text:
The +1 button was rolled out in SERPs about a month ago, so it's relatively old news by now. But today, when I logged into my AdSense account, I had a recommendation add a code snippet to my pages that would put a +1 Button directly on the page.
Sounds a lot like Facebook's Like Button, doesn't it? I have no doubt that the +1 Button was inspired directly by the Like Button. And I'm sure that people will be quick to give it a try. In fact, I'll try it out here:
Google gives us a choice of button size/style and a couple more customization features for the button. This has already been added to YouTube's video sharing options as well.
How will it affect SEO? Well, pretty much the same way as the Facebook Button but for Google. It's a good way for the Big G to know how people react to pages, which are socially popular, etc. An alternative for the traditional backlink.


text:
Have you ever been addicted to Snake?
Now, with the help of a TensorFlow model called PoseNet, you can get a totally different experience with this classical game. That's because:
You can now use your face to control the snake!
Have a try here: https://www.panchen.xyz/game/snake
- To the PoseNet team who makes the core feature of my face control snake game possible.
- To the unknown person who shares his / her snake game so that I could just modify the codes to make my game.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
We currently only have a PDF that you can download and then print and fill out. You can then scan it and email it to firstname.lastname@example.com. There are additional option on the form as well.
We'll soon have a way to pay the registration fee right here on the website (Coming soon…one step at a time)
You'll find the form here: BCHS 45th Reunion Registration Form.pdf


text:
Please Read through ALL Disclaimers below before agreeing to purchase Our Toyusa2011's Funko Pop! $30 Standard Mystery Box Week #12
U.S.A NO LIMIT on how many you can order
International Limit 4 per order
Limited to 50 Boxes
Each Box includes 1 Funko Pop! Vinyl With Pop Protector
Each Pop had a value of at least $15 up to a maximum of $330 based on FUNKO APP Estimated value on 10/9/19
We ship WORLDWIDE
DISCLAIMER #1 All boxes are NOT in Mint condition. Some Boxes may have visible damage to them. (We do our best to take out all of the damage box pops)
DISCLAIMER #2 Upon Buying, you agree to a random mystery box containing 1 Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure
DISCLAIMER #3 All Mystery Box Funko Pops are sold AS IS and can not be returned under ANY circumstances
DISCLAIMER #4 All Pops may not include the store exclusive sticker, as some collections we buy have imported pops from outside the country which do not come stickered
DISCLAIMER #5 THIS IS NOT A GUARANTEED VALUE MYSTERY BOX, All boxes at time of packaging were valued at $15+++
Disclaimer #6 These boxes are prepacked prior to launch, which means ordering more than 1 may result in receiving a duplicate item, however we never put more than 10 of a single pop in an assortment
Sold As IS. NO RETURNS NO EXCEPTIONS


text:
Everywhere we go we see fashion. It may be in the clothes, accessories, posture etc. fashion is not only based on what you wear, but it is a statement made via how you show yourself. Having good confidence in yourself is also good fashion. In general we consider the physical traits as fashion. So this is mainly based on what we wear.
Clothing has reached a different level at present. There are so many types of clothes available all around the world. Some are traditional and based on the culture of each country. Some are based on seasons. This variety can go on forever. The main purpose of wearing a piece of cloth is to cover our bodies from the external. As humans it is for protection of our physical and mental self. Hence the reason you do not see animals wearing anything. Shopping via the World Wide Web has opened doors to an amazing collection of apparel and accessories. You can buy dresses online for very affordable rates. An image of the apparel can be viewed along with description related to it such as color, size etc.
Some shops have physical as well as online stores while others have either one. Even an online store can be genuine and can have unique designs and high quality clothes. The key is to find the correct kind of store. Many cheaters are earning money through the internet in many ways. Shopping is also one of them. Be extremely careful when providing your payment details while doing online purchasing. Always check the genuineness of the website and confirm it. Most websites have "About" and "Contact Us" pages from where you can find more information about the company. This ensures that you are not misled in way.
Blogs are very popular these days. Many turn to it to write their hearts out and at the same time to earn a decent income out of it. Blog topics may contain various niches. Some are dedicated for a particular niche while others have a combinations of topics. You can join with affiliate programs to earn while blogging. Shopping as also gone a step further and joined the blogging platform. Blogshop is the name given for an online store of such nature.
Purchasing from these are pretty much the same as purchasing from any other web store. Discrepancies can also happen on these platform just as any other virtual platform so better be aware of those. Always make sure you are going through secure sites while making payments in the web.


text:
Not only should you pack a hospital bag for you when you're pregnant, but you should pack a hospital bag for your baby! Here's what an experienced mom packed the first time, what she didn't use, and what she packed the second time! A super helpful list of what to pack in your baby's hospital bag!
This post contains affiliate links.
Last week I told you everything that I packed in my hospital bag, both with Little J and now with our baby who is due in three weeks. Today, I am going to share with you what to pack in your baby's hospital bag! Because yes, I highly recommend having two separate bags. You will want to be able to find everything easily while you are at the hospital, so it just makes a lot of sense to pack things separately. Trust me.
Before I tell you my lists and if this is your first baby, I recommend using your diaper bag as your baby's hospital bag. It's nice because you can get some of the stuff in there that you want to pack in a diaper bag anyway, and second, it is the perfect size (at least mine was). I also was eager to start using my cute diaper bag, so packing things for baby in the diaper bag just made sense. But for baby girl, since I was going to need to bring my diaper bag places up until I went to the hospital bag, I just chose another bag to fill for her hospital bag.
Okay. One more thing. I packed a lot of things for Little J when we went to the hospital. I used almost none of it. I do think it is important to be prepared just in case you do need something or you decide you want to change them into new clothes from home every day, but you should also ask your hospital before what kinds of things they provide. For example, diapers and wipes are things that I am guessing all hospitals provide you with. But really, check with your hospital before you decide not to pack something.
Alright so now I will tell you what I packed the first time, what I actually used the first time, and what I am packing the second time in my baby's hospital bag. Please read all lists because you may find that you will want to pack some things that I am leaving out my second time. It really just depends on the person and your preferences!
What I Packed in My Baby's Hospital Bag (the first time)
- 2 Pairs of Pajamas. The button-up ones are best for newborns and little babies because when you change their diapers you don't have to take their whole outfit off. Buttons are best.
- Going Home Outfit. I packed a hat, a onesie, and pants. This was something the Mister and I had fun picking out together because the going home outfit is special! Too bad for us, Little J didn't was too small for his going home outfit.
- Diapers. Our hospital provided diapers, but I packed some anyway. And I didn't use them at all. So they took up space in my bag. It just depends on if your hospital provides them or not.
- Wipes. Same thing as the diapers. I didn't use them at all.
- A&D Ointment. This is a really helpful thing to have if you have a boy and are planning on getting him circumcised. You use it a lot to help protect their little man parts from sticking to the diaper. I can't remember if the hospital provided some, but I'm sure they did. But it's still nice to have some if you are circumcising your boy.
- 2 Bibs. I didn't use these at all because Little J wasn't big on spitting up, and I didn't put them on him when he was nursing. I don't think you really need a bib when you are nursing unless your baby spits up a lot. But burp rags are the most helpful with that.
- 2 Burp Rags. I definitely used these. I actually ended up tucking them into my nursing bra so that whatever Little J leaked out of his mouth just got on the burp rag and not all over my nursing bra. Very helpful.
- Blanket. We ended up using the blanket we brought for Little J's newborn photos. We didn't use it for anything else, but it was nice to have a blanket for that.
- Receiving Blanket. We didn't use this at all because the hospital had little blankets to swaddle Little J in.
- 2 Extra Hats. The hospital has hats, but you want to make sure your little baby stays warm and hats are really important in that. Plus you can bring cuter hats than the hospital has.
- 2 Pairs of Socks. Baby's toes can get cold too, so you want to bring a few pairs of socks, especially if you dress baby in clothes you bring from home while you are there.
- 2 Pairs of Mittens. Babies have sharp nails, and it is super duper hard to file them or clip them when they are little. If you have your baby wear tops that have built-in mittens then you won't really need them to wear mittens as well, but in tops without those little fold-over mittens, you want to put mittens on them. Otherwise they will scratch their little faces.
- 2 Pacifiers. I'm actually not sure why I packed these because I didn't plan on using pacifiers for our baby until he was a few weeks old. If you are nursing your baby you might not want to give them a pacifier for a few weeks, but if you are going to give them a bottle from the beginning, pacifiers are fine.
- Lotion. The hospital had lotion, so I didn't need this, but it might be nice to have a small little bottle for baby just in case. But you can call the hospital and see if you need to bring some.
- Baby Wash. This is a pretty unnecessary thing to pack, because they help you give your baby its first bath while you are there, and they will have baby wash for you/the nurses to use.
- Boppy. Super important to bring. Using a Boppy makes a huge difference in nursing. It is a million times better than using just a regular pillow, and I definitely recommend bringing a Boppy.
What I Used From My Baby's Hospital Bag (the first time)
First, here is a dramatic picture of everything I did and did not use from my baby's hospital bag the first time. (Sorry the picture's not great, it was before I started blogging!)
So it's pretty obvious I only used a few things:
- Pair of Pajamas. The outfit we brought for Little J to go home in was actually too big, so we ended up using one of his pajamas as his going home outfit. No big deal. He still was adorable. And we kept him in the baby sleep sack things the hospital gave us while we were there because they made it easy to change his diaper and they had built in mittens. And they covered his feet. So they pretty much eliminated having to use mittens, socks, and pajamas.
- Blanket. We actually only used this for newborn photos at the hospital. They had blankets there, which is why we didn't use the receiving blanket I brought. But it was nice to have one special blanket for the pictures.
- Hat. The hospital gave us hats, but I used one hat we brought for Little J's going home outfit. It was March so he needed some protection!
- Burp Rags. I pretty much would not ever try and nurse Little J without a burp rag, so these definitely got used while we were at the hospital.
- Boppy. Not pictured above because I packed it with my stuff in my hospital bag, but I definitely used this thing. So helpful!
What I Packed in My Baby's Hospital Bag (the second time)
- 3 Pairs of Pajamas. The first time I just had Little J stay in the outfits the hospital had, but I am going to bring three pair of pajamas for our little baby girl in case I want to change her into little girly outfits. And she can just stay in them all day and night. And I am bringing 3 because they are all different sizes (preemie, newborn, 0-3). You never know how big your baby is going to be, and I want to be prepared no matter what.
- Going Home Outfit. We have a perfect little coral dress picked out for baby girl, and it's small enough that I think we'll be okay if she is small, too!
- 3 Burp Rags. I loved the burp rags I made for Little J, and I made some more for baby girl (check back in two weeks to see how I made them!). These were really helpful when I was nursing Little J, and if baby girl ends up being a spitter-upper, I will be prepared! (Here's a really easy tutorial to make your own!)
- Blanket. I wanted a nice blanket for pictures again, so I packed a cute blanket that would look good with the outfit I got for her pictures.
- Outfit for Pictures. I didn't pack one of these last time because we just had Little J in the outfit the hospital had, and then a few just wrapped in the blanket, but I wanted to make sure that this time I was prepared! We have a little ruffle lace romper and I can't wait to see how she looks in it!
- Extra Hat. I know the little pink hospital hat will be cute, but I wanted to bring another hat for her that was different.
- 2 Pairs of Mittens. If I do end up changing baby girl out of the hospital outfits, then I want to make sure she has some mittens so she doesn't scratch up her little face.
- Boppy. Since I am planning on nursing baby girl, I am definitely bringing this.
- Hair Bows and Headbands. Pretty much an essential when you are having a baby girl, right? Yeah, no explanation needed.
There you have it! There's what I packed the first time we went to the hospital, what we used from that first time, and what I packed this time for baby girl. I hope that it is helpful to see what I packed, what I didn't use, and what I still packed again.
Everyone is different with what they will use, and I really do recommend calling the hospital to see if they will have diapers and wipes and lotion and the like for your baby. Those things take up quite a bit of space in your bag, so if you don't have to pack them, all the better!! Anyway, good luck at the hospital and with your new baby!!
And if you want access to my free printable Hospital Bag Checklist, subscribe to Mamadvice here.
And don't forget to check out 15 Things to Do After Your Baby is Born and What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag, too!


