The 2018 elections as a 5GW battlefield
By: Mosharraf Zaidi
To understand the depth of the wounds from the Peshawar assassination of Shaheed Haroon Bilour, the Bannu attack on Akram Durrani and the horrific massacre in Mastung targeting Shaheed Sajid Raisani, we have to try to understand the kind of war the Pakistan Army believes it is fighting. These attacks are seen by Pakistani strategists as part of a fifth generation war (5GW) being imposed on Pakistan.
How did we get to 5GW? We have to start with fourth generation war (4GW). In the most laywoman terms possible, 4GW was the evolution of war in which large formal structures like armies are forced to contend with smaller, more agile, decentralised and non-state or quasi-state tormentors. America was awoken to fourth generation warfare by the September 11, 2001 attacks. How ready was the US for the Al-Qaeda? In the December 2001 issue of The Atlantic, Jason Vest describes Franklin Spinney’s critique of the US war machine as suffering from “static thinking, poor financial oversight, weapons-procurement bloat, and a personnel system that accentuates careerism over training”. The same may have been said about the Pakistan Army under General Pervez Musharraf.
With the ascent of General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, Pakistan’s war machine modernised rapidly. Beyond the political and institutional arguments against his extension (arguments that I myself made at the time), there are those that argued that his six-year tenure as chief was essential because he was the architect of the modern Pakistani army. If Musharraf was the scoundrel that dragged Pakistan back by a quarter century, through Kargil and after, Kayani was the one that secured its release from the clutches of that history. As chief, Gen Kayani modernised the internal operations of the armed forces, and prepared it to be able to fight (and win) the 4GW imposed on Pakistan – from east and west, from inside and out.
General Raheel Sharif was the beneficiary of two great wonders of happenstance. The first was that he succeeded General Kayani. Pakistan’s military had never been a more war-ready machine than it was by the end of 2013. The second was that his boss was Nawaz Sharif. Lazy and arrogant democrats make for sitting ducks when dealing with an army ready for war. PM Sharif had several months to take the bull by the horn and declare war on the Tehreek-e-Taliban. But even as the entire nation awaited a declaration of war towards the end of January 2014, he avoided making a decision – outsourcing the work to a committee.
That crucial decision in early 2014 helped shape the complete overhaul of the army’s public image, and freed General Raheel Sharif from any kind of meaningful civilian supremacy. The launch of Zarb-e-Azb that summer was more than the beginning of one of the only 4GW victories on the planet. It also established a wholly new dimension to the civil-military divide in Pakistan.
When the APS attack in Peshawar took place, the prosecution of this 4GW was well underway. The national response to the APS tragedy fast tracked key developments in the war, including the acquiescence of the legislative and judicial pillars of the state. The results have been far from perfect, but nevertheless hailed as remarkable. From December 2007 till the APS attack, terrorism had become the norm. Since December 2014 they have become the exception. Perhaps unlike any other country on the planet, Pakistan’s soldiers and spies have delivered a 4GW victory.
A year after the APS attack, as we closed the books on the year 2015, Pakistanis had legitimate cause for optimism. Low oil prices, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the most peaceful era the country had since the turn of the century represented a cocktail on which dreams of decades of uninterrupted and unadulterated national growth – economic and otherwise – could be built. Sadly, Pakistan’s enemies were paying attention.
The first half of 2016 was a glimpse into the complexities of a society upon which fifth generation warfare (5GW) is being imposed. What is 5GW? It is the evolution of war into a metastasized and bastardised version of conflict in which the enemy takes no prisoners, and attempts to destroy everything. How? By creating chaos and ensuring that nobody knows who the enemy is at any given time. If you are in a war and you are not quite sure of who the enemy is, then what do you do? You assume the worst. Everyone is the enemy.
Think Syria. How many different patrons has Jabhat al Nusra had? Who are they? How many different actors have linkages with Turkey? What are those linkages? Why are uniformed, serving officers from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps in Damascus? Who is friend and who is foe? When anyone could be anything, everyone is the enemy. Welcome to 5GW.
Examine any key juncture in Pakistani history, and you will find India standing there, awaiting an opportunity to malign, damage and hurt Pakistan. Pakistan’s 4GW success at beating back a multi-headed hydra of terrorists in Swat, Waziristan, Balochistan and Karachi only served to provoke a strategic upping of the game. Enter India.
First came the arrest of Kulbushan Jhadav, a serving Indian Navy officer who had been financing and planning terrorism in Pakistan. Jhadav’s arrest confirmed the Indian hand behind the trail of terrorist destruction in the minds of an entire generation of Pakistani soldiers and spies. A month later, in April 2016 the Panama Papers drove a truck bomb into Pakistan’s domestic politics, causing an almighty guilty panic within the Sharif family, whetting the appetite of anti-Sharif elements across state and society, and no doubt distracting at least some, if not many Pakistani 5GW strategists.
Sensing an historic opportunity to dismantle the progress Pakistan had made since June 2014, India’s strategists kicked it up a gear. On August 15, 2016 Narendra Modi went on an Independence Day tirade about India’s support for Baloch terrorists from the historic venue of New Delhi’s Red Fort. A month later, an alleged terrorist attack that is widely reported to have resembled a case of arson, took place at Uri, in Kashmir. India blamed this on Pakistan, ensuring that any window of opportunity to dial down the temperature at the UNGA later that week would be firmly closed. Never one to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, Pakistan responded with a blistering speech at the UNGA in which PM Sharif spoke glowingly of Burhan Wani, the young Kashmiri activist assassinated earlier that summer by India’s occupying forces in Kashmir.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif and her clique in the PML-N spent 2017 dismantling her father’s hard-built political empire by framing the Panama Papers crisis as a political battle against the military. This was the same military that was dealing with a transition from a 4GW war it was winning to a 5GW that demanded national coherence to win – a coherence made impossible by the Panama Papers, and the Noonie response to it. To boot, this was a military that was now being led by General Qamar Javed Bajwa – an officer with a demonstrable record as a democrat. A record that the PML-N media cell itself had been propagating upon his appointment in November 2016.
Now Maryam Sharif is in jail. The Bilour family is in mourning once again. The blood of Pakistanis in Peshawar, Bannu and Mastung has yet to begin drying.
Ten days to go till the election.
The chief justice, superior judiciary, chief of army staff and the corps commanders have difficult jobs, and Pakistan’s unique circumstances place an unenviable burden on them. But they are now the guardians and stewards of a safe, free, fair and credible 2018 election. Despite the unnecessary attempts to suppress dissent and disrupt the PML-N, it is not too late.
A controversial election day will be an enormous setback for Pakistan in the fifth generation war being imposed on it. No matter who loses the election, Pakistan must win on July 25. Pakistan cannot win unless the conduct of Returning Officers and their counterparts in the military that are deployed at each polling station is beyond reproach. No matter the provocations from angry activists, a cantankerous press and politicians with little to lose, the system must deliver a demonstrably smooth and fair election day process to this country. Anything less will play into the enemy’s hands.
Courtesy The News


I cannot for the life me understand what the point is of having the Ethernet card and the wireless on at the same time.
Both of the network adapters are connected to the same network, but I do not understand why.
Is there any benefit to doing this? - what is the point? - I've only ever seen problems with people doing this.
Does one interface get automatically prioritized over another?
Yeah i'm not a fan of users with both Wireless and Ethernet cards on at the same time. Main reason is because we utilise Watchguard Authentication which maps their IP to their user login. I receive so many calls because users authenticated whilst on their cable connection, but then their wireless kicks in (which will be a different IP address) but they have not signed in using that IP so no internet (Single sign on does not solve this)
Regarding priority, you need to check the Metric for each interface.
netstat -rn | more
NetAdminWorld is an IT service provider.
It is pointless. There are some software vendors out there that 'claim' they can combine the two and make your connection faster, but I feel this is nothing more than selling snake oil. Personally, unless I intend to use wireless, I disable it. If I need it I can enable it.
if you are using both the ethernet and wireless at a time then, the system assigns priority for each connection, Ethernet has high priority over wireless. Using two at a time gives the redundancy of the network. For example, MAC BOOK connected ethernet and wifi at a time the software will split the load between them.
Using both at the same time does have it's uses but not many. For example, I use the wireless card for my domain network traffic and the hard wired for my Hyper-V test setup.
However you are correct, typically there is no reason to have both on and it will only create problems. Especially like Cookie Master mentioned with authentication.
Hey Cookie Master. Out of curiosity, how would the WatchGuard Authentication behave if adapters were bridged?


