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Making a Learning Community
Omicron Nu:
(Author's Note: Although this paper proposes a theoretical model for Kappa Omicron Nu as a learning community, application can be made to any organization or institution.)
This headline heralds a natural enhancement of the impressive history of Kappa Omicron Nu and its forebears: Kappa Omicron Phi and Omicron Nu. In this year of 1999 it is right and proper to chart a course for the new millennium. During this past year Kappa Omicron Nu sought input from its ownership and stakeholders. A survey of active and inactive members and a survey of higher education stakeholders provided insights regarding needs and goals. Kappa Omicron Nu as a learning community is gaining currency.
Each word of the sub-title of this paper was chosen carefully.
Making implies an ever-changing, fluid, and dynamic state that can undergo reconfiguration with new information, energy, or events.
Learning connotes ongoing action and perpetual curiosityengagement and growing. The learning paradigm rather than the instruction paradigm gives primacy to the learner and learning outcomes over the teacher and instruction. This paradigm also extends learning beyond the classroom and builds on students interests, critical thinking, and problem solving skills as the goal in undergraduate higher education. In addition it strengthens the universitys focus on community outreach and builds partnerships or bridges that assist in solving societys problems (Mitstifer & Miller, 1999, p. 16). The emphasis on learning also recognizes that knowledge is gaining in economic value (Davis & Botkin, 1994).
Community implies a group linked by common interests.
Making a Learning Community explores the development of people who have learned how to learn and that of organizational systems with the capacity for collective learning.
According to DuFour & Eaker (1998), a learning community requires a willingness to learn from its external environment, and it is this willingness that most . . . [organizations] have not demonstrated (p. xiv). Kappa Omicron Nu will need to use insights from other organizations to struggle with the following questions:
How can we clarify and communicate the mission and values of Kappa Omicron Nu?
How can we initiate, implement, and sustain a change process?
How can we provide strong leadership while we empower chapters and those closest to the action?
How can we shape the Kappa Omicron culture and provide structures that support the culture we seek?
How can we create collaborative processes that result in both individual and organizational learning?
How can we foster an environment that is results-oriented yet encourages experimentation and alternative paradigms? (adapted from DuFour & Eaker, 1998, p. xiv)
The task of changing honor societies is a daunting one. The traditional culture of honor societies on campus conveys little beyond recognition activities. This culture has the effect of making it incredibly difficult to change honor societies. Although there have long been higher expectations at the national leadership level of Kappa Omicron Nu, there has been little impact on the institution. It is therefore incumbent upon Kappa Omicron Nu to form collaborative partnerships with academic units if it is to increase learning outcomes.
In addition to the challenge and complexity of change efforts, lack of clarity of intended results undoubtedly played a role in the difference in expectations at the highest levels and reality at the grassroots chapter level. Instead of the Kappa Omicron Nu focus on content and processes, a new effort needs to generate consensus on and articulate intended results. Senge et al. (1994) refers to learning communities as deep learning cycles. By this he means that the essence of members and the community itself are changed in terms of awareness and sensibilities, skills and capabilities, and attitudes and beliefs. Results are achieved in the milieu of trust, relationships, acceptance, and synergy.
Senge described the means of activating the deep learning cycle in his earlier work: Today, I believe, five new component technologies are gradually converging to innovate learning organizations. Though developed separately, each will, I believe, prove critical to the others success, just as occurs with any ensemble. Each provides a vital dimension in building organizations that can truly learn, that can continually enhance their capacity to realize their highest aspirations (1990, p. 6). Senge called them five basic learning disciplinesdevelopmental paths for acquiring certain skills or competencies:
Systems thinking - a conceptual framework for making full patterns clear and for helping to see the whole.
Personal mastery - the ability to clarify and deepen vision, focus energies, and gain proficiencycontinual growth.
Mental models - the internal pictures that influence how the world is understood and how action is taken.
Building shared vision - shared goals, values, and missions bind people together around a common identity and sense of destiny (p. 9).
Team learning - team learning starts with dialogue, the capacity of members of a team to suspend assumptions and enter into a genuine thinking together (p. 10).
When these five disciplines develop as an ensemble, three key ideas, according to Senge et al. (1944), characterize learning communities. First, relationships are more fundamental than things. The community as a living system, a pattern of interactions, demonstrates the primacy of the whole. Second, individuals embody community in their nature. Human nature is not independent of culture; the community nature of self prevents isolation, loneliness, and loss of sense of place. The ubuntu culture holds that the sense of self is found in "being in relationship" to other people. This notion reinforces the idea that individuals become more fully human in community. Third, the power of language lies in its generative nature. Instead of language describing an independent reality, its power stems from its ability to help us interpret our experience in a myriad of ways so that out of multiple interpretations comes those that are most useful for the particular purpose.
Organizations in the new millennium will be characterized by unending transitions. Kappa Omicron Nu has the opportunity to build upon its past by using the wisdom of its members and stakeholders to move toward the vision of a learning community. Although it would be comfortable to have a map to the future, the insight of Stacey (1992) should be heeded. Route and destination must be discovered through the journey itself if you wish to travel to new lands. The key to success lies in the creative activity of making new maps, not in the imitative following and refining of existing ones (p. 1).
The new map must expect uncharted waters, the unknowable. An innovative organization must create, invent, and discover the destination as it goes. Instead of a chief, teams need to question everything and generate new perspectives. Rather than building on strengths, they must develop new strengths and create their own environments. (Mitstifer & Miller, 1999, p. 7)
In general, they must develop their navigational principles, draw their maps, as they go along. To do this, they must drop the stable equilibrium mind-set and develop a new one that recognizes the positive role of instability and the fact that long-term futures are unknowable. (Stacey, 1992, p. 4)
Some may question the legitimacy of exploring a learning community because it might seem to imply that learning has not been the objective. Thats not the case, but the challenge is to institutionalize learningi.e., to define and build the community capabilities and structures such as culture, processes, systems, and skills (Hutchens, 1998). . . . learning is a journey. It is not a skill or a technique; it is a discipline. Its a way of looking at the world. It is about growth and discovery (p. 61). Through the learning community system, each individuals vital force and the collective force are enhanced. When learning is aligned and deliberate, Kappa Omicron Nu can surpass our fondest expectations. Thus, the development of a learning culture should become our highest priority.
A caution: MacKenzie (1996) warns about developing a model out of successful ventures.
It is common history of enterprises to begin in a state of naive groping, stumble onto success, milk the success with a vengeance and, in the process, generate systems that arrogantly turn away from the source of their original success: groping.
If an organization is to choose vigor over an ultimate state of inert uniformity, it must honor and support both the rational exploitation of success and nonrational art of groping. (p. 92)
Davis, D., & Botkin, J. (1994). The monster under the bed. New York: Touchstone.
DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional learning communities at work: Best practices for enhancing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Hutchens, D. (1998). Outlearning the wolves: Surviving and thriving in a learning organization. Waltham, MA: Pegasus.
MacKenzie, G. (1996). Orbiting the giant hairball: A corporate fools guide to surviving with grace. New York: Viking.
Mitstifer, D. I., & Miller, J. R. (1999). Strategic leadership of the professions: Agenda for change. East Lansing, MI: Kappa Omicron Nu Leadership Academy.
Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Currency Doubleday.
Senge, P. M., Kleiner, A., Roberts, C., Ross, R. B., & Smith, B. J. (1994). The fifth discipline field book: Strategies and tools for building a learning organization. New York: Currency Doubleday.
Stacey, R. D. (1992). Managing the unknowable: Strategic boundaries between order and chaos in organization. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.