text:
Florence (Girlie) Cook
It is with sadness, but peace of heart that we announce the passing of Florence (Girlie) Cook on Thursday, January 25, 2018 at the Sackville Memorial Hospital, following a courageous battle with cancer. Florence passed away at the age of 86 with her loving daughter and niece by her side.
Born on March 27, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Lena Bowser and Emmerson Davis.
Florence and her twin brother were the first set of twins to be born in the old Amherst Hospital, something in which she took great pride. She was a member of the IODE Lord Sackville Chapter, the Sackville United Church and she was very involved with the UCW.
Florence will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Margaret Cook; her nieces, Jane (Doug), Carolyn (Tommy) and Lynn (Mark); several aunts and uncles; her special uncle, Hugh (Brenda) Bowser, as well as by Fred and Jeannette Davis.
Besides her parents, Florence was pre-deceased by her husband, Harold "Hank" Cook in 1999, as well as by her twin brother, George "Sonny" Davis.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Campbell's Funeral Home, 89 Bridge Street, Sackville, N.B. (506) 364-8188. Visiting hours will take place at the funeral home on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm, followed by the funeral service at 2 pm, with Rev. Lloyd Bruce officiating. The burial will take place in the spring in the Sackville Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Florence may be made to the Sackville United Church UCW, Hope for Wildlife (Nova Scotia) or to the charity of one's choice. On-line condolences & sharing of memories may be forwarded to the family through our website www.campbellsfuneralhome.com or by visiting the funeral home Facebook page.


text:
The Ease Of Beard Trimming With Remington
Speaking of the trimmer, this trimmer is adjustable so that beard length will be proportional. With the flick of the thumb you can change the guard lengths. The guard is able to likewise be simply removed to expose the blade for yet closer trimming.
Easy to use zoom wheel adjusts to create 9 length settings:
The scrolling wheel height adjustment. A nice characteristic, by the way, the height keeps unexpectedly well, unlike some trimmers. You may utilize pressure against your face and it won't fall back to a shorter height setting that creates a sparse patch. After only two or three times, you will know how high you need it. For example, if you trim your beard on a "6" and your mustache on a "4". The shaver head lifts smoothly to remove stray hair that gets into the motor space. It's precision definition might even permit you to align the length of stubble if that's the look you're going for. The 10 adjustable settings can keep your beard looking long or short.
Cuts neatly with less pulling.
Shaver head lifts with no trouble to remove stray hair that gets into the motor spot. It does not force out any hairs, like some the old trimmers. I would suppose that it frequently takes no fewer than 3 minutes for a quick trim, possibly as long as 8-10 minutes if you're are going to detail the fringes after a month of quick trims.
It is also quite easy to wash. The Lube for life feature is one of it's main benefits, blades never need oiling! It is streamlined, and again the blades never need to be lubed which is one less thing you need to ponder about. You'll be extremely upbeat with the ease of use designed into this trimmer, the battery energy, the ease with which it is able to be cleaned, and the freedom from needed lubrication.
Its rechargeable with LED charging sign.
Holds its charge for a long time. (charge it full before you travel, and you might not even have to bother packing the charger, since it may perhaps function the whole week you're gone.) Straight forward cleaning and maintains a charge for at least 25 or so uses. Likewise, after 3 months it will be just about maintenance free. It's cordless, therefore you are able to hit the road and/or shave in the yard to avoid having to clean the bathroom after a big trim. Have I mentioned the battery life is pretty good?
I think it is also a little more affordable than the other beard trimmers of its kind. Price, you can pick this up on sale at Amazon for under 15 bucks. Click Here For The Latest Prices From Amazon. If it lasts you 5 years you'll be terribly pleased at you $3 each year expenditure. The mechanism works smoothly, and the battery seems to last forever.
In conclusion
The MB200 has good strength, the cutting blade is somewhat wide, and the adjustment mechanism for the comb is well designed so you don't by mistake choose the wrong length or have it move around on you and ending up with a shaved patch where you weren't intending to. You'll also be very happy with the comb and location of the trimming blades toward the "front" of the comb. The comb allows for very easy following of facial contours and the position of the trimming blades makes it easy to trim all the way up to the nose.
Ease of use, and Convenience - There aren't any attachments to keep track of or store. It's relatively compact for having the power that it does and there's a simple power cord so you don't have to worry about mounting a charger to your sink or wall. I would endorse this trimmer for everyone with a beard who wants to maintain it in control, or who has a beard and does not want a beard (but detests shaving with a razor) or just wants the scruffy look.


text:
CCC raids Ipswich council offices
IPSWICH City Council offices were raided again on Thursday, just two days out from the mayoral by-election.
A council staff member says Crime and Corruption Commission officers were looking for "a particular set of documents" related to a developer, although that hasn't been confirmed by the CCC.
This isn't the first time the corruption watchdog has executed a raid on the council chambers in the CBD.
The day before Paul Pisasale resigned, the CCC raided the council offices and Mr Pisasale's house.
Several raids have been carried out since including at the home of a former acquaintance of Mr Pisasale last month.
Since Mr Pisasale's resignation, he has been charged with five offences including one count of extortion, two counts of attempting to pervert justice and two other charges.
The CCC was contacted for comment.


text:
If you want to get accepted in prestigious universities such as Harvard, New York University, Princeton, and other elite colleges, you should definitely buy application essay from us. Who else is better to help you achieve this goal than our company? None. We are the best and only choice you have to make to get the result you need.
Where Can I Buy a Grad School Application Essay?
Look no further! We have the most efficient and reliable application essay assistance you can avail. Why us, you might ask. Read on and find out how we conduct our application essay writing process.
Topic Selection
Our writers who create application essays for money will help you in every step of the way from brainstorming for major ideas to tackling the final editing of your paper. In doing so, our priority is to:
- Find what highlights you as a student, professional, and a person. The common mistake that novice writers do is to focus on the greatness of their selected university and what it has to offer to the applicant. However, bear in mind that the admitting committee already knows what their school is capable of. Hence, to reiterate it will be pointless. Rather, our team will focus on your values, morals, and what you can contribute to the academy. The goal is to impress these scholars and not the other way around.
- Focus on one topic.There is no need to present your letter in the way you would a resume. It is not about where did you get your education or what is your first job. In this regard, you should establish a central theme or idea that your readers can easily identify. Try tackling what makes you unique or what legacy you would like to leave for the future generation. Narrow your topics down and be creative.
- Rely on what you have to say.While it is impressive to use phrases or quotations from famous people such as Mahatma Gandhi or the Dalai Lama, it is equally important to ensure that you use own voice. As much as possible, avoid writing in thethird person. It makes it much more personal and relatable if you write in 1st person. Our writers employ this technique, and our customers love it. The results are incredible and proven useful.
Perfection of Application Essay Writing
We believe that school application essay must be immaculate. As a result of this, our application essay writing process entails:
- We only hire individuals with specialized skills in MBA application essays. We are composed of application essay writers that have more than fiveyears experience in writing.
- On-time delivery. We write an application essays as soon as we receive our clients' orders. We know that time is very critical during this part of a student's educational journey. If you let us know when you will need your college application essays, we will work hard to make sure you receive it on or before your due date.
- Rigorous proofreading and editing. Perfect application essay is what we want you to have. Once you receive your paper, kindly review it and give us some feedback. In therare case that you might need a revision, we will make sure that your request is accommodated.
How do we check if your Ph.D. application essays are free of any errors? Good question.To ensure the originality and authenticity of your university application essays, our editors do the following tasks:
- Run your article in an anti-plagiarism software. Even when you are just writing a letter, it is imperative that it is an original work. You do not want your school of choice to think that you are not taking the admission requirements seriously. If you buy a grad school application essay from us, we guarantee that you will only receive written from scratch and correctly citedpaper.
- Check for grammar mistakes. While our proofreaders will provide a fresh set of eyes to ensure that your paper does not have any parsing infractions, we also utilize applications such as Grammarly and spell check to satisfy this requirement.
Professional Guidance on Application Essay Writing
Apparently, we exert effort to create an output that will wow your audience. Moreover, our team will also avoid the following mistakes in crafting the perfect essay for you.
- Trying too hard. It is true that a person should not sell their self-short. However, when it comes to applying to a university, there is no need to try so hard either. This means that simplicity is a better way to go. There is no reason to use theShakespearean style of writing. What the admission panel wants to read is a letter that matches your:
- Qualifications
- Level of education
- Pretending to be someone you are not. Never, ever exaggerate information about yourself. If you are a B+ student, do not talk about yourself as though you are an A+ one. Honesty is important,professors can see through lies, and once they do, it will never work in your favor.
- Never create a generic application letter. It is a known fact that students apply in various universities, but this does not mean that you should create one standard letter for all of them. Personalize every letter; your school deserves the best.
If you are scared of committing these errors and ruin your chance of getting accepted by your dream school, call us now, and we will create the most astonishing application essay just for you.


