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The Cultureist, "Through the Looking Glass: A Journey of Altruism in Phnom Penh"
Original article published in the Cultureist: http://www.thecultureist.com/2013/03/25/cambodian-childrens-fund-scott-neeson/
"Just hang on a minute," a voice from behind a door shouts. "I'll just get my trousers on. No one takes me seriously unless I'm wearing my trousers."
A rusty blond, athletic looking man wearing a loosely fitting shirt and a pair of battered combat shorts emerges from behind the wooden door of the office to run across a hallway filled with photographs of young children. He disappears into his bedroom emerging minutes later wearing the same shirt and even more beaten up combat trousers. Scott Neeson extends his hand in a warm handshake.
People used to take Neeson very seriously. In 2000, he became president of Twentieth Century Fox International in Hollywood, overseeing the production of such blockbuster films as "Independence Day" and "Titanic".
He was a multi-millionaire with all the trappings of Hollywood success: a beautiful home, a luxury yacht and an expensive sports car. But in 2004, following what he describes as his epiphany, he left Hollywood behind and moved to a Cambodian slum. Today, the 53-year-old Australian is the founder and executive director of the Phnom Penh-based charity, The Cambodian Children's Fund. He earns a modest salary and says he owns virtually nothing.
Neeson grew up in the industrial town of Elizabeth, South Australia, the son of working"class parents. He attributes his willingness to take risks to the fact that he suffered acute asthma as a child.
He recalled, "I'd have to be taken to the hospital and they had no ventolin, no inhalers, no nebulizers, and I had to get shots of adrenalin to get my heart going." He experienced these terrifying episodes until he was in his late teens when, once he began to use nebulizers, his life improved dramatically. He said he had always been painfully shy, but soon he began dating.
He was given a job in the marketing department at Clifford Theatres, a local drive"in theatre company, and began pumping iron at the gym. He said it was like being given a new lease on life.
From a lowly start at Clifford's, he moved to Greater Union Cinemas and then to Hoyts Cinemas in Sydney. His father, Colin, who was a somewhat remote figure in his son's formative years, was fearful for his sensitive younger son.
"I never finished high school," Neeson said, "so he was always telling me what I could and couldn't do. When I got the first job offer to go to Sydney, he said, "˜You shouldn't go, you'll never be able to make it, you never finished high school, you'll get eaten alive in Sydney.'"
But he was headhunted from one job in the movie industry to the next until finally, Hollywood came knocking, and he moved to Los Angeles in 1993. In 1996 he was made Vice President of Fox Motion Pictures, and by 2000 he was president and responsible for multi-"million dollar productions.
According to Neeson, his father was somewhat fearful of life and could not understand his son's knack for success. "It was a mystery to him," he said, "right until quite late." He admitted that it was to prove himself to his father that he had his Fox contract state that Colin was to receive first class travel to Hollywood from his Australian home each year.
Then, Neeson said, "Just when he began to realise he didn't have to worry about me, I told him I was selling everything and moving to Cambodia. His father, he recalled with a wry laugh, almost imploded.
It was 2003, during a break between jobs "" Neeson was moving from Twentieth Century Fox to Sony Pictures Entertainment "" and what was intended to be a short visit to Phnom Penh, no more than a couple of days on his way through to Angkor, turned out to be a huge turning point in his life.
Neeson was struck by the plight of many of the city's street kids and wanted to help them by giving money. "I was naively thinking I was the first person trying to help these kids," he said. But the parents, or the people "˜running' the kids, knew every way to scam money out of well-intentioned tourists and most of the money went directly into the adults' pockets.
He quickly took to buying food for the kids as a way to ensure it was they that benefitted, eventually hiring out a whole restaurant to provide meals for them.
The restaurant owner suggested he should visit the Steung Meanchey municipal dump, on the outskirts of the city. Neeson recalled: "He pointed out the degree to which I was getting ripped off and said, "˜You know, if you really want to help people, go down here, because no one's helping these people.'"
Neeson took the address of the dump and went there with a translator. He said what confronted him was the most appalling sight he could ever imagine.
"It's a putrid, stinking garbage dump," he said. "And it's the worst kind of garbage: human excrement, body parts, aborted fetuses. It's already hot here "" you get temperatures in the high thirties, (low) forties" but on the garbage dump you've got burning methane, and so it's closer to fifty degrees. It's intense."
He said the dust was so overwhelming that after a few minutes it was virtually impossible to see. "It was so bad it took me a while to realise what the movement was, but it was all these kids, all wrapped up and bandaged with rags all over them." He waved his arms around while describing the scene, as if wrapping a mummy. "For two reasons," he said, "one: to keep the sun off and, two: they have no place to live so they wear everything they own at the same time. And all you can see are their eyes." He seemed to be still shaken by the memory. "I'd never seen kids with blank eyes," he said. "They had absolutely no hope."
He recollected that even though the children had probably never seen a Westerner before, they showed no interest in him as he picked his way over the stinking, festering mess.
A full day working on the dump would earn each child around 25 or 30 cents. "When they were exhausted they would lie down and sleep on the garbage. And they'd wake up in the morning and they'd do it again, he said."
That day, Neeson realised that a little money could go a long way to changing the lives of these hopeless scavengers. He met the mothers of two of the girls, Srey Nich and Rithy, and arranged to get them off the dump and into school. "Being in the corporate world, the thing that struck me most was how easy it was," he said. "It was extremely cheap. It was US$30 or US$40 a month and they were no longer living on the garbage dump."
This was the beginnings of what was to become CCF, which he established later that year. "My life has always had cataclysmic changes. No one ever expected me to get a job, let alone move to Hollywood and do what I did," he said.
It was a far cry from his life in Hollywood, where he had what he describes as a very nice lifestyle. But, he said, "There's been a lot of stuff written (about him) that simply isn't true. It makes a good story but it's not true." He had a nice home in Brentwood, for example. "It's painted (in news stories) as being a mansion; it wasn't a mansion." But it was the first place he had that really felt like home. Although he met A-list celebrities through his work and in his neighbourhood, he said he didn't mix with them socially.
The model Cindy Crawford lived nearby, but he said they did not socialise together. "She lived two doors down and we'd say hello. I'd see her in the morning putting out the garbage and I'd be doing the same."
He said he accepted as inevitable the exaggerated tales of his Hollywood life. "But the People story really annoyed me," he said, referring to descriptions of him in People Magazine's "Heroes Amongst Us" story in November 2012. "I was not nearly as shallow as they made out, and certainly not "˜a self-confessed babeaholic', nothing like that at all, no."
He admitted to dating a string of what he said were decent, intelligent, women but said at the same time he maintained a committed spiritual practice which ultimately led to his sabbatical in Asia. He had come to visit the sacred Buddhist temples of Cambodia and Thailand, but he found exactly what he was looking for instead at Steung Meanchey.
By the time the visit to Phnom Penh was over, "I knew this was what I was meant to do," he said. When he returned to Hollywood to begin his new role with Sony, he vowed to wait 12 months before fully committing to moving to Phnom Penh.
In that 12-month period he made 11 return trips to Cambodia. Each trip would see him abandoning more of his old life and adopting his new role as caretaker and provider for the dump children.
Neesen knew he had to do something more than just rescue a couple of children, however. So he held a huge garage sale of all his belongings and moved out of his Brentwood home. "The biggest thing was, I'd sold my dogs which was heart-breaking, and I was living in this terrible, shitty little rental, just waiting for my 12 months to be up."
He said close friends recognised his conviction, but others assumed it was simply his time for a mid-life crisis. Some even thought it was an elaborate ploy. "People thought that by coming here, I'd get out of my contract and six months later I'd start working with another studio," he said. But there was no doubt in his mind: "I was never going back. Giving away my dogs "" if anyone had been watching "" that was the mark."
By the time Neeson eventually moved to Phnom Penh in December 2004, he had already rented a building "" now known as CCF One, the first of eight such buildings "" and had laid the foundations for CCF. "When I got here, the grand plan back then was to get 45 kids in, and then that number went up to 87. And it went up again, and up again." He said that each year for the first six years of operation, the charity doubled in number of children, size of facilities and staff. Today over 1,600 children are cared for, either on a live-in or live-out basis.
Despite his initial fears, Colin became heavily involved in CCF, spending three to four months in Cambodia each year.
"His life started in his early eighties when I started this place," said Neeson. "He was the most loved man and he was a different guy. He was the father he should have been. He was so available to every kid." It was shortly before Colin's sudden death in August 2011 that he finally acknowledged his son's achievements. They were sharing a meal together when, said Neeson, "He looked up and he said, "˜I get it now. I get why you're successful. I can see it.' And I thought, wow, this is something I never thought I'd hear him say."
In Neeson's office, a converted bedroom in his two-story house minutes away from the dump, before-and-after photos of his beloved children fill the walls. Each set of photos tells its own mini-success story.
Downstairs, around 15 children play in the lounge, or eat lunch while sitting cross-legged in a circle on his kitchen floor. As rudimentary as this seems, Neeson speaks of today's CCF as a complex operation with over 40 different programs, each one supporting the central aims of driving education and leadership. All the kids are in school he said. "The kids are all going to go to university. It's a promise we made to all 1,600 kids. And at the same time they have to become leaders if they are to change this country from this corrupt, patriarchal place." Asked if he has sought outside help in building the programs, he is emphatic: "No one is doing anything like this. It's purely intuitive."
Libby Vaughan, director of CCF Hong Kong and head of CCF's donor and corporate relations, said she left a well-paid career as managing director of an IT solutions company to join Neeson. "Scott's an incredibly inspirational person and he makes me feel very humble," she said.
But Neeson, although still bubbling with enthusiasm, seems fatigued. A deep tiredness weighs on his features and he looks much thinner than when I last saw him 10 months earlier.
He said he had been hospitalised recently with dengue fever and severe bronchitis, but he also admitted to feeling the stress of constant worry. "I can tell when a kid has got a problem straightaway," he said. And problems for these children are often extreme: destitution, physical and sexual abuse from a young age — sometimes as young as three or four — drug addicted parents, lack of a stable, nurturing family environment. "My biggest nightmares are always about someone that's fallen through the cracks," he said. But his face quickly lights up again as he invites me to visit the facilities with him.
As Neeson walks into one of CCF's outdoor classrooms, the children burst into a rousing rendition of the ABC song. He can't walk anywhere without a small child hugging him, leaping into his arms or pressing small gifts into his hand: a drawing they've made or a small flower they've handpicked for him.
They call him "˜papa' and he is just that: a second father to them. He knows each of their names and their individual stories, sharing anecdotes as we walk.
Saron, a CCF translator said of Neeson, "He comes every day to see the children." But there is a general consensus: "He looks thin. He looks tired," she said, and another CCF worker nods her head in agreement.
Immediately outside the CCF facilities lies the village of Steung Meanchey. There is a stark contrast between the vibrancy and energy of the facilities and the horror of the reality outside. This is poverty most extreme. People live on top of each other in houses that are no more than scavenged bits of rubbish from the dump. The air is fetid and the ground a putrid mess. The village is a complex of the desperate.
A mother needs milk for her child. A child with a bad cough is a suspected asthmatic, and Neeson arranges a hospital appointment. He has a bodyguard with him, he said, mainly out of loyalty towards him. But he admitted he had "made a number of enemies down there," by such actions as interventions on child abuse, "and things like that make people unpredictable."
But the effect Neeson's presence has on the villagers is palpable: he is like Father Christmas and Mahatma Gandhi metamorphosed as a combat trouser clad crusader. He is a man with a purpose and he is obsessive: he has devoted his life to this project.
Libby Vaughan said, "Working with someone like Scott, who has created something very special can be challenging. It takes time to trust someone enough to let go."
Neeson himself admitted that he's not the easiest person, claiming he would make a terrible husband. "I'm very introverted," he said. "I don't want to share. I don't want to talk about my day when I get home. I like to shut down."
But as Vaughan explained, Neeson is the heart and soul of CCF. "How do I get volunteers at CCF?" she said, "I tell them all to go to Cambodia, to see the facilities and learn about the place, to spend time with Scott. And then you see it. It's like a switch goes on. He enthuses them with his passion, so that they become engaged and passionate too. That's it," she said, "his enthusiasm and his power of will drives it "" drives me "" to want to do more."
Neeson says he has no regrets whatsoever, despite his apparent fatigue and recent illness. Instead he spoke of the great joy he has in his life. "There's no question it's cathartic for me," he said. "Being asthmatic and having parents who were really very distant, it is cathartic for me. I see myself in every one of these kids."
Was it worth giving up his glamorous Hollywood lifestyle? "Absolutely," he said. "I have virtually nothing. Five pairs of combat trousers, where I used to wear designer suits." But, he said, seeing the difference CCF is making to these children's lives is more than enough to make up for it. "It is such a blessing and an honour to be a part of, not just as a spectator, but to help to facilitate that change. It's truly amazing. And doing it a thousand times: it's so joyful."
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My PhD in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources in the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia focused on business administration best practices as well as the emergence of coaching in organizations. My academic career includes award-winning teaching, numerous international publications and presentations, and knowledge of the most recent literature.
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With babies being "parent clingers" (they want to be carried around), I carry Thiago a lot. In the beginning, I carried him in my arms. Then my arms became tired and I felt limited in my actions (although I managed to do a lot of domestic work with one hand only!) so I had to find a way to make this work better. That's when I opened Pandora's box!
The Sling
In the first weeks after the birth, I carried Thiago in the Tricot-Slen. I had bought the product in a rush on sale and felt that the fabric was soft and would make a cozy cocoon for a newborn. What I did not know was that there are so many different ways on how you can bind a sling. The product came with a booklet including instructions on how to bind it. These looked more complicated than being helpful so I chose the most basic version that keeps the baby's legs inside the sling (frog position) but checked as well online for some video input. When I found a suited tutorial, there were so many comments saying that this way of binding was unhealthy for the baby. I was confused! It got worse when I had to teach my man how to use the sling. For us, it was just not simple and practical so once it was time to upgrade to the next version, the one that keeps the baby's legs outside (yes, this depends on your baby's age/weight), we abandoned the whole thing!
The Ergobaby Carrier
When Thiago was four months old, I decided to go for a carrier. No binding rituals anymore, yey! After talking to the shop owner of a traditional kids store here in Amsterdam, I decided to go for the ergobaby Earth, made of 100% recycled fibers. I liked the color and checked if Thiago loved the fabric. Being all soft and smooth, he opened his mouth and sucked on it; it was like love at first sight ! By the way, this was also the only carrier brand they offered as they had stopped selling those by BabyBjoern as they are less ergonomic and do not allow to spread the baby's legs which can be harmful for their hip development. In particular for baby boys, a bad carrier puts too much pressure on their genitals which does not seem very comfortable…
Why I love the Ergobaby Carrier
I am not lying when I say that the 120EUR we spent on this baby carrier are worth every cent! It is our must-have and life saving baby product! There is not one day that passes without using our ergobaby. When leaving the house, I always have it with me so that I can alternate between the stroller and the carrier (sometimes, Thiago is just fed up with the stroller and wants to see the world from the top). For short walks or when we go places that are busy, our ergobaby is the ideal item to use. At home, I can do the washing or cook while carrying my baby!
It is easy to put on and adjustable in size which means that we can switch between my man and me without problems. Positioning is flexible too, as it is wearable on the front and backside (not front facing though). Our version is made of soft and durable fabric that is easy to care for (machine washable). The sleeping hood option guarantees protection from day light and wind/cold when our baby falls asleep. Speaking of which: rocking our baby to sleep in the ergobaby carrier is very easy! Just put your favorite tune on and bounce…but caution, the bouncing can soon become a habit that you'll keep even when you are not even using the erobaby; read my closet cleanse story for proof!
And R.Kelly?
During the day, rocking Thiago to sleep works particularly well with R.Kelly (yep, I seperate between his music and the pee pee/duffel bag story). Whether it's Bump n' Grind, Ignition or Happy People…it works so thanks Mr. Robert Kelly, I'll heart you always and forever!