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WHISTLER -- On Sunday afternoon Germany's Natalie Geisenberger called the Whistler Sliding Centre luge course a child's track.
But it was teammate Tatjana Huefner who made the 953-metre run look like child's play Monday night as she managed a two-run time of 1:23.241 to take the half-way lead in the women's luge.
Geisberger is third at 1:23.400 behind Austria's Nina Reithmayer, who is in a position to break Germany's streak of two consecutive Olympic podium sweeps after posting a time of 1:23.291 that's good for second place.
"More comments after the race," huffed Geisenberger when asked about her earlier comments.
"The first run I wasn't satisfied," said Huefner of her 41.760 clocking. "The second one (41.481) I had a better start. I hope I can do that again."
In the wake of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili's death Friday, VANOC and International Luge Federation moved the start down to the gate used for junior (under-19) competitions. The women and doubles course had been 1,198 metres long but now it's just 953. Last season the Canadian youth (under-15) championships were held on the short course the Olympians were using last night.
"We trained the whole summer and we are strong and fast and now the fastest starters are slow," Geisenberger, who has won three times and finished second four times in eight World Cup races this season, said Sunday. 'It's not good for us. It's not fun. It's not a ladies start, it's a kinder start."
There were varying opinions last night. Most upset were the Canadians, who struggled Monday, after training extensively on the full layout.
"Awful," said Calgary's Alex Gough, when asked how she felt. Fourth in a World Cup earlier this season, she's in 21st spot with a time of 1:24.686.
"The decision to move us down is wrong. We send 13-year-old girls from this start."
"All I can do is keep trying," continued Gough.
Reithmayer 25, who serves in the Austrian army, isn't thinking about breaking the German podium code.
"I don't know about that," she said. "I have two runs to make tomorrow. I want to be relaxed. That's the thing, yes."
Germany dominates this sport. At the 2009 world champions last season, Erin Hamlin of the U.S. ended a World Cup, Olympic and world championship win streak by the German women that had reached 99.
Women's luge has been in the Olympics since 1964 and some variation of a German team has won eight of the 12 gold medals. A combined GDR and German team took the 1964 gold. The GDR added four golds before Germany took gold and silver in 1998 and then swept the podium in 2002 and 2006.
In 2002 and 2006 Sylke Otto won them gold. In 1998 they had Silke Kraushaar on the podium's top step.
Calgary's Meaghan Simister was also frustrated after finishing 23rd in 1:25.021.
"I'm very frustrated," she said after her first run. "I worked for two years at what was the women's start and now to into what is basically an ice wall, it's tough," she continued, referring to the sharp steep curve less than 50 metres into the start.
"It's just the start that threw me off. Here we go, here's another curve ball thrown. I've learned from this sport and all other sports to always expect the unexpected."
Regan Lauscher of Red Deer, Alta, who will retire after this Games, is the top Canadian. She's sitting 19th in 1:24.657.
The competition ends with two runs on Tuesday night

subset: commoncrawl


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Youngsters hoping to give Lions the Blues
CARLTON talls Charlie Curnow and Jacob Weitering are heading to sunny Brisbane with plans to steal the thunder from Lions rivals Eric Hipwood and Josh Schache.
While the Brisbane forwards have been the talk of the football world, providing beacons of hope to fans of the struggling club, the Blues duo intend to stamp their own authority on the competition, says teammate Matthew Wright.
The four rising stars will come face to face at the Gabba on Sunday, with Curnow in the Blues attack, alongside Wright, and defender Weitering down the other end with Hipwood and Schache.
All four are graduates from the 2015 national draft - Weitering taken with the No.1 pick, Schache at two, Curnow at 12 and Hipwood at 14.
While Weitering has been a hit since debuting in round one last year, predominantly down back, Curnow is beginning to make an impact as a key forward.
He's taken 38 marks and kicked six goals in a coming-of-age period over the past four weeks.
"We arrived at the club at the same time," said former Crow Wright.
"To see him establish himself on the big stage, it's been very impressive.
"You see how much they grow in a short period of time.
"He works really hard, week to week, and it's good he's getting some results for it."
Weitering is expected to match up on Schache, the pair having a history of clashing in their junior days back in Victoria.
"He gets some good forwards each week ... and embraces the challenge," Wright said of Weitering.
"There's always little battles within the battle. Hopefully it pans out.
"No doubt, knowing Weiters, he's got a lot of pride, and Schache would as well, they probably want each other just as much as we do."
Wright, 27, has been happy to play the role of mentor to the Blues' band of younger players since being delisted by Adelaide at the end of 2015 and given an opportunity by incoming Blues coach Brendon Bolton.
The opportunist topped the goalkicking last year and has continued on in 2017, earning himself a contract extension for 2018.
"The belief they (the Blues) had in me gave me a lot of confident to come over and get settled in and play some footy," he said.
"With some of the young boys we've got up there it's good to be able to help them out."
Despite the Blues still languishing in 16th place at 5-11, Wright believed his club was on the right track.
"I think the members and the footy public would see that we rock up each week and we're a very hard side to play against," he said, adding there would be plenty of pride on the line on Sunday.
"There's going to be a bit of heat in it - two young squads that want to establish themselves. It's going to be on from the first quarter."


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Focus on the classics and add an inspiring modern element with this contemporary LED island pendant.
Additional Info:
Crafted with simplicity in mind by Elan Lighting, its clean lines reflect a bare-bones design yet yields an impressive presence. Rain-textured bent glass adds an interesting effect on its elongated shade, while a frame made from brushed nickel steel lends a fresh, sophisticated touch. This linear LED island pendant is energy-efficient and brings a tasteful look to your kitchen or dining island.


