text:
Shop at KLM and Get Deals!
Let's go shopping at duty-free KLM online shop! Buy goods $30 OFF and save money!
10% OFF Qatar Duty Free Voucher!
Check-in online for your next Qatar Airways flight and you'll receive a 10% discount voucher that can be redeemed at participating Qatar Duty Free stores at Hamad International Airport, Doha.
Register your account with Cheap O Air and receive $20 off promo code! Click to go to the website and enjoy!
Get some extra space for your legs and enjoy your travel! Don't miss out on an opportunity to save 25% on the bonus legroom. Learn more on the main page and book now!

lowercased:
shop at klm and get deals!
let's go shopping at duty-free klm online shop! buy goods $30 off and save money!
10% off qatar duty free voucher!
check-in online for your next qatar airways flight and you'll receive a 10% discount voucher that can be redeemed at participating qatar duty free stores at hamad international airport, doha.
register your account with cheap o air and receive $20 off promo code! click to go to the website and enjoy!
get some extra space for your legs and enjoy your travel! don't miss out on an opportunity to save 25% on the bonus legroom. learn more on the main page and book now!


text:
People comment all the time that doctors are “terrible”… whenever two, or more… get together, they seem not to know how to speak about anything else but work.
Well, may be it is true, but… the truth, the real truth is that I do not understand why people consider it to be surprising. The reason I do not understand is because, beyond all possible doubts, health is the number one conversation subject for… everyone!
Let us take a little time to consider this idea seriously!
Remember the last time you went to the hairdresser (or to the barber…) or when queueing at a public office, the coffe shop, the beach, or at the cinema interval… Tell me, was “someone” not always there telling “someone else” all about a list of diseases that this person had been suffering from for the last ten years of their lives (at least…) and at the same time the other someone is trying to bring up all their possible ailments, in a way they would not feel they were less than the other person.
Well, if there is nothing really relevant in their own medical past and present, there will certainly be someone in the family or closest friends that they remember having already had a disease, or an operation, or “something” worth speaking of, so that they are not left behind without a subject to follow the conversation.
Health is indeed the most important thing in our lives.
That is what doctors do, maintain health, improve health.
They deal with the most precisous “thing” for humanity. They have the power to intervene, change, improve your health… hopefully.
To speak frankly, doctors have the capacity to interfere with life, everybody’s life.
It is not easy. It is hard, almost superhuman to take decisions when interfering with life.
May be it is because there are very difficult decisions they have to take, that doctors like to exchange ideas, experiences, whenever they have a chance. Because diseases are in the books but the patients are not, patients are unique, each one “interprets” and reacts to the same disease in a different way, each one does it their own way. That is why the “road” that patients and doctors have to drive down together, to achieve their ultimate goal, health, is full of non signalised bumps and holes, tricky curbs an sliding pavements.
As unity is strength, the doctor/patient team has to be close, united and with a strong cumplicity.
It is essential to assess the risks and benefits of every decision never forgeting that there are some patients that we will not be able to help but there are none that we can not possibly harm.
Medicine besides being a science is also an art and a lot of sensibility, intuition and heart are needed in order to take decisions that will turn science more human, more adjusted to each patient’s reallity and that will help them to live life the best way possible… their own way.
Prescribing medicines is a very relevant part of all the decisions that have to be taken and for that it is important to really know well the one they are being given to.
The word “doctor” is derived from the Latin “docere,” which means “to teach.” We must do this daily as we deliver care to our patients. But, as we do it, we are learning as well. We are learning how to know, how to catch the “feeling” of a person, we are learning from the patient how to personalise care. The patient must not hide anything from the one they seek help from and there has to be, above all, trust and belief in the guidance they are offered, but never blind trust or dogmatic irrational belief. In some situations second opinions are mandatory and should be offered by your own health care provider.
It is usually said that “two heads think better than one”…and I would like to add… if they think together, with open, cooperative minds. Several heads thinking separately only create confusion, and endanger the outcome of treatment. That is why shopping around for health is dangerous. The choice has to be grounded on facts, knowledge and experience, and… your own “taste”. Like when choosing the boutique that offers you that special line of fashion that suits your body… and mind! As you keep returning, they will have the feeling of what you need and what fits you, making everything easier.
When your health care team knows you well enough they can offer you an adequate, personalised and balanced view of therapeutic benefits and harms and more realistic explanations of what treatments they have to offer, generating more active and trusting relationships.
Then, hopefully, things will turn out well.

lowercased:
people comment all the time that doctors are “terrible”… whenever two, or more… get together, they seem not to know how to speak about anything else but work.
well, may be it is true, but… the truth, the real truth is that i do not understand why people consider it to be surprising. the reason i do not understand is because, beyond all possible doubts, health is the number one conversation subject for… everyone!
let us take a little time to consider this idea seriously!
remember the last time you went to the hairdresser (or to the barber…) or when queueing at a public office, the coffe shop, the beach, or at the cinema interval… tell me, was “someone” not always there telling “someone else” all about a list of diseases that this person had been suffering from for the last ten years of their lives (at least…) and at the same time the other someone is trying to bring up all their possible ailments, in a way they would not feel they were less than the other person.
well, if there is nothing really relevant in their own medical past and present, there will certainly be someone in the family or closest friends that they remember having already had a disease, or an operation, or “something” worth speaking of, so that they are not left behind without a subject to follow the conversation.
health is indeed the most important thing in our lives.
that is what doctors do, maintain health, improve health.
they deal with the most precisous “thing” for humanity. they have the power to intervene, change, improve your health… hopefully.
to speak frankly, doctors have the capacity to interfere with life, everybody’s life.
it is not easy. it is hard, almost superhuman to take decisions when interfering with life.
may be it is because there are very difficult decisions they have to take, that doctors like to exchange ideas, experiences, whenever they have a chance. because diseases are in the books but the patients are not, patients are unique, each one “interprets” and reacts to the same disease in a different way, each one does it their own way. that is why the “road” that patients and doctors have to drive down together, to achieve their ultimate goal, health, is full of non signalised bumps and holes, tricky curbs an sliding pavements.
as unity is strength, the doctor/patient team has to be close, united and with a strong cumplicity.
it is essential to assess the risks and benefits of every decision never forgeting that there are some patients that we will not be able to help but there are none that we can not possibly harm.
medicine besides being a science is also an art and a lot of sensibility, intuition and heart are needed in order to take decisions that will turn science more human, more adjusted to each patient’s reallity and that will help them to live life the best way possible… their own way.
prescribing medicines is a very relevant part of all the decisions that have to be taken and for that it is important to really know well the one they are being given to.
the word “doctor” is derived from the latin “docere,” which means “to teach.” we must do this daily as we deliver care to our patients. but, as we do it, we are learning as well. we are learning how to know, how to catch the “feeling” of a person, we are learning from the patient how to personalise care. the patient must not hide anything from the one they seek help from and there has to be, above all, trust and belief in the guidance they are offered, but never blind trust or dogmatic irrational belief. in some situations second opinions are mandatory and should be offered by your own health care provider.
it is usually said that “two heads think better than one”…and i would like to add… if they think together, with open, cooperative minds. several heads thinking separately only create confusion, and endanger the outcome of treatment. that is why shopping around for health is dangerous. the choice has to be grounded on facts, knowledge and experience, and… your own “taste”. like when choosing the boutique that offers you that special line of fashion that suits your body… and mind! as you keep returning, they will have the feeling of what you need and what fits you, making everything easier.
when your health care team knows you well enough they can offer you an adequate, personalised and balanced view of therapeutic benefits and harms and more realistic explanations of what treatments they have to offer, generating more active and trusting relationships.
then, hopefully, things will turn out well.


text:
Many payment service providers and firms operating within the industry, whether directly or as a consequence of outsourcing arrangements, are likely to be affected by the recent CJEU ruling on the invalidity of the Safe Habor arrangement.
For the past 15 years the Safe Habor program has provided a mechanism for the lawful transmission of personal data to US entities that had signed up to and complied with the Safe Harbor principles agreed between the European Commission and the US government (Commission Decision 2000/520/EC).
Following the 2013 leak of the details of the mass surveillance of European individuals being undertaken by US authorities, privacy activist Maximilian Schrems complained to the Irish Data Protection Commissioner. He submitted that Facebook was not able to ensure an EU-standard level of protection when transferring data to servers in the US. Following an appeal, the complaint was referred to the CJEU for consideration.
a data protection regulator must be able to exercise its independence to suspend a transfer if it finds that the protections offered to European individuals are inadequate – i.e. it is not necessarily bound by a European Commission decision of adequacy.
The decision has implications for any company transferring personal data from the EU to the US, whether itself or by virtue of using particular affiliates or suppliers.
In response to the decision, the EU’s Article 29 working party has issued a formal statement with its initial guidance. The working party is composed of representatives of the national data protection authorities of each EU Member State, the European Data Protection Supervisor and the European Commission. The European Commission has also provided remarks on the CJEU’s judgment, which are consistent with the working party statement.
The national data protection authorities in the EU Member States believe a robust, collective and common position on the implementation of the CJEU judgment is required.
Transfers taking place purely on the basis of Safe Harbor are unlawful.
A new, negotiated Safe Harbor 2.0 (i.e. a new Safe Habor) could be part of the solution in the future.
In the meantime, the Article 29 working party will continue to analyse other available transfer tools. During this period, the EU Model Clauses (also known as Standard Contractual Clauses) and Binding Corporate Rules can still be used to legitimise cross-border transfers.
These alternative transfer mechanisms may be subject to investigation by local data protection authorities to protect individuals in “particular cases”, for example where a complaint is made.
The working party also mentions the end of January 2016 as a date by which EU Member States and institutions need to find an alternative long-term solution with the US authorities (such as Safe Harbor 2.0). If a solution does not emerge by that time, then, subject to the working party’s ongoing analysis, national data protection authorities are committed to taking further action (which may include coordinated enforcement action).
The Deputy Commissioner and Director of Data Protection at the Information Commissioner’s Office (the ICO) in the UK has blogged on the judgment, confirming that existing decisions on the adequacy of particular countries and on EU Model Clauses can still be relied on. He also confirmed that the ICO will not be rushing to use its enforcement powers, indicating that companies will have some breathing space to assess their position particularly whilst discussions to find appropriate political, legal and technical solutions, including a new Safe Harbor framework, continue.
Put in place EU Model Clauses.
Inform data subjects and get their consent.
Update external and internal policies.
It will also be important to keep the position under review as further guidance from data protection regulators is anticipated.
From a payments perspective, authorised payment and electronic money institutions may face an additional layer of regulatory scrutiny from the FCA (noting particularly the greater powers of the FCA to penalise firms). Although not specifically part of its mandate, our experience suggests that the FCA does consider data protection to fall within its general regulatory framework and has demonstrated a willingness to investigate how payment firms store, process and transfer data outside of the EU.