text:
Companion site at http://www.stuartfernie.com .
Welcome to my page of character studies for Les Miserables.
Below, you will find some outlines for the main characters in Les Miserables. Some are much briefer than others, and some are little more than extracts from my main page on Les Miserables.
Hopefully you will find them of some use.
Jean Valjean
Identity is a very complex matter and is dependent on a number of factors, though primarily character and experience. Jean Valjean is the product of the society he lived in, both in terms of the social conditions that led to him stealing a loaf of bread, and the excessive sentence he received as punishment for his crime. He went into prison a simple and devoted brother and uncle, and left it filled with despair, hopelessness, bitterness and anger at the injustice of his treatment. He also became accustomed to doing whatever was necessary to survive, with little thought of dignity and principle.
Thus, in reflex acts of desperation he stole from the Bishop and the young chimney sweep. These acts, in direct contrast with the kindness shown to him by the Bishop, cause him to focus on what he has become - the very creature he was accused of being all these years before, and which he has resented for so long. This realisation, combined with the realisation that any man could suffer what he has suffered as a result of social injustice, inspires him to treat people with tolerance and understanding. He has seen what can become of men as a result of their circumstances and experience, and is determined to help others by providing a reasonable standard of living for the workers in his factory, and the creation of a caring community through the construction of schools and hospitals.
It should be noted, however, that it was only as a result of his act of theft, his imprisonment and degradation, and of course his pivotal encounter with the Bishop that he developed into this wise and selfless benefactor.
We are told that as a young man Valjean was honest and hardworking, but otherwise quite unremarkable. He was a woodcutter by trade - a path he would doubtless have pursued for the rest of his life but for the crime that was to change the direction of his life forever.
Apart from experience and the people whose paths we cross on our travels, our identity is dependent on our character, and what sets Valjean apart from others who might have shared similar experiences is his determination not to allow the bitterness of the past to cast its shadow on the future. This, combined with a willingness to accept responsibility for his actions, allows him to accept the past, learn from it and go on to help others avoid situations similar to those he has encountered. Nor would he have become this man without having met Monseigneur Myriel, the Bishop of Digne whose kindness saved and inspired him. It is essential to note that an ordinary man serves as Valjean's inspiration. It is not God, it is not because he is a man of God, but it is a man displaying extraordinary kindness in exceptional circumstances whom Valjean takes as his inspiration, and it is this kindness and understanding that he, in turn, will show to others he perceives as being in need.
Valjean has become an independent thinker - he professes a belief in God, but does not spend his time pondering the unfathomable and waiting for divine inspiration. What defines Valjean is the fact that he has learned from his experience and acts on it. He tries to help people by his own initiative. He sees what is needed, takes control, and sets about creating circumstances which will help resolve the situation.
There are any number of examples of Valjean's "heroism" (a willingness to help others, even at his own expense), all inspired by love and a sense of responsibility. Yet these acts are tinged with - and accentuated by - tragedy, as Valjean is driven not only by a sense of responsibility, but by a lack of self respect. He is motivated by the need to compensate for his "misdeeds" of the past. He is ashamed not so much of the nineteen years he spent in prison, but rather that on his release he was willing to prey on those weaker than himself in order to survive.
While he learned the importance of understanding and learning from the past to improve the future, Valjean shows himself little of the sympathy and compassion he is willing to bestow on others. He has seen his own dark side. He has seen what he could become in the right circumstances, and he knows that suppressing this selfish creature to selflessly help others requires effort and determination.
He continues to be a prisoner of his past and decides to withdraw, largely, from Cosette's future in order to protect her from potential disgrace and embarrassment. Valjean undertook to care for Cosette out of a sense of duty - that is now fulfilled, as her husband will take his place as her protector, and as he has no legal or moral right to remain in her life, it is better to protect her and withdraw.
Valjean ended up in prison as a result of the questionable system of justice in operation at the time. He committed a relatively minor infringement of the law in trying to help his starving family, and paid the same price as one accused of a major crime. This situation, combined with a number of extensions to his original sentence as the result of a number of failed escape attempts, leads Valjean to question the fairness and validity of the system of justice, and indeed the very foundations of the structure of society.
Deprived of hope and freedom, these doubts turned to bitterness and resentment. It is only after meeting the Bishop that Valjean is able to see a way forward to help others who might also have fallen foul of a society which was not always sensitive to the needs of all its members and was dismissive of those who committed any infringement of its rules, with no heed given to circumstance, and no offer of compassion or understanding.
In Valjean we see a man who has all but lost his self-respect and who is tempted to become the creature others accuse him of being. He is saved by one man's kindness and compassion, and sees that there is another way to lead one's life, based on respect and love. Love to Valjean is essentially a spiritual affair. He has no physical loves, but gives of himself quite freely, allowing others to maintain the self-respect and dignity he himself had lost. He shows paternal love for Cosette, and even before that he shows devotion in stealing bread to feed his sister's child. Sadly he has little or no love for himself, choosing instead to devote himself to the provision of materials for others. He considers himself a thief, unworthy of others' affection, and spends his life trying to redeem himself - in his own eyes. He feels he has a debt to pay - not to society, but to himself, for he has seen what life can be like without honour, dignity, and love, and is determined that he at least will make a stand against such a life, both for himself and others. Although he has been twisted by his experience in prison, Valjean is saved by love and shows that love, combined with determination, can lead to change in man and also, by extension, in society.
Javert, and a comparison to Valjean
Both Valjean and Javert spent a considerable length of time in the "bagne" (penal colony) - Valjean as a prisoner and Javert as a warder. In Javert's case he was born in prison as his parents were both criminals. He has therefore grown up in an environment where the laws of the land are held as sacrosanct. Inmates were sent there to learn respect and acceptance of the law and so there was no room for discussion or debate. In this environment there was also a clear division between "them" and "us", the plunderers of society and its protectors, thus encouraging an unequivocal attitude with right being clearly on one side and certainly not on the other. One even wonders if Hugo saw prison as a metaphor for society itself with the imposition of its rules and restrictions, and more importantly the imposition of a frame of mind which cannot function out with these rules and regulations.
Thus convinced of his parents' wrong-doing, Javert sets out to prove himself worthy of society's appreciation rather than its condemnation. He is determined to rise above his background and pursues his ambition through a rigid application of society's rules, which he accepts totally and without question.
This is in stark contrast to Valjean who learns to question the nature of justice in society and appreciate the value of tolerance through his experiences, while Javert is determined to uphold the values of society without recourse to thought and consideration.
Both, then, wish to help and make a worthwhile contribution, though in markedly different ways. Javert seeks to protect society from the criminal element, while Valjean has firsthand knowledge of what can bring problems about and sets out to help avoid these problems. For Javert society remains something of an abstract notion, while Valjean is more concerned with the individuals who make up society.
In Montreuil, Valjean sets about helping the townsfolk through employment at his factory (where he insists on a reasonable standard of wage), but also in the building of a school and hospital. Javert also tries to help in his own way, through the strict application of the law and in trying to protect members of society from criminal elements. It is as the result of this fundamental difference in stance that there arises conflict between the two.
Fantine is known to both Valjean and Javert - Valjean feels responsible for her situation and is determined to help her as he feels he has contributed to her "fall from grace" (by allowing her to be fired from his factory). Javert has also played a part in her degradation, by arresting her on flimsy grounds and insisting on imprisoning her for six months. Once again the fundamental difference in attitude between them brings them into conflict, yet both are doing what they consider "right" and just. Valjean recognises his responsibility towards her and wants to act to alleviate her suffering, while Javert is interested in protecting society from what he sees as an irredeemable criminal.
Javert has total faith in the system of rules he represents, and by extension, total faith in himself. Unfortunately he is a man who allows his faith in his principles to overwhelm him. There is no place for doubt, thought, or understanding in his world. Such considerations would only threaten the very fabric of the society he is sworn to protect. He chooses to follow the letter of the law, not its spirit, thus displaying his complete faith in God and his own principles.
Valjean, on the other hand, doubts and questions himself at virtually every turn. His strength of will is derived from the fact that he feels he has seen his own black side - he knows what he is capable of, given the right circumstances, and because he has seen an alternative, he is determined to avoid any repetition of this "black side".
When Valjean releases him at the barricades, Javert is forced to call in to question his own judgment (and that of the whole of society). Javert, however, doesn't have the tolerance or forgiveness to accept his own mistakes and move on. He sees that he may have been mistaken in his judgment of Valjean, but because his philosophy is based on application of rules rather than thought and consideration, he sees no way forward for himself - for him it is a choice between believing in what is "right", or believing in nothing. Doubt may lead to clarification, but Javert sees no alternative to his principles which he has just seen overturned. He has, in effect, lost faith in his own ideals and cannot accept an alternative based on nothing more than respect for fellow human beings.
Javert is frequently viewed as Valjean's evil adversary, but this is a quite erroneous interpretation. He is a highly principled and well-intentioned officer of the law, but he is dogmatic and rigid in his thinking. His death is a tragedy for he had much to offer society, but in a changing world, with an increasing emphasis on compassion and accountability, Javert and his like no longer fitted. Total faith in the hierarchy and the rule of law in society meant that he was unwilling to reflect and see the bigger picture. While his devotion and dedication to duty are entirely admirable, his stance (and by extension that of the governing bodies of France) was becoming philosophically, morally and even politically unacceptable.
Valjean's transformation and redemption are underpinned by love and tolerance, qualities which Javert fails to embrace in his life. Javert cannot understand a world without guidance or some kind of standard set by a higher power. He hasn't enough love or respect for others to see that a system of conduct and morality may be based on humanity. For him there must be some authority, and when that authority is challenged and is shown to be fallible, the whole basis and purpose of his life is shattered.
Because he represents the law he feels he must rise above the common people he serves to protect. He forgets common humanity in favour of playing the part of a policeman in society. In many ways he becomes his role, abandoning sympathy and compassion which he regards as weaknesses in his task to protect society from the criminal element.
The Thenardiers
Valjean and Javert, though poles apart, share a belief in something greater than themselves. Thenardier, however, appears to believe in nothing and is a prime example and warning of the dangers of egotism and a refusal to recognise the needs or rights of others, whether through plain humanity or respect for values based on God's reported word and "morality".
If others act or change as a result of love and respect for others, Thenardier is in direct contrast to this. Intelligent, cunning and scheming, Thenardier is willing to manipulate the (genuine) feelings of others in order to make a buck. He believes in nothing but himself and his own survival.
In the book, beneath his cunningly ingratiating surface there beats a black and selfish heart. He is quite a darkly frightening character, but in the show he is (rightly) used for some comic relief to lighten the piece; however the threat of darkness should always be present and will come to the fore especially in "Dog eats dog", where his true nature is revealed.
In the book, Madame Thenardier more or less follows her husband's instructions, perhaps reflecting the perceived place of women in early 19th century French society. She goes along with his schemes more or less unquestioningly and they appear to deserve one another. Just as Thenardier's role has largely been developed as one of comic relief in the show, Madame's role has been similarly developed, taking in to account more modern sensibilities (comic complaints about her husband and his inadequacies, possibly suggesting intellectual superiority), yet retaining the essential compliance and complicity of the original.
In many ways "Les Miserables" is an early feminist work, presenting a sympathetic and admiring picture of women and what they have to tolerate in society. This is exemplified by Fantine and her suffering. She is seduced and then cold-heartedly dropped by her bourgeois boyfriend, more or less as an experiment. Pregnant, she must find a means of supporting herself and her child in a society that dismissed unmarried single mothers as scum. In order to obtain a job she must entrust her daughter to the care of a couple she meets on her travels. At this time there was no social security, no welfare system, no adoption checks - it was a matter of survival and it was each man (or woman) for himself. Through Fantine, Hugo bemoans the plight of young women and unwanted pregnancies, and condemns society for its superior (and hypocritical) moral stance.
Eventually Fantine loses her job because of her child and she is forced into prostitution to pay for the upkeep of her daughter. She has therefore been transformed by society into the very thing it haughtily accused her of being in the first place.
Fantine represents maternal love and the lengths to which a mother may be prepared to go to in order to protect and save her child. Although she abandoned her child Cosette, this was done with the best of intentions and was the result of pressure applied by society in the form of prejudice and hypocrisy. She is, in her way, devoted to her child and is willing to sacrifice her own wealth, health and dignity in order to protect and save Cosette. Her efforts to raise money to pay for the upkeep of her child indicate a selflessness few could contemplate, suffering as she does any number of physical and psychological indignities before losing her life to illness (brought on as the result of poor living conditions).
She goes from being idealistically naive and open-hearted to being treated as one of the dregs of society, through no fault of her own, yet she remains devoted and pure of heart despite being abused and vilified by a society happy to seize upon the situation and weaknesses of others in order to boost their own position and self-esteem.
Eponine is the victim of a harsh upbringing, but is saved and made selfless by her (unreciprocated) love for Marius. Love forces her to choose between loyalty to her family (the Thenardiers) and their way of life, and her desire to impress her beloved Marius. Love also brings to the fore her positive quality of giving selflessly. All of this is tinged with tragedy as her love is not returned, but this only accentuates the depth of her love for Marius and her selflessness as she is willing to act against her own interests in order to help Marius.
Intelligent and understanding, she is fully aware of the impossibility of her position, but she persists in her actions to help Marius perhaps because love has helped her rise above her experience and upbringing.
Usually regarded as a loveable little rascal, Gavroche survives alone in life. Though it is not made clear in the show, he is the son of the Thenardiers. Perhaps because he has escaped their corrupting influence, he is spirited, good-hearted, wise beyond his years, and yet he retains a youthful loyalty and faith in his friends the students with whom he shares the principle of wanting to help his fellow man. He may represent Hugo's belief that man is good by nature, and is only corrupted by society and experience.
Through young Cosette, and also Gavroche and the young chimney sweep (in the book), we see the abuse of children apparently abandoned by parents, and who are virtually slaves, deprived of education and forced to work long and arduous hour for an often unsympathetic "master". Again Hugo implies criticism of society in tolerating these conditions and practices toward children.
Cosette can also be viewed in broader terms as representing the future of society. Children are the key to the future and it is the responsibility of those living in the present to endeavour to improve the lot of those who will eventually inherit society and what we have made of it.
The best/most effective means of changing society is through education, and Valjean sets out to provide Cosette with the best education he can provide, both in terms of schooling and as a father, emphasising the value of compassion and understanding.
Cosette shows youthful high spirits, and perhaps as a result of her education and experience she is sincere, genuine, devoted and loyal. She is the kind of daughter most fathers pray for, indeed she is likely to be a cross between an idealised version of Leopoldine, the daughter Hugo lost in a drowning accident nearly twenty years before publication of "Les Miserables", and his wife Adele who was also his childhood sweetheart.
In Marius and the adult Cosette we see youthful passion and undiluted love. Two young people who have found their first, their only, their all-consuming loves. They are totally devoted to one another to the point of being able to think of little else. Their youthful exuberance causes problems in other areas of their lives - Marius appears, until the last minute, more concerned with Cosette than with helping his friends on the barricades, and Cosette begins to question her father's authority. Distraction and challenging of parental authority are of course natural consequences of falling in love and will be familiar to the majority of readers, inspiring a degree of compassion and even complicity Hugo might not otherwise have achieved, especially when placed against a background of heroic struggle against repression, adding even more to the pathos and apparent impossibility of their situation.
Marius is idealistic, naive and something of a dreamer. He may well be based on the youthful Victor Hugo, though his politics are clearly influenced by the views of the older Hugo.
He is much more complex in the book where great emphasis is laid on his belief in principle and keeping his word. He has given up considerable wealth to follow a life of relative poverty in a stand against family pressure. He is perhaps not quite as committed as his other student friends are to their cause as he is quite a dreamer and a romantic. When he meets the adult Cosette it is love at first sight. He is not hardened, selfish or cynical and gives in to his emotions rather easily.
However, reality and the imminent attempted rebellion force him to grow up and make a choice - the cause or love - and he opts for the cause, yet this also brings his love into a more mature focus.
The loss of his friends and his own survival cause him to grow up quickly. He realises that politics is not a game and that it has real consequences and causes real regrets.
When he accepts responsibility for the protection of Cosette he treats Valjean quite badly in the book. He is treated more kindly in the musical, but the point of this process is to show that Marius grows and gains confidence. By the end he has become an independent thinker and does what is right when he discovers Valjean was his saviour at the barricades.
Enjolras (and students)
Poor living and working conditions led to the attempted uprising of June 1832 when idealistic young students tried to rouse the people to rebellion. Hugo himself was in favour of revolution if this was the only way to change things for the better, for it was quite clear that those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo were unlikely to change things of their own volition. Thus Hugo calls in to question not just the appropriateness of the punishment to fit the crime (through Valjean's imprisonment), but also the appropriateness of the government to fit the people.
In the students at the barricades we witness love of a different sort - love of a cause. They put belief in a principle above their own self-love. So immersed are they in the battle for social justice that they are willing to lose their lives to act as examples for others to follow. In this respect they prove to be tragically mistaken as few of the people they are trying to assist are willing to offer them any kind of support. This only serves to accentuate their courage, strength and idealism as they battle with government forces in an attempt to stir the people into action.
Spurred on by the contemporary ideology of challenging the whole basis of the government's authority and the demand for accountability, emotions spilled over into rebellion and an attempted uprising.
Tragically, the students did not receive the support of the very people they tried to defend. The people may not have had much, but they had too much to lose and memories of chaos in the aftermath of the revolution were still relatively fresh. The unwillingness of the people to join the students' stance serves to make the students' actions all the more heroic.
Enjolras is an idealistic and charismatic young leader who is politically aware, intelligent and "fired up". He is willing to fight and die for the cause he believes in - that of social justice. He is also practical and caring - he knows what fighting for this cause will mean for at least some of his friends.
Bishop of Digne
In the Bishop of Digne we see pure, spiritual love. The Bishop is entirely devoted to God and his works. He is determined to see only the potential good in man, believing this to reflect God's wishes and intentions for mankind. The Bishop follows the spirit of the Bible, not the letter of the written word. Nor does he follow the example of other eminent ecclesiastics - he has renounced wealth to the point of renouncing almost all comfort. He has within him a love for God, but also an innate love for man, according him a respect not always shared by others. He is an optimist and sees himself merely as an instrument of God's will. He is also a man who acts on his principles rather than one who merely preaches and expects others to act on his words. He practises what he preaches and as such he is an inspirationally good man.
For a more amusing and entertaining take on the characters and plotline of "Les Mis�rables", just click on the image below to go to From The Box Office and their bluffers guide:
My thanks for taking the time to read this page - I hope it was of some use to you. I can be contacted at email@example.com .
Stuart Fernie
Due to technical problems (and my inability to cope with them), new material will be posted on My Blog. So far, this includes various articles, discussions of "Dunkirk", "Dances With Wolves", �The Prisoner� (1967 TV series), �Inherit the Wind� (1960 film), a little Flash Fiction and some of my memoirs as a teacher in a small Highland school for some 35 years.
A link to my YouTube channel with video presentations of a number of my pages.
Sign Guestbook View Guestbook
Links to my other pagesAlternatively, please choose one of my other pages from the drop down menu:
Beautiful and quirky jewellery


