text:
Bikaner बिकाणो The Camel City |
City | |
Laxmi Niwas Palace, Bikaner |
Coordinates: 28°01′00″N 73°18′43″E / 28.01667°N 73.31194°ECoordinates: 28°01′00″N 73°18′43″E / 28.01667°N 73.31194°E | |
Country | India |
State | Rajasthan |
District | Bikaner |
Founded by | Rao Bikaji |
Government | |
• Body | Municipal corporation |
Area | |
• Total | 28,466 km2 (10,991 sq mi) |
Elevation | 242 m (794 ft) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 647,804 |
• Density | 3,887.8/km2 (10,069/sq mi) |
Languages | |
• Official | Hindi |
Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Telephone code | +91 151 |
Vehicle registration | RJ-07 |
Website | bikaner.nic.in |
Bikaner (Rajasthani: बिकाणो,( pronunciation (help·info)) is a city in the northwest of the state of Rajasthan in northern India. It is located 330 kilometres (205 mi) northwest of the state capital, Jaipur. Bikaner city is the administrative headquarters of Bikaner District and Bikaner division. It was formerly the capital of the princely state of Bikaner. The city was founded by rajput[1] Rao Bika.[2][3][4] in 1486 and from its small origins it has developed into the fifth largest city in Rajasthan. The Ganges Canal, completed in 1928, and the Indira Gandhi Canal, completed in 1987, facilitated its development.
Bikaner is famous for sweets and snacks (or namkeens in Hindi).
Prior to the mid 15th century, the region that is now Bikaner was a barren wilderness called Jangladesh.[5] In 1488 Rao Bika established the city of Bikaner. According to James Tod, the spot which Bika selected for his capital, was the birthright of a Nehra Jat, who would only concede it for this purpose on the condition that his name should be linked in perpetuity with its surrender. Naira, or Nera, was the name of the proprietor, which Beeka added to his own, thus composing that of the future capital, Bikaner. Rao Bika was the second son of Maharaja Rao Jodha of the Rathor clan, the founder of Jodhpur and conquered the largely arid country in the north of Rajasthan. As the second son of Joda he had no chance of inheriting Jodhpur from his father or the title of Maharaja. He therefore decided to build his own kingdom in what is now the state of Bikaner in the area of Jungladesh. Though it was in the Thar Desert, Bikaner was considered an oasis on the trade route between Central Asia and the Gujarat coast as it had adequate spring water. Bika's name was attached to the city he built and to the state of Bikaner ("the settlement of Bika") that he established. Bika built a fort in 1478, which is now in ruins, and a hundred years later a new fort was built about 1.5 km from the city centre, known as the Junagarh Fort.[6][7][8]
Around a century after Rao Bika founded Bikaner, the state's fortunes flourished under the sixth Raja, Rai Singhji, who ruled from 1571 to 1611. During the Mughal Empire's rule in the country, Rai Singh accepted the suzerainty of the Mughals and held a high rank as an army general at the court of the Emperor Akbar and his son the Emperor Jahangir. Rai Singh's successful military exploits, which involved winning half of Mewar kingdom for the Empire, won him accolades and rewards from the Mughal emperors. He was given the jagirs (lands) of Gujarat and Burhanpur. With the large revenue earned from these jagirs, he built the Junagarh fort on a plain which has an average elevation of 760 feet (230 m). He was an expert in arts and architecture, and the knowledge he acquired during his visits abroad is amply reflected in the numerous monuments he built at the Junagarh fort.[6][8][9]
Karan Singh, who ruled from 1631 to 1639, under the suzerainty of the Mughals, built the Karan Mahal palace. Later rulers added more floors and decorations to this Mahal. Anup Singh, who ruled from 1669 to 1698, made substantial additions to the fort complex, with new palaces and the Zenana quarter, a royal dwelling for women and children. He refurbished the Karan Mahal with a Diwan-i-Am (public audience hall) and called it the Anup Mahal. Gaj Singh, who ruled from 1746 to 1787 refurbished the Chandra Mahal (the Moon palace).
During the 18th century, there was internecine war between the rulers of Bikaner and Jodhpur and also amongst other thakurs, which was put down by British troops.[8]
Following Gaj Singh, Surat Singh ruled from 1787 to 1828 and lavishly decorated the audience hall (see illustration) with glass and lively paintwork. Under a treaty of paramountcy signed in 1818, during Surat Singh's reign, Bikaner came under the suzerainty of the British, after which the Maharajas of Bikaner invested heavily in refurbishing Junagarh fort.[10]
Dungar Singh, who reigned from 1872 to 1887, built the Badal Mahal, the 'weather palace', so named in view of a painting of clouds and falling rain, a rare event in arid Bikaner.
General Maharaja Ganga Singh, who ruled from 1887 to 1943, was the best-known of the Rajasthan princes and was a favourite of the British Viceroys of India. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India, served as a member of the Imperial War Cabinet, represented India at the Imperial Conferences during the First World War and the British Empire at the Versailles Peace Conference. His contribution to the building activity in Junagarh involved separate halls for public and private audiences in the Ganga Mahal and a durbar hall for formal functions. He also built the Ganga Niwas Palace, which has towers at the entrance patio. This palace was designed by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, the third of the new palaces built in Bikaner. He named the building Lalgarh Palace in honour of his father and moved his main residence there from Junagarh Fort in 1902. The hall where he held his Golden Jubilee (in 1938) as Bikaner's ruler is now a museum.[8][10][11]
Ganga Singh's son, Lieutenant-General Sir Sadul Singh, the Yuvaraja of Bikaner, succeeded his father as Maharaja in 1943, but acceded his state to the Union of India in 1949. Maharaja Sadul Singh died in 1950, being succeeded in the title by his son, Karni Singh (1924-1988).[7] The Royal Family still lives in a suite in Lalgarh Palace, which they have converted into a heritage hotel.[8][10]
The internal transport system in Bikaner consists of autorickshaws and city buses. Bikaner is connected to some of major Indian cities via broad gauge railway. The city has direct rail connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Alwar, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Bilashpur, Kanpur, Agra, Jalandhar, Baroda, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Guwahati, Jaipur, Surat, Jalandhar, Puri, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Chandigarh, Kota, Kollam, Jammu, Jodhpur and Ahmedabad. However, there is no rail connectivity for other major Indian cities like Silchar, Indore, Jhansi, Ranchi, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Kurukshetra, Pune.
Bikaner is well served with roads and is linked directly to Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Alwar, Ludhiana, Bhatinda, Ambala, Ahmedabad, Haridwar, Jodhpur, Indore and many other cities. National highways 11, 15, and 89 meet at Bikaner. There is an under construction domestic airport at nal 14 km from city which will start its flights for Delhi and Mumbai in 2014.
Bikaner is situated in the middle of the Thar desert and has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) with very little rainfall and extreme temperatures. In summer temperatures can exceed 45 °C, and during the winter they may dip below freezing.
The climate in Bikaner is characterised by significant variations in temperature. In the summer season it is very hot when the temperatures lie in the range of 28–48.5 °C (82.4–119.3 °F). In the winter, it is fairly cold with temperatures lying in the range of 5–23.2 °C (41.0–73.8 °F).[12] Annual rainfall is in the range of 260–440 millimetres (10–17 in).[12][13]
Climate data for Bikaner | |||||||||||||
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 30.5 (86.9) |
35.5 (95.9) |
41.4 (106.5) |
45.8 (114.4) |
47.3 (117.1) |
47.5 (117.5) |
44.2 (111.6) |
42.9 (109.2) |
42.3 (108.1) |
40.4 (104.7) |
36.8 (98.2) |
31.3 (88.3) |
47.5 (117.5) |
Average high °C (°F) | 23.0 (73.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
31.8 (89.2) |
38.2 (100.8) |
41.7 (107.1) |
41.6 (106.9) |
37.8 (100) |
36.6 (97.9) |
36.7 (98.1) |
36.2 (97.2) |
30.7 (87.3) |
25.3 (77.5) |
33.76 (92.78) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 14.3 (57.7) |
17.1 (62.8) |
23.4 (74.1) |
30.2 (86.4) |
34.3 (93.7) |
35.2 (95.4) |
32.8 (91) |
31.7 (89.1) |
30.7 (87.3) |
27.7 (81.9) |
21.5 (70.7) |
16.1 (61) |
26.25 (79.26) |
Average low °C (°F) | 5.6 (42.1) |
8.8 (47.8) |
15.0 (59) |
22.1 (71.8) |
26.8 (80.2) |
28.8 (83.8) |
27.7 (81.9) |
26.8 (80.2) |
24.7 (76.5) |
19.1 (66.4) |
12.1 (53.8) |
6.9 (44.4) |
18.7 (65.66) |
Record low °C (°F) | −0.9 (30.4) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
3.7 (38.7) |
12.0 (53.6) |
15.8 (60.4) |
19.8 (67.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
20.4 (68.7) |
16.3 (61.3) |
10.2 (50.4) |
3.3 (37.9) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
Precipitation mm (inches) | 5.7 (0.224) |
7.8 (0.307) |
6.3 (0.248) |
11.9 (0.469) |
15.9 (0.626) |
33.0 (1.299) |
91.1 (3.587) |
82.6 (3.252) |
40.8 (1.606) |
10.1 (0.398) |
1.9 (0.075) |
3.0 (0.118) |
310.1 (12.209) |
Avg. precipitation days | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 6.6 | 5.6 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 26.6 |
% humidity | 49 | 43 | 34 | 25 | 27 | 39 | 58 | 61 | 52 | 36 | 40 | 48 | 42.7 |
Source: NOAA (1971-1984)[14] |
Art and culture[edit]
Bikaner is notable for:
- Its camel research farm (NRCC).
- Its "Bikaneri Bhujia.
- Its wool production.
- Its camel festival
- Its sweets.
- PATA culture ( Wooden made big square size table which is laid upon the streets where localites sit at their leisure )
- Heartful peoples
Bikaneri Bhujia is a spicy snack made from moth dal, spices and edible oil. Bikaner is also known for its handicrafts and leather articles, for its palaces and for having Asia's biggest camel farm.
The city is also known for its intricately carved Jharokas. These red sandstone stone jalis (screens) are found on the windows of the Junagarh fort, temples and havelis (mansions of Northern India). Jalis would be used for ventilation and for women to watch the world while remaining hidden.
The red sandstone for these stone window screens was supplied by the nearby village of Dulmera.
Usta & Chadhwa Art[edit]
Bikaner was and is the centre for Usta Art, a generic term for the Manoti-Naqqashi (embossed and unembossed floral and geometric patterned objects layered with gold) media produced by Usta family master artistans of Bikaner. The Usta artists and artisans also controlled all production of the Bikaner School "miniature" paintings using translucent and opaque vegetable and mineral watercolours from the late-16th to late-19th Century. Famous painters of the Bikaner School were Hamid Rukn-ud-din, Ahmad, Nathu ji, Nure, Rahim, Isa, Iso, Sahab-ud-din, Rehim ji,Murad, and Abdul Shakoor.
Fairs and festivals[edit]
- International Camel Festival, Ladera Dunes, 25 km away from Bikaner City.
- Karni Mata fair, Deshnoke, Bikaner
- Gangaur
- Kapil Muni fair - Kapil Muni Fair is also known as Kolayat Mela.
- Punarasar Fair : This fair is held at punarasar village of Bikaner. The village is named after lord Hanuman who is considered the god of power, knowledge, health and wealth. Hindus of Bikaner and its adjoining cities head towards this holy village twice (Sarad purnima & Bhaadava) in a year and celebrate this pious occasion with lot of offerings to Punarasar baba. Devotees who approach this holy occasion (following the path between hamlets) are served with food and refreshment by the gathering of another devotees. This fair is considered must visit among local public of Bikaner hence a very long queue (more than 5 km) of devotees is witnessed at this occasion before the temple. Punarasar temple is situated closer to highway leads to Jaipur that's why this highway is known as Punarasar highway too!
- Kodamdesar Mela :- Kodamdesar mela is celebrated in the village of Kodamdesar 20 km far from bikaner where the temple of lord bhairoon is situated. This temple have no roof for covering the statue of bhairoon nath. Chura and Surdashani purohit are the casts who have utmost faith upon kodamdesar bahiroon.
- Kolayat Mela : Kolayat Mela is celebrated in the month of November every year. Kolayat is situated around 50KM away from Bikaner-Jaisalmer Highway.
- Siyana Bhairoon mela : This fair is known for the utmost celebration by Hindu casts Ojha, Bhadani, chhangani and derasri. Devotees from this community along with others reach siyana village of bikaner by cart, buses, car, bike and on feet. Siyana village is known for the temple of lord bhiroon who is believed to bless all amenities to his devotees they prayed for.
- Camel festival: each January the state government organises a camel festival with camel races, various cultural events and a fire dance performed by the Sidh people.
- Aksaye Tritya or "AKKHA TEEJ": the foundation day of Bikaner. This was the day when Rao Bika laid the foundation of the new empire. Every year on this day people from across the social spectrum enjoy themselves by flying kites or "CHANDA". They also enjoy a special meal, such as "Khichra and Imlani".
- Paryushan: The biggest festival of Jain community is celebrated with utmost fervour and dedication in the city in the Bhadrapad month of Hindu calendar. The temples are lavishly decorated. Spiritual ceremonies and fasting are seen everywhere in the city.
- Kartik Poornima: The Jain community takes out a huge procession on this day consisting of paintings, palki of tirthankar and musical bands. It traverses all the areas inhabited by Jains. Local bhajan mandalis or Spiritual Bands perform with great excitement on this occasion. This festivity is unparalleled in India.
- Rammat : Rammat is a marwadi word which stands for "PLAY". Rammat is performed in adjoining days of Holi at Bhattron ka chowk, Barah Guwar, Bisso ka chowk etc. local actors portray the role of ancient legends like Dhola Marwaani, Amarsingh Rathod . Rammat starts in midnight and get finished in the dawn with the pray of goddess . Localite take delight to participate in the chorus and spread different color over the crowd present there . Rammat of Harsh & Vyas attract huge crowd owing to its distinctive nature of water play. Both community member of harsh & Vyas get themselves loaded there area with water tank and they hit each other with water with help of leather made jug . The one who loose water early face the defeat ! However it is a fixed game since inception of this game vyas are declared the winner that too cordially, then also huge crowd turn up at the site and cheer their favorite team with full of passion .
- Pata : Pata is a wooden made giant sized square shaped couch on which people sit and chat. Pata was formed with intention to bring people together and discuss different issues on the daily basis. Nowadays Patas have become spot of pure entertainment and gossip
Attractions in Bikaner and nearby[edit]
Junagarh Fort[edit]
The fort was built by Raja Rai Singh, the sixth ruler of Bikaner who reigned from 1571 to 1612. Rai Singh had conquered part of Marwar and had been granted territory in Gujurat and Burhanpur by the Mughal emperor Akbar as a reward for his services as military commander. This, as well as funding from Jodhpur, enabled him to build the fort. Rai Singh held high rank in the imperial courts of both Akbar and his successor, Jehangir. During his imperial service he travelled extensively, giving him an appreciation of art and architecture. These ideas have been incorporated meticulously into the architectural style of Junagarh Fort.
Laxmi Niwas Palace[edit]
The Laxmi Niwas Palace is a former residential palace built by Maharajah Ganga Singh, the ruler of the former state of Bikaner. It was designed by the British architect, Samuel Swinton Jacob in the year 1902. The style of architecture is Indo-Saracenic. It is now a luxury hotel owned by Golden Triangle Fort & Palace P. Ltd. The magnificent structure in red sandstone is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Bikaner.[15]
Lalgarh Palace[edit]
