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The states in India were not only weak but also poor and unevenly developed. So the founding fathers of Indian Constitution spent a lot of effort in designing the financial relations between Union and states which are reasonably rigid in a flexible mould. The Constitution devotes two parts – one on the allocation of resources and the second on the distribution of grants in aid between Union and the state.
The Constitution has provided a reasonably long list of Union and state resources of revenue and has then classified them how these resources will be mopped up or realized for transfer to the treasuries of the Union and state governments. This arrangement has deliberately been left open to be revised and readjusted to the fluctuations of national and state economies by a Finance Commission.
Although, an expert and independent body, the Finance Commission is an agency of Centre and the state have to appear before it for the augmentation of their revenue resources. The centre has a built-in advantage and the grants-in-aid arrangements that states will have to present their case before the commission determines the quantum and character of these grants. Obviously the sources of the Union government are more elastic while the state governments, not withstanding their political colours have to satisfy themselves with traditional services which are too meagre to meet the developmental burdens.
Resources of the Union government include corporation tax, currency, coinage and legal tender, foreign exchange, duties of customs including export duties, duties of excise on tobacco and certain goods manufactured or produced in India, estate duty in respect of property other than agricultural land, fees in respect of any of the matters in the Union List, but not including any fees taken in any court, foreign loans, lotteries organised by the Government of India or the government of a state, post-office savings bank, post and telegraph, telephones, wireless, broadcasting and other like forms of communication, property of the Union, public debt of the Union, railways, rates of stamp duty in respect of bills of exchange, cheques, promissory notes, etc., Reserve Bank of India.
Taxes on income other than agricultural income, taxes on the capital value of assets, exclusive of agricultural land, of individuals and companies, taxes on the sale or purchase of newspapers and on advertisements published therein, terminal taxes on goods or passengers, carried by railways, sea or air, and taxes other than stamp duties on transaction in stock exchanges and future markets.
In contrast to this, huge resources that the state sources of finance enumerated in the Constitution are capitation taxes, duties in respect of succession to agricultural land, duties of excise on certain goods produced or manufactured in the states such as alcoholic liquid, opium, etc., estate duty in respect of agricultural land, fees in respect of any of the matters in the State List, but not including fees taken in any court, land revenue, rate of stamp duty in respect of documents other than those specified in the Union List, taxes on agricultural income, taxes on land and buildings, taxes on mineral rights, subject to limitations imposed by Parliament relating to mineral development, taxes on the consumption or sale of electricity, taxes on sale and purchase of goods, taxes on advertisements other than those published in newspapers, taxes on vehicles, taxes on animals and boats, tax on goods and passengers carried by roadways and waterways, taxes on trades professions, taxes on luxuries, tolls and taxes on employment, entertainment and gambling. The Indian Constitution follows the 1935 arrangement in classifying the levying, collection and appropriation of these resources which are exclusively assigned or are shared between the Union and the states.
This five-fold distribution is as follows:
(1) Taxes exclusively assigned to the Union:
In this category, certain items of revenue have been exclusively assigned to the Union. These include customs and export duties, income tax, excise duties on tobacco, jute, etc., corporation tax on capital value of assets of individuals and companies; estate duty and succession duty in respect of property other than agricultural land; and income from the earning departments like the Railway and Postal departments.
(2) Taxes exclusively assigned to the states under Article 269:
This category contains items of revenue which fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the state. These are: land revenue; stamp duty (except on documents included in the Union List); succession duty and estate duty; taxes on goods and passengers carried by road or inland waters; consumption or sale of electricity; tolls; taxes on employment; duties on alcoholic liquors for human consumption, opium, India hemp and other narcotic drugs; taxes on the entry of goods into local area; taxes on luxuries, entertainments, amusements, betting and gambling, etc.
(3) Taxes leviable by Union but collected and appropriated by states under Article 268:
The revenue from the following items is collected and appropriated by the states. Stamp duties on bills of exchange, cheques, promissory notes, bills of lading, letters of credit, policies of insurance, transfer of shares, etc. Excise duties on medicinal, toilet preparations containing alcohol or opium of Indian hemp or other narcotic drugs. Though all the above items are included in the Union List and the Union government can levy taxes on them, yet all these duties are collected by the states and form part of the revenue of the state who collects them.