text:
Monday, January 9, 2012
a lesson from me on patience and compromise
We went and looked at houses last night, eek! Before we continue, let me explain. We don't want to buy right now. Noooo. We want to research, save and plan for buying a house right now and then in late summer when we will get a little more serious, we'll move forward with the buying process. But in the mean time, what better way to get motivated than to do a little browsing?
Preston and I have completely different styles, which is fun because it makes the excitement of finding things we both like that much better. It's also great (super hard) because it encourages (forces) me to work on my patience and compromising skills. Those skills do not come naturally to me but man am I trying! The typical cycle works a little like this: me being blunt, assertive and inpatient, followed by me slowly realizing there were better ways to approach the situation, followed by me apologizing. Ha! Is anybody else in this same boat?
With that said, I absolutely do love house shopping. And it is fun doing our budgeting and planning as we are both pretty goal minded. It's also fun to think about the next five, ten years and where we may be and what we may be doing. So far the best thing I've learned is that we don't need it all right now.
A few nights ago, I had an awesome talk with my sister, who is reading Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey. We talked about how so often we think that the first time we're buying a house or car or anything really, we think that we 'need' to have the same quality of things we've grown up with. But spacious houses, nice cars, great vacations - those took our parents years to save for! It didn't happen overnight. And it won't for us either. I like that, and I like cherishing the things that we do have right now. Our tiny little condo, time spent together, perhaps the most exciting and fun filled year ahead of us; I want to cherish it all, embrace each little thing, not get caught in the wants. So while we look and plan, I will let myself get excited for what's ahead, but not caught up in needing it all.
And the title? Some serious sarcasm. I can give no one lessons on patience. All tips for me on patience, compromising and house hunting are welcomed with open arms though. :)
Labels: home, lessons learned
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Love of detail, that's what fires up this little north Italian company.70´s helmets.
Awesome handmade helmets made in the form of Japanese KUNOH racing sport helmets from the late 60's: slender and close fitting. Very quiet, even, if you reach 150 km/h and more! Made of high quality fibre glass, layered metal flake or unii-color finish. Different visors can be fixed onto the helmets.
These absolute rad helmets come in a variety of colors: gold, silver, clue and green metal flake.
Delivery includes storage bag. Helmets with soul. With ECE number.
XS 52-54 cm
S 55-56 cm
M 57-58 cm
L 59-60 cm, slim face
XL 59-60 cm, big face
SIP-TIP: The 70´s Helmets´ visors fit perfectly into backpack, side panels or glovebox.


