a real shame if people asked, "What's going on in those pictures?"
Those pictures exist and I know it and you better believe the GOP does.
Bambi needs to get honest about how close he and Ayers are. If he doesn't and the Dems are stupid enough to give him the nomination you need to remember that LIARS like Poopsie made worked overtime to cover it up. This will not stay under wraps during a general election.
Get over yourself, Poopise. No one's ever given a damn what you think. No one ever will. You had a slot on KPFK for years. Not because you had listeners but because The Nation paid for the program. Those days are over and you're just another fat ass who needs to find a job. A real job. How depressing it must be to be the Pooper. He's got to be at least 60 now and he has nothing to show for his life. He's an elderly man whose made his profession begging. A panhandler. A loser.
Hillary won the debate and poor little boys (and old ones like Poopsie) who hate women saw their chance to slam women vanishing so they're taking one more go round tossing out any crap they can and hoping it sticks.
Those photos will stick and they will be on the front page of every paper.
The Democrats don't need to listen to the likes of The Pooper. He's never been in touch with America and never will be. He's a vile, disgusting man and that's why he hates women.
Here's Howard Wolfson's "HUBdate: Debate in Philadelphia:"
Previewing Today: Tonight, Hillary participates in ABC's Philadelphia Democratic Primary Debate. Earlier today, she delivers remarks to the Building Trades National Legislative Conference.In Case You Missed It: The front page USA Today article is headlined: "Obama tied to lobbyists, but boasts of not taking money." Read more.
First Hundred Days: Yesterday, Hillary told the Newspaper Association of America: "Starting from Day One, the Bush-Cheney era will be over in name and in practice" and outlined her plan for the first 100 days of the presidency. Read more and more.
Pennsylvania Mayors for Hillary: Over 100 Pennsylvania mayors endorsed Hillary yesterday, citing her "Pennsylvania roots and commitment to Pennsylvania values." Read more and more.
Speaking Out: In a letter yesterday, mayors across Indiana wrote to Sen. Obama and said his comments "demeaned the values of small Midwestern towns." The mayor of Oak Hill, WV said: " think that [Sen. Obama's comment] characterizes the fact he is out of touch with West Virginia, and many other states -- the Heartland of America." The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says Sen. Obama's "'bitter' pill is going to be tough to swallow...What Obama dished out was a cold, stinging slap, and not just to Pennsylvanians but to Americans across the country." Read more, more and more.
Tar Heels for Hillary: The campaign announced 1,500 North Carolina women for Hillary yesterday. Gladys Graves, former president of the North Carolina Association of Editors and Hillary supporter, said, "[Hillary] is an intelligent and caring woman and we need someone like that in the White House." Read more.
Stronger Against McCain: A new Rasmussen survey of likely Florida voters shows Hillary leading the state against Senator McCain...The same poll shows Senator McCain would beat Senator Obama in that state by 15 points (53-38). Read more.
FL Voices Count: In an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Hillary said voters in FL are "tired of being disenfranchised. They saw a Democrat deprived of a congressional seat in 2006 because mysteriously thousands of votes weren't counted. They saw problems in the '04 election. And everybody remembers 2000...We're Democrats. I thought we believed in counting votes." Read more.
Tax Day Test: "For all of Sen. Obama's rhetoric about the need for tax return transparency, you'd think he'd have released all of his tax records. Guess again… Sen. Obama has refused to release his tax returns for 1997, 1998 and 1999, even though he was in public life as a state senator during those years. During this period of time, Sen. Obama was accepting contributions from special interest lobbyists, PACs and even directly from corporations." Read more.
Stretch on Ethics Reform: Politifact reports on a new ad airing in PA that "Obama claims he was the driving force in the Senate on ethics reform. We find he was a player but not the quarterback...This new ad both exaggerates the role Obama played in the debate, and fails to put the new ethics law in any sort of context." Read more.
Okay, that's it for me tonight. Closing with C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"
Wednesday, April 16, 2008. Chaos and violence continue, Pulizter Prize winning photographer Bilal Hussein is finally released by the US military in Iraq, a Senate committee makes noises about war funding, the US military announces more deaths, and more.
Starting with war resistance. Courage to Resist has compiled a page providing names of war resisters and we'll note Jose Vasquez's sketch: "Staff. Sgt. Jose Vasquez served fourteen years in the Army and Army Reserve. In January 2005, he applied for conscientious objector status requesting immediate discharge from the military which was approved. He was honorably discharged in May 2007. Jose is an active member of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) serving as Co-chiar of the Borad and President of the New York City chapter. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the City University of New York." Vasquez helped verify all witnesses testifying at Winter Soldier Investigation last month and also chaired the March 14th's first panel. Vasquez also organized the successful Operation First Casualty II last May (Memorial Day) in NYC.
That's the US. In Canada, US war resisters are waiting to find out whether they will be granted safe harbor. The Canadian Parliament will debate a measure this month on that issue. You can make your voice heard. Three e-mails addresses to focus on are: Prime Minister Stephen Harper (http://firstname.lastname@example.com -- that's pm at gc.ca) who is with the Conservative party and these two Liberals, Stephane Dion (http://firstname.lastname@example.com -- that's Dion.S at parl.gc.ca) who is the leader of the Liberal Party and Maurizio Bevilacqua (http://firstname.lastname@example.com -- that's Bevilacqua.M at parl.gc.ca) who is the Liberal Party's Critic for Citizenship and Immigration. A few more can be found here at War Resisters Support Campaign. For those in the US, Courage to Resist has an online form that's very easy to use.