(4) Taxes levied and collected by Union but assigned to states under Article 269:
The taxes on the following items are levied and collected by the Union but wholly assigned to the states within which they are levied.
i. Duties in respect of succession to property other than agricultural land;
ii. Estate duty in respect of property other than agricultural land;
iii. Terminal taxes on goods or passengers carried by rail, sea, or air;
iv. Taxes on railway freights and fares;
v. Taxes other than stamp duties on transactions in stock exchanges and future markets; and
vi. Taxes on the sale or purchase of newspapers and on advertisements published therein.
(5) Taxes levied and collected by Union and shared with states:
The taxes from the following items are levied and collected by the Union government but shared with the states in certain proportion with a view to securing an equitable distribution of the financial resources:
i. Taxes on income other than agricultural income;
ii. Excise duties, other than those on medicinal and toilet preparations.
The Constitution provides that the Parliament may by law give grants-in-aid to the needy states out of the revenue of the Central government. The amount of such grants is determined by the Parliament in accordance with the needs aim to help such states which need Centre's special support for special kinds of needs and calamities. Knowing well the inelasticity of state's resources and the pressure of development on state exchequers the provision of grants in aid by the Centre seems justified.
This need necessitated the provision of a Finance Commission which the President of India appoints every fifth year:
(1) To assess and fix the allocation of revenue to the Central and state governments, and
(2) To determine the principles and proportions on which the grants in aid can compensate the revenues of the states.
This ongoing arrangement and distribution of resources by an expert economic body with the approval of the Parliament presents a democratic solution of the question. If it does not work well, then Article 360 of the Constitution empowers the President to make a declaration of emergency stating that a situation has arisen whereby the financial stability or credit of India is threatened.
The consequences of this declaration are:
(1) During the period, the executive authority of the Union shall extend to the giving of directions to any state to observe such canons of propriety as may be specified in the directions.
(2) These directions may include: A provision requiring all Money Bills or other Financial Bills to be reserved for the consideration of the President. A provision to issue directions for the reduction of salaries and allowances of all or any class of persons serving in connection with the affairs of the Union and states including the judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court.
The duration of such proclamation will be a period of two months; unless before the expiry of that period, it is approved by resolutions of both houses of Parliament. If the House of the People is dissolved within the aforesaid period of two months, the proclamation shall cease to operate on the expiry of 30 days from the date on which the House of the People first sits after its reconstitution, unless before the expiry of that period of 30 days it has been approved by both houses of Parliament. It may be revoked by the President at any time, by making another proclamation.
A. Towards Centralisation:
This prescribed union-state relationship of the Constitution has passed through very many vicissitudes and strains since 1950. The dependence syndrome of state on the Union government has caused flutter if not open protests. Several committees and commissions were appointed even during Nehru era when the governments in most of the states belonged to the ruling Congress party.
The Planning Commission and its role as an extra constitutional body generated a debate but the issue could be resolved within the framework of the Constitution. In six years of working of the Constitution, the India polity witnessed three constitutional amendments Third, Sixth and Seventh which have a direct bearing on union-state relations.
The Third Amendment Act:
The Third Amendment Act modified item 33 of the Concurrent List and increased the power of the Union government over the production, distribution, and prices of many commodities including the foodgrains in 1954.
The Sixth Amendment Act:
The Sixth Amendment Act 1956 added a new item 9-A to the Union List and thereby reduced the powers of the state legislature with regard to imposition of sales tax by states.
The Seventh Amendment Act:
The Seventh Amendment Act added Section 350-A to the Constitution whereby special powers were given to the Centre to give primary education to the linguistic minority groups in their own language. Under this amendment, the Central government was authorised to appoint a special officer to look after the special interests of the linguistic groups. It also transferred 'industries' from the State List to the Union List.
Even during Nehru period, the Supreme Court of India following the American convention of doctrine of implied powers interpreted the Constitution on the assumption that whatever is not clearly given or assigned to the states may be taken as implied with the centre.
The Supreme Court, held in a number of cases that the Central government was competent to levy taxes on all those goods and things which were manufactured by the state government. An autonomous corporation created and controlled by the state government is liable to the payment of income tax as imposed by the Central government.
It is the jurisdiction of the state government to decide as to which medium of instructions should be used in the affiliated colleges, but at the same time, this power of the state will become invalid if it lowers the standard of an institution of higher learning as higher education is in the domain of the Central government.
Thus, the Supreme Court has taken a stand which has led to the increase of the Central government's powers at the cost of state activity. The Indian Constitution lays down the rules of comity, which the units have to observe in their horizontal and vertical relationships. These rules and agencies relate to matters such as recognition of the public acts, records and proceedings of each other, extra-judicial settlement of disputes, coordination between states and freedom of inter-state trade and commerce. It has contributed to the growth of centralisation in Indian polity.