FORT COLLINS — Asked about Brock Jensen earlier in the week, Colorado State coach Jim McElwain went to the one aspect of the North Dakota State junior quarterback he liked best.
It was his pedigree for winning games, something he did in a 22-7 Bison victory Saturday at Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium.
“I’ve talked all week … Here’s a guy who won the state championship undefeated as a high school player,” McElwain said. “Obviously as a college quarterback he goes and wins a national championship. We’ve talked recruiting; I love winners at that position.
“I was able to coach a guy (Greg McElroy) at the last place I was at who won a state championship in Texas, and the first time he gets to start he goes 14 straight wins and had 30-some games before he ever had a loss. (Jensen) was phenomenal. Man, he threw the ball on time, he took what the defense gave him, but that’s credit to their coaches too. A well coached football team.”
Jensen was sharp, alright. He completed 17 of 28 passes for 178 yards in the game and avoided turnovers. He had one touchdown pass, and picked up key yards on the ground, finishing with 42 on 10 carries.
He was efficient (the Bison were 12 of 21 on third down in large part to him) and everything Colorado State expected. The only problem was they had no answer to stop him on key downs.
“He was tremendous out there,” CSU linebacker Shaquil Barrett said. “He was a real leader for the team. He was pretty good. I expected that out of him, but as a defense, we just weren’t ready.”
Jensen’s completed passes to six different receivers, six going to Zach Vraa. He didn’t try to bite off too much, with his longest completion going for 23 yards. But what Colorado State’s defense offered, he took at will.
The win was the sixth for North Dakota State against FBS teams since 2006, and the third straight year the program has notched one under coach Craig Bohl. It’s become a habit for them, much the same way winning has become commonplace for Jensen.
“We take them one at a time,” Bohl said. “People say that we should not be playing these. Our guys have a great resolve along with that we stick with what we know … Try to get outside the box, and when we do that, more teams typically lose on Saturday than win. We we’re able to go in and play well.”
Mike Brohard can be reached at 635-3633, email@example.com or on Twitter @mbrohard


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1999, ISBN: 9780916670214
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. Fine with No dust jacket as issued. 1999. Hardcover. 091667021X . This specific hardback book is in like new condition with a hard board cover that has sharp edges and corners and has a tight binding. The pages are clean, crisp, unmarked and uncreased. We package all books in custom cardboard book boxes for shipment and ship daily with tracking numbers.; "This book's quarto landscape format enables the many illustrations to be printed in fine detail. Almost all are historic photo images gleaned from the files of state, county and city engineering and design bureaus. These were originally done for record purposes to document newly built structures. Several pages are devoted to each selected major structure. Yet this is more than a picture book. The author. due to his long experience with such work, is able to succintly discuss each selected structure and its history."; 11.10 X 8.60 X 1 inches; 234 pages ., Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, 1999
Dr. Bookman - All Books Shipped in Cardboard
Shipping costs: EUR 29.46
1999, ISBN: 091667021X
[EAN: 9780916670214], [PU: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA], Technology|General, 235p, illustrations. 22x29cm. Pictorial boards. An unread copy, as new.
Michael J. Osborne Books LLC, ABAA, ILAB, Columbia, MD, U.S.A.  [Rating: 4 (von 5)]
Shipping costs: EUR 9.38
[EAN: 9780916670214], Gebraucht, guter Zustand, [PU: Pittsburgh History &], Technology|General, Dust Cover Missing. This book has a light amount of wear to the pages, cover and binding.
Blue Cloud Books, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.  [Rating: 5 (von 5)]
NOT NEW BOOK Shipping costs: EUR 5.80
Details of the book - Pittsburgh's Bridges: Architecture and Engineering
EAN (ISBN-13): 9780916670214
ISBN (ISBN-10): 091667021X
Publishing year: 1999
Publisher: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation
Book in our database since 14.10.2007 07:31:30
Book found last time on 01.03.2015 12:44:19
ISBN - alternate spelling:
< to archive...
- "Chronicle of a Pittsburgh Family", from "Evelyn Bitner Pearson, Walter C. Kidney (Editor), Louise Sturgess (Editor)" (0916670201)
- "Story of Woodville: The History, Architecture, and Archaeology of a Western Pennsylvania Farm", from "Ronald C. Carlisle" (0916670198)
- "sewickley" (0916670236)
- "Pittsburgh's Landmark Architecture: The Historic Buildings of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County", from "Walter C. Kidney, Walter C Kidney" (091667018X)
- "A Patrician of Ideas: A Biography of A.W. Schmidt", from "Clarke M. Thomas" (0916670244)
- "A legacy in bricks and mortar: African-American landmarks in Allegheny County", from "Other Contributor-Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundatio" (0916670171)

domain: library


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Summer is over and School is back in session, now we need some new music. Who am I kidding, I don’t need a reason to want new music. Every week is a good week for that. However, this week is a little limited on the releases. There are quite a few, but not a lot to excite my senses. There are a few I will check out and they are highlighted in Blue. Let me know what interests you and what I might have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!
- Black Star Riders – Another State of Grace – (Nuclear Blast): Black Star Riders are back with their fourth studio release and I am eager to hear what is in store as well as a little apprehensive since Damon Johnson is no longer in the band. He was a big draw. I will keep an open mind and give it a try as Ricky is still on vocals and Scott is still there as well, but I hate they are only down to 2 of the 5 original members.
- Lindsey Stirling – Artemis – (LindseyStomp Records/BMG): This young lady plays one mean violin. I find her to be sensational and always entertaining and I don’t expect this to be any different. A couple vocal tracks on this one as well with guest Amy Lee and Elle King which should be incredible, but the highlight is always her playing. If you haven’t checked her out, do yourself a service and do so.
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – September 6th”
I realized I have been making a lot of purchases and yet not everything makes its way on to the site. I figured I would do a wrap up each month of all my purchasing I have made even if they made it on the site during the month or even might make it on to the site down the road.
I like to buy vinyl, but I will also pick up CDs as well because sometimes those albums are not on vinyl and sometimes the CD package gives me a little more than the vinyl would like having a DVD included. One such release was done for that very reason.
The first being The Traveling Wilburys. I couldn’t believe I didn’t have these albums on vinyl and I could probably get them; however, I was at the record store and in the used section was The Traveling Wilburys Collection which included both albums and a DVD with a brief documentary and some music videos and all for a price well cheaper than getting these on vinyl with no DVD. I grabbed it!!
Next up was one I have been wanting to grab as well on vinyl, but when I saw this on CD and at the price, I grabbed it. I got it for less than $8 and considering the album is over $80 now (at least on Amazon), I thought who needs a vinyl. The album is Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes Live at the Greek. I had heard a lot of good things about it, so why not.
Continue reading “August Purchases – CD & Vinyl”
Who doesn’t love a good cover song. No one! Who doesn’t love a bad cover song…Every One!! Cover songs are hit and miss. Some are actually great and some want to make you stab your ears with a pencil to stop the pain. Whichever corner you are in, we are going to celebrate the cover song this week. I hope you enjoy…
Continue reading “Tuesday’s Memes – Cover Songs”
Happy Friday. Welcome to the new releases and I am sorry, but there are not a lot this week. Why? Because no one wants to go up against Taylor Swift. She will rule the world this week. That doesn’t mean I don’t have something because I do and it is going to kick some major ass. Sorry Swift, this will get played…yours won’t…except with my girls so I will hear it, but not by choice. What I will hear is in Blue. I hope there is something for you. Let me know what you like and if I missed anything. Thanks and have a great weekend!
- Crobot – Motherbrain – (Mascot Label Group): The boys from PA are back with their fourth studio album. If you like your hard rock with a little funk then come on over as you won’t be disappointed. This album is going on first thing this morning on the way to work…cranked as loud as I can take it. Each album has gotten better and I hope this one follows that trend.
- Taylor Swift – Lover – (Taylor Swift): Okay, I will have to listen to this and it is a really huge release so I will mention it. My prediction is that it won’t do as well as her previous releases as I think she has reached her peak a couple album ago. I am not saying it will be bad, I am saying we have probably heard it all before and she is rehashing old sounds. I think the days of Swift Superiority are coming to an end especially when you have fresh voices like Billie Eilish starting to rule the airwaves.
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – August 23rd”
Another Friday of new releases. Not the best day for releases. There are not a bunch and not a bunch I am interested in either. Which is probably good as I am driving back from vacation today with my family and they won’t want to listen to anything I want anyway (unless they fall asleep and then I can play what I want). My choices are highlighted in Blue. Let me know what interests you or if there is anything I missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.
- The Parlor Mob – Dark Hour – (Britannia Row Recordings): A hard rock band out of New Jersey that formed around 2004. It is modern hard rock and I have to admit I liked their first two albums so after a long break, the band is back after 8 years since the last full length album (3 years since an E.P.). I am interested to hear what they have to offer now after such a long break. I haven’t listened to anything yet so not sure what to expect, but if it is anything like ‘Dog’, I am in.
- King Gizzard & Lizard Wizard – Infest the Rats’ Nest – (Flightless Records): First up in my car this week will be the new one from this Experimental, Psychedelic Rock band who puts out more music than anyone. Hell a year or so ago they put out 5 albums in one year!! Who does that?? Always worth a spin so this one will get one first thing.
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – August 16th”
For My Sunday Song #150, we are ending the Van Halen set of 10 songs with “Mean Street” off the album “Fair Warning”. The song reached #13 on the Mainstream Rock station and help propel the album to #5 on the Billboard charts. It is the opening track and the song were the title of the album comes.
The song comes blazing out of the gate with the vintage Eddie style riffs that scream…I am the best guitarist and don’t you forget it!! The opening was inspired by the slap funk bass style and I would say there is nothing the man can’t do with a guitar. Then the song gets dirty and a little nasty. Musically and Lyrically, it is a dark song for the band. I also love the fade out at the end with those wicked guitar parts Ed is playing while it is fading out.
The song seems to be about life on the streets. The pain and agony of living on the street and the fighting to stay alive. The streets will basically chew you up and spit you out. Funny thing, the band aren’t from the streets so they really have no idea about “mean streets” now do they. Don’t get me wrong, that takes away nothing from the song. It is badass and delivered very convincingly.
Continue reading “My Sunday Song – “Mean Street” by Van Halen”
And now are you ready for Part 2 of Slipknot?? Well of course you are. Why wouldn’t you be. Here is the next batch of our 2 part series on Slipknot. I hope you enjoy!!
Continue reading “Tuesday’s Memes – Slipknot (Part 2)”
I can’t believe that as long as I have been putting together collections of memes from artists and bands, I haven’t done Bruce Springsteen. That is a travesty. Well I am going to correct that right here, right now! So, sit back and I hope you enjoy this collection honoring and poking fun at The Boss!!
Continue reading “Tuesday’s Memes – Bruce Springsteen”
For My Sunday Song #143, we have “Poundcake” off Van Halen’s 1991 album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (or F.U.C.K. for short). The song was the first single off the album and went straight to #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. The song was also the first song on the album which was one hell of a way to open an album.
The song comes firing at you with a freaking power drill. That is right. The song opens with a power drill being played through Eddie’s guitar. Playing it near or against the strings allows the guitar pickups to actually “pick up” the sound. It was totally cool as there seems there is nothing Eddie can not do with a guitar. It was so popular, that Eddie painted up a drill in the Frankenstrat motif to use in the video and tour.
That wasn’t the only cool thing about the song. The rest of the guitar sounds were great as well. Eddie beefed things up playing a 12 string throughout for the rhythm guitar as well as his normal guitar for the solo. And let me tell you that solo was something else too. Eddie pulls out all the tracks accompanied by the heart pounding drums of his brother Alex. It is one of those songs I liked more for the music than the actual lyrical content of the song.
Lyrically, the song is about being real. Most people are fake and pretend to be something they are not. It is sexier if you are just who you are, no pretentiousness or b.s. of any kind. If you can find a woman (or a man) that is who they say they are, then get a hold of that and wrap it up nice and tight. Poundcakes are simple, there isn’t anything to hide. What you see is what you get so I guess that is why they chose that as its title.
Continue reading “My Sunday Song – “Poundcake” by Van Halen”
I am sitting here eating lunch and learned that Peter Tork of the Monkees died today, February 21, 2019. Peter was 77 and passes almost 7 years to the day after Davy Jones (February 29, 2012). I haven’t been doing memorials for passing artists lately as I saved that for my year end In Memoriam list, but I am going to make an exception.
Growing up, The Monkees were a big influence on me. Their whimsical behavior and their music were a big part of my childhood. I am sure it was that Beatles sound, but whatever it was, I loved it (They outsold the Beatles for a short time, by the way).
Peter was the lovable goofball bass player who might have been my favorite on the show as he always made me laugh. Now, I didn’t see the shows live, but I did watch them religiously on the cable station TBS back in the 70’s. The first album my parents bought for me was The Monkees Greatest Hits. They ordered off one of those TV commercials because I am sure I hounded them until they did. I still have that vinyl today and it plays beautifully.
I am going to keep this short, but wanted to pay my respects to Peter Tork. Thanks for the musical memories and the joy you brought me as a little kid.