Lalgarh Palace was built between 1902 and 1926 according to Rajput, Mughal and European architectural styles. The building was commissioned by Maharaja Ganga Singh (1889–1925) in memory of his father Maharaja Lall Singh and was designed by the British architect, Samuel Swinton Jacob. It is coated in red sandstone and has several grand halls, lounges, cupolas and pavilions. The building features magnificent pillars, elaborate fireplaces, Italian colonnades and intricate latticework and filigree work. The palace houses the Shri Sadul Museum as well as a large and important collection of Sanskrit manuscripts, the Anup Sanskrit Library. Though the Bikaner Royal Family still live in the palace, part of the building has been converted into a Heritage hotel operated by the Royal family of Bikaner.[citation needed]
Maru Nayak Ji[edit]
Constructed in 1486, Moolnayakji was the first Vaishnav Temple built in Bikaner. It was the principal seat of the Vaishnav sect. The first of the Bhagavad Katha Vachaks of the Rattani Vyas clan of Bikaner Shri Rattoji Vyas gave the Bhagavad Updesh to the king, Rao Bika and his aide Salloji Rathi. This practice is carried on till date. The presiding deity is Lord Moolnayak Krishna.
Laxmi Nath Temple[edit]
Laxmi Nath Temple is one of the oldest temples in Bikaner. The foundation of the city was laid here in 1488 by Rao Bikaji. The temple was erected during the reign of Rao Lunkaran and was added to by Maharaja Ganga Singh.
Bhandasar Jain Temple[edit]
Out of the 27 beautiful Jain temples adorning the landscape of Bikaner city, this temple dedicated to the fifth Tirthankara, Sumatinath, is considered to be the most beautiful and also the highest. This temple was built by a Jain merchant, Bhanda Shah. The foundation of this temple was filled by pure ghee and dry coconuts.
This temple is mainly famous for wall paintings and usta art. The temple is built of red sandstone and is divided in three floors. One can see the skyline of Bikaner by climbing to the topmost floor of this temple.
Mukam Temple[edit]
Mukti Dham Mukam is a pilgrimage near Nokha for Bishnoi community. Bishnois are known for their kind nature and their love for nature and animals. It is a holy place for Bishnoi Community which is present in large number in the Bikaner District.
Kolayat is a famous pilgrimage spot with a temple dedicated to Kapila who, according to his devotees, sat in meditation near the lake. One week before Pushkar Festival and till one week later this lake is more interesting if you like to see Sadhus. Pushkar will have some Sadhus but Kolayat will have many hundreds.
Karni Mata Temple[edit]
The world famous shrine of Karni Mata can be found in the town of Deshnoke 30 km south from Bikaner on the road to Jodhpur. Karni Mata is worshiped as an incarnation of Goddess Durga.
This temple is famous for rats which can be seen everywhere in the temple. A white rat, if spotted, in the temple is considered auspicious.
Shiv Bari Temple[edit]
Built from red sandstone by Dungar Singh in the late 19th century, the temple is surrounded by a wall with battlements. It has a four faced black marble statue of Shiva and a bronze Nandi facing the Shiva Lingam. There are also two large reservoirs of water known as bawaris. The temple attracts thousands of visitors during Shravan (August) especially on Mondays.
Camel Festival[edit]
The Bikaner Camel Festival is an event organized by the Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, of Bikaner, Government of Rajasthan. It takes place every year in the month of January. At this festival the "ships of the desert" are seen at their best. Some spectacular and unusual camel performances like camel races, camel dances, and the bumpy, neck shaking camel rides take place at this event.
- The Bikaner Camel Festival starts with a procession of bedecked camels from the Junagarh fort. The camels are decorated in typical Rajasthani attires, colorful bridles and saddles.
- The festival takes place over two days.
- Camel dance performances also take place. Competitions take place for the best decorated camel, fur cutting design, camel milking and the best camel hair cut. The camels display splendid footwork and dance gracefully to the direction of their drivers.
- Tea and sweets made of camels' milk are available during the festival.
- On the second day of the festival the fleetest camels of the region take part in races. The competition is fierce as the best camels compete for the prizes, which is of great honor. Thousands of excited tourists join the local population to watch the events and cheer on their favorites.
- On both evenings the festival ends with a performance by the renowned folk singers and dancers of Rajasthan. The jubilant dances swirling the ghagras, the awe inspiring fire dances and many other interesting and enthusiastic performances entertain visitors. In the grand finale a magnificent display of fireworks takes place which illuminate the desert city of Bikaner.
- The Bikaner camel festival has a historical significance. The camels were very important when there were no motor vehicles. At that time the camels were an important part of the transport in the city of Bikaner.
Gangashahar is the city's southern suburb. Important landmarks include Gandhi Chowk, Indira Chowk, Chandmal Ji ka Baug, Hariram Temple old line,chopra bari,Roshani Ghar, Sarda Chawk, Mahavir Chawk and Daga Chowk. Other attractions include shre kheteshwar temple kheteshwar basti,karni mata temple chopra bari Sujandesar Ramdev Ji Temple, Jain Dadabari, Shakti Peeth - Acharya Shree Tulsi Samadhi Sthala, Kali Mata Temple, Goga Ji kesaria jee Temple. Schools and colleges include Seth Tolaram Bafna Academy, Jain P.G. College, Jain School, Govt. Chopra School, Bothra Girls School & College, Vidhya Niketan, Adarsh Vidhya Mandir, Balbari School, Hanumant School, Vidhya Vihar, Bhattar School and Little Genius preschool. Notable buildings include Hansa Guest House, Daga Palace, Terapanth Bhawan, Jawahar Vidhyapeeth, Oswal Panchayati, T.M Hall, Maloo Guest House, Mahaveer Bhawan, Sampat Palace and Aasriwad bhawan.
Other attractions[edit]
- Thar desert
- Nagnechi Ji Temple
- Nisar House, Kotegate
- Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum
- Astrology :- Bikaner is blessed with prominent astrologers of India, few are Rajendra vyas ( Mammu Maharaj), Mr Ashok Thanvi
- Camel Research Farm, Bikaner
- Horse Research Farm, Bikaner
- Rajasthan State Archives
- Soor Sagar
- Public Park and Zoo
- Kaashi Vishwanath Mandir, Sansolav Taalab
- Raj Ratan Bihari Park and Rasik Shiromani Temple
- Lakshminath Ji Temple
- Bhandasar Jain Temple
- Vaidehi Global Trust
- Vaishno Dham
- Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum
- Rampuria Havelis
- Ratan Bihari Temple
- Historical Gopi Nath Temple, Opp. Government Press
- Devi Kund Sagar.
- Gajner Palace.
- Kalibangan.
- Kolayat.
- MUKAM Nokha
- Goddess Karni Temple, Deshnok (A.K.A. Rat Temple).
- Doda thora
- Laleshwar Mahadev Mandir, Shiv-Bari
- Science Park, Statue Circle, J.N.Vyas Colony
- Nandishwar Mahadev Mandir, Murlidhar Vyas Colony
- Gates and Baris of old Bikaner city (Kote-gate, Goga-gate, Nathusar-gate, Jassusar-gate, Shitala-gate) Bikaner najlepsi
- graduate balaji temple, panchsati circle
According to the 2001 India census,[16] Bikaner district had a population of 2,367,745. Males constituted 53% of the population and females 47%. Bikaner has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 74% and female literacy of 57%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Education in Bikaner[edit]
Notable Universities[edit]
- Maharaja Ganga Singh University
- Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jaisalmer Road, Bikaner
- Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University
- Bikaner Technical University
Notable Colleges[edit]
- Shri. Dungar College
- College of Engineering & Technology, Bikaner
- Government Engineering College Bikaner
- Sardar Patel Medical College, Bikaner
- Marudhar Engineering College, Bikaner
- Manda Institute of Technology, Bikaner
- Government Maharani Sudsharan College for Women,Bikaner
Notable Schools[edit]
1.Saint Public Sr. Sec. School, Old Ginani
2.R.S.V., JNV Colony
4.K.V. No. 2 Bikaner (inside Army campus).
5.K.V. No. 3 Nal Bikaner (inside Air Force Station Nal Bikaner)
6.Bikaner Boys School
7.Govt City Senior Sec. School
8.Delhi Public School,Bikaner
9.Dayanand Public School.
10.Sophia Senior Secondary School,Jaipur Road
11.St.N.N R.S.V, Pawan Puri South Extension
12.Central Academy Senior Secondary School {Sadul Ganj}
13.Teresa Children Academy Sr. Sec. School (K.K Colony Bikaner)
14.Bal Bari, Gangashahar
15.Aadarsh Vidhya Mandir, JNV Colony & Gangashahar
16.St. vivekanand sr. sec. school
17.Seth Tolaram Bafna Academy,Gangashahar,Nokha Road
18.Pink Model Senior Sec. School
19.Fort Senior Sec. School
20.Army Public School (Inside Army campus)
21. Sadul Sports School Bikaner (Only Sports School In Rajasthan)
22. Sadul Sr. Secondary School(Kotegate Bikaner)
23. H.S.R. Vidyaniketan, Bikaner
24. Maharani Kishori Devi Girls School(Jaipur Road Bikaner)
25. Saint Peter's Sec. School,Mukta Parasad,Bikaner
26. Jawahar Navodaya Vidayalaya, Gajner, Bikaner[17]
Local Dances[edit]
The Bikaner folk dances started very long before which were originated by a foundation of Rathor dynasty
They are:
- 1. Fire dance
- 2. Ghoomar Dance
Notable people from Bikaner[edit]
- Karni Singh - in full HH Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Narendra Shiromani Maharajah Sri Dr Karni Singh Bahadur, also known as Dr Karni Singh, was from 1950 the last ruler of the princely state of Bikaner State, as part of India. He was also a politician, serving as a member of the Lok Sabha for twenty-five years, from 1952 to 1977, and an international clay pigeon and skeet champion.
- Allah Jilai Bai - Classical Vocalist
- Reshma - Classical Vocal (migrated to Pakistan)
- Bharat Vyas - Bollywood Lyricist
- Anuradha Acharya-CEO, Ocimum Bio Solutions Multinational Company with Head office at Hyderabad India.
- T.D Dogra - Former Director All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi.[18] Vice Chancellor of SGT University,Budhera,Gurgaon,Haryana.[19]
- Karan Singh Yadav - Cardio-thoracic surgeon turn Politician,a congress MP from Alwar.
- Mohammed Usman Arif - Politician and former Governor of Uttar Pradesh.
- Ghulam Mohammad - Music composer, Bollywood
- Pannalal Barupal-Indian independence activist,Congress MP from Ganga Nagar.
- Harish Bhadani- A famous Hindi and Rajasthani Poet.
- Rao Bika- Son of Jodha Singh founder of Jodhpur, Founder of Bikaner with Neru ji, thus, Bika+Neru=Bikaner.
- Surajratan Fatehchand Damani-a member of the 2nd Lok Sabha of India from the Jalore constituency of Rajasthan and a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) political party. He later become member of 4th, 5th and 6th Lok Sabha from the Solapur constituency of Maharashtra.
- Devi Singh Bhati- a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Kolayat in Rajasthan state in India.
- Raja Hasan- Play back singer, a finalist on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007.
- Rajiq Khan- Recipient of a posthumous recipient of the Vir Chakra gallantry medal.
- Kishan Singh Rathore- is recipient of Mahavir Chakra for bravery displayed in Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 .
- Sandeep Acharya- was crowned the winner of Indian Idol (season 2) on 22 April 2006.
- Shiv Kumari of Kotah- an Indian Hindu royal and the daughter of Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner.
- Rajyashree Kumari-is a former shooter from India. She was conferred the Arjuna Award in shooting in 1968.
- Sidhi Kumari- a member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Bikaner East, elected in 2008 on as a candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party.
- Nand Kishore Achyarya- an Indian playwright, poet, and critic who was born in Bikaner, Rajasthan
- Arjun Ram Meghwal-He was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha, lower house of the Parliament of India from Bikaner constituency, Rajasthan in 2009.
- Magan Singh Rajvi- a former Indian football player. He hails from Rajasthan. He was given the Arjuna Award in 1973 for his achievements as a football player.
- Narpat Singh Rajvi - former Minister and MLA
- Abdul Rehman Rana-a Pakistani former politician and soldier from Jaranwala, the city of Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
- Akbar Khan - visually impaired Singer, Composer, Writer and a Banker honored with National Award in 1989.[20]
- Ambika Dutt Ranga-an Indian footballer. Born in Bikaner, he played for Mohammedan Sporting Club and the Indian national team.
- Kanwar Sen-also spelt as Kanwar Sain, was an eminent civil engineer from Rajasthan state in India.
- Indra Chandra Shastri-an Indian author and philosopher from Bikaner in Rajasthan state in India. The government of India issued a postage stamp in his honour.
- Ahmad Bakhsh Sindhi- was Law and Justice Minister in Rajasthan, India from 1983 till 1985.
- Sadul Singh (administrator)-Colonel Rao Bahadur Thakur Sir Sadul Singh CIE (1881–23 December 1937) was a senior administrator in Bikaner State in India.
- Sudhir Tailang- Famous Cartoonist, started with Illustrated weekly then Nav Bharat Times,Hindustan Times.
- Shaukat Usmani- a member of the émigré Communist Party of India and Freedom fighter.He was sentenced to a total of 16 years in jail after being tried in the Kanpur (Cawnpore) Case of 1923 and later the Meerut Conspiracy Case of 1929.
- Hisam-ud-din Usta- a celebrated artisan in the media of Naqqashi and Manoti
- Vijay Shankar Vyas- is a noted agricultural economist of India. He received Padma Bhushan award in 2006 from the Government of India. He hails from Pushkarna Brahmin community in Bikaner.
- Shri Harakh Chand Nahata (July 18, 1936 - February 21, 1999) was a prominent Indian businessman and social leader
- Khemchand Prakash- was a music composer in Hindi film industry.
See also[edit]
- Patnaik, Naveen. (1990). A Desert Kingdom: The Rajputs of Bikaner. George Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd., London.
- ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/travel/Bikaner-Karni-Mata-sweets-and-forts/articleshow/25633092.cms
- ^ "bkn.co.in". bkn.co.in. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
- ^ "PRACHINA - Bikaner Cultural Centre & Museum,Prachina - Cultural capital of marwar, Bikaner Museum, Prachina Museum,Bikaner Royal family,Western influence in Bikaner,Contemporary Crafts,Bikaner Period Room,Ritual Crafts,Aristocratic Textile & Costumes,Royal Portraits, Glass and Cut Glass Objects,Decorative Wall Painting,Aristocratic Locomotive, Museum Galleries". Prachinamuseum.org. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
- ^ kalaloda. "Bikaner History, India". Travelgrove.com. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
- ^ "Bikaner". Archived from the original on 2007-08-19. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
- ^ a b Ring, Trudy; Robert M. Salkin; Sharon La Boda (1996). "International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania". Bikaner (Taylor & Francis). p. 129. ISBN 1-884964-04-4. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ a b Ward, Philip (1989). "Northern India, Rajasthan, Agra, Delhi: a travel guide". Junagarh Fort (Pelican Publishing Company). pp. 116–119. ISBN 0-88289-753-5. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ a b c d e "History". National Informatics centre, Bikaner district. Archived from the original on 12 December 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ "Junagarh Fort, Bikaner". Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ a b c Ring p.133
- ^ Ring p.132
- ^ a b "Bikaner". Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 2009-12-09.
- ^ "Climate of Bikaner". Retrieved 2009-12-09.
- ^ "Zahedan Climate Normals 1971-1984". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
- ^ "Laxmi Niwas Palace (Bikaner, Rajasthan) - Hotel Reviews". TripAdvisor. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ^ "Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Bikaner 27. N.D. Modern School :: Home Page". Jnvbikaner.gov.in. 2013-08-30. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
- ^ "Venugopal removed, T D Dogra is new AIIMS director,The Times of India". PTI Nov 30, 2007, 09.17pm IST. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ^ "SGT University". Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ^ "Information website about Akbar Khan, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India". Akbarkhan.co.in. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
External links[edit]
- Bikaner travel guide from Wikivoyage
- District Government Site


