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Former parliamentarian and presidential adviser Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra known as "Lucky Aiya" was gunned down along with three of his bodyguards in Mulleriyawa on October 8th 2011. The past few years have been a taxing period of struggle for Bharatha's daughter Hirunika Premachandra –now a Colombo district MP – as she sought justice for her father's killing. Finally Hirunika's quest for justice triumphed on September 8th 2016 exactly four years and eleven months after Bharatha's death.
According to newspaper reports a tearful Hirunika Premachandra, who had regularly attended the trial proceedings of her father's killing told reporters outside the court room that the verdict in the case may have been very different if the Government had not changed last year."If the government didn't change we would not have got this verdict. This verdict was only possible because we have a new president who has restored the independence of the judiciary,". "There was no place my mother and I didn't go crying for justice. Today, justice has been served for my father's murder," she added. Speaking further Hirunika Premachandra said "Justice was achieved because the supremacy of law is protected under the new President.I cannot be happy that they were sentenced to death. I am not that inhumane. But injustice was served to us. We still suffer at home. I still hear my father's voice when I go home.Now, justice has been served."
Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three of his bodyguards were killed on October 8th 2011 in what was described as a shoot-out near the Walpola junction close to Mulleriyawa town about six miles away from Colombo city.Another bodyguard was seriously injured. Elections to several local authorities were being held on that day. Among these was the Kotikawatte-Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha.Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra had been engaged in hectic canvassing for his protégée Prasanna Solangaarachchi on that day when the incident occurred.The clash was not between two rival political parties. It was between two groups of fellow United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA)activists. One group was led by Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra . The other was led by the then Colombo district MP Duminda Silva.Those who had witnessed the incident told the authorities as well as the media that Duminda Silva had provoked the clash and along with his sidekicks had been responsible for the deaths of Bharatha and three others.
There was however an inordinate delay in effective legal proceedings being instituted. There was a long period of perceived procrastination attributed euphemistically to the law's delays.Most people however suspected that the close relationship between Duminda Silva and the then defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was the crucial factor obstructing or thwarting the due course of justice.Gotabhaya Rajapaksa the younger brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was regarded as the second most powerful person in Sri Lanka during Rajapaksa rule. The matter dragged on for years and it was widely believed that the aphorism "Justice delayed is justice denied" was being proven true in this instance also.
In an understandable yet naive bid to secure justice while working within the ruling establishment, Premachandra's widow and daughter associated closely with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.Sumana Premachandra like her late husband was appointed as an adviser to President Rajapaksa.Hirunika Premachandra identified herself with the ruling Rajapaksa regime. In 2014 she contested on the UPFA ticket at elections for the Western provincial council. She won from Colombo district topping the preference votes list. In spite of all these efforts the quest of justice for Bharatha seemed as elusive as ever.Hirunika's opportunity came when Maithripala Sirisena broke ranks with the Govt in November 2014.She seized the moment by hitching her wagon to the star from Polonnaruwa.In 2015 Hirunika contested Parliamentary elections from Colombo district on the United National Party(UNP) ticket and won.Duminda Silva however was denied nomination for polls by President Maithripala Sirisena.
The advent of a new dispensation under President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe saw a fresh breeze blowing in musty judicial corridors. The Attorney-General filed an indictment in courts on March 2015 for the killings of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra,Dharshana Jayathilake,Mohamed Azmi and Manivel Kumaraswamy and also for inflicting gun shot injuries on Rajapurage Gamini. The indictment consisted of 17 charges against 13 suspects including Duminda Silva.Chief Justice Kanagasabapathy Sripavan appointed in May 2015 a three-member bench for Trial –at – bar proceedings. The bench comprised three high court judges namely Shiran Guneratne,Pathmini Ranawaka Goonettillake and M. C. B. S. Moraes. The chairman was Shiran Guneratne.
Trial-at – Bar Proceedings
Trial – at – bar proceedings began on May 22nd 2015. The case was heard on a regular basis from September 12th 2015. The names of the 13 accused were Chandana Jagath Kumara, Lanka Rasanjana, Malaka Sameera, Widanagamage Amila, Suranga Premalal, Saman Kumara, Saman Abeywickrema , Rohana Marasinghe,Duminda Silva, Anura Thushara de Mel, Chaminda Ravi Jayanath alias Dematagoda Chaminda, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Sarath Bandara and Janaka Bandara Galagoda. The last named was tried in absentia as he was absconding. The accused were charged under sections 296, 140, 146, 147, 486 and 300 of the Penal Code and some clauses of the Firearms Act.
Among the 17 charges were committing and conspiring to commit murder of four individuals, attempted murder, possessing illegal firearms,inflicting gunshot injuries, unlawful assembly and criminal intimidation on or around October 08, 2011.President's Counsel Anil de Silva appeared for Duminda Silva. Counsels Anuja Premaratne, Nalin Indatissa, Nalin Weerakoon, Asela Rekawa and Asoka Weerasuriya appeared for the other accused. A team of lawyers from the Attorney – General's Dept led by Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige represented the prosecution. 42 witnesses testified in Courts .126 documents including Government Analysts reports and JMO reports were produced.Trial at bar proceedings concluded on July 14th 2016.
The verdict in the high profile trial was delivered on September 8th 2016. It was a divided verdict with two of three judges finding five of the accused guilty and acquitting eight others. One judge however found all thirteen accused not guilty.High court Judge Shiran Guneratne who presided over the Trial at bar exonerated all 13 accused in the murder trial citing lack of integrity of the witnesses produced by the prosecution and the inability to prove charges beyond reasonable doubt. He said that the benefit of doubt should go to the accused.Fellow High Court judges Pathmini Ranawaka Goonettillake and M. C. B. S. Moraes differed from Guneratne . This resulted in a two to one majority verdict.
High Court Judge Pathmini N. Ranawaka Gunatilleke pronounced the majority verdict in the packed courthouse with Judge Moraes concurring. Judge Pathmini Ranawaka delivering the majority verdict stated that the prosecution had proved during the trial that the provocative conduct of eleventh accused Duminda Silva led to the whole incident.The Judge further observed that the evidence submitted has proved that Duminda Silva had provided leadership to the unruly behaviour of the mob and therefore he should be held responsible for the whole incident. She further said that the JMO reports have revealed that Duminda Silva was under the influence of liquor at the time of the incident, but deceased Bharatha Premachandra was not so.The verdict also rejected the argument put forward by the defence during trial that Silva had been shot at first by the Premachandra faction.
Courtes then acquitted and discharged eight of the accused.They were – Chandana Jagath Kumara, Lanka Rasanjana, Malaka Sameera, Widanagamage Amila, Suranga Premalal, Saman Kumara , Saman Abeywickrema and Rohana Marasinghe. Death sentence was pronounced for five persons. They were – Duminda Silva, Anura Thushara de Mel, Chaminda Ravi Jayanath alias Dematagoda Chaminda, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Sarath Bandara and Janaka Bandara Galagoda. The tenth accused Janaka Bandara Galagoda was tried in absentia and convicted. In addition to the verdict of execution, the five convicted persons were also fined 40,000 rupees each. Thus descended the curtain upon a dramatic murder trial that had captured the nation's attention for many months.
One important reason for the extraordinary focus on this particular murder trial was due to the charismatic personality of the premier victim himself – Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra! Bharatha Lakshman was someone I knew and interacted with slightly in the eighties of the last century. I have already written about him when he was killed in 2011. I shall however rely upon my earlier writings and focus on Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra at this juncture.
Child of Fifty-Six
Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was literally and metaphorically a "child of fifty-six"(Panashaye daruwo). He was born in 1956 on January 26th which is Indian republican day. This was why his parents bestowed the name "Bharatha" upon him.He belonged to a generation whose day in the sun had been ushered through the 1956 revolution of SWRD Bandaranaike.But to his credit Bharatha Lakshman was not a Sinhala chauvinist or supremist. This was what endeared him to me most.
His mentor and leader was the late Vijaya Kumaranatunga. Like Vijaya , Bharatha too was devoid of communalism. He stood for a multi-ethnic Sri Lanka where the minority ethnicities would not be discriminated against. While being firmly committed towards the unity and territorial integrity of the country, Bharatha was also supportive of power sharing through devolution.The Tamils and Muslims lost a great friend when he was killed.
Premachandra came from a non – elitist but progressive background. His father worked at the Ceylon Petroleum corporation and was an active trade unionist. The father was a socialist and supported the Trotskyite Lanka Sama Samaja Party(LSSP) in those days .The son inherited the father's leftist perspective. Bharatha was one of seven children,two boys and five girls. At the time of his Bharatha's birth the family was living in Wellampitiya.Later it moved to Kolonnawa. The Premachandras were not rural folk but lower middle class semi-urbanites.
Bharatha Lakshman studied at Ananda College, Colombo. After leaving school he is reported to have worked for a very short time as a bookkeeper's assistant. However he took to political activism in his early twenties and virtually devoted himself to full time politics .Despite his left leaning tendency Bharatha Lakshman joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party(SLFP) in 1979. TB Illangaratne who represented Kolonnawa electorate in the late sixties and early seventies was the party organizer.Bharatha's idol and leader was Vijaya Kumaranatunga.He became engaged in trade union work for the party.
Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi
This was the time when the United National Party(UNP) under President Junius Richard Jayewardena was ruling the Sri Lankan roost. Kolonnawa was represented by Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi .The SLFP was a feeble force facing overwhelming political odds. The party itself was faction ridden and ineffective.
The spirit of defiance, protest and resistance within the demoralized party was spearheaded by Vijaya. Bharatha was one of the many courageous youths who were inspired by the charismatic politico – actor.The 1982 Presidential elections where Vijaya worked tirelessly for Hector Kobbekkaduwe was a campaign in which Bharatha cut his political teeth.Kolonnawa was then under the thuggish rule of Mallimarachchi and his sons. It was a formidable task to paste anti-UNP posters, distribute leaflets and even hoist the SLFP blue flag.Bharatha Lakshman was courageous enough to give the lead in these matters despite the Mallimarachchis and their minions.
It was during this time that I first met Bharatha Lakshman through fellow journalist on "The Island" and friend Ajith Samaranayake. I can recall a prolonged discussion lasting several hours with him. Interestingly Bharatha had requested Ajith for a meeting and wanted me to participate in it. I remember vividly Bharatha trying to convince Ajith and myself that violence could only be met and overcome by violence. He would say that UNP authoritarianism in general and Mallimarachchi's hectoring in particular left him no choice but to offer fierce counter resistance.
Looking back, I feel that it was this situation caused no doubt by the then hegemonic UNP that moulded and shaped his future politics. The brave young political lieutenant prepared to face violence with violence for his party and leaders transformed into a captain who relied on the adage "brothers are not helpful as blows".
One fact that impressed and endeared Bharatha Lakshman to me was his positive and progressive thoughts on the Tamil national question. The Tamil armed struggle was still in its embryonic stages then and the "ethnic problem"had not assumed massive proportions then.Nevertheless Bharatha seemed to realize in 1982 itself that the problem if not resolved satisfactorily would become a major calamity. He even quoted Sagara Palansuriya about the light from the northern cigar engulfing the South in flames
Going on the campaign trail with Kobbekkaduwe and Kumaranatunge to the North during the 1982 Presidential poll had broadened Bharatha Lakshman's political horizons. He was happy that the Tamil people were bold enough to vote against the UNP despite its hegemonic authoritarianism. The fact that more Tamils in Jaffna voted for Kobbekkaduwe than Jayewardena was a source of heartening satisfaction to him.
Bharatha's soft corner towards minority ethnicities extended to the Muslims also. A veteran Muslim journalist told me about how Bharatha had helped the Muslims in the area. A large number of Muslims have moved into the Kolonnawa region in recent times. When the Muslim people tried to construct mosques in their new areas of habitation some persons belonging to the majority community resented it and tried to block it. The Muslims turned to Bharatha who intervened in the matter and resolved it amicably. Several mosques have been constructed without any communal disharmony due to Bharatha's efforts.
Tamils and Muslims
Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra due perhaps to the influence of Vijaya Kumaratunga had an enlightened attitude and approach towards the Tamils and Muslims. He kept the Kolonnawa area a safe haven for Tamils and Muslims to reside in.The large number of minority community mourners at his funeral testify to his bona fides on this key aspect. Even the ethnicities of the three bodyguards who were killed along with him are suggestive. One was Sinhala, one Tamil and one a Muslim.
Within weeks of the meeting with Ajith and myself where I got to know Bharatha Lakshman extremely well, the fiery particle was in custody along with his hero Vijaya. This was the time when JR came up with the notorious "Naxalite conspiracy" charges against Vijaya and his supporters and jailed them. This was a ploy to keep them out of the controversial referendum polls campaign.Bharatha Lakshman now identified as an efficient deputy of Vijaya was also arrested.
The Police encouraged by politicians in power offered the young man a way out of incarceration. Bharatha Lakshman was asked to betray his leader by making a statement implicating Vijaya. If he did so he would be set free without any conditions ,Bharatha was told.The young political activist was made of sterner stuff. He refused to do so. This honourable refusal was indeed laudable and was perhaps the turning point where the "boy" became"man".So Bharatha Lakshman too was imprisoned.Later the so called "Naxalites" in the SLFP were all released unconditionally.
Vijaya and Chandrika split from the SLFP and formed the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya (SLMP) in 1984. Bharatha Lakshman too followed in their footsteps and was one of the founder members of the SLMP. He immersed himself in developing a trade union movement within the party.Bharatha was particularly successful at the Colombo harbour.Later he was appointed SLMP organizer for Kolonnawa electoral division.
Vijaya and Chandrika held positive views on the resolution of the Tamil national question. They were bold enough to travel to India and meet the Tamil militant group leaders. Later Vijaya along with Ossie Abeygoonesekara and Felix Perera went north and met the LTTE Jaffna commander Sathasivampillai Krishnakumar alias "Kittu".Bharatha Lakshman was excited about these happenings and firmly supported Vijaya's initiatives. I remember Bharatha giving me a video cassette of Vijaya's Jaffna trip and waxing eloquent about the breakthrough this would cause in Sinhala – Tamil relations.Alas!That was not to be so.
The Indo – Lanka accord was signed on July 29th 1987. The SLMP despite its opposition to the dictatorial JR welcomed it. Vijaya actively campaigned in support despite the violent opposition to it by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna(JVP) Ultimately Vijaya was killed in February 1988.
Indo- Lanka Accord
Some of the Tamil groups regarded as left of centre maintained contact with Vijaya. One of these was the Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) led by Kandiah Umamaheswaran alias Mukunthan. The Indo-Lanka accord provided for a general amnestry and created space for Tamil militant groups like PLOTE to enter mainstream politics.
The PLOTE led by Umamaheswaran wanted to engage in democratic politics. Umamaheswaran wanted to relocate some of his cadres to Colombo to do political work. There was however some anxiety and concern for their safety. The UNP govt was not trusted by the PLOTE. The LTTE was also feared. So a request was made to Vijaya Kumaratunga to provide security.
Vijaya agreed and delegated the task to Bharatha Lakshman who rented out a few houses in the Wellampitiya area. The initial batch of PLOTE cadres sent to Colombo were housed in these residences. Bharatha Lakshman and some of his SLMP activists provided round the clock security to them. Later Umamaheswaran himself came to Colombo and a party office was set up in Kollupitiya.Other safe houses were set up in Colombo and the Mt.Lavinia-Ratmalana areas. The Wellampitiya safehouses were dismantled.
Although of short duration amounting to a few months the role played by Bharatha Lakshman in this exercise was commendable. I remember Bharatha bringing a PLOTE member known as "Maran" and introducing him to me as the media liaison man. Maran used to bring PLOTE press releases and propaganda material to journalists in 1987 – 88.
While working as a trade unionist within the SLMP Bharatha Lakshman also got involved in electioneering. He first contested and won a seat at the Kotikawatte-Mulleriyawe Pradeshiya Sabha. Later he contested the Kolonnawa urban council polls and was elected in 1979 and 1983.He was leader of the opposition in the Kolonnawa urban council in 1983.After joining the SLMP Bharatha Lakshman contested the western provincial council elections in 1988. He was elected as a Western Provincial councilor. This was the time when the JVP was targeting politicians participating in provincial councils created because of the Indo-Lanka accord.
It was during this time that a lone gunman suspected of being JVP targeted Bharatha Lakshman at his residence. But Bharatha's father despite his age bravely confronted the would be assassin.There was a scuffle and Bharatha too plunged in.Then in an unbelievable feat of bravery , Bharatha Lakshman seized the firearm and shot dead the man who came to kill him.This incident increased Bharatha Lakshman's image and stature within the party and area. He was now regarded as a tough guy and acquired a "chandiya"persona. The fact that he had fought and killed in self – defence was overlooked.Nevertheless this chandiya image helped him counter the twin threats posed by UNP and JVP.
Chandrika Kumaratunga retuned from her self –exile in Britain and engaged in politics. After breaking up with the SLMP she teamed up briefly with Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and then returned to the SLFP. Bharatha contested the Western provincial council elections again in 1993 and won Chandrika forged a multi-party front led by the SLFP known as the Peoples Alliance(PA)Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra too aligned with her and in 1994 contested on the PA ticket. He was elected as a Parliamentarian from the Colombo district. He was elected MP in two subsequent elections held in 2000 and 2001. He was not assigned any ministerial portfolio then by Chandrika.
Disappointed, he drifted away from Chandrika Kumaratunga politically and personally. Bharatha had always enjoyed good rapport with Mahinda Rajapaksa but now he got even more closer. This was a time when the man from Medamulana was a virtual loner in the SLFP where the Bandaranaike family hold was firm.Bharatha however was not lukewarm in his support to Mahinda within the party and backed him strongly as opposition leader, Prime minister and Presidential candidate. He worked tirelessly for Mahinda Rajapaksa in the 2005 presidential campaign.