B. The Pinpricks and Protest:
In the post-Nehru era, the non-Congress coalitions at Centre and states disturbed this union-state equilibrium with a political jolt. The states mounted their campaigns for increased autonomy. The Administrative Reforms Commission constituted in 1967 asked the Setalvad Study Team to make a comprehensive analysis of union-state relations for their recommendations. It was the beginning of identification of the problem.
Following the ARC report 1969, the Tamil Nadu government constituted a commission to examine intergovernmental relations under the chairmanship of Justice P.V. Rajamannar in 1969. The provision of President's rule under Article 356 was the real hub of controversy when eleven instances of President's rule were witnessed in four years time from 1967 to 1971.
The M.C. Setalvad study team of ARC recommended the following:
(1) An inter-state council with five representatives one each from five zonal councils may be set up.
(2) The office of the Governor be filled by a person having ability, objectivity and independence and the incumbent must regard himself a creation of the Constitution.
(3) An inter-state council be composed of the Prime Minister and other central ministers holding key portfolio and chief ministers and others may be invited or co-opted.
(4) Guidelines for the Governor to regulate the exercise of discretionary powers may be detailed.
(5) The relationship between the Finance Commission and the Planning Commission should be rationalised.
The Tamil Nadu Rajmannar report of 1971 is another comprehensive document of 282 pages wherein Justice Rajmannar reopened some of these perennial issues and suggested:
(1) An inter-state council, consisting of chief ministers with Prime Minister as chairman be set up to resolve inter-state disputes.
(2) The Governor of a state should be appointed in consultation with the state government and should be ineligible for second term.
(3) The jurisdiction of Article 356 pertaining to President's rule be restricted to avoid its abuse by the Centre.
(4) Some subjects from Union List be transferred to the State List and a redefinition of items in Union List be attempted.
(5) The residuary powers of legislation and taxation should be vested in the state legislature.
This crystallisation of issues in union-state relation in the year 1977 promoted the West Bengal Marxist government to articulate the need for redefinition and a document was prepared as a charter of demands against the Union government. It picked up specific articles of the Constitution and suggested varieties of amendment to extend the sphere of state autonomy.
Some of the major recommendations of West Bengal document on Centre-state relations are appended below:
(1) The state legislature should have exclusive power to legislate on matters not enumerated in Union or Concurrent List. For this Article 248 be suitably amended.
(2) The preamble should describe India a 'Federation of state' and the term Union should be deleted.
(3) Rajya Sabha should be directly elected with equal representation of states and its powers should be equal with that of Lok Sabha.
(4) Article 302 which restricts states trade and commerce should be deleted.
(5) Article 368 should be so amended as to ensure that no amendment of the Constitution was possible without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present and voting in each house of Parliament.
(6) Languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule should be allowed in the work of the Central government and the state governments at all levels. English should continue to be used for all the official purposes of the Union along with Hindi as long as the people of the non-Hindi regions so desire.
(7) Article 249 is an encroachment upon state autonomy and should be deleted.
(8) All India services (IAS and IPS) should be abolished and there should be only Union and state services and Centre should have no jurisdiction over the personnel of state services.
(9) Article 3 of the Constitution should be suitably amended so as to ensure that the name and area of a state cannot be changed by Parliament to prevent specific conflict between two or more states in respect to territory.
(10) The special status of Kashmir within the Indian Union, as laid down in Article 370 of the Constitution should be retained.
(11) Articles pertaining to President's Rule, Financial Emergency and Reservation of Bills for President's assent should be done away with.
(12) The Seventh Schedule and its lists should be reformulated and states should have exclusive control over police, law and order, CRPF, certain categories of industries, etc.
(13) A separate article should be included in the Constitution to constitutionalise the existence and operations of Planning Commission and National Development Council. The Centre supervise these organisations to play its role as a coordination agency.
(14) States must be accorded more powers for improving tax on their own and to determine the units of public borrowings.
C. The Sarkaria Effort:
This West Bengal Document was a well thought out and precisely drafted memorandum and it aimed to arrest the increasing tendency of centralisation. It went much beyond Article 356 and its implications but covered several maiden areas like all India services. Seventh and Eighth Schedules and problems of union policy through CRPF. The roles of Governor, Planning Commission, Finance Commissions, NDC were viewed from the state's angle.
