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Important developments in the NSA scandal
There were multiple noteworthy developments yesterday in the NSA scandal:
(1) There is a truly amazing 50-state survey (h/t Markos) on the views of Americans regarding the NSA scandal -- and specifically their beliefs about whether George Bush broke the law. In 37 out of 50 states -- including numerous pure red states -- a plurality believe that it is "clear" that Bush broke the law. The best state for Bush is Oklahoma, where only 42% believe that he clearly did not break the law - the highest number of any state which believes that.
And, in almost every state, between 20-25% believe it's not clear one way or the other, which demonstrates that scores of people are still open to being persuaded on this question. And added to that is the fact that three consecutive polls (.pdf) now show that a majority of Americans believe that George Bush broke the law when ordering warrantless eavesdropping on Americans.
If we had a Democratic President and there were polls showing that a plurality of people across the country, in every region, had concluded that the President "clearly" broke the law -- and that a majority of Americans overall believe he did so as well -- would Republicans be taking advantage of that fact as aggressively as possible, or would they be running away from that issue in fear? And, what are Democrats currently doing with regard to the President's overt law-breaking and the fact that, despite the tepid and frightened posture of the Democrats, a majority of Americans have concluded that George Bush broke the law? Within the answers to those questions lies the most compelling explanation as to why the Bush Administration has thus far been able to get away with all sorts of ineptitude, corruption and wrongdoing -- even getting re-elected in the middle of it all.
A plurality of Americans across the country believe that the President is "clearly" engaged in criminal acts, and a majority of all Americans believe he broke the law. That is a startling state of affairs. And large numbers of people who have not yet reached that conclusion are open to be being persuaded. What possible excuse exists for Bush opponents not to engage in full-throated efforts to persuade them? This is a weakened, highly unpopular President who has broken the law and most Americans know that. Is there any conceivable justification -- ethical, political, strategic or otherwise -- for Bush opponents and proponents of the rule of law not to pursue this law-breaking as tenaciously as possible?
(2) The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on the NSA scandal yesterday with a panel of professors and former government officials (including conservative Administration critic Bruce Fein and the odious defender of Bush law-breaking, Professor Robert Turner). Part of what happened is here:
Former Reagan administration Justice Department official Bruce Fein, an outspoken foe of the surveillance, told the committee that Congress ought to use its power to cut off the NSA program’s funding.
"The power of the purse is perhaps the greatest power the Founding Fathers entrusted to the legislative branch" and it "should be used now" to end the program, Fein said, unless Bush explains why he could not stay within the confines of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which bans warrantless eavesdropping in the United States.
Former Clinton administration State Department official Harold Hongju Koh, who is now Dean of Yale Law School, told Specter’s committee that the NSA spying was "as blatantly illegal a program as I’ve seen."
If Congress went along with Bush’s rationale for the NSA spying, it "would turn this body into a pointless rubber stamp whose limited role in the war on terror would be enacting laws the president could ignore at will."
And Koh told Specter his bill wouldn’t remedy the problem. One reason: Specter’s bill would allow the FISA court to authorize the entire NSA spying program, not particular searches of particular people. Therefore it would allow a general warrant, which is what the Framers of the Constitution tried to ban by writing the Fourth Amendment, Koh said.
Unsurprisingly, Russ Feingold continued his heroic ways:
Asked where the NSA controversy was headed, Feingold said, "It’s up to Congress, whether Congress has the courage to stand up to an extreme assertion of executive power."
Feingold said cutting off funding is one option that he is looking at. "There’s a time and a place to do that which is coming up soon," he said.
He added, "We have to address the fact that the president has broken the law." Feingold also said he opposed Specter’s proposed bill because "it hands over congressional power to the executive a way that I think is very disturbing in terms of the protections in the Bill of Rights."
And, following up on the discussion here over the last few days about Arlen Specter, he apparently made statements at the hearings which makes clear that he believes that the program is illegal:
Numerous lawmakers, including Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), disagree [with the Administration’s claims that they can eavesdrop outside of FISA]. Specter says the NSA program violates the FISA law, and he is proposing legislation that would allow the FISA court to rule on the program's constitutionality and to oversee aspects of the surveillance operations.
I was unable to listen to the hearing, so if anyone finds where there is a transcript, I'd appreciate if you could post the link in Comments or e-mail it to me. From what I last heard, Specter still intends to call former DoJ officials James Comey, Jack Goldsmith and others to testify about the legality of the program, so the Juduciary Committee hearings will continue.
(3) For several weeks now, many people, including many at this blog, have speculated that two important as-yet-unrevealed facts were likely true: (a) that Gonzales’ conspicuous efforts to confine his statements defending the NSA program to "the program described by the President" strongly suggested that there are other warrantless eavesdropping programs directed at Americans on U.S. soil which have not yet been disclosed; and (b) the whole AUMF justification for the warrantless eavesdropping program is an after-the-fact justification which the DoJ only invented long after the program started; the notion that the AUMF exempted the Administration from FISA was not an actual understanding of the AUMF which anyone -- including the Administration -- had when the AUMF was enacted.
An important article from this morning’s Washington Post makes clear that both of those hypothesis are almost certainly true:
Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales appeared to suggest yesterday that the Bush administration's warrantless domestic surveillance operations may extend beyond the outlines that the president acknowledged in mid-December.
In a letter yesterday to senators in which he asked to clarify his Feb. 6 testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Gonzales also seemed to imply that the administration's original legal justification for the program was not as clear-cut as he indicated three weeks ago.
At that appearance, Gonzales confined his comments to the National Security Agency's warrantless wiretapping program, saying that President Bush had authorized it "and that is all that he has authorized."
But in yesterday's letter, Gonzales, citing that quote, wrote: "I did not and could not address . . . any other classified intelligence activities." Using the administration's term for the recently disclosed operation, he continued, "I was confining my remarks to the Terrorist Surveillance Program as described by the President, the legality of which was the subject" of the Feb. 6 hearing.
At least one constitutional scholar who testified before the committee yesterday said in an interview that Gonzales appeared to be hinting that the operation disclosed by the New York Times in mid-December is not the full extent of eavesdropping on U.S. residents conducted without court warrants.
"It seems to me he is conceding that there are other NSA surveillance programs ongoing that the president hasn't told anyone about," said Bruce Fein, a government lawyer in the Nixon, Carter and Reagan administrations.
And Gonzales all but admitted he was misleading in his testimony before the Committee because he tried to imply - falsely - that the Administration, from the beginning, interpreted the AUMF as authorization to conduct warrantless eavesdropping. As has been apparent for quite some time, nobody – including the Administration – ever interpreted the AUMF as providing such authorization until DoJ officials made clear that they had no legal justification for this program and therefore went in search of such justification, leading them to the fabricated AUMF claim:
On Feb. 6, Gonzales testified that the Justice Department considered the use-of-force vote as a legal green light for the wiretapping "before the program actually commenced."
But in yesterday's letter, he wrote, "these statements may give the misimpression that the Department's legal analysis has been static over time."
Fein said the letter seems to suggest that the Justice Department actually embraced the use-of-force argument some time later, prompting Gonzales to write that the legal justification "has evolved over time."
One government source who has been briefed on the issue confirmed yesterday that the administration believed from the beginning that the president had the constitutional authority to order the eavesdropping, and only more recently added the force resolution.
Given that: (a) not even the Senate has any idea what the scope is of warrantless eavesdropping on Americans; (b) it is clear that the lawless eavesdropping extends beyond what we know; and (c) a majority of Americans believe that the actions that we do know about are illegal, it is inexcusable – to put it mildly – for the Senate Intelligence Committee not to hold hearings on what our Government is doing in its warrantless, lawless eavesdropping on Americans. Speaking of which:
(4) The next two states we are targeting as part of our state-based effort to demand NSA hearings by the Senate Intelligence Committee are Nebraska (Hagel) and Maine (Snowe and Collins). It has been reported that both Hagel and Snowe are inclined to vote for Sen. Rockefeller’s motion to hold such hearings. That government officials have now confirmed the existence of other warrantless eavesdropping programs on Americans renders the need for hearings that much more urgent. If you live in Maine or Nebraska or have connections to that state and want to participate in what we are doing, please contact Jane Hamsher or Thersites at Vichy Democrats.
UPDATE: This article from the New York Times suggests serious Republican discord over what to do about this scandal -- including some substantial disagreement about Specter's proposed legislation to submit the entire program to adjudication and oversight by the FISA court:
Stepping into the growing debate in his party about the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping, the Republican leader Bill Frist pushed a group of Republican senators on Tuesday to work out conflicting approaches to legislation to address the program.
Senator Frist's efforts reflect the increasing determination of Republican lawmakers to impose some form of oversight on the program, through which the administration has secretly sidestepped the existing legal authorities for years to spy on thousands of domestic communications with terror suspects abroad. But lawmakers and staff members leaving a meeting called by Mr. Frist said deep disagreement remained within the party over how to rein in the administration. . . .
Still, people at the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity because its deliberations were supposed to be confidential, said the group remained sharply divided. . . .
Others in the meeting questioned whether the foreign-intelligence court's approval for the whole program might risk rejection by the Supreme Court, according to the people present. They said still others argued that involving a court would clash with the president's war powers. . . .
In contrast, Senator Mike DeWine, an Ohio Republican on the Judiciary Committee, is proposing legislation to give the administration authority to tap phone calls or e-mail with parties outside the country that involved a known member of a designated terrorist group on at least one end. . . .
Mr. Specter and Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska objected that Mr. DeWine's proposal left the administration too much leeway to spy on suspects without seeking outside approval, according to the people present. They also worried the proposal would retroactively legitimize the program before Congress learned it scope.
Congressional Republicans and Bush followers are going to want to depict these as minor differences, to be easily resolved at some point. They are anything but that.
The question which lies at the heart of this scandal - does the Bush Administration have the power to act free of Congressional and judicial oversight and restriction -- is the question which is deeply dividing his own party in Congress. And they seem unwilling to allow the issue of past law-breaking to be resolved until they know exactly what the scope of the eavesdropping was - not just with regard to the program revealed by the Times, but all eavesdropping programs aimed at Americans.