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A collection of news and information related to Kofi Annan published by this site and its partners.
Top Kofi Annan Articles
Displaying items 78-88
Syria plan doesn't rule out Assad role in future government
Story | Jun 30, 2012 | 4:41 PMWorld powers agreed on a plan Saturday for a unity government in strife-torn Syria that does not explicitly exclude Syrian President Bashar Assad from a future "transitional" administration.... -
North Korean leader's female companion stirs speculation
Story | Jul 9, 2012 | 4:42 PMNorth Korean media have disclosed so little about leader Kim Jong Il's personal life that no one outside of his innermost circle knows his age or marital status. Now Koreans on both sides of the divided peninsula have a new mystery to ponder: Who is... -
Singapore retains harsh death penalty policy after review
Story | Jul 9, 2012 | 4:42 PMAfter a yearlong review, Singapore officials announced in Parliament that mandatory death sentences in a dozen categories of serious offenses will be retained because they have broad public support and have proved effective in deterring crime.... -
Annan singles out Syrian government after Treimseh killings
Story | Jul 13, 2012 | 10:41 AMA day after opposition activists reported mass killings in the village of Treimseh, United Nations special envoy Kofi Annan condemned government troops for using heavy weaponry in the town, in blatant violation of the peace plan he brokered months ago.... -
Kofi Annan flies to Iran to seek help on Syrian peace plan
Story | Jul 9, 2012 | 4:42 PMKofi Annan arrived in Tehran on Monday after having what he termed "a very candid and constructive discussion" with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus during the U.N. special envoy's latest bid to salvage his faltering six-point peace... -
Annan returns to Syria to continue peace talks
Story | Jul 8, 2012 | 4:40 PMUnited Nations special envoy Kofi Annan arrived in Damascus on Sunday for his latest round of talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad. The former U.N chief's arrival in the Syrian capital came after Annan acknowledged to a French newspaper that his... -
Split verdict in corruption case against former Israeli premier
Story | Jul 10, 2012 | 4:40 AMAn Israeli court on Tuesday cleared former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of the most serious corruption charges against him, including hiding illegal cash gifts and double-billing, but convicted the ex-premier on a lesser count of breach-of-trust.... -
Syria fires envoy who defected a day earlier
Story | Jul 12, 2012 | 4:42 PMThe Syrian Foreign Ministry dismissed its ambassador to Iraq on Thursday, a day after the envoy defected and publicly urged fellow diplomats and military officials to abandon the embattled government of President Bashar Assad.... -
U.N. Security Council reportedly delays Syria vote after blast
Story | Jul 18, 2012 | 4:41 PMThe U.N. Security Council has reportedly delayed a vote on a new Syria resolution in the wake of a bombing in the Syrian capital, Damascus, that killed at least two members of the defense leadership.... -
Syrian general among 85 troops defecting to Turkey, media say
Story | Jul 2, 2012 | 4:41 PMTurkish media reported that at least 85 Syrian troops, including a general and six other officers, defected to Turkey late Monday and brought 300 family members with them in a mass bid for asylum. In its report on what would be the largest single-day... -
Kofi Annan to step down as special envoy to Syria
Story | Aug 2, 2012 | 9:13 AMKofi Annan, the former United Nations secretary-general who has been the point man for a failing international peace plan for strife-torn Syria, is quitting as special envoy to Syria as of Aug. 31, news agencies said Thursday....