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Even though Sony has this week announced its $6.4 Billion loss and its cutting 10,000 jobs. Its still trying to bring a little innovation to its notebook range with the unveiling of its latest Sony VAIO E Series 14P notebook.
Which comes supplied with motion based gesture control, similar to that provided by Microsoft's Kinect Xbox 360 gaming controller. Using the VAIO E Series 14P notebooks built-in 1.3-megapixel Exmor HD webcam.
The Sony VAIO E Series 14P is powered by a Core i3-2350M processor supported by 4GB of DDR3 memory and AMD Radeon HD 7670M graphics with 1GB of dedicated VRAM.
Storage is provided by a 500GB 5,400rpm hard-drive and a DVD burner is also included for backup and media. Connectivity is provided via WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0+HS, as well as 2 x USB 3.0 ports, one of which will charge a cellphone even when the Sony VAIO E Series 14P is turned off.
The Sony VAIO E Series 14P also sports a 14 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 and will be available in a range of colours including black,pink and white.
Unfortunately no information on pricing or worldwide availability has been released as yet, but as soon as information comes to light we will keep you updated as always.
Source: Slashgear


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According to the police report, officers observed 46-year-old Mark Grace, who was driving his 2009 Jaguar, weaving in and out of his lane. Then, the officers pulled him and his female passenger over.
Police report that Grace admitted to "having a few drinks," including two glasses of Macallan scotch. He told the officers that he finished his last drink approximately five minutes before he was stopped by them.
Police described Grace, who did not have his wallet or license with him at the time, as having "bloodshot and watery eyes." He was handcuffed and transported to a nearby command post where a blood sample was drawn. The results of the blood test are still pending.
Following a field sobriety test, Grace was asked by an officer about how he thought he did on the field tests. He responded, "not well enough."
The former Chicago Cub and Arizona Diamondback slugger was booked on DUI with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more and DUI impaired to the slightest degree. In addition, Grace was cited for an improper right turn and failure to have a driver's license and car registration with him.


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This New Republic task force was charged with the liberation of the planet Brentaal IV in 4 ABY. Commanded by Admiral Gial Ackbar, the task force consisted of the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Independence, at least one Kuat Drive Yards EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, several Gallofree Yards, Inc. GR-75 medium transports, and several Bantha-class assault shuttles. Starfighter support included Rogue Squadron and Aggressor Wing.
Appearances[edit | edit source]
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Home>>Daily News>>Indonesia>>Companies >>Companies await electric vehicle regulation
Companies await electric vehicle regulation
Several companies have expressed their readiness to develop and operate electric vehicles although the government has not yet completed a regulation that would provide incentives for their development and adoption.
PT Bakrie & Brothers has announced that it would soon launch an electric bus, produced in cooperation with Chinese automaker Build Your Dreams Auto (BYD).
Bakrie and Brothers spokesman Bayu Nimpuno said in Jakarta on Sunday the company would import completely built up (CBU) vehicles from China, while "the company is preparing its own electric vehicles produced domestically".
"We plan to sell [the buses] to provincial governments for city-based public transportation," Buyu said as reported by kontan.co.id.
Meanwhile, BMW Group Indonesia vice president of corporate communication Jodie O'tania said BMW Indonesia had also expressed its readiness to develop a range of low-emission vehicles. He added that since 2014, BMW had introduced the i8 Coupe and i8 Roadster electric cars in Indonesia.
"We want to see the details of the regulations [on electric cars]," Jodie said, adding that learning from BMW's experience in other countries, it was difficult to begin introducing fully electric vehicles and that many countries started with plug-in hybrid vehicles.
"If people have started to enjoy the economic value and environmental benefits, they will start to eye [fully] electric cars."
PT Blue Bird head of investor relations Michael Tene also said the company was still waiting for the government to issue a regulation on electric vehicles. "To use electric cars, Blue Bird, as a company that abides by the law, will wait for the government's regulation," he added.
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44 Recent Stories
Apple announced this new feature to help curb your iPhone addiction
Even Apple thinks you might have a problem...
Mother and daughter surprised each other with the same delightful Valentine's Day gift
Like mother, like daughter...literally
This colorblind man is in tears after being gifted corrective glasses
The secret Santa gift he never expected.
We've come to a point where people are proposing with their phone cases
Don't forget to hit record.
Sister surprises little brother with Lady Gaga tickets and his reaction is too cute
OK, who's chopping onions over here?
Maroon 5 and Jimmy Fallon gave subway commuters the best surprise
They certainly drew a crowd.
Girl gets surprised with Ed Sheeran tickets, flips out spectacularly
Turn the volume down for this one...
George Clooney surprises 87-year-old fan with birthday flowers, melts hearts
Best. Birthday. Ever.
Céline Dion photobombed a couple's proposal and her reaction was priceless
Oh, the power of love.
Taylor Swift gave one of her oldest fans the best Christmas surprise ever
It'll be impossible to top this next Christmas.
Prankster inspires rare profanity from his elderly parents
If the holidays are anything, it's about bringing out the worst in loved ones.
Sons save for years and surprise mother with her dream car
"Showing gratitude to our beautiful mum who's worked so hard to give us everything in life."
Amy Schumer just bought her dad the most touching gift of all time
Who's chopping onions in here?!
Justin Timberlake gives a surprise masterclass to school students
All superstars start somewhere.
Woman converts letterbox into an unnerving huntsman spider nursery
Another reason to just send an email instead.
Beyoncé helped two of her concert dancers get engaged on stage
He liked it, so he put a ring on it.
Young woman steals limelight from reporter, says 'hi' to her parents
A lesson from a superstar in the making.
Miguel gives a 'Simple Thing' to his former middle school with surprise performance
Presenting Miguel, as Napoleon Dynamite.


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Financial Literacy, Private Finance, Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Internship, Management, Computer Know-how, Success, and Scholar Progress resources. Nice methods to increase site visitors to your web site. Guest posting may be very fruitful if performed proper. My blog will get decent site visitors from commenting. I've heard about Google punishing" guest bloggers. Nevertheless it depends the place you do guest running a blog. If the host blog" has a bad popularity in Google's eyes, anticipate that to affect you too. So, it is best to select a blog with high PR rank. Posts – Here you can write and publish new weblog posts and view and edit old ones. We'll undergo this once we've arrange the weblog otherwise.
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Duties inside these Places of work and Departments embrace financial reporting and analysis, accounting, disbursements, commercial and funding banking, endowment administration, cash management, debt management, capital planning and budgeting, real estate, facilities management and space planning, risk management, buying providers, athletics, group relations, and auxiliary companies of the University of San Francisco. Journalists assume their work is admittedly important, and for the journalists, it is. However for most people, they only wish to get on with their lives. If one thing important happens, then they'll go surfing and read it somewhere, however more often than not they will not pay for it.
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text: This series is a British-American seven-part television miniseries produced for HBO, based on the 2004 book of the same name by Evan Wright about his experience as an embedded reporter with the U.S. Marine Corps' 1st Reconnaissance Battalion during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It was adapted for television by David Simon, Ed Burns and Evan Wright. The miniseries was directed by Susanna White and Simon Cellan Jones, and produced by Andrea Calderwood. ... more on Wikipedia


