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Let's get this out in the air - are people just high? Seriously, China exports up 50%? Not only what are they smoking, but what are the people who believe this crap smoking? And if you are just plain old gullible enough to believe that it's true, why would anyone consider that type of move a good thing? I'll come back to that, first let's deal with the high frequency computerized debt addicts over here who were buying stocks yesterday.
Equities are down hard from their highs this morning on the Retail Sales report. Bonds are up, the dollar is up, Euro down, oil down sharply, and gold up. Sound familiar?
Well guess what… yesterday the computers all got on the same side of the trade again and produced a 97.6% volume up day on the NYSE. For those keeping score, it's now 90%+ down days 8, and up days 5 since mid-April! Lucky 13. Will we get 14 as the computers all get on the same side today?
Folks, you've been warned and I know you're listening because this is proof positive that not only are you out of the market, but all your friends and family are too. This "market" is nothing but very few players all chasing one another with computers, there are no "investors" left. This is an extremely dangerous thing, and it is far worse than it has ever been – EVER. Everyone with two or more neurons left that can still develop a spark are long gone. Those who get on television and talk up this "market" either don't meet the requirements of the previous sentence or they are trying to steal your money from you, plain and simple.
The chemicals pouring into the Gulf must be already leaching into the chowder heads who still believe in the fairy tale of growing retail sales. They have first failed to understand this report and its built-in survivor bias, and they have failed to allow for the fact that any rebound in sales over the past year was built upon a rush of debt-backed "stimulus."
So the "experts" expecting .4% growth receive a report that says retail sales fell 1.2% in May. Remember, this is way exaggerated on the up side because it only measures sales at stores that are open and does not account for the lack of sales at stores that have closed. Would that be hard to account for? No. How about simply totaling sales? Is that too difficult, addition? And even then you need to realize that you are adding up DOLLARS, not products. This type of self-deception has got to stop.
Here's Econoday's attempt to sooth you:
It looks like the consumer paused the spending spree in May. But on average, sales have been healthy over the past few months. Overall retail sales in May fell 1.2 percent after gaining 0.6 percent in April and jumping 2.1 percent in March. May came in far lower than analysts' expectations for a 0.4 percent increase. Autos were only part of the decline as sales ex autos decreased 1.1 percent after gaining 0.6 percent in April. Sales excluding autos and gasoline posted a 0.8 percent drop, following a 0.6 percent boost in April.
It this latter measure, weakness was mainly in building materials & garden supplies. Excluding autos, building materials, and gasoline, sales edged up 0.1 percent in May after decreasing 0.2 percent in April.
The bottom line still is that consumer spending has been healthy on average over the last several months. Some offset should not be a surprise after a strong burst of activity. But the 1.7 percent decline in auto sales in the retail sales report actually somewhat surprising given that unit new motor vehicle sales were up 3.8 percent for the month. But weakness could have been in used cars, parts, or in price.
The drop in sales for overall sales in May was centered in a 9.3 percent plunge in building materials. This was the largest fall for this component since the start of the series over 18 years ago. However, this component jumped 8.1 percent in March and 8.4 percent in April. So, the decline in May is not terrible in context.
Other notable weakness in May was in gasoline, down 3.3 percent, and in clothing, down 1.3 percent. The drop in gasoline sales almost certainly was price related and the same may be true for clothing.
On the positive side were nonstore retailers, up 2.0 percent; furniture & home furnishings, up 1.0 percent; miscellaneous store retailers, up 0.9 percent; electronics, up 0.6 percent; sporting goods, etc., up 0.4 percent; food & beverage, up 0.3 percent; and food services & drinking places, up 0.1 percent.
Overall retail sales on a year-ago basis in May came in at 6.9 percent and compared to 9.0 percent the month before. Excluding motor vehicles, the year-on-year rate slipped to 6.1 percent from 7.8 percent in April.
Today's numbers clearly were disappointing and equity futures declined on the news-and Treasury yields slipped. But looking ahead, the PCEs component in the personal income report likely will not be as bad with it based on better auto numbers. And it should be much better in real terms.
Ahh, are they kidding? They point out the trend right there, 2.1%, .6%, -1.2%... ahh what comes next in that series?
Oh yeah, everything will chug right along fine with all the stimulus removed and the world still saturated in debt. Did you catch the largest drop EVER for building materials? Down 9.3% in one month?? Weren't Cramer and fellow single neuron pumpers just shouting to buy Home Depot and Lowes? Keep smoking that stuff, it must be good.
Citizen Sentiment and Inventories are reported this morning at 10 Eastern.
Getting back to China, first of all let's realize that in comparison to the size of the economy of the United States and Europe, it is not even the tail on the dog. Due to this size disparity, those who believe/d that China would lead the world to greatness have not been effectively utilizing their sole remaining neuron. And to believe the reports of a 50% move in exports in a one year time frame is again, simply gullible. Here's an example of what the gullible are parroting:
A rumor that China's exports rose 50% compared to last May drove China's markets up over 2% at the close of trading. It turns out that the numbers were correct. According to Reuters, most experts expected the increase to be closer to 30%.
The news shows the growing strength of the US economy. China exports to the EU are hardly likely to be rising quickly because of region's lagging GDP growth and high unemployment. China's rising exports will likely increase the debate over the value of the yuan, particularly if US government reports do not show a sharp increase in American exports. China, the Administration will argue again, does as well as its does in selling its manufactured goods around the world because it has a currency edge along with low labor costs.
So, the 50% growth in China exports are due to strength in the U.S.? LOL, are they kidding? Is there really anyone on this planet who believes that? Do they realize that if it were true, that means exports are more than doubling every two years? Is that rate sustainable? And I haven't even asked if it's based on currency distortions or on flat out lies. I place my bets on flat out lies.
Not that I really trust this either, and keep in mind that it's measured in dollars, but let's look at a chart of U.S. Imports from China, updated through April of this year:
Here's a 5 year zoomed in chart:
You can see that it peaked out at $34 billion crashed to $19 billion, and has since rebounded to $26 billion. Yes, those are some wild swings, but below is the same chart expressed in year over year percent change – it shows 20% in the past year:
Umm, 20% does NOT equal 50%. And we're supposedly the strength of the report? If that's so, then it should be up more like 100%! Here's the math from these charts – Our imports from China are DOWN 23.5% from peak. They are up 36.8% from the low point. What they are not is up anywhere near 50% in any single reporting period. Frankly, the swings that are there are scary enough. So, if China is exporting at the claimed pace, where are they exporting to? Yet another confidence destroying lie.
Below is a 15 minute chart showing the confines of the action over the past few days.
We are now up against the downtrend line of this decline. Breaking through the trendline may mean that a higher level correction is going to transpire. Keep an eye on the Dollar, the Euro, and on the VIX. The VIX has a support shelf at about 30, a move beneath that level may signal more upside, as would a break of the downtrend lines.
Yesterday's jump was not a natural or generic move, and once again it came on lower volume and without any change in any fundamental. It looks like a frantic fight between intervention and short covering on one side doing battle against the reality of gravity on the other. Very dangerous in both directions. If we break out after yesterday's HFT romp, then the HFTs will be forced to pile on again and all the shorts will bail. That may lead us into a higher bounce and the formation of that right shoulder, we'll see, but if you are not a speculator, this type of "investment" should not be for you.
Hey, all I can say is hang on. The stuff that's happening in the Gulf by our government and by BP is absurd and also very dangerous. People are doing desperate things - they are manipulating data, currencies, and markets. They are lying. History will look upon this time as a great example of how to destroy confidence. Hey, 50% increase in exports… 451,000 jobs created last month… it's only leaking 5,000 barrels a day… subprime housing is contained… all I can say is that someone is smoking something good.
Boston – Smokin':


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subset: commoncrawl


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Boston Marathon: Massachusetts teacher recounts scene half-mile away from finish
Dayna Mongelli, 31, of Fitchburg, a sixth-grade English teacher at Overlook Middle School in Ashburnham, was running the Boston Marathon for the American Liver Foundation Liver Team and was only about half a mile away from completing the race when blasts plunged the area around the finish line into chaos.
"All of a sudden, runners started coming to a complete stop. They were saying the race ended, they were closing down the finish line and we would not be able to finish," Mongelli said.
Although Mongelli did not witness the explosions herself, she said her mother, Marion Bowler of Fitchburg, and her friend Marvin Carey of Leominster were at the finish line at the time, waiting for her.
"They heard the first explosion on one side and immediately thereafter heard the second one to the right," she said. "They saw bodies, many injured people."
Mongelli was running with her husband and another team member. She said immediately after the blast there was no direction being given to the runners as to what they should do or where they should go.
"We just started to find other people on our team, anybody in an orange jersey, and started to pull them all together," she said. "We were first told the Westin (Hotel) was under lockdown, but once we confirmed we could get back to our families, a lot of us started to head that way."
As of about 4:30 p.m., Mongelli, her team and supporters were in lockdown at the Weston Copley Place Boston Hotel. She said Huntington Avenue was closed and people weren't being let in and out of the city.
"I have a lot of worried students right now," Mongelli said, becoming emotional at the thought of her students imagining her being hurt in the blasts.
She said she hasn't had any contact with them and communication in general has been difficult because there are so many people trying to use their cell phones at once.
WBZ-TV reported cell phone communication in Boston was halted in case bombs were being detonated by cell phone.


