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Mr. Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock) : It is my privilege to present to this honourable House a petition signed by more than 25,000 people, in particular Janet Booth, who is the granddaughter of Harry Farr of the West Yorkshire Regiment, Allan Harris, the nephew of Private Louis Harris of the West Yorkshire Regiment and Grace Shoan, niece of Private Bertie McCubbin of the Sherwood Foresters.
Those individuals, together with the other 25,000 petitioners, wish to draw the House's attention to the fact that, in the great war of 1914-19, more than 300 soldiers of the British empire were executed at dawn by firing squad, having been found guilty of offences that included cowardice, desertion, disobedience, sleeping at post, throwing away arms and striking a superior officer.
The petitioners believe that those men were denied fair trials in accordance with the rules of natural justice and note that documents now available prove that many were suffering from sickness and trauma. They say :
Wherefore your petitioners pray that your honourable House introduce legislation to grant posthumous pardons to each of these men and that their names shall be included in all official records and memorials to the esteemed soldiers of the Empire Forces who fought bravely and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, in the cause of freedom and justice.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc. To lie upon the Table.
That this House, mindful of the increasing needs of the United Kingdom's ageing ex-service population and the many problems of younger members of the ex-service community in direct consequence of "Options for Change", considers that there is now a pressing need for a sub-Department of Ex- Service Affairs within an existing Ministry and with a designated Minister to be responsible, as the only fundamental and long-term solution for the care and welfare of ex-service people and their dependants ; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government now to respond positively to the Royal British Legion's urgent call for a sub-department to be established.
It is a privilege and an honour to present this motion, the principal author of which is my right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) and his friends in the Royal British Legion. I am pleased to declare that I am an associate member of the legion.
The motion calls for the appointment of a Minister with special responsibilities to look after the interests of ex-service men and women. It draws attention to the care that those men and women, who gave diligent, gallant and brave service to this country in our armed forces for many years, now need. It is a timely request. I know that other hon. Members have sought to draw attention to the need for such a Minister, and I look forward to hearing them later.
My constituency is rich in organisations that endeavour to promote and protect the interests of ex-service people. I hope that I will be forgiven for referring to Andy Finn and Charles Mercer of my local branch of the Royal Naval Association ; John Webb and John Bright of the Royal British Legion ; and Councillor Sid Joslin of the Royal Air Forces Association, who have all encouraged me to promote the motion this morning.
Many more hon. Members would have liked to be present this morning. In fairness to them, it should be recorded that Friday is an extraordinarily difficult day for hon. Members to be in the House, as many have long- standing constituency interests. I am anxious that anyone who reads the Official Report should understand that many hon. Members from both sides of the House wish to be associated with the motion, although unable to be here today. They will no doubt tell the Prime Minister in their own way, either by writing or informally, that they agree that it is time that a Minister dedicated to the interests of ex-service people was appointed.
At school, I was a dilatory pupil, in some ways unhappy. Every week, one of our tutors would insist that we learn some lines of Hilaire Belloc, which did not stimulate me a bit, and I was ritually admonished, much to my embarrassment and discomfiture.
But on one occasion he set us some lines of Sir Winston Churchill. Unbeknown to him, I had studied the speeches of Sir Winston Churchill. Indeed, I knew them rather well. When he came in the classroom hoping to do his usual stuff and cause me discomfiture, he called me to the front and said, "Proceed, Mackinlay." To his surprise and a round of applause from my fellow pupils, I recited the lines which, if the House will allow me, I shall quote again this morning :
"The gratitude of every home in our island, in the Empire and, indeed, throughout the world--except in the abodes of the guilty--goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by the odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are
Column 1053turning the tide of this war by their prowess and devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Although those words are jealously guarded as a memorial to the gallant fighters of the Royal Air Force, half a century on they could refer to a larger number of people. The gratitude of many that is owed to the few must mean my generation, who were born after the second world war and are the beneficiaries of the sacrifice of millions of men and women during the great conflict of 1939 to 1945. "The few" are my parents' generation, not just RAF pilots but all those who fought in all the theatres of war in the cause of justice and freedom.
This motion is addressed primarily on behalf of, but not exclusively to, those millions of people. If the Government are persuaded to appoint such a Minister, he or she will be responsible for those people. Ex-service men and women who served in previous conflicts need the support of a dedicated Minister. A few thousand soldiers who served in the great war are still alive, as are many of the widows of those who served.
Mr. Harry Greenway (Ealing, North) rose
Mr. Oliver Heald (Hertfordshire, North) rose
Mr. Greenway : The hon. Gentleman is most generous, and I congratulate him on initiating this debate. He was right to recite the superb words of Sir Winston Churchill in the greatest speech in the history of this land, but he should not forget the value of Hilaire Belloc. Perhaps we can have a word about that afterwards. Sir Winston Churchill spoke of "the few". The central point is that those few are a diminishing band. I hope that my right hon. Friend the Minister will give a friendly nod in favour of the motion. The newly appointed Minister will have a diminishing responsibility, but it should be discharged. All my British Legion friends- -I am vice-president of the Greenford branch of the Royal British Legion and its Royal Naval section--strongly support what the hon. Gentleman is saying, and I am sure that the House will support it.
Mr. Mackinlay : I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. He and I have often spoken privately about our mutual interest in Polish ex-service men, of whom he represents a large number. It is important to recall that about one in seven of the German aircraft shot down over London were shot down by brave Polish pilots, some of whom still reside in the United Kingdom, having made it their home.
Although they are now in the evening of life with their British grandchildren around them, in the intervening 50 years their interests have not always been satisfactorily safeguarded. For instance, whereas other British service men have had extensive opportunities to appeal against refusals for benefits, it has been much more difficult for Polish ex- service men to do so.
If a Minister were appointed, he or she could deal with the interests of Polish ex-service men who are now inextricably bound up with the United Kingdom, having made it their home. That group must not be forgotten. A debate like this could inadvertently offend other groups by not referring to them, but I acknowledge the debt of
Column 1054gratitude which this country owes to the Polish ex-service men who fought alongside colleagues in the Royal Air Force.
Mr. Heald : Although we all agree that "the few" gave much service to this country, will the hon. Gentleman explain the purpose of a new Minister ? Existing ministries already deal with housing and employment, and war pensions are dealt with by a separate Department. What would a new Minister do ?
Mr. Mackinlay : The hon. Gentleman is somewhat impatient. I am just warming up, although some hon. Members will be anxious about the volume of papers that I have with me. I shall deal with the matter as swiftly as I can, and come to the central issue of the Minister in a few moments. The hon. Gentleman prompts me to say that the United Kingdom is the exception among our principal allies in not having a Minister directly charged with promoting the interests of ex-service people. The United States has a considerable veterans' organisation. As recently as 1989, President Bush raised the post to the level of Cabinet Secretary, and that importance has been sustained by President Clinton.
Mr. Heald : I am sorry to trespass on the hon. Gentleman's good will, but the position in America is different. There, the Veterans Administration deals with the health service for veterans and is the only means of delivering health care to veterans. This country has a national health service, so such a Minister is not needed.
Mr. Mackinlay : The hon. Gentleman is impatient, and should wait to hear me out. It is true that, in America, the Veterans Administration deals with health and welfare, but not exclusively--it promotes the wider interests of ex-service people and their dependants, who are entitled to a voice. They are people who have made great sacrifices. I notice that the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, North (Mr. Heald) is of my generation--he and I should tread cautiously-- [Hon. Members : -- "He is younger."] In that case, he should tread even more cautiously when pontificating on the subject.
I wish to deal with the important subject of comparable Ministers in other countries.
Mrs. Barbara Roche (Hornsey and Wood Green) : I am extremely grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way, and I want to support him and ask for his comments. The call for a Minister is warmly supported by the Royal British Legion branches. My constituency of Hornsey and Wood Green is privileged to have three branches : Muswell Hill, Hornsey and Wood Green, and I am proud to be an associate member of the legion. I received a letter from the Wood Green branch of the Royal British Legion this week and I should like my hon. Friend's views on it.
Mrs. Roche rose
Mrs. Roche : Absolutely not. I wanted to emphasise that British Legion branches in my constituency and elsewhere are stating that it is particularly hard for them at this difficult time and it is even more important that there should be a Minister to meet their needs. We should take the point that the British Legion makes, which I am sure will have been reinforced by letters to many hon. Members.
Mr. Mackinlay : I want to pick up the theme of what happens in other allied countries, and mention Canada and Australia. However, before I do so, I wish to stress that, in the United States and other countries, the need exists for a Minister who can cut through red tape in Whitehall, and in other countries' equivalent of Whitehall, to assist the ex-service organisations that campaign for individual and collective interests.
One of the arguments forcibly advanced by the Royal British Legion and other ex-service organisations is that Whitehall has a plethora of agencies --about 17 or 18--and a host of Departments and Ministers with which they have to deal to obtain redress for their members. We want to break through that bureaucracy, and a designated Minister could do that-- [Interruption.] The hon. Member for Hertfordshire, North must contain himself.
There are plenty of precedents in Whitehall. We have had a Minister for Sport for some time, but for the first decade or more of the post's existence, there was no official portfolio. The portfolio was originally held by a junior Minister in the former Ministry of Housing and Local Government, then the Department of the Environment, then the Department of Education and Science. It now resides in the tranquil waters of the National Heritage Department. I was told just the other evening that there are now red dispatch boxes with the words "Minister for Sport" on them.
Before the formal post of Minister for Sport existed, various Prime Ministers said that a Minister would be given responsibility for promoting sport and would intervene in Departments and agencies to that end. That worked well and, after a time, the Minister for Sport became a designated post.
Mrs. Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham) : I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way so early in his speech. I have great sympathy for the motion. The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire branch of the British Legion has made many representations to me expressing support for the motion.
Could the hon. Gentleman help me to understand the concept of the Minister ? At present, the responsibility for service men's affairs is spread across different Departments that specialise in individual problems. I fear that, if the affairs are run through one Minister, bottlenecks and delays may occur. I hope that the hon. Gentleman can reassure me that that will not be the case.
