text:
Law Audience's National Online Essay Writing Competition on Independence Day 2018TEAM CODE – "LA 111″INTRODUCTION"When one's loyalty towards one's religion comes in conflict with one's loyalty towards one's nation, one should lean towards one's nation and not otherwise."- John F. Kennedy As John F.
Kennedy rightly remarked one's loyalty towards religion should not restrict one's loyalty towards one's nation. Secularism is to be understood and religion is to be practiced all over world keeping this spirit in mind. The preamble to the Indian Constitution has constituted India into a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic.India is still struggling to achieve the basic aims set by the Indian Constitution even after more than 70 years of Independence. India has numerous religions, languages and customs. Many religions flourish here, which have their own traditions and beliefs, making India – a multi religious and multi cultural country.The first person to use the word "secularism" was George Holyoake, a British writer.
We Will Write a Custom Essay Specifically
For You For Only $13.90/page!
order now
He invented the term in 1851 in order to describe his views of promoting a social order which is separate from religion. He succeeds in describing his views without actively dismissing or criticizing the religious belief by the term. The term secularism comes from the Latin 'saeculum', meaning an age or era. In the western dictionaries it is defined as "something which has nothing to do with God and is opposed to religion, and with anything supernatural or transcendental." It raises the spirit among the citizen that religion will not influence the law that governs their daily lives. Secularism has played a significant role in shaping the state of modern societies and cultures.Different meanings are attached to the word "secularism" by different nations, societies and people. Some of the interpretations of the word are as follows:Separate treatment of religion and state.
Treating all the persons, belonging to different religion equally by giving religious freedom to all the communities.In communist states, it may mean even the absenteeism of religion in the functioning of the state and concentration on economic or material welfare of citizens.HISTORYBeing a multi-religious country India is bound to give religious freedom to everyone and promote equality among the citizens.
With this objective in mind, India was declared a secular country. Even the old age philosophy of oneness of religion mentioned in Hindu scriptures like Upanishads, preaches 'Sarva Dharma Samabhava' which means respect for all belief systems. Religion has flourished with Indian civilization and everything in India revolves around religion. In Feudal India, there was almost complete religious tolerance and people from different religions respect each other's religion.Secularism entered into India from the west. In the west, secularism is the detachment of state from any particular religion. The concept of "secular" was first used in Europe where the church had complete control over all types of properties and people were not permitted to use property without the consent of the church.
This practice was opposed by some intellectuals who came to be known as 'secular' meaning 'separate from church' or 'against church'.The invasions and incursions from Aryans to Mughals kept adding to religious, cultural and linguistic pluralism and with every invasion and incursion, Indian society became more and more complex and rich British colonialism too contributed to the cultural and religious multiplicity of the country. Under the British rule in India religion became an inseparable part of political and social life and Secularism became more prominent.
Separate laws for Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, and other religious communities were imposed by the British government. Different religions are governed by different personal laws till date owing to the divide and rule policy of the Britishers. Secularism was the main objective of Indian political leaders at the time of Independence. After the partition, minority communities, like the Muslims are to be assured that they would not face discrimination in any way. With the gaining of Independence a process of deepening as well as broadening of secularism was witnessed.
Measures like the declaration of India as a secular state, the Constitutional recognition of the equality of all citizens, introduction of universal adult suffrage, etc. broadened the process of secularism.After Independence, India was declared a secular country and freedom to follow any state religion was given to the people of India.
The Indian state did not have any state religion would remain 'secular' in the Constitution. After independence, the term was used in different contexts. Gradually, preaching of communal ideology was started by most political leaders which paved the way to India becoming a combination of secularism and communalism.The definitions given by the renowned personalities reflect the diverse views about secularism. As per Dr.
S. Radhakrishnan, Secularism does not mean irreligion or atheism and lays stress on universality of spiritual values which can be attained by a variety of ways. While Mahatma Gandhi view is "If I were a dictator, religion and state would be separate.
" According to him, his religion is his personal affair and the state has nothing to do with it. The state will not look into anyone's religion but will look after secular welfare, health, communications, foreign relations, currency, etc During the early 80's secularism was overshadowed by communalism and different political parties started using the word "pseudo-secularism". The incidents which prove the superiority attributed to communalism in India are – militancy in Kashmir and Punjab, the Babri Masjid controversy in 1992, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, etc. Communal forces often lead to the disintegration of secular policies in India by oppressing the minorities. The biggest questions on the definition of "secularism" in present day India are – the communal and religious clashes.
KINDS OF SECULAR STATES AND INDIAN SECULARISMGenerally there are three kinds of secular states – Secular States of the Western Type in which the government remain neutral in the matters related to the religion; Communist States claim themselves to be "secular states" whereas they are religion less states; Secularism in Multi-religious States like India which are trying to imitate the Western model of secularism by making certain modifications. For example, secularism in the Indian context is expected to establish harmony between religious communities and forge national integration. Whereas in the West, the word secular implies mainly three things: Freedom of religion, Equal citizenship to each citizen regardless of his or her religion, and The separation of religion and state. Everyone is equal under law, and subject to the same laws, in the West.
In contrast, in India, the word secular means equal treatment of all religions and does not imply separation of religion and state. Religion in India continues to assert its political authority in matters of personal law. An individual's religion decides the personal law applicable to him.Secularism in India also differs from the French concept for secularity, namely laïcité.
The French concept demands absence of governmental institutions in religion, as well as absence of religion in governmental institutions and schools while the Indian concept, provides financial support to religious schools and accepts religious law over governmental institutions. The Indian structure has created incentives for various religious denominations to start and maintain schools, impart religious education, and receive partial but significant financial support from the Indian government. Similarly, Indian government financially supports, regulates and administers the historic Hindu temples, Buddhist monasteries, and certain Christian religious institutions. The direct involvement of the Indian government in various religions is markedly different from Western secularism.
The concept of secularism though differs from nation to nation but it is marked by some common characteristic features in all the countries which are as follows:Decrease of Religionism, Religious Neutrality, It does not establish, recognize or endow any religion.It assures full religious freedom to all of its citizens and treats alike adherents of all religions.It is not guided by the dogmas of any particular religion or consideration of other worldly happiness. Different aspects of social life are differentiated by the growth of secularism and it separates the economic, political, legal and ethical questions.Rationality is another hallmark of secularism and the old customs and traditions are followed only if they make a rational appeal.
Another feature of secularism is the scientific discoveries which have replaced the religious explanations for many natural events and social problems.Secularism always deals with the known world whereas theology interprets the unknown world.Secularism is not based on the spiritual beliefs and values of any particular religion and promotes humanitarian values.Secularism does not recommend state religion and gives equal importance to all religions. Secularism is neither against Religion nor against Mortality.Secularism is also an Aspect of Modernization.
Secularism can succeed only when the cultural environment is favourable to it.The causes of secularism in India includes Western education which brought in western culture and diminished the influence of Indian culture, Adoption of a secular attitude towards marriage, occupations and other human activities, Development of the Means of Transport and Communication which increased physical mobility and led to the inter-mixing of people belonging to different parts of the country, The various social and religious reform movements started by Indian leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Keshav Chandra Sen, Swami Dayanand, Devendranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi also encouraged the process of secularism in India.The housing shortage, the economic problems, fashion, education, urban, political and social structure, influence of western culture on urban life, individualism led to the secularism of the urban outlook. The Britishers enacted various laws like the Widow Remarriage Act, 1856, Caste Disabilities Removal Act, 1850, Special Marriage Act, 1872 which attacked the orthodox beliefs of the Indian people. In modern times the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act, 1856, the Maintenance Act, the Adoption of Children Act have led to the secularism of the Hindu institutions of marriage and family.The authority of religion over conditions of marriage and divorce has markedly declined. Inter-religious marriages are increasing in number.
The Indian culture under the influence of western culture has assimilated new ideas. The religious interpretation of cultural activities has given place to secular interpretation. The influence of secularism can also be seen in the spheres of literature and art; all the publicity media of the state propagate secularism. Every political leader and every political party speaks about secularism. The position of girls and women stands changed under the impact of secularism. Earlier girls were not allowed to step out of the house and the society was totally male dominated. Now many girls can pursue careers of their choice after the introduction of the ideals of equality and liberty influenced by secularism.SECULARISM AND THE INDIAN CONSTITUTIONThe spirit of our constitution is "secular" though originally the word "secular" did not occur in our constitution.
The Constituent Assembly rejected a motion moved by Brajeshwar Prasad from Bihar to have the words "secular" and "socialist" included in the Preamble. To fully understand secularism in the Indian context, the Constitution is to be read in its entirety. In the Constituent Assembly, there existed a conflict between two differing visions of secularism: one called for a complete separation between state and religion, and another demanded equal treatment of all religions. The Constitution 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 added the term "secular" to the preamble of our Constitution. Accordingly, now India is a "Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic." The Constitution of India has accelerated the process of secularism and made a notable contribution to Indian life. The term "secular" explains that the State does not recognize any religion as a state religion and it treats all religions equally, and with equal respect without interfering with their individual rights of religion, faith or worship.
It neither promotes nor practices any particular religion, nor does it interfere with any religious practice. The state is not concerned with the relationship of men with their God. It is only concerned with the relationship of men with other men.Secularism is our constitutional commitment. The spirit of our constitution is secular and it gives special protection to the minorities. The concept of Secularism can be inferred from the following Articles of the Constitution:Article 15(1) and 15(2) which prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion.
Article 25(1) guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to profess, propagate and practice religion.Article 27 bars compelling anybody to pay any taxes for the task of promoting or maintaining any particular religion or its denomination.Article 30(1) lays down that all minorities whether based on religion or language shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.The Constitution ensures equal freedom to all religions.
At the same time, it is declared that religion of a person has nothing to do in the matters relating to social and economic welfare of the people, which matters can be regulated or restricted by law. The Supreme Court in the case of St. Xavier's College v State of Gujarat explained that secularism is neither Anti-God nor Pro-God; it treats alike the devout, the agnostic and the atheist.
It eliminates God from the matters of the State and ensures that no one shall be discriminated against on the ground of religion. Every person is free to mould or regulate his relations with his God in any manner. He is free to go to God or to Heaven in his own ways. And worshipping God is left to be dedicated by his own conscience.Secularism was already implicit in the provisions contained in Articles 25 to 30 of the Constitution. In the case I.R.
Coelho v State of Tamil Nadu it has been held that secularism is a matter of conclusion to be drawn from Articles confirming fundamental rights. These provisions emphasize on the different aspects of the secularism of State in India. Literally, the term 'secular' means non-religious or non-ecclesiastical and the expression 'secularism' means a state of keeping away from religion or unconcerned with religious ethics or equi-distance from all religions. In India, the State is neutral in the matters of religion. The Honorable Supreme Court in the case of S.R.
Bommai v. Union of India noted that notwithstanding the fact that the words were added in the preamble of the Constitution in 1976 by the 42nd Amendment, the concept of secularism was very much embedded in our constitutional philosophy. By this concept what was implicit was made explicit.
As per the provisions of the Constitution, the Indian State cannot establish, recognize or patronize any religion. It does not discriminate against its own people in the name of religion. Hence India is called a "secular state." The State is enjoined to accord equal treatment to all religions and religious sects and denominations, the Court observed, this tolerance by the state, of religion or religions, "does not make it either a religious or a theocratic state." The Court emphasized that the Preamble and Articles 25, 26, 29, 30, 44, 51A, 14, 15, 16 by implication, prohibited the establishment of a theocratic state and prevent the state from either identifying itself with or favouring any particular religion or religious sect or denomination.
In the case of Valsamma Paul v Cochin University, the apex court emphasized that inter-caste marriages and adoptions were two important social institutions through which "secularism" would find its fruitful and solid base for an egalitarian social order under the Constitution of India. "Secularism", the Court said, was a bridge between religions and a multi-religious society to cross over the barriers of their diversity.The essence of Secularism in India is the recognition and preservation of the different types of people, with diverse language and different beliefs and placing them together so as to form a whole united India. CONCLUSIONThe spirit with which the concept of secularism was introduced can be gathered from the words of Mahatma Gandhi when he said "I do not expect India of my dreams to develop one religion, i.e., to be wholly Hindu or wholly Christian or wholly Mussalman, but I want it to be wholly tolerant, with its religions working side by side with one another.
" The strength of secularism has been tested in India on various occasions and India is facing challenges to keep secularism alive.Indian politics are subject to lot of criticisms. Heated discussions and debates are still going on about the concept of secularism which are still inconclusive.
The theory of secularism has become highly controversial and is under heavy attacks from all sides. Political parties proclaiming themselves to be "secular" prove to be highly communal. The faith of the people in secularism is slowly diminishing as not even a single party is sincerely committed to this ideology in its actual practice. Secularism is a worthy ideal but it is sad to find that secularism in India has become a ploy to discredit the rival and a strategy to win election for today's leaders who practices the worst form of religionism. When Nehru and other older leaders spoke of secularism, their idea was equal rights and equal justice for all castes, creeds and communities. The practice of secularism has been encountering many problems in India.
Several impediments come in the way of effectively implementing the principles of secularism. As C. Subramanyam pointed out, "Religion when used for political purposes degenerates itself into communalism," the greatest hurdle for practicing secularism in India is the problem of communalism. The conflict or antagonism or tension between religious communities usually leads to and often anticipates a sense of fear, superstition and hostility.
The greater danger to secularism in our country is that communal political parties are allowed to exist and openly participate in the political processes which have a greater commitment to their religious communities. India claims to follow secularism on the one hand, and on the other, enters into agreements and makes compromises with communal parties. Parties select their candidates taking into consideration the religious composition of various constituencies and practice religious bigotry. Even at the time of forming the ministries, adequate representation is given to every powerful community. Thus, secularism has become a mockery at the hands of the political leaders.
India is suffering from the problem of "Vote-Bank' Politics as is rightly summed up by Ram Ahuja -"It may said that secularism for political parties has implied the creation of a vote bank comprising Muslims, the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and OBCs." The communal – secular card is now being played for political motives only. Sincere commitment to secularism is found in no political party.
Failure to introduce a common civil code throughout the nation has caused disharmony. Though the Directive Principles of the State Policy has stressed the need to have a Common Civil Code so far we have not been able to have one, due to lack of support from the minorities. As long as it is not introduced, the differential treatment of people on the ground of religion would continue and achievement of national integration becomes impossible. The tendency of the government to interfere in the internal administration and management of the religious institutions is very much against the spirit of secularism.Secularism is very much distorted in its practice and the idea that Indian society has become secular is easy to grasp but at the same time complex to demonstrate.
No political party which ruled the country was successful in implementing the principles of secularism. Parties even after accepting secularism as one of their basic political ideologies have not remained sincere to its philosophy. Hence, secularism still continues to be one of the topics of heated discussions and endless discussions are going on even today about the very secular nature of the Indian polity. The discussions point out two important things:The concept of "secularism" has not been properly and unambiguously explained;Though India has been declared as a "secular state" constitutionally, the governments which have ruled over the country have failed to develop or to shape India as a "secular state" in the real sense of the term.The politician's top priority is the arithmetic of votes Secularism has become pseudo-secularism in their hands. The present crisis in India is due to overemphasis on secularism and politicization of religion.
Karl Marx, the father of communism, has rightly called religion "the opium of the masses." The political parties try to woo the influential religious heads for the sake of getting votes of a particular religious group. The people of India have not yet become secular in their outlook.
The process of secularism should not lead to the devolution of religious values. At the same time, it should not pose a challenge to the religious plurality of India. What is needed today is new insights and openness of mind towards other religious faiths – to appreciate other faiths so as to guarantee freedom to them.