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Smart IoT London, 12-13 April - don't miss out!
12-13 April 2016 | ExCeL Centre, London, UK | 9.30am – 5pm The Internet of Things is radically redefining just what it means to be connected. It will present unmissable, undreamt-of...
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By Emma Bortnik
613 Views
IoT meets AIDC
Working in the Auto Identification & Data Capture (AIDC) or Internet of Things (IoT) sectors? There are now over 20 major international collaborations active in the area of systems...
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By Richard Foggie
693 Views
Smart Cities UK 2016 - 4 February 2016, London
Across the UK we are seeing more and more examples of smart city transformation. Key 'smart' sectors utilised by such Cities include transport, energy, health care, water and waste. Against the...
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By Richard Foggie
724 Views
IoT Success Stories, International Roadmap and AIOTI Reports
EU Initiatives have recently published: an updated set of IoT Success Stories, an IoT International Roadmap and a set of sector studies of IoT activity. IoT Success Stories -...
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By Nigel Rix
642 Views
Agenda Announced for H2020 - Big Data Brokerage Event
Event Details Solutions for Information and Communication Technologies – Horizon2020 Funding for Big Data We are pleased to announce the provisional agenda for the ...
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By Emma Bortnik
463 Views
AIOTI publishes recommendations for H2020 Large Scale Pilots
The Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation (AIOTI) has published a number of reports containing "Recommendations for future collaborative work in the context of the Internet of Things Focus...
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By Richard Foggie
647 Views
Smart Home Breakthrough: Assuring trust in Smart Home Systems for Consumers
Every day sees an example of an organisation being subverted through cyber crime or attack and their data being stolen - last week Talk Talk - next week who? What is not apparent is that...
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By Emma Bortnik
434 Views
Don't miss the Brighton 'Internet of Things' ( IoT / M2M ) Meetup
A new, friendly IoT meetup group in Brighton has recently been launched. They aim to cover the full spectrum of topics, from Technology through to FinTech. Some of the topics they will cover...
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By Emma Bortnik
405 Views
IoT-Cities demonstrator - briefing events registration
The Knowledge Transfer Network would like to invite you to an Innovate UK competition briefing taking place in a city near you between 21 st July- 29 th July. ...
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By Richard Foggie
597 Views
gateone EU accelerator webinar 28th April 2015
Smartization (EU word!) is happening. It is a € 54B innovation opportunity in 2020 for connected devices (Source: Yole Développement , Technologies & Sensors for the Internet of Things:...
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By Richard Foggie
676 Views
Exhibiting Opportunities at the Internet of Things Intelligent Sensing Programme
#ISP42 Overview Sensor devices are everywhere , and will play and increasingly important part in the Internet of Things revolution – indeed, a recent estimate...
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By Matt Butchers
451 Views
IoT White Papers
There is a directory in the Documents Folder for the growing collection of IoT White Papers. Currently there are entries from ISO/JTC1, IEEE, Gambica, IEC and the UK Chief Scientific Advisor....
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By Nigel Rix
599 Views
Major German Opportunities
3 major opportunities in Germany for innovative technology companies. The corporations Audi, Bosch and TüV are all looking for innovative technology solutions from young and dynamic IT...
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By Richard Foggie
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ICT 30 Community Networking event, 27th November 2014, London
The Horizon 2020 ICT 2015 ICT 30 call opened on 15 October with €51M available for large projects and coordination action in Internet of Things and Platforms for Connected Smart Objects....
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By Richard Foggie
1550 Views
Horizon 2020 ICT30 - be in it to win it!
The ICT30 call opened on 15 October, €51M for large projects in IoT and Platforms for Connected Smart Objects. This looks a lot like the Innovate UK IoT Ecosystem Demonstrator projects but with...
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By Richard Foggie
978 Views
Smartweek 2014 London
The inaugural event for Smartweek 2014 will be held at the Fab Lab London on 15 October. ARM will be speaking about mbed, its OS for constrained devices; Flexeye will highlight HyperCat, a...
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By Richard Foggie
883 Views
FiWare Accelerator Programme
FiWare – Open APIs for open minds. FiWare is a suite of enterprise grade, open cloud, big data crunching tools built with significant investment by the EU Future Internet Public Private...
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By Richard Foggie
683 Views
EU IoT Large Scale Pilots - what and who?
The Future Networks part of DG CONNECT at the European Commission intends a call for IoT Large Scale Pilots to feature in the 2016/17 Work Programme. They got some clues at a stakeholder...
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By Richard Foggie
1365 Views
IoT Launchpad competition
Working through Tech City UK, Innovate UK is funding a £1m competition to support IoT projects from early stage start-ups and SMEs. To be eligible, UK registered companies must be based in...
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By Richard Foggie
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Ofcom consultation : Promoting investment and innovation in the Internet of Things
What actions are required to ensure the UK takes a leading role in the emerging IoT? Good question. If you're reading this you've probably got a few ideas and suggestions that Ofcom would like...
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By Richard Foggie
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There are many financing options available for people looking to buy a vacation home, but if you're buying outside of Canada, getting a mortgage isn't one of them. Canadian lenders do not provide mortgages for properties outside the country. Many Canadians have found financing through a home equity loan, but this option is not for everyone. Some places like the U.S. will allow non-residents to get a mortgage. Start by talking to your mortgage broker or lender.
A vacation property can be a great investment and a perfect excuse to escape life's daily routines. Staying informed will help you make better decisions on where that vacation home should be and if it fits your lifestyle.
CENTUM Mortgage Professionals may be able to help you get started in your search for that perfect vacation home. Contact an office near you to get started.


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Davida news, events and features — 05
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'Walking Dead' recap: Governor rises again
Producers of "The Walking Dead" have been saying in recent interviews that The Governor will be a very different man when he finally returns to the show this season. They weren't kidding.
In Sunday's extraordinary episode, "Live Bait," we come across a much more docile patch-eyed villain (David Morrissey). The fire and brimstone have faded. He's a broken man in a near-catatonic state, barely mumbling a word.
Can this be the same homicidal maniac who struck fear into the hearts of Rick's band of survivors?
Last week, we spotted the Governor lurking just outside the prison fences as the episode came to a close. An ominous cliffhanger, indeed, and we were antsy to see what kind of evil he would try to inflict on the prison inhabitants.
But "Live Bait" pulls a fast one on us. Refusing to pick up where we left off, it doesn't spend a single moment with the flu-ridden prison gang. Rick, Hershel, Daryl and everyone else apparently got some comp time and are nowhere to be seen.
Instead, a largely melancholy hour reveals what the Governor has been up to since the battle of Woodbury. Flashbacks return us to the moments just after he brutally massacred his own militia troops. He then traveled the countryside with Martinez and Shumpert, camping at night in tents and retreating into his own twisted, troubled mind. Realizing that the Governor doesn't really make for good company (or that he might go psycho on them), Martinez and Shumpert abandoned him as he slept.
The Governor eventually returned to Woodbury, but not for nostalgic reasons. He bulldozes the fence and sets the place ablaze. Then he basically lets himself go. His hair grows. He sprouts a bushy beard. He doesn't eat. And he basically takes on the look of someone in "Duck Dynasty."
Until, one day, he comes across a family living in an abandoned apartment. There are two grown sisters - Tara and Lily - and Lily's young daughter, Megan. There's also an older man, apparently Megan's grandfather, who is suffering from lung cancer.
At first, this family and the Governor don't exactly hit it off. Scared and wary of this stranger, they point guns at him and he promises to stay for only one night across the hall before hitting the road again. When they ask for his name, he tells them "Brian."
The next day, the Governor is set to go, when Lily asks for a favor: Their father's oxygen tank is getting low. Will he be so kind to retrieve another one from the nearby old folk's home?
The Governor, apparently no longer a selfish jerk, obliges, and he fights off a few zombies at the facility before returning with two full tanks. The ice between him and the women is melting. In fact, Lily, a nurse in pre-zombie apocalypse days, helps to patch a wound the Governor incurred during his battle with the walkers.
While on the mend, The Governor bonds with little Megan, who wonders why he has an eye patch ("I'm a pirate") and asks questions about his past. Apparently, the usually reticent Megan hasn't talked this much since her father vanished three years ago while on a beer run.
That the Governor becomes pals with Megan is an endearing, but highly predictable plot twist. We recall, of course, that he was so devastated when his own daughter, Penny, died that he kept her zombie corpse chained up in a closet hoping that someday a cure would be discovered to bring her back to life. That was before Michonne put an end to that dream.
Now, the Governor has a surrogate daughter and a reason to live again. He sheds the "Duck Dynasty" look and stays with the family, spending lazy afternoons teaching Megan how to play chess.
The good vibes dissipate, however, when Gramps passes away in bed. There's no time for grieving, of course, because the man soon will be a zombie. But the women can't let go and the Governor has the unpleasant duty of smashing the Gramps' head in with an oxygen tank, saving Tara's life in the process.
Even so, it's a gruesome scene that sends Megan into a screaming fit. Suddenly, she doesn't know what to think of this one-eyed man.
After burying gramps, the Governor decides to hit the road and the women want to go with him. They take off in Dad's truck and during a sleepover near a lake, things get romantic between the Gov and Lily. Our guess is that the Governor hasn't had any nookie since Andrea.
The next day, the truck conks out and the group has to hoof it along country roads. Of course, a zombie horde appears (They love to hang out in the woods, don't they?), the Governor scoops up Megan and the group runs for their lives.
Unfortunately, while blindly running through the tall brush, the Governor falls into a deep hole - like the kind his men used to dig to trap zombies. Naturally, there are a few walkers in this hole and Megan watches with a mixture of horror and amazement as the unarmed Governor - fueled by adrenaline and desperation - kills the walkers one by one with his bare hands.
While this incredibly gruesome - and riveting scene - unfolds, we hear automatic gunfire in the background, but we're more focused on little Megan, who bolts into the Governor's arms.
"I'm never going to let anything happen to you," he says.
"Cross my heart."
Then the Governor looks upward, where he sees a man standing with gun in hand, at the edge of the hole. It's Martinez, who just can't believe his eyes.
Some random thoughts:


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Get it? Because Sidibe's big. And V, um, loves her. Still, Sidibe continues her long streak of graceful, often funny interviews.
Sidibe has been resolutely sunny and confident in public appearances, refusing to cede to others' image of her, but here she admits to some early insecurity. "Growing up, there weren't a lot of actresses and singers that looked like me," she tells V's Karin Nelson. "There were no real times that I thought maybe I could do it, until Mo'Nique came along. She's a plus-sized woman who didn't care one day about being skinny. All my life I've been hearing that I'll never amount to anything until I am skinny. And she disproved everything that anyone has ever told me."
By the way, her brother calls her "a mix between Ted Danson and Chris Farley." Let's draft him in the campaign to get Sidibe cast in a comedy.
Fanning & Gabourey Sidibe in V 63 [ONTD]
Earlier: "If... All You See Is Someone Who Is Overweight And Dark Skinned, You've Missed The Point"
Someone Give Gabby Sidibe A Comedic Role, Stat!
After Precious: Does Hollywood Have A Place For Gabby Sidibe?


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It is more and more difficult to take Republicans seriously when they claim to be the party of �limited government.�
Every week The Gazette publishes a list of new laws passed by either house of the state General Assembly (both now controlled by Republicans).
Last Sunday�s list took up about three quarters of a full page.
What would be nice is to publish a list of laws that have been REMOVED from the books, but we haven�t seen that list yet, probably because it doesn�t exist.
The latest exercise in the expansion of government under Republican rule is a new law that would send women to prison for going topless in public.
This law � which has widespread support from Republicans and Democrats alike � would amend the state�s indecent exposure law.
Under the new language � and we�re not making this up � the definition of �private parts� would now include �the nipple, or any portion of the areola, or the female breast.�
Going topless may be inappropriate, but is it criminal?
If a woman is, wait for it � busted for such a revelation, she could be charged with a felony and serve jail time.
The genesis of this bill is two topless rallies held to promote women�s equality in Asheville.
Apparently, this is all it takes to spur limited government Republicans into taking up legislative time and passing new laws � a couple of rallies in one corner of the state.
Bill co-sponsor Rep. Rayne Brown told members there is confusion over what state indecency laws actually prohibit.
�I think our state deserves clarity on this issue,� Brown said.
No, Rep. Brown, what our state deserves are conservatives who actually make reducing the size and scope of government a priority.
Unfortunately, Republicans apparently skipped class the day in �Limited Government 101� when they taught that this philosophy also applies to social issues.
Republicans love to � correctly � claim that the government should stay out of people�s wallets, but when it comes to social issues, they are just run-of-the-mill statists, eager to impose their view on the rest of society.
In the meantime, precious General Assembly minutes and hours are being wasted on yet another new law that won�t have any impact on all but a handful of state residents. Its only real impact will be to add yet another page to the volumes of government regulations imposed on us all.
While you might agree � as we do � that women shouldn�t be parading around naked, we also happen to believe that not all inappropriate behavior should be criminalized and certainly not made into a felony.
And while this debate may continue being argued, one debate is being lost � the one where Republicans claim to be for less government.


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We Are Back
OK, it's time. We've just launched some basic tools to create your own Carrotmob campaigns, and now we are finally in a good position to make the Carrotmob vision a reality. Starting now, we're going to share everything that has happened since the origin of Carrotmob, and then everything that we're planning for the next few years. Get ready!
Apologies for not sharing more during the past couple of years. We've posted periodically on Twitter and Facebook, but not enough to really make it clear what we're up to. We have thousands of people on an email list, yet we haven't been using it. Thousands of you have just learned about us in recent months, but those of you who heard about us in 2008 have got to be wondering why we don't share more about what we're up to! I mean, we have a movement. We have people all around the world continuing to do Carrotmob campaigns every month. Yet we have not been managing communication in a way that befits a global movement. We SHOULD be constantly having dialogue. We should be more transparent, participatory, collaborative…. No one has really complained about this, and many of you have just continued to organize in your communities, but it's still important to me that we start sharing more. This idea is pure electricity, but so far we've been behaving more like a charging battery than a smart grid. Let me explain a few reasons why:
1) We didn't want to cry wolf before we were truly in a position to take this to the next level. Now we are ready.
2) You would have gone insane if we sent you every little update. You would have gotten frustrated (as we did) and confused (as we did) and it would have wasted your time and attention, because (as crazy as it sounds) there weren't really many ways for you to help. Until now.
3) We haven't had time to share more. We have been working constantly. You may find that hard to believe because you haven't seen all the evidence of that work yet, but just wait until you hear the story.
The funny thing about Carrotmob is how hard it is to categorize us. We are very simple, but also very complicated. I've had a thousand conversations with people, and everyone thinks of us in a different way. Are we a network of people? Are we a network of responsible businesses? Are we community organizers? Are we an advocacy organization? Are we a starfish or a spider? Are we a crowdsourced marketing agency? Are we a technology startup? Are we kind of like Kickstarter? Groupon? Causes? Change.org? Meetup? GetSatisfaction? Care2? Yelp? All of the above?
We are something unique, and here are a few things we need to do: We need to create a system that works well for people who want to create Carrotmob campaigns. We need to build tools for the true leaders, organizers, and advocates who have gotten us to where we are today. Also, we need to work well for your typical mainstream person who may not think of themselves as an advocate, but who will participate in Carrotmob campaigns if we make it as easy as possible. Also, we need to work really well for small businesses, so that small campaigns become more frictionless. Also, we need to work really well for large businesses. Doing that means understanding how big companies make decisions. Understanding marketing executives, branding agencies, PR departments, and more. Also, we need to build something that works really well with existing advocacy groups… organizations who are already working on important issues and may want to use Carrotmob campaigns to advance their missions.
You can't just flip a switch and have Carrotmob function. You have to learn, to research, to iterate, to fail, to rebuild, to improve, to adjust… That's what we've been doing. Now we've learned enough about all of those worlds that we believe we're ready to make it happen. Sometimes you see a startup come up with a great idea and execute quickly, with success seeming to happen overnight. We could have done that too if we were thinking small. We could have done that if we were only trying to solve one problem. Or if we were merely a technology experiment. But the scope of our ambition has required us to build a sprawling network of people with tentacles in many different worlds. The bad news is that this has taken awhile. The good news is that the foundation of this network is now built, which puts us in a very strong position.
The Carrotmob idea is simple and elegant, but executing it is like setting up an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine. We've been architecting a system that is set up for success. We've been putting everything in place so that when we flip the switch, it can work. It doesn't mean it will work…. we need your help for that. But if you are there to support us, we can accomplish something incredible.
Starting tomorrow we will begin a series of blog posts which will explain in greater detail everything that has happened with Carrotmob throughout our history. It's a long story, but I know some of you will be very interested, and it should be recorded somewhere. After we give you a tour of the squiggly part of the arrow, we'll share our vision for where we want to go, and how we plan to help you write the future of the Carrotmob movement.
Brent Schulkin
Founder of Carrotmob