I would appreciate it if the hon. Gentleman would also touch on the subject of cost. I should not want the
Column 1056excessive costs of a new Minister to take funds from other Departments that already deal with ex-service men's affairs.
Mr. Mackinlay : The hon. Lady has made three points. I do not think that cost should be of paramount importance when considering ex-service men and women, but in any event I believe that the post will provide a marginal saving. Many costs are incurred by voluntary organisations and Government Departments because the responsibility is fractured between various Government Departments and agencies. A dedicated Minister would be able to cut through the red tape and diminish costs and time, which is vital to people in the evening of life or who are in pain and discomfort. Costs should not be of paramount importance, but, as the hon. Lady has raised the subject, I have to say that I believe that a dedicated Minister would probably bring savings. I believe that I have covered the point that the hon. Lady made about efficiency.
When I tabled the motion, I received an unsolicited telephone call from the office of the Government's Chief Whip. I was asked which Minister I thought should reply to the debate. I was a little surprised by the request, and said that I thought that the Minister should come from the Ministry of Defence. The clerk replied that a representative from the Ministry of Defence had already stated that it was not its responsibility to reply.
I said that the only person who could help was the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister had previously been asked about the subject by a number of hon. Members, including myself. The Prime Minister said--in fairness to the present Prime Minister, it was also said by his predecessors--that the matter was adequately dealt across a range of Departments and Ministers. That story shows that it is not clear who should have responsibility for ex -service people's affairs. I am pleased to see that good sense has prevailed and there is a distinguished Minister on the Treasury Bench this morning--the Minister of State for Defence Procurement--who I know will give us the benefit of his views later. The Minister is always kind and courteous, and I know that he takes a great interest in the subject. However, he is a little hindered, as he cannot deliver the goods this morning. If the mood of the House is in favour of at least asking the Prime Minister to reconsider the subject, I hope that he will pass on that fact at an early opportunity next week, probably in advance of the expected Government reshuffle. I hope that he will tell the Prime Minister that he should consider the subject. The British Legion has said that its members are frustrated. I have three examples of the sort of problems encountered in the agencies in Whitehall and elsewhere. One ex-service man was medically discharged, suffering from a psychiatric problem--he had been disabled by a toxic aerosol that poisoned him during an exercise in Canada. As a result, he had to contact the Department of Social Security to claim a war pension, and the Benefits Agency to claim income support and disabled living allowance. He probably has further entitlements under the war pension scheme that the British Legion need to pursue on his behalf. He has been advised to claim sickness benefit from his local benefits agency, which should have been awarded to him on his discharge from the Army. However, it was not until he received the advice of the British Legion that the matter was pursued on his behalf.
Column 1057A former royal marine eventually received a war pension of 20 per cent. for noise-induced hearing loss. When he contacted the legion, it was revealed that he was also suffering injuries to his knees and had osteoarthritis in other parts of his body. Because the British Legion championed his interests, he is now in receipt of a 90 per cent. war pension. A war pensioner's mobility supplement is also being considered, along with a constant attendance allowance. He has also received a grant from the DSS to enable him to purchase a special chair under the home adaptations grant scheme for war pensioners.
However, one wonders what would have happened if he had not come into contact with the legion, and whether he could have achieved these benefits much earlier had there been a dedicated Minister who was alive to his interests. If he had gone to the legion in those circumstances, it would have had to bang on the door of only one Ministry.
The final case concerns a man who had given 28 years' service in the forces. He left with no form of discharge procedure or medical board, but it was known that he had a hearing disability. On leaving the service, he was put in touch with the war pensions directorate, through the local DSS office, and was ultimately given a gratuity for noise-induced deafness, which it was accepted he had incurred during his years of service.
Following legal advice, he got a 30 per cent. war pension, although his legal costs were considerable. As a former service man, he had no knowledge of civil systems ; he was fortunate to achieve that much, but without the advice of the legion he would never have got that far. The legion has now been able to obtain more for him, including a 50 per cent. war pension and an allowance for a lowered standard of occupation.
This again shows the need for a central point where information would be available to help former service people with their needs. I return to the question of what happens elsewhere. I was pleased yesterday to receive some information from Australia, from the Veterans Affairs Minister, Mr. Con Sciacca, who says that his portfolio is in the Department of Defence. Similarly, our colleagues in the Canadian Parliament have two Ministers dedicated to veterans affairs, with Privy Council status. So there are easy comparisons to be made with other Westminster-style constitutions. Those Ministers fulfil all the duties that I have tried to outline this morning.
Mr. Peter L. Pike (Burnley) : Does my hon. Friend agree that the Royal British Legion in Burnley thinks that we lag not only behind our allies but also, tragically, behind some of our former enemies ? That causes the legion even more distress.
Mr. Mackinlay : Absolutely. When preparing for this morning's debate, I studied an amendment once tabled by the former Member for Hastings and Rye, Mr. Ken Warren-- [Hon. Members :-- "Sir Ken Warren."] Yes, of parachutist fame, I believe. His amendment drew attention to the fact that the pensions and benefits paid to former service people and widows in Germany and Japan were far superior to those paid here. I therefore endorse what my hon. Friend says.
Column 1058When I go the Library to ask how many early -day motions relating to former service people have been tabled by hon. Members, I realise how many of them, on both sides of the House, take an interest.
Mr. Donald Anderson (Swansea, East) : I congratulate my hon. Friend on his initiative, which I know is much appreciated by members of the Royal British Legion. I know that he will be pleased to learn the position of the official Opposition on this. We accept the need for much greater co- ordination between the parts of Whitehall that impact on the needs of our service men and women, and we are actively considering setting up a special unit in the MOD to look after their needs.
Mr. Mackinlay : That is excellent news. In a way, I am addressing my remarks today to the Prime Minister, but there could be a change of Government at some stage, and I hope that the leader of a Labour Administration would act on what I have said. In any event I am greatly encouraged by my hon. Friend's remarks. Meanwhile, I invite hon. Members to study carefully some of the early-day motions to which I have referred.
I suspect that the hon. Member for Londonderry, East (Mr. Ross) may want to mention this subject later, but I was recently privileged to visit Ards borough council in Northern Ireland, where I made many friends in the community. Recently, the council was invited by the Belgian authorities to send some veterans this autumn to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of a number of Belgian towns--a liberation effected chiefly by a Polish contingent and regiments from Northern Ireland. There was cross- party support in Ards borough council to pay for the veterans' trip, and the hospitality in Belgium was to be paid for by the Belgian authorities.
Unfortunately, the Northern Ireland district auditor waved his red card, so to speak, and said that he would not approve of the expenditure. The right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor) and I have written to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland about the matter. I hope that it can be resolved, but it goes to show that there is an awful lot of red tape. There is always some Blimp who can frustrate things. A Ministry of the type that I propose would provide a one-stop shop for Ards borough council and the other veterans' organisations in Northern Ireland--and for hon. Members who want such cases sorted out. What has happened to Ards was clearly absurd, and it must be remedied with dispatch.
Last week, a report was published by an organisation known as Crisis. Entitled "Working for Homeless People", it drew attention to the plight of the homeless in London. There has been some dispute about the report's figures, which suggested that as many as one in four single homeless people in London were former service men. I do not want to argue the statistics this morning ; it is irrelevant whether one in four or one in six is the operative figure. But it is a demonstrable fact that a high proportion of these people are former service men. My anxiety is prompted by the fact that, with the downsizing of our armed forces and all the implications of "Options for Change", many men and women who joined the armed forces as adolescents and to whom the services have been family and friend will, for the first time in their lives, find themselves alone, without homes or companionship.
Column 1059Crisis at Christmas, can I assure my hon. Friend and the whole House that the report to which he referred was at once carefully researched and well documented ? It was also looked at very carefully and with some concern by the former service community and its organisations.
Mr. Mackinlay : Absolutely right. We all have a duty to be alive to the interests of service men and women, and to safeguard those interests when they leave the armed forces, to ensure that homelessness among this group does not grow. We must bring our energies and resources to bear to ensure that the number of homeless former service men and women is reduced.
Mr. John Sykes (Scarborough) : I am with the hon. Gentleman on that point, and wish to raise an issue of profound importance to one of my constituents. With your indulgence, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I wish to speak about it in this intervention.
Mr. Deputy Speaker : Order. The Chair cannot allow that indulgence. There is plenty of time for proper contributions. Interventions should be short and to the point. No quotations or long examples should be given.
Mr. Sykes : I will attempt to make my intervention as short as possible. It concerns an RAF widow whose husband, a sergeant, died after 20 years' service to his country. She and her children are about to be thrown on the street because, under the Ministry of Defence system, an ex-service man's widow has no right to occupy or buy the home. However, four MOD civil servants have exercised their rights on the same estate.
Will the hon. Gentleman compare that with the astronomical sums awarded to ex-service women who got themselves pregnant, and the fact that some individuals in the MOD seem concerned to prosecute Falklands service men who fought for their country ? Is that not a scandalous state of affairs ?
Mr. Mackinlay : If we had a Minister for ex-service affairs, the hon. Member would have a focal point to allow him to raise that issue. There is no Question Time dedicated to such matters, either. Although I do not go along with the broad thrust of the hon. Gentleman's remarks, he should have the right to raise the matter in the House with an appropriate Minister at Question Time. The hon. Gentleman could then argue his corner. As sure as night turns into day, the parliamentary calendar would then include a half-day--I hope, a whole day--each year to debate ex-service issues.
I give way to the hon. Member for Dorset, West (Sir J. Spicer), who gave service to his country in the armed forces.
Sir Jim Spicer (Dorset, West) : The hon. Gentleman said that homeless ex-service people had been part of a family, and that it was tragic that they should thereafter become homeless. The hon. Gentleman should never forget that they remain part of that family after they leave it.
I can talk only about airborne forces, but I know of one case of an ex- guardsman. The first port of call for anyone who has left the services with a problem must be the family--back to the regiment and through it, to the Royal British Legion. It follows that he will be directed by the legion and his regimental association to the right help. If I have dealt with one case in the past 20 years, I have dealt with 30 or