text:
House passes Farm Bill; see what's in, out
Farmers will have a five-year path of policy certainty and food stamps recipients won't have to meet more stringent work requirements in the 2018 Farm Bill that passed the House Wednesday afternoon.
The Senate already passed the compromise bill Tuesday. It now goes to President Trump, who has said he will sign the Farm Bill into law.
"Uncertainty is the farmers' biggest enemy," Louisiana Farm Bureau President Ronnie Anderson told USA Today Network. "This gives both producers and their lenders a five-year road map, which is critical to the industry."
The bill, which provides a safety net for farmers and food security for those in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program better known as food stamps, will cost almost $900 billion.
Louisiana Congressman Ralph Abraham is the state's only member of the House Agriculture Committee and was one of the members of the conference committee that crafted the final version of the bill.
"Louisiana farmers, ranchers and foresters deserve the stability and strong safety net the Farm Bill provides," Abraham said in a tweet. "This is a good bill, and that's why farmers across the country will celebrate its passage."
Abraham announced last week he will run for governor in 2019.
Following are key provisions that made the bill as well as the most controversial one that was left on the cutting room floor:
In: An expansion of extended farm family members who may qualify for subsidies. Nieces, nephews and first cousins of farmers, even those who don't work directly on the farm, may now qualify.
Preserved: The cap of $900,000 adjusted gross income was left in place as a limit for those who may qualify for some subsidies and programs. Abraham said some members of Congress wanted to reduce the cap to $600,000 or $700,000.
Legalized: The Farm Bill takes hemp off of the feds' controlled substance list, legalizing it as a crop. Hemp is a form of cannabis with lower THC levels (the chemical that makes you high) than marijuana.
Timber: The Timber Innovation Act within the Farm Bill supports a new research and development program for mass timber, which currently isn't recognized as official construction material.
For Louisiana: Abraham said language in the Farm Bill give those who have been leasing federal land on the edge of the Kisatchie National Forest first refusal to buy the land. He also said Louisiana will be part of a row rice pilot program to irrigate rice like other row crops rather than completely flood the rice fields.
Out: The final version of the bill doesn't allow for the expansion of work requirements for those who receive food stamps, which is why Republican U.S. Sen. John Kennedy said he voted against the bill in the Senate Tuesday.
It was the most controversial issue debated with the House wanting tougher requirements but the Senate refusing. In the end, House Republicans lost their bargaining power after losing the mid-term elections and the majority in the next Congress.
"We couldn't let Nancy Pelosi write the Farm Bill," Abraham said, referring to the California Democrat who is expected to be elected the next speaker of the House.
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1