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Tuesday Results:
NBC ranked #1 Tuesday night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in 18-49, as "The Voice" set records for a finale and grew 11 percent in 18-49 rating and 18 percent in total viewers versus the prior finale.
* From 9-11 p.m. ET, the finale of "The Voice" (4.9/13 in 18-49,
14.0 million viewers overall) set records for a "Voice" finale in adults
18-49 and total viewers, improving on the prior finale by 11 percent in
18-49 (with a 4.9 rating vs. a 4.4 from 9-11 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8) and up 18 percent in total viewers (14.044 million vs. 11.926 million).
* "The Voice" finale hit season-high results for the series in
18-49 and total viewers. These are the top "Voice" numbers since Tuesday, May 12, 2012. The 4.9 rating is NBC's best rating in the slot, excluding Olympics and nights of live news, since May 31, 2011 and the
14.044 million is NBC's biggest overall audience for non-Olympic programming in the slot since July 12, 2011. Versus NBC's average in the time period last season, last night's "The Voice" is up 123 percent in 18-49 rating (4.9 vs. 2.2) and up 135 percent in total viewers
(14.044 million vs. 5.984 million).
* "The Voice" won the time period among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in
all key categories and delivered a winning margin of 113 percent over CBS's second-place dramas in 18-49 (4.9 vs. 2.3).
* In "most current" season averages that exclude this season's
October 2 recap episode and last season's February 5 post-Super Bowl premiere, "The Voice" has finished within 8 percent of last season's
18-49 average (with a combined 4.9 rating vs. a 5.3) and within 1 percent in total viewers (13.7 million vs. 13.8 million).
* From 8-9 p.m. ET, an encore "The Voice" averaged a 2.4/7 in
18-49 and 8.1 million viewers overall. "The Voice" encore was #2 in the time period among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in 18-49 and tied for #1 among women 18-34.
In Late-Night Metered Markets Tuesday night:
* "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" delivered its strongest Tuesday
results in metered-market households (a 3.5 rating, 9 share) since President Obama was a guest on October 25, 2011 (4.1/11). Jay's guests last night included Quentin Tarantino, LeAnn Rimes
* At 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.8/6 in
metered-market households) earned its highest Tuesday rating since President Obama appeared on the April 24, 2012 telecast (1.8/6) and matched its highest Tuesday result since March 2, 2010 (1.9/7) during Jay Leno's first week back on "Tonight." Jimmy's guests last night included Tom Cruise, Judd Apatow, and musical guest Trans-Siberian Orchestra
* At 1:35 a.m. ET, "Last Call With Carson Daly" (1.1/4 in
metered-market households) scored its top Tuesday rating since April 24 (1.1/5).
* In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The
Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 3.5/9; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.
* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results
were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.3/6; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.
* At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.8/6 in
metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).
* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.1/4 in
metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.
NOTE: All ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated.


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For an episode I spent most of the hour actively disliking, this one sure ended on a lovely note.
Daphne and Bay's fractured relationship loomed large over the last five episodes, coloring all of their stories by the simple fact the girls couldn't do what they do best—make sense of their crazy lives by confiding in each other. Their block with each other was almost like a strange block on all of their stories on the show, holding them back from moving on and making peace after everything that went down in the Carlton protests. When Bay confided here that she missed Toby and Daphne in turn apologized for not sticking up for her at Carlton, it felt like more than a weight lifted off their relationship: It was a weight lifted off the whole show, and it was nicely cathartic.
This was especially important because most of the rest of the hour felt so strangely unpleasant. It was not really the content of the stories but how they played out, forced and bluntly obvious where Switched At Birth is usually so deft and thoughtful. The worst offender of this was probably Toby and Nikki's battle over how their impeding marriage is forcing them to make compromises in their lives. It's an interesting, smart story to tell, but the way the show decided to tell it in this episode feels like the opposite of that.
Toby and Nikki's rash decision to get married could be a ridiculous soapy thing thrown in the mix simply to cause unnecessary drama, but the show is mostly making it work so far by treating it like the serious, mature decision it needs to be. By highlighting the differences between the two's upbringings and belief systems, the tricky question of how two people compromise to become one family unit is at the forefront, and that feels right for the type of stories Switched At Birth likes to tell. This continues here to encompass Nikki's religion, as she urges Toby to attend premarital counseling with her Reverend, and he keeps prioritizing other things instead. It's a nice, meaty bit of story—complicated by Bay's sudden desire to "save" Toby from this marriage—but the way it plays out feels less like an interesting discussion on the difficulties of relationships and more like a hammer to the head repeatedly drumming the words "this will never work." Much of the drama is a bit forced, with Toby's disregard and Nikki's anger especially escalating too quickly to make it feel completely organic. The story's end, with Nikki going to marriage counseling alone and Toby not giving in or apologizing, was actually the best part. There are no neat bows that will easily tie these two lives together; it's going to take work, patience, and understanding. It just feels like this one would have worked better with room to breathe, spread over a few episodes time.
Also a bit awkward was Kathryn's sudden storyline with Adriana, which basically boiled down to Adriana being annoying and Kathryn eventually snapping at her. Adriana is tricky because the actress is used so infrequently, so throwing her right into a big story where she is largely asked to be a pain in the neck isn't great for character building. Like the Toby and Nikki story, it's just too quick—but also like that story, it ends with a nice scene of Kathryn apologizing and the two of them working toward a more subtle, real friendship. I've always enjoyed Adriana in the past, so I do hope she sticks around and gets more to do.
Rounding out the unpleasantness this week is Daphne, who spends the hour geocaching (or talking about geocaching) with the coffee cart guy, Jace. I just need to put this out there: I can't stand Jace. He's a pretentious, rude, snide, know-it-all jerk who treats Daphne like crap, and for her to not only fall for this nonsense but to be the one who kisses him first really makes me angry. Between this guy and Chef Jeff, Daphne hasn't had a good love interest since Wilke. (Except Noah. Come back, Noah!) Daphne is a lovely, smart girl and deserves lovely, smart guys to fall for her and treat her right. Coffee cart Jace might turn out to be the nicest guy in the world, but it's going to be hard to forget him refusing to tell Daphne what geocaching is or making fun of her for not being familiar with latte art. It's latte art, dude, who cares? Jace is the type of guy who looks down on anyone who he doesn't deem as important or cultured as he is, and it's tiring.
Daphne does get a great moment with Regina tonight, when she finally confronts her about why she chooses to live with Bay and Angelo instead of coming home. Regina squirms a bit and finally admits it's easier to live with people who you haven't let down on a fundamental level. It's a nice bit of respite in what was ultimately a very frustrating episode.
And oh, that final Daphne and Bay scene! That final scene makes up for much of what didn't work here, and makes it easy to look forward to the next episode. Maybe Bay will tell Daphne coffee cart Jace is the worst!
One can dream.
Stray observations:
- Carrie Wikis Some Art: The Good Samaritan, After Delacroix, Vincent van Gogh, 1890, oil on canvas.
- Poor Bay just seemed like a meddling Millie tonight, deciding to mess with Toby's relationship out of purely selfish reasons. Her scene with Emmett was sweet, though.
- Angelo gets a nice moment (after a bit of a bluntly obvious plot runner regarding Regina being an inconsiderate roommate) where he admits he feels like having Regina and Bay under his roof feels like a chance to get a "redo" on their life, so he wants it to be perfect.
- I liked the little moment of Daphne disagreeing with John on policy regarding sex education. More of this conflict, please!
- Did we know Toby's band was called Awesomesauce? That is not awesome.
- "I've just been jealous of you getting closer to my mom." "Welcome to my world."
- "He's British?!"