lowercased:
many payment service providers and firms operating within the industry, whether directly or as a consequence of outsourcing arrangements, are likely to be affected by the recent cjeu ruling on the invalidity of the safe habor arrangement.
for the past 15 years the safe habor program has provided a mechanism for the lawful transmission of personal data to us entities that had signed up to and complied with the safe harbor principles agreed between the european commission and the us government (commission decision 2000/520/ec).
following the 2013 leak of the details of the mass surveillance of european individuals being undertaken by us authorities, privacy activist maximilian schrems complained to the irish data protection commissioner. he submitted that facebook was not able to ensure an eu-standard level of protection when transferring data to servers in the us. following an appeal, the complaint was referred to the cjeu for consideration.
a data protection regulator must be able to exercise its independence to suspend a transfer if it finds that the protections offered to european individuals are inadequate – i.e. it is not necessarily bound by a european commission decision of adequacy.
the decision has implications for any company transferring personal data from the eu to the us, whether itself or by virtue of using particular affiliates or suppliers.
in response to the decision, the eu’s article 29 working party has issued a formal statement with its initial guidance. the working party is composed of representatives of the national data protection authorities of each eu member state, the european data protection supervisor and the european commission. the european commission has also provided remarks on the cjeu’s judgment, which are consistent with the working party statement.
the national data protection authorities in the eu member states believe a robust, collective and common position on the implementation of the cjeu judgment is required.
transfers taking place purely on the basis of safe harbor are unlawful.
a new, negotiated safe harbor 2.0 (i.e. a new safe habor) could be part of the solution in the future.
in the meantime, the article 29 working party will continue to analyse other available transfer tools. during this period, the eu model clauses (also known as standard contractual clauses) and binding corporate rules can still be used to legitimise cross-border transfers.
these alternative transfer mechanisms may be subject to investigation by local data protection authorities to protect individuals in “particular cases”, for example where a complaint is made.
the working party also mentions the end of january 2016 as a date by which eu member states and institutions need to find an alternative long-term solution with the us authorities (such as safe harbor 2.0). if a solution does not emerge by that time, then, subject to the working party’s ongoing analysis, national data protection authorities are committed to taking further action (which may include coordinated enforcement action).
the deputy commissioner and director of data protection at the information commissioner’s office (the ico) in the uk has blogged on the judgment, confirming that existing decisions on the adequacy of particular countries and on eu model clauses can still be relied on. he also confirmed that the ico will not be rushing to use its enforcement powers, indicating that companies will have some breathing space to assess their position particularly whilst discussions to find appropriate political, legal and technical solutions, including a new safe harbor framework, continue.
put in place eu model clauses.
inform data subjects and get their consent.
update external and internal policies.
it will also be important to keep the position under review as further guidance from data protection regulators is anticipated.
from a payments perspective, authorised payment and electronic money institutions may face an additional layer of regulatory scrutiny from the fca (noting particularly the greater powers of the fca to penalise firms). although not specifically part of its mandate, our experience suggests that the fca does consider data protection to fall within its general regulatory framework and has demonstrated a willingness to investigate how payment firms store, process and transfer data outside of the eu.


text:
Continuing its programme of commissioning sacred music, the Genesis Foundation premiered its latest work, by Stephen Hough, at the British Museum on Tuesday 13 March in a concert celebrating the exhibition Living with gods: people, places and worlds beyond.
Hallowed was the focal point of a concert designed to complement the British Museum’s Living with gods exhibition, supported by John Studzinski and the Genesis Foundation. Presented by the Genesis Foundation, the programme of sacred music was performed by its long-term partners Harry Christophers and The Sixteen in the Parthenon Gallery of the British Museum.
Living with gods: peoples, places and worlds beyond closes on 8 April 2018. Click here to book tickets.
For more information on the Genesis Foundation’s collaboration with the British Museum click here.
For more information on the Genesis Foundation’s commissions, click here.

lowercased:
continuing its programme of commissioning sacred music, the genesis foundation premiered its latest work, by stephen hough, at the british museum on tuesday 13 march in a concert celebrating the exhibition living with gods: people, places and worlds beyond.
hallowed was the focal point of a concert designed to complement the british museum’s living with gods exhibition, supported by john studzinski and the genesis foundation. presented by the genesis foundation, the programme of sacred music was performed by its long-term partners harry christophers and the sixteen in the parthenon gallery of the british museum.
living with gods: peoples, places and worlds beyond closes on 8 april 2018. click here to book tickets.
for more information on the genesis foundation’s collaboration with the british museum click here.
for more information on the genesis foundation’s commissions, click here.


text:
Last month at Detroit it was all about the new , but the automaker has not forgotten about the smaller and popular Sportage. Making its official debut here at the 2019 Chicago Auto is the which features updated exterior styling, a new trim level, and more convenience features.
The refreshed exterior sports new headlights with optional LED turn indicators, redesigned projector-beam fog lights, and even available LED headlights and fog lights. Kia enhanced the current generation Sportage’s Euro-inspired design rather than changing it completely, and we think this was the right move. Notice the new front grille, bumper, air intake, and skid plate along with new alloy wheel designs.
Out back, there’s a restyled bumper and skid plate. Kia even went as far as to redesign smaller details like the exhaust tip and tail light trim. Paint colors apparently carry-over from the current model, with one exception: the addition of metallic Steel Grey.
Engine offerings are the same as they are now: a standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder good for 181 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque or the optional 2.0-liter turbocharged four with 240 hp and 260 lb-ft. Both engines are paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox sending power to the front wheels. All-wheel-drive remains optional.
Prospective buyers will be pleased to hear that Kia is making available several driver assist features for 2020, among them driver attention warning, lane keeping assist, smart cruise control with start/stop, forward collision assist with pedestrian detection, and high beam assist.
Official pricing and an on-sale date will be announced in a few months.

lowercased:
last month at detroit it was all about the new , but the automaker has not forgotten about the smaller and popular sportage. making its official debut here at the 2019 chicago auto is the which features updated exterior styling, a new trim level, and more convenience features.
the refreshed exterior sports new headlights with optional led turn indicators, redesigned projector-beam fog lights, and even available led headlights and fog lights. kia enhanced the current generation sportage’s euro-inspired design rather than changing it completely, and we think this was the right move. notice the new front grille, bumper, air intake, and skid plate along with new alloy wheel designs.
out back, there’s a restyled bumper and skid plate. kia even went as far as to redesign smaller details like the exhaust tip and tail light trim. paint colors apparently carry-over from the current model, with one exception: the addition of metallic steel grey.
engine offerings are the same as they are now: a standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder good for 181 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque or the optional 2.0-liter turbocharged four with 240 hp and 260 lb-ft. both engines are paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox sending power to the front wheels. all-wheel-drive remains optional.
prospective buyers will be pleased to hear that kia is making available several driver assist features for 2020, among them driver attention warning, lane keeping assist, smart cruise control with start/stop, forward collision assist with pedestrian detection, and high beam assist.
official pricing and an on-sale date will be announced in a few months.


text:
Posted by Tyson Lund on Friday, January 2nd, 2015 at 12:45pm.
We’re giving you a first look into this beautiful professionally designed and architected Bressi Ranch home, before it goes on the market. The home has been elegantly upgraded inside and out for the ultimate in luxury, yet with easy maintenance in mind.
The completely landscaped, relaxing front yard begins with a gently sloped brick walkway leading to the romantic sitting area with grape arbor and porch swing. Energy efficient lighting, ecological landscaping, and water sprinkler system make this area almost effortless to maintain and easy to enjoy year round.
The unique curved brickwork leads naturally to the front door that opens into the dramatic and elegant entry to the home. 18” Travertine tiles with diamond accents and classic chandelier lead the eye to the formal dining room with garden views. Travel from there through the butler’s pantry to the gourmet cook’s dream kitchen with granite counter tops and backsplash, dark wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, and island with breakfast bar.
Just off the kitchen is the cozy breakfast nook and built-in office area, as well as the sizable family room. Featuring a brick mantel with fireplace and built-in entertainment center, this is a great area to spend quality time. Plantation shutters provide privacy on most of the windows of the home.
The second floor begins with plenty of built-in storage with dark wood linen cabinets and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves near the loft. The spacious master suite has a large bedroom area with views of the garden below and an impressive bathroom with his and her sinks, large soaking tub, and separate shower.
The home also features a large garage with built-in cabinets and epoxy finished floor for easy clean up.
Outside, the backyard has been newly landscaped and offers wonderful privacy. With new pavers, irrigation, drainage, and lighting this outdoor retreat is ready for your family to enjoy. The three-tiered garden has a walkway and steps for convenient access to the 20 dwarf fruit trees, strawberry plants, and vegetable garden, all of which has been covered with the highest quality mulch to ensure minimum weeds and maintenance.
The first of three outdoor seating areas is the covered porch with overhead lighting and sound system access, perfect for entertaining. Further into the yard is a built-in gas BBQ with marble tile counter top and table for 4, all adjacent to the gas fireplace. The sod lawn has a new irrigation system and the paved sun patio round out this outdoor retreat.
See more pictures of this amazing home or call The Lund Team today at (760) 438-0800 to schedule your private walk through.