text:
The revolution will not be printed (it will be downloaded)
The New York Times is running an article about Microsoft's new newspaper reader available with it's perennially forthcoming Windows Vista OS. The first guinea pig/collaborator is "venerable" NYT itself.
With Microsoft's new Windows Vista software, to be available in January, virtually any newspaper, magazine or book can be formatted into an electronic version and read online or off. The software would allow The Times to replicate its look — fonts, typeface and layout — more closely than its Web site now does.The "newspaper" can be downloaded to any Windows device -- desktop or tablet (or PDA, I am guessing). The technology, announced with MS' usual bluster suggesting nothing like it has ever existed before, is actually not new. Zinio has been doing it for a while. Another one, according to NYT is is eMprint, available for free from the University of Missouri.
The question is, do people want to read a newspaper (that looks like the real thing) on a computer screen, or even on a tiny PDA screen? Are we trying to pave a cowpath, automate a buggy whip, and other such metaphors?
Here's a more familiar analogy -- is watching a movie on a big screen in a theater the same as watching it on a TV? Is the difference -- assuming there is one -- only caused by the difference in the size of the screen? There are so many others: the context for instance. You cannot pause a movie in a theater, or watch it in bits and pieces over a period of time; you cannot talk; you cannot be watching it in your underpants. One is in a different state of mind, and one's goals are at least a bit different. Of course, many people do try to recreate the theater experience in the own basement using LCD projectors and biggish screens, but the result is a hybrid of the theater and TV experience.
Recreating a newspaper in its exact hardcopy form on an electronic device while being a commendable technical feat and interesting exercise for graduate students appears a little confused in its goals. Newspapers exist in a form that has remained largely unchanged over a period of at least 150 years. As long as the medium (paper) was not changed, and given the conservatism of the newspaper business, there might have been some justification for the statis. Once the medium itself is changed, however, practically every aspect of news delivery merits reconsideration. In light of this, the decision to exactly replicate the look and feel of the newspaper in electronic form ("The software would allow The Times to replicate its look — fonts, typeface and layout — more closely than its Web site now does.") seems wrong-headed in the extreme. This is not the way to pave the future path of news dissemination. The newspaper succeeded the town-crier but did not try to replicate the town-crier's look-and-feel. In a similar fashion, when electronic dissemination (nearly) fully replaces newsprint, a whole different approach is essential for its success.
I don't know what the thinking is in NYT's managerial chambers -- are they trying to build a bridge for old-time readers to cross the chasm separating newsprint and electronic news delivery? If so, this might be an interesting experiment, but I doubt it will be successful. Then again, this is very likely one of Microsoft's many failed Version 1 experiments where they try to stake their place in an emerging market with poorly thought out technology and wait until someone comes out with a better idea that they can quickly copy (e.g., Windows many lousy PDA versions and the final one they copied from the hugely successful Palm).


text:
Is MS Bing Search A Real Google Killer? First Look on Microsoft Bing Search
Written by Pavan Kumar on May 29, 2009
Just three days back it started great buzz about Microsoft Bing, and today we have a video of Microsoft Bing search engine demo. Microsoft wanted to make it a Google killer. Will they succeed? I think they will – up to some extent. Bing project does not look like another Google Knol which failed to compete with Wikipedia.
What I feel about Bing after looking at the demo video is that internet users who are on internet for purposes like shopping, travel, entertainment etc. might switch to Bing because of its very good user interface.
Advantages of Microsoft Bing over Google:
Absolutely it has few advantages compared to traditional Google. Microsoft describes Bing as Decision Engine and not Search Engine. Here is what it can be observed in the demo.
- The domain name : BING is smaller and easier than GOOGLE.
- It loads suggestions very fast – user friendliness at peak.
- If you search for something which you want to buy, its interface is great providing the price+details+image on the search results page which helps the user to choose which link to click based on their budgets, reviews etc.
- Shopping products can be sorted in groups based on user preference. You can sort products based on price, features, reviews, ease of use etc. Even you will be able to find if it has free shipping option or cash back option.
- If you search travel results, you can get more specific travel results by entering the date of travel, from and to locations, class of travel, stops etc. Also you can search different results.
- Local search too has good options and details for users. I think local search is limited to major cities and may be initially for US only.
- Video search seems to play the part/full of video within the search page.
Disadvantages with Microsoft Bing
After speaking about advantages, we can observe few disadvantages too. If you look at the interface, it is made up with background which comprise of a neat image which makes loading slow. Also, these hifi results page and all makes the search results load very slow compared with Google's 20kb result pages.
In short my first look video review says, Google is still the best when you search for information, solutions, technical issues etc. Bing looks cool when you go for travel, shopping, videos etc.
Here is the video from which I wrote this first look review on MS Bing
Note: MS Bing is not still out for usage at the time of writing, my post is entirely based on what is seen on the video.
People who liked this also read:


text:
CAL Testing Services
Method Development
CAL Method Development Services
Method development at Cornerstone Analytical begins with a discussion with the client and a thorough understanding of the following. With this information, Cornerstone Analytical will prepare a proposal outlining the project deliverables, timeline, proposed analytical technology and pricing.
New Lab Establishments
CAL New Lab Establishment Services
We help you design the life you want.
Cornerstone Analytical provides new lab establishment services to other laboratories, manufacturers and clinics. With this service, laboratories, manufacturers and clinics can establish an entire new laboratory in their facility or simply bring in a new test.