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Conservation society introduces unique method to curb ballooning deer population
(Mainichi Japan)
MINAKAMI, Gunma -- Extermination efforts by the Nature Conservation Society of Japan to prevent an increase in the number of Japanese deer began in the Akaya forest here at the beginning of November, and the society hopes their unique methods will help regions control deer populations nationwide.
After studying the habits of the deer, the society came up with these rules: When a gathering of three or fewer deer is encountered, all of them will be exterminated, while groups of four or more will be left alone. This method was established so that areas with a low concentration of deer can be managed before their numbers grow out of hand.
The habitat of the Japanese deer has expanded due to decreases in the population of hunters and less accumulated snow. According to an estimate by the Ministry of the Environment, there were some 3.15 million deer in Honshu and southward in fiscal 2014 -- over 10 times more than the roughly 290,000 estimated in fiscal 1989. The agricultural damage carried out by these deer has grown to about 6.5 billion yen, with somewhere around 7,000 hectares of forest reportedly taking a hit.
With regions shouldering the most losses making progress with extermination efforts, the deer population had dropped to roughly 3.04 million by the end of the 2015 fiscal year. However, extermination to prevent damage before it occurs in areas where the deer population is still sparse is difficult, and has become an issue.
So far, no heavy damage from deer has been confirmed in the some 10,000-hectare Akaya forest. But signs of their presence, such as deer being caught on automated forest cameras, have increased 8.5 times in eight years, pointing to an overall trend toward population growth.
That's why the nature conservation society has placed deer treating salt in locations where high concentrations of the animals have been confirmed. If a group of three or less of the creatures gathers at the salt lick, they are all exterminated. However, in the case of a hard-to-handle group of four or more deer, they are left alone. The policy takes into account that in the cases of large groups, those animals that manage to escape become more cautious and harder to catch, and aims to properly manage the population keeping the habits of the creatures in mind.
According to the society, efforts to exterminate deer in overpopulated areas are being carried out throughout Japan, but this is the first project to take on population growth at the prevention stage.
"Response to damage done by deer is often too late, and the measures come with an enormous price tag," said professor Koichi Kaji of the Graduate School of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. "If low concentrations of deer populations can be maintained, the diversity of the ecosystem can also be protected."


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Most DLP and all LCD projection TVs have a lamp in them to project the picture onto the screen. The typical lifespan of a lamp is two to three years. If your television has a lamp in it and you haven't had to replace it in more than three years, you may want to consider ordering one just so you have one when you need it. It's only a matter of time before it goes out.
Lamps will generally start to go dim when they are approaching the end of their life. If you notice that your picture is not as bright as it once was, chances are you've only got about a month before the lamp goes out.
There are a couple of ways a lamp can fail. Sometimes the lamp (or the whole TV) will oscillate off and on, although this kind of lamp failure is unusual and will not be identifiable by the LED indicators on the front of the TV. Most of the time, the lamp will go out completely. It will usually make a popping noise, and the TV will shut down. When they fail like this you will be able to easily tell that the lamp is bad simply by removing it from the TV and looking at it. It will be completely shattered (which is typically how they fail). See the article on Replacing Lamps to learn to get to the lamp.
When you try to turn on a TV with a bad lamp, the TV may sound like it is trying to start a couple of times, but it should eventually just remain off. The reason for this is that there are safety mechanisms built-in to the TV preventing it from coming on when there is something wrong. The key at this point is to observe the flashing LED indicators on the front frame of the television. The owner's manual will have a section on troubleshooting where you can find out how to interpret these indicators. There will be a certain indication that signals a lamp failure.