subset: commoncrawl


text:
As Norway struggles with the volatile oil price its fish exporters will benefit from the floundering krone
Norway's central bank dropped its main interest rate to a new low of 0.5% today and refused to rule out introducing a negative rate as its economy struggles with reduced oil revenues. The value of the krone dropped slightly against the pound but strengthened against the dollar from NOK 8.45 – USD to NOK 8.35.
Between 2009 and 2013 you got around nine krone to the pound, but through 2014 and 2015 the strength of the krone dropped to 12.5 to the pound as worsening worries for the Norwegian economy include a collapse in oil revenues, a housing bubble and relatively high unemployment of 4.5%.
Charles Purdy, CEO of Smart Currency commented: "The Norwegian krone has been viewed as a safe haven currency. The country's oil and gas production of around two million barrels per day – the largest producer in Europe with twice the production of the UK – for a population of just five million people meant that it built up a huge state investment fund worth $819billion, known as the 'oil fund', which has invested this in companies around the world. With petroleum accounting for nearly half of Norway's exports, however, as the oil price has dropped from around $109 a barrel in 2013 to $30 in January, so the value of the krone has dropped. In January it used some of the oil fund for the first time to help prop up the economy, and it always has this option again."
The fall in the value of the krone against the pound has been bad news for some British exporters. Norway is the UK's 23rd largest market, according to the British government, our main exports being cars and machinery, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
The UK is Norway's biggest trading partner, receiving around 25% of Norway's exports, particularly oil, gas and alternative energy components. Britain is also a big consumer of Norwegian salmon, and with news today that Norway's main competitor for salmon sales, Chile, has been hit by a waterborne disease, Norway's salmon exporters looks set to profit further from its weakened currency.


text:
My! My! My! Smoochie Face!!
Vampire Red Hair with Lips to Match!!
Manic Panic Vampire Red!!
58 and Feeling Great!! Celebrating Me!!
Birthday Selfie Madness Gone Wild!!
A Great Photography Web Blog
58 and Feeling Great!! Celebrating Me!!
Color Your World – Tropical Rain Forest
Cee's Fun Foto Challenge: Things that Look Like Faces
I work as a museum security guard so I get to see many art exhibits that appear to be anthropomorphic shapes. One of the great aspects of abstract art is that the human mind can interpret it in so many different ways.


text:
San Francisco 49ers wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel and offensive tackle Trent Williams are being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and will be out for Thursday night's game against the Green Bay Packers, which is still on as scheduled, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday night.
The three players are being placed on the list as close contacts to Kendrick Bourne, who tested positive for the coronavirus. Bourne's positive test brought about the 49ers shutting down the team facility on Wednesday.
Samuel was already ruled out for Thursday with a hamstring injury, but the losses of Aiyuk and Williams elongate an already lengthy list of 49ers starters who will be missing due to injury or now coronavirus protocols.
Bourne was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier Wednesday and, following NFL coronavirus protocols, contract tracing commenced. Aiyuk, Samuel and Williams were deemed close contacts and placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
San Francisco's Week 9 opponent will also have players missing due to COVID-19, as Green Bay running back A.J. Dillon tested positive earlier this week and won't play, nor will running back Jamaal Williams and linebacker Kamal Martin, who were close contacts.
The 49ers, who have been dealing with a rash of injury issues all season, will be playing Thursday and for the foreseeable future without starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and star tight end George Kittle due to injuries, so Wednesday's latest news is all the more troubling for a depleted squad.
The 49ers (4-4) will host the Packers (5-2) at 8:20 p.m. ET on Thursday Night Football from Levi's Stadium.