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Dig those dots: Twist on a classic
If classic ice cream is a good thing, then why not make it even better? That seems to be the notion behind a new ice cream stand in Fashion Square Mall called Dippin' Dots.
There are several hundred locations across the nation, and the local store– owned by a former plumbing supply salesman named David Verell– opened in June.
"I was tired of traveling," Verell explains. When he looked into various food franchises, this one stood out. "It's a neat concept," he says, "pretty unique."
Most important for an ice cream biz, Verell says, is that kids go crazy for the stuff. With that in mind, he located his kiosk between the mall's indoor kiddie play area and JC Penney.
Dippin' Dots is basically just what it sounds like: dots and more dots. A five-ounce cup of the chilled dessert contains at least 1,000 dots, Verell says, each smaller than a bb. How do you keep all the dots from melting together into one big drippy mess?
"You take the air out of regular ice cream," Verell explains, "and flash freeze it at minus-40 degrees."
The dots come in 20 flavors, though Verell says his stand serves only 14. The product is dairy based, and comes in sugar-free varieties as well as sherbet and frozen yogurt, for the health conscious.
If you're not a regular Fashion Square patron, you'll still have a chance to try out this new confection. Verell will be going dotty at UVA football and basketball games this year.
Lighten up
Last week, Dish gave you the lowdown on the offer for sale of Scottsville's Dew Drop Inn, and this week, as promised, Laurel's Early Light Café is in the spotlight. Opened five years ago by Laurel Davis and chef Steve Rosen, the Café has given health-conscious diners in the southern part of the county a charming option for breakfast and lunch, though it's open only a few days a week. Brightly colored walls and tables impart a cheerful ambience to the Valley Street eatery.
And while the recent closure of Jimmy's on the James, coupled with the competing sale of The Dew Drop might give pause to potential buyers, consider this: AAA's trade publication, AAA World, named Scottsville one of "the Atlantic's most Pacific places," in its July/August edition, adding that Scottsville "is just waking up."
If you're just waking up to the idea of owning a Scottsville restaurant, round up $70,000, and give realtor Debi Hornberger a call.
Hunt Country
Drive out Garth Road past Foxfield, and you just might not recognize what used to be called Hunt Country Corner. Although it still has night crawlers and fishing tackle, the store has a new mission: to serve the well-heeled clientele traveling Garth Road. And a new name: Hunt Country Market and Deli.
Always a quick spot to snag a jug of milk or a pack of smokes, Hunt Country has been transformed into something more along the lines of a Belair Market, and many of those who travel Garth Road heading home say the change is welcome.
Two couples have gotten in on the Hunt Country act: Nancy Kallander and her husband Tom Smith, and Tracy and Graham Bright purchased the shop from Loren Nelson back in June. Business, they say, has been hectic ever since.
Along with giving the building a good cleaning both inside and out, the foursome plan to replace the floor and complete other renovations. The inventory has also changed: Fine wine and gourmet foods, including Boar's Head brand meats and bread from Albemarle Baking Co. are among the additions. There's also Shenandoah Joe coffee, homemade salads and desserts, and breakfast pastries from Baker's Palette.


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"And many a township have We destroyed while it was given to wrong-doing, so that it lies in ruins (up to this day), and (many) a deserted well and lofty castles! Have they not travelled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear? Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind." (Al Hajj:45-46)
"Berapa banyak negeri yang yang telah Kami binasakan, karena mereka aniaya, lalu rubuh atap rumahnya, dan berapa banyak telaga telah ditinggalkan dan istana tinggi yang telah kosong. Tidakkah mereka berjalan di atas permukaan bumi, supaya mereka mempunyai akal (untuk) memikirkan, atau telinga untuk mendenga. Sesungguhnya mereka bukan buta mata, tetapi buta hati yang dalam dada." (Al Hajj: 45-46)
And thus, the above ayaat explains the purpose of travel. Not sun, sea and sand, but hearts, eyes and ears.
On another note, that reminded me of a quote by ibn taymiyyah,
"What can my enemies possibly do to me? My paradise is in my heart; wherever I go it goes with me, inseparable from me. For me, prison is a place of (religious) retreat; execution is my opportunity for martyrdom; and exile from my town is but a chance to travel."
What can you do to a man who has an outlook like that? one who has paradise in his heart, for whom God is always present, always watching.
And i just looooooooooooove this quote from a Muslim geographer from al Andalus;
"...a universe where the centre is everywhere, and the circumference nowhere"
And there are certainly lots of lessons to be learnt from Andalus, especially in this time and age when there is a huge black hole when it comes to islamic history, even among muslims. Back when the world wasn't governed by Uncle Sam, science was very much in line with religion and economic growth wasn't the topmost priority.
|I WANT YOU!..to learn about our history and act on it.
And the most important point is, as with every other thing in Islam, everything serves to get people closer to God.
If it is a civilisation, it is a civilisation to get people closer to God.
If you are a man, you are a man to bring other people close to God.
That is the point of islamic values. if you are muslim in the masjid, but outside the masjid you swindle billions of public money, then i'll wallop you. eh cannot cannot. must advise you nicely first. and after lots of patience and good advice, if you're still hard-headed, i'll wallop you. hohoho
how could i do justice to such a rich era with a few paragraphs? i think i'll never can. But these are just my feelings and reflections on visiting Andalus. The buildings are of second importance, the real lessons lie with the people who opened Andalus and saved it from the Dark Ages plaguing the rest of Europe.
What sort of people could open up countries with lightning speed? what was their faith like? how was that faith translated into action? surely they did not just sit in masjids and in front of TVs every day.
These are the burning questions for people with hearts, eyes and ears.


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December 18, 2009
December 18, 2009
Dear friend of CODEPINK,
My almost annual list of ten good things about the waning year has never before posed such a tremendous challenge. In the face of this challenge, I decided to try a minimalist thought experiment, blocking out the many baneful events that colored 2009, and instead seeking out the small, yet powerfully bright notes to inspire and give us hope for the year head.
#1 Tens of thousands of people from around the world took to the streets of Copenhagen to call for meaningful action to address climate change, despite continuous attempts to squelch it. Inside Copenhagen's meeting halls, indigenous peoples from small island nations and the Himalayas spoke powerfully about their rights and their needs.
#3 According to recent polls a majority of Americans now see the war in Afghanistan as not worth fighting, and seventy-five percent say no new troops should be sent to that country. Public opinion is on our side.
#5 The creative and courageous use of Twitter and other social media by protesters in Iran kept the world informed and brought thousands of people into the streets of Teheran, including students, young people and thousands of young women. #7 One of Obama's first acts in office was to lift the Global Gag Rule, which ended restrictions on U.S. funding for organizations that provide family planning services and that are often the first responders for women in the fight against HIV. Read Medea Benjamin's full list here! Support CODEPINK's work for the coming year and help us continue to be a part of the hope and change we want to see! When you make a donation of $50 or more you will receive a deck of our new War Criminal Cards, designed by Iraqi designer, Marina Murad. Marina was born in Baghdad and her family escaped to Amman, Jordan during the height of the first Gulf War. They immigrated to America in the early 1990's. She grew up in Redlands, California, and received her BA from University of California, Riverside in Fine Arts. She is currently obtaining her MFA from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. She designed these cards as part of her personal commitment to peace and justice.
Even after all the disappointments of this year, the items on this list and our own strength and persistence give me immense hope in the possibilities to come as we greet the New Year. As visionary activist and writer Grace Paley said, "The ONLY recognizable feature of HOPE is ACTION" - so ACT today and support CODEPINK with a donation and get your Grace Paley t-shirt, designed by Phillip Niemeyer in our store!
So here's a toast to our power and our passion -- we have our work cut out for us in 2010!
Medea Benjamin and the CODEPINK Team (Dana, Emily, Farida, Gael, Gayle, Janet, Jodie, Kitty, Marina, Nancy, Paris, Rae, Suzanne, and Whitney)
The Hope & Change You Want to See! Support CODEPINK's work in 2010 with $50 or more get your War Criminal Card Deck!
Order our new
HOPE T-shirts TODAY and get them by Christmas!
MUST READ Medea Benjamin's 10 Good Things About 2009 (yes, there ARE 10)
CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end U.S. funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, and to redirect our resources into health care, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities. The name CODEPINK satirized the Bush Administration's color-coded, fear-mongering "security" alert system that has since been phased out. CODEPINK is a lively call for the people of the world to "wage peace." More...


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Ratchaburi, ThailandKirsty Turner
Ratchaburi, is located on the banks of the mighty Mae Klong River, just 80 kilometres west of Bangkok. The province is full of areas of natural beauty and historical sites. Surrounded by stunning scenery such as the smoky Tanao Si Mountains, paddy fields and waterways, a great way to see the area is to hire a bicycle and explore.
One of the main attractions in this area is the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Visitors flock to this market to discover Thailand's unique traditional way of trading. Although today the market is dominated by souvenir stands, you can still take a boat trip through the market and barter for exotic fruit.
Ratchaburi Province contains some stunning natural caves for you to explore. Just 8 kilometres from the town you will find the famous Tham Ruesi Khao Ngu, whilst Tham Khao Bin is said to be the most beautiful. 30 kilometres west of the town you will find Tham Chomphon, whilst the mountain top of Khao Chong Phran offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.
There are many interesting temples in the area such as Wat Muang, Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, Wat Khongkharam and Wat Khanon, which contains an interesting collection of more than 300 traditional Nang Yai puppets.
The area is well known for its abundant history, and a good place to discover more about it is at the Ratchaburi National Museum, whilst the Bo Khlueng Hot Spring is a great place to soak away your aches and pains after a busy day of exploring.
History enthusiasts would do well to visit the Ban Khu Bua Ancient City, which displays many of the archaeological discoveries of the area. The Siam Cultural Park is also interesting as it contains fibre glass wax images of important people such as Mother Teresa, President Deng Xiaoping and Chairman Mao Tse-tung. This display has to be seen to be believed as it is certainly unique.
The province hosts some interesting fairs and festivals and it is worth trying to time your trip to coincide with one of them.
The Ratchaburi Tourism Fair is held annually during February-March in the grounds of the City Hall. Featured activities include demonstrations of famous handicrafts, such as jar making and "Sin Tin Chok" cloth weaving, folk art and cultural performances by local tribal groups.
The Sweet Grape and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Week Fair happens around March-April each year to introduce agricultural produce to the market. This is a good opportunity for visitors to buy agricultural produce such as coconuts, pomelos grapes and lichis at discounted prices.
The Khao Ho or 'Ang Mi Thong' Festival is a Su Khwan blessing ceremony for happiness and longevity in life, held around the ninth lunar month. Karen people believe that the ninth lunar month is a bad time of the year, when ghosts and evil spirits hunt and eat the "Khwan" 'spirit' of people. During the festivals many traditional methods are practiced to ward off the evil spirits. The elders of each family tie red threads on the children's wrists and give a blessing for good luck.