lowercased:
posted by tyson lund on friday, january 2nd, 2015 at 12:45pm.
we’re giving you a first look into this beautiful professionally designed and architected bressi ranch home, before it goes on the market. the home has been elegantly upgraded inside and out for the ultimate in luxury, yet with easy maintenance in mind.
the completely landscaped, relaxing front yard begins with a gently sloped brick walkway leading to the romantic sitting area with grape arbor and porch swing. energy efficient lighting, ecological landscaping, and water sprinkler system make this area almost effortless to maintain and easy to enjoy year round.
the unique curved brickwork leads naturally to the front door that opens into the dramatic and elegant entry to the home. 18” travertine tiles with diamond accents and classic chandelier lead the eye to the formal dining room with garden views. travel from there through the butler’s pantry to the gourmet cook’s dream kitchen with granite counter tops and backsplash, dark wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, and island with breakfast bar.
just off the kitchen is the cozy breakfast nook and built-in office area, as well as the sizable family room. featuring a brick mantel with fireplace and built-in entertainment center, this is a great area to spend quality time. plantation shutters provide privacy on most of the windows of the home.
the second floor begins with plenty of built-in storage with dark wood linen cabinets and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves near the loft. the spacious master suite has a large bedroom area with views of the garden below and an impressive bathroom with his and her sinks, large soaking tub, and separate shower.
the home also features a large garage with built-in cabinets and epoxy finished floor for easy clean up.
outside, the backyard has been newly landscaped and offers wonderful privacy. with new pavers, irrigation, drainage, and lighting this outdoor retreat is ready for your family to enjoy. the three-tiered garden has a walkway and steps for convenient access to the 20 dwarf fruit trees, strawberry plants, and vegetable garden, all of which has been covered with the highest quality mulch to ensure minimum weeds and maintenance.
the first of three outdoor seating areas is the covered porch with overhead lighting and sound system access, perfect for entertaining. further into the yard is a built-in gas bbq with marble tile counter top and table for 4, all adjacent to the gas fireplace. the sod lawn has a new irrigation system and the paved sun patio round out this outdoor retreat.
see more pictures of this amazing home or call the lund team today at (760) 438-0800 to schedule your private walk through.


text:
The SureCall TriFlex2Go-A mobile signal booster kit features a powerful 50 dB tri-band amplifier that will boost the Voice and 3G networks from all carriers and the 4G LTE networks from AT&T & US Cellular. The TriFlex2Go will improve call clarity, reduce dropped calls, and improve data speeds for multiple phones simultaneously.
The SureCall TriFlex2Go-A for Voice, 3G and AT&T & US Cellular 4G LTE is a professional grade cell phone signal booster that features that fastest 4G LTE data rates and a 3 year manufacturer's warranty, the longest in the industry. The TriFlex2Go is designed for Cars, Trucks, RVs, Boats, and other vehicles and features Automatic Gain Control (AGC), which allows the amplifier to continue boosting even while the outside signal strength is constantly changing. In addition to AGC, the TriFlex2Go also features manual gain control knobs allowing you to fine-tune the output power of the amplifier to work best in your vehicle. The rugged metal amplifier casing helps to dissipate heat while protecting the amplifier from bumps in the road and other objects in the vehicle.

lowercased:
the surecall triflex2go-a mobile signal booster kit features a powerful 50 db tri-band amplifier that will boost the voice and 3g networks from all carriers and the 4g lte networks from at&t & us cellular. the triflex2go will improve call clarity, reduce dropped calls, and improve data speeds for multiple phones simultaneously.
the surecall triflex2go-a for voice, 3g and at&t & us cellular 4g lte is a professional grade cell phone signal booster that features that fastest 4g lte data rates and a 3 year manufacturer's warranty, the longest in the industry. the triflex2go is designed for cars, trucks, rvs, boats, and other vehicles and features automatic gain control (agc), which allows the amplifier to continue boosting even while the outside signal strength is constantly changing. in addition to agc, the triflex2go also features manual gain control knobs allowing you to fine-tune the output power of the amplifier to work best in your vehicle. the rugged metal amplifier casing helps to dissipate heat while protecting the amplifier from bumps in the road and other objects in the vehicle.


text: The disappearance of Thailand under several metres of water in the annual floods marks the end of the 2010-2011 caving season. Overall it has been a fairly quiet season without any major caving expeditions. However, much useful work has been done including the first cave dives in central Thailand and the exploration of two major caves in Chiang Mai and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

lowercased: the disappearance of thailand under several metres of water in the annual floods marks the end of the 2010-2011 caving season. overall it has been a fairly quiet season without any major caving expeditions. however, much useful work has been done including the first cave dives in central thailand and the exploration of two major caves in chiang mai and nakhon si thammarat.