There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Matt Mishler, Josh Randall, Robby Keller, Justiniano Rodrigues, Chuck Wiley, James Stepp, Rodney Watson, Michael Espinal, Matthew Lowell, Derek Hess, Diedra Cobb, Brad McCall, Justin Cliburn, Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Peter Brown, Bethany "Skylar" James, Zamesha Dominique, Chrisopther Scott Magaoay, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Jose Vasquez, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Clara Gomez, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Agustin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Abdullah Webster, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder, Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, Blake LeMoine, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Logan Laituri, Jason Marek, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Dale Bartell, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Chris Capps, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Kjar, Kyle Huwer, Wilfredo Torres, Michael Sudbury, Ghanim Khalil, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, at least fifty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.
Information on war resistance within the military can be found at The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline [(877) 447-4487], Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Tom Joad maintains a list of known war resisters. In addition, VETWOW is an organization that assists those suffering from MST (Military Sexual Trauma).
Last month Iraq Veterans Against the War's Winter Soldier took place and KPFA has a live program coming up April 22nd: Live On Air and Online at kpfa.org!
April 22 from 10am-1pm Join us on April 22nd for this very important follow up to Pacifica's groundbreaking Winter Soldier live coverage. We will be following the San Francisco trial involving wounded vets and the Department of Veterans Affairs. In this first class action lawsuit U.S. Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder sue the VA, alleging a system wide breakdown in the way the Government treats those soldiers.During this special broadcast we will be bringing our listeners live updates from the San Francisco federal courthouse, we'll speak with wounded Veterans attorney Gordon Erspamer, (taking this case pro bono because his father was permanently disabled in World War II and never received proper health care) and speak with Veterans advocates including Veterans for Common Sense, and Vets for America.Read more about the broadcast here.
That announcement will appear in the snapshots until the broadcast. If you missed Winter Soldier you can stream online at Iraq Veterans Against the War, at War Comes Home, at KPFK, at the Pacifica Radio homepage and at KPFA, here for Friday, here for Saturday, here for Sunday. Aimee Allison (co-host of the station's The Morning Show and co-author with David Solnit of Army Of None) and Aaron Glantz were the anchors for Pacifica's live coverage.
Bilal is free. The Committee to Protect Journalists notes, "Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein was freed today from U.S custody in Iraq, ending a two-year ordeal in which he fended off unsubstantiated accusations from the U.S. military that he collaborated with Iraq insurgents." Tina Susman (Los Angeles Times) reminds, "The military never made public its evidence against Hussein" and that they announced their decision on Monday when they "released a statement with a slightly gruding tone". "Two years and four days" of imprisonment, Daryl Lang (Photo District News) calculates, also noting the "five-month judicial process" that ended last week. Robert H. Reid (AP) explains, "Hussein, 36, was freed at a checkpoint in Baghdad, where he was taken by the military aboard a prisoner bus. He left U.S. custody wearing a traditional Iraqi robe and appeared in good health." Dean Yates (Reuters) quotes Bilal stating, "I want to thank all the people working in AP . . . I have spent two years in prison even though I was innocent. I thank everybody." Editorial Photographers United Kingdom & Ireland describes the scene, "The photographer was embraced by sobbing family members, including his brother and mother, and spoke to other well-wishers on a mobile phone as he was showered with flowers and sweets. He later was honored with a traditional feast." They also quote professor Yassir Hussein (Bilal's brother) explaining, "I cannot describe my happiness at seeing him again. The family has been going through a hard time over the past two years, but now we thank God that we will have some rest." AFP notes Bilal's Pulitzer Prize win and that he was released at "an entry checkpoint near Camp Victory near the Baghdad airport" according to US Maj Matt Morgan. Paul Colford, Associated Press' Director of Media Relations, announced Monday, "After two years in detention, Bilal Hussein needs time to spend with his family, to rest and to catch up with the rest of the world."
"We need to trust" declared Jim Nussle at the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing today on tossing away more American dollars on funding the illegal war. Nussle is the budget director for the White House so his credentials on "trust" remain murky. US Senator Robert Byrd is the chair (despite attempts by US Senator Patrick Leahy to oust him) and, appearing robust, he opened the haring by noting first US Senator Arlen Specter's "health has hit a small bump in the road. While many of us know what it's like to face a health challenge, I know this man. His strong fighting spirit will quickly lead him on the path to recovery." Byrd then moved the topic of the hearing:
Eleven months ago, Congress sent the president a war funding supplemental that included clear direction to bring our troops home by December of 2007. The president chose to veto that bill. If he had signed that bill, most of our troops would already be home. But instead of bring our troops home, the president decided to increase our commitment of US troops and treasure to a war that has now entered its sixth year. Over 4,000 US service members have died. Over 30,000 US service members have been wounded. By the end of 2008, the war in Iraq will have cost a whopping $600 billion. In the next few weeks, the Appropriations Committee will consider the president's request for Congress to approve another $108 billion of emergency funding, most for this endless war in Iraq. We will be considering the president's request at a time when the US ecnomy is, by most accounts, in serious trouble. Under the president's fiscal leadership, the US government will have piled up the five largest deficits in the history of our Republic. It took 212 years and 42 US presidents to accumulate one-trillion-dollars of foreign-held debt. But in only seven years, President George W. Bush has more than doubled the debt our country owes to China, Japan, and other foreign entities.
