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Part of trying to get work as a TV writer (or any writing job) is having an excellent writing sample. A writing sample is a script you wrote that shows off your skills. It shows off your voice. It’s your calling card. You need a strong writing sample to get a writing job (and you should preferably have two, in different genres). But should you write a TV Pilot or Spec Script?
When it comes to television, you have the choice of writing an original pilot episode (the first episode of a television show) or a spec (speculative) episode of an existing show. This doesn’t mean you should write a spec episode of the show you want to write for (because many shows legally cannot read spec episodes of their own show), but instead, you should write a spec episode for a show that is in the same genre you want to write in. For example, back in the day, you could write a spec X-Files episode to try and get a job on Buffy or another genre show. Now, before you start cooking up the perfect “Game of Thrones” episode — just STOP. Because no one wants to read spec episodes of existing shows anymore.
I shouldn’t say NO ONE, because I’ve heard many interviews with writers and showrunners who WISH people still wanted to read specs for existing shows, but that is not the case anymore. The reason these few writers and showrunners wish this is because when you’re a writer on a TV show, you’re working for a SHOWRUNNER. And in most cases, that showrunner is the person who created the show. Your job is not to write your vision in your voice, your job is to write FOR the showrunner’s vision and emulate the showrunner’s voice. Writing a spec sample for an existing tv show will give the showrunner a sense of how good you can emulate an existing shows voice. How well you can capture existing character’s voices. But alas, that is not the world we live in today.
There has been a shift over the past few years, and now everyone (and by everyone I mostly mean agents and managers) only want to read ORIGINAL MATERIAL. That means if you’re trying to become a TV writer, you need to write an original pilot episode. This is much harder than writing an existing show. You have the create everything. Characters, Setting, Plot, Theme. You’ve got to do it all. And it has to be great. It has to be engaging. And it has to have LEGS. That is to say, the reader has to see the potential for this single episode to turn into multiple seasons.
There are multiple reasons why people want to read original pilots these days. First, they want to see what YOUR original voice is. They want to see if your voice lends itself to their TV show. And because writing a pilot is so much harder, it also sets the bar for quality much higher. Another big reason is that agents and managers can not only use an original pilot as a writing sample, they can try and SELL IT (and I think this is probably the biggest reason this trend started).
So there you have it. Writing a spec of an original show is a complete waste of time because nobody gives a shit anymore. So go off and write a pilot! Good luck! You’re gonna need it.

domain: entertainment


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“Of all the people in the world, why does it have to be me?” Linalyn asked her mother, Natalie. Their family had no history of clubfoot so she couldn’t understand why she was born that way.
Natalie worked as a sugarcane farmer. Her work was seasonal and her salary wasn’t enough to provide for her family, which included her sick husband and three children. It was impossible for her to save up the money needed for Linalyn’s corrective surgery.
After years of hopelessness, Natalie heard about the Transform program and joined as a participant. Originally, she didn’t even know that ICM offered medical assistance, but she was overjoyed when she found out that through the program Linalyn could get the surgery she needed.
In June 2018, Linalyn came to Hong Kong to receive the surgery to correct her feet at Matilda International Hospital. The life-changing surgery was a success, impacting not only Linalyn and her family, but also giving hope to others around them who once believed that this corrective surgery was an unreachable fantasy.
In September 2018, Linalyn returned to Hong Kong for the cast removal and further therapy. Linalyn’s surgeon, Dr. Yeung, was happy to see the progress she was making – there were no infections and no further medication needed.
Now a top student in her class, Linalyn dreams of bringing the hope she has received to others. “I want to become a doctor so that I can help other people who have clubfoot!”

domain: medical


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Sunday, February 8
Merci. I am trying to capture the gist of what is being said.
We started out at La Victoire Synagogue, the largest in France, built in 1874 with the financial support of the Rothschild family. It has been, and remains the center of Jewish life in Paris, good and bad. It is a magnificent structure, comparable to the churches in Europe we all visit.
Tali Ohayon, who is coming to GMW, spoke about security. She said everyone has to be involved and taught to recognize that the terrorist could be living right next door. The government seems more committed to security, and we saw armed police/soldiers around places we visited. Comforting and unnerving at the same time.
Alan Hoffman, Director General of JAFI, spoke to us at the Aliya Fair, and two graduates of MASA talked about their experiences. One has made Aliyah and one is back in school in France. We visited the fair which is an opportunity for young people (today's was aimed at young people but there are many now) to learn about programs in Israel and about making Aliyah. There were hundreds of kids. I didn't poll them to find out why each one was there.
Went to the Hyper Cacher supermarket – just an ordinary market right outside of Paris proper where the rent is cheaper and so are the prices. It is now closed, probably forever. We lit candles, laid a wreath, said Yizkor and Kaddish – something we do at too many places. We then sang Hatikvah – picture 50 people standing on the street in front of the market. As we were getting on the bus Richard Bernstein said he was thinking where di he felt safer - standing there singing or in Sderot. Sderot won. Watch video from Day 1.
We heard from the president of the Consistoire, the oldest Jewish organization in France (established by Napoleon) which supervises all religious Jewish life in France (95% Orthodox), the Vice President of CRIF (the representative council of French Jewry) which is the umbrella organization that represents the Jewish community and affiliated organizations to the government and the rest of the world, the chair of the United Jewish Social Foundation which oversees educational, social and cultural initiatives, and the president of the French Student union.
They all indicated that the situation is bad and the government has recognized this. They are providing heavy security at Jewish day schools, synagogues, and other Jewish facilities, but that will not last forever. There is a need for everyone to recognize the problem of anti-Semitism and a need for solidarity with other Jewish communities. They are a community living in crisis, in a country in crisis. It was said that France is the laboratory of a new Jewish situation.
I found the day informative, depressing in many ways, and exhausting.
Monday, February 9
I left the hotel at 7:15 AM to go to the foreign ministry offices to meet Giles Clavreul, Inter-ministerial Delegate For the Fight against Racism and anti-Semitism. Very young man. In recognizing the problems that face France, he has prepared a road map that has been submitted to President Hollande and will be presented to the National Assembly for a vote. He said the feeling was that the "contemporary" form of anti-Semitism started 15 years ago with the second Intifada. (When visiting the Israeli ambassador later he disagreed.) He feels that we have to find a way to control false postings (holocaust denial) on the internet within the bounds of free speech. He said soldiers will continue guarding Jewish institutions as long as necessary because protecting Jewish sites is a priority. On the ground in France, day 2 video.
Then it was on to the oldest Jewish school in Europe – Lucien Hirsch School. The school goes from two-year olds through high school. We arrived at recess so there was the normal chaos of kids enjoying being outside. We met with four older students, some of whom said they thought they would wind up in Israel. Close your eyes and you are in any one of our day schools, except for the armed soldiers who greet you at the door, many of whom sleep in the school at night. How difficult for these children. What do you tell a five year old?
Went to the JCC where the situation is similar.
Had lunch at the home of the Israeli Ambassador Yossi Gal. This past year has been extremely difficult because of the rise of anti-Semitic incidents and the deterioration of the Israel/French relationship (vote for Palestinians). He did say that he does not doubt the French government’s commitment to its Jewish population and that France has been the strongest against a nuclear Iran. He was very appreciative of our visit and is encouraging people to come to France to identify with the Jewish community, one in a state of anxiety.
Group actually had a half hour quick bus tour in Paris, truly a beautiful city.
Met the American ambassador to France, Jane Hartley, who said she was impressed with the French government since the January attacks.
Heard from several speakers including Ghaleb Bencheikh, a Muslim, and Rabbi Michel Serfaty, chair of the Judeo-Muslim friendship association. They are working together to try to understand each other's communities. He was asked if others in his community agreed with him and we all want to know if there is other support from within their community.
Finally, farewell dinner and final speaker – Sandy Charabi, one of the hostages at Hyper Casher. She told her harrowing story and how she was able to communicate with her fiancée who is a policeman. He was able to give police information from within the supermarket.
Much to think about over the next few days, but this trip brought a new closeness with the French Jewish community and I think it made us realize the need to be in touch with Jewish communities throughout Europe. The Jewish community has always been an integral part of the life of France (President Hollande said, "France without its Jews would not be France") The members of the French Jewish community continuously expressed their thanks for making them feel that they are not alone.
One question asked many times – Do we consider ourselves "American Jews" or "Jewish Americans?" In France it seems to always be "French Jews." Je suis Juif.

domain: sociology


Oklahoma Lawmakers Resume 2020 Legislative Session Monday
When lawmakers return to the State Capitol Monday, the public is invited with some conditions.
The Capitol has been closed to the public since mid-March, and now guests will undergo screening for COVID-19 symptoms upon entering the building and are encouraged to wear a mask.
Health officials will be present to implement social distancing, with folks in the gallery asked to sit six feet apart. Lobbies outside the House and Senate will be closed.
“Capitol access is being phased in cautiously just like Oklahoma’s reopening is being phased in cautiously,” said House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka. “If you truly need to be at the Capitol, you can be there under health precautions, and if you do not need to be there, be safe and watch online.”
Lawmakers - who will also be taking precautions - must finish the session by May 29, which includes crafting a budget for the coming fiscal year starting July 1.