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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Muhammad Ali's death has the world remembering "The Greatest" not only for his athleticism in the ring but for his cultural impact and outspokenness on political issues, including civil rights and the Vietnam War.
Ali, 74, died Friday after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease.
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama said in a statement that Ali "shook up the world."
"And the world is better for it. We are all better for it. Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family, and we pray that the greatest fighter of them all finally rests in peace."
The President said he keeps a pair of Ali's gloves on display in his private study in the White House just under the iconic 1965 photo of Ali standing over Sonny Liston after knocking him out.
The Obamas added, "He stood with King and Mandela; stood up when it was hard; spoke out when others wouldn't. His fight outside the ring would cost him his title and his public standing. It would earn him enemies on the left and the right, make him reviled, and nearly send him to jail. But Ali stood his ground. And his victory helped us get used to the America we recognize today."
Former President George W. Bush shared a statement on his Facebook page and remembered awarding Ali the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.
"Muhammad Ali was an iconic and historic figure who thrilled, entertained, influenced, and inspired millions. Americans will always be proud to have been in his corner and called him one of our own," Bush said.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offered their condolences as well.
"We watched him grow from the brash self-confidence of youth and success into a manhood full of religious and political convictions that led him to make tough choices and live with the consequences," the two said in a joint statement.
Bill Clinton said he felt honored to award Ali the Presidential Citizens Medal at the White House.
"Along the way we saw him courageous in the ring, inspiring to the young, compassionate to those in need, and strong and good-humored in bearing the burden of his own health challenges," the Clinton's statement reads.
Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump immediately tweeted upon learning of Ali's passing.
"Muhammad Ali is dead at 74! A truly great champion and a wonderful guy. He will be missed by all!" Trump said.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said in a statement that "Muhammad Ali was the greatest, not only an extraordinary athlete but a man of great courage and humanity."
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who was an amateur boxer in his youth and met Ali in 1972, called him "legend and a fighter in every sense of the word."
"He fought and won inside the ring and fought for equality and justice outside the ring," Reid said in a statement. "Ali taught us all about the value of hard work, tenacity and never giving up. He was an inspiration whose tireless work ethic, unmatched skills and supreme self-confidence made him the Greatest of All Time."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who represents Ali's home state of Kentucky, said he and his wife were "deeply saddened" to learn of Ali's death.
"Inside the ring, he was graceful on his feet and packed a powerful punch. Outside the ring, he thrilled us with his exuberance for life," McConnell said in a statement. "He was more than just a boxer. He was The Greatest. His life story is an American story, and it's a story that began in Louisville, Kentucky."
Other members of Congress mourned Ali.
House Speaker Paul Ryan tweeted, "Rest in peace, Champ. You inspired a generation."
Civil right activist and Georgia Rep. John Lewis tweeted, "Muhammad Ali was a champion in many ways. He worked for every person to register & vote. He will be deeply missed."
California Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee tweeted a photo of her and the heavyweight, adding, "Deeply saddened to learn of Muhammad Ali's passing. No one had his passion & commitment to peace. Rest in power."
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul tweeted, "Louisville, KY, America & the world lost a legend. Muhammed Ali became "The Greatest" & lived life of strength principle & generosity. RIP."
"Floatin & Stingin #RIPMuhammadAli," Georgia Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson tweeted.
CNN's Steve Almasy and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.


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And in the 80's, Journey was huge. Data Age, an American game company publishing mostly lousy and marginally successful science-fiction games for the Atari 2600, decided that a licensed videogame based on the band would be the ticket to financial prosperity. So they abandoned their "cheap-games-with-supporting-sci-fi-stories-by-virtually-unknown-author-J.-Ray-Dettling" strategy for a "one-cheap-game-with-pricey-hot-music-industry-license-JOURNEY-friends-we're-talkin'-JOURNEY-here" approach. (There was also a separate, completely different coin-op Journey game from Midway, but that's another story altogether.)
The worst thing about Journey Escape is the opening music; the 2600 could be coerced into doing decent two-part harmony with careful modulation of its sound chip, but Data Age didn't take full advantage of all that bit-twiddlin' data-tablin'; there are two parts playing, but they still add up to a feeble, beepy rendition of the intro to Don't Stop Believin'. Then a blocky scarab ship makes a break for it, and we have already witnessed most of the cartridge's limited storage being blown on the license.
The best thing about what remains of Journey Escape is that it doesn't try to recast the band members as heroes on some kind of mission; the gameplay bears at least a superficial resemblance to life on the road for a touring arena rock band. All they're trying to do in this post-concert adventure is to make it to their awesome scarab ship. This involves dodging managers, backstage hazards and groupies (depicted as hearts with legs), preserving their share of the concert box office by not taking damage from said obstacles, and getting helpful boosts from their roadies (in the form of temporary invincibility, not illegal narcotics as one might suspect.) The fire button goes unused after starting the game, so it's a fairly passive exercise in bobbing and weaving.
If the member in play manages to reach the ship, we hear the opening tune excerpt once more, and a different band member enters the maelstrom. You can tell the band members apart because they... gotcha! I lied. You cannot tell the band members apart. At least there is music playing during the game itself, which was no mean trick on the 2600, although it's not recognizable as a Journey song. And there is an actual ending, when all the band members are safely delivered to the ship. This is the Atari 2600, so there's no celebratory ending animation or anything, but the game does indeed stop.
Oh, crap! Maybe Journey had it right after all. If only we had taken their musical advice, and didn't stopped believin'!


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Earlier this week Madonna scooped a Golden Globe award for Best Original Song – Motion Picture for her song 'Masterpiece' from the film WE. Elton John had previously bitched that there was no way Madonna would win the award (he too had been nominated for his song from Gnomeo & Juliet) but Madge had refused to be drawn into the fight saying simply "may the best man win".
During the awards show Ricky Gervais introduced Madonna as being "just like a virgin" with a sarcastic cough, not realising that she would be the one feisty celebrity who would bite back: 'If I'm just like a virgin Ricky why don't you come over here and do something about it,' adding: 'I haven't kissed a girl in quite a few years, at least not on TV'.
She has since been photographed and plastered all over the news and the internet wearing her amazing Reem Acra gown, and fashion teams around the world are already predicting a resurgence of cap sleeves and silver spangle this year.
So here's how you can get Madonna's feisty Golden Globe style for yourself from the high street and online:


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The European Union is one of Niger's main partners. Together with its Member States, the European Union maintains regular political dialogue with Niger in order to promote democracy, the rule of law and respect for civil rights and freedoms. In Niger the European Union uses an integrated approach, aimed at strengthening security and stability and at promoting development in the long term.
Click on the image to read the factsheet on the European Union's partnership with Niger:


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I know I spend most of my time on my blog bitching about everything and nothing. Today, I will not be a crab.
Last Friday, my son turned one. In my world, it was just the most special occasion. Sure, he won't remember any of it, but I will. In a selfish way, his huge party was mostly for me. However, I felt like I was celebrating not just because I'm a proud mama, but because I want to celebrate that I have a happy, healthy and amazing little boy. I am blessed in so many ways that I can't even keep track anymore.
For Jack's birthday we took him out for dinner at Applebees- all the pretty waitresses sang him their birthday song as he stared in a mixture of confusion and wonder. The next day was a huge celebration of family. Four generations were present and it was amazing the outpouring of love for our little man. We credit Jack in so many ways for bringing the family together at a time when everyone was growing apart. I want so much for Jack to know all of his cousins, aunts, uncles but most importantly that he got to meet his great-grandmas. I know he'll likely only remember and know that he knew them only from the photos that we show him, but I think it is amazing that they are even still here to celebrate him with us.
It was just a perfect, wonderful weekend. Drama was left at the door. Two different families came together to celebrate a year in the life of my Baby Jack. Thank you my wonderful family for making Jack's first birthday one to remember.
September 14, 2009
Posted by Joanne at 12:22 PM
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California's Proposition 65, also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Environment Act of 1986, is a broad environmental consumer protection measure that was enacted into law that year by California's citizens. Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide "clear and reasonable" warnings when their products expose Californian consumers to certain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm. There are currently over 800 entries on the growing list of regulated chemicals. These include substances such as lead, mercury, dyes, solvents, food additives, and pesticides.
The California agency administering Proposition 65 has recently adopted new regulations that will go into effect on August 30, 2018. Businesses operating in California will soon need to revise their warnings and compliance efforts in order to conform to the new regulations. These revisions also will apply to businesses producing goods in other states that are sold in California. Failure to comply and conform to the changes may result in penalties and an award of attorneys
Changes to the Warning Requirements
Since the adoption of Proposition 65 in 1986, many businesses have relied on certain "safe harbor" warnings that were deemed to be "clear and reasonable". The old warnings simply stated that a chemical was present that causes cancer or reproductive harm. The new regulations alter the format and content of the safe-harbor warnings. The new warnings for consumer products will need to say the product "can expose you to" a listed chemical rather than the product merely "contains" the chemical. Warnings for most consumer products will now also need to include:
- The name of at least one listed chemical that prompted the warning.
- The internet address for the new Proposition 65 warnings website, P65Warnings.ca.gov, which includes additional information on the health effects of listed chemicals and ways to reduce or eliminate exposure to them.
- A triangular yellow warning symbol on most warnings.
The new regulations also require warnings that are tailored to provide more information for exposures related to certain types of products and industries. Such as: alcoholic beverages, restaurants, hotels, and dental offices. Furthermore, when a label or sign for a product contains information about the product in a language other than English, the warning must also be provided in the non-English language. Additionally, for internet sales, warnings generally must be provided to consumers prior to the completion of the online purchase. This is even if a warning is also included on the product itself.
Penalties for Noncompliance
California's Attorney General and District Attorneys have the power to enforce Proposition 65 through civil actions. Failure to include or post a required warning may result in penalties of up to $2,500 per violation, per day. Courts may also order businesses to cease all sales of a product until compliance with the regulations has been achieved. To learn more about past Proposition 65 settlements, please refer to the following information maintained by the California Attorney General's Office: https://oag.ca.gov/prop65/annual-settlement-reports
Proposition 65 also permits enforcement to be carried out through civil lawsuits brought by private citizens and or an attorney acting on behalf of a citizen. Private parties may keep 25% of any penalty that may ultimately be assessed against a violator and may also be entitled to an award of their attorneys' fees.
Only very limited defenses exist to a claim of a violation of Proposition 65. For example, a defendant may assert that exposure to a product poses no significant risk. However, a defendant must prove that exposure at up to 1,000 times the level contained within the product will not cause cancer or adverse reproductive effects.
Proposition 65 Enforcement: A Cottage Industry or New Start Up?
California has an active role in enforcing Proposition 65, environmental groups have been aggressive in using other law provisions against businesses. Out of state firms who are not aware of the reach of the law have been seen as easy targets. Also, various industries have been successfully sued for Proposition 65 violations. Environmental groups identify specific products that contain listed chemicals and then bring separate cases against individual suppliers. Products targeted have included fishing tackle, Tiffany lamps, plumbing supplies, French fries, chips, coffee, and alcohol beverages. Proposition 65 actions often come in waves and can affect entire industry sectors for years. For more information about what steps businesses need to take to comply with Proposition 65 businesses may refer to: https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/businesses-and-proposition-65
In light of the substantial penalties that may accrue as well as exposure to attorneys' fees, businesses that ship products to California should take all necessary steps to comply with Proposition 65's requirements. Because the new regulations which come into effect on August 30, 2018, businesses should evaluate their products. Further, they need to review the new regulations carefully to ensure compliance and avoid potential litigation and noncompliance penalties.
Joseph Maternowski's clients view him as a trusted legal adviser. Mr. Maternowski has assisted clients in assessing their exposure to Proposition 65 liability as well as developing warnings and establishing effective compliance programs to avoid liability.
Furthermore, please see the disclaimer at the bottom of this page relating to limitations on this blog and legal advice. Joseph Maternowski is an attorney in private practice. He advises clients on compliance matters as well as on commercial and residential real estate transactions and on litigation. Thanks to associate Joseph Reutiman for his assistance in preparing this update. Finally, for additional information please contact:
Joseph G. Maternowski
Hessian & McKasy, PA


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Displaying 1 to 20 of 50Search Help
Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program.
Cornell University (New York). New York State Agricultural Experiment Station.
Montana State University.
The Center for Invasive Species Management closed in 2015. Archives of relevant materials are available here.
Cornell University. Agriculture and Life Sciences.
This guide provides photographs and descriptions of biological control (or biocontrol) agents of insect, disease, and weed pests in North America. It is also a tutorial on the concept and practice of biological control and integrated pest management (IPM). Whether you are an educator, a commercial grower, a student, a researcher, a land manager, or an extension or regulatory agent, we hope you will find this information useful.
Montana State University Extension.
Montana State University Extension.
DOI. NPS. Yellowstone National Park.
If you plan to use your own boat or angler float tube, you'll need a permit and a free Yellowstone aquatic invasive species inspection. You can speed up the inspection process by arriving with a boat that is clean, drained, and dry. Watercraft that arrive dirty or with standing water will be subject to decontamination. Watercraft that cannot be properly decontaminated will be prohibited from launching.
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
In May 2010 the last boll weevil was trapped in the state and in March 2012 the boll weevil was declared eradicated from the state of Louisiana. The Eradication Program is now at a maintenance level, funded through grower maintenance inspection fees. Traps are placed and monitored according to an approved trapping protocol. Cotton producers have seen increases in yields along with a reduction in the cost of insect control.
Mississippi Department of Agriculture.
DOI. NPS. Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program.
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Forestry Division.
Governor Cuomo Announces $2.8 Million In Grant Awards To Combat Spread Of Invasive Species (Jun 14, 2019)
New York State. Governor Andew Cuomo.
Funding Supports Invasive Species Rapid Response and Control, Research, Lake Management Planning, and Aquatic Invasive Species Spread Prevention Programs. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than $2.8 million in grants have been awarded to 42 projects that will reduce the negative impacts of invasive species through control or removal activities, research, and spread prevention. These grants are part of the State Department of Environmental Conservation's Invasive Species Grant Program and are funded by the State's Environmental Protection Fund.
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Plant Industry Division. Plant Protection Section.
DOI. NPS. Glacier National Park.
Glacier National Park waters are generally open for boating from mid-May through October. All watercraft require an NPS inspection and permit before launching. Prior cleaning, draining, and drying of all watercraft, both externally and internally, will reduce inspection time significantly.
Mississippi State University. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.
The primary goal of this service is to provide Mississippi citizens with identification and management recommendations for insect pests that affect their homes, their gardens, or the crops they are trying to produce. The lab also works closely with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and observant Mississippi citizens to help facilitate early detection of new invasive insect pests that appear in the state.
North Carolina State University. Extension.
Mississippi State University. Geosystems Research Institute.
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
Montana State University. Center for Invasive Species Management.
See also: Surveying and Monitoring for more resources


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Director Veerabhadram, got huge fame with comedy capers like Aha Naa Pellanta and Poola Rangadu. Though his last film Bhai, was a flop, he is hoping to strike gold with his new film Chuttalabbai. On the eve of its release, we caught up with him for an exclusive interview. Here are the excerpts.
Q. How confident are you about Chuttalabbai?
I'm very confident that Chuttalabbai will be a successful film. After Bhai, I wanted to prove myself and wrote this script. The film will have all the commercial elements and I am very hopeful that everyone will thoroughly enjoy this film.
Q. After the failure of Bhai, you took quite a long gap. How difficult was that?
You know the hardships one has to face in the industry. After the failure of Bhai, couple of my projects didn't materialize and this was quite hurting. Leaving no hope, I met Chuttalabbai's producers Ram and Venkat and narrated them the script. Even Aadi agreed to do the film right away as soon as he heard the script.
Q. How will Aadi's characterization be in the film?
His role is very energetic and he plays a happy go lucky guy whose life gets turned around with certain unexpected circumstances.
Q. Did you keep Sai Kumar in mind for the special role ?
Our film had a role which was quite key to the story. I thought of Sai Kumar garu but never expected that he would do it. After hearing the story, he immediately agreed to do it. All his scenes with Aadi have come out quite well.
Q. Did you face any pressure during the filming stages ?
There is always a pressure if your previous film doesn't work well. But Aadi and I worked very hard as both of us want to hit the bulls eye with this film. The trailer and audio got very good response and the audience is eagerly waiting for the release. Right now there are so many expectations and we are hoping to reach them.
Q. How is it working with a top music director like Thaman?
It is a big boost for our film because of Thaman being a part of it. As there was a good scope for music, I approached him and he gave fantastic music and re- recording.
Q. What are the major highlights of Chuttalabbai?
This is a complete entertainer. I'm not saying it's a great film but it will cater to all sections with enough comedy and family emotions. Especially Aadi's energetic performance, Thaman's music and good production values will be the major highlights of the film.
Q. What are your future projects?
Right now, there are two scripts ready. One will be under a big banner and one will be produced by the makers of Chuttalabbai. Further details will be announced soon.
On that note, we ended our interview with Veerabhadram and wished him luck for his film.
Articles that might interest you:
- Interview : Venkatesh – Chay will reach great heights in his career
- Interview : Naga Chaitanya- Venky Mama is a dream come true project for me
- Interview : Raashi Khanna – Venky Mama's success can change my career
- Interview : Thaman- Venky Mama will melt your hearts
- Interview : Nikhil- Arjun Survaram's delay broke me into pieces
- Interview : Lavanya – Nikhil's performance is the highlight of Arjun Suravaram
Ad : Teluguruchi - Learn.. Cook.. Enjoy the Tasty food