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On HBO's Last Week Tonight, host John Oliver introduced America to the complexities of Scotland's upcoming vote to make it an independent country, separate from Great Britain.
By Tom Boggioni—RAWSTORY
Explaining that most American's only know Scotland from Shrek movies and the Mel Gibson film Braveheart, Oliver explained that "nothing screams freedom quite like a millionaire Australian anti-Semite."
Oliver detailed Scotland's contentious relationship with England by first explaining that it is currently a member of the United Kingdom — which is not a country, but a "complicated political and complicated union"– formed in 1707.
"So Scotland and England have been involved in something of a 300-year-old arranged marriage," he explained, "And look, I will be the first one to acknowledge, England has been a little bit of a dick since the honeymoon. In 1746, we actually banned the kilt, just because we knew they liked it. And then, we chose 'God Save the King' as the U.K.'s national anthem, a song which, at one point, had a verse referencing 'rebellious Scots to crush.' Although, to be fair, we later realized that was wrong and replaced it with a line about pissing on the Welsh."
Oliver mocked the name of the campaign designed to keep Scotland a part of the UK, "Better Together," saying "it sounds like what people say to convince themselves to stay in a dead marriage."
Agreeing with some pro-independence commentators, Oliver conceded, "Scots know how to run a country."
"When they got to choose a national animal they selected, and I swear this is true, a unicorn." he said. "Who knew you were allowed to do that? Pick a fictional animal. Yeah, America is probably kicking itself for choosing the bald eagle now, aren't you? You could have picked a wookie in a top hat, or whatever the f*ck Grimace is."
Pointing to a picture of Grimace — a purple triangular McDonald's cartoon character — Oliver stated, "He looks like a magic genie granted a wish to Gorbachev's birthmark."
Oliver concluded the segment pleading with Scotland to not secede by eating haggis, listening to bagpipe music and introducing a dancing unicorn.
Watch the video below, from Last Week Tonight:


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Workwear Dress - Pink
- Description
- Info & Care
- Measurement guide
Short dress with a belt to emphasise the waist. The dress has voluminous sleeves and hidden button placket at the front with decorative frills. Concealed side zip and side pockets. The model is 175 cm long and wears size 36.


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International Design Alliance cancels its 2013 Congress in Istanbul (Turkey)
The International Design Alliance (IDA) has announced today that the upcoming 2013 IDA Congress has been cancelled for reasons of Force Majeure. Scheduled to take place in Istanbul (Turkey) on 16-17 November 2013, the congress and related events including the Education & Research Conference on 15 November 2013, as well as the Congress Fair & Exhibition have been cancelled due to the present circumstances in Turkey and current government travel advisories which have arisen.
Strategic partners of the IDA include the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), the International Council of Communication Design (Icograda) and the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI). Members of Icsid, Icograda and IFI will receive information regarding their proprietary General Assemblies in the coming days.
Individuals who have submitted papers for the Education & Research Conference will be contacted shortly.
For further information, please contact Ms. Allison DaCosta, Icsid Project Manager for the IDA Congress by email at [email protected] or by calling +1 514 448 4949 ext: 235. http://www.idacongress.com/2013istanbul/


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We currently have 20 bunnies ready for adoption at our Adoption Center. All our available bunnies are listed here on our web site for you to browse. There are several ways you can meet our bunnies.
If you are interested in adopting one of our rabbits, please fill out our adoption application form and fax it to our adoption center. We will contact you as soon as possible after we receive your application.
You can click on the button below to see all our available bunnies.


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All U.S. passports are issued by the State Department – a federal agency – so the process works the same regardless of where you live in the United States. Unless you qualify to renew your passport by mail, obtaining a new one means a trip to a local passport acceptance facility.
To renew by mail, you must have your previous passport; it has to be in relatively good shape; and it must have been issued within the past 15 years, when you were 16 or older.
Which Form to Use
As you probably expect when dealing with the federal government, a bunch of forms are associated with getting a passport, all named with meaningless (to laypeople, at least) numerical codes rather than helpful titles like "Passport Application." Form DS-11 is the right form for first-time and minor applicants, who are ineligible to renew by mail. Complete everything except your signature, because the form has to be autographed in front of the official taking your application.
What Documentation to Bring
Uncle Sam insists on certain reassurances that passport applicants are citizens of the United States and that they aren't pretending to be someone they're not. A few items work to establish both citizenship and identity: a previously issued, undamaged U.S. passport (it can be expired), a certificate of naturalization or a certificate of citizenship. If you don't have one of these, bring either an original birth certificate or a consular report of birth abroad. You can also bring a valid U.S. driver's license, government ID, U.S. military ID or current foreign passport to prove identity. Applicants keep the originals, but they must submit a legible, black-and-white, single-sided photocopy; copy both the front and back of each document, but on different 8 1/2-by-11-inch white pages.
What Photo to Use
No matter how much you love your Facebook profile pic, it probably won't cut it for a passport photo. Research all the highly specific passport photo guidelines, all of which must be satisfied before you staple the photograph to Form DS-11. Play it safe by going to a passport photo provider. This service is offered frequently at passport acceptance facilities in Philly, for a small fee, of course. Passport photos must be printed in color on photo-quality glossy or matte paper, with a white or off-white background, measuring 2 inches by 2 inches. The length of the top of your head to your chin has to be 1 to 1 3/8 inches long, with your head facing the camera straight on. You must wear only a natural smile or neutral face and regular clothes without accessories – including eyeglasses.
Where to Go
Walking the streets of Philly, you probably won't see any storefronts labeled "Passport Acceptance Facility." That's OK; it's not just you. To apply for a passport, you must go to a post office, county clerk office, public library or another municipal building that doubles as a place to apply for a passport. Many – but not all – do. Figure out where to go by heading over to the U.S. Department of State website's Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page. Plug your zip code into the search tool, or enter "Philadelphia" and "Pennsylvania" in the appropriate fields. Click "Search," and voilà! Find out ahead of time if you need an appointment.
How Much Time and Money
Getting a passport isn't exactly an overnight process, so don't delay when an international trip is on the horizon. Standard processing, which takes four to six weeks, includes an application fee and an execution fee that top out over $130 for a passport book (passport cards are considerably cheaper). Both must be paid by check or money order, payable to the U.S. Department of State, when submitting your application. Determine your precise fees using current information on the State Department website's page for passport fees.
Applicants have the option to pay for faster processing, but it only cuts the wait time down to two to three weeks, and it increases the total cost of a passport book by nearly 50 percent. If you're in a bind and must have a passport in under two weeks, your only hope is to make an appointment at a passport agency. There are fewer than 30 in the entire country, but luckily, there happens to be one in Philly in the U.S. Custom House at 2nd and Chestnut Streets. Find contact information, hours, appointment eligibility info and online appointment scheduling on the Philadelphia Passport Agency page of the U.S. State Department website.
Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
- Attribution: Max Binder; License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
- Attribution: Bruce Andersen; License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license
- Attribution: Bev Sykes from Davis, CA, USA; License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
- Attribution: Versatile Aure; License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
- Attribution: Captain Albert E. Theberge, NOAA Corps (ret.); License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license