The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has fired a shot across the bow of employers hoping to remain free of ObamaCare’s employer mandate by adhering to the letter, but not the spirit, of the law. The agency’s message: Don’t even think about it.
The IRS recently issued a 144-page notice of “proposed regulations providing guidance under section 4980H of the Internal Revenue Code ... with respect to the shared responsibility for employers regarding employee health coverage.” That is, the agency is notifying the public that it will be promulgating rules as to how it interprets the employer mandate and how it intends to enforce it.
And as Merrill Matthews observes at Forbes: “Don’t you love that ‘shared responsibility’ reference? It’s as if President Obama’s campaign speeches have morphed into IRS reg[ulation]s.”
The employer mandate requires employers with 50 or more full-time employees to offer “affordable” health insurance coverage to those employees, with “affordable” defined as costing an employee no more than 9.5 percent of his total household income. For every full-time employee who opts out of “unaffordable” employer-sponsored coverage and obtains insurance on a state exchange, often with a taxpayer subsidy, the employer will be fined up to $2,000.
“The Treasury Department and the IRS are aware of various structures being considered under which employers might use temporary staffing agencies (or other staffing agencies) purporting to be the common law employer to evade application of section 4980H,” the IRS notice states.
The IRS anticipates two ways in which employers might try to circumvent the mandate through temporary agencies. First, an employer might hire an employee directly for, say, 20 hours a week, then hire the same person through a temporary agency for another 20 hours per week, thereby getting 40 hours’ worth of work out of that individual without either the employer or the agency having to classify him as a full-time employee. Second, an employer might not hire the individual directly at all but might hire him through more than one temporary agency, again obtaining 40 hours’ worth of work a week but keeping the individual from being considered a full-time employee of either the employer or any of the temporary agencies.
“The Treasury Department and the IRS anticipate that only in rare circumstances, if ever, would the ‘client’ under these fact patterns not employ the individual under the standard as a full-time employee,” says the IRS. “Rather, the Treasury Department and the IRS believe that the primary purpose of using such an arrangement would be to avoid the application of section 4980H.”
Fortunately for Uncle Sam, the IRS is on top of the situation: “It is anticipated that the final regulations will contain an anti-abuse rule to address the situations described” above. Essentially, if an employer tries to skirt the law’s intent by using one or more temporary agencies to get a full-time employee without having to classify him as such, the IRS will simply declare that the individual is indeed a full-time employee and add him to the employer’s count of said employees.
In addition, notes CNSNews.com:
The agency specified that employers could still fall under the mandate if they employ enough part-time workers to equal 50 full-time workers. For example, if an employer has 40 full-time workers and 20 part-time workers, that employer would be considered by the government to have 50 full-time workers and would be subject to the mandate because the 20 part-time workers average to 10 full-time workers — meeting the 50 full-time-worker threshold.
“So Obama rams through a costly, onerous, time-consuming and job-killing health insurance bill, and employers will look for ways to limit or minimize its impact — just as rich liberals do with taxes,” Matthews remarks. “And the IRS expects it, which is why it’s putting employers on notice.”
In short, there is no escaping the long arm of what purports to be the law. Never mind that both ObamaCare and the IRS are affronts to liberty and that the former is plainly unconstitutional, no matter what the Supreme Court — which couldn’t even decide whether the $2,000-per-employee punishment is a tax or a penalty — may have declared.
Given that the notice of proposed regulations runs to a gross of pages — and gross they are — one can only imagine how immense the final rules will actually be. And that will be on top of regulations that, as of October, were already “well over twice as long as the Guinness World Record for the longest novel,” according to Americans for Limited Government.
Naturally, enforcing all these new rules will require more bureaucrats. The Treasury Department’s inspector general for tax administration says “the IRS will need more than 2,000 employees to monitor compliance with Obama’s health care law,” writes Matthews. “And that’s just for 2013.”
“Well, Nancy Pelosi claimed when ObamaCare passed that it would create 400,000 new jobs almost immediately,” he adds. “The public probably didn’t understand she was talking about IRS agents looking to make sure you accept your shared responsibility.”


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My imitation version of the onion pancake” or egg paratha from the little cafe inside of EastSide Market in Orlando. This was the day I welcomed soy sauce bottle #9 into my cupboard. Toddler-approved pictorial created 10/20/2016.
Eastside Market is a little Asian market in east Orlando with a little cafe shop inside. And in that cafe, they make these snacks or appetizers that my little foodie and I love to eat. The sweet sauce was addicting! I begged and annoyed the owner enough for him to tell me which soy sauce bottle he used. So welcome my soy sauce bottle number 9, Kim Lan Soy Paste. It’s a thick, sweet, and flavored soy sauce that’s great to use for dipping sauces and stir frying.
That’s my little foodie pigging out on the onion pancake and fried gyoza at Eastside Market. Each appetizer cost $4.99 each and so this recipe has helped me fix the cravings and savings.
Prep and Cook time: 15 minutes
1. Mix the ingredients for the sweet sauce together.
2. I use one egg per onion paratha. Beat each egg and seasoned with onion poweder and black pepper. In a hot skillet, spray some vegetable oil. Lay an onion partha evenly on the hot skillet and cook for about 30 seconds on medium high heat. Then slowly pour in the beatened egg and cook on medium high heat for one minute or until egg is not runny.
3. Flip the egg paratha over after one minute and cook on the other side for about another minute or until paratha is golden crispy. Quickly transfer the egg paratha onto a plate and roll it up. (I wore latex gloves to roll it up while it’s hot.) Cut the rolled eggy paratha like shown. Drizzle sauce over and serve immediately.
Note: This is best when serve hot and fresh from the stove. When this is cooled or sits on the counter too long, the texture becomes a bit chewy for my toddler.

domain: food


05/16/2017 01:00 PM EDT
Engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed a miniature device that's sensitive enough to feel the forces generated by swimming bacteria and hear the beating of heart muscle cells. The device is a nano-sized optical fiber that detects forces down to 160 femtonewtons and sound levels down to -30 decibels. Applications include measuring bio-activity at the single cell level, or ultra-sensitive mini stethoscopes to monitor cellular acoustics in vivo.
University of California, San Diego


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Last updated: November 7, 2021
Recycling, Restroom, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles
Marvel at nearly two dozen mature giant sequoias in the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias.
Begin at Tuolumne Grove parking lot and follow the Old Big Oak Flat Road-one of the first roads into Yosemite Valley-steeply downhill through sugar pines and white firs. The trail drops 500 feet (150 meters) in one mile. The way down can seem much easier than the uphill return to the parking lot. The trip is moderate on the uphill portion. Within the Tuolumne Grove there is an easy, half-mile, self-guiding nature trail. Parking is limited.
Winter in Tuolumne Grove
Ski or snowshoe touring in Yosemite can be a magnificent experience! The Tuolumne Grove trail descends 500 feet from the trailhead the entire way to the majestic giant sequoias. This is a popular trail both with snowshoers and hikers and is an strenuous uphill return ski.
2.5 miles (4 km) round trip;
500-foot (152 m) elevation gain on return trip. 1-2 hours.
Year-round. (Expecty snowy and/or icy conditions in winter; skies are snowshoes may be helpful.)
The Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias is located on Tioga Road just east of Crane Flat.
Rules & Regulations
Bicycles are not allowed on this trail. Pets are allowed on the paved trail through the grove, but not on the side trails in the grove.
Hazards & Warnings
There is no drinking water at the parking area or in the grove. Be sure to bring drinking water with you.
This trail is not wheelchair accessible.