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Halloween Games Bingo. When your guests arrive, tape a piece of paper to their backs with a. Fun halloween games for adults 1.
Here is a halloween bingo card set that adults will really appreciate. Halloween minute to win it games. Go on an epic bingo.
It Is One Of The Halloween Game Ideas For Kids That Is.
It is a nice halloween party theme and a long game. Halloween guess who solstock / getty images this game is a great ice breaker for your next halloween party. Manage to avoid the ghosts gang distractions or turn them off in the settings for a relaxed gameplay.
This Halloween Bingo Game Is The Cutest That You Will Find!
When your guests arrive, tape a piece of paper to their backs with a. Vintage style halloween bingo cards. Go on an epic bingo.
The Bingo Cards Are Available In Png And Pdf.
So here comes the halloween season and what would be a better occasion to play game bingo in halloween style so bingo is a fun game we added the. Dig up your tickets online remember, this is a halloween bingo night, so to add an extra layer of toil and trouble you might want your bingo cards to be themed. Enter a creative halloween theme as the card title that can describe your bingo game.
Play The Game At Home, In Classrooms, Or With Friends And Family At The Halloween Party!
Conversation pack for adult students. Fun halloween games for adults 1. All you need for this halloween game is to download and print off our free.
Choose The Free Space, You Can Put It Into.
The winning team is the one who can change in and out of their halloween costume the fastest. Choose 1 or more bingo callers to pull one picture at a time from a bag & call out the picture to the group. I wanted to add even more fun this year though, so i.

domain: hobby


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- Nubuck leather
- Non-slip rubber sole
- Textile lining
- Sole spring poron performance cushioning
The Chatham Galley II is a part of the summer 2019 sport collection and boasts a stylish, athletic-inspired design! Crafted from premium navy blue nubuck leather with a contrasting tan leather collar, white laces, a red nubuck heel counter and a non-slip rubber sole! The Galley II has a textile lining and also features Chatham's new sole spring poron performance cushioning, which is anti-bacterial, offering maximum comfort and shock absorption. A great weekend deck shoe for life's go-getters. Please note due to the nature of deck shoes regularly being worn without socks this style can size a little large. With that in mind Chatham would suggest dropping down a size if you are unsure!

domain: design


California leaders are finally investing in more affordable and supportive housing, the proven solution to dealing with our housing affordability and homelessness crises.
Funding initiatives for homeless programs and housing throughout California — Measure A in Santa Clara County and California state HEAP (Homeless Emergency Aid Program) program — are making securing sufficient capital funds less of an issue for developing new supportive housing facilities.
It is because of this investment that the main issue facing developments today is finding neighborhoods that will allow new shelters, services or permanent housing.
In the past decade I have participated in countless community meetings proposing new homeless services facilities or supportive housing developments in specific neighborhoods. The community responses to our presentations have varied dramatically from “yes, we really need housing in our community” to “you will never build in our neighborhood.”
I remember years ago, an intern who was participating in one of our community engagement efforts asked me, “Why is it so hard to help people in need?” I remember my response.
“Convincing neighbors to let us build is part of the work of addressing homelessness.”
So, what is the solution?
For those of us in the trenches of creating new programs and housing, we present tactical answers. For example, it’s more cost-effective to place a homeless person in a home rather than leaving them on the street. We present statistics that show why such programs and housing are successful and better for the community overall.
But if neighbors are worried about the cleanliness of their streets, the values of their property, and their safety, no tactical answer alone will allay their fears.
So here is our approach toward working with neighborhoods:
Listen, Listen, Listen. In a community meeting, my instinct is to defend, defend, defend. But although meetings might appear to be an intellectual debate, the discussion is really about our hearts, listening to what people are feeling and what they are passionate about.
It is not Us versus Them. When we were building a 14-story, 225 units/beds development in a downtown California city, I spent nine months talking with community groups, listening to their fears. I used to share with them how I too worried about my children walking to and from school. I worried that they would have to walk over people sleeping on the streets, and how they might encounter someone who might harm them. I told them that my fears are just like theirs. And that the solution is to get people off the streets and into homes.
All Politics and Homeless Issues is Local. A former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives coined the saying, “All politics is local.” In siting homeless housing, I would alter that saying: “All homeless issues are local.” Neighbors are more concerned about the five people living in their park, or the ten RVs parked near their businesses, rather than the 5,000 or 50,000 people who are homeless in the region. People don’t care whether supportive housing worked in Timbuktu, they care how our proposed development will help their neighborhood.
Get to Know Us. If we are building a new building in a new neighborhood, then we will become their new neighbors. So, our neighbors want to know who we are, how we will run programs and how we will protect their neighborhood.
Propose Safety Solutions. The safety of the neighborhood is paramount. We propose leading neighborhood watch groups or neighborhood advisory committees (a group of neighbors — critics included — who regularly discuss local neighborhood issues) and coordination with the local police.
Talk is Cheap. Put it in Writing. Neighbors want an agreed upon program and operations plan that works toward keeping the neighborhood safe. This includes a neighborhood covenant.
Build Beautiful Buildings. Our developments are not designed like the old 1960s concrete block housing projects. Instead, our buildings are designed better than anything else on the block. It is part of our commitment to making the neighborhood better.
Be Factual and Accountable. People tend to exaggerate, “We have no homeless people in our neighborhood, you will just become a magnet!” Many times, we (sometimes with the local police) will perform a neighborhood homeless count that documents on a map how many and where people are on the streets. In some communities we continue monthly neighborhood homeless counts so that our neighbors know that we are committed and accountable to addressing local homelessness.
Most People Are not NIMBYs. Most people support services and housing for people who are homeless. When I hear, “I support your work, but our neighborhood is the wrong place,” I don’t label that response a NIMBY comment. Most people want to help people who are homeless.
In my experience, the number one issue in a neighborhood is the safety and quality of life of their neighborhood. People are not NIMBY, they are PMBY — Protect My Backyard!
San José Spotlight columnist Joel John Roberts is the CEO of PATH, a statewide homeless services and housing development agency that provides services and housing in San José. Joel is also a Board member of Silicon Valley’s Destination: Home. His columns appear every fourth Monday of the month.
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The relevance of ecological and economic policies for sustainable developmentHellstrand, Stefan; Skånberg, Kristian; Drake, Lars
A sustainable development can be understood as social and economic development within ecological sustainability limits. The operationalisation of a sustainable development presupposes integration of resource concepts covering relevant disciplines and systems levels. In this paper descriptive domains within physical resource theory (PRT), nutrition theory (NT), economic theory (ET) and emergy theory (EmT) are joined in what we call a “sustainability map.” The sustainability map represents a conceptual model of the economic production system in its ecological and social contexts. It is a contribution within the field integrated assessment. The relevance domain of each resource concept is analysed by comparison with the sustainability map. It is concluded that resource concepts that well supports a sustainable development should recognise the process restrictions that defines ecological, economic and social sustainability limits; thus recognise and in a relevant way treat threshold—and resilience phenomena; and capture the use-value of resources for human well-being. We suggest that the integration of NT, ET and EmT may contribute, while we find the value of PRT limited, as physics, thus PRT, is indifferent to life as a system characteristic, while life of microbes, plants, animals and humans is central in the sustainability context. The paper contributes to a theoretical foundation supporting a bridging of the implementation gap of a sustainable development, e.g. through its proposal of how to develop more accurate natural resource concepts.
Published inEnvironment, Development and Sustainability
2009, volume: 11, pages: 853-870
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG15 Life on land
UKÄ Subject classification
URI (permanent link to this page)


What? Small Mammal trapping in Sutton Park National Nature Reserve. A chance to find out what mice and voles can be found in the woodlands of Sutton Park and a chance to visit Britain’s only urban National Nature Reserve. We used Longworth Small Mammal Traps to survey one of the woodlands in the park. To increase the chances of success, we traped over three days. We also set tracking tunnels, which survey mammals by recording their tracks using ink pads and paper.
We caught wood mice, field voles and bank voles…. and deer and fox said Hello to our spy camera.
Caught a vole…
Friday 26th January 15:30 – 17:00 Set traps
Saturday 27th January 9:00 – 10:00 check traps
Saturday 27th January 16:00 – 17:00 check traps
Sunday 28th January 9:00 – 10:30 – collect traps
Where? Meet outside Park House (Toby Carvery) B74 2YT. Enter by Town Gate, a ten-minute walk from Sutton Coldfield Railway Station
Why? Small mammals are amongst our most abundant wildlife, but there are rarely seen because they are small, secretive and (in the case of mice), nocturnal. The Longworth Small Mammal trap was designed to catch mice and voles without harming them, (indeed, some mice seem to enjoy the experience). As well as adding to our knowledge of these under-recorded, this will be a good opportunity to see these charming little animals at close quarters.