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Relationship counselllng is the process of counselling the parties of a relationship in an effort to recognize and to better manage or reconcile troublesome differences and repeating patterns of distress. The relationship involved may be between members of a family or a couple, employees or employers in a workplace, or between a professional and a client.
Relationship counselling helps you to make the most of your relationships, past, present or future. We can help you to work through problems in current relationships, explore the effects of past relationships or look at how to improve and enrich relationships for the future.
We work with all relationship difficulties whether you are in a couple or on your own, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion or ethnicity. What's important to us is your relationship.
Before a relationship between individuals can begin to be understood, it is important to recognize and acknowledge that each person, including the counselor, has a unique personality, perception, set of values and history. Individuals in the relationship may adhere to different and unexamined value systems. Institutional and societal variables (like the social, religious, group and other collective factors) which shape a person's nature, and behavior are considered in the process of counseling and therapy. A tenet of relationship counseling is that it is intrinsically beneficial for all the participants to interact with each other and with society at large with optimal amounts of conflict. A couple's conflict resolution skills seems to predict divorce rates.
Couple therapy (or relationship therapy) is a related and different process. It may differ from relationship counseling in duration. Short term counseling may be between 1 to 3 sessions whereas long term couples therapy may be between 12 and 24 sessions. An exception is brief or solution focused couples therapy. In addition, counseling tends to be more 'here and now' and new coping strategies the outcome. Couples therapy is more about seemingly intractable problems with a relationship history, where emotions are the target and the agent of change.
Marriage counselling or marital therapy can refer to either or some combination of the above.
The methods may differ in other ways as well, but the differences may indicate more about the counselor/therapist's way of working than the title given to their process.
What can I expect from Relationship Counselling?
Beacon counsellors provide a caring and supportive environment to help you find a way through any difficulties you may be facing.
Once you have made an appointment you will be seen by a trained professional who will ask some questions about you and your partner, your relationship and what you hope to get out of your counselling.
How will Relationship Counselling help me?
It really depends what you want to get out of the counselling, but it is rare that you will leave counselling without feeling a positive change. For some people we transform their relationships and their lives; for others we help them solve a specific problem and move forward with more confidence and less anxiety.
Most relationships will get strained at some time, resulting in their not functioning optimally and producing self-reinforcing, maladaptive patterns. These patterns may be called negative interaction cycles. There are many possible reasons for this, including insecure attachment, ego, arrogance, jealousy, anger, greed, poor communication/understanding or problem solving, ill health, third parties and so on.
Changes in situations like financial state, physical health, and the influence of other family members can have a profound influence on the conduct, responses and actions of the individuals in a relationship.
Often it is an interaction between two or more factors, and frequently it is not just one of the people who are involved that exhibit such traits. Relationship influences are reciprocal – it takes each person involved to make and manage problems.
A viable solution to the problem and setting these relationships back on track may be to reorient the individuals' perceptions and emotions – how one looks at or responds to situations and feels about them. Perceptions of and emotional responses to a relationship are contained within an often unexamined mental map of the relationship, also called a love map by John Gottman. These can be explored collaboratively and discussed openly. The core values they comprise can then be understood and respected or changed when no longer appropriate. This implies that each person takes equal responsibility for awareness of the problem as it arises, awareness of their own contribution to the problem and making some fundamental changes in thought and feeling.
The next step is to adopt conscious, structural changes to the inter-personal relationships and evaluate the effectiveness of those changes over time.
Indeed, "typically for those close personal relations there is a certain degree in 'interdependence' – which means that the partners are alternately mutually dependent on each other. As a special aspect of such relations something contradictory is put outside: the need for intimacy and for autonomy."
"The common counterbalancing satisfaction these both needs, intimacy and autonomy, leads to alternately satisfaction in the relationship and stability. But it depends on the specific developing duties of each partner in every life phase and maturity".
Common areas for help include
- Destructive patterns of relating can be recognised and addressed.
- Conflict and communication can be improved.
- New relationship skills can be learned.
- The impact of change and loss can be examined.
- Relationships can be more successful.
- Abusive relationships and domestic violence can be acknowledged.
- Sex can be a source of great enjoyment within a long-term relationship and any problems it poses can leave one partner feeling rejected or angry. Loss of desire is often an early sign of problems.
Separation & divorce counselling can help explore whether trust can be repaired or the relationship will need to be rebuilt. If not, it can allow the couple to split with more understanding and less hostility.
Free Relationship Counselling
Free relationship counselling is offered at Beacon.
Relationship counselling can be offered free, couples will be assessed and therapy may be offered as a single session or can be short term between 1-3 sessions or can be anything between 8-20 sessions. The sessions are face-to-face and are completely confidential. Each session will last for 50 minutes and will usually involve both parties in the relationship attending the session. However, some individuals may benefit from seeing the therapist separately before meeting up again as a couple and this can be arranged.


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Vivien Thomson (AFSM FARLF) was a rural fire fighter for over 25 years. She experienced many fires and was the incident controller at quite a few major events, including the fires in the ACT in 2003.
She held several critical positions including being the captain of a brigade and President of the ACT Fire Controllers Group.
She achieved the highest honour possible, the Australian Fire Service Medal, which she received in 2004 for distinguished service, to the Australian Capital Territory Bushfire Service, as both a departmental and volunteer firefighter, and as a brigade officer. She was the twelfth female overall in Australia to receive the prestigious medal and the first female firefighter in the ACT.
Other medals she received were the Emergency medal and the National medal, and an International Women's Day Award.
Vivien has qualifications in Agriculture, Park Management, Horticulture and Training and Assessing, and other firefighting competences. She was qualified as both an Incident Controller and an Operations Officer. She has recently retrained as an executive coach to assist with leadership and women in the rural area and the emergency services. She has presented papers at several conferences and written articles for publications. The last conference paper she presented was at the 3rd Woman in Firefighting Forum. Vivien was also asked to give a motivational speech to female firefighters for the ACT Rural Fire Service. She is a Graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program for which she was awarded a Graduate Certificate in 2012. Vivien has a passion for the rural area and shares the love of the land with her partner Robert, where they run a mixed farming enterprise in the South West Slopes of NSW.
Her passions are firefighting and the recovery process and women in Agriculture. She is currently the Vice President of the national peak women's body Australian Women in Agriculture. She is also the runner up at the 2013 RIRDC NSW/ACT Rural Women's Award. She has a strong commitment to agriculture and ensuring that farmers have a future. During her 25 years firefighting Vivien developed lifelong friends and learnt a great deal about how people cope and the unnecessary stresses that firefighters are placed under.
Vivien's last book was developed in collaborative partnership with several volunteer firefighters, some of which are featured in this book Ashes of the firefighters. 'What You Wouldn't Believe' was designed as a pictorial heritage of the January 2003 ACT Bushfires and tracks the event on a daily basis. The book was designed to capture the devastation and the experiences that the firefighters went through during the incident. This publication is highly regarded and has won several awards, such as the Safer Communities Award which is given annually by Emergency Management Australia. It can be downloaded from Buy Now
Vivien has been fortunate to develop a wealth of experiences in rural firefighting so she began writing in 2008 out of frustration one day, and found that she could not stop. The story began to develop when she realised that she could use her experience and that of other fire firefighters to produce a book detailing the journey that fire fighters face after a traumatic event. She is passionate about this subject and realised that there were so many stories that could be shared. When she approached people to become involved in the book, and to share their personal experiences, she was overwhelmed with their generosity, openness and more importantly their trust in her to produce a book that would become a legacy for the future of firefighters recovery.
Southern Ranges Advisory Committee
Director Australian Women in Agriculture (Former President)
Director Thomson Coaching Services
President ACT Fire Controllers Group
Captain & Senior Deputy Captain Parks Brigade
Emergency Management Sector Working Group
ACT Volunteer Brigades Association
Secretary ACT Bushfire Council


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I like those spots you turn up so where you can't see the breaking wave from where you kill the engine. Park up on the cliff, at the end of the lane, under the mountain, at the gate… sometimes you can hear it as soon as you get out of the car and sometimes, before you get out of the car.
twin fin
One of those days when it seemed as if the whole coast was cooking. Explore, sure, but know when to abandon the car. We might have made a better call for the second session of the day but with the first wave here being a leg-burner some 300 metres or so down the point… ahh, here, another apt and suitable set wherein the song of the twin-fin could waver through its reprise.
Diamonds in the rough
A working week like pulled taffy… focus and functionality progressively drawn out, twisted and distorted. The colours and shapes, though still there, now some filamentous vagueness. Only there at that Friday evening terminus can one attempt to gather the unspooled self and make a pile from which, possibilities for the following days can be considered. Outside the atmosphere is seething… the wind inciting unrest.
At this point, some of us smile knowingly at the simplicity of what would seem the most appropriate, even rational, response. Rebirth yourself into the weekend at full speed to meet a berzerking sea, itself thrashing with disconsolate fury into the faces of some sullen West-coast headlands.
The car's thermometer bottomed out finally at -0.5 degrees. Amidst another squall, walloping gusts makes us shudder sideways again over the median strip. No need to start so early but there's little solace; the dour weather has brooded the gloom of the past dark hours onward into the mid-morning. On first inspection, the tide seems to be shirking its responsibilities and the swell plays coy, reclusive 'till tickled deep down where it wants before stirring.
But eventually it comes and we disrobe.
Despite the low-digit degrees making the sleety rain prick like pins, the appropriate accoutrements are wrestled on with fetishistic zeal of the masochist. The wind whips savagely at our boards, shrieking its threats to tear them from our clawed fingers and obliterate them down the long boulder-strewn point. Falling finally, bodily exhausted into the sea, the foam presses hard at the chest and the ordeal of paddling out into the gale begins for the first of many, many repetitions.
Sixty-something kilometer-an-hour, and then some, winds lift sheets of foam spray on any shift of chop foolish enough to rear too tall from the sea's surface. Another squall shrieks in and with it, bitter beads of hail blast at the only skin exposed – full facial dermal abrasion. Little respite is possible for without the incessant stroking back into the wraith-like lee of the headland, one would be lost out into the bay and beyond.
And yet we were the wealthiest creatures alive for our wages were paid in diamonds…
Happy xmas
Fun mid-winter, solo session up at Camp Xmas, somewhere on the north coast of Tasmania.