domain: artistic


In the two years since its launch onto the world's car markets, the MINI Countryman has developed into a driving force behind the continuing growth of the brand. The transference of hallmark MINI qualities and values into a new vehicle segment has won over new target groups worldwide to the brand's unmistakable style. Autumn 2012 will see the British carmaker's first model to offer all-wheel drive benefiting from an extensive round of modifications which will further enhance the allure of its boundless driving fun. Detailed refinements to the car's design and the selection of materials available for the interior shine the spotlight even more brightly on a premium character none of the MINI Countryman's rivals can match. The spacious five-door's optimised ease of use underlines its very modern appreciation of practicality.
The modifications designed for the MINI Countryman will be rolled out across all model variants from November 2012. Open one of the front doors and the newly designed rings encircling the Centre Speedo and four air vents immediately stand out. They will now be presented across the board in the colour shade Carbon Black and also have an inner ring in high-gloss black or – as part of the Chrome Line Interior option – in chrome. Both in standard trim and with options specified, the fresh appeal of the colours and materials adds further lustre to the high-quality character of the MINI Countryman interior.
Newly designed door inserts also help to enhance the car's premium ambience, comfort and practicality. Remodelled door armrests provide even more comfortable support for the arms, and the controls for the electric windows are now also positioned in the door trim. A full control panel is integrated into the door armrest on the driver's side. The switches clustered here include the controls for all the windows, the deactivation facility for the rear window controls and adjustment for the exterior mirrors. Moving the window controls away from the centre console also optimises access to the larger storage compartment below it. From autumn 2012 the MINI Countryman will come as standard with a three-seat rear bench, while a pair of individual seats will be available as a no-cost alternative.
As well as changes to the range of interior colours, interior trim elements and Colour Lines, the selection of exterior paint finishes will also be given a refresh in autumn 2012. New additions include the suitably expressive colour shades Brilliant Copper metallic and Blazing Red metallic. Plus, a restructuring of the equipment packages on offer to customers will make it even easier to customise the MINI Countryman to reflect their tastes.
Customers can choose from six engine variants for the MINI Countryman. The three petrol and three diesel units produce outputs stretching from 66 kW/90 hp to 135 kW/184 hp. Beyond these, there is also the ultra-sporty MINI John Cooper Works Countryman, powered by a turbocharged 160 kW/218 hp engine. The ALL4 all-wheel-drive system fitted as standard on this top-class performance variant is also available as an option for the MINI Cooper S Countryman, MINI Cooper SD Countryman and MINI Cooper D Countryman. All models, with the exception of the MINI One D Countryman, can be ordered with a six-speed automatic gearbox as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual. The impressive efficiency of the engines and gearboxes along with extensive MINIMALISM technology ensure all the MINI Countryman variants achieve an exemplary balance between driving fun and fuel economy. Added to which, from autumn 2012 the MINI One Countryman and MINI Cooper Countryman will meet the stipulations of the EU6 exhaust emissions standard due to come into force in 2014.


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This webinar was held on Monday, June 12, 2023, from 10:30am to 12:00pm. Access the accompanying recording and presentation slides below.
The Senate recently completed its work on the State Budget, and the House concurred with its proposed changes. This webinar reviewed the changes made by the Senate to the House’s version of the State Budget, and summarized the key changes made by the Legislature’s budget proposal. This webinar covered what the next State Budget will fund and how it changed during the legislative process.
Presenter: Phil Sletten, Research Director, NHFPI
Presentation Slides: Examining the State Budget: Reviewing the Senate’s Proposal– Presented by NHFPI Research Director Phil Sletten.
A recording of the presentation is available to view here.
The first event of this three-part series, Examining the State Budget: Unpacking the Governor’s Proposal was held on Friday, February 24, from 10:30am to 12:00pm. The second event of this series, Examining the State Budget: Understanding the House Finance Committee’s Proposal was held on Monday, June 12 from 10:30am to 12:00pm.