The memorandum goes to the extent of suggesting that Union List should contain only five subjects, namely, (1) Foreign Relations, (2) Defence, (3) Currency, (4) Communications, and (5) Economic Coordination. The radical suggestions to delete several articles go a long way to change the basic nature and structure of the Indian Constitution. But the demand for restructuring Centre-state relations continued unabated by non-Congress states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tripura, Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir.
This forced Government of India to set up a commission under the chairmanship of Justice R.S. Sarkaria to go into the question and recommend appropriate changes within the constitutional framework in August 1983. The Commission took four years to complete its deliberations and submitted its report on October 27, 1987. The Commission made a total of 247 recommendations of which 24 were rejected, 10 were not considered wholly relevant and 36 accepted with modifications. One hundred and nineteen recommendations are reported to have won the government's full acceptance.
The centrist tendency and the office of the Governor in union-state relations dominated the Sarkaria findings and recommendations.
The Commission felt that:
(1) The chief minister of a state should be chosen by the Governor according to a four-step formula.
(2) Article 356 should be retained but should sparingly be used after due warning to erring state.
(3) State legislature should not be dissolve before the Presidential proclamation.
i. Leader of the pre-election alliance.
ii. Leader of the largest single party.
iii. Leader proving his or her majority in front of the Governor.
iv. Leader whom the Governor thinks the House will support or accept.
The other recommendations pertain to more all India services in technical fields and intergovernmental councils to sort out Centre-state disputes. The dynamics democracy and development has significantly changed the framework in which the states now find themselves operating.
It signifies a need for a wide ranging re-examination of Centre-state relations so that they are enabled to have adequate powers as well as resources to meet their growing patterns of needs. This should be possible without weakening the Centre. The problems call for greater bi-level or tri-level sensitivity to the need for sound political processes and conventions in the land.
With the constitutionalisation of the Panchayati Raj in 1993, federalism has become a three-tier governmental arrangement, and the needs and aspirations of the community-level government must also be constitutionally monitored. For this, the Constitution has already created an institutional framework of zonal councils and control boards. Then, there are informal consultation devices through conferences.


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These crazy straws add fun and challenge to people who have pretty good fine-motor control. This woman is blind and has very good motor control. I thought that she would find this too easy or childish and I know that she prefers to simply socialize..... but she liked it. I put a couple of water bottles inside an oatmeal container to make it heavier and stable. Pushed a couple of straws inside and taped all in place. I originally made this for someone who might like to color match the red and green circles to the straws.But since she can't see, I will make another one for her with only one straw. The straws cost 6 for a dollar, so I can make several of these activities for pennies.....
Monday, August 4, 2014
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subset: commoncrawl


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Holy Grounds Coffee Hour
Every Sunday, 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
Your kids are in Sunday school and you have a free hour before the service starts. What to do with that time? In addition to adult classes, you can join other parents for coffee, snacks, and fellowship, 9:00-9:45am in the Common Room for Holy Grounds Coffee Hour. We will swap stories and catch up on all the latest. Please join us!


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Bradley Manning, Keystone pipeline, and anarchism
Abby Martin talks about Bradley Manning's 1,000th day in detention. She then airs a report by BTS's Ameera David covering the unprecedented keystone pipeline and climate change rally this past weekend. Ameera discusses the rally and its significance, and features interviews with former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. BTS wraps up with an interview with Stefan Molyneux, host of Freedomain Radio, about the economy, the apparatus of the state and the philosophy of anarchism.
LIKE Breaking the Set @ http://fb.me/BreakingTheSet
FOLLOW Abby Martin @ http://twitter.com/AbbyMartin


text: On Sun, Oct 14, 2007, Stephen Harris wrote: >On Sun, Oct 14, 2007 at 04:30:16PM -0400, centos at unixplanet.biz wrote: >> Hello >> >> I was copying some files from one server to other, >> that I relized the total file size ( sum of all files ) >> in one server is a bit more than the one that copied from >> ( about 6 when I do du -s ) > >"du" takes into account block sizes and so on, so may not be the same on >two different machines. "ls -l" shows the exact size per file. There may also be differences if the file system types are different between the systems (e.g. reiserfs vs ext3). There is overhead on all file systems, so that a fresh, empty file system will have less free space than one might expect based on the size of the disk, number of sectors, and block size. I would expect that a newly built file system would have more available space after loading files from another system would have a bit more free space, all other things being equal, because new files would likely be in contiguous space, not spread about as may happen with growing database files. Bill -- INTERNET: bill at celestial.com Bill Campbell; Celestial Software LLC URL: http://www.celestial.com/ PO Box 820; 6641 E. Mercer Way FAX: (206) 232-9186 Mercer Island, WA 98040-0820; (206) 236-1676 You know the one thing that's wrong with this country? Everyone gets a chance to have their fair say. -Bill Clinton, May 29, 1993, The White House


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Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor says he learned the right way to throw a football this offseason, something that doesn't look like it will help him grab the starting job but he may still get a chance to show off his improved mechanics once the regular season gets underway.