domain: travel


Dhaka, Nov 14 (UNB) - The third edition of Bangladesh International Garment and Textile Machinery Expo (BIGTEX) is set to kick off on Thursday at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the city.
RedCarpet365 Limited is hosting the four-day exposition targeting the entire apparel industry.
The expo will have concurrent exhibitions as Bangladesh Int’l Print, Pack and Signage Expo, Bangladesh Int’l Fabric and Yarn Expo, Bangladesh Int’l Dyes and Chemical Expo.
These exhibitions will play important role by showcasing latest machineries, technologies, dyes, chemicals, yarns, fabrics and will provide an opportunity to experts, engineers and technicians to have a practical knowledge of the recent technological advancements available, without going abroad, said organizers on Wednesday.
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) is the associate partner of the exhibition while Well Group is the co-partner.
Paperleaf, Foursource, Bangladesh Garments Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) and Bangladesh Indenting Agents Association (BIAA) are also supporting the expo.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed is expected to open the expo at 11am as the chief guest.
Honorary Consul General of Greece to Bangladesh and senior vice-president of BGMEA Faruque Hassan, first vice-president of BKMEA Mansoor Ahmed, President of BGAPMEA Md Abdul Kader Khan, President of BIAA Muhammad Ayub, Chairman and CEO of Well Group Syed Nurul Islam.
Chairman (Export & Market Development Committee), Bangladesh Paper Mills Association and DMD, Bashundhara Group Md Mustafizur Rahman and Head of Business, Paper Leaf Hasan Murad Chowdhury will also attend the inaugural session.
Wonsan, Nov 14 (AP/UNB) — For North Korean factory managers, a visit by leader Kim Jong Un is the highest of honors and quite possibly the most stressful event imaginable.
The chief engineer at the Songdowon General Foodstuffs Factory had looked forward to the visit for nearly a decade. His factory churns out tons of cookies, crackers, candies and bakery goods, plus dozens of varieties of soft drinks sold around the country. In its showroom, Kwon Yong Chol proudly showed off one of his best-sellers, a nutrient soup made with spirulina, a blue-green microalgae "superfood."
"Ever since construction began everyone here had wanted the leader to visit, and this year he did. His visit was the biggest thing that could happen to us," Kwon, smiling broadly, said of Kim Jong Un's visit in July. "He ate our instant noodles. He said they were delicious."
Not all managers have been so fortunate.
There's a lot on the line for North Korea these days. And Kim means business.
Though the international spotlight has been on his denuclearization talks with Washington, the North Korean leader has a lot riding domestically on his promises to boost the country's economy and standard of living. His announcement in April that North Korea had sufficiently developed its nuclear weapons and would now focus on building its economy marked a sharp turn in official policy, setting the stage for his rapid-fire meetings with the leaders of China, South Korea and the United States.
It also set in motion an ambitious campaign of "on-the-spot guidance" trips to rally party officials, factory managers and military troops.
After the announcement of the "new strategic line" and his first round of summits, including his meeting in June with President Donald Trump, Kim embarked on nearly 20 inspection tours around the country in July and another 10 in August, all but one of them to non-military locations. The military inspection rounds are instead being handled by the country's premier, Pak Pong Ju, who has gone on 18 inspection tours from July, mostly to military facilities.
On-the-spot guidance tours are a tradition Kim inherited from his father and grandfather, the late "eternal General-Secretary" Kim Jong Il and "eternal President" Kim Il Sung.
They date to the late 1940s, when Kim Il Sung began gradually institutionalizing the visits to demonstrate his hands-on leadership and, as invariably portrayed by the North's media, his deep care and concern for the well-being of the people.
Factories, farms and important industrial facilities are the usual destinations. But Kim Jong Un's focus on them this year marks a break from excursions in 2017 to nuclear weapons facilities and missile sites.
Reflecting the gravity of his current mission, Kim has shown little patience for cadres who come up short.
On his July tour in the northern part of the country he lambasted officials at a factory that produces backpacks for students, saying their attitude was "very wrong" and "has no revolutionary spirit." He then dressed down officials at a power plant that has been under construction for 17 years, criticized people in charge of a hotel project for taking too long to finish plastering its walls and slammed the authorities responsible for building a recreational campsite.
"Looking round the bathroom of the camp, he pointed out its very bad condition, saying bathtubs for hot spring therapy are dirty, gloomy and unsanitary for their poor management," said an official report of the visit.
Most inspection tours, however, go like Kim's two-hour visit to the Songdowon processed foods factory.
With a gaggle of cameramen in tow — the tours are always top news in North Korea's media — the site's senior manager generally serves as the guide. Members of Kim's entourage frantically take notes as he suggests tweaks of this or that and offers praise or encouragement.
Many factories put up red and gold plaques to commemorate the event. Some have special wall displays made afterward that show the exact path the leader took in little LED lights that can be turned on at the press of a button.
At Kwon's factory, which has 300 employees and is located on the outskirts of the eastern coastal city of Wonsan, Kim advised managers to improve operations on an "automated, unmanned and germ-free basis, holding aloft the banner of self-reliance."
Before the obligatory group photo session, the North's official news agency reported, Kim voiced "his expectation and conviction" the factory would produce more quality foods "and thus more fully demonstrate the honor of being a factory loved by the people."
But Kim also had a broader point to make.
He told the factory management that they must be prepared to work in a more competitive environment, to modernize and cut the fat. These are special times and they, and basically all managers throughout the country, need to step up their game.
"The Respected Marshal Kim Jong Un pays much more attention to the quality of a product," Kwon said. "When he came to this factory he gave instructions to maintain a high level of hygiene because food is closely associated with the health of the people, and to keep the highest level of quality of products that people like. He said we must produce products that are world class, and produce a lot of foods that people like."
Kwon said the pressure isn't just coming from above.
"The people demand more quality," he said. "When people look at the product, they must feel like they want to have it. So we are designing things in line with that. We have to satisfy the demands of the people."
Dhaka, Nov 13 (UNB)- Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) was awarded as the highest taxpayer in the banking sector of the country in 2017-2018 tax year.
MA Mannan MP, State Minister for Finance and Planning Ministry and Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, NDC, Senior Secretary of Internal Resources Division and Chairman of National Board of Revenue handed over the crest and Tax card to Professor Md Nazmul Hassan, Ph.D, Chairman and Md Mahbub ul Alam, Managing Director & CEO of IBBL at the ‘Sera Kordata Sommanona-2018’ program in Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on Monday.
Singapore, Nov 13 (AP/UNB) — The potential damage to the global trade brought on by President Donald Trump's tariffs battle with Beijing is looming as leaders of Southeast Asian nations, China, the U.S. and other regional economies meet in Singapore this week.
Newly imposed tariffs on billions of dollars' worth of each other's exports resulting from a battle between the U.S. and China over technology policy and other issues have begun to bite.
It's unclear if the region's reliance on trade will lead ASEAN to push ahead with a free trade pact that would commit member countries to opening markets further this week. But the talk in Singapore was of freer trade.
Premier Li Keqiang told a business forum Monday that no country can handle trends toward more protectionism, uncertainty and other destabilizing factors alone.
Tokyo, Nov 13 (AP/UNB) — U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss bilateral trade and to touch base on their policies on North Korea as the two sides tried to showcase alliance ahead of key regional summits this week.
Pence told Abe as their talks started Tuesday that he planned to follow up on bilateral free trade talks that the two countries have agreed to start.
Japan has faced demands that it reduce its trade surplus with the U.S.
Pence and Abe gave reassurances of their cooperation on North Korea's denuclearization.
Pence will leave later Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore and an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Papua New Guinea on behalf of President Donald Trump.


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Hornblower Group announced this week that it has closed on the acquisition of ShoreTrips. The global shore excursions provider will join Hornblower’s portfolio of land-based experience companies, which includes Shore Excursions of America and Cruising Excursions, expanding its land-based offerings for guests, as well as creating a global shore excursions group of offerings. Through this acquisition, ShoreTrips will add to Hornblower’s experiences and broaden its total global footprint to 111 countries and territories worldwide.
“The acquisition of ShoreTrips will allow us to integrate both their products and offerings and build upon our core mission of delivering amazing experiences for our guests,” said Kevin Rabbitt, chief executive officer, Hornblower Group, in a press announcement.
Milwaukee-based travel advisors, Barry and Julie Karp, launched ShoreTrips in 2001. Over the last two decades, it has become one of the U.S.‘ largest independent providers of commissionable land and sea experiences, offering more than 3,000 excursions offerings in 400 port locations.
Barry Karp, founder of ShoreTrips, added: “We believe this is the best outcome us, for the future of ShoreTrips, for our devoted team of core staff members and for our many loyal travel advisors and their clients.
Hornblower Group has headquarters in San Francisco, Chicago, New York and London. The group’s portfolio includes Hornblower Cruises & Events (dining and sightseeing), American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines (overnight) and NYC Ferry, HMS Ferries and Seaward Marine Services (transportation). Hornblower also operates the official ferry boat service to Alcatraz Island, the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Memorial Museum on behalf of the National Park Service, as well as Hornblower Niagara Cruises on behalf of the Niagara Parks Commission.