subset: commoncrawl


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Mobile advertising is beginning to live up to its promise. There is so much innovation at the moment that it's hard to find a more exciting place to be. But as with all beginnings, a million things still need to fall into place before mobile fully evolves.
In order to drive growth, education is vital. We must to continue to educate and evangelize about mobile's range of advantages to marketers and agencies.
Then we need to deliver the goods. In order to do so, we have to establish a more scalable framework where the creativity and special features of smartphones, tablets, and other connected devices are not being compromised.
New ad formats are a given when it comes to achieving this goal. Embracing the ecosystem's desire for richer brand marketing that speaks to mobile's unique requirements and benefits, one of the Interactive Advertising Bureau's key initiatives of this year is the Mobile Rising Stars contest. Winning ad format concepts were revealed a few short weeks ago in Miami Beach at the IAB Annual Leadership Meeting. These winning ad concepts will go through a development, deployment, and testing process and, with success, be inducted into the IAB standard advertising unit portfolio, the definitive standards for the digital advertising industry.
Intended to work across all major mobile platforms and allow mobile ad buys at the same scale and scope as typical online display buys, the Mobile Rising Stars have the potential to finally allow mobile a chance at a proper seat at the "big boys'" table. (Besides, what kind of "big boy" doesn't have a few mobile gadgets by his side at all times?)
Rising Stars Principles
In establishing the Mobile Rising Stars winners, we sought formats that were clear in conception and natural for consumers, media companies, and brands alike, as well as being attuned to the unique aspects of the smartphone and tablet world. Thus the rising stars include units that translate seamlessly between a device's portrait and landscape modes, and units where swiping is a primary means of interaction.
In some cases, these mobile units echo or resemble the IAB display rising stars (the filmstrip, for example), which makes perfect sense. A "family resemblance" can help creative agencies accelerate the development of great ads. However, the IAB did not simply force-fit display ad units to the mobile world - just recycling the same formats onto smartphones and tablets would miss the mark, leaving some of mobile's greatest advantages behind.
MMA and Standard Banners
Standard banners will continue to be an important form of mobile and tablet advertising (just as they are on PCs), and the IAB crafted Mobile Rising Stars to minimize the possibility of conflict with the existing Mobile Marketing Association guidelines for banners on handsets.
When MMA ad standards are revised, the IAB is happy to comment, and, in fact, has endorsed its latest "Universal mobile ad package."
As with display ad banners on personal computers, ad banners on mobile devices are not sufficient to give the full range of canvasses that marketers want and need to deliver different kinds of ad messages and to achieve different kinds of campaign goals. Something more is required. Several "mores." That's why we are establishing five different Mobile Rising Stars units - something to suit every occasion.
Next Steps
Identifying the Mobile Rising Stars winners was in many ways just a first step. We now need to work with all the winning companies to transform the winners from ad concepts into actual scalable ad formats that a developer can implement in an app or on a mobile website.
The refinement and next steps for the Mobile Rising Stars ad concepts go hand-in-hand with IAB's continued work on mobile rich-media ad interface definitions (MRAID), the IAB's standardized set of rich media APIs for mobile. We will ensure that all the Rising Stars ad concepts can be implemented using industry standards like HTML5 and MRAID. No proprietary technologies should be needed to support these ad units.
If all goes well - and our Mobile Rising Stars align - I can picture mobile sitting pretty at the "big boys'" table very, very soon.
Meet Your Favorite ClickZ Contributors
Many of ClickZ's leading expert contributors will be at ClickZ Live, the new online and digital marketing event kicking off in New York (March 31-April 3). Hear from the likes of: Jeremy Hull, Lisa Raehsler, Andrew Goodman, Bryan Eisenberg, Mathew Sweezey, Aaron Kahlow, Stephanie Miller, Simms Jenkins, Jeanne S. Jennings, Dave Hendricks and more!
Anna Bager is vice president and general manager of the Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence at the Interactive Advertising Bureau. The Mobile Center, an independently funded and staffed unit inside the IAB, is charged with driving the growth of the mobile marketing, advertising, and media marketplace.
Prior to joining the IAB, Bager was heading business intelligence at Ericsson Multimedia and head of research at Ericsson's Business Consulting unit. Earlier, she was research and consulting manager for IDC EMEA.
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March 19, 2014
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NEW: Meet our "Urban Retreat" teachers via their contributions to the new Shambhala Sun Foundation book, In the Face of Fear: Buddhist Wisdom for Challenging Times. (Links will open in new windows.)
A Shambhala Sun Urban Retreat with Sylvia Boorstein, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and Zoketsu Norman Fischer
October 2, 3, and 4, 2009Hotel Kabuki, San Francisco
We cant always control what happens to us in life, but we can change how we react. For 2500 years, the Buddhas teachings have helped people work with their thoughts and emotions during times of groundlessness, fear, or loss.
Many Americans have already discovered how Buddhist wisdom and practice can help them work with personal challenges and loss. Now we can apply these teachings to what were all experiencing as society goes through difficult times.
Whether youre new to Buddhism or a long-time practitioner, join Sylvia Boorstein, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and Zoketsu Norman Fischer three great teachers from the three major Buddhist traditions for a weekend of Buddhist wisdom and meditation specially aimed at all the challenges of life today.
Through talks, meditation practice, and question and answer sessions, these three leading Buddhist teachers will offer help to anyone who is looking for insight and practical techniques to help them get through these difficult times.
DAILY SCHEDULE (subject to change)
Friday Event: "In the Face of Fear: Buddhist Wisdom for Difficult Times"Teachings, discussion, and question and answer with Sylvia Boorstein, Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 79 pmOpen to the general public: $25 admissionFree admission if registered for the full workshop.
Saturday, 7-8 am: Optional early-morning light yoga and stretchingSaturday AM Session: 9-11:45 am with Sylvia Boorstein: Meditation instruction, insight and metta practice, and dharma talkLunch Break 11:45 am-1:15 pm: Participants are on their own for LunchSaturday PM Session 1:15-4pm with Zoketsu Norman Fischer: Meditation instruction, Zen practice, and dharma talk Sunday 7-8 am: Optional early-morning light yoga and stretching Sunday AM Session 9-11:45 am with Tsoknyi Rinpoche: Meditation instruction, Dzogchen practice, and dharma talkLunch Break 11:45am-12:45pm: Participants are on their own for Lunch Sunday PM Session 12:45-2 pm: Panel discussion and question and answer with Sylvia Boorstein, Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Zoketsu Norman Fischer
Hotel Kabuki 1625 Post St San Francisco, C.A. 94115 415.922.3200 http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/kabuki/ *Workshop participants are offered a special room rate of $149(single) $159(double). Click here for special room rates
Fri night only: $25Per day: $150Entire weekend: $275 11 CEUs (RN, MFT, LCSW) are available for this urban retreat.Download an Urban Retreat flyer to spread the word, or for your own reference. Low resolution (ideal for emailing or quick printing). Click here. High-resolution (for better-quality printing). Click here.
Sylvia Boorstein, LCSW, PhD, is a co-founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California, and a senior teacher at the Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts. She has led retreats in the United States, Canada, and Israel; is the author of five books on Buddhism and meditation practice, most recently, Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life; and is a regular columnist for the Shambhala Sun. Sylvia has been a psychotherapist since 1967, a panelist and workshop leader at conferences of the American Psychiatric Association, and has published articles in the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology. She is currently involved in two major retreat events the Shambhala Sun has planned for New York City and San Francisco: Mindfulness, Love and Relationships and Wisdom for Challenging Times.For over 15 years, Tsoknyi Rinpoche has been teaching students worldwide about the innermost nature of mind in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. He is the author of two books, Carefree Dignity and Fearless Simplicity, and has a keen interest in the ongoing dialogue between western research, especially in neuroscience, and Buddhist practitioners and scholars.
Tsoknyi Rinpoche is a meditation master of the Drukpa Kagyu and Nyingma traditions. Rinpoche was born in 1966 and was recognized as a tulku at the age of eight. His teachers include some of the most renowned masters of Tibet, including Khamtrul Rinpoche, his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Rinpoche is the spiritual head of two nunneries and one monastery in Nepal, as well as one of the largest nunneries in Tibet. He also heads 50+ practice centers and hermitages with over 2,000 nuns and 900 monks. Ngesdön Ösel Ling Monastery in Kathmandu is his seat in the East, and Yeshe Rangsal in Crestone, Colorado, is his seat in the West.
Zoketsu Norman Fischer is a poet and Zen Buddhist priest. For many years he has taught at the San Francisco Zen Center, the oldest and largest of the new Buddhist organizations in the West, where he served as Co-abbot from 1995-2000. He is presently a Senior Dharma Teacher there as well as the founder and spiritual director of the Everyday Zen Foundation, an organization dedicated to adapting Zen Buddhist teachings to Western culture.
Norman has been particularly interested in the application of Zen to issues of Western culture and everyday life in the world. In addition to his regular work at Zen Center, and with Everyday Zen, he has taught extensively, with his old friend Rabbi Alan Lew, on the relationship between Buddhist and Jewish practice. He teaches Buddhist principles to business people, Buddhist compassion-in-action to lawyers and conflict resolvers, and poetry writing and appreciation to children and adults. He's led workshops at Esalen Institute in California, the Open Center in New York City, and Hollyhock Farm, in British Columbia, as well as at Zen Center, and teaches Zen regularly at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California, as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Hes participated with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in conferences on Buddhist Christian dialog and non-violence.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHAMBHALA SUN'S ONGOING EVENTS PROGRAMSJust click the banner below to visit our "Events" page.
"Wisdom for Difficult Times" has been a recurring theme in the Shambhala Sun. We've assembled some of the finest and most helpful examples from the magazine in a special online collection. Click here.
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche on how urban living can open our hearts. As seen in our July 2009 issue.
Edited by the Shambhala Sun's Barry Boyce and being released to coincide with the Urban Retreat, this new book features the greatest contemporary Buddhist teachers and writerspeople renowned for addressing precisely the problems were facing todayincluding the Dalai Lama, Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, Chögyam Trungpa, Sylvia Boorstein, Jack Kornfield, Norman Fischer, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Sharon Salzberg, and many others.Click to order In the Face of Fear
Buddha/statue photo by John Bigelow Taylor