Pryor said this weekend that the team has been working on packages of plays to take advantage of his skills and it doesn't come as much surprise to learn that those packages are part of the league-wide embrace of the pistol formation.
"The packages we're talking about have a lot to do with our offense," Pryor said, via Scott Bair of CSN Bay Area. "We're still going down the field with the ball. We're still throwing timing routes. It's just a package to get me on the field, and run the same plays that Matt Flynn, Tyler Wilson and Matt McGloin are running. It's the same stuff. It's just me, that and some pistol stuff. Stuff like that."
Pryor, like most of the quarterbacks playing for teams utilizing the formation, has the ability to make plays with his feet. The questions about him have to do with how many plays he'll be able to make with his arm and how quickly he'll be able to make the correct decisions on the field in any formation.
It does seem that he'll be the backup in Oakland, however. Reports from Raiders practice have shown Wilson losing snaps to McGloin in practice and Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that coach Dennis Allen said Wilson is behind "from a mental standpoint" at the moment. Assuming that things continue to progress in a similar manner, it looks like Pryor will be in uniform each week with the potential to see more of the field than he saw in his first two seasons.


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We offer you an EOFY Hire special. Select and Book a hire with us from our EOFY Packages TAB and look in a great saving on 2 of our popular Hire packages for your next event. (Hire must be completed by the 30th Augst 2013). This is a great opportunity to pick up an even greater saving on hire packages. Don't miss out.
28th June Update - We have had a great response to this promo and thank all our customers who have taken advantage of these speacials, please keep in mind that these specials have to be used by the 30th Aug 2013.


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87 Lafayette Street NYC 10013 - (212) 966-4510
Directed/Produced by Elena Zubareva
A portrait of the Achilles International New York Chapter. This short documentary gives a closer look at the people - both with and without disabilities - who meet in Central Park to run, support and inspire.
To learn more about the Media Enabled Musketeers program please visit www.dctvny.org/musketeers.
Access rentals, discounts & more
© copyright 2018 [DCTV]. All rights reserved.


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Uclan: Rituals and Ceremonies Brief
Tamar De Vires Winter - Enameller
Tamar's earliest inspiration came from the colour in textiles, jewellery and architecture in the Israeli Jewish and Islamic environment where she grew up. That had a profound influence on her jewellery and silverware.
She draws on the rich history and tradition of the art of enamelling. Her interest in ceremony, both personal and public, has led her to create a collection of Jewish and Christian ritual objects. Recent commissions have allowed her to take that history and tradition in new directions.
Fusing her own photographs of trees in her garden on copper vessels to explore ideas about climate change led her to discover how contemporary techniques could express socially relevant ideas in an ancient medium.
This October, the Museum of London will open a major new exhibition investigating the secrets of the Cheapside Hoard. This extraordinary and priceless treasure of late 16th and early 17th century jewels and gemstones – displayed in its entirety for the first time in over a century – was discovered in 1912, buried in a cellar on Cheapside in the City of London.Through new research and state-of-the-art technology, the exhibition will showcase the wealth of insights the Hoard offers on Elizabethan and Jacobean London – as a centre of craftsmanship and conspicuous consumption, at the crossroads of the Old and New Worlds. It will also explore the mysteries that remain, lost among the cataclysmic events of the mid-17th century: who owned the Hoard, when and why was it hidden, and why was it never reclaimed?
The Cheapside Hoard: London's Lost Jewels is part of the Museum of London's jewellery season, running alongside free photography exhibition Tomfoolery and free contemporary jewellery exhibition Made in London: Jewellery Now. You might also like our Cheapside Hoard inspired events.
Late exhibition openings (until 9pm): 10 January, 14 March, 11 April 2014
- See more at: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/london-wall/whats-on/exhibitions-displays/cheapside-hoard-londons-lost-jewels/#sthash.nviR7ByW.dpuf
El Dorado at the British Museum
For centuries Europeans were dazzled by the legend of El Dorado – literally 'the golden one'. Many different stories were told of El Dorado – sometimes it was imagined as a lost city of gold, sometimes as a man covered in powdered gold who plunged into the middle of Lake Guatavita (near modern Bogotá). The exhibition uncovers the fascinating truth behind some of these myths. Unlike in Europe, gold was not valued as currency in pre-Hispanic Colombia. Instead it had great symbolic meaning, facilitating all kinds of social and spiritual transformations. It was one way the elite could publicly assert their rank, both in life and in death.