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Polish model Anja Rubik has created her own unique sense of style. Opening up on her influences, Anja explains what she is drawn to when getting dressed: ''I consider myself a modern woman with a free spirit. My style is mix of tough and feminine. I like modern classics with a punk twist. It usually depends on my mood and what I have planned for the day but I always like to wear something that has an attitude, interesting details, and some wild element. It's important that I'm comfortable. I love a look that has an effortless case.''
Revealing her personal fashion icons, Anja says she loves the style of several strong figures: ''In general, I appreciate women with a strong sense of self and individuality. Patti Smith, Bridget Bardot, Debbie Harry, Charlotte Rampling, Jane Birkin, Bianca Jagger, David Bowie, Grace Jones.''
Commenting on her recent collaboration collection with French label IRO, Anja says she wanted to create a balance between pieces being classic and still modern: ''There's a timelessness with pieces that are both classic and cool. Each item is something special that I feel every woman should have in her wardrobe; from chic rock pieces to more minimal basics. The collection is meant to be mixed and paired together, creating an effortless vibe with a modern twist. I like the idea of creating fashion that looks and feels expensive at an accessible price point. The collection is really a reflection of my personal style. I wanted to include pieces that I would wear in real life, pieces that are my go-to favourites. It's the perfect balance between tough and sexy, feminine and masculine.''


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I need your help with and knowledge of two completely different things.
First: I want some speakers for my ipod so I can play songs during story time. Right now I'm using a jam box-type radio that plays CD but it annoys me to have to plan enough ahead to reserve and receive the CDs. If I had them on my ipod (which, I do) then I would always have them on-hand.
ANYWAY. The catch is that I need something that is cheap (under $30 for sure) but also loud enough to play over a room of kids. I had some speakers once that were cheap but not loud, so I'm concerned.
Any suggestions or recommendations?
Second: I have some asparagus that I boiled and flash froze. What should I make with it? Any easy and yummy recipe suggestions?