text:
The House of Delegates passed SB 739, which will require schools to make masks optional. After Republicans were surprised by bipartisan votes in the Senate last week to amend the bill to include the mask clause and to pass the bill, Republicans hustled the bill through the necessary House committee hearing and through three required floor sessions, including a two-minute-long pro-forma session on Sunday. By 1 p.m. on Monday, Republicans had already delivered the bill to Governor Glenn Youngkin, who has committed to adding an emergency clause to make it take effect immediately.
After Youngkin adds the clause, both chambers can pass the bill and emergency clause with simple majority votes, setting up the bill to be law and in effect potentially by the end of the week, House Majority Leader Terry Kilgore (R-Scott) said on The John Fredericks Show Monday morning.
"Once we adopt his [Youngkin's] amendments, he's already signed it and sent it back, it'll be the law, and we can put this behind us," Kilgore told The Virginia Star's publisher, John Fredericks.Read More


text:
The Cultural Assembly initiatives includes activating places, spaces and people.
3rd Space Projects
3rd Spaces are sustainable repurposed empty spaces that we activate in key locations. It is a creative collaborative project that empowers the public to engage with their communities and forge new creative event spaces outside home or work. We develop relationships, local collaborations, and programme cultural experiences that empower local people. The spaces promote sociability, accessibility, togetherness and wellbeing, whilst responding to the needs of the community and signposting other local services.
Our aim is to create engaging and memorable experiences worth talking about. We recruit our creative talent from a local pool of creatives the 3rd Space serve so that local people benefit from our place activations.
In turn this helps us develop grassroots authentic engagements and develop strategies that truly reflect and connect with the community we serve. Our 3rd Space projects help revive areas and local high streets by building a sense of ownership and safe spaces that anchor strong communities.
'We want the community to unleash their creative genius so they can feel proud of our high street again. The future of the high street and shopping centres is not in retail alone. We directly engage with the public by creating visceral experiences that are in non-traditional spaces. Our new event pop up space creates more reasons for people to want to come into town, which in turn improves the local economy'.
This exciting project, emphasises the importance of developing a space where so many interesting and talented creatives from the local area and across the UK can showcase their work together. It acts as a creative hub and open space to share ideas, promoting the aims of the Cultural Assembly.
'It's an exciting opportunity to be part of a breakthrough project like this and to be working amongst such a strong collective of creatives. It's an opportunity to spearhead a sustainable creative movement in Southend in the intimacy of a self-determined space where creatives and the public collaborate together'.
Placing culture at the heart of social change.


text:
I don't have a Snorlax so i can't breed is their any other way of getting a Munchlax in Pokemon B/W
During the season of Summer, you can trade a Cincinno* with a person in one of the houses in Undella Bay with a Munchlax holding Leftovers.
lt is an in-game trade, and you get free Leftovers! Hooray! :D
*Thank you MeW2011!
Trade Cincino and you will get a level 60 munchlax with leftovers that knows rollout yay!


text:
Hoop Cam Plus
Hoop Cam Plus
Hoop Cam PlusMeet the Hoop, a clever little helper designed with your needs in mind. We took the standard home security camera and elevated it to a new level, with an easy-to-use mobile app that helps keep you and your family in the loop and on track. With features like motorized motion panning and tracking, real-time communication, relevant notifications, and time-based reminders, Hoop empowers you to manage your home, anytime, anywhere.
What's In The Box?
Hoop Cam Plus
Quick Start Guide
6′ USB cable
Power adapter
Hoop Cam Plus Specifications
Simple setup
Fully integrated Hoop app
1080p full-color live display
Night vision
2-way real-time communication
Motorized 350° panning, 45° tilt
WPA2 security support
Motion- and sound-activated alerts
Alexa™ and Google Home™ compatible
System Requirements
Minimum internet upload speed of 3Mbps/3000Kbps
802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4 GHz/5 GHz wireless connection
For the Hoop Home mobile application
iOS or Android™ device with Bluetooth® compatibility
iOS 8.1 or newer running on iPhone 4s or newer, iPad mini or newer, iPad 3 or newer, iPod touch (5th generation) or newer
Android 4.4 or newer operating system
Not sure what's right for you?Talk to us
65 reviews for Hoop Cam Plus
|5 star
|4 star
|3 star
|2 star
|1 star
|Powered by Customer Reviews plugin
2 out of 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
My father is elderly and currently lives alone. I needed some way of checking on him when he does not answer his phone. The hoop camera has helped us tremendously and I highly recommend this system to anyone who has older parents who are aging in place. I can even send reminders for him to take his medication which has been really helpful as well.
Was this review helpful to you?
Love this thing. Especially the quick installation. Feel confident my 75-year-old dad could set it up by himself Works great so far! Recommend!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
I'll start by saying that I've been looking for the perfect security camera. I don't need a ton of complicated features. I was just looking for something that worked well and wasn't hard to use. I found that in the hoop.
I've been waiting for a camera that's a little less obtrusive than some of the others out there. This one I can hide behind my picture frames and it still has a wide-angle or fisheye lens that takes in a huge range of vision from the small lens.
Some of the other highlights are:
• Senses motion at night and during the day
• Alerts you through the app on your phone when motion is detected
• Volume is loud enough to be heard throughout the house when you speak through it
• Smart alerts and reminders help you organize your schedule
• App is easy to understand and use
• The advanced model, which I have, pans around the room
I give this camera two thumbs up. The only room for improvement is that I wish it had a battery option so I wouldn't have to worry about dealing with cords and I could move it more easily from place to place.
Was this review helpful to you?
There are so many gadgets these days that your house could look like something out of a robot/futuristic movie if you got them all. This one isn't like that—it looks pretty good in my house, if you even notice it. I have it tucked away next to a picture frame so that it's not very visible, and it's easy to adjust if I want to turn it or tilt it to get a better view. Besides that, it works well, so I'm happy with my purchase.
3 out of 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
Little camera seems to work well. When I was setting it up, I got to a great help section in the app that had a lot of troubleshooting articles. Now that it set up, I can't find the help section anymore. I had to e-mail customer service instead.


text:
So, not my favorite weekend.
Two of the boys are battling a virus. They are coughing so much the house sounds like a TB ward. I am administering inhalers, checking temps and even had to clean up one round of puke. Oh joy. Two separate trips to the Dr. Two separate prescriptions at the drive thru pharmacy. They missed one golf lesson, two playdate requests and two soccer games: the openers for the season.
Since one of them isn't sick, I have been jumping through hoops and doing somersaults to keep him away from his brothers. This mostly involves putting every TV in the house on something different…one in the sick room to keep them occupied and quiet, one in the other room so the healthy one doesn't watch in the sick room, and the one in the family room on for me, to drown out the coughing noises.
To top the roller coaster of excitement off, I sliced my thumb open on the top of the chicken soup can and got a lovely itchy rash from spending to much up close and personal time with the front bushes. I was washing the windows. Which gives you an idea of how desperate I was to get out of the house.
I'm keeping them home today, which means missing my reformer class at the gym, and having to reschedule my yearly mammogram. Not to mention, Oksana, the only housekeeper good enough to impress my mother in law (which means she is the best in the WORLD) will have to trip over us all day because Monday is her day to clean.
I just keep thinking to myself: someday they'll be gone and I'll wish they were here. Someday they'll be gone and I'll wish they were here.