Complex craftsmanship : The exhibition features over 200 fascinating objects from Museo del Oro, Bogotá, and around 100 from the British Museum's collection. They show technologically advanced and sophisticated goldworking techniques, including the use of an alloy composed of gold and copper, and the use of textiles, feathers, stones and ceramics. These beautiful and detailed works display a level of complex craftsmanship that perfectly marries art and skill, and show the differences in techniques and designs across the region.
Discover ancient Colombia: With a focus on the craftsmanship of peoples we know as the Muisca, Quimbaya, Calima and Tairona, the exhibition presents the complex network of societies in ancient Colombia – a hidden world of distinct and vibrant cultures. The remarkable objects reveal glimpses of these cultures' spiritual lives, including rituals of hallucinogenic transformation, engagement with animal spirits and objects animated through music, dancing and sunlight.
A unique exhibition The exhibition uncovers the extraordinary metalworking skill of the peoples of ancient Colombia through a unique collection of objects, some of which are being displayed in the UK for the first time.
Sara Perkins - Enameller
As a maker of hollow ware, I use properties of the metal: the plasticity, the permanence, and the dimensionality. As an enameller, I use properties of the glass: the preciousness, the texture, and the color. In my work these properties function together to make a whole, with the two materials complementing and completing each other, rather than one being visually more important than the other. My current work is primarily bowls and ceremonial vessels because I am interested in the social implications and uses of these forms. Subtle differences in shape affect the meaning of the piece dramatically: an open form is generous and a tighter one more austere and self-sufficient.
< To celebrate halloween the British Museum has interesting fact in their latest blog about rituals and magic >
Sue Lane - Jeweller
I am a contemporary jewellery designer/maker based in rural Herefordshire. I specialise in handmade contemporary silver, gold, palladium and platinum jewellery, including a unique range of engagement and wedding rings. I also teach jewellery making workshops, including the very popular 'make your own wedding rings'. I also work to commission.
check out the ring a day site....


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Something like the above is indicative of just how mired in trivia and shallowness this country has become. Oh yes...there's another big news-item that has made the headlines every day lately and caused the off-the-shoulder TV-gals to tremble in ecstasy, not to mention the guys...PLAYBOY is through with nude pictures! Is the nation about to have a (gasp) REVIVAL over that swing away from the obscene?
Poor Lamar (former NBA star)! He coughed up $75,000 for a weekend at the—get this—LOVE RANCH (euphemism for whorehouse) to spend with two gals over the weekend, fortified himself with enough erectile-dysfunction medicine to last for a month (the directions say to be careful—heart attack risk—see a doc if erection lasts FOUR HOURS) so he could keep the babes occupied 24/7 or until he gave up the ghost, whichever came first. The ghost almost came first and might yet have the ghoulish last laugh.
Lamar apparently fortified himself with other stuff to guarantee a degree of ecstasy never before known to mankind. He seemed determined to make the frat-house boys seem like pikers...maybe even Bill Cosby, who was still roaring at advanced ages but has escaped jail so far though the gals keep climbing out of the woodwork to cash in as the lawyers salivate and Cosby's wife furnishes the media accolades of his goodness, preserved for only the likes of Michael the Archangel.
The girls got worried when blood started streaming from here and there and froth began oozing from Odom's mouth and called 911, else he might have oozed on down the drain right there at the LOVE-HOLE, otherwise known as a PIMP'S PARADISE, catering to the rich whore-mongers. When the media got hold of the terrible tragedy, Odom was made to look like a saint about to be taking the first steps toward canonization.
Lamar had other problems like the fact that he was helicopter-challenged. The local machine in the town of Pahrump (are you kidding?) was not big enough to accommodate Odom's 6'10'' frame so he had to be content in the nearest hospital, where he lingered for days between life and death and doctors throughout the country wondered how he managed to outdo the effects of uber-exotic-ecstasy...or maybe whether or not he ever bothered to read the directions.
As for Hugh Hefner, the Playboy progenitor, one might say that his selling of women for huge profits ranks among the rankest enterprises. He's had no change of heart even though Playboy has lost millions of readers. No...he came to the conclusion that the Internet afforded him too much competition, pictures of lewdness available to people of all ages—Face-book, iTunes, Twitter—at all times...and for nothing—FREE! The media is full of the ramifications every day, everything from Internet-rape to Internet-unmentionable.