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Editor's Note: Much has been been written about Mass Effect 3's final moments, mostly in the form of scathing critiques and generally harsh words by those who felt slighted by it. That's not what we're doing here. Sherry has stepped up and placed the crosshairs firmly on her own head, as she discusses the reasons why the ending isn't so bad after all. SPOILERS AHEAD, so enter at your own risk.
The only thing I wanted from the ending of Mass Effect 3 was for Shepard to die. It would have been a fitting end. Throughout the game, she* had emphasized how the fight for Earth would require the sacrifice of lives, so if by some miracle she had been allowed to survive the final fight, it would have been anticlimactic to me. I wanted her to go out in a blaze of glory. Apprehensive about finishing the game due to rumors of it "sucking," I was pleasantly surprised to find out that my Shepard did, indeed, die at the end. At least they got that right!
Actually, they did more than that. To my surprise, I found that the ending was extremely satisfying for me, and was surprised at how vehemently some people felt they had been gypped. I understand their frustrations, although I still feel that most of the reactions are a bit over the top ("entitled bitchwhining" is the phrase that comes to mind). I'm not a BioWare toadie; I've got a few gripes** about the ending of my own, although not enough to overcome to sense of overwhelming catharsis that it elicited. However, I'd like to discuss some alternative interpretations that give the ending a different spin, and if they don't exactly solve the choice problems, at least they present them in a different light.
As soon as that dream child showed up at the end, I immediately thought that Shepard was probably hallucinating the entire last five minutes. I wouldn't go so far as to say she hallucinated her entire last visit to the Citadel, but I definitely think that she died right after Anderson died, and that the entire following sequence starting with Hackett telling her the Crucible wasn't working was the hallucination of a dying mind. Or, for a more pessimistic but slightly more realistic take, she died as soon as she collapsed on that platform after being unable to figure out how to get the Crucible to fire. In the former interpretation, it is still possible to believe that the Crucible worked as planned, but in the latter, it is implied that the Crucible failed and the Earth was destroyed. But that's pretty far-fetched for a video game, isn't it? Maybe I had been watching too much Taxi Driver?
Apparently not. There is a theory, gaining steam on the BioWare forums, that the ending was a hallucination that shows the extent of Shepard's Reaper indoctrination. It's not entirely out of left field either – as previously mentioned, the end sequence has many dreamlike elements, and BioWare did initially plan an indoctrination ending that didn't make it into the final cut of the game due to time constraints. Could some strain of it have crept into the official endings? The theory goes that two of the three possible outcomes (Control and Synthesis) suggested by the dream-child-reaper are attempts to get Shepard to do exactly what the Reapers want under the guise of saving the Earth. The final outcome, the "good" or "perfect" ending, represents Shepard breaking free of indoctrination, destroying the Reapers, and possibly surviving the conflict.
The crux of this theory involves giving the element of choice back to the player at the end – because it could be interpreted as BioWare successfully indoctrinating the player over the din of collapsing fourth walls. User lookingglassmind explains:
"Does this theory make sense? Maybe not. When we consider BioWare's real-world motivations and risks (profit, losing a large fanbase over the disgusting wretchedness of the endings as they currently exist), then the theory is hard to support. But if, for just one moment, we can let ourselves believe that BioWare may just have lived up to their celebrated philosophy of Player Choice and Player Actualization, then this theory becomes awe-inspiring. Is it possible? Could BioWare have sacrificed the potential for safe profits in order to bring the most insane and beautiful gaming experience of all time to its fans? The most unprecedented example of player immersion of our times? Would BioWare have truly allowed the risk for profit and angering a serious amount of their fan population in pure deference to the story, and its lore?"
To me, the indoctrination theory is elegant but flawed (and also highly improbable). What I thought as I was watching the ending cinematic unfold (I picked Synthesis, because hell yes I want to be an android) was that the encounter with the dream-child and the "choices" were Shepard's way of dealing with the cycle of mass species genocide, some of which she had personally been involved in.
If you have the From Ashes DLC, Javik hints at the problem with typical Prothean eloquence ("Organics do not know who created us. Synthetics know their maker, and they know that their makers are imperfect"). Throughout the entire game, the theme of races purposefully wiping each other out, and especially a "created" species killing their "creator," had been building. The Quarian-Geth conflict is the obvious one, but also you could make the case that the Krogan had been created in their current form by the Salarians, first by the Salarians uplifting their civilization, and then by sterilizing them. All Alliance culture and society had been "created" to an extent by the Reapers, since all of galactic civilization is made possible by Mass Relays and reliance on Element Zero (the Asari, in fact, had been outright stealing from the Protheans for thousands of years). Killing the Reapers only perpetuates this cycle on another level, and none of the endings ensure that humanity, or the other Alliance races, would be safe from another iteration of this in the future, since all of the outcomes contain the possibility of another synthetic race being created, or a return of the Reapers.
None of the options presented to Shepard really solve the problem – and that's the point. Destruction of races or even a bizarre conciliatory synthesis doesn't end the cycle of violence. The only thing that does possibly end the cycle is the destruction of the Mass Relays (and no matter which option you pick, the Mass Relays always gets destroyed). With the relays gone, galactic civilization effectively gets bombed back to the Stone Age. Interstellar trade and commerce would collapse, military hegemony would end since it would be impossible to deploy anywhere in a timely fashion, and it would be each race, each planet for itself (as implied in the dialogue between the old man and the child at the very, very end).
Each race would be forced to discover the secret of creating Mass Relays on their own. Each race would be isolated from each other, unable to interfere with each others' development or imperialize each other. It would also render each race weak enough to prevent the Reapers from taking interest in them for a long time – and by then, perhaps they will have advanced enough, on their own terms, to be able to fight the Reapers on fair ground. Or to figure out the secret to everlasting galactic peace. But in any case, no more piggybacking on the achievements of previous species. If humanity is to inherit the galaxy, they must earn it.
Shepard understands this as she dies – presumably not ever knowing if the Crucible worked or not, but knowing that in the long run, it wouldn't matter anyway. It's not choicy, no — but it's a pithy and worthy end to a long-running series, and I feel that creating an ending that is open to interpretation but still establishes certain things as canonical is exactly what BioWare intended (and not just for the DLC possibilities).
There was never any doubt BioWare was intending to create an epic more than a game with this final installment, and the final scene with the stargazer and the little boy confirms this. Like any epic, the details may be lost, but the effects remain, and the player in this case is also the storyteller, infusing the story with his own twists, his own reactions. It seems this particular scene is a bit inflammatory since it could be interpreted as BioWare basically giving the player the old "screw-you". It could be seen as implying that everything you just played for three games didn't "really happen" (although what "really happened" in a science fiction video game is kind of illusory to begin with) but was just some bedtime story the old man told to his kid. I thought it was BioWare's tongue-in-cheek parable of their relationship with their fans, as well as coyly setting the narrative stage for some DLC.
But it does establish the story as an epic, and clearly you can't have vastly divergent endings to an epic. No matter what you have the characters do when you tell the story, Troy always burns at the end.
Is this the correct interpretation? Most likely not, but it worked for me – more than worked, in fact, for I was genuinely moved. I cried when Thane died (although not when Mordin died, since an audio bug prevented me from hearing any dialogue or music during that particular scene) and I was teary eyed watching android-Joker and EDI walk off into a pristine forest together. Mass Effect was a great series (though flawed, like all great things are) and deserved a great ending, though it is possible, perhaps, that BioWare did err in not managing expectations better so that people could have had the catharsis they wanted. I wish that more people could have had a similar experience, but I'm selfishly happy that I got a good ending, in my mind. And in the end, that's all that matters.
* Canon or no, my Shepard will always be a woman to me — one that kind of looks like Major Catherine Li from the Spin State novels, who I secretly think inspired BioWare's "Ruthless" "War Criminal" femShep.
** I was mostly hoping to see more of the allies I had collected at the end. I would have liked to see a Quarian/Geth fleet in dogfights with Reaper ships, and Krogan running around head-butting banshees, and the red laser points of Salarian snipers.