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Yahoo Sports Results
- NBC Sports via Yahoo NewsJul 18 17:40 PM
MLS’ Designated Players David Villa, Kaka, Sebastian Giovinco, Schweinsteiger, Miguel Almiron, Giovani dos Santos and Diego Valeri have all been selected with a vast array of attacking ...
- NBC Sports via Yahoo SportsJul 14 20:34 PM
Reports out of England suggest the Galaxy could offer Zlatan over $7.7 million, which would exceed Kaka’s $7.1 million contract with Orlando City. Ibra recently told journalists in Manchester ...
- Sports Illustrated via Yahoo NewsJul 18 17:14 PM
Acosta (FC Dallas), Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Kaká (Orlando City SC), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Ignacio Piatti ( ...
- STATS/TSX via Yahoo SportsJul 20 23:49 PM
The Lions will have to turn to Rivas and fellow midfielder Kaka (who was recently named to the MLS All-Star roster for the third year in a row) for an offensive lift on Friday as the ...
Professional soccer player Kaka helped São Paulo win the World Cup title and led Milan to the Champions League title. Learn more at Biography.com.
11.3m Followers, 679 Following, 958 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Kaká (@kaka)

domain: news


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The US Navy Turned Its Drone Helicopter Into a Mine Detector
The U.S. Navy’s helicopter-like Fire Scout drone can now operate an advanced sensor giving it increased ability to detect and destroy mines and submarines from a Littoral Combat Ship, service officials said.
The new sensor, designed for combat and surveillance missions in littoral waters, is called the Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis, or COBRA. The technology has formally achieved its initial operational capability, and its primary function is detecting mines and submarines while keeping the small and lightly-armed LCS and its crew at a safe distance.
Read more: https://goo.gl/FxNsxg


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Road trip: Wisconsin cheese country
Some call it the Napa Valley of cheese, and rural Wisconsin’s Green County has the goods to earn the appellation, said Jay Jones in the Chicago Tribune. Though the number of local cheesemakers has fallen from 300 to a dozen over the past century, south-central Wisconsin remains “the destination of choice” for dairy devotees looking to indulge their cravings. Start in Monroe, “the gateway to cheese country,” and you’ll be instantly immersed in a culture where cheese is both art and livelihood.
The Alp & Dell Store at Roth CheeseMonroe There are other Monroe cheese shops to visit, but only one that can claim to be home to the reigning titleholder in the World Championship Cheese Contest. That’s Roth’s Gruyèrelike Grand Cru Surchoix, the first American winner since 1988, and you can buy it at factory prices, then watch more being made in viewing halls overlooking the factory floor. 657 2nd St., (608) 328-3355
Baumgartner’s Cheese Store & TavernMonroe • You just might run into cheese-factory workers chowing down on cheese-centric lunches or dinners at this hangout along downtown’s courthouse square. Try the Limburger on rye, because you’re in the only town in America that makes the notoriously stinky cheese. 1023 16th Ave., (608) 325-6157
New Glarus Hotel RestaurantNew Glarus • Start dinner with a fondue or raclette and move on to cheese pie with local sausage at this chalet-style landmark about 15 miles north of Monroe. You can stock up on Edelweiss cheeses at the first-floor cheese shop, run by the wife of the company’s cheese master. 100 6th Ave., (608) 527-5244

domain: food


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Montánchez is located in the geographical centre of Extremadura, in the centre of the triangle formed by the historical towns of Cáceres, Trujillo and Mérida. This uniqueness gives a stunning strategic situation to tour the most beautiful places of the Comunidad Autónoma de Extremadura, since Montánchez is just 50 km from all lof them
The natural área Sierra de Montánchez y Tamuja is a region whose cultural and natural heritage make it a great sightseeing place.
Different peoples settled in these lands, leaving their traces behind them, not only as far as the monuments are concerned, but also in their customs, landscapes and gastronomy.. Celtic settlements and Iron Age vettones have survived until our days. We have castles like Montanchez castle (of Roman and Almohad origins and declared cultural heritage site), remains of Roman villas and bridges (like that in Benquerencia) and even a little treausure of visigothic architecture: Basílica de Santa Lucía, in Alcuéscar.
The renowned gastronomy of Montánchez región is identified by its unrivalled Iberian Ham , known since ancient times by kings and princes and tastily complemented with all type of pork products such as its meat, its sausages , its loins… . All that, together with the wine and cheese of our region make that the most exquisites gourmets don´t hesitate to feel the experience of tasting such a delicatessen, which is born from the depths of Extremadura soil and grows and flourishes thanks to the goof work of the region country people
© 2022 Rucanon

domain: geography


Magpul PMAG SR25, M110 .308 Win / 7.62 Gen M3 20 Round Magazine
This Magpul 308 magazine is a lightweight, cost-effective, and reliable 20 round magazine for SR25/M110 pattern rifles featuring a constant-curve body, anti-tilt follower, and snap on Impact/Dust Cover.
- 7.62x51 NATO (.308 Winchester)
- Next-generation impact & crush resistant polymer construction
- Stainless steel spring for corrosion resistance
- Anti-tilt, self-lubricating follower for increased reliability
- Constant-curve internal geometry for smooth feeding
- Multi-use Impact/Dust Cover
- Less than half the weight of standard issue steel magazines
- Flared floorplate aids magazine handling and disassembly
Designed specifically for military-issue MK11/M110 rifles and mil-spec ammunition (including M118LR), the PMAG 20LR is less than half the weight of standard issue steel magazines and maintains a service life round count approximately equal to the rifle barrel itself. Check out our bulk 7.62x51 ammunition to go with your new magazines!
NOT FOR SALE IN: CO HI CT MA MD NJ NY or Chicago.
||7.62x51 NATO/.308 Winchester
|Rounds per Box:
||Ammo not included|


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So, you are interested in online dating Asian women and perhaps have been for a while, but things aren’t going as smooth as you would like. What could be the problem here? It may well be that the cultural differences you have are what is keeping a relationship from flourishing. In this article, we take a look at what are the most annoying questions to one can ask Asian women. Make sure you avoid these at all cost.
1. “What kind of Asian are you?”
This line should be self-explanatory, but surprisingly it isn’t so. Many guys still feel like that is somehow an appropriate question to ask. If they thought about it a little they would quickly realize that it is the equivalent of someone asking them “what kind of a white guy are you?”. If that would happen – they’d know better. Nobody wants to be put in a box based on skin colour.
2. “What does that tattoo say?”
Some folks still don’t know that Asian languages differ significantly and just because plenty of them are similar looking. Don’t expect every Asian woman to be able to decipher a tattoo. It is the same as someone Asian thinking that you somehow speak every European language. It is utterly absurd.
3. Any question regarding eating dog meat.
Just don’t. This can be a very sensitive topic. While there are Asian countries where dog meat is eaten, that doesn’t mean everyone likes the idea of it. Or knows a lot about it. You may be talking to a serious animal lover or someone who works at a shelter. Imagine hearing a question like that if you loved dogs. If they bring it up in conversation, then it works but don’t bring it up yourself.
When online dating Asian women you want to be careful about the questions you ask or topics you bring up. Cultural clashes won’t help you get into a serious relationship.


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Castle Glower has been acting weird, so it's no surprise when two towers transport Celie and her siblings to an unknown land. When they realize that no one from home is coming to get them, the kids–along with Celie's pet griffin Rufus–set out through the forest to figure out where they are and what's happened to their beloved Castle. Instead, they discover two wizards and an entire lost people, the oldest inhabitants of Castle Glower. And it seems they may know more of the Castle's secrets than Celie. But do they know how to get her back home?
This bestselling series continues with the story of the origin of Castle Glower. Readers who've been enchanted by the Castle's moving walls will be delighted by the Castle's rich and magical history.
Why I Wrote It
Because I’m not that mean! WEDNESDAYS IN THE TOWER left off with Celie, Rolf, Lilah, Lulath, Pogue, and Rufus all stuck in a strange land in a broken-down tower . . . I really wasn’t ever planning on leaving them there! I had gotten about halfway through WEDNESDAYS when I realized that I couldn’t do all the things I wanted to do in just one book, so I broke it in two at the most exciting part! (All right, maybe that was a little mean . . . )
A new character is introduced in this book by the name of Ethan, a boy around Rolf’s age. Those of you who read the Acknowledgements at the end of my books may have seen the name Ethan there as well, because Ethan is our next door neighbor and has babysat my kids for countless hours. And now he’s immortalized in literature!
The King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City, Utah, carries signed copies of Jessica's books. You can also have them personalized by Jessica and shipped directly to you. Contact The King's English for details.

domain: literature


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Publisher: S.B. Addison Books (May 8th, 2012)
Reading Level: New Adult
Ebook: 190 pages
Series: Asylum #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sometimes love...can drive you crazy.
Adelaide Carmichael and Damien Allen couldn't be more opposite.
Adelaide's mother abandoned her when she was ten years old, leaving her to be raised by her abusive and alcoholic father.
Damien on the other hand came from a wealthy family, was a local celebrity, and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him.
Despite their differences, Adelaide and Damien were young, wild, and fiercely in love.
And they had a plan.
They were going to run away.
Be together forever.
And their plan was set in motion, until tragedy struck and for some reason, Adelaide wound up in The Oakhill Institution for the insane.
Adelaide has no idea what she did to wind up at Oakhill, but she knows one thing for sure...
She wants out.
And after Damien follows her there to aid her in escaping, Adelaide slowly begins putting together the pieces of her memory that are missing.
And it doesn't take Adelaide long to figure out that sometimes...
That one true love never dies.
Review:Sometimes I like going into a book really not knowing what to expect. When I first started this book I had no idea where it would take me but wow, it was a total adventure!
Insanity is about Adelaide. She had a terrible home life with a father who was abusive. She seemed to live on pins and needles waiting for him to snap. She came off as being so frail and broken. It was so sad to see a young girl that broken.
Then Adelaide meets Damien. He is far from the type of boy Adelaide thinks would even pay attention to her. He's beautiful, rich, popular...but for some reason he refuses to let Adelaide go. She isn't sure what to do but, over time, they build a connection she begins to depend on. Damien keeps her afloat and gives her something to look forward to. They sneak out together and even though she knows it's dangerous, Adelaide can't seem to stop.
They make a plan to run away together but when the times comes something terrible happens and Adelaide wakes up in a mental hospital. I had at least 100 theories on what happened. Was Damien a bad guy? Did she kill her father? Did she just snap and run away? What the heck happened?! I ended up being soooo wrong. I would have never guessed what really happened in a million years and that's one of the reasons why I LOVED the book so much. It's rare to find a mystery that really keeps the reader guessing.
Once Adelaide is in the asylum she realizes she truly has no idea what brought her there or if they ever plan to let her go. She can't remember the night with Damien or what could have happened to him afterwards. I won't go into more details than that because I don't want to spoil it but wow, this book really takes a lot of turns!
I truly felt my heart break for Adelaide throughout this story. Normally I don't like when books switch from the present to the past but this was the perfect way to tell this story. We get to see what Adelaide was going through at the asylum, while getting a glimpse into her past with her father and Damien. I could feel the love and affection she had for Damien and how much hope she put on their relationship. Damien was like the light at the end of the tunnel for her and their romance felt so real and intense.
I don't think it's possible to not be shocked by the ending in this book. Lauren Hammond created an exceptional story that leaves the reader with as many new questions as there are answers. I can't wait to find out what happens next!