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|Home > Policy > Congresses/Declarations > Groningen Declaration, 2011
May 2011, Groningen, The Netherlands
About 150 participants from 24 countries attended the 25th European Regional Conference of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), 16 - 20 May 2011, Groningen, the Netherlands, with a fieldtrip to the northern coastal area of Germany. The conference was jointly organised by the Netherlands and German National ICID Committees. The theme of the conference was Deltas in Europe. Integrated water management for multiple land use in flat coastal areas. There were four topics: Multiple land use, Fresh water management and salt intrusion, Flood risk management and Institutional arrangements and history.
In total 57 papers were approved for the conference, more or less evenly spread over the topics with some more papers for Topic III. There were 11 keynote presentations, several workshops, a panel discussion, excursions and a social programme. Based on this the following statements were presented and supported by the participants at the closing session of the Conference.
(I) Most European countries with flat coastal areas are facing similar problems like: design standards for water management and flood protection provisions are often significantly below the economic optimum, problems with food production due to changes in land use from predominantly agriculture to multi-functional land use, urbanisation and climate change resulting in an increase in rainfall extremes and drought periods.
(III) Cooperation amongst authorities and other stakeholders, as well as between countries on trans-boundary issues is important for successful development and management of flat coastal areas. Such coordination is often not optimal in practice and generally needs to be improved.
(IV) In a significant number of the papers real innovative approaches were shown. However with several of the cases that were presented more experience will have to be obtained before they can be implemented in practice.
Topic I. Multiple Land Use
(V) Integrated approaches, taking into account different types of land use with their interactions, are nowadays required in land reclamation for urban development, as well as for rural development projects.
(VI) An interesting tool to provide insight in flood risk are risk assessment maps based on topography, hydrology and land use, which are nowadays available in several countries and easily accessible through the internet.
(VII) Public awareness for flood risk is difficult to achieve because calamities don’t occur regularly and people tend not to follow government advice.
(VIII) To adapt to climate change to sustain agricultural activities in the Netherlands three different landscapes may be distinguished: peatlands, sandy soils and polder areas. Each type of area has its own challenges and need for adaptation.
Adaptation strategies need smart solutions, such as living with water and living on water. Agriculture needs different approaches and high-tech capital intensive farming is one of them. However, the future for continuing agriculture in some of the marginal flood prone areas is bleak.
(IX) In the development of rural areas in the Netherlands the focus of water management has changed from drainage and flood protection in the 1950s to landscape and nature development since the 1990s. Currently spatial planning is guiding water management measures. An integrated territorial approach is being followed to come up with carefully balanced solutions. This approach is successful because, among others, it is based on a participatory process and a multidisciplinary approach. Three instruments are being used in support of the process: Sketch ‘n Match, Virtual Reality and Touch table. It is important that solutions are tailor-made and supported by stakeholders.
Topic II. Fresh water management and salt intrusion
(X) Most papers described a modelling approach, for example one on the transferability of SVAT model results from field to greenhouse experiments, one on SOBEK modelling and another on the prevention/reduction of salt water intrusion in shiplocks.
(XI) There was an interesting paper showing research results on the possible disappearance of fresh water lenses in the root zone due to climate change. Adaptation by means of innovative drainage and irrigation methods are considered to be required.
(XII) Several papers have shown and emphasized salinity intrusion as an ever increasing problem, for agriculture, for fresh water intake and other functions of the water system. This will only increase in future, as climate change will cause sea level rise and lower rainfall and river discharge in the dry season.
Topic III Flood risk management
(XIII) In analyses of flood risk management various aspects - hydrological, social, economical, environment, human induced changes in land use and impacts of climate change - and potential measures - flood risk reduction, flood protection (of urban areas), flood forecasting and warning, preparedness and after care - as well as their optimal combination need to be considered. A multi criteria analysis can be a useful part of investigations.
(XIV) The presentation on the Kokemaenjoki River Basin in Finland showed the risk of ice jams. In northern countries these risks are expected to increase in the next decades. Surprising is that due to global warming and related variations in temperature more ice jams are expected.
(XV) It was stated that there is no need for new technical concepts but especially increased awareness of flood risk is important. However, it remains hard to create awareness and we tend to underestimate psychological aspects of a flood. We should better learn from disasters. The following was proposed to reduce flood risk in the near future: from flood protection to damage prevention, from sophisticated systems to simple systems, use of a multiple layer (of safety) approach and more accountability for private owners.
(XVI) Several new methods were presented to determine the design standard of flood protection provisions. Present standards have generally been developed based on an economic perspective only with no attention to casualties. To identify if differentiation in design standards would be socially acceptable, views from governments, business organizations, regional water authorities and Non Government Organisations (NGO) would have to be analysed.
(XVII) Several models were presented that were dealing not only with water flow, but also with debris flow and erosion aspects, as well as the impacts of land use on these processes. In most of these models a hydraulic model is combined with a Geographic Information System (GIS, DEM) to analyse the spatial differences.
(XVIII) There is a trend to ‘make space for water’ or ‘room for the river’. When this is not an option, like in densely populated urban areas, there is a need to optimize structural measures, especially for dikes. Several innovative concepts - for example the spatially integrated dike - were presented. Of course, there is the option to strengthen dikes and to improve the bank protection, but in addition it is of importance to consider spatial-multifunctional concepts, like for example using willow trees or mangroves to reduce wave impacts or to design dikes for example integrated with buildings. Such approaches require dialogues between engineers and spatial planners to come to agreement on design, manageability, long-term planning horizon of space occupation and functionality.
Topic IV. Institutional arrangements and history
(XIX) There are evident differences between countries. In Europe substantial investments are being made to restore a more natural situation (though the scale is small in comparison to the original situation), while in emerging countries economic development is considered to be more important than environmental aspects, while it is seen as the way to develop people’s livelihoods. Due to this it is important to be careful with projecting ideas on sustainable development of developed countries upon emerging and least developed countries.
(XX) The water management and flood protection agenda is to a large extent dependent on political preferences (e.g. budget cuts in developed countries, political considerations in emerging countries, disputes about trans-boundary issues). Despite environmental awareness, politics determine the water management and flood protection direction. An optimal situation for ecology is often not feasible because of other requirements such as for flood protection, navigation and cost-efficiency.
(XXI) The question has been raised if the EU Water Framework Directive is not too ambitious, or if it is good to have such ambitious goals? For heavily modified and artificial waters the goals can be defined by the member states themselves, which means that measures can be successful. Still, the decisions on required measures will be very hard and actual implementation depends on budgets.
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domain: geography


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Brain Game: Math Square #107
Here's a new Monday Math Square for today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game. Enjoy!
The nine white squares inside the main red grid should be filled with the digits 1 through 9. Each digit should appear only once in this main grid (the red square). Place the digits 1 through 9 in their correct spots so that the mathematical equations work both across and down.

domain: game


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WEST BANK: American journalist booted from Israel after being questioned about his views
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
In a case that has angered press freedom groups, Jared Malsin, the American editor of a Palestinian news agency based in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, departed Israel on Wednesday after being denied entry to the country.
The 24-year-old journalist was put on a plane to New York after spending a week in detention and being interrogated by Israeli authorities about his ‘anti-Israeli’ views, news reports said.
Officials insisted that Malsin, who is Jewish, had not been deported from Israel but left the country voluntarily after a court rejected his appeal for a visa, according to the Reuters news agency. They said Malsin was denied entry into the country when he refused to answer their questions at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport when returning from a holiday.
‘He refused to cooperate,’ Sabine Hadad, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry was quoted as saying by Reuters.
She said Malsin refused to answer questions ‘about his past’ in the country.
Malsin’s girlfriend, a U.S citizen working as a volunteer for a church group in Jerusalem, was reportedly also denied entry when she arrived at the airport last week and subsequently sent out of Israel.
During his nearly 2 1/2 years of work with the Maan news agency, a nonprofit organization supported by grants from the European Union, the United Nations and the U.S. that reports on Israel and the occupied territories, Malsin had apparently used three-month tourist visas in his stay and did not have a proper work visa.
The technique is supposedly rather commonplace by some foreign employees in the Palestinian areas who claim to have an increasingly difficult time obtaining work visas from the Israeli authorities, according to a report by the Washington Post.
Reuters quoted an Israeli document that said Malsin was questioned after having entered the country ‘many times without proper visa arrangements.’ When the journalist said he lived in the West Bank town of Beit Sahour, officials said, they searched his name on the Internet and concluded his reporting ‘had a critical eye on Israel.’
The document said the officials believed Malsin was ‘taking advantage of being Jewish in order to obtain a visa.’
Malsin said he found it ‘outrageous’ that his political views would prove such a big deal.
‘They judged me to have anti-Israeli politics,’ he was quoted as saying by the Washington Post. ‘It’s outrageous that would even appear in a legal argument, that a person’s politics would be a relevant issue.’
The International Federation of Journalists called the Malsin case ‘an intolerable violation of press freedom.’
-- Alexandra Sandels in Beirut

domain: news


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Jeb Bush is in Ohio today rubbing shoulders with business leaders, but it’s not the first time he’s chosen the business elite over middle class workers. Bush opposed the auto rescue and would’ve let 850,000 jobs that are tied to the auto industry disappear.
Not exactly a winning message from Bush: Protecting his Wall Street allies and leaving Ohio workers to fend for themselves.
850,000 Ohio Jobs Are Tied To The Auto Industry
PolitiFact Rated The Claim That ‘850,000 Ohio Jobs (Are) Tied To The Auto Industry.’ True. According to Politifact, “The ODP’s claim was that ‘850,000 Ohio jobs (are) tied to the auto industry.’ That is an accurate statement. While the jobs figure includes intermediate and spinoff jobs, as well as direct employment, that manner of counting is not uncommon for evaluating employment impact. On the Truth O Meter, we rate the statement True.” [Politifact, 3/14/12]
Bush Opposed Efforts To Rescue The Auto Industry
Asked In A House Budget Committee Hearing Whether He Supported The Auto Rescue, Bush Simply Responded “No.” According to a transcript of a House Budget Committee hearing from June 1, 2012, “Mr. Van Hollen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do believe that there is a lot of agreement. But let me just start with what sort of got me going here. The chairman in his opening remarks again talked about the Obama administration and crony capitalism. They continue to refer to the auto rescue, not as an example of an important government intervention that helped millions of jobs, but as an example of crony capitalism. So I just want to ask you, Governor Bush, I believe you supported, as did a lot of us, not all of us, on a bipartisan basis the effort that President Bush took to help rescue the financial sector, which in part precipitated the crisis. And many of us believe that it was also appropriate to take the actions that President Obama did to help rescue the auto industry and a million jobs. Did you support that effort? Mr. Bush. No. Mr. Van Hollen. No. Okay.” [House Budget Committee Hearing, 6/1/12]
Bush: Auto Rescue Represents “A Form Of Capitalism Where The Government Intervenes In A Very Muscular Kind Of Way.” According to The Tampa Bay Times, “Bush said that until the hearing, he hadn’t been asked his opinion on the automotive bailout or the bank bailouts. He told the committee he didn’t support the auto bailout — what he describes as ‘a form of capitalism where the government intervenes in a very muscular kind of way.’ The positions puts him in line with Romney. Bush did say, however, say [sic] that he thought some aspects of the bank bailout were necessary. Bush worked as a consultant for Lehman Brothers before its collapse, and currently serves as a senior adviser to Barclays Capital.” [The Tampa Bay Times, 6/1/12]
Politico: Jeb Bush Did Not Support The Auto Rescue. According to Politico.com, “Those facts don’t seem to matter to the GOP leaders lining up to be their party’s 2016 presidential nominee. Each has made it very clear whether or not they would have supported the auto bailout. Jeb Bush: No. Ted Cruz: No. Scott Walker: No. Rick Perry: No. Chris Christie: No comment. And last, but certainly not least, Rand Paul: NO.” [Politico.com, 12/18/13]
Bush Supported Government Efforts To Bail Out Banks In The Wake Of The Financial Crisis
Bush, A Former Adviser To Lehman Brothers And Barclays Capital, Supported The Bank Bailout. According to The Tampa Bay Times, “Bush did say, however, say [sic] that he thought some aspects of the bank bailout were necessary. Bush worked as a consultant for Lehman Brothers before its collapse, and currently serves as a senior adviser to Barclays Capital.” [Tampa Bay Times, 6/1/12]
Published: Apr 14, 2015