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Apr 16, 2013 | 05:52 PM | Thorsten Schier
Tags indirect drilling costs, America's Natural Gas Alliance, ANGA, Greg Pensabe, natural gas, Jeffrey Zients, Thorsten Schier
NEW YORK The proposed repeal of a tax deduction on intangible drilling costs could significantly reduce the number of new natural gas wells being drilled, according to Americas Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA),....
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Will more metals companies discontinue health care coverage for their employees in light of the Affordable Care Act?
June 20-21, 2013 New York
Billet is the strongest part of the aluminum business right now. ... I can't pinpoint exactly why (but) ... some customers are ordering double what they did last year.
--Aluminum trader


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These prehistoric polls are old news. Cast your vote in the latest and greatest Best of Citysearch Wine List in Seattle!
14459 Woodinville-Redmond Rd, Woodinville, WA
The Purple Cafe - Woodinville
2121 Terry Ave, Seattle, WA
Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar
1936 Harbor Ave Sw, Seattle, WA
Salty's on Alki Beach Seafood Grill


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Don't Know What To Think: Mario World Halo
This is a video of a hybrid Mario game with some 2D Halo enemies thrown in. During the video there's a bunch of text mentioning the improvements it'll undergo to make it better. I don't really know what to think of the whole thing. However I do know that the sounds the enemies make when you kill them almost made me shoot myself. So they could work on that. Oh, and you know what else they could work on? My car -- the damn thing won't start.
Mario World Halo [wiinintendo]
thanks to Chachoregard, who is cool, for the tip
Apparently 25-year old Amanda Johnstone from South London was chosen by XBox as the UK's hottest Halo fan. I find it a little hard to believe, but who knows, I'd still Chief it. At this point, we'd love to tell you (Miss World Style) about her charity work, measurements an... / Continue →
Remember the story about the children's doll that allegedly says "Islam is the light"? Well now there's a Nintendo DS game that says the same thing, thankfully discovered by BY THE SAME IDIOT THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT THE DOLL. Months ago, Rachel Jones was shocked to discover he... / Continue →
Why you'd need a vending machine for a product that only requires hot water and three minutes to be ready for consumption is beyond me. Yet, here it is, a Cup Noodle (I always thought it was Cup-O-Noodles) vending machine. It's small enough to fit on a counter top, and incl... / Continue →


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Homeowners on Lake Martin Demand Higher Water LevelsControversy over water levels on Lake Martin...
When the Federal Energy Regulation Commission makes changes to lake levels, they last anywhere from 30 to 50 years. The Federal Energy Regulation Commission recently rejected Alabama Power's request to raise water levels at Lake Martin by three feet and expand the time the water is raised.
Tonight, they held a public meeting where some residents spoke out against the commission's ruling. Hundreds of people who live or vacation on Lake Martin showed up here, most of them to support Alabama Power's proposal to raise water levels on the lake. It was a packed house as people from Elmore, Tallapoosa, and Coosa Counties gathered to discuss Lake Martin's water levels. The lake is currently lowered ten feet in the winter, beginning September 1st but now some say the lake should only be lowered seven feet and done so later, on October 15th. "I think it definitely needs to be raised and the full pool needs to be lengthened in the fall and spring," says homeowner Judy Heinzen. "We've got a lot of people whose docks are out of the water at the ten feet down level but at seven feet, they can use it," explains Jesse Cunningham. Alabama Power drafted the proposal to elevate Lake Martin for a longer period and a spokesman for the power company tells us they want the Federal Energy Regulation Commission to reverse their ruling. Brandon Glover with Alabama Power says the goal is to "show them that there is value in that three feet and that there was a lot of consideration by us and all the stakeholders that were involved." But not everyone wants to see the waters rising. Stephen Bowler, with the commission, tells us farmers on the lake say the higher levels aren't good for business. "There were folks downstream in which flooding would be increased by the proposal and because of public safety concerns, with the information we had, we couldn't go with the recommendation to raise the winter pool." Still, some say there are more pros to raising the water level than cons. "It helps the economy of the local businesses and it helps the tax revenue because property values go up," says Cunningham. "If you can't drop a ski in front of your place in the wintertime, it's not good if you can't ski out there," says homeowner Ron Sappington. |
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Colorized, an App That turns Your iPhone into a Social Sketchpad
A little more than six months ago, Yan-David Erlich was sitting in a restaurant when he noticed a waiter bring a black-and-white coloring pad plus some crayons to the children sitting at the next table.
"I started wondering what the online equivalent of that was," he recalls. "And I realized that while it's hard to draw with a mouse, it's easy when you use your fingers on a touchscreen."
That realization led to Colorized, an iPhone app that facilitates "social sketching."
With the app, you snap a photo, and then use a suite of virtual tools – a pencil, spray can, felt tip pen, eraser, a camera, stamps (including a mustache, a Panda, and a monocle) -- to enhance or alter it any way you wish.
Then, a "remix" function allows you and your friends (or the entire Colorized community) to iterate on it endlessly.
By combining photography with doodling on the touchscreen, Colorized is essentially enabling users to create a new form of art.
The camera has two filters, one of which strips the color out of a photograph, leaving the black and white outline that is the digital equivalent of that coloring pad in the restaurant, and a second filter that does a little of the coloring in for you.
When you are satisfied with a piece, you can publish it on Colorized, where it can be shared just with friends or the community at large, and on social media channels as well. Early users seem to enjoy remixing each other's work; setting off what Erlich calls a "conversation in pictures." People can "like" and add text comments to the pictures.
The pictures posted on the app flow into a Facebook-like central feed.
"We think at the start, we are providing a set of fairly simplistic tools," says Erlich. "Even so, the quality has surprised us. Some of it is amazing art. It shows that if you give artistic people tools, they will create beautiful stuff."
Colorized is a product from Happiness Engines, a startup that "works to change the way people interact with their mobile device and personal services, in a manner that's completely fluid and intuitive."
The Big Eat 2012: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
The Big Eat 2011: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
The Big Veg 2011: 50 Vegetarian (Or Vegan) Things to Eat Before You Die
Four Ways To Escape the Cold in Mexico
Jams We Love: Our Weekly Playlists
10 Best Dishes $10 in the Inner Sunset
Rise and Dine: A Guide to Brunch at SF's Best Restaurants
The Best Cheese in SF (Recommendations from Local Cheese Shops)
Refreshingly Unhip: The Best Vanilla Ice Cream in SF
The 20 Best Dishes Under $10 in the Tenderloin & Tendernob
Community Gardens Around the City
Horseback Riding Within 1.5 Hours of SF
Four Awesome Northern California Hot Springs
Refreshingly Unhip: SF's Old-School Pastrami Sandwiches
The 7 Best Carne Asada Burritos in San Francisco
The 10 Best Dishes Under $10 in the Outer Sunset
The 20 Best Dishes Under $10 in the Mission
The 10 Best Dishes Under $10 in Bernal Heights
The 10 Best Dishes Under $10 in the Lower Haight
The 10 Best Lunches in Union Square Under $10
Refreshingly Unhip: The Best Glazed Dougnuts in SF
Expert Advice on Parking in The City
- Thrillcall Rolls Out New Live Music Discovery App For iPhones
- The Eatery, an iPhone App That Can Help You Eat Healthier (Check Out the Data)
- Gigwalk Helps You Find Short-Term Contract Work Fast On Your iPhone
- Golden Gate Park Gets an iPhone App
- SF Arts Guide iPhone App Helps You Navigate the City's Art World