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The future of football may not be in any immediate danger, but the number of parents reluctant to let their kids play the sport continues to be increasing due to concerns over concussions and long-term brain trauma.
An HBO/Marist Poll found that 40 percent of adults and 44 percent of parents with a son under 18 are less likely to let him play football. Those numbers are up seven and eight percent, respectively, from the same poll in 2013.
Though the poll also showed 79 percent of all adults and 75 percent of parents would let their child play if they wished. Those numbers are still down from 85 and 87 percent in 2013.
Eighty-seven percent of parents with a son under 18 also believe doctors sould be required to inform parents the dangers of football before their child plays the sport.
The poll also broke out different demographics and regions on their views of youth football.
It showed 28 percent of African-Americans are less likely to allow their children to play football compared to 43 percent of whites and 43 percent of Latinos.
In the Northeast, 27 percent of parents would not allow their child to play compared to 15 percent in the South and Midwest.


text:
It started with Shanghai Chaori Solar Energy (002506: CH).
Two weeks ago, the company said it might not be able to make a payment to investors on a ¥1-billion ($164-million) bond. Chaori Solar was supposed to make an interest payment equivalent to $15 million on the first week in March, but was only able to raise roughly $650,000.
The company has posted losses for two consecutive years, so not having the money wasn’t completely unexpected. The case of Chaori Solar is slightly different, however, because this is the first default of its kind for China.
Previously, local government has swooped in for companies in similar situations, providing monetary solutions in the form of bailout funds, or extended payment deadlines. The lack of government assistance has signaled something new that hasn’t been seen up until now: China’s willingness to allow selective failures to occur.
So how is this related to copper prices? Because of the way Chinese companies have been using the commodity as an investment tool. Chinese companies that have difficulty getting conventional loans have been importing copper in large quantities, and using it as collateral to secure low-interest loans from investors. Once the company has secured the loan with the copper posted as the collateral, they are free to use it however they like – in business operations, or even for dabbling in higher-yielding assets.
Do NOT Deposit Another Dollar in Your Bank Account Until You Read THIS
A CIA insider has launched an urgent mission to expose the government’s secret money lockdown plan…
Once you see what could happen next time you go to an ATM, you’ll understand why he’s sending a FREE copy of his new book to any American who answers right here.
The downside for companies using it in this way seems minimal, because it’s used in nearly every sector of the economy, from manufacturing to transport to construction. At the very least, companies would have a surplus of a material they would use eventually, right?
While this could be true, China is the world’s biggest consumer of copper, accounting for 40% of global demand. Everyone in China has a lot of copper.
The copper market faces one concern: Some of China’s “copper collateral” that has been stockpiled could be sold off if there are more selective defaults permitted. A repeat of Chaori Solar.
The fear of this scenario has brought the price of copper to its lowest in four years.

domain: finance


text:
The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has announced plans to launch two studies aimed at integrating digital ledger technology (DLT) in public and private markets. The so-called Project Ion will look to leverage DLT for more efficient settlement on the public side, while Project Whitney will explore tokenization and other digital solutions for private market securities.
DTCC already provides significant post-trade market infrastructure, but it's looking to digitize, according to Jennifer Peve, Managing Director, Business Innovation at DTCC. Ion and Whitney are the next steps in the digitization journey, according to Peve.
“Both serve as examples of practical experiments incorporating innovative technology and business concepts designed to strengthen post-trade processes and provide a resilient, secure and efficient post-trade infrastructure for the industry," she said in a statement.
However, both projects are still in the experimental stage, according to the release, and forward movement will depend on industry feedback.
Ion is DTCC's proof of concept (POC), developed with hopes of validating an alternative, faster digital settlement service that maintains central netting and prevents fragmentation of the clearing and settlement ecosystem. But, as CoinDesk reported, it hasn't yet proved that DLT can function at the necessary scale, since UI/UX was prioritized over scalable architecture.
On the private market side, Project Whitney is DTCC's prototype for a digitized private market infrastructure for each stage of private securities, from issuance to transfer. The project posits that security tokens among other solutions could abstract much of the manual processes, creating a smoother market for private securities.

domain: economics


Panama Papers case
LAST UPDATED : Jul 31, 2019, 08:17 PM IST
- Pakistan anti-graft body grills Maryam Nawaz in corruption cases
Pakistan's anti-graft body on Wednesday grilled jailed former PM Nawaz Sharif's daughter and PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz in cases related to money laundering and income beyond means. A combined investigation team of National Accountability Bureau quizzed Maryam for an hour at its provincial headquarters in Lahore.
- Nawaz Sharif back in jail after massive show of strength
On March 26, the Supreme Court suspended Pakistan's deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif's seven-year sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case and granted him bail for six weeks with a condition that he would not leave Pakistan. Sharif returned to prison early Wednesday accompanied by a huge convoy of supporters to serve his sentence after the end of his bail.
- Pakistan's former president Asif Ali Zardari not using AC in jail: Bilawal Bhuttto
Pakistan's former president Asif Ali Zardari was not using an air conditioner (AC) in prison, his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Monday, days after Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that A-class jail facilities for jailed opposition leaders would be withdrawn. Zardari, the 63-year-old husband of the country's first woman prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau in a corruption case on July 1
- Pakistan judge 'blackmailed' into issuing verdict against Nawaz Sharif: Maryam
PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz has released a video clip showing an accountability court judge allegedly confessing that he was "blackmailed and forced" to convict former PM Nawaz Sharif in a corruption case. Sharif has been serving a 7-year prison term since December 24, 2018 when the accountability court convicted him in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case.
- Nawaz Sharif's daughter summoned by anti-graft court in fake trust deed case
Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz has been summoned by an anti-corruption court to appear before it on July 19 for allegedly submitting a fake trust deed in the high-profile Avenfield Apartments case. The case pertains to the ownership of the Sharif family's apartments at Avenfield House, London.
- Pak SC dismisses appeal against suspension of Sharifs' sentences in graft case
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the country's anti-graft body's appeal against the suspension of the jail sentences of ousted PM Nawaz Sharif and his family in the Avenfield corruption case. In July 2018, an accountability court handed Sharif 10 years as jail time for owning assets beyond known income and 1 year for not cooperating with the NAB.
- Nawaz Sharif set to return to jail as 6-week bail expires
Pak's ousted PM Nawaz Sharif will return to jail following the expiry of his 6-week bail in a corruption case in which he has been sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. The 3-time former premier is expected to surrender himself to jail authorities in evening after Iftar and will arrive at the prison in a PML(N) workers' rally, which will be led by his daughter Maryam Nawaz.
- Shivraj Chouhan's son files defamation case against Rahul; Congress president says he got 'confused'
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's son Kartikey filed a criminal defamation suit against Rahul Gandhi, accusing the Congress leader of intentionally making a false allegation about his name being in Panama Papers of alleged tax evaders.
- Nawaz Sharif challenges court verdict
The anti-corruption court awarded a seven-year jail term to Sharif in the Al-Azizia steel mill reference. Sharif is currently serving his incarceration in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail. The accountability court has also disqualified him from holding any public office for a period of ten years.
- Pak SC turns down Nawaz Sharif's appeal for early hearing in graft case
Pakistan's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed on behalf of ousted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for an early hearing of his petition seeking bail on medical grounds and to have his sentence suspended in the Al-Azizia corruption case.


This week AT&T has revealed the Pantech Discover, a smartphone for the budget market with top-tier specifications. This machine has a 720p display and a massive 13 megapixel camera and it’ll all be delivered for a mere $50 USD. This machine is also quite the looker with aesthetics that remind us of Pantech machines from yesteryear with a brand new smooth flair for the future.
The front of this machine is a 4.8-inch 720p TFT display below a 2 megapixel front-facing camera, inside you’ve got dual 3D surround sound, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and 16GB of internal memory with a microSD card slot for expansion up to 32GB more. The Pantech Discover works with a lovely 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 Pro (though this configuration has been known for its quad-core action), and you get both NFC and DLNA wireless connectivity.
Inside you’ve got GSM and EDGE as well as HSPA+ and LTE connectivity so we’ll more than likely see this device internationally in some form or another. You’ll be working with 4.76 ounces of smartphone across a 134.2 x 68.6 x 9.1mm (5.3 x 2.7 x 0.36 inches) amalgamation of plastic, metal, and glass, and you get Bluetooth 4.0 as well as GPS (of course).
We’ll be having a hands-on peek at this machine later today at Pantech’s presentation as such, so stick around our Pantech tag portal to see it up close and personal. Also be sure to check in at our CES portal all week long for up to the minute updates as well as hands-on opportunities galore! The timeline you see below shows several of Pantech’s latest moves that’ve lead them straight to this device in time and space.