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The Burger Takes Center Stage
By ED LEVINE
I have eaten hamburgers every day for the last two months. I have traveled the five boroughs of New York City to do so. And in the city's lowliest corner diners and loftiest expense account restaurants, I have found satisfaction. New York, my research has documented again and again, is a hamburger heaven.
All are represented here: the bar burgers, diner burgers, white-tablecloth loaves and fast-food pucks, flame-broiled, pan-seared and roasted. All in some way are deserving of praise. For every New Yorker, my relentless eating suggested, there is a hamburger.
With the opening a few months ago of Blue 9 Burger in the East Village, this discovery reached a kind of apotheosis. Truly every burger style is now represented in New York, as Blue 9 serves what might be the city's first California-style hamburger. It is reminiscent of the ethereal hamburgers served by the West Coast's In-N-Out Burger chain: a thinnish patty of meat on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato and Thousand Island dressing.
The restaurant already faces competition, however. Tucked away in a corner of the Parker Meridien Hotel's grand lobby is the newly opened Burger Joint, which dispenses a thicker, though smaller in diameter, four-ounce burger on a paper plate.
Burgers go way back in New York. Introduced to the city by German immigrants as steak served in the Hamburg style, they were on the menu at Delmonico's as early as 1833. At 10 cents a plate, or a shade more than $2 in 2002 dollars, a burger was about the best deal in the restaurant.
This long history explains a bit of why many upscale restaurants still serve burgers, at least at lunch. A tremulous economy is part of it, too. Danny Meyer, an owner of the Union Square Cafe, said he currently serves more than 40 burgers a day.
"Especially in these uncertain times," Mr. Meyer said, "a juicy, two-fisted hamburger provides comfort and certainty."
The burger at Union Square Cafe costs $12.50 and comes with French fries; it isn't even close to the city's most expensive. For many years that title was held by the "21" Club, with its $26 burger made with houseground top round and sirloin, which Eric Blauberg, the chef, has recently rejiggered to include duck fat and fresh thyme and marjoram.
It's a flavorful burger. But really, what kind of a burger joint requires a gentleman to wear a jacket and suggests a tie?
Then Daniel Boulud stepped forward with a $29 hamburger at his DB Bistro Moderne on West 44th Street, although some burger purists insist that with its interior stuffing of black truffles, foie gras and braised short ribs it is a hamburger in name only.
"It's delicious,'` said Alan Richman, the food columnist of GQ, "but it certainly doesn't resemble any of the lousy burgers I grew up with in the Philadelphia suburbs."
That's not surprising. It is hard to imagine a burger in Mr. Richman's neighborhood served, as Mr. Boulud's is, on a housemade bun with toasted Parmigiano Reggiano, tomato confit, chicory and fresh horseradish and a side order of habit-forming fries.
More recognizable to Mr. Richman, perhaps, but even more expensive, is the new reigning champion of hamburger pricing: a $41 monster that has just appeared on the menu at the Old Homestead on Ninth Avenue, built of beer-fed Kobe beef, with lobster mushrooms and microgreens, on a Parmesan twist roll. It is genuinely lousy, a mushy, gray thing of loose consistency and little flavor.
The Old Homestead and DB burgers are just two of the extreme burger variations available in New York. Indeed, in New York, if you can grind it and cook it, someone will call it a hamburger.
La Sandwicherie, carved out of the back of the kitchen of the Moroccan restaurant Zitoune, on Gansevoort Street, serves Moroccan-inspired burgers, made with spicy lamb sausage and salmon. At Dim Sum Go Go in Chatham Square in Chinatown, Charn-Hing Man, the chef, makes a burger with a patty of dumpling filling served on a steamed bun. And at Marseille in Midtown, Alex Ureña makes a Provençal-inspired seafood burger with salmon, shrimp and scallops topped with a harissa mayonnaise and served on a brioche bun.
Mr. Ureña's fish burger is particularly fine. But more in tune with the common New York burger experience is the superlative beef patty available on East 51st Street, at Prime Burger, né Hamburg Heaven.
Founded in 1938, Hamburg Heaven gently played off its location across the street from St. Patrick's Cathedral with a slogan printed on its menus and doors: "The Gates of Heaven Never Closed." Rita Hayworth and Henry Fonda were regulars, fans of the restaurant's prime beef burgers, homemade pies and cakes and perhaps also of its one-person booths with swivel trays that looked like school desks.
Hamburg Heaven fell victim to overly ambitious expansion plans, but New Yorkers can still eat those same burgers and pies in those selfsame booths for one at Prime Burger, which took over the location in 1965. The single-occupancy booths are a particularly lovely anachronism: take your coat off before you sit down, as the space is so confining you'll find yourself twisting like a contortionist to do so after the fact.
Neighborhood taverns and bars have also long been havens for superlative New York hamburgers. The Old Town Bar on East 18th Street has served outstanding burgers since 1980 (the bar itself has been open since 1892). P. J. Clarke's saloon on Third Avenue is currently closed for renovation, but it served its signature small bacon cheeseburgers for 53 years before it was shuttered. Philip A. Scotti, the current owner, promises that the burgers will return. And Upper East Side residents have been eating the burgers at J. G. Melon's for 30 years.
Burgers can also be found at virtually every coffee shop and diner in the five boroughs. I have had dozens of cheeseburgers at the Cosmic Coffee Shop right off Columbus Circle, and though the Cosmic burger can hardly qualify as great, it is certainly satisfying and graciously served by the warmhearted people who work there. It is a perfectly good burger, and in New York that counts a lot.
The Burger Joint on Broadway and 77th Street serves a similar function (as well as a fine burger) for the Upper West Side, though service there can be a bit more harried. And Downtown artists and families get their good-enough burger fix at Joe Jr.'s on the Avenue of the Americas and 11th Street.
Just what goes into a great hamburger? Here are some ground rules. Burger greatness begins with fresh ground meat , preferably chuck from prime beef, which has more marbling and therefore more fat. The meat should not be too lean that results in a mealy, overly dry burger.
THE newly opened Lunchbox Food Company in the West Village makes its excellent burger by grinding hanger steak. Bill Telepan, chef at the Judson Grill, grinds Niman Ranch chuck steak, which he said has a meat-to-fat ratio of 75 to 25. It provides a wonderfully smooth texture and taste to the interior of his hamburgers. And at Peter Luger in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the burgers (only at lunch) are made of fabulously beefy dry-aged prime beef.
Good meat is only the beginning of a great burger, however. How a burger is cooked also plays a role. Exemplary burgers can be cooked by charcoal, as at Judson Grill, on a griddle as at Blue 9, or in a salamander in the manner of Prime Burger and Peter Luger. The key element is that the cook makes sure there is enough heat to properly sear the ground meat into a tight patty.
And how much meat? As with bagels before them, many New York burgers have fallen prey to a sort of elephantiasis that has left many bagels, at least, looking like spare tires. This obsession with size can be traced to the opening of the first Jackson Hole restaurant in 1973, which served 10-ounce burgers then as now. But bigger is not necessarily better. Unless the ground beef used in the burger is of sufficiently high quality, a diner can end up eating a pile of mushy, tasteless meat. It is also worth noting that bigger burgers also invariably overwhelm their buns, resulting in a dripping mess. (Some burger lovers, particularly those who patronize Corner Bistro in the West Village, consider the mess a virtue.)
Smaller, thinner burgers are more likely to achieve the right ratios of bun to meat to condiment to toppings, which can result in the winsome confluence of flavors and texture that defines the perfect burger.
Still, half-pound burgers have become the norm in New York. For some, there is the impression that more meat represents better value, particularly for a burger in an upscale environment. Mr. Telepan, the chef at the Judson Grill, said he had tried to make his burger smaller to improve the meat-to-bun ratio and to make it easier to eat, but his customers rebelled.
"I started getting complaints that the burger was too small," he said. "So I caved. I myself like a smaller burger."
The half-pound burger has given way to what the owner of Burger Joint, Nick Imiriziades, has dubbed the sumo burger, which weighs in at more than a pound. The sumo has done well. Until recently, Mr. Imiriziades said, his hamburgers came in three sizes: the regular 5-ounce burger, an 8-ounce Big Nick and the sumo. "But no one orders regular anymore," Mr. Imiriziades said. The smallest burger has been relegated to the children's menu.
Then there's the matter of the bun. Purists want their buns lightly toasted or grilled. They are correct. A hamburger bun should be soft enough so that it can embrace the burger and the cheese that comes with it. Store-bought buns work very well, as do those made with brioche dough at fancy-pants burger places like Union Square Cafe and the Judson Grill. The newly opened Burger Joint in the Parker Meridien Hotel has an old-fashioned toaster where the buns revolve around the heating element. As each burger is ordered, one of the young women at the shop puts a bun in the toaster; it's ready the same time the burger is.
Toppings are a matter of personal taste, of course, but the classic New York burger is encased in American or cheddar cheese, with lettuce and tomato and a few slices of onion on the side (burgers that aspire to greatness, I say, should come with sautéed or grilled onions). Fries, of course, should be on the plate as well fresh, not frozen, golden brown outside, soft inside, served with plenty of salt.
And to drink? Mr. Richman of GQ requires "bubbles it could be beer or soda or even Champagne."
I like a shake, or even better, a chocolate malt. That way you get your beverage and your dessert simultaneously.


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It seems unbelievable to me that he has been around for only five years, not because it feels much longer, but because I just can't remember what life was like without him and Tops. So here, instead of a letter to him, are my some highlights of his life so far.
His Birth
I guess I have to start with his birth because it was his first appearance in the world, I mean I know that he was around for nine months before that and that he could hear me and he could let me know when he was pleased or not (honestly though he didn't kick that hard!) but seeing him, using his name, holding him, feeding him and knowing that we belonged to each other was definitely a highlight.
His First Steps
It was a last minute substitution. Top Ender's teachers asked if Big Boy and I would mind talking with Top Ender's class about babies. We weren't supposed to be there, and yet we were, and Big Boy took his first steps.
We all saw them together, this special moment in my Child's life.
His First YouTube Channel
Big Boy loves playing Minecraft so much and he loves watching videos that other people put online so much that he decided that he wanted to do the same and so he created a youtube channel. Just seeing his face when his saw his first video online was enough to make me understand that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!
His First Cake Face Smash
And that are some of the moments that we remember looking back over the last five years. I can't wait to find out what the next year will bring!
Have you added A Mother's Ramblings to your RSS Reader? Make sure you never miss a brilliant lunch or a fantastic family moment.
Also don't forget to follow my Weight Loss and Fitness Journey at Pippa World too!