domain: geography


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I saw your comment.
23 hp, 12 Atk, 11 Def, 11 Sp. Atk, 11 SDef, 11 Speed
23 hp, 13 Atk, 11 Def, 9 Sp. Atk, 11 SDef, 11 Speed
I think it is just the nature that changed on your tepig.
Hope I helped
Stats are not set permanently at the start of a game. The natures are random. (just a note: Roaming Pokemons' natures are random until you meet them or they begin their roaming)
That's why there is such a thing as "soft resetting". You basically save to re-encounter Pokemon however many times you want until you get the desired Pokemon. Like, with a specific nature in mind, or whether it's shiny or not.
If stats were already set from the beginning of the game, then there would be no such thing as soft resetting.

domain: hobby


TEHRAN, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- As Iranian budget planners work to trim oil dependency, the country's president said Monday the Iranian economic turnaround has been miraculous.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the inflation rate has dropped from 40 percent under his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to around 16 percent.
"Economically speaking, as domestic and foreign opinion-makers have written to me, it has been like a miracle," he said.
For fiscal year 2013-14, the World Bank estimates the Iranian economy contracted at an annual rate of 1.7 percent. The Iranian economy emerged from recession in December, however, which was something the government said came as a result of heavy government investments in national development projects.
Though its economy is dependent on oil export revenue, the government in early January said non-oil exports from the beginning of the Iranian year, which starts in March, increased to $35 billion, or about 20 percent year-on-year.
Budget planners are working to lower the dependency on oil revenue. Three years ago, oil revenue accounted for half of the budget. Members of a budgetary planning commission said they envision oil accounting for about a quarter of the budget for the next Iranian year.
The budgetary comments came as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with his Iranian counterpart Mohammed Jarvad Zarif in Geneva to try to hammer out differences in nuclear negotiations before a March 31 deadline.
Iran is restricted to exports of around one million barrels of oil per day under the terms of a multilateral agreement reached in November 2013.


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Childhood sexual abuse is a trauma that occurs in childhood, and often continues to be a source of pain, shame and related symptoms throughout adulthood. The trauma often times re-presents itself in different ways throughout the victims lifetime…especially during, puberty, first sexual experience (by choice) , childbirth, having a child the age that he or she was when the abuse happened, sexual problems in a relationship (either self or partner) infidelity etc.
Childhood abuse does not make a person “broke”, crazy” or “unloveable” , but often makes him or her feel one or all of those ways. Left untreated, the symptoms of trauma often increase and lead to depression, anxiety and problems in relationships. Sexual child abuse is a crime and is never the child’s fault. A child is ethically and legally unable to give free will/informed consent which automatically make it rape.
Dr. Laura has been working with adult victims of childhood sexual abuse for over 20 years.
If you or someone you love is an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse or incest, Dr. Laura can help.

domain: health


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Located on Airport Road, Homeland Hotel Chengdu boasts a spa and wellness centre, fitness centre and an outdoor swimming pool. It is located only a 10-minute drive from Shuangliu International Airport. Free Wi-Fi is provided in the entire property. Each guestroom at Homeland is fitted with a flat-screen TV with satellite and cable channels, minibar with free tea/coffee bags and safety deposit box. The sumptuous cotton sheets and fabric, carpeted floor and first-class furnishings create an elegant atmosphere. The en suite bathroom has a bathtub and a shower. For an indulgent experience, guests can enjoy soothing massage treatment, relax in the sauna, have a game on the tennis court, or take a stroll in the garden. For anyone who fancies singing, karaoke facilities are available. Other facilities include a business centre and tour desk. The Chinese restaurant serves a fine selection of Szechuan dishes. International flavours are available at The Venice Western Restaurant. Homeland Hotel Chengdu is a 20-minute drive from Tianfu Square. Chunxi Road shopping area is a 25-minute car journey away.
Homeland Hotel Chengdu
No.181, Airport Road, Chengdu, 610225, CN
Our Rating Neighborhood around town Prices 455 CNY to 1458 CNY Amenities Game Room; Grounds; Sun Deck; Terrace; Breakfast in the Room; Restaurant; Room Service; 24-Hour Front Desk; Concierge Service; Ticket Service; Tour Desk; Free Parking; On-site Parking; Private Parking; WiFi Available in All Areas; Free Wi-Fi; Internet; Wi-Fi; Hair/Beauty Salon; Shops (on site); Souvenir/Gift Shop; Airport Shuttle (surcharge); Car Rental; Shuttle Service (surcharge)Book a Room Now
MapNo.181, Airport Road Chengdu 610225 CN Chengdu
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


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All interactions change-over time, therefore it is all-natural to withstand some issues and raising pains. During transitions and lumps, you could find your self questioning your own standard of devotion and wondering whether your problems are solved. Acquiring right back focused is a great sensation, but experiencing persistent feelings of dissatisfaction or question is a poor sign.
While it may seem uncertain, sometimes there is major turning point that modifications how you feel. Numerous breakups occur simply because you have steadily outgrown each other or one companion modifications while the various other is actually stagnant. Or your own beliefs or readiness degrees are way too different. This can be a harsh truth, but it’s OK simply to walk far from interactions that don’t last well.
If you should be at a crossroads and trying to assess if it’s far better part means, evaluate these 10 symptoms that you have outgrown the relationship:
1. You Outgrown Activities You always take pleasure in Together
If you’re no further interested in the passions you always bond over plus lover continues to be, this may be an indication you have matured in many ways that no more turn you into a good fit. When you can develop brand-new couples activities that resonate along with you both, you will generate present and potential chances to develop with each other.
However, in case the lover is caught on tasks that not chat to you and is reluctant to understand more about brand new interests collectively, it could be better to move on and day someone that is more like-minded.
2. You Feel Embarrassed by the Partner
Sometimes ab muscles things that accustomed bring in you to definitely your spouse today log on to your nervousness, or worse, make us feel uncomfortable of spouse. That could be a sign your relationship has most likely run its training course.
It is also time for you to progress if issues regularly love regarding your spouse now embarrass you publicly or perhaps you are not pleased with just who your lover is actually. Should you feel you need to cover your own connection from relatives and buddies because you’re embarrassed, this is an indicator that something is wrong.
3. You see various Futures
If the near future you desire isn’t about “us” or plans for just two, it’s likely your emotions have altered plus relationship is not a top priority. Creating ideas without your lover on a tiny or large scale is just indicative that you’re drifting away.
4. You are consistently choosing Fights
Fighting with consistency can signify unresolved problems inside connection. If you are obtaining exact same arguments and it feels as though neither certainly you is giving ground, you might be prolonging the termination of a broken relationship. You may possibly subconsciously wish your partner to depart one to protect your self from shame of initiating the separation.
Maybe you should not break your spouse’s cardiovascular system by leaving initially, so selecting fights becomes an effective way to sabotage the relationship and inspire her or him to break with you.
5. There’s No love within the Bedroom or even in your own Communication
You might not talk up or fight anyway if you have ended caring altogether. You may commence to tune your spouse and permit circumstances get since you’re no more present or invested.
You aren’t expected to have the same amount of love you believed at the beginning of dating since your commitment progresses and many years pass, but were not successful attempts to keep or reignite your enthusiasm, love, and desire tend to be big signs you have outgrown your own connection.
6. Your Partner Holds You Back
In healthy relationships, your partner will you in attaining your individual targets, and there are going to be stability betwixt your individual identities plus identification as several. Shedding you to ultimately attempt to kindly your lover or letting go of on the major ambitions and goals to keep your partner is actually unhealthy for your mental health and future of the commitment.
Additionally be aware of warning flag that, in acute cases, is capable of turning harmful, including your companion resenting your success, stopping you against having outside friendships, isolating you from friends, and behaving paranoid or overly defensive.
7. There is big space within Values
Our beliefs drive our very own choices, which means you’re probably be annoyed whether your beliefs change from those of your lover’s. Generating mutual decisions may feel virtually difficult.
Having various perspectives and misaligned goals might generate a natural detachment and stop your connection from waiting the exam period.
8. You Fantasize About Being With somebody Else
To a specific extent, it really is all-natural to daydream regarding what yourself might possibly be like if you had made different choices inside interactions. It’s also typical become drawn to other folks.
However, it’s only fair for you and your lover to think about finishing the union if someone (or ex) is actually taking up room in mind and you also fantasize about cheating or making your own connection for anyone otherwise.
9. You are not Happy inside connection Anymore
At some point in a failing connection, you are feeling like you’ve lost yourself. Perhaps it’s difficult to place your fist about what’s altered, but you’ve lost the spark and your connection no further brings you joy and satisfaction.
You may possibly feel a lot more fulfilled by different interactions, look ahead to spending time beyond your commitment, and feel the need for space. Maybe you need to concentrate on private growth and work at yourself, and you believe you really have small supply.
10. So long as Challenge Each Other
You possess intended to develop collectively, but often there is significant occasion that breaks your own connection. Then you definitely drift aside jointly individual changes and matures a lot more than the other.
Due to the fact differences in maturity or perspective be more evident, you may possibly feel stuck in a relationship that not any longer challenges you, satisfies you, or allows you to a significantly better individual.
Above all, tune in to your own Instincts
The desire is that you as well as your partner will grow together, but sometimes the oppogay hookup site happens. Know it is okay in all honesty regarding the feelings and provide yourself authorization to end the connection. Breakups may be unpleasant, but thus can the continual torture of staying in a miserable connection or knowing deep-down you might be settling.
Also, above all, get any abdomen emotions regarding the partner or relationship honestly.