Column 106040 ex-parachutists who came to me as their first port of call. Safety nets exist, but those who drop through them ought to know--and they do know before they leave the services--that they exist.
Mr. Mackinlay : I absolutely agree, and I hope that the hon. Gentleman's intervention will attract attention. There is a problem with communicating with people, who, by definition, are lonely and have no fixed abode. I know that every right hon. and hon. Member would take the same initiative as the hon. Gentleman, in steering ex-service people in emotional, physical or financial difficulty towards their former regiment or equivalent Royal Air Force or Royal Navy unit and on to the appropriate ex-service organisation. Incidentally, I stress that all my comments include our gallant friends who served in conflicts in the Merchant Navy. They are definitely included--as are, to some extent, members of other uniformed services who took part in the 1939-45 war effort in particular.
Right hon. and hon. Members in all parts of the House have signed early-day motions and pressed Ministers in respect of former prisoners of war. Lord Braine, the former Member of Parliament for Castle Point, was vigorous and vocal on behalf of people who were incarcerated in Japanese prisoner of war camps, who he considers have not received justice or a proper remedy. I was pleased to support a related early-day motion tabled in the last session by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Small Heath (Mr. Godsiff), which attracted support from all parts of the House.
One of my constituents, John Stevens, served on HMS Gloucester, which was sunk in the battle of Crete. He was one of the few survivors, and was marched across central Europe to somewhere in Poland, where he claims--I believe with some legitimacy--that he was not treated in accordance with the Geneva convention. He was required by the Farben chemical corporation, along with the Hitler regime, to help the German war machine, contrary to the convention's provisions. He suffered physical and emotional hardship, and has tried to pursue his case and that of his colleagues with various Government Departments.
Part of the problem for people engaged in such campaigns is that they do not have a one-stop shop or a Minister who will listen. I am not necessarily saying that the Minister would agree with all such campaigns and claims, but it is difficult to get such problems examined at a senior level in Whitehall.
A similar situation exists in respect of British nuclear test veterans. By coincidence, their chairman--a Paisley councillor--is named Ken McGinley. I am sure that they would want to be mentioned in this debate, because they are frustrated by their inability to have someone at senior level acknowledge their case and properly consider their claim for compensation.
I was privileged to join a number of hon. Members at the deeply moving ceremonies in Normandy a few weeks ago. I place on record my congratulations to the Minister in another place, Viscount Cranborne, and his colleagues on the way in which those ceremonies were conducted. They were profoundly moving, and something that I will always remember.
Previously, there was misunderstanding--I apportion no blame--between some individuals in Whitehall and ex-service organisations. It all turned out right on the day,
Column 1061but that initial misunderstanding could have been avoided if there had been a veterans Minister with responsibility for service affairs. He or she would have been sensitive from the outset to the aspirations and interests of ex-service people.
Concern has been expressed on both sides of the House about the reduced grant to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. I believe that the Government have seen the amber light--frankly, right hon. and hon. Members do not like that cut. We were told by the Secretary of State for Defence that the commission can absorb that cut, and that it will not create any problems. However, that situation should be watched.
If there were someone in Whitehall conscious of such matters, that cut might not have been made, and the Government could be counselled against making any further cuts in a service that is much valued and appreciated by ex-service men and women, their widows and dependants, and people generally who are proud of this country and of the service that it was given in years past by brave service men.
I am disappointed that the Government failed to recommend to the sovereign that an official medal be struck and awarded for the millions of people who did national service. The Royal British Legion has produced its own fine medal, but ex-national service men and women who now serve in the various uniformed services--police, ambulance and fire brigade--are not, strictly speaking, permitted to wear the legion medal on their uniforms on appropriate occasions. That is a pity ; it also strikes me as daft and insensitive. Why on earth should we not recognise people who are proud of having done national service ? They may not all have been up to their necks in muck and bullets, but they did their best, and they are proud of it. I hope that the Minister will think again, because millions of ex-national service men would be profoundly appreciative. I apologise for having spoken at some length, but I have tried to give way to interventions and to reassure people that I am arguing not for a Ministry, but for a Minister. I do not care whether the Minister concerned is actually in the Ministry of Defence, perhaps also charged with buying dreadnoughts, in the Department of Social Security perhaps also issuing giro cheques or in the Privy Council Office in Downing street.
That does not matter ; what we want is a Minister for veterans or ex- service men and women, and I suspect that, once appointed, such a Minister would be greatly valued. After a while, people will wonder how things worked without such a post--which, after a while, would find an appropriate home in one of the Ministries, as have the Minister for Sport and the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People.
I hope that today's debate will persuade the Prime Minister to acknowledge the views of numerous Members of Parliament--some of whom are legitimately unable to be present--and, above all, the views of all those in the ex- service organisations who would like recognition of the service that their members have given, and the sacrifices made by their comrades-in-arms who, although now deceased, have left widows and dependants.
Column 106210.21 am
Sir Jim Spicer (Dorset, West) : I warmly thank the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) for all that he has done to support the Royal British Legion over the years, and for giving me--a virtual new boy in its counsels--such wise guidance. The hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. Mackinlay) has cited as one of his main interests studying the battlefields of the first world war. Today, however, he has shown that his support and enthusiasm for our armed forces past, present and, indeed, future--for we are considering the future as much as the past--go far beyond that. I am cautious by nature, and I approach the subject with caution as well as enthusiasm. Anyone who believes that we could wave a wand tomorrow and appoint a Minister, and that then all the problems of ex- service men would be solved, is living in cloud cuckoo land. Let us think carefully about this, and go about it in the right way.
As the hon. Member mentioned in both his speech and his petition--I am not sure that I can go all the way with the petition--we are considering between 18,000 and 20,000 people who fought in the first world war and who are still alive, plus their dependants. Those dependants are very vulnerable, and often find themselves completely lost when left alone. Inevitably, and in a sense sadly, they are a decreasing problem. Then there are those who served in the second world war : no one can say exactly how many uniformed men and women served in that war, but there may have been as many as 8 million. Finally, there are the national service men, and regulars who have left or are now leaving the armed forces.
As the hon. Member for Thurrock pointed out, those people have been part of a family structure that has given both discipline and dependence. When they leave the forces, they are sometimes pretty vulnerable--far more vulnerable than people who have led entirely civilian lives, and know their way around.
I should declare an interest : I am a former service man. I joined the Army at 16, and served as a regular for some 14 years. I thought that it might be sensible to toughen up a bit in preparation for joining the Army, so I found work in a scrap metal yard. In those days, there were no forklift trucks ; we had bagging hats and bagging hooks. I would climb up the side of my lorry with my bagging hat and hook and a hundredweight and a half of scrap, while two chaps waited below to put another load on.
I was paid the princely sum of £5 a week in that job. It was quite a shock to leave--admittedly, it was a 12-hour day--and to go into the armed forces, where my pay immediately dropped to 14 shillings a week. A year later, when I was commissioned, I found myself on 14 shillings a day. That was still less than what I would have been paid if I had stayed in the scrap metal yard--and I probably could have wangled it to remain there in a reserved occupation ; my post-war credits would have built up. I missed out on that, and served--but that is exactly what I wanted to do.
Now I am president of my local branch of the Royal British Legion : the Beaminster branch, which, as my hon. Friend the Minister will know, is without doubt the finest branch in the United Kingdom. I hope that he will pay appropriate tribute to it when he winds up. [Interruption.] Views may differ, but I am better qualified than others to judge because of my former service.
Column 1063I am full of the same enthusiasm as the hon. Member for Thurrock, but I understand the fears that exist in government. It is a little easier for the Opposition to say, "This is what we will do," but we need a firm pledge. The Royal British Legion is exerting pressure on the Government--rightly, in my view--but, as I have said, fears exist. We must ask ourselves first whether a direct Ministry involvement of this kind is really needed. I believe that it is, as does the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, who has vast experience of dealing with the Royal British Legion in government as well as in opposition.
There is sometimes a lack of co-ordination between the 17 Departments which operate in this area. However, anyone who thinks that the work of 17 Departments can be drawn together in one sub-office of a Ministry is living in cloud cuckoo land ; and that is not what we propose. We want to improve the work that is done in those Departments, and to co-ordinate it on occasions when co-ordination is necessary. As has been said, such a sub- Department could even save money, as things would be done more quickly. If we accept that the need exists, we must then ask how it can best be met. A low-key system and a responsible Minister are necessary, as is a sub- office. Most crucially, we need what I would describe as an expediter who will ensure that matters are dealt with quickly, rather than an imperious Minister--not that Ministers are ever imperious, of course, but we do not want a Minister surrounded by a huge staff. All Back Benchers--indeed, all Members of Parliament--should be aware of one possible problem. As soon as there is a designated Minister for veterans, a large number of people might bypass their local Member of Parliament. I hope and expect that all ex- service men in my constituency will write to me in the first instance asking me to deal with their problems ; the last thing I want is for them to write directly to the Minister for ex-service men and ignore their Member of Parliament. That is my concern, and it must be met.
The right channel must be, first, to the Member of Parliament, who would then pass the problem to the sub-office for it then to be dealt with by other Departments. I would be extremely upset if the Minister for the sub- office wrote to me to say that he had received a letter from one of my constituents--not least because of the extra delay involved.
One must accept that a key role should be played by the Royal British Legion, which has field officers in almost every county. The Legion made it clear in discussions with the right hon. Member for Wythenshawe and myself that it wanted to be involved and to be part of a partnership. It does not want the operation to be conducted exclusively by the Government, but equally, it does not want to tell the Government what they should do. It wants to set the scene, and then say to the Government, "You do what is right."
When I first became involved in this matter, one or two of my hon. Friends, who, I am pleased to say, are not here today, seized me by the scruff of the neck and said, "How dare you suggest that the sub-Department, or whatever it may be called, should be based in the Ministry of Defence ? It must be based in the Department of Social Security, where it rightly belongs." The Royal British Legion hasa now made it quite clear that it is not its job to say how all this should be constructed or which Ministry should be involved : that is for the Government to decide.