The Rohit Shetty directed film Simmba starring Ranveer Singh released last week. The much talked about venture opened to a stunning start at the box office with audience flocking cinemas. Released across 4020 screens Simmba that also features Sara Ali Khan has managed to make it past the Rs. 100 cr mark at the domestic box office.
If crossing Rs. 100 cr in four days wasn’t enough, the box office success of the film now sees Ranveer Singh joining the likes of Varun Dhawan, Ranbir Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan with four films that have made it past the Rs. 100 cr mark. In case of the Ranveer, the actor made his debut in the much coveted Rs. 100 cr club with the 2013 film Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela that managed to garner Rs. 116.33 cr at the box office. Following this Ranveer next releases to enter the Rs. 100 cr club were Bajirao Mastani that raked in Rs. 184.2 cr and the Padmaavat that collected a staggering Rs. 302.15 cr.
While on one hand Ranveer Singh’s films have been rather consistently raking in the moolah at the box office, on the other the actor himself is climbing the success ladder. When compared to peers in the industry whose releases have crossed Rs. 100 cr at the box office, Ranveer Singh currently ranks sixth on the list. Though Singh shares this spot with Varun Dhawan, Ranbir Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan, he seems set to take over the fifth spot that is currently held by Aamir Khan.


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Manchester United legend-turned-pundit Gary Neville heaped praise on Michael Carrick ahead of this weekend's testimonial match.
The former England international was recently rewarded with a year's extension after he impressed for Jose Mourinho's men who lifted the Europa League crown.
As a result of their European success, Manchester United finds themselves in the Champions League next season regardless of the league table where they finished a lowly sixth.
Carrick, who has amassed over 300 league outings for the Red Devils, is due to have his testimonial match this weekend after having spent nearly 11 years since his switch from Tottenham Hotspur in 2006.Neville had seen Carrick progress into a top-class talent at United, and he had some good words to stay about his fellow Englishman ahead of this weekend's game.
"When I first heard Michael Carrick had signed for United, I already knew what a good player he was because I'd just been with him at the 2006 World Cup," he told Sky Sports.
"Straight away and over the following years, even among my friends and even when we were winning leagues, there were challenges to convince people about how good a player Michael was, and how important he was to the team."
Carrick, now 35, is set to lead a star-studded all England XI including the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard as they take on a victorious 2008 United side, which lifted the Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo could be the sole absentee in the squad managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, who makes a short return to management for the weekend showpiece.The former Spurs man has earned plaudits for his performances in recent seasons, and there is a sense this could be his final year in professional football unless he can maintain his fitness levels through the 2017/18 campaign.
Carrick managed to make 30 starts across all competitions for the Red Devils last term as they clinched a double by winning the EFL Cup.

domain: sports


text:
a href=”https://www.dailyegyptian.com/contactus.html”bDE Staff Reporter/b/abrspan class=”realsmall”bDaily Egyptian/b/span
Women do not just want to be “pretty in pink” anymore.
Pink means something much more significant for thousands of people who wear the color as a symbolic stance against the war in Iraq.
Pink is for peace.
Code Pink:Women’s Preemptive Strike for Peace is a national movement against the war in Iraq that has spread from Washington, D.C. to New York to Los Angeles and now to Carbondale.
Carbondale community members have the chance to wear pink in protest from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the northwest corner of the Federal Building.
The Carbondale “Code Pink for peace” vigil started Friday and will last until the war is over.
About 15 protesters participated in the rally Monday as traffic sped by on Illinois 51 South.
Celeste Williams from Murphysboro was out protesting the war wearing a pink shawl and holding a pink sign.
“We see war as a women’s issue,” Williams said. “We want to empower women to stand up against war.”
She was one of the coordinators for the Carbondale chapter of “Code Pink for peace.” She brought several hand-made signs to pass out to protesters who had not brought their own.
Joe Hassert, a senior in speech communication from Romeoville, has been to several of the protests in Carbondale and sees them as a way to let people know there are people who disagree with the war.
“Peace is a possible thought to have,” Hassert said. “We want people to know that it is appropriate to have these thoughts.”
Suzanne Daughton, a professor in speech communication, has been out protesting in pink two times since the event started. She read about the movement in several magazines and was excited to see it move to Carbondale.
“As a woman and as a feminist, I think we need to find a better way to resolve conflicts,” Daughton said.
Started in November by a woman named Medea Benjamin, the Code Pink movement is meant to send a call for compassion and nurturing life in opposition to President Bush’s red military response.
Benjamin joined feminist author Starhawk and Jodie Evans of UnReasonable Women to oppose war in Iraq from a feminist perspective. Code Pink’s four-month long vigil at the White House ended on March 8, International Women’s Day.
Jennifer Kellham, a senior in psychology from Glendale Heights, said that she plans to be out protesting every day until the war is over.
She also plans to wear pink and black every day as well.
“Black is a sign of mourning for the loss of our soldiers and loss of the people in Iraq,” Kellham said. ” We support our troops and we want them to come home safely.”
Reporter Kristina Dailing can be reached at [email protected]