domain: psychology


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Cromer (2mls S), Norfolk
An attractive barn conversion property offering spacious accommodation for six guests, offering a shared indoor pool and games room, enjoying a tranquil location in the Norfolk countryside.
Sandringham (3mls SE), Norfolk
An attractive well-presented barn in the heart of the Norfolk countryside offering a great family base to explore Norfolk, or for a relaxed getaway from everyday life, with a private swimming pool.
Wroxham (4.5mls NE), Norfolk
Stunning former coach house set in the heart of Norfolk offering luxurious accommodation, with swimming pool, hot tub and tennis court, within easy reach of the coast and the Norfolk Broads.
Let with us


Use of riot control officers in situations of insurgency control in areas under direct military control and different from the United States, including rioters of war. In the post-Cold War period, arms control can lead to large strikes by superpowers. But even in this new era, military forces will still be needed because of the normal orientation of high-power politics and the new proliferation of destructive power. In addition, there is still a prospect of cancelling the changes that took place in the Soviet Union. The prospects for arms control have suffered another setback with the discovery of Russian tests by the United States and the subsequent deployment of a cruise missile launched on the ground in violation of the FCI treaty. U.S. accusations of Russian violations were thwarted by Russian denials and accusations that the United States deployed its anti-missile missiles in launchers that violated the FN treaty.9 During the remainder of Bush`s term, U.S. priorities did not contain a strong arms control agenda with Russia. The main priorities were the war on terror, the threat of nuclear proliferation, the merger of these two states in the threat of nuclear terrorism and the development of a missile defence system to deal with these threats. The deterioration of political relations with Russia – which included Moscow`s announcement, participation in the CFE Treaty (equivalent to an effective withdrawal) and threats to withdraw from the ISF treaty were abandoned in 2008 after the Russian-Georgian war.
All these developments were a major obstacle to all efforts to establish an arms control agreement with Russia, even though the Bush administration had tried to do so. When the United States and the Soviet Union expanded and improved their nuclear arsenals and refined their understanding of nuclear weapons, they both recognized the imperative to be able to avenge an adversary`s nuclear attack. This meant that the issues of the highest national priority were to follow the arsenal on the other side and improve the viability of its arsenal. Otherwise, this would lead to a critical vulnerability to security. The arms race continued. In addition to the treaties, which have focused mainly on ending the proliferation of nuclear weapons, there has recently been a movement to regulate the sale and trade of conventional weapons. Starting in December 2014, the United Nations is preparing for the entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty, ratified by 89 nations.  However, ratification by major arms producers such as Russia and China is currently lacking and, although the United States has signed the treaty, it has not yet been ratified.  12 The first such dialogue took place in September 2017. Another round was scheduled for March 2018, but has been postponed without any new date being announced.
Overall, relations between the United States and Russia have deteriorated further since the first round and leave no prospect of improvement, raising doubts about the quality, scale and potential impact of the dialogue. Privately, some participants described it as unproductive. Arms control will never give all the answers to national security. In some cases, it can even do more harm than good. In any case, it must be integrated into other dimensions of policy and other policy instruments. But the changing nature of global politics indicates both new roles and a new importance for arms control. If there were no gun control procedure, we would certainly have to invent it. The SALT-I agreement, signed in 1972 under the Nixon administration, included two agreements: the ABM Treaty and the “Interim Agreement.” Under the ABM Treaty, the United States and the USSR have abandoned the idea of establishing national defences against nuclear attacks, with the exception of two ABM sites authorized by each party.


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domain: entertainment


Boeing has announced that the latest version of its new 787 Dreamliner has completed its maiden voyage. This version is called the 787-9 and the aircraft flew for the first time on September 17 signaling the beginning of a comprehensive flight test program for the aircraft. The flight test program will lead to certification and delivery by the middle of 2014.
The 787-9 is a new member of the efficient family of aircraft and its maiden voyage was five hours and 16 minutes long. The aircraft took off from Paine Field in Everett , Washington at 11:02 AM and landed at 4:18 p.m. at Seattle Boeing Field.
The first 787-9 aircraft is scheduled to be delivered to air New Zealand next year. The aircraft climbed to an altitude of 20,400 feet increase at an airspeed of 250 kn, equating to about 288 mph. That speed and altitude are customary for an initial flight. During the flight, onboard equipment sent real-time data to the flight test team on the ground in Seattle.
The 787-9 is powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. The 787-9 also has a fuselage that is stretched by 20 feet making it larger than the 787-8 allowing the new version to carry an additional 40 passengers an extra 300 nautical miles. The 787-8 fleet has been plagued with problems. Several aircraft suffered battery failures leading to the FAA grounding the entire fleet for a time. After a temporary fix was applied to the batteries, aircraft were again allowed into the air. However, another 787-8 battery caught fire during a flight after the fleet was allowed back into the air.


This third edition of The Shaman’s Journal features the "best of the best" writing from Lora Cecere's popular blog, Supply Chain Shaman. She discusses the topics that keep supply chain leaders up at night, and her "Interviews with Leaders" allow readers to explore inside the four walls of the organizations that get supply chain "right." The Journal should be read like a collection of short stories with each individual post sharing a unique set of insights on a specific topic. Keep this in mind as you read this journal. If not, as a collection of blog posts, they may seem disjointed.
The articles are organized around five sub-themes:
1) Leadership in Action
2) Making the Digital Pivot
3) Implementing Strong Horizontal Processes
4) Building the Global Value Chain
5) Insights on the Supply Chain Metrics That Matter
Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.


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My colleague Chris compared Google Image search to Bing Bing Images vs. Google Images - Which Has Better Results? Bing Images vs. Google Images - Which Has Better Results? Bing’s image search once challenged Google, offering more features and a better design. With infinite scrolling and the ability to search for similar images, Bing was legitimately better than Google at image search just a... Read More , and found Google’s results to be better. If you feel the same way, don’t worry: you can use it to find rights-cleared images. While searching for an image, click Search Tools then Usage Rights.
Back in the ‘90s, Clip Art took over Word and PowerPoint files thanks to the thousands of office workers and students who used the images as a way to “improve” their documents. These days there are a large number of free images available on the web, and Microsoft is recognizing this by killing off its Clip Art portal in recent versions Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook. “The Office.com Clip Art and image library has closed shop,” explains Microsoft’s Doug Thomas. “Usage of Office’s image library has been declining year-to-year as customers rely more on search engines.”
Bing Image Search uses a copyright filter based on the Creative Commons licensing system. The results that are returned are images that have been tagged with Creative Commons licenses. A link to the source of the image is provided, which you should use to review the source of the image and the applicable license to determine whether your use will comply with the license. (The settings can be switched to show all web results to view more images.) However, you are responsible for respecting others’ rights, including copyright. Learn more here.
If clip art appeals to you for its retro feel, you might also like pixel art. You can create some yourself with pixel art tools The 11 Best Pixel Art Tools to Create Pixel Perfect Artwork The 11 Best Pixel Art Tools to Create Pixel Perfect Artwork Do you want to try your hand at creating pixel perfect artwork? These pixel art tools will help you get started. Read More .
But this site's not just about Christmas. Need clip art for Easter? Valentine's Day? Halloween? No problem. How about something specific like angels? Teddy bears? They're here. In fact, we have clip art available for most major holidays and many specialty themes. So feel free to browse all the clip art and graphics we have, and explore the site thoroughly. Make this your "go to" resource for future holiday and clip art fun. Bookmark us now so you'll have a graphics resource all year long.
oh ya I used to use clip art all the time and I just loved clip art even though a lot of the art was cheesy, but you could definitely find what you needed or close to it. I just tried using the clip art on the new system and because I have a mac its harder to use. I'm having a hard time figuring out how to resize it put it behind text all that. I wish they would bring it back
Why is it that every time Microsoft make another edition of their software it makes it harder and harder to use. Seriously frustrated. Clipart was so darn useful. I was always ungrouping it to pull apart and use just some little images or to recolour to match my document / presentation. now I have to go and try and completely redraw things. This is a complete waste of time. Microsoft, you continue to be morons. Just once, I'd like to see an upgrade that actually added value and didn't make it harder for people to use. User UNfriendly. Seriously considering heading back to an earlier version of PowerPoint just so I can get that feature back.