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The Christchurch earthquake has created enormous damage on all kinds of construction in the center of the city. Engineers did a great job in inspecting every house or building in the city center and in approx. 1 of 4 inspections they had to put a RED STICKER on the door. The red sticker makes the house or building unsafe to live or to work in and thus will need to be demolished.
Hundreds of thousands of building safety assessments are needed in the quake zone.
The ˜red, yellow and green sticker™ building assessment system in NZ that was first devised after the Gisborne 2007 quake is now a national standard and is being used in Christchurch.
The latest figures show that in the Christchurch CBD alone 755 buildings have a red sticker (building severely damaged, usually needing demolition), 909 have a yellow sticker (limited access and needs further evaluation) and 1266 have a green sticker (safe).
Gisborne staff will be working in the Eastern suburbs but the same three sticker assessment system will be used.
A nationwide call for building inspectors went out today and Gisborne staff were one of the first to respond. It is intended that up to 200 teams consisting of building specialists, health officers and social welfare staff will fan out across Christchurch city to visit homes, and provide advice and support to residents.
Understanding red, yellow and green building stickers (official notice)
If you find a sticker on your home or business, it means the building has been inspected.
Red: Unsafe, do not enter or occupy. In the meantime please go to your nearest Welfare Centre for immediate help.
Yellow: Restricted use. No entry except on essential business. No public entry or residential occupation
Green: No restriction on use or occupancy.
If you have any questions about these stickers, contact Christchurch City Council on 03 941 8999.
If the property belongs to Housing New Zealand, phone 0800 801 601.


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"After the earthquake, we had a moving and illuminating exchange with Patrick Bellegarde-Smith and learned that he lost nine members of his extended family in it. We've updated our current program with excerpts from this correspondence."
SOF's programs are rich explorations of the chosen topic, and have covered minority faiths like Vodou and modern Paganism fairly and fully. I highly recommend downloading/listening to the re-aired "Living Vodou" episode. Sadly, not all ongoing discussions about Vodou are fair or open-minded. Rod "Crunchy Con" Dreher tries to spark a discussion of "comparative theology and culture" with the not-at-all leading or offensive title of: "If Haitian vodou isn't demon worship, what is?"
"But as a Christian, I don't believe this is merely a psychological phenomenon. I believe that the vodou entities are real — and malevolent. Despite the syncretism with Roman Catholicism vodou tries to accomplish, there is nothing authentically Christian about it, and I too would think that this religion draws spiritual darkness around its followers and their communities. That does not mean that it causes earthquakes, for goodness sake! But I think it's a mistake to see vodou as benign or positive. Serious question: if what you see on that photo slideshow isn't demon worship — demons defined as malign spiritual entities — from a Christian (or Muslim, or Jewish) point of view, what is?"
But don't misunderstand him! He just wants to explore "the limits of religious tolerance", but beware, if you are "always" against passing value judgments on faiths you don't understand, you might be an enabler of Mormon polygamy. He's so charming, isn't he? But wait there's more! He also issues a dire spiritual warning to a Christian family that is raising their adopted Haitian orphans within the Vodou religion.
"I believe these well-intentioned people are playing with fire. Real spiritual fire."
Yes, according to Dreher, caring Christian parents should obliterate any sign of non-Christian culture from traumatized Haitian orphans. Luckily the Fitzgibbons' don't share his rather narrow view of things.
"[Vodou] is interwoven into every bit of a Haitian person's life," said Paula Fitzgibbons, a former Lutheran pastor. "I'm at least presenting them with some part of their spiritual heritage. I can offer them enough that they will be familiar with Vodou when they get to the point of making their own choices about spirituality and religion."
I'd make a guess as to who was actually more Christ-like, but being a unrepentant Pagan, I'll refrain. You can read more about the Fitzgibbons family at their blog, "Raising Little Spirits".
In Other News:
Patrick McCollum v. California: Americans United, who wrote an amicus brief on behalf of Wiccan chaplain Patrick McCollum, weighs in on the controversial WallBuilders brief that alleges the Religion Clauses should only apply to monotheists.
"Based on phony history, Wallbuilders' court filing asks the 9th Circuit not to consider Americans United's viewpoint. It states we don't cite "true history" but a "revisionist history" since we claim the Founders wanted to extend religious liberty for all. Needless to say, the brief is offensive, disrespectful and essentially advocates that the government should feel free to discriminate against all non-Judeo-Christian religions. But what else can we expect from Wallbuilders? The organization's founder and president, David Barton, is a well-known Religious Right propagandist who for years has pushed a fundamentalist "Christian nation" view of American history. He claims to be a historian, but he isn't one. He earned a bachelor's degree in "Christian Education" from Oral Roberts University and then taught math and science at a fundamentalist Christian school founded by his father. Wallbuilders' brief, like Barton, is a serious joke. And we hope that the 9th Circuit pays it no mind."
This story continues to seep into the mainstream press. There is still no response from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation concerning recent developments. For all of my past coverage of this ongoing case, click here.
Religious Discrimination or Misuse of Storage Facilities? The Times-Georgian reports that the Carroll County Board of Commissioners has rejected a conditional-use permit for the owners of a Pagan retreat that would have allowed them to keep using storage buildings as temporary residences.
"Robert Crowe asked the board to approve a conditional-use permit for use of his 33-acre tract as a Dragon Hill Retreat STAR (Sacred Tribe of the Ancient Roots) Grove, allowing it to be used in activities of the Church of the Spiral Tree, an "ecumenical pagan church." The request itself was made by James and Rita Middleton, both members of the Church of the Spiral Tree. As part of the activities of the church on the property, the permit would allow storage buildings that have been used as temporary residences on the property to remain as such. Crowe said he is Native American and he practices certain pagan rituals that by definition are rooted in an "earth and nature-based religion." Crowe said the Carroll County Planning and Zoning Board recommended denial of the request on Jan. 26 simply because the proposed church would promote activities and beliefs to which the members of the board were opposed."
While Crow alleges that "personal prejudices" led to the zoning board recommending against the permit, Commissioner George Chambers says that his vote against the permit appeal had nothing to do with religion.
"I don't take issue with what anyone else's beliefs are. The issue is a conditional-use permit on the houses," Chambers said. "It wasn't an issue of whether or not I agreed with their beliefs or what they do on the land as part of their church. My issue is not with that because the current zoning allows for that. My issue was with the houses."
So, religious discrimination, or simply a zoning issue? Why were storage facilities being used as temporary housing? The retreat's web site says that there are cabins and kitchens, so what's going on? Is this selective enforcement because they are Pagans? Or was this appeal more a CYA maneuver?
The Pagan Circle at the Air Force Academy: While the newly installed stone circle for Pagan cadets at the Air Force Academy has garnered some anonymous "criticism" recently, it has also faced some vocal lashings from Christians who seemingly don't believe in the equal treatment of religions within government institutions.
"What we label today as 'pluralism,' God called 'idolatry,'" said Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, in a commentary in The Washington Post. "The first commandment from God was, 'You shall have no other gods before Me.' "To openly violate this most basic law is to invite God's judgment upon our nation."
Meanwhile, Bill Donahue, the self-proclaimed advocate for all things Catholic, says that Christians are the real victims in the military (all that pluralism is "chilling" to Christian expression, don't ya know), and Fox News finds two conservative think-tanks to explain how this incident isn't really a big deal.
"It'd be one thing if there was a harmful act, but to have competing symbols, I'm not sure I would put that in the category of destructive behavior," London continued. "What is being expressed here is the view of the Judeo-Christian as opposed to the pagan tradition."
You see, it was just a friendly discussion! An exchange of symbols. I'm sure they would agree that a Pagan idol placed within a Christian facility would be equally harmless, just another round in the showcase of competing expressions. You can read all of my stories concerning the Air Force Academy, here.
Skip Having Breakfast With The Family: In a final update, I just wanted to note that while President Obama did indeed attend the Family/Fellowship-sponsored National Prayer Breakfast despite calls for him to boycott, both Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used the opportunity to indirectly criticize "The Family" and their support of Uganda's noxious "kill the gays" bill.
"We may disagree about the best way to reform our health care system, but surely we can agree that no one ought to go broke when they get sick in the richest nation on Earth. We can take different approaches to ending inequality, but surely we can agree on the need to lift our children out of ignorance; to lift our neighbors from poverty. We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are — whether it's here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda."
It must have made for some uncomfortable moments over pancakes. To find out more about "The Family", and why they are so dangerous, you can read my interview with journalist Jeff Sharlet, here.
That's all I have for now, have a great day!