Despite Mahinda's success Bharatha had not been so fortunate. He had failed to get elected in 2004 to Parliament. This effectively deprived him of an opportunity to be a minister or deputy minister. He also lost the post of organizer for the electoral divisions of Borella and Kolonnawa to UNP "crossers over" Thilanga Sumathipala and Duminda Silva.
Presidential Adviser
President Rajapaksa appointed him as a special presidential adviser on trade unions and provided him with an office at the Presidential secretariat. He was also given two bodyguards from the Presidential security division. Premachandra functioned effectively and helped resolve some prickly trade union issues through behind the scenes negotiations.
After Premachandra's demise, then President Rajapaksawas to tell media heads of how he had offered the Ratmalana electorate organizer post to Bharatha who had turned it down He had also declined an invitation to contest the mayoralty stakes as UPFA nominee for the Colombo city.
President Rajapaksa's statements indicate that being a pugnacious political fighter , Bharatha Lakshman did not want to be driven out from his home turf. After all this was the area where he spearheaded a SLFP renaissance against the formidable UNP amidst tremendous hardship. He was in no mood to abandon the electorate he nurtured to a Johnny come lately with a disreputable track record.
Premachandra defied the party leadership in his own way by continuing to nurse the Kolonnawa electorate despite being replaced as organizer. He rejected offers to move elsewhere and with dogged determination aimed at re-establishing his hold on the area and regaining his lost status.
The local authority elections of 2011 saw a proxy battle for preference votes within the UPFA between Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and Duminda Silva in the Kotikawatte-Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha. Bharatha backed his disciple and incumbent chairman Prasanna Solangaraachchi.Duminda Silva worked against him and propped up others. It was widely alleged that Duminda was in cahoots with drug kingpins like "Wele Sudha"..Rightly or wrongly many people believed this. He was nicknamed "Kudu Duminda" by some.
The campaign was nasty and affected by violence. Bharatha Lakshman with three decades of political experience turned it into a moral crusade against drugs and drug dealers.Popular antipathy towards the "kudukaraya" menace struck a responsive chord in the hearts and minds of the voters. In an unexpected twist former Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa sullied his "puritan"image by identifying himself openly with Duminda Silva. This resulted in Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra "respectfully"criticising Defence Secretary Gotabhaya. This defiant conduct by Bharatha made his confidantes fear for his safety.
When results were announced it was a great political triumph for Bharatha.His "candidate" had got a record number of 42, 322 preferences. His rival's nominee had only got 5811 preferences. The voters had overwhelmingly endorsed Bharatha Lakshman's war against the drug mafia.In the process he had demonstrated that he was still a political force in the area.Sadly Bharatha Lakshman was not alive to savour his victory.Fate's moving finger had written his epitaph already.
On election day Bharatha was campaigning in one area and Solangaraachchi in another. Duminda Silva and his group campaigning in another area were reportedly in high spirits after imbibing liquor.At one stage Duminda and his accomplices went up to a polling booth in close proximity to Solangaraachchi's residence. Duminda asked Sollangaraachchi's wife Madhu whom she voted for.There was a verbal altercation. When Madhu's mother in law remonstrated Duminda Silva abused her also using obscene words. Some allege that both women were roughed up. Duminda also continued to intimidate and threaten Solangaraachchi's supporters at the spot.
Bharatha Lakshman was informed of what was happening. Since he was close to the spot, Bharatha rushed to the area with his comrades. Duminda heard that Bharatha was coming and left the place. Both convoys met on the roads near Walpola junction. Bharatha and Duminda both got down from their vehicles and moved towards each other. Bharatha asked Duminda why he was trying to bully and frighten women in a cowardly manner. Duminda suddenly hit Bharatha and also kicked him. Taken by surprise Bharatha fell down. At this point Duminda ordered his men to open fire. Realising the seriousness of the situation , Bharatha's armed "Official" body guard also opened fire. Bharatha's comrades who served as his unofficial bodyguards were unarmed.Bharatha and three of his comrades were shot dead. Bharatha was fired upon while he was lying on the ground. His official body guard too was injured. Many suspected that Duminda Silva had engineered the incident to lure Bharatha into a trap and then attack him.
Cover Up Exercise
Instead of the culprits being arrested the country was regaled with a massive mind – boggling cover up exercise. It was alleged that Duminda Silva was seriously injured in the shoot – out. He was admitted to Hospital. Both President Rajapaksa and his brother the Defence secretary visited Duminda at hospital. Gotabhaya was extra attentive towards Duminda. Special protection was provided. Outsiders were not allowed to go near Duminda. Finally he was escorted amidst great security and was flown to Singapore. It was said that he had sustained many injuries and needed extra medical treatment. Later when Duminda returned to Sri Lanka , he told courts that he was suffering from partial memory loss and could not remember what had transpired on the day in question. The ordinary people however knew and realised what had really happened.
Whatever the actual situation concerning Bharatha Lakshman's death, in popular perception he died a heroic death at the hands of cowardly assassins There was also sympathy because of the opinion that he had been betrayed by those for whom he fought valiant political battles.The manner in which Bharatha Lakshman was killed and the cover up that followed evoked widespread anger and resentment. When President Rajapaksa went to the Premachandra residence to pay his respects the reception from people gathered there was cold. Namal Rajapaksa was hooted at when he went to the funeral parlour.
Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra's friends, supporters and well-wishers perceived their beloved "Lucky Aiya" as a knight in arms who was constrained to take up arms to fight against the forces of evil.In an exhibition of modern chivalry he had apparently rushed to the aid of a distressed damsel or dame and was murdered in a cowardly fashion. In the emotional aftermath following his murder,Bharatha Lakshman's doting daughter Hirunika Premachandra announced that she would emulate her father's example and take to politics.While the main narrative of Premachandra's death was viewed through the prism of political rivalry and law and order there also emerged a subaltern narrative that looked upon him as some kind of a latter-day folk hero. The massive crowds attending his funeral at Umagiliya grounds and the spontaneous popular response to his daughter vowing to follow in her father's footsteps were indicators in this respect.
Justice at Last
Justice seems to have been done at last in the murder of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra. There will no doubt be an appeal to a higher court against the verdict. None knows what the future holds. As for now there is a sense of widespread satisfaction that the quest for justice has succeeded at last. More importantly the verdict has restored to some extent at least the credibility of Sri Lanka's judicial system that was eroded greatly during Rajapaksa rule.
This article written for the "DBS Jeyaraj Column" appears in the "Daily Mirror" of September 10, 2016, it can be reached via this link:
DBS Jeyaraj can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Markets Hub: Small Mergers Fuel Markets
On Monday U.S. stocks advanced as a handful of corporate buyouts provided investors with a positive catalyst. Plus: Lehman sales are still causing jitters in the muni-bond market, and, chip stocks are struggling as the markets try to climb higher.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
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I was going on here is that this Maple Group and the group of banks and pension funds my right ... if the data ... it's just ... the ... consortium of ... Canada's biggest banks exactitude Bank standardizing ... the LSE and TMX plus ... a bunch of pension funds and over the weekend ... a leading children's joined in ... so did he takes the bits of Representative ... across Canada in terms of financial institutions in provinces ... to BITA here is ... a heated argument that they get a better ... commercial financial deal ... but they're also doing a bit of flak when he ... does that mean being ... yet Thorpe ... that TMX them so far has made it clear that they have no interest in the Maple Group offer ... why is that I mean I suppose ... one of the concerns is that you gotta increasingly ... global exchanges business with a lot of ... merger and acquisition activity going on around the world has the potential for it ... and ... I suppose if you have an LSE ... TMX tie up it's a more global group is that when it's ... it's the it's the ... beginning ... Yandex which is ... the operator Tranz Stock Exchange which is a big exchange ... of ... eighteen this is really international player ... in the ITV News ... has been tying up with London with you get the chance to compete ... internationally in studies of their huge colossal exchanges ... did ... you know a time when other exchanges in China that this this deal is ... particularly important that global consolidation drive because we Bharti and ... Singapore were ... swatted down in Australia over its bid for that exchange ... this snail is the second time we answered nationalistic feelings bubble up ... this time from the financial community ... the government ... to try to impose a foreign takeover of the exchange that's what ... that's what to me in a statement this LSE ... TMX tie up would be a repeat or not over ... the I ... cannot stop the on the verge of bringing the Stanley Cup back to Canada ... what do you think are the odds in favor of Opel Tosaw ... should be done to my family ... means a two seater ... the neighborhood ... treating tonight's game ... but we ... will have a reporter in Vancouver tomorrow ... to tell you you don't you get a reaction to matter when acts ... of and really I mean do you think this Maple Group has a shot of actually doing this of scuttling the London exchange deal ... yes we mean is it initially was taken very seriously but there is serious they got ... in a bid to catch ... this is this consortium is made up of the Ecale weeks of Canadian on banking and financial institutions ... now ... it's a step by step process the first step is this June thirtieth vote ... we are the LSE deal is that falls apart the pressure ... secondly and this leads on people ... actually completed its old enemy ... I e there is an argument that these guys are just got to stop the honesty to take the inevitable the question for you to ... save on more big picture questions to mention the issue of ... waving the flag ... that what what does this say about the environment for foreign companies to do deals with Canadian companies and others who that was that they got ... that big uproar over the Potash proposal last year and ... in in general this you know a lot of pride in the Canadian company isn't this is a good example of that ... what if we think this says about the environment for foreign companies to come and ... the ... unit to make steel is very different and our cash but ... there are certain similarities in in this case though the government has been very hands off ... on the air and ... they are very eager dots to have to step in ... to drool what with the other because they don't want that sort of reputational damage picture alluding to think it is closed for business so right up ... to ... execute even the provincial level interior has said ... a withstanding the weight would be so ... different dynamic ... chip thanks alot things to come home looking to ... keep the amount of up to a Stanley Cup final to look at the cup back ... by Lehman Brothers Lehman Brothers continues to rattle ... a market not the stock market but the market to tells all about it when talking terms with Corkery ... so ... we mean it's the it's a CVS Martin swaps market this time what's going on ... so I'm dead serious accidents box market ... Lehman Brothers that in late April ... they're staying ... in the ... voluminous bankruptcy proceedings ... I've had filed a notice that the recent selling ... that ... means a legacy ... muni swaps portfolio ... of about eight billion dollars legacy muni software for episode is this is ... that it's the technical stuff it's it's down the insurance ... on meeting on the front ... CVS ... and that ... it's it's such a small market the overall market that means a billion ... dollars when it ... is about a quarter ... of all the new CTX that's out there so ... it's unclear whether that actually sold it or not but just in your prospect of it ... I drove prices down ... over the past month ... um and you know what the budget readers some investors saying the week ... was this move and it was quite a big move in CVS going doubts his price going down ... was purely technical thing ... or was did he know that you know the outlook for ... the new he's getting that ... right ... in general I get prices going down I think that's a good thing ... no one is listening to right its every good thing ... that means there's less risk ... and that ... actually did ... it ticked up in the past week ... some say Neeleman rallies over ... um but I think ... stepping back from all that it's just amazing ... three years later ... after Lehman Brothers collapsed ... on this thing was so long it's that he can still ... move the market ... you know despite the very nature saying it's going to sell ... outs of the NHL to store question the technicalities of its practically speaking ... prices on the CBS now reflects the risk of heart say California have been some credit events ... what did the question some of the sum that they say no I don't ... I ... because that just basically been repriced on an unexpected call ... you know it ... expected its gleaming dome ... of supply ... um ... deal ... news of an on air ... the sea yes aside for second muni bonds themselves have agreed to a rocky ... year started the year ... it's ... crazy rally ... and this big debate in the industry whether ... he'll get it's the fundamentals of the upstate cities giving tax revenues back up the default ... risks going away or it's just an ad tech stuff ... um it's a very illiquid market both in the CDS's and he wants ... and reel to reel to reel question what what's really quite so ... will see in the next deal that won thirty races budgets gifts gets close ... I'm you know around the states and cities ... whether you know ... that the muni market shifts to one point he made in your home was among the various facets said in an interview at the time the bankruptcy filing these were among the better performance in the U ... S and some yes yes as we know ... it went bankrupt so desperate to get ... pretty bad investments ... he sings when the money ... IPO ... one of ... the profits ... of able to cash in as much as about six point seven five million dollars ... I'm still ... pretty good to be you know I in the black of what we know things like commercial real estate and we'll ... all be of interest it's really ... really want such great that's so they know ... it's it's a positive lead in ... the game ... you know these these things only really paid out when ... there's ... a default the underlying funds but they still put contents ... it's it's it's it's amazing how do you realize that Lehman Brothers into bankruptcy is still ongoing that these assets still being unwound ... the allegations were three years down the road on this ... and how was taking so long and how long does it take ... yet it's a it's a ... good question at the dishonest with the ... when the bankruptcy for starting a were talking the press ... that the restructuring friends of the last two years with the sun on well and ... with ... you dig into this ... for that story and didn't ... realize myself there's been a bit this is just ... the unit's watch part one bankruptcy case there are many ... across the globe ... to billions and billions of different pockets ... are all the more salt ... in it differently in different jurisdictions ... I mean ... just one statistic that ... that there are ... about nine hundred thousand ... derivatives trades that still need to be unwound ... so you know these few lead to leave this to mean ... in the news is still still have to be one ... more firms are called away ... I'm ... just going to see it ... I mean not missed really pro bailout we would let the still the firm's all collapse with a deeply mean ... you have ... three four five times many do on ... Wall Street on right now that the team in ... restructuring talks say ... he'll ... be taking a long time because don't you just gotta liquidated all the stuff no day one ... I mean it would end ... up ... an even bigger mess than once and it would've got and it is ... on the dollar to do expect about fifty billion at first we just went with grated ... in the weeks after bankruptcy ... what they say by holding on a week for some markets to come back ... they expect to recoup about sixteen to it now so ... ill timed does help but still it's nice to have it takes I'd like ... to live in a good story I think you ... are able to talk about ... tips ... semiconductors the potato chips ... did his assessments can use for Steve Medill been off the PBM of Italy comes on for a new ... high of two Britons visit with us until about the chip sector was going on not doing too well you know in a little rally in the market today a ... breach of the Dow Jones industrials are up ... of its chipsets are dampening been weak all junior debt about nine percent this month Man said ... an issue for concern ... for investors ... building up to the broader index of the game been weaker than the broader indexes and ... it's it's going everything phones computers cars and a ... demand looks like it's weak ... and that's because for some concern ... beneath that better ... when he was the reason ... inventories are rising or seen a lot of the ... the really inventory driven Chip stocks like Micron more commodity players really much weaker seventy eight percent damage ... on the month ... Intel find ways of human trending up a little bit today the ... baby no little stronger in whether we can retire but it's still pretty rough month for chip stocks ... this is another sector that ... we started to see this slowdown fuel supplies temporary need to leave Egypt Japan ... supply disruptions are they ... now start to look like it's a little more than ... yet the there's rising concern that ... demand especially in the smartphone market is not as strong as you might we be ... concerned about PCs of course that the whole you know it's going to tablets of course in PCs but there are some ... decisions are probably getting delayed the which way to go on some of those issues ... are saying it may mean a commodity driven area and again it's the same debate at the broader market is a temporary ... slowdown caused by Japan's Ursa something worse and right now ... it looks a little worse overseeing the broader market ... and we had a story on our martyrs baby Doc comets well about then CEO Mark no ... no you talking about the struggles they face in dealing with commodity prices ... the inputs for ... illegal dumping eleven but that was very ultrasound scan due to its stated goal that has no value it was pretty ... but he does have some industrial uses a all the time I would say yes it does have some doctor uses more of those sectors is the chip sector decliners ... it's not practical ... it's very expensive it's another challenge to the east of the states not just apparel makers ... that expands the continent's the Eels identical to the markets in the hours and prompted Commodities to palms with on ... the dollar is affecting them ... and now that eluded him and ... so the next day benchmark or come around his back to school season right yet people are worried that back to school season might not be as robust ... as people expected just one or two months ago ... I'm so that's another thing weighing in on the chip stocks in India ... it's a really key sector you the chip stocks really turn around last fall in August ahead of the big market rally the editor when Stamper ... to people really what's the sector very carefully for future market direction and ... that's what people are little concerned that shift in which the drug ... sector when does that this season's value may be thinking about right about now Krisina get the chicks in the price of diesel will also ... be would have to concede in answer to pick up in the next few weeks in order to say Wow ... back to school starting to look at it to me seems to be in one of the U wanna go back to school Lester speakers ... the life of me think about when the maybe some kids you have to go back to school last years I phone ... given the good the chip sector will begin the economy ... it still may be the civil money by not buying that one in ten of its ... our holiday that today when I listen ... let's leave it to keep things to come in on the O C ... that's the shots all time we had for some time gospel ... OK listen this is been pockets of combat before PMC Simon Constable on the New Saab ... for breaking news all day long stay logged on WSJ's dot com ...