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[JURIST] Mexico City [official website, in Spanish] legislators Tuesday passed a bill 46-19 that would legalize abortion within the city. The bill, proposed [JURIST report] by the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) [official website, in Spanish], will require city hospitals to provide the procedure in the first trimester, although abortions after 12 weeks would still be illegal. Girls under 18 would have to get their parents' consent. The bill now goes to the city's mayor, Marcelo Ebrard [Wikipedia profile], who is expected to sign it. Abortion opponents will probably appeal the law to the Supreme Court.Abortion is generally illegal throughout the heavily Roman Catholic country, with exceptions only for cases of rape. Mexico City previously loosened the country's restriction to allow abortions when the health of the mother was in danger. Conservatives in the country, including Mexican President Felipe Calderon [official website] and his National Action Party (PAN) [official website] are strongly opposed to any change of abortion law, and have vowed to appeal the law to the Supreme Court. Supporters of the bill say that the current laws endanger poor women who, unlike wealthier Mexicans, cannot afford to travel to the United States for the surgery and so must resort to unsafe back-alley abortions. Last year Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] conducted an extensive study of abortion availability for rape victims in Mexico [study text; press release], finding that those seeking legal abortions often are intimidated with insults and threats of legal retaliation by both prosecutors and health workers. AP has more.
[JURIST] The US Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit [official website] ruled Tuesday that Internet phone company Vonage [corporate website] can subscribe new customers while it appeals a lower court finding that it infringed three patents held by Verizon Communications, Inc. [corporate website]. In the wake of the finding, US District Judge Claude M. Hilton issued an order prohibiting Vonage from subscribing new customers. Vonage will also continue paying a 5.5 percent royalty rate on all future sales to an escrow account while the appeal is pending. The appeals court scheduled oral arguments for June 25. Verizon filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Vonage in June, accusing it of violating seven Verizon patents. On March 8, a federal jury returned a verdict finding that Vonage had violated [Verizon press release; Vonage press release] three voice-over-Internet Protocol [FCC backgrounder] patents held by Verizon, awarding Verizon $58 million dollars in compensation plus future royalties amounting to 5.5 percent of Vonage's revenues if Vonage continues to use the patented technology. Hilton, saying he did not wish to irreparably harm Vonage's business, issued the partial injunction as a less severe punishment than one he initially proposed, which would would have disrupted phone service for Vonage's 2.2 million existing customers. Vonage lawyers argued in response that the ruling would "slowly strangle" Vonage because it would be unable to compensate for customers that routinely switch services in the highly competitive industry. Vonage lawyers projected that the phone service would lose approximately 650,000 subscribers over the course of next year. Earlier this month, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an emergency stay [JURIST report] of the injunction. CNET has more.
[JURIST] US military authorities Tuesday formally referred to a military commission charges [charge sheet] of murder, supporting terrorism, conspiracy and spying in "violation of the law of war" against Omar Khadr [Trial Watch profile; JURIST news archive], a Canadian detainee held at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] since 2002. Khadr, the son of alleged al Qaeda financier Ahmad Khadr, allegedly threw a grenade that killed one US soldier and wounded another while fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and will be arraigned within 30 days, according to a military statement [DOD press release].Last month, Khadr told his mother in a rare phone call to his family in Canada that he planned to boycott his trial [JURIST report]. Khadr was only 15 years old when he allegedly trained with and fought alongside al Queda fighters in Afghanistan. In 2004, Khadr was also accused [2004 charge sheet, PDF; JURIST report] of planting mines to blow up US convoys. His charges were initially renewed [JURIST report] by military prosecutors in February under the new Military Commissions Act [PDF, text] but were only sent on after approval by the Office of Military Commissions' Convening Authority. In March, the US Supreme Court rejected his request [JURIST report] to expedite his challenge to the Act. AP has more.
[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website] Tuesday heard oral arguments [transcript, PDF] in Permanent Mission of India v. New York [LII case backgrounder; merit briefs], a case in which the justices will determine whether US courts can hear claims against foreign governments regarding unpaid property taxes for diplomatic residences. The city of New York brought the claim against India and Mongolia in 2003, and both the district court and the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit [official website] ruled that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act [LII text] provides an exception allowing US courts to hear the action. The city relies on a 1958 New York tax law which subjects all diplomatic property apart from the mission and principal residence of an ambassador to property taxes. India and Mongolia, which house their diplomats in the same high-rise buildings in which their missions are located, owe $16.4 million and $2.1 million respectively in tax liens, according to the city. Lawyers for the two countries argued that because diplomats are always on call, the same reasons that justify immunity for diplomatic missions apply to diplomatic residences. Additionally, attorneys for the countries and the US Department of State maintained that if the court permits suits against foreign sovereigns for unpaid taxes in US courts, US diplomatic residences around the world will be subject to similar suits. The city relies on a 1985 ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit that Libya was not immune from a similar claim. AP has more.The court also heard two other oral arguments Tuesday. In Beck v. Pace International Union [transcript, PDF; merit briefs], the Court must decide whether a pension plan sponsors decision to terminate a plan by purchasing an annuity is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act [text]. In Dayton v. Hanson [transcript, PDF; merit briefs], the Court must decide whether a senator's decison to fire a staff member whose duties primarily involved legislation was an official act protected by the Speech or Debate Clause of the constitution.
[JURIST] A Syrian court Tuesday sentenced human rights lawyer Anwar al-Bunni [Human Rights First backgrounder] to five years in prison and imposed a $2,000-equivalent fine for spreading false information harmful to the state. Al-Bunni has been detained since he and several other activists were arrested last year [JURIST report] following their signature of the Beirut-Damascus Declaration [text]. The declaration calls for normalization of relations between Syria and Lebanon [JURIST news archive], a properly demarcated border, the release of political prisoners and the exchanging of ambassadors. Khalil Maatouk, al-Bunni's lawyer, announced plans to appeal the decision.Both Maatouk and Amnesty International [advocacy website] describe the ruling as an attempt to intimidate Syrian society [statement] and quell dissent. According to Amnesty, al-Bunni's arrest and charges stem from his legitimate work to further human rights. AP has more.
[JURIST] A Chinese court has found Yahoo China [corporate website] liable for copyright infringement by linking to websites that illegally offered free downloads of copyrighted music, Xinhua news agency reported Tuesday. Yahoo China was ordered to pay a fine of 200,000 yuan and to remove the links. Although most of the music was hosted on third-party websites, Beijing's No. 2 Intermediate Court ruled that the search engine was still partly responsible for the copyright violations since it enabled websurfers to find the illegal music. In January, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) [trade website], a trade organization that fights against music piracy, filed suit against Yahoo China on behalf of recording companies, including Warner Music Group [corporate website], for alleged copyright infringement involving over 200 unlicensed songs. Yahoo China said it would file an appeal. Reuters has more.In 2005, the US Trade Representative office placed China on a "priority watch list" [JURIST report] due to what the US considered rampant copyright infringement in the country. This month, the United States is filed a case against China [JURIST report] at the World Trade Organization (WTO) for lax enforcement of copyright violations and trademarks.
[JURIST] The North Dakota Legislative Assembly [official website] passed a bill [PDF text] Monday prohibiting abortion [JURIST news archive] in the state if the US Supreme Court [official website] ever declares that such a move would be constitutional. The measure, which Governor John Hoeven [official website] is expected to sign, passed the state House 68-24 and the Senate 29-16. In the event that the US Supreme Court overturns the 1973 Roe v. Wade [LII backgrounder; opinion] decision, the bill would subject anyone performing an abortion to a prison sentence of up to 5 years, a $5,000 fine, or possibly both. An exception would be made in cases of rape, incest, or where the life of the mother was in danger. North Dakota has become the second state to pass this type of abortion law; Mississippi approved a similar measure [FMF report] last month. Senate Majority Leader Bob Stenehjem [official website] denied that the North Dakota bill was influenced by last week's Supreme Court decision upholding a federal 'partial birth' abortion ban [JURIST report]. The Bismarck Tribune has more.
[JURIST] Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson [official profile] expressed hope Monday that the April 16 shootings [Wikipedia backgrounder] at Virginia Tech [university website] that left 33 people - including the gunman - dead in the largest shooting rampage in US history would prompt the United States to take action in support of an international arms trade treaty [advocacy website]. In December the US was the only country to vote against a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution [vote and explanations; draft text] urging the UN Secretary General to solicit the views of member states on a treaty "establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms." Twenty-four other countries abstained and 153 countries voted in favor. Robinson said at a UN press conference [recorded video] in New York Monday marking a Global Day of Action for the Arms Trade Treaty [advocacy website] that 1000 people are killed around the world every day by unregulated small arms, and that "maybe the sense of personal loss for the 32 lives, and what we know about them" could help bring that fact home to people in the United States as a "a tragic reminder that armed violence is a problem in so many parts of the world." AP has more.
[JURIST] An Argentine judge ruled Monday that former Argentine President Reynaldo Bignone [Wikipedia profile] should stand trial for the kidnapping of children of dissidents killed during Argentina's 1976-83 "Dirty War" [GlobalSecurity backgrounder; JURIST news archive]. The children were allegedly given new identities after their kidnappings. Bignone also faces trial [JURIST report] on separate charges connected to the illegal arrest, torture and killing of dissidents at secret detention centers in Buenos Aires.Bignone was the last of Argentina's 1976-83 military dictators before democracy was re-established in 1983. Nearly 13,000 people are officially reported as missing during the military crackdown, although human rights groups say the toll is closer to 30,000 victims. Argentine authorities arrested [JURIST report] Bignone, 78, in March pursuant to a statute that allows detention of suspects over the age of 70. Reuters has more.
[JURIST] Lord Woolf [Wikipedia profile], former Lord Chief Justice of English and Wales, told BBC Radio in an interview [recorded audio] broadcast Tuesday that shifting the traditional position of Lord Chancellor [BBC backgrounder] into a new Ministry of Justice split off from the current Home Office [official website] represented a major constitutional change that should be undertaken only after serious study, and not rushed through. A Labour government plan [Home Office press release] developed [JURIST report] earlier this year and announced [BBC report] in late March by British Prime Minister Tony Blair calls for the new Ministry - a successor body to the current Department of Constitutional Affairs and the National Offender Management Service [official websites] - to be responsible for the judiciary and for prisons, probation and the prevention of criminal recidivism, but Woolf warned that the responsibilities of the Lord Chancellor in the expanded Ministry might water down his traditionally close relationship with judges. The jurisdiction of a reduced Home Office would be largely confined to terrorism, security and immigration. The changes are due for implementation in early May. Woolf told the BBC:
There has been no debate. Parliament has not considered this, but it is going to apparently happen on May 9. I really think with our constitutional arrangements, we should be more careful about how these matters are dealt with. We have no written constitution which is entrenched and our constitution works through checks and balances and it is very important that if we are starting to alter the framework of checks and balances, that the matter is looked at carefully. I am not saying that it can't be made to work satisfactorily. What I am saying is that we should work it out beforehand and not wait until we have created the change and then somehow or other try to scramble to get it into place. This is a very big change for our constitution and I say this for no reason other than that I am concerned for our well-being as a nation.
[JURIST] Some 3000 Pakistani lawyers and anti-government activists demonstrated outside the Supreme Court building in Islamabad Tuesday as suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry [official website; JURIST news archive] arrived for his sixth hearing before Pakistan's Supreme Judicial Council [governing constitutional provisions] on alleged judicial misconduct. Chaudhry was technically made "non-functional" [JURIST report] by a March 9 order of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. No specifics were provided at the time of his suspension but documents subsequently disclosed [JURIST report] suggest he was officially removed on suspicion of misusing his influence to get his son jobs and promotions. Lawyers and opposition leaders critical of the move say, however, that the suspension was an assault on the independence of the country's judiciary and an indirect bid by Musharraf to continue his eight-year rule in an election year. The protesters Tuesday called for Musharraf to resign and burned a photograph of the Army leader, who seized power from a civilian government in a 1999 military coup.Chaudhry has denied any wrongdoing and has called for the hearings on his case to be made public [JURIST report]. Many lawyers across Pakistan have boycotted the courts [JURIST report] in protest over Chaudhry's suspension and a number of senior judges have already resigned [JURIST report] over the controversy. Reuters has more.
[JURIST] Ecuador's Constitutional Tribunal [official website, in Spanish] Monday reinstated some 50 members of the country's Congress dismissed [JURIST report] last month by order of Ecuador's electoral tribunal [official website, in Spanish] after they were found to have illegally interfered with a referendum pushed by President Rafael Correa [official website, in Spanish; BBC profile] on whether to draft a new constitution [text, in Spanish]. The referendum held April 15 resulted in a massive vote of support [JURIST reports] for the convening of a constitutional assembly to rewrite the national charter. Correa denounced the court ruling Monday, called it "illegal" and "shameless". Ecuador's Congress is currently dominated by pro-Correa lawmakers and the reinstatement of the ousted representatives threatens to rekindle the political tug of war between the presidency and the legislature [JURIST news archive] over the reform process and the domination of the legislature and judiciary by traditional power elites. In the wake of the ruling, Ecuadorean riot police surrounded Congress Tuesday to maintain order in the event of possible violence. The dismissed legislators fought with police [JURIST report] when they initially attempted to retake their seats after the original electoral tribunal decision; this time, however, one of the lawmakers told Reuters, "We should be let back into Congress, but we fear for our safety. We will analyze the position of the president and the election court before making any decision." Reuters has more.
[JURIST] The three-drug "cocktail" used to execute death row inmates by lethal injection [JURIST news archive] can fail, causing inmates to suffer a painful death, according to a study [text] published Monday by PLoS Medicine [journal website]. The study's authors said in a summary of their work:
We were able to analyze only a limited number of executions. However, our findings suggest that current lethal injection protocols may not reliably effect death through the mechanisms intended, indicating a failure of design and implementation. If thiopental and potassium chloride fail to cause anesthesia and cardiac arrest, potentially aware inmates could die through pancuronium-induced asphyxiation. Thus the conventional view of lethal injection leading to an invariably peaceful and painless death is questionable.
The authors conclude that even if lethal injection is administered without technical error, those executed may experience suffocation, and therefore that "the conventional view of lethal injection as an invariably peaceful and painless death is questionable." The Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. The results of this paper suggest that current protocols used for lethal injection in the US probably violate this amendment.
[JURIST] An Indonesian court Tuesday acquitted American Richard Ness [defense website], the regional chief executive of Denver-based Newmont Mining Corporation [corporate website; JURIST news archive], and Newmont's local subsidiary of criminal pollution charges [JURIST report]. Ness and Newmont were accused of dumping arsenic and mercury into the waters of Indonesia's Buyat Bay. Prosecutors had requested a three-year prison term [JURIST report] for Ness and $110,000 fine against Newmont. According to Newmont's press release [PDF text] "the court held that Buyat Bay is not polluted. It further found, as PTNMR contended, that the company was in compliance with all regulations and permits during its eight years of operations from 1996 to 2004."Newmont settled a civil suit [JURIST report] brought by the Indonesian government last year. Bloomberg has more.
[JURIST] The US Securities and Exchange Commission has settled accounting fraud charges [press release] against HealthSouth [corporate website] founder and former CEO Richard Scrushy [defense website; JURIST news archive] under an agreement announced Monday "that permanently bars Scrushy from serving as an officer or director of a public company, permanently enjoins Scrushy from committing future violations of the antifraud and other provisions of the federal securities laws, and requires Scrushy to pay $81 million in disgorgement and civil penalties." According to the SEC's press release:
The Commission's complaint in this action charges Scrushy with directing a $2.6 billion financial fraud at the HealthSouth Corporation during the years 1996 through 2002.... The Complaint alleges that, at Scrushy's direction, HealthSouth's overstated its revenue by more than $2.6 billion from the second quarter of 1996 through the third quarter of 2002. This overstatement led directly to quarterly and annual overstatements of net income and retained earnings. The Commission's complaint charges that, by the end of 2002, HealthSouth was claiming to have over $1.5 billion in accumulated retained earnings, when in fact the Company had operated at a significant loss over its entire corporate history. The HealthSouth fraud resulted in one of the largest accounting restatements in American corporate history.
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Keywords: Tags Steven Burnstein, GreenTree Recycling, INTL FCStone, recycling, scrap
NEW YORK GreenTree Recycling LLC has hired veteran scrap trader Steven Burnstein as vice president of sales and marketing to help grow its brokerage business and expand its export division.
Prior to joining the Land O Lakes, Fla.-based company, Burnstein was a scrap trader at New York-based INTL FCStone Inc.
GreenTree Recycling, established in 2007, serves as the marketing arm for several full-service recycling facilities in central Florida.
All comments are subject to editorial review. All fields are compulsory.
Every month American Metal Market takes a statistical look inside the marketplace.
June 20-21, 2013 New York
The decline in scrap the last two months is putting pressure on domestic mills for price relief on rebar. The mills have not yet caved to the pressure.
--U.S. rebar buyer