The strangest thing is that no one seems to mention that none of this lurid stuff would be possible if there were no women to make it so. The proprietor of the LOVE RANCH is no guiltier than the gal who sells her body. Both are in it for the money. Both are dishonorable to the nth degree, as are Odom and Hefner.
I hope Odom gets well. I don't care if Hefner's outfit burns to the ground. But I hope I've seen and heard the last about both of these sleazebags. Neither is worth a centimeter of print or a mini-second of TV time. Men still come home from the desert with limbs blown off or blind or paralyzed but they go quietly to some hospital without a mention while the media gushes over scum. Disgusting!
And so it goes.
Jim Clark


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International Odissi Festival 2011: Amanda Geroy performs Patha chhadi dey
Kelucharan Mohapatra
Aspect Ratio:
The 4th International Odissi Dance Festival in 2011 was held from December 23 to 30, 2011, at Rabindra Mandap Bhubaneswar. The festival was preceded by an attempt to create a world record by having around 550 dancers perform together at Kalinga Stadium. It saw the participation of most major Odissi ensembles in Orissa and a few from outside the state. With performances for over twelve hours each day, the festival featured several hundred performers in solo, duet and group works over eight days. In its scale, the festival offered a bird's eye view of the landscape of contemporary Odissi and its ever-changing nature. It foregrounded new trends in choreography, music and costuming. The seminars during the festival sparked lively debates on issues and concerns in Odissi. One such concern, voiced repeatedly, questioned the definition of tradition within the space of the dance form and the limits it could be stretched to. This raised parallel questions about innovation and experimentation in Odissi - a debate that found itself mirrored in the performances during the festival.
Amanda Geroy began her performing career at the age of six. Her first Odissi guru was Jyoti Rout, with whom she started studying in 1999. In 2000, Amanda spent six months intensively studying in India under the direction of Guru Jyoti Rout and Guru Padma Charan Dehury. During that time Amanda also studied Odissi mardala drum and Oriya language and immersed herself in Oriya culture. Amanda followed up with a second trip to India in 2001 for two months. Amanda finally shifted to India on a long-term basis in December of 2006. Since that time she has been living in Orissa and training under the guidance of Sujata Mohapatra at Srjan, Bhubaneswar. Now, she divides her time between USA and India, performing and teaching independently and with Mohapatra.
Here, she performs an Oriya abhinaya, a composition of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. A freshly bathed Radha is on her way to pick flowers, when she is accosted by Krishna. What follows is this song.
After a bath, Radha is on her way to pick flowers for her puja when she is accosted by Krishna. Let me go, don't block my way, she implores him.
Bhubaneswar, Orissa
Kelucharan Mohapatra gharana
Oriya abhinaya
Radha to Krishna
Sujata Mohapatra


text: Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Zappos. Tesla. These companies leverage their teams in extraordinary ways. They do it by creating and leveraging Swing. Learn how to apply these same approaches to your team. The most important and least asked question about teams today is....does your team have swing? "Swing" originates from crew, or rowing teams, when optimal synchronicity of effort occurs and everyone on the team is moving in perfect harmony, as if they are one. It is poetry in motion. Think of being in the zone during a run or a presentation or during a day when everything falls into place - now multiply that to an exponential factor. Everyone you are working is connected by and driven with an invisible force bringing you all to levels of greatness. Today's complex work configurations require teams with "swing". With employees from different work functions, cultures and backgrounds, the best leaders are the ones who can create "swing". They need to overcome the psychological, technological and physical barriers that exist in global organizations working remotely, virtually and at a time in society where there is the lowest trust in institutions and its leaders, than in modern history. Leaders can create "swing" by focusing on these 5 areas: 1. Mission Control Thinking - Winning teams do not think of their work as work. They view what they do as a mission. The difference is profound. Think of the NASA teams who put people and shuttles into space. They weren't working for the company--they were committed to the country, to science, to the mission of exploring new frontiers. If you think that's the private reserve of space travel or the search for a cancer cure, look at the teams constantly driving Amazon and Apple to turn missions into miracles. Learn how to use The Why(Y) Factor, an inspirational call to action, to set the tone and the higher calling of the mission. 2. Aspirational Ambitions - 'Teamless' companies--or those with mediocre people--are generally focused on performing a set of carefully proscribed functions and getting compensated for doing so. But those that raise the bar to exceptional heights are energized to move forward by aspirational goals established by leaders who develop pride of achievement and a determination to prevail over all expectations. This fusion of great leadership and superior people is a classic case of one plus one equals three. Learn how to use the Launch Control tool to create a short term qualitative goal and measures to drive success. 