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Solmukohta is awesome!
Some thoughts and reminiscences from this year's Solmukohta (Knutepunkt) in Finland. Solmukohta started as a conference/festival of Nordic larpers and has become a conference/festival of international larpers interested in the tradition of Nordic larp.
I've been a regular Knudepunkt goer since the third one in 1999. I haven't missed a single event before last year's one in Denmark. Which meant it was amazing to go back there this year when it was held in Helsinki.
This year apart from all the Nordics, I talked to people from Russia, Croatia, Israel, Germany, England, Latvia, Italy and the United States. On top of that I know we had visitors from pretty much all around Europe from Portugal to Latvia, from England to Bulgaria. So it's really becoming international.
The editor of this year's Solmukohta book States of Play, Juhana Pettersson, observed that "Nordic larp" has become a tradition independent of the Nordic countries. So you can have Nordic larp in Mexico or Egypt. But you can also have larps in Finland that belong to some other tradition or remain more or less unaffected by that tradition. And that way you can even have Nordic larp being in dialogue with Finnish larp, and I guess my own Täällä Kirjokannen alla had quite a bit of that going on.
For me the whole experience started with the Nordic Larp Talks on Wednesday in Club PRKL in downtown Helsinki. You can see my talk titled How To Become a God, and all the others here.
Next day all three hundred and sixty of us got on buses that drove us to the conference hotel Kiljavanranta next to some lake in the middle of the Finnish forest with some patches of snow left.
I ran two programs this year. One was called the Folk Fantasy Workshop, based on my article in States of Play (PDF). I gave a short presentation on the world in Täällä Kirjokannen alla, and then we started workshoping on taking each participants' own country/nation/tribe/city/identity and turning that into a folk fantasy world. We had people from Sweden, China, Croatia and Russia present, and we had hardly gotten started when we already had to stop. The workshop might've been over ambitious, but I think the participants still made some interesting connections and maybe had some ideas they can later use for whatever they wish.
The other item was originally titled Contacting the Characters Within You, a self-help kind of approach to taking the roles and characters we carry around with us and using them for other things. Since the workshop was scheduled for Sunday morning, I had to rename it Hangover Yoga Workshop (and Contacting the Characters With You).
We started with twenty minutes of simple yoga exercises designed not to feel too bad for the hungover people, and wake everybody up a little bit. Then we started meditating on the characters we've played trying to identify five archetypes. The Good One, The Trickster, The Leader, The Shadow and The Brain. Not everybody had experience with all of these, but I think people sort of got the idea. We examined each one a little bit, and then chose two of them. Those two we made our own, trying to develop their physical language and put them on and off faster and faster. The idea was that the participants could learn to call on these characters in tricky situations in their ordinary life. For example a test might be very difficult for the participant in their everyday role, but putting on the role of The Brain might help them deal with it better. Different situations might require taking on different roles, and these sorts of exercises will hopefully help people to identify them better.
I think the workshop was a success since many people came to thank me for it later. I'm not an expert yoga master, either, but I think that went fine, as well.
One of the many highlights was being able to buy an early copy of Leaving Mundania from the author Lizzie Stark. I knew who she was since people had told me she visited last year's Knudepunkt in Copenhagen. Leaving Mundania is a non-fiction book about larpers and the larp scene. It mostly focuses on larp in the United States, but the last chapter is titled Knudepunkt Blew My Mind. It was thrilling to read an excited outsider's perspectives on the whole scene and the games we play and the the people we know. Of course, Lizzie's not an outsider anymore.
She signed my copy "Turku this!" Ironically, I accidentally left the book in the Turku School room (all the rooms were named after concepts in larp theory). So I really did Turku it. The next day it was gone. If you have it, I want it back!
The Pan-European tv drama / larp / transmedia experience The Spiral (formerly The Artists) is partly built by larpers, specifically Martin Ericsson and Adriana Skarped. They showed us a sneak preview of the tv show's trailer, which seemed really cool. Parts of the whole thing are made through a larp, as some sort of mocumentary. Difficult to explain, but you should totally follow it when it airs in September in several European countries including Finland. Or take part in the larp parts – it's not too late!
The social aspect is very important in these events. Even though I went to bed quite early on two nights, I had a chance to party it out Saturday. DJ Hakkis's 90's gothic hits marathon was well appreciated! Also interesting discussions on commercial larps in Siberia, how Taoism relates to the works of Ursula K. Le Guin, politics in Israeli larps, German film funding, the great roleplaying theories of the day, capitalism and socialism in post-apocalyptic Swedish larps and lots of other great stuff.
There's an influential indie roleplaying scene mostly in the US, but also internationally, that used to be associated with the forum The Forge. Over the years they've sent one or two ambassadors that usually get converted, but this time it seemed like there was a whole faction of these great people. Some came to preach, others to listen, but continuing this dialogue between ambitious clicks is very fruitful. The Swedish/Danish jeepform tradition is, I think, a sort of love/hate child between Nordic larp, US indie and Danish tabletop. The US indie crowd is discussing Solmukohta at the Story Games forum.
Some random notes I made during the event:
"We have a special way of playing the post-death game." -Alexey Fedoseev on Russian larps.
A StPetersburg game had in-game elections. If the conservatives won, the city was taken into history. With liberals, to the future.
Larps are not artificial, they are artifactual.
The Hollow Man Syndrome = there is no character, the player has to use their own experiences.
Read the book The Art of Curating Worship, a guidebook for Christian priests.
Solmukohta 2012 appreciation thread: http://laivforum.net/threads/20275-Solmukohta-2012-appreciation-thread!
Solmukohta talk on Twitter is here: https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23sk2012
My Nordic Larp Talk: http://nordiclarptalks.org/post/20957499776/how-to-become-a-god-mike-pohjola
Nordic Larp Talks and State of Play
If you're interested in what's going on in the fields of participation, interaction or roleplaying, I recommend spending this evening at Club PRKL in Helsinki or online following the webcast. It's the publishing of the new Solmukohta journal States of Play followed by Nordic Larp Talks.
The doors open at 6pm, the excellent book States of Play is published at 7, and Nordic Larp Talks hosted by Johanna Koljonen starts at 8!
States of Play is edited by Juhana Pettersson and has dozens of really interesting articles on the design, theory, documentation and results of the cutting edge Nordic tradition of live roleplaying. My article Folk Fantasy deals with Täällä Kirjokannen alla and what I think might be the dawn of a new era in the fantasy genre. The book is also published as a free PDF.
Now, here's some info on Nordic Larp Talks:
We are proud to welcome you to Nordic Larp Talks Helsinki 2012 – an evening of entertaining, thought-provoking and mind-boggling lectures about projects and ideas from the Nordic tradition of live action roleplaying games.
The talks are presented by writer, radio & television host as well as winner of the innovator category of this year's The Swedish Grand Journalism Prize award, Johanna Koljonen.
You can follow the talks live streamed on nordiclarptalks.org Wednesday April 11th 8pm EEST or at the PRKL club in central Helsinki, Kaisaniemenkatu 4.
Mike Pohjola – How to become a god
Johanna Macdonald – From stage to larp
JP Kaljonen – The interplay between player and man in the street
Jesper Bruun – Experimental Larp Design
Lizzie Stark – Playing in Graveyards: Terror collides with larp in New York City
My presentation, How To Become A God, deals with the history of drama from Dionysian rituals to reality television, and beyond, and how all of this relates to roleplaying. While doing that, I'll also answer a puzzling point in Aristotle's Poetics that's been bugging theatre scholars for three thousand years.
See you there!
Conspiracy For Good nominated for awards
Conspiracy For Good that was played last summer in the streets of London, and before that all around the world online and with mobile phones, is nominated for some of the top prizes in interactive media.
The media festival South By Southwest (SXSW) gives out awards every year for interactive works, and Conspiracy For Good has been nominated in the mobile category. Cool! SXSW takes place in Austin, TX, March 11.-20., and the award gala will be March 15th.
The last time The Company P won an International Interactive Emmy was a few years ago with Sanningen om Marika at MIPTV in Emmy. That award was for Best Interactive Tv Service. Now we're nominated for the same award again. The name is no the Interactive Digital Emmy, though, and the category Digital Fiction. The lightning-winged Emmy goddess might end up in our hands on April 4th in Cannes.
Exciting! 🙂
PS. If you missed Conspiracy For Good, here's a great video that explains the whole giant of an experience in a few minutes.
Nordic Larp is coming out!
My friends Jaakko Stenros and Markus Montola have been working for eighteen months on a huge photo book about the most ambitious larps in the Nordic countries. Nordic Larp will be published today Wednesday. I got my copy Tuesday afternoon, and it's worthy of much praise!
The book has thirty excellent live roleplaying games from Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Some games I've been involved in creating (Luminescence, inside:outside, Europa, PanoptiCorp, Dragonbane), in others I've been a player (Helsingin Camarilla, Ground Zero, The Executive Game, Hamlet, Zombie, Mellan himmel och hav, Silmäpuoli merirosvo), and all of them I've heard lots of good things about.
During the fifteen larp years in the book, the scene has deal with gender roles, society, cancer, Norway's Nazi occupation, the mafia, nationality, insanity, capitalism, Shakespeare and the homeless, and adventure with vampires, dragons, steampunk spaceships, pirates and dead spirits that communicate through radio. Many of these in the same game.
My article In Prison With Kafka and Beckett is about inside:outside (2001-2002), a larp Eirik Fatland and I designed, and Irene Tanke produced, that was my first larp to be exhibited in an art gallery. The book has eight pages of text an Frode Dybvad's photos for the game. While the pictures are good, many more articles are much more visual, since the originals were somehow lost in the Faroe Islands in Frode's bag. (I think this accurately displays what a huge undertaking Stenros and Montola had in getting photos of some of the older games.)
Since a larp is an immediate work that cannot be recorded or reproduced, editing and publishing a book like this is a great deed for the whole culture. Without one the visionary live roleplaying games of old would remain only in the dimming memories of its participants and turn into vague stories told over proverbial campfires, but now they are documented with visual proof. With this book the history of Nordic larp is immortalized.
I obviously haven't read the whole tome yet, but after browsing it, I can tell it's full of interesting articles and brilliant photo pages. The book will be available online and in select bookstores, but you can also get it at the publishing party today on Wednesday, Dec 22th.
There will be four or five simultaneous parties held in Helsinki, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, at least. The parties kick off at 19:00 local time. The Stockholm part fill be held in Betahaus (Skeppsholmen 30), and in Helsinki the location is Dubrovnik Lounge (Eerikinkatu 11). Locations for Oslo and Copenhagen will be announced here.
The parties are also connected to each other with a live stream. You can also watch the video online in real time, or take part by Tweeting (#nordiclarp). (I promise not everyone there dubs themselves a Social Media Expert!)
Awarded at Prix Europa!
The short film The Forest of Babel by Elina and me (produced by Pohjola-filmi) won at Prix Europa in the category Languages Through Lenses! The award gala was held at Haus des Rundfunks, and televised live in Germany. Present were just about all the European public broadcasting CEOs, Directors of Drama and the coolest creatives. Not bad 🙂
Watch the movie here!
Prix Europa
I'm spending this week in Berlin attending the Prix Europa tv conference. This is a meeting of European broadcasters and creators, where they watch or listen to each others tv series, radio shows, documentaries, emerging media productions (websites, mostly), and review them. Then they vote on them, and the ones highest regarded get awarded the Golden Bull.
Elina and I are attending because our short film The Forest of Babel was selected in the Languages Through Lenses category. The fifteen teams from all around Europe arrived on Saturday, and spent the whole of Sunday watching, commenting and voting on each others' films. Sunday evening we found out that our film was one of the three short-listed ones, and would compete for the student award Golden Calf at the award gala this Saturday. Very exciting!
The film is a 90-second piece, that's written by me, produced by Elina and directed by us together. It has a Sami girl, a Basque boy, and a Kurdish boy trying to save a reindeed from under a fallen tree in Lapland. It's a co-production between Pohjola-filmi and Aalto University.
So we're spending the whole week here at Prix Europa. Every morning begins with a breakfast speech by one luminary or another, and then the day is full of screenings from all over Europe. Sometimes there are special events like Guy Meredith's lecture on non-linear screenwriting on Tuesday, or a producers' panel on co-production this evening.
Monday's breakfast speech was by British documentarist Paul Watson. He was an entertaining speaker and longed for the olden times when tv was apparently not as smitten with celebrities and the lowest common denominator. I don't know, maybe he's right. The reason I'm mentioning him is he had a great quote, perhaps the best I've heard here so far. "Film is the opera of arts." Let that sink in. What's opera then? I must ask him again if I meet him again here in Berlin, the Frankfurt of Germany!
Today the Emerging Media section begun, and I'll try and attend most of it. The amount of tweeting with the #PE10 tag immediately went through the roof since the conference is suddenly full of social media specialists. It's very interesting to compare different European online/interactive/new media/multimedia/extended universe/mobile productions with the participatory stuff The company P is doing.
Now back to the conference to wait for Saturday… In the meanwhile, you can watch The Forest of Babel here! (Or wait for a film festival where you can see it, such as Kettupäivät in Helsinki.)
The Golden Dragon!
The main event of the roleplaying year, Ropecon, is just behind us. For seven years this is where the lifetime award Golden Dragon has been given to roleplaying luminaries, people whose games I've played as a kid, whose stores I've frequented and whose magazines I've read. In other words, I have quite alot of respect for these Grand Old Men of Finnish roleplaying.
Therefore I was both proud and humbled to receive the same recognition. In my thank you speech I was very touched but managed to speak for the future of the hobby.
A summary of the Finnish press release:
Mike Pohjola has been influential in the field since the mid 90s. His live roleplaying games have been played in cultural centers and art galleries. His publications include the roleplaying games Myrskyn aika (2003), Star Wreck Roleplaying Game (2006), and Tähti (2007). In addition Pohjola has published Sanaleikkikirja (2008), and the YA novel Kadonneet kyyneleet (2008).
Pohjola is also a founding member in The Company P, that won the International Emmy for Best Interactive Tv Service in 2008 for Sanningen om Marika. Right now he's working on The Conspiracy For Good mega-project that premiered last Saturday in London. The Nokia-sponsored Conspiracy For Good is a project that combines participatory storytelling and gaming and lets players search clues with new mobile technology to progress in the story and help charities. The creative visionary of the project is Tim Kring, the showrunner of the tv show Heroes.
Thank you so much! It's a really great feeling to be recognized by your own people in such a way.