domain: politics


This is the generator that is powered by the sun and provides emergency electricity for any home appliance.
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New Yorkers are ready to forgive Eliot Spitzer, an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll found—in just 48 hours the former governor took a nine-point lead over his opponent.
Of registered Democrats polled Monday and Tuesday, 42% said they’d support Spitzer's run for New York City comptroller; just 33% said they’d vote for Scott Stringer, the Manhattan Borough President who previously lead the race.
Spitzer still needs to gather 3,750 signatures from registered Democrats by Thursday to put himself on the Sept. 10 ballot; the poll found that Democrats may be willing to help: 67% said he deserved a second chance and 44% said he was a changed man.
Nearly two thirds of respondents said the scandal that ended Spitzer’s governorship five years ago—his involvement in a high-end prostitution ring—had little to no bearing on their vote for comptroller.
Spitzer appeared on Morning Joe on Tuesday for an intense interview that brought him to tears. “You go through that pain, you change,” he said, choking up.
The former governor’s approval rating also ranks him above his opponent: 46% said they had a positive opinion of him, while 40% said they had a favorable opinion of Stringer.
New Yorkers are increasingly showing their willingness to forgive: Mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, whose lewd photo scandal ended his congressional career two years ago, is also polling above his opponent, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
In the NBC poll, a slim number said Weiner’s transgressions were worse: 29% said Spitzer’s prostitution scandal was worse while 31% said Weiner’s scandal was worse.
Watch the former governor's emotional interview on Morning Joe.

domain: news


text:
Blue Lakes is a series of three high-elevation lakes in the Pine Forest Range of northern Humboldt County. Blue Lakes were formed by glaciation, a process that left behind a large cirque which was then filled by springs from the surrounding hillside. The steep topography surrounding the lakes averages a slope of sixty percent, making them accessible only by a 1-mile hike and rough four-wheel-drive roads that are blocked until about late June.
Blue Lakes are set at 8,300 feet in their own Wilderness Study Area overlooking three desert valleys. The lakes are best known for their stunning scenery, a series of beautiful broad meadows and aspen groves that completely surround the lower two lakes. Cold clear water brought in from Blue Creek provides excellent habitat for a self-sustaining population of wild Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout -- a favorite destination of great fly fishing lakes in Nevada.
How To Get HereEdit
Find Blue Lakes from the unpaved Soldier Meadows Road from SR 140. Four-wheel-drive is required to reach the lakes' trailhead from the unimproved Blue Lakes Road.

domain: geography


A man in his thirties allegedly stabbed a seven-year-old girl to death in the Azad Nagar area of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on Friday, police said.
The defendant’s house was demolished after his arrest because it had been built illegally, an official said.
Azad Nagar Police Station Chief Indresh Tripathi told PTI that police were informed after the body of Mahenoor (7) was allegedly found in a pool of blood at his neighbor Saddam’s house on Friday morning. . He had multiple stab wounds.
Saddam was arrested on suspicion and admitted to killing her, but the motive behind the crime was unclear, the official said.
There was tension in the area with the local population demanding strict measures against the accused, he said.
“On instructions from high officials, Saddam’s house, which had been built illegally, was demolished at night,” Tripathi said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Wednesday, February 8, 2023 / by Jodi Ketchersid
The biggest challenge in the housing market right now, and likely for years to come, is how few homes there are for sale compared to the number of people who want to buy. That’s why, if you’re thinking about selling your house, this is a great time to do so. Your house would be welcome in a market that has fewer homes for sale than it did in the years leading up to the pandemic.
According to the latest Monthly Housing Market Trends Report from realtor.com:
“There were 65.5% more homes for sale in January compared to the same time in 2022. This means that there were 248,000 more homes available to buy this past month compared to one year ago. While the number of homes for sale is increasing, it is still 43.2% lower than it was before the pandemic in 2017 to 2019. This means that there are still fewer homes available to buy on a typical day than there were ...


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With Britain in lockdown, many people are asking what comes next. A review of current procedures is set to happen in May, and some businesses are limbering up to return to partial operations.
But what is the protocol around work now, and just who is allowed to work?
Who is currently encouraged to work?
At the moment, key workers are those encouraged to work by the Government, as they help society continue to function.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, there are 7.1 million key workers across Britain. Key workers are eligible for their children to attend a local school or nursery and encouraged to continue to use public transport systems in order to get to work.
According to the Government list, NHS and social care staff are key workers, as are police officers, journalists, religious workers, those who work in delivery or supermarkets, emergency service workers, prison and probation staffers and transport workers.
Which sectors can go back to work?
If your workplace has been closed by the Government, it cannot re-open until the Government has authorised its opening. However, if a business has not been specifically instructed to close, it is free to re-open “if it has worked out how to operate safely” according to Craig Beaumont, head of external affairs at the Federation of Small Businesses.
Restaurants that opt to open up in order to provide food delivery are an example of businesses safely re-opening.
I’ve been furloughed; when can I return to work?
When you are able to return to work is dependent on your employer, who has applied for you to be furloughed. Edwin Morgan of the Institute of Directors explains that the minimum furlough period is three weeks. After an employee returns from furlough, they can be put back on furlough if it’s necessary (again, for a minimum of three weeks).
“Ideally, going forward we’d want the system to become more flexible, particularly when restrictions start to lift, so that businesses are able to respond more agilely to demand,” Morgan says.
Under the furlough system, which sees the government paying 80pc of wages up to £2,500 a month, workers are not allowed to undertake work for their company.
Are construction workers allowed to work?
Government guidance states that as long as work is done safely, it may continue. Additional guidance has been published by the Construction Leadership Council on how to carry out work safely.
Guidance from the London Mayor’s office is different, with City Hall saying that “The Mayor is clear that construction sites should stop work, unless the work is for safety purposes. If construction is taking place for safety purposes, it’s critical and it should carry on.”
Other workers such as plumbers and engineers are still allowed to complete work, as long as social distancing guidelines are followed. However, individual companies may be setting their own guidance on resuming work.