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Comments for: Holiday
Talk to Nath
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3 Comments
Anglachel - 05 Aug 09 - 8:02 AM
Thank you! This is a wonderful story. Who would have expected Gimli to be so good at diplomacy? And a certain young lady is just as formidable as her great-aunt.
Go to Holiday
Larner - 18 Aug 09 - 3:04 PM
Go to Holiday


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Patagonia: Women's Down With It Vest
Our Price: $179.00
- * May take 2 business days before shipping.
- Qualifies for free shipping.
- Patagonia products are not available for shipment outside the United States.
Color: [Wpg Wooly Plaid: Graphite Navy]
Color: [Wrl Wooly Plaid: Raw Linen]
Color: [Wyk Wooly Plaid: Black]
Caption: Front View (Wooly Plaid: Black)
Caption: Back View (Wooly Plaid: Black)
Patagonia's Down With It Vest is made with a recycled polyester shell and 600-fill-power premium European goose-down insulation, and comes with a removable hood.
- Slim fit
- 100% recycled polyester shell insulated with 600-fill-power premium European goose down
- Adjustable, removable hood lined with deep-pile fleece
- On-seam, zippered handwarmer pockets; internal zippered security pocket
- Rectangle quilting with additional styling in the back for contoured fit
- Hip length
Weight: | 448 g (15.8 oz) |
Fabric: | 2.3-oz 100% recycled polyester with a Deluge® DWR (durable water repellent) finish |
Insulation: | 600-fill-power premium European goose down |


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Added to Bag!
We'll let you know if it's back in stock!
Added to Wishlist!
You Got That Swing Bag
- 100% Polyurethane.
- Bag measures approximately 14 x 12 x 0.5 inches. Handle measures approximately 17 inches in length. Removable shoulder strap is adjustable and measures 49.5 inches in length when fully extended.
- Zipper closure. Two interior open pockets. One interior pocket with zipper closure.
- Imported
It's out of stock, but you aren't out of luck!
Let us know if you need it! We reorder based on community feedback and demand, so your voice is very important. We'll email you if we can bring it back.
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The best music and talk stations
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The Break and Repair Method is a side project for Matchbox Twenty drummer and then guitarist Paul Doucette, who, although he may not quite have the vocal range of Matchbox lead singer Rob Thomas, has an amazingly effective and endearing singing voice, and his songs, at their best, sound like the Beatles just met a power pop version of Randy Newman. Doucette began recording his own material while on a break from Matchbox Twenty, using a host of musicians, including Tracy Bonham, Moon Zappa (Doucette's wife), and Matchbox's Matt Beck, and after a couple of label deals failed to deliver, he ended up with a fully realized (and very impressive) album on his hands. Called Milk the Bee, the album was released in 2008 by Bluhammock Records. ~ Steve Leggett
The Break And Repair Method


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By Jared Eberlein Would you say the creative team has treated the West End production like a brand new show?
With their involvement, were there any changes made in anticipation of a different audience sensibility across the pond?
You bring an unapologetic, unabashed joy to Cunningham that I've not necessarily seen in any other actor's take on the role and it's brilliant. Is that mostly you coming through?
In each new incarnation has the cast been encouraged to find their own way in to their respective roles?
16 Mar 2013
JG: Yes, but they've done that with each of the productions. I've opened three of the four companies now and they've been completely hands on and present for all of them. A lot of times with big hit shows, they'll sort of farm it out to associates to put the show up, and then maybe you'll see the director or you'll see the writer toward the end. But Matt, Trey & Bobby [Lopez] have been present and such a part of each production. They genuinely care about the quality of the work and I really respect that about them.
JG: There were a number of things that Gavin and I would hypothesize about while we were on the tour, once we knew we were coming to London — things that wouldn't be understood or translate. But Matt, Trey and Bobby have just decided to give it a go and do the show exactly as it was written and see how it plays. As it turns out, we didn't have to change anything; everything is being understood just beautifully.
JG: I think it's me to a degree. I think I have a lot of joy in my life and I'm a really happy guy. But Trey Parker in rehearsal said something about [Cunningham] being a "happy puppy," and I thought, "That's the perfect way into him." All Cunningham wants is a best friend, and he starts the show by being given the only thing he's ever wanted in his life, so why wouldn't he be unabashedly joyful?
JG: I think that's the smartest thing our creative team has done. In each company they've formed so far they've been really smart about hiring funny, unique, weird people and just seeing what they come up with. No one has ever been asked to imitate anyone who's done the part before. No one has ever been asked to stick with a bit or a take that someone else has done. Everyone's encouraged to find their own way in and I think that's what makes each company really special. When we were doing the national tour — the first company after Broadway — it was its own thing. It paid homage to what the Broadway cast had done, but it had its own vibe and everyone had their own take on the material. It's a gift that with a lot of big shows you don't get. There's no "now you cross left, now you lift your arm, now you breathe —" and I love that about our creative team.
JG: It's really been a gradual process that then had a sharp turn when I got to start working with Gavin Creel. Up until then, I had been doing someone else's show — my own take, but someone else's framework. With Gavin, we started from scratch and created it together. And what I've found through Cunningham's relationship with Price has been remarkable — his journey, his need and how he ends up filling that need himself and becoming his own man.


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But Mary Elizabeth Winstead does horror movies...
Don't you mean TWO CIRCLES???
Please excuse Adgy and his poor taste in some of his movie women. He's been sick.
Kat >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Mary Elizabeth.
She's got way better boobies. Also, her movie character punches Michael Cera in the throat. What does Mary Elizabeth do? Be a bitch, date him, be a bitch some more and dump him, and then be a pathetic bitch in the end.


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Thomas and Laura Leone of Busti, N.Y. announce the engagement of their daughter, Samantha Rose, to Jeremy William Bucklin, the son of Bruce and Cathy Bucklin of Busti, N.Y. Miss Leone is also the granddaughter of Dale and Rita Kester of Ashville, N.Y., and Judy Leone of Dunkirk, N.Y.
Miss Leone is a 2008 graduate of Jamestown High School and attended the State University at Fredonia and Jamestown Community College. She is employed by Serta Mattress Co. Her fiance attended Southwestern Central School. He is employed by Anixter Fasteners.
A July 21, 2012 wedding is planned in Busti.
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