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to this hike around the maritime part of the Arguenon aber.
You'll discover the wealth of the heritage, both natural and built linked to this ecosystem so specific to the mouth of a ria.
From the castle or the curch presinct of the Vieux Bourg, you'll walk from marshes to typical countryside path lined by meadows.
(The suggested circuits are given as an indication and do not take into account the possible terrain or environment evolution. The users' personal responsibility is engaged by the use of these circuits, the office de tourisme disengages itself from any responsibility regarding the use of the maps and possible accidents that may occur on the proposed itinerary.)
16 km
max. 47 m
min. -5 m
129 m
-116 m
Altimetric profile
Styles : In the countryIn town
Public : Occasional hikersExperienced hikers
Theme : Patrimony
This old castle is built on a rocky peak at the mouth of the ria....Read more
L'ancien couvent des Carmes est situé au Guildo à proximité du gué...Read more
The Guildo's port is situated on an old Roman road. Its name means...Read more
The arm of Bellenraye, at the mouth of the Guébriand, on the Arguenon...Read more
When in the marshes, be warned of the tide, follow the path for 2km...Read more
Saint Pierre chapel dates back to the 14th century, (altered in the...Read more
The castle is a private property. You will get a view on it once on...Read more
This quite typical medieval religious site is made of a church, a...Read more
This path you'll follow for most of the way to the castle of le Guildo...Read more
This pastoral countryside path is for food lover ! Treat yourself...Read more
This gallery grave dates back to the Neolithic Era, between 3000 and...Read more