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Warner Bros. stunned Hollywood when it pushed the release of "Jupiter Ascending" by seven months -- a move that seemed abrupt, but had been debated by the studio for nearly six weeks as the Channing…
Warner Bros. has released the latest trailer for its sci-fi epic “Jupiter Ascending” starring Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis. Directed by the Wachowskis, the film also stars Sean Bean and Eddie…
After taking its time finding a director to helm the ship, Universal and Focus are charging full-speed ahead and giving their adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey” an Aug. 1, 2014 release date. This…
James D'Arcy and Nina Dobrev have apprehended roles in Fox's “Let's Be Cops.” Pic stars Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr., with Luke Greenfield helming. The comedy follows two friends who impersonate…
LONDON — On the eve of its Leavesden Studio facility's official opening, Warner Bros. is doubling down on investment in Blighty, announcing a multi-year program to train the next generation of…
Village Roadshow Pictures Entertainment has expanded the duties of chief financial officer Matthew Velkes to include the newly created post of chief operating officer. Velkes has been CFO since 2006…
Warner Bros. has dated Andy and Lana Wachowski's sci-fier "Jupiter Ascending" for July 25, 2014. Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth and Sean Bean are starring. The Wachowskis…
Tuppence Middleton has rounded out the cast of Andy and Lana Wachowski's sci-fi pic "Jupiter Ascending."
Andy and Lana Wachowski are filling out the "Jupiter Ascending" cast with another rising star as "Noah" thesp Douglas Booth has signed on to the Warner Bros. sci-fi pic.
Just before Hollywood shuts down for the holidays, Marvel Studios has narrowed its shortlist of actors to star in James Gunn's "Guardians of the Galaxy," with Zachary Levi and Jim Sturgess still in…
Domestic Film DAILY
PROVIDED BY: Box Office
Lucy1Daily:$5.0M Cumulative:$48.9M Universal Pictures -57.86%
Hercules2Daily:$3.3M Cumulative:$33.1M Paramount Pictures -60.81%
Dawn of The Planet of The Apes
Dawn of The Planet of The Apes3Daily:$2.2M Cumulative:$174.7M Fox -58.37%

domain: entertainment


text:
Heart Catch All Tray CNC Plans, Downloadable and Customizable
This is a quick and easy project that looks great and can be personalized in any way you want! For further instructions on making the entire project, please see our Ad-Free https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvyIP-jthMA
Bits Use - RC-2255 or RC-2265 Flattening Bit, 56126 3/16” Point Roundover Bit, 45984 or 45982 3/4” Diameter Bowl Bit, 45771-K 30 Degree Engraving Bit, 46416-K 1/4” down bit and MR0112 Mini Roundover Bit.
Tools Used - Axiom AR8 CNC machine (any CNC with at least a 10”x10” cutting area and can accept at least 1/4" shank bits will work) and a router.
Material Used – 1.125” thick piece of scrap walnut – Any wood at least ~3/4” thick will work.
You will receive SVG files, and Vectric Aspire 9 & 10, and VCARVE 9 & 10 files, with Vectric files include all Toolpaths.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- All sales are final.
- Downloaded products are non-refundable.
- You agree that these files are for personal use only
- File may not be shared or uploaded to another website
- You agree to not share these files in any way or form.
- You agree to not sell the finished product created by these plans nor mass produce these files
HOW IT WORKS
- Add the plans to cart and checkout.
- After confirming the payment, you will receive an email confirmation with a download link.
- Click the Download button and save the files to your computer.

domain: hobby


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Everyone hates Fiona Methodist. Her war veteran father shot a young couple in broad daylight before killing himself. The engaged pair witnessed a robbery and were due to give evidence, but with all three dead, no one knows the true motive. For Fiona, it's destroyed her life. It's not just those who whisper behind her back or the friends who pretend she doesn't exist; it's the landlords who spot her name and say no, the job agencies who can't find her work. But Fiona knows her dad didn't do it. He couldn't have, he's her father and he wouldn't do that...would he? Private Investigator Andrew Hunter takes pity on the girl and, even with stolen Bengal cats to find, plus an ex-wife who's not quite so ex, he can't escape the creeping feeling that Fiona might be right after all.
©2016 Pan Macmillan (P)2016 Kerry Wilkinson
"Although a light read, the subject matter was very sad at times and I found myself choking back tears, but in a good way! It was so authentically heart wrenching yet often very funny too. The characters were so well fleshed out and three dimensional - no one was perfect and no one was fatally flawed - like real life. I thought the twist was genius!" (Meredith Schorr, Best-Selling Author)
A fast paced book, with some twist in the plot This dark story has characters that are believable and I especially liked Jenny, Andrew's assistant with a slightly shady past. With the batty Aunt Gem in the background providing some humour, this is a well written story.
Having really enjoyed book 1, I was eager to dive back into this series.While book 1 was good, this was so much better. We get to see a bit more of Andrews background and we learn a few things about Jenny, though she still has a lot more to tell, I'm sure!!
In this one, a tearful girl asks Andrew to help her find the truth about the day her dad died. Fiona's life has been hell since the day her father was accused of murdering 2 young people and then killing himself. She knows he is innocent but can she prove it? Despite the girl not being able to pay Andrew, he takes the job anyway. Along with Jenny, they are brought on one heck of a ride to find the truth!!
This edition of the series we see a little more of who Andrew was and how he came to be a private eye. His story was quite surprising and I loved seeing it unfold!! He definitely finds himself in some sticky situations here, one with his ex wife and her dad and another with the investigation. He has to faces some hard truths about himself and his partner Jenny, whom we get to know a little better here! I really need to know why she is the way she is, so I hope the author will explain in the next book!!
In all, a brilliant second book and one that upped the game for this series. It was fast paced, intense and gripping and I can't wait to see what is next for the dynamic duo!!
Again, Nigel Patterson, was amazing. He just knows how to tell a good story and how to make the reader become invested in the book. He is fast becoming a favourite narrator of mine.
*I received a free copy of this from the narrator. This in no way affected my thoughts.*
It took me a long time to complete this book not sure why. But I had to keep going back and listen to parts again. I never did totally get the story. Never could figure out what was hidden. I have listened to other reads by Nigel Patterson an found them to be great, but something about this one just didn't click with me
I received this free for an honest review.
This is the second in this series and was even better than the first. Great story with lots of twists and turns. Great returning characters that we learn more about especially the backstory of the main character Andrew . The narrator was perfect very easy on the ear. Can't wait for the next installment.
Quiet man who enjoy Audible Audio-books as a way to escape from the world each day. They provide an excellent soundtrack for my daily walks.
Pretty High in this genre. I am normally a sci-fi and post apocalyptic fiction fan but I really enjoyed this work.
Andrew, he seems to be a little bit of a goof but is a good man to have one you side when you need him
The conversation between Andrew and Jenny about why he took the case of the Bengal cats, why people why spend that much on pets to begin with. It just struck me funny and is still my favorite. Its one of those things people who are not cat people will never understand.
The right man for the right job
“This audio book was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.”
"Second Andrew hunter novel"
Loved it from start to finish.
Andrew Hunter as he is the main charachter and he holds everything together.
Nigel always makes the characters and story come to life. So when you listen you feel like you are there with the characters living the story.
Well narrated , excellent storyline line,
brill characters the two main characters work well with each other
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domain: literature


text:
I’ll start this segment with the Axios headline I’ve been pondering. “No One Knows Anything.”
Why? Well, it turns out no one knows what’s coming. The probability of a recession in 2023 is between 45% and 55%, per the authors of a Goldman Sachs’ Investment Strategy Group report released on Jan 13th. You know, a coin flip. Trend-wise, it’s the highest since the predictions started over a decade ago.
The good news is that the group thinks that if a recession does come, it will be mild.
Inflation is coming down, per the data released last week. Price increases are risking at a more moderate pace, and some prices are declining. In the final three months of 2022, core inflation (which excludes food and fuel costs) came in at an annualized 3.1% — higher than the Fed aims for, but not a crisis level. In the second quarter of the year, that number was 7.9%.
There are expected corresponding adjustments from the Fed, expecting to raise interest rates by only a quarter percentage point at the next policy meeting.
Why do we care?
Despite personally being obsessed with trends news like this, my recommendation is about focus. Stay focused on your own performance.
I’m self-aware enough to know that the interesting story is about turbulence. The story actually appears to be more about stabilizing to what many economists view as more normal. Free money – that idea of capital being available at nearly no cost – is not “normal,” even though it’s been the state of affairs for a considerable time. The exceptionally low rates were the exception, not the norm.