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July 26, 2016 Leave a comment
I'm so incredibly tired right now but I have to get all my important stuff off before I send this computer off. I've literally tried everything to fix this thing, so I've caved. I'm taking all the important stuff off before I take it in because I'm 100% sure they're going to wipe the HDD.
So yeah, stayed up til 4am when I had work the next morning. I have to transfer the files in 32 GB increments and since my windows computer doesn't have a lot of space, I have to transfer that over the network. It kinda slows the internet down to a crawl and I don't want to inconvenience my family so I have to do it really late at night when everybody is alseep.
The one thing that's pissing me off is the lack of a progress bar, so I have no idea how much has been copied over. Though the bright side is that I'm remembering the unix commands better.


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My prior post discussed the Obama Administration's proposal, in its 2016 budget, to replace the current US tax regime for US companies' foreign earnings (involving deferral, foreign tax credits, and nominal imposition of the full domestic rate). The proposal would replace all this with a 19% "minimum tax" on foreign earnings - in effect, a worldwide system without deferral, but with something rather like nonrefundable, 85% per-country foreign tax credits.
Whatever else the proposal would or wouldn't do, it would prospectively eliminate the tax on repatriating foreign earnings. US companies would now be able to bring home as much of their foreign earnings as they liked, without thereby incurring further US tax liability. But since the 19% minimum tax would only apply to new earnings - not to earnings generated in the past that were benefiting from deferral - it would confer a gigantic windfall gain on US companies if it were enacted without a one-time transitional adjustment for elimination of the previously deferred tax.
The foreign earnings that would benefit from the windfall gain, absent an adjustment, are currently believed to exceed $2 trillion. Ignoring foreign tax credits, the deferred tax at the current 35% corporate rate would currently stand at $700 billion, and this amount would in effect be growing annually at the rate by which those foreign earnings were growing.
Despite the fact that companies may not anticipate ever paying anything close to the full amount (i.e., $700 billion minus foreign tax credits), it makes sense not to just give the revenue away. Among other adverse effects, companies' reluctance to repatriate would be even greater than it already is if they figured out the repatriation tax might simply go away some day without any transitional adjustment.
The Administration has therefore proposed a one-time, 14% transition tax on previously untaxed foreign income. A foreign tax credit would be allowed for "the amount of foreign taxes associated with such earnings multiplied by the ratio of the one-time tax rate to the maximum US corporate tax rate for 2015." To illustrate what that means, note that a 14% one-time transition tax rate is 40% of the current maximum US corporate tax rate of 35%. This would result in 40 cents of transition tax reduction for every dollar of associated foreign tax credits.
There is big money here. For example, the proposal reportedly would cost such companies as Apple, Microsoft, Pfizer, and probably also General Electric, more than $10 billion each. Somehow I doubt that the companies would much like this, and they do not entirely lack friends on Capital Hill. Thus, while Congressman Camp also had a transition tax (at a lower rate) in his international tax reform proposal, the political prospects for enactment would seem to depend on Congress's being sufficiently desperate for the money, such as to offset other revenue losses in a corporate or international tax reform plan that lowered corporate rates in addition to eliminating the repatriation tax.
The Administration wants to use the transition tax revenues as a source of increased funding for highway and other infrastructure projects. In my view, the US badly needs more such spending. Of course, money is fungible, and purported earmarking can therefore lack any bottom-line substantive significance unless political actors actually treat it as meaningful (which here I suppose they might). But the linkage is presumably meant, not just to associate the proposal with public support for higher infrastructure spending, but also to stand as an alternative to the revenues simply being used to fund other business tax cuts.
Monday, February 02, 2015
Obama Administration international tax reform proposals - part 2: 14% one-time transition tax on previously untaxed foreign income
Posted by Daniel Shaviro at 6:10 PM
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Well, I guess it could have gone worse, but really can't see how. I don't know where I am, where to go, what to do. I have no food, no supplies, no nothing. The best I can do, I presume, is at least hold an account of my misfortune so some poor soul gets to share it with me.
I dont really know what to do. Collecting odd ends, like grass, sticks and pieces of flint. The whole area is kind of grassy and full of flowers. In fact, spent the entire afternoon picking flowers. That may have been a tad unproductive, but damnit, they look fabulous on my head.
Aside from that I crafted me some crude tools for chopping and chipping. The axe in particular came in handy to make a small campfire.
Decided to start looking for a good place to set up a camp after the night. Not gonna give up until I find me som- Ohhhh, berries!
Delicious devils
Pretty well stocked on berries and carrots for now. The fear of starvation is averted. Aside from that, I see some ponds around here.
Might as well check them out.
Wait, what the sweet christ is that thing.
..is that a mouth on top of it?
Yeeeah, not too keen on demonic frogs. Scouted west parts instead. Rocky lands. Might as well do some mining.
My mining craft coming in handy
And lookie here, could it be? Yes! Nuggets, bars, bullion, aurium!
Nice. At least I will die rich.
Afternoon, spent the day walking around looking for everything. Found a weird home. Weird plants.
And a crank.
I dont even know
Stuffed the weird thing and went further west. After a small walk I was upon a nest, occupied by some sort of feathery, black ball. I guess I could get closer and see what woud happ-
Fuck you, Darwin.
Jesus, why are you chasing me, what have I ever done to you? Go get hit by a lightning or something. That's enough for today. Setting up a campfire.
I guess if there's some silver lining to this, it's all the gold deposits around here. Seriously, shit is so cash.
Too bad west is a dead end. Guess I have to backtrack and try east. Hmmmm, but before I do that...
That was rather persistant. Chased me half across the continent for that egg, right into a graveyard.
Followed the path south. Apparently I wasn't the first one to.
Well, free boomerang
Not much down there aside from that. Well, alot more birds, but I had enough excitement for today. Darkness is encroaching.
Guess I can camp here for now.
Continued my trek through the nothingess. Found a weird sort of ruins ...with a garden gnome inside.
There was also some weird box contraption thing. Looks like it might go with that crank thing. Picked it up just to be sure.
Also made a nifty grass outfit. Itches like hell though.
Sexy beast
Aside from that, nothing. At all. Gathered food, stones, wood, but still no sign of anyone else or any particularly favorable spot for camping. There's some large structure nearby. I think I'll go check it out.
See you in your dreams.
No. Nope. No. Camp time. Preferably far away from giant spider dens.
Did alot more walking around, searching, collecting. The isolation is kind of bearing on me. I think I'm starting to hear voices. But then it just turns out to be the wind. Or at least I think that's it.
Found another weird thing, this time a large ring. I'm not sure, but I think there might be something supernatural about it.
Whatever would give you that idea.
Starting to get frustrated. Nothing in sight but marshes. Everyone knows marshes are terrible.
I'm not kidding I'm walking around so much, I start to imagine noises.
Wait, I'm not imagining those. There's some commotion going on.
"There's only room for ONE schoolgirl-molesting species around these parts!"
Decided to not get involved and wait. The mermen got out on top. Managed to get in and snag tentacle's spike before making off.
But seriously, this swamp is just not ending. It's dark, my pockets are full, I've got barely any food. Could it get any worse?
I hate everything.
These bogs are endless. I can't get out.
Yet somehow. Some insane bastard. Somebody thought it was a good idea to set up farm here.
Oh, also a metal potato head. Perfectly normal.
You know what, screw this. Setting up camp here, fire pit and everything. Even a science machine and a damn backpack.
Im sick of not being able to carry everything.
In fact, those useless things, the crank, the box and the ring. Im just dumping them here.
...I can just feel it. I'm not crazy. Something is watching me.
God... I'm regretting to have set up a camp there already. There's no nearby wood for the fire, just thorny thistles and tentacles. Neither is really flammable. There's one unexplored area in the north, putting my chips on it.
Walking food.
Well, hot damn, this area seems to be much more hospitable. I'm feeling much better as well.
Found a green mushroom. A decent antidepressant.
Wait, what is that thing.
Otto von Chesterfield, Esquire.
A mobile storage dog... thing. I'm beyond wondering about it.
A stroll up a road to the north and I have finally found it!
Amazing! Finally, some company!
Well, ok, maybe not. They don't seem to be very sociable.
Pft, next you'll say I look like a crazy hermit.
This fellow looks alright though.
"Bring me Han Solo."
Yeah, Im convinced. I'm setting up camp here. Next day, I will scout out the outskirts.
It's full of spiders! I found some decent loot in the very north, like a blow dart and some meat.
Saw a pig try to fight off a nest of spiders. It did not work.
Also decided to exhume a grave for some riches. Instead found some old dentures.
Oh, by the way, did I mention the spiders!?
Not shown: MILLION MORE SPIDERS.
Screw it. I'm burning their hives down. PURGE IT WITH FIRE!
PURGE IT WITH FIRE! PURGE IT WITH FIRE! PURGE IT WITH FIRE! PURGE IT WITH- oh crap.
Um, whoops?
Well, that wasn't planned. But I guess I have alot of ashes and charcoal now.
Back home the pig king has taken a notice of the dentures and let me know that he'd like to have them.
I'd almost give him them for free, but...
Greed is good.
I like this fellow.
Well, with all said and done, this camp is up and I'm all sorts of well stocked. Time to jam.
Hella jammin'