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Forget string of pearls! India thrives in East Asia
Colonel Anil A Athale outlines the contours of the coming Sino-Indian conflict in East Asia. The first of a two-part series.
Quietly and without much fanfare in the Indian media, India's 'Look East' policy has been operationalised.
The visit to Laos and Cambodia by President Pratibha Patil, though largely symbolic, was the first in more than two decades. Closely following her is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.
These developments are taking place in the backdrop of increasing Chinese assertiveness vis-a-vis their claim of the South China Sea islands (reportedly rich in oil), clash with Japan and strident claims on the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
These diplomatic moves come in the midst of regular Indian naval exercises in the South China Sea and visits to ports in Vietnam.
Public debate, such as it is, on the long-term Chinese threat to India has been dominated by the theory of Chinese 'String of Pearls' strategy. For long, Indians have been aware of the Chinese string of naval facilities round Indian Ocean region.
Click on NEXT to read further...
Photographs: Reuters
Chinese have ill chosen their allies
The Coco Island, north of the Andamans and belonging to Myanmar(Burma) is long thought to be a Chinese naval base.
To the south, in Sri Lanka, the Chinese have been building a deep-sea port at the southern tip at Hambantota.
The Hambantota port has no economic rationale and is clearly a naval facility. The last of the Chinese pearl is Gawadhar port in Baluchistan province of Pakistan.
The Chinese have close relations and alliance with North Korea, Myanmar and Pakistan.
Not unlike the Americans in their heyday, the Chinese have ill chosen their allies. All the three countries have unpopular and unstable regimes and are an economic burden on China.
India, Japan and Vietnam are coming closer
China's largest ally, Pakistan is a bankrupt country torn by internal violence and is a failed state.
As opposed to this, slowly but surely, India, Japan and Vietnam, with American blessings, are coming closer to form a ring of steel around China.
A closer look at the above map shows how China is virtually surrounded by states that are not very friendly.
This author visited Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia for over two weeks recently. The aim of this article is to share impressions from that visit to help Indians understand the region.
First and the foremost, one was struck by the all-pervading presence of Indian culture -- as noticed by behavioural similarities. Be it the greetings, never giving money with just one hand, removing shoes before entering a house, the all-pervasive images of Buddha and even Hindu Gods.
Why 'Secular' Indians would throw a fit in Laos
'Secular' Indians would throw a fit to know that the Laos national TV begins with the picture of Ganesha!
But does this mean there is Indian influence or the much-touted 'soft power'?
Unfortunately that is not true. In Vietnam, for instance, when told that we are from India, the guide instinctively said 'So you must be Muslim!'
A co-passenger in a local bus, returning from a visit to a pagoda, confidently informed that Buddha was born in Sri Lanka.
Image: A Vishnu statue at museum in Kuala Lumpur
Photographs: Col Anil Athale
Vietnam, the emerging 'tiger' of South East Asia
But before one delves into the reality, the good news is that in all the three countries, the mention of China evokes only negative response.
In the popular perception China is an object of dislike, a notch above the Americans!
All these countries have gone through hell in last 50 odd years at the hands of barbaric American forces and later Chinese machinations -- the 1979 Chinese invasion of Vietnam is very much alive in the public memory and of course none in Cambodia an ever forget the murderous Pol Pot regime that was supported by the Chinese!
Vietnam is an obvious military power to reckon with in the region.
But the dedication and single mindedness that the Vietnamese displayed in fighting the Japanese, the French, the Americans and the Chinese, is now transforming the country economically.
In less than a decade Vietnam is emerging as the new 'tiger' economy of South East Asia.
Photographs: Reuters
Most ancient kingdoms in the region bear a strong Indian stamp
Ancient Linkages with ndia
The history of Indo-China for a millennium or more is dominated by the struggle between Champa Kingdom based in Malaya, South and Central Vietnam and parts of Laos and Cambodia's Khemer Kingdom with the capital at Angkor Wat, Thailand and the Viet Kingdom of North Vietnam centred around Hueand Hanoi.
These kingdoms crisscrossed the boundaries of modern states of the region. Thus there are significant minorities in each country.
By and large the relationships are harmonious as Buddhism is a binding force.
There were exceptions like when in the late 1970s Pol Pot regime in Cambodia targeted the Vietnamese that led to the invasion by a unified Vietnam.
Of these ancient kingdoms, culturally, except for the Viet Kingdom that was closer to Chinese, the rest bear a strong Indian stamp.
Image: Po Nagar, built by the Champa near modern-day Nha Trang
Photographs: Petr and Bara Ruzicka/Wikimedia Commons
Hinduism arrived here not from India but from Java
Interestingly, Hinduism came to these parts not directly from India but from Java island of Indonesia.
The kingdoms of Champa and Kamboj find mention in the Mahabharat and Bhagwat Purana.
Similarly, Buddhism, that is the dominant creed in today's Vietnam and Laos, reached here from China, and not India.
The Champa kingdom of central and south Vietnam was established in 2nd century AD (around 400 years before the advent of Islam and birth of Prophet).
Champa Kingdom was a maritime power and dominated the trade between rest of Asia/Middle East and China. Indrapura was near modern Hoi An.
Image: Wat Pu temple in Champaksang province of Laos dates back to 8th century
Photographs: Col Anil Athale
Champa kingdom lasted for nearly 1,600 years
Nearby My Son Valley bears the highest number of Champa ruins.
Amaravati was in modern Quang Nam, Vijaya is modern Cha Ban while historical Kauthara became modern Nha Trang, the only one of these cities that retained some importance.
Finally, Panduranga is now called Phan Rang. The relative importance of each city varied along time; invariably they became tourist attractions offering awesome nature views and historic sights.
Afterwards, what remained of Champa was the southern principality of Panduranga.
In 1594, the Cham Lord Po At assisted the Sultanate of Johor's attack on Portuguese Malacca; and in 1692, the Cham Lord Po Sot rebelled against Nguyen Phuc Tran, ruler of southern Vietnam.
After that, the Cham Lords kept authority over their own people but not over Vietnamese settlers in their territory. This situation was kept until 1832 when the Cham territories were finally annexed by the Vietnamese. The Champa kingdom thus lasted for nearly 1,600 years.
Image: Cham statue from Cham Museum in Danang, Vietnam
Photographs: Magnus Manske/Wikimedia Commons
An Indian feels totally at home in Vietnam
As the initial Hindu civilisation gave way to Buddhism, the idols in most temples were replaced by Buddha statues.
But the Buddhists, however, did not indulge in vandalism and the rest of the temples and statues remain intact.
An Indian finds Vietnamese culture so similar to Indian that one feels totally at home.
The Khemer kingdom in Cambodia is well known the world over for its grand architecture and still surviving wall panels. Cambodia went through a Hindu phase from 2nd century AD followed by a Buddhist phase from 6th century and again a brief Hindu revival in 11th century.
But 13th century onwards, Buddhism holds sway there.
Image: The golden age of the Khmer civilization was between the ninth and thirteenth centuries, when the kingdom of Kambuja, which gave Cambodia its name, ruled large territories from its capital at Angkor in Cambodia's west.
But shared history mean nothing but a distant memory for most people
The stories of the Ramayan and Mahabharat wars are depicted on a panel in the Angkor Wat main temple that was dedicated to Shiva. It is possibly the biggest Hindu temple in the world.
Cultural similarities, religious affiliations of the past and even shared history mean nothing but a distant memory for most people.
To be truthful, to most south east Asians it is of irrelevance. These factors can be converted into 'influence' and soft power only with cultural, economic and social linkages.
In the past, the India link withered away as India itself was locked in a life and death struggle with Islamic invasions. The coastal trade from Bengal (Dacca) and Orissa had come to a virtual standstill.
It is the takeover of the sea trade by the Arab seafarers that brought Islam to these parts.
Image: A scene from Ramayan. Hanuman is a popular figure among Combodians. He is admired for his valour and devotion.
Photographs: Col Anil Athale
More Hindu than Muslim in ethos
The conversion to Islam was a peaceful process and not a result of invasions or wars.
Thus while the Malays and Indonesians became Muslims, they nevertheless retained their ancient culture.
A chance remark by an Indonesian was that while we have been Muslims for a few hundred years, we have been Hindus and Buddhists for several thousand years.
This attitude to pre-Islamic culture and history is in direct contrast to what has been happening in the Indian subcontinent and westwards, where the Bamiyan Buddhas had to succumb to Taliban rage few years ago, Kashmiris deny Lalitaditya, Avantiverman and even Sultan Zain Ul Abadin!
Watch this space for Part II
Col Anil Athale is the co-author of official history of Sino Indian War 1962 and coordinator of the Pune-based think tank Inpad.
Image: Buddhist monks in front of the reflection pool at Angkor Wat, Cambodia.