text:
Enquiry service
Library staff are well-placed to signpost patients and members of the public to reliable resources.
Many patients and members of the public are actively involved in decisions about their health and may visit the library with a specific health-related query. Library staff are well-placed to signpost them to reliable, high-quality material.
"I am due to see my consultant this afternoon and would like some information on Parkinson's and physical activity. Can you suggest anything?"
You may decide to print material from NHS website, Parkinson's UK or similar sites.
Your Trust may already have a patient information leaflet on this that you can access and give them.
You may let them use a non-networked PC to look up information for themselves.
Arrange a procedure for referral of complex queries
Make local public libraries aware of content of your stock and services available.
Devise a plan for when they get a complex health enquiry. Ask other libraries to share theirs.
Make your library open to individual referrals from other sector libraries – others will tell you that this does not result in floods of referrals!
Voluntary organisations
Your local Macmillan team has a significant amount of experience in helping with health enquiries from the public.
It is a potential area for partnership working.
Page last reviewed: 15 June 2021


text:
Tag: xeo
Three ways to get the most out of your Dynaudio XEO 2's
Besides being brilliant small high-end wireless speakers, there is also a range of functionality outside of traditional bluetooth use. Three features to try out: Night Mode Enables you to 'turn off' the XEO 2's LEDs. This is a great option if you have your XEO 2's in your bedroom and listen to music at night,…
Dynaudio Xeo 2 Review
Dynaudio's smallest high-end active speakers. A year on and the Dynaudio Xeo 2's are one of my most used every day tech. Since my living space also doubles as my office, these speakers live permanently in my room. This makes sense for me because it's also the room I spend the most time in,…
DYNAUDIO XEO 2 (Wireless Audio) Preview
XEO 2. Small wireless speakers with a whole lot of kick. I recently moved to a new house and have been in the market to upgrade my current 'home-audio system'…Which in fairness is a CD & Tape player I've had for over 10 years!! I'm particularly drawn to wireless & Bluetooth systems as I previously was…


text:
Announced on the 6th August, the Planning White Paper for England makes big promises to modernise what many consider to be an outdated system. Among the proposals, the Government has set out its plans to streamline the Local Plan framework in England, grant Permission in Principle to major developments, use design codes to secure inclusive design and introduce a new 'Infrastructure Levy'. Kevin Kay, Director for Transport & Engineering, takes a look at what these proposals might mean for the delivery of development-funded transport infrastructure and raises two key questions.
The White Paper is proposing to grant Permission in Principle to major developments. Under the current system Local Plans are a means to allocate sites for development; the detailed merits of such proposals are then considered through planning applications. So while the choice of a Local Authorities' broad spatial strategy will have been evidenced, the transport implications and required mitigation will not all necessarily be known until the application stage.
For smaller developments, that can currently benefit from a Permission in Principle (PiP), there are usually fewer direct transport implications. However, extending this to larger residential developments (10-150 dwellings) could lead to a need for more not fewer technical assessments at the earlier stages to provide the justification that such sites are deliverable. To provide this certainty there could be a need for some form of transport assessment, even as early as the call for sites stage.
A significant evidence base covering transport and infrastructure matters will still be required to define the impacts of strategic sites over 150 dwellings. Given their greater contribution in unlocking and supporting growth, area-wide assessments of cumulative transport impacts would continue to be relevant in providing a sufficient amount of technical detail, including both traffic modelling and matters of sustainable connectivity. In this respect, the extension to PiP will not extend to strategic schemes.
Under the current system, transport mitigation works required as a result of a development are usually secured through Section 106 agreements or through payments under the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). The former is variable according to the location and scale of a development's impacts; the latter requires authorities to keep a record of its infrastructure needs and to apportion costs proportionally.
The White Paper intends to replace these with a new infrastructure levy set at a national level. This would be a fixed proportion of a development's value based on some as yet undefined threshold, realising the Government's long-term ambition for land value capture.
Currently, there is quite a clear link between development, its impacts on local transport conditions, the mitigation required to address that and the associated cost. The new infrastructure levy appears to remove some of this visibility for developers, in particular how this money would be spent, and indeed whether the schemes funded will benefit the future residents/users of the developed sites.
The fact that the levy would be fixed at the time of planning, and only payable upon occupation does provide some clarity to developers on the amount and timing for making such contributions. However, transport tends to be characterised by the requirement for timely interventions and longer leads times for delivery. This is likely to place an increased burden on authorities and/or other transport bodies to commit to transport infrastructure up front, potentially in advance of receiving levy monies. Borrowing against future receipts is also not without its risks.
Should development-specific off-site transport works be identified through a Transport Assessment, these will tend to be delivered through a Section 278 agreement. Where such works are identified, should these benefit from a degree of levy 'off-set'? In other cases, there may be implications for how an authority could continue employing Grampian-style conditions to control delivery rates ahead of transport scheme implementation.
There may also be an issue reconciling the infrastructure levy with the Government's ambition to address inequality and 'level up' under performing parts of the UK. For example, land values in the North of England are often significantly less than in the South-East, but are often also the areas where investment in infrastructure can have the greatest benefit. In these areas, will the receipt from the levy (based on land value capture) fall short of the required level for delivering meaningful transport infrastructure improvements, without other avenues of financial support?
The industry has been grappling with the best means for securing transport investment from new developments however, far from simplifying matters, an approach based on land-value has the potential to dilute the fundamental link between effect and mitigation; or complicate the delivery of the infrastructure necessary to support economic growth.
Your contact information:
All fields are mandatory *
RPS is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We will only use your personal information to administer your account and to provide the products and services you have requested. We would also like to contact you about our products and services, as well as other content that may be of interest to you.
Your message has been submitted successfully.
We aim to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.
If your enquiry is urgent - please contact your local office.
An error occurred. Please refresh the page and try again.