text: Photosynthesis in plants works by converting the energy of light particles (photons) with the combination of carbon dioxide and water, into functional energy (carbohydrates) that's being used to fuel the plant's mechanisms for its growth cycle. A byproduct of photosynthesis is Oxygen, meaning that photosynthesis in plants is the major factory of oxygen on our planet, a factory that keeps us alive. Continue reading How Photosynthesis works in plants (+ an explanatory Video animation) – Photosynthesis process step by step


text:
Among all of its other issues since launch, some of the most dedicated Fallout fans ran into a surprising issue with their $200 "Power Armor Edition" box for Fallout 76. Despite promo materials that promised a "West Tek Canvas Carrying Bag" for the included wearable T-51 helmet, what arrived was a much more cheaply-built nylon bag. Bethesda tried to apologize by granting players 500 atoms (in-game currency worth about $5) last week, but now it's going to live up to the advertisement -- even if it's a bit late.
In a tweet, Bethesda announced it's "finalizing manufacturing plans for replacement canvas bags" and said Collector's Edition purchasers should fill out a ticket by the end of January. There's no ship date specified for the bags, but at this point we just want to see something delivered that is more like what gamers thought they were getting. If they're at all disappointed by the game itself that could be a more complicated fix, but another update is rolling out today with balances, fixes and expanded stash storage. In good news for console players, while it's still a larger patch than the one for PC at 3GB vs. 36MB, at least it won't mean reinstalling the entire game (this time).


text:
Full text loading...
- The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume s1-31, Issue 6, 1 Nov 1951, p. 825 - 832
A Survey of Intestinal Parasitic Infections in the Dominican Republic 1,2
- 1. A group of 1139 individuals on two sugar properties on the south coast of the Dominican Republic have been surveyed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections.
- 2. The percentage prevalence of the most common pathogenic parasites are: Hookworm 59.2%; Trichuris trichiura 58.9%; Endamoeba histolytica 34.2%; and Ascaris lumbricoides 20.1%.
- 3. Clinical amebiasis is not common among the indigenous population and no instance of hepatitis or amebic abscess of the liver has been encountered.
- 4. Clinical hookworm disease is not common in this portion of the Dominican Republic despite widespread infection of the population investigated.
- 5. Differences in prevalence of the most common parasites observed between the two Bateys and the cane field villages are probably to be attributed to local population densities, local rainfall and soil conditions, and varying availability and use of latrines.
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene


text:
These are the thoughts and takeaways from the latest Resourcing Think Tank (RTT) held on Thursday 9th July 2015 hosted by Verizon's Anthony Lasocki (Head of Talent Acquisition, EMEA) titled 'Gender Diversity: Overcoming the Obstacles of Attracting and Recruiting Women into Male Dominated Industries'.
The following summary has been prepared to reflect a segment of the discussion held amongst senior HR and Resourcing professionals from leading national and international businesses. Specific company details, experiences and examples have been omitted from this summary as all discussions are held under 'Chatham House Rules'.
Most companies who operate within a typically male-dominated industry already recognise the importance of attracting more women into their businesses; particularly into senior-leadership positions. Thankfully we now seem to have moved past 'establishing the business case' and are now at a point where we can start to implement practical solutions to overcome this challenge. Research actually shows that 90% of businesses have diversity agendas in place, however increasing hiring pressures often causes diversity hiring initiatives to take a back seat, amongst many other challenges that exist.
Identifying the obstacles
When it comes to attracting and recruiting females into typically male dominated industries, many businesses share the same frustrations and challenges that seem to prevent objectives from being hit, for instance:
- The employee value proposition (EVP) being communicated at hiring stages doesn't reflect the internal reality of being an employed female
- Unconscious bias is preventing recruiters and hiring managers from making objective decisions
- Organisations' benefits packages don't marry-up with appealing to targeted talent
- Female candidates and existing members of staff feel out of their comfort zones
- The brand or products being marketed are particularly male-orientated so potentially aren't of as greater appeal to certain demographics
- Learning and development initiatives might not be tailored to progressing a female employee through the business
- Female employees aren't being utilised to promote their stories, or perhaps there's a lack of stories to tell
Best practice
So what practical steps can businesses take to overcome some of these obstacles?
Develop your people
Educating your biggest influencers around the impact of unconscious bias is absolutely something that needs to happen first. Even the subtlest instances of unconscious bias will ultimately end up affecting the bigger picture. Further attention must also be given to training hiring managers on the importance of making diverse hires, explaining why this talent is typically not sourced at the 'drop of a hat' and ensuring they understand that providing maximum lead time on recruitment is vital.
Inclusive culture
Developing an inclusive culture absolutely helps bread the right behaviours and promotes a good environment for females to be employed. Running Women's Associations (that are inclusive for all genders) and offering 'Return to Work Schemes' will go along way to demonstrating inclusion to employees.
Addressing gender balance within certain industries isn't something that can simply be tackled internally within a business. For a true impact to be made it needs to be promoted at a macro-environmental level. Working with young females who are still in school is a good way to enlighten them around your business' industry and potential opportunities for their future careers.
For any diversity initiative to work the business needs to be fully on-board and the culture needs to be right to accommodate a diverse workforce; the acquisition of diverse talent comes second. Furthermore, the business needs to be prepared to share their workforce plans with recruitment at much earlier stages (circa 3 years in advance) to allow sufficient time for diverse talent to be developed or identified.
Employer branding and messaging
Messaging and communication is vital when it comes to delivering a diversity initiative successfully. One thing in particular is to be very mindful not to make diverse talent feel used to hit target numbers; the focus should always be on hiring the right person for the job whilst making the process as inclusive for all as possible. It's also suggested that we move away from using the word 'initiative' as it sounds like a project, not an on-going journey.
The power of storytelling should also not be underestimated. Find compelling examples of successful females in your business and work with them to tell their stories to help promote your business as a great employer for women. Furthermore, work with your female employees to develop an enhanced benefits package (accessible regardless of gender) tailored to countering some of the misconceptions that prospective employees might have about joining your business.
The supply chain
If you're a business that's heavily reliant on acquiring talent through agencies then it's imperative that they understand and are on-board with your diversity objectives. They also need to be able to evidence what they are doing to help ensure that the shortlists they supply reflect a diverse cross-section of the population and that their recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive. However, don't forget the role you need to play as an employer. What collateral or information is being shared with your suppliers to help them promote your business as a fantastic employer for women? Give your recruitment agencies the tools they need to succeed.
Flexible working
Offering a degree of flexible working is a great way to help attract top talent to your business, a large proportion of candidates would be put off joining a company that didn't offer any flexibility. Whether that be the opportunity to work from home, work preferential hours or discuss the possibility of job shares or part-time hours – flexible working can come in all shapes and sizes. What often prevents these types of initiatives from being a success is overly ambiguous (or hidden) policies, sceptical managers and a lack of buy-in / adoption from senior managers. These things all need to be looked at. Interestingly, despite many businesses offering flexible working, only 6.2% of organisations will actually state that it's on offer in their job adverts! This could be a great way of attracting more diverse applicants by being more upfront about what's on offer.
Talent acquisition channels
When looking to hire a more diverse range of employees, make sure you're thinking about the types of places they 'hang out'. For instance, if you need to increase the number of females employees, using channels like 'mumsnet' to promote vacancies or your business as an employer, could be a really lucrative way of reaching your hiring objectives.
Key conclusions:
- Measure the percentage of diverse hires from specific recruitment channels and invest more in utilising the most effective methods of acquiring talent
- Ensure that any diversity initiative isn't being run as an isolated 'programme'; it needs to embedded into the business' wider strategy
- Always keep the focus on employing the best person for the job, but ensure that your recruitment activity is as inclusive as possible to open up opportunities to more diverse talent pools.


text:
methinks I should hear with indifference if a trustworthy messenger were to inform me that the sun drowned himself last night
Sound Acorns and the Drowning Test
Thoreau's Journal: 18-Apr-1859
5 comments:
"So each man looks at things from his own point of view."
It's interesting how in the midst of his seemingly random observations, Thoreau comes out with such profound and true statements that are just as prevalent today as they were when he wrote them. Hence, the nature of philosophy...
- Apr 20, 2008, 8:30:00 PM
thank you!
I read it and print it out to read as a paper form. If you don't permit it I will destroy it.
- Apr 23, 2008, 6:57:00 PM
Unless you plan on selling it or otherwise claiming Henry's text to be your own, I see no problem with you having a personal hardcopy of some text from his Journal.
Ah, the era of lawyers and lawsuits. Who needs Big Brother when you have them to keep us in our alleged places?
- Apr 24, 2008, 6:03:00 PM
I find the statement "Each man looks at things from his own point of view" very true to both Thoreau, as well as society in general. If this were not true, there would be no variation in the world, or alternate opinions.
I often find that there are some things I treasure, while others could easily disgard them. This goes along with the saying, "one man's trash is another's treasure".
Thoreau finds solitude to be rewarding, while others might find it lonely. However, never does Thoreau force his views on his audience. He merely puts them out there, and hopes people will consider his beliefs.
- Apr 28, 2008, 5:27:00 PM
Thoreau's drowning test seems to support his idea that experience in addition to knowledge is important. Through trial, he devised his own method of determining which acorns were "sound ones" for his uses on the Walden lot. Thoreau's style of writing suggests his own ideas, but also encourages the audience to go beyond and make their own opinions. Similarly, Thoreau knew how to tell which acorns were clearly rotten based on their appearance, yet he furthered his analysis through the development of his own drowning test.
- Apr 29, 2008, 3:20:00 AM


text:
The dough-making process follows a procedure that has remained unchanged over time, since Alice Pizza was founded. First, we choose for our dough a very slow rising, as in home-baked bread. In this way, we obtain a pizza with unmistakable aromas and scents, which is much more digestible thanks to the elimination of the most of the starch.
Baking time depends on the type of pizza, be it in a baking tray or baking stone. To cook pizza in a baking tray we use the highest oven chambers, whereas the one cooked on the baking stone is placed on the bottom of low ovens to ensure a uniform cooking.