domain: artistic


The precarious balance between gig economy work and benefits tips too many people into homelessness, with incomes nowhere near enough to cover rent, a new report reveals.
Youth homelessness charity Centrepoint is calling on the government to review Universal Credit to make sure young people are not pushed into rent arrears – or deterred from working for fear of ending up in debt.
Centrepoint commissioned the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) to examine homeless young people’s experiences of gig work.
The research consisted of a survey of 50 young people living in homelessness services, as well as in-depth interviews of young people and staff supporting them.
Key findings were:
- Just over two in five (42%) respondents encountered difficulties with their benefit claim when in precarious employment
- Two in five (38%) said their income was not enough to cover their rent
- A third (35%) said their income was not enough to cover their basic needs such as food, bills, and travel
- Four fifths (80%) were not aware of any sick pay, paid leave or pension contributions as part of their employment
- Not a single respondent said they had a typical number of paid hours per week, all reporting that their hours varied greatly
- Only one respondent reported being able to save for their future
Centrepoint senior policy and research manager Abi Gill said the evidence showed the welfare system has not kept up with the growth of gig work.
“It’s not right that young people who are trying their best to earn money and support themselves are penalized by an inflexible system that can leave them in debt and in fear of taking on work in the future,” she said.
“Centrepoint is calling on the government to review Universal Credit to make sure young people are not pushed into rent arrears or deterred from working for fear of ending up in debt.”
The study highlights the social and financial risks that young people can encounter in this form of work, due to a lack of guaranteed and regular hours that can also restrict their access to key benefits if income fluctuates from month to month.
Difficulties with benefit claims included benefits being stopped with no explanation, the incorrect amount of benefit being paid because the system is not responsive to fluctuating hours, and the amount of benefit received changing due to irregular wage payments.
Young people’s experiences indicate that the benefits system is not set up to interact effectively with precarious forms of employment.
A particular issue is that, once someone earns above a certain amount one month, their Housing Benefit – as well as their Universal Credit – is cut the following month, even if their earnings have not remained stable.
This means many are pushed into rent arrears with their housing provider, which disincentivises young people from taking on paid work for fear of getting into debt.
Survey respondents typically earned £7-9 per hour – the minimum wage for their age group.
They generally reported being happy with their rate of pay, but only if they were receiving a high number of hours, which was rare.
The biggest aspiration among the young people surveyed was to work in a ‘stable and reliable’ job, characterised by nine-to-five working hours, 40 hours per week, on a permanent basis.
Respondents reported that the JobCentre Plus encouraged them into any type of employment, not considering the quality or nature of the work.
Case Study – Kai
Seventeen-year-old Kai was living in temporary accommodation when his father passed away.
With no other support, Kai had to drop out of college and take on all the bills.
He started working on zero-hours contracts in security aged 19.
As he was paying tax, he assumed his income would be declared.
By the time he was made aware that he would need to declare his income, he was in several thousand pounds’ worth of debt.
Kai says: “I’m still paying the debt back now, on a payment plan, the amount I’m expected to pay has gone up to the extent that I can’t pay my rent – but the government doesn’t care.
“I’ve had friends who’ve been on zero-hour contracts but working full-time hours, and then all of a sudden their hours are reduced to nothing. Imagine how rubbish that makes you feel.
“Stressful is the one word I’d use to describe this kind of work. How can you cope on a zero-hours contract? I don’t have any work for the next two weeks. I’d much rather have full-time work. All it’s done has mess up my benefits.
“They need to find a way to make the benefits system work around zero-hours – at the moment the different parts of the system just don’t talk to each other so if you don’t earn consistently it’s a nightmare. I think it can stop people becoming independent.”


On 15 February, The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) launched the 2022 edition of The Military Balance, in a year that is characterised by significant risk of large-scale military conflict.
As Russian military forces continued their encirclement of Ukraine, IISS director general John Chipman said: “Russia’s build-up has so far been slow and methodical, with much of it visible to a global audience. Moscow will likely intend any military strike to be fast. However, one risk for Moscow – depending on the path of any attack – relates to the level of resistance from Ukraine’s armed forces and a population already resentful of Russia’s actions in Crimea and in Ukraine’s eastern regions since 2014. Reported movements by elements of Russia’s National Guard are noteworthy as these are units tasked with internal security duties.”
“It is unlikely that Russia has yet assembled the forces necessary to invade, subdue and occupy the entire country successfully, even if this were Moscow’s objective. That said, Moscow has a wide range of tools at its disposal. These include grey zone capacities, including in cyberspace. However, should Russia decide to attack there is probably enough combat mass now present to conduct a more limited ground operation, perhaps to seize Ukraine’s eastern regions, or to conduct stand-off strikes across the country using precision missiles, or a combination of the two. Such missiles, launched from well-within Russian territory, could also be employed along with ground manoeuvre forces as part of an integrated air-ground campaign.”
However, the IISS panel conceded that Russia’s military is more capable than at any time since the end of the Soviet Union. It has learned a lot from its successful military deployments to Syria. The air force is equipped with modern multi-role combat aircraft including the Sukhoi Su-34 equipped with expanded weapons and reconnaissance pods. Although Russia’s defence budget was increased in 2021, the IISS pointed out that if fell by 1.9 percent in real terms due to 5.9 percent inflation.
The question was raised that if Russia withdraws its forces from Ukraine’s borders, what would it have achieved?
Apart from the focus on possible action against Ukraine, Russia is the most significant player in the Arctic region. Most of its strategic maritime platforms including the bulk of its nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, are based at locations on the Kola Peninsula.
Russia has also been getting closer to China in Central Asia but the IISS does not expect this will lead to closer military co-operation.
Meanwhile, China is continuing its harassment of Republic of China (Taiwan), carrying out 230 incursions into the its ADIZ with more than 900 aircraft in 2021. What China termed as exercises involved fighter and bomber aircraft as well as electronic warfare (EW) and anti-submarine (ASW) aircraft, and more recently multi-role and transport helicopters as well as carrier-based fighter aircraft.
China accounts for 43 percent of total defence spending in Asia and is a leading provider of armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group Wing Loong. It is also developing hypersonic weapons as are Russia, the United States and France. According to the IISS, the UK is playing catch up.
The latest edition of The Military Balance also highlighted the unresolved conflicts in Africa and the Middle East while acknowledging that following Joseph Biden’s election, trans-Atlantic relations have yet to improve.
by David Oliver


By now, if you’re not slowly descending into madness and reposting surreal quotes on Instagram while unwashed dishes pile up in the sink, then it's likely you have found a semblance of a pace, gotten into the flow of being home and alone or around your lockdown companions all the time, cooking, cleaning and and working. After the initial weeks of speculation about how this ends and when we have become more skilled at living a little more of one day at a time.
We think our closest relationships last forever, often without any support. There are those special friends whom we speak to every couple of years or the cousins we meet only at family weddings. Or even the sister or brother, who is abroad and far away; there’s affection, of course, and we think we communicate on account of the occasional chats and shared laughs. The thing is though, the feeling of connection to the family (whether by ties of blood or shared experience) is something that can always be injected with new life that takes it to the next level.
If you’re home with family, then some of the people to connect with are right there in front of you. Maybe make time to sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with someone. It's funny how hard it is to break the barriers of daily habits and speak of different things with the people we are around every day. This takes a special effort. Maybe fix a time for a hangout so work calls and housework can’t intrude; perhaps find a corner in a favorite room, make a drink for the both of you. Have something to open the conversation with, so it doesn’t become yet another chat about work calls, housework or coronavirus. Some easy ways to start are with laughter and sharing something funny. This sets the tone of the conversation. Once you have an opening go deeper -- acknowledge someone for what they do for you, or share something that is important to you, or ask an interesting question.
When we think of family and friends-like-family in far away parts of the world, usually its a quick text. Something happens in our day and we think of that one person/group who would really get it and we send them a quick media bullet for a couple of laughs and a few minutes of connection. But one seldom finds the time for a long chat to really catch up, what with coordinating around work schedules, time zones, mealtimes, kids… the more mundane but necessary aspects generally seem to get in the way.
In these strange and uncertain times, as we realize the power of human connection it is time to be courageous in our relationships. There has never been a better time to reach out and strengthen a human connection. So this evening, after shutting off the laptop before WFM takes over home, perhaps you can take a short break before dishes and dinner. Stare out into the distance and think of somebody who matters a great deal to you. This could be a sister or a brother or an old school/college bumchum. Maybe instead of just a quick text, fix a time to chat. And then call and catch up, really catch up. Find out how life has been, what they’re working on, what happened to the dreams and aspirations. Share from your own life so they know where you are. And through this small act of listening and sharing, give the gift of deep connection. Infuse positivity into their lives. Make them smile, make their day.