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CNN Radio News Day is an evening news program providing an informative, thoughtful and creative look at the day's events. It's posted Monday through Friday at 4:30 pm ET.
You don't have to be at this blog to listen, we want you to take us with you! Click the download button in the SoundCloud player and put us on your smart phone or tablet and bring us with you in the car, on the train or while you're working out.
(CNN) – Welcome to CNN Radio News Day.
Here are some of the stories we cover in today's edition:
"The U.S. is going to get involved in some way, shape or form but it's probably going to be more in a diplomatic way... A lot of diplomats have been saying, of course right now, the phones are ringing. People are making a lot of phone calls trying to get this to stop."
"The NECC ( New England Compounding Center), whoever is responsible, I want them to know their lack of attention to their duties cost my husband his life."
"It was constant and it got to the point where no one wanted to even walk near me or my office. Because if someone talked with me then I was quote 'a friend of Rose's' – and Rose is not a member of the firm is the feeling that I had without question."
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. And listen to CNN News Day on our SoundCloud page.


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text: SNA Provides Comments on USDA "Proposed Collection for the Child Nutrition Program Operations Study II" 2015-06-29Today, SNA submitted comments on USDA's proposed information collection on the forthcoming Child Nutrition Program Operations Study II. SNA supports the purpose of the Study to better understand the complexity of running child nutrition programs across the country, and stands ready to assist USDA. SNA also urged USDA to look at the financial health of programs, possible avenues for flexibility, and reasons for participation changes. To read the comments, please click here.