text:
Are you looking for the best teeth whitening Melbourne market has? This is undoubtedly one of the most popular dental procedures with many Australians. The teeth are one of the most important parts of your face and one that will undoubtedly have an impact on your social life and how freely you interact with others. Most of us are going to retain our teeth for the rest of our lives so it only makes sense that we want them to be pearly white and attractive for the rest of our lives so that we can smile with confidence.
With the best teeth whitening Melbourne has, you are going to achieve truly stunning results and a smile that you will certainly fall in love with. Teeth whitening is one of the most popular makeovers that Australians would like to undergo. Most patients who pay a visit to the dentist often ask about teeth whitening. We all want white and beautiful teeth.
If you are planning to undergo a teeth whitening procedure in Melbourne, some of the best questions to seek answers for are some of your concerns about the procedure and the bleaching processes that will be used at a professional dentist's such as Pure Smile. A cosmetic dentist will evaluate your teeth and gums before recommending a tooth whitening procedure. If there will be any gum or cavity irritation issues, these are taken care of ahead of the procedure ensuring you have the smoothest teeth whitening procedure in Melbourne.
What bleaching procedures will be used?
If you are going for teeth whitening procedures, any of these three bleaching procedures can be applied depending on the condition of your teeth:
In-office bleaching: This involves the use of a special bleaching gel that will be applied on your teeth while you are on the dentist's chair. This kind of gel generally has very strong bleaching power so it must be applied by an experienced cosmetic dentist with a great deal of care.
Each time it is applied on the teeth, it will stay for about 20 minutes. The application procedure can be done three times depending on the sensitivity of your teeth and how fast they are whitening. This is the most effective teeth whitening procedure and will generally yield very good results. Pure Smile
Custom tray home bleaching: This kind of bleaching is very similar to the in-office bleaching but in this method, you are supplied with a custom tray home kit that you can apply yourself at home. Generally, this formula is milder than the one that is used in-office. You are supposed to wear these trays for a duration of about one hour per day over a period of two weeks. The teeth will then begin whitening to a colour that is acceptable. The patient is in control of this technique and it is generally best suited for those that have sensitive teeth.
Bleaching toothpaste: This is the cheapest method but it is also not very effective. Because adults take an average of 45 seconds to brush their teeth, it is hard to achieve any significant whitening results over that short duration of time. Besides, the toothpaste does not use strong bleach like the one that would be used if you go for the best teeth whitening Melbourne has.
Laser whitening: In this kind of whitening, a beam of light is shone on the enamel to break down and clear the stains. Laser whitening generally yields marvelous results but it is a costly technique. Also, it is not recommended for people with sensitive teeth.


text:
At Dolphin Sutures, providing Quality and Reliability is of prime importance
- CE, ISO 13485, ISO 9001:2008 and WHO:GMP certificates ensure that the systems, practises, management is tuned to produce high quality products meeting all regulatory standards
- Quality of sutures is highly dependent on the quality of inputs used in the production. For this reason, we source our raw materials only from highly specialized, established and world leaders from USA, UK, Germany, Japan & Korea.
- All our suture raw materials have been tested for bio-compatibility, Irritation / Intracutaneous, Sensitization, Cytotoxicity, Acute Systemic Toxicity, Subchronic Toxicity, Genotoxicity, Hemocompatibility, Chronic Toxicity, Implantation and Carcinogenicity.
- Clinical trials for all synthetic absorbable sutures to ensure predictable absorption and loss of tensile strength.
- Strict control on the suture sizes according to USP and metric standards.
- Established protocols, standard operating procedures, sterilization procedures and subsequent stability studies to ensure sutures are made for high quality and they remain so during the entire shelf life.
- We continuously evaluate our suture quality and receive feedback from surgeons for improving our product standards and providing better outcomes.


text:
AXPONA 2017: Digital Components, Headphones, and Personal Audio|In anticipation of an early start on Friday morning at AXPONA, I went to set the hotel's alarm clock before turning in. That's when I discovered that it was an iHome "Clock Radio" that required ...read more
OPPO Releases UDP-205 Audiophile Universal Player|The following is a press release issued by OPPO. MENLO PARK, California | April 24, 2017 – OPPO Digital announced that its UDP-205 4K Ultra HD Audiophile Blu-ray Disc player is available for purchase. A ...read more
2017 Editors' Choice Awards: All-In-One Systems|Riva Turbo X $299 Nominally, Riva's Turbo is just another Bluetooth speaker system. But look (or better yet, listen) a little closer and you'll discover that the Riva Turbo is high-end audio in miniature. Weighing ...read more
Oppo BDP-105D Multi-Format Disc Player|Do you ever think you've lost control of your audio system? I know the feeling. Yes, it was a simpler time back then in BC (before computers). Digital sources were mostly limited to compact-disc players, ...read more
T+A PDP 3000 HV CD/SACD Player and DAC|Theory + Application Elektroakustik (T+A) may be the biggest and most technically innovative high-end audio company you've heard little or nothing about. The Germany company has been on a long-term growth trajectory but has intentionally ...read more
Esoteric Announces Grandioso K1 SACD Player|The following is a press release issued by Esoteric. Upper Saddle River, NJ | February 13, 2017 - The supreme SACD Player reigning over all other single chassis models. ESOTERIC announced a new single unit ...read more
Marantz Introduces Premium 10 Series|Photo: Jana Dagdagan Marantz "brand ambassador" Ken Ishiwata Late last year, DMGlobal, the corporation that now owns Marantz (also Denon and Boston Acoustics), announced the new Marantz Premium 10 Series and arranged for members of ...read more
OPPO Releases UDP-203 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Player|The following is a press release issued by OPPO Digital. MENLO PARK, California | December 12, 2016 – OPPO Digital today announced that the new UDP-203 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc player is ready for ...read more
Naim Redefines All-in-One Audio System With Uniti Range|The following is a press release issued by Naim Audio. November 11, 2016 | NEW YORK, NY — Naim Audio, a world-renowned premium British hi-fi manufacturer introduces the new Uniti range - a series of ...read more
Quad Artera Play Linestage/DAC/CD Player and Stereo Power Amplifier|Robert E. Greene offers an in-depth commentary and analysis of the Quad Artera Play linestage/DAC/CD player and Stereo Power Amplifier reviewed by Paul Seydor in Issue 268 (December, 2016). Like many people who are interested ...read more
Tokyo International Audio Show: Julie Mullins' Highlights|When it comes to high-end audio events, the Tokyo International Audio Show, like many aspects of Japanese culture, is in a class all its own. It starts with its magnificent venue, the Tokyo International Forum's ...read more
Highlights from The Tokyo International Audio Show|This was my first time attending the famed Tokyo International Audio Show (September 30 to October 2), and I'm glad that I saw firsthand this shining example of what an audio show can be. For ...read more
Golden Ear Awards 2016: Robert Harley|David Berning Audio 211/845 Amplifier $75,000 In the new 211/845, David Berning has created the most ambitious realization yet of his brilliant ZOTL circuit that allows a tube amplifier to operate without an output transformer. ...read more
Golden Ear Awards 2016: Neil Gader|Elac B5/F5 Loudspeakers $229/$560 The two-hundred-buck small speaker category will never be the same again. Just spend a few minutes listening to Elac's two-way compact and you'll understand why so many are singing its praises. ...read more
2016 Editors' Chioce Awards: Disc Players $2,000 - $10,000|Modwright-Oppo BDP-105 $2495 (with Modwright Truth modifications only) Modwright offers a superior modification to Oppo's highly regarded universal player, the BDP-105, replacing the stock analog stage with an incredible tube design and external power supply ...read more


text:
The Zombie Apocalypse Is Happening in a U.K. Shopping Mall [VIDEO]
If "blood soaked survival horror" isn't your idea of a great vacation, stay away from an empty mall in Reading, U.K. where tourists can experience an interactive zombie attack. Zed Events has created a terrifying zombie experience where anyone can battle zombies for four hours for the fee of just $189.
First, 15 fighters are equipped with Airsoft guns and trained on zombie combat. Then they are let loose into adrenaline-inducing horror. There are two parts of the battle: the first involves running for your life from droves of zombies and the second involves video-game like scenarios where you carry out a mission. The story unfolds as players battle zombies— meaning every move could be your last.
"This will not just [be] about shooting zombies, ammunition will be severely limited with only a few opportunities to get more," notes the website. "As a survivor you will need nerves of steel, speed and brain power if you are to fight your way through the zombie horde to safety."
The zombie fight is inspired by movies like Dawn of the Dead, and video games such as Resident Evil.
The 250,000 square foot mall in Reading is about 30 minutes outside of London. Anyone interested in playing this apocalyptic game has until this summer to get in on the zombie action, after which the mall may be demolished. No word on what, if anything, this zombie battle is promoting, but one thing is for sure — people love being scared by zombies.
The company created a similar concept at an abandoned mansion in Cheshire.
Would you visit this zombie mall? Tell us in the comments.


text:
nonmonetary transaction
A transaction that neither involves transfer of fund from one person to another nor has monetary value. An example is a change of personal detail. Non-monetary transaction can also be used in the activation of an Automated Clearing House (ACH) which cost $0 and the notification of change from an ACH.


text:
Entrust the process of maximising the value of your home by allowing our team to guide and support you through a complex process with experienced professional brokers, whose reputation has gained numerous industry accolades.
Our team offers fully integrated real estate services, including leasing and selling commercial properties. Indeed, our team also specializes in all-aspects of commercial real estate to make sure your business thrives.
Our knowledgeable team of brokers can find a rental that fits your needs in your ideal area. We have access to a diverse inventory of rentals, may they be furnished/unfurnished or long-term/short-term.