As he concluded his opening remarks, Byrd also noted, "This year, we will once again take good care of our troops. But we must also invest in our own economy and take care of our people here at home. To fail to do so will only further dampen our economy, work a hardship on our our citizens, and deplete our ability to pay these endless, every-climbing requests for more money to fund this war in Iraq. The well is running dry, and it is time to prime the pump." The senators worthy of note include Patty Murray who pointed out that the White House repeatedly underfunds in the US (infastructure, etc) and that when Congress attempts to address the underfunding, the White House threatens a veto. She stated that Congress was attempting to fund the needed programs "in a responsible way" but there's no effort on the part of the White House to reach out to the Congress and that can stop. "If that means," Murray declared, "we're going to to have to wait until we get" the next president, "then that's what we're going to do." Senator Byron Dorgan echoed Murray's point and noted that "the game is over." He referenced the New York Times story (C.J. Chivers' "Washington Blocks Exports of Munitions Firm Suspected of Fraud") on the 'businessmen' providing ammo to Afghanistan (emphasing "massage therapist" repeatedly) as well as the fact that Halliburton gets US tax payer funds and then "runs the payroll through the Cayman Islands" in order to avoid paying the US payroll taxes. He stated that everyone -- Congress, the administration -- bears responsibility for the lack of oversight but that "there comes a time when you have to say enough." Senator Ben Nelson noted the "blank check policy" the administration has attempted to utilize repeatedly.
The big surprise may have been Senator Dianne Feinstein who may have done her best job in a Senate hearing period. She was to the point, she knew what you wanted to say. She noted the frustrations everyone on the committee felt and maybe that's what it took but Feinstein, repeatedly holding her forehead as she held the administration accountable, Feinstein was professional and focused. "Never before in history has a war been funded on the debt," Feinstein pointed out. "I think it's a . . . problem for the survival of the nation." She was referring to the climbing debt and the White House's request for yet another 'emergency' funding bill. Feinstein noted what wasn't getting funded, she noted the failing infrastructure across America, and the lack of funding to prevent wildfires or the leveys in Califonria that need to be fixed. "My problem is," she explained, "I've got a part of a state that might well burn over the summer again and we can't provide" the needed funding. She noted the tax cuts for the wealthy throughout the years of the illegal war and the domestic programs cut and re-cut during this emphasizing, "It's rather cyncial what happens: You fund the war off budget, on the debt, and you press for further tax reduction." Regarding the latest 'emergency' request, Feinstein declared, "I think maybe the time has come when we do have to put our foot down" to make clear that "we're not going to do" this "and I'm going to have a very hard time for $108 billion knowing what's happening in the United States, . . knowing we need to do some things just to protect our own people. . . . It's not right and it's not why we" came to Congress.
"The legacy that this president will leave," Senator Mary Landrieu pointed out, "is that he drove the country into a war and for the next six years . . . refused to submit a plan to pay for it. There's nothing, Director, clean about this bill -- it's either a cover-up . . . or a sloppy sales job."
At the conclusion of the hearing, the chair, Robert Byrd, spoke noting in "the next few weeks the committee will mark up a supplemental that meets the needs" of the military and the civilians. A lively hearing and a CODEPINK activist chanted "Fund them home! Fund the home!" repeatedly at the end; however, it needs to be noted that some of the life in the hearing may have had less to do with the illegal war (and the drain its placed on the US economy -- present and future) and more to do with the White House's threat to veto what Congress sends up if they add any additional spending to it (which is their right, they control the purse and the White House does not have line-item veto). Senator Ben Nelson hit especially hard on the issue of the money going to the Iraq War and reminded that he and Senator Evan Bayh had, early on, requested that the monies for reconstruction, et al in Iraq be given in the form of a loan. Nussle apparently missed last week's hearings because this was a new concept to him. He spoke of taking the idea back to the White House and begged off additional questions noting he was not the Secretary of State. In terms of the waste Dorgan emphasized, he also acted as if this was news to him. He suggested Congress explore that. That's what they were attempting . . . while he played dumb.
Dumb travels. "We are today more confident than any time before," CBS and AP quote Nouri al-Maliki, puppet of the occupation, declaring, "that we are close to the point where we can declare victory against al Qaeda . . . and its allies." String it along, al-Maliki, string it along. He needed some good (false) news to promote because other news wasn't reflecting on the US established government in Iraq. Tina Susman (Los Angeles Times) reports, "The Iraqi army and police commanders in the southern city of Basra were reassigned today in what the government described as routine staff movements but which came amid controversy over troops' preformance during a recent offensive." It's the puppet government so no sooner was the announcement made to the press then an alternative was released. Reuters notes, "The top Iraqi military commander in the southern city of Basra has not been replaced, the Defence Ministry said" and then quotes Maj Gen Mohammed al-Askari stating, "He is still in his job.". Or maybe he defected or deserted? (Or maybe his scheduled retirement next week is how the 'firing' is being fudged.) Nancy Moran (Bloomberg News) reports, "About 50 Iraqi troops fled a joint fight with American soldiers in Baghdad's Sadr City last night, setting back U.S. efforts to get Iraqis to take the lead in gaining control".
Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports 3 Baghdad mortar attacks which claimed 1 life and left thirteen wounded, a Mosul car bombing that claimed 1 life, and a Kirkuk roadside bombing that wounded two people. Tina Susman (Los Angeles Times) notes a Basra US attack with "an unmanned US Predator aircraft" which killed 4 people with missiles.
Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports that, last night, an assassination attempt "on one of Al-Sistani representatives in Kut" which left the man wounded and which followed an attack Laith Laith Hammoudi (McClatchy Newspapers) reported yesterday on al Sistania's representative Ali Al Fadhil. CBS and AP note an attack outside Muqdadiyah oon a vehicle that left 2 women dead and three males wounded. UPI, citing a US military announcement, notes that the US military killed 1 person they suspected of being a 'terrorist' and another who was "a bystander" (in Mosul).
Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports 4 corpses discovered in Baghdad
Meanwhile the US military announces: "Two Multi-National Force West Marines were killed in action April 14 when their vehicle was attacked by an enemy force with an improvised explosive device in al Anbar Province." This brings the death toll of US service members in Iraq to 4037 since the start of the illegal war.
"We have so many candidates that say that they're against the war. Well if we had these candidates that say that they're against the war actually vote against the war then we wouldn't be talking about the war anymore," declared former US Congress woman Cynthia McKinney, who is running for the Green Party's presidential nomination over the weekend in a LA speech (link has video only). "Some of us took those hard votes early on and voted to stop funding the war but then, of course, something happened along the way -- it always does -- and that is that the War Party which has a Democratic wing and a Republican wing got together and counted their votes. They understood that they had 218 votes they needed, 218 votes in order to keep us in the war. They knew from their experience in 2002 which, I hope all of you have seen American Blackout, that they had a sure-fire way to get one of those votes out of the Congress, one of those no votes. And so they did it. That very first vote to fund the war after the Democratic majority took place passed exactly by 218 votes. If I had been there, we wouldn't be talking about ending the funding for the war. We'd be talking about how we're going to build a single-payer healtchcare system in this country. We'd be talking about why it is that students have to be a hundred thousand dollars in debt just to get an education. We could be talking about how we're going to green our economy, how we're going to provide jobs for the environement people and, at the same time, refuse to accept that the so-called 'American way of life' is something worth killing for. We would have a whole different conversation about what true American values really are. But instead, because the corporate media allows those who actually fund the war to claim that they are against the war, then we have to continue to have the same conversation. And that's that same conversation that I've rejected."
Staying with US presidential politics, Susan UnPC (No Quarter) wonders if ABC's Charlie Gibson intends to ask Senator Barack Obama about Nahdmi Auchi whom Obama claims he doesn't remember but Michael Sneed (Chicago Sun-Times) thinks Bambi might be showing "a Pinocchio problem". When would Gibson ask that? In tonight's ABC News debate between Barack and Senator Hillary Clinton where Barack will attempt to put Bitter-gate behind him -- or persuade the press that it is. Or maybe put behind his really bad ad regarding oil. Ken Dilanian (USA Today) notes, "It's accurate that Obama doesn't take money from oil companies; neither do his opponents, because corporate contributions are illegal. But Obama, like Clinton and John McCain, has accepted donations from oil and gas company employees -- $222,309 in Obama's case from donors from Exxon, Shell, Chevron and others, according to campaign-finance data. Two oil company CEOs have pledged to raise at least $50,000 each as part of Obama's fundraising team." In a busy day for Bambi, he also found time to slam former US president Jimmy Carter. In other news, the US Congress' newest member, Rep Jackie Speier endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party presidential nomination yesterday:
"Nothing makes me more proud than to announce my endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President," said Speier. "As a woman, a lawmaker and a mother, I understand what electing Hillary will mean for this country. She will not only bring an extraordinary grasp of the issues to the White House, but also a uniquely feminine skill set - consensus building, negotiation, and patience - that will serve our nation well. As President, Hillary will set an example for how to run a country with diplomacy and restraint."
"I am thrilled to have the support of the newest Member of Congress, Jackie Speier," said Clinton. "Jackie has been a force to be reckoned with in California politics for more than two decades, standing up for children, families, and consumers across the state. Congress is fortunate to have someone with her fortitude and vision, and I look forward to working with her as we bring real change to Washington."
And Gettysburg College's Cory Waldron writes about Chelsea Clinton's campaigning for her mother:
To see a passionate audience captivated and enjoying political conversation outside on a college campus is especially fun to be a part of as a student. The sharing of ideas and the collective energy at Wilson College embodies the experiences and stories I've attained from my multi-state campaign adventure. The resiliency and hope of Pennsylvanians was displayed and I can't wait to see more of it as the election draws closer. It was simply a gorgeous day filled with energy and eloquence -- and it was a particularly proud occasion for myself as a student, volunteer, and as an American.