text:
Leading dental expertise from the heart of the North.
LM-Dental™ manufacturing and offices
All of our operations, product development, production, marketing, sales and administration are located in the idyllic seaside town of Parainen in Finland.
LM-Instruments Oy
Norrbyn rantatie 8
FI-21600 Parainen
tel: +358 2 4546400
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Regional sales
North and South America
Anssi DuMontier
Sales Manager
Toll-free 1-855-745-ERGO (3746)
Tel. 406-745-3746
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Dave Durbach, the head of Afrosynth is a hero of WTM. His journalistic precision and tireless coverage is so admirable, and as a record store owner in Johannesburg, as well as a world-class DJ (Okapi) – and of course an internationally acclaimed label boss – it makes him a key link in celebrating South African music worldwide.
Ziqubu is a class act. "A regular on the local soul scene since the late 1960s in groups such as The Flaming Souls, The Anchors and The Flaming Ghettoes," Dave explains. "By the mid-80s Condry Ziqubu had qualified as a sangoma (traditional healer), recorded with Harari (the biggest group in the country at the time), fronted his own group Lumumba, and travelled the world as part of Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu's band. In 1986 he ditched Lumumba and released his first solo hit, Gorilla Man. Opening with an audacious 20-second intro, the song tells the story of a man preying on women in downtown Johannesburg. It highlights Condry's winning formula of lyrics that touch on everyday South African issues and places (without drawing the attention of apartheid censors).
"Musically the song draws obvious influence from Piano Fantasia's 1985 Euro-disco hit Song for Denise. Also included on this new anthology is another song from the same album, the politically charged Confusion (Ma Afrika), as well as Phola Baby from his 1988 album Pick Six – a call to men to "stop pushing your woman around … what kind of man are you?" – and Everybody Party from 1989's Magic Man, a straight-up party song with no political or social intimations, other than as a brief escape from the harsh reality of the time, one that still resonates today." As Ziqubu explains, in the extensive liner notes provided with this reissue: "I had a song that got interest in Europe, one of my songs called Gorilla Man. Also like Harari, it was released in Europe. I was called one time by Peter Gabriel, and then I thought things were happening for me. He just called, 'Is that Condry?'I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'I'm Peter Gabriel.' I just couldn't believe it. It was the late 80s. So they got interested in that song Gorilla Man. And things were going to shape up. But eventually, I don't know, for some reason it faded away."
Much of the musical output around this time was subject to strict control by the media in South Africa, as well as exile imposed on musicians who were critical of the regime – outside of the country especially, if the artists resonated overseas. Ziqubu, when asked whether he was ever tempted to choose exile, like so many of his contemporaries, he replies: "No, I didn't even think about it… I was married already.
"For me to go into exile, it was out of the question. It never even entered my head. I was just there [outside SA] to make money, to play and come back. The 80s were happening hey. We kept the home fires burning while people were in exile. We were trying to really show our support, and that they must come back home." More albums by Ziqubu followed in the early 90s: No Money, No Love (1991) and Jealousy (1993). And after the fall of apartheid, the return of SA's exiled artists, he then got to feature on Semenya's Woman Got A Right To Be (1994) and Mbulu's Not Yet Uhuru (1996), further cementing his legendary status.
Today, the music of Condry Ziqubu is still synonymous with bubblegum, the sound of the 80s in SA. "It was just a term that was given, he says. "I think the people who came up with that term was the media … Some of the musicians didn't like it – because you know what it meant – you chew it up and throw it away – but it was just the name of the music.
"It proved them wrong – because even now, people are still going back and buying that music. It really proved them wrong!"
Gorilla Man will be released on vinyl and digitally in February 2021 on Johannesburg-based Afrosynth Records (AFS047), distributed worldwide by Rush Hour in Amsterdam. Pre-order here.


text:
Classic Muscle
Classic Muscle Joined the RevolutionParts Family to Expand Their Classic Car Restoration Parts Business
Over the past 23 years, Classic Muscle has adapted to the changing way retailers sell auto parts. "We've always sold classic parts over the counter and have a number of restoration shops and body shops that buy parts conventionally, either over the phone or in-person," says Scott. Over the years, he knew that if he wanted to evolve with customer demands, he needed to move his business online, but selling parts online has been a journey in itself. "Prior to RevolutionParts, we did have a website, but it wasn't keeping pace with what we were seeing RevolutionParts do with our OEM businesses. We talked to RevolutionParts about developing a platform for classic muscle that was outside of the OEM parts business."
RevolutionParts began as a platform specializing in helping OEM dealers sell parts, but once they began to expand their capabilities, they developed an aftermarket platform that allowed Classic Muscle to grow their eCommerce business.
"Our eCommerce business is growing rapidly and is up 40% over last year. RevolutionParts has been a great partner in helping up navigate and handle that growth pretty efficiently," says Scott. "The tools and the backend keep evolving to better process orders and export orders from Revolution into our DMS. Modern Automotive Network has six sites running with RP, and we handle all the business with only two people. We are pacing to do over $4 million in eCommerce business due to the efficiencies that are being added to the tool."
Selling Online with RevolutionParts
"COVID has actually played into our hands," says Bill.
"The pandemic gave us a lift. People were stuck at home and had time to work on their projects, so we saw a similar lift that you saw with Home Depot and Lowes with people wanting to work on projects in their home. People had time to work on their cars, so as other parts of our business slowed down, our parts business picked up."
Scott points out that the biggest surprise and greatest boost has been their expanding audience, "You have a much broader audience that is buying a different segment of parts online than we would traditionally sell over the counter into our service department or to body shops. It helps round out our inventory. We end up with a more balanced inventory and better fill rates, which ultimately drives better service to our customers."
This expansion into new customer segments has helped drive some of the success behind Classic Muscle, a business Scott was once concerned would begin to fall behind as the cars got older and harder to find. He also notes that much of their traditional, over-the-counter clientele was getting older. However, eCommerce has been able to open them up to a new audience base that wouldn't otherwise have access to them.
"Working with RevolutionParts, the performance of the website and the marketing team has certainly breathed another level of life into this business. We are really optimistic about the future," says Scott.
Having an online presence is so important, but no matter where their customers are buying parts from, you can expect a personalized experience from the team at Classic Muscle.
Bill Neely confidently states that customer service and the availability of parts are the two most important factors behind operating a successful online business, "We have over a million dollars in inventory, so our investment is substantial for that piece of business."
Scott agrees that the way Bill leads his team and the focus on customer service has a significant impact on Classic Muscle's success, "Bill and his team are passionate about the business, and that makes it easy to take good care of your customers. He has someone on his team that reached out personally to just about every one of the orders that we receive. There are very few orders that are filled without a personal contact. Even though we are getting an order electronically, we make sure that we don't lose that personal piece."
Scott and his team encourage those who want to start selling parts online and are committed to growing their parts business to sign up with RevolutionParts, saying:


text:
Snow gums are experiencing dieback in Kosciuszko National Park, largely because of the impacts of the native longicorn (or 'longhorn') beetle. These beetles prefer to lay their eggs on moisture-stressed trees and, in warmer weather, the longicorn beetle can hatch and grow up to 75% faster (reports here). This has been linked to climate change because of warmer temperatures in alpine areas.
So far, impacts seem to be limited to areas in the Snowy Mountains among two distinct subspecies of snow gum – in the Guthega and Perisher areas and parts of Thredbo.
This is an update on the research into the impacts of dieback in these areas.
The following report comes from the Autumn 2020 issue of the Resort Roundup newsletter which is published by NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (available here).
"With very hot dry weather right up until late January, alpine snow gums were again under increased moisture stress and hence were even more susceptible to attack from longicorn beetles (Phoracantha species). Over the summer there has been a lot of research and investigation work being conducted on the dieback, and hopefully you can help.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Australian Alps National Parks Co-operative Management Committee are working closely with researchers from Australian National University (ANU), Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE), and others to gain more information in the following areas:
- Dieback cause – confirmation of the main beetle species responsible for the current outbreak. One of the techniques being used was establishment of 'emergence traps' to trap all woodborers that come out of the trees between December and March. 'Funnell traps' were placed in areas varying in attack severity with the aim of investigating links between insect abundance and attack severity.
- Extent and species affected – confirmation of the Eucalypt species affected by the beetle and the current extent of the outbreaks. Plots and transects have been established to investigate the dieback in detail and look at any patterns between individual stands and at the landscape-level. Tree cores are being used to estimate the timing of dieback.
- Moisture stress – investigating the severity of water stress within snow gum forests and its association with beetle attacks. Plot, transect and tree core data will be used to look for correlations between insect attack and changes in variables such as rainfall and climate.
- Public risk in ski resorts is being assessed using the following methods:
-Flights to obtain new highly accurate imagery of each resort
-Mapping of severity of dieback within each resort
-Mapping of high use areas and areas with heightened public safety risk due to unstable trees
-Risk management plans and work to assess safety issues.
Your help is required to map the location and scale of current outbreaks. This can be done by simply taking a photograph and filling out a basic form at each location on the Atlas of Living Australia Snowgum dieback webpage.