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A 3 star rated hotel which has been a popular choice for the aficionados of affordable quality stay is Hotel Royal Park. The hotel is just opposite of the Dockyard Road Railway Station. The property houses restaurant which specializes in providing multiple cuisine food and particularly excel in Indian and Continental foods. A big plus of this property is that it is free Wi-Fi is available for access in its large area. Every room comes with a modern, clean look which has been kept with hygiene factor being a priority. The rooms are air-conditioned and you can enjoy your satellite TV with a comfortable seating area. You can enjoy hot drinking water in the electric kettle provided in each room. The bathroom comes with a separate shower and free toiletries.
The guests can choose from their many rooms for accommodation. They offer 3 variations of rooms and they are executive rooms, superior rooms and deluxe rooms. All the rooms are teeming with modern amenities and are available in single bed or double beds room. Extra mattresses also come at a really reasonable price.
All the rooms enjoy:


text: Last Monday I visited the Self Realization Fellowship Mother Center (headquarters) with my friends Tammy Jean Park and Mike Morgan. I first explored the center's grounds in 2012, as part of a California Fool's Gold exploration of the Mount Washington neighborhood of Northeast Los Angeles. The historic building, long home to the Self-Realization Fellowship, was built … Continue reading Houses of the Hallows — The Self Realization Fellowship Mother Center