domain: politics


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Bocholt (ots) - On Friday evening, around 22.50:XNUMX p.m., attentive witnesses became aware of a suspect who was in the Barloer Weg / Louis-Pasteur-Ring area. When the suspect saw the witnesses, he jumped over a hedge onto private property. The witnesses assumed a break-in and surrounded the private property. Suddenly the previously observed suspect and a [...]
Bocholt (ots) - Late on Saturday evening, the police acted as part of the administrative assistance for the Bocholt public order office. The occasion was an unauthorized event in Bocholt-Suderwick. The police officers established the personal details of those present and assisted in ending the event. During the operation, a 64-year-old Bocholter behaved very provocatively and finally insulted a [...]
Bocholt (ots) - In the night of Thursday, as yet unknown perpetrators broke into two vans on a fenced company site on Brinkstegge and stole several Makita and Würth tools. The complaint was filed on Friday afternoon. The police are looking for witnesses. Please send information to the Kripo in Bocholt (02871) 2990.

domain: law


In Reply to: Backfire on Overrun - Mixture or Timing? posted by Hamish on March 07, 2000 at 13:01:04:
: My 76 (32/36, pertronix, blue coil, no emissions eqpt) is increasingly starting to backfire on the overrun. My question is, is this a timing, or a mixture issue?
: The engine conditions are one of high vacuum and low load. With the throttle plate closed, this would make the idle circuit the primary factor in how much gas reaches the engine. However the higher than normal vacuum will pull extra fuel through and increase the mixture richness, correct? The fact that it is backfiring indicates to me that all the fuel is not being burned and is making its way out the exhaust valves.
: Though I have removed the smog pump and thermal reactor, my 76 still has its vacuum retard lines attached (whether they are actually functioning properly I cannot say). Is it possible that the higher vacuum is actually retarding too much and causing this problem? Would I be better off disconnecting the retard altogether? Or is it a carburetion issue after all?
: Thanks for your help.
In my experience it's mostly a fuel thing-- your assessment of the high vacuum/rich idle circuit condition seems sound. Though vacuum retarded timing could make the problem worse, I think the vacuum retard only changes the timing by a few degrees. If your ignition seems OK otherwise (like it's advanced enough at idle, and there's decent power at speed), I would think that the vacuum retard is not the culprit. When you're off idle, the spring/weight mechanical advance mechanism assures that you are several degrees advanced from idle anyway, so the vacuum only brings you back closer to idle advance. In the pre-emissions days, hi-performance carbs (like sidedrafts) backfired readily--even in "good" tune, you'd hear a burbling of rich mixture exhaust popping when on deceleration from high RPM. This overrich condition is one of the main things they tried to fix with all of that mid-70's emissions stuff. EGR is supposed to recycle the HC-rich gases while decelerating, and there is usually a vacuum-operated dashpot that prevents the throttle from snapping fully, immediately closed at high RPM. My advice would be to install the dashpot if it's not there, or fix it if it's broken. You need to choose the "right" vacuum source for both the dashpot and the distributor, too. Although it's tempting to remove all of the emissions stuff, the dashpot doesn't really impact performance, so it's worth leaving.