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Only nine Marcos GT Xylons were built using a wooden chassis and gullwing doors, but by far the most famous is the one driven by future three time World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart at the start of his racing career.
Marcos Sportscars was founded in 1959 by racer Jem Marsh and engineer Frank Costin. The latter had experience of building wooden airplanes so it's no wonder why early Marcos race cars ended up having plywood chassis.
Their first car, the Marcos GT Xylon (Xylon being Greek for wood) was designed to compete primarily in 750 Motor Club events and did pretty well thanks to its low weight, since it was originally motivated by an underpowered1137cc Ford pushrod engine. It also came with gull wing doors to accommodate a taller driver.
According to Silverstone Auctions, the rest of the story is bit of a blur:
Legend has it that in 1960 Scottish racing enthusiast, Barry Filer, was having his race cars prepared by the Stewart family garage and invited Jackie to test with him at Oulton Park. As a direct result of this test Barry bought this Xylon for the '61 season which Jackie then drove for him and promptly won four sports car races! Registered in Glasgow - 'G 128' - it's racing career continued successfully through the 1960's under the guidance of Marcos co-founder, Gem Marsh.
When Marcos went bust in the late 1990's, it got tucked away in storage, resulting in a need for total restoration after it goes under the hammer for an estimated $60,000 - $85,000.
Still, just look at the details of this little racer! Is there anything more British than this?
I guess we'll have to ask a certain Scotsman about that...


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The Annual Report and Accounts for 2019 has been posted to Urban&Civic shareholders and is now available here.
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Richard Hepworth, our Director of Project Management, discusses Urban&Civic's approach to infrastructure delivery and how we have worked with NHBC, Anglian Water and Breheny to speed up large-site delivery.
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Housebuilders at Parcel 7 at Alconbury Weald.
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The Almond Farmer Products
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Currie, Hill, Latta lead Mystics past Atlanta
ATLANTA (AP) -- Coach Mike Thibault says the Washington Mystics are starting to believe they can win on the road. After going a combined 3-31 away from home during the previous two seasons, the Mystics are 6-9 on the road this year and have won three of their last four in their first season under Thibault. ''This team is learning to be resilient,'' Thibault said. ''A year ago, from watching them afar, these are the games they couldn't win, but we found a way to win those this year.'' Monique Currie, Tayler Hill and Ivory Latta each scored 15 points to help Washington beat the Atlanta Dream 85-80 in overtime Wednesday night. Atlanta guard Angel McCoughtry, the WNBA's leading scorer, injured her right ankle at the 3:27 mark of overtime and did not return. Currie shook off McCoughtry's defense on the left side of the floor and hit a 3-pointer to force overtime with 6.4 seconds left in regulation. McCoughtry finished with 23 points, Jasmine Thomas added 18, and Erika de Souza had 15 points and 14 rebounds for Atlanta (14-12), which has lost three straight and 11 of 15. The Dream played without three of their top five leading scorers. Armintie Herrington missed the game with a concussion, Tiffany Hayes was out with a knee injury and Sancho Lyttle was sidelined by a broken foot for the 14th straight game. After the game, Atlanta coach Fred Williams wasn't sure of McCoughtry's prognosis. ''She rolled her ankle a little bit,'' he said. ''I think they're going to ice it up and get it X-rayed.'' Crystal Langhorne finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Mystics (14-15), who beat the Dream last Friday at home and have won five of seven. The game had 17 lead changes, but the Mystics never trailed after Hill's 3 broke a tie to make it 81-78 with 3:29 left in OT. Latta, who finished with 10 assists, was proud that she, Currie and Kia Vaughn each overcame technical fouls in the third. ''In games like this, lead changes are going to happen, tempers are going to flare up,'' Latta said. ''But it's the team that buckles down that will win, and that is what we did.'' The Dream's offensive problems beyond the arc took another bad turn. Atlanta began the game with the league's worst shooting percentage on 3s after going a combined 4 for 25 in consecutive losses to Washington and Chicago. Wednesday's performance was a dismal 2 for 14. Thomas was 1 for 6. ''We're still trying to find our way there in that area,'' Williams said. ''I think our inside game looks good with Erika getting double-doubles for us, and we still have to get the basketball inside more.'' Thomas played a career-high 44 minutes with so many Atlanta players injured. ''Offensively and defensively, my only focus was to play hard and not worry about being tired,'' Thomas said. ''When you have players down, you just have to do whatever it takes.'' Washington got a big lift from guard Matee Ajavon, who scored all six of her points in the fourth quarter. She had two layups through the left side of the lane in the final minute of regulation to cut Atlanta's lead to one. But after rookie Alex Bentley hit a pair of free throws with 13.8 seconds left, the Mystics never surrendered momentum. It's a refreshing turn of events for Washington, which had lost eight straight series matchups with Atlanta before winning the last two. ''That was a crazy game,'' Thibault said. ''I don't know if anyone ever got control of it. We kind of let them off the hook early and we made plays at the end when we needed to.''


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Sunday Supper: Beer Can Chicken Recipe
Cooking projects for people who'd like nothing more than to spend a sunday afternoon surrounded by the wonderful aromas of the kitchen.
Beer can chicken is an iconic summer dish. This version, however, is roasted instead of thrown on the grill. The theory is that the beer steams inside the bird, making the final product extremely moist. Whether or not that's true, the beer definitely adds flavor, and the addition of a few aromatics takes that even farther. Light beers are the best choice for this dish; I recommend PBR.
- Yield:4
- Active time: 20 minutes
- Total time:1 hour 20 minutes
- 4 large red skinned potatoes
- 7 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch thyme, divided
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 5 pound chicken
- 1 16 ounce can of beer
Preheat oven to 425 [°]. Cut each potato into pieces 6 pieces and place in 9X13 inch baking dish. Add 6 cloves garlic and sprigs of thyme, drizzle with olive oil and toss with salt and pepper.
Rinse and dry chicken. Open beer and drink half, add extra garlic clove and a few sprigs of thyme to beer. Push potatoes to each end of baking dish and place open beer in center. Chop 1 teaspoon worth of thyme leaves. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with chopped thyme, salt and pepper. Carefully ease beer can into chicken cavity and sit in center of baking dish surrounded by potatoes.
Roast chicken until internal temperature reaches 160[°], about 90 minutes. Allow chicken to rest 10 minutes before carving and serve with potatoes and more beer.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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- Collection
- 1944-1954
Allison B. Curry, Jr. served as Director of Public Service for Coral Gables from 1934 to 1939. Between 1939 to 1942 he was promoted to city manager. In 1942 he left to hold this same post for the city of Miami. From 1946 to the end of his career h...


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Gibson believes Parra soon will shake slump
SAN FRANCISCO -- Gerardo Parra has been the spark plug atop the D-backs' lineup for much of this season, but recently he has been mired in a slump that has pervaded the clubhouse.
Parra entered Sunday just 1-for-7 in the series vs. the Giants, but the one hit was the D-backs' lone extra-base hit of the series, a first-inning double in Saturday's 4-3 loss.
His average has dipped from .299 to .282 during a 2-for-28 slump, but D-backs manager Kirk Gibson is hopeful Parra will turn it around soon.
"He's fine," Gibson said. "He got real run down at the end of the first half and got beat up in a couple of the plays he had. One against the Mets took a lot out of him. He's standing back [in the batter's box] better now."
As Parra limped to the All-Star break, Gibson even left his outfielder out of the starting lineup on consecutive days against Milwaukee. Although Parra has primarily been slotted at or near the top of the lineup in 2013 when facing a right-hander, Gibson gave him a rare start in the No. 7 spot Friday against Chad Gaudin. He responded to a start in the second spot Saturday with the first-inning double.
"There was only one [team extra-base hit]," Gibson said. "I'd like to see a lot more of them. You want to get multiple guys on -- especially in this park. There's pretty good gaps out there, especially in right-center field."