text:
Life for those who kill emergency workers among criminal justice reforms coming into force
A raft of changes also include measures to protect women and girls with a new offence covering people who take non-consensual pictures of breastfeeding and more time for domestic abuse victims to report offences.
Tuesday 28 June 2022 03:35, UK
Mandatory life sentences for those who kill emergency workers are among criminal justice reforms designed to "make our streets safer" coming into force today.
The changes also toughen sentences for those guilty of pre-meditated child murder.
In such cases a whole-life tariff - where offenders are told they will never be released - will be the starting point when judges consider sentences.
In addition, the Ministry of Justice said, it is ending the automatic early release of offenders deemed to be a danger to the public.
There are also measures to protect women and girls, with a new offence of taking non-consensual photographs or videos of breastfeeding women punishable by up to two years in prison.
Meanwhile, the time limit for prosecutions of domestic abuse related common assault and battery charges will be altered from six months from the date of the offence to six months from the date it is reported to the police - up to a maximum of two years from the offence.
That is aimed to give victims more time to report the incidents.
The raft of changes are part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act.
Boris Johnson said the government was "delivering on its commitment to make our streets safer".
The prime minister added: "We have changed the law so that dangerous criminals are given the sentences they deserve and kept behind bars, and we are backing the police with the powers they need to keep us safe."
The introduction of a mandatory life sentence for anyone convicted of killing an emergency worker whilst committing a crime is known as Harper's Law.
It follows a campaign by Lissie Harper, whose husband PC Andrew Harper died from his injuries after he was caught in a strap attached to the back of a getaway car and dragged down a country road by a group of teenagers fleeing the scene of a quad bike theft.
His killers were cleared of murder and given sentences of between 13 years and 19 years for manslaughter.
An appeal by the Attorney General asking for their jail terms to be increased was rejected.
Other changes include:
• Higher maximum penalties for a range of child cruelty offences - including life for people guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult in their household
• Judges will be able to hand down life sentences for death by dangerous driving or death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs while there will be a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving
• Whole-life tariffs can be imposed on 18-20 year-olds who commit the worst offences such as terrorism causing mass loss of life
• Maximum penalty for those who assault police or other emergency workers, or prison officers, doubled from 12 months to two years
• A new offence of "intentionally of recklessly" causing public nuisance reflecting the rise in so-called "guerrilla protest" tactics plus new police power to tackle non-violent protests that cause disruption to the public or access to parliament
• Changing sentencing guidelines for children who commit murder - with longer minimum terms for older children or more serious cases - and making it harder for those who have since turned 18 to have their minimum terms reviewed
• Offenders jailed for between four and seven years for serious violent and sexual offences such as rape, manslaughter and GBH with intent will no longer be released half-way through their sentences - instead having to spend two-thirds of their time behind bars
• Ensuring the courts pass at least the minimum sentence for certain offences including repeat knife possession and "third strike" burglaries, unless there are exceptional circumstances
• Tougher community sentences double the amount of time offenders can be subject to curfew restrictions to two years
• Laws banning people in "positions of trust" from sexual activity with 16 and 17-year-olds extended to include sports coaches and religious leaders
• Allowing criminal courts to maximise the use of video and audio technology to spare participants in trials from having to travel unnecessarily to courts
• Allowing deaf jury members to have a sign language interpreter with them in the jury deliberation room - bypassing the current ban on the presence of a "stranger" in the room
• Sentencing of people who cause criminal damage to memorials will no longer hinge on the monetary value of the damage caused - meaning even low value claims can be heard by the Crown Court, which can apply a ten-year maximum


text:
Introducing a new size Mini Pill Available on Hoops and chains.
Our Mini Pill Charm is cast in Sterling Silver & Overlaid in Black Enamel & hangs on a Sterling Silver Hoop Earring.
Sold as singles.
Also Available in Black/Gold, Red/Gold, Turquoise/Gold, Orange/Gold, Neon Pink/Silver, Neon Lime Green/Silver, Gold Plated, Sterling Silver & 2 Tone


text:
Advancement of two new Brethren to Campbelltown Chapter.
Tag: Area Meeting
Home Area Meeting
GSE Bulletin 01, GSE Bulletins, Area Meeting, Delegations, Dispensations, District Meeting, GSE Bulletin, Notice Papers
To BE READ OUT IN OPEN CHAPTER. The Grand Secretariat would like to remind Chapters and Grand Chapter Officers...
Recent Posts
Area Meeting Chapter Directory Constitution Convocation Delegations DGZ Dispensations District Meeting Education Egyptian Room Final Meeting Grand Convocation Grand Council Grand Installation 2018 Grand Mark GSE Bulletin GZ Handbook Installation Kuala Lumpur Mark Man Ceremony Mark Man Team Mark Master Degree Notice Papers Open Night Publications Royal Arch Royal Ark Mariner Sailability SAILABILITY APPEAL Select Masters South East Asia Training Turramurra University of Sydney Victorian Willoughby
Featured Products
- USGC Face Mask $10.00
Top Rated Products
- Royal Arch Principals Apron & Sash $125.00
- USGC Cap (Black) $15.00
- Regalia Case $65.00


text:
The draft contract for the 2020 Summer Games — reviewed by Mayor Martin J. Walsh before he committed the Hub to its own 2024 bid — would put Tokyo taxpayers on the hook for hidden costs and ensure a hefty payday for the International Olympic Committee, a Herald review found.
City officials released a copy of the 81-page Tokyo 2020 host city contract yesterday following months of pressure from the Herald, and after the city and Boston 2024 — the group behind the push for a Hub-hosted Summer Games — had originally claimed that the contract, and another for the 2022 Games, were the property of the International Olympic Committee and not public.
The contract offers a view into the types of stipulations the IOC demands, including:
• The city/committee "shall bear all taxes," including any custom duties or indirect taxes visiting athletes and IOC officials and staffers would otherwise be subject to in the country.
• All "guarantees" the host city and committee make to the IOC in its application "shall be binding." Furthermore, the IOC would be under no obligation to make any financial contributions of its own.
• The IOC would get 7.5 percent of all gross revenues and ticket sales and 20 percent of any surplus revenue, and the organizing committee would fork over another $15 million for the rights to the accompanying International Paralympic Games.
"The IOC's contract language makes clear that taxpayers are on the hook if things don't go according to the boosters' plans," officials at No Boston Olympics, a local opposition group, said of the newly released contract.
The United States Olympic Committee, which released its own copy yesterday, argued that the contract was "not a reliable model" for the 2024 Games contract because that pact will be based on a newly adopted Olympic agenda. Mark Adams, an IOC spokesman, also downplayed the contract's details, adding the governing body is "completely happy and relaxed" the document was released.
Despite initially fighting the document's release, prompting the Herald to appeal to the Secretary of State's office back in February, Laura Oggeri, a Walsh spokesman, said the mayor "supports the highest level of transparency in this process, and he is glad this document has been made available for public review."
Boston 2024 lawyer R. Robert Popeo, the Mintz Levin chairman who also serves on the group's board of directors, wrote Secretary of State William Galvin's office last month to keep the Olympic documents secret and demand city officials return "confidential" records to the nonprofit's executives to further keep them out of the public eye. The USOC and Boston officials decided to release the contract before a ruling was made.
In its own statement, Boston 2024 officials said the group "respects" the USOC's decision to release the contract, adding that it is committed to an "open process."
"While this contract is not an indication of what could be contracted for the 2024 Games," the statement read, "the release of the 2020 Host City Contracts reflects this commitment and keeps us focused on our primary objective: bringing the Olympics back to the U.S., right here in Boston."
Joe Dwinell contributed to this report.