text:
Politique, en Côte d'Ivoire : Fernand Ahibo, 19 ans de protocole et quelques années, proche collaborateur du président Houphouët-Boigny, témoigne de la glorieuse épopée de la Côte d'Ivoire et répond à l'ancien directeur du Protocole d'État. La Côte d'Ivoire n'est plus la même mais nous l'aimons quand même.
Ses années Nanan Houphouët
Son vibrant appel à ses sœurs et frères Ivoiriens
Georges Ouégnin à la Une des médias :
Yes We Can
"I Got a Crush...On Obama" By Obama Girl
Barack Obama on Ellen
The Audacity of Hope
Spanish Reggaeton
Yes Yes, We Can !
Obama Girl vs Giuliani Girl
One Voice
Hillary Clinton
Le Président Olusegun Obasanjo confirme son départ de la Présidence en 2007
Le Président Gabonais Bongo Ondimba éteint ses 71 bougies (30 décembre 1935 - 30 décembre 2007. Joyeux anniversaire, Monsieur le Président.
"I will set a worthy personal example as your president.... To that end, I offer myself a servant-leader. I will be a listener and doer, and serve with humility." Thus pledged Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua in his maiden speech on assumption of office yesterday as the country's third elected president.
But he also threw a challenge to all Nigerians to raise their expectations above mediocrity and join him in strengthening the pillars of a greater Nigeria he claimed have been laid by his immediate predecessor. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who handed over the instruments of office in the form of a Constitution to his successor at exactly 11.29 a.m. made no speech on the occasion.
The oath of office was first administered on Vice President Goodluck Jonathan by the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Idris Kutigi at 11.17 a.m. and then on President Yar'Adua at 11.22 a.m.
The former President who arrived the venue in the Presidential Limousine stepped down from the State Box at the end of the ceremony into ordinary life at 12.49 p.m. He was hailed by an appreciative crowd who for some brief moments held him back with showers of praise as he made to leave at the end of the ceremony.
He was eventually driven away in a government-owned Mercedes Limousine with number plate AM 702 RSH after President Yar'Adua departed the venue.
Security was tight and all persons entering the Eagle Square venue were made to pass through metal detectors while the cars of dignitaries that were ushered into the venue were made to pass through a bomb detector that was recently mounted at the gate.
Security agents mounted a security cordon around the Eagle Square venue of the ceremony and created vehicular diversions about 500 metres away from the venue.
The ceremony was attended by the outgoing President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani ; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari ; former President Shehu Shagari ; former Heads of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar ; Gen. Yakubu Gowon ; Head of the defunct Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonrkan, among others. Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) who ruled Nigeria between 1985 and 1993 was absent.
Also present were several members of the outgoing National Assembly and aides of former President Obasanjo.
The occasion was interspersed with callisthenic displays and military parades involving men and officers of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force and the Nigeria Police. The military parade was commanded by Gen. Joe Shobike.
Yar'Adua's inaugural speech
In his inaugural speech, President Yar'Adua said : "This is a historic day for our nation, for it marks an important milestone in our march towards a maturing democracy.
"For the first time since we cast off the shackles of colonialism almost a half-century ago, we have at last managed an orderly transition from one elected government to another.
"We acknowledge that our elections had some shortcomings. Thankfully, we have well-established legal avenues of redress, and I urge anyone aggrieved to pursue them.
On electoral process
"I also believe that our experiences represent an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Accordingly, I will set up a panel to examine the entire electoral process with a view to ensuring that we raise the quality and standard of our general elections, and thereby deepen our democracy.
"This occasion is historic also because it marks another kind of transitional generational shift when the children of independence assume the adult responsibility of running the country at the heart of Africa.
"My fellow citizens, I am humbled and honoured that you have elected me and Vice President Jonathan to represent that generation in the task of building a just and humane nation, where its people have a fair chance to attain their fullest potential.
Praises Obasanjo
"Luckily we are not starting from scratch. We are fortunate to have been led the past eight years by one of our nation's greatest patriots, President Obasanjo. On behalf of all our people, I salute you, Mr. President, for your vision, your courage and your boundless energy in creating the roadmap toward that united and economically thriving Nigeria that we seek.
"Many of us may find it hard to believe now, but before you assumed the presidency eight years ago, the national conversation was about whether Nigeria deserved to remain one country at all.
"Today we are talking about Nigeria's potential, to become one of the 20 largest economies in the world by the year 2020. That is a measure of how far we have come and we thank you. "The administration of President Obasanjo has laid the foundation upon which we can build our future prosperity.
"Over the past eight years, Nigerians have reached a national consensus in at least four areas : to deepen democracy and the rule of law ; build an economy driven primarily by the private sector, not government ; display zero tolerance for corruption in all its forms, and, finally, restructure and staff our government to ensure efficiency and good governance. I commit myself to these tasks.
"Our goal now is to build on the greatest accomplishments of the past few years. Relying on the point agenda that formed the basis of our compact with voters during the recent campaigns, we will concentrate on rebuilding our physical infrastructure and human capital in order to take our country forward.
On economy
"We will focus on accelerating economic and other reforms in a way that makes a concrete and visible difference to ordinary people.
"Our economy already has been set on the path of growth. Now we must continue to do the necessary work to create more jobs, lower interest rates, reduce inflation, and maintain a stable exchange rate. All this will increase, our chances for rapid growth and development.
On infrastructure
"Central to this is rebuilding our basic infrastructure. We already have comprehensive plans for mass transportation, especially railroad development. We will make these plans a reality.
"Equally important, we must devote our best efforts to overcoming the energy challenge. Over the next four years we will see dramatic improvements in power generation, transmission and distribution.
"These plans will mean little if we do not respect the rule of law. Our government is determined to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies, especially the police. The state must fulfill its constitutional responsibility of protecting life and property.
Niger Delta
"The crisis in the Niger Delta commands our urgent attention. Ending it is a matter of strategic importance to our country. I will use every resource available to me, with your help, to address this crisis in a spirit of fairness, justice, and cooperation.
"We have a good starting point because our predecessor already launched a masterplan that can serve as a basis for a comprehensive examination of all the issues. We will involve all stakeholders in working out a solution. As part of this effort, we will move quickly to ensure security of life and property, and to make investments safe.
"In the meantime, I appeal to all aggrieved communities, groups and individuals to immediately suspend all violent activities, and respect the law. Let us allow the impending dialogue to take place in a conducive atmosphere. We are all in this together, and we will find a way to achieve peace and justice.
"As we work to resolve the challenges of the Niger Delta, so must we also tackle poverty throughout the country.
"By fighting poverty, we fight disease. We will make advances in public health, to control the scourge of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases that hold back our population and limit our progress.
Anti-corruption war
"We are determined to intensify the war against corruption, more so because corruption is itself central to the spread of poverty. Its corrosive effect is all too visible in all aspects of our national life. This is an area where we have made significant progress in recent years, and we will maintain the momentum.
"We also are committed to rebuilding our human capital, if we are to support a modern economy. We must revive education in order to create more equality, and citizens who can function more productively in today's world.
"To our larger African family, you have our commitment to the goal of African integration. We will continue to collaborate with fellow African states to reduce conflict and free our people from the leg chains of poverty.
"To all our friends in the international community, we pledge our continuing fidelity to the goals of progress in Africa and peace in the world.
"Fellow citizens, I ask you all to march with me into the age of restoration. Let us work together to restore our time-honoured values of honesty, decency, generosity, modesty, selflessness, transparency, and accountability. These fundamental values determine societies that succeed or fail. We must choose to succeed. I will set a worthy personal example as your president.
"No matter what obstacles confront us, I have confidence and faith in our ability to overcome them. After all, we are Nigerians. We are a resourceful and enterprising people, and we have it within us to make our country a better place.
"To that end, I offer myself as a servant-leader. I will be a listener and doer, and serve with humility. "To fulfil our ambitions, all our leaders at all levels whether local government councillor or state governor, senator or cabinet minister must change our style and our attitude. We must act at all times with humility, courage, and forthrightness.
"I ask you, fellow citizens, to join me in rebuilding our Nigerian family, one that defines the success of one by the happiness of many. I ask you to set aside negative attitudes and concentrate all our energies on getting to our common destination. All hands must be on the deck.
"Let us join together to ease the pains of today while working for the gains of tomorrow. Let us set aside cynicism, and strive for the good society that we know is within our reach.
"Let us discard the habit of low expectations of ourselves as well as of our leaders. Let us stop justifying every shortcoming with that unacceptable phrase, 'the Nigerian factor,'as if to be a Nigerian is to settle for less.
"Let us recapture the mood of optimism that defined us at the dawn of independence, that legendary can-do spirit that marked our Nigerianness.
"Let us join together, now, to build a society worthy of our children. We have the talent. We have the intelligence. We have the ability.
"The challenge is great. The goal is clear. The time is now. "I thank you, and God bless you."
President Menes Zenan of Ethiopia
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasoga of Equatorial Guinea
Immediate Past President Olusegun Obasanjo
President Thambo Mbeki of South Africa
President John Kufour of Ghana
President Idriss Deby of Chad Republic
President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic
President Abdullahi Yusuf of Somali
Cote de'voire President, Laurent Gbagbo
Paul Biya of Cameroon
Captain Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso
Faure Gnassingbe of Togo
British High Commissioner, Baroness Royal of Blaisdon, Whip of the House of Lord
U.S. assistant secretary in charge of Africa, Jendayi Frazer
Vice president of Algeria
Vice President of Tanzania, Mohammed Ali Sheni
Vice President of The Gambia, Isatou Njie- Saidy
Former President, Shehu Shagari
Former President, Ernest Shonekan
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon
Former Military Head of State, General Abubakar Abdulsalam Source : Vanguar, Abuja