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The program of the day will be the ascent or the tour chosen between the guides and the clients according to their physical and technical level, desired duration, weather and snow conditions.
The departure time will also be according to the previous factors, as well as the meeting and the start point with skis. Some of the possible ascents are detailed below as illustrative of all the options we’ve got to enjoy the mountains of the Valley.
Tuc de Salana
(2483m) - Between the valleys of Aiguamog and Valarties we find this disctintive mountain. Its perfect pyramidal shape and its beautiful view to Tuc de Montardo make it very special.
Elevation gain/loss: + 793m / - 993m
“Circ de Colomers” (Gran Tuc de Colomers, 2933m) - It is the highest peak of the Circ, but this unbelievable place at the end of the Aiguamog Valley makes accessible endless number of itineraries with different elevation gains. Highlight the hundred lakes that we find throughout its entire base.
Elevation gain/loss: + 1033m / 1443m
Tuc Montardo (2833m) - Its spectacular silhouette can be seen from the village of Arties and is located at the end of the valley with the same name: Valarties. The Montardo is well known because of its altitude and its appealing shape makes it one of the most wanted climbs with or without skis of the whole valley.
Elevation gain/loss: + 1400m / - 1400m
Tuc de Horno (2392m) - Accessible from the North side of the Vielha Tunnel, the beauty of the landscape is highlighted by Palas de Sarrahera and Tuc des Hennes.
Elevation gain/loss: + 1184m / - 1190m
Montcorbison (2.172m) from Pleta des Anheths – A modest summit with major reward. The perspective of the Valley from the top is absolutely magnificent with breathtaking views to every peak.
Elevation gain/loss: + 572m / - 572m
1h30 more and 635m of elevation gain if we leave from Gausac.
Tuc de la Cigalera (2502m) and Tuc de Beret (2595m) – Both really close to the ski resort of Baqueira-Beret, it is possible to shorten the ascent taking the ski lifts. Depending on how tough we want the stage to be we’ll choose from the different options.
UIAGM / AEGM Mountain Guide Services.
Advices prior the departure.
Security gear for the whole group.
Reservations management services, if necessary.
Each group member taking part in the ski route is required to possess an at date license issued by the Mountaineering Federation valid in the Pyrenees.
Mountain skiing is an extraordinary pass time but it involves risks. Each member of this journey takes full responsibility of what could happen.
The mountain guide reserves the right to modify the program depending on weather conditions, weather, group factor or any other cause that in his opinion may be decisive.
Touring skis (adjusted bindings)
Touring ski boots
Telescopic ski poles
DVA (charged batteries)
Ski carry backpack
Snacks (sandwich, cereal bars, nuts, ...)
Medium thickness socks
Thin ski gloves
Thick ski gloves
Sun cream 50+
Lip balm 50+
For the outdoor activity that you plan to be successful it is very important that it accommodates to your level, both physical and technical. Here we present some guidelines so that you can get an idea of what your level is according to the programs we propose. However, we recommend reaching to us so we can help you personally and adapt the program to your conditions.
- Technical Level
- 1 - Beginner. Never ski toured before. Frequent skier that goes off-piste not very often. Never used skins before.
- 2 - Intermediate. Ski tours occasionally (5 to 10 days a year). Know the basics using skins, correct kick turn on slopes up to 35º. Capable of placing ski crampons without any help. Be able to ascend through all kinds of snow following a trace. Skis efficiently on all kinds of snows.
- 3 - High. Big expertise in all types of ascents with skis. Knows and masters several climbing techniques with skins, kick-turn both back and to the valley. Can go easily forward skating. Ski tours quite often (more than 15 days a year). Familiarized with the use of ice axes and crampons in different terrains. Be able to use ropes for belaying. Has been in high routes in the Alps. Training in self-rescue.
- Fitness Level
- 1 - Being able to walk in the mountains for 3 to 4 hours gaining 800 meters of altitude with a lightweight backpack of about 5 kg.
- 2 - Walk along itineraries in the mountains for 4 to 6 hours gaining 1000 meters of altitude with an 8 kg backpack.
- 3 - able to make mountain itineraries for more than 8 hours and ascending 1500 meters or more, loaded with a backpack of 10 kg.


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Seattle Photography Kerry Park Fiery Sunrise Skies Fuji GFX50s.jpg
Photography from Seattles Kerry Park is iconic. Everyone wants to go there when they visit to take That Shot. I love being there at sunrise or sunset to see how the light is highlighting the city and Mount Rainier. Contact me for custom Seattle photography tours.
To order a print please email me at
Mike Reid Photography


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The Bible is a difficult book to navigate, but we believe it is alive and active. God has spoken through His written word and He continues to speak to us as we read and study the Bible. If you struggle to read and study the Bible, make an investment this summer in learning how to better understand it.
Grab your friends and come join us as we enjoy some great food for breakfast and study the book of James together this Wednesday morning, June 20th 9am-11am at the Nord Residence (610 Haglin Ave., Cameron).
Read through James 1 and note anything that sticks out to you in preparation. If you want to go a little further, read a little about the background, context, and author of the book of James.
This is open to all students entering 6th grade through 2018 grads.
Check out this helpful overview of the Book of James:

domain: library


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A TEAM of Oxford Health staff are dusting off their hiking boots to take on a challenge longer than the London Marathon to raise money for charity.
Nurses, play specialists and healthcare assistants are preparing themselves for a 27-mile trek across the county on Saturday to raise vital funds for respite nursing for Oxfordshire's Sick Youngsters (ROSY) Fund.
The fund, which comes under the umbrella of the Oxford Health Charity, works in partnership with children and their families to deliver respite care to sick children in their homes.
These respite sessions are over and above what is possible for the NHS to provide, for example if parents or carers need a break to attend a special occasion.
The team from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust know more than anyone the importance of respite care for parents and carers of sick children, as some of their roles are funded by ROSY.
Alex Davis, head of service for the Children's Community Nursing Team at the trust, said: "It can be difficult for parents and carers to leave their children who have additional needs in the care of others.
"Having trained professionals who are skilled to care for their child’s needs means parents and carers are able to have a break with reduced anxiety and stress.
"ROSY provides just this, but without people making charitable donations, these extra respite sessions would not be able to happen which is why fundraising events like this are so important."
This is the 80th year the fundraising event has taken place, with the route taking participants through Cornbury Park, Blenheim and Ditchley Park before finishing in Wychwood Forest.
Mrs Davis added: "I think because there will also be families at the walk who need respite care it is really important for them to see us and talk to us about the work we do.
"We need to be a voice to talk to them about the work we do and the care we can provide.
"It is a really great place to meet and strengthen relationships."
Kerry Rogers, the trust’s director of corporate affairs and company secretary, said she was delighted to be taking part in the fundraising event.
She added: "The ROSY Fund provides such valuable support and works so closely with our staff here."
George Hedges, chairman and secretary for ROSY said the team from the trust were 'angels.'
He said: "It warms my heart to see them go this extra step further and want to raise money for us.
"Not only do they do an amazing job with the families but now they are going on this pretty tough challenge.
"They are angels, they really are.
"It will be such a fantastic day and we can't thank everyone enough who will be taking part and who have sponsored their friends and families."
For more information or to donate visit: http://bit.ly/2o6n7My


Tuesday, March 13
This Saturday on Infinite Beat is our most treasured Carlos Souffront. From his roots in the Midwest underground scene to his deep impact here in the Bay Area, Carlos’ DJ sets are legendary and he is hands down one of Infinite Beat’s favorite selectors of all time. By crossing genres and personal influences over years of perfecting the most impressive collection of records, he crafts exquisite sonic narratives that has given him the reputation of the ultimate music gourmet. IB is delighted to have him in the studio. Tune in from 4-6pm on radiovalencia.fm to hear from the beloved DJ.


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Disturbing questions remain about GM flax contamination
Last September, the Flax Council of Canada (FCC) announced that an unapproved variety of genetically modified flax was detected in food products in Europe. The GM flax variety was identified as FP967 or 'Triffid,' which had been developed in Canada, but was never commercialized and has been illegal to grow in Canada since 2001. Since the initial announcement last September, GM flax contamination has been reported in 35 countries.
The contamination has decimated Canada's flax exports to Europe, which buys 70% of Canada's flax exports worth an estimated $321 million (Canadian). The European Union has zero tolerance for unapproved GMOs.
More than six months later disturbing questions remain about the GM flax contamination:
How did the contamination happen?
No one knows for sure how a GM flax variety that had been removed from the market eight years earlier ended up contaminating food products in 35 countries. According to the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, by 2001, 40 seed growers were multiplying 200,000 bushels of GM seed for future demand. One theory is that some flax growers continued to grow the variety even after the Canadian flax industry decided not to allow commercial production of GM flax.
According to an article in the Manitoba Co-operator, extensive sample testing from across Canada's flax-growing regions found the Triffid contamination could not be isolated to one area. It was present in minute quantities throughout the system. Testing in March by Canada's Crop Development Centre found low levels of Triffid in seed used by flax breeders.
Triffid's developer Alan McHughen passed out packets of Triffid seed to farmers 10 years ago, but he says the packets contained only 30 seeds and were distributed with the provision that they wouldn't be planted for commercial use. 'It's impossible for the current contamination to be caused by these packets,' McHughen says.
Why did the Flax Council of Canada wait until September to acknowledge the contamination problem?
An FCC press release dated October 30, 2009 states 'In July 2009 a commercial laboratory in the EU detected a low level presence of genetically modified material in a shipment of Canadian flaxseed to the EU.' FCC made the contamination problem public in September.
But an industry source who wishes to remain anonymous told The Organic & Non-GMO Report that the FCC was first notified of the contamination problem in March 2009.
Calls and emails to Barry Hall, executive director of the Flax Council of Canada, to ask him about this and other questions were not returned.
Was another GM flax variety involved in the contamination?
There were several GM flax varieties, including FP968 that had been developed, according to Alan McHughen. Could one of these other varieties have been the source of the contamination? McHughen says this is unlikely. 'Triffid (FP967) had the most seed stock. There were only a couple of thousand pounds at most of the other varieties.'
Why was the lab that first discovered the contamination not included on FCC's list of labs approved to test for Triffid?
In January, FCC published a list of laboratories approved to test flax samples for the presence of Triffid. The laboratory that first discovered the contamination, Genetic ID, was not on the list of approved labs even though Genetic ID is listed on the Canadian Grain Commission's website as a laboratory proficient in testing flaxseed samples. An industry source said the exclusion of Genetic ID was 'an obvious attempt to shoot the messenger.'
Why hasn't FCC released an event-specific GMO test for Triffid after announcing in October that it would?
On October 9, 2009, FCC announced that the National Research Council Plant Biotechnology Institute and DNA Landmarks were developing a test that would detect the Triffid GMO 'event.' FCC said 'the organizations anticipate having a PCR protocol available for validation testing by October 15, 2009.' The protocol has not yet been released.
(Sources: CBC News, Manitoba Co-operator, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network)
(Copyright The Organic & Non-GMO
Report, May 2010)