text:
Moi pseudo digital existencing play,
is dark gray and rather bleek.
To read and need to want to stay,
must mean you're silky sleek.
Too sleek to want too leave,
to strong to play by day.
Like all of us in endless reprieve,
caressing the edgeless milky-way.
Your control is very and unneeded,
when reality hits you with weigh.
The gate is now open and unheeded,
there's no such thing as bad cache'.


text:
On Friday 21 February the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a statement elaborating on the latest details of their plan to step down as 'senior' royals. Among the bullet points set out in the announcement, listed on the couple's sussexroyal.com website, is the stipulation:
'It is agreed that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to require effective security to protect them and their son. This is based on The Duke's public profile by virtue of being born into The Royal Family, his military service, the Duchess' own independent profile, and the shared threat and risk level documented specifically over the last few years.'
Yet the latest reports have suggested that this matter may be more complicated than anticipated, with the Mirror alleging that Prince Harry and Meghan's security requirements have been deemed 'unworkable', considering that costs could reach as much as £20 million a year.
Unlike Royal Family members based principally in the United Kingdom, Harry and Meghan's planned transatlantic lifestyle between the UK and North America – and prospective international travel for their independent business and philanthropic projects – will call for a significant stretch of police resources. The news outlet alleges that a 'row' is taking place over who will fund the couple's costs to keep themselves and their young son, 9-month-old Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, safe if the family are to be principally based in Canada. It is thought that senior officers are currently drawing up emergency plans to as much as double the protection team guarding the family.
The Mirror references an internal Scotland Yard report that indicates staffing issues among the team that protects the royals, due to increased demand from the Sussexes. Since the announcement of their decision to step away from traditional royal life, Harry and Meghan have travelled between Canada, the US and the UK, often individually, thereby leaving all three of them in separate locations and requiring their own security.
Former Met protection officer Dai Davies is quoted in the Mirror as stating that the issue is of particular gravity at a time when the force is already feeling the strain of Conservative budget cuts. Davies feels that the current 'plans are unworkable' and expresses concern as to Harry and Meghan's expectations, saying that their 'situation has called for a complete ripping up of the rulebook and they are acting like none of the rules apply to them.
'There is already a severe lack of trained officers and this is only adding to the Met's woes.'
Other sources add that initial security cost calculations of between £3 million and £6 million a year were 'woefully inadequate', with one stating, 'The average salary of a protection officer is in excess of £106,000 and, on current standing, Harry and Meghan need at least 12 if not more split over several teams.
'Training for extra officers plus potential relocation payments to some who may be permanently based abroad has led to a complete reworking of the situation.
'The Met have been told to deliver the calculations before the Government makes its decision, but both parties are perturbed, with the situation exploding past £10 million annually to easily reach £20 million.'
And police insiders aren't the only ones to have expressed concerns, with politicians also voicing their reservations. Labour MP Stephen Doughty stated that while he supports 'the freedom of Harry and Meghan to choose a more private life… serious questions must now be asked about who is going to foot this ballooning security bill… particularly when they plan to travel for personal or commercial reasons.'
'It cannot be right that at a time when communities across the UK are calling out for more police to tackle serious crime and violence that further pressure is being placed on them.'
The Liberal Democrat's Home Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine also expressed her worries, stating, 'Given they have made the choice, it is reasonable for the Sussexes to contribute to the cost of their security abroad rather than put the whole bill on the UK taxpayer.'
Former Labour MP Emma Dent Coad added: 'Why must we pay this vast sum to protect these soon-to-be non-royals to jet-set around the world as they play at being philanthropists?
'They are both multi-millionaires. They won't starve.'
While the unprecedented withdrawal from royal life was never going to be an easy process, the transition is proving more complicated than Harry and Meghan might have anticipated.
More from Tatler


text:
Car Overview
Cadillac XT4
The Cadillac XT4 is the smallest SUV in the automaker's lineup. It arrived in 2019 as a compact crossover made for people seeking Cadillac design, quality, features, and technology without the bulk or price of a larger vehicle. The XT4 has a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and available all-wheel drive, and it offers more passenger and cargo room than its exterior dimensions might suggest. Like every member of the Cadillac family, the XT4 conveys affluence and high-tech minimalism. In the XT4, however, those traits are rendered in a bite-size package that is both agile and efficient.


text:
The 8 Best Infused Edible Chocolate Bars
A list of the best infused edible chocolate bars available on the market today. All infused edible chocolate bars have positive reviews.
What are the best infused chocolate bars on the market?
Chocolate is one of the most commonly infused cannabis edibles. As marijuana becomes legalized in more states the number of people with access to edibles is increasing. In fact, the growing demand has created a huge variety of infused edible chocolate bars on the market today. However, not every infused chocolate bar is made the same.
Some companies have been caught "fudging" about their dosages. The reason is marijuana businesses in California are not accountable for mislabeling dosages. Usually, an organization like the FDA would regulate and ensure accurate labels are on each product. However, the legal status of cannabis prevents an organization like this from existing.
Unfortunately, there is no way to tell who is lying without getting the edible lab tested for THC. However, this is not something many people can go ahead and do with every one of their edible purchases, just like we can't do with each of the foods we buy.
So, it is important to find an infused edible chocolate bar that you can trust. No single infused chocolate bar will be best for everyone. What is the best infused chocolate bar for a beginner? For someone with a high tolerance?
Not to worry, we'll get into those details in our list of the best infused edible chocolate bars available on the market today. We've excluded any company with a history of mislabeling from our list. The following infused edible chocolate bars are well-known and with positive ratings.
8. Incredibles
Incredibles was founded in 2010. They are recognized as the number one infused chocolate edibles in Colorado.
The company is known for quality and consistency for both concentrates and edibles.
Their cannabis-infused chocolates have placed several times in Cannabis Cup competitions.
Most edibles in Colorado are 100 mg due to new restrictions. The Salted Pistachio Mint Bar by Incredibles is also 100 mg with perfect lab results.
It's safe to say that each piece contains 10 mg as advertised. Judges praised the "yummy salted pistachio mint taste."