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domain: artistic


It features a focusable light beam that has continuous dimmability. Thanks to 160-degree lamp head rotation, the H5 Core is ready for many everyday tasks. Additionally, the H5 Core features the Ledlenser Flex Sealing Technology, which provides extremely high protection against dust and water (IP67).This headlamp is compatible with AA or NiMH batteries.
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Ledlenser H5 Core
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Battery and Casing
- Battery2x AA Alkaline 1.5V
- Water ResistanceIP67
Height and Weight
- Head Diameter32 mm
- Weight178 g


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When is a protected area a “protected ” area?
According to the Nova Scotia government, it is only after the property has been formally designated through the Order in Council process.
The following is the government’s explicit rationale for being able to enter into a secret deal to delist and sell Owls Head Provincial Park: It had no status; it is just another piece of Crown land. They claim that they were within their rights. So, they can’t honestly say that they are close to the goal of protecting 13 % of the province, nor meeting their goals for Protected Lands. Many properties, both Provincial Parks and proposed Wilderness Areas on the list, are not formally designated and are therefore not truly protected.
Two opposing statements can’t both be true. The sad reality is that the government is nowhere close to meeting the target of 13% land conservation when a significant number of the properties in Our Parks and Protected Areas Plan may be subject to secret backroom deals and sale to developers. That is the process established at Owls Head Provincial Park.
Stop the lying. Stop the sale. Protect Owls Head Provincial Park.
Related Reading: Owls Head Provincial Park and Legal Designation: http://saveowlshead.org/ecology/owls-head-provincial-park-and-legal-designation/
(Originally posted on the Save Little Harbour/Owls Head Facebook group)


SAI Recruitment 2020 – Sports Authority of India invites application for 341 Scientific Staff Vacancies. Apply online before 15-02-2020. SAI Recruitment Qualifications/ Eligibility criteria and link to apply online for the job are given in the job details.
|Qualification||10th/ 12th/ Diploma/ PG Degree/ PG Diploma|
|Location||Anywhere in India|
|Age Limit||--view details--|
|Qualification||Graduate/ Post Graduation|
|Location||Anywhere in India|
|Age Limit||Maximum 32 years|
|BTSC Recruitment 2020 – 6437 Medical Officer Vacancies||Bihar||28-02-2020|
|WB Postal Circle Recruitment 2020 – 2021 GDS Vacancies||West Bengal||18-03-2020|
|HSSC Recruitment 2020 – 3864 PGT Vacancies||Haryana||02-03-2020|
|HSSC Recruitment 2020 – 1137 TGT and Other Vacancies||Haryana||24-03-2020|
|AASL Recruitment 2020 – 51 Supervisor (Security) Vacancies||Anywhere in India||04-03-2020|
|RRC ER Recruitment 2020 – 2792 Act Apprentice Vacancies||West Bengal and Bihar||20-03-2020|
|Indian Army Nagaland Recruitment Rally 2020 – Soldier Technical and Other Vacancies||Nagaland||16-03-2020|
|Indian Army Jharkhand Recruitment Rally 2020 – Soldier General Duty and Other Vacancies||Jharkhand||20-03-2020|
|GMCH Assam Recruitment 2020 – 300 Staff Nurse Vacancies||Assam||29-02-2020|
|Indian Army Sikkim Recruitment Rally 2020 – Soldier Technical and Other Vacancies||Sikkim||21-04-2020|
Sports Authority of India – SAI Recruitment 2020
Sports Authority of India is the apex national sports body of India, established in 1984 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of Government of India for the development of sport in India. The Authority was established with the objective of promotion of Sports and Games. SAI provides huge opportunities to the freshers as well as experienced candidates. SAI vacancies are frequently available in our Daily Naukri Central Government Jobs Page. Central Govt Job Seekers should visit this page on a daily basis.
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Sports Authority of India Official recruitment Notification will be released whenever job vacancies are available there. At Daily Naukri, you can discover various jobs profession wise for example Jobs for Nutritionist, Chef, Head Coach, Young Professional, Warden, Director and many more Jobs. Interested candidates having the qualification, for instance, 10th/ 12th, Diploma/ Graduation, PG Diploma, etc. can have an exciting career in the organization. In order to get recruited to this organization, we will help you to get placement papers, current affairs etc. Prepare according to the selection procedure and get your dream job here!
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This is an exclusive page for Sports Authority of India Recruitment updates for both the freshers as well as for experienced candidates. We ensure to notify all the latest recruitment notifications and job openings from the Authority. We ensure that none of the Careers notification get missed out on our website. Instant updates regarding Sports Authority of India Vacancy notifications are given. To know immediately about the Central Government Jobs and vacancies which are to be announced in the near future, you can subscribe to our Daily Naukri free job alert to your email. Once you subscribe with us you will definitely get instant alerts for all new openings in future.
Why Daily Naukri for Sports Authority of India Recruitment Updates?
Daily Naukri has created this exclusive page for SAI Recruitment Notifications for both fresher and experienced candidates. Our team ensures to notify all the latest recruitment notifications and job openings from the Authority on this page. Bookmark this page to not miss any of the notification of our website. We help the willing candidates to receive notifications on the latest All Sports Authority of India Jobs and many more and get them the jobs they deserve.[fbcomments]


text:
OC Raw Dog's Freeze Dried Turkey Meaty Rox Topper
Buy 3 at $54
OC Raw Dog uses only premium ingredients—all natural, whole muscle and organ meat, and farm fresh produce—with absolutely zero indirect or direct preservatives, chemicals, fillers or grains. The result is healthier, happier dogs. Health concerns such as red eyes, dry skin, loose stools, excessive shedding, and low energy are dramatically mitigated when your dog is eating what nature intended!
90% Meat, Bone, and Organ
10% Fruits, Vegetables and Supplements
Turkey, ground turkey bone, turkey gizzard, carrots, apples, broccoli, spinach, acorn squash, beets, cod liver oil (source of Omega 3), parsley, blueberries, calcium carbonate, kelp powder
Guaranteed Analysis :
Min Crude Protein 43%, Min Crude Fat 22%, Max Crude Fiber 3%, Max Moisture 10%, Omega3 / 6 1: 7, Calcium / Phosphorus 1:1

domain: pet


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We designed invitations and accessories tailored for Stefani and Aleksandra’s spectacular 3 day wedding weekend on the French Riviera.
Ths couture invitation is inspired by the Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat, France –S&A’s wedding venue. Outside, the box is hand wrapped in neutral linen, opening to reveal a book invitation that invites guests on a journey to celebrate their love. The book’s cover features a hand painted 3D watercolor art depiction of their wedding venue. Each page inside is a canvas inspired by the locations of their welcome party at Yacht Club Monaco, white-orchid wedding, and poolside brunch at Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat. Even the shipping box is customized with their Monogram and adorned with watercolor touches. True luxury personalization where every detail tells a story.
The festivities commenced with a welcome party upon the Yacht Club Monaco. Drawing inspiration from the Art Deco yacht interiors, we curated couture designs for monograms, napkins, signages, and the dance floor, ensuring the event boasted a seamlessly branded experience.
S&A’s wedding day unfolded like a dream, resembling a white cloud flower fantasy. In harmony with the theme, we designed the napkins, menu, and invitation page in a palette of white and silver. The invitation itself showcased their wedding day florals, transitioning guests from paper to reality. For the reception, we crafted a menu featuring a silver mirror laser-cut border surrounding a white acrylic center, drawing inspiration from French brocade patterns. Complementing this, silver-embroidered napkins adorned with their monogram added the perfect finishing touch.
S&A’s celebration concluded with a delightful poolside brunch. Drawing inspiration from the charming yellow and white stripe parasols showcased on page 3 of the book invitation, we enhanced the design using gold foil stripes. To complement the theme, we crafted matching signage and napkins featuring an embroidered monogram in vibrant yellow designed by our team.


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Double The Drama - Brown
Regular price $5.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
An oversized topaz teardrop gem is nestled inside a ring of glassy white rhinestones that attaches to an airy silver fitting adorned with a golden topaz oval rhinestone. Earring attaches to a standard fishhook fitting.
Sold as one pair of earrings.

domain: design


Administration of the project
Power Spectral Density of Rough Surfaces
Roughness is known to be an important factor in friction, wear and related performance of the machine parts. It was shown recently that Power Spectrum Density (PSD) can be used as a metric to describe the surface from tribological point of view. Besides the field of tribology, roughness determines surface properties, such as hydrophulicity, adhesion, fatigue resistance, etc. Some of the analytical models of contact mechanics predict contact area, stiffness and other important parameters based on the PSD. Therefore, knowledge of PSD of a surface can bring valuable information about its (tribological) properties.
Power spectral density reveals presence and contribution of different spatial frequencies (wavelengths, wavevectors) in the surface. For example, if the surface roughness is composed of two sine waves of different wavelengths, its PSD will have only two peaks (see the figure below). These peaks indicate presence of two wavelengths in the surface.
Power spectral density of a randomly rough surfaces was shown to frequently look like in the figure below:
In this case, the PSD reveals a self-affine surface, which is not always the case (if not self-affine, it may look curved and not straight line).
There are various definitions of the power spectral density, which differ typically with a constant. Here we follow  and define the PSD as follows:
where is the 2 dimensional PSD, A is the area of the surface, are wavevectors in x and y directions. Fourier transform of the surface is given as follows:
Equivalent definition of the PSD is used by B. Persson :
where the <..> denotes average of the ensemble. These definitions are equivalent due to Wiener-Khintchine theorem .
The definition of the power spectral density in terms of Fourier transform seems to be more convenient, since it also shows a direct way of calculating it for a given surface.
-  Quantitative characterization of surface topography using spectral analysis, Tevis Jacobs, Till Junge and Lars Pastewka.
-  On the nature of surface roughness with application to contact mechanics, sealing, rubber friction and adhesion, Bo Persson, O Albohr, U Tartaglino, A I Volokitin and E Tosatti


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Four Horned Decorated Sheep Skull
Sorry, currently out of stock
A skull of a four horned sheep, a very rare trait that is today mainly only to be found in sheep in selective areas in Northwestern and Southern Europe. This gem comes from a farm in western Iceland near Búðardalur.
It is painted in black and silver that really shimmers in real life, and I added Algiz ᛉ in Icelandic wool for protection.
The artwork itself is inspired by Icelandic magical staves and Swedish black magic where I focused on bringing the owner good luck.