text: Home > Business BSP keeps easing options open By Rosemarie Francisco and Karen Lema, Reuters Posted at Sep 27 2012 10:10 AM | Updated as of Sep 28 2012 01:00 AM Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MANILA - The Philippine's economy does not need more stimulus for now as domestic demand remained buoyant despite the global slowdown dampening exports, but the central bank can ease policy if needed later this year, its governor said on Wednesday. Any adjustment to interest rates would depend whether the risk of inflation acclerating or risk of economic growth falling was greater, Governor Amando Tetangco told Reuters. "Right now the balance of risks is broadly even," Tetangco said in an interview at his office in Manila. Central Bank Governor Amando Tetangco gestures during a Reuters interview in Manila September 26, 2012. / REUTERS The Philippines has shown resilience amid the global downturn that has slowed growth in China and other emerging market economies in the region. Having posted one of the highest growth rates in Southeast Asia in the second quarter, there was evidence that the Philippines could sustain growth in the second half of 2012. The Philippines' GDP expanded an average 6.1 percent in the first six months, and policymakers are optimistic growth will hit the higher end of a 5 to 6 percent target for this year, accelerating from last year's 3.9-percent expansion, despite weakening exports of electronics, the main export earner. "The policy stimulus currently in place is sufficient to provide support to domestic economic activity amid the ongoing weaknesses globally," Tetangco told Reuters in an interview at his office in Manila. "I'm not going to rule out possible further easing during the rest of the year, but that will depend on our assessment...of the stance of policy relative to the inflation target, which is our primary mandate, and relative to economic growth," he said. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which next meets on Oct 25 to review policy, has kept its overnight borrowing rate at a record low of 3.75 percent following three cuts totaling 75 basis points this year aimed at shielding the economy against external shocks. STATE SPENDING Capacity utilisation in the manufacturing sector was above 80 percent, and energy sales, an indicator of economic activity, was on the rise. Accelerated government spending in the second half, and more efficient spending brought about by budget reforms would help sustain growth, Tetangco said. "We expect to get more bang from each peso spent," he said. Data released earlier on Wednesday showed government spending rose 10.4 percent in August from a year earlier, although it was down 22 percent from July. Economists say there is scope to ease policy further to dampen rapid peso appreciation and curtail speculative inflows. Having gained 5 percent against U.S. dollar so far this year, the Philippine peso is the second best performing currency among emerging Asian economies, only bettered by the Singapore dollar. Sound macroeconomic fundamentals and the prospect of being rewarded with an investment grade credit rating in coming months have drawn investors, flush with cash thanks to easier monetary policies adopted in developed economies. While a strong currency offers protection against the inflationary effects of higher prices of imports, it could also crimp growth as it makes the country's exports more expensive and reduces the buying power of foreign currency remittances from Filipinos working overseas. Domestic consumption, which accounts for 70 percent of GDP, is driven by remittances, which average $1.7 billion a month. Tetangco said higher oil and food prices in the world market were upside risks to inflation, but these risks were moderated by the weak global economic outlook. While policymakers were closely watching asset prices particularly in the property market, a bright spot in the economy driven largely by a growing offshoring and outsourcing industry, there were no signs of asset bubbles yet. "We continue to believe there is limited evidence of stretched valuations in the real estate market," Tetangco said. Share Facebook Share on Twitter LinkedIn Business,Top Stories,Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,Amando Tetangco,philippine economy,CEO Biggest Mistakes Read More: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Amando Tetangco philippine economy CEO Biggest Mistakes