This is why I support Senator Clinton: because she gets how our nation works -- all the way from the halls of Congress to the family dinner table, and she deserves the opportunity to show our nation her very best from the Oval Office. I have worked as an intern in Laconia, New Hampshire, traveled on my own dime to South Carolina, and I am proud to be a grassroots organizer in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (and yes mom, I still go to my classes daily at Gettysburg). I am rewarded knowing that I'm helping to create a better country because Hillary will implement sound policies. Despite the problems Americans face, our mutual devotion to our families, friends, and communities will enable us to heal this nation. Hillary Clinton has the policies to aid everyday Americans, to turn our nation around, and allow us as citizens to be treated fairly and justly after languishing under the pains caused by the Bush Administration.
iraq veterans against the war
aimeee allisondavid solnit
aaron glantz
bloomberg news
mcclatchy newspapers
bilal hussein
c.j. chiversthe new york times
tina susmanthe los angeles times


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This is soooo easy, you will never buy Tomatillo Salsa again.
This is a Tomatillo.
It's our green tomato to the south. Wonderful for salsas and sauces. You can find them here in some specialty grocery stores and Mexican markets. Don't be intimidated by this guy. It's very easy to cook. For this recipe you will need:
1 Pound of tomatillos
1 Spanish onion
3-4 garlic cloves
*3 serranos (see note)
1 bunch of cilantro
1 lime
1/4 cup of chicken or vegetable stock
*Note: Depending on how hot you would like the salsa, the number and type of pepper can vary. I used three serranos with half the seeds taken out of each. And my salsa was SPICY. Now I like spicy food so that was ok for me. If you want it less spicy you can 1) use fewer peppers, 2) de-seed all of the peppers, 3) use jalapenos instead (serranos are 10K-23K on the Scoville scale while jalapenos are 3.5K-8K), or 4) omit the pepper altogether.
First, take off the husk surrounding the tomatillo. They'll be sticky. Don't worry, this is normal. Just rinse in a colander until the residue is gone.
Then cut the tomatillos in half through the equator, quarter the onion, half the pepers, and lightly smash the garlic. Place all of these items on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper (place the tomatillos skin side up).
Place under a broiler on high heat for about 5-7 minutes until all of the components begin to char slightly. Don't worry if some of the pulp from the tomatillos liquifies…it's all going into the blender.
Let these cool slightly. Place all of the tomatillos, onion, peppers, and garlic in a blender or food processor. Add in a "bunch" of cilantro (just tear off a good handful), the juice from one lime, the stock, and a little more salt and pepper. Blend on med-high until mostly smooth with some chucks left (be careful please if you're blending while warm).
Enjoy with chips, tamales, eggs, on salad, etc. Quick, easy, wonderfully tasty. Cheers!
The Grilled Atheist


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Configuration Policies are not correctly downloaded on the node
Policy updates issues include:
- You get an error when running "rudder agent update", or it is does not finish
- The compliance tab of a node says it is sending reports with on old Configuration Id
How to fix it?
- You should begin by checking network connectivity to the destination port on the policy server from the node (for example with nc -v IP_OR_HOST 5309)
- If connectivity is correct, run rudder server debug IP_OR_HOSTNAME_OF_THE_NODE on the policy server of the node, and then rudder agent update -v on the node. You can then interrupt the debug server with a Ctrl+C. The output on the server should contain the cause of the problem.
- If you see the error: Failed to establish TLS connection: socket closed message on the node, it probably means that your host is not in the allowed networks and get refused just after connection. Add a subnet containing its IP to the allowed networks and it should be able to connect.
- If rudder server debug does not display anything while trying the update, it probably means your node does not use
the IP you passed as parameter to talk to your server (maybe it uses
another interface or a NATed address)
- If a node you just added cannot update its promises and you see an error about a missing file, check that policy generation has finished successfully. If it is good, this may be an issue while reloading cf-serverd configuration (the policies server). You can check if this is the case by restarting it manually with "service rudder-agent restart" on the policy server.
- If the node has been cloned from another Rudder node, ensure it has a different UUID and key. If not, run rudder agent factory-reset to make it seen like a new node.
Previous article: The copy of the file failed: the destination (/path/to/the/file) is not stored in a valid directory
Customer support service by UserEcho


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How can words describe these wonderful people and this magical place! They can't; Bungunyah simply has to be experienced for you to comprehend the joy that this "magic in the mountains" has to offer. Stop over for a night or stay a whole week, you will not be disappointed. Thanks for making my beautiful bride feel like the princess that I know she is.
Lovely atmosphere, great décor and furnishings.
Graham & Shirley
Absolutely beautiful place and surrounds.
Gail & Martyn
A very enjoyable stay. Beautiful décor and we were made to feel most welcome.
Dorothy & Graham
We had a wonderful relaxing stay. We felt very welcome. Loved the Birds.
Thanks - Simon & Pam
A wonderful romantic weekend getaway.
Leo & Donna
2nd time – just as good. We'll be back again.
John & Jo
I along with my wife Carol and our guest would like to thank you all for everything to make our 2 day stay so special, it was a memorable experience, we never stopped laughing. Bungunyah Manor is now a special place in our hearts and memories and we will return.
Phil & Carol
Excellent - home away from home !
Joanne & Michael
Outstanding – thoroughly spoilt – excellent rooms and service.
Thank you
Warren & Judith
You are also more than welcome to check our reviews on


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A young Muslim woman has come under online attacks by fundamentalists for singing a Hindu devotional song in a Kannada reality show.
A post on Facebook by a group called 'Mangalore Muslims' accused Suhana Sayed of tarnishing the community's image.