text:
IRG member David Ucko has a paper published in the October edition of the Conflict, Security & Development journal, entitled Militias, Tribes and Insurgents: The Challenge of Political Reintegration in Iraq. The paper provides a valuable case study of the central role played in post-conflict state-building and counterinsurgency by the reintegration of armed sub-state groups into the political process, and focuses on the evolution of the US approach in Iraq since 2003.
Following its overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the United States was confronted with one of the most complex state-building enterprises of recent history. A central component of state building, emphasised in the literature yet given scant attention at the time of the invasion, is the process of political reintegration: the transformation of armed groups into political actors willing to participate peacefully in the political future of the country. In Iraq, political reintegration was a particularly important challenge, relating both to the armed forces of the disposed regime and to the Kurdish and Shia militias eager to play a role in the new political system.
This article examines the different approaches employed by the United States toward the political reintegration of irregular armed groups, from the policy vacuum of 2003 to the informal reintegration seen during the course of the so-called “surge” in 2007 and 2008. The case study has significant implications for the importance of getting political reintegration right—and the longterm costs of getting it badly wrong.
Access a free copy of the paper here.
A round-up of today’s newspaper articles covering the UK’s involvement in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations at home and abroad.
In a weekend interview with The Daily Telegraph, which was also picked up by The Times, Brigadier Ed Butler – the former head of the SAS, and former commander of British forces in Afghanistan – claimed that not only were some British Muslims fighting alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan, but that militant Islamic groups in south-east Asia were also supporting terrorist plots in the UK.
Although doctrinally US and UK forces appear to have changed course, the core values of our security institutions remain the same, and at their most instinctive level they have not altered sufficiently to keep up with the changing world. In operational terms we are still facing backwards towards an era when counterinsurgency was a purely expeditionary activity, whereas in reality we need to be thinking more seriously about a 21st century adversary which does not require overseas territories, and which flourishes within our own population.
Representing an overwhelming US presence, US counterinsurgency doctrine is likely to become the concept for every future coalition. So it is this doctrine, and not a yet to be written NATO or national version, which will influence our future modus operandi.
FM3-24 has the appearance of novelty, it mentions the ‘global dimension’ and the possibility of ‘insurgent networks’, but in practical terms its prescriptions are only relevant to an expeditionary, territorial intervention focused on a particular state, with a clearly recognisable centre of gravity. The US doctrine is saying in effect that although the adversary which we seek to address is established globally and exerts itself in the virtual dimension, the military response will be a traditional unilateral expedition, whose capabilities will be tangible, territorial and limited to a space that is physical.
As a result of our failure to fully appreciate the inter-relationship of the domestic and expeditionary elements of our counterinsurgency campaign – or, at least, our failure to operationalise this understanding – it is argued that in the UK we are dangerously neglecting the former in pursuit of the latter.
In common with other European states the British government is engaged on two fronts, the overseas expeditions against the supposed sanctuaries in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a domestic campaign to stem disaffection and radicalisation in its own population. These campaigns are organisationally distinct. The overseas effort principally involves Defence, Foreign Affairs and Overseas Development, whereas the domestic plan of action principally involves the Home Affairs ministry. The problem is that in the UK the images and reverberations of the overseas campaign act against the domestic campaign. It is the continuous traffic of routine news and political debate concerning British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, rather than old fashioned jihadi propaganda, which antagonises the vulnerable Muslim element of the British population, especially those who see their faith as the target of the war against terror.
Despite the obfuscations of its government, the British de facto give primacy to the expeditionary campaign. This prioritisation is not explicit, but by deed and declaration the government pursues its expeditionary campaigns in denial and disregard of mounting evidence that the UK’s foreign policy and military profile in the war against terror contributes to the increasing radicalisation of its own Muslim population.
The Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) has made available the latest in its series of Harmony Reports, entitled Bombers, Bank Accounts, and Bleedout: al-Qa`ida’s Road In and Out of Iraq.
Based on analysis of primary source material in the form of captured Al-Qaeda documents (which are made available, translated, in the Harmony Project’s document database), previous reports in the series have provided an authoritative and invaluable insight into Al-Qaeda’s operations and organisation. This latest report builds upon the analysis of the Sinjar documents begun in the previous report.
Saudi Arabia and Libya supplied the most fighters in the Sinjar Records.
Saudi Arabia contributed the highest number of foreign fighters to al‐Qa`ida’s fight in Iraq between August 2006 and August 2007, followed by Libya. Of the 576 fighters in the Sinjar Records that listed their nationality, 41 percent (237) were of Saudi Arabian origin, and 19.2 percent (111) were Libyan. Syria, Yemen, and Algeria were the next most common countries of origin with 8 percent (46), 8.1 percent (44), and 7.1 percent (41), respectively. Moroccans accounted for 6.1 percent (36) of the fighters and Jordanians 1.9 percent (11). Nearly all of the home countries listed were in the Middle East or North Africa, although the sample also includes individuals from France (2), Great Britain (1), and Sweden (1). On a per capita basis, Libyan fighters (18.55/1 million) entered Iraq at a much higher rate than Saudi Arabia (8.84/1 million).
Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Egypt were the source of most of the foreign fighters detained in Camp Bucca, Iraq.
As of April 7, 2008, the United States was holding 251 foreign fighters at Camp Bucca, Iraq. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Syria each contributed 19 percent of those fighters. Libyans comprise only 3 percent of foreign fighters held at Camp Bucca. Saudi Arabia and Libya contribute a relatively smaller percentage of the detainees held in Camp Bucca than were listed in the Sinjar Records.
Foreign Fighters contributed approximately 75 Percent of suicide bombers between August 2006 and August 2007.
Of the 376 fighters in the Sinjar Records that designated their “work” in Iraq, 212 (56.4 percent) were listed as suicide bombers. Assuming that this rate holds for all Jihadis listed in the Sinjar Records—and that the records are an accurate indicator of future behavior—foreign fighters accounted for approximately 75 percent of suicide bombings in Iraq between August 2006 and August 2007.
Many of AQI’s foreign fighters sign suicide contracts before entering Iraq to guarantee they will commit a suicide attack, which suggests AQI must convince and compel many incoming fighters to commit suicide attacks. The contracts suggest that would‐be bombers who renege will not be allowed to fight in Iraq; some state that break the contract immediately divorce their wife.
The plurality of suicide bombers entering Iraq between August 2006 and August 2007 were Saudi. However, the Sinjar Records challenge the notion that Saudi foreign fighters are more likely than fighters from other locations to become suicide bombers, as Libyan and Moroccan nationals registered as “suicide bombers” at a higher rate than their Saudi counterparts.
AQI is a wounded organization.
Tribal disaffection, the surge in Coalition and Iraqi Forces in 2007‐2008, and AQIs self‐destructive penchant for violence have all contributed to the organization’s decline. The number of foreign fighters entering Iraq every month has declined to between 40 and 50, and many foreign fighters are now trying to leave the country. AQI is largely concentrated in and around the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. AQI still desires and is capable of generating large‐scale asymmetric attacks, but is unable to control territory with impunity as it could two years ago.
There Syrian foreign fighter network is effective, but not uniform.
The amount of money fighters in the Sinjar Records paid to their Syrian Coordinators varied dramatically depending on the Syrian Coordinator. Likewise, some Syrian Coordinators worked almost exclusively with fighters from specific countries, and likely with specific Coordinators in fighters’ home countries. In other words, there is not one network in Syria for ushering fighters into Iraq, there are many. Despite the structural incongruities, AQI’s network provided a regular, predictable flow of fighters into Iraq.
There is a strong risk of blowback from Iraq. Relatively small numbers of Jihadis will “bleedout” to fight elsewhere, but they will likely be very dangerous individuals.
The Iraq war has increased Jihadi radicalization in the Muslim world and the number of al‐Qa`ida recruits. Foreign fighters in Iraq have also acquired a number of useful skills that can be used in future terrorist operations, including massive use of suicide tactics, organizational skills, propaganda, covert communication, and innovative improvised explosive device (IED) tactics. Some AQI fighters that have already trickled out of Iraq have bolstered violent movements in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. This trend will likely continue. Although the threat to Europe and North America is real—French officials have tracked 24 fighters from France that have traveled to Iraq—fighters are most likely to join established Jihadi groups in areas of weak government control, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, and Lebanon.
Not all AQI fighters leaving Iraq will remain militant. AQI requires some exiting fighters to sign contracts demanding they not join other Jihadi groups. It is unclear whether the provision is designed to protect the Jihadi organizations in case the exiting fighters are under surveillance, ensure the fighters do not join AQ’s Jihadi competitors, or if these fighters have angered their AQI hosts.
US withdrawal from Iraq may not end the flow of foreign fighters to Iraq. A withdrawal that leaves swaths of Iraq ungoverned may provoke a resurgence of foreign fighter travel to Iraq. If Jihadis believe Iraq remains a viable arena for Jihad, or they sense an opportunity to humiliate the US, they will travel to Iraq even after a withdrawal, much as an earlier generation of fighters arrived in Afghanistan long after the Soviet Union withdrew.
Smuggling across the Syrian/Iraqi border has tribal roots.
AQI capitalizes on the extensive tribal smuggling networks across the Syrian/Iraqi border, much of which has traditionally received explicit or tacit support from Syrian and Iraqi officials. The smuggling takes a number of forms, each of which requires unique expertise. Livestock smuggling is the most prevalent, and usually takes place on unmarked trails away from established border crossings. Cigarettes and other bulk items are often moved in trucks through border crossings, which requires bribing border guards. High‐value items such as electronics require larger bribes and better intelligence about border officials. Human smuggling often takes place on the same trails as livestock smuggling. There is ample evidence that AQI uses criminal smugglers, who they do not fully trust, to cross the border. AQIs effort to monopolize smuggling networks, which impeded Sunni tribal leaders from much of their traditional livelihood, was an important element convincing Iraqi tribes to cooperate with US forces.
Foreign Fighters contribute large sums of money to AQI, including a majority of its Border Sector 1 funding.
Financial reports show that AQI’s Border Sector 1 relied on three sources of funding: transfers from other leaders in AQI; fundraising from local Iraqis; and money brought by foreign suicide bombers. In AQI’s Border Sector 1, near Sinjar, incoming foreign fighters contributed more than 70 percent of the group’s operating budget. In that sector, 38 percent of AQI’s budget was used to purchase weapons and another 38 percent to import and sustain its personnel. Other AQI sectors likely had very different fundraising dynamics.
Saudi Arabian Jihadis contribute far more money to AQI than fighters from other countries.
Fighters from several nations contributed money to AQI, though Saudi Arabian nationals contributed a disproportionately large amount, totaling 46 percent of the overall funds received from foreign fighters. Furthermore, the mean contribution of Saudi fighters was $1,088, far higher than that of other nationalities. Of the 23 fighters that contributed more than $1,000, 22 were from Saudi Arabia.
AQI is highly bureaucratized, which may be a sign of operational failure and internal mistrust within the organization.
AQI is highly bureaucratized, forcing its agents to provide detailed accounting of inlays and expenditures, urging both incoming suicide bombers and fighters leaving Iraq to sign contracts, and auditing its various sub‐units. AQI, like al‐Qa`ida in general, is plagued by “agents” and intermediaries whose preferences diverge from those of the Jihadi “principals.” Despite the security costs of increasing its paper trail, AQI’s leaders were compelled required regular accounting reports from their underlings, likely because of graft and criminality.
Jihadis headed to Iraq were recruited predominately through local networks, rather than through the Internet.
As noted in the CTCs first Sinjar Report, foreign fighters who ended up in Iraq appear overwhelmingly to have joined the Jihad through local Jihadi sympathizers (33.5%) and personal social networks (29%). Only a few Jihadis appear to have met their local coordinators directly through the Internet. There is also a high likelihood that many foreign fighters traveled to Iraq in groups, and may have made the decision to travel there collectively.
AQI has produced fewer, but far more skilled, fighters than the “Arab‐Afghans” did in the 1980s.
The foreign fighters in Iraq share important similarities—such as country of origin and ideology—with the so‐called “Afghan Arabs” that traveled to Afghanistan to fight Soviet and Afghan‐communist forces in the 1980s. But there are important differences as well. Foreign fighters in Iraq have seen more combat than their predecessors in Afghanistan. In addition, they have shown greater ability to innovate critical tactical skills, such as IED development and suicide bombings.
Although the overall military impact of the foreign fighters for the Jihad in Afghanistan was minimal, the presence of Afghan Arabs had important consequences. Most importantly, the Afghanistan experience helped radicalize thousands of Jihadist activists from all over the world. The recruitment networks attracted volunteers, while training camps radicalized foreign fighters. Similar problems may bedevil the United States and its allies who face a growing body of alumni of the Iraqi Jihad.
The Afghan experience also had some negative implications for al‐Qa`ida that may apply to the current “Jihad” in Iraq. Foreign fighters in Afghanistan alienated local Afghans due to their extremist tactics and by preaching a puritanical ideology. At times, such disputes erupted into violence, especially when splinter groups of highly radicalized Afghan Arabs operated independently of their organizational leadership.
AQI’s permanent Border Sector personnel are vulnerable to coercion.
Family men with property dominate the Border Sector’s permanent establishment. Many are motivated by financial gain more than ideology. To the extent that they can be identified, such individuals are highly vulnerable to pressure, and may be susceptible to being turned and used as agents.
AQI is increasingly linked to al‐Qa`ida’s senior leaders.
AQI did not exist before the US invasion, but the organization has grown progressively more integrated with al‐Qa`ida Central, especially following Abu Mus’ab al‐Zarqawi’s death.
Get the report here [PDF].
A couple of days ago I blogged in Failure of British COIN about a COIN Panel held at the CNA for the launch of Daniel Marston and Carter Malkasian’s new book Counterinsurgency in Modern Warfare. At the panel some rather critical things were said about the state of British COIN with central reference to Brig Aylwin-Foster’s 2005 critique of US COIN attitudes and capabilities Changing the Army for Counterinsurgency Operations. However, on reading the transcript of the panel it seems to me that neither Marston or Kilcullen intended wound. Personally, I agree that that there are good reasons for sober consideration of Britain’s own COIN capabilities and attitudes right now. We have not paid enough attention to keeping our own house in order and reading our own history (a point recognized by Gen Dannatt in his recent speech at the RUSI Land Warfare conference) as though COIN proficiency was something which happened by osmosis or was in the British ‘DNA’. To say that there are structural factors which have been eroding British COIN capacity for years and that the United States has overtaken us in many areas is simply to speak the truth. But I do not agree that the British Army needs to be ’embarrassed’. Aylwin-Foster’s essay was timely, accurate, and constructive–and generally received as such in the USA as a result. If the microscope is to be turned the other direction then it should be equally constructive and offer something which commanders, planners, and doctrine writers here can actually do something with. The bridge between the US and the UK should not be burnt by pique in Washington or by hubris which, it must be said, has been evinced by not a few Brits since 9/11.
Christian Bleuer, over at Ghosts of Alexander, has made available the third edition of his extensive Afghanistan bibliography, which provides an invaluable resource for anyone with a research interest in Afghanistan.
3. Islam, Political Islam, Sharia, Jihad, Sects.
4. The International Community, Reconstruction, Security, Economy, Government, and Development.
5. Opium Cultivation, Drug Use and Trafficking.
6. Environment, Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources.
8. Women, Gender and Family.
9. Civil-Military Relations, Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), Counterinsurgency and Military Issues.
10. Refugees, Internal Displacement, Migration and Diaspora Issues.
11. Macro and Micro Economics.
12. Opinion Polls, Interviews, Study Groups and Surveys.
13. Periodicals and Academic Journals.