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Signavio Awards
Awards & Recognition:
2018: Inc. 5000 Europe Ranking
Signavio has been ranked as one of the top 5000 fastest-growing privately held companies in Europe by Inc., as part of the fourth annual Inc. 5000 Europe ranking.
(Read more: Signavio sees off millions of privately held companies to make Inc. 5000 Europe list)
2017: Technology Fast 500 Award
Signavio has been recognized as one of the 500 technology companies to have achieved the fastest rate of revenue growth in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
(Read more: Signavio recognized with Technology Fast 500 Award)
2017: Technology Fast 50 Award
The Deloitte Fast 50 Award measures percentage growth in the last 4 years. To qualify for the distinction, companies must have generated a minimum of €50,000 in 2013 and a minimum of €1 million in 2016.
(Read more: Signavio distinguished with Technology Fast 50 Award)
2017: Two Stevie Awards
Signavio received one Silver Stevie Award in the category "Enterprise of the Year – Computer Services and Software." The second was awarded for Signavio Process Intelligence in the category of "Best New Product or Service – Software – Big Data Solution."
(Read more: Signavio distinguished with two Stevie Awards)
2016: Technology Review Innovator of the Year 2016
The Innovator of the Year awards recognize young talent with promising ideas around the world. Associated with the US magazine MIT Technology Review, Signavio CEO Dr. Gero Decker was honored by the German Technology Review, receiving Innovator of the Year — 2016 in the category "Innovators under 35".
(Read more: Signavio CEO wins Innovator Award)
2016: Deloitte Technology Fast 50
Deloitte's annual Technology Fast 50 awards recognizes fast-growing tech companies around the world. 2016 saw Signavio place for the third time — this time at #14! We were delighted to again have our passion, determination, and innovation acknowledged — and our great products of course!
(Read more: Technology Fast 50 Competition: 14th place for Signavio!)
2015: EY Founders Ranking
EY's Founders Ranking honors start-up companies with exceptional growth in Germany — Signavio was proud to rank 7th overall in Germany, solidifying our reputation for outstanding performance and growth.
2015: Focus magazine Growth Champions 2016
Signavio was acknowledged in Focus magazine's list of the top 500 fast-growth companies in Germany, 2015. Taking the #1 spot in the industry category "IT, Internet, Software and Service" for our 71% annual growth.
(Read more: Focus Special: Signavio is one of the fastest growing companies in Germany)
2014: Gartner Cool Vendor in Business Process Management
Gartner's Cool Vendor in BPM award recognizes BPM solutions "that reduce the gap between strategy and execution. These vendors reduce the reliance on IT, thus allowing business process owners to focus on delivering business value through the use of cloud-based services, just-in-time (JIT) worker guidance and simpler modeling techniques". Signavio was thrilled our intuitive Signavio Workflow (formerly Effektif) was selected, highlighting our dedication and drive to create simple, powerful business solutions.
(Read more: Effektif named as a "Cool Vendor")
2014: Technology Fast 500 EMEA Platzierung
Honoring the top 500 companies for revenue growth around the world, Signavio was delighted to rank #61 in EMEA — a huge achievement for a six year old company, and recognizing our zeal for bringing excellent products to market.
(Read more: Great success for Signavio in the Technology Fast 500 EMEA Ranking)
2014: Deloitte Technology Fast 50
Deloitte's annual Technology Fast 50 awards recognizes fast-growing tech companies around the world. Signavio was honored to place #5 in Germany, cementing our reputation for growth and innovation.
(Read more: Signavio is ranked 5th in Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 Award)
2014: BPM2ThePeople Award
Celebrating outstanding BPM projects in the education and social services fields, the BPM2ThePeople Award from Process Management Alliance e.V. was awarded to Signavio partner bosancic consulting for their BPM project with the children's day-care centre, Kita Am See Großbettlingen. The crohKita project enabled the child care center to optimize their operational processes, giving them "more time for the child, to work on creativity, exciting experiences and learning" — it doesn't get better than that!
(Read more: BPM2thePeople Award goes to the BPM project of Signavio partner, bosancic consulting and Kita Am See Großbettlingen)
2013: First partner solution certified: Signavio Process Manager for SAP HANA Cloud
A truly exciting development for the young Signavio — certified partner status with software heavy-weight SAP — marking the beginning of an exciting partnership.
(Read more: Signavio and SAP & the true story)
2012: Second prize — Process Solution Award (German Society for Organization)
Signavio was recognized with second prize at the Process Solution Award for our work with Wiener Wohnen Kundenservice GmbH, a property management company responsible for 220,000 properties in Vienna. Special mention of the project's alignment with customer needs affirmed again Signavio was, and is, on the right path with our simple, collaborative offering.
(Read more: Process Solution Award 2012)
2011: First prize — Process Solution Award (German Society for Organization)
The Process Solution Award recognizes "most innovative and best-in-class process initiative" – with Signavio and 1&1 taking home first prize in the process modeling category for a joint project to better align business and IT at 1&1.
2010: Second prize — Process Solution Award (German Society for Organization)
Signavio was honored to receive second prize at the Process Solution Awards for our joint project with respected public health insurance provider AOK. AOK used Signavio products to implement a shared business platform for their business operations, a project of great strategic importance, helping to make healthcare and its administration more accessible, and improve customer experience.
(Read more: 2nd prize for AOK and Signavio at Process Solution Award)


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By Andrew Betts
Our service men and women are issued body armor systems composed of a carrier, soft panels, and hard plates. One of the most common systems is the IOTV, or Improved Outer Tactical Vest. The military faces different threats than law enforcement does and therefore military body armor is not NIJ rated, but the soft panels are widely said to be roughly equivalent to NIJ level IIIA. That means that they should stand up to a .44 magnum 240 gr jacketed soft point at 1,400 fps with no more than 2.7" of back face deformation in a modeling clay backer.
We wanted to know if the armor would meet that standard so we tested a groin protector panel from an OTV. Be warned, this video might make you cross your legs.
It was interesting that the aramid layers are not stitched around the edges, as they are in many other armor panels. They had just a single stitch in the center. Nevertheless, the groin protector panel came very close to passing this IIIA standard. It stopped the bullet and the back face deformation was only slightly over the standard. Of course, .44 mag is not exactly a common threat on the battlefield.
Military armor is designed with other threats in mind, but it is encouraging to know that our soldiers are protected by excellent armor.


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Home remodeling include many things equivalent to laying new tiles, including new rooms, renovating bogs and kitchens, remodeling rooms, portray and landscaping, just to call a number of. It has been an awesome experience and we might undoubtedly suggest them to friends, household and anyone considering remodeling their dwelling. SmartDraw helps you intend and complete any rework project with intuitive instruments and templates. You will meet the Jackson Design and Remodeling workforce, see our designers at work in the design studio and discover our company's unique method to remodeling your private home.
Our providers embody kitchen remodeling, toilet renovations, normal house remodeling, and interior and exterior repairs and upgrades. The Remodeling Useful resource is an award-successful remodeling firm that is committed to building relationships in addition to providing high quality craftsmanship to homeowners in southeastern Wisconsin.
Jackson Design and Remodeling is an award-winning industry leader with an outstanding portfolio of design and remodeling in San Diego With our unique process for design construct remodeling, we ship distinctive designs and profitable builds that end in a outstanding 98{36d15216a61680efa9b3e78538820991239b950537c01a873814f87c6b7ddaba} consumer satisfaction rating.
Increased circulating parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels improve the activation frequency of bone-remodeling units, leading to elevated osteoclast and osteoblast quantity. Mobile mechanisms of bone remodeling. College students in the Construction and Remodeling program can attend full or part time.
It's the public coverage of this State that to be able to safeguard the life, health, property, and public welfare of its citizens, the business of home restore and remodeling is a matter affecting the general public interest. Their experienced remodeling advisors will come to your private home to debate your remodeling ideas at no cost.


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Motor City Soap is donating 50% of all Etsy sales during the month of March to Freedom House Detroit.
Freedom House is a nonprofit organization in Detroit that provides shelter, legal services and comprehensive social services to asylum seekers fleeing persecution in their home countries. Freedom House recently received news that their HUD funding will not be renewed this year and they are raising money to keep their doors open. Due to this loss in funds, Freedom House has lowered their shelter capacity to 25-30 residents (from 40) and their goal is to raise $100,000 by April 1. In support of these efforts, Motor City Soap will donate 50% of our Etsy shop sales to Freedom House. Visit http://freedomhousedetroit.org to learn more and donate directly to their organization. #refugeeswelcome


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English Tagalog Translation of
In english tagalog dictionary, "irony" is "kabalintunaan". See more translations below.
- irony noun
- kabalintunaan
- ironya
- pambabaligtad
- balintunay
- kabalighuan
- ng bakal
If you know something about this term, share it here. Many people are also searching for information about irony. Help them find it, make them happy.
Let us help each other. Please be polite in asking for help and sharing thoughts. Sort the comments to "Reverse Chronological" to see the latest posts.