You have searched for National Transport Development Policy
LAST UPDATED : Feb 18, 2018, 11:21 AM IST
- Using large sticks, not carrot, to convince N Korea to talk: Tillerson
WASHINGTON DC: United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday said that Washington is now using "large sticks" instead of a carrot to bring Pyongyang to the table for multilateral negotiations. "We're not using a carrot to convince them to talk. We're using large sticks. And that is what they need to understand," Tillerson told CBS News's Margaret Brennan in a segment for Sunday's "60 Minutes" program. He further said that he is "listening" for an indication from North Korea that they are ready for direct talks. "I am listening. I am not sending a lot of messages back because there's nothing to say to them at this point. So I am listening for you to tell me you are ready to talk," Tillerson said. The US and North Korea have long been engaged in back-and-forth barbs over the latter's threat of a nuclear attack, however, the Pyongyang participation in the winter Olympics in Seoul raised the speculation of direct talks. "They will tell me," Tillerson said. "We receive messages from them, and I think it will be very explicit as to how we want to have that first conversation," Tillerson added. Last week, North Korea's United Nations mission slammed the UN and United States' decision of imposing sanctions on the isolated country due to its persistent nuclear missile tests. (ANI)
- PU senate for inclusion of NCW member to probe plaint against VC
Chandigarh: Panjab University (PU) senate on Saturday has decided to include one member of the National Commission for Women (NCW) or a nominee of the NCW member to the two already-recommended members to be sent to the chancellor of the university to probe the sexual harassment plaint against V-C Prof Arun Kumar Grover. On January 10, the syndicate of the varsity had decided to send the names of Jyoti Arora, additional chief secretary of Haryana, cooperation department and ACS, vigilance department and Navraj Sandhu, principal secretary to the government of Haryana, higher education and technical education to chair the committee. Now, one more NCW member would be added to the recommended names. However, out of the 17 senate members present while the decision on this particular matter was being taken, seven members including Ashok Goyal, Keshav Malhotra, Harpreet Dua, Naresh Gaur among others have demanded an independent committee to be formed by the chancellor M Venakaiah Naidu. It was decided that the biodata along with the names of these people should be sent to the chancellor so that he can constitute the committee. Then the committee will have to complete the probe within 90 days. Since the complaint is against the V-C, the meeting to decide on the names of the committee was chaired by senate member Raunki Ram. Senate member Shelly Walia said he was certainly not pleased with the names of the IAS officers. He was of the view that academicians should be included in the committee. Senate member Prof Chaman Lal suggested including one member from the NCW. While some members demanded the chancellor should form the committee and the names should not be sent from the university, senate member Ambassador I S Chadha said that the university cannot violate the MHRD directive since the MHRD had asked the university to recommend names for the committee, which would then be approved by the chancellor. The syndicate had earlier recommended the name of the former chief secretary of Haryana, Meenakshi Anand Chaudhary, who had refused to chair the committee since she was not currently employed anywhere, which goes against the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. On this, Ashok Goyal asked if the House had taken consent of Arora and Sandhu now. To this, Raunki said that once the names go to the chancellor, he would himself ask them. Meanwhile, Ashok Goyal and Keshav Malhotra said there was a difference between the note circulated and proceedings of the last syndicate meeting, the part where the sexual harassment against the V-C was discussed. On this, the registrar said the V-C had narrated everything from a script and while one speaks and records the things, some difference might be there, which can be amended and was not an issue. Raunki said the matter has been lingering since two years and eight months and this is the time it should be resolved.
- Hawala trail takes NIA to Bijnor town
Bijnor: As part of its crackdown on hawala racketeers and their terror links, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team raided the house of Khursheed Ahmad in Machhli Bazar locality of Dhampur city in Bijnor district. Sources said a member of Ahmed’s family is allegedly involved in the hawala trade
- With solution to farmers’ crises, Meerut school kids win CBSE National Science Competition
Meerut: With a finding about how a particular climate condition favours a certain crop, two class XI students of Meerut’s DAV Centenary Public School, Shraddha Sharma and Arushi Rastogi, have won the CBSE National Science Competition 2017-18. The theme of the competition was “Effect of Climate Change on Agriculture and its mitigation and adaptive techniques/methods”
- Cabinet gives nod to fill up 200 vacant posts of medical officers
SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh cabinet has decided to fill up 200 vacant posts of Medical Officers (MBBS) on local-specific contracts through walk-in-interviews. The decision comes in the wake of acute shortage of doctors and aims at providing health care to people at their door steps, particularly in rural and far flung areas. In a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur at Shimla on Saturday, a decision was taken to amend the Post Graduate (PG) policy on tendering bond money for MBBS doctors pursuing higher courses like Doctor of Medicine, Master of Surgery, Diploma of National Board, Maternal and Child Health and others within and outside the state. This comes as a major relief for MBBS doctors undergoing PG courses facing hardship to get bank guarantees. It approved appointment of two medical physicists and four radiotherapist technicians on outsource basis at the Government Medical College, Tanda to operationalise the equipment for cancer treatment. The cabinet also gave its nod to upgrade the Community Health Centre, Bagsaid to a 50-bed Civil Hospital in Mandi district. Twenty nine posts of various categories will also be created in the hospital. Consent was given to upgrade the Civil Hospital Ani in Kullu district to a 100-bed Civil Hospital along-with creation of 26 new posts. The cabinet also gave its consent to fill up 20 posts of Junior Office Assistant (IT) in the Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni in the Solan district on a contractual basis. It was decided to fill up three vacant posts of Investigators in HP Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) on contract. The cabinet also decided to procure four pulses- Dal Channa, Urd Sabut, Moong Sabut and Malka from the National Co-operative Consumer’s Federation of India Limited (NCCF) under the state subsidized scheme by revising the existing policy, provisions and method of procurement of pulses. HP State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited and NCCF will execute a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on this which would save Rs 2.63 crore every month only on account of purchase of pulses. The cabinet also gave its approval to strengthen the HP Forest Ecosystem Climate Proofing Project in Chamba and Kangra districts with assistance from the KFW Development Bank, Germany by providing more requisite staff. This project covers 600 panchayats of these districts and is aimed at minimising and mitigating the negative impacts of climate change by increasing biodiversity and sustained income in rural areas through sustainable management of forest resources. Major decisions 200 posts of medical officers to be filled up PG policy on tendering bond money for MBBS doctors to be amended 20 posts of Junior Assistant Officers to be filled up Four pulses to be procured under the state subsidised scheme HP Forest Climate Proofing Project to be strengthened
- PNB scam: Profile of the three accused
Gokulnath Shetty (Retd manager, PNB): A resident of Mumbai, he was deputy manager at PNB's Brady House Fort branch since March 2010. Three months before retirement (in May 2017), he issued three letters of understanding (LOUs) in names of Nirav Modi's firms. Maturity date of LOUs of Rs 281 crore was January 2018. He allegedly logged in banking system and issued fraudulent instructions to foreign branches to make payment on behalf of Nirav firms there. Manoj Kharat: After BE from Pune and clearing bank exam, Manoj joined PNB three years ago. Kharat was working as single window operator, loosely translated as a clerk in the bank's Brady branch. He acted on Shetty's instructions and manipulated the bank system. Hemant Bhatt: One of the dirctors in around 16 companies owned by Nirav Modi. Bhatt was also looking after the companies' accounts and was authorised signatory of accounts of his firms. Bhatt was coordinating with Shetty and other officials for LoU facility
- PNB scam: Gokulnath Shetty issued LoUs at frenetic pace before retirement: Inside story
According to data shared by PNB, at the centre of an over Rs 11,300 crore fraud involving the diamond czars, at least 143 LoUs were issued in 63 days, starting March 1, 2017, compared to around 150 issued since 2011, when the alleged fraud began.
- With Nirav Modi in NYC, CBI arrests one of his accountants, 2 PNB officials
In the first arrests since the Rs 11,000-plus crore - and counting - bank fraud stunned the nation, a special CBI court sent a retired deputy manager in the PNB's forex department, Gokulnath Shetty, a single-window bank operator (clerk), Manoj Kharat, and an authorized signatory for prime accused Nirav Modi's firms, to police custody until March 3.
- Ahmedabad to host 2nd GCSRA Awards event
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Corporate Social Responsibility Authority (GCSRA) CSR Awards 2018 will be held in Ahmedabad next week. The second edition of the state level awards for CSR is being organized by GCSRA on February 23, to identify and recognize the work of companies in integrating and internalizing CSR. Applications from some 32 companies for 37 CSR projects has been received. P K Gera, who is the partner in the national awards conclave, said, “This time around, the awards will be given in two categories – sustainable and impactful CSR project for large/ small/ medium companies and national and state PSUs and cohesive and strategic CSR partnership for large, medium and small companies.”
- Choksi a flight risk, warned Bhavnagar jeweller in 2016
AHMEDABAD: A jeweller from Bhavnagar in Saurashtra, Digvijay Jadeja, had alerted police and the judiciary in July 2016 to the fact that Mehul Choksi — now an accused in the Rs 11,800 crore Punjab National Bank scam — was a fraudster. In fact, Jadeja had stated in an affidavit that Choksi was planning to flee India as Vijay Mallya had done. Jadeja had filed the affidavit in the Gujarat high court in connection with a criminal case. He had asserted that Choksi was under huge debt and was planning to settle abroad. He had requested the court to stop Choksi from fleeing India. “I would also like to draw kind attention of this court to the fact that the petitioner has a huge debt of Rs 9,872 crore outstanding, which is also specified in the website of the ministry of corporate affairs,” Jadeja’s affidavit read. “And there are full chances of the petitioner running away like Vijay Mallya, as his wife has an apartment at Burj Khalifa in Dubai and as a result many litigations pending against him can get frustrated.” Jadeja told TOI on Saturday: “If my statements had been taken into consideration, the situation would have been different. Choksi had started settling his family abroad.” Jadeja is now pursuing cases against Choksi in the Supreme Court as well as in a commercial court in Rajkot, Saurashtra. Jadeja is asking for Rs 93 crore from Choksi for his investment made in Choksi’s firms: Gitanjali Jewellery Retail Ltd and Gitanjali Gems Ltd. Jadeja and Choksi got into a legal tangle after Jadeja secured a franchise for Choksi’s jewellery business and entered into an agreement for investment. Jadeja paid over Rs 23 crore to Choksi’s company from which 106kg of gold bars were purchased. As the deal went awry, Choksi filed a criminal complaint against Jadeja in Mumbai. Two persons were arrested and Jadeja too was summoned. “After we showed documents, Mumbai police filed a closure report,” Jadeja said. In January 2015, Jadeja filed a complaint of cheating, misappropriation, and forgery against Choksi with Gujarat’s CID (crime). Choksi moved the high court, which quashed the FIR against him in May last year. Jadeja’s plea to restrain Choksi from leaving India was not granted. This led Jadeja to file an appeal before the apex court, which has admitted the case. Later, Jadeja also filed a suit against Choksi with a Rajkot court for the recovery of Rs 93 crore.
- Maharashtra’s tribal department jumps on biz bandwagon
PUNE: The state tribal department, which is participating in the Magnetic Maharashtra investment summit for the first time, aims to showcase business opportunities in the tribal areas. The department wants to attract investment via the private public partnership (PPP) route in various sectors such as education, skill development, export, tourism, agriculture and other areas rather than only in the area of corporate social responsibility. Principal secretary, tribal development department, Manisha Verma, told TOI that it will be for the first time that the department will enter into a private partnership for taking forward various schemes. The Magnetic Maharashtra summit is an exhibition organised by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as national partner and KPMG as knowledge partner. The state is targeting investments worth Rs 10 lakh crore during the summit, which will kick off on Sunday. “For the first time, we are showcasing various areas where corporates can enter into a partnership and not just restrict themselves to CSR activities. We have a network of educational institutes under the tribal department. These schools can be adopted by corporates.” “Not just education, there is enough scope too in floriculture, agriculture and even tourism,’’ said Verma. With the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) at Ghodegaon, Pune, taking the lead in organising the exhibition, Ayush Prasad, project director, ITDP, Ghodegaon, told TOI that the stall will showcase different regions in the tribal areas which can attract investments and help boost tribal entrepreneurship. “Our role will be that of a facilitator and we will help link the corporate world with the tribal people and give access to vast resources in tribal belt,’’ said Prasad. The department also wants to boost skill development and help employ educated youths with the support of the corporate sector.
- Ajanta, Ellora visitor centres’ lights out over unpaid bills
After spending Rs 125 crore to build the visitors centres at the iconic Ajanta and Ellora caves, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) does not have money to keep them lit up. The two visitors centres have been functioning without electricity from November 2017 and now stand to lose their electricity meters too. The notice period of permanent disconnection warning issued by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited (MSEDCL) has ended. The MTDC owes Rs 48.40 lakh for power supply to the Ajanta tourist facility centre and another Rs 47.92 lakh for the Ellora centre. The power utility had disconnected supply once in July last year but resumed the supply after assurance from MTDC. MSEDCL officials maintained that unless the MTDC clears its dues, power supply will not be resumed. The person who bagged the contract to run these centres has long dubbed these structures as white elephants. They have already closed the doors for visitors and put sent the staff on furlough. The MTDC officials admitted that they have no money at their disposal to foot the MSEDCL bill and that they have sought a government assistance of Rs 7 crore in March 2017 to meet the electricity bill. MSEDCL joint managing director Omprakash Bakoria told TOI, “The outstanding for the two connections have crossed Rs 96 lakh. The supply was snapped on November 17, 2017. This was followed by a permanent disconnection notice in December. Nothing has been done so far by the authorities concerned.” Echoing Bakoria, Aurangabad MSEDCL chief engineer Satish Ganeshkar said, “Any time now, we will remove the electricity meters.” The MTDC spent Rs 125 crore on the two thermocol-based replicas of the Ajanta visitors centre and Ellora visitors centre that were aimed at reducing the burden on the original caves and allow curious tourists take a closer look at paintings and sculptures. When contacted, MTDC incharge regional director Nitinkumar Mandawre said, “We have requested the headquarters to release funds to meeting the expenses, including for paying the outstanding power bills. But so far, nothing has been done.”
- Power play holds up opening of Iffco Chowk flyovers
The opening of two flyovers at Iffco Chowk has been put on hold as Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Ltd (HVPNL) is refusing to give National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) permission to take down two electrical towers of high-tension wires which are coming in the way.
- Drug crackdown: ‘Addicts are now using tobacco’