Fisker Latigo CS
Uncompromising. Distinctive. Compelling. The BMW 6 Series 650Ci Coupe provides the base vehicle architecture for the FISKER LATIGO CS. Signature FISKER cues bring a new gravitas and balance to the luxury sports coupe - it is understated elegance at its best. As in the FISKER TRAMONTO, all electronic, telematic and safety systems remain untouched from the original manufacturer, and every original vehicle option is available.
The FISKER LATIGO CS is currently nearing production status, so final technical details are still in flux. Engine specifications call for a standard 32-valve, 4.8-liter V8 pumping 367 horsepower, and an optional V10 that generates over 550 horsepower if you choose a BMW M6 as your base architecture.
LATIGO CS DESIGN
The LATIGO CS evidences signature Fisker style, with details that can only be done by hand. "Hand craftsmanship is at the forefront of this coachbuild design. Coachbuilding is an art form," explains Henrik Fisker, CEO FISKER COACHBUILD. "We can deliver what many auto enthusiasts have been seeking - attention to detail which complements the already proven performance."
FISKER COACHBUILD works with a hand-picked team of classic car body builders, wheelers, panel beaters, wing makers, and fender manufacturers who are highly skilled in their work with aluminum, steel, stainless steel, carbon fiber and magnesium alloy. "Henrik and I have a long, proven history of partnership in various capacities and companies," notes Bernhard Koehler, COO of FISKER COACHBUILD. "That, combined with the talent, dedication and hard work of every member of our team, has enabled us to bring these cars to life in just 9 months."
Together, Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler are building on one of the world's greatest handcrafted experiences in car design - coachbuilding. They are crafting a line of automobiles that will redefine automotive performance, elegance and exclusive luxury.
Earlier this year, Fisker and Koehler recruited a small group of international investors to bring the FISKER COACHBUILD experience to life. A workshop was rented…a handful of craftsmen hired... and production of the FISKER TRAMONTO and LATIGO CS turned from dream to reality.
The FISKER COACHBUILD 2006 TRAMONTO is a sculpted statement of exotic, two-seat, open-air motoring. Beneath the skin, the engineering excellence of what its base architecture once was - a Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG - remains. The myriad array of Mercedes-Benz's finest technological innovations, from the power-retractable hardtop to Active Body Control (ABC), remain untouched - as do safety systems, including crumple zones and airbags. At the same time, the TRAMONTO has become something much more, and the differences go beyond what meets the eye.
TRAMONTO EXTERIOR DESIGN
The stance is wide and low. Ground hugging. The lines flow smoothly from start to finish - unbroken in the signature Fisker style. The overall look conveys movement, speed and power, whether the power retractable hardtop is secured for foul-weather driving or stowed for open-air motoring.
Compared to its original platform, the TRAMONTO is reproportioned with a shorter back end, a longer-looking hood line with a pronounced power dome, and no visual bumpers. It is poised, balanced, sculptured…and exotic. From any angle, the message is uncompromisingly beautiful. Unmistakably FISKER.
Fisker Karma Prototype
Fisker Automotive, Inc., a green American premium sports car company, unveiled its first production car, the Fisker Karma, at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The first of its kind four-door plug-in hybrid premium sports sedan will have a starting price of $80,000. Initial deliveries of the Karma will commence in the 4th quarter of 2009 with annual production projected to reach 15,000 cars. The first 99 cars off the assembly line will be individually numbered and signed by Henrik Fisker and will be produced in the color and trim of the show car seen at NAIAS.
In Buddhism/Hinduism, Karma is defined as the force generated by a person's good or evil actions which determines the nature of the person's next existence. The Fisker Karma allows consumers to practice good Karma - driving a car that is environmentally friendly - without sacrificing the extreme comfort and style of the luxury automobile category.
"In creating Fisker Automotive, Inc. we sought to develop a range of beautiful, environmentally friendly cars that make environmental sense without compromise," said Fisker Automotive, Inc. CEO Henrik Fisker. "Our hope is that the Fisker Karma will be the start of a new trend in the automotive business - less concession with more efficiency."
The car features cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology, penned as Q DRIVE, developed by Quantum Technologies exclusively for Fisker Automotive. The Karma's Q DRIVE configuration consists of a small gasoline engine that turns the generator, which charges the lithium ion battery pack, powering the electric motor and turning the rear wheels. This proprietary design allows consumers to drive the car emission free for up to 50 miles a day provided the car is charged every evening. It's conceivable that if consumers follow this daily routine, they will only need to fuel the car but once a year. This Q DRIVE technology will provide a base for all future derivatives from Fisker Automotive.
Fisker Karma S Concept (2009)
Fisker Automotive, Inc., the new American manufacturer of premium green automobiles, unveiled its first production car - the 2010 Fisker Karma - at the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. With a starting price of $87,900 ($80,400 after US government tax credits), 1,000 orders for the 100 mile-per-gallon luxury plug-in hybrid have been received since the prototype debuted at the 2008 NAIAS. Fisker Karma deliveries are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2009 through the Fisker Automotive Retail network.
The four-door, four-seat Fisker Karma fuses the traditional and timeless styling of veteran auto designer and Fisker Automotive CEO Henrik Fisker, with Quantum Technologies' clean Q-DRIVE® plug-in hybrid powertrain to become the world's first luxury plug-in hybrid car.
Q-DRIVE®: POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY
Exclusive to Fisker Automotive, Q-DRIVE® provides the best combination of power, efficiency and low emissions. The system is comprised of two 201hp electric motors powered by an advanced lithium-ion technology battery pack. A generator attached to a 260hp turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec® direct injection (D1) gasoline engine provides extended range capabilities.
"More than 60 percent of America's 200 million drivers travel less than 50 miles per day. With Q-DRIVE®, the Fisker Karma can do that without using a drop of gas. This proprietary powertrain will provide a base for all future model derivatives from Fisker Automotive." said Alan Niedzwiecki, CEO Quantum Technologies.
Fisker Atlantic Concept
Fisker Automotive is pleased to unveil its all-new model, the Atlantic sedan. This is the latest model in the company's expanding line up of extended-range luxury electric cars.
Revealed as a design prototype at a special VIP preview event the night before the 2012 New York Auto Show press days begin, the Fisker Atlantic design prototype is a luxury four-door sporting sedan with a practical interior. It is aimed at young families who want to drive an impactful, high-end vehicle while making a positive statement about responsibilities - both in terms of their commitment to sustainability and the practicalities of everyday life.
The Atlantic uses the latest second generation EVer (Electric Vehicle with extended range) technology. It will offer all the benefits of electric drive while at the same time eliminating the "range anxiety" experienced with an all-electric powertrain.
Like the Karma sedan, the Fisker Atlantic is a plug-in series hybrid vehicle that allows drivers to switch manually or automatically between electric and gasoline driving modes and sustain the charge of its lithium ion batteries on the move.
Its four-cylinder gasoline engine, which acts as a generator and is not mechanically connected to the wheels, is tuned to offer maximum economy and high torque. This Atlantic EVer powertrain will offer highly competitive performance for a car in its class. The standard powertrain will be configured for rear-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive version will be offered as an option.
From the California automaker Fisker Automotive comes the Fisker Karma, the world's first true Electric Vehicle with extended range (EVer™) and a radical expression of what is possible in the automotive world.
Loosely translating from Hindi, Karma implies good deeds are rewarded. The Fisker Karma allows drivers who appreciate style and performance to own and enjoy a car that is also environmentally conscious, one that achieves fuel consumption and emissions performance that is simply beyond the capability of today's conventional luxury automobiles.
Combining striking, elegant design with high performance, ultra-low fuel consumption and zero emissions on demand, the four-door, four-seat Fisker Karma embodies the brand's commitment to creating Uncompromised Responsible Luxury™ vehicles that deliver Pure Driving Passion.
The Fisker Karma - an all-new car with all-new technology from an all-new company - arrives in showrooms this summer, setting a new benchmark for time-to-market after being unveiled as a concept in 2008 and creating the Premium Luxury EV segment.
With its proprietary EVer™ powertrain - inspired by a military stealth vehicle - the Fisker Karma can accelerate from zero-to-60 mph in just 5.9 seconds, yet achieve the equivalent of more than 100 miles per gallon and 83 g/km CO2 emissions in real-world driving on an annual basis.
In a design masterstroke, Fisker Automotive has created a completely original vehicle: the first electric luxury/sports automobile for an active and eco-friendly lifestyle. The Fisker Surf builds on the success of the ground-breaking Karma Electric Vehicle with extended range (EVer™) by adding additional, flexible load-carrying capability, along with a spirited new attitude all its own.
Fisker Surf combines performance, luxury, style, utility, and economy with an enduring concern for the sustainable use of resources and respect for our natural environment.
As a global company Fisker Automotive will offer the Surf in all its markets around the world for the 2013 model year. The Fisker Surf will create a new niche and open new customer markets for Fisker, by appealing to those looking for this unique blend of advanced technology, innovative design and environmental sensitivity, with added versatility. Europe, in particular, has demonstrated a historic fondness for sport-wagon design, and it is there where Fisker anticipates strong demand.
The Fisker Surf is the first vehicle of its kind and a radical departure from traditional vehicles offered by other manufacturers. It brings added energy to Fisker's focus on Uncompromised Responsible LuxuryTM and Pure Driving PassionTM.
Very early in the development of the original Karma sedan, company CEO and Executive Design Director, Henrik Fisker decided a more versatile variant would be part of the model lineup. So when the time came for the evolution from Karma to Surf the path had already been defined for combining utility with bold and striking design.


Broadband router manufacturers have a really special future, considering the fact that the demand for networking is not going to wane any time in the near future. Networking multiplies the power of computing manifolds and makes it reach greater and unprecedented heights of capability. The seamless exchange and routing data packets in a network allows network owners to enjoy privileges like sharing information throughout the network’s participating computers and even share a single computer peripheral with all terminals. Routers, thus, are indispensible and arguably the most special components of networks. When they leave the factories and workstations where they are manufactured, routers are given a default IP address. This IP address is the identification and calling information for the router operator. Belkin and SMC are among the noted manufacturers of routers. Equipment from these makers are powering thousands of networks and enabling the exchange of information between millions of computers across the globe. One can also use this IP address with a router coming with any other default IP by going to the administrative console of the router and affecting the changes. The procedure to enter the set up or the administrative console is pretty simply handled and has been thoroughly explained in the next section.
When you bring home a router from Belkin or SMC, you will need to know the default IP address of the router to be able to perform vital router management functions that are accessible from the router setup page. And to reach this router setup page, you will need a web browser in your computer. And before that, you will need to establish a link between the router and the computer from where you will execute the administrative changes. This is done by using Ethernet. Now, coming back to the computer’s web browser, you will need to enter the default IP address of the router in the format of a webpage. For instance, for a router that uses 192.168.2.1 as the default address, the input to the address bar of the browser would have to be http://192.168.2.1/. You will then need to enter the login credentials in the prompt box that comes as soon as you hit Enter after entering the above mentioned IP address. You can find the default login credentials from the customer service department of the manufacturer.
The point to point protocol is set up through the router configuration panel, or the administration console of the router discussed above. PPPoE is an important aspect of network engineering and architecture, and this necessitates that people in this industry know about 192.168.2.1. Other similar set ups like PPPoA, i.e. Point to Point Protocol over ATM, and Mac Access Control are done through the same procedure. In this manner, the administrative console becomes the life and blood of activities that you need the router to accomplish.
For routers with a Belkin or SMC make, network engineers instantly know that the default IP address would be 192.168.2.1. Even some other manufacturers of routers use the same address as the default IP. However, if you are stuck with a router whose default IP is not known to you, you can easily Google for the same by keying in the model number and the name of the manufacturer. The default IPv4 address we have been talking about does not always have to be used as the address to call the router. In fact, once you have access to the set up console, you can change the IP address associated with the router. 192.168.2.1, as many network engineers would instantly recognize, belongs to a group of IP addresses reserved for private networks. Using private IP means that it would not matter if a router of any neighbouring network of computers uses the same default IP. This is because each router will be a part of its own network and hence would be able to run with the same IP address as several other independently working routers. Of course, you can’t use the same IP address for two devices in one network. In such a scenario, name duplication and hence, network clashes will occur. This will cause your network to malfunction, and it would continue to be so till you give a different IP address to all conflicting devices, except one.
In this manner, network engineers have a lot of interaction with 192.168.2.1. The fact that there are several manufacturers using this IP as the default set one with their routers also accentuates its importance. Hence, knowledge of the same forms a vital part of their training and they stand to gain a lot from understanding the nuances of the working of routers that have 192.168.2.1 as the default IP address.