lowercased:
irg member david ucko has a paper published in the october edition of the conflict, security & development journal, entitled militias, tribes and insurgents: the challenge of political reintegration in iraq. the paper provides a valuable case study of the central role played in post-conflict state-building and counterinsurgency by the reintegration of armed sub-state groups into the political process, and focuses on the evolution of the us approach in iraq since 2003.
following its overthrow of saddam hussein in 2003, the united states was confronted with one of the most complex state-building enterprises of recent history. a central component of state building, emphasised in the literature yet given scant attention at the time of the invasion, is the process of political reintegration: the transformation of armed groups into political actors willing to participate peacefully in the political future of the country. in iraq, political reintegration was a particularly important challenge, relating both to the armed forces of the disposed regime and to the kurdish and shia militias eager to play a role in the new political system.
this article examines the different approaches employed by the united states toward the political reintegration of irregular armed groups, from the policy vacuum of 2003 to the informal reintegration seen during the course of the so-called “surge” in 2007 and 2008. the case study has significant implications for the importance of getting political reintegration right—and the longterm costs of getting it badly wrong.
access a free copy of the paper here.
a round-up of today’s newspaper articles covering the uk’s involvement in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations at home and abroad.
in a weekend interview with the daily telegraph, which was also picked up by the times, brigadier ed butler – the former head of the sas, and former commander of british forces in afghanistan – claimed that not only were some british muslims fighting alongside the taliban in afghanistan, but that militant islamic groups in south-east asia were also supporting terrorist plots in the uk.
although doctrinally us and uk forces appear to have changed course, the core values of our security institutions remain the same, and at their most instinctive level they have not altered sufficiently to keep up with the changing world. in operational terms we are still facing backwards towards an era when counterinsurgency was a purely expeditionary activity, whereas in reality we need to be thinking more seriously about a 21st century adversary which does not require overseas territories, and which flourishes within our own population.
representing an overwhelming us presence, us counterinsurgency doctrine is likely to become the concept for every future coalition. so it is this doctrine, and not a yet to be written nato or national version, which will influence our future modus operandi.
fm3-24 has the appearance of novelty, it mentions the ‘global dimension’ and the possibility of ‘insurgent networks’, but in practical terms its prescriptions are only relevant to an expeditionary, territorial intervention focused on a particular state, with a clearly recognisable centre of gravity. the us doctrine is saying in effect that although the adversary which we seek to address is established globally and exerts itself in the virtual dimension, the military response will be a traditional unilateral expedition, whose capabilities will be tangible, territorial and limited to a space that is physical.
as a result of our failure to fully appreciate the inter-relationship of the domestic and expeditionary elements of our counterinsurgency campaign – or, at least, our failure to operationalise this understanding – it is argued that in the uk we are dangerously neglecting the former in pursuit of the latter.
in common with other european states the british government is engaged on two fronts, the overseas expeditions against the supposed sanctuaries in afghanistan and iraq, and a domestic campaign to stem disaffection and radicalisation in its own population. these campaigns are organisationally distinct. the overseas effort principally involves defence, foreign affairs and overseas development, whereas the domestic plan of action principally involves the home affairs ministry. the problem is that in the uk the images and reverberations of the overseas campaign act against the domestic campaign. it is the continuous traffic of routine news and political debate concerning british troops in iraq and afghanistan, rather than old fashioned jihadi propaganda, which antagonises the vulnerable muslim element of the british population, especially those who see their faith as the target of the war against terror.
despite the obfuscations of its government, the british de facto give primacy to the expeditionary campaign. this prioritisation is not explicit, but by deed and declaration the government pursues its expeditionary campaigns in denial and disregard of mounting evidence that the uk’s foreign policy and military profile in the war against terror contributes to the increasing radicalisation of its own muslim population.
the combating terrorism center (ctc) has made available the latest in its series of harmony reports, entitled bombers, bank accounts, and bleedout: al-qa`ida’s road in and out of iraq.
based on analysis of primary source material in the form of captured al-qaeda documents (which are made available, translated, in the harmony project’s document database), previous reports in the series have provided an authoritative and invaluable insight into al-qaeda’s operations and organisation. this latest report builds upon the analysis of the sinjar documents begun in the previous report.
saudi arabia and libya supplied the most fighters in the sinjar records.
saudi arabia contributed the highest number of foreign fighters to al‐qa`ida’s fight in iraq between august 2006 and august 2007, followed by libya. of the 576 fighters in the sinjar records that listed their nationality, 41 percent (237) were of saudi arabian origin, and 19.2 percent (111) were libyan. syria, yemen, and algeria were the next most common countries of origin with 8 percent (46), 8.1 percent (44), and 7.1 percent (41), respectively. moroccans accounted for 6.1 percent (36) of the fighters and jordanians 1.9 percent (11). nearly all of the home countries listed were in the middle east or north africa, although the sample also includes individuals from france (2), great britain (1), and sweden (1). on a per capita basis, libyan fighters (18.55/1 million) entered iraq at a much higher rate than saudi arabia (8.84/1 million).
saudi arabia, syria, and egypt were the source of most of the foreign fighters detained in camp bucca, iraq.
as of april 7, 2008, the united states was holding 251 foreign fighters at camp bucca, iraq. egypt, saudi arabia, and syria each contributed 19 percent of those fighters. libyans comprise only 3 percent of foreign fighters held at camp bucca. saudi arabia and libya contribute a relatively smaller percentage of the detainees held in camp bucca than were listed in the sinjar records.
foreign fighters contributed approximately 75 percent of suicide bombers between august 2006 and august 2007.
of the 376 fighters in the sinjar records that designated their “work” in iraq, 212 (56.4 percent) were listed as suicide bombers. assuming that this rate holds for all jihadis listed in the sinjar records—and that the records are an accurate indicator of future behavior—foreign fighters accounted for approximately 75 percent of suicide bombings in iraq between august 2006 and august 2007.
many of aqi’s foreign fighters sign suicide contracts before entering iraq to guarantee they will commit a suicide attack, which suggests aqi must convince and compel many incoming fighters to commit suicide attacks. the contracts suggest that would‐be bombers who renege will not be allowed to fight in iraq; some state that break the contract immediately divorce their wife.
the plurality of suicide bombers entering iraq between august 2006 and august 2007 were saudi. however, the sinjar records challenge the notion that saudi foreign fighters are more likely than fighters from other locations to become suicide bombers, as libyan and moroccan nationals registered as “suicide bombers” at a higher rate than their saudi counterparts.
aqi is a wounded organization.
tribal disaffection, the surge in coalition and iraqi forces in 2007‐2008, and aqis self‐destructive penchant for violence have all contributed to the organization’s decline. the number of foreign fighters entering iraq every month has declined to between 40 and 50, and many foreign fighters are now trying to leave the country. aqi is largely concentrated in and around the northern iraqi city of mosul. aqi still desires and is capable of generating large‐scale asymmetric attacks, but is unable to control territory with impunity as it could two years ago.
there syrian foreign fighter network is effective, but not uniform.
the amount of money fighters in the sinjar records paid to their syrian coordinators varied dramatically depending on the syrian coordinator. likewise, some syrian coordinators worked almost exclusively with fighters from specific countries, and likely with specific coordinators in fighters’ home countries. in other words, there is not one network in syria for ushering fighters into iraq, there are many. despite the structural incongruities, aqi’s network provided a regular, predictable flow of fighters into iraq.
there is a strong risk of blowback from iraq. relatively small numbers of jihadis will “bleedout” to fight elsewhere, but they will likely be very dangerous individuals.
the iraq war has increased jihadi radicalization in the muslim world and the number of al‐qa`ida recruits. foreign fighters in iraq have also acquired a number of useful skills that can be used in future terrorist operations, including massive use of suicide tactics, organizational skills, propaganda, covert communication, and innovative improvised explosive device (ied) tactics. some aqi fighters that have already trickled out of iraq have bolstered violent movements in saudi arabia and lebanon. this trend will likely continue. although the threat to europe and north america is real—french officials have tracked 24 fighters from france that have traveled to iraq—fighters are most likely to join established jihadi groups in areas of weak government control, such as afghanistan, pakistan, somalia, yemen, and lebanon.
not all aqi fighters leaving iraq will remain militant. aqi requires some exiting fighters to sign contracts demanding they not join other jihadi groups. it is unclear whether the provision is designed to protect the jihadi organizations in case the exiting fighters are under surveillance, ensure the fighters do not join aq’s jihadi competitors, or if these fighters have angered their aqi hosts.
us withdrawal from iraq may not end the flow of foreign fighters to iraq. a withdrawal that leaves swaths of iraq ungoverned may provoke a resurgence of foreign fighter travel to iraq. if jihadis believe iraq remains a viable arena for jihad, or they sense an opportunity to humiliate the us, they will travel to iraq even after a withdrawal, much as an earlier generation of fighters arrived in afghanistan long after the soviet union withdrew.
smuggling across the syrian/iraqi border has tribal roots.
aqi capitalizes on the extensive tribal smuggling networks across the syrian/iraqi border, much of which has traditionally received explicit or tacit support from syrian and iraqi officials. the smuggling takes a number of forms, each of which requires unique expertise. livestock smuggling is the most prevalent, and usually takes place on unmarked trails away from established border crossings. cigarettes and other bulk items are often moved in trucks through border crossings, which requires bribing border guards. high‐value items such as electronics require larger bribes and better intelligence about border officials. human smuggling often takes place on the same trails as livestock smuggling. there is ample evidence that aqi uses criminal smugglers, who they do not fully trust, to cross the border. aqis effort to monopolize smuggling networks, which impeded sunni tribal leaders from much of their traditional livelihood, was an important element convincing iraqi tribes to cooperate with us forces.
foreign fighters contribute large sums of money to aqi, including a majority of its border sector 1 funding.
financial reports show that aqi’s border sector 1 relied on three sources of funding: transfers from other leaders in aqi; fundraising from local iraqis; and money brought by foreign suicide bombers. in aqi’s border sector 1, near sinjar, incoming foreign fighters contributed more than 70 percent of the group’s operating budget. in that sector, 38 percent of aqi’s budget was used to purchase weapons and another 38 percent to import and sustain its personnel. other aqi sectors likely had very different fundraising dynamics.
saudi arabian jihadis contribute far more money to aqi than fighters from other countries.
fighters from several nations contributed money to aqi, though saudi arabian nationals contributed a disproportionately large amount, totaling 46 percent of the overall funds received from foreign fighters. furthermore, the mean contribution of saudi fighters was $1,088, far higher than that of other nationalities. of the 23 fighters that contributed more than $1,000, 22 were from saudi arabia.
aqi is highly bureaucratized, which may be a sign of operational failure and internal mistrust within the organization.
aqi is highly bureaucratized, forcing its agents to provide detailed accounting of inlays and expenditures, urging both incoming suicide bombers and fighters leaving iraq to sign contracts, and auditing its various sub‐units. aqi, like al‐qa`ida in general, is plagued by “agents” and intermediaries whose preferences diverge from those of the jihadi “principals.” despite the security costs of increasing its paper trail, aqi’s leaders were compelled required regular accounting reports from their underlings, likely because of graft and criminality.
jihadis headed to iraq were recruited predominately through local networks, rather than through the internet.
as noted in the ctcs first sinjar report, foreign fighters who ended up in iraq appear overwhelmingly to have joined the jihad through local jihadi sympathizers (33.5%) and personal social networks (29%). only a few jihadis appear to have met their local coordinators directly through the internet. there is also a high likelihood that many foreign fighters traveled to iraq in groups, and may have made the decision to travel there collectively.
aqi has produced fewer, but far more skilled, fighters than the “arab‐afghans” did in the 1980s.
the foreign fighters in iraq share important similarities—such as country of origin and ideology—with the so‐called “afghan arabs” that traveled to afghanistan to fight soviet and afghan‐communist forces in the 1980s. but there are important differences as well. foreign fighters in iraq have seen more combat than their predecessors in afghanistan. in addition, they have shown greater ability to innovate critical tactical skills, such as ied development and suicide bombings.
although the overall military impact of the foreign fighters for the jihad in afghanistan was minimal, the presence of afghan arabs had important consequences. most importantly, the afghanistan experience helped radicalize thousands of jihadist activists from all over the world. the recruitment networks attracted volunteers, while training camps radicalized foreign fighters. similar problems may bedevil the united states and its allies who face a growing body of alumni of the iraqi jihad.
the afghan experience also had some negative implications for al‐qa`ida that may apply to the current “jihad” in iraq. foreign fighters in afghanistan alienated local afghans due to their extremist tactics and by preaching a puritanical ideology. at times, such disputes erupted into violence, especially when splinter groups of highly radicalized afghan arabs operated independently of their organizational leadership.
aqi’s permanent border sector personnel are vulnerable to coercion.
family men with property dominate the border sector’s permanent establishment. many are motivated by financial gain more than ideology. to the extent that they can be identified, such individuals are highly vulnerable to pressure, and may be susceptible to being turned and used as agents.
aqi is increasingly linked to al‐qa`ida’s senior leaders.
aqi did not exist before the us invasion, but the organization has grown progressively more integrated with al‐qa`ida central, especially following abu mus’ab al‐zarqawi’s death.
get the report here [pdf].
a couple of days ago i blogged in failure of british coin about a coin panel held at the cna for the launch of daniel marston and carter malkasian’s new book counterinsurgency in modern warfare. at the panel some rather critical things were said about the state of british coin with central reference to brig aylwin-foster’s 2005 critique of us coin attitudes and capabilities changing the army for counterinsurgency operations. however, on reading the transcript of the panel it seems to me that neither marston or kilcullen intended wound. personally, i agree that that there are good reasons for sober consideration of britain’s own coin capabilities and attitudes right now. we have not paid enough attention to keeping our own house in order and reading our own history (a point recognized by gen dannatt in his recent speech at the rusi land warfare conference) as though coin proficiency was something which happened by osmosis or was in the british ‘dna’. to say that there are structural factors which have been eroding british coin capacity for years and that the united states has overtaken us in many areas is simply to speak the truth. but i do not agree that the british army needs to be ’embarrassed’. aylwin-foster’s essay was timely, accurate, and constructive–and generally received as such in the usa as a result. if the microscope is to be turned the other direction then it should be equally constructive and offer something which commanders, planners, and doctrine writers here can actually do something with. the bridge between the us and the uk should not be burnt by pique in washington or by hubris which, it must be said, has been evinced by not a few brits since 9/11.
christian bleuer, over at ghosts of alexander, has made available the third edition of his extensive afghanistan bibliography, which provides an invaluable resource for anyone with a research interest in afghanistan.
3. islam, political islam, sharia, jihad, sects.
4. the international community, reconstruction, security, economy, government, and development.
5. opium cultivation, drug use and trafficking.
6. environment, agriculture, health and natural resources.
8. women, gender and family.
9. civil-military relations, provincial reconstruction teams (prts), counterinsurgency and military issues.
10. refugees, internal displacement, migration and diaspora issues.
11. macro and micro economics.
12. opinion polls, interviews, study groups and surveys.
13. periodicals and academic journals.