CHANDIGARH: Ahead of formal release of the latest report of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) the Punjab government has claimed that the state may have witnessed an increase in tobacco consumption as fallout of the crackdown against drugs in the state. “In last few months the supply line for drugs has been cut off so drug addicts may have shifted to other easily available legal addicting substances like tobacco, especially the smokeless (chewable) tobacco,” said deputy director of department of health and family welfare Dr Rakesh Gupta. Voice of Tobacco Victim (VOTV) Patron-Punjab Dr Prahlad Duggal claimed that as per the GATS’s latest report, tobacco consumption in Punjab had gone up from 11.7% to 13.4% between 2009-10 and 2016-17. This, he said, was in contrast to 14.6% reduction in prevalence of tobacco use in males in the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), cited by the state government to pat its back. The health department, however, claims it was yet to receive details of the GATS report from the Government of India. On the other hand, Dr Gupta maintained, “The Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2 has not been released officially by the Centre. We will know about the detailed report which will have many parameters on which assessment is made. It will be appropriate to comment only after release of the report. The minor increase in prevalence as predicted may be due to shift to other easily legally available addicting products like tobacco or nicotine.” Dr Duggal added, “GATS is considered a benchmark survey for knowing the prevalence of tobacco use in the country and it’s a cause for concern for Punjab. The theory of linking increase in tobacco use to campaign against drugs doesn’t sound convincing. Apart from cancer, tobacco use can result in scores of other systemic diseases while tobacco related pre-cancerous conditions like oral submucous fibrosis make the life of the affected a hell. Punjabis at the risk of developing tobacco related diseases. Cancer has slowly become a part of the folklore of Punjab.” Incidentally, Punjab had received WHO World No Tobacco Award in 2015. Dr Gupta, who was the state program officer of National Tobacco Control Cell, Punjab, till recently, added that he was presently on deputation to home department as chief chemical examiner. “Health authorities are sensitized to the issue that it is important to monitor the tobacco epidemic regularly and ensure strict implementation of tobacco control,” he said.
- HC asks Punjab if it has any sports policy on Haryana’s pattern
CHANDIGARH: Referring to the Haryana’s sports policy, providing several facilities including opportunities of employment in the state departments, the Punjab and Haryana high court asked Punjab if any such policy/facility for the welfare of sportspersons existed in the state. “It is directed that in case any policy exists, the same be placed on record and if no policy is there, an affidavit be filed stating therein as to whether any such policy to be framed is under consideration or not,” ordered the HC. The court has also directed the Haryana government to supply one copy of “Haryana Sports and Physical Fitness Policy 2015” to the Punjab government for reference. Punjab has been asked to respond to the HC by March 28. Justice Daya Chaudhary passed these orders while impleading the Punjab government as respondent party in an ongoing case related to benefits to sportspersons of Haryana. The matter is pending before the HC in the wake of a contempt petition filed by two mountaineers, Jasbir Singh and Raju Sindhu. Petitioners, who had scaled the world's highest peak, had approached the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the senior officers of the sports, police and home departments for not giving them job and cash award as per the directions given by HC on April 28, 2016. On March 17, the state government had told the HC that both the petitioners had been appointed as sub-inspectors in Haryana police. They were, however, denied cash award. Regarding denial of cash award, counsel for the petitioner Aftab Singh Khara had been arguing that the government had not given them any money while Mamta Sodha, who had also scaled the Everest, was given Rs 21 lakh by the state government besides a job of the deputy superintendent of police (DSP). Both petitioners had scaled Mount Everest in 2011, and had requested the Haryana government to give them jobs, along with cash award in parity with other mountaineers. Subsequent to the petition, the Haryana had decided to pay Rs 21 lakh assistance to all those residents of Haryana who had climbed the world’s highest peak from May 2, 2010 to May 2, 2013. Expanding the scope of the petition, the HC wants to know the benefits provided by Punjab to its sportspersons.
- DSK, wife held in Delhi for duping investors of Rs 230 crore
PUNE: Developer D S Kulkarni and his wife, Hemanti, were arrested from a hotel in Delhi on Saturday, a day after the Bombay high court vacated their interim protection from arrest. APune police team brought them to the city by a flight and produced the duo before a special court in the evening. The court remanded the couple in police custody till February 23. They are facing charges of cheating more than 2,500 investors of Rs 230 crore. The trouble began for Kulkarni, popular as DSK, when the first FIR was lodged against him and his wife at the Shivajinagar police station in October last year. The couple had sought interim protection from the special court, seeking time to repay the investors. The court vacated the interim protection and their anticipatory bail application was rejected after he failed to honour his commitments. The Kulkarnis then filed an appeal in the Bombay high court and obtained interim protection again in November, which gave the builder time to submit a proposal explaining the steps he intended to take to repay the investors. But nothing materialized and the high court cancelled the interim protection. The couple then moved the SC against the high court order and sought time to repay the money. The matter again came up before the high court and he was given more time. But he failed to give a concrete repayment plan, prompting the high court to cancel their interim protection again. Police to question realtor on why he went to Delhi Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Pankaj Dahane, holding the officiating charge of the economic offences wing (EOW), told TOI, “Four teams of the EOW under the Pune crime branch were formed and posted at strategic locations in different parts of Delhi after the Kulkarnis failed to get relief from the high court. One of the teams received reliable information that the couple had taken shelter in a hotel in upscale Vasant Kunj area of Delhi. We verified the information and took the assistance of the Delhi police to take them into custody. We have brought them to Pune to conduct investigations.” When asked if the Kulkarnis had plans to challenge the high court order in the Supreme Court or if they wanted to escape from India, Dahane said, “We have impounded Kulkarni’s passport and he will be thoroughly questioned to find out why he went to Delhi.” The Kulkarni couple were taken to the Sassoon General Hospital for medical examination minutes after they landed at the Pune airport. They were presented before the court at 7pm amid tight security. There was a fear that the investors might attack them, but nothing happened. The Kulkarni couple were made to sit in the box meant for accused in the court. They or their lawyer did not oppose the police custody remand.
- Cabinet clears biofuel policy
LUCKNOW: The state cabinet cleared the UP Biofuel Policy on Friday which is expected to address the crop residue burning issue to a large extent. An MoU worth Rs 8,000 crore has already been signed under this policy, the details of which will be revealed during the upcoming UP Investors’ Summit. Industrial development minister Satish Mahana said that the policy would look at converting crop residue, bagasse and agricultural waste into electricity and bio gas. “Interested investors will get the same benefits that are being offered under the industrial policy. The policy will address two key issues that UP is facing, that of bagasse, the residue left over after juice is extracted from sugarcane, and that of agricultural residue. Since UP has a significant amount of sugarcane production, there will definitely not be any shortage of raw material for these plants,” an official said. Crop burning has also become a massive problem in the state which is resulting in a spike in air pollution taking it to hazardous levels. Officials said that firms could explore the possibility of extracting crop stubble from the fields, an expensive and laborious process because of which farmers usually burn it, and then use it to produce power and biogas.
- Online system to replace single window clearance
LUCKNOW: In a major move to ensure ease of business in UP, the government plans to replace the single window clearance system for industries with a digitized system. The upgradation will be formally announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the opening day of the UP Investors’ Summit on February 21. Sources said that the new system would ensure that any person or company wanting to set up an industry in the state would no longer have to go to any official in person. Unlike the single window clearance system, where investors had to go to at least one state official, even if all the work happened through a single channel, the new system would ensure that the entire process for application of clearances etc., would be made online, bringing absolute transparency in the process and preventing corruption. It will be monitored by the CMO and every movement of e-files will be watched closely. Officers will be held accountable for any delay in moving these. Currently, the Udyog Bandhu has been the government’s single window clearance system, operational since 1999. Officials say that it provides complete services for the purpose of setting up of business in the state and covers all industrial approvals. In 2009, the single window clearance system was made online. It was named Nivesh Mitra and was ranked as one of the best in India by the erstwhile Planning Commission in its March 2014 report. “The portal has a monitoring dashboard with colour coding through which officials can monitor progress of pending applications. The system also updates investors about the progress of their application through SMS. The common application form for approvals and clearances for starting a business in the state, known as Common Application Form (CAF), is also available on the Nivesh Mitra website. The CAF considerably reduces the time and hassles faced by investors in filling multiple applications by eliminating the need of filling up repetitive information in the forms,” said an official.
- Autonomy to colleges: Govt likely to oppose UGC move
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is likely to put up resistance against the UGC’s latest notification which obliterated the role of the government and universities in taking decision on granting autonomy to higher education institutions. As per the UGC regulation dated February 12, 2018, the government’s permission is not mandatory for educational institutions that seek autonomous status. If the colleges meet the prescribed standards, neither the government, nor the university to which the institution is affiliated to, could prevent the institution from becoming autonomous. In short, the UGC notification is a blow to the LDF government’s position against autonomous status to higher education institutions. The government is supposed to nominate its representatives to various bodies of the autonomous college. However, if the government and the university fail to do so, the UGC will fill the vacancies with its nominees. The government should continue to provide grant to colleges in government and aided sector as in the past. If the university fails to forward the application for autonomy to the UGC in 30 days, it would be presumed that the university has no objection to the application. To avoid delay, the applicants should send an advance copy of the application to the UGC. As per the notification, arts and science colleges, engineering and MBA intuitions in government, aided and selffinancing sectors are eligible to seek autonomy. Higher education institutions with ‘A’ grade NACC accreditation or the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) for at least three programmes are eligible to apply for autonomous status. “If the autonomous college has obtained a score of 3.51 and above on a 4 point scale from the NAAC or a minimum score of 750 individually or a corresponding accreditation grade/score from a UGC empanelled accreditation agency at the time of application shall be considered for grant of autonomous status without onsite visit by the expert committee,” says the UGC notification. “I’m not against autonomy. Academy autonomy to competent institutions is welcome. But the UGC notification, which took away the discretionary powers of the university and the government could only pose danger. The government and the universities will have to come out with counter strategies to get rid of the dangers of the liberal policy on autonomy,” said state higher education council vice chairman Rajan Gurukkal. An urgent meeting of state higher education council meeting is scheduled on February 20 to discuss the fallout of the notification and its possible impact on higher education sector in Kerala. The UGC notification came at a time when the state higher education council has appointed a committee to study the functioning of autonomous institutions in the state. According to the council, there were several complaints against the functioning of 19 colleges to which autonomy was granted by the former UDF government. “Even if the government and universities try to defy the UGC, they are unlikely to prevent eligible colleges from getting autonomous status. In the wake of a legal tussle, the UGC norms will prevail upon the state/university policies,” sources said
- ED attaches housing project under money laundering act
CHENNAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached a residential project promoted by VGN Property Developers Private Limited in Guindy Industrial Estate, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for causing Rs 115 crore loss to the central government. A press release from ED joint director K S V V Prasad said the attachment is only “to the extent of Rs 115 crore”. It means the home buyers’ interests might not get jeopardized if the developer completes construction of the project. The land measuring 10.46 acres was purchased by VGN Developers Pvt. Ltd in 2013 from the State Bank of India. The bank had taken over the property under Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act) from Hindustan Teleprinters Ltd, a Central government PSU, for recovering dues. The Stressed Assets Management Branch of the SBI sold it to VGN for Rs 272 crore through an auction. Subsequently, CBI Chennai unit registered a case against the bank, HTL top brass and VGN promoter for causing loss to the tune of Rs 115 crore to the Central government as the property was actually worth Rs 387 crore going by the then prevalent guideline value. During the probe, ED officials found that VGN had invested the “proceeds of crime in the form of wrongful gain” in the residential project it was promoting at the site. The apartments are being sold to public under the name VGN Fairmont. VGN is promoting 892 apartments at the site in 2, 3 and 4 BHK sizes in five phases. Data sourced by TOI says 444 units out of them are sold and 448 units are unsold. The new development has put the home buyers, who have invested in the property, in a fix. However, the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) has said it will initiate action to secure buyers’ interests if it is found to be compromised. The total carpet area of the project is 1.05 lakhs sqmts, as per the data available on TNRERA portal.
- State govt reserves space for Metro, transport hub
Pune: The state government on Saturday issued a notification approving the excluded part of the revised development plan (DP) of old city areas with modifications. The government has reserved the space for Metro stations, depot and a transport hub besides approving widening of some roads. It has also sanctioned a tunnel in the Taljai hill and increased its width to 24 metres to connect Sinhagad Road. In January 2017, the government had approved the DP for the city’s old areas before the municipal polls. While sanctioning it, the government had kept the decision pending on some of the excluded parts. The government had invited suggestions and objections on the DP and asked the town planning department to conduct hearings. Based on its report, on Saturday the government sanctioned the excluded parts with various modifications. The state government has decided to go ahead with drawing the red and blue floodline of river, as suggested by the irrigation department. It has instructed to maintain the width of High Capacity Mass Transit Route up to 24 metres. Nehru Road, Aundh Road between Pune University and Bremen Chowk and Mundhwa Road would be widened. The decision on reservation for central business zone and hilltop hill slope areas have been kept in abeyance.
- No dearth of funds, says Bapat
Pune: Guardian minister Girish Bapat on Saturday said adequate funds were being made available for ongoing and proposed developmental works in the city. “Not one project will be delayed because of lack of funds,” he added. Bapat was speaking after inaugurating the flyover at Karvenagar. Local leaders of the NCP were conspicuous by their absence. Bapat said the flyover work was delayed because of various reasons and that it was speeded up in the last few days. He claimed that BJP-led state government has given a push to crucial projects in the city. “Work on metro is moving fast. The government is working on the ring road project. The crucial 24x7 water supply project was cleared recently. More projects are expected to be commissioned soon. The government will resolve the technical issues pertaining to the Shiv Srushti project. People will witness a good change in terms of availability of infrastructure in the city,” he said.