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Great leaders are better at controlling their reactions in high-pressure situations. Here are five ways to get yours under control.
By Whitney Sogol (Global Health Consultant)
History suggests that great leaders are better able than others to control their moods and reactions in high-pressure situations. There is a good reason for this. Research shows that moods are contagious and that if a leader shows her team that she is stressed or upset, they are likely to catch her mood faster than a cold, and produce poorer quality work as a result. On the flip side, if she is able to remain calm, her team will probably do the same and excel.
Since humans are not robots, we are all susceptible to intense feelings. So, what do you do when you feel your face turning red and your blood boiling, whether it is the result of something going on inside or outside the office?
I've never had good answers to these question, so I asked a colleague and did a bit of research. What I learned was simple. I was both surprised and a little disappointed it took me so long to figure out.
What is the big reveal on how you should you handle emotions at work? Put some concrete tactics in place. Here are several examples.
- Think ahead. Anticipate what you are going to feel in a particular situation—a meeting, a check-in with your boss, etc.—so that you can better control your response and prepare for how you'll react. For example, if you know you are going to be upset, develop an action plan for what you will do after the encounter, whether that means crying for five minutes in a private bathroom stall, buying yourself a latte or oggling a puppy cam for two to three minutes.
- Take a walk. Before responding to emails, colleague comments or a bosses' irrational deadline, take a walk. Get outside of yourwork environment. You'll be able to respond more professionally and calmly when you get back.
- Ground yourself. Literally. Find somewhere discreet and stomp your feet. Two big stomps should suffice. By putting yourself back in your body and taking yourself out of your head, you can diffuse some of the emotions you are feeling.
- Maintain perspective. You have a life outside your job. If you feel like you don't, you might consider working on creating one. Research shows it will make you more productive and happier. Remind yourself that in the grand scheme of your professionalcareer and life, a given incident is probably just a little blip.
- Breathe. Take three deep breaths, close your eyes and witness what you are feeling. Try to do this without judging yourself. Or, in other words, practice mindfulness. As you likely know, mindfulness and meditation are trending these days largely because the practices seem to work pretty well. I'm no model here. I can barely keep my mind quiet for one second. But there are dozens of experts such as Deepak Chopra, who can help you add this tactic to your toolbox.
We all have feelings, some more rational than others. We all have coping mechanisms to get through our day-to-day. At 30, I am only now learning how to understand and navigate my emotions.
How do you cope?
This post originally appeared on Project Eve.
About the blogger: Whitney Sogol is a global health consultant in New York. You can finder her through her blog, on Twitter (@whitsogs) or via email (firstname.lastname@example.com). She resides in Brooklyn.


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The Upper Owens River – Located just 15 minutes from Mammoth Lakes, the Upper Owens River is open year round and has abundant populations of resident and migratory Brown and Rainbow Trout, along with the occasional Cutthroat Trout. The Upper Owens is a Spring Creek that can offer many varieties of techniques for all anglers. It is set with breath taking views of the Eastern Sierra while it meanders through the valley floor. Tall grass surrounds the river, providing great hopper fishing opportunities in the later summer months. The Upper Owens River is the largest tributary to Crowley Lake.
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The Lower Owens River – The Lower Owens River is located 40 minutes south of Mammoth Lakes and is a premier Wild Trout fishery. This tail water fishery boasts high populations of wild Brown Trout and is open year round. Being that it is almost 4,000 feet lower in elevation than the town of Mammoth Lakes, it provides a mild climate during the winter months for comfortable fishing conditions in the dead of winter. This is the only river the Mammoth Lakes area has to offer for drift boat fishing. One can walk and wade this remarkable fishery, as well as float it when the flows are conducive for drift boating. If you are looking for great trout fishing during the winter and spring months, this is the place to be when the other higher elevation fisheries can have snow on the banks.
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Hour of Hot Power // Vinyasa - Open Level
September 29 (Tuesday) at 5:40 pm
6 spots left
Kristine Ragus
Class length
1 hour
Power yoga is a strong, athletic form of yoga. You'll find lots of standing leg strengthening poses, leg balances, arm balances, hip and hamstring openers, spine openers and a whole lot more.
Core strength is always a focus, and you'll move everything from your fingertips to your toes. This is a serious full-body 'workout' – all the muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, organs and systems of the body.
Usually these classes are a great challenge.You'll learn to breathe with all of your lungs, not just the top bit. It will also provide a great opportunity to de-stress as you don't get a chance to think of anything else except the pose you're in.
We finish with a short Savasana to reset and rejuvenate the body, and when you do get back to those stressful things, they often don't seem quite so bad.
Class is heated to a toasty 32 degrees with our Infrared Heating
Open Level - Suggest 2-3 months of practice. Or have completed a beginner course
Sorry - that class has already taken place!


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- Code: 1281
- Type: Houses
- Bedrooms: 1
- Bathrooms: 2
- Floor Area: 100 m 2
- Stories number: 2
- Year Built:
- District: City Center
Beautiful House plus Classroom For Rent in Danang (Code 1281)
Hai Chau District – City Center.
The 3-story house includes a parking area, classroom, living room, 1 bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. The house's area is 100sqm (HOUSE VIDEO TOUR BELOW)
1st floor: Spacious parking area inside the house, a classroom with 15 tables (tenant could add more), 1wc and storeroom.
2nd floor: Living room, modern and fully equipped kitchen, next to the kitchen is a space for planting trees or doing exercise, 1 roomy and modern bedroom with a big door and many windows, outside the door is a space decorated with many plants and flowers which make tenants feel comfortable and relax.
3rd floor: Large terrace and laundry area, an empty area which is suitable for working or doing whatever.
The house is located in a friendly residential area and near the local market, supermarkets, coffee shops…100m to Nguyen Tat Thanh Beach. Therefore, this house is the best choice for those who want to have private classes and also feel homey.
Rental price:
For staying only: 12 mil VND/month – about $530/month
For both staying and teaching: 15 mil VND/month – about $660/month
[Beautiful House plus Classroom For Rent in Danang] Tour Video
If you are landlords having a House for rent, Apartment for rent or Villa for rent. Please send your information to the link below and we will upload at the soonest.
Our Facebook fan page: House rental Danang – Hoi An Or Email us: [email protected]
Thank you, Vincent!
Nếu bạn là chủ nhà, có nhà, căn hộ, villa… muốn cho thuê, xin vui lòng inbox thông tin, admin sẽ upload lên House Rental Danang Website và House Rental Danang – Hoi An Facebook Fanpage trong trong thời gian sớm nhất. Xin cảm ơn!


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Terminix Incorporated
- Snake Removal in Winona Lake, IN
- Ant control in Claypool, IN
- Cockroach Exterminator in Warsaw, IN
|Business Categories
|Pest Control in Warsaw, IN
This will be answered when you ask if all employees are licensed. The only way to obtain a legitimate tradesman's license is to be a legal or naturalized citizen of the US. The company may employ people in positions that don't require a license, however, so it's wise to inquire.
Always ask for references, and always check them. Keep in mind though that the only references you'll get are people who the contractor is certain will give him a good review. You'd also be well advised to check online review sources in Warsaw as well, which will give you a broader view of customer satisfaction for a given company.
Some companies may require a 10% deposit, some may not require any. For larger projects, you'll almost always need to give a deposit, and it's good to ask how much the deposit will be before going forward with a project. The Warsaw contractor will know how much they need for a deposit when they've given you the estimate, so ask early.
This is very important, since an estimate is just that. Many contractors will submit a "paper estimate", meaning they've written the estimate down on paper. The bill is the true amount owed and will almost always say "Invoice" or "Bill" at the top of the page. The bill should also list the date it was issued, the due date of payment, and a list of services rendered.
Many jobs in Indiana will require municipal permits in order to be approved by the town's inspector. It's always good to ask who will be responsible for pulling those permits, and if you'll be expected to do it. You'll almost never be told to pull your own, but knowing that Warsaw Pest Control permits are required makes you appear to be a well informed customer.