text:
All student participants are invited to enter STUDENT PAPER COMPETITION. The paper, an application form and all the supporting documentation for the student contest must be submitted through the Conference website before March 28, 2011.
You have to be registered at this website to submit your paper and fill in the form for entering the student competition. This form is accessible via "Student paper competition" item in the "Participant menu" in the right pane of the webpage after log-in at the website.
The finalists of the student paper competition will present their papers at the regular technical sessions in accordance with the conference program. In addition, they will be required to present their papers again at a dedicated poster session. The members of the Steering Committee will interact with the students during the poster presentation and will elect the winner. The winner of the best student paper will be announced at the Congress closing ceremony.
Finalists of the student paper competition should present their papers as regular oral papers according to the program schedule and give an additional poster presentation at a dedicated poster session which will be held on Thursday 13 October, 10:00-11:30. The members of the Student Paper Competition Committee will interact with the students during the poster presentation and decide the final ranking. Winners of the student paper awards will be announced at the Closing Ceremony on Thursday 13 October at 18:10.

lowercased:
all student participants are invited to enter student paper competition. the paper, an application form and all the supporting documentation for the student contest must be submitted through the conference website before march 28, 2011.
you have to be registered at this website to submit your paper and fill in the form for entering the student competition. this form is accessible via "student paper competition" item in the "participant menu" in the right pane of the webpage after log-in at the website.
the finalists of the student paper competition will present their papers at the regular technical sessions in accordance with the conference program. in addition, they will be required to present their papers again at a dedicated poster session. the members of the steering committee will interact with the students during the poster presentation and will elect the winner. the winner of the best student paper will be announced at the congress closing ceremony.
finalists of the student paper competition should present their papers as regular oral papers according to the program schedule and give an additional poster presentation at a dedicated poster session which will be held on thursday 13 october, 10:00-11:30. the members of the student paper competition committee will interact with the students during the poster presentation and decide the final ranking. winners of the student paper awards will be announced at the closing ceremony on thursday 13 october at 18:10.


text:
QUICK JUMP: Contestants Pageant Information How to compete in National American Miss Kansas 2014?
National American Miss Jr. Pre-Teen 2014 is Tatum Pearlman!
How to compete in National American Miss Kansas?

lowercased:
quick jump: contestants pageant information how to compete in national american miss kansas 2014?
national american miss jr. pre-teen 2014 is tatum pearlman!
how to compete in national american miss kansas?