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Comma One goes Open Source, Robocars in New Zealand Earthquakes and more
There have been few postings this month since I took the time to enjoy a holiday in New Zealand around speaking at the SingularityU New Zealand summit in Christchurch. The night before the summit, we enjoyed a 7.8 earthquake not so far from Christchurch, whose downtown was over 2/3 demolished after quakes in 2010 and 2011. On the 11th floor of the hotel, it was a disturbing nailbiter of swaying back and forth for over 2 minutes -- but of course swaying is what the building is supposed to do; that means it's working. The shocks were rolling, not violent, and in fact we got more violent jolts from aftershocks a week later when we went to Picton.
While driving around that region, we encountered this classic earthquake scene on the road:
There were many like this, and in fact the main highway of the South Island was destroyed long-term not too far away, cutting off several towns. A scene like this makes you wonder just what a robocar would do in such situations. I already answered this question in a blog post on how to handle a tsunami. Fortunately there was only a mild tsunami for this quake. A tsunami will result in a warning in the rich world, and the car will know the elevation map of the roads and know how to get to high ground. In some places, like Japan,t here is also an advanced earthquake warning system that tells you quakes are coming well before they hit you, since electrons go much faster than seismic waves. With such a system, robocars should receive a warning and come to a stop unless they need to evacuate a tsunami zone. Without such a warning, we still could imagine the road cracking and collapsing in front of you as might have happened on this road. Of course the cones and signs that warned me days later would not be present.
The answer again lies in the fact that pictures like mine will be used to create situations like this in simulator, and all car developers will be able to test their systems with simulated quake damage to make sure they do the right thing. I've spoken since 2010 on the value of a shared simulator environment and I think if government agencies like NHTSA want to really help development, providing funding and tools for such an environment would be a good step. NHTSA's proposal that all developers share their logs of all incidents would clearly make such a simulator better, but there is pushback because of the proprietary value of those logs. When it comes to strange situations like earthquakes, I doubt there would be much pushback on having an open and shared simulator environment.
New Zealand's government is taking a very welcoming approach to robocars. They are not regulating for a while, and have invited developers to come and test. They have even said it's OK to test unmanned vehicles under some fairly simple rules. NZ does not have any auto industry, and of course it's quite remote, but we'll see if they can attract developers to come test. Their roads feature something you don't see much in the USA -- tons and tons of one-lane bridges and other one-lane stretches of highway. Turns out that robocars, with a little bit of communication, can make very superhumanly efficient use of one-lane two-way roads, and it might be worth exploring.
Open Source Comma One box
Speaking of Open, today Comma.ai, which previously had declared they were giving up on their neural network autopilot due to NHTSA threats today announced they have open sourced their software, along with hardware designs and case designs. NHTSA did not want them making an autopilot, and said they could not simply rely on the fact that drivers were told they must be diligent, it will be very interesting to see how NHTSA reacts to the release of open designs that anybody can then install on their car.
The automotive industry has had a long history of valuing the tinkerer. All the big car companies had their beginnings with small tinkerers and inventors. Some even died in the very machines they were inventing. These beginnings have allowed people to do all sorts of playing around in their garages with new car ideas, without government oversight, in spite of the risk to themselves and even others on the road. If a mechanic wants to charge you for working on your car, they must be licenced, but you are free to work on it yourself with no licence, and even build experimental cars. You just can't sell them. And even those rights have been eroded.
Clearly far fewer people will have the inclination to build an autopilot using the comma.ai tools by themselves. But it won't be that hard to do, and they can make it easier with time, too. One could even imagine a car which already had the necessary hardware, so that you only needed to download software to make it happen.
In recent times, there has been a strong effort to prevent people with tinkering with their cars, even in software. One common area of controversy has been around engine tuning. Engine tuning is regulated by the EPA to keep emissions low. Car vendors have to show they have done this -- and they can't program their car to give good emissions only on the test while getting better performance off the test as VW did. But owners have been known to want to make such modifications. Now we will see modifications that affect not just emissions but safety. Car companies don't want to be responsible if you modify the code in your car and there is an accident involving both their code and yours. As such, they will try to secure their car systems so you can't change them, and the government may help them or even insist on it. When you add computer security risks to the mix -- who can certify the modified car can't be taken over and used as a weapon? -- it will get even more fun.
I will also point out that I suspect that comma's approach would not know what to do about the collapsed road, because it would never have been trained in that situation. It might, however, simply sound an alert and kick out, not being able to find the lane any more.
Regular readers will have seen my strong critique of the NHTSA rules. The other major news during my break was the pushback from major players in the public comment on the regulations. In some ways the regulations didn't do enough to give vendors the certainty they need to make their plans. At the same time, they were criticsed for not giving enough flexibility to vendors. In addition, as expected, they resist giving up their proprietary data in the proposed forced sharing. I predict continued ambivalence on the regulations. Big players actually like having lots of regulations, because big players know how to deal with that and small players don't.