3. Internal Combustion - Teams of Distinction do not need to be threatened, cajoled or bribed to outperform. The espirit de corps that elevates them to their position of superiority is injected into their DNA by the leaders who inspire them. Learn the one question you need to ask to ignite internal combustion. 4. A Mind of its Own: All teams must be accountable to their managers. But Teams of Distinction do not sit around awaiting orders at every turn. Based on their mission critical thinking, they develop a virtual mind of their own, serving as a compass for what to do as they encounter unforeseen opportunities and challenges. If you have never had the privilege of seeing such a team in motion, you will be thrilled by its dynamism as you watch it in action. Learn the 4 Step Process to create a team with a Mind of its Own. 5. Greater than the Sum of Its Parts: Too often, team members don't communicate well. They don't offer feedback ask for what they need (or don't need) or understand/leverage other members' unique talents. These teams operate at a deficit--equal to or less than the sum of its parts. To be truly exceptional, a team must be greater than that sum: it must have an exponent over its name. Learn how to use the Team Feedback Loop and Blank Page Meetings to make your team greater than the sum of its parts, This speech will give leaders the motivation and tools to create a Team of Distinction with "Swing".


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Ask A Lawyer: Can I Discharge My Child Support Obligation In Bankruptcy?
An experienced bankruptcy - debt solution - attorney like Denvil Crowe has the ability and tenacity to stop bill collectors in their tracks and make them stop calling once and for all. An experienced and knowledgeable debt collection defense and bankruptcy attorney like Denvil Crowe is more than adequately familiar with the legal rights and protections afforded by federal and state law. Someone has to protect your legal rights. It won't be a bill collector. Denvil Crowe may help level the playing field and help protect the rights of consumers.
Some clients have asked whether you can discharge a child support obligation in bankruptcy. The answer is that you may not. Child support payments generally may not be discharged in any type of bankruptcy case. Thus, a parent who owes child support may not discharge his or her duty to pay child support by filing any type of bankruptcy case since bankruptcy does not act as a stay, or cease and desist order, on child support obligations.
If an obligor stops paying child support, the court and Mississippi Department Of Human Services has several available options to enforce child support obligations. Because the relationship between child support and bankruptcy is complicated, it is wise to enlist the assistance of an experienced bankruptcy attorney.
If you have any questions that you need immediately answered or if you are simply in need of assistance in completely reviewing and thoughtfully considering your options in the face of financial hardship caused by any circumstance, Denvil Crowe, one of Tupelo's most qualified bankruptcy attorneys, may help you decide whether bankruptcy is your best option. If you want more information about bankruptcy, including how it works and what it may do for you, call Denvil Crowe, one of Tupelo's most qualified bankruptcy attorneys. Call 800-429-HELP (4357), email us at email@example.com or check us out online today to receive all of the assistance you need in solving the burden of excessive and unmanageable debt!


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'Fifty Shades of Grey' Author Says She Has Shortlist for Lead Roles in Film Adaptation (Video)
The writer of the hit erotic book series spoke about the movie casting while on "Katie" on Monday.
One of Katie Couric's first major interviews on her show, Katie, was with Fifty Shades of Grey writer E.L. James on Monday.
The stage was designed with sexy red lighting to celebrate the arrival of the writer of the hit erotic novels, which follows a young woman named Anastasia Steele, who falls into a tumultuous sexual relationship with a successful business magnate, Christian Grey.
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There has been much discussion about casting for the film adaptation. Universal and Focus nabbed rights to the trilogy for $5 million in March after a heated Hollywood bidding war.
An audience member made sure to ask James, who has retained some creative control over the movie's casting, if she has decided on who would take on the lead roles of Anastasia and Christian.
"I have three people who could play Christian and I think four who could play Anna, and I'm not going to tell you any of them," she told the audience.
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Couric had done her own poll of fans online, finding that Vampire Diaries' star Ian Somerhalder and former Gilmore Girls actress Alexis Bledel were the top choices.
When an audience member asked James if she would consider writing another book from Christian Grey's perspective, James said "maybe," but added that it wouldn't be any time soon.
"I'd like to try and write something else, and then maybe revisit this," she said.
James also spoke about her reaction to the massive success of the books, which have sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.
"It just shocks me every time," she told Couric.
Watch part of the interview below.