"Do not think that you have achieved a great feat by winning appreciation from judges by singing a song on the stage in front of other men belonging to other religion," the post said.
Also objecting to her parents' allowing her to take part in the show, the post said, "You have chosen the path to hell. ...but why are you encouraging others towards destruction?"
It also asked her to remove the "sacred scarf" as she does not have the quality to wear it.
Suhana from Sagara in Shivamogga district is a contestant in 'Zee Kannada's popular reality show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa'.
The song "Shreekarane...Srinivasane..." sung by her in praise of Lord Balaji and telecast last weekend had won resounding applause from the audience and judges at the show.
It was also shared and lauded by a number of people online.
"There should be no restrictions from any kind of regimen or problems to my talent... others should also come out and achieve... they should take courage after at least seeing me," she had said after rendering the song at the show.
One of the judges Vijay Prakash thanked and congratulated Sayed for her participation, saying the show celebrates pure music without any discrimination.
Kannada Music Director Arjun Janya told her, "Your voice is really good.You have done a great job. By singing a Hindu devotional song you have become the symbol of unity and music is a medium where people can unite."
Suhana got a standing ovation from the judges and the audience for her performance.
A post in support of Suhana said "singing a devotional song of another religion is not an offence. Singers are ones who sing songs of all religions and why create an issue. You can rarely name a singer who has not sung devotional songs of other religions. The best example is Yesudas."
Muslim woman trolled for singing Hindu devotional song
A young Muslim woman has come under online attacks by fundamentalists for singing a Hindu devotional song in a Kannada reality show.


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Our wilderness hut sits at the very top of Kaweka Hunting on the boundary with the Kaweka State Forest Park and ranges. Many guests love to escape for a night up here for absolute solitude, and everyone is always amused by the tin hunt with the flush toilet in the middle of nowhere!
A wilderness experience at Kaweka Hunting is an escape back to the 'real' New Zealand, with hidden pockets of indigenous native forest scattered amongst the gullies and rugged limestone cliffs pushed up from the earth over thousands of years. Exploring and discovering our stunning property is exciting and a night 'camping out' in our wilderness hut is a peaceful and unique experience, treasured by visitors from all around the world who tell us 'when I imagined New Zealand, this is just how I pictured it'.
Hear the sound of red stag roaring or listen for the lonesome call of an endangered kiwi before retiring for the night, in remote country overlooking the distant lights of two cities 3,000 feet below.


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Last modified by: Inclusion Support -
I can't find a payroll instruction!
So you're looking for a payroll instruction? In general if it isn't on your input sheet you have to add it. Don't worry this tutorial will take you through that!
1. On the right side of your input sheet see the box that says Add Payroll Instructions. Click here.
2. A new window will appear. In the left hand box there will be a list of possible payroll instructions to add to the input sheet. Highlight the payroll instruction you wish to add by clicking it. Click the arrow pointing to the right.
If you cannot find the payroll instruction here then it is possible that it hasn't been set up yet. Call Jingting to talk about setting an instruction up.
3. Click the button that says Add.
4. The input sheet will reload. Once it is reloaded you can enter it again and see that the new payroll instruction has been added. Well done!


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DIAMOND BAR, Calif. — As thousands of drivers in thousands of gas-guzzling, pollution-spewing vehicles whizzed by the freeway below, eight special cars were being prepped for the start of a 200-plus-mile roadtrip through Southern California.
Most of the world's top automakers were showing off these cars and their potential to some day eliminate emissions — and drastically lessen the nation's dependence on foreign oil.
Instead of burning fossil fuel in internal combustion engines, these vehicles use what's called a fuel cell stack to create electricity from hydrogen and air (see the "evolving engine" interactive at right for details). There are two big advantages to these engines: Water is the only emission, and hydrogen contains more energy than gasoline, which means more efficient vehicles.
Hydrogen highway plan
The potential was underscored at the ceremonial start of the four-day rally, held in mid-September. "The future is now," Bill Burke, chairman of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, said at the agency's headquarters outside Los Angeles. "We're depending on this technology to cure this problem," he said, referring to air pollution.
California's environmental chief was there as well, touting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Hydrogen Highway plan for 200 fueling stations by 2010.
Hydrogen would then be "in the reach of every Californian, so that these cars will go from the test track to the showroom," said Terry Tamminen, head of California's Environmental Protection Agency.
"There are no showstoppers," he told the audience. "It's ready to take us to the grocery store or on the family vacation."
And "if you do it in California," he said, "you can do it in the rest of the world."
Moving beyond plug-in electric cars
In an interview with MSNBC.com, Tamminen said he doesn't see a repeat of what happened to plug-in electric cars, whose long charging times killed their chances of being mass marketed.
"Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe," he said. "So it's relatively easy to make, store, transport and use as a fuel, and much more like the petroleum infrastructure that we're used to. You can have it in stations where you can refill your car in a matter of minutes as opposed to many hours."
Slideshow: Fuel cell specs So with that kind of enthusiasm and support, what's to keep hydrogen and fuel cells from becoming a reality?
Well for one, there's the chicken or the egg problem. "No one wants to build a network of fueling stations if we don't have mass production of cars; no one wants to mass produce vehicles if we don't have the fueling stations," Tamminen said.
And that's where the hydrogen highway idea comes in. "The plan is to bring all of these people to the table, get this shared vision ... and then lay out the future in detail," Tamminen said.