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Jennifer Lopez has said that having to film a pole dancing scene in her movie Hustlers was her own “fault”, because she came up with the idea.
Country music star Dolly Parton showed age is just a number as she turned heads on the red carpet at 73.
Robert De Niro will receive the Screen Actors Guild’s life achievement award.
US comedian Kevin Hart has thanked his family for stepping “up to the plate” during his first public appearance since a car crash left him seriously injured.
British actor Andy Serkis will play loyal butler Alfred in the upcoming Batman film, it has been announced.
US singer John Legend has been named the “sexiest man alive” by People magazine.
Liam Gallagher has partnered with a Dublin homeless charity to encourage people to donate warm winter clothing.
British-American actor Jonah Hauer-King has reportedly been cast as Prince Eric in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
Stars including Halsey and Gigi Hadid have come to Taylor Swift’s defence after she re-opened her row with prominent talent manager Scooter Braun.
Taylor Swift has accused the head of her former record label and a prominent music industry figure of “exercising tyrannical control” over her career, in a row over her old music.

domain: celebrity


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Located in the heart of Kitchener, this hotel is steps from TheMuseum and Lake Huron. Centre In The Square and Bingemans are also within 3 mi (5 km). Kitchener Station is 14 minutes by foot.
Situated in the historical district, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum and Tiffany Falls. Hermitage Cascade and Griffin House National Historic Site are also within 3 mi (5 km).
Situated in Stratford, this golf hotel is steps from Queens Park and Lake Huron. Festival Theatre and Gallery Stratford are also within 10 minutes. Stratford Station is 18 minutes by foot.
Situated in Township of Wilmot, this bed & breakfast is 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from Scott Park and within 6 mi (10 km) of Castle Kilbride and Foxwood Country Club. Festival Theatre and University of Waterloo are also within 16 mi (25 km).
Located in the heart of Guelph, this hotel is steps from Guelph Market Square and Lake Huron. University of Guelph is 1.6 mi (2.6 km) away. Guelph Station is only a 2-minute walk.
Situated in Stratford, this apartment building is steps from Avon Theatre and Lake Huron. Studio Theatre and Stratford City Hall are also within 5 minutes. Stratford Station is 10 minutes by foot.
Situated in the historical district, this bed & breakfast is within 12 mi (20 km) of Tiffany Falls, Chedoke Falls, and Flamboro Downs. Tews Falls and Webster Falls are also within 12 mi (20 km).
Situated in Waterloo, this condo building is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Lake Huron and 2 mi (3.1 km) from University of Waterloo. Waterloo Park and Waterloo Central Railway Station are also within 3 mi (5 km).
Located in Highland West, this guesthouse is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Lake Huron and 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from University of Waterloo. Waterloo Park and Waterloo Central Railway Station are also within 3 mi (5 km).
Situated in Burlington, this vacation home is within 1 mi (2 km) of Burlington City Hall and Lake Huron. Spencer Smith Lakefront Park and Lake Ontario are also within 2 mi (3 km).
Located in Central Erin Mills, this condo building is 1.1 mi (1.8 km) from Erin Mills Town Centre and 1.4 mi (2.3 km) from Erin Mills Twin Arenas. University of Toronto Mississauga and Lake Huron are also within 6 mi (10 km).
Located in the heart of Waterloo, this apartment building is within 1 mi (2 km) of Clay and Glass, University of Waterloo, and Lake Huron. Centre In The Square is 2.4 mi (3.9 km) away.
Looking to live it up on your vacation with a bit of luxury? Or maybe you’ve decided that your boss can afford to put you up at a place of your choice on your next business trip?
Come on, you deserve it!
The best part about staying in Kitchener 4 star hotels is that you’ll often be close to all the local sights and attractions. Whether you’re visiting the area for the first time or you’re back in town for more fun, a 4 star hotel is going to put you right in the heart of all the action.
Plus, you can rest easy knowing that you’re being well taken care of during your visit. Instead of worrying about where to eat or what to see, your friendly hotel staff will be happy to help you get whatever you need.
The best four star hotels in Kitchener will also frequently include access to high-quality fitness centers and pools, so you’ll feel like you’re staying in an exclusive resort rather than a hotel. You won’t have any excuse for not keeping up with your workout routine!
If you’re looking for 4 star hotels in Kitchener, you’ll find the most bang for your buck by booking your stay with Travelocity. Go explore a new city, and know you’re getting the best deal on a great hotel with the Travelocity Price Guarantee.