text:
In this month we are going to learn how to make our own Poi.
You just have to go to the link and watch the video. It's very easy!
Don't worry, after we will play with them a lot, haha.

lowercased:
in this month we are going to learn how to make our own poi.
you just have to go to the link and watch the video. it's very easy!
don't worry, after we will play with them a lot, haha.


text:
Removal of California war memorial cross blocked by U.S. Supreme Court.
The U.S. Supreme Court blocked the removal of a congressionally endorsed war memorial cross from its longtime home in the Mojave Desert, saying a federal court went too far in ordering that it be taken out.
At issue is a cross that sits atop Sunrise Rock in a remote part of California’s Mojave National Preserve. Since 1934, the cross has existed, in one form or another, as a war memorial. Different court documents refer to it as 5 to 8 feet tall.
A decade ago, it came under legal attack from a former National Park Service employee who, though a Catholic, thought it was inappropriate to favor one religion over another in the preserve. The park service had turned down a request to have a Buddhist symbol erected nearby.
A federal judge and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the stand-alone display of the cross in the national preserve was unconstitutional and, further, that Congress’ move to transfer it to the private Veterans of Foreign Wars did not solve the problem.
The Obama administration, joining with the VFW, urged the high court to uphold the display of the cross now that it is in private hands.
U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan said the “sensible action by Congress” to give the VFW control of the cross and the land under it solved the 1st Amendment problem. The cross is no longer on government land and under government control, she said.
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association opposes microstamping bill.

lowercased:
removal of california war memorial cross blocked by u.s. supreme court.
the u.s. supreme court blocked the removal of a congressionally endorsed war memorial cross from its longtime home in the mojave desert, saying a federal court went too far in ordering that it be taken out.
at issue is a cross that sits atop sunrise rock in a remote part of california’s mojave national preserve. since 1934, the cross has existed, in one form or another, as a war memorial. different court documents refer to it as 5 to 8 feet tall.
a decade ago, it came under legal attack from a former national park service employee who, though a catholic, thought it was inappropriate to favor one religion over another in the preserve. the park service had turned down a request to have a buddhist symbol erected nearby.
a federal judge and the u.s. 9th circuit court of appeals ruled that the stand-alone display of the cross in the national preserve was unconstitutional and, further, that congress’ move to transfer it to the private veterans of foreign wars did not solve the problem.
the obama administration, joining with the vfw, urged the high court to uphold the display of the cross now that it is in private hands.
u.s. solicitor general elena kagan said the “sensible action by congress” to give the vfw control of the cross and the land under it solved the 1st amendment problem. the cross is no longer on government land and under government control, she said.
new york state rifle & pistol association opposes microstamping bill.


text: This website was an update and refresh for a licensed counselor that I had worked with in the past. The project budget was $200 and creative liberties were granted by the client, Michael Munion. This was mostly an opportunity to work with some of the new things I’ve learned.

lowercased: this website was an update and refresh for a licensed counselor that i had worked with in the past. the project budget was $200 and creative liberties were granted by the client, michael munion. this was mostly an opportunity to work with some of the new things i’ve learned.


text:
Includes clinical and applied testing in humans, once verified in the laboratory, often in a trial or studies that involve a group of people.
Excludes pre-clinical investigation of potential diagnostics, which can include patient samples if they are being used in the diagnostic development phase. Such studies should be coded 4.1 Marker discovery.

lowercased:
includes clinical and applied testing in humans, once verified in the laboratory, often in a trial or studies that involve a group of people.
excludes pre-clinical investigation of potential diagnostics, which can include patient samples if they are being used in the diagnostic development phase. such studies should be coded 4.1 marker discovery.


text:
Is this the UK’s oldest cat?
Cleo the moggie has celebrated her 101st birthday in cat years.
She’s given up chasing mice and now needs a chair to jump up to her favourite spot on the window ledge. But at the grand old age of 21, Cleo is still going strong and is a prime contender for the nation’s oldest cat.
In human terms she’s an amazingly purrfect 101-years-old.
“I’ve had her since she was just a few weeks old,” said proud owner, Rachael Blackstock, 23.
Sales assistant Rachael was a toddler when Cleo and her sister, Kizzie, arrived at the family home in Hamilton.
They were born to a cat owned by a family friend and needed a loving home. But Kizzie was knocked down by a car 11 years ago leaving Cleo queen of the house.
Sleek dark beauty Cleo was named after ancient Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. And her family say she loves to be treated like royalty and given nothing but the best.
She even greets them at the front door every time they arrive home and lures them into the kitchen for food.
“She’s one pampered puss and her daily diet includes treats and fresh chicken,” Rachael added.
But in her wilder days she used to get stuck up trees for hours and Rachael frequently had to climb up to rescue her.
Sadly, like many ageing ladies, Cleo is becoming a bit forgetful and is now showing signs of dementia. She is walking into doors and sometimes forgets where the front door is.
“It happens to the best of us but we are happy to care for her in her latter years,” Rachael adds.
The Blackstocks are even planning to hold a 21st birthday party for classy Cleo in two weeks’ time.
Rachael and her parents, brother and sister will toast her amazing long life in style with champagne and a cake.
“I might even make a cat-shaped cake which she’s bound to have a nibble of,” Rachael added.
When Cleo was born in 1993 milk was just 34p a pint, John Major was Prime Minister and Sinead O’Connor was number one in the charts.
But she has some way to go to catch up on Mr Fluff, a moggie from Elgin who lived to 28.
And there’s Pinky from Kansas who at 34 a staggering 152 in human years is currently the world’s oldest cat, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
Have you got a cat older than Cleo? Contact us on 0141 567 2776 or jboyle@sundaypost.com.

lowercased:
is this the uk’s oldest cat?
cleo the moggie has celebrated her 101st birthday in cat years.
she’s given up chasing mice and now needs a chair to jump up to her favourite spot on the window ledge. but at the grand old age of 21, cleo is still going strong and is a prime contender for the nation’s oldest cat.
in human terms she’s an amazingly purrfect 101-years-old.
“i’ve had her since she was just a few weeks old,” said proud owner, rachael blackstock, 23.
sales assistant rachael was a toddler when cleo and her sister, kizzie, arrived at the family home in hamilton.
they were born to a cat owned by a family friend and needed a loving home. but kizzie was knocked down by a car 11 years ago leaving cleo queen of the house.
sleek dark beauty cleo was named after ancient egyptian queen, cleopatra. and her family say she loves to be treated like royalty and given nothing but the best.
she even greets them at the front door every time they arrive home and lures them into the kitchen for food.
“she’s one pampered puss and her daily diet includes treats and fresh chicken,” rachael added.
but in her wilder days she used to get stuck up trees for hours and rachael frequently had to climb up to rescue her.
sadly, like many ageing ladies, cleo is becoming a bit forgetful and is now showing signs of dementia. she is walking into doors and sometimes forgets where the front door is.
“it happens to the best of us but we are happy to care for her in her latter years,” rachael adds.
the blackstocks are even planning to hold a 21st birthday party for classy cleo in two weeks’ time.
rachael and her parents, brother and sister will toast her amazing long life in style with champagne and a cake.
“i might even make a cat-shaped cake which she’s bound to have a nibble of,” rachael added.
when cleo was born in 1993 milk was just 34p a pint, john major was prime minister and sinead o’connor was number one in the charts.
but she has some way to go to catch up on mr fluff, a moggie from elgin who lived to 28.
and there’s pinky from kansas who at 34 a staggering 152 in human years is currently the world’s oldest cat, according to the guinness book of records.
have you got a cat older than cleo? contact us on 0141 567 2776 or jboyle@sundaypost.com.


text:
As I approach my 80th birthday (next June 2), I tend to over-analyze comments made to me about aging and my appearance. Yes, and I must admit to some ageism annoyances, as well.
I actually feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention when I hear this. Here is where the over-analysis comes in: “What is this person implying — that I really look old so let’s soften the blow by calling him `young man’”?
Over a recent holiday weekend, I returned to my hometown to visit my brother and his family. I ran into several acquaintances whom I had not seen for a number of years.
Some asked my age, which did not bother me in the least. When I told them that I was 79, several said, “Wow! You look great for 79.” It left me wondering: What is a 79-year-old supposed to look like?
I checked out photos of 79-year-old celebrities, such as “Godfather” director Francis Ford Coppola, Six-Million-Dollar Man star Lee Majors, talk-show host Maury Povich, actor Jon Voight and singer Kenny Rogers.
I lamented to a friend that they looked great for 79; I, by comparison, not so much.
“Yeah, but some of those guys probably had plastic surgery and did other stuff to their faces,” my friend said. “You have a natural look.” I was startled. Natural look? By this, I guess he means bald, wrinkles, jowls and other manifestations of the aging process.
After I had had lunch with a friend just after my 79th birthday, he told me that I “look different. You have a glow.” Me? A glow? What the heck does that mean? I tried to press him on what he saw that I didn’t see. He said it was a certain something that he could not describe. Mystery not solved.
Sir Isaac Newton would be happy to learn that I know a thing or two about gravity. I have the face and body to confirm that gravity has done its thing with me.
I have tried to over-compensate for having the perfect face for radio by being funny, witty, interesting and exhibit a sparkling personality. Success in these areas has been spotty, to say the least.
Stereotypes of aging include how people over a certain age should look, feel and act, rather than take into account individual differences and circumstances.
These stereotypes are primarily negative, because they depict not the desired “golden years” but a time for loneliness, dependency, poor physical and mental conditions and illness.
We all probably have a goal to “grow old gracefully” — whatever that means. Too often, the description of us older folks is not a particularly pleasant one, especially since these aforementioned stereotypes abound.
We’ve all heard it: As we age, we tend to get more demanding, grumpier, more opinionated and meddlesome. We’re described as sour-pusses, disagreeable and out-of-touch. Our children and younger acquaintances show us a rolling-of-the-eyes deference when we misspeak or commit a social faux-pas.
Not to overplay the negativity of growing old, there are positives, too. Many of us are still active, even well into our 80s, sometimes into our 90s. We’re alert, concerned about what’s happening in our communities and the world, enjoy eating out, going to movies, plays and concerts and engaging in leisure-time activities and traveling.
But we need to be honest with ourselves. As we have aged, we have diminishing abilities. We can’t do what we did when we were 30 and 40, even 50. Each year now takes a much greater toll on our physical abilities compared to a year when we were younger.
Once in a while, I conjure up this image in my mind’s eye of my hanging on to the minute hand of a clock as it tick-tocks its way toward midnight. Try as I might to pull the minute hand the other way, it continues its methodical march toward the hour of reckoning. Pretty grim stuff, huh?