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NEW YORK, June 28, 2013 LawFuel.com – The Law Firm Newswire Service — Pomerantz Grossman Hufford Dahlstrom & Gross LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against Delcath Systems, Inc. ("Delcath" or the "Company") (DCTH) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 13 CIV 3116, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired securities of Delcath between April 21, 2010 and May 2, 2013, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). This class action seeks to recover damages against the Company and certain of its officers and directors as a result of alleged violations of the federal securities laws pursuant to Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.
If you are a shareholder who purchased Delcath securities during the Class Period, you have until July 8, 2013 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at firstname.lastname@example.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, x237. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. There is no out of pocket cost to you for your participation.
Delcath Systems, Inc. operates as a specialty pharmaceutical and medical device company focusing on the field of oncology. The company's proprietary technology enables the administration of high-dose chemotherapy and other therapeutic agents to diseased organs or regions of the body, while controlling the systemic exposure of those agents.
The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company's New Drug Application ("NDA") for Melblez Kit, Melblez (melphalan) for Injection for use with the (Delcath Hepatic Delivery System), for the treatment of patients with unresectable ocular melanoma metastatic to the liver contained risks including substantial and severe toxicity and deaths associated with the drug's adverse reactions; and (2) the Company's manufacturing facilities were in violation of Current Good Manufacturing Practices ("cGMP").
On February 22, 2011, the Company disclosed that it had received a "refusal to file" letter from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration ("FDA") for its NDA for its proprietary chemosaturation system. The letter "requested information involving manufacturing plant inspection timing, product and sterilization validations and additional safety information […] as well as additional statistical analysis clarification." On this news, Delcath shares plummeted $4.29 or 38%, to close at $7.01 per share.
On April 30, 2013, the FDA published briefing documents ahead of a May 2, 2013 meeting by the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee ("ODAC"). The briefing documents concluded, among other things, that "substantial evidence of effectiveness in adequate and well controlled clinical trials utilizing the proposed drug-device combination product and a favorable benefit risk profile is required for approval." Moreover, the briefing documents revealed that a staggering 7% of the 122 patients treated with the Melbaz kit died as a result of the treatment. On this news, Delcath shares declined $0.558 per share or over 40%, to close at $0.832 per share on April 30, 2013.
On May 2, 2013, the Company announced that the ODAC voted 16 to 0 that benefits of treatment with Delcath's Melblez Kit do not outweigh the risks associated with the procedure. On this news, Delcath shares declined $0.3326 per share or nearly 42%, to close at $0.46 per share on May 3, 2013.
The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and San Diego, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 70 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.


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14-3-3eta (η) Protein — A New Biomarker for Rheumatoid Arthritis
An estimated 1.5 million adults suffer from rheumatoid arthritis in the United States, with the incidence two to three times higher in women than men.1 It is a condition that significantly compromises quality of life, and can increase the risk of premature death.1 Early detection is critical to avoid the severe consequences of disease progression.
Extracellular 14-3-3η protein is a biomarker, recently shown to be associated with joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis and in psoriatic arthritis. Dr. Walter Maksymowych, Consultant Rheumatologist and Professor of Medicine, University of Alberta, describes the pathophysiology of 14-3-3η, and discusses its role in enhancing early diagnosis for patients with inflammatory arthritis.
The Challenge of Early Diagnosis
Dr. Maksymowych notes that one of the challenges in the field of inflammatory arthritis, especially at the primary care level, has been the limited number of diagnostic tests available. He notes that there is relatively limited training for primary care physicians with respect to the diagnostic evaluation of musculoskeletal diseases in general, and the identification of inflammatory joint disorders in particular, resulting in patients presenting with more advanced disease.
"Early diagnosis is particularly important because of the necessity for early and intensive intervention to prevent joint damage," notes Dr. Maksymowych. "We want to capture patients at an early stage before there is evidence of joint damage."
Current Diagnostic Approaches
The current approach to diagnostic testing is based on diagnostic markers such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP). "The limitation of these tests," says Dr. Maksymowych "is that they often identify overlapping groups of patients. We need to go beyond that group to those patients who are negative for these biomarkers, and expand the potential group of patients who can be detected using simple laboratory measures. Because training in recognition and critical evaluation of patients with musculoskeletal disorders is limited, we need additional diagnostic tools to capture this patient population that are also feasible in primary care."
Early diagnosis for these patients is critical to limit the potentially severe consequences of disease progression. "There's a substantial literature which shows that diagnostic delay results in worse outcomes, both functionally as well as radiographically," says Dr. Maksymowych. "Patients are more likely to have significant joint damage, even with diagnostic delays as short as six to nine months. So, it's incumbent on physicians to diagnose these patients early and to start them on disease modifying therapies early, as these have a major impact on disease progression."
14-3-3η Protein
One new diagnostic tool to aid in the early identification of inflammatory arthritis is based on the detection of the protein 14-3-3η. As Dr. Maksymowych explains, "14-3-3η is a protein involved in many intracellular functions from cell proliferation to regulating the intracellular communication networks that are involved in various inflammatory processes relevant to rheumatoid arthritis. 14-3-3η is one of seven members of the 14-3-3 family and is typically an intracellular protein, but what's of interest in inflammatory arthritis is that there is an extracellular form that is secreted."
"What's of particular interest," he continues, "is that there is only one specific isoform - the eta (η) isoform – present in the extracellular fluid, specifically the synovial fluid, of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It's present in much higher quantities in synovial fluid than in peripheral serum but it's still readily detectable in the peripheral serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It's also detectable in patients with erosive psoriatic arthritis."2
"So this is quite an interesting protein that has not been previously linked in any way with rheumatoid arthritis but is present in abundant quantities in the synovial fluid, is clearly produced somewhere in the joint and can be measured in patient serum. We believe it's being produced by synovial fibroblasts, and probably synovial macrophages, and is present in patients with inflammatory synovitis. We also think it's produced by the release from exosomes, and that it acts as an inflammatory mediator, for example in stimulating the production of metalloproteinases and in the production of various other proinflammatory cytokines."
A New Diagnostic Tool
A new diagnostic tool is now available based on the detection of 14-3-3η."There is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that's a highly reproducible test to detect the 14-3-3η protein in fairly small quantities,"3 notes Dr. Maksymowych. "
Clinical Application
"I think that 14-3-3η is a test that should be viewed as a red flag in a patient with joint problems," says Dr. Maksymowych. "If this, or any of the established tests, is positive in a patient with peripheral joint pain, that patient should be considered for further rheumatological evaluation. Similarly, the importance to the rheumatologist is that if the test is positive in a patient presenting with an undefined rheumatic disease with peripheral joint pain, the rheumatologist should be thinking about the possibility of rheumatoid arthritis and at the very least should have a further follow-up planned, even if no specific treatment measures need to be instituted immediately."
Addressing Unmet Needs
Looking ahead Dr. Maksymowych highlights two unmet needs that need to be addressed. "The first one is in the very early disease setting. There is an unmet need to have a broader array of diagnostic tools in patients presenting with arthralgias, as opposed to clear-cut physical signs of synovitis."
"The second major area is in patient assessment and prognosis. Patients destined to progress rapidly comprise an important sub-set, particularly those less likely to respond to disease modifying therapies such as methotrexate. We know that about two thirds of patients do very well on methotrexate, but a third do not and their disease progresses. It would be helpful to understand who is more likely to progress on standard disease modifying therapies, and who is not. So, the identification of prognostic sub-groups is a very important unmet need and that's where a lot of the testing with 14-3-3η is currently proceeding."
- Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid.htm Accessed on April 8, 2013
- Maksymowych W, Landewe R, van der Heijde D, Tak P, Marotta A; Serum 14-3-3: A Rheumatoid Arthritis Biomarker. [abstract]. Arthritis Rheum 2011;63 Suppl 10 :358 DOI:
- Maksymowych et al. Validation of prognostic biomarkers for RA: Testing of 14-3-3 eta according to OMERACT soluble biomarker criteria. Arthritis Rheum. 2012. 64 Suppl 10:2118.
- van der Heijde D., Landewé R, Allaart C., Tak P P, A. Marotta, Maksymowych W. 14-3-3η Is An Independent Predictor Of Joint Damage That Complements Crp And Anti-Ccp. Presented at EULAR 2012 Abstract Number 0275
Released on Tuesday, April 16, 2013