But even if 200 stations get built by 2010, there's still no guarantee of a fuel cell future given other obstacles. To start with, building fuel cell vehicles remains prohibitively expensive; one engineer estimated those on the road today average out at $1 million. And the cheapest hydrogen still costs two to three times more than a gallon of gasoline.
So what's the road ahead? Four days traveling with these vehicles provided a pretty good idea of the paved portions, and the potholes. Click on the Day 1 link below to follow the journey.
© 2013 msnbc.com Reprints


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It's 12:01 by my clock, the end of one countdown and the beginning of another. You have 10 days to come up with a game that re-imagines:
Mr. Teapot - Post-Apocalypse
Daz Florp Lebam - Swords & Sorcery
Graham W - War Story
Veritascitor - Espionage
Fucknuckles - Cyberpunk
Whiteknife - Zombies
Lachlan99 - Steampunk
Tomgurg - Murder Mystery
UnlikelyLass - Conspiracy
Chris Goodwin - Splatterpunk
Colin_Fredericks - Space Opera
Ozbot - Noir
Brendan Day - Urban Fantasy
Lady Rane - Giant Robots/Mecha
If you're not familiar with the genre assigned to you, put a reply in this thread and I'll roll you a new one. Yes, I made a chart and used dice. I'm a gamer.
I encourage each of you to create a thread where you can discuss your game, and hopefully get some feedback while you're working.


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Sunday, April 11, 2010
The Night
This might just so happen,
so happen,
who,you might have been searching
for all your life
might just tumble down in your
palms like a cluster of jasmine.
This might just so happen
so happen
whose eyes carry the shadow
of an ancient maple tree
with slumberous peace
and the pearls of trust.
In that shadow
you fall asleep
Posted by Amiya chatterjee at 3:18 AM
7 comments:
soothing, dreamy hopeful...and then one dreams some more..ReplyDelete
its beautiful...... in a very very simple unadorned way.......ReplyDelete
I am delighted Ananya.ReplyDelete
I read it as lovers losing in each other's eyes. Very, very beautiful.ReplyDelete
Loved these lines, especially:
"might just tumble down in your
palms like a cluster of jasmine."
Beautiful imagery!!
beautiful, simple word intermingles and weave and create something beautiful like this one.ReplyDelete
Really interesting ! The simple, precise thought fills in the essence of divine.ReplyDelete
@ To touchReplyDelete
I love simple things because they are beautiful.
@ Himika
Essence of the Divine !!
Thats a nice compliment Himika.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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1. Dangan Fighter
2. Christmas Night
3. Dangan Figter (Backing Track)
4. Christmas Night (Backing Track)
~Single Review~
This single was released on December 19, 2007 and peaked at number one on the Oricon daily charts. Unlike many other Johnny's Entertainment releases, "Dangan Fighter" maintained consistent sales its second day, suggesting it may have a potentially long chart life.
"Dangan Fighter" is a very different song for SMAP to sing. The melody is very hard to find and not memorable at all, mainly because the instrumentals are very nontraditional and synth. There is always almost always a beat, but there is never a melody besides the tune that they're singing. In the end, it doesn't matter than "Dangan Fighter" has a catchy chorus with the hook "You're got the power" or "Dangan Fighter-des." The song ends up as average pop without a feeling a purpose, a definite sub-par A-side from SMAP, as their sales reflect.
"Christmas Night" feels much more traditional for a SMAP song, which is a definite plus. Download sales reflect this, as "Christmas Night" has almost equaled "Dangan Fighter" in download sales on Japan's leading download store, Chaku-Uta. On the plus side, "Christmas Night" has a melody, even though it is not very memorable. The instrumentation is average, with a piano, guitar, and soft percussion. The bridge leads well into the chorus, which is the well-layered high-light of the song with vocals that push much harder than the rest of the song. Besides a nice, pleasant holiday tune, "Christmas Night" isn't really much else.
After a stellar year in 2006, SMAP has released only one single in 2007, the lackluster "Dangan Fighter." It should be noted that despite being well produced, the instrumentals are inadequate. Change is good, but not when it is detioration. SMAP can bank on their popularity carrying this single, but if they release more low-quality music, their sales may greatly suffer.


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Infra-red Thermometer
The INF151 combines the expected convenience of non-contact temperature testing with the superior comfort of the pistol-grip handle.
The new extended range increases professional temperature testing ability while laser targeting increases speed, accuracy and safety in your maintenance and troubleshooting tasks.
- Extended Range -40 to 788°F & -40 to 420°C
- One button switching
- Laser pointer
- 7-second auto hold
- Three pre-set emissivity levels 0.85, 0.90 and 0.95
- Features also include
- Backlight
- Auto power off
- Distance to spot ratio 8 to 1


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Alabama defensive back Tony Brown apparently used Clemson coach Dabo Swinney's vote in the USA Today coaches poll as some motivation.
In the hours after Alabama's 24-6 win over Clemson, Brown cited Swinney's choice to have Ohio State at No. 4 and Alabama at No. 5 in his final ballot. As you know, the Tide got the fourth and final College Football Playoff spot ahead of the Buckeyes, who won the Big Ten title.