lowercased:
as i approach my 80th birthday (next june 2), i tend to over-analyze comments made to me about aging and my appearance. yes, and i must admit to some ageism annoyances, as well.
i actually feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention when i hear this. here is where the over-analysis comes in: “what is this person implying — that i really look old so let’s soften the blow by calling him `young man’”?
over a recent holiday weekend, i returned to my hometown to visit my brother and his family. i ran into several acquaintances whom i had not seen for a number of years.
some asked my age, which did not bother me in the least. when i told them that i was 79, several said, “wow! you look great for 79.” it left me wondering: what is a 79-year-old supposed to look like?
i checked out photos of 79-year-old celebrities, such as “godfather” director francis ford coppola, six-million-dollar man star lee majors, talk-show host maury povich, actor jon voight and singer kenny rogers.
i lamented to a friend that they looked great for 79; i, by comparison, not so much.
“yeah, but some of those guys probably had plastic surgery and did other stuff to their faces,” my friend said. “you have a natural look.” i was startled. natural look? by this, i guess he means bald, wrinkles, jowls and other manifestations of the aging process.
after i had had lunch with a friend just after my 79th birthday, he told me that i “look different. you have a glow.” me? a glow? what the heck does that mean? i tried to press him on what he saw that i didn’t see. he said it was a certain something that he could not describe. mystery not solved.
sir isaac newton would be happy to learn that i know a thing or two about gravity. i have the face and body to confirm that gravity has done its thing with me.
i have tried to over-compensate for having the perfect face for radio by being funny, witty, interesting and exhibit a sparkling personality. success in these areas has been spotty, to say the least.
stereotypes of aging include how people over a certain age should look, feel and act, rather than take into account individual differences and circumstances.
these stereotypes are primarily negative, because they depict not the desired “golden years” but a time for loneliness, dependency, poor physical and mental conditions and illness.
we all probably have a goal to “grow old gracefully” — whatever that means. too often, the description of us older folks is not a particularly pleasant one, especially since these aforementioned stereotypes abound.
we’ve all heard it: as we age, we tend to get more demanding, grumpier, more opinionated and meddlesome. we’re described as sour-pusses, disagreeable and out-of-touch. our children and younger acquaintances show us a rolling-of-the-eyes deference when we misspeak or commit a social faux-pas.
not to overplay the negativity of growing old, there are positives, too. many of us are still active, even well into our 80s, sometimes into our 90s. we’re alert, concerned about what’s happening in our communities and the world, enjoy eating out, going to movies, plays and concerts and engaging in leisure-time activities and traveling.
but we need to be honest with ourselves. as we have aged, we have diminishing abilities. we can’t do what we did when we were 30 and 40, even 50. each year now takes a much greater toll on our physical abilities compared to a year when we were younger.
once in a while, i conjure up this image in my mind’s eye of my hanging on to the minute hand of a clock as it tick-tocks its way toward midnight. try as i might to pull the minute hand the other way, it continues its methodical march toward the hour of reckoning. pretty grim stuff, huh?


text:
Recipe by Kay D.Kay D.
Preheat oven to 375°F Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Separate the dough into 10 biscuits. Separate each biscuit into 2 layers.
Wrap each meatball with a layer of dough to make a ball, pinching the edges to seal. (place the pinched edges on the bottom.).
To make a creepy crawler, line up 10 dough covered meatballs in a squiggle pattern. Poke the shoestring potatoes (I used the chow mein noodles) in both sides of each ball to make the legs, and two poked into the top of the "head" for antennae.
Bake 13 to 16 minutes or until golden brown.
Make a face out of olive slices.
Place olive slices, pickle slices, carrot slices, or whatever at random points along the creepy crawler for interest.
Serve the creepy crawlers with ketchup, mustard, or whatever you might like.

lowercased:
recipe by kay d.kay d.
preheat oven to 375°f spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
separate the dough into 10 biscuits. separate each biscuit into 2 layers.
wrap each meatball with a layer of dough to make a ball, pinching the edges to seal. (place the pinched edges on the bottom.).
to make a creepy crawler, line up 10 dough covered meatballs in a squiggle pattern. poke the shoestring potatoes (i used the chow mein noodles) in both sides of each ball to make the legs, and two poked into the top of the "head" for antennae.
bake 13 to 16 minutes or until golden brown.
make a face out of olive slices.
place olive slices, pickle slices, carrot slices, or whatever at random points along the creepy crawler for interest.
serve the creepy crawlers with ketchup, mustard, or whatever you might like.


text: The English version of a lesser known European thriller. Charles Bronson plays an American ex-patriate Joe Martin who is forced into becoming a drugs runner for an evil baron after his family has been kidnapped. As the critical exchange approaches, his adversary is shot so Joe must keep him alive if he ever wants to see his family again.

lowercased: the english version of a lesser known european thriller. charles bronson plays an american ex-patriate joe martin who is forced into becoming a drugs runner for an evil baron after his family has been kidnapped. as the critical exchange approaches, his adversary is shot so joe must keep him alive if he ever wants to see his family again.


text:
Kitchen Budapest will present ‘No Copy Paste’ performance when the members of the event generate music and visuals in real time, utilising live coding which emphasises the expressive possibilities afforded by programming languages as a means for defining and manipulating computational processes. A Live Coding Performance will take place simultaneously on 3 September in all participating MFF Europe 2010 cities.
Kitchen Budapest, opened in June 2007, is a medialab for young researchers who are interested in the convergence of mobile communication, online communities and urban space and are passionate about creating experimental projects in cross-disciplinary teams. We are working in groups on cultural projects that based on technology from the software developing through the design prototypes till the interactive installations. Our researchers are coming to KIBU from different background: programers, designers, video artists, architects, engineers, vj-s and dj-s, and social scientist share their ideas with the community and work together. KIBU founded by Hungarian Telekom.

lowercased:
kitchen budapest will present ‘no copy paste’ performance when the members of the event generate music and visuals in real time, utilising live coding which emphasises the expressive possibilities afforded by programming languages as a means for defining and manipulating computational processes. a live coding performance will take place simultaneously on 3 september in all participating mff europe 2010 cities.
kitchen budapest, opened in june 2007, is a medialab for young researchers who are interested in the convergence of mobile communication, online communities and urban space and are passionate about creating experimental projects in cross-disciplinary teams. we are working in groups on cultural projects that based on technology from the software developing through the design prototypes till the interactive installations. our researchers are coming to kibu from different background: programers, designers, video artists, architects, engineers, vj-s and dj-s, and social scientist share their ideas with the community and work together. kibu founded by hungarian telekom.


text: Resum: Spanish universities have carried out a number of changes derived from the largest social changes that have occurred in recent years. In this article, we shall only highlight two of these that may have had some influence on the new processes of integration and the generation of identity at university. Firstly, there was the demographic growth of the 1970s, which tripled the number of students entering university; nowadays almost fifty per cent of young people go into higher education. This generalised access to university has led to an increase in heterogeneity, a diversity of origins, profiles, cultural capital, competences and motivations among students. The new composition implies a diversification of student expectations and needs and, therefore, of their demands of the institution (Consell Social UAB, 1989; Masjuan, 2004; Troiano, 2005). Secondly, in consideration of the changes to the profiles of students as a result of university expansion the entry of Spain and other countries in the EHEA has led to changes in teaching methods, which have centred learning on the student. This has led to an increase in teaching methodologies related with continuous assessment, problem-based learning, the active participation of students, working in groups etc. As shown below, the analysis of the implementation of the Bologna Process to different degree courses has not been uniform either in time or in the specific types of pedagogic practices. However, in general, it has meant that the old profile of a student who was able to collect the program for a subject at the start of the year and not reappear in class until examination day is far less viable these days.

lowercased: resum: spanish universities have carried out a number of changes derived from the largest social changes that have occurred in recent years. in this article, we shall only highlight two of these that may have had some influence on the new processes of integration and the generation of identity at university. firstly, there was the demographic growth of the 1970s, which tripled the number of students entering university; nowadays almost fifty per cent of young people go into higher education. this generalised access to university has led to an increase in heterogeneity, a diversity of origins, profiles, cultural capital, competences and motivations among students. the new composition implies a diversification of student expectations and needs and, therefore, of their demands of the institution (consell social uab, 1989; masjuan, 2004; troiano, 2005). secondly, in consideration of the changes to the profiles of students as a result of university expansion the entry of spain and other countries in the ehea has led to changes in teaching methods, which have centred learning on the student. this has led to an increase in teaching methodologies related with continuous assessment, problem-based learning, the active participation of students, working in groups etc. as shown below, the analysis of the implementation of the bologna process to different degree courses has not been uniform either in time or in the specific types of pedagogic practices. however, in general, it has meant that the old profile of a student who was able to collect the program for a subject at the start of the year and not reappear in class until examination day is far less viable these days.