domain: agronomy


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Gambling is a form of entertainment that brings people together in social settings to interact, play and win. In addition to this, it is also a great source of relaxation for some individuals. However, gambling can become a harmful keluaran sgp addiction, which is why it is important to know the negative effects of gambling before you begin playing. Some of these effects include socializing, mental development, and skill improvement.
Social Impacts of Gambling
One of the major impacts of gambling is the societal costs that are incurred due to problem gamblers. These costs can be in the form of taxes and other government-related expenses. It can also be in the form of lost economic activity, a change in the value of property and services and increased crime rates.
While there are several ways to measure the impact of gambling, the most accurate method is a cost-benefit analysis. This type of analysis takes into account the social, labor and health and well-being impacts of gambling, as well as the financial, personal and family impacts. This type of analysis can be used to help policymakers determine whether gambling is an appropriate activity in their community.
Moreover, the long-term effects of gambling can be even more devastating than a single incident. They can affect an individual’s life course and can even pass down between generations. For example, a person with a gambling disorder may find it difficult to maintain relationships and might even lose their job or home. In the past, psychiatric communities have tended to view pathological gambling as a type of impulse control disorder, similar to kleptomania and trichotillomania (hair pulling). However, in a recent update to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the APA has moved pathological gambling to the addiction chapter.
The good news is that there are a number of treatments available for gambling disorders. These treatments can help a person understand the underlying issues and stop the behavior. However, it is still up to the individual to decide to change their gambling habits. Counseling can also be a useful tool for helping people who are struggling with gambling addictions.
When it comes to gambling, the best thing you can do is practice moderation. Only gamble with money that you can afford to lose and set time and money limits. If you feel the urge to gamble, try to distract yourself with another activity or take a break. Never chase your losses – this is known as the gambler’s fallacy, and it will only lead to bigger losses in the future. Also, remember that you should always budget gambling as an expense like any other entertainment and not as a way to make money.

domain: sociology


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Don't Forget the Pets!
My cats are like my children, and I always want the best for them, so it is only natural that I make positive adjustments to their lifestyles that also fit into the larger idea of keeping a more waste-free household. A great sustainable food option for cats (and dogs, too!) is NomNomNow, the only pet food company that prepares its food to order, sending out meals within a mere few days of cooking them. It's 100 percent owned and operated kitchen produces zero food waste and all of its packageing, right down to the nontoxic cold packs and meal pouches, is completely recyclable.
When it comes to cat litter, make sure to use natural kinds, such as those with a base of walnut, wood, or wheat, that are free from toxic materials — clumping clay litters usually contain silica, a known carcinogenic that can have harsh effects on animals. For dogs, biodegradable and eco-friendly poop bags are also great to have on hand.

domain: pet


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The New York Knicks entered their offseason with a chance to turn the franchise around entirely, with the potential to land the No. 1 overall pick and sign a pair of max-level players to instantly become a contender in the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately for New York fans, things didn’t quite work out that way. It had been speculated for weeks that the Knicks were the favored destination of Kevin Durant – but the Knicks missed out on both Durant and Kyrie Irving and saw the Brooklyn Nets potentially put together a title contender in free agency. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne is reporting that owner James Dolan was not willing to offer Durant a max deal, given his injury status.
Instead, the Knicks are set to welcome Julius Randle, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, on a three-year deal worth $63 million. The Knicks still have cap room to pursue more players – but unless Kawhi Leonard commits to play for the Knicks, fans likely won’t be satisfied. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith recorded his emotional reaction to the news on Sunday, and he could barely hold it together.
“Need a few minutes to gather my composure. Some how, some way, I’m just trying to hold it together, you know. Lifelong Knick fan. Years of mediocrity. I thought this was going to be it, at least weeks ago.
…. $70 million dollars in cap space. Porzingis gone. Porzingis can’t be gone, and we don’t get KD, and we don’t get Kyrie. No way! This can’t happen! This can’t happen! But it happened. The New York Knicks, with KD on the market, Kyrie on the market, Klay, Kemba, Jimmy Butler. They can’t get someone to come to Madison Square Garden.”
Smith appeared on ESPN’s Get Up and said he couldn’t put his “level of disgust” into words.[jwplayer jui3fIBg-q2aasYxh]

domain: news


GippsAero appointed Tallahassee, Fla.-based Flightline Group as its authorized dealer for the Southeast U.S. last Thursday. The Australian-based manufacturer, which is owned by Mahindra Aerospace of Mumbai, India, currently produces the GA8 Airvan utility aircraft and it is developing the 10-seat GA10 turboprop single. Flightline Group is also the authorized dealer for Piper in the Southeast and for Honda Aircraft in the Southeast and Northeast.
Australia-based GippsAero launched a stretched turboprop derivative of its piston-powered GA8 Airvan, in addition to expanding its footprint in North America. Certified production of the GA10 turboprop single is expected to begin in 2013.
Australia-based GippsAero announced yesterday at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., that it will build a stretched turboprop derivative of its piston-powered GA8 Airvan, in addition to expanding its footprint in North America. Certified production of the GA10 turboprop single is expected to begin in 2013.
Australia’s Gippsland Aeronautics is receiving a $20 million infusion from its new owner, India’s Mahindra Group, to develop a 10-seat variant of its GA8 Airvan and launch the new 18-seat GA18 turboprop (formerly the Nomad). Mahindra has already invested $2 million to expand Gippsland’s business domestically, and the company plans to first complete the 10-seat GA10 and then focus on the GA18.
Australia’s Gippsland, which is in the process of bringing the twin turboprop Nomad back into production as the Airvan GA24, has cut metal on the Airvan GA10, a 10-seat high-wing turboprop single. The purchase of a majority share in the company by Indian automotive conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra has ignited increased activity at Gippsland.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) of India acquired a 75.1-percent stake each in Australia’s Aerostaff Australia (AA) and Gippsland Aeronautics (GA), a deal worth about $37.4 million. Mahindra said it will retain the existing managements of GA and AA. The company earlier invested $10 million in Mahindra Aerospace’s facility in the south India city of Mallur, which it expects to be ready by July.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) of India acquired a 75.1-percent stake each in Australia’s Aerostaff Australia (AA) and Gippsland Aeronautics (GA) last week. Mahindra Systech president and M&M board member Hemant Luthra told AIN, “These acquisitions have been made under subsidiary Mahindra Aerospace with a total commitment of approximately $37.4 million over the next five years.
The dwindling ranks of Australian-designed and -built Nomad twin turboprops may yet grow again as Gippsland Aeronautics has purchased the Nomad program and plans to relaunch the airplane as the Next-Generation Nomad. Gippsland currently manufactures the piston GA-8 Airvan at its factory at Latrobe Regional Airport in Morwell, Victoria.
Gippsland Aeronautics, Australia’s only commercial aircraft manufacturer, is developing a 10-seat turboprop version of its eight-seat, GA-8 Airvan piston single, which was certified by the Australian CAA in December 2000. The turboprop GA-10T Taska is part of a three-year joint research-and-development program of Gippsland and Helitech of Brisbane, Australia.
Amsafe, the Phoenix-based company producing an inflatable seat restraint certified for the CRJ700 and CRJ900 regional jets last year, expects to certify a version for general aviation aircraft by next summer. The Amsafe Aviation Inflatable Restraint (AAIR) resembles a normal three-point seatbelt in size and shape but contains an airbag that deploys away from the body upon sensing a sudden impact. The system is independent of aircraft power.