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Rockbox mail archiveSubject: RE: THOUGHT you'd be interested
RE: THOUGHT you'd be interested
From: bill <bill.boules_at_charter.net>
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2007 17:39:30 -0500
They sure were. I have received several emails asking for a link to the
Hi guys,
__________ NOD32 2305 (20070601) Information __________
This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
Page was last modified "Jan 10 2012" The Rockbox Crew


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my laptop died. until i get my files back, there will be the occasional silly link to keep youz content without actually producing any content. get it? ha. ha.
but soon, you'll hear about at least two of my new favorite restos in my favorite city. i promise.
Tags: doucheburger, lame excuses, laptoplessness


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Insurance Coverage
Chiropody products and services are NOT covered through OHIP.
Most extended health insurance plans do provide coverage for Chiropodists and allow coverage for: Chiropody treatments, Custom made foot orthotics , Orthopedic footwear , Modified footwear, Custom footwear, Braces and Compression stockings . Our receptionists would be glad to help clarify your insurance coverage when you come in for your visit.
Various insurance companies (e.g. GreenSheild, Great West Life) can deal directly with our clinic to help cover your treatments and any products you may be prescribed by our registered Chiropodist . We're also willing to help perpare any estimates and pre-determinations for you as some insurance companies recommend this prior to submitting an insurance claim.
Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and York Region Social Services may help cover the cost of custom made foot orhtotic devices. An pre-approval is mandatory through these programs to allow coverage. We can help you with this.
Veteran's Affairs may also provide coverage for Chiropody treatments.
We do provide easy and convenient payment methods for your Chiropody treatments and prescribed orthopedic devices.


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- Details
- Published: Tuesday, 12 July 2016 23:41
- Hits: 58383
The Tidewater Burn Survivors support group connects members and is the conduit for members of the Burn Community. Tidewater Burn Survivors includes Burn Survivors, Fire Fighters, Health Care Professionals and anyone affected by the trauma of burns. The Tidewater Burn Survivor support group enables burn victims to draw on one another strengths, experiences and provide resources in their journey from victims to becoming Survivors.
Welcome to the Tidewater Burn Survivors
Tidewater Burn Survivors is the first and only burn support group for burn survivors in the Hampton Roads region. We dedicated this burn support group to the brave patients who have suffered a burn injury. Our purpose is to provide a forum to share stories, celebrate clinical progress and provide emotional support, making their recovery a personal success.
The Tidewater Burn Survivors (TBS) is a community comprised of burn survivors, fire-fighters, burn unit staff, and advisers who have come together to offer support and education to any person or people that have been affected by burns. The Tidewater Burn Survivors Support Group was established in October 2012 with the assistance of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital to bring together like minded burn survivors who wish to give of themselves to help other burn survivors and their families.
Our main objectives are to help support the unique needs of the burn survivors in Tidewater and surrounding areas, to provide a positive environment for new burn victims and their families to have hope and understanding.
What We Do
We hold a monthly burn support group meeting. With the help of Sentara's facility and remote attendance technology (WebEx), we have become an international burn support group. We have people joining us from just outside of Norfolk, to North Carolina, and as far as Nova Scotia. Tidewater Burn Survivors is working to become a not-for-profit organization. This would allow Tidewater Burn Survivors to work with many different organizations throughout Tidewater to advise, educate and develop programs. The common goal is to help survivors feel they are not alone in any stage of their recovery; the Tidewater Burn Survivors members have been active in offering support to all survivors and family members of survivors since 2012.
Our Stories:
Get to know your fellow support group members through our stories in these videos:
Steve Joyner shares his story with EVMS Cliff Colby shares his story with WVEC Channel 13 News
How to Join:
The Tidewater Burn Survivors group is free to burn survivors, and is comprised of burn survivors, families, Sentara volunteers, and a chaplain. Please join us in person at our monthly meetings or virtually through our Facebook group.
Join the Tidewater Burn Support Group Meeting
Second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.
Sentara Heart Hospital
Meeting Room: 1
600 Gresham Drive
Norfolk, VA 23507
Facebook Group
Click the link below or search for "Tidewater Burn Survivors" on Facebook to find our group. It is a closed group, which means posts are only shared with other group members. Join the conversation with other burn survivors, caregivers and Sentara volunteers.
Join our Facebook group
Burn Reunion
Each March, Sentara hosts a reunion for support group members, burn survivors and healthcare providers. Here is a photo from our reunion on March 3, 2014. Stay tuned for details about the next reunion!


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An FIR was lodged against BJP president Amit Shah and RJD chief Lalu Prssad on Tuesday for allegedly making inflammatory statements during campaigning for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls.
An FIR was lodged against Shah for terming Lalu Prasad, the former Bihar chief minister, as "chara chor" while campaigning in Begusarai, a district police official said.
In another case, an FIR was lodged against Lalu Prasad, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, for describing Amit Shah as "narbhakhchi" (maneater).
Patna senior superintendent of police Vikash Vaibhab said an FIR was lodged against Lalu Prsad in Sachivalya police station under section 177(C) 2(B)/177(F)/188 of the Indian Penal Code. It was lodged on the basis of magistrate's report.
Elections in Bihar to elect the 243-member house will be held in five stages between October 12 and November 5. Counting of votes will be taken up on November 8.


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SOAR cryptocurrency exchange
The largest liquidity pool and orderbook of bitcoin in south east Asia
about us
SOAR EX ENABLES USERS TO BUY AND SELL BITCOINS easily and efficiently on a state of the art platform.
Soar Exchange is ambitious, awesome and advanced. We've taken the complexity out of trading and owning digital currencies for everyone in South East Asia and beyond. Our goal at Soar Exchange is to provide the highest quality, zero withdraw fee, instant and simplified purchasing experience for customers looking to acquire Blockchain Backed assets, starting with Bitcoin.
Why clients choose us
Cost Effective
Extremely compeititive trading fees at 0.15%, with no additional withdrawal fees*!
*transaction/mining fees still apply nonetheless
Serving the Unbanked
Designed to serve the unbanked population, collaborating with liquidity providers in different regions to help facilitate the trading of cryptocurrencies.
knowing your funds
Over 95% of our digital assets are stored offline in our proprietary, state-of-the-art cold storage system - You can sleep safely knowing funds are properly secured!
Rewarding Experience
A very lucrative referral program, get up to 50% off of trading fees for every trade your referral makes!
Huge Market Pairings
Wide variety of tokens to trade, with different market pairings such as Soar, SoarUSD, BTC, XRP and ETH, catering to different needs of every traders!
Extensive Support
24/7 email support, ensuring you have peace of mind knowing we can assist you wherever, whenever.
industry leading api
Our Websocket feed lets you easily gain access to real-time market data, while our trading API lets you develop secure, programmatic trading bots.


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This article is authored by Parul Agarwal, Senior Research Manager at IFMR-LEAD, and was recently published by Ideas for India.
The need for financial literacy and its importance for financial inclusion have been widely recognised. Based on various research studies on financial literacy initiatives, this column outlines financial services' needs of a poor household at various stages of its life cycle. It contends that customising financial literacy programmes according to the stage of life of targeted individuals is crucial for their effectiveness.
To read more, please log on to Ideas for India


text: The AD5932 is a waveform generator offering a programmable frequency scan. Utilizing embedded digital processing that allows enhanced frequency control, the device generates synthesized analog or digital frequency-stepped waveforms. Because frequency profiles are preprogrammed, continuous write cycles are eliminated, thereby freeing up valuable DSP/microcontroller resources. Waveforms start from a known phase and are incremented phase-continuously, which allows phase shifts to be easily determined. Consuming only 6.7 mA, the AD5932 provides a convenient low power solution to waveform generation.


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Scalar boson
A scalar boson is a boson whose spin equals zero. Boson means that it has an integer-valued spin; the scalar fixes this value to 0.
The name "scalar boson" arises from quantum field theory. It refers to the particular transformation properties under Lorentz transformation.
- Various known composite particles are scalar bosons, e.g. the alpha particle and the pi meson. Among the scalar mesons, one distinguishes between the scalar and pseudoscalar mesons, which refers to their transformation property under parity.
- The only fundamental scalar boson in the standard model of elementary particle physics is the Higgs boson, whose existence was confirmed on 14 March 2013 at the Large Hadron Collider. As a result of this confirmation, the 2013 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to Peter Higgs and François Englert.
- One very popular quantum field theory, which uses scalar bosonic fields and is introduced in many introductory books to quantum field theories[1] for pedagogical reasons, is the so-called φ⁴-theory. It usually serves as a toy model to introduce the basic concepts of the field.
See also
- ^ Michael E. Peskin and Daniel V. Schroeder (1995). An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory. Westview Press.


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People and workplace policy
Fidessa recognises that a business is only as good as its people and that in order to continue to provide and build on the high quality products and services we need highly engaged employees. Therefore we strive to provide a positive and engaging work environment for all of our employees.
For example we:
- reward and recognise contribution to our success
- provide good conditions of employment for our employees
- ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees in the workplace
- incorporate environmental issues into employee health and safety training
- provide a culture of fairness, respect and equal opportunities
- take an active approach to our employees' development through a wide range of training resources
- recognise and acknowledge loyalty and teamwork
We monitor and improve where we can to:
- continually improve and monitor performance in areas that would affect our people and the workplace
- increase employee awareness through training
- involve staff in the implementation of this policy for greater commitment and improved performance
- maintain this policy on a regular basis in consultation with stakeholders where necessary