"They told us we weren't ready," Brown said early Tuesday morning in a rare interview with reporters. "They told us we weren't worthy of a top-four team. I mean, look, that's what happens when you talk trash to us. That's what happens. We're going to show you."
Asked to clarify, Brown said the comment about not being a top-four team came in a car-wash event.
"He said them to Coach Saban's face," Brown said. "He didn't vote for us."
It's important to note that Swinney's vote in the coaches poll was made with no knowledge of what the final four in the College Football Playoff would be. The coaches poll came out just before Noon ET on Sunday, Dec. 3, before the selection show for the College Football Playoff began.
Swinney's top four was Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma and Ohio State. Alabama was fifth, followed by USC and Wisconsin. You can view his whole ballot here.
The Clemson coach was asked about his vote in a press conference with the other three playoff coaches — Saban included — on Dec. 7. Perhaps this is the exchange Brown is referencing.
"3:00 in the morning on a bus ride home from Charlotte, a moment of insanity, complete insanity," Swinney said with a smile when asked about putting Alabama No. 5.
"No, just coming home. Literally it was 3:00 in the morning [after the ACC Championship Game win over Miami]. Man, I got to do this poll. Looking at it, you know, they won 11 games. Alabama won 11 games. [Ohio State] won the Big Ten championship. Obviously the committee has a lot of things to look at, a lot of data. They're going to pick the four best teams however they see it."
"At that moment, that's the way I voted. They're all great teams, man."
Saban then lightheartedly quipped "He was just respecting his alma mater, that's all" in a reference to Swinney's Alabama ties.
"I'm trying to get rid of him, but I can't shake him," Swinney then said with a laugh.
That was clearly a malicious exchange (not), though if you were Dabo Swinney, would you really want to play Alabama for a third time in three years anyway? And if Swinney had voted Alabama at No. 4 and Ohio State would have been chosen by the committee, he's in the same situation regarding perceived disrespect.
But hey, whatever works for motivation. After all, ESPN reported at halftime of the Sugar Bowl that Nick Saban told his team that Alabama would be an unexpected victor of the game as a motivational ploy. The Tide were favored by 3.5 points in the game, the 110th time in the last 111 games that Alabama entered as the betting favorite.
More on Yahoo Sports:
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com or follow him on Twitter!


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Resources for Early Years
Following the controversy earlier this year, many teachers are understandably reluctant to use the Sparklebox website. Fortunately there are alternative sites which provide the same or similar content - free downloadable posters, worksheets, labels for foundation stage and key stage one classrooms. Twinkl is an attractively designed site which offers free materials to download or ready printed resources at a small cost. The primaryschoolteaching.co.uk site appears to offer many of the resources from Sparklebox without having to access the site itself.
Differentiated E-Worksheets
I worked with PGCE and Yr 2 B.Ed students this week, looking at how ICT can be used to personalise learning using a word processor. The students produced sets of on-screen worksheets which met specific literacy objectives, but differentiated according to children's ICT skills and understandings. The Zip files below contain some examples of the sets of E-Worksheets (mainly in Word format, some Textease files) that were created - the files are labelled with the intended age-range (e.g. Y2 or Y4) and a brief activity title.
Technology-led Curriculum
Some interesting conversations today about the research-base, implications and shape of a technology-led curriculum. Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence is a good example of a curriculum where ICT skills and understandings are embedded and technological literacy is valued alongside other literacies. For a more school-based and classroom focused example of embedded technologies, take a look at this US example of technology-led learning: www.apple.com/education/profiles/escondido/
Poster Making
Ever wanted to turn an A4 sized image into a huge poster? Blockposters.com lets you do just that! Take an image file - perhaps a PowerPoint slide saved as a JPEG - and upload it to the site. Then decide how big you want your poster to be in terms of A4 sheets - perhaps six sheets wide? Finally export your poster as a PDF file for printing. It comes out of the printer in cropped sheets that can be easily trimmed and glued together. The gallery on the website shows some striking examples of huge posters.
Struggling with spreadsheets? Fooled by formulas? Grappling with graphs? This step-by-step Spreadsheet Support web resource takes you through the process of creating spreadsheet files for classroom use and for other professional purposes.
I would be really grateful to receive your comments and suggestions about the posts in this blog. Just click the Comments link next to a post that you want to comment on ...
Progression in ICT
Many of you will be thinking about planning for ICT in school over the next few months. At the centre of good planning - whether it be a couple of lessons or activities or a sequence over half a term - is an understanding of progression: how children can 'get better' at doing ICT; what their next steps should be. There are several sources of support for progression in primary ICT (including an excellent book by Bennett, Hamill and Pickford), but the best online materials are those produced by the E-Learning Team in Somerset. Their Primary Progressions Documents cover all the strands of ICT and E-Safety.
The 'Snowman Makes a Friend' is one of several new stop motion videos @ www.youtube.com/user/tonypickford. Look out for the drooping scarf - a clever bit of animation!
E-Safety Resources for Key Stage 2
Safe is a new 'programme of activities to develop primary school children's skills, self-confidence and E-safety awareness'. There is simple free joining process, which gives access to some useful downloadable resources.
More Web 2.0 Lists ...
A couple more useful lists of Web 2.0 tools with educational potential are Box of Tricks A-Z list of Free Internet Tools and the searchable list of digital tools on the Enquiring Minds website.
Tony Pickford is a tutor and writer on primary education.
January 2018