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Ladies and gentlemen, your Montreal Canadiens.
The Canadiens trimmed their roster to 23 players in preparation for the opening of the regular season against the Maple Leafs in Toronto Wednesday (7 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, TSN-690 Sports, 98.5 FM) but you can expect some important changes over the next month.
Montreal is hoping that goaltender Carey Price will be physically and mentally ready to assume the No. 1 role by mid-November after spending time in the NBHL/NHLPA player assistance program.
And defenceman Joel Edmundson and forward Mike Hoffman have places waiting for them when they recover from injuries over the next two weeks.
Down the line, the Canadiens will have to find a spot for speedster Paul Byron, who is a key penalty-killer and a member of the team’s leadership group. He had hip surgery in the off-season and the prognosis was for a return in late December, but Byron skated with a member of the team’s training staff for about 15 minutes Monday morning, which indicates his recovery is ahead of schedule.
Getting down to the 23-man limit was a painless exercise for coach Dominique Ducharme until mid-afternoon Monday when general manager Marc Bergevin claimed journeyman centre Adam Brooks off waivers from the Maple Leafs. With the acquisition, the Canadiens had 24 bodies and Sami Niku, who appeared healthy in practice, became the odd man out when he was placed on the injured reserve list. That means Montreal will start the season with only six defencemen.
The decision to claim Brooks is an indication the Canadiens need help at centre on the fourth line where Ryan Poehling and veterans Mathieu Perreault and Cédric Paquette have been in the mix. But Brooks seems to be a strange choice. The 25-year-old is on the smallish side at 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds and has played only 18 regular-season NHL games as well as two playoff games against the Canadiens earlier this year. On the plus side, he scored four goals on only 10 shots last season, but he won only 42.1 per cent of his faceoffs.
The Canadiens made two roster moves earlier Monday. Cayden Primeau, who was the No.3 goaltender in camp, was sent back to the Laval Rocket, while junior-age defenceman Kaiden Guhle was returned to the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League.
There were times in the preseason when Guhle displayed the poise of an NHL player, but there was no way he was going to crack the top six and Ducharme said he was better off returning to junior and seeing lots of ice time. He will play a leadership role as captain of a young team and he is a lock to make a second appearance for Team Canada at the world junior championships.
“The two young people need to play and to acquire maturity,” Ducharme said after the Canadiens practised in Brossard Monday. “We liked Guhle’s camp. He has shown great skills as a defender who will have a long career (in the NHL) and the personality of a leader in the making. Everything is positive in his case.
“As for Primeau, it’s important that he continues to grow by accumulating games in the AHL,” said Ducharme.
The Canadiens will hold a final practice in Brossard Tuesday before flying to Toronto for the opener. They will play in Buffalo Thursday.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2021


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Full size black RockJam electric guitar with spare strings, guitar picks, and a strap
10 watt amplifier with headphone output with guitar connector cable
3x Single coil pickups for a truly versatile playing experience
Whammy bar for those string bending licks.
The RockJam RJEG02 has been designed and perfected by guitar experts for the guitar novice to provide you with the best value style and substance plug and play package.
The pack itself comprises of a high gloss finished Full Size electric guitar accompanied with a 10 watt amplifier. The guitar houses 3x Single coils and with it’s adjoining whammy bar it is a perfect fit for all styles of playing and music.
To all this the RockJam RJEG02 provides you with spare strings, a set of plectrums, a gig bag and a guitar stand, this is really is the the ultimate way to get you rocking in one day.
In this lesson, John X previews his “Jazz Triplet Fill Concepts” lesson series available on http://www.johnxdrums.com/ Lesson #1 – You will learn how to play a jazz fill using alternate triplets… Video Rating: 5 / 5
My uncle lives in another country and is a very well known pianist. He wants to broaden his skills and learn jazz on piano but cannot seem to find any instructional DVDs. Are there any DVDs that teach you how to play at a professional level? Thanks.


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Hello friends! It’s day 4 of the MFT Stamps August Release Countdown! Today, I have a fun and spooky set to share with you today called Ghostly Greetings. This set is perfect for those of you that like to make Halloween cards/goodies or for making cards for those who love to celebrate the day.
I made an A2-sized, open-front box card today that I wanted to look like a spooky cemetery. In a way, the box itself also looks like a tombstone. I first started by stamping my images with black ink onto a sheet of Neenah Solar White 110lb Card Stock. I then colored them with Copic Markers and used the coordinating Ghostly Greetings Die-namics to cut them out.
Copic Color Combos Used:
- Ghost: 0, C00, C0, C2, C4
- Tombstones: W00, W0, W2, W4
I used a sheet of Gravel Gray Prestige Card Stock for my card base and layered it with both white and ink-blended card stock. For my ink-blended background, I used Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Hickory Smoke, and Black Soot Distress Oxide Inks. I had diecut a circle from masking paper for my moon prior to blending the background with ink and then colored in the moon with cool gray Copic Markers (0, C00, C0, C2, C4).
I added a rickety black fence by diecutting the new Spooky Fence Die-namics from a piece of Black Licorice Card Stock. For my grass, I diecut some heavy vellum paper using the Grassy Fields Die-namics. I love the frosted look that it gives the grass. It’s very subtle in the photos but when looking at the card in person, it’s a pretty neat effect. Next, I blended some Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide Inks for my side panels and stamped a fun sentiment from the new Sassy Pants Spooktacular Stamp Set with black ink. Lastly, I added a spider web for added interest in the background from the new Boo Crew Stamp Set and attached my bats with some pieces of clear acetate to make them look like they were flying.
Make sure to stop by the MFT Blog for more sneak peeks and inspiration! Leave a comment there for a chance to win a $75 MFT Shopping Spree!
Thank you for dropping by! If you liked this card and want some more crafty inspiration, please feel free to check out my INSTAGRAM feed!

domain: design


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The Hotel at a Glance
Hotel JSR INN is the best luxury hotels in Dehradun and it is Humbly nestled in one of the few green coves within the concrete jungle of Dehradun city. Hotel JSR INN Resort is one of the best resort in Dehradun. A contrast to the frantically driven existence of urban life and one of the hill station of the country, JSR INN Resorts is a heaven of positive energies, thoughtfulness and creative abundance.
The Perfect Place to Escape
Modeled on an assimilation of philosophies the hotel transcends luxury and provides an experiential living experience that abounds in calm and soulful rejuvenation. This hotel is a sprawling 4 storied building a landscaped garden of peace, thoughtfully created with flowering trees, floral bushes, soft spreads of grass specially cultivated in the in-house nursery.
Authenticity is an element that’s integral to JSR INN Resorts – Authentic Therapeutic Massages are the standard at our Spa, Theme Dinners and Culinary Galas with Renowned Chefs of World- Cuisine and Indian Traditional Cuisines are a part of the Gastronomic event tradition, and Healing workshops, Genuine Yogasana practices, sermons with philosophers and nights of ethnic, Sufi and global music are a part of the living experience at JSR INN Resorts.
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The JSR INN offers the best 4 star hotels in Dehradun city with the finest service. With a soaring seven- storey atrium lobby, one of the largest, and priceless murals, it exudes sheer luxury and opulence.
all of our rooms offer the following amenities
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We offer a pleasant stay to our guests with no exception for differently abled ones. Besides that our associates are also sensitive to their needs enabling a comfortable & luxurious stay with us. With a daily schedule of activities to choose from, guests of all ages are sure to find something to enjoy.
- Table Tennis
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We've Got You Covered
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Great and peaceful stay and a nice weekend at the Hotel JSR INN. Rooms are cozy, airy and very comfortable. pleasant stay. very good food but cost is on higher side. staff at the hotel is very courteous. Miss forum on reception desk was very courteous and informative.
Hotel is really good. Made to Western standards, with clean, well equipped large rooms. Rooms equipped with large beds, coffee table with two massive chairs, drink fridge, safe for valuables, large TV flat screens with international information. This is the best hotel in Dehradun.
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Where to Find Us
Near Bizapur Dam Galjwari, Garhi Cantt, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
+91 83770 04514
35km (21.74 miles) From Dehradun Airport
9km (5.59 miles) From ISBT Dehradun
Railway Station Dehradun
7km (4.34 miles) From Railway Station
Dehradun Uttrakhand 248141