domain: travel


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The Japanese economy continues to recover from the global economy including the United States of America and China, and although corporate production activities are performing well for the first half, supply and demand of some production parts is tight for the second half By doing so, orders are being made in anticipation of demand, and overheating is also emerging, so it is in an uncertain situation. Also, we are concerned about geopolitical risks rising at a stroke due to unpredictable policies of the US administration, so we need to keep an eye on future trends. Against this backdrop, the Company will implement the following measures to solidify the foundation for the next growth.
Enhancement of Corporate Governance
In recent years, the importance of corporate governance has increased, the Corporate Law requires the establishment of an internal control system for the entire group of companies, and the establishment of a corporate governance code at the stock exchanges has made it possible for corporate sustainable growth and medium term Autonomous response to improve corporate value has become required. We listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section in December 2017, but at the time of listing, we reviewed the establishment and operation of various regulations, manuals, etc., and improved the internal control system was carried out. In June 2016, we moved to a company with an audit committee, and since June 2017 we appointed three external directors who are members of the audit committee, and from the independent objective standpoint, effective audit supervision we have set up a system that can do. Regarding the future, while striving to further enhance corporate governance, we strive to build a structure that can realize sustainable growth and medium-term corporate value improvement while improving the quality while appropriately reviewing the internal control system we will also strive.
Enhancement of Credit Management
Introduction of negative interest and implementation of monetary easing by the Bank of Japan have led to historically low rates. With installment sales marketing of construction machinery business, we face intensifying competition between financial institutions and leasing companies. Under these circumstances, we will strengthen sales by not competing with interest rates by relaxing our credit line but instead will underscore the benefit that is gained from doing business with NANYO. Furthermore, we must enhance the management of credit obligations by setting up risk categories to classify each obligator. We plan to take appropriate measures for each category and secure our credit obligations.
Acquiring and Fostering of Human Resources
We believe expanding the cycle of acquiring and fostering skilled employees is the source of NANYO's stable growth. In recent years, the baby boom generation has reached retirement age. At the same time, the birthrate is falling rapidly. We predict for the mid to long-term that obtaining skilled employees will get tougher.
We built a new headquarter building and relocated to it on October 2011 in an attempt to obtain excellent employees. To recruit employees who will become NANYO's core members in 5 to 10 years, we must boost the company's recognition and create an attractive work environment. We will also improve the quality of the existing employees through in-house or outside training and education programs.
Expanding Sales of Expendables and Production Parts
During a recession period, even if manufacturers know the investment in facilities is necessary for the future, they refrain from making big expenditures. Since we sell machineries, we are in some way influenced by their manufacturing decisions. To avoid the damage, we plan to offer expendable production parts since they are consumed no matter what, as long as production lines are open. Also, we will provide the overseas products that are inexpensive but have technological capabilities to help customers cut their production costs. That way we can stabilize our business platform.
Expanding into Robotics Industry and New Business Lines
Manufacturing industry players in Japan are implementing factory automation to enhance productivity and labor-saving measures. The players in China are accelerating moves to automation due to increased labor costs. We will endeavor to strengthen the proposal for equipment and production parts related to the robot field for factory automation. And since the automation of the inspection process has become a big theme, we have newly established the inspection system department. We will also work to expand sales of equipment machines used in the inspection process. Regarding IoT fields where market expansion is expected in the future, we will grasp the technical trends of suppliers as soon as possible and will be involved from the development stage. Our company aims for sustainable development by proposing products and accessory parts leading to mass production investment.
Exploration in Chinese and Southeast Asian Markets
At one time, China led the world economy, but excessive production capacity and excess debt problems have surfaced and China is now going through a correction period. Investments in modernization in the agricultural industry and for automatization (due to increased labor costs) are expected to hover at high levels. Starting with NANYO International Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. established in September 2003, we have grown in the Chinese market with three sales offices. To strengthen the market development in Southeast Asia including Malaysia and Thailand, NANYO ENGINEERING (MALAYSIA) SDN.BHD, our affiliate, has increased their presence in regional operations. Through these affiliates, we will explore and expand the Chinese and Southeast Asian markets where needs are growing across industrial robots and various machines.
Enhancement of Niche Market
In the construction machinery business, construction is expected to continue due to the aging of social infrastructure. We manufacture and sell the "NANYO Mall" drilling robot which repairs the sewer pipe of the original product. Excellent functionality has gained a very high reputation. In the future, there is a possibility that sales may increase as social infrastructure restoration work progresses. Okinawa Prefecture also has a rapid development of social capital thanks to the national budget. The region of Okinawa is booming. We will strengthen our approach to niche markets. And we will pioneer new niche market and promote business stabilization.
Expanding Management Base
At our Industrial Machinery Business Division, robot filed is growing up rapidly as well as smart phone field and onboard semiconductor filed; latest technology regarding IoT is going to realize gradually.
As considered above situation in our society, we recognize that expansion of the network for sales and purchase is an urgent task.
Kyoei Tsushin Kogyo became our one of subsidiaries in April 2013; moreover, TODAKA Corporation, which manufactures precision mechanical parts, FA mechatronics and Ship related equipment at Oita City, became a group company in March 2017.
We will examine advance to existing business and field which would generate synergy effect also consider effective use of M&A as an important management policy to expand our business infrastructure.
Implementation of System Coordination
In recent years, the information systems at our affiliates have been rebuilt to share information within the group. To avoid loss of any sales opportunities, merchandise data has been centralized. Furthermore, trade information is now shared to intensify the coordination among group companies. We plan on constructing a consolidated accounting system and a system that will meet the IFRS requirements.
Compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
More and more businesses are globalized and stock markets are becoming borderless. Investors are now more eager to invest in foreign companies. Accordingly, over 100 countries are already or planning on using IFRS as their domestic accounting standards. In Japan, the government has postponed the start of the IFRS application due to the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake of March 2011. However, the adaptation of IFRS in the future is unavoidable to do business worldwide.
The IFRS is much different from the standards currently used by listed companies including NANYO. Therefore we believe it will take time and effort to comply. We will pay attention to the decisions made by the Financial Services Agency to prepare for IFRS application.
Improvement of Balance Sheet
We have proposed cash flow management since FY 2000. To improve the balance sheet, we invested in the range of operating cash flows. As a result, the capital adequacy ratio in the fiscal year ended March 2018 reached almost 50%. Compression of interest-bearing debt also progressed, and the financial content also improved drastically. In the future, we will strive to enhance future capital base and pursue management that takes balance sheet into account. We will establish a structure that can smoothly respond to unexpected financial needs accompanying M & A, while striving for stable funding while taking fund cost into consideration, and ensuring soundness and stability.
Enhancement of Fund Management
NANYO raises funds from financial institutions in a lump sum and lends out to its affiliates. Our finance department monitors the affiliates' funding status. At the monthly board meetings, their financial statements are reviewed to make sure the funds are used effectively.
The affiliates' information system has been upgraded to allow for highly accurate control. We will utilize and manage funds more effectively by re-examining the asset allocation and reducing unnecessary assets.
Shareholder incentives / Shareholder returns
Hereby, based on review our dividend policy in March 2016, we keep the payout ratio at around 25% of consolidated net profit and a dividend as JPY30 per stock( in case the consolidated net profit is lower than all amount of the dividend, given dividend to be range of the profit).
Also, we have practiced interim dividends and dividends of surplus twice a year to enhance passing on of profits to our shareholders since 2015. However, to reinforce further return to the shareholders, we finally introduced shareholder incentives plan and gifted JPY1,000 QUO card( more than 3 years tenure will give you JPY1,500 QUO card) to our shareholders who have more than 100 stocks in end of March.
NANYO will try to have active return to all shareholders as securing of safety and soundness in management continuously.

domain: finance


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I’m clearly a bit of a latecomer to Wordle , but I found the website today 🙂 From my perspective it’s like a words version of the game “Mastermind” I used to play with various classes as a warm-up or time-filler, where I’d think of a four-digit number (maybe five for an older class, or three for a younger one), they’d make guesses, and I’d tell them which digits were wrong, which were right, and which were in the number but in the wrong place. I feel like it’s a little easier when you play with words, because they have to be actual words! So that rules out a lot of combinations before you even start. Here’s how I did today:
Wordle 214 4/6
I also know of versions in Spanish and Catalan . I was able to complete both those puzzles today too, but the Spanish one in particular was definitely harder than the English one for me 😅 Still, a fun little diversion.


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The company acknowledged a cost-cutting review is underway after Chicago business blogger Robert Feder wrote late Thursday that Tribune may slash as much as $100 million in expenses from its eight daily newspapers.
A Tribune spokesman called Feder's report "grossly inaccurate" and said the company has not set an expense reduction target. Tribune's budget analysis comes as it prepares to spin off its newspapers into a separate entity.
"Everything is on the table, as it is every year," Tribune spokesman Gary Weitman said. "...This is the normal budget process that we go through annually."
Management is looking to minimize journalist job cuts to protect the quality of the content, according to people familiar with the matter. The review is expected to be completed by early December.
Tribune has lost an average of $99 million in print advertising revenue in each of the last two years, according to public filings. That's a 14.5% decline since 2010. Print ad revenue fell an additional 8% in the first half of this year.
The newspapers have shed about 1,900 jobs in the last three years and 110 positions so far in 2013, according to company filings. Tribune employs about 11,500 people at its television, Internet and newspaper properties.
In addition to the Los Angeles Times, the company's newspaper holdings include the
Tribune announced in July that it planned to separate its newspapers from the company's other assets. Tribune's owners — investment firms
Times staff writers

domain: economics


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VRBO is part of the HomeAway family, the world leader in vacation rentals with over 1 million listings. We offer the largest selection of properties for any travel occasion and every budget. We’re committed to helping families and friends find a perfect vacation rental to create unforgettable travel experiences together. Learn More
The two houses (built 1994/2005) in Balinese style with thatched roofs are situated directly alongside the beach on a 5000 sq. property with a tropical garden and private swimming pool. The main, 130 sqm house, has 2 bedrooms, bath and large veranda. The guest house (50 sqm) has one bedroom, bath and veranda. A roofed balè with beach chairs is located on the beach. Both houses have electricity and running water. The houses are cleaned regularly (2 persons are living on the property in own houses in charge for maintaining and cleaning- as well shopping if wished). Bed linens and towels exist. A cook is available upon request (€ 5 per day)
Car rental: Upon request, we can arrange a rental car for € 15 per day (€ 30,-- incl. driver)
Excursions: Rambut siwi temple (15 minutes by car), Ubud (1 1/2 hours), kuta (1 1/2 hours), Lovina (2 hours), national park/rain forest (30 min.), Menjangan sea park for snorkelling and diving (1 1/2 hours). All excursions can be agreed with Mr. Sudarma who is a good driver and guide.
Local support: Mr. Wayan Sudarma is in charge of the local support. His grandmother (Ibu Ngha) and his nephew (Wayan) live on the property in a separate house. Wayan is in charge of cleaning and maintaining the property. He is also available to do the shopping.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Pay with an approved method (credit card, check, or bank transfer) to protect your payment up to $1,000. Before making a payment always call the owner at the number listed on our website, and never use instant money transfer services such as Western Union and MoneyGram.
Adding our Vacation Protection services can make sure your getaway goes smoothly, no matter what. We offer Cancellation Protection, Carefree Rental Guarantee, and Damage Protection so you can truly relax.
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The property's calendar has not been updated in over 14 months. You can contact the owner for availability or look for properties with confirmed availability
This owner hasn’t verified their location. If you would like more information, please contact the owner.


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Ask a Dog Vet and Get Answers to Your Dog Health Questions
Hello & welcome, I am Dr. B, a licensed veterinarian and I would like to help you with your wee one today.
What does the diarrhea look like?
Has he had any vomiting? What does that look like?
Can he keep the water down?
Are his gums pink or pale/white? Moist or sticky?
If you press on his belly, does he have any discomfort, tenderness, or tensing?
Could he have eaten something he should not have (ie bones, toys, rocks, plants, chemicals, etc)?
I am very sorry to hear that he has. Since we were not able to aid you, I will send your question back to customer service just now.
Please take care, my thoughts are with you,


Mike Hargrove resigned as manager of the Mariners.
It's pretty weird for it to happen in the midst of a winning season, I guess. It's even funnier timing after trading card day yesterday, where I'm wondering how many people were fighting over trading for a Mike Hargrove card.
I'm personally one of these people who thinks managers don't have THAT much effect on a team winning or losing, so while I was never one of those super-negative "die in a fire, Grover" types that permeate the blogosphere, I'm also not like "oh no! Don't go!"
John McLaren will be the Mariners manager for the rest of the year, starting Monday.