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"Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak." – Anon
Today an interesting event occurred as I attempted to achieve gains through the physical pain I willingly inflict on my body at my local gym. Today happened to be the day most dreaded, despised, and often disregarded by most gym connoisseurs. It was leg day! After completing my allotment of required repetitions on the leg press machine, my eyes were drawn to the bench after I stood up. Immediately plastered on the bench was the outline of my body. The image was a clear as an individual's bulbus oculi after the application of Visine. This Rembrandt-esq piece was designed by the artistic medium excreted by the sudoriparous glands of the skin known as perspiration. As I stood there and glanced (for a total of three seconds due to evaporation) at my doppelgänger, an interesting thought detonated in my cerebellum.
What imprint do I leave on others? Do those I interact with leave with an imprint of my true character? Do I even leave an imprint at all?
"Character is the indelible mark that determines the only true value of all people and all their work." – Orison Swett Marden
Each day we are blessed with opportunities to leave an ineffaceable mark on someone's life. We can use our words to imprint life, kindness, encouragement, and positivity in the minds of each person we encounter.
Don't leave behind an imprint that will evaporate within three seconds!
Link to other blog posts: fedrickbowe.wordpress.com
Comments are welcomed…


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Right or Racist is an all new party card game about stereotypes for people to play and have fun at the social gatherings. With America being divided into two sides with some people becoming too racist or sexist while other being too sensitive, the game has been created to determine who is right and who is wrong. The Miami based creators are now seeking public support for this amazing card game on Kickstarter and they are welcoming everyone to generously back this project.
"I created this game to help shed some light on the truth, and try to determine once and for all, what is right and what is racist." Said Matthew Hanna, the creator of Right or Racist card game while introducing this game to Kickstarter community. "I hope that this game becomes a tool for us to learn about one another and ourselves, engage in useful dialogue, and most importantly, to laugh at ourselves." He added. According to the creator, some items have been censored on the Kickstarter crowdfunding page due to regulations while the game itself is not censored at all.
Right Or Racist is the party card game that confirms and combats stereotypes based on data, studies, and general information. There are 500 cards included in each set of Right Or Racist with 300 Stereotype Cards, 100 Debate Cards and 100 Player Cards.
The Kickstarter Campaign is located on the web at:
www.kickstarter.com/projects/951895566/right-or-racist and it offers pledges from $5 to $25 with rewards ranging from gratitude to the game itself for only $25 and free shipping all across the United States.
About Right Or Racist
Right Or Racist is a party card game developed by Matthew Hanna from Miami, Florida. The game is created to clear the concepts of people regarding racism and hate. Moreover, the purpose of this game is to bring Americans together on a single page and reduce their divided opinion. Right or Racist is now seeking community support on Kickstarter and Matthew is welcoming everyone to back the game.
Media Contact
Company Name: ROR Games LLC
Contact Person: Matthew Hanna
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 917-520-3003
Address:465 Brickell Avenue
City: Miami
State: Florida
Country: United States
Website: www.rightorracist.com


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THE ICY blast of winter is nothing new for Helensburgh and district which has endured many cold winters over the centuries — and during World War Two the consequences were fatal.
For the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, based at Helensburgh and Rhu between 1939 and 1945, ice, snow, sleet and fog served up a deadly cocktail of weather.
Flying experimental flying boats and seaplanes was hazardous enough in normal weather for test pilots and air crew.
But bad weather caused, or contributed to, flying accidents, and the winters of the war were among the coldest on record that century, retired newspaper editor Robin Bird, who has researched the story of MAEE Helensburgh, says.
Robin's father, MAEE photographer Bob Bird, kept a wartime diary and it continually mentions how cold the place was.
"Despite a warm welcome from the residents of Helensburgh and Rhu, MAEE personnel found their new home a cold place during the winter months," Robin said. "In the context of the cold winter weather these days, it is easy to appreciate what flying must have been like."
Bob's diary entry for January 31 1941 reads: "Flying in Catalina. 20,000 ft. God it was cold. F/t Pike and myself are over an open bomb hatch. Oxygen thin.
"I have frostbite in two fingers on each hand. Pyke's eyes affected. 35 degrees below zero. We crash land at 1500 hours."
Bob spent over a week in hospital recovering from frostbite, but other aircrew caught out by the cold were not so fortunate — sometimes when they thought winter was over.
The Short Scion was a four-engined nine passenger floatplane that never went into full production because of the war. One of these, Short Scion L9785, was taken over by the MAEE as a test bed aircraft.
Because of its good handling and relatively small size, it was ideal for experimenting with hull designs that would feature in future Sunderland flying boats.
On Wednesday morning March 15 1944, L9785 was prepared for flight. Everything was carefully checked by a technician before the pilot and crew arrived. He noted a light frost on metal surfaces despite it being mid-March. In fact, it was a very cold morning.
The pilot was advised that there would be a slight delay while the Scion was defrosted. It then took off from Rhu — and, shortly after, crashed.
Besides the pilot, there were two boffins aboard, Messrs Hamilton and White, and the latter unfortunately drowned. The court of inquiry blamed ice on the wings for what they called the flying accident.
Robin, whose second book on MAEE Helensburgh is close to publication, said: "Most of the former MAEE personnel I have spoken to remembered those cold long winters during the war.
"Fish soup, it seems, was a popular winter warmer, there being a plentiful supply from the Gareloch."
At Christmas the MAEE flying officers treated themselves to a festive feast. The menu on Christmas Eve 1944 even featured 'Sole a la Gareloch'.
And there was no shortage of salt to grit the roads, it seems. One story recalled to Robin told of a convoy of lorries arriving at MAEE loaded with salt.
The drivers asked for it to be signed for and the bemused MAEE sergeant obliged, asking why so much salt had been delivered. "This is RAF Helensburgh?' was the reply.
Someone somewhere had sent salt to RAF Helensburgh to clear the runways — not realising that Helensburgh was a seaplane base.


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Korg Volca Sample
Korg is really making products I like these days. There is a new Volca and it's a sampler. It's called the Volca Sample. Being an old Akai S950 guy I love that they made the new box white! It has a eleven parameter motion sequencer, reverb per part, analog eq, active step and jump functions, reverse and the very important sync jack in the back. It holds 100 samples but actually doesn't sample on it's own. You need iOS to load in new samples. That said since I use iOS devices I am happy but I can see this as an issue for some. Price TBA.
"The volca sample is a sample sequencer that lets you edit and sequence up to 100 sample sounds in real time for powerful live performances. It's a powerful addition to any existing volca setup, or simply on its own. The new volca lets you recapture the excitement of the first generation of samplers, in which any sound — vocals, spoken words, ambient sound, or glitches — becomes material for your creations!" – korg.com
For more info: korg.com/us/products/dj/volca_sample
Via WireToTheEar


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Want to know more about this week's guests and topics?
Try clicking on some of these links:
• Fmr. Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Arkansas | HopeForAmerica PAC page
• Michael Gerson, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, Fmr. Speechwriter and Policy Adviser to Pres. George W. Bush | Bio
• Ken Pollack, Director of Research, Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, Former Director, National Security Council for President Bill Clinton | Bio
• Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Chairman, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Author, "Positively American", | Senate page | DSCC page | Book page
• Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), Foreign Relations Committee | Senate page | Senate bio | Foreign Relations page
• Brookings Institution: 'Things Fall Apart: Containing the Spillover From an Iraqi Civil War'
• Newsweek: "Exceeding Expectations: Bush's former speechwriter on what the president did right-and on Jim Webb's wobbly wordcraft." by Michael Gerson
• MSNBC: Conflict in Iraq
• MSNBC: Politics


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The Supreme Court today dismissed by a majority ruling former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma's petition challenging the election of senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee as President.
Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, who led the 3 to 2 majority ruling, held that Sangma's petition is not maintainable for regular hearing.
The dissenting judges held that the petition deserves regular hearing with one of them noting it was alleged that Mukherjee was holding an office of profit when he filed his nomination papers.
"The election petition is not maintainable for regular hearing. It is dismissed," the Chief Justice pronounced the verdict on behalf of him and justices P Sathasivam and S S Nijjar.
The two dissenting orders were pronounced separately by justices J Chelameswar and Ranjan Gogoi.
Justice Chelameswar, who read out the operative portion of his order dissenting with the order read out by the CJI, said he will give the reasons for dissenting with majority order shortly next week.
Justice Gogoi said since it was alleged that Mukherjee was holding the office of profit as the Chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), he is of the view that the election petition filed by Sangma was fit to deserve regular hearing.
Earlier, the court had taken on record the short affidavit of Mukherjee, who said the grounds for challenging his election was "ex facie misconceived."
Sangma has contended that Mukherjee was holding offices of profit as chairman ISI, Kolkata and as also the leader of the Congress Party in Lok Sabha when he had entered the Presidential race.
Earlier, the Attorney General had opposed the plea of Sangma on the issue of office of profit.
"An office of profit is an office which must be under the Government, which enjoys the power to appoint and remove and some salary or emoluments must be attached to the post," Vahanvati said, adding that this was not the case with the post of Chairperson of Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).
"No pecuniary benefits was attached to the post of Chairman of ISI.. Moreover, the post must be such where the office-bearers can be influenced by the appointing authority," the law officer, who is assisting the court, said.
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