domain: travel


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274 F2d 117 United States v. Deitle
274 F.2d 117
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
Robert Earl DEITLE, Defendant-Appellant.
United States Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit.
Jan. 25, 1960.
John T. Harrington, Madison, Wis., for appellant.
George E. Rapp, U.S. Atty., Madison, Wis., for appellee.
Before DUFFY and KNOCH, Circuit Judges, and SWYGERT, District Judge.
DUFFY, Circuit Judge.
This is an appeal from an order of the District Court denying defendant Deitle's motion to vacate four judgments of conviction. Deitle's motion was filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C.A. 2255. Defendant entered pleas of guilty to three informations and one indictment, each charging violations of 18 U.S.C.A. 2314.1
The defendant was initially arrested because of an alleged offense committed in Missouri. However, offenses of a similar nature came to light which occurred in the Western District of Wisconsin, the District of Kansas and the Middle District of Georgia. Defendant took advantage of the provisions of Rule 20 F.R.Cr.P., 18 U.S.C.A. and waived indictment and prosecution in the states where three of the offenses were committed, and consented to prosecution of same in the Western District of Wisconsin.
Defendant was arraigned on June 18, 1958 for the offense alleged to have been committed in Wisconsin. He waived his right to counsel and entered a plea of guilty.
Defendant next appeared in the District Court of the Western District of Wisconsin on September 9, 1958. Although he had been represented by counsel on and before that date, defendant, on that occasion, appeared without counsel. Defendant waived indictment and requested that the charge originating in Missouri be transferred to the Western District of Wisconsin under Rule 20.
In due course, the cases originating in the Districts of Kansas and Missouri were transferred, and on the 14th day of October, 1958, defendant appeared in court with counsel of his own choosing and entered pleas of guilty to the Kansas and Missouri offenses. He was then sentenced on the charges originating in Wisconsin, Kansas and Missouri. The information in each case was read in open court. Defendant and his counsel previously had been furnished copies of these informations. The Court imposed sentences.
On October 22, 1958, the defendant again appeared in the District Court of the Western District of Wisconsin for arraignment on an indictment originating in Georgia which had been transferred to the Western District of Wisconsin under Rule 20. This indictment likewise was read to defendant, and he entered a plea of guilty to the charge. The Court imposed a concurrent sentence.
The checks passed in Wisconsin and Georgia were each for the sum of $64.29, and the payee and the bank drawn upon in Ohio were identical. The check passed in Missouri was for $250.00, and the check in Kansas was for $150.00.
On June 5, 1959, defendant filed a motion to vacate and set aside the judgments of conviction. The Court held a hearing without requiring the defendant to be personally present. Thereafter the Court made and entered Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and then entered an order denying defendant's motion under 2255.
Defendant contends that he should be allowed to withdraw his pleas of guilty and defend on the merits because 1) the record rather clearly shows the defendant did not understand his pleas of guilty, nor did anyone, apparently, advise him of his possible defenses; and 2) he did not commit a 'forgery.'
We think the record clearly demonstrates defendant did understand that he was pleading guilty to charges couched in the wording of the statute, which charges were read to him in open court and which he also had the opportunity to read and examine before he entered his pleas.
The District Court of the Western District of Wisconsin was willing to grant the request of defendant to have the charges pending against him in Missouri, Kansas and Georgia disposed of before he was sent to prison for the Wisconsin offense. Defendant would thus avoid the dread detainers which would otherwise be facing him upon his release. He also benefited because by this procedure he received a concurrent sentence for the offense committed in Georgia.
Because offenses occurring in different states were being considered, defendant was in court at least upon four occasions, both with and without counsel. He had the advice of counsel throughout the proceedings. The record also shows the great care taken by the District Judge in explaining to defendant the nature of the charges against him.
Court-appointed counsel who now represents defendant on this appeal was not the attorney who represented him below. Present counsel argues defendant was not guilty, as a matter of law, 1) of 'transportation' under the statute, and 2) of 'forgery' under the statute.
It should be kept in mind that we are here dealing with a collateral attack on judgments of conviction entered after four pleas of guilty. In this record there is not the slightest indication that defendant was imposed upon in any way. With counsel of his own choosing advising him and being at his side when three of the four pleas of guilty were entered, and in view of the Court's patient explanation of the offenses charged, it is certain that defendant well understood why he was in court and the nature of the charges against him.
Of course, if from the face of the indictment or informations it can be ascertained that no federal offense was charged, relief should be granted under 2255. Martyn v. United States, 8 Cir., 176 F.2d 609; United States v. Gallagher, D.C., 94 F.Supp. 640. On the other hand 'The test of the sufficiency of the indictment on a motion to vacate a sentence is whether the indictment by any reasonable construction can be said to charge the offense for which the sentence was imposed.' Marteney v. United States, 10 Cir., 216 F.2d 760, 762. To the same effect see Byers v. United States, 10 Cir., 175 F.2d 654, 656; United States v. Gallagher, 3 Cir., 183 F.2d 342, and Barnes v. United States, 8 Cir., 197 F.2d 271.
In the case at bar, as to the Wisconsin offense, it was charged that defendant, with unlawful and fraudulent intent, transported in interstate commerce a falsely made, forged security, to-wit: a check drawn on the Ohio Citizens Trust Company, Toledo, Ohio, dated May 26, 1958, payable to Gilbert K. Martin and signed by James Lancaster, for the sum of $64.29. To this charge defendant voluntarily and understandingly entered a plea of guilty.
The other informations and the indictment were couched in similar language. None of the four checks was signed with defendant's name either as maker or as payee.
We hold that there is nothing on the face of the indictment or of any of the informations which would indicate that defendant was charged with anything but a violation of 18 U.S.C.A. 2314, and such a violation is clearly within the jurisdiction of the courts of the United States. We do not think that the four Judgments of conviction based upon pleas of guilty are subject to a collateral attack under 28 U.S.C.A. 2255.
We are greatly indebted to Mr. John T. Harrington of the Madison, Wisconsin bar, court-appointed counsel, for the services he rendered for the defendant.
'Whoever, with unlawful or fraudulent intent, transports in interstate or foreign commerce any falsely made, forged, altered, or counterfeited securities, knowing the same to have been falsely made, forged, altered, or counterfeited; * * *'


New Heart Christian School of Music
General Inquiry: email@example.com
Dr. Ching-Fang Judy WU, cello
A native of Taiwan, Chingfang Judy Wu received her Doctor of Musical Arts in Cello performance under internationally renowned pedagogue Phyllis Young from the University of Texas at Austin. Second Prize winner of the 2nd Annual WRR Chamber Music Competition in 2005 and outstanding recognitions from the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Accumulated over 20 years of teaching experience. Currently the School Director of New Heart Christian School of Music.
Dr. Yenn Chwen ER, violin and viola
Yenn Chwen Er, a native of Singapore based in Houston, Texas. Received Doctor of Musical Arts in 1997 under the late Sergiu Luca and Rapheal Fliegel at Rice University. Currently serving in his 18th year as the Director of New Heart Music Ministries. Was first violinist with Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Houston Ballet Orchestra and the Concertmaster of ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in Columbus, Ohio.
Ye-One CHUNG, violin
Born in Seoul and raised in Jerusalem, Ye-One Chung started learning violin at the Jerusalem Conservatory of Music and Dance at the age of 9. She moved to the U.S. and studied with Ms. Patinka Kopec at the Precollege of Manhattan School of Music, and won various awards such as the Keren Sharett and Max Varon Music Scholarship. However, Ms. Chung decided to rest her musical pursuits for awhile and studied English Literature at Boston College, where she received her Bachelor's degree in 2016.
Yet in the midst of her studies of English Literature, her passion and love for music kept her coming back to the violin. She continued to explore classical music through joining the Chamber Music Society and winning the Concerto Competition at Boston College. She held her debut concert at Trinity Chapel in Boston College, where she played the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and was accompanied by the Boston College Symphony Orchestra under the baton of John Finney.
Ms. Chung was invited to participate in the Keshet Eilon International String Master Course as an artist in the Summer of 2017. She has performed in various cities all over the world, including Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv, New York, New Jersey, Boston, Houston, Liege, Antwerp and Brussels. She is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Violin Performance at Rice University under Mr. Paul Kantor.
Jonathan LI, violin
Jonathan Li was born in New York and raised in Houston. Solo with the Houston Civic Symphony. Concertmaster of the all-region orchestra. Studied Music Theory at the University of Texas at Austin, and violin under Dr. Eugene Gratovich. In September of 2005, he joined New Heart Music Ministries as a full-time staff.
A native of Taiwan, Dr. Yi-Chiu Rachel Chao has performed in solo and collaborative recitals in Taiwan, Canada and the United States. She has won prizes including Taiwan National Piano Competition, MTNA Competition, Phoenix Symphony Guild Young Musicians Competition, Sorel Medallion Piano Collaboration Competition in New York City, and Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition. Solo appearances have taken her to Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and the Chicago Cultural Center.
As a music educator, Dr. Chao has served on piano faculty at Camp Encore-Coda in Sweden, Maine, and has taught in California State University, Bakersfield. As a collaborative pianist, she served as the staff pianist for the voice and opera program at Rice University, and has collaborated with the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet. She is currently the pianist for Houston Masterworks Chorus.
Dr. Chao studied with Walter Cosand at Arizona State University where she obtained her Bachelor of Music, and with Alan Chow at Northwestern University, from where she holds a Masters and a Doctor of Music in piano performance.
Joshua CHUA, piano
Born in Malaysia, Joshua Chua started his musical training at the age of five. He was awarded the “A.B.R.S.M Grade 8 music theory” in 2003, and the “Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music diploma certificate” (L.R.S.M) in 2005. He also received his master degree in collaborative piano performance from Moores School of Music under Timothy Hester. He has more than sixteen years of piano teaching experience, and has helped numerous students achieve excellent results in A.B.R.S.M piano and theory exams. Besides, he has more than fifteen years of experience in collaborative piano performance, and has worked with numerous vocalists and instrumentalists in diploma exams, concerts, and competitions; as well as serving in worship music team. As an experienced church pianist and keyboardist, he had conducted workshops at different churches in Houston and Asia.
Ken LI, piano
Born and raised in Houston, Ken Li has studied with Joyce Webb, Annette Chan and John Weems and was awarded several top prizes and has performed with several orchestras within Texas. Received bachelor of music degree in piano performance at Rice University in Houston, studying with Robert Roux.
Dr. Ephraim CHENG, baritone
Ephraim Cheng received Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Houston under Elena Nikolaidi and Katherine Ciesinski. Winner of the University of Houston Music Competition and the Carlo Bergonzi Vocal Competition. Accumulated over 10 years of teaching experience and over 20 years of worship leading experience. Founder of New Heart Music Ministries and he dedicated himself to full-time Christian ministry.
Dr. Yen-Yu SHIH, mezzo soprano
Dr. Yen-Yu Shih is a multi-talented musician who in addition to being an accomplished vocalist and pianist, has served as stage manager and producers for a wide variety of musical productions including music festivals, musical theaters, operas and concerts. Her performance experience is extensive, having been worked with several philharmonic and chamber